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Evening Star, Issue 3186, 7 May 1873, Page 2

The monthly competition for the cup of the North Dunedin Rifles took place yester day at the North Dunedin range, when Corporal Hutchinson was again the winner, with 37 points, at ranges 200 and 600 yards, seven shots at each. The weather was any thing but favorable for good shooting. The only case heard at the City Police Court this morning was a charge of drunk onness preferred against Jas. Logie, an old offender, who was fined 10s, with the alternative of twenty-four hours’ imprisonment. His Worship the Mayor and Mr J. Black, J.P., were the presiding justices. The regular monthly meeting of the com mittee of the Port Chalmers Mechanics’ In stitute was held in the building fast night The principal business done was to call y special meeting to receive the balance sheei for the past twelve months, and elect nev office-bearers for the ensuing twelve months,

the meeting to take place on Tuesday, 27th inst. ; and to consider the advisability of the sub-committee’s selling all old books • with a view of replacing them by newt : works. The treasurer reported that all out standing debts had been paid off and.tha* the Institute, which has how been'm existence for ten years, was free from debt, and had a small balance in its favor.

In October, 1872, the Superintendent in strncted the Home Agent to bring wba influence he could to bear upon the applr cation of the Otago University for a Royal charter, and intimated to Mr Auld that he had communicated officially with H.R.H the Duke of Edinburgh and the Earl of Dalhousie upon the subject.

Two j oung men were arrested yesterday afternoon at the .Railway Station, for committing a breach of one of the railway regulations, by attempting to get into a train while it was in motion. The offenders were about to proceed to Melbourne by the Claud Hamilton, a pleasure which, owing to the;r want of punctuality, they will have to forego for at least some time.

“ Jessie Brown, or the Relief of Lucknow,” was again played last evening at the Queen s Theatre. The dress circle was not so well filled as on the previous night, but the stalfis and pit contained a large number of people. Miss Aitken was very successful in her representation of Jessie. Mr Aveling as Nana Bahib, played more spiritedly than he did on Monday night, which was doubtless owing to his having recovered from his indisposition. The various other characters were well represented. This evening a new programme will be presented, commencing with the drama entitled “ Colleen Bawn.” At the conclusion of the first piece Miss Aitken will recite Sheriff Bell’s beautiful recitation, “Mary, Queen of Scots,” which will be illustrated with tableaux.

The annual general meeting of the Mutual Improvement Society was held in the lower hall of the Athenaeum, kst evening—Mr Bolt, the vice-president, in the chair. There was only a very small att< ndanco of members, and the business transacted was merely of an ordinary routine character. The committee appointed at .the close of the last season to alter the rules brought up their report, and the rules as revised were submitted, giving satisfaction to those present. The syllabus for the present season, comprising one inaugural address, eight essays, and a debate, was also submitted. The inaugural address, “ Ripples on the Surface, will be delivered by Mr Robt. Stout, on the 13th inst. It was intimated that Mr Nuttall would deliver a lecture shortly, entitled “ beginning at the bottom, or how to-make a new country.” Votes of thanks to Mr Bathgate, who had voluntarily helped the Society during the past season, and to the chairman, terminated the proceedings. Last session, the Provincial Council voted L2OO as compensation to the family of the late James Reid, for losses sustained by him in consequence of an alleged informality in the proclamation of the Traquair Hundred; and the Superintendent requested the Colonial Government to pay the amount, on the grounds that the alleged flaw in the Governor’s proclamation of the hundred, in respect of which the action of the Messrs Fulton was sustained by the Supreme Court here, was an error which was not committed by the Provincial Government, and for .which the Province ought not, therefore, to be held responsible, the Province having already been put to a cost of L 2,300, which his Honor submitted ought in equity to have been borne by the Colonial Government. In Nov. last, the Colonial Secretary replied that the General Government could not admit their liability.for the claim set up ; the Attorney-General having advised them that the difficulties referred to were caused by those who sold the land in the hundred without authority, and that the Waste Land Board and their officers should have ascertained that the land could be legally sold before they proceeded to sell it.

The shareholders of the Kakanui Waterrace Company have forwarded to the Superintendent a memorial praying for compensation Sufficient to cover the losses sustained by them in con sequence of a recent decision in the Warden’s Court, Maerewhenua. The petitioners state— 1 “ That the result of this decision of the Warden is, that a strong and influential company of practical miners, who had bought these rights in all honesty and good faith, and in every way able and prepared to prosecute their enterprise with energy and success, have been brought to a standstill, and, after a large expenditure of time and capital, been compelled to wind up their affairs—not from any fault or shortcoming of their own, but from being led astray by the granting of water-rights which, up to the time of the late decision of the Warden, had been regarded, not only by themselves, but by miners in general, as a perfect and indefeasible title to divert water for mining purposes. That the Warden, by his late ruling, has decided that the rights granted by him are subservient to the occupative rights of others -albeit without the goldfield boundary, and many miles below the proposed diversion. That, under the foregoing circumstances,, the construction of the large works contemplated by the company would be inexpedient, if not useless. That your memorialists cannot but feel their case to be one of extr me hardship, and that they have a fair-and equitable claim upon the Government for the losses which they have sustained, and the expenses to which they have been subjected, in consequence of the Warden having, by his late decision, virtually deprived them of rights granted by himself (in terms of the Goldfields Act, and rules and regulations made and purchased by them on the strength of rights so granted being correct and indefeasible. Appended to the memorial is a statement of losses and expenses to which the company has been subjected, and these are stated at L 1,234. . .

A general meeting of cricketers will be held •in the Shamrock Hotel to-morrow (Thursday) evening, at 8 o’clock. We would remind our readers that the Emanuel-Anderson concert takes place this evening, when a capital programme will be presented. The time for receiving tenders for the construction of No. 1 contract of the railway from Wihton to Kensington has been extended to Wednesday, the 14th inst. In addition to the*big walking match on Saturday next, a grand open handicap in three distances is to be run. Particulars will bo found in opp advertising columns.

The adjourned meeting of importers and others interested in the formation of a Harbor Trust will be held at the City Council Chambers, to-morrow afteruoqji, at 4 o clock.