SATURDAY’S NEWS.

Evening Star, Issue 3125, 24 February 1873, Page 3

SATURDAY’S NEWS.

’Tis to be as we expected : the two great guns of the Opposition aro to be fired off at once. Mr Stafford is to speak at Timaru on Wednesday evening ; and Sir David Monro will have Ida say at Waikouaiti on Thursday night. The Wintou Meat Preserving Works have changed hands, having been purchased by a firm which will probably start operations to the full capacity of the plant in a very short time.

The friends of Miss Colville and Mr Hoskins will learn with interest that arrangements'have been made for their return to Christchurch. The Theatre .Royal has been engaged for them.

About three p.m. on Saturday a tire broke out in a small stable at the back of Mr Smith’s residence, in Great King street, A number of neighbors were immediately on the premises, and there being ah abundant supply of water, the fire was confined to the building in which it originated. The Fire Brigade were prompt y on the ground, but happily their services were not requbed.

An effort is being made by tbc legal profession practising in the District Court of the Otago Goldfields, to obtain an extension of the jurisdiction of that Court iu various directions—viz , criminal jurisdiction, as provided for by the District Court Alt of 1858 ; extension of the amount of jurisdiction in all cases to LSOO ; grants of probate and letters of administration, Ac., &c. It is intended to present petitions for the attainment of this object to the General Assembly next session. At the Princess Theatre, “The Stranger” was played on .Saturday evening iu a manner that should have- drawn a better house ; though the attendance down stairs was above the average. Mrs Hill, as Airs Haller, played with an intensity of feeling riiat must have surprised most of her audience ; anfl was well supported by Mr Douglas and o£ the company. With Mr Douglas she was' several times called before the ourtaiu. The afterpiece was “ A Valet do Sham.”—To-night, Boucieault s new play of “ Elfie” will be produced. A number of gentlemen interested in boatracing a-sembled on the Jetty on Saturday afternoon to witness a four-oared gig race between two amateur crews well known in sporting circles. T he Amateur’s crew consisted of Fuller (stroke) Harris, Fraser, and folmston (how) ; the Queen Victoria*!-—Atkyns stroke), Grant, Manisty, and Reid (bow). Mr Turton officiated as judge and star lev, and at 3 30pra. a capital qfcart was. effected. The oyurw was rather \m tbaq four mike, round

a buoy off Grant’s Braes, and was done in 26 mi antes by the Amateur ; the Queen Victoria being 38 seconds longer. In the absence of Mr Peebles at Christchurch, Dr Dunn lectured last evening at the Queen’s Theatre on “Spiritualism proper, and its rise and growth.” The house was w ell filled, and the proceedings were commenced by singing a hymn and reading a poem. The lecturer endeavored to prove that Spiritualism, astaught, basexisted from the creation of man, but that, latterly, or about twenty-three years ago at Hydersfield, in the State of New York, the Deity de veloped a new means whereby men were now enabled to bold commune with the spirit world, and improve themselves morally and intellectually. He stated that because of this development men were enabled to cast aside creeds, and the old forms of faith, and worship God as rational intellectual beings, guided only in their belief by the influence of ministering spirits. 7 he Queenstown people are getting anxious about ttieir railway. On the 18th inst., Mr Hallenstein, M. H.R., telegraphed to the Minister for Public Works;—“ Great disappointment in district that the promised railway from Winton towards Kingston has not been commenced yet. Several large new industries starting hero, and anxious about the railway. I have no hesitati nin asserting that it will be a paying line, passing through one of the finest agricultural plains in New Zealand, and tapping the wealthiest and most gold-bearing districts in Otago v>,, the Wakatip and Cromwell districts.” To which the Hon. Mr Richardson replied : ston are now in this office, sufficient to let by contract about twenty three miles. As soon as the necessary specifications can be got ready, tend°rs will bo invited for above. About a fori night or three weeks will, I hope, suffice for this.” Mr Bathgate, who was asked to use his influence in urging the Government to call for tenders, replied ** There will be no unnecessary delay. Department working night and day. The interest of so important a district will receive attention.”

At a meeting of the Southland Acclimatisation Society held on the 20th mst, letters from the Colonial Secretary, Dr Featherston, Mr voul, and Dr Lindsay (<-f the Tay salmon ponds) wore read, touching the shipment of ova now on its way out, and expected at Port Chalmers during March. Dr Featnerstou’s letter stated that 150,000 ova, partly from Scotland and partly from England, would be shipped on board Shaw. Saville, and Co’s vessel, the Obcron, which, Mr Butts bad been informed, sailed from London on the 21st January last. The committee expressed great regret that Dr 'eatheraton had elected to ship at London, in spite of the expressed w'sh of the committee in favor of a Clyde ve-sel, and in the face of a strong recommendation of the same route by Dr i indsay. This was considered as specially irritating on account of the fact than a large proportion of the ova had been obtained from the Stormontfield (Tay) Ponds, with which Dr Lindsay is connected, ihe board of management of these ponds, where the artificial breeding of sab non has been carried to the highest perfection, sys'ematically decline to part with ova, aud th« concession made to New Zealand vas consequently regarded as a very great favor indeed. It was hoped the passage of the Obcron might prove an exception to the rule of that line, and decided that no delay should be allowed in transhipment from I’ort Chalmers to the Bluff It was resolved to accept of a shipment of bird—quail, larks. &c. — fr.-m the Nelson Society, in exchange for the 1,001) trout ova supplied from Southland.

The Dunedin Choral Society commence tonight the practice of one of the most succesfiu of modern sacred oratorios, and one rarely produced in the Colonies, Sir Michael Costa’s “ Eli ” may be said to rank in power of expression, dramatic force, and contrapuntal excellence with Mendelssohn's justly popular “Elijah.” Costa’s experience as director of the London old Philharmonic Soc cty, and ns Conductor of the Royal Italian Opera for so many years, has served to acquaint him with an innumerable variety in style-perhap* more so than any living musician—and, added to his innate genius, this experience seems to have stood him in good stead in Iris composition of “Eli.” Wedded to rich and flowing melodies, are chorusses grand and elaborate in their combination, and instrumental music stirring and effective. If the performing members of the B'ociety will give due attention to the practice of this w* rk, it cannot fail to be a success.