The Evening Star FRIDAY, AUGUST 11, 1876.

Evening Star, Issue 4199, 11 August 1876, Page 2

The Evening Star FRIDAY, AUGUST 11, 1876.

At the Princess's Theatre last evening the programme consisted of " Sir Simon Simple" and "The Day after the Wedding." There was a crowded house downstairs, and both pieces created roars of laughter. The Rev. Charles Clark has been giving four farewell lectures at the Town Hall, Melbourne, at million prices, viz., Is to all portions of the house. It is reported that his income by lectures now exceeds L2,00G per annum.

It is stated that Mr John Reid, formerly of Dalgleish and Reid, has sold his right and interest in the ' New Zealand Trade Protection Circular,' at the handsome figure of L 3,000, to some person in Wellington. Mr Reid still retains and publishes the ' New Zealand Bradshaw.'

The 'N. Z. Times' understands a large number of the civil engineers and architects of the Colony have memorialised the Government to prevent civil servants from competing with them in their professions. The memorial has been forwarded to the Hon. the Colonial Secretary, but as yet no reply has been made.

The ' Press' reports that at Christchurch during last week's heavy gale the wind gauge recorded for the twenty-four hours ending at 9 a.m. on the sth, 691 miles ; occasionally the wind travelled a mile a minute, whie'a would give a force tff 181bs per square foot. The ozonometer during the gale was remarkably low, registering two ; for some days previously it had recorded live, eight, and nine (the scale ranges from 0 to 10).

Some little time ago, a Wellington correspondent of the 'New Zealand Herald' made a series of charges against the Press Telegraph Agency, broadly accusing the managers thereof of unduly favoring the Government side, and " misreporting and short reportiag" the Opposition in their summaries of Parliamentary proceedings. As so grave a eharge was calculated to inflict material injury upon the Press Agency in a business point of view, and as moreover," it is alleged to be entirely unfounded, the managers of that institution have instituted legal proceedings against the proprietors of the 'Herald.' We ('Post') believe that a writ has been issued, and that the case will shortly come before the Supreme Court. At the Temperance Hall last evening Mr Charles Russell gave his first lecture on "The Infltmce of Music on the Human Mind." An interesting jsubject ably treated was rendered mtore entertaining through Mr Russell giving several vocal and pianoforte tions during ihe course of his lecture. He possesses a thorough knowledge of music, has an excellent voice, and is a pianist of no mean order; and as a well-chosen programme had been arranged nothing was wanting to ensure satisfaction to the audience. Amongst Mr Russell's best received morceaux were "The Ship on Fire," "The Little Fat Grey Man," and the pianoforte solo "Meditation." Another lecture will be delivered by Mr Russell this evening. A largely attended meeting of South Dunedin ratepayers was held in the Forbury schoolhouse last evening, to discuss the question of water supply for the Municipality. The Mayor (Mr Maloney) took the chair, and said that as summer was approaching, if any action was to be taken towards having water laid on, it should be done without delay. The course of procedure to be adopted was to sign a petition, forward it to the Resident Magistrate in Dunedin, and present it to the City Council, which would then be in a position to carry out the wishes expressed. The Mayor of Dunedin had informed him that he believed that there would be an ample supply of water this season to supply the City and suburbs, as it was intended to draw from the Water of Leith. If such a course was no't deemed advisable, they might obtain a supply from Upper Forbury. After some discussion the following motion by Mr Price, seconded by Mr M'Kay, was carried almost unanimously :—" That, in the opinion of the ratepayers, the Municipal Conncil of South Dunedin should at once take steps to obtain a water supply from Danedin." At yesterday's sitting of the Supreme Court in banco Mr Justice Williams delivered judgment in the well-known case Glassford v. Reid and others. His Honor said that the question turned upon the Goldfields Act and the Regulations made in pursuance of it. There was no occasion to discuss the extent of the prerogative of the Crown; a miner's right conferred on the holder no further rights than the Acts and Regulations specified. The sole question was : were the defendants authorised by statute to interfere with the rights of the plaintiff ? After citing authorities, his Honor said he came to the conclusion that the pleas were bad, on the ground that the laws and regulations they refer to did not justify the injury to the olaintiff'B possession, of which he complained. The rule would be made absolute to enter up judgment for the plaintiff on the fourth and fifth pl?as, > notwithstanding the verdict, as the plaintiff could have demurred equally well, and as the pleas on demurrer at least would have bee;! clearly bad, for the additional reason that the instruments of title under which the defendants claimed were not set out in them. There would be no costs.

The 'Herald' reports that Mr De Vivo, the late manager of the De Murska troupe left Auckland by the City of New York tor San Francisco, he having undertaken the agency of that important troupe for the United States, Canada, Havannah, and Mexico, where De Murska intends to proceed after fulfilling hdv engagements in this country. Madame de first concert was given at New York, on the 25th of September, 1874, and from that date to 17th of July of the present year, she has given 311 concerts, 171 of which were given in the United States, 9 in Canada, 1 in Honolulu, 95 in Australia, and 35 in New Zealand, and during that period has travelled a distance of 22,000 miles. The gross receipts of the concerts amounted to 200,000 dollars. Their success in a financial view was immense, especially in New Orleans, San Francisco, Sydney and Melbourne. In the latter city De Murska sang 45 times, in 33 concerto, 2 oratorios, and 10 operatio nights.

