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Evening Star, Issue 4315, 26 December 1876, Page 2

Mr Pyke has received a vote of confidence from the Clyde portion of his electorate. A novel speculation is advertised in the luvercargill papers. The gross takings of Hegarty's troupe for seven nights are to be sold this evening from the stage ©f the theatre. The Invercargill team to play against Dunedin on New Year's Day will be selected from the following:—Cross, Ross, Buchanan, R. Wesney, J. Wesney, Pickford, Howard, Howell, Reade, Kerr, Kingswell, Stock, Searle, and Galbraith. The Adelphian glass in comection with the Christian Disciples, and their friends, held their annual picnic yesterday at Mr Todd's farm, Waikari, and there spent a very enjoyable day. There were 130 to 140 persons present. The official statement is that there are now 4,500 persons on the Kumara diggings, 3,000 of whom are engaged in mining. A new and distinct lead, known as the Shamreck, has been opened, and on it there are upwards of 400 miners in payable claims.. The following of the Thames Volunteers have qualified for the representative firing : - Seaman Fagg 160 (aggregate); Seaman Sykes (extra man), 159. Rifles—Brownlow, 151 (aggregate); Armstrong, 150 ; Captain Murray, 149. Three extra men-Private Ball, Te Ure Whare, and Private Clark The scores of the extra men are close behind the top scores. It is probable that the whole eight men will attend the Colonial meeting. On Sunday evening, being Christmas Eve, a special service was held xn St. Matthew's Church, the chief object of which was the introduction of the time-honored Old-world custom of carol-singing. To the Rev. E. G. Penny is due the credit of proposing that Christmas Eve should be marked by the singing of carols in the church, and Mr Richardson, the organist, energetically went to work to carry out the idea. From Sandy's "Antient Carols," "Christmas Carols," and other sources he made a selection, which were photo-lithographed in pamphlet form, and 500 copies circulated amongst the varions Dunedin choirs and congregations. The following are the carols forming the collection :—" Adestes, fideles," " The first Nowell," "Hark! all around the welkin rings," " While shepherds watched their flocks," "Now carol we," "Masters in this hall," "Our Master hSth a garden," "A virgin most pure," "In excelsis gloria," and "Christiaus, awake!" The usual evening service was full choral, the Bishop of Dunedin officiating. A fter the sermon, in order to alow time for other congregations to reach Sfc. Matthew's in time for the carols, the following solos were excellently given by members of the choir: " O Rest in the Lord," fiom Elijah ; " But the Lord is mindful," from St. Paul; and Gounod's Christmas sacred song "Nazereth." Thej Bishop then gave, in a few well-chosen remarks, a history of the ancient practice, and reasons why it should be observed in our own day. By the time the carols commenced, the Church was criimmed to such an extent that, though seats were placed in the side aisles, the vestry and chancel members were unable to find even standing room. The carols were then sung in the order given above, and nothing could have exceeded the spirit and joyfulness with which they were rendered. "The first Nowell," and " Our Master hath a garden," were admirably rendered without accompaniment. "Master's in this Hall" was most quaint, both in words and music, and must be of vtry ancient origin. After "Christiana Awake" had been sung by choir and congregation, the Bishop gave the Benediction, and the " Gloria in Excelsis " was given by the combined choirs, accompanied by the organ and several instrumentalists, who kindly assisted Mr Richardson on the occasion by playing the choruses of the carols, and also as an offertory Handel's celebrated pastoral symphony from the "Messiah." To the choir every praise is due, and the organi&t is to be congratulated on the success which has attended his efforts to train a body of choristers, the clear voices of the boys being one of the most pleasing features of what proved to all a most enjoyable service. The collection in aid of the choir funds amounted to Ll7 Bs. After midnight a number of the Anglican church choirs went found the city an-i suburbs carolling, and no doubt awoke within many a breast recollections of old tames in a far off land.

I A special sitting of the Court of Appeal , is to be held at Christchurch on January 17 j to consider the points of law raised in a recent judgment in the case of Woodgate, I who was tried at Picton for the murder of his children. On Christmas Day a pleasant day was spent by some 1,200 people at the Tomahawk, where the annual sports were held on a capital piece of ground bordering the lagoon. Tiie place was laid out in-imitation of the Caledonian grounds, and a good programme of foot and hurdle races, jumping, putting the stone, dancing, wrestling, &c, was gone through satisfactorily. Music was provided by the local brass band) a very creditable body, and fortunately but one piper put in an appearance. The games were all well several Dunedin pedestrians an,d dances competing, but all the prizes were not taken from the district, which apparently contains some smart athletes. If these sports are properly worked up next year we anticipate seeing a far greater number of visitors from Dunedin, and the committeemight vary the programme by utilising the lagoon for boat races or swimming matches. Port Chalmers presented an animated appearance yesterday by reason of the whole of the vessels in port displaying their bunting, while thel Custom-house, Signal Station, and variousjbuildings were similarly decorated. A few picnic parties patronised the watermen, while others proceeded to Portobello, and the p.s. Iron Age conveyed a number of excursionists from town to the Kaik. The Olive Branch 1.0. G.T. held their picnic at Lane's Rocks, where a large number were present. In the evening a seaman's tea meeting was held in the Bonded Store, where the seamen of the severals in port, together with a large number of visitors from Dunedin, were entertained. The upper floor of the bond was tastefully decorated with flags, and on the walls were fastened large cards containing exhortations from the Scriptures. A number of tables were placed across the room and covered with a variety of edibles. At least 500 persons were present. After the tea, Mr A. Thomson took the chair, and during the evening several gentlemen addressed the meeting, the intervals between the speeches being devoted to the singing of hymns. The meeting was closed by prayer, and the Dunedin visitors were convened to town by the 10.10 train. The attention of the North Dun°din Rifle Volunteers is called i o an order in our columns from their commanding officer. Mr George Direll advertises £lO reward for the conviction ef the person or persons who have wilfully destroyed the Princess's Panto- : mime bills. Mr H. S. Fish will meet the electors of South Ward at Watson's Koy.d Hotel, Walker btreet, to-morrow (Wednesday) evening, as 8 o'clock.