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Evening Star, Issue 4281, 15 November 1876, Page 2

An attempt is to be made to establish a Tattersall’s Club at Christchurch.

The American War Diorama drew a good house last night, and the popularity of the entertainment seems to be by no means on the wane. A distribution of prizes followed the show.

The management of the Princess Theatre evidently spare no pains to please the public. Last night “Rob Roy” was put on the stage, with Mr Dampier as Macgregor, and Mrs Byers as his patriotic spouse Helen. The Bailie was in the hands of Mr Keogh, and most of the other members of the company were active in promoting the success of the drama. We have seen the piece played much worse than it was last night. Mr Dampier will read from Dickens this evening, in addition to the other performance. Last evening a concert of sacred song was given in tnC North Dunedin Presbyterian Church in aid ox the Sunday School Library, and, considering tu e inclemency of the wether, was well attended. The choir of the church, conducted by Mr' Graham, sang the several pieces in a very creditable manner, the anthems, in particular, being well rendered. The choir can be safely congratulated on this, their first attempt, and we hope at their next concert to hear a few solos, as, judging from last night’s performance there are those connected with the choir who could do full justice to them. Mrs Copland presided at the harmonium, and assisted greatly in making the concert a success. During the evening several short addressffs on the benefits of music were deliver ed by tbe Chairman (Dr. Copland), Dr. St,uart, and Messrs A. J. Burns, Wright, and P,eid. A vote of thanks to the choir and th? chairman terminated the proceedings. ' ..

A telegraph station is mw open at Outrain, West Taieri. Two sharp, hut short shocks of earthquake were felt at Queenstown last Week.

The coming election for Lake County is ftltOadv creating interest, and the names of several gentlemen are mentioned by the ‘Mail’ as intending candidates—amongst which are Messrs Manders, Boyes, Ma!aghan, and M'Ardell.

■ The * Palmerston Times ’ is responsible for the following -.—On dit, that the hon. the Minister of Justice, Mr Bowen, will act temporarily as Chief-Commissioner of Police for the Colony, and that two officers, each occupying a secondary position, one in the North, and the other in the South Island, will bt appointed. The * Bruce Herald ’ calls upon Commissioner Weldon to cause an inquiry to be held into the conduct of Constable Tait, of whom during the hearing of an assault cause in the Resident Magistrate’s Court at Milton, on Tuesday last, it was proved on his own admission, and by the evidence of several witnesses, that he handcuffed a prisoner who did not make the slightest show of resistance —who, in fact, from his physical condition was not in a position to actively oppose the desire of the constable to convey him to the Police Station. Not a little excitement has been created in Wellington by the sudden disappearance of two residents. The gentleman is a married man, and his wife and seven children have been left behind. The lady is young, good-looking, and unmarried. She left her home nominally to attend a wedding, but, instead of that, came by the railway to town and withdrew a sum of L4OO which stood to her credit in one of the banks. She was then accompanied by her male neighbor, and they departed together by the City of Sydney for America. It was not till late on Sunday that any suspicions were aroused. It is rarely one hears a vicious son attempt to trade upon the presumed virtues of his father. A case in point, however, came under the notice of the ‘ Palmerston Times ’ a day or two ago, A man, and a stranger in Palmerston, was arrested for misconducting himself in the presence of children. He first pleaded not guilty, and expressed surprise that any person should suspect him to he capable of anything that suggested a criminal intention. “Besides,” he added earnestly, “is it likely that I, the son of a man who was President of the London Female Protection Society, would so far forget myself, and the family from which I sprung ?” Unfortunately for the son of so respectable a person Mr Murcott, R M., was not to be gulled ; and he is now enjoying a month’s rest in gaol. The ‘Hobarton Mercury ’ has the following respecting the Tasmanian Colonial Treasurer, Mr Meredith “That gentleman desired to compliment his faithful supporter, Mr Pillinger, on the ability with which he had urged a subsidy for a steamer to New Zealand, and said that though on principle he could not support such a vote, Mr Pillinger had so impressed him with the necessity of compliance, that he felt himself ‘in the condition of Jonah in the whale’s belly, and compelled to exclaim “almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.”’ The incongruous confusion between Jonah’s hiding place and Paul before King Agrippa and Festus was too much for the House, and the Treasurer sat down amidst a roar of laughter he had unfittingly caused, and apparently did not understand.”

