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Evening Star, Issue 4109, 28 April 1876, Page 2

The second of the De Murska concerts takes place to-night, and we feel sure the musical portion of the public will be glad to hear that Madame’s recovery is complete. The programme for to-night speaks for itself.

The ‘Bruce Herald’ bears on good authority that Mr J. P. Maitland has been appointed Chairman of the Waste Lands Board. The name of Mr Maitland’s successor as Resident Magistrate in the district has not transpired, although several gentlemen have been mentioned. It is understood that the Provincial loans mentioned in yesterday’s cablegrams refer to loans for special objects (not given) such as harbors, &c., on special securities, which will not, therefore, be taken ever by the Colonial Government on the abolition of Provinces.

In our correspondence column is a letter from Mr V. Pyke, M.H.R., suggesting the formation of a land league. We think the present circumstances of the Province render such an institution highly necessary, and we shall be glad to receive the names of those willing to become members. “ Three Phases of Life ” was played at the Queen’s last evening, when, owing to the boisterous weather, there was a very indifferent attendance. Mrs Hill, as Isabel, ably depicted the joys of girlhood, the troubles of a wife, and the anxieties of a mother, and was well supported by the other members of the company. In consequence of De Murska’s concert, the company do not perform tonight ; but to-morrow a new burlesque will be produced.

At the Resident Magistrates Court, Port Chalmers, this morning, before Mr T. A. Mansford, R.M., Charles Johnson, for allowing his chimney to catch fire, was ordered to pay a fine of 2s fid, with costs. Patrick Kennedy, charged on remand with deserting his wife and family, was discharged, he having handed over to his wife the amount of his pension, as promised. The firebells rang out an alrrm at four o’clock this morning, it having been discovered that a fire had broken out in outbuildings attached to a dwelling-house in Cumberland street, opposite Copeland’s brewery. The fire originated in a watercloset, which, with a shed attached to it, was destroyed. The neighbors succeeded in extinguishing the flames before a couple of pounds’ worth of damage had been done. The Brigade mustered quickly. The outbuildings destroyed, though on the section on which the house occupied by Mr Webb stands, belong to the adjoining dwelling. A very sudden death occurred at Milton yesterday. On Wednesday (says the ‘ Herald ’) Mr James Wallace, who carried on business as a wheelwright and undertaker, appeared to be in the enjoyment of his usual health, and during the evening was in company with several friends, speaking of the distressed state of business in Milton. He retired to rest at his usual hour, and awoke at about seven o’clock in the morning. Mrs Wallace noticed that he was trembling violently, and at length became so alarmed that she sent for the doctor, but before he arrived Mr Wallace was dead. The immediate cause of death is not known.

The special correspondent of the * Timaru Herald, who is generally well informed on matters political, reports as follows :—“ A 1 though both Ministers and Mr Fitzherbert decline to give any information on the subject, it is generally understood in political circles that the Government will nominate Mr Fitzherbert for the Speakership next session, and that he will accept it, but only on the distinct understanding that it is offered to him as the fittest man for that post, and without in way compromising his independence of action. His health suffered greatly last session, and it is doubtful whether he would be physically able to bear the fatigue of another session as practically the real leader of the Opposition.”

There are some localities in the Province which greatly need schools. One of these is a township in a remote part of a diggings district, which can at once furnish forty-five children fit to attend school, but is twenty miles distant from the nearest school, to which access can only be gained by crossing a mountain range. The correspondent of our informant urges, among other reasons, the following for the Education Board taking action :—“ I may inform you pcrivately that had you been round the district, you would I believe have recommended the introduction of an experienced midwife immediately.” This argument, implying as it does a prospective increase of scholars, ‘'should carry conviction with the Board.