The Wellington 'Argus* of the 2nd inri. says that upwards of thirty officers, professional and clerical, in the Public Works Department have, it believes received notice of their termination of their engagements. The new County Councils will .therefore have no difficulty in providing themselves with engineers and surveyors. The ' Post' remarks that there is in Lonvr'!' Do r • an insfc;itut io" known as Her JVjajesty a: Pipe, where condemned goods are ' " v,-: :f the duty is not paid on them. xu-: Customs Department at Wellington has found a new use for the Perfect Failure steam launch. On Saturday, to the great envy of a crowd of larrikins, her furnace was utilised for the consumption of a large quantity of cigarettes, on which duty had not been paid.

The body of Mary Cameron, a prostitute, was found in the Water of Leith, near the tortn street bridge, in about one and a half feet of water this morning. There were no marks of violence except a scalp wound at the hack of the left ear. The body did not appear to have been more than ten or fifteen hours m the water. . Deceased was at the Hospital for medicine yesterday, and was only recently out of gaol, after undergoing a sentenee for vagrancy. Subjoin-d is a paragraph taken from a letter addressed to the 'Hamilton (Victoria) Spectator' by a Victorian visitor to the geyser d strict of New Zealand :—•« Hotel hvmg m New Zealand is certainly not firstclass ; and except Coker's Occidental Hotel, at Wellington, I cannot compliment any of them. M.'s description of one of our dinners is well impressed on my memory. After describing 'a joint of scraggy mutton, a junk of tough, old, miserable, beef, and a few half-cooked potatoes ;' up by saying ' and the rest was mad'e up of a lot of jam.'"

An extraordinary incideut happened at the City Police Court this morning during the hearing of a charge against one William Timms of using insulting language towards John a master painter of this City. After tho evidence had been heard, accused said, " I object to John Griffen (alluding to one of the gentlemen upon the Bench) giving judgment against me in this case lam no friend of his." After accused had received a sharp rebuke from Mr Griffen and Mr Birch had said the objection was contemptible, sentence was passed.

At tho Port Chalmers Police Court this morning, before Mr T. A. Mansford, R.M., John B, Green, a seaman belonging to tbe ship City of Cashmere, on remand for wiFul disobedience of lawful commands, was discharged. John Maokie, cook of the same ship, Was charged with assaulting J. G. Green and William Cunningham. Tins case was adjourned until the 18th inst., owing to the defendant Having deserted from the vessel. In the civil case Richards v. Paul, a claim of L2 for wages, after hearing the evidence his Worship gave judgment for the plaintiff for LI 5s t without costs.

" The Lottery of Life " was played again at the Queen's Theatre last evening to a fair attendance, and it was followed by an entertainment comprising musical selections and dances. The performers in the latter were Messrs Shipp, Hooper, and Love. To-night we anticipate seeing a large audience welcoming back Mr and Mrs George Darrell, who are great favorites in Dunedin. Shakespeare's comedy "As You Like It" has been sleeted as the opening piece of the Dan-ells' short season, and we can recommend Mrs DarreU's charming representation of Rosalind as a treat not often witnessed. The monthly meeting of the Eclectic Assooiition was held last right in the Athenaeum Hall; Mr Barron in the chair. There was a good attendance of members, including a number of ladies. Mr W. Christie read an essay on "The Dogmatism cf Science," introducing the subject by giving a well-condensed sketch of what science claims to know relating to the main ;opics of the day.' He urged tt-at we could do with a little less dogmatism on the part of scientists. The esaayist concluded by protecting against all aspects of science which would profess to discover in organic matter the promise and potency of every form of life. On such subjects the dogmatism was at once unscientific and great. At the close of the addrero a disenssion ensued, and a hearty vote of &anks was awarded to the essayist. This seeiety is progressing very rapidly.

The annual meeting of the Dunedin Jockey Club will be held at the Empire ttotel, on •• onday evening n xt at 8 o'clock.

Wn draw the attention of our readers to an advertisement in ano her column announcing the sale of t'ie township ot Selwyn by Hepburn, and Co, tomorrow.

We h*ve received fiom Mes ra Reith and Wilkiovol. lof ••'The Piactical Sketoher for New Zealand," editel by Mr G. B. Barto., barrister at-law. r J he work ahull receive early attention.

We would direct the attention of the pubUo to a notice of the lunedin Naval Brigade re spect.ng their new range at Lawyer He id, Ocean Beach, which appears in another column. "

\Ve have received from Messrs Matthews, Baxter, and Co., agent* for the well-known tyi>e founders, Caslon and Co , a specimen copy of th- new banner border recently brought out by that firm at Home The design u very artistic and the printing fully testifies to the perfection to which the art is now brought.