On October 24 a woman named Jane Connington, aged sixty-three years, died at the hospital at Hokitika, from inflammation of the lungs produced by injuries she had received, including a fractured collar bone. Three doctors gave it as their opinion that the injuries were not the result of a fall or falls, and that they were received about ten days prior to her death. After a lengthy inquiry the coroner’s jury returned the following verdict That the deceased died from the effect of blows administered by a person or persons unknown to this jury; and this jury further finds that such person or persons are guilty of the wilful murder of the deceased, J. Oonnington.” Part of the evidence went to show that deceased had been ill-used by a Mrs Vincent, with whom she had been living. The advantages of life assurance were recently illustrated in the case of Mr Chas. Findlay, whose death occurred on the 18th ult., and who had insured his life some eighteen months ago in the Australian Mutual Provident Society for LI,OOO. We understand that the deceased gentleman was considered in every respect as what insurance agents term a “ select ” or first-class life, but a little negligence in taking precautionary measures against cold, after unusual exertion, resulted in an attack of congestion of the lungs, which terminated fatally. It is gratifying to know that the claim was paid within three weeks after intimation of the death was received by the agent of the Society here, and within five days after the receipt of all the necessary papers by the head-office in Wellington.

At the sitting of the Wellington Supreme Court on Monday the Chief Justice made some severe remarks about the conduct of business in the inferior Courts. In his opinion Justices and Justices' clerks did not understand their duty in conducting prosecutions. There were far too many committals in the Magistrates’ Courts, Justices thinking that if there was a probability of a primd facie case being established they were justified in sending the case to the Supreme Court for trial. Many people thought that the Supreme Court was to blame for the number of‘ acquittals which occurred every year; but the real fact was that prisoners were sent to trial without the evidence having been gone into properly in the inferior tribunal, and there being consequently very often a valuable link in the chain of evidence missing. A sad case of drowning is chronicled by the ‘North Otago Times.’ On Monday evening a son of Mr John Milligan, tailor, of that town, in company with several others, was playing about on the bank of the creek below the railway bridge, when, by some cause or other, he was pushed or fell into the water, which at that part of the lagoon is about seven feet deep. The little fellow, being unable to swim, of course sank, and the other boys, becoming frightened, did not render him the least assistance. Some of them rushed home, and others ran to the railway engine shed and told the workmen. The alarm being given, a number of men ran down to the creek. A hook was procured, with with which it was endeavoured to find the body. After same time had been spent in searching for the body, one of the men at last stripped and dived down to the bottom of the creek. Thinking that he touched something with his foot, he took the hook in his hand, and shortly afterwards hauled up the boy. A meeting of the 1.0. G.T. Celebration Convention will be held to-morrow evening at 7.30, in the Temperance Hall. Messrs Burton Brothers have taken photographs of tome of the Volunteer corps as they appeared at aihr.la on the holiday. _ The finenesses are remarkably distinct, consideiing the wet weather at the time they were taken. M essrs Findlay and (*o. have lately built a very handsome saloon railway carriage. We have not si ace to describe in detail the superb fittings used; but we may state that no expense Ins been spare'i in th ■ furni?hi> gs, and that the enterprising firm referred to have turned out a carriage probably unequalled for magnificence and richness of deco: atione in the Colonies, Mr Bard was the designer.

The Cups Intended for competition at the forthcomixi' show of the Northern trlcuUural and Pastoral Association are on view at the establishment of Messrs Kohn and ».o. They are of sold silver, and have been manufactured entirely on the premises. ‘I he different designs are spproi -rate and thon hj • ot too florid, show off the • plicate ch sing to advantage. as samples of loci wor man-hip, they a- e c-edita'.-ie, and are w rthy of a place on any eideboaid.

ssisted by the officers of All Wei ome Lodge, Bros Cameron and Carr opene I a Good Templar lodge, which has been named f e Maungatua Kndeavor, at Maunyatua on Tuesday, when the following were installed int> officeW C.T., Br>. F. Joseph; W.V.T, Sis. J Ferguson; W.S.. Bro. John Foss; W.T. Sis. J. Boss; WF.*., Bro. W. Ferguson; WM„ Bro. J. c inclair; W. 0., Bro, Frank Golem-n; W.I.G , Bro. Neil Ross; W.O, I *,, Bro A. Manson, Bro. WaTacebeing ncommended as Deputy.—All Welcome lodge elected its office-bearers, who were installed at the last weekly meeting as fol ows: —W.C.T., Bro. A. Mann; W.VT., Bro. P. Grant; W.S, Bro. John Walker; W.F.S., B"0, MTenrud ; W.T.. Sis. Janet M'l'ermtd; W. 0., Sis Eliza M‘De.mid; WM,. Pro. D. Fleming; W.D.M. Bro. G. MeWrum; W. A.-’., Bro. Dr. M B-earty; W.1.G., Bro. J. Miller; W.« .S., Bro. Thomas Adam--; W.HHS., Sis. Grace Murray; W.L H.S., Sis. Mary M.‘Dermid; i’ro ! pthian was recommended rb Lod-re-Deputy, and was presented with a handsome writing-desk by the sisters of the lodge as a token of their esteem.