Untitled

Evening Star, Issue 3020, 24 October 1872, Page 2

Shag Valley Keeks. —The Waikounili Jfera’d has been shown some splendid stone, actually dotted with gold, from one of these reefs. A Difference. —Ajwopos of the high rates of press telegrams in New Zealand, it may he mentioned that, according to a Glaxyow Herald just to hand, that paper sometimes takes 11,000 words of a Parliamentary debate in one message at a cost of only L 5. The same message, at our rates, would cost a newspaper L 22. Price of Coals.—Messrs Findlay have placed at our disposal a .Newcastle telegram, dated October 11, which states that the price of coal there has been raised to eleven shillings a ton. The Lambton colliery has so far refused to increase the prices, and is still undecided ; but if it goes in with the rest, a corresponding increase in prices here must be anticipated. A Good Suggestion,—A correspondent writes suggesting that the telegraph department should follow the example of Victoria, and issue message forms in which columns aro provided, so that persons using them can at a glance see how many words are contained The public would thus bo greatly convenienced, anil the telegraph clerks saved a good deal of trouble. Spouting,—We regret to learn that Lady Antrim, a fine mare, the property of Mr J. Stevenson, while taking a trial gallop on the Forhury course this morning, injured her back to much by a sprain as to completely disable her. Mr Ferguson, the vc erinary surgeon, considers she may so far recover as to become a useful brood mare. The accident is the more to he regretted as she seemed likely to have taken a good position for the Derby at Christchurch, We hear that Mr J. A. Douglass has just landed from his station two promising thoroughbred colts which will be offered at auction, by Messrs Wright, Stephenson and Co,, on Saturday, New Insurance Company, The allocation of the shares in the South British Insurance Company has been made as follows :—Auckland, 15U shareholders, holding 7305 shares; Dunedin, 147 shareholders, holding (>675 shares ; Christchurch, 180 shareholders, holding 5187 shares ; Wellington and Wanganui, 220 shareholders, holding 4270 shares; Nelson, 8k shareholders, holding 1508 shares ; total, 744 shareholders, holding 25,000 shares. A good business has been clone in each of the Provinces. The paid-up capital, when a call of 3s per share is paid, will be L 18,750; while the Mew Zealand insurance Company started with a capital of L 0,500. Canterbury Affairs. — A few days ago we gave an extract from tho Lyttelton Times, which predicted that on the publication of the next balance-sheet of that Province, it would be found that the policy of the Fox-V’ogel Government, as carried into effect there, had a most beneficial effect upon the revenue. Those predictions have been fully realised, for the balance sheet for the quarter ended 80th September last, just published, shows that the Provincial coffers are overflowing. The gross credit balance on June 80 was L 122.019 15s 9d, and the yross receipts since then up to September 30, were L/ 73,143 17s 4d. TLe tot A expejuditure for the same period was L 57,810 i ss, and the tycdjt balance at the cud of the .quarter was Ms 8d- The Canterbury Provincial Council meet g shortly, and will ha re close upon L150,0Q0 at Princess Theatre, —There was a scantier attendance at the theatre last evening than we have seen there for a very long time. The weather was certainly uninviting, but it might reasonably have been expected that the repitition of “The School for Scandal,” would have drawn better. As a rule wo have noticed that tho company, notwithstanding the dispiriting influence of a small audience, have played as evenly as if there had been full benches ; but we regret to have to say that last evening there was a different order of things. The utmost indifference was shown by many of the

' principal characters, who displayed a lament- , able inacquaintance with there parts. Such things should not be, for their effect is to ' disgust playgoers. The screen scene was the only redeemable feature ; and that certainly was spiritedly acted. The afterpiece was “Catching a" Governor.” There is a good hill for to-night, “The >‘erions Family,” and “Box and Cox,” Mr Hoskins appearing m both pieces. On Friday evening Miss Colville takes a benefit, when Taylor’s comedy of “An Unequal Match” will be produced.

A meeting of the Hibernian Society will bo held in St. Joseph's schoolroom at 8 o’clock this evening. The annual meeting of the Otago Meat Preserving Company, will be held at Temple Chambers, Princes street, to-morrow (Friday), at 3 p.m. The 105 th monthly meeting of the Permanent Building Society, will he held at the office, 'temple Chambers, to-morrow (Friday) evening, at 7 o’clock.