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Evening Star, Issue 3271, 14 August 1873, Page 2

The teachers and scholars of the Wakari school, assisted by some friends from town, gave a concert in the school-room last evening. The attendance was very large, and the result will be to enable the Committee to pay off a large portion of the debt on the building. The first show of the Canary and Poultry Association was held in the Head-quarters Drill-shed to-day, and was a thorough success. The prize list, however, did not roach us until a very advanced hour, so that we are precluded from publishing it and a few observations on the snow, which were in type. The only case heard at the City Police Court this morning was a charge of larceny of a petticoat and piece of carpet, preferred by Mary Frazer against Edmond Fitzgerald. The evidence being entirely circumstantial, the tilings only having been found on defendant’s property, be was discharged. His Worship the Mayor alnd Mr J, Bfack, J.P., were the presiding Justices,

The Agent General, in his last adviees, states that the average cost of adult immigrants landed in the Colony, from June 1, 1871, to March 31, 1873, deducting cash payments, promissory notes, and bills given by immigrants, and the promissory notes given by the Messrs Brogdeu, is L 5 13s 2d per bead. Our special correspondent at Wellington telegraphs : —“ Mr Steward is active in trying to cause reform in the Volunteer regulations. The Defence Commission has been called together at last, and will appoint a sub-committee to take up the question. The Northern people want the Colony to give security lor the impecunious Provinces.” Hia Honor Mr Justice Chapman gave the definition to-day of the term “ refresher, ’ a term which in its legal as well as ordinary sense is not unfamiliar to the greater number of us. A “ refresher,” then, is the extra fee given to counsel only when the cause is made a reinanet Irom one assizes to another. Where a cause lasts several clays, the extra fees usually given are not “refreshers,” but additional fees for additional labor.

In the Banco sittings, this morning, the Court was occupied with hearing the arguments of counsel, in re Howorth and Hodgkins, a summons to review taxation adjourned from Chambers into Court, and Created as a rule nisi; Mr G. Cook appearing for Mea-rs Howorth and Hodgkins, and Mr E. Cook for Mr Catomore, the trustee of the plaintiff in the action iu which the costs sought to be reviewed were incurred. The case is not one of general interest. 'J he points raised were little more than technical Such portions of the judgment as shall be thought of sufficient public interest will be published hereafter. The scarcity of house accommodation appears to be a source of complaint in many parts of the Colony. What it is iu Dunedin we all know ; how hopeless it is to get comfortable houses gin Christchurch and Invercargill we have read ; and now we bear the same cry from Napier, where, according to the Herald , dwelling-houses cannot be got. In fact, remarks our contemporary, we have heard of several persons of means who, otherwise, might have settled in the Province, being obliged to leave iu consequence of the utter impossibility of getting any private residence in which they could spend a few mouths whilst looking out for a permanent investment

We clip the following from a recent Nelson Examiner : “Between three and four mouths ago, a Dr Morton, from New South Wales, commenced business iu Nelson, but for certain reasons suddenly abandoned his patients and practice, and proceeded to ■ dago, and sought to establish himself at Palmerston, A warrant for his arrest, which came from Sydney, was put into the hands of Detective Lambert, at Dunedin, who proceeded to Palmerston to look after his man. Calling in th * aid of the local constable, the latter went to Dr Morton’s residence, and informed him he was required at a certain hotel in town, where there was a gentleman needing his professional services. The doctor found his supposed patient reclining upon a sofa, and was not long in learning the true nature of his case. The doctor admitted the charge, and passed through Nelson yesterday in the Phoebe, on his way to Sydney via Auckland. The prisoner was very indignant at being en trapped in the way he was, and considered it an insult offered to bis profession.” We have been requested by many ladies who were present at the Queen’s Theatre last evening to draw attention to two matters of which they feel they have a right to complain. The first is that the intervals between the acts were so long that not only was their interest iu the pieces weakened, but the performance was lengthened so unduly as to prevent their reaching home until an unusually late hour. The second is that they were much annoyed by the fumes of tobacco smoke which so filled the theatre that some ladies, unable to bear it, had to retire ; while all who had the courage to bear it felt more or I si annoyed or sick. They say, very truly, that gentlemen can while away the time betwixt the acts or escape the nuisance of bad tobacco by a walk in the open air, but that they are doomed to ennui and suffering without being able to relieve themselves. We feel sure that it is only necessary to mention these facts to have them remedied, for we should be sorry to have the growiug interest in the drama checked by inattention to matters so easily remedied. A public meeting, called by the Port Chalmers Town Council, was held in Crickmore’a Royal Assembly Rooms last evening, to take into consideration the route of the Northern Trunk Railway between Dunedin and Moeraki. Mr G, Easton presided, and called on Mr M ‘Dermid, who after a few remarks proposed the first resolution“ That it is the opinion ojf this meeting that the Moeraki and Dunedin Kailway line should be at once proceeded with, as the Waitaki and Moeraki line will be of comparatively little use aa a main line until the Moeraki and Dunedin lipe fie carried right through.” Mr In»es seconded the resolution, which was carried.—Mr Murray proposed—“ That this meeting is of opinion that the line of railway from the north ought to go through Port Chalmers, so that the agricultural and other produce intended for shipment might be taken to the shipping port at the least possible cost; it was also the shortest route to Dunedin, and would save the construction of about eight miles of railway.”—Mr Bolton seconded this resolution, which was carried. —Mr M‘Kinnon proposed the following resolution, which was carried with considerable applause “ i hat the Chairman be instructed to forward copies of the foregoing resolutions to the hon. the Premier, James Macandrew, Esq., M.H.R. for the Port, aud to the hon Minister of Public Works, with the request that effect be given to them.” —A vote of thanks to the Chairman, proposed by Mr M‘Dermid, brought the meeting to a close, ft must have peep peculiarly gratifying to Miss Colville, as showing the high estimation iu which she is held by the Dunedin public, that such a large audience should have assembled on the occasion of her benefit at the Queen’s Theatre last evening. The house was literally crammed from floor to ceiling. The performance commenced with the comedy of “AnUnequal Match,” in'which the henefidare appeared as Hester Grazebrook, afterwards Lady Arneliiie ; and in the first portion of the piece Misss Cplyfllc’s impersonation of the true-hearted country' girl, whose good fortune in securing a titled and wealthy husband could not induce her to forget the claims per father had upon' her love; was a brilliant success ' Tfie best scene ip the comedy, to opr nfind, i# where Laf|y'Arncliffe unmasks Mrs Moptressor, and apeuses ha- of endeavoring to wfn her affections. Miss Anstpad, as Mrs Montressor, gave a very good picture of the heartless woman of the world, and, as is invariably the case with this lady, her acting throughout was exceedingly natural. We must confess Miss Mainwaring took us completely by surprise in the character of Bessie H ebblethwaite—in the first instance, by the nfanner in which she represented the uncouth Yorkshire girl, and subsequently by the extravagant airs she assumed on being promoted to the position of Lady Arncliffe’s maid. This young lady mado a decided favorable impression, and her efforts were greeted with hearty applause. Mr Hoskins’s Blenkinsop was a treat; his oracular delivery aud solemn deportment were irresistible Mr Musgrave, in the part of Grazebrook, the bluff and honest Yorshireman, contributed

