The Evening Star SATURDAY, DECEMBER 6, 1873

Evening Star, Issue 3369, 6 December 1873, Page 2

The Evening Star SATURDAY, DECEMBER 6, 1873

Whooping cough is very prevalent among children in Invercargill at the present time. The disease is said to be of a milder type than that experienced during a similar visitation some three years ago. We (Southland Tinier) learn that there is every prospect of a cricket match being played between an Invercargill and Dunedin team, a challenge having been sent by our loeal Cricket Club some time ago, to which a response has been received that arrangements are being made for a Dunedin team to visit Invercargill, the friendly contest to come off on JNew Year’s Day. The 10. .‘lO train from Dunedin this morning brought eight trucks of Hour (containing 440 sacks), being the first portion of 1,200 sacks from the mills of Messrs Allen and King, Green Island, for transhipment to the a. s. Wellington, for Wellington, The shippers are Messrs W, and G. Turnbull, and this is the first produce brought direct from Green Island to the Fort. “The Soldier’s Return” and “The Irish Tutor” were presented at the Princess Theatre last evening, Miss Raymond and Mr O’Brien sustaining the principal characters in each piece. The Bernard Brothers again repeated “The Perilous Ladder” feat, but one of them again fell, fortunately on to the net, though he had a narrow escape from a serious accident. These exhibitions are positively dangerous, and should be stopped. “ The Charcoal Burner” and “ The Doublebedded Room” arc announced for to-night. At a meeting of Volunteer officers, held last evening, a letter from the Defence Office was read, requesting the officer commanding the Utago district to submit a draft of rules fur the guidance of Volunteers. After discussion, it was resolved to postpone consideration of Ae matter, i he Government have given permission to make rules lor as strict as they like. Provided they agree to them, the Governor will

assent to them, and they will then have the torce of law. The meeting agreed to put the North Dunedin range iu a good state of repair. The Clutha engine, drawing a couple of carriages intended for use on that line, made a run to the Port and back last evening, the junction of the two line* having been effected early in the day- There were three carriages, which contained Mr Blair, the District Engineer, Mr Rolfe, and several gentlemen, and a start was made, short y after the arrival of the last train from the Port. For an experiment, the downward trip was made in good time—twenty-nine minutes. Notwithstanding that the carriage wheels are slightly different in size from those in regular use, and that there was the stiffness consequent on their being brought into requisition for the first time, the travelling was comparatively free from oscillation. The return trip was done in nineteen minutes, including a stoppage at Poliohet Bay. A meeting of the Council of the Otago Rifle Association was held at the Drill-shed last evening, Captain Stavcly presiding. There wore present—Lieutenants Grant, Spalding, and M'Kenzie; and Volunteers Ogilvie, Creagh, and Nightingale. In consequence of the monetary arrangements not being so far advanced as might be wished, it was resolved that the matches of the Association be postponed until Friday and Saturday, the 19th and 20th. It was also resolved that Friday, the 12th, between the hours of 7 and S, be the last day for receiving, at the Drill-shed, members' subscriptions and entries for the matches. The secretary was instructed to receive subscriptions and entries at any time from members previous to Friday, to facilitate the contemplated arrangements. It was next resolved that the small-bore match No. 4 be handicapped to the following extent : That all Government large-bore rifles be allowed five points at each range. The usual fortnightly meeting of the Dunedin Band of Hope, held in the Oddfellows’ Hall, George street, last evening, was numerously attended. After several songs and recitations, the Secretary’s, Treasurer’s, and Librarian’s reports for the la-t six months were read, and the following officers and committee elected for the ensuing half year Mr D. C. Cameron, president; R. R. Clarke, vice-president; A. G. Price, treasurer ; C. Jones, secretary ; F. J. Butterfield, librarian ; C. Boebuck, assistant librarian ; Messrs Blackford, Thomson, Crow, M'Liskoy, Birchard, and Hendle, committee. Ihe Chairman then intimated that prizes, consisting of an ornamented Christmas cake, given by Mr R. Hudson, of Princes street, two books by Mr Rainton, and some books by other friends, would be awarded at the next meeting. The meeting closed by siugiug the Temperance Anthem. Our Invercargill telegrams, the other day, mentioned the somewhat sudden death of a man named Samuel Waitman. From the evidence adduced at the Coroner’s inquiry, it appeared that the deceased had been working for Mr Colyer, at his island farm, for a short time. On 1 uesday evening last he left off work quite well, cooked and ate for supper a rabbit pie, and fell sick immediately after. The next morning he crossed to the mainland, and received some attention and medicine from a neighbor. He came up to town by the forenoon train, wont to Mr Colyer, was seen by Dr Cotterell, and then went to the Hospital, where he died in about half-an-hour, and before Dr. Gigor’s arrival. Dr, Yorath, who made the jmt mortem , attributed death to inflammation of the bowels, and characterised the pie—the re mains of which had been brought up fiom the island—as sufficient to have originated the disease, being a mass of ill cooked, indigestible stuff. The jury returned a verdict m accordance with the evidence. Deceased was a young man, aged 24, of steady habits, and had only been a year or so in the Colony. There was again a large attendance upstairs at the Queen’s Theatre last evening, but the pit and stalls were indifferently patronised. A very good selection of operatic and ballad music was given. In the first part, Miss Fannie received a deserved encore for the manner in which she rendered the

