The Evening Star THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 1874

Evening Star, Volume IX, Issue 3616, 24 September 1874, Page 2

The Evening Star THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 1874

There was no sigh of the Albion at the Bluff with the English mail up to the time of our going to press. The Christian M'Ausland, which left London on June 28 with a large complement of immigrants, is now some days overdue, and may be hourly looked for. Mr T. F. Liddle has been appointed Deputy-Harbor Master at Moeraki, and Mr J. M. Dougall, assistant to the Superintendent of the Port Chalmers quarantine station. Mr Cashel Hoey, whose appointment as Agent-General for Victoria, by Sir C. G. Duffy, and the noise it occasioned in that Colony will be remembered, is temporarily acting as Secretary to Dr Featherston. The Port Chalmers portion of the San Francisco mail, which was left behind at Wellington by the Phoebe, much to the annoyance of the residents and those belonging to the various ships in harbor, arrived this morning by the Wellington, and was promptly delivered. Volunteers may take heart of grace. The Defence Minister is carefully ignoring Major Gordon’s recommendations. On Thursday last Colonel Moule, instructed by Sir Donald, telegraphed to Captain Daniel that the Government had no intention of acting on the Inspector’s recommendation to disband the Riverton rifles.

Nothing of importance has been done at the Immigration Barracks this week, the wet weather preventing the country people from coming into town. There are now about 200 souls in the Princes street depot, of which number nearly one-half are children. There have been a dozen deaths in* the barracks during the past couple of months.

At the instance <?£ the member for the Dunstan, during the late session of the General Assembly, the Premier undertook on behalf of the General Government to pay the costs of both parties in tbe Maerewhenua river pollution case. We learn that the undertaking has been given through the Provincial Government, and that the case, which is now at issue, will be set down for argument before the Appeal Court at Wellington.

Mr Proudfoot, the contractor for the Western light railways, is likely to import Australian timber for sleepers. In reference thereto the “ Western Star” remarks : “ This see i« strange, seeing the number of mills and tbe splendid forests of available timber which we have in the district. We should have thought that in a case of this sort, Southland’s enterprise might have successfully competed with Australian industry, the former, standing as it does on tbe vantage ground of immunity from very heavy fre ghts, duty, and all the other incidental charges of transit.” Reports of two inquests in the country are furnished by the police. A week ago a man named George left home to recruit his health, as he was suffering from a severe cold. Me proceeded in a waggon as far as Tapanui, and had reached the Tokomairiro junction, on his way homewards, when he died. A verdict was returned in accordance with the medical evidence, which was to the effect that deceased had been suffering from bronchitis, and that .congestion of the lungs was the immediate cause .of death. On Friday, Charles Windsor, aged GJ, en old resident in Waikouaiti, died very suddenly “ from natural causes ” at Hawksbpry.

The Bill to make better provision for imprisonment for debt, but styled “ The Imprisonment for Debt Abolition BUI,” comes into operation on the first day of October next. Clause of the Bill provides that any person imprisoned at that time in pursuance of a writ, judgment, attachment, or other process, in any case in which fee would not be liable to be arrested or imprisoned after tbe commencement of this Act, shall be .discharged from custody without payment of any fees, but without prejudi ce to the creditors’ rights, or remedies for enforcing payment of any money due to him by way of security or charge on any property of the debtor.

Major Ropata, who visited Australia with the Defence Minister, has been describing to’ his countrymen, through ‘Te Waka Maori,’ what he saw and heard in the various Colonial capitals. His last contribution is from Melbourne, where he visited all tbe public institutions. One day be went to the Exhibition of Arts, and says of it :~~ ff In this building there are some shocking thing#— images. Really the Pakehas are a most extraordinary people ! They are shocked if a button falls from a man’s shirt collar, and exclaim, ‘Mind ! Mind fee button of your shirt! It has fallen off J The ladies will see your throat S’ And yet they manufacture naked images of stone, and exhibit them to travellers ! Who can comprehend the mystery of their ways ? ” There was a perceptible falling-off in the attendance at the Princess’s last evening, owing doubtless to the very unfavorable weather. Airec, who had the largest share of the work, besides appearing with Miss Forrester and on the abrovolante, repeated his really difficult performance on the “Ladder of life”; and on each occasion was deservedly applauded. The Me Castro family were as well received as ever in their acrobatic exercises ; and Mr St. yincent’s song and Professor Saunders’s harp solo (which latter, (however, was rather too short) seemed to give general satisfaction. . Val Vose held another of bis amusing dialogues with his quaint old figures. In announcing his benefit for Friday (to-morrow) evening, he stated that the programme would be one of the longest and best yet presented; and that he would appear twice during tbe course of the evening; while the amusing farce of “ Box and Cox ” would conclude the entertainment. These attractions should alone be sufficient to draw a good house; but to make the affair a complete success, Mr Vose promised to present the purchasers of the first hundred circle tickets with a large-size carte-de-visite of himself, and a book on ventriloquism by an eminent writer to the occupants of the lower part of the house.

