The Evening Star SATURDAY, JANUARY 17, 1874

Evening Star, Issue 3403, 17 January 1874, Page 2

The Evening Star SATURDAY, JANUARY 17, 1874

“ After Dark” will be presented at the Prinoess’s this evening for the first time. The “ Irishman ’ urges every true son of Erin to enthusiasically pray for the success against the British of that brave and intelligent mo< narch the King of Ashantee! At the sitting of the Presbyterian Synod to-day, a long discussion rose on an overture being read from the Clutha Presbytery, with reference to the “ Barrier Act.” "We are compelled to hold over our report. It is satisfactory to know that the s.s. Governor Blackall arrived at Kandavau fortyeight hours before the Macgregor from Sydney. Captain Saunders reports very favorably of Kandavau as a harbor for the mail boats. The rain of the past few days has greatly improved the appearance of the crops in the Oamaru district, doing much towards retrieving the injury done by the previous hot winds. The caterpillar pest is, however, taking heavy toll of the farmers in many localities. An infant named Joseph Davidson Wilson has been burnt to death in Christchurch. It was in bed with another child eight years old. A candle left near the bed fell and set the clothes on fire. The older child slipped out, but the baby was so severely burnt that it ’died next day. : We were not previously aware, says the Southern Cross,’ that a barrel of beer was an object of art; but the conductors of the Nelson Exhibition appear to have thought otherwise, as we read m the ‘ Examiner ’ that they disposed of a hogehead of ale by “art-union.” The winner was a domestic servant in Nelson, and she speedily tfold her specimen of art to a local hotelkeeper*

The only case at the Resident Magistrate’s Court this morning was a charge against a waggoner named Andrew Bain of being drunk and disorderly while in charge of a waggon and eight horses. Accused did not appear, and his bail (40s) was forfeited. Messrs J. Black and •J. Brown were the presiding Justices. A London paper says that at the 101st sitting of the Tichbome trial, Mr Hawkins said that he had been so frequently insulted by the counsel for the defence, he had made up his mind ngver to speak to Dr Kenealy again on this side of the grave. It is rumored that Dr Kenealy proposes, when he makes his final speech for the defence, to speak eight weeks of five days each; and it'is now- conjectured that this trial will not end till the middle or end of January next. There were present at the first meeting of the newly-elected Dunedin School Committee, which was held last evening, Messrs Stout (in the chair), Cargill, Livingston, Robin, Sher- - win, and D. R. Hay. The actual business transacted was the appointment of Mr Street as chairman ; Mr Stout as treasurer; the election of Mr James as secretary at a salary of L 75; and the appointment of Messrs Street and Stout as a consulting committee, and Messrs Robin, Sherwin, and Livingston as a works committee.

The ‘Greymouth Mail’ says the beginning of Westland’s career as a Province is difficult, pre-eminently so. Her total income is only about L 40,000 per annum. Her governmental expenditure is about L 32.000 per annum. There are large and very expensive public works urgently needed throughout the ength and breadth of her very long and very narrow territory. An education system has to bo established—itself an undertaking requiring much money: To do-all this, the Province has but the paltry sum of LB,OOO a year. Amongst the applications for the secretaryship to the Auckland Acclimatisation Society, was the'following terse and pithy epistle “ I sec that you are requiring a secretary for Auckland Acclimatisation Association; l.beg to tender my services, assuring you that I should suit it, and that it would suit me. I have no testimonials to offer, and my chief qualification is the fact that from boyhood I have taken a deep interest in the habits of birds, beasts, and fishes, and what I don’t know can easily find out.—l am, &c., —— From an Australian contemporary, an Auckland paper learns that Detective Mackay, of the Victorian police force, has been ordered to proceed to Fiji, and, if necessary, to extend his trip to San Francisco and to other parts of the United States. The object of this trip, which may extend over six months, is not disclosed; but it is supposed that Detective Mackay. has been sent to make the personal acquaintance of Mount and Morris, the Curl murderers, and O’Farrall, the defaulting officer of the Waste Lands Department of Victoria.

