Untitled

Evening Star, Issue 4148, 13 June 1876, Page 2

The Carnival Committee will close their accounts to-morrow. A little over L 1,700 will then be handed over to the Institution,. Thursday being the last day on which the Corporation rates can be paid, the Corporation offices will be opened for that purpose. . As showing the high hand with which justice is administered in the South Canterbury district, we may mention that a man named Edward Hussey was- recently fined 40s in Timaru for refusing to assist a constable when called upon.

The work on the Wiuton-Kingston line of railway is being pushed on vigorously. We (Southland News ’) hre informed that the formation of Mr Bennett's contract from Elbow to Athol is now completed and ready •for the rails. On Mr Blair’s contract— Athol to Kingston— -operations are in course of progress.

ilr M'Lelland, scboblmastcr, Blue Spur, who wrote to the Postmaster General, advocating the establishment of post office savings banks .in connection with the schools, has been informed that “the question of penny banks to be established throughout the Colony-is now under the consideration of the Department.”

The greater part of the Otago members of the Assembly were passengers by the Hawea to-day. Messrs Lumsden, Hodgkinson, and others proceed North by the Albion to-morrow. A good many of the M.H.R.’s who sailed by the Hawea were conveyed to Port by a special train which left town at 3.15 p.m. We understand that -Mr George Turnbull will be Deputy-Super-intendent.

The Richardson Fusiliers last evening decided that Captain Schwabe (who was recently appointed to the post) was not a fit and proper person to command the company. A motion to that effect, proposed by Mr John 8011, and seconded by Mr Niccol, was met by the following curious amendment, proposed by Mr H, Robinson “That the company is not at present competent to judge whether Capt. Schwabe is, or is not, fit to represent the corps.” The motion was carried by forty-two against fifteen. Mr Schwabe was given till to-morrow night to consider his position.

The quarterly meeting of the Dunedin branch of the Hibernian Society was held in the lower hall of the Athenaeum last evening. The attendance was very large, the hall being inconveniently crowded. Six new members were initiated and four nominated for membership. After the nomination of officers had taken place it was found impossible to’transact any further business owing to the lateness of the hour, and it was unanimously resolved that the meeting adjourn until Monday next, at 7.30. The amount of cash received was L3l. This branch numbers 106 members.

Last evening, at about seven o’clock, a fire originated in a detached four-rbomed house situated in Filleul street, the property of Mr William Woodland, and occupied by James Cunningham, carter at the Dunedin Brewery. Mrs Cunningham states that she gave her little girl a lighted candle to take into the bedroom, and that her daughter ■placed it too close to the window curtains, which at once took fire. She gave the alarm, and the neighbors removed the furniture and extinguished the fire. Mr Cunningham estimates his loss to furniture by removal at L2O, and was nn insured. The house was insured in the New Zealand Office for L 150; the damage was about Lls.

The following items are from to-day’s ‘Bruce Herald’Some weeks ago we stated that a number of claims had been marked out on a spur behind Mr George Coombe’s claim. Manuka Creek. We were informed yesterday that the prospectors have met with but little encouragement,— Nearly fourteen tons of goods, principally drain-pipes, bare heeu'-sent from the Milton Pottery Works to Dunedin since the new company commenced operations.—Wo are informed that a new quartz reef has beeu discovered near Table Hill by Messrs Higgins and Benotti’a party of prospectors. It is stated that the reef, which is over Ift wide, was fonnd cropping out of the surface of the ground, it is the intention of the prospectors to have a few tons of the quartz crushed at the Bruce Company’s battery.

By proper advantage being taken of the Registration of Electors Act, 1875, by the Road Boards of the Waitaki and Oamam districts (the Hampden Board being, through the neglect of its clerk, the only exception) the voting power, of the district has been largely increased. The ‘N. 0. Times ’ says that the last roll showed 714 electors ; this year the claims, including the unobjected-tb portion of the old roll, new claims, and ratepayers’ lists, totalled up to 1,171; objections allowed, 40; leaving as the total for the new roll, 1,131, or an increase of 416, more than 50 per cent, most of the additional number obtaining their electoral status by virtue of xl ’e ratepayers’ franchise, secured by the a***, " ■-"d to,- and for which it is fair to '' indebted to its late say the district u member. * -

l?he Bench at Camera- fined Mr Young, clerk of the Hampden Road Board, LlO for , jaeglecting‘to 6 furiii#h the regulation officer" for thb district with, the list of- ratepayers requ red by Sec. 39, of the Registration-of Act, 1875. Tenders for 12,000 sleepers, reqUir&l> by the Tokomairiro and Lawrence Railway, have been accepted as follows:—Messrs' Murdoch and Co., Invercargill, 6,000 at 2s lljd each, and Messrs Angus and C 0.,, Invercargill, 6,000 at 3s each the prices in both cases being for delivery at Port Chalmers and Dunedin.

