The Evening Star. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 24, 1874.

Evening Star, Issue 3694, 24 December 1874, Page 2

The Evening Star. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 24, 1874.

The yacht Hippie, which is to t ike part in the Lyttelton Regatta, was forwarded to Lyttelton by the Wellington to day. A scratch match will be played on the cricket oval to-morrow, commencing at 11 a m.; and on Saturday the Press v. Tra esmen will be continued, the wickets being pitched at 11 sharp to enable the men to enjoy the amusements in the afternoon.

Cr, Isaac has given notice of his intention to move at the next meeting of the City Council—“ That, in the opinion of this Council, it is desirable the Corporation property extendin'• from Police street to the Spanish' Restaurant be immediately put up to auction in suitable building sections on twenty-one years' lease.” The only case at the Port Chalmers Police Court this morning was Robert a»d Ellep Turner v. Catherine Medix, for assault. The parties live on the reclaimed land at Mussel Bay. The evidence left little doubt on his Worship's mind that very bad language had been used, while there was such hard swearing as to leave the Magistrate no alternative hut to dismiss the case. In doing so Mr Mans ford said the conduct, of the persons residing on the reclaimed land, and especially that of tho women, was very bad and if it did not improve he would have the parties brought before him and bound over to keep the peace.

An inqaeot was held at the Hospital at noon to-day on the-body of G. Bussell, who diecl suddenly in tie shop of Dr Crawford on Tuesday night. The witnesses examined were Charles B Cooper, Sergfc Anderson, Or Crawford. Charles Demon. his m usage bov. and Dr Yates who stated that deceased had been tdiree time- in the hospital, twice suffering from delirium trem ns He was a man of hit mpt-r.ite habits, and apoplexy was the cause of de ith. \he other evid-nce was in th main corroborative of the facts attendin'? the man’s death, as stated in our yesterday’s issue. Deceased was about 44 years of age, a native of Keynsham, Bristo', and an accountant and surveyor by oocupa tion. The jury found that death resulted fmm apoplexy, brought on by drinking.

Our attention has been drawn to the practice that has grown up amongst us in Dunedin of applauding singers at our sacred concerts—a practice we believe not even dreamt of in any other community. No doubt it is pleasant to a singer to receive an expression of approbation, but it is usual elsewhere to subordinate feelings of pleasure to ihe higher sentiment ofj reverence, when the theme ig sacred. We trust that at the Choral Concert Ap-night applause will be withheld during this portion qf the proceedings. for we only express ihe feeling of everyone who will take part in teem, and ! of many who will be present, when we say i that they will feel more complimented in ■ applause being withheld than expressed, as it is calculated to mar the effect of what must be considered a quasi-religious service. There is nowin cou>se of construction a new wad which has been named the Queen’s Drive, one ,chai" wide, passing through the town of Musselhpgh, leading direction to :.he • cean Beach' from thfi Anderson’s Bay ro d I he road is pitched hw/yity feet in width and twelve inches in depth; ar,<J will be metalJetl wjtb bluestnno five inches the pitching. It is intended to put on bind-i mg and to roll the metal, so that the roa . ■v 11 be available for traffic in the course of .- fortnight, and will form one of the pleasantest i nd healthiest <ilives in the neighborhood of Dunedin. Mr Proudfoot. the proprietor of Musselburgh purposes planting ornamenta erves on cash side of the ro >d i be roa will run parallel wKh the Dunedin, Beninula, and <'ccan Beacii Kaiiwiy ft, is lvg lle ormed under .the .direction of Messrs,fcarr and Oliver, engineers, by Mr M'lntyre, contractor, Perhaps few persons are aw'are that • thig new town will have two railway eta- (

fcions within it, and has the advantage of within fifteen minutes’ walk of Dunedin and five minutes’ of the railw y. We hear toe proprietor intends offeri'-a

portion of the property fronting the Queen’s Drive for sale on Saturday After the turning of the first sod of the Ocean Beach Railway yesterdajr the company adjourned to the marquee, where a luncheon was laid by Mr Hudson. The > haii was taken by Mr D. Proudfoot, and speeches were made by the Superintendent, the Hon. Mr Reynolds, the Secretary for Public Works, the Mayor, Mr Cargill, MrM'lntyre and Mr G. Bell. In replying to the toast—- “ Success to the Ocean Beach Railway”— proposed by the Superintendent, Mr Proudfoot said the directors hoped to have the Ocean beach line ready for the next race meeting in March, and that surveyors would be on the Portobello line in ten days, ihe whole line would return per cent ; the Ocean Beach section a large dividend of 12£ to 15 percent., and if the shares were not taken the promoters would construct the line themselves Messrs Barr and Oliver are the Company’s engineers.

The advent of another Christmas is nob so prominently shown in the str ets of Dunedin this year as is usually the case, the shops decorated b dug very few and far between. The butchers, grocers, and poulterers make the hist show, Among-t the first-named, ’he City Company’s establi-hraent is smothered in ferns and flow-ms, but the stock of m-nt appeared to us hardly up to the quality lo ked for at this season. Mr J. Vezey, in Princes street s mth, exhibited some excellent mutton and fine lambs, especially noticeable being a Leicester sheep weighing ISfilhs, and bred by .Mr Todd, sen., of r ast Taieri. Mr George Wi son’s shop in*Georg>- street locked the best being elaborately decorated both inside and out. Here there was a splendid carcase of a bullock, weighing 1,2501b5, and bred by Mr Grant, of Cray, Mr Jewht and Mr Harper had fine assortments of poultry of all descrip, tions, and which looked in good condition. The principal attraction down George street was Mrs Simons’s artificial flower establishment, where we found a large stock of the very natural-looking goods the hand work of that lady. M> s Simons has erected a Christmas tree in the shop, covered with bouquets and baskets'of artific al flowers, and, lam; a being suspended from the branches, it has a very pretty effect when lit up. The offertory at St. Paul’s Church to-morrow will be presented to the Benevolent Institution. We have to remind our readers that the bazaar in aid of the funds of the Episcopal Church at Blueskiu takes place on Boxing Day, and that a coach leaves town for there at D,i»o a. m. The difficulty most people will experience on Saturday will be to choose which of the many modes of enjoying themselves to patronise' Three are no less than three picnics. That at St. Leonards, under the auspices of the Foresters, is aui-e to receive the bulk of the holiday-seekers; but the Catholic picnic at Green Island will draw together many hundred* of old and young in that sunny valley ; while at Woodhaugh, Water of Leith, our German friends intend to ha'-e a day’s outing, and provide plenty of sport. There are innumerable steamerexcursions, and those who wish to have a pleasant three hours* sail, and pay a visit to Moeraki, cannot do better than tajee out a ticket by the Ladybird, which leaves Port Chalmers at 9 a.m., returning at/ p.m. 'Then the Samson will make a run to the Heads, a; d weather permitting, will be extended to Waikouaiti; and the Golden Age make her customary trips to the stopping places at the Harbor side which are most in favor with picnic parties. In the evening the Princ ss will be reopened by the Opera Company with “ Cinderella ” and a pantomime, which will be put on the stage in a style that is not often seen in Dunedin ; at the Temperance Hall Val Yose will amuse his friends with new oddities, an(,l Lr, Carr will lecture at the Masonic Hall.