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Evening Star, Issue 3439, 28 February 1874, Page 2

The opening piece at the Roval English Opera has been changed to “ Maritana.” The company left Melbourne to-day. The General Synod of the Ohurch of England m New Zealand will meet this year at Wellington on the sth of May, under the presidency of the Bishop of Auckland, primate. The boat race for LlO a side over six miles, between the employes of the Otago and Victoria (Burke’s and Strachan’s) Breweries was pulled this afternoon, and resulted in a victory for Burke’s crew. Mr Ball has placed at our disposal a telegram from Cromwell, which states that—“ The Elizabeth Company has crushed 200 tons of stone which yielded 160 ozs. The improvement promises to be permanent.” At the Immigration Barracks to-day four single girls—general servants—were engaged, two at L3O a-year, one at L 35, and one at L4O. The rest of the immigrants will be forwarded either to their destination or their friends. The number of births registered in Dunedin during the month of February was 161, and of deaths 32, the excess of births over deaths being 69, or at the rate of 215.62 per cent. The number of marriages registered during the same period was 32. A private telegram from Auckland to-day says—“ The General Government have resoved to detain the notorious Sullivan in Auckland for the present. Sergeant Watson leaves Auckland on Monday first, per Taranaki. Sullivan continues to be very insubordinate to the authorities.” Mr Campbell’s colt Castaway, which was entered for the Dunedin Cup, has been disqualified, owing to an informality in its nomination. He was entered as a three-year-old, having been foaled on the 23rd July, but as the horses’ ages here are reckoned from the Ist August, he is by eight days a four-year-old horse.

No doubt many persons anticipate that the shooting season this year will begin as last year on the Ist March, but this is nob the case. Last year’s proclamation only related to the year 1873, and no fresh arrangements have been made._ It will, therefore, be illegal to shoot any birds or game until the issue of a new proclamation, and any body transgressing will be liable to the prescribed penalties. It is expected the time will be extended to the Ist April. A great fire occurred at Kowai (Canterbury) on the 6th instant, on the property of Mr F. A. Weld, the Governor of Western Australia. The fire originated on a neighboring farm, through some stubble accidentally catching fire. All the fences were burnt, and a large number of English trees, planted by Governor Weld some ten years ago, were de stroyed. Governor Weld arrived on a visit to New Zealand the same day as the catastrophe occurred. “Paddy Miles’s Boy” and the “ Irish Pedagogue” constituted the programme at the Queen’s Theatre last evening. In the first piece Miss Watson and Mr Hydes, in their respective characters, fairly convulsed the audience, and were frequently applauded. “Dick Turpin” and the burlesque of “ Aladdin” -will be presented this evening ; and Farjeon’s “ Grif,” the copyright of which has just been received, is announced for next Friday. The management intends to produce it in good style. _ The ‘Tablet’ has an article pn the “New Police Magistrate,” which concludes thus “Mr Bathgate’s public spirit cannot but be admired, and a grateful public will no doubt revere and remember it. But it is a question for serious consideration whether it is for the public interests, all things considered, to allow deserving men thus to sacrifice themselves. The idea of a Minister of Justice humbling himself so far as to content himself in a police office is, we fear, somewhat revolting, according to modem ideas.” There is only an apology for a gaol at Gisborne, near Poverty Bay. Recently a woman was committed to gaol for a week for contumacious conduct in the witness box, but it was one thing to pass the sentence and another to carry it out. The fact was, as the police sergeant informed the magistrate, there was no accommodatiqn for a man, much less for a woman, as the holding capacity of the gaol was overtaxed already—three men then being confined in it. “So,” as the ‘Standard’ tells us “the Court was put to the humiliating expedient of virtually asking the prisoner to apologize to it in order to obtain her instant release.”

We are sorry to learn from Signor Biscacoianti to-day, that the injury to Miss Claus’s hand does not show the least sign of improvement, being slightly worse if anything. The concerts are therefore indefinitely postponed. We see by our Melbourne files that the concert to Mrs Cutter was a substantial success. The ‘Australasian,’ in noticing it, says “ ‘ Whoso gives quickly, gives twice,’ says the proverb, and in this sense a double obligation is due to Mdlle. Claus, for not only was she the great attraction of the evening, but it is a fact that without her the concert would not have been given at all.” The same paper says Miss Claus can look forward to her return to Melbourne with most hopeful anticipations of future success.

<( ‘Bell’s Life’ writes of Mr C. Absolon:— “ The veteran cricketer has again this season accomplished some excellent batting and bowling feats. He is entitled this season to no less than six bats _ for taking three wickets with three consecutive balls six times, and in one match four wickets in five balls. He has batted through 59 innings, made .1043 runs, averaging 17.40. Bowled through 61 innings, took 390 wickets, averaging 6.24, Ten innings partly

