Untitled

Evening Star, Issue 3281, 26 August 1873, Page 2

The police a#e making every endeavor to recover the body of Robert Mair, who was drowned from the lighter Clutha on the 18th instant.

Mr Charles Cargill Kettle, solicitor, Dunedin, was this morning appointed by his Honor Mr Justice Chapman to act as a Perpetual Commissioner for taking the acknowledgment .of deeds by married women, pursuant to Imperial Statute, 3 and 4, William IV.

This morning a deputation, consisting of Messrs G. Turnbull* _N, J. G. Macgregor, Gibson, and other residents at North Talari, waited upon his Honor the Deputy-Superin-tendent, and requested that a portion of the vote of L 745 for the Dunedin and North Taieri road might be expended on the flat portion of the road from the Silverstream to the road’s junction with the West Taieri road. 11 was pointed out that this portion of the road had not received attention for years, all previous votes having been spent ou the Halfway Bash part of the road. His Honor promised to favorably recommend the wishes of the deputation to the Government,

. The Auckland and Wellington papers are fighting a telegraphic duel. The Star's editor (Hr Reed), represents that journal in Wellington, whence he telegraphs tit-bits of nows, which appear to be appropriated without acknowledgment by the Cross and Herald. This sort of thing has been going on for some time, notwithstanding that the Star has repeatedly called attention to the unfairness of the practice. Our Wellington correspondent informs us that “ Mr Reed, iu last night’s Post shows how the Auckland ip owning papers steal whole columns of news from the Star of the previous evening. The Post's editor in turn accuses the Anglo-Aus-

tralian Press Agency’s manager of trying to remove the seat of Government from Wellington. Then Mr Montrose and Mr Wilson of the Herald , deny the statement, whereupon Mr Reed takes upon himself the whole blame of the telegrams having reference to the seat of Government, the accuracy of which are challenged by the Post, and concludes an attack upon the morning papers, by saying that they are too poor to keep a ‘special,’but not too honest to steal.” _lt is a pity that the newspaper representatives at Wellington cannot find better employment than washing their dirty linen before the public, who can have no possible interest in their miserable quarrels.

The newspaper that so persistently styled M. A. Fox the “ champion” pedestrian of the Colony has something to answer for. Its protdi/6 now finds himself confronted by more aspirants for the honor than could have been dreamt of in the philosophy of “Sandal.” The latest is an individual named Delaney, who hails from Taranaki, and ho expresses himself ready to make a match with Fox for LIOO a*side, provided the race is run in Taranaki. Wo believe his challenge has been forwarded to Fox, whose friends wish Delaney to make a proper deposit with the editor of the Taranaki paper as an earnest of his bona fdes, in which case they will sene, up a person to make tho necessary arrangements.

“Diogenes,” in tho Grey River Argus, Bays Dancing with a beautiful girl is a beautiful pastime, but though a thing of beauty, it is not a joy for ever. Just fancy yourself a masculine at a ball where the rosycheeked lasses are in the ratio of ttn to one to the men ! All the world is aware that a healthy girl is able to hold out long enough to tire down the partner upon whom .vbe hangs. What then must be the fate of the hapless wretch that has to be partner to half a score of robust maidens one after the other? This is the state of affairs in the lovely island of Tasmania. As soon as the young fellows reach man’s estate they clear out for the much more prosperous Colony across the Bass’s Straits, leaving their sisters behind them, and this has been going on for many years, so that there is quite a plethora of young women in Tasmania. Now here is a chance for New Zealand to obtain immigrants. The Tasmanian girls are acknowledged on all hands to be the loveliest of the Southern Hemisphere, Let our Government bring in a few ship loads to the various p’acer. most wifeless, and make each fair one return tho coat of her importation when she gets married. There would be short delay for recoupment of the passage money, I promise you The girls would go off in the matrimonial market more readily than a flock of prime owes in a famine-stricken town. Why send to Europe for women when when they can be got so much better, prettier, and cheaper so much nearer home. Besides, it would be a real act of charity to the Tasmanian girls to ship them to New Zealand. The inaccuracy of the surveys in many parts of the Colony is as forcibly brought under the notice of Mr J. Strange Williams, the present Registrar-General of Land, as it was under that of his predecessor, Mr Moorhouse, Mr Williams finds the defective Hirveys a serious hindrance to the laud transfer system, which, however, has been a complete success. Yet he tells us “in several minor points the Act is capable of amendment, and some of the clauses might be expressed im re clearly than at present.” Still, lie thinks it advisable to await the teaching of a more matured experience before submitting a Bill to Parliament, and to be content to suffer in the meantime some slight doubt and inconvenience rather than to encumber the statute book with imperfect Amendment Acts. Fcr tho rest, we prefer to let Mr Williams speak for himself:— “The land Transfer Act is a step, and a very important oue, towards the assimilation of the law of real property to that of personal—the goal to which all true reforms of the law of real property tend. It is, nevertheless, but a step—a piece of a new system patched on to the old ; and unless a further advance is made, its want of coherence with the old law must ultimately lead to doubts and litigation. What should follow would seem to be an enactment that real estate, on the death of its proprietor, should devolve on his executors or administrators, and be distributed as personal estate. This could lie effected by a very short Act, and the fundamental distinction between the two classes of properly would at once be destroyed. if this were done, an enormous mass of learning would bo got rid of, and it would not be chimerical to hope that the whole law of landed property might ultimately be arranged in logical order, and expressed in terse and plain language, so that any intelligent person might find in a single volume the knowledge for which lawyers ransack whole libraiies. I trust that the above remarks will not be considered out of place ; but lam so thoroughly impressed with the conviction that further reforms are necessary to give effect to existing legislation, that I cannot refrain from expressing my opinion.”

Tho comedy of “The Honeymoon” was played at the Queen’s Theatre last evening for the first time under the present management. The part of Juliana was exceedingly well played by Miss Colville ; Mr Bteele, as the Duke Aranza, also enacted the part well. Miss Anstead’s Volante was vivacious, and in conjunction with Mr Booth, who appeared as Montalbin, afforded great amusement. Miss Raymond made a very nice page, and evinced a marked improvement in her usual style of acting. Mr Hoskins’s Rolando was a decided success ; but the hit of the evening we consider to be Mr Hydes’s extravagant impersonation of the Mock Duke—it really is something not to be forgotten. Mr Musgravo did not have much to do in the part of Balthazar, but that little was done well. The remaining characters were suitably represented. “High Life below Stairs” concluded the entertainment. Both pieces will be repeated to-night. Mr Hoskins takes a benefit to-morrow evening at this theatre ; and independently of tho excellent programme which is advertised —“The Rivals,” and “A Happy Pair”—there can be no doubt that this gentleman has peculiar claims on the gratitude of the theatre-going public of this City for the manner in which he has unceasingly catered for their amusement, and the completeness with which the various pieces have been placed upon the stage under his direction. We trust there will be a liberal response.

Mr Clapcott intends to give oue of his readings at the North Dunedin Drill-shed on Thursday evening, and we can commend his entertainment to our readers in that part of the City. They will find it the means of passing a very pleasant evening.

Tho adjourned meeting of residents in the neighborhood of the old Botanical Gardens will bo held at White’s Hotel to-morrow (Wednesday) evening at 8 o’clock.

A meeting of the Grand Lodge, 1.0.0. F., will be held at the Oriental Hotel, Princes street, to-morrow evening at 8 o’clock.