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Evening Star, Issue 3092, 16 January 1873, Page 2

The Chinese navvies are likely to fall between two stools. On Saturday a number of them had a meeting at Tokomairiro. when they came to an understanding with Ah Tong and Mr Salmond, Mr Brogden’s paymaster, and the latter showed them clearly that Ah Tong was in the position of sub-contractor, and that the work had been measured up, checked, and the amount earned paid oyer to Ah Tong as sub contractor. On being satisfied of this, the gave their case into the hands of Mr '1 ay lor, solicitor,. As far as the Bruce Herald is able to learn of tho matter, having heard both sides, it would appear that a hj Tong, on fir t coming here arrived as a kind of agent or Messrs Brogden and Sons to obtain Chinese labor; that he did so, but, Mr Smyth, Messrs Brogden’s manager in Otago, finding that, they did not give satisfaction, discharged them. Ah Tong then undertook a subcontract, which he carried on, obtaining, during its currency, both goods and money to something over L 20 0; and that during the last few days th« whole work performed by him was measured up, and a balance of some LlO7 paid over to him. Ah Tong, finding that his sub-contract had not paid him, virtually says, “Me only agent; me stick to this money a? salary.” The case is to be heard before Mr Mainland, E.M., on Thursday.

The City Surveyor has furnished the City Council with an elaborate report on the ventilation and facilities for rapid egress provided in the Princess and Queen’s Thea'res and Masonic Hall. The seating capacity of the three places he estimates thus : Princess’. dress circle and boxes, 200 ; stalls, 13 ; pit, 270 ; total 600 ; but adds that in case of a full bouse (with persons standing in the passages) be does not doubt there would be in the building, including company and orchestra, about 1000 persons. 'I he Masonic flail seats 350; and when full is capable of ho ding another 100 persons. The Queen’s Theatre wiU hold—in the dress circle, 300 ; stalls, 20n ; and pit, 500, or 1 00 in all; but on a c owded night probably 1400, as the passages are wide. The imports coueludes “ Taking the total widths of the exits in proportion to the numbers the three buildings are seated to hold, the order in which tney stand for facility of egress, is—first, Masonic Hall ; second, Princess’ ; and third, Queen's Theatre; the proportions being expressed by the numbers 39, 37, and 25. As regards levels ot floors, steps, passages, fee., their order would be—first, Masonic Hall; second, Queen’s j and third, Princess'. AU external doors to buildings must, of necessity, open inwards, care being taken that they are so secured to the walls that they could not be closed with a rush. A recess to open brick into, as is the ,case at the Queen’s

Theatre would, if it were flush with the walls, which is not the case there, present no obstruction whatever. All internal doors should open outwards, such being even preferable, in my judgment, to swing doors. The internal doors at the Masonic Hall should be altered in this respect—in the Queen’s r l heatre they all open outwards ; in the Princess’s they either open outwards or swing. Ihe narrow passage from the stalls in the Queen’s Th-atra-should be widened to at least live feet. The ventilation in the Masonic Hall and Queen’s Theatre should be good ; at the Princess’s, air hough considerable efforts have been made in this direction, as I have report<d, the result is not I believe satisfactory when the house is crowded. There appears to me plenty of egress for the vitiated air, but 1 think some further provision should be made for introducing a larger quantity of cold air, in order to create a greiter draft. As respects ventilation, I consider the Queen’s Theatre to be best provided, but for rapid exit, the worst There is only one exit from a large dress circle ; one exit from the pit, and one very narrow passage from the stalls.”

A match will be played on Saturday between sides chosen by Messrs Reade and Tait. The following are the teams : —Messrs Allen, Andrew, Clark, Hellicar, Hendley, Johnston, Morrison, Macfarlau, Glen, Sutcliffe and Tait will play Messrs Keade, Kettle, Muir, Ferguson, Lambert, Begg, Fulton, Mauist.y, Thomson, Brown, and Macdonnefl. There is every possibility that the Inter-provincial team this year will be composed almost entirely of new men, the older players evidently fighting shy of it. It is to be hoped that there will be a good muster on Saturday afternoon.