YESTERDAY'S NEWS.

Evening Star, Issue 3106, 1 February 1873, Page 2

YESTERDAY'S NEWS.

A meeting was to have been held at the Imperial Hotel last evening, to consider a report by tbe committee appointed to arrange for the carrying out of the road from Hillside to the Ocean Beach, but the secretary not putting in an appearance at the appointed hour, an adjournment was made to a future evening.

There does not appear to be the slightest diminution in the attendance at Aiadame Cora’s entertainment, which last evening drew another crowded audience to the Masonic Hall. There was an afternoon performance to-day for the benefit of children, a large number of whom were unable to gain admittance, the hall having been crowded long before tuo o’clock.

“ Macbeth ” was the opera performed last evening, and it was received with as much enthusiam by a fair audierce (the stalls being particularly well attended) as on the occasion of its first representation. ' We cannot say more of Signora Zenorii and Signor Coliva, who filled the'principal characters, than that each both slugs 'aii4 acts splendidly ; and that principals, chorus, and instrumentalists alike do justice to Verdi’s tine music. The concerted pieces which fofm the finale to the first and second acts, that commencing ‘‘Grand Deo” especially, were excellently rendered, and deservedly applauded. To-night “ Les Huguenots ” will be repeated.

There was a fair house at the Princess Theatre last evening, although the circle gave evidence of very little appreciation of the Shakcsperian drama. The “Comedy cf Errors” was repeated, and, as we anticipated, the shortcomings of Thursday were fully redeemed last evening. The audience seemed highly amused by the perplexing which were exceedingly well brought out. The piece consequently went very charmingly. Perhaps a tittle infusion of passion—not rant-—would give a spice to some of thq situations. Graceful as Mrs Hill’s A'driiia L ii£ she scarcely rises to sufficient manifestation of anger when the Abbess refuses to produce her husband, and in the duel scene between Antipholus of Syracuse and the merchant, swords are crossed as coolly as if it were an experiment iu slicing cucumbers. These are, however, very trifling drawbacks, and we had rather see these excitements toned down than overdone—which they are apt to be. The programme will be repeated this evening.

The Interprovincial cricket match is to be played at Christchurch on Thursday nekt and the two succeeding days, and our team proceeded there by the Taranaki to-day. F. Muir, we understand, takes the plate of Sutcliffe, who, goes up as twelfth man. : Referring to the change in the team, a correspondent, who signs himself “ A Lover of the game,” writes ; —“ Can you, Mr Editor, explain how it is that, after the eleven was chosen, the match committee have turned out one of the elected players, who has practised assiduously, is a good field, a fair bat, and would make a change bowler, besides being able to take a turn at the wickets if required, in order to put in the team one who has scarcely gone in for a day’s practice this season, and is an uncertain player at the test? To one who does not understand how things are worked behind the scenes, it has the appearance of a piece of rank favoritism. When will we have our teams closen according to the merits of the nvm ? for until then 1 have little hope of 'seeing a healthy interest taken in cricket.”

The last number of the New Zealand Gazette contains a number of regulations for the conduct of business which chiefly relate to departmental ’ piasters. The following alterations, however, will have some interest to the public, as showing increased precaution to provide again abuse of the Civil Service Kegulations: -Appointments to offices ha\ing attached to them a salary of L2OO per annum, or upwards are to be made by the Governor, with the advice and consent of the Executive Council. Appointments to offices of a less salary than L2OO per annum are, except when otherwise required by law, to be made in the name of the Governor by Ministerial heads of departments. Appointments to offices are to bo made subject to the provisions of the Civil Service Act, and are with all convenient speed to be gazetted. The warrants of appointment are to be prepared in the various Ministerial offices, and duly recorded. It is also no titled that all appointments to the Commission of the Peace are to be made by the Governor, with the advice and consent of his Executive Council. '■ : ■‘ ii

Twelve months ago the Dunedin Distillery Company thought tneir premises and plant sufficiently large to meet all requirements for years to come. Latterly, however, their business has so rapidly increased that they have been encouraged to make additions to the plant necessitating an outlay of .fbfint P,OOO. When completed th®*® P®

five stills in full work, capable of producing from 2,000 to 2,500 gallons of spirits per week with one shift only, but with two shifts, or by working night and day, double the quantity mentionedi A new tun*room is in course of erection, where fresh apparatus will be erected. A monster worm cistern is being constructed outside the still-house, in the neighborhood of which a new smokestack wdl be raised. Increased accommodation has also been found necessary for coopers, carpenters, bottle-washers, packers, and others, while due provision has been made for further enlargement in all the departments If found necessary