The Evening Star SATURDAY, DECEMBER 5, 1874.

Evening Star, Issue 3678, 5 December 1874, Page 2

The Evening Star SATURDAY, DECEMBER 5, 1874.

Mr Conyers, being about to follow his profession of engineer, has resigned the general managership of the otaco railways, and in him the Province loses a valuable, ■efficient, and most obliging officer. The sole business transacted at the .Resident Magistrate’s Court to-day was the fining of a drunkard, named .famesflsaak, in the sum of live shillings. Mr Registrar Ward presided. The number of births registered in Dunedin during the month of November was 125, of deaths 74, and of marriages 30. Of the deaths twenty-three were from measles and its attendants. A concert was held on Thursday evening j in trickmore’s Royal Assembly Rooms, Port | Chalmers, for the purpose of raising funds for J school prizes. There was a large attendance, and Mr Sykes presided at the piano, j The boarding-out system has been found f to answer so well in Victoria that the Industrial School at Suubury is to be abolished as being an eficte institution and not serving i the purpose intended. Thrce’nofcices are on the City Council order paper for Wednesday. Or Reeves will move, ‘'That the Surveyor be instructed to p,epare a pirn, showing the positions and s’zes. as nearly as can be ascertained, of all piivate and public drains and sewers running under the streets of the City,” Cr. Beck will move, “That previous to any fresh contracts for asphalting being entered into by the Council, the whole of the present asphalte pavements through* out the City should be put in proper repair j

and that Athol placa between Frederick and Hanover streets be metalled, to form a continuation of work that has been order' d to be done from Albany to Frederick streets.” The P.C.N.B. were to have shot in the i final stage for choice of Colonial representa- s tives to-day ; but in consequence of two of 1 the Port citizens, who have land over which the men would have had to have fired, pro- ' testing, the competition had to be postponed, and the company will have to shoot in Dunedin. The firing by the Portobollo Rifles was postponed till to-day. The Heart and Hand Lodge, M. U. 1.0.0. F. , celebrated its twenty-sixth anniversary by a ball in St. George’s Hall last evening. The room was tastefully decorated, and there must have been present a hundred couples, who enjoyed themselves well to the music supplied by Messrs Bailey, Moss Oliver, and Wright. During the evening Bro. Brnadfoot. the N.G. of the lodge, gave a precis of its financial position. He stated that the increase of members during the past twelve months had been greater than during any previous year. The number of new members admitted by initiation and clear ance was from twenty-eight to thirty, which would entitle it to an extra delegate at the district meeting. At the end of June last the lodge numbered 244 members, and possessed a capital of L 5.259, or about L2l lls per member, being equal to over six years’ contributions. The sick pay for the half-year ending June was average, but during the expired portion of the present sitting it had been exceedingly light, which was the more gratifying, considering the great increase of members. The incidental fund was also completely out of debt A. full house greeted Mrs F. M Bates at Princess’s last evening, on the occasion of her benefit, when “Frou-Frou” was pro duced. This piece of sickly sentimentalism appeared, as performed, tofgive the audience satisfaction, the progress of the drama being several times interrupted by rounds of applause, Mrs Bat's took the part of the heroine, but was scarcely refined enough, especially in a grammatical sense for the character. Such expressions as “Is Oarlsruhe anywheres near Paris?” and “Does the baron and baroness intend to come?”— show at least a slovenliness and want of care. During the second scene Mrs Bates sang a rather inappropriate song—“ t will be true to thee’ —nicely, receiving an encore. As Henri de Sartorys, Mr Bates was not quite in his element; but he divided the applause with Mrs Bates. Mrs Walter Hill gave a quiet aud even rendering of the part of Louise, but the character of Baronne de Cambric was beyond Miss Bossy Vivian’s capabilities. Next to d« Sartorys the most important male character is the Count de Valreas, filled by Mr Clinton, who showed, as usual, perfect knowledge o his liaes. Vlr Musgrave had very little to do as Briard; Mr Hooper, as the Baron de Oambri, receiving more prominence. This gentleman at times perhaps a little overdid his part—the only amusing one in the play. The “Colleen Bawn ” will be given this evening. The benefit of Mrs Walter Hill is announced to take place on Tuesday next, when we expect to see the respect and esteem felt for this deserving lady exhibited by the house being crowded. At the adjourned meeting of the Harbor Board yesterday afternoon, the report of the Works Committee was further const dered, and Mr Simpson, who was in attendance, stated that the long channel could to. dredged to a uniform depth of fourteen feet at high tide by the present dredge in seven or eight months from the time of the commencement of dredging Captain MTvinnon asked whether it would be advisable to dredge the long channel for a couple of months’ use only, and the majority of the Board thought it was, and in view ot the present competition at the different ports extremely desirable, to get the intercolonial and mterprovincial 1 steamers to town without delay. It was also stated that the Harbor-master favored the immudiate dredging of the long channel. Captain M'Kinnon was of opinion that the short channel was the proper one to be ; opened, and should oppose opening any other, even if it took longer to open the short channel. Mr M'Neil replied that the question was whether it was advisable to dredge the • long channel in the meantime. It was a conclusive reason for opening the long channel first, that the dredge could tvork in J,he • short channel without impeding ug,vigat on in that channel, which was very narrow. AJLr Reid considered they had not snf&cient information before them to guide them in deciding ! whether they should open the long channel—it might be seven mouths’ work of the dredge thrown away. Mr Simpson, in answer to a question, said the dredge, if at |; work in t}w short chauuel, would impede the | thq.t channel, but ou account ( of the greater of the long chauuel j the dredge would npt in t-fag latter interfere with the navigation to the sianwj extent. Mr M ‘Kinnon's motion —“ That My Simps,on be asked to give such information as jpay enable the Board to decide which aide of the j harbor will become the permanent channel, ■ the length of time required for dredging the 1 long chauuel, and the length of time required for dredging the short channel to a depth of say fourteen feet at low water ” was lost, and the following proposed by Mr Tewsley carried That the Engineer be asked further to consider this suggestion of dredging the long aud short channels, and to ■ report to a sageUug po bo held this day week, giving shortly his reasons for the conclusion he arrives at, aud approximately the quantity of stuff to be removed ip' e&cfy gase.” The Board adjourned accordingly.' i A degree meeting of the Star of Otago Lodge, T.0.0.F., will be held on Monday evening, at , 7.30. _ The usual monthly meeting of the National Building Society, will be held ou Monday evening, A degree m&etiug of the Lodge Pioneer, . 1.0. G.T., will bo held on Tuesday evening I next, in the Temperance Hall, 1 The No. 1 Company will be inspected on Monday evening, and the prizes won in the late matches distributed, after which the annual ■ meeting of the company will be held. I We beg to draw attention to the alteration of fine hour and place at which the Hon. W. H. Reynolds yvill address his constituents on Tuesday. fife baa determined to hold the meeting in the Hall, at 7.30, to meet the convenience yf who could not otherwise be present.