The Evening Star. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17, 1874.

Evening Star, Issue 3688, 17 December 1874, Page 2

The Evening Star. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17, 1874.

We hear that at a recent meeting of the Tuapeka Jockey Club the Mabel question was considered, with the result that the mare was not disqualified from running on the Tuapeka course. At the Port Chalmers Resident Magistrate s Court this morning, before M r T.*" A. Mansford, David Davies and John Moir, for drunkenness, were each fined 10s, or twentyfour bonis’ hard labor. The performance at the Princess’s last evening consisted of Bucl.stone’s popular drama ‘ Flowers of the Forest” and the burlesque of “ Wilkins and his Dinah,” which seemed to cause considerable amusement. Mr Clinton takes a benefit on Friday, when an attractive programme will be presented. r The Press Agency is fast acquir ng a reputation f'-r sleepiness. To-day. and from a N orthern paper, we learn for the first time that the T ararua, from Melbourne, arrived off Hokitika early on Monday, and was tendered, but the tender was not able to get back into the river that night. What has since become of the Tararua or of the tender is a mystery. Messrs Logan and Brown, J.P.’s, sat at the Resident Magistrate’s < ourt at nine o’clock this morning and disposed of the few cases on the sheet. Christian R. Mordaunt was dismissed on a charge of drunkenness ; Michael Golding was fined 20s, with the alternative of three days’ imprisonment, for a similar offence ; apd MiUicept Russell, U

or fourteen days. The last-namod offender, on a 'inther charge of habitual drunkenness, was sentenced to three tm nths* imprisonment with hard labor. The remanded charge against Isabella Lyle, of robbery from the person, was further adjourned til Saturday next.

Mr John Bowie, night watchman at Wain’s Hotel, was this morning presented with a handsome silver teapot and stand by the compositors engaged upon the ‘Guardian ’ newspaper, as a recognition of the courtesy and kindness he has invariably displayed towards them. The teapot bears the following inscription ;—“ Presented to Mr John Bowie by the members of the ‘ Guardian’ chapel. Uecember 17, 1874.” From the official meteorological report for November it appears that the mean height of the barometer at the Dunedin Observatory was 29’632in., the highest reading being 30 “242 on the 30th, and the lowest 29 094 on the 12th. The mean temperature of tae air was 02'8, the greatest heat in sh ;de being 71 on the 6th, the greatest cold at 37 on the 3rd. The total r .nge of temperature in the shade was, therefore, 34 the mean daily range being IS. The maximum solar radiation wms 159 on the 20c.h, the minimum terrestrial radiation 31 on the 24th. L’he extreme range between the reading of exposed thermometers was, therefore, 94. The'total rainfall was 1 310. It fll on ten days, the maximum rainfall in any twentyfour hours being SoOiu. on the 24ch S and W. winds mostly prevailed. The mean diurn J horiz mtal movement of the air was 148 miles, and the maximum velocity for the month 305 miles on the 25th.

Appeals against the Port Chalmers assessment for the current year were heard at the Port Chalmers Police Court this morning, before Mr Mansford, R. M. Mr George Warren appealed against the assessment of his property, iNo. 32, being a house and half section in Currie street, the assessment of which had been increased from L4O to LSO. Mr Webb, the assessor, not teing in attendance, the Town Clerk offered no opposition. Mr Warren explained that his property last year wnile occupied was only assessed at L4O, while this year part of the lime it was unoccupied had been under repairs. His Worship took into account the large outlay on this property and insurance, and reduced the ass ssinent to L4O. 'I he n- xt appeal was in respect of an unoccupied aeetioi., corner of George street, raised from L-0 to 1.40, which bis Aor.-ffiip reduced to L 5. The third case, another unoccupied Section, which hiuljjheen raised from L 8 to Llo, his Worship considered a fair asses meet Tin assessment of 10 on four other sections was reduced to USO, Mr Warren succeeding in obtaining a total reduction of Ll7. We bad not room to state in last eveniu ;’s issue that at the conclusion of the presentation of piiztsat the High School the Yen. Archdeacon Howard* questioned the Secretary of the Education as to what steps had been taken by the Board to fill up the vacancy caused by Mr Hawthorne’s resignation, and that Mr Hislop replied that ihe Education Board had taken what they conceived to be the very best possible steps to s cure a successor to Mr Hawthorne. They had authorised the Home Agent to secuie the services of the very best man he could obtain as Rector of the High School. He might not be present at the opening of the school, but the Beard would take care that the school would be opened at the usual time under very efficient management. The Home Agent was authorised to select a master after having secured the assistance of very competent authorities in the Home country. If ha had anticipated the qu stioo, he would, have obtained authority irom his superiors to explain fully The inati actions sent to the Agent would, however be published in duo time. after the school broke up, the boys adjourned to the Rectory, and there presented Mr Hawthorne with a handsome testimonial in the shape of a biscuit holder aud a marble clock, with a large bronze figure holding the glass pendulum, which bars a suitable inscription. The usual weekly practice of St Paul’s choir has been postponed. The prizes for the (firV High School will be distributed to morrow at half.-past two. A drawing-room* entertainment is announced to take place in the North Dunedin Drill-she,d to-morrow evening. The programme for the concert in the Eoslyn Hall to-morrow evening will be found in otjr advertising celumns. The ‘New Zealand Herald’ for this month is a very readable number. The illustrations are mostly of scenery in California and NewSouth Wales. The Band of Hope is to be again opened. Of late many of the old members have felt the want of such an institution in Dunedin, there being no meeting provided of all the temperance lodges, at which the dissipated may sign the pledge on trial. It does not gfet all to “ give their services to the great teipperan.ee reform,” or “ bind themselves ” to the lifelong obligations of a Templar lodge; and more than this, there is wanted a place of enjoyment where children can be sent by parents for their recreation and their welfare. A few of the members of the Pride of Dunedin lodge of Good Templars are going heartily into the matter of opening this new Band of Hope, which it is intended to start on Friday evening, and it will not be their fault ’ f it fails. The programme of the Press Dramatic Qub’s entertainment to be given on Tuesday evening next, in aid of the Hattie Shepparde Memorial Fund, appears in our advertising columns this evening. A new drama is announced which has never been put upon the Dunedin boards, and from the names in the cast we may anticipate a very creditable performance. As many persons do not rightly understand the abject for which the entertainment is to be given, we may state that Dr NmJd, the celebrated theatrical critic of the ‘Australasian,’ made an appeal some little time ago to the Dunedin public for subscriptions to assist the Melbourne friends of the late Mrs Hallam in raising a suitable tablet to her memory, aud to this appeal the Press Dramatic 'Club have now responded, and we trust their efforts will be rewarded with a bumper house on the occasion.