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Evening Star, Issue 3470, 7 April 1874, Page 2

The tender of Mr Sieberg for the erection of the Albany street school, for L 1,604, has been accepted.

Mat Higgins, the well known Victorian pedestrian, is now an inmate of the Hew Norfolk Lunatic Asylum, Hobart Town. Among the outward passengers by the s.s. Mongol, to-day, is Captain Ellis, Collector of Customs at Invercargill, who goes Home on leave. He brought the first ship from Scotland to Otago—the Philip Laing, in 1848. Mr George Duncan and family were to-day passengers by the Mongol for San Francisco. A large number of persons went to Port Chalmers to see them off, while a considerable number at the railway station wished thorn bon voyage*

According to the Tokomairiro paper, the pheasants in the Akatore bush were shot by sportsmen visiting the district on Good Friday. Friends of acclimatization—and there are surely sonm at Akatore—should see that such destrueftion is not repeated.

Two miles of the permanent way of the Olutha Railway, from the Taieri river towards Waihola, have been laid. The ‘Herald’ informs us that good progress is being made with the railway bridge across the Taieri, at the back of tlio Reliance Hotel. Mr Watson, the contractor, is now sinking the cylinder of the last pier.

A Bill has been introduced into the Sydney Legislature for the abolishment of all pensions and annuities to any person in Consideration of services rendered by him as a member of the Executive Council, or as a member of the General Assembly, or Legislative Council, or in consideration of services voluntarily rendered by any person in the promotion of any measure political and social, having professedly for its object the public good. In other words, pensions are to bo abolished for political offices : and Ministers who have heretofore looked forward to a comfortable retiring annuity for life, after a few brief years of executive duties, during which they have been in receipt of good salaries, will, so far as New South Wales is concerned, have to depend upon some other source thau the consolidated revenue to support them.

There was a full attendance In the lower parts of the Queen’s Theatre last evening. The first piece was “Medea,” with Mr Bur ford as Jason and Miss Stephenson as Medea, The burlesque of “La Sonnambula” followed, and undoubtedly formed the chief attraction. Mr Hydes appeared as Amina, and so far as “ make-up” and singing of the songs allotted to him were concerned, was undoubtedly purely original, and succeeded in causing endless amusement. He was well supported by Misses Stephenson and Moore and Mr South. “The Octoroon” will be repeated this evening. Miss Clara Stephenson takes her benefit to-morrow (Wednesday) evening, and as this talented and versatile lady has contributed in a very great degree to the amusement of the theatre-going portion of the public, we trust her exertions will meet with a substantial recognition at the hands of the patrons of the Queen’s Theatre. The competition for the Provincial Scholarships by the scholars attending the various public schools in the Province was commenced this morning. The examiners were Messrs Petrie, SW M'Kay (Port Chalmers), and Professor Shand. One scholarship is provided for the boys and one for the girls attending the High and Grammar Schools, and one for the bovs and one for the girls attending the District Schools. There were 39 competitors—l 9 girls and 20 boys; and the schools to which they belong are Middle District School 4 girls, 7 boys; North Taieri, 3 girls ; Waikari, 1 girl, 2 boyis; Outram, 2 girls; Lawrence, 1 girl* Caversham, 2 boys; North Dunedin, 3 boys; Warepa, 1 do ; Kaitangata, 1 do ; Hampden, 1 do ; Sawyer’s Bay, 1 do; High School, 8 girls and 2 boys. The subjects in ■which they were examined to-day were English and Arithmetic, the examination being wholly written. The examination will probably last over to-morrow and Thursday.

Ihe ‘Bruce Herald’ supplies tlie following additional particulars relative to the coach accident at the Beaumont:—“ Mrs Anderson went on to the box seat at Roxburgh, having changed seats with her husband. Had there been a man on the box with him, instead of a female, the accident might have been avoided, as there was another break bar on the near side, but Mrs Anderson was not able to use it, and consequently, after proceeding a few yards, the fore carriage came away, and the coacli made a complete jump over, and rolled on to the passengers—the horses running their mad career with the fore carriage, and shortly coming in contact with the leaders of a loaded waggon which was going up the hill They ran completely between the waggon leaders, tearing the

harness from them, and turning them completely round, and the driver, who was on the waggon box, whipping up the shatters, contnyed to avoid a capsize, but the waggon was pulled completely round, and had two shafts broken and one axle bent. Mrs Anderson, who was so severely injured, is near her confinement. As to the cause of the sad affair, there is no doubt that the breaking of the brake was the first cause, but to the want of breeching on the shatters is, no doubt, due some part of it, as, once the brake failed to work, the horses became unmanageable, whereas jxad there been breeching, the shatters would have had some power to check the fearful speed of the coach; and it is to be hoped that this and other similar accidents will have the effect of * lle company using breeching on hilly roads. Mr Chaplin is always willing to allow the drivers to use breeching, but in future he ought to insist upon it.”