There was a very unusual but pleasant occurrence at the Custom-house this afternoon. Before the establishment closed for the day, the officials assembled, and Mr Monson, landingwaiter at Port Chalmers, and the oldest officer connected with the department in the Province, presented to Mr Hill, the late collector, who proceeds to the North on Tuesday, a handsome silver cake basket and tea-pot, and a field-glass, the articles being obtained from Mr Young, Princes street. Each article bears an inscription expressive of the esteem,in which Mr Hill was held by the officers of the department. In acknowledging the gift, Mr Hill regretted that he was called to another place, and said he was glad to be able to say that he had always worked harmoniously with all officers under him. The presentation is made by all officer's of Customs in the Province, and by the lighthouse officials at Tairoa Heads and the Molyneux. Some of the “ new chums ” who come out to the Colonies appear (says the ‘SouthernCross’) to have strange ideas as to what they should bring with them in the shape of clothing. Whether they imagine that there are no shops in New Zealand, or that, if there are, things are awfully dear, it is difficult to say. At the Police Court yesterday, a man was charged with stealing a portmanteau containing clothing, &c. from a new arrival. _ The portmanteau was produced in Court, and it seemed as though the constable would never have stopped pulling articles of clothing out of it for identification. There must have been upwards of 100 articles in that box, composed of coats, trousers, vests, shirts, and neckties, to say nothing of socks, hats, boots, collars, &c, which were apparently innumerable. As Mr Beckham gravely remarked, ‘ there was enough to stock a small shop with.’ Should he remain the Colony till he has worn them all out, he will be able to call himself an old colonist.”

The City Corporation of Sydney are determined to have proper and commodious lodging houses in their city. They have introduced into Parliament a measure which contains several stringent enactments by which the health of the inmates of lodging-houses is cared for, and provision made for the due cleansing and ventilation of all dormitories. The bill empowers the inspector of police, or health officer, or a medical practitioner duly authorised, from time to time to make rules for, and relating to the drainage ventilation, disinfection, and cleansing of common lodging-houses and their appurtenances, the supply of water' and light thereto, the numbers and classification of lodgers, the treatment and removal of sick lodgers, the purification or destruction, as the case may require, of clothing or bedding, the intimation of deaths, the entry in books of all. particulars and the returns of lodgers admitted, the dimensions of the dormitories therein, and generally for the regulation, and well ordering of common lodging-houses. Provided always, that in each and every such dormitory or sleeping-roora a space of at least five hundred cubic feet shall ne allotted to each lodger. The keeper or manager of a common lodging-house shall, when any person therein is ill of fever or of any infectious or contagious disease, give immediate notice thereof to the Inspector-General of Police and to the City Health Officer. There are other wholesome regulations which it is proposed shall be passed under the new Bit],

The Masonic Hall wain crowded in all parts last evening, when the Kennedy family submitted their tenth programme. Mr Kennedy’s entertainment consisted of selections from Scott’s “Rob Roy,” and principally relating to Bailie Nicol Jarvie, Rob, and Major Galbraith. His comical facial expression on finding Rob in the gaol, and afterwards at his discovery that the stolen papers had been recovered, fairly convulsed tho audience. Amongst the incidental songs given were “The Macgregor’s Gathering,’’ and H My heather hills,” both of which brought down the house. At the close of the entertainment ho gave a highly humorous song entitled “ Hersel’ pe Hiela.pt shentleman,” which was encored, and the ever-amusing “Allister Macallister” was substituted. The audience, still unsatisfied, lojidly called for a repetition of the last song, whereupon Mr Kennedy, who by this time showed evidences of the hard work he had gone through, very good-naturedly narrated an amusing anecdote. The family also gave some choice songs. Miss K. Kennedy’s “Auld Robin Gray,” the trio “Hark, ’tis the Indian Drum,” and Miss Marjory’s “ Castles in the Ah*,” were all capitally rendered. At the close of the entertainment H. Kennedy announced tha* Monday week (Burns’s night) would be the company’s last appearance, after which they intended to travel through the Colony, but hoped to returp tb Dunedin, on their way to Melbourne, about July next. Last night’s programme will be repeated this evening f and we can heartily recommend the entertainment to opr readers. The adjourned inquest concerning the death of William Kennedy, who was killed by some earth falling on him at the railway cutting, Caversham, on Thursday last, was continued at the Hospital to-day. The first witness called was Johnßauderbau, the ganger, who said that the earth which fell down was not part of any excavation or falling, and that there had heen.no excavating at the place for two or three days previous. Buchanan, the man who was examined yesterday, was recalled, and said the earth which had tumbled down was ready to be failed when they went to work underneath. A man named Davidson, a piclppap, was called, but did not see anything of it. Buchanan said Davidson knew about the accident, and was speaking to a man named Brown about it yesterday. Davidson denied this, adding that he did not know Brown. Sub-Inspector Mallard, who had visited the place, stated the condition in which he had round it. Brown

