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Evening Star, Issue 3224, 20 June 1873, Page 2

Fiji advices have been received at Sydney to 21st of May. The Government prosecution of the proprietor of the Fiji Times has again failed. The jury added a rider to their verd’ct of acquittal, that the statement published respecting the Government officials endeavoring to incite the natives against the whites was true. The sittings of the Supreme Court at Picton have just closed. The only civil cast' tried was that of Eyes v. Eyes, in which the petitioner sought a judicial separation from her husband, on the ground of adultery committed by the latter. Two issues were laid before the jury, on both of which they found in favor of the petitioner. It is not true, as reported, that the Cape route line of steamers Messrs Gibbs, Bright, and Co., of Liverpool, were attempting to organised, has collapsed. Messrs Gibbs, Bright, and Co., have telegraphed to Mr Reginald Bright, of Melbourne, the information that negotiations for the starting of the line are going on satisfactorily, and that in a fortnight’s time they hope to be able to announce that the company is a complete success. In noticing the consecration and opening services of St, Barnabas Episcopal Church, Blueskin, in a recent issue, we omitted to mention that the furniture—an elegant suite made in strict conformity with ecclesiastical rule—was supplied by Messrs Howell and day, fancy cabinet manufacturers, Octagon. It was formed of New Zealand pine, and both as regards polish, finish, and general appearance, would bear comparison with many of the richer classes of imported furniture. From the last number of the New Zealand Gazette we learn that certain regulations of the New Zealand University on the following subjects have been approved by the Governor in Council .'—Statute as to admission to degrees of students in the University of New Zealand, regulations for course of study and annual examinations, regulations for the general examination for the degree of Bachelor of Arts, regulations for honor examinations, regulations for the appropriation of funds for scholarships and other purposes, regulation for determining University course, statute for admission of Doctors of Laws to ad eundem degree. In the Resident Magistrate’s Court to-day a case was decided by the Resident Magistrate (Mr I. N. Watt), which ought to be carefully noted by parties having occasion to serve summonses. The case was Crawshaw v. Inles, in which defendant did not appear. In answer to the Bench, plaintiff said the summons had been served by himself en the afternoon of Wednesday. The Magistrate held the service to be bad, in respect that it had not been served forty-eight hours before the time of hearing. In Allan and others against Bray and others application was made under the “Resident Magistrate’s Court Act” for authority to take possession of premises situated in block 36, Dunedin, conform to order of Court given on April 23rd. The application was granted. “ Richard the Third” at the Queen’s Theatre last evening, and a marked

improvement was apparent in the manner in which it was represented. Owing doubtless to the minor actors evincing a more perfect knowledge of their parts, the piece went much more smoothly than on the first occasion. Mr Fairclough played well; and his efforts were recognised repeatedly by the audience. We accidentally omitted to mention that the scenic artist, Mr Perriman, has painted some really beautiful scenery for the tragedy, which is deserving of especial mention ; and were it not that it would have interfered with the progress of the performance, there is every reason to believe he would have responded to the unanimous call of the audience on Tuesday evening, when the tent scene was disclosed to view. Mdlle. Legrand’s benefit has been postponed till Monday. There is a strong agitation going on in Victoria in favor of Sunday trains on the up-country lines. Petitions from Geelong, Ballarat, and Sandhurst have been pouring in to the Government, praying to at once run passenger trains on Sunday, and it would appear that Mr Francis’s Government will

have no hesitation in doing so, if they are satisfied that Sunday traffic is remunerative. The Minister of Railways said as much in reply to a deputation of clergymen that waited upon him on the subject. The spokesman of the deputation was the Rev. W. F. Main (who was in Dunedin a short time since), and he argued that the running of Sunday trains was contrary to the teaching of religion, prejudicial to morals, and unjust to those who were employed in connection with them; and, from a financial point of view, contended that as they did not pay, there could be no inducement to run them. Mr Gillies, in replying, said that the only questions the Government studied were the convenience of the public and that last alluded to by the reverend gentleman. The religious element could not be introduced into their calculations. If the Government should purchase the lines of railway at present under the control of the Melbourne and Hobson’s Bay Company, the Sunday trains running on them would not be discontinued. Nothing had as yet been decided as to running Sunday trains on the Government lines, except to Williamstown and Essendon, which was now being done. About thirty clergymen of the Church of England, and numerous other friends of the Melanesian Mission (both gentlemen and ladies), met in the Church Society’s House, Sydney, on May 23, to commend the Rev, J. R. Selwyn, and the mission in which he is engaged, to the care and blessing of Almighty God. The chair was taken by the Bishop of Sydney, who said “ Seventeen years ago the beloved Bishop Patteson stood in this room, even as upwards of thirty years ago yeur honored father stood before Bisbop Broughton to receive his words of godly counsel and his benediction. Two, the oldest and the youngest, have met iu another world; but while men pass, the work abides, and the places of the fallen are filled up by those who are baptised for the dead. The difficulties and dangers of your mission are known to you and to us They will be encountered by yon in the spirit of dependence upon the Divine protection, and with the wisdom that past experience imparts.” The Rev. J, K. Welwyn replied to the address in a very feeling manner, thanked the clergy for the good wishes it expressed towards him, and the mission in which he is engaged. An amusing circumstance connected with general average has occurred in China. On the 13th March the German barque Georges, from Honolulu, arrived at Hong Kong. She left Victoria, Vancouver’s Island, twelve months ago for that port, laden with, amongst other “ sundries, ,r 112 coffins, containing the bodies of defunct Chinamen. She encountered a storm after leaving port, which compelled her to put back. The needful repairs being effected, she again put to sea, and this time succeeded in reaching Honolulu, in the vicinity of which she again encountered severe weather, which compelled her to put into that port. At Honolulu she was put in quarantine, and it was impossible to land the cargo for a con* siderable time. It was proposed to throw the coffins overboard, bnt the Chinese there entered so strong a protest against this that the idea was abandoned. Eventually the coffins were landed and buried, until the repairs were effected, and on these being finished they were exhumed again and reembarked. Of course all these puttings back, and repairs necessitated an average statement, but it seems that the consignees of the coffins at Hong Kong could not or would not see why the coffins, the deceased inmates of which they pleaded were only passengers, and therefore not liable to contribute towards general average expenses, should contribute. The captain, on the other hand, contended that passengers

