Untitled

Evening Star, Issue 3298, 15 September 1873, Page 2

Henry Schlichting, of the firm of Schlichting Brothers, has appeared before the District Court at Greymouth as a bankrupt, and had his certificate suspended for three years.

There was a bankruptcy sitting to-day, when James Congreve was adjudged a bankrupt, and the first meeting of his creditors fixed for the 23rd instant. The matter of Jacob Turnbull was postponed for a week, owing to an informality in the papers. The Hutt furnishes an instance of longevity in a married couple that is seldom paralleled. An application has just been made to the authorities to admit to the Colonial Hospital an old man named Doreen, aged 94, who has been bedridden for some time. His better-half is 97 years of age. At the Resident Magistrate’s Court this morning, the only business consisted of fifty cases, in which as many citizens were sued by the Corporation for town rates. Of these, forty-eight gave way t» the gentle pressure of tho law, delicately hinted at in the form of a summons, and paid their respective amounts into Court, tho remaining two not appearing. The prisoner John Bickle, who robbed the Masonic Hall at Timaru of the coins deposited on th« occasion of the laying of the foundation stone, and who has since made three very determined attempts to commit suicide, has been sentenced by Judge Ward to three years’ imprisonment. He told the Judge he would rather be shifted and do ten years elsewhere than one year in Timaru.

The case of Dr Morton, the bigamist, who was recently brought up at Sydney, furnishes a remarkable instance of woman’s love. The report which appears in the News shows that this disloyal M.D. still retains the affections of both wives, notwithstanding his faithlessness, While he was in the lock up one wife brought him his dinner, and the other brought him something to quench his thirst: while both are said to be very much distressed at the fix into which the unfortunate doctor has got himself. In bis annual address to the members of the Wellington Philosophical Society, Dr Hector said this Wonderful reptilian fauna in the upper secondary rocks would afford subject for several communications at the jneetjnga of the Society during that session. At least seven distinct forms had been •worked out from the blocks of matrix collected at the Amuri Bluff and at the Waipara, and the description of these gigantic Saurians would be sure to excite great interest in the study of geological structure by exciting discussion at Home, and indirectly to attract attention to the mineral and other resources of the Colony. The next session of the Supreme Court promises to be a long one, There are already eight prisoners committed for trial. Of this number four are charges with assaulting onC Saunders at Anderson’s Bay, one with assault with intent, one for mac slaughter, and one with larceny as a bailee. At this morning’6 sitting of the Police Court, Daniel O’Brien was committed for trial for stealing from the person. When the prosecutor’s evidence had been given, the prisoner, on being asked if he had any questions to put, replied in the negative, and that he wished to plead guilty, He was told that that was not the proper time. The case was then proceeded with, and at its conclusion, on being questioned whether he adhered to his former statement, he replied “No,” and that he pleaded “ Not guilty.” At a meeting of the Kaikorai School Committee, held on the 13th just, the following resolution was agreed to:—“ That in the opinion of this committee no change in the school books at present in use is necessary, at lease so far as the Kaikorai school is concerned, and that the Education Board be requested to reconsider their decision in the matter.” It will be remembered that a short time ago the Education Board, at the request of the Roman Catholic Priesthood, decided that certain books at present in use in the schools should be interdicted. This is felt by many parents to be a great hardship, as the children at present have these books ; and if the resolution referred to is carried out, they will have to be at the expense of a new set of books. This is deemed wholly unnecessary, as the books in question are good standard works, and contain nothing which can give reasonable ground of offence. In the House of Representatives on the 3rd inst Mr M'Glashan, in speaking on the Savings Banks Bill, said it had been brought in at the request of the trustees of the Savings Bank at Dunedin. Its object was to enable trustees to set aside a portion of th.e .yearly profits for tho use of any benevolent asylunj other charitable institution. The bank at l)unedfn jhtyd accumulated profits to the amount pf' L 5,530, and its net profit last year amounted t.o Thp Act of 1858 gave power to the trustees of Savings Banks to devote surplice profits to buildings, but in this case the trustees did not wish to build, and would prefer to devote a portion of the profits to some charitable object. Hpwever, he had been in communication with the Government, and, for what appeared to be suflicieut reasons, they had dpcUuedto support the Upder these

circumstances he would move that the order of the day for its second reading be discharged. The Bill was accordingly withdrawn. \