The prizes won at the late exhibition of the Canary and Poultry Association were presented to the successful competitors at the Bull and Mouth Hotel last night. L 94 was distributed. The following were the highest prizetakers :—Messrs Peake and Sly. silver tea and coffee service., four special prizes', and LID 10s; Mr Harper, silver .cup, two special prizes, and Llol2s ; Mr Alberte, ailvt r cup, two special prizes, aud LlO 2s; Mr F. Deans, L 4 10s (pheasants) ; Mr J. Harcourt, Oamaru, one special prize, and L 4; Mr Peart, LB 10s ; Mr W. D. Harris, two special prizes, and, L 3; Mr Aikman, LS; Mr Curio, L 3 j Mr A. R. Uro, L 3. The follow-

ing gentlemen decided to return to the Association, for its benefit, their prizes : Messrs Aikman, L 3 ; Donald, L2; Mitchell, LI 7s 6d ; Harper, LI. A committee meeting was afterwards held, at which accounts were passed to* tho amount of L 96 10s, out of which L 45 15s was paid for poultry pens, and LlO expenses of Mr Thos. Williams, of Christchurch, who acted as one of the judges in game fowls and pigeons. The general meeting of the Association will be held in December next, when another election of officers will take place. The annual meeting of the Dunedin Cricket Club was held at the Shamrock Hotel last evening, when, doubtless owing to the wet weather, there were only about thirty cricketers present. The secretary, Mr J. Allen, read the report, and the balance-sheet was handed round to those present It was shown by these that the new season would be commenced with a balance iu hand of L 25, this satisfactory sta*e of things having been brought aoout by the success of the recent concert, which realised the nett amount ot L 75. There were eighty-two subscribing members at the end of last season. The Chairman, before putting the adoption of the report, said he thought the meeting would feel it their duty to pass'a resolution, as hinted at in the report, thanking the originators of the concert for their efforts to make it successful, which result was achieved mainly through the exertions of Messrs Mearea and Kettle, On ~he mo tion of Mr G. K. Turton, a hearty vote of thanks was passed to those ladies and gentlemen who so kindly gave their services on that occasion • and on the motion of Mr Tait a similar vote was passed in favor of Messrs Mearea and Kettle. Mr Alfred Audersou, R.A.M., was unanimously elected an honorary member of the club, as a slight recognition of the valuable services he also rendered in connection. with the concert, Mr VTeares saying he knew Mr Anderson would appreciate the compliment. The Chairman thm alluded to the Challenge Cup matches, saying that they were a great feature of last season, being au innovation but a great success, as they had stirred up the lagging interest in cricket shown each season as soon as tho Interprovincial match was over. The series was entered upon rather late, so it was proposed to com-ider them as an experiment, and again this year. Much was due to Mr F Pulton for the success which had attended them. The chairman concluded by saying that the committee had last year tried to secure attention being paid to the junior members of the Club by their having the services of Mr Paramor two evenings iu each week, and be trusted they would be looked after this season, so that any promising colt* might be brought forward. The report was adopted, and the following were elected office-bearers for the ensuing season : Presi dent, Mr L. 0. Beal; vice-president, Mr W. D. Meares; secretary, Mr D. K Rhodes : committee, Messrs Allen, Clark. F. Fulton. MacdonneU, Macfarlane, D. Russell, and Tait. In connection with these appointments it was first intimated that Mr Rattray was about leaving the country, and that Mr Allen, for private reasons, wished to retire from office. Ihe pewly-elected president being absent, Mr Meares pow took the chair P*acceding to the election of a captain and deputy-captain to superintend practice Mr Tait said he considered both unnecessary now that the Club had the . services of a professional, Mr Collinson agreed with the last speaker, and would ! m, | v ® ™ iat rule 10 be rescinded. Mr Rattray objected, as the rule had been originally proposed fey an old and experienced cricketer, and had worked fairly lasb year. Mr Turton explained that he had proposed the rule because Mr Heudley had lost all command over the members, and practice used to be simply a scene of confusion, but now that they had a professional who had the confidence of the members, be thought the conduct of practice should be left to him. After discussion as to whether the rule could be altered without a special meeting for that purpose being convened, and as a proposition was made that a treasurer to the Club should be appointed, instead of the offiobg of secretary and treasurer being combined, it was agreed that the meeting resolve itself into a special meeting to consider both questions, ihe motion to rescind rule 10 was then j earned unanimously, as was that to alter i rule 1 by adding the words “and treasurer” i to “secjretajry.” Mr Tait was then elected treasure*. Messrs Clark, P. Pulton, aal Kettle we,re ejected as the Challenge Cup Committee, $Lr referred jbo the fact of the pavilion having, durmg.iho winter months, been broken ope#, by some bjiembers of the and asked the meeting to ex press an opinion as to whether membp s were , right in doing so, or if the committee had not ths sole charge of the pavilion. It was decided not to take any steps in the matte** Mr Turton t.heu proposed* a heartyvote of thanks to Mr Rattray, who bad been j elected President when tho Club was in a • most broken-down state, and who was the main cause of jts attaining its pressnfc prosperous condition. T/)e Club was also largely indebted to Mr Rattray for the assistance they bad received at tsie concei-fc. The vote was pasted with acclamation, and Mr Bastray responded, saying his small services had been willingly given, and that he had had able fellow workers. He hoped some day, t when he might come back to this country, to 1 again be able to farther the interests of the Club. Eighteen new members were proposed, and the meeting then separated.

The entertainment in aid of the tyakari District Sehopl funds will take place to-mgrrow evening. ?-<■