AN ACTOR'S CAREER.

Patea Mail, Volume VIII, Issue 971, 13 December 1882, Page 4

AN ACTOR'S CAREER.

At his benefit at Wellington “Johnny” Hall, the well known actor, took the audience to his [confidence and gave them a page from his history. Talking in a con▼ersational style, he told them that he was born in Liverpool, and left the paternal roof at the early age of nine to join an opera company, his principal duty being to blacken his face and carry on a casket in one of the pieces produced by them. He then joined a company of strolling players, who played at the various fairs, performing five-act dramas in twenty minutes and pantomimes in a quarter of an hour. He afterwards found his way to America, where he had a very varied experience, and then visited Sydney, where he arrived with three! halfpence,but made a big “ rise ” by dancing jigs in public houses 5 . He then related his Victorian; and New Zealand experiences, the. narration being replete with humor from beginning to end. Several old identities among the audience enjoyed the story- of how he appeared as the “Fire King” at an entertainment given at Mansill’s Gardens, Wellington in 1859. -. ; TIMBER FOR CASKS. ' 7T 0— r The visit of Mr Amphlett, E.N., to Christchurch, regarding the preparation of salt beef for the Admiralty, has raised the question as to' the suitability of; New Zealand timbers for cask making. A telegram from Wellington a few days ago announced that experts there had. decided that kauri was too brittle to be suitable for casks., On the other hand,; it is a well-known fact that seasoned kauri has been used in Canterbury for 'the manufacture of cades for maiF years, and that it has given every satisfaction. The New Zealand Provision and . Produce Company use nothing but kauri for their tallow casks and as the tallow is run into them in a liquid state the test is : a very severe one, Mr Watt, the manager of. the Company, also states that he formerly used kauri for butter casks, of which at that time he . required a large number, 5 and that it was in every way suitable. It would thus appear that the dictum of Wellington experts against there being any New Zealand wood out of which salt beef casks could be made is to say the least of it,-premature. ‘ The question is one which the Industrial Association might fairly and legitimately enquire into. —Lyttelton Times. . . .! WHAT ARE WE COMING TO? The latest and most startling scientific, discovery was thus alluded to in a lecture delivered at Christchurch the other night by the Rev .Mr Gilbert. “ The telephone enabled us to speak with a friend at a distance. Would they be astonished if he were to tell them that it was now proved to be possible to convey in a similar manner vibrations of light < —to not. only speak with your distant friend, but actually to see him. The electroscope—the name of the instrument which enabled us to do this—was the very latest scientific discovery, and to Dr Gnidrah of Victoria, belonged the proud distinction. The trial of Ithis wonderful instrument took place at Melbourne on the 31st October last, in the presence of some 40 scientific and public men, and was a great success. Sitting in adarkroom, they saw projected on a large disc of white burnished metal the racecourse at Flemington, with its -myriad; hosts of living active beings. Each minute detail stood out with perfect fidelity to the original, and as they sat looking at the wonderful picture through binocular glasses it was difficult to imagine that they were not actually upon the course itself and moving amongst those whose actions they could so completely scan.”