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Evening Star, Issue 3700, 31 December 1874, Page 2

There will be no publication of the Evening Star to-morrow. Mr James Patterson, of Port Molyneux has been appointed a Justice of the Peace. ’ The Macgregor, with the San Francisco mail, is due at Auckland to-morrow or early on Saturday. J The Invercargillites are going to entertain the officers of the American Observation party at a dinnejr and ball, prior to their departure from the Colony. Major Atkinson inspected the Wakari Kines last night, when a large number of recruits put iu au appearance. The attendance of efficient volunte rs was not so large as might have been expected. Dr Carr’s entertainment at the Masonic Hall was very fairly patronised last evening and the various portions of ihe performance seemed to be thoroughly enjoyed. Dr Carr’s stay in Dunedin is limited to the present week. To the tabulated list of immigrants who arrived in the Colony during 1874 and which was published by us last night.’ must dq added the ship Nelson, which arrived today, with 304 statute adults. This makes a 2 0 381°for’l873 adUlt3 the year ’ as *g“nat We have been requested to state that Lieut. -Watch, West Taieri Volunteers, who qualified in the final competition for Colonial representatives, ha* signified to M .jor Atkinson his intention to proceed North to take part iu the forthcoming intercolonial competition. Otago will thus have nine representatives, all who have qualified taking part in the firing. At a social meeting of the teachers of Knox Church Sabbath School, on Tuesday evening, Mr Street, the late superint ndent who is about visiting the Home country* was presented with a marble timepiece in recognition of his Jong services to the school. At the same meeting Mr Wright, the new superintendent, was introduced to the teachers by Dr. Stuart. A man named Henry Sutherland, employed by Mr Kirkland, East Taieri, while bathing in the Taieri Fiver on the 29th mat., was drowned. Two other men on the farm went down to the river with deceased, and one of them seeing the drowning man hastened to his rescue, but was too late to render any assistance. The body had not been recovered up to last night.

Port Chalmers Police Court this morning, before Air Mansford, R.M., and i I^*nn °o > J.P., Charles Burbridge and Samuel Rickards, articled seaman belonging to the ship Florence were charged ■with assaulting Thomas Houston, master of the ehap, oh the 25th Peceipber, while ob

a voyage from London to New Zealand. After hearing some evidence, and there being other charges entered in the log-book against them, their Worships remanded the case until Tuesday. From a communication from |the Provincial Home Agent to the Superintendent it appears that Mr Buckland evpects to ship during December or the beginning of January, 270.0(10 salmon ova (obtained in Kng-I-od and Rcutland) for this Province. Some difficulty was expeiieuced by Mr Auld when tne mail It-fo in getting a vessel laid on to the Bluff for the purpose. The Municipal Council of Invercargill have again drawn the attention of the C-donial Government to the uuderstan dug come to at the time of the re-union of Otago and Southland, viz., that every third ship should come direct to the Bluff with immigrants ; that the non-compliance with this agreement has involved a great injustice to the district, particularly as there is such a large amount of public works being proceeded with; and [ great complaints are expressed on all hands of the want of labor.

The Presbyterian Rynod will begin its sessions in the First Church on Wednesday, the 18th pros., by a sermon from the retiring Moderator, after which the Bev. Jas. Allen, of >nch Clutha, who is to be called to the presidential chair, will deliver an address. 'lhe ‘ .Evangelist ’ says the session will be fully oc upied by such subjects as church extension, tnis-ions, temperance, abbath schools, the union of the PießV>ytel' an churcues of New Zealand, election of theological tutors, sustentation fund, and instrumental music in public worship. At the Dunedin School Committee's meet'og night the follow ng statement of receipts from and attendances at the district schools during the last quarter was read : Mid le District Schoo;—Attendance, 520; •eoeipts, Llßo 12s; ' ortb Dunedin, 452; Llb7 la ; South do, 334 LI3O Os 101 ; and Ibany street School, 251 ; L 67 Is 101. Miss Gourley’s r signatiou as teacher at the Middle District School was received. The head master having recommended Misses Martin and Fowler for the vacancy, the Secretary was requested to write to Mr Halliwell, asking which lady he most approved of.

