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Evening Star, Issue 4094, 10 April 1876, Page 2

Mr Williams, scenic artist, arrived by the Taupo yesterday to paint the scenery for the new theatre. Mr H. Saville was a passenger by the Arawata. John Thomas, under remand till the 15th inst,, for assaulting Mr John Barnes, Inspector of Corporation Works, was this afternoon liberated on bail by Mr Fyke, R.M., who attended at the gaol for that purpose.

At the Resident Magistrate’s Court, Port Chalmers, this morning, before Mr Mansford, R.M., George Smith and Wm. Kite were each fined ss, with the usual alternative, for drunkenness ; and Walter JohnGoulder, for a similar offence, was let off with a caution. The * North Otago Times ’ defends Judge Ward’s criticism of the Debtors’ and Creditors’ Act of last session, which has been vigorously assailed by the Christchurch ‘Press,’ and says it will prove the demolition of the measure, which it hopes to see repealed next session. /

At last De Mufska’s departure from Melbourne for this Colony is definitely fixed. On Saturday Mr Medcalfe received a cablegram advising him that Madame and her company, which includes Signore Rosnati, Susini, and Giamonna (flautist), leave Melbourne by the Albion to-morrow, which is due at the Bluff on Friday.

We understand that the penalty of LlO in the great sweep case was imposed to enable the defendant Moore to appeal, which he could not otherwise have done. The magistrates expressed their wish to obtain the ruling of the Supreme Court, and it would be well if this case were taken there on appeal, so that the law of such matters might be definitely laid down.

The Typographical Society, at their meeting on Saturday, appointed Mr Galvin secretary and Mr 0. Janion editor of the ‘ Press News,’ in the room of Mr John Dungan, who filled both positions, but is now about to proceed to Oamaru to assume the position of overseer of the evening paper about to be established there. The Association contemplate making a presentation to Mr Dungan previous to Ins departure from Dunedin,

The Depton (Southland) Land League is about to convene a conference between the Southland representatives in the Assembly and the delegates of the League’s several branches, At the meeting at which this step was decided upon Mr Daniel, M.P.C., reported that he had accidently lost or mislaid two petitions, signed by 240 persons, requesting the Superintendent to convene a meeting of the Provincial Council,

Gisborne, Seed, and Knowles, the Commissioners appointed by the General Government to inquire into the best method of consolidating the Provincial with the Colonial departments when Abolition shall take effect waited upon the Superintendent this morning. The interview was a brief one, and we are not in a position to state what transpired at it. We believe that the secretary to the Education Department was present, and that Mr Gisborne remained with his Honor after his brother Commissioners left.

One advantage resulting from the San Francisco service, which we have never seen prominently urged, is that New Zealand news reaches Europe through an American medium. Here is a sample of the advantage of this. One of the most influential papers in Germany (‘The Gazette of Cologne') has in its issue of the 14th January, under the heading of Australia, the following ; The steamer Vasco de Gama, which arrived in San Francisco on the 2pth December, reports that serious engagement# kftye takpn place with the natives in

The opera season was brought to a close on Saturday night, when “ The Hermit’s Bell ” was repeated. Simonson and' Mr Morley were in capital voice, both receiving encores for their principal solos. Tonight the concert in aid of the- Jewish Philanthropic Society will be given. The Saturday night concerts at the Temperance Hall havebeenresumed under Mr C,’ Sykes’s auspices, and promise to prove very successful. The conductor has surrounded himself with some excellent assistants, whose efforts oh Saturday night met with the approbation of a numerous audience. An accident occurred on Saturday afternoon to a man named William Jarman, one of the oldest residents of the Port. He was engaged cleaning the upper windows of Mrs Ritchie’s store at the port when he missed his hold and fell on to the pavement fourteen feet below, spraining both ankles and severely cutting the inside of his left arm by striking the rim of a bucket. He was attended by Dr Drysdale. The resignation of Mr T; Halliwell, who has for several years held the office of Head Master of the Middle District School, having rendered immediate provision necessary for efficiently conducting the school, pending the appointment of a master, Mr Fitzgerald, Principal of the Normal School, will supervise the teaching. The Government, although not in a position to immediately proceed with the con struction of a new school building, have plans in preparation by Mr Somerville, the Provincial Inspector of Buildings. They are nearly ready, and, when complete, will • provide for a very commodious and extensive school.

In the course of a trial for bigamy, at the late sitting of the Supreme Court in Christchurch, Judge Johnston remarked that it was an extremely improper thing for the police to interfere in cases where no action was taken by the principal parties concerned. If detectives and others went about trying to pick out offences of this or a similar kind, when the parties themselves did not move in it, they ran a great chance of bringing the police force into deserved odinm. In this part of the country there seemed to be some notions with regard to the duties of policemen which did not coincide with his own. An alert, active, intelligent police was a very great blessing to a country, but a meddling police was a great curse.

This morning a deputation consisting of Messrs I. Green, R. Hudson, G. S. Smith, Curran, and Jewitt, waited upon the Superintendent and represented to nis Honor the injustice that would be done to the residents in the North-East Valley district if the decision of the Executive to remove the toll bar from its present position to the lower junction were carried out. The deputation asserted that the proposed site was the wrong place; in their opinion it should be removed to the upper junction. It was not fair that people who had to pay to maintain roads in their own district should be compelled to pay toll for travelling over those very roads. It would answer the same purpose, though possibly not the same amount might be collected, if the toll were removed to the upper junction, at the top of the road.—His Honor remarked that in that case the Port Chalmers people would want it put on the Port side of the junction, but the deputation pointed out that the Port people could hardly have any ground for* objection, seeing that they used nine miles of road. As illustrative of the hardships the proposed change would entail, it was mentioned that a slaughterman on one road would escape tollage, while another would have to pay L4O a-year for travelling on his own road. Some new industries, as a fellmongery and brewery, would be seriously affected. The site adopted by the Executive meant a loss of revenue of between L4ooand LSOO, which it was estimated the Pine Hill traffic was worth. If the Government could not see its way to meeting the wishes of the deputation, they suggested that it would be fairer to all parties if the toll was allowed to remain in its present situation; and the N.E. Valley Hoad Board carried a resolu tion to that effect on Saturday.—His Honor had nothing to say in favor of tolls, which he should like to see abolished altogether ; but in the meantime the road, which was a pretty expensive one, had to be kept up ; and it was impossible to put the toll anywhere without someone feeling aggrieved by it. The fnatter had been already fully discussed by the Executive ; but he would lay the deputations’ arguments before them at their meeting to-morrow.

The Ar illery Band will muster for inspection on Tuesday evening next at the Drillshed.

The opening meeting for the season of the Knox Church Young Men’s Society will take place in the class-room on Wednesday, at 7,30. During the past week there were seventeen admissions to and fifteen discharges from the Dunedin hospital. The deaths during the same period were Thos. O’Donnell, aged 34, native of Limerick, from consumption; Ah Sheng, aged 32, native of China, from cancer of the liver; and Samuel Homby, aged 51, native of Cheshire, from disease of the brain.

’ It will be seen by advertisement in another column that the concert in aid of the Christian Brothers’ School Fund, originally intended to have been held on Easter Monday, has been postponed until the Friday following. A number of amateurs new to Dunedin have promised their services, and it is hoped the change in the date will not interfere with the attendance, which is likely to be very large. It is announced that Mr J. J. woods, of Lawrence, will conduct the entertainment.