“Pygmalion abd Galatea” is deservedly gaining in public estimation. There was an overflowing attendance oh Saturday evening in the lower parts of the house, but the dress circle was not as well patronised as might have been expected. The comedy was played evenly throughout, and the Misses Colville and Anstead, and Messrs Hoskins and Douglas were called before the curtain at the termination of each act. The comic drama of *• The Crown Prince” was the afterpiece, with Mr Hydea as Frederick Stork. The manner in which this gentleman enacted the character was comical to a degree; in fact, it was a positive relief when the curtain dropped, for, if it had lasted much longer, it would have been unbearable, simply from the fact that the risibilities of the audience were so much exercised that a continuance might have led to serious consequences. We are not sufficiently ac quainted with the text of the play to know whether Mr Hydes indulged in “gag”; but, if he did introduce any foreign matter, it was quite as laughable as the original. Both pieces will be repeated this evening. A good word for the Hauhaus is somewhat of a rarity, but one has. nevertheless, been spoken by a correspondent of the Taranaki News, who has lately been sojourning among them.. After speaking warmly of their hospitality, he goes on to say :—“ I came back feeling low in spirits, for I felt sorry to leave, rlide and hard though the living amongst them had been ; yet there was a something in the little attentions paid me, which made me feel at leaving those uncivilised creatures, who had ao much good mixed up with their savage nature, for 1 could see that those men had not been contaminated with the vices of civilisation. Their women were virtuous and industrious; the young men were under subjection to their chiefs ; the old men had a code of honor amongst them, which you do not find amongst the tribes who have mixed much with the Pakeha. Some people will say I am turning over to the aboriginal side with a very short experience of what they are. I only speak of the people in that part of the country where I have been, and contrast them with the low creatures you see knocking about towns, who have picked up all the vices of the white man, without learning any of the good, because they only associate with the worst of our population when in town, and have little opportunity of learning any good. They acquire a taste for waipirau, and after that they would sell their wives and daughters for a bottle of that mixture ; and if it could be done, sell themselves soul and body for a little more.”

Rabbits have become such a nuisance in Southland that the farmers there have made common cause against them. The. Western District Farmers’ Club have resolved to petition the Legislature to pass an empowering Act enabling the Municipal Councils in that part of the Province to levy a rate of one per cent., and the * oad Boards a rate of a penny per acre on all lands, by which means LB,OOO would be raised, which would provide the sinews of war to commence hostilities against the rabbits. They propose to import weasels, ferrets, and stoats, and to offer a premium for every animal killed. The author of the proposal, in a paper read before the Club, says:-‘'ln illustration of the danger to be apprehended from the rapid increase of rabbits, I may mention that the tract of country extending from the New Kiver Ferry towards Kiverton, where, seven or eight years ago, flocks and herds grazed and fattened, not a blade of grass, or an animal of any kind is now to be seen, unless rabbits, and how they manage to exist is a marvel, as they have no food other than coarse rushes and stumps of tussocks. A scene of utter desolation presents itself for a distance of ten or twelve miles, and this ruin is altogether attributable to the rabbits. In passing Waianiwa in October of last year, 1 saw a small field of promising corn, which was afterwards destroyed by droves of rabbits that issued every evening from the busli in the neighborhood, and kept the crop so closely eaten down that the owner never reaped a sheaf for his labor.” “ Bohemian,” the humorous contributor to the Lyttelton Times, makes the following observations upon a custom introduced by the H.A.C.BS. ;-I am not acquainted with the principles of that Society, but one of its objects is to induce people to be provident. Will the branch allow me to ask, whethbr they could not be provident and loyal at the same time ? It is usual, when subjects of her Majesty the Queen meet in public for festive purposes, to begin the drinking with a toast to her Majesty the Qpeen, and not to “ any foreign potentate /” What does the old adage say, Mr Proposer? (although I jdqn’t suppose you, arranged the toasts), “Speak well of tho bridge that carries you over,” and the old Anglo-Saxon bridge of liberty ha* carried you over considerably. Liberty is represented in the first toast, the absence of liberty in the one which yon substituted fop it. But I can understand the Reasons which indeed you to propose “Our Holy Father the Pope” rathpr than “ Our Good Mother the Queen.” He is $n old, old man, nearly ninety, and is in a precarious state as to health ; at any moment he way be taken from the bosom of his large family ; at any moment a telegram may flash alpng the wires— * ‘ Pip Nono is gone. ” Even while you were raising those glasses to your lips—while the Most was touching your palate, you were in mortal dread Ipsfc the unwelcome message should arrive and stay the sweet beverage in its passage. This is, I think, a sufficient excuse fqr your haste, and is, no doubt, the correct one. It is not like a gathering of jolly Irishmen to pass over the lady’s name and prefer that of the gentleman, unless the reason is a very strong one indeed. Unless, indeed, the “ Hiber* nian-Australian” should be “AustralianHibernian,” and mean that at the Antipodes the Irishman’s nature has been turned upside down.

