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Evening Star, Volume VIII, Issue 3222, 18 June 1873, Page 2

The Auckland City Council are thinking of striking a shilling rate for the City. In the Resident Magistrate’s Court, today, the Bench gave judgment on the question of jurisdiction raised in the case M'GJasban v. \Vilaon. His Worship held that the case could be heard, and it was decided that the further hearing should take place on Monday first. The Supreme Court sits at Lawrence on the 30th instant. There is only one criminal case for trial—a Chinaman committed on a charge of larceny aa a bailee There is no more business. It* is considered likely that the new trial in the case of Clayton and Co., v. Morrison and Co., will take place in Dunedin. The Bruce Herald understands that Messrs Cormack and Co., the contractors for the construction of a portion of the Tuapeka railway, are actively engaged in making preparations for a speedy commencement of operations. The tunnel at Manuka Creek is included in Messrs tCormack and Co.’s contract. The Minister for Immigration telegraphs to his Honor the Superintendent that the Agent-General advises the sai'ing of the ( ospatrick on March 20, with nine and ahalf immigrants for Otago and eighteen for Canterbury. The Allahabad was expected to sail for Otago with immigrants on May 27. Tenders have also been called for a ship for Otago, to sail on June 23. An inquest was held at the Tuapeka Hotel, Tuapeka Flat, on the 6th inst., on the body of Charles Labes, aged six years, who had met his death a couple of days previously by suffocation. At about four o’clock on the 3rd inst., deceased and his sister were playing on the banks of the Tuapeka Creek, about six miles below Lawrence, when a fall of earth slipped from the bank of the creek, knocking deceased into the creek, where he was suffocated in the mud before any assistance arrived. A verdict of “Accidental death by suffocation, caused by a fall of earth,” was returned. This is the style in which the Wanganui Ohronicle welcomes a traveller back to his home : —“ After a short sojourn at the peaceful and picturesque solitudes of Queen Charlotte’s found, where the whistling of the melodious ostrea edibiHs, mingled harmoniously with the strain of a well-known voice, whose rendering of * Young Ellen of Lorraine’ has, we may say, a wide world notoriety, ‘ The Father of the Wanganui Bar ’ crossed once more that at the mouth of the river yesterday, and is, we are happy to say, once more on terra firma, and in greatly im proved health. We trust he will give the world the results of his tour in a quarto volume, enlivened by cuts, as we feel sure such a contribution from his pen would be greatly appreciated by the reading public.” Mr Archer’s last statistics relate to a rather ghastly subject. He says that in the Victorian census of 1871 the number of people returned as sick and infirm was no lees than 13,065. Of that number, 1,320 people were suffering from accidents, including 156 miners, and idiots and lunatics numbered 1,976. In 1861, the same classes numbered 660. a further proof of the terrible strides lunacy is taking over there. Nobblerising and share fevers, hot-wind days, and the thermometer over 100 deg. in the shade without hot winds, moral causes and physical causes, are all co-operating to the same end. In ten years the population has increased only 50 per cent., and the increase is mainly of children, and the insane have trebled in number. Victorian life has its dark as well as its bright .side.