bowled through, making altogether 420 wickets, which is undoubtedly good for a man weighing upwards of seventeen stone, and sixty years of age.” We (‘North Otago Times’) have heard with great _ surprise that on Sunday last a man, suffering from a broken leg, was refused admission to the hospital because it was the Sabbath. We could scarcely believe this, but the circumstances, tfs detailed to us, were stated as follows :—On Sunday last information reached the police that a man had fallen down a cutting and broken his leg, that a constable was despatched with a horse and cart to bring him in ; that the man was found lying in a flax-bush with the small-bone of one of his legs broken \ that he was taken to the hospital, and that he was there refused admittance by the medical superintendent himself, “because it was Sunday. Surely this can scarcely be true. One thing, at least, seems clear to us, that if “ the better the day the better the dead” is a true proverb, no better day than a Sunday could be chosen for a deed of mercy. We trust the matter will be explained to the public satisfaction, as it has already become the subject of severe comment. Some of the np-country roads may be bad, but we doubt if travellers on* them could get into a worse fix than can occur to them within the town boundaries. This afternoon an eighthorse team was going along the main road from Dunedin, and when opposite the Farmers’ Amis Hotel, and fifteen feet from the footpath, one of the hind wheels sank up to the axle in the road. The services of twenty-one horses, besides spades, screw jacks, and other appliances were put into requisiteoll _ but with the only apparent effect mu smk , in » t'h® waggon deeper into the road. The unfortunate teamster took tlie matter as philosophically as possible, merely remarking i? a Vi iT* 13 ra^er hard that Inspector Nimon should be 4i down” so readily on waggoners for the amount of their licenses for the use of the roads, and then the latter be unfit to be travelled on. After watching the desperate efforts made to extricate the waggon, for above an hour, we left under the idea that we may see it in the same position for another week. Shocking as it may appear to ultra-Presby-terians of the old true-blue school, that tabooed article a harmonium was actually permitted to be played in St. Paul’s Church here on Wednesday evening. True, it was on the occasion of a secular lecture ; and thie consideration seemed to appease the conscience of an orthodox member of the congregation, who drew attention to its presence with evident qualms, hut apologetically stated that it would be removed before Sabbath. The Eev. Mr Todd, however, with a liberality which does him credit, said that, for hi? part, he would like to have an instrument in the Church on Sundays also to assist in the service of song—a sentiment evidently regarded by a few as dreadfully heterodox, but which elicited marks of very general approval. Though old fashioned folk may shake their heads and ask one another what the Kirk is coming to in these degenerate days, we ('North Otago Times ’) venture to suggest to them that there is not much probability of its going over to Rome just yet, so they may take heart of grace, even though the dreaded kist o’ whustles makes it? appearance in the Lord’s ain house on the Lord’s ain day. The Rev. W. Gillies, of the Taieri, lectured at Oamaru on Wednesday on “ James Fergusson, the Scottish herd laddie.” In referring to Fergusson’s marriage, which was an unhappy one, the lecturer deprecated hasty marriages, and strongly advised young men not to marry young ladies of nineteen as Fergusson did. “ Sweet Nineteen” writes to the * North Otago Times’“This is to© bad of Mr Gillies, for I am sure I should make a good wife if only one of my many admirers would make up his mind to ask me. I can make a shirt, darn a stocking, cook a dinner, and keep a house tidy and comfortable. I know I can, because I have done it for the last four years; and if I could do it in my father’s house, I am sure I could iu my husband’s. I believe I am passably goodlooking, and what more, I wonder, does Mr Gillies require for wifely qualifications ; I, for one, don’t want to be an old maid; but I suppose, according to the rev. gentleman, no followers should be allowed till one arrives on the wrong side of twenty-five. I hope he won’t make many converts; and, upon my word, I am inclined to think that maidens of nineteen are more likely to make converts to an opposite creed.”

The tenth anniversary of the lodge Court Enterprise, A.0.F., was celebrated by a supper last evening, at Murray’s Hotel. There were upwards of forty gentlemen present, and Bro. Woodland, D.S., presided, supported by Bro. G. W. Geddes, D.T., Bro. R. Stephenson, D.C.R., and Bro. M'Phee, D.B. His Worship the Mayor was also present as a visitor. After the usual loyal and patriotic toasts had been gone through, Bro, Geddes proposed the “ Mayor and Corporation,” referring to the improvements in the City during the last few years. The Mayor responded, expressing the pleasure he felt in being invited there, and remarking on the advantages offered by the Friendly Societies. Bro. Cooper proposed “Success to Court Enterprise;” Bro. Harrop “The United Otago District of Foresters,” responded to by Bro. Anderson. A certificate and a neck ribbon were then presented to Bro, Harrop, P.C.R., in token of appreciation of his services in that office; and a medal to Bro. Mowl, P.S. Bro. Goodman, Secretary, then read the report of the affairs of the lodge, from which it appeared that the number of members on the books is 110; the funds in hand amount to L 592 10s 7d, and the property of the lodge to L6O. The amount paid for sick benefits during the year, to fifteen members, was L 92 3s 4d, and the funds invested bring in an annual revenue of L 35 18s Bd. There were very few unfinancial members on the books, but' a small number had grown, careless and withdrawn. Singing and proposing toasts helped to pass the time until about midnight, when the assembly broke up.

A meeting of the Hod-carriers’ Society will be held on Monday next, at eight o’clock. The sixth monthly meeting of the National Building Society will be held in the Society’s office, on Monday, from six io eight o’clock. . The following election meetings are advertised for Monday evening Mr Reeves, at the Masonic Hall, at 7.30 ; and Mr Chapman at 8 : Mr Isaac, at the Oddfellows’ Hall, at 8.