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Evening Star, Issue 3472, 9 April 1874, Page 2

On dit that some ladies in Dunedin contempUe establishing, in the City, a Servants’ Dome on the same plan as that of a similar institution in Melbourne. -r-, New Zealand Herald’ states that Miss De la Rama ( Omda”), the novelist, it is reported, is coming to New Zealand at an early Canterbury maiT * ec * *° a & en tleman resident in

fiwnfr t F Long, for murder, is finally fixed for the 22nd instant, and by a special jury. The trial of James MTntosh will aiso be by special jury, and was this morning fixed for Friday, the 17th, A.t the Magistrate’s Court to-day, the remanded charges against Lucy Leighton for stealing L 34 from one John Orr, against Mary Wills for aiding and abetting Leighton to commit the robbery, and against Samuel Wills for receiving the money, knowing it to be stolen, were proceeded with, and the three prisoners committed for trial. The Grand Jury having been discharged, the prisoners will have to remain in gaol till the next session—three months hence.

A notice appears in our advertising columns stating that children will not be allowed to go into the Botanical Gardens unless under the guardianship of persons of mature a<*e. We are sorry to learn that this exclusion has been found necessary in consequence of very great damage having been done to some valuable trees and plants. We are by no means sure that many who are not children are not equally blameable, but we trust any found guilty of so flagrant a breach of trust will be prosecuted and punished.

Last evening Mr Jewitt, fishmonger, Princes street, received by the last .train from Port Chalmers the heaviest supply of' soles and flounders that has ever been received in Dun- ™ Tf 6n 80 recen %captured. -.But not only were they numerous, but remarkably large in size. One sole weighed four and a-hsf pounds, and many of them may fairly. bpVsaid > have been alive. So uncommon Was the 1 display; tnat it attracted a numerous crowd of lookerson as well as purchasers. To-day another haul, equally fine in size and freshness, reached Mr ti ewitt s, at noon.

In the course of some observations on a byeCourfc ’ to - da y. Mr Bathgate stated that if in any case brought before him he found the person guilty of incivility, or obstruction to any officers of the law, a heavy k® imposed, as he was determined to uphold the latter when they performed their duties properly < If, 0 n the other hand, a constable exceeded his duty, or acted in a tyrannical, arbitrary, or improper manner he would be severely punished, and in a much greater degree than a citizen. He hoped the police would been 6ttei ' BUl>ported than the Y tad hitherto

One of the civil cases heard in the Resident Magistrates Court yesterday afternoon was a claim for LoO, brought against Mr A. C. Bee* agent for the New Zealand Shipping Company «ie charterers of the ship Surat, by W. hj! Horne, a passenger by that vessel, who sought to recover the value of his effects, which it was alleged had been wrongfully converted. The action was brought to test the legality of the sale, after protest, of the passengers’ luggage bv auction. The defendant denying that he ever authorised the sale, there was nothing for Mr Stewart, plaintiff’s counsel, but to take a nonsuit, which he accepted.

We were glad to see that Miss Stephenson’s efforts were substantially recognised on the occasion of her benefit et the Queen's Theatre last evening. _ She was rewarded with a full house downstams, while the circle was more than avaergely well patronised. The historical drama Animtion; or, the throne, the tomb, and the scaffold, comprised the programme. Miss Stephenson appeared as Catherine Howard, and acted well, and Mr Glover, as Athelwold, was seen to greater advantage than usual. He evinced great improvement in his acting, and fairly deserved the applause frequently bestowed on him. Messrs Hydes and South, in their respective parts, were very amusing. “ Grif ” will be reproduced to-morrow.

The Scholarships examination was continued at the University Hall to-day. The candidates were examined during the first part of the day in geography .and repi eduction (a short abstract being read to them, which they reproduced from memory immediately afterwards), and in the afternoon in reading and recitation, and Algebra. _ It was expected that the examination for District Schools would be concluded to-day. In addition to the papers above-mentioned, marks are allowable for penmanship in the dictation. essay, and abstract papers. The High and Grammar School boys will be examined in .Latin, and the girls in French, for which extra marks are allowed. The competition promises to be a close one, and the manner in which some of the more youthful competitors go to work is deserving of the highest credit. We were in error last evening in stating that the geography papers were submitted yesterday, borne of the recitations given this afternoon were almost faultless.

Lhe reign of political peace and defeat of taction appears to have arrived in Victoria, for the hon and the_ lamb, if not lying down together, are inarching on in loving bands to the sweet strains of music. Imagine Orangemen and ot. Patrick’s processionists joining together in loving unity. This is what a Melbourne paper records as having taken place in Ballarat on St. Patrick’s Day“ The Irish Protestants in orange and blue, and the Catholics in green marched together behind the same band, and away to the same sports, to enjoy themselves ° n J™, national festival. The idea of Irish Catholics and Protestants combining together for anything but a mutual breaking of heads seems almost impossible to those who know what they are at Home ; but now that we have shown that the thing can be done without fatal consequences, I hope our friends in the old country will follow the example. Home rule would .not appear quite so absurd if all Irishmen wore like those of Baliarat.” We commend tliia important 'historical fact to the Orangemen.