In reply to a deputation from the Canterbury Flax Association that waited on the Minister for Public Works on the 12th inst., with reference to, the proposed exhibition of flax-dressing machinery, Mr Richardson said as soon as he got back to Wellington he would recommend the Government to advertise immediately in the Gazette for all inventors or owners of flax-dressing machinery who intended to exhibit machines, to send in their names, so that it might be known how the exhibition would be likely to be supported. Mo said that, in order to comply with the resolutions of last session of the Assembly, the exhibition would take piace about March, and that he would try to get a sum of LSOO placed upon the Estimates for the expenses of the exhibition; also, that he would recommend the exhibition to be held in Canterbury, under the auspices of the Canterbury Flax Association, because that was the only organised body in connection with the flax industry. As we anticipated, the tragedy of “Othello” was placed upon the boards at the Queen’s Theatre last evening in a much better manner than on its first production. This was owing mainly to Mr Fairclough assuming the role of lago, and we must admit that the ideas of the great author received ample justice at his hands. His general acting and by-play were to the life; and we consider, in making the remark, this is the greatest compliment we can pay him. Mr O’Brien’s performance of the Moor was creditable; but it was evident he was laboring under severe indisposition. As we have before observed, Mdlle. Legrand’s Desdemona was a graceful impersonation; and Miss Anstead, as Emilia, made the character peculiarly her own, and deservedly received an ovation. Mr Avelmg made a much better Duke than he did an lago ; the remainder of the characters were the same as on the previous evening. To-night, Richard the Third will be played. A fatal accident occurred at Green Island on Monday. At about seven o’clock in the evening, a man named John Motherwill, who bad been employed for the last five weeks in sinking at the coalpit being worked by Mr Clarkson on Mrs Shand’s land, was at the pit’s mouth while the proprietor was being lowered in a chair which was worked with a whip drawn by a horse. The chair had just been pulled op, and the driver having unhooked tne horse, was about to turn it and rehook the rope, when he saw the deceased jump into the chair and fall down the shaft, a depth of 121 feat. At the bottom was Clarkson, who had gone down a minute before, and deceased, in his descent, touched him on the shoulder. He never spoke, and died in less than five minutes. The police report that, on inspection, the ;rope and gearing proved all to be sound and in good order, and that the accident was solely caused by the deceased jumping into the chair before the word was given that all was right. He was a native of Paisley, thirty-eight years of age, unmarried,, and had been a number of years in the Colonies. He is said to have an uncle a miner at Manuherikia.

Last evening, “The Corsican Brothers” was produced at the Princess Theatre, in which Mr Banner took the two characters of

