The Evening Star FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 1876.

Evening Star, Issue 4289, 24 November 1876, Page 2

The Evening Star FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 1876.

Scarlet fever is still on the increase in Wellington, and is extending to adults. The Diorama is announced as only for two nights more. A number of prizes will be givdn away each evening.

The annual show of the Tokomaiiiro Farmers’ Club will be held on December 2; and the Waihola Regatta has been fixed for Boxing Day, as usual.

A meeting was held in the Drillshed, Outram, last evening, to take steps to get up Caledonian games on the New Year, in which Maungatua and Outram are to join. A committee, composed of the following gentlemen, was elected to carry out the object:—Messrs W. Snow, M'Douall, P. M. Grant, Iveson, W. Grant, J. Meldrum, A. Grant, J. M‘Leod, J. Burnett, A. Mann, J. Haswell, and P. Grant. The travelling public will be glad to learn that the section of railway between Elbow and Lowtber will be open at an early date. The * News ’ says work upon it could actually be completed in about three weeks time, but it will be quite ready to hand over to the Government by the contract time—the first week in January. The section beyond Lowtber contains the principal engineering difficulty on the remainder of the line to Kingston—a heavy cutting—and when this has been made there will be nothing to prevent the contracts for platelaying right up to Kingston being let, and completed in about eight months from the present date. At the sitting of the District .Court at Oamaru on Wednesday Mr Steward claimed exemption from, services as a juror, urging that it would be a public inconvenience if editors of papers, especially daily journals, were placed on juries, quite as great an inconvenience as the taking railway officials from their duties, who Were by law exempt. Judge Ward, in granting the request, said he had always allowed the exemption in the district to newspaper editors ano reporters. There were only two criminal cases set down for trial. Regina v. David Evans, for whom Mr J. E. Dennistoa appeared, was charged with stealing a purse containing L 5 from a fellow-workman. The defence was that the purse was taken in a “lark.” A verdict of “Not girilty ” was returned. In the case of John Morrison, who was charged with setting fire to Isabella Campbell, no witnesses were called for the defence, and an acquittal was alsojre turned.

W® are informed that Mr Morriwy this t.?j noon conß ®nted to the removal of his children to the Fever Hospital. The Milton Fire Brigade have deputed their captain to represent them at the Boxing Day demonstration. The *N.O. Times’ understands that the Waireka branch railway will be opened for goods traffic as far as Teaneraki in a few days.

Miss Vivian will take a benefit at the Princess' Theatre this evening, when the sensational drama “Under the Gaslight” will be produced. Miss Vivian is one of the hardest-worked members of the company, and we have no doubt her appeal to the public will be liberally responded to.

The City Council, acting as the Local Board of Health, have requested librarian of the Dunedin Athenseura to place all the books that have been issued to persons known to have been suffering from scarlet fever and other infectious diseases in a box separate from the other books, and to have them thoroughly disinfected prior to their being re-issued. # The Callender for the next criminal sessions of the Supreme Court has received two additions to its ranks. James O. White was committed for trial at to-day’s sitting of the City Police Court, for robbery from a dwelling. At Balclutha, Michael Slattery, for indecent assault, was also committed, bail being fixed at himself in L2OO, and two securities of LIOO each, but it was not forthcoming.

A meeting of the St. Kilda ratepayers was held last evening to consider the tramway question, the Mayor of the borough occupying the chair. A motion by Mr Lager, that tramways should not be constructed'in the district for six months, was met by an amendment in favor of carrying +he tramways through the district to the Ocean Beach, the track to occupy the centre of the road. The was carried. On Monday Mr Elliott, butcher, of Outram, was rushed at by a bnllock in a stockyard at Mr M'Leod’s farm. The cattle, after some hard running, had been yarded, and Mx Elliott, who was in the yard, was holding the gate for some to go out when the animal rushed at him and jammed him between the gate and stockyard rails. Mr Elliott’s face was damaged severely by the occurrence. Had he not been behind the gate, the accident would have been more serious; as it was, the bullock’s horn just missed him.

The first competition of the Otago Rowing Club for the Walter Fours was rowed yesterday afternoon. The following were the crews;— Rob Roy—Bridges (bow), 0. Hope (2), S. Turton (3), Cook, Rigg (cox). Lurline—F. Chapman (bow), N. Kettle (2), J. B. Hackworth (3), Aspinall. The course was from the second red beacon to the eastern end of the Jetty street jetty. The crews got away to a good start, but ultimately the Rob Roy passed her opponents and won by a length. St. Kilda cannot boast of a hall for public amusements, but the recently-erected Town Hall —which was used for the first time last evening—bids fair to supply the necessary want. A meeting had been called by the Mayor in order to enable the ratepayers to decide whether they approved of the proposed tramway, and although the matter was discussed, most of the time was taken up by the twenty ratepayers present in unseemly bantering. A Mr Eager, who claimed to be the “orator” of the municipality, ebjected to anything “dark” being done, and said that the tramway was proposed in order to suit Cr. Halligan’s express convenience. Cr. Halligan immediately asked that Mr Eager should not induce in personalities, whereupon tho latter reminded the chairman that it was his tarn to address the meeting, and threatened to call Halligan to order by seizing him by the collar and turning him out. Cr. Halligan explained that he only intended to correct the speaker when he interrupted him, whereupon Eager retorted that Halligan was a —— nuisance. Mr Mitchell expressed the hope that no further personalities would be indulged in ; and Cr. Halligan informed Eager that by his unseemly behaviour he had rendered himself a laughingstock. This was too much for Eager, and as he assumed a fighting attitude, the chairman abruptly closed the meeting, Eager expressing his determination of getting at Halligan on a future occasion, and of “whitewashing ” him.

We are requested to direct the attention of seat holdeis and applicants for sittings in the Knox Church to a notke which appears in another column.

The concert in aid of the Leith Lodge Building Fund will commence at eight o’clo k precisely, in the new Oddfellows’ Hall, Albany street, this evening. Judging from' the re. heat sals and the programme, the c ncert should be very successful. Mr H. Shepperaoa, agent for the LydiaHowarde Burlesque Company, arrived from Oamaru to-day, where the troupe are now playing a short season. The opening performance will be given at the Queen's Theatre on Wednesday, when “ Chilperio” will be performed.

The High School a'hie tic sports come off to morrow afternoon at the Caledonian Grounds, Kensington. The entries are numerous for all the events, and there is every likel-1 ood of some close contests taking place. Ths time fixed for starting is 1.5)0 p.m. The Artillery Band will play during the afternoon. Messrs Gillies, Street, and Hislop have forwarded to us the A linanac for 1877 of the Norwich Union Fire Insurance Society. A part from its utility as a work of reference, it is a splendid work of art, representing Norwich Cathedral, beautifully colored, in a medallion, with an illuminated ground The arrangement of the colors is exceedingly skilful. A small almanac accompanies the cards, which will be found useful if carriedla a pocket-book.