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Evening Star, Issue 3118, 15 February 1873, Page 2

The omission of a point by the printers in our leader of last evening made us state the absurdity that “we have 4.136 mechanics and artificers, about 1 to 35 of the producers,” It should have been “about Ito 3.5.”

A meeting of the Caledonian Society was held at Wain’s Hotel last evening ; the President in the chair. After the routine business had been disposed of, it was resolved that LlO should be handed over to the Benevolent Asylum, The attendance at the Princess Theatre last evening was comparatively thin, “ Belphegor” was repeated, and followed by the very amusing farce of “The Captain’s not a-Miss.” This evening a most attractive programme is announced, it includes “ The Knaves of Knaves-acre,” a most sensational drama, and the farces of “ The Two Buzzards” and “The Captain’s not a-Miss.” A syllabus of the drama is printed in the bills, and is worthy of notice. Tho usual weekly meeting of the lloslyn and Kaikorai Institute, was held in the Rcslyn hall on Tuesday evening. The vicepresident (Mr J. Gillie-) r-ad ap interesting essay on “Knowledge,” which was enlarged upon be several of the members present. <)n Tuesday evening next an essay will be read by Mr William Young Spears. Subject; “ The uses and abuses of Trades’ Unions.”

Notwithstanding the strenuous efforts now bang put forth to interest the members of the dmeft>n& plubs in the game of cricket, the muster of cricketers on the South Recreation Ground this afternoon was thin. A match was played between the £pst elevens of the Albion and Citizens’ Clubs, *nd a scratch match by members of the Dunedin Club, but both matches were simply what lovers of the game describe as practice matches.

We are glad to find that the difficulty of connecting Martin’s Bay settlement with the Lake district of Otago is likely to be eijfpctoally overcome, at a reasonable expense. Last session of the Provincial Council, the sum of one hundred pounds was voted for the purpose of cutting a track from Mavora Lake to the Hollyford River by a practical and easy route. The proposition was made by Mr A. M. Clark, of Mavora Downs Station, to cut a track through the bush, twelve feet wide, from Lake M'Kerrow to where the track from the Wakitipu touches tho Hollyford River, a distance of fourteen miles, at five shillings a chain. The proposal has been accepted by tho Provincial Government, and Mr Clark has succeeded in making arrangements at the prjce mentioned. The work will be proceeded with, and is expepted to be finished by the end of May. Wp trust ffiat henceforth Martin’s Pay will go ahead sr f rapidly that all difficulties connected with the past may be forgotten. The ninth anniversary of Court Enterprise No 3,990 A.O.F. was celebrated by a soiree and ball, which was held in the Friendly Societies, new hall, last evening, and was attended by about thirty couples. Ample justice having been done to the refreshments supplied by Mr Kpopn. George street, the room was cleared for dancing, was kept up till an early hour this morning, Mr Lack’s band supplying the music. In the im terval a report of the condition of the lodge was read by Secretary Bro. Mowl, and from it we gathered that at the end of the past year there were good on the books 99 members, and that during the same period nine new members had been made, while four old ones had allowed themselves to run unfiuancial. The sum of L 65 had been paid from the sick fund to members ; and the lodge was worth L6OO, of which L4OO was invested by way of mortgage on good security, and 1.50 deposited in shares in the Hall Company. A presentation of a mods) was also

made to P.C.R. Bro. J. Hughes, in recognition of his efforts to further the interests or the order during his occupancy of the D. C. R.’s chair.