The Winton races took place on Monday and Tuesday last. The Maiden Plate, of 20 bovs, was won by Mr Pollock’s Virago; the Town Plate, of 40 sovs, by Sir Tatton, Atlas being a good second, and Patch third ; the Flying Handicap, of 40 sovs, by Stackpole, Lyndon being second ; the Hnr,tie Kace, of 30 sovs, by Sir Tatton, with Don Pedro second ; and the Winton Handicap, of 50 sovs, with a three guinea sweep, by itackpole, 'Lyndon being second, and Atlas third. ohe last-mentioned was the best race of the meeting. For the first mile Lyndon led, but when another half-mile had been gone Stackpoie crept up, gained the lead, and won by twenty lengths. With respect to members of the General Assembly acting as coroners In virtue of their having been gazetted Justices of the Peace, the question has (s ys the * Mew Zealand Herald’) been mooted whether accepting the coroner's fee of L2 2s brings them under the Disqualification Act. To set the matter at rest, Mr G. M, O’Rorke some time back addrei-sed a communica* ion to the Attorney General, when the following answer was received “ I think thac Justices acting as coroners and taking the fee allowed by law are not disqualified. Mo profit ia attached to the office of Justice of the Peace, and they are not appointed coroners by the Governor, but by law, without appointment, act as coroners.” Therefore, members of the Assembly being Justices of the Peacj and acting as coroners may accept the fee without any qualms of conscience or risk of being unseated.

The ship Nelson, which arrived at Port Chalmers to-day, from Glasgow (Oct. I) has on board 304 statute adults. Subjoined is a list of the trades and occupations of her passengerst loughmen, 8; general laborers, 9; farm do, 53; joiners, II ; carver, 1 ; carpenter, 1 ; cabinet-maker, 1 ; blacksmiths, 2; brass-moulder, 1 ; brassfinishers, 2 ; saddler, 1 ; farmer, 1; boot and shoemakers, 3 ; painters, 3 ; powerloom manager, 1; warper, 1 ; shepherds, 5; fisherman, 1 ; railway contractor, 1 • rope spinner, I; baker, 1; mason, 1; oompositcr, 1 ; clerk, 1; tailor, 1, single women— General servants, 30; [dressmakers, 2 • seamstress, 1 ; weavers, 2 ; machinist, 1 ; dairymaid, 1; nursemaid, I; cook, 1 ; washerwoman, 1. Referring to Sullivan’s arrest in Victoria the ‘.New Zealand Times’ says; “No opportunity was afforded him to prove that he was a changed character. He was pounced upon at once,; and Victoria instantly decided upon relegating him to New Zealand. Thi» is manifestly unfair. It is now rumored that, years ago, when Sullivan was a resident of VVedderburn. there were many murders in that locality that were not explained. I hcß2 it is sought by insinuation to trace to the pardoned convict. But why did not Victoria detain him, and try to prove these crimes against him! We protest against his remission here. He does not return of his own free-will. This Colony has no power to detain him. \ refuge in gaol may, in mercy, be given to oim ; aad what may be done with him will no doubt be an anxious question That England, which gave him to the Colonies originally, and Victoria, which gave him to New Zealand secondly, are bound to assist 'ew Zealand out of the difficulty in which they have helped to place her, by sending her first, and again, this monster Sullivan,

There will be no practice of St. Paul’s choir this evening. A meeting of the 1.0. G.T. Lodge will be held in tnw Drill-shed this evening at 7 o’clock p.m.

The annual picnic of the Knox Church School will be held on Saturday, not ofi Friday, as stated yesterday. All Saints’ Sunday School picnic will take place on Saturday. Children will meet at the school-house at 11 o’clock.

The success of the ‘lllustrated New Zealand Herald ’ has been such as to encourage the proprietor to reduce the price to 6d per copy. The annual competition for the Golf Club’s gold medal will take place on Saturday. A gold medal presented by Mr Telfer will also be competed for.

St. Paul’s Sunday School picnic will take place on Saturday. The children will meet in the drill-shed at 11, and should the weather prove wet they will be entertained in the Drillshed.

