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Evening Star, Issue 3026, 31 October 1872, Page 2

Mayor’s Court.—There was a clean sheet at the Mayor’s Court this morning. Vienna Exhibition. —It does not say much for the manufacturing interests in Dunedin that the third meeting called to consider the advisability of Otago being represented at the forthcoming Christchurch Exhibition, and the Vienna Exhibition of next year should have been allowed to fall through. To day there were only live persons present—His Honor the Superintendent, Messrs G. Turnbull, H. Driver, G, Bell, and W. Gilchrist. The Governor. —His Honor the Superintendent has received a telegram from his Excellency the Governor, in which Sir George states that he has been invited to bo present at the opening of the Exhibition at Christchurch on the 10th December ; and that Lady Bowen and himself, with a part of their family, hope to reach Dui.edin by sea on or about the 20th of December, We understand that the Hon. the Premier will accompany the vice regal party. Deputation.—A deputation of settlers from the Flagstaff ami Long Ridge districts was introduced to his Honor the Superintendent, this morning, by Mr H. Driver, M.P.C., and asked that a Crown lands ranger might be allowed to assist them in clearing stray cattle off the freehold laud in their districts. It was represented that a number of persons who did not own land were in the habit of turning their cattle on to the settlers’ lands ; the consequence being that the latter were deprived of pasturage

for their own cattle. They intended to advertise, warning the trespassers that after a certain date the stray cattle would be cleared < off the land; and the ranger’s assistance was required for that purpose. His Honor said he did not think there would be any objection to granting a ranger. Shipping Beats to New Zealand. —The Scotsman says : —“ There is likely to be a dearth of fuel in the Island of Islay before the ensuing winter is over, as peats are being shipped in large quantities to meet the demand elsewhere. A few days ago there were 150 bags of peats sent to New Zealand from Port Ellen, and it is understood that there ai e to be large quanti ies forwarded regularly from Islay.” We believe the spirited proprietors of the Dunedin Distillery are the importers of this peat, tjucry, Are there no peat bogs in the Province from which supplies cou d be drawn ? Investigating Society. —A meeting of this Society was held last evening at the Athemeum, at which it was announced, that Mr Peebles, the lectmer, and Dr Bunn, the trance medium, would visit Dunedin in the course of four >'T live weeks. A report was .adopted, according a vote of thanks to the Rev. Mr Reid for his lecture, and asserting that the evidence brought before their meettings went to prove the genuineness of the phenomena. Each member was left to draw his own conclusions as to their origin. Some more extraordinary revelations were made by Mr Jackson. Ouii Gaol.— The Xem York World, one of the leading papers of the United States, has a very flattering notice of the last annual report on the working of the Dunealin Gaol. We give the concluding paragraph “Mr Caldwell, in his excellent report, refers with just pride to the discretion of liis officers in the management of tho prisoners under them, and the technical knowledge displayed by them in dealing with difficult mechanical operations He justly remarks that but for the fact of their being skilled mechanics, he would have been under the necessity of employing free labor, a course highly detrimental to prison discipline. Considered from a reformatory point of view, the presence amongst the prisoners of capable and industrious tradesmen, engaged in teaching by their example and industry, must in the majority of instances arouse a spirit of emulation, and be attended with the most beneficial results. The total earnings of the establishment for the year were L73G4 17s 91. If to this be added LI 115 12s, the value of the prisoners’ labor within the gaol limits, which Mr Caldwell has excludotl because some critics judged it was not productive, we have as total earnings LBSIO 9s 9d. The expenditure for the same period was LG92I Os. The handsome surplus of LI 589 3s 9d therefore remains to the credit of the management of the gaol. This is a very good exhibit, and when to it is added that no breaches of discipline to any extent have occurred during the year, we may rest assured that the gaol is managed on sound principles, financially and humanely. We may say, in closing this sketch, that it is not the first time that Mr Caldwell’s management has had a balance on the right side of the ledger—it is usual with him.”

Princess Theatre. Goldsmith’s fine comedy, “ She Stoops to Conquer,” was played last evening, in which Mr Hoskins played the part of Young Marlow ; Miss Colville, that of Miss llardcastlc; Tony Lumpkin was represented by Mr Douglas ; Mrs llardcastlc by Miss Anstcad ; aud Old Hardcastle by Mr Musgravo. These are -the chief characters in the piece, although like all Goldsmith’s works, “ She Stoops to Conquer ” is so carefully constructed that none of the subordinate personages can hi dispensed with. VVc do not remember to have seen the piece better played either at Horne or in the Colonies. Miss Colville made a charming Miss Hatdoastle— arch aud good tempered—tic very personification of cno that might s'cop and conquer, or, if occasion served, conquer without stooping ; and Miss Austead’s Mrs Hardcastle w r ae just as Goldsmith ■would have had it—nature itself in one of its absurd developments. We have pleasure in complimenting Mr Douglas on his ideal of Tony Lumpkin. Usually there is a degree of coarse vulgarity thrown into the representation that renders that boisterous embodiment of muchicf repulsive rather than attractive ; Mr Douglas avoided that, and Tony Lumpkin as illustrated by him became a mighty favorite. The four played well together, and the mistakes of the night w r ere rendered intensely ludicrous by the manner in which they worked out. As old Hardcastle, Mr Musgrave w r as just as testy and just as astonished as any old gentleman would have been under the circumstances, Mr Thorpe, Mr Dosford, aud Mr South, fairly supported the leading characters, and Miss Willis and Miss Bray fittingly filled up tho characters of Miss Neville and her maid, “ Cool as a Cucumber” followed. Tho house, wo are glad to say was well filled, and was so well satisfied that a call was made when th« curtain fell, which we may add was well deserved. To-night “The Lady of Lyons” and “A Fast Train ” are the attractions.

A meeting of the members of the Dunedin Bowling and Quoiting Club will be held to-morrow afternoon at live o’clock, at the Club Hotel.

We have to acknowledge the receipt from Mr J. Braithwaite, the appointed agent, of the Tow and Cavalry, a new weekly paper published in Melbourne. From its cheapness and general get up, it bids fair to rival the Auntralaskin in circulation.