“Maritana” was reproduced last evening, and drew a tolerably numerous attendance in all parts of the theatre. On the whole it was not given withthe precision that marked its first representation. There was positive inattention to their work on the part of some of the principals ; and once or twice we were puzzled to know what had come over the chorus. But Miss May acted and sang, as she always does, capitally, and received full assistance from Miss Larijbert and Messrs Hallam and Rainford—all of whom were in good voice. The latter received an encore for his rendering of “In happy moments,” and a similar demand could have been excused if it had been made for the duet “ Sainted Mother,” whjch was given faultlessly by Misses May and Lambert, Mr Templeton was to have been the King, but did not put in an appearance, and to his evident distaste Mr Rainford had to go to the footlights in the middle of a scene and make an apology, intimating that Mr Levison had at a moment’s notice undertaken the part. Of course it had to be dressed, whiefe took time, and there was a long wait, the of which was somewhat relieved by Mr Romford’s happy observation that it was not an uncommon thing for kings to keep people waiting—a renjark that fairly brought down the house. However, Mr Levison (who only rejoined the company on Saturday, and possesses a fair baritone) shortly afterwards appeared, arid the opera proceeded io its conclusion, Mr Levison is certainly to bo complimented on the manner in which he t^. e P a i't at such a short notice. To-night nr i ose Gastile ” will be played; and on Wednesday, for Miss May’s benefit, yrhfn we hope to see a full house, “ Satanella,” in which; the beneficiare appears to the utmost ad van- 1 tage.

We have pleasure in endorsing the following observations, which appear in to-day’s 4 Bruce Herald —“Otago is about to lose two of her oldest settlers, than whom few could be named who have done more in the way of practically advancing her interests—commercially, socially and religiously. They have not been men who nave hid .tapir light altogether under a bushel, and yet not men w.hjQao .hobby .has been mere wild speculative talk. Both of them have been pre-eminently unselfish woiikerji.’ We refer to; tko intended departure, on ah oatly ditto, of; Mr George Duncau, together with his family, ’ * -HP r ||tdencfi iu America; and of Mr > Arthur J. mtiui, with hi? family to Great

Britain, to recruit his health. Both men wore vc»y early settlors; endured all the hardships ana battles of starting a new settlement, and throughout their whole/ career, have given ample evidence that their anxiety for the success of their adopted country , was not limited to a question of £ s. d. to their own pockets but a realisation of a wider and nobler aim—namely, that their first duty was to their country, satisfied :that in itssuccess they would obtain a share of personal reward, fin public affairs both men took an active and intelligent wcia f°r long periods members of the Provincial Council, and held seats at different times in the Provincial Executive—Mr Burns also having held a seat in the House of Representatives. The characters of both were unexceptionable, whether we speak of them in their private or public capacity; and of them it will be universally acknowledged that it could be safely said that their word was as good as their bond. In educational and religious matters both took an active part,”—Mr Allan, Immigration Officer, to-day fojrwarded by the Momrol. applications under the no minated system of immigration for 168 souls, equal to 145 A statute adults. These have all been received since 18th March.

This is what a lot of wiseacres, otherwise called the Provincial Council of Taranaki,Ssay about raffles and lotteries “Mr Syme objected to the Bill as it stood. Ho thought they might be a little lenient in special cases; for instance, at bazaars it was carried on to a very great extent ; but then they always had a deSl i?°l e °kj ec t in view, and it was the raffling which tended to make them a success. Mr W intcombe said if it was an evil, they must not encourage it in any shape or form. He learnt that L 2,000 had .been taken out of the Province during the last year by this means alone. They had iio idea, in fact, of the extent to which that species of gambling was carried. It was shameful. Mr Standish agreed with the last speaker in saying that if they wanted reckless gambling suppressed, no loop-hole must be allowed; Major Atkinson thought some of the members were pressing the matter too hard in trying to stop little raffles. He thought the matter should be left more in the hands of the Superintendent, and that the police alone should lay an information, when his. Houoi could make what he liked illegal. Mr Elliot said it was a great evil among young people- Mr Upjohn said it was a growing evil, and should be put down with a strong hand. Mr Standish said it was a universal evil, and it was therefore the duty of everyone to try and stop it, and not leave it all to the police, who were sometimes veiy careless. _ Mr Syme quite agreed with the last speakers in saying that it was a vice which ought to be suppressed, but as he had already said, raffling at bazaars most certainly ought to be an exception.” The joke is that those wise men of Taranaki looked upon bazaars as an exception, when, as everyone knows, there is more gambling carried on at bazaars than at any other public place. . The Melbourne Young Men’s Christian Association is not only a flourishing, but is a very useful organisation. It has 364 members, provides rooms furnished with the daily and weekly papers, magazines, reviews, periodicals, and with a piano, chess, draughts, &0,, and lias a library containing 600 volumes, which is to be made a circulating one. Employment and boarding-house registries are made up in the institution, and freely used by now arrivals, to whom they prove of much service- A visiting -gent is employed to board passenger ships on behalf of the association, in order to offer the immigrants friendly advice and a welcome. A course of free parlor lectures were given during

