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Evening Star, Issue 3249, 19 July 1873, Page 2

“The Bottle” will be produced at the Princess Theatre to-night. On Monday the burlesque season will commence, when Miss fanny Sara and Mr Clifton will appear in the burlesque of “Cupid and Psyche.” In consequence of the rain which prevailed a\J. day, the match between Drake and Fox, which was to have come off this afternoon, has been postponed till Saturday next. During che intervals between the races there will be dancing by Messrs Haig, Anderson, and Knott.

Tenders were opened yesterday for L 12,000 Corporation 6 pet cent, debentures. Tenders were received for L 30,000, ranging from L 95 to LlO3, and tenders were accepted for L 12,000 at an average of LlOl 10s.

Tenders were opened to-day for the construction of the new railway wharf and reclamation at Port Chalmers, Mr David Proudfoot was the successful tenderer, and bas taken the work for L 16.400 in round numbers. The fining of an inebriate named John M'Kenzie in the sum of os, with the option of twenty-four hours’ imprisonment, was the only business transacted at the City Police Court, this morning. Messrs Brown and Black were the presiding .1 ustices. In the course of the railway debate yesterday, the Provincial Secretary alluded to the determination shown by Canterbury to push her railways south with the utmost expedition, and mentioned that it had come to his knowledge that that Province was going to the length of offering to the contractors of these lines a bonus of so much per day for every day the work was completed within the contract time.

The usual weekly meeting of the Roslyn and Kaikorai Institute was held in the Roslyn Hall, last Tuesday evening. The attendance was not so good as we would desire to see. Mr Robert Dick will read an essay on Tuesday evening next. The committee met on Thursday evening and arranged a syllabus for the next six months. The first essay on the syllabus —subject, “Observation ” —will be read by one of the members on Tuesday, sth August. Now that Mr Haggitt has succeeded in convincing the Provincial Council that the Provincial Government Gazette, which most people have regarded as an unmitigated and very costly nuisance, is a necessary evil, we imagine that in future sessions the item will be passed without discussion. Last night Mr De Lautour was the principal objector to the continuance of this Government organ, and he wanted its heaviness relieved by a little light reading, such as was found in Reynolds's Miscellany, if its publication was kept up, and a small charge made for it. Very few members appeared to be of the same way of thinking as the member for Mount Ida, and the item passed. Last evening, at the Queen’s Theatre, was performed “The Morning Call,” in which Miss Colville and Mr Hoskins succeeded in amusing a numerous audience for nearly an hour. The comedy of “The Serious Family” followed, and we are bound to admit it has never been put upon tha stage in this City with a better cast than that of last night. Miss Colville, as Mrs Ormsby Delmaine, outdid herself, and was enthusiastically applauded. Miss Anstead’s Lady Sowerby Creamly was inimitable. She deserves great credit for the manner in which she impersonated sthis character, which requires that personal appearance shall be sacrificed for “make-up.” Miss Gassy Matthews appeared as Mrs Torrens, and Miss Raymond as Emma, Mr Hoskins’s A minidab Sleek was as irresistible as ever; while Mr Steele’s Captain Murphy Macguire, in our opinion, has only been excelled by that of the late Mr G, V. Brooke. Charles Torrens was well played by Mr Booth. The entertainment to-night consists of “Our American Cousin,” concluding with “The Handsome Husband.”

The members of the Otago Schoolmasters’ Association met last night in Wain’s Hotel to bid farewell to Mr Gardner, late of Milton Hall, Stuart street. The chair was occupied by Mr Stewart, North School, who was supported on the right by the Rev. Dr Stuart and the guest of the evening, and on the left by Mr Milne, Caversham, and Mr Stout, M.P.C. The vice-chair was filled by Mr Hislop, Inspector of Schools, supported on the right by Mr Park, South School, and on the left by Mr M'Kay, of Port Chalmers Grammar School. After wishing success and prosperity to Mr Gardner, the Chairman presented him with the following address, signed on behalf &f the Association by the President, Treasurer, Secretary, and Librarian:— “To Mr Robert S. Gardner. Dear Sir, — As you are about to leave New Zealand fcr the Home Country, the members of this association cannot allow you to depart without expressing their high appreciation of you as a public teacher, and their esteem for you as a man. The active interest you have always taken in the association as a member, your unceasing attention to your duties while sec-' retary, and your urbanity and courtesy while president, have not only commanded the respect of your brethren, but also endeared yon to every one of them who has had the pleasure of your acquaintance. They join heartily in wishing you a prosperous voyage and God-speed, with every happiness in your future career.” Mr Gardner made a very feeling reply. A number of other speeches were made, and, altogether, a very agreeable evening enjoyed. It is only necessary to say that host Wain did everything in his usual excellent style. The Government got well on with their Estimates last night, though the member for Waihemo and a few of his friends were unnecessarily obstructive. On the item “ goldfields,” htr Reid referred to a certain Warden of Goldfields having lately become a candidate for election to the Provincial Council, and who, it was given out, was still retained in the Government service, and wished for information as to whether he had voluntarily resigned, and on what conditions he had done so. The member for the Taieri, drawing his information from Dame Rumor, said that this Warden did not put in his proposition to retire until after he was put up as a candidate; and that, if compensation was not voted him, he would fall back on his leave of absence, and be reinstated in his former position. The Goldfields Secretary gave a very full explanation. The Warden in question, he said, had made application to the Government for twelve months’ leave of absence, and that application was backed up by medical certificates that it was absolutely necessary he should have change of air, as his long and laborious services had rendered him unfit to attend to his duties. Upon these representations the leave, as asked for, was granted ; but shortly afterwards, the gentleman offered to retire from the service, and the Government, thinking in the first place that we had too many Wardens already, were only too glad to have this opportunity of reducing their number, and, in the second place, that if they had to pay the Warden in question twelve months’ salary during his leave of absence, it would be much the same thing if they allowed him to retire with the compensation he was entitled to for eleven years’ service. At a later period of the evening Mr Bastings contradicted a statement by Mr Reid that the Warden in question had resigned on a previous occasion and received compensation; the fact being that when he re-entered the Government seryicp, he repaid to the Government the amount of retiring allowance then paid to him. The only other items on which there was much discussion were the votes for fees of members of the Waste Land Board, subsidy to acclimatisation and agricultural societies, and for printing the Gazette. On the first, the Government explained that they intended to pay the Waste Land Board Commissioners two guineas per sitting, with coach fares from home and back again. Gsvernment would be prepared to consider a special rate to the Southland Acclimatisation Society in recognition of its efforts to introduce salmon, but could not extend it, because they had already placed L3OO on the Estimates for the purpose, it being understood the General Government would provide a sum of LBOO, The whole of the- items under the heads of roads were passed, and progress was thou reported.

Mr Paterson announces himself for election as a Councillor for Bell Ward. A meeting of journeymen shoemakers will be hold at the European Hotel, on Tuesday evening next. The usual fortnightly meeting of the Commercial Building ami Mutual Investment Society will be held ou_Monday evening, from six to o’clock.

A summoned meeting > of the Pioneer Lodge, Protestant Alliance Friendly Society, will be held in the lower hall of the Athenaeum on Monday evening, at eight o’clock. Election meetings will bo addressed this evening by Mr Thoneman in the Masonic Hall, and by Mr Mercer in the Oddfellows’ Hall. Mr Thoneman’s Committee will meet at the rooms this evening at seven o’clock sharp.