air, “Oh. sleep it is a gentle thing,” and substituted “ When the swallows homeward lly,” which is decidedly one of her best efforts. The cavatina, “Tell me, my heart,” by Madame < 'arandini, was splendidly given. Mr Colterill’s sketches provoked immense mirth ; his Pakcba-Maori song must be heard to be appreciated. Mr Gordon, in the second part, received an encore for his song “Swing on, old pendulum,” The other items calling for especial notice were—the old favorite song, “The harp that once through Tara’s halls,” by Madame Carandini, which was vehemently applauded, and “ Rocked in the cradle of the deep,” by Miss Fannie, A new and varied programme is announced for this evening, including that exquisite operatic duet—“Mira, Noma,” The annual examination of the scholars attending the South District School was brought to a close yesterday with the customary distribution of prizes, which took place in the presence of the parents of the children and a largo number of visitors, among the latter being the hon. the Minister for i üblic Works. Prior to the distribution, there was singing and a debate on the question, “ Are school prizes beneficial to the cause of education ?” which, it is almost needless to say, was carried in the affirmative. A special competition in mapping for the Mayor’s prize produced such creditable work that the Hon. Mr Reynolds and Captain Jenkins, of the Lady Jocelyn, each gave LI for additional prizes in that department; and tho Hon. Mr Richardson, before leaving the school, presented a cheque for three guineas to purchase a prize for the best debater on the next speech day. Presentations were made to Mr Park of a handsome smoking cap from the senior girls; and to Miss M 'Fee (one of the pupil teachers) of a writing-desk and work-box. The attendance at the school daring 1873 was 187 boys and 167 girls, being an increase of thirty chib dreu in the twelve months. The Hand and Heart Lodge, the oldest lodge of M.U.1.0.0.F. in the Province we believe, celebrated the quarter-century of its existence by a ball at St George s Hall last evening. The room was very tastefully decorated by O.E, Brother Mercer; and the company was an unusually large one—we should say close -upon ninety couples. The band comprised Messrs Moss, Bailey, Buckingham, and Wright; Mr D. D. Little was M.G., and the refrsshments were entrusted to Mr Donaldson, of the Glasgow Pie House. A. very pleasant evening was spent. In response to the toast “ Prosperity to the Hand and Heart Lodge,” proposed by Bro. P.G.M. Palmer, N.G. Bro. P. Pherwin delivered the following address “This day twenty-live years ago, our Lodge was brought into existence, since which time it baa steadily progressed, financially and in number, as you will sec from the few facts and figures I will read to you, viz : —The total value of the Lodge funds at our last anniversary was L 4,353. The number of members for the year ending Jure, 1873, was 229; of these, 15 were new members, and 4 joined by clearance from other Lodges. Our receipts for initiations and contributions were LSGO ; the receipts from other sources —such as interest on loans, rents, &c.— it is unnecessary to detail. We paid for medical attendance and medicine the sum of L 224 ; in sick gifts to members, L 143, Our funds have increased by the sum of L 354, making the value of the funds at the present Urne, nearly

