Untitled

Evening Star, Issue 3072, 23 December 1872, Page 2

The Phaffie, with the aa Francisco wail, arrived in Fort at 3,20 p.m.

An inquest was held to-day touching the cause of the death of the late Rev. John Vv illiams, but at too late an hour to allow of its being reported in to-night's issue. We regret to learn that one of the petty officers of H.M.B. Dido fell from one of the starboard bows of the vessel on Saturday, just prior to the ship's inspection by the Governor, and broke his leg. Mr Hoskins, of the Princess Theatre has kindly sent to the patients in the Hospital, for Christmas dinner, half-a-dozen pair of fat geesfi and half-a-dozen pair of fowls. We have no doubt the gift will prove most grateful to the inmates. A Northern contemporary says the matrimonial market at Wanganui is very Brisk. at present, and that, in consequence, considerable excitement exists at Taranaki, where there arc over 300 young ladies, all highly eligible, and anxious to change their state. The opening match of the Bowling Club was played on Saturday afternoon, when there was a good attendance of members. The Committee of the club played an equal number of members, and the scores at the end of the game were—43 for the Committee, and 20 for the other representatives of the club.

Yesterday afternoon a cona'derable number of people availed themselves of the afternoon steamer fqr a trip down the bay to Fort Chalmers, the hue and a sight of the Dido being the chief attractions. During the afternoon hundreds of people visited the vessel in the dock, and were courteously received by both officers and men.

News )/as been received in town of a very serious tire in tpc Magngatua Bush, A little smoke was noticed a day or two back, but it was not thought of any importance. Yesterday, however, the tire broke out with great intensity on the Government Reserve. This morning it had spread to Mr Donald Grant's Bush, and the houses of several settlers were supposed to be in danger. The (ire had a little abated at the time of our last information.

We are requested to state that his Excellency the Governor will receive all persons who mny y/ish to see him on Tuesdays and Fridays, between .the hours of eleven a m. and one p.m. ; and. J 7 -ady Bowen will receive visitors on Tuesdays, -fcc£y/een the hours of three p.m. and six p.m. Officers Government and other gentlemen desiring to have an interview with the Governor on public business, will be received on any day and at any hour when ]}o may happen to be in the house.

We have to acknowledge the receipt cf the following papers from the Government Printer Return of Revenue and Expenditure under the Laud Transfer Act ; further correspondence relating to the ManawatuUangitikei purchase ; deport of the Public Accounts Committee, together with minutes of proceedings and evidence ; correspondence relative to Fees on Registration of Deeds at Auckland ; Return of Lands held under depasturing and other leases (except for gold mining); Report of the Joint Committee on Colonial Industries.

The N:;vi Zealand JferalU inveighs against the Geological Department because it does not (in that journal’s opinion) fulfil all the conditions which the country requires of it. It does not mean to insinuate that Dr Hector and his assistants are not as actively engaged as they should be, but simply that the work on Avbich they arc engaged is not, in many eases, as sen ieeable for the colony aa might be. Tht; teal gist of the article,

hawever, is that Mr Skey should be transferred to the Thames or Auckland to assist the mining proprietors, by experiment and otherwise, to carry on their undertakings

A notorious character named William Hoare, with a number of abases, well known to the police and Gaol officers as one of the most expert and dangerous of the professional criminals in the Australasian Colonics, was received int-• the Gael last nighr. He was convicted at the late sessions of the Criminal Court at Inver, argil), before his Honor Mr Justice Chapman, of a robbery from a dwelling at .Switzers, and .-entenced to four years’ penal servitude. Ho was escorted by Constable Sullivan, of the Bluff, per Storm Bird, by virtue of a warrant signed by his Honor the > uperintomlcnt. So obstinate was the prisoner with the officer at the Jetty, that he refused to carry his swag of clothes to the Gaol. The Bight Rev. Bishop Nevill conducted divine s rvice yesterday, at St Barnabas’ Church, Blueskin. His Lordship preached a most eloquent and impressive sermon, taking for his text Acts 17th chap., '22 nd and 23. d verses. ‘he congregation was very large, and Mr Blyth of Dunedin kindly presided at the harmonium—an excellent and pure-toned instrument. If there was any doubt before, regarding the desirability of erecting a church at Blueskin, the crowded state of St Barnabas’ on every occasion when services have been held there proves that the erection of the edifice took place none too early. On Christmas Day service will be conducted at 11 o’clock by the Kev. Mr Stanley. We have received from Mr Andrew Pollock, of Green Island, a sample of material, which has the appearance of very excellent lire clay. It was obtained at a depth of 125 feet, while sinking for coal. The seam is 3i feet thick, and lies between two seams of coal, the quality of which we alluded to a few days ago. The thickness of the lower seam is not yet ascertained, 13 feet having been already gone through. Should the spccimen in question prove to be fireclay., what it is almost certain it is, it will prove an important addition to the raw material of the Province. Incidentally we may mention that Messrs A. J, Burns, and Co , of Mosgiel Woollen Factory, were supplied with the first product of the low-r seam of coal from Mr Pollock’s pit on Friday last. While the management at the Princess’ Theatre are to be commended for their laudable desire to present to the public the higher class drama, yet it cannot be said that their recent efforts in that direction were successful. 'ihc company, though possessing many members of undoubted talent, are wholly at a disadvantage when called upon to play such pieces as “Macbeth” and “Othello.” It has none of the essential qualities required for the representation of such creations as those mentioned. It is simply a very respectable comedy company, and nothing more. The experience of the'past week bears out this conclusion. The management, therefore, will pardon us for suggesting that the performance only of such pieces as are within the capacity of the company will give satisfaction. “Othello” was given on Saturday night to a full pit and stalls. The audience was not enthusiastic, and the piece ran flatly throughout. There was no difference in the cast from that of previous representation. At the close of the entertainment, Messrs Hoskins and Collier, Miss Colville, and Mrs Walter Hill, had the honor of a call before the curtain. —The Theatre will be closed until Boxing Night when it will be again opened with a Pantomime.

