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Evening Star, Issue 3820, 22 May 1875, Page 2

The annual report of the Chief Surveyor sufficiently shows that the department is quite unable to overtake the work it has before it. During the past year, wherever it has been possible, block and section surveys of the Hundreds declared last year have been done by contract. In the case of the Spottis Hundred the district officer could not survey it, and when offered by contract no tenders could be obtained. The prospect before us for the present year is not a very pleasant one. Settlement runs a risk of being checked and unreasonably delayed because the staff force is not increased. Mr M‘Kkbrow tells us “there has been for some time rather a disinclination on the part of surveyors generally to accept salaried positions, on account of the numerous opportunities lately opened up for private practice.” This simply means tnat the Government service is so bad that no good officers will engage or continue in it so long as they can subsist independently. This disinclination in the part of pro fessional men to work for the Government is not confined to the surveyors. The same strong repugnance—a truer expression than “disinclination ” pervades every branch paid by the ITovince. The cause is not far to seek. There is a total want of security and permanent provision offered. An officer in the Colonial service knows exactly what to look to in the future ; if he is in the service of the Province he do '8 not. He may be in continual employment for ten or fifteen years—bis salary raised one year and cut down the next at the caprice of the ever-changing Provincial Executives, while all the time he is in terror of summary dismissal with a few hundred pounds compensation. Such an officer, from the habit of his long service, is, as a rule, quite unable to energetically superintend a private business. Mr M'Kkbrow expects to recruit his staff from the young cadets now being trained on the Otago system. This may do very well for future needs, but it will hardly provide for the present necessity. At the best it is a very problematical look out. Youug men, if well qualified, will not remain in the service if it is not worth stopping in, with any more readiness than their seniors—if so much. They may look upon the Government service as a fine training-field, as a working upper school, the aim of each cadet being to leave it as soon as he eon manage to scrape through the qualifying examination. Looking to the increased demand for land in ail directions and the great arrears of work in hand, it is imperatively necessary that inducements should be offered to good men to join the service We do not at all believe in Mr M‘K arrow’s system of watching the chicken’s hatch. Such hatching process is certainly needt ,d, but is not of the slightest use for the fast increasing difficulty. At the best the cadet sysl ■■■ Hi will be directly beneficial or otherwise, aoc< ip ling to the settled and permanent benefits offered by the service to good officers.

i‘i* Excellency the Governor has become an honorary member of the Working Men’s Club.

1 will be observed from our report of the in•- ling in Bell Ward last night that Mr B ck has resigned his seat in the City Council for that Ward.

The rder I'aper for the City Council on Wednesday next contains seven ■■ otices of motion, all of which have reference to small works in the different wards.

Wc learn that King Phiiip has changed hands at 400 guineas,, the { urchaser being a well-known coach proprietor. The King will fulfil his engagements on Monday. i‘r Sylvester’s entertainment at the Queen’s passed off well last night, and tonight he iu‘ ends taking both poles from bene th the mesmerised lady-supporting her in the air in a horizontal position with one hand only, and afterwards on the points of two swords.

The only case at the lu indent Magistrate’s Court, Port Chalmers, this morning, was a charge of drnnkenneis on the railway plat - fo-m preferred against t • obert Gorlett, who wa> ordered to pay a fine of ss, or to be impri.Mitied for twenty-four hours. . t the Masonic Hall, I • rt Chalmers, last ev ning, Bachelder’s Pai.o.-ama of Para disc Lost " was i>r the second time to a numerous audience. I he lecture was delivered’-y Mr Thomas Whisht, who. du mg the evening, sang a number of excellent songs, which were highly appreciated.

Ps is usual on Saturdays, there was only a very short sitting at the City Police Court

to-day, Emma Woods, for drunkenness, was tfi.evi 6s. with the visual alternative ; Mary Davis, 20s, or three days ; and Thomas ■'lendross, ss, and for contempt on the previous day by appearing i-i Court under the influence of liquor, 20s, or throe days’.

At the meeting of the Dunedin School Committee yesterday, it was reported tlia* the use of the Oddfellows’ HaU had Wi! obtains 1 for the accommodation of l!i Middle District School pupil*, for LI2U a year. The head-master of the South District School made application for .nidi tioQ't accommodation, fifty mor-; pupils mving joined during the oresent quarter. There were twelve applications lor rhe appointment of second-mister of the Albany street School, which was given to Mr Kial, ef Waireka.

As representing the justices who are in the habit of sitting in the Police Court, the Mayor and Mr M‘Glashau waited on the Hon. Dr Pollen ami the Hon, Mr Reynolds this morning, with the view of representing to them the requirements of the Court, principally the necessity for appointin'.- a bailiff who would also be able to render clerical assistance to Mr Sommerville. the clerk of the Court. Dr Pollen said that it would be better to correspond with the Minister of Justice on the subject; and Mr Keynolds also said that he would make himself acquainted with the circumstances before proceeding to Wellington, so as to be enabled to give the necessary information. Ihe general meeting of shareholders in the bubmarine Gold-mining Company, he d in the Imperial Hotel last evening, was numerously attended, Mr C. Samson again occupying the chair. At the request of a number of the shareholders, Mr tout attended and gave it as bis opinion that the Court had no jurisdiction to make the order which had been passed, and that this might be set aside by the Supreme Court. The question was whether Mr Ball, manager of the Company, hid bean properly appointed liquidator; if not, he was liable for all costs incurred, and to a penalty for refusing to show the books. He suggested that a committee should be appointed to try and stay proceedings till the legality of the whole matter had been tested. Messrs J Baxter, R. Clifford, and Scan!an were accordingly appointed a oommitte • for this purpose, and it was decided to strenuously resist the demands made. A vote of thanks was carried by acclamation to Mr Stout for his attendance.