L2I per member. In 1868 the value of the funds was L3.22o—showing an increase in five years of the large sum o’ id,516, bung an increase during that period of over 1/6 UL per member.” A meeting of the residents of Leith Ward was held in the Sehoolhouse, Lower Albany street, last evening, to farther disemss the advisability of having a school erected in the locality. There were only ten residents present ; and Councillor Rarnes was voted to the chair. The chairman explained the objects of the meeting, and accounted for the poor attendance by saying that nearly every one was engaged in fishing. He suggested that the City Council be urged to set aside a sum of money, to build a school sufficiently large to hold 200 or 300 children, as tney could get double that number to attend, if wanted. Two sites had been suggested—the Gee on which the meeting was now being held, and the other at the foot of Frederick street. Some L4UO or LSOO ha 1 been spent for schools in the Province, and the Corporat’on had lost 1.200 or L3OO by neglecting tbe matter. —Dr Richardson informed the meeting that the object in calling the ratepayers together was to let them know what had been done by the deputation since they were appointed atthelast meeting. Itwovs stated that if 200 or 300 children could be guaranteed, they might almost reckon on having a school in the locality. The resolution forwarded from that body was as follows “ That the School Committee have arranged to meet the City Council or Reserves Committee to confer as to the beat sice fur the Fourth School, and the site proposed by the deputation is put forward, rather as a proper site for a further elementary school, than a normal school; the Committee resolve that, pending negotiations with the Education Board ami City Council, no definite resolution as to the site be come to ; that the Committee do not see any objection to the establishment of a school in the north-eastern part of Dunedin : provided this is warranted by the number of children in the locality ; and also that the Education Board are willing to sanction a fourth school.” He had previously remarked that the School Committee mentioned 2CO or 300 children, but pending their negotiations, could give no definite reply.—'J he ( hairman : 1 might state that the Reserves Committee and School Committee have come to no definite arrangement. The first object would therefore he to get a census taken of the number of children who would go to the school. Tb : s would be too much for any one man to do unless he were paid for it; and it would therefore he for the meeting to arrange the matter. The limits, aa stated by the committee, were east of Castle street and north of Frederick street. —Mr Grant accounted for the small attendance by saying that the parents after the day’s work would be too tired to come out, and he thought they could not do better than leave the matter in the hands of the deputation previously formed. He would take upon himself to move in the matter, for if they let it slip it might be years before they had a similar i hauce again. He thought the neighbors were unanimous in believing that a school was urgently wanted in the Ward, and said none would doubt this on seeing the number of children going about the place. He had spoken to several members of the committee, who would be agreeable to a school in the locality, their only objection being that a minimum of 201) should attend, which, no doubt, could be easily got together. After various other remarks, Mr Grant moved that » committee, consisting of the chairman, Dr Richardson, Mr Caldwell, Mr McDonald. Mr Thomson, and Mr H. Gourlay, junr., be appointed to canvass the district and obtain the signatures of persons willing to send their children to the school.—Mr Thomson would second the motion, with the name of Mr Grant added, as he was the bone and sinew! of the whole affair. The motion, as seconded, was carried, Dr Richardson appointed convener, and his house fixed as the place of meeting. Several hirrakins assembled outside the place of meeting, and during its progress frequently interrupted the speakers by marks ot approval, and disapproval at various places, and by throwing stones on tlic roof, and opening and closing the windows when no one was looking. This was frequently put forward as a good rea>ou for the want of a school, one person saying that “if any member of the School Committee had been present, and seen the conduct of the lads and their evident want of training, he could not have done otherwise than say that the meeting might depend on a school.” The chairman supplemented these remarks by saying that, owing to the distance some lads bad to go to school, they learnt on their way all kinds of improper things, and that it gave them good opportunities of playing the truant; as he had at ono time planted one boy’s books for three weeks, and another for six. At the close of the meeting votes of thanks were passed to the chairman for his attendance, and the deputation for their action. The monthly meeting of the Union Permanent Building Society will be held on Monday evening, at the usual time aud place. The usual fortnightly meeting of the Commercial Building Society will be held on Monday evening. This will be the last meeting of the present financial year, and it is requested, therefore, that all arrears be paid, by this date. The Councillors for South Ward have called a meeting of their constituents, to consider the proposed system of brick sewers. Other ratepayers interested are invited to attend. The meeting will he held in the City Council Chambers oil Monday evening, at half-past seven o’clock.