Fabiea and Louis de -Franchi, MF H, N' Douglas that of Chateau Rehaud, Mr Collier Le Baron do Montgiron, and Mr Musgray* Orlando. Mrs W. Hill represented Emilie jle Lesparo, and Misa Marion Willis, Celestine. W« need say nothing of the plot of a piece so well known as that of “ The Corsican Brothers.” The piece has always a charm in it, through ths mystery of tradi tional Corsican superstitions connected with the plot, and we do not know that we ever saw it, on the whole, more evenly and better performed. It was well put on the stage, and every member of the corps seemed to be specially careful that his part should be well brought out. Mr Raynor s elocution is particularly impresjive. His conception of the characters be represented was artistic, and throughout there was a subdued earnestness that carried his audience with him. Messrs Douglas, Collier, and Musgrave supported him well, as did also Mrs W. Hill. At the close of the piece Messrs Rayner and Douglas were called before the curtain. “ How to settle accounts with your Laundress” followed, and created immense amusement. Mr Bully Hayes turns up everywhere. The last place he is found figuring in is in a debate in the House of Lords. Referring to the kidnapping of South Sea Islanders, Lord Kimberley in that august arena made the following observations :—“My noble friend alluded to Captain Hayes, the master of a ship called the Water Lily, He was the most notorious man in those teas. There can be no doubt he was engaged in those kidnapping practices, and his ship the Water Lily sometimes went by other names. Most careful inquiries have been made for him in the islands; but though the naval officers were often very near him, and heard a great deal of his doings near the scenes ®f his action, they never succeeded in catching him. Writing with reference to proceedings on Knox Island, one of the Mulgrave group, Capt. Mooreatates: —‘These natives were kidnapped in this way—Canoes went off with fruit, cocoa-nut, &c., for which a high price was given ; this brought more natives off to the ship, and when a good many were on board, they were seized and put below. One old man escaped toe last time by jumping overboard. 1 hey did not know what vessels they were, where they came from, or where bound. They informed me Hayes threatened to seized the King and flog him, if he did not bring him oil and cocoanuts, and Hayes’s mate, Pittman, took the King’s daughter away by force, and still bad her in his possession.’” good deal of merriment was recently caused in the Nelson Provincial Council by a motion of Mr O’Conor to the effect that a sum of LIOO should be placed on the Supplementary Estimates, for the purchase of 1 0 acres of land as an endowment to Miss Rose Williams. The reason assigned for this unusual gift was that Miss Rose was fortunate enough to have been the first child horn of European parents in the Inangahua district. Mr Ivers supported the motion, on the ground, among others, that the \ oung lady’s father had done good service to the country. A sceptical member interrogated. “in what way ?” to which.Mr Ivers replied that Mr Williams had rendered a public service by keeping a store in the early days of the gold Helds, and by supplying the diggers with the necessaries of life. Mr Reid took another view of the matter, and declared that “he would prefer to see a bonus of this kind given to those who went abroad prospecting the country, and not t® a man who remained at home fossicking,” which declaration sent the Council into fits of laughter, though we don’t know why. Mr Guinness followed with the statement that “a similar proposition had oncei been laid before the Westland County Council, when it was argued wi hj some force that a grant might just as well be made to the first cow that produced a calf in the district. The question was certainly open to discussion whether money should not be spent upon reproductive works, and possibly at some future date the subject of the resolution before them might prove reproductive.” The result of all this badinage was the withdrawal of the motion. Late London telegrams, published in the Indian papers, supply the following items ef intelligence :—“ The deaths are announced of General John Liddell, General Alfred Goodwyn, and Admiral Rigault de Genouilly. A right has occurred in Louisiana, between whites and negroes. Tvyo hundred negroes were burnt to death whilst defending the Court-house. The result of Sir Bartle Frere’s mission to Muscat is that Synd Turki has signed a treaty undertaking to forbid the importation of slaves, and declaring free all negroes and other bondsmen hereafter arriving in the territory of Oman. He will als put down all public*slave marts, and any one proved having imported slaves will be dealt with by law. Similar engagements have been entered into with the Sheikh at Makullah, on the Hadramaunt coast, i’he political resident at Bushire will make all safe on the Arabian shore of the Persian Gulf. Sir Bartle Frere proceeds to Mahableshware to have an interview with the Governor, and thence to Sinla, The exBmperor Napoleon’s will, dated April, 1865, has been made public. It bequeaths to the Empress his property, which is expected to realise L 60,000. He charges his son to preserve the relies, and study the deeds and correspondence of his uncle, and remember that the people’s cause is the cause of France. The Spanish Government has surrendered Bidwell (one of the Bank of England forgers). An ' gyptian loan of twentyrive millions netfc will be issued in July. A boiler explosion has occurred at Baroche, near Surat, in the Gulf of Cambay ; seven persons were killed. The mustard and chocolate works of Taylor Brothers, Spitalfields, have been entirely destroyed by fire. A bridge at Dixon, Illinois, has fallen while crowded ; fifty people were drowned. A railway accident has occurred at Shrewsbury ; four persons were killed, and several hurt.” It appears that there are three candidates for the representation of Waikouaiti in the General Assembly—Mr T, S. Pratt, Mr John Davie, and Mr Stout, the last mentioned gentleman having complied with a very numerously signed requisition asking him to stand. Mr Pratt has issued an address to the electors, in which he states that he has been a consistent supporter of the mam features of the Immigration and Public Works policy, though bethinks that special vigilance is required to protect the interests of Otago, and the South generally, lest the scheme should only become a mark under which may be continued that bolstering up of ihe thinly populated districts of the Colony, at the expense of those which are more enterprising and more populous ; and secondly, that it is imperative, in view of the large increase of publiedebt which the scheme involves, that the ordinary expenditure of the Colony should be brought well within the limits of current revenue. He urges pressure being trough t to bear to make the General Government construct the connecting links between our trunk lines, north and sputh, failing which he would support the proposals of the Superintendent to hypothecate land for that purpose. The concluding paragraph of his address is as follows “ Up to the present time no earnest endeavor has been made to put the finance of the Colony on to a sound footing. Our present prosperity, whilst it offers un looked for assistance towards this end, is but too likely to render both the country and its rulers more indifferent to the subject. I have no desire at the present time to see a change of Administration, but I deem it of paramount importance that the dangerous policy which was in vogue with the Fox-Vogel. Government should be reversed, and that the Colony should cease to add to its debt year after year in order to provide for its ordinary expenditure. Circumstances are now favorable for the present Government to bring our ordinary expenditure within our means, and I feel convinced that iParliament will not again permit a repetition of a practice against which the country has of late unmistakeably pronounced and I' therefore expect that the Government will be prepared with proposals of a sounder character thau those Trbioh haVecfoVati'ttnaed

recent Budgets. If this anticipation prove •.0 be correct, I should not, if elected to represent you, be prepared to join in any attempt to unseat the Government upon any ■>ther point of their policy or administration is yet before the public.” i A meeting of the shareholders in the Arrow River Gold Mining Company will be held at the Provincial Hotel, on Friday next, at 4 p.m. The Dunedin Band of Hope will hold their Annual Soiree in the Oddfellow’s Hall, on Friday evening next, at half-past six.