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Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1291, 18 September 1872, Page 2

It is to be hoped that there will be a numerous uttendance at the meeting appointed to be held this evening at Kilgour s Hotel, for the purpose of Organising an Acclimatisation Society. The hour of meeting is eight o'clock. Mr Small's " benefit" and personation of " O'Callaghan on his Last Logs" attracted to the Theatre, last evening, an audience of greater numbers than could well have been expected after the full houses to which the company have recently played, and Mr Small was much the opposite of his name as a source of entertainment to his audience both as actor and vocalist. This evening the house is again to be open, and on the following evening the dramatic season closes with a performance which will, no doubt, be largely attended, both on account of it being thelast and for the benefit of Mr Thornton, whose skill as a scenic artist has contributed considerably to the success of the plays recently produced. At the Resident Magistrate's Court yesterday, before Mr Revell, magistrate, the following case 3 were heard :— Johnston aud kelson v The Westland Quartz-mining Company, Registered, a claim of L 93 10s on dishonored cheques. Judgment was given by default for the plaintiffs with costs. Same v Same— L92 13s 4d, judgment by default for amount and costs. Mrs Trahey v John Harris— Judgment for the amount, L 3 10s, which had been paid into Court. Greymouth Gas Company vW. J. Coates— A claim of i L9ss Bd, the balance of a sum of Ll2 4s 5d I paid by defendant on August 1, 1871, as a deposit on account of general average on goods ex Waterman, collected by the defendant on the understanding that as much of the sum of Ll2 5s as the plaintiff was not legally liable to pay, should be returned to plaintiff on the settlement of the general average statement. The defendant conducted his own case, and informed the counsel on the opposite side that he did so because he knew more about shipping than any lawyer in Greymouth or Melbourne. After a number of witnesses had been examined, the magistrate said he would reserve judgment until Thursday. Describing the recant debate in tho House of Representatives, the Wellington corres- 1 pradtnt of the Southland Ntvoi writes :—

"To bring out the prowess of Mr Vogel's nature in its full force and effect it is a well known fact that ho requires a 'foeman worthy of his steel.' His speech on Wed- ( nesday showed that ho accepted the occasion v as such, and certainly he did it justice Speaking from an outside point of view, I should say. that Yogel is tho only real master spirit Otago has yet produced. He spoke for upwards of six hours, and in more ways than one carried confusion into the enemy's camp. To a great extent he has jiven over that evanescem; stylo of blurting out his words which did so much to spoil his speeches somo years ago, and has now become what newspaper reporters would call a good fair hand-canter speaker. Some years ago the hon. member for Tiraaru was in the habit of treating tho early efforts of his opponent disparagingly. On Wednesday evening he gave his remarks an attention which showed that he is not altogether clear that his opponent is not in a fair way of turning the tables on him." It is curious thatthe same number voted with the "ayes" in 1872 as in 1869. It was on Thursday, June 25, 1869, that Mr Fox carried his " no-confidence" resolutions —40 going into the lobbies with him, and 29 with Mr Stafford. This time the majority was 3. Two Chinese have lost their lives in the snow at Lammerlaw, Otago. They were seen just before the last snow storm, and their disappearance having been reported to the police, a search instituted, which led to the discovery of the body of one of the men near Timber Gully. A Dunedin contemporary, of September 4, says: — "About seventy gentlemen have lately subscribed their names to a roll for the formation of a Dunedin Bowling and Quoiting Club," It is astonishing that no attempt has ever been made in other Colonial towns to establish a bowling green. The game is most attractive in every respect, and would certainly be very popular. "John Peerybingle," writing in the Melbourne Weekly Times, says:— "l've just read an account of a new American invention called a Patent Cat Exterminator. The newspaper gives the f ollowing account of it : — • It is a large sheet-iron cat, with cylindrical attachment and steel claws and teeth. It goes by clockwork, and a small bellows inside causes the tail to swell, and also by a tremolo attachment causes the patent cat to utter those wild cries so familiar to the sleepless. Being duly wound up, the machine is placed on the roof of the house. Its i diabolical yells attract every 'cat within half a mile. Then the iron teeth and claws go to work, and with lightning rapidity all the assailants are torn to shreds. It is said that on some occasions as many as 50 or 100 domestic cats are slaughtered in a single night.'" A Wellington correspondent of a southern contemporary says :— "On Thursday evening hon. gentlemen laid aside their want of confidence motion, and had a step out with each other in Lady Bowen's ballroom. The gaiety and grandeur of the affair was equal to the occasion. The Maori element was largely represented. It does indeed seem absurd that these creatures should be patted on the head to such an extent. At the supper table they made some amusing exhibitions. One of their number is reported to have used, a spoon in each hand, diving into a salad on the one side and a mug of jelly on the other. A writer in one of the Christchurch papers congratulates the inhabitants of that place on the fact that a reformatory is about to be erected in their midst, and adds :— " I hope it will be one capable of admitting many inmates. I do really. There are so many young men from eleven to sixteen qualifying themselves for regular lodgers, and so many I could see away from the metropolis without a murmur. The boys that hang about the New Zealand Bank corner on Sunday night ; the boys that hang about the doors of places where anything is 'going on;' wfeo smoke — who dab cigar .ends in little girls faces ; who swear abroad, and think they are manly for so doing j who make themselves a nuisance regularly on all occasions — are a large item. Canterbury has niuoh to be proud of, but this Province can say, and say it boldly, that her larrikins are excelled by none and equalled by few. If the small-pox would confine itself to larrikins what a really charming institution it might be made." With reference to Dr Livingstone's finder, the Carnarvon IfcraldsayabhaA "Mr Stanley, tho special representative of the New York Herald, is a young Welshman, who was born thirty-two years ago in the town of Denbigh. His mother is alive and well at tho present time, and keeps the public-house knswn as the ' Cross Foxei,' St. Asaph. ' Stanley' is not the real namo of the eminent explorer, but John Thomas. Ht adopted tho name of Stanley before embarking upon this daring expodition, and doubtless he had some special reason for doing so. This youth was brought up in poverty, and under the frown of unfavorable worldly circumstances, like the majority of the children of enterprise and genius. He emigrated to America, where he became one of the reporters of tho New York Herald. Mr Gordon Bennett dis» covered that he was an extraordinary man, and appointed him as the representative of his journal with the Abyssinian Expedition. He performed his work with so much satisfaction that he was selected to conduct the present romantic search. After returning from Abyssinia, he paid a visit to his mother in Wales ; and we believe that neither Dick Shon Dafyddism nor Yankeeism has tarnished his Celtic disposition." News from Sydney says that the Rickard Troupe are carrying all before them. The latter," on finishing their New South Wales engagements, proceed to Auckland, and -will l? do' T the New Zealand towns. Bachelder, with his diorama of the United States, could not find a hall to show it in Sydney, and has gone to Auckland. The excitement in Melbourne is Moore's Magnet Troupe, which is performing at St George's, aud is drawing tremendously. Its trump card is a female gymnast called Lottie, and her two brothers, whose performances on the " triple trapeze" are astounding. Lyster's Opera Company has taken its farewell of Melbourne in a manner worthy of its reputation. A "monster musical festival," in the Town Hall, when the English and Italian companies, supported by a chorus of five hundred voices, and the best professional talent procurable, gave selections from favorite- operas. Beaumont created & furore, and had to repeat the "Death of Nelson" three times. He goes with the company to New Zealand. The new Princess opened on the 25th. The company includes Miss Dolly Green, and Barney Levy has charge of the orchestra,