It is with feelings of the profonndest regret that we chronicle the death of the Rev. John Williams, pastor of the Hanover street Baptist Chapel, which occurred at 12.31) a.in, yesterrday, and resulted from the coach accident at the Kaikorai on Friday. Since the rev. gentleman’s arm was set by Dr. Deck on that morning, ho was attended by Dr Burrowes, and on Saturday mortification set in, terminating in death at the hour already stated. His death was known in town early yesterday, and created a painful impression, but was unknown to the bulk of the deceased gentleman’s congregation until it was announced, at morning service, by the Rev. Mr lyitt, who wap omtiatiftg for the day. The rev. gentleman’s decease was referred to in both the scrpions at the Hanover street Chapel, and aljuded to in the various Protestant churches in the city. At St. Paul’s, >yo believe, the ‘‘Dead March in Saul” was played on the orvam My Williams intended to have preached at Lawrence yesterday, and he was proceeding there when the accident, which has terminated so sadly, happened. An inquest is to be held to-day. 'I he late Mr illiaina was born in 1817, at Pembrokedock, South Wales, and commenced preaching at the early age of sixteen, and for six years aft rwards preached in the rural distiicts around his native town. He then went to the Baptist College at Bristol; thence to Kingston, Jamaica, where he labored as a missionary for three years. Returning to England in ill-health, he commenced to preach in the Trades’ Hall, Glasgow, but shortly at ter wards received the pastorate of the North Frederick street chapel, which was built for him, and which he occupied for eleven yeai s. In 1802 he received a call to Stow Hill Baptist chapel, Newport, Wales, where he labored for tive-and-a-half years. He was then elected by the Revs. C. H Spurgeon, Brook, and Landels to go to Dunedi to succeed the Rev. J. L Parsons. He left Plymouth in January, 18GS, and preached his lirst sermon on the second Sunday of that month. His ministrations here have been faithful, earnest, and acceptable, while his life and labors were marked by unsectarianism. He co-operated most cordially with other Protestant denominations, and took great interest in the monthly union prayer-meetings held in the City, He leaves a widow and three sons to mourn his loss.

A Royal Commission, appointed by the Government of Victoria to report on the best moans to prevent, or keep in cheek, diphtheria, in that Colony, give it as their opinion that sulphur is the moat effectual remedy, and they invite its trial by all the medical men of the Colony, The following is a copy of a letter addressed to each member of the profession on the subject : —“ Sir, - -In the recently published report of the Royal Commission on Diphtheria, a mode of treating the disease, by keeping the room of the patient constantly tilled with the lumes of burning sulphur, is very strongly and prominently advocated, and instances arc brought forward jp the report^(from the evidence of fftcdjcal men of high standing, which show that such (yeatmept has been very successful in some of the worst c^ges,— Those instances, however, though seemingly very conclusive, are but few, and it is considered desirable therefore that the mode of treatment recommended by the commission should have a more extended trial, in order that its value may be fairly tested in the treatment of this hitherto most fatal and intractable disease.—The Central Board of Health, with this object in view, are desirous of soliciting the assistance and cooperation of the medical profession in the Colony, iu an investigation into t/ic merits of this remedy, and I am accordingly desired to reijiiest that, when eases of diphtheria come under your care, you will he good enough to give the proposed treatment a fair trial. — The plan advocated by the commission is to keep the apartment iu which the patient is placed constantly Idled with an atmosphere of the fumes of burning sulphur, as dense as the patient can bear, and to continue this night and day till some decisive effect is produced on the disease. I am desired also to request that, as soon as possible after ymu have fairly tested this mode of treatment in any case, you will be good enough to communicate the result of the trial to the Central Board of Health, stating the age and sex of the patient ; the parts to which the diphtheric membrane bad extended ; the time during which the apartment was kept Idled with the fumes of burning sulphur, and thp density of the fumigation ; and the

effect of the treatment. —I am to add that the Central Board of Health trust the gravity of the disease, and the desirability of finding an efficient remedy for its treatment, will be sufficient excuse for asking you to take this trouble.—T. R. Wilson, secre tary.

A series of aquatic sports will take place on Christmas day at the; Ptlichet Bay baths. Particulars will be found in another column. We have received Wise’s shilling Almanac for 1873, which, for the completeness of the information it supplies and general get-up, is creditable alike to its compiler and publisher. The cheap price at which it is published should command for it a ready sale.

The members of the Dunedin Golf Club will compete for their gold medal on ihursday, 20th iust. Flay will commence at II a. m.

The Masonic Hall will be opened on Boxing Night by the ‘ Loyal Troupe” of gymnasts, whose performances are highly spoken of. Miss Adelaide Bowring (Mrs J. B. -teelc), an old favorite, will also make her rc appearance.