The Evening Star. THURSDAY, MARCH 16, 1876.

Evening Star, Issue 4073, 16 March 1876, Page 2

The Evening Star. THURSDAY, MARCH 16, 1876.

On Fleming and Hedley’s farm, at Oamaru, an area of 168 acres of barley crop threshed out the extraordinary large yield of eighty bushels to the acre. The * North Otago Times’questions if this has ever been exceeded in any part of the world. The ‘Tuapeka Times’ reports of ; the; Glenore tunnel that yesterday evening a large hole 1 was made and the heading drive almost completed. There are yet three or four chains of bottom to take up, which will occupy about six weeks. The works on the Round .Hill tunnel contract are progressing.

At the commencement of the proceedings at the Resident Magistrate’s Court : this morning, Mr Mr J. H. Harris asked his Worship (Mr Bathgate, R.M.) if the Court would sit to-morrow, St. -Patrick’s Day: His Worship replied that he would merely take default cases' so that the Court will sit for a few minutes only. How long are these earthquake shocks at Oamaru to continue ? Yesterday’s ‘ Times ’ reports their recurrence, though slightly felt, in the township ; but at Maheno they appear to have been severe, for houses there were shaken violently, ami crockery and glass thrown down and broken. After the practice last night the Fire Bri gade held a meeting at the engine station, when the communication from the united Fire Brigades of Victoria inviting this Brigade to send over a representative detachment to the liremeu’s demonstration to be held at Ballarat in May next, was considered. Captain Atkinson informed the members that he bad telegraphed to Christchurch and Wellington, and from the answers received it was evident that those Brigades had not been invited.' The Wellington Brigade proper wished for further information, and evidently had an intention to send a contingent to Victoria, if ways and means could be provided. After discussion, it was decided that tbe officers of the Brigade shotlld wait upon tbe Mayor and Insurance Companies, to see if tbe City Council and tbe companies would contribute towards tbe necessary expenses, and then, if required, to Seal to -tbe citizens of Dunedin fqr tbe mce. . A special meeting of tbe Brigade, will be held on Monday evening, when tbe officers will report progress. We understand that a sum of jL22o : would'lie required: to sjbnd a contingent of eight men to Victoria. If the Brigade''is; anl6}to riaise that amount, they would bo able to take oyer with them a bose-reel, which would afterwards become City property.

His Worship the receiVSd'intormation from the manager of -the Banish! few Zealand that the Cois6fc*biori debe# tures have been tkr Stock Ex-." cet g®* ion(^on, ■ 102—a premium of 2 per” members of the All Saints’ Young' Men a Association held their weekly meet* mg in the schoolhouse last evening; the Vice-President in the chair, Mr Ashcroft read a very interesting .k® discussion which followed was, of neces2 sity, hmited on account of the -lateness of the hour.

The third of the series of meetings for omig men, in connection with the Dunedin •* - Association was held Temperance Hall last eveningr Mr D. Wnght, presided, and the Rev. John Rev. A. Blake, Messrs Chisholm and Patterson took part in the meeting. The attendance was not-large. This*' evening Professor Salmon, Mr Bone, and others wifl address the meeting, and Capt. Thomson will preside. .

'Some Chinese are rather cute, and when brought before a Court of Justice think to escape punishment ; by - pleading that. they no speakee English,” Such an instance came before the Police Court to-day. Wong Tip Was . charged with having committed a breach of the bye-laws, and a who appeared in his stead, on being asked what he had to say, pleaded “me notunstaf-” The case was gone into, proved, and the defendant was fined 20s and costs, when it was amusing to see how quickly that heathen Chinee came to an understanding with the Clerk of the Court. The amount, of the fine and costs was produced with a celerity fthat L showed it was not his first appearance there. Tim ball given by the Clutha Volunteers to their representatives at the Colonial prize firing appears to have been an enjoyable and. successful affair. At supper, in responding to the toast of|“ The Champion and his companions,” Mr Blackie is reported to have said that “they had been so well received in Tokomairiro and the Clutha that he was afraid the representatives would begin to think too much of themselves and of their deeds. He would only express the hope that each of them would strive to keep the belt amongst them now that they had got it. He assured them, however, it would be no easy task to do so, as they would have to contend against as firm and determined a set of men as he had ever seen. Nothing but thet strictest attention and firmest determination and perseverance would enable anyone tp.gain the champion belt.” We are sorry to see that our Clutha contemporary persists in making sneering allusions to the town companies. Apropos of the representatives’ return the ‘Leader’ writes that “there was no demonstration, and, notwithstanding the laurels they had gained, their reception in Dunedin—if out of courtesy •it must be called a ‘reception —was a very tame.one. If tHe belt had gone to the metropolis ■ instead of the rum district of the Clutha, np doubt great ado would have been made about it. The spirit of petty envy which is said to be cherished by the Dunedin representatives and Volunteers generally is utterly unworthy of them or of the common cause in which they have been engaged,” We do not for a moment think that the sentiments of the ‘Leader’, are shared by the riflemen of the Clutha.'

The regular monthly meetin' of the Celtic Lodge will be held in the At asonic. Hall, this eveni; g, at eight o'clock.

_We a; e requested to remind intending exhihirers at the Horticultural vodety show-that all exhibit must be at the Tempt-ranoe Hal u^ f ore 10 a.m. toon rrow. , . A public meeting of tbe reidehts incl id d te-bti«--pvaoosecLNorth .Dunedin Municif.’alii.y wil be held at the Cattle Market Hot -1 on Friday next, at T 30. The Dayspr’ng l odge, 1.0.G.T, will ho’d an open harmony meeting in the Keiis ngton School-room,‘this .evening, commencing at eight o’clock, v to. which admission will be free to ih-? public. . Mr W. Nash (teacher of yhonoarraphic shorthand) has commenced a class at the. iVll Saints’ Grammar School, winch will he followed by a second class, for adults in the same building. He also opens a class at . the Athcuseura on Fridiiy. i , K

A novel importation of-pianos h;s taken place;. Mr T. Wihite, well,known as au accom'plished piani’sk aiia.able tuner, has brought into Dunedin four American pianos, manufactured by H. Hardman, of New York. The fame of .Aaiejricao pianos■■ has long since been spread: th ougb the world,. and, from whatweahave seen,|and beard, not without reason. Three of those imported by Mr White are equara grands. ■As article* of fumiture theyare elegancy massive,; beautifu'ly framed, and fittei in dark rosewood cases,.with exquisite finish.-. As instr when's of music they have a range of ortaves, full and rich in tone, and with excellent touch and repeat. Their extraordinary strength gms opportunity for using great weight of and this contributes to the volume and brilliancy of sound which they are capable of producing. The use of .what is known among amateurs as the ‘‘softp dal’'subdues the tone without muffling it so as altogether tqsfcpp the vibration, while the action of the dampers is so jsimple as to enable any competent person to repair accidental damage. In fact, simplicity ’of coast ruction has hot been le.ss studied than power of tone and means of rapid execution. The Chief cha-acteristun of- the; grands a e reproduced in the cottage piano. The range is the same though the volume, of tone w a mewhat less. '1 hj * care with which these ins'rumenjs appear to be constructed gives promise of their standing well, and .we.lpjok to their becoming regarded with favor whentheir meri.s are known.