It will be seen by our advertising columns an* the bazaar in aid of the building fund of All Saints’ Church is open this evening at the University Buildings at a reduced entrance of sixpence.

ihe Caledonian sports are sure to attract tue greatest share of attention to-morrow; but there are plenty of other amusements which are certain to be patronised. The Bruce makes an excursion outside the Heads round to White Islana; and the Golden Age and Harbor steamers will run at intervals during the day. On the oval, the Invercargill v. Dunedin cricket match will be played, and accommodation will he provided for lady visitors. Provincial Brass Band will give another ™i 6 ' r social re-uniona to-morrow evening at .• George's Hall, and we anticipate that it will be as thoroughly successful as their former ones. The surplus on this occasion is to be devoted to the purchase of some new instruments. Capital musical arrangements have been made for the dance which is to conclude the night’s entertainment. The band are always ready to give their services upon any “ a

THE OPERA. Last evening the pantomime was omitted by the Opera Company, and “ Blue Beard ” was played instead of “Cinderella.” When the company was last here this comic production of Offenbach’s adapted to the English stage was performed several times with good effect; but only now have we seen what matured ami combined study is capable of effec ing. When the excellent company now at the Princess Theatre visited us some months ago,'their organisation was incomplete. Perhaps scarcely one of them knew the power possessed eitherf of rendering the music or representing the characters assumed ; still less had they learned to trust iu and depend upon each other - . That they hadtalent was evident; but they had not worked 1 sufficiently long together to produce the utmost 1 effect of which they were capable. The fev s months’ drill they have undergone has effect© all that was needed. They not only kuo J what can be done, but they do it; and t) ! “Blue Beard” of last night was a great « ranee on their early efforts. We need not >- peat the story; it is the old legend of vf* I murder altered so as to deprive it of its >r- ■ rors and to adapt it to satirise the polital situation of Europe at the period ofits ' production. The political allusions of ctrse | have no point here, but the story remars a 1 pleasant caricature of courts, monarchsand | despots, and the motives by which they £ influenced iu affairs of State and in their domestic relations. It would be insposble to point out special excellencies where 4 was well done. The piece was magnificent put on the stage ; the drill of the chorus vts per? feet, even to the angle' at which the? spears were held; the choruses went without bitch, and almost without a note out of the; the acting was excellent, comic without ulgarity, and appropriate to the various chapters represented. Miss May, as Borv’tte, was charmingly brusque as tire country (>1 and the rose queen, and equally effective a the nobleman’s wife unused to courtly convetiona ities, and the doomed one pleading fo/her life, as nature would lead one so unsophis/cated to do. It is one of Offenbach’s peculiajfies that his compositions contain few melodiethat will become popular, so that it is diffcult to recall those which pi eased the most. 41 are pleasing, but even the very moveirhts incite to pleasantry, fie never forgets he comic, even in his most serious passages. Without an interpreter like Miss May, thefcfore, he would not be understood. She has te art to express both in song and action—theivident intention of the composer. The auience were aliks amused and delighted by hej conception of the character. King Bobfiche.a well developed sample of the King in “ ©mbastes Furioso,” was ably represented by lr Levison. Blue Beard, in Mr Yenron’s hpds, becomes a very dashing wife destroyer. Je consigns each successive rib to destructia in the most tender manner, just as Izaak Wlton directs fishermen to treat a worm when pitting him on the hook. Prince Sapphire found pi able representative in Mr Templeton, Conn Oscar in Mr Lester, Fopolani in Mr Newto, Alvarez in Mr Wilks, and the Secretary in Mr Mitchell. ,We can unite them in one common commendation. Each did his part mil, both musically and histrionically. We hve been led unconsciously to speak of the gejtlemen before mentioning the names of Miss Lambert and Miss Howe. These ladies had ery important parts to sustain, and ably supported Miss May in her leading character of loulottc. The other ladies, Misses Harris, I'. Lester, Amy Johns. John--stone, and A. Joins, had very little else to do than to look weL 1 and act well. The first they could not avoid and the last they did. The tableaux at the-lose of each act were very well arranged arid e/ective, and during the progress of the piece tie curtain had frequently to be raised in ackmwledgment of the well-deserved applause of ;he house. We were glad to see the theatre sell filled in all parts. This evening “ Blue Beard ” will be repeated, aud tomorrow evming the “ Grand Duchess ” will be given, wh<n a treat may be expected.