A. soirie and concert in aid of the Roslyn and Kaikorai Institute were given in the hall last evening. The room was densely packed, scarcely standing-room b- ’. - obtainable. Mr A. H, Ross occupied the chair. After the good things were done ample justice to the concert was congee-iced with an overture by Mr Sykes, in ta*t gentleman’s usual good style. Miss Webb sang several ballads very pleasingly, and songs by Messrs Matheson and Morrison were well received. Mr Bracken’s recitations were rapturously applauded, and a pianoforte duet by two young ladies, pupils of Mr Sykes, was also well received. Mr Anderson danced a sailor’s hornpipe in capital style, and the songs of Mr Graham and-the singing and dancing of Mr Connolly contributed greatly to the success of the concert. A vote of thanks to the ch airman having been carried unanimously the room was reared fer dancing. Last night a very successful entertainment was given in the School-room, Outram, by the Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Society in aid of a fund for the establishment of a public library in the district. An abundant supply of tea w»s provided, after which the chair -va; “.aken by Mr James Shaud. M.P.C., supp ' d by the tW. Mr Wi'l, East Taieri, Re V; r Stev-ms, Mr Borrie, jun., and Messrs lianV-w, Pride, and Davidson, representativ. s irom the Knox Church Young Men’s oci cty. ;he chairman having spoken to ;hc purposes of the meeting, was followed oy Musi Hodges, Borrie, and Wright as representm, the local Mutual Improvement society, aid W the representatives of the Knox Church Society, who, in appropriate addresses, set for :h the advantages to be derived from public libraries and well conducted mutual improvement societies. The addresses were interspersed with vocal and instrumental music by local amateurs, and by several friends from town. There was a very large attendance, the Schoolroom being densely crowded ; and we doubt not the result will be the addition of a handsome sum to the Library fund. The announcement of Miss Colville’s benefit at the Princess’ ! heatre last evening had the effect of attracting one of the largest houses of the season. The performance commenced with the farce of “A Practical Man,” Mr Hoskins sustaining the part of Mr (Jloudesly, and as ho made a special study of characters of this kind it is hardly necessary to state that his exertions to amuse were thoroughly successful, it the termination of the piece Mr Hoskins received a well-deserved call before the curtain. Mr Musgrave is also entitled to mention for his judicious rendering of the eccentric Mr Kockstone Gilbert’s comedy of Pygmalion and Lialatea,J’ the second niece, although not placed upon the stage with so strong a cast as upon the occasion of *r. s first production in i f unadin, was, nevertheless, a most creditable performance. I‘h- pa tof Galatea is one admirably suited to d. last'd ville, and her conception of it was thoroughly natural. Miss otoneham’s Cynise i wa- a very praiseworthy representation, while Vliss Willis and >irs -Stoneham, as dyrene and Daphne respectively, acquitted themselves satisfactorily. Of the male characters particuhriy deserving of notice, Mr Hoskins’s Chrysos stands foremost; M, B ath’s Pygmalion was worthy of him; wium Mr Hole, as uuceppe, played with and effect. The minor parts received do.- . v tt*i: tiou from those who were allotted to ti 1 them. “Green Bushes” is announced for this evening.

Several accounts, a few true and a great many sensational and entirely imaginary, have been circulated within the last twentyfour hours in reference to the rather hurried departure of a person who, until very re Cv-mly, held a prominent position in mercantile and musical circles here. It is correct that the individual in question found it highly convenient, for reasons that appear to be pretty well known, to take passage yesterday by the William Davie for Hong Kong, bu' it is not the fact that Sergeant Neil boarded that vessel yesterday to arrest him The police officer merel went on board the ship in the execution of his ordinary duty, and while there saw the peroon alluded to, and so reported to bis superiors. since the above was written, we have received the following note which speaks for itself r—Captaia H. J Bouman, of the Tran Atlantic Fire Insurance Company of Hambur •, desires to state, in reference to the paragraph ia this morning’s ' Guardian ’ that, the transact ous m connection with that Company, referred to in the paragraph in question, had nothing whatever to do withjMr Campbell’* -iepartu e. -the wholi of the transactions between that individual and the Company, so far as Captain Bouman is aware, having been arranged some time since. ”

A confirmation will be held in All Saints’ Church, to-morrow afternoon.

The Dunedin Savings Bank will be open ou iuesday evening at the usual hour.

The meeting of the Sons of Temperance, Antidote Division is postponed till Wednesday evening.

A subscription has been started for the reh«f of the widow and children of the late Thomas Borland, who was killed on the railway. The names of those gentlemen willing to receive contributions will be found m our advertising columns.