usually had tickets, whereas these sundries were deliverable on production of bill of lading, and came under the status of goods. The matter was finally compromised by the consignees paying towards the general average.soo dols. to obtain the remains of their friends. It would defy the cleveres and most experienced average adjuster to arrive at the nett market value of dead Chinamen. The humor of that heathen Chinee in describing the defunct desiccated Celestials as sun-dries is too palpable to be commented on. The management of the Princess Theatre deserve high piaisc for the excellent style in which “ Rub Roy” was produced last evening. The scenery was beautiful and appropriate, the dresses in keeping, and the cast judicious. “ Hob Hoy” requires more than the usual number of able artists, who, to be really effective, must possess talent of a somewhat uncommon order. In Sir Walter Scott’s novels and, in consequence, in the dramatised versions, the characters whose foi tunes are mainly affected by the incidents of the plot are commonly the least interesting, while those who, from circumstance, should create secondary interest, are drawn with a vigor that creates strong sympathy in their fate. Rob Hoy and Helen Macgregor are the real hero and heroine of the piece, and they were admirably represented by Mr Rayner and Mrs W, Hill. Mr Rayner’s Rob Roy left nothing to be desired. There was earnestness without rant, depth of feeling without extravagance, energy without boisterousness. The proud, brave, energetic, manly outlaw was manifested in every gesture and every tone of voice. Mrs W. Hill’s Helen was a finished performance. If there was an error, it was in the right direction—a close copying of nature. The character of Bailie Nicol Jarvie is seldom well performed. The quaint old gentleman, given to the uttering of queer proverbs and shrewd observations—a strange mixture of morality, selfishness, prudence, and generosity—a creature made up of impulse, habitually kept under by a constant caring for number one, but bursting its fetters under strong excitement, is too often misapprehended and consequently burlesqued. The only tendency to overdo it by Mr Lachlan Macgowan was when the Bailie loses all self command in terror at the attack ©n Macgregor’s stronghold. In every other respect—dress, language, and form of expression, he was the best representative of the Bailie we have seen. We have witnessed many different readings of the character, but none that seemed to us so true as that by Mr M ‘Gowan. He speaks the Scotch language with purity, so far as we are able to judge, and this adds to the charm with which Mr M‘Gowan contrives to invest the Baillie. Mr Owen found a fitting representative in Mr Musgrave, and the two Osbaldistones were well-sustained by Messrs G. W. Collier and H. N. Douglas. The part of Diana Vernon fell to the lot of Miss Marion Willis, who fulfilled her duties with care and ability. Our notice of this excellently-played piece would be imperfect did we neglect to notice the manner in which Macgregor’s child was represented by a very young artist, whose name does not appear in the bill Although we are not aware that any of the at the Princess Theatre profess proficiency in song, the music incidental to the piece was, on the whole, well got through. A little more care in keeping together would improve the choruses, but there was not much to complain of even in that respect, Rob Roy will be repeated to-night, and, as probably few will have an opportunity of seeing the leading characters so thoroughly brought out simultaneously, we commend it as one o: the most finished pieces produced in Dunedin. The afterpiece was “ Up in the World,” from Mr M‘Gowan’s p u n, we believe. The plot is this : the family of Mudlarks is divided into two branches, the elder of which has got ‘ ‘up in the world,” and seeks to ally its female descendants with “blue blood,” while the younger branch conducts a humble grocery store. The vulgar man visits his brother, and, as might be expected, is not well received ; but when reminiscences of their youth are recalled, they make up their differences, and all ends happily. The language and the mode of working out the plot, so far as the subsidiary characters are concerned, did not strike us as being very happy; but Mr M‘Gowan, as Henry Mudlark, and Mrs M ‘Gowan as the greengrocer’s better half—the daughter of an eminent contractor, who has a strong penchant for French phrases—created roars of laughter by their comical acting ; and in this respect—the essential quality of a farce—“ Up in the World ” was successful. Both pieces will be repeated this evening. __________