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Marlborough Daily Times, Volume II, Issue 103, 16 March 1880, Page 2

To-morrow being St. Patrick’s Day will be observed as a Bank holiday. The Hon. Thomas Dick is gazetted Colonial Secretary, from and and the 15th instant. H. Mclntire, Esq., &c., is gazetted Registrar under the Sale of Poisons Act, IS7I, for the Provincial District of Marlborough. R. S. Nicholson, Esq., Mayor of Mornington, has resigned his appointment of Justice of the Peace under the Municipal Corporations Act. Mr T. O’Sullivan will hold a stock sale at noon on Saturday at the Blenheim yards, when a very nice mob of cattle, draught horses, and hacks will be offered. Among the cattle arc some good milch cows. The provincial district of Auckland is proclaimed an infected district under the Diseased Cattle Act, 187 L and divided into three districts —the North Auckland District, the South Auckland District, and the County of Cook District, from and after the loth March, until further notice. Attention is directed to the “ District Orders ” published in our advertising columns, notifying the dates at which the various Volunteer corps in the district will fire for the District prizes. Tho Blenheim corps it will be observed are to fire at 9 a.m. on the 18th instant. The bell imported from England for the use of the congregation attending the Church of the Nativity, Blenheim, has arrived, and lies in Messrs Fell Bros.’s store, awaiting to be removed to the Church. It is said to be of a fine tone, and will be heard all over the town. It weighs about 6 cwt. Mr W. Litchfield showed us, this morning, about six ounces of gold, the produce of the Upper Wairau Field, and Mr P. Lawrence purchased another sample weighing about one ounce, from the same locality. It is of a nuggetty character intermixed with quartz. Mr Lawrence informs us that he is prepared to buy gold in large or small quantities. We are sorry to hear that Mr Andrews, master of the Grove Town school, met with an accident a few days ago by a fall caused by his foot slipping as he was crossing the railway near the Opawa bridge. Mr Andrews, although so far hurt as to be confined to his bed for some days is not, we arc glad to hear, seriously injured, and expects to be able to resume his school duties shortly. The “Gaiety Troupe of Star Variety Artists " .arc announced to appear for a short season, commencing to-morrow night. Amongst the performers are MissS. Lloyd, premiere ballet and danseuse from the Melbourne and Sydney theatres ; Miss Alice Irwin, the great skipping rope and character dan.er:.Miss Lilly Potter, vocalist ami pianoforte soloist: Mr Frank Browne, comic sentimental, and dcserptive vocalist; MrP. Gill, premier character dancer and comic vocalist, from the Melbourne Theatre Royal : Mr Arthur Hayes, sentimental vocalist and Dutch impersonator. A large and varied programme has been prepored, and an excellent entertainment mey he looked forward to. Mr O'Sullivan adduced the following figures in support oi his argument against Mr Chaytor’s motion at the meeting of the Marlborough County Council on Monday. He said the proposal would give to the Awa tore District, which has a revenue already of about 0,900, another £1.1,00, making a total of £5,200 ; the Wairau District with a revenue at present of about £2,400 would receive another £BOO, making a total of .0,200, while the Pelorns District with a revenue of about £BOO would only receive i)275, which would make the total revenue of that district only £1,075, and this would he a great hardship, as the district was a very expensive one to manage. Picton also would he greatly injured, whilst Omaka would not he effected ; Spring Creek could afford a reduction on the 19 per cent., it being an easy district to manage.

The well-known Carandini Company commenced a Series of concerts on Friday last at the Lyceum Hall, and, while we regret that the attendance has not been so full as could be desired, yet the lovers ol music amongst us have had an opportunity of enjoyment rarely afforded in our part of the world, where such treats are like angels’ visits, “ few and far between. On Friday evening the concert opened with an overture (pianoforte duct) by Miss Marie Carandini and Miss Deakin which was well

rendered, and indeed throughout the series, the pianoforte performances of these ladies were most admirable. It gave us great pleasure to listen once more to the voice of Madame Carandini, which, with its unimpaired sweetness, conjured up many happy musical hours of years ago ; the old favorite, “Jessie the Flower of Dumblane ’ was in itself sufficient proof of undiminished power. Miss Marie Carandini has a cultivated voice of very good quality, and exhibits much feeling and sympathy in her interpretation of many of the songs allotted to her. “ I cannot mind my wheel Mo' ler and “0 mio Fernando” being espc all worthy of mention. Miss Deakin w< coi sidor an acquisition ' o the Compam hr style is not perhap. brilliant, but ie possessed of a vew, sweet and pleasing voice, and a little more stage training will, no doubt, have a beneficial effect. Jhe solo “ In the Gloaming” was very deservedly encored. In Mr Gordon Gooch we have again an old musical friend who deserves to be complimented upon his performances. Naturally possessed of a bass voice of exceptionally fine quality, it is evident that travel and stud ' ave made a marked improvement since . e ast had the pleasurejjof hearing him, still, we might suggest, while praising his rendering of the “ Yeoman’s Wedding ” and “ 1 he Sexton,’ that trashy songs such as “ Jack’s Yarn ” and the like are unworthy of him and were far better left out. The special feature in these concerts has been, as of old, the part singing ; whether with accompaniment or without it, the most hypercritical would have had a difficulty to find a fault. “ The Blue Bells of Scotland,” “Blow Gentle Gales,” and “ Sweet and Low ” were beautifully executed. On Sunday evening a sacred concert was given, as to the success of which we had some doubts, for the reason that in smull communities like ours, many might hold the opinion that such concerts were an infringement upon the sacred day especially during Lent. However, the attendance of all denominations proved that listening to the sublime music of our great masters, wedded to the words of Holy Writ could not be impious or profane. The programme throughout was most carefully sustained. For the part singing our previous remarks will be sufficient, except that we wish to make special mention of the unaccompanied trio from the “ Elijah,” “ Lift Thine Eyes.” At all times, this piece is a difficult one to sustain ; in the present instance it was beautifully rendered. With regard to the solos, we cae only say that those who failed to hear thorn have lost an opportunity which may not occur again for some time. The Maori mind (says the N.Z. Timex) appears to be deeply stirred by the advance of the surveyors and the Constabulary across Stoney River—-the Rubicon of the West Coast. Confidence in Tc Wh’ti is being rapidly sapped and his ability to perform all that he has promised is openly questioned. Intelligence to this effect reached us yesterday, and also that one chieftain of note was heard to renark that he had doubts as to whether To Whiti was not deceiving his followers, and also whether he was really capable of causing the return of the confiscated land to the tribes, and that if he did not soon disclose his power to act the natives would leave him and goto the Government. This statement we know to be authentic, and it is a desirable turn the natives are taking under the quiet and sensible rtfjhue of the new Native Minister.