The Evening Star TUESDAY, MAY 9, 1876.

Evening Star, Issue 4118, 9 May 1876, Page 2

The Evening Star TUESDAY, MAY 9, 1876.

The ritualistic tendencies of tivie Auckland churches is alleged to be oj i the increase. • .

It is said that new springs havd been discovered in the Lake district wbicl i are pronounced ‘superior to the old once.

The interview of the three co aamissioners with the Provincial authorities at Nelson is described by iche local papers as having been most amicable and satisfactory. At this morning.’B sitting of the District Court, before Judge Bathgate, the adjourned case of the Trustees in the estate of the late James Copeland v. F. A. Rim a and Co , merchants, of Timaru, consti £i\ted the whole business. The claim Was for ale supplied. Mr Aldridge appeared for plaintiffs; Mr Stout for defendants. His Honor reserved judgment. _ It will be remembered' "that at a- recent sitting of the Oamaru C ; ourt a case of alleged rape against oue_ David Buchanan broke down, the prosecutri x swearing in her evidence that she had given prisoner leave to take liberties with her. 'Ulterior proceedings however resulted in the police again arresting the prisoner, who was brought up on Saturday last on a charge of assault with intent, and committed for triad at the District Court, his counse.l, Mr O’Meagher, reserving his defence. We commend the following to the notice of the gentlemen of the long robe. The other day the Chief Justice of Victoria administered a severe rebuke to those members of the Bar who are given to bullying witnesses while subjecting them to cross-ex-amination. His Honor remarked that in his experience the most accomplished barristers conducted their cross-examinations in as quiet and as gentlemanly a manner as possible, and showed as much consideration as lay in their power to women and children while in the witness-box. In his opinion a contrary course of conduct was not calculated to elicit the truth.

About fifty members of the Athenaeum attended the adjourned meeting last night to consider the proposed enlargement of the building. Alter much discussion, during which a number of propositions weremadeand rejected, the following motion proposed by Mr Stout was agreed to : -“Thatthe Committee be authorised to extend the present building at a cost not exceeding L 1,500, whenever the sum ©f LSOO has been raised by donations or the sale of life members’ tickets j that the Committee be authorised to borrow on debentures or otherwise, the sum of LI,OOO ; and that a sinking fund be created to repay the sum borrowed.”

The agent for the team of English professional cricketers who intend visiting Australia during the next season, received a letter by the last mail from Mr James Lillywhite, stating that Selby and Wild, two of Nottingham’s best batsmen, had agreed to make the trip. There are now fourteen of the best professional players in England to choose from, and as the original team had rather too many bowlers in it, the presence of the two above-named players will materially strengthen it and make it a good all-round eleven. The team will leave England by the September mail, and will arrive at Adelaide about November 11, where, in all probability, the opening match will be played against twenty-two South Australians.

The Volunteer battalion parade for the last eight months took place last night and proved a thorough' success. The various companies mustered well, the Artillery turning out . 42, the North Dunedin Rifles 30, the City Guards 42, Green Island 19, City Guards Cadets 29, Naval Brigade 31, Guards fife and drum band 20, and the Artillery band 28, making a total of 240 all told. The men were marched to the Cricket Ground, there went through some drill, and marched back to the shed, headed by the Artillery and City Guards bands in charge of Bandmasters Bailey and M'Mair respectively. After parade the Naval and Cadet Companies were inspected by ActingAdjutant M'Kenzie. The Green Island Volunteers received a hearty cheer on their departure for home. There was only one case set down for hear, ing at the Resident Magistrate’s Court this morning, before Mr J. Bathgate, R.M., viz , Thomas Corbett v. R. F. Smith. This was

a claim of LBO for four weeks’rent of certain premises in Princes street. Mr Stout appeared for plaintiff, Mr Strode for the de fendant. It appeared that the defendant’s lease, at L2 per week, had run out a month ago, and plaintiff had called for tenders for the lease. Defendant, amongst others, tendered, but received no answer but a notification to leave, or else his rent would be raised to L2O a week. The defence set up by defendant was that plaintiff's agent led him to believe that his tender would be accepted. He paid LlO into Court, being at the rate of L2 10s a week rent. Before the full evidence was taken a settlement of the action was made in Court, it being agreed that judgment should be given for plaintiff for L4O and the LlO paid in, with costs. The subject of a new Town Hall is at last before the City Council in a definite shape, the Works Committee having recommended that bonuses of L2OO, Ll5O, and LIOO be respectively offered for the three best designs. The building is to provide accommodation on the ground floor for the City Surveyor’s staff, workshops and storerooms for the gas and water departments, stables, &o. The Fire Brigade station, engine-room' and keeper’s quarters are also to be on the ground floor, with a clock tower 100 ft high. On the first floor the Town Clerk will be quartered ; and here, also will be found the gas and water offices, the City Treasury Office, the Mayor’s room, main hall (which will seat 2,000 persons), lavatory, and health offices. On the second floor will be the Council Chamber—53ft x 30ft —two committee-rooms, and a library. The Council is to decide on a site.

The following items are from to-day’s ‘ Bruce Herald ’:—It is rumored that Mr J. L. Gillies, the representative of Milton in the Provincial Council, intends to publicly address his constituents at an early date.— The Milton Pottery Company took possession of the works last week, and a fair start will be made in a few days.—The Kaitangata railway will be opened for passenger traffic in a few days, when it is intended to run two trains each way daily. - There was some fighting at Manuka Creek on Sunday night. One man had his finger nearly bitten off and his head cut. He was brought to Milton for medical treatment.—Owing to the immense rush of grain from Inch Clutha to the Stirling railway station, the crossing of grain-laden drays on the punt has been stopped. The method adopted is to unload on the island and merely ferry the grain across, reloading other teams again on the mainland for the station.—James Black, a ir:a-i well known in this cis’.rict as the owner of a threshing machine, died suddenly on aturday night, on the main road, between Milton and the Royal Oak Hotel, An inquest was held on the body yesterday, when it was ascertained that death arose from natural causes. The deceased man leaves a wife and one child.

A capital downstairs attendance greeted the first representation of “The White Cockade at the Queen’s Theatre last evening. The drama is founded on an incident r 1 v-x- v fst ac °bite rebellion. In the Jacobitish army are two officers Captain Kilruddock and Evan M Tan—in love with Jessie M Leod, a Scotch peasant girl. The captains attentions are amply repaid, and on the eve of departure for the battle-field he is presented by Jessie, in his rival’s presence, \vith a white cockade. The trophy is, however, secured by Evan, and a wniggle ensues for its recovery. From this incident the drama derives its title, and these two lovers are prominent personages in ulterior stages of the play. Mi Stonehams M‘Jan was the best plavecl character in the piece. Ho invested the part, with great vigor, and Was highly successful in winning the plaudits of his audieuce. Mrs Hill had not a very prominent part, but she ably fulfilled her somewhat unimportant task. The other principal characters were well sustained by Messrs bteele, baville, and Musgrave. Mr Willis has painted some new scenery, and the per fomance throughout was a decidedly creditable one. We might suggest that the drama be reduced to three acts, instead of five: as last evening some of the intervals were longer than the acts.

In our notice of the election of officers of VV 89 £ ran ? aic Club w. should hive stated tnat Mr Bracken was elected vice-president not president as it appeared. Mr R. H. Learv is president of the lub. 3