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New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5475, 14 October 1878, Page 2

The official opening of the Feath'eraton railway will take place on Wednesday next. A train will run through to-day, as, owing to a large staff of men having been engaged to remove the slips, the lino is now clear. We understand that the House of Representatives will not adjourn on that day. Tbo Supreme Court sits this morning, when the case against A. McLean tor alleged forgery will come on for hearing. The s.s. Australia, with Loudon mails of 12th Sept., left San Francisco on 30th Sept., contract date. City of New York, which left Auckland on September 17, arrived on the Bth October, two days in advance of contract time. At a committee meeting of the Hutt District Agricultural, Horticultural, aud Pastoral Society held at the Odd Fellows' Hall, Lower Hutt, on Monday last, October 7, 1878, it was decided to hold the next show on the first Wednesday in March. The Agricultural and Horticultural Show will be held on the same day. The schedules of the prizes to ,ho given will be issued in due time. Whereas the last show was a very pre it success, the committee are determined to improve on the last show. The newly appointed secretary and collector is prepared to receive the annual subscriptions from the members of the society now due. At the Imperial Opera House to-night the Odd Fellows will give an entertainment in aid of the charitable and library fund of the Order. A most attractive musical and dramatic programme has been arranged. The Wellington Young Men’s Dramatic Club will play the “ Seven Clerks,” and the Catholic Young Men’s Dramatic Club will play a farce entitled “ The Careful Servant." Two bands will be in attendance, aud a number of songs will be given by the leading amateurs of Wellington. Previous to the entertainment, at half-past six o’clock, the members of the Order will meet at the Manchester Unity Hall, where a torchlight procession will bo formed. Under the leadership of Mr. W. P. Barber it will proceed to the Imperial Opera House, accompanied by the Wellington city band and by the Artillery Cadet drum and fife band. No pains have been spared to make the evening’s amusement a thorough success, aud the praiseworthy object of its promoters should alone commend it to the public, who wo hope will give them a full and hearty support, and will no doubt pass a pleasant evening. The announcement of Mr. G. D. Chaplin’s first performance in “ Hamlet ” appears elsewhere. Mr. Chaplin, who arrived from the .South on Saturday, will, as we have already informed our readers, play a short season of twelve nights at the Imperial Opera House, commencing on Wednesday evening next, and will he supported by Mr. J. B. Steele, Mr. Musgrave, Mrs.Hi 11 and daughter, Miss Lizzie Morgan, and others. As an exponent of Hamlet, the Australian Press has pronounced Mr. Chaplin’s aotigg to be on a par with former well-known representatives of the “ melancholy Dane.” It is so long since we have had tho “legitimate" drama decently placed on the stage that Mr. Chaplin’s advent should sure to revive an interest in the Shaksperiau school of play. Those of our readers who have retained their tickets for Miss Annie Beaumont’s bene fit may bo glad to hoar that they can avail themselves of their right to admission this evening. A magnificent silver tea service will be presented for the best conundrum. After the concert a ball will be given. Rain or shine, we understand that the entertainment will come off. Wo hope the additional attractions may ensure a full house. The services hold yesterday in connection with the Yonng Men’s Christian Association were ns usual well attended, more especially the morning meeting. A number of the late arrivals by the Rakaia were present at each of these services. Wo have received a letter from the driver of the carriage which met with au accident on the Karori-road last week. He states that when the horses bolted ho applied the break, but ineffectually, and when turning one of the sharp curves ho was thrown violently from the box, aud did not jump from it as reported. As Mr. J, Dooley was driving along the Hutt-road yesterday afternoon with his wife tho horse took flight and commenced Woking. Ultimately Mrs. Dooley was thrown out of the trap and seriously hurt. Mr. Dooley received a kick on tho chin, but fortunately he was too far off from tho horao to feel the full effects of the blow from tho animal’s heels. There was only one case of drunkenness heard at tho Resident Magistrate’s Court on Saturday, Tho Poverty Buy Standard, an evening paper, has the following flattering reference to our evening contemporary :—“ With regard to ourselves, wd do not protend to say that we shall make a rapid fortune at tho outset, or that wo shall r-ival such journals as the Auckland Star or Wellington Post, still we can hold our own, and by taking tho initiative, and being the pioneers of daily iournalisul in Poverty Bay, wo can claim; as the district increases, a certain amount of support, which a paper that tyas bff.rpo the,* heat and burden’ of the day ia justly entitled tQ.”

Owing to the boisterous weather, the circus did not open on Saturday, as advertised. The first performance will be to-night. We understand that Mr. Roper, the favorite tenor, has severed his connection with Cheevers and Kennedy’s minstrels, and was a passenger by the Taupo yesterday from Auckland. Mr. Roper comes here to join Mr. and Mrs. Hart as their agent. A crowded audience gathered at the Theatre Royal on Saturday eveningtowitness the initial performance", of “Lisa Eccles.” The play is one constructed—like all of those of Baker and Farron’s repertoire —to give them an op? portunity of exhibiting their specialities. It is more skilfully arranged than “ Conrad and Lizette,’’ and abounds in sensational incidents. As in their other plays, the most work falls upon Baker and Farron, who appear several times in each act, constantly changing and introducing something new. One of the moat iuteres ing parts of the pro, gramme was the introduction of the miniature volunteers, who were drilled before the audience by Mr. Baker. The boys composing the company belong to Wellington, and have been trained by Mr. Baker in a few days. They seem to have bsen apt scholars if their proficiency is a criterion. Every evolution was made with that exactness which characterises the movements of trained sold ery, and was received with great applause by the public. Great 1 credit is due to Mr. Baker for the high state of proficiency to which he has brought his little troop. Among the musical selections was a medley of popular airs which were well received. Miss Julia Merton made her dibat in the character of Mrs. Appleby, enacting the part in a creditable manner. This evening the same piece will be repeated, and it will doubtless draw ns full houses as wereseen.at the Royal during the production of “Conrad and Lizette." “It is an ill wind that blows nobody good" (says the M:\nawatw Times), and the recent contest in the No, 2 Ward of the Manawatu Highways Board was the means of increasing the funds of that body by £67 9s. 3d. The returning officer, Mr. James Linton, very wisely made it a sine C(ud non before electors exercising the franchise that they should be clear upon the rate-book, and the above neat little sum was the result. As the Carnarvon was the only ward out of seven where there was a contest, the rate fund was not augmented in the same proportion as if there had been opposition iu the remainder, thereby necessitating the recording of votes. Mr. George Thomas will sell to-day, at' tho stores of Messrs. Krull and Co., a quantity of miscellaneous goods, ex Abeona, more or less damaged. Further information will be found in tho advertisement.