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Evening Star, Issue 3460, 25 March 1874, Page 2

The burlesque and pantomime at the Queen’s drew another large attendance last evening. Mr Kemp has painted some capital scenery, the final scene being especially good. The calendar for the approaching criminal sessions of the Supreme Court, which commences on April 8, will be the heaviest for many years, sixteen cases being already set down for trial. Another Home ship has to be placed in quarantine, The Woodlark, with immigrants, from London, arrived Wellington last night, with fever on board, but the Press Agency, with proverbial carelessness, neglects to inform us of the nature or extant of the disease. The Port Chalmers Police Station is now re moved from Ajax Hoad to the building known as the Custom House, the lower part of which has been used for some time as the Court Hous£. The upper part, which has been hitherto used by Mr Monson, of the Customs department, will now be occupied as a dwelling house by Sergt. Neil. The old lock-up was removed this morn, ing from its old place to the yard alongside the present station. Mr Monson shifted yesterday from his old quarters at the Custom House to the upper part of the harbor office. In the Oamaru District Court, on Friday, Cornelius Murphy, found guilty of larceny, was sentenced to three months’ hard labor. Thomas Hunt, charged with perjury, was acquitted, there being quite a demonstration on his leaving the Court, when he was hoisted shoulder high hy his friends. In the case of Regina v. Dods, th<9 jpry after being locked up for twelve hours, being stifi unable to agree, were discharged, and a pew trial was ordered for next sitting of the Comt. This will be in May next. Rather a nice point arose in the case Regina v. Dods. The jury having retired to_ consider their verdict at two o’clock, and being unable to agree, the question was whether they could be discharged at the expiration of twelve hours, that is, at two o’clock on Sunday morning, or whether Sunday, being a dies non, the two hours after midnight on Saturday not counting, the jury would consequently have to be detained until two o’clock on Monday morning. The Judge gave the unfortunate jurors the benefit of the doubt, and discharged them at two a.m. on Supday. Beautiful as ip the mechanism of the clocks of the present day," it is .continually advancing towards perfection. The latest noyelty is to be seen in the shop of Mr Young,' jeweller, Princes street. The face of tie dpek ip pet in a finely cut block of black marble, ip the inte- , rior of which the machinery works, with jthe exception of the pendulum. The care of this regulatory implement is remitted to an elegant statuette of a woman in Greek costume placed on the marble, which serves for a pedestal, Her left arm is extended, raised, and slightly beat, and the pendulum is attached to her

hand, which holds it gracefully. Apparently there is no connection between this figure and the works below her feet; yet the pendulum continues to oscillate, and so delicate are the works and so slight the vibration that no motion can be detected by the touch in any portion of the figure. It was described to us as the “ Mysterious Clock,” and because of the difficulty of tracing the connection between the moving parts, it is well worthy of the name. The height of the base and figure is about two feet. We understand these clocks command high prices in Europe. It would be difficult for the management of the Opera Company to produce anything that would give rise to the same diversity of opinion as “Genevieve de Brabant” did last evening. There were those who regarded it as a capital burlesque, and as such enjoyed it amazingly ; there were others who were astonished that Miss May could so waste her talents, and were surprised beyond measure that so many people had the patience to heat the piece out. “ Genevieve” is certainly the most extraordinary thing that has yet come from the prolific pen of M. Offenbach, but in no respect does it equal! any of his previous efforts. Its success mainly depends on scenic effect and stage accessories

on a scale which a travelling company cannot be expected to provide. With the appliances at Mr Allan’s command he does well; but he has produced the piece much before he was ready. This was only too evident from the incompleteness of most of the arrangements. If we except the remarkably pretty duet in the first act between Drogan (Miss May) and the Princess (Miss Lambert); a solo by Miss May in the third act, and the gend’armes’ duet, which latter is so catching that it will, if we mistake not, at once take possession of the streets, there is absolutely no music in the piece. As “ Genevieve ”isto be produced on Friday, we shall take another opportunity of noticing it at length. The late trip of the Luna has added some valuable photographs of New Zealand scenery on the West Coast to the already rich collection of landscapes of other parts of the country Fortunately Mr Burton, of the firm of Burton Bros., accompanied the expedition, and though the weather was generally unfavorable, he was successful in obtaining twenty-seven views of the most striking features of the Co ist. Beginuing at Codfish Island are two views of Sealer’s Co ve. Both of them introduce most of the excurtionists, in positions in which each can be recognized ; most conspicuous in one of them is Captain Fairchild, armed with which it was |his custom to signalize his descent upon the coast by cutting down a tree. Next is the entrance to Camera Cave, a remarkable cavern in Preservation Inlet, so named because of the artistic use made of it by the photographer. Another view at Preservation Inlet is Kisbee Bay. Then follow “ North Fort Chalky Inlet,” “ Watering Cove,” “ The Lump, at Divide Head,” and “The Entrance to Wet Jacket Inlet, Dusky Sound,” orperhaps more properly, Acheron Passage, All these are beautiful landscapes, but they sink into nothingness compared with the magnificent scenery of Milford Haven. Apparently turn whichever way the artist chose, beauties pve83nted themselves. Lofty mountains, waterfalls, wooded slopes, snow-capped peaks, craggy cliffs, deep, clear transparent waters, in which rich pictures were projected far down t in the brilliant mirrors, rendered selection difficult; but no matter which scene was taken, it recorded nought but beauty. Mr Burton has taken several series of views of Harrison’s Cove and Milford Sound, all of which are charming in the scenery and effects. There are the Bowen’s Falls from various points, Mount Christina, Pembroke Peak, the Lion (a peculiarly formed mountain, and another beautiful one called the Mitre. So.ce of these are taken from different points of view, but only to disclose different interesting scenes. As presents to friends at Home, these photographs will prove very acceptable. They will prove very interesting to tourists who, mayhap, instead of visiting Switzerland year after year in search of the picturesque, may find some pleasure in turning their attention to this island, where equally varied and interesting scenery is to be found, with the additional charm of its being the edge of a terra incognita, Mr Burton’s collection will well repay a visit of inspection. The Duqedin Naval Company will muster for annual inspection, to-morrow evening, at 7.30. e It will be seen by the advertisement that Mr Anderson, one of the provisional directors of the Para Para Iron and Coal Company, will be at Messrs Gillies and Street’s office, to-morrow at 4 o’clock .in the afternoon, for the purpose of giving information on, and shewing samples of, the minerals in the company’s ground.