A meeting of the shareholders of the Masonic Hall Company (Limited) was bela in the Masonic Hall, yesterday afternoon There were about twenty-three shareholders present, and Mr James Gore was voted to the chair. The Hon. Secretary read the balance-sheet and report of the Directois, the latter of which was as follows : “ Your directors regret that they cannot congratulate you upon the past year be ng a successful one, the accompanying balance sheet showing a loss upon the year’s business of Ll2 5s Id. The mortgage upon t : e Company’s property falls due in a short time, and no doubt the money could be got on a fresh mortgage at 3 per cent. less. This would cause a f-aving of LGO per annum; but unless the hall is occupied more frequently than has been the case during the past year, your directors are. not sanguine of a dividend being paid at any early date. At the last meeting of shareholders, your directors were recommended to appoint a paid Secretary, but this they could not see their way to do in the face of a failing revenue. It. however, the shareholders can see their way to do so, your directors have no objection to try the experiment. You will have to appoint two directors in the room of Messrs Graham and Burton, resigned; also two auditors, the present ones, Messrs Leary and Matheson, being eligible for re election.’’ It was moved and seconded that the balancesheet and report be received. A somewhat angry and personal discussion then arose on the motion of MrC. S. Reeves, ns to whether the Hon. Secretary should have paid for the use of the hall, on certain occasions when he had held meetings there, or not. The Hon. Secretary alleged that it had always been understood that he should use the room occasionally when he required it, and when not otherwise engaged, free of charge ; and contended it was a usual thing to do and should therefore decline paying anything for it. A motion was ultimately carried that the balance-sheet and report be adopted. Messrs G F. Reid, Wilkinson, and Rossbothara were proposed as directors, and the two former were declared electe *. Messrs Leary and S. James were elected auditors. A motion was carried recommending the directors to appoint a paid Secretary. The meeting then, after a vote of thanks to the chair, adjourned, A numerously attended meeting of gentlemen interested in the game of cricket was held at the Shamrock Hotel last evening, for the purpose of considering the present state of the game, the ground, and other business. On Mr Watson taking the chair, Mr Turton explained that this meeting had not been called with reference to the interests of any one club, but solelv to consider what was best to be done in order to keep up the game of cricket in Dunedin. As the only one remaining of the first Utago eleven who played against Canterbury, he suggested the idea, and asked the gentlemen whose names appear in the advertisement to sign it with him. He then alluded to the unsatisfactory state of the ground, pointing out the necessity there was for having the turf relaid before the next season opened. He also directed attention to the necessity there was for practice, if Otago would make a favorable appearance in the next match with Canterbury, which would bo played in Dunedin about six weeks earlier than that played a few days ago. Mr Kettle then proposed that a Reputation of the following gentlemen be requested £o wait upon his Honor the Superintendent and his Worship the Mayor, with the view of obtaining a lease of the oval on the South Dunedin Recreation Reserye, for the purpose of cricket ami other out-door exercises, viz., Messrs James r attray, W, D, Murison, Watson, Turton, Hawthprnp, Cohen, J. F. Watson, and H. Tewsley. Mr Mujuspn thought there would be some difficulty in tfie way of getting a lease of the ground, and would therefore suggest words ‘‘ better tenure” be inserted in tjie resolution instead of the word lease. The motion as proposed was carried unanimously. Mr Turton then proposed that the Reputation take action immediately, and report to another meeting to be held in a fortnight. Agreed to. Mr Turton then at considerable length reviewed the various games of cricket played between Otago and Canterbury, pointing out that the former were superior in bowling and batting to the latter, but in fielding they were inferior in all the games played. Ho condemned the practice of batting with a net as a means of field training, because it bad not the effect of training the eye to the hue of the ball, but thought that the long-stop practice was one of the best means of training for the practice of fielding. He then condemned the mode of bowling now in vogue, and concluded by suggesting the desirability of appointing a permanent captain for each club, who would exercise absolute control over the various practices of the different elubs, illustrating the necessity by the treatment a certain allround cricketer had received on the ground by one inefficient player. Mr Murrison in the remarks of the last speaker, and thought it strange that the ranks of cricketers had not been reinforced from the High School. Mr F. Muir, alluding to the game recently played at uhrisjtchjirch, said that if it had not been for a funk established among the players, Otago would have been better represented, and consequently would have come out better. The weakness of the gaipe Jay jn the bowling and not in the fielding, as stated by another gppajker. The Canterbury people themselves ac& ,10W l e(^ skat fielding of the Otago team was superior to anything they had spen, and be was satisfied that it was owing to this that they Rid so well. Mr Clarke suggested the advfcablity of importing a trainer, and Mr Begg, after remarking that it was impossible for a cricketer to learn how to use his tools without such assistance, said that there was an efficient coaeher who was willing to come from home, providing he was guaranteed a certain s»um, not amounting to more than LSO annually for reason. Mr Hawthorne said he had been identified witty the Dunedin Club, and was desirous o,f continuing to be so. He then alluded to the le.ttpi'S pf “Mid-wicket” and others in the newspapers, having reference to the High School, and characterised ttyem as being uncharitable io tone and spirit. When he became identified with the school the p!ayg r 9sud was limited, and games were not existing among the pupils. Now, however, there was a cadet corps, a tennis court, and a gymnasium. In all of these the pupils took a great interest. An effort was being made to obtain a cricket field on the Town Belt, and he ex» pected that it would he ready for the pupils in about 19 months from the present time, and he hoped then that they would make as good an appearance as they now did in the games referred to. But if the boys were to rank among cricketers here, it would be necessary that they should be trained by the players, as was the practice in Australia. Hp concurred in the idea of bringing a professional trainer and would be willing to pay hi§ pprtioty of (the expense of maintenance of such a persop. The question ot erecting a new pavilion on the ground was suggested, when Mr Turton, explained that in case the Government secure the use of the ground to the Clubs, he is prepared to find the money required for the purpose on easy terms, if the funds do not come in by public subscription. A vote of thanks was then awarded to the chairman, and the meeting adjourned until Friday, 28th mst.

A meeting of those interested in the formation of a new parish for South Dunedin, will be held at the City Council Chambers, on Monday evening, at 8 o’clock. Dr Dunn is to lecture in the Queen’s Theatre, on Wednesday evening, under the auspices of the Otago Temperance Alliance on '■ Prohibition,” Judging by the criticisms of the American and Victorian press, Dr Dunn is well able to speak on the subject he has chosen.