was sent fox’, but lie could not be found. The Coroner said the evidence would not justify the. jury in saying whether it was a pure accident or carelessness. He would, therefore recommend them to return an open verdict. There was not sufficient evidence to show that it was an act of carelessness. Buchanan’s evidence, which was affirmative, was not corroborated, while the rest was negative':; for although there were a number of witnesses, none of them except him -saw the accident, and ;therefore their evidence amounted to nothing. They had better return ah open verdict so as not to blame tjxe contractor nor yet to free him. If they did so, they should tell the ganger what their private opinion was. The jury then returned an open verdict in accordance with the Coroner’s directions, with a rider that more precaution should be taken in the future. The Coroner pointed out that the verdict did not prevent further steps being taken if anything should crop up. Mr Baudeman, the ganger, and Mr Procter, the contractor, were then called in, arid the verdict explained to them, after which they were cautioned by the Coroner to be more careful in future. '* The offertories at St. Paul’s to-morrow will be in aid of the Melanesian Mission. A meeting in connection with the Forbury School will be held in the School-house on Monday evening at 7.30. The Commercial Building and Mutual Investment Society’s fortnightly meeting will be held next Monday at the usual time and place. The annual general meeting of the Dunedin Canary and Poultry Association will be held in the Bull and Mouth Hotel on Wednesday next, at 8 p.m. ‘ ... The seventh number .of the ‘ Temperance Advocate’ is to hand. It is more than usually interesting'through containing a condensed report of the proceedings of the United Kingdom Alliance, held iri Manchester, .laying the foundation stone of the new Temperance Hall, Dunedin, and several original; articles, besides, correspondence bearing on the. temperance movement. The annual missionary meeting of the Presbyterian Church of Otago and Southland will beheld on the evening of Monday, the 19th instant, at 7 o’clock, in the First Chtirch, when addresses will be delivered by the Eev. Dr Cameron, deputy from the Presbyterian Church of Victoria ; Rev. Messrs Hill and' MTCinney, deputies from Presbyterian Church of New Zealand; Rev. John Patori, missionary, New Hebrides; and Paul Ah Chin, Chinese missionary, Lawrence. There will be; a collection at the door on behalf of the mission fund.

We do not know any occasion on which public sympathy can be more gracefully expressed than in securing for M. Fleury a' substantial benefit on Monday evening. For more than ten years past M. Fleury has been connected with some of the most pleasing: musical efforts in Dunedin. He has ever been ready to render assistance when it was needed, either in the cause of benevolence or in aid of our musical societies ; and although occasionally the force of circumstances may have compelled him to be absent from us for awhile, through long associa: tion he may fairly be regarded as one of ourselves. M. Fleury has, we regret to say, been out of health lately, and we have missed him from his leading post until a short time back. We trust returning health will enable him to x’esume his public occupation. We know well need say nothing more, for Dunedin will we recognise his claims.