An occurrence which caused grave fears for the parties concerned took place on Wednesday night. Four persons named Stevens and Chapman, of Port Chalmers; Drummond, of Waipori; and Williamson, of Dunedin, left the Portobello side for Port Chalmers in a boat on Wednesday, and up to a late hour last night no signs of them had been noticed. The inclemency of the weather prevented a search party being sent out before this morning, when several persons left Port Chalmers with the intention of first proceeding to the Quarantine Islands, and afterwards down the harbor. It affords us great pleasure to state that shortly after the departure of the party in search of the i missing men Mr Dodson, of Port Chalmers, received a telegram informing him that they were safely housed at Portobello, having been driven back by the force of the gale on Wednesday night. In the R. M. Court at Tokomairiro, on Tuesday, there was heard a civil case— Dickson and Sons v. Mackay—which is sure to form the groundwork for legal proceedings in other Courts. The plaintiffs sought to recover L4O odd—the amount of a dishonored bill of exchange. The defendant, who is proprietor of the ‘Bruce Herald,’ made no defence, but entered into a lengthy explanation, the purport of which was to show that the National Bank had broken faith with him. In this morning’s ‘Herald’ there appears an article headed “ The Financial Aspect of Milton,” from the pen of Mr Mackay, who, with the evident fear of the law before him, takes the full responsibility of all the hard things he says in it. The article is followed up by this announcement—‘‘The proprietor of this newsapper has served the National Bank of New Zealand (Limited) 4 with notice of his intention to prosecute them in the Supreme Court of Otago for L 15,000 damages for their illegal, reckless conduct and breach of agreement in dishonoring certain bills, which they had funds in hand to meet, and thereby very seriously affecting his credit in business." Not long ago Judge Ward dilated upon the moral effects of eating mutton from Leicester sheep, and now we find the Magistrate at Wellington expatiating upon the assault-provoking qualities of underdone meat. On a recent Court day his Worship said “ A case came before me yesterday in which Mrs M‘Carthy applied for a protection order, and I adjourned it for a week in the hope that the parties might come to terms and make it up. The case was in fact a weak one. There appears certainly to have been some violence used on one occasion, and from the evidence before me it appears that the defendant originally received provocation from his wife, who, like many other young wives, does not seem to know much about cooking. She seems to under-cook the meat. Now, under-cooking is apt to produce indigestion, and indigestion is apt to produce a hasty temper, and consequently M‘Carthy may have been driven to drink and hastiness of temper by the indigestion produced by his wife’s bad cooking. It strikes me that if you were to advise your daughter to do the cooking better, and pay a little more attention to her husband, they might get on much better.”

This is what the ‘ Bruce Heraid ’ has to say in reference to the .proposed land sales : —“Even in the face of MrM'Kerrow’s report, we have no hesitation in saying from personal experience, and from information obtained from persons who are well acquainted with the country, that although a large proportion of the land referred to is tit only for grazing purposes, a very considerable area consists of agricultural land of as good quality as can be found throughout the length and breadth of this Province. Under these circumstances the people of Otago have to thank the members of the Waste Lands Board for their prompt action in vescuing the land from the operations of the men who would have us look upon them as the protectors of- our rights and interests. It is a well known fact that ever since the change in our system of Government became imminent, the members of the Provincial Executive have become land jobbers in the worst sense of the term, and we hear, upon reliable authority, that, less than a month ago, a public company was offered 20,000 acres of land on one of its runs, at LI per acre, on certain conditions which stamped the transaction as an underhand one. The offer was not accepted, but we mention the fact, in order that the people may know the men in whom they are asked to put their trust,”

At the meeting of the Green Island municipality on Tuesday, which was attended by the Mayor and all the councillors, letters were read from the District Court Clerk and Corporation Solicitor, re Appeal Court, which has been postponed until the 3rd of May. The clerk was instructed to request his Honor the Superintendent to extend the provisions of part 13 of the Municipal Corporations Act, 1867, to this municipality; and was authorised to collect dog and goat taxes in the municipality. The services of the surveyor were dispensed with, owing to his non-attendance. The clerk was also authorised to open an account with the Colonial Bank.

Monthly payments to the Imperi 1 Building Society will be received at the secretary's office this evening, from seven to eight o’clock. We have been requested to remind members of the Press Club that the regular quarterly meeting will be held in the Beading-room at seven o clock to-morrow evening, when several important matters are to be brought forward for discussion.

# The rt sidents of North Dunedin are bestirring themselves to provide amusement during the winter. It is proposed to hold weekly conceits in the North Dunedin Drill-shed, after which, if convenient, dancing will be indulged in. From the support the movement is receiving we have no doubt it will prove a sue cess.

The Dayspring Lodge, No. 97, 1.0. G.T., held its usual weekly meeting in the Kensington schoolroom last evening. After the initiation of two candidates the lodge elected officers for the ensuing quarter as follows W.0.T., Bro. Clarke; W. V.T., Sister Hadfield ; W.S.. Bro. Johns; vV .F.S,, Bro. Hadfield, jun.; W.T., Bro. Hadfield, sen,; W.C., Bro. Shack--1 ck; W.M., Bro. Strang; W.J.0., Bro. Holmes ; W.0.G., Bro. Merry. The installation of the above officers will take place next Thursday evening.