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Evening Star, Issue 3487, 27 April 1874, Page 2

“Uncle Tom’s Cabin” was produced at the Queen’s on Saturday evening to a capital downstairs attendance, _ and will be repeated this evening.

The Siamese troupe are so well satisfied with them reception here that they intend making their stay a week lenger, and producing several novelties during that time;

Mr Donald Reid, of Tokomairiro, solicitor, has been appointed by his Honor Mr Justice Chapman a perpetual commissioner for the Otago and Southland District, for taking the acknowledgment of deeds by married women. Three heavy floods in quick succession have considerably retarded gold mining on the Waikaia this season. The yield of the precious metal, however, has been large, considering the difficulties under which miners have labored.

There is great disproportion between the sexes in th.e Province of Nelson, though not in the so-called settled parts. According to the census, the population .consists of >3,540 males, fcuiales. The goldfields portion of the Province should be capable .of beating a large influx of female immigrants. The * Tuapeka Times ’. reports that most of the sluicing claims at the Teviot have resumed work for the season. The river has been moderately low for some time past. It is to be hoped it will continue to fall, as the last two seasons have been very unprofitable to men working .on the banks and beaches.

* n report of the Waimate Steeplechase, the South Canterbury Times’ says “Much amusement was caused by the running for the Maiden, all the horses baulking at nearly every fence, jockeys spiffing, and horses going .down being the order of the day, but the sensation reached its climas when the jock of Wait-a-while came in riding Bushman, and winning the race. A protest was entered against him.” At a meeting held at the Empire Hotel on Friday evening last, it was decided that the annual Tradesmen’s Races should be held on the Forbury Park Course on the Queen’s Birthday. The races will comprise a Handicap Hurdle Race of 25sovs., Maiden Plato of 25sovs,, Trotting Race of 25sovs., Birthday Handicap of 50sovs., Selling Race of 25sovs., <md Consolation of 15sovs. The programme will, we understand, be published in a day or two.

The European population of the Province of Hawke’s Bay is officially stated to be 9,218 — 5,406 males, and 3,812 fejpales. In 1871, the population, was 6,059—3,606 males, and 2,463 females. The total increase in tffe interval has thus been 3,159. The half-caste population is now 147, an increase of 68 since 1873, The number of dwellings inhabited, uninhabited, and building, is 1,764. The population of the town of Napier is 3,648-1,969 males, and 1,679 females.

We have to record another case of stack burning at the Arrow. On Saturday evening last shortly after seven o’clock, three stacks of wheat containing about 2,000 the property of Mr James Whelan, who.owns a farm at the junction of the Arrow river with the Kawarau, were discovered to be on fire, and no efforts could stay the conflagration. How the fire originated uo one could tell, and it is probably the work of an incendiary. Mr Whelan was uninsured. A sudden death occurred on Thursday Jast,

a t Sowburn. A miner named Oliver Jackson, who has been in the district for seven or eight years, and was much respected, went to his claim as usual in the morning. He said to his mate that he did not feel well, feeling a pain in his side/ He sat down with his coat about him, and was seen soon afterwards to stretch himself out on the ground. He was carried to : hut, where he expired shortly afterwards. Jackson was engaged in the Maori war. At a special meeting of the Press Amateur Dramatic on Saturday evening, Mr Mitchell was elected .stage manager in the room of Mr Perrier, who is about to proceed to Tokomainro. Mr Buchanan was elected a member of committee, and several new members were proposed. The Club intends giving another performance at an efirly dat*, and we iiight com-

mend to its attention the case of a gentleman connected with the theatrical profession, who is slowly recovering from the , effects of a severe accident, and to whom a little substantial assistance would be of greet benefit/ ' ‘ -

We have received letters concerning bottle licenses and other matters connected with the Licensing Bench, which we do not think it fair to insert. We do not for one moment think the Bench would be influenced either one way or _ the other by anonymous expressions of opinion; but we think the rule not to publicly cuscuss matters pending before a Court should be observed in this as in other matters. Accidentally, in one or two instances, letters were admitted fairly entitling replies, and these having been inserted, no further communications on the subject can be permitted to appear, prior to the cases being decided.

Followng the example of Borton and M'Master, Mr Glassford has served the miners at linkers with notice not to foul the water running through his property with tailings, otherwise an injunction will be laid upon them, and thus put a stop to their workings. The iuapeka Times’ says : —“ Perhaps it is as well tor the mining community that Mr Glassford has taken this step, as it will be the means of opening the eyes of the Government to the importance of the question which has lately been agitating the minds of the Maerewhenua miners. It is well that thgcTProvincial Council meets at an early date, as we are confident the Council will insist upon the Government defending the miners in the impending law suit. ” An incident of the late flood on the Christchurch and Hokitika road is reported as follows m esfc Goad; journals—“On Monday the Teremakau rose rapidly, and completely flooded out Mr Jackson’s hotel, which is—or mher was—near the Thirty-five Mile-post. Iho occupants of the hotel at the time were three men, two women, and nine children., binding the water rising very fast, Mr Jackson was lowered down with blankets, and scrambling through the water, which was over four feet tmep, he managed to get a horse and rescue the other persons in the hotel. The event proved that they quitted the premises none too soon, for within twenty minutes afterwards the hotel was swept away with all it contained, leaving not a wrack behind.”

