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Evening Star, Issue 4048, 16 February 1876, Page 2

The Court this morning was a charge of drunkennes& preferred against George Case, who was let off with a caution. r A Southland contractor (Mr Tompham, of Invercargffl, at L 2181), was the successv ful tenderer for laying the permanent way of the -Waiwangaroa section of the Mount Rbchfort railway. \, The Public Works Department has received notice, under the Railways Act of last sessipn, that the Kaitangata Company's line will be ready for opening for passenger traffic in May next. ,7°

Southland, which furnished only forty members to the Scottish Royal Association's .?22P?M I* 8 * year » obtained one'prize— ITS 8 °?Y e V, y Bou g h » F.S.A., valued at Ls2—which fell to Mr Patchett, of Invercargill, . , Mr Jenkins's invitation to those interested m Snipping, railways, and mechanics to attend at the Athenamm; last night, to hear his hopper and tidal incline model explained, was responded to by some sixty persons, and Mr C.E., presided. . We commend to consideration the letter Mr , Bircn Regarding the monopoly of high roads by waggoners to the peril of travellers in lighter vehicles. It is an evil that should be dealt with by a strong hand, for there is scarcely One who has travelled in Otago who has not been put in peril of life and limb by their stolid indifference.

The following notifications appear in the last number of the. 'Gazetted Sections twenty to forty-five of the Public Health Act to be in force in Dunedin. Henry Matheson, of Dunedin, master mariner, has been naturalised ; A. D. Harvey to be clerH of the Teviot Licensing Court; and P. E, Smith to be deputy-commissioner of stamps for Otago, ',. •

The other day an old man named Taylor aged seventy, applied to. Mr Crawford, it.M., at Wellington, for an order to go to gaol, saying (according to the 'New Zealand Timeß') that he wished to spend the remainder of his days within the walls of gaol, as he found it impossible to live with any degree of oomfort, in town or country while at liberty. His wish will be gratified for'three months.

The other colonies appear to have been quick in perceiving the advantages of the arrangements made by Sir Julius Vogel with the Bank of England for placing New Zealand stock in the London market. The Victorian Premier has telegraphed to the bank at H6me for full information on the subject, and also wrote by the outgoing mail, with a view to ascertaining if a similar arrangement oould be advantageouslyhnade for Victorian stock. The South Australian Government also telegraphed Home to see if the scheme can be extended to South Australia.

It is satisfactory to .find that the West Coast coalfields of the Middle Island are attracting attention from persons in the New Zealand coal trade who have hitherto confined their, transactions to New South Wales. The * Grey River Argus' of the 3rd inst. says :—" One of the largest coal im porters in the Colony, Captain Williams, of Wellington, has visited the Grey and the Brunner mines, and so far satisfied himself of the Quality and quantity of coal on the West Coast, that it is his intention to proturo a steam collier in Australia, if possible, for this special trade."

The Temperance Hall was crowded last evening, and the performance of the Royal Marionettes was highly appreciated. The Christy Minstrels gave some capital musical selections and amusing dialogues/after which the performing mules, Pete and Barney,

went through a clever and amusing Bcene, the whole entertainment concluding with the extraordinary pantomime. During the evening it waa stated the company had engaged the Queen's Theatre for a term, and will perform there for the first time this evening. This will enable the figures and ingeniously-worked scnery, to be displayed to much greater advantage than in the Temperance Hall. In consequence of this change there" Was no performance this afternoon, but a mating will be given on Saturday.

The following commercial transaction is reported by the 'Wairarapa Standard' to have taken place within 1,000 miles of Fiatherston, m one of those homes of bliss which are reserved for the newly-arrived immigrants. A man (lucky fellow) sold his wife to a friend for Cs. The following were the conditions of the sale :—First that the children should be equally divided. Second, that the husband should be allowed to live in the same house, provided that he paid 20s a-week for the board of himself and his half of the young stock. The ' Standard' understands that the demand for other men's wives is still active, and that where there is not td'O much incumbrance, higher rates than the one quoted above may be obtained. By lasiJ advices, Mr James Adam, the Provincial Emigration Agent, had been lecturing in Hamilton, Larkhell, Carnwath, and other parts of Scotland. At his meeting at the last-mentioned plac*, he secured the hearty co-operation of M£ William Mills, formerly in the Customs service of this Colony. From the 'Withaw Advertiser' we learn that " the interest in the lecture at Carnwath was increased by the presence of Mr William Mills, a native of Carnwath, who has boen thirty-five years in New Zealand, and now, in the evening of his days, has revisited the scenes of his youth. The lecturer addressed the young men of Carnwath to follow Mr Mills' example if they would reap his reward, &c. ; he had gone to New Zealand with his staff in his hand and had earned substantial advantages in the service of the New Zealand Government, from which he had just retired with a handsome allowance. Sixteen emigrants from the : district will leave by next ship from Glasgow."

The New • Zealand Shipping Company's Combined Minstrels gave their second entertainment before a large audience, in Dodsou's Bonded Store, Port Chalmers, last evening. The concert was in aid of the funds of the Port Chalmers Seamen's Institute ; and the Mayor presided. After a pianoforte solo by Mr F. Bell, the company gave as the opening chorus, "Strike, Boys, Strike," which was followed by several wellrendered songs ; the niost noticeable being "Why are you wandering here, I pray, "Fare thee well, Kitty," ftnd "Xha Mock-

ing Bird " ; the first part of the programme Wing brought to a close with the chorus "All surrounded." Between the solo's the troupe gave negro eccentricities, &c. In the second part several excellent Soilgs Were sung by Moans Franklin, Gilbert, and Master AyleS, the latter Hinging in character, "Father, come Home," for which he was londly enc6red. The entertainment concluded with a negro farce, entitled the "Barber's Shop and Photo-Studio," whieh the audience did not seem to appreciate.