The Evening Star WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 21 1874

Evening Star, Issue 3406, 21 January 1874, Page 2

The Evening Star WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 21 1874

• Miss Colville and Mr Hoskins have retired from the stage for a time. The Christchurch theatre is now under the Management of Messrs Steele and Keogh. . 1 -After Dark’ and the farce of ’’Betsy Baker were repeated at the Princess’s last eyemng to a very fair attendance,; and, both; pieces seemed to be thoroughly enjoyed. Nearly the whole of the single girls by the Surat were engaged at the Immigration Barracks, Caversham, to-day. The wages obtained ranged from L 26 to L4O a-year, and one nursegirl received 6s per week. , % Allah, Immigration Officer, reports havin|r forwarded by the Suez mail to-day applications under the nominated system for 188 souls, equal to 158 statute adults. J 'These have December 76 * 1 Bin ° o the last mail on the 2 * th .The entertainment given by the Kennedy Family at the Masonic Hall shows no signs of decreasing in popularity, for again last evening there was a full bouse. The various selections given were well received. Mr Kennedy this evening wiU submit, as his portion of the progiamme, “Watty and Meg, or how to cure a scolding wife.” Among the business to be discussed at the City Council meeting this evening, is the tollowingnpitceof motion given by Councillor Walter: That this Council confer with the University Committee and the Superintendent with the view of ascertaining if they are inclined to dispose of the University building to rn Corporation for the purpose of the Town Hall; and, if so, at what price ?”

A working man wishes us to insert a statement respecting, the state of the ground which fell and caused the death of Kennedy, at Caversham. He gives certain measurements, 1 from which he. deduces the conclusion that there was a “fall of twenty-six feet,” but whether he means cubic feet of earth or height, we cannot tell, as the data are’not sufficient to enable us to correct or verify the calculation. Wo gather from the letter that the intention is to shew that due caution' was not observed in conducting the work. Of this Wft offer no opinion. The Inquest afforded ample opportunity for showing this, if true •

and we trust, in future, should there be good grounds for such a statement, that working men will not be backward in giving their evidence. In no part of the world are they so independent of their employers as in Otago; and if they have not thought it advisable to tender their evidence before a Coroner’s jury, we think it would not be fair to the contractors to publish supplentary evidence. ■

During the case of Ross v. Reith at the Supreme Court this morning, one of the counsel engaged wished to read a short extract from 1 a rather lengthy document, but .the other side objected, threatening as a punishment; if it were allowed, that they would insist on the whole being read. His Honor remarked that this could be required, and instanced a case in a Sydney Court of law during which a witness had occasion to quote a few words from a novel, and the reading of the whole work was immediately demanded and inflicted on the Court.

On Tuesday night last, Mr. J. Don, while on his way to Maerewhenua with an eight-horse waggon, had camped, together with another waggon and team, near the Awamoko. Before turning in for the night, the fire-can was placed by Don at a short distahce from the waggon, he being under the impression that the fire had gone out. About one in the morning the men who were sleeping in the second waggon were awakened, and discovered the contents of Don’s to be on fire. A quantity of spirits and freight was burned, to the value of about L 35, but the waggon was saved. It is supposed that the fire occurred through the flapping of the canvas in the wind oversetting the fire-can. in which some live embers must have remained.

From the * New Zealand Gazette ’ we learn that notices have been sent to the General Government by a number of persons of their intention to claim the bonuses offered by the Government for iron and sugar, as Colonial industries. The intending claimants of the former bonus are:—Manager of Oollingwood Coal Co., Nelson; Magnus Manson, Mptupipi, Nelson; J. C. Stovin, Awitu ; Auckland; Para Para Coal and Iron Co., Collingwood, Nelson ; Richard Chilman, agent for H. J. Walduck and Co., New Plymouth. The intehding claimants of the sugar bonus are : — E. Woolfield, Onehunga; W. J. Cawkwell, Auckland; John Davie. Dunedin; Samuel Begg, Napier; and Ri R. Hunt, NeWcaslte, Waikato. >■,

•At the Christchurch Police Court, on January 15, Wm. Alcroft, an engine-driver, and Alexander M'Kenzie, a stoker on the Lyttelton Railway, were charged with being drunk while in charge of an engine and train between Lyttelton to Christchurch. After lengthy evidence had been given, Mr Bowen, R.M., said there could be no doubt on the ' evidence that, the men were drunk; but he held the objection taken by their counsel—that the Act Under which they were charged did not contemplate the laying of- an information for such- an offence as that before the Court, but that' any person offending should be arrested and brought up in custody, when it the charge were proved, they would be liable to six months’ imprison- : ment or a heavy fine—would be fatal, and accordingly dismissed the case. ■ The Government at once dismissed the men.

It was stated in a, telegram published 'in bur columns some time ago, that a'young man named Charles Lewis had been committed to the Supreme Court at Nelson, charged with the manslaughter of Michael Campion. It seems that the parties had been engaged in a field belonging to Lewis’s father, carrying hay from field to stack, and while Lewis was on the stack Campion made some remarks which irritated Lewis. The latter asked Campion to desist, and said he would come down and make him.' Campion, however, continued the annoyance, when Lewis threw the fork down, and descended from the stack. On reaching the ground, he fa.upd that the fork had injured Campion,' who subsequently' died from the effects of the wound, £ewis sa id that he did not throw the fork with tfye intention of grounding or hurting the deceased, sfxd it was nllcited at the trial that Campion had, before Bis death, repeatedly exonerated Lewis from Rie charge of having wilfully inflicted the injury. The fury returned a verdict of not guilty, and the prisoner was discharged, the judge remarking that it quite unnecessary for him to make any observation,

There will be a meeting of the Otago Kilwining Lodge in the Masonic Hall to-morrow (Thursday), at 8 o’clock, A meeting of representatives of the 1.0.G.T, Lodges will be held in the Athenaeum Hall oa Thursday evening, at half-past seven o’clock. From an advertisement in another column we notice that the steamers Peninsula, and Result will make an. excursion to the Maori Kaik tomorrow, thqs affording an opportunity for those who wish to be present at the Maori gathering.