NEWS OF THE DAY.

Patea Mail, Volume VIII, Issue 1018, 6 April 1883, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

The attention of subscribers is directed to a notification on our third page. On Wednesday, a woman named Wolfspite was found banging by a rope from a tree at Stratford. She had shown signs of depressed spirits for some days, but there was no reason to suppose that she meditated suicide. At the sittings of the Supreme Court at Dunedin on Wednesday, a man named Thomas Dobbie was found guilty, on three separate charges, of the larceny of sewing machines, and sentenced to four years’ imprisonment. At the Auckland Supremo Court true bills were found against Mahuki and 22 followers on six counts, and E B Walker and ' others concerned in the Cambridge ejectment case, and Whaikuata for perjury.

A stoiekeeper at one of the digging towns on the West Coast of the South Island asked a lady of that classic region to pay an account, of which she said she had his receipted bill. He said not ; so she travelled home in the cart 20 miles or so and got it. Then she went back to the store, and the man said it was all a mistake. A little later, he was lying down on the floor of the shop with .his head on a flour bag, and his feet in a herring cask, while the lady performed on him with one of his best brooms. After a bit he got up, and was carrying the customer out of the shop, when his wife (who had been out to milk the cows) turned the corner. He is now a porous-plaster package, full of nothing else but groans and explanations.

A fresh announcement of Mr P. Bell’s appears in our advertisement columns this issue.

Miss Alice Dunning Lingard, tho actress, so well known through Now Zealand, made her 1 first appearance in London at a scratch morning performance given at the Gaiety Theatre on 21st February. ' She describes herself as “Miss Lingard,a young, lady- who Had for some years lias been gaining experience on the American and Colonial stage.” The house was fairly well filled for a matinee, the majority of the onlookers being, however, “ professionals” 'come to guage Miss Lingard’s talents. Everybody seemed struck with her beauty and grace, which have matured wonderfully, and if she had chosen a less ambitious rdle to appear in, her success might have excited more than momentary interest. The result of challenging comparison with such consummate artistes as Sarah Bernhardt and Adelina Patti was, however, almost fatal, and the criticisms, while admitting her experience and capacity for light comedy, condemn her pathos as “ artificial ” and lacking in real power. Miss Lingard is nevertheless sure to receive an engagement, for her beauty makes her at any rate safe. Through a typographical error in our last issue, Sergeant Donovan’s donation towards the subscription raised for the man Whitton, was given as 2s, whereas it should have read ss. Fifty representatives, members of Friendly Societies, met the Treasurer at Dunedin on Wednesday night, and discussed with him his National Insurance scheme. The following resolution was_ carried : “ Without professing to commit "the several Societies to which those present belong, this meeting expresses its general approval of the scheme of National Insurance propounded by Major Atkinson.”

Under date February 22, the London correspondent of the Pont writes :—The consignment of frozen meat cx s.s. Sorrento, particulars of which I hope duly reached you