Some practical joking of a dangerous kind was indulged in, it appears, at the late volunteer encampment at Nelson. The first act was the firing of tlie fern, to the great danger of the property of the person upon whose ground the volunteers were encamped; the other is thus described:—“ Three mounted men rode up at a smart pace, and on being challenged by the sentry, declined to halt, but still rode on j whereupon the sentry fired at them, and two of the horses, not being accustomed to such treatment, turned tail and bolted, and were seen no more on the field of battle. The third cavalier, however, pursued the tenor of bis way, but the sentoy» being as determined as he, brought his rifle to the ‘ charge,’ and the consequence was that the horse ran against the point of the bayonet. The animal was able to get away, and carry its master out of the reach of the enemy; but the latter s hat was left behind, and was brought into town in triumph.”

Prominence is given in the columns of the New Zealand Herald’ of the 17th instant to tho following paragraph “ A rumor was current m town yesterday which we cannot trace to its source, but which, however incredible, is generally believed to be true. The rumor runs that Ministers propose to move in the next ses--81011 of the Assembly to increase the duty on colonially distilled spirits from 6s to .9s per gallon. The rumor, the * Independent * learns on inquiry, does not exactly represent the facts. The intention of the Government is as intid T m communications by Mi- M'Kellar, Chief Inspector of Distilleries, to the Dunedin and Auckland Distillery Companies, in' which, by direction of the Hon. Commissioner of Cus-

Toms, he informed these companies that the Government propose to bring in a Bill to raise the duty on New Zealand spirits Is per gallon 1875 s ls P er gallon on July Ist, 1877; and Is per gallon on July Ist, 1879. Tho Licensing Bench at Naseby are determined to earn the thanks of the travelling community, as the following extract from the proceedings at the recent licensing meeting at Mount Ida will show. The application of John hj reeland for a license for the Pigroot Hotel was granted, but his solicitor was asked “ to convev

to the applicant the intimation that his house being the depot of two coaches, and generally patronised by the public, no ordinary accommodation would be held sufficient. The bedroom partitions must be made substantial, and a private room provided for the accommodation of ladies. The name this house had attained for itself was discreditable. The new licensee had improved a good deal, but more would have to be done. The Inspector of Police promised to watch this house especially. The Bench also granted a license to one Douglas for a house at Kyeburn, but informed him that he need not expect a renewal They gave him a year to make up his mind what other occupation he would betake himself to.

~ article on the approaching session of the Provincial Council, the ‘Wakatip Mail’ says ;—The country stands by ready to applaud, Dunedin ehall have its plum also, and without our making a snap at it this time. We believe that that City may be enabled to have its harbor reclamations and its harbor improvement schemes without taxing up-country districts again, or taking from them their revenue and literally throwing it into the harbor without thought or consideration. If harbor dues are levied, and a guarantee or an endowment connected with reclamations granted, there can be no_ harm done in aiding the mercantile and industrial interests' of that City to carry out their pet scheme. But there must be no guaranteeing, or a loan that shall' press heavily upon the Provincial revenue. We have a u shrewd jdea, fiowever, that his Honor and the Executive have spine feasible proposal on hand. We hope so, and thus get rid of another vexed subject. We must not stop to pull out any more plums. But the sluice will be the creme de la creme of, the whole affair. Lugubrious Mr Turnbull will fain when _he brings in that, in the shape of the financial statement, despite the fact that

every possible vote has been expended ; despite the fact that the Treasury chest has been mulcted of the proceeds of Southland land S i 0 $° protracted proceedings of land classification commission, we believe that a balance will be found to exist on the right side of the ledger. However small it may be, under such circumstances it willb'e a success, and a result the Provincial Treasurer richly deserves to reap, for, during his tour through the country districts, he showed Himself an observant man, and has displayed smce a strong desire to promote the prosperity of the country. We had not expected this from the ireasurer; he has modified views and opinions ii a JiT e former ly cherished as the essence of all that was proper, and right. It was a wise decision of the Provincial Executive to resolve itself into a kind of travelling one during the recess. They have worked hard; tried to study and meet wants ; have committed some faults, as in some of the land sales, but|they were more errors of other judgment than otherwise. We beuvc they deserve the confidence of the Council, and hope they will obtain it.” The Prince of Wales Lodge, M.U.1.0.0.P., Port Chalmers, will pay an official visit to the Hand and Heart Lodge, Donedin, to-morrow (iuesday) evening. A summoned meeting of the Pioneer Lodge 1.0.0. F., will be held in the Oriental Hotel, to,-morrow evening, at 8 o’clock. The first meeting of the Knox Church Young Men!s Association (session 1874) will be held on Wednesday evening. Professor M'Gregor will deliver the opening address.

At the Liverpool Assizes a young lady obtained a verdict for L 3.000 damages against a gentleman who had broken his promise of marriage to. her and had remarried his former wife from whom he had been divorced. •* Among the various Christian congregations throughout Glasgow, one of the most remarkable is that which meets on' Sunday for Divine worship, in a hall at 38 Bath street. Ihe gentleman who usually officiates (Mr otruthers) is a mute, and the whole of the persons who attend his ministrations, about thirty in number, are also deaf and d v nmb. It is almost needless to say that among such a class of worshippers there is no external manifests- : toon of praise. Mr Stmthers commences the service with devotional exercise, and afterwards hp delivers a short discourse from some passage of Scripture, indicating the words by the finger alphabet,' which seems to*he thoroughly understood by all, present. The services which, aA' may be supposed, are somewhat characteristic, Wf brwgbto -