“ - inbad,” writer of “ Sporting Notes ” in the Press of the 2nd instant, remarks“ Of outside horses I can say but little. Mr E. H. Campbell has a Derby horse in training at Mr Phil. Ball’s. He is by Tradueer, dam Mermaid, and consequently own brother to Lnrline ; and as a yearling was the biggest colt I ever saw. He is, I hear, doing good work, and has grown a line powerful horse. Sir Tatton has been at work for some time in Walter Taylor’s hands, at Waimate. He is, I hear, as sound as ever he was, and should he come up lit and well will be a hard one to beat for the cross-country business, Taylor has also two others in hand belonging to Mr Studholme ; one a big filly, half-sister to Harlequin, the other a Derby colt by Caledon, out of Little Lady. I hear Captain Hutchison has secured Dixon’s stables, and intends sending up a quartette, of whom Lord of Lynne (half-sister to Loup Garou), and Mabel, of Dunedin celebrity, are two. What Mr Redwood may bring 1 cannot say, but I hear his string will be unusually strong, and I feel sure that as far as the flat racing goes the fields will be quite as numerous, and the racing as good as last year. As to the hurdles, Alice Grey and Sir Tatton appear at present to be the only known performers, but we shall probably have anew candidate in Exile, who was such a favorite for the C. J.C. the year before last, and who now belongs to Mr F. Calmpbell, • I hear he shapes well over the sticks, and is doing good work. The entries to-day will give Us a fair notion of what the fields are likely to be, and having taken my preliminary, 1 shall

pull off until I am in a position to tell you how some of them are going. 1-may add that the odds at present for the Derby are as follows :—f> to 1 against the Emmeline colt; 6to 1 against the I eception colt; 7to 1 against the Revoke; and from 10 to 20 against the rest.” The annual meeting of the Dunedin Cricket Club was held at the Shamrock Hotel on Saturday evening ; the president, Mr James Rattray, in the chair. After the minutes of the previous meeting had been read and confirmed, the report of the committee for the past season was read. It intimated that the number of paid-up members on the roll was seventy ; the revenue wasL72 8s 10s, against which the expenditure had been 1.77 Hs Bd, leaving a small balance against the Club ; but this the subscriptions of those members who had not yet paid would cover. By the exertions of the committee and other gentlemen the Cornoration bad been induced, to set aside a portion of the Southern Recreation Ground for the use of cricketers alone, and to allow the Club to fence the same. Contributions had been collected to the ampunt of L 147 7s for the improvement of this ground, to which sum the Provincial Council generously added LIOO. This was being laid out in the necessary improvements, the estimated cost of which might be taken for each atFence, L7O; wicket, LSO ; outfield, LSO; pavilion, L2O ; Eainting, L2O ; total, L2lO. The committee ad written Home relative to securing the services of a professional player for the benefit of the club, and they anticipated receiving an answer by the next mail. The Auckland club had sent a challenge to play a match against them when they were at Christchurch, but this the committee declined, offering them, however, JL4O towards their expenses if they would play the match in Dunedin, The secretary had sent challenges to the various clubs in the Province, but only two—Oamaru and Invercargillhad replied, the former intimating that the D.C.C. must visit them as they came here last season. The report was adopted after a few remarks from the chairman, in the course of which he expressed his opinion that the “ three successive lickings ” Otago had received from Canterbury would be productive of good. Last year’s defeat did not result from any decay of spirit in the club, but from their being compelled to send up a very weak team, on account of several of their best players being prevented by business engagements from going to Christchurch. The eleven gentlemen who did go, in his opinion shewed great pluck. If they obtained the services of a professional, the club would be much benefited, as last season had shown the effect of the want of systematic practice in all the branches of the game. Mr Turton, M.P.C., here remarked that he could not agree with the reasons assigned by the chairman for cricket not flourishing during last season, but that it would be useless and tedious to rake up the whole subject again. A large number of new members were then elected, and the following appointed office-bearers for the ensuing year:—President, Mr J. Rattray; Vice-President, Mr L, O. Beal; Secretary and Treasurer, Mr J. Allen; Committee Messrs F. Fulton, James Fulton, 0. Kettle, T, Macfarlan, M‘Donnell, F. Muir, W. Tait, and J. C. Thomson. The meeting concluded with the passing of resolutions to the following effect;— No one should be considered a member of the Club unless his subscription be paid before the second week in October ; the names of those who have not yet paid their subscription for last year to be posted up in the pavilion, if not paid before the first playing day of this season ; the Club’s annual sports to take place on the first Saturday in October; Messrs P. Fulton and T. Macfarlan to be captain and deputycaptain respectively, to conduct practice during the season ; and an “Otago Cricket Association,” including the various clubs in the Province, to be formed, to promote the interests of cricket, and secure the better representation of the Province in all interprovincial and intercolonial matches.

The usual fortnightly meeting of the Commercial Building and Mutual Investment Society /will be held at the Society's office, Princes street, this (Monday) evening, from six to eight o’clock.