his quota to the success of the comedy. Mr Hydes’s Dr Bother by was a genuine and artistic performance ; and, as we have been given to understand that this gentleman undertook the part at a few hours’ notice, lie is entitled to all the more praise for his able delineation of this diliicult character. Mr Booth played carefully as Sir Harry Amcliffe ; while Mr Mewton, as Tofts, was amusing. The minor parts were tolerably well filled. Miss Colville, Mr Hoskins, and Mr Hydes were honored with a ca'd before Cue curtain during the progress of the piece. The comedy was followed by a “ A Comical Countess,” in which Miss Colville, Mr Hoskins, and Mr Musgrave succeeded in entertaining the audi- nee for nearly an hour; and thus terminated a capital evening’s amusement. To-night a splendid programme is announced —“ The Love Chase,” and “The Critic.”

The Annuities Commissioner (Mr Gisborne) in his annual report recommends that the Act of iB6O should be amended in several particulars this session, the principal being to make permanent provision for the payment of interest on the funds of the department that are from time to time deposited with the other trust funds of the Colony ; the require mentjof an actuarial investigation of the liabilities of the department at the end of every five years ; the publication of fuller annual accounts ; the extension of facilities in the apportionment of amounts insured for the benefit of wife and children ; and the power of dispensing with—not by regulation, as at present, but by special enactment—the necessity of probate or letters of administration in certain cases. The new regulations that have been brought into operation are of a most liberal character, and cannot be made too widely known. One important new feature in those regulations is the provision, within certain limits, for the non-forfeiture of policies on account of the non-payment of premiums after the completion of the first year. The main principle, which is to regulate the time within which forfeiture from such cause is not to take place, is the surrender value of the policy in question. In ordinary cases no surrender value is recognised until a policy has been held for three years; but in these cases, for the special purpose of maintaining a policy in force after default of premium, the surrender value of every policy will be calculated on the occurrence of such default, and will be recognised as a net single premium of temporary insurance, but the exact term for which it will insure will depend on the age of the insured at the date of default. If the insured die within the term covered by the temporary insurance the policy will be paid, if its other conditions have not been violated, less the amount of the premiums that are due at the time of death, with interest thereon at the rate of 6 per cent,; and it is also competent to the insurer within that terra to take up his policy on payment of such arrears and interest. The practical effect of this provision is to invest each policy with a power of self-support after default of premium, proportionate to the number of premiums paid, or, in other words, with an extension, on certain conditions, of the days of grace. Another new regulation provides that payment of claims under policies of insurance not exceeding L2OO may be made on certain conditions without requiring production ot probate or letters of administration. This privilege will be a great boon in the case of [iersons of small means who insure for small amounts, and whose representatives would heavily feel the cost in such cases of specially taking out probate or letters of administration.

An emergency meeting of the Lodge St. Andrew will be held in the Friendly Societies’ Hall, to-morrow evening, at 7.30. We notice that a performance will be given at the Princess Theatre, on Saturday evening next, for the benefit of Mr M. A. Fox. An attractive programme has been prepared, and doubtless Mr Fox’s admirers, who are many, will muster in strong force upon this occasion. We have received copies of the Prospectus, Articles of Association, and a circular explanatory of the purposes of the Greymouth Coal Mining Company (Limited), which we trust will be successful in developing the coal mines in that important district. The Government, fully alive to the advantages that must result from opening up coalfields of such extent and excellent quality, have wisely conceded much to enable the Company to work them cheaply. It is gratifying to find that the colonists have responded to the invitation, and that the people in the district have applied for so large a proportion of the shares. The Directors prefer widely interesting the Colony in the success of the company, and distributing the shares over it. Our advertising columns explain this more fully.