There was a good atteudance.i'ii all of the rrmcess s last evening, but it was not sp numerous as Miss May’s claim for public support deserved. The performance was for her benefit— SataneUa ’ being produced. The opera was excellently given, and the only complaint we

have to make is against the unnecessarily long _ waits between the acts. Miss May was m capitalPvoice, and was heard to the utmost advantage throughout. The other principal parts were well filled ; and it is only fair to acknowledge the efforts of Mr Evans, as the Vizier, and of the page, whose mimicry created roars of laughter. The young gentleman (we beg his pardon for having mistaken his sex on a previous occasion) was honored with a call before the curtain. Between the third and final acts, Dr Bakewell, on behalf of some of the friends of the bmeficiare, presented her with a handsome gold watch and chain, and a gold bracelet, as slight tokens of the subscribers’ personal esteem , and appreciation of her merits as an artist. Miss May, who had been received with continued applause, briefly expressed her sincere thanks for the gift and for the kindly reception and treatment she had received daring her stay here. To-night “Fra Diavolo ” will be produced.

Recent telegrams informed us of the disbandment of the Napier Rifles, the oldest company in the Hawkes Bay Province. This step has been taken in consequence of a resolution to the following effect, which was passed at a ITr meeting of tlie company;—That, in consequence of the treatment the company received at the hands of Major Gordon, at an inspection held on the 27th ult., and the apathy shown by the inhabitants of Napier, and the Provincial Government in particular in the encouragement of Volunteering, the members of this company now tender their resignations to the Government.” The corps was started, as the ‘Herald’ informs us, in August, 1863, and has, on more than one occasion, been called out for active service ; but the encouragement it has received from the outside public has certainly been by no means equal to that given to Volunteer corps in other parts of the Colony. When Major Gordon inspected the company, he made some disparaging remarks about the paucity of attendance, and hinted that it would be better for the company to disband. Then the meeting above referred to was held. A few evenings afterwards the company, with their band, proceeded to their barracks, and then gave in their arms and accoutrements. They then marched back to town, when Lieut, Close addressed a few words to them, expressing his regret that a corps which had been in existence so long should now be compelled to break up, for no fault of their own. Three cheers were then called for the Napier Rifles by the assembled crowd, after which the Volunteers called for three _ cheers for Lieut. Close, which were heartily given.—Apropos of volunteering, the recent musters of the Artillery and No. 2 Company here point to the necessity of their following the example of the Napier rifles.

The ‘ Ballarat Star ’ gives the following anecdote:—“lnstances are so numerous in this Colony where men, on the very verge of ruin, unexpectedly became the possessors of vast wealth, that it may hardly be worth while to add another to the number. However, as in this case the gentleman in question is now rolling in riches, and besides, a well-known Sandhurst speculator, his case may be adduced as descriptive of the old motto, < Nildesperandum.’ Having invested all his money in a mining venture at Sandhurst, in which, of course, he had great faith, he found himself without means of meeting the fortnight’s expenditure, which amounted to L 240, and the prospects below being no brighter than before, the men began grumbling and refused to continue the work unless their pay was forthcoming. The bank was appealed to, but secure in its possession of' the plant, declined to advance another copper ; and was, in fact, preparing to place its paws upon the property. Thus situated, and feeling disconsolate enough after his unsuccessful appeal to the bank, the present possessor of thousands sat on the brace with some of the men, and explained the position of affairs. A number of the miners had come from below to get their wages, leaving only two underground who wished to finish putting in a blast before coming up. Of course, no money was forthcoming to those on top, and just as they were about to leave off work the edund of the blast below reached their ears, and they waited for their mates coming up. Judge of their astonishment when they appeared with several pieces of quartz studded with gold. The drive was eagerly visited, and a number of •willing hands sbon. had another blast off, which disclosed the reef they had bben vainly, searching for during long weary weeks previously, and which they had found at last. All danger of ruin was now at an end, and the meanwhile bearing of the good news, supplied the required cash, and even sent their messenger with it in post haste to the claim, and a friendly intimation that as much as was required could be obtained. The gentleman referred to, who profited thus accidentally by that lucky shot, has still a large connection in the same claim and in others adjoining; and to show the value of his interest, it may be stated that in dividends alone he has netted, since November last, no less a sum than about L 144,000, or about L 35,000 per month.” A meeting of the Small Bore Club will be held in the Drill-shed this evening, at eight o’clock.