A. smartly-dressed man named Percy Smith, a Watchmaker, was charged by fonr different persons with larceny as a bailee at the City Police Coutt'bo-day; 1 Prisoner got’ their watches to repair and pawned th»-m. In Marks’s case he was guilty of a piece of smart practice. 'Mr Marks, who has two ; pawnbrokers* shops, gave him*a watch from the Arcade shop to repair, and he immediately took it to the Princes, street shop andpawned it with Mr Marks’s asifistant.

A;t the Fire Brigade’s monthly meeting lastmight, the resignation of Mr Jones as a working member >wbs accepted, and he was presented with an honorary member’s ticket because he had taken an active part in the formation Of the Brigade. Lieut. Falconer Eated silver medals to Messrs. Murphy, es, and Webster in recognition of the part they took at the Ballarat demonstration. A vote of thanks was secured to the Dunedin contingent; and it was decided that they should be entertained at a oocoert and ball, and that : an- illuminated address should be presented to Lieut. Falconer.

Mr William Mackune writes a long letter to the ‘Auckland Star ’ flatly contradicting the published statement of the Vice-Pr jsident of the Auckland Licensed-Victuallers’ Association, that ho had asked the Association to supply hiin with funds to go on a tour through the Colony, lecturing against Good Templary. Mr Maokuno said hia motive for asking for an interview with the Licensed Victuallers was to place before theih his and the Church of England. Temperance Society’s plan -for reclaiming those who are slaves to the intoxicating cup. What a vastly different story 1 Somebody is telling a fib,

The strike of the Southland teamsters (writes the ‘Wakatip Mail’) has ended in what they, no ■ doubt, feel very satisfactory to themselves, namely, an increase from 30s tn L 3 10s per ton of merchandise from the Elbow to Kingston—a distance of some thirty-five miles. But we are afraid this temporary Victory will not bear' good fruit. AS soon as the strike was heard of, some three weeks ago, merchants here countermanded instructions for goods which had not left Dunedin via Bluff, and had them forwarded via Dunstan. The consequence' has been that goods coming direct by waggon Were delivered days before those sent weeks by way of Bluff—and this at a rate little above the Bluff charge. .

A most audacious attempt at robbing a bank occurred at Waimate on Wednesday evening last, at about ‘seven o’clock/ during the temporary absence of Mr Grant, the! agent for the Union Bank of Australia.' An entrance was effected into the .'premies by breaking open the. back door. The would-be thieves, armed with a sledge-hammer, borrowed for the occasion from a neighboring smithy, attempted to force open the safe, which, however, proved to be too good for them; and as all the bank properties of any value bad. been, as usual, carefully deposited therein, tne burglars had to depart without the intended plunder. One of the Scoundrels was impudent enough to leave the following notice tacked to the back door -“ I will call again next week.”

-At the Athemeum Committee’s* meeting last night the secretary presented the monthly report, which stated that the shops of the Athenaeum "buildings have been valued 'by Messrs Gillies, Street, and Hislop at L 3 10s and L 3 per week respectively. It was recommended that Mr Hay be offered the lease of one shop for two years, at L2 10s, and Mr Robson the other for a similar i period at L 3. On the subject of a branch reading-room the committee recommended that consideration be deferred. The catalogue committee recommended that a catalogue of the books be prepared, with au authors’ index. It was stated that Messrs Stanford and Blair’s canvass had resulted so far in twenty-five life members being ob tained.

At the Princess’s Theatre last evening the Star Variety Troupe , gave their second performance, which showed a great improvemept over that of Saturday. Miss Lizzie Martin opened the programme with a couple of songs, and was followed by a'gentleman unknown, who sang an Irish character song very fairly* and in response to an encore gave “ Barney Carey.”. Madame Jeannette pleased the audiehbe highly with a couple of ballads, for her excellent delivery of which 1 she was loudly applauded. Mr Love thenap- < peared in the popular, though rather lengthy song, “ Behind the Scenes,” for which he received a hearty encore. One of the best items, in the bill was a nigger,song and danceby Messrs Alec O’Brien and Wilkinson, bothof which gentlemen were highly grotesque. In; response t6 an encore “ Nancy Brown ” was substituted. 'A gentleman, who dances well but has a very indistinct, manner, of. singing, thefi gave a song and breakdown, following with a sand jig; and the first portion of the entertainment concluded with avocal solo by another gentleman as yet unknown to fame. After a brief intermission' the members of the troupe gave several more songs and dances, most of which were well received. Professor Weber, Mr Kelly, and the other members of the orchestra performed their respective duties satisfactorily throughout the evening. The company will perform during the week.

A meeli' g of t ! c Carnival General Committee will be held afc the City ‘ ’ouucil Chambers, to-morrow (Wednesday), at 8 p m. Performing membra of the *'horn 1 Society are requested to meet in >' t Paul's -Schoolroom, to-morrow evenin •, at 8 o’clock.

Messrs Reith and Wilkie have forwarded us a copy of the leettre deiverrd by Mr J. A Connell on the land question. It is neatly planted in pamphlet form, and will r pay pe-u-al, although we imagine most people will arrive at the conclusion that Mr Con- ell may fairly claim to be m re at home in estimating the purpose* for which bind is fitted than In devising the best means of settling people upon it.