NEWS OF THE DAY.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2460, 23 February 1882, Page 3

NEWS OF THE DAY.

? > Thb Lyttelton Seat. —Judgment wai ’• delivered in the Lyttelton election petition v case this morning by his Honor Judge Johnston, when, as will be seen by a report in another column, a verdict was given against the petitioner. Mr Holmes, counsel for the respondent, applied for cos' B, to which his . Honor assented. . ’ Resident Magistrate's Court. This ■ morning, before Mr Beetham, 8.M., four men, for being drunk, were fined each 6s. , Theatre Royal.—We are sorry that the talented comedy company now associated with Mr Harkins have _ essayed “ Hamlet” last evening. It is no disparagement to the capabilities of the members of that company to say that no one of them I possesses the requisite ability to pourtray i faithfully any of the characters in the tragedy. " Hamlet,” as personified by Mr Harkins, was assuredly one of the most unphilosophical of individuals, and the understood melanoholiness of the character was conspicuously absent. In short, Mr Harkins made the part one more of the swashbuckler kind than ef the gentle, wayward Prince, as intended by the author. The soliliquies and other self-communing parts were rendered in a high, boisterous, and far-reaching tone of voice, and occasionally only did he give utterance to the text in the orthodox and natural, subdued earnest style. The other characters were but indifferently represented, and if commendation should be given to any, we adjudge the palm to the representative of the ghostly defunct King of Denmark. We hope that for the short time the company are likely to stay with us, they will return to their J legitimate role of comedy, and give their patrons as good an entertainment as that , which they have previously provided. j Obiokbt. —The following will play for the , Press in the annual match against the ; Ximaru Press Club, on Saturday, at Ashbur- < ton: Allardyce, Asquith, Board, Coles, j Oostley, Edmonds, Hen wood, Maurice, O’Connor, Smith, and Whitford. Emer- c gencies—Messrs Lowe, Bradwell, Brunton, , Dollan, Meadows, Goodwin, and Neil. The c team are requested to meet at the station at 8 o’clock to proceed by the express.

Thb Cathedral.—Yesterday being Ash Wednesday, the first of the special Lenten services was celebrated at the Cathedra], comprising Matins at 9 a.m.; Litany and Communion service at noon and evening song at 515 p.m. To-morrow will be commenced a series of special services intended to be continued on the Thursdays throughout Lent, The Tery Bev. the Dean will preach. Canterbury Building Society.—The

annual general meeting of the members of the above will be held at the offioe, Hereford street, at eight o’clock this evening. The business will be the reception of the balancesheet and report and the election of four directors in place of those who retire by ballot, but offer themselves for re-election. Charitable Am Coilbctobship. —At the Hospital Board’s meeting yesterday, Mr James Eaoott, of Tinwald, was chosen as clerk and collector to the Charitable Aid Board. The number of applications received were sixty-six. Thompson’s Diorama, There was a large attendance at the Gaiety last night, when Mr Thompson’s diorama of the Zulu war was again exhibited. The first matinee has been fixed for Saturday next. A Zoological Garden. —The proposition of Dr. Frankish to form a zoological collection at the grounds of the Acclimatisation Society was yesterday deferred, in order that a meeting of the members of the society, and those interested, might be hold on the matter. Wakandi Election Petition, —The trial of this petition was concluded yesterday at Bakaia. The Court declared the election void, but held that the petitioner could not claim the seat. There will therefore have to be a freeh election. A report of the ease appears elsewhere. Masonic. —Special interest attaches to the regular meeting of the Lodge of Unanimity, Lyttelton, this evening, a presentation of a Past Master’s jewel being fixed to take plaoe to the I.P.M. Bro. W. B. Allwright, who has occupied the W.M. chair for two years in a manner deserving the highest praise, seeming for himself not only the appreciation of hia own members, but of the craft generally.

The Montagus • Turner Opeba Company,—Playgoers will be glad to welcome once more the advent amongst us of Miss Annis Montague, Mr Charles Turner, and their company. They open at the Theatre Boyal on Tuesday next, in Gene’s opera bouffe of " The Boyal Middy.” The company is now under the managements Signor Da Vivo, formerly agent for lima di Marska, and more recently of Herr Wilhelmj. Orphanage School. —The report of the Inspector, Mr J, P. Bestcll, states that he examined the above school on January sth and 6th, when 75 children were presented. Of these, 33 were infants below the first standard. The remaining 42 were examined with the following result: —Passed Ist stan-

dard, 16 ; passed 2nd standard, 17; passed 3rd standard, 8. Thus, of the 42, only one failed to pass, and that was in the second standard. The reading and penmanship wore described as highly commendable, and the report stated further that the instruction was chiefly confined to the more essential subjects, such as reading, writing, and arithmetic.

Not much geography or history had been acquired, although nearly enough fer passing a strict examination in the third standard, for which the grammar was described as good. The chief wants were provision for an uninterrupted course of instruction and full attendance of every child during school hours till the third standard had been passed, and the school ought then to do as well, or better, than any others. Mention was also made of improvements effected by the present staff.

Thb Ascent op Mount Cook. —Dr. Haast write* to us as follows : —I beg to send you extract from a letter of the Bev, W. 8. Green, just received, dated February 16th, which will, doubtless, be of some interest to your readers—“ The weather has been very fine, and yesterday we had a long day of fourteen hours up and down tho Tasman glacier. None of ns bad ever seen such a moraine before; it seemed as if we should never reach the ice. When we did, the day was far spent; but we had time to make a close examination of the three aretes of Mount Cook, and the conclusion we came to was this : That the south arete was impracti-

cable on account of the notch that shows in your photograph, and also for other reasons ; that the eastern arete is also impracticable, as it does not go right to the top, and its only approach is constantly swept by avalanches ; so the northern arete alone remains, and we intend to try it. From our point of view we could not follow it to its base, but we must get at it by some of the glaciers between it and Mount Tasman, This, as you know, involves a long journey, so we are preparing a week’s provisions, and if all goes well we shall start to-morrow with a light tent and as much provisions as we can carry, and work up the great glacier, getting as far as possible each day. It will be very hard work, and as Mount Cook proves to be anything than a plaything for an amateur to try bis hand on, Mr Barclay has thought better to relinquish the expedition and return. He proposed doing so himself, and, under the circumstances, I did not wish to encourage him to stay. I hope in about a week to be able to tell you something satisfactory, but none of us desire to have broken necks.” Mr Barclay states—“ The guides have the impression that there is more morainio matter on the Tasman glacier than on all the Swiss glaciers together. They consider that one of the finest Alpine scenes they have ever seen is up the glacier—-half-way up. In fact, nothing in Switzerland could compare with it. The guides believe that it is the most difficult mountain they have ever ascended.”