the year on scientific topics, and other entertainments, while short-hand, French, and elocution classes were conducted by various gentlemen. The religious operations of the association are devotional meetings in the rooms every Tuesday evening and Sabbath morning, and on Sunday evening after service in the Coliseum. A theological class meets weekly, and is conducted by the Dean of Melbourne. A committee, called the Youths’ Mission Committee 'dsjts the boys licensed out by the Industrial and Reformatory Schools, engages in tract distribution and visiting the sick, as well as conducting a Sabbath evening service for street boys and girls. The income of the association during the year is given at L 750, leaving a balance in hand of L 76 odd. As an incentive to the young men to exert themselves to procure a hall exclusively devoted to the objects of the association, Sir James M’Cullooh mentioned in his opening speech that the building erected for the Young Men’s Christian Association of New York cost LIOO.OOO, and the one tor the San Francisco branch nearly L2<1,000. We should like to see a branch of the society established in Dunedin.

A number of the immigrants by the Surat went to the shed on the Jetty street jetty this morning to obtain their luggage, which, it had been announced, would be distributed to the several owners. The condition of most of the boxes was shockingly bad, some being smashed almost flat, the articles in all soaked through with water, and, in the majority of cases, powdered over with sand. The lamentations of the owners were naturally loud, and a good many complained (justly or uot) that articles of value had been extracted from the boxes. One had lost “ L2O in money another, “a quantity (not specified) of silver plate;’ another, jewellery, and so on. The lady who had lost “several ounces of silver plate,” on being told that it had, doubtless, sunk to the bottom, on her box being broken, asked how it was that a meat jack in the same box had floated ashore, instead of doing likewise. His Honor the Superintendent looked in to see how the distribution was going on; just as another lady was in a highly excited .state at the distributor refusing her a bundle of articles which another person had claimed, but he only stayed a few

minutes. Perhaps this was fortunate for him as a bystander told the lady who it was that had gone away, and she immediately cried out to her husband to “run-after that man—he’s the Superintendent of this country, and he’ll soon make them give us ourthings •” but it was of no effect—His Honor had too far a start. One immigrant complained, and apparently with reason, that he had a sewing machine in one of his chests, and that “it was distinctly and decidedly refused to he given to him.” Another person could only find three boxes out of nine belonging to him, but we believe this is to be accounted for by there being still a number to arrive from Gatlin’s River.

The third annual competition for the Dunedin Golf Club’s silver challenge cup took place yesterday at the Mornington Links. The weather was all that could bo desired, and a most exciting contest ensued. Handicappers were chosen from the playing members on the ground, and the close struggle between the first five at the finish showed the points allowed were allotted in an impartial manner About sixteen competed, anda start was made, at eleven o’clock, two rounds of the links having to be completed. At the finish of the first round Messrs D. Hood and C. R. Howden !ed with 56 each, Mr Geo. Todd, jun., next °7i then Messrs Fogarty and Murison with 62 each. During the second round, however, some of these fell hopelessly back, and Mr Park, who had scored 69 in the first, now pulled up with a good score of 57. Messrs Hood and Todd, jun., however, still kept the lead, though their scores for the second round were not up to the first—making this time 60 and 64 respectively. This made Mr Todd’s total score (6 points allowed), 115; Mr Hood (scratch), 116; Mr Park (10 points), 116; Mr 0. R. Howden (2 points); 117. The cup was now looked upon as the property of Mr Todd but some one remarked Jifiat Mr P. Adair had been overlooked ; and oh inquiry jt was found that this gentleman, who had been unable to start until some hours after the other players had done his first round in 61 strokes. He being allowed 10 points, it could be seen at a glance that his chance of winning was very favorable and a great deal of interest was shown in his play during tfie final round. This Mr Adair completed in 59 ctrokes, making a total of 120, or deducting the handicap, UO—winning the cup by 5 points. Mr Adair is a new player here, but has played a good deal in the old country. We believe there will be a competition on the Queen’s Birthday, when all will play on their merits.

We have received a copy of the ‘Temperance Advocate ’ for the current month, with an illustration, which our contemporary, the ‘Daily Times ’ considers a beautiful' engraving of the Mitre _ Peak, after a-photo by Burton Bros. £6 accomjting-fqv art criticism, hut we venture to say that Messrs Burton Brote, will

not feel complimented by having their photos burlesqued, which seems to have been the design of the engraver. The reading matter is fully up to the average, and includes many articles worth attention.

The Artillery Band will parade for inspection on Wednesday evening, at the Drill-shed, at 7.30.

Ihe fortnightly meeting of the Guiding Star Lodge 1.0. G.T., will be held to-morrow evening, at the usual hour.

A meeting of the members of the Hod-carriers* Society will be held in the Royal George Hotel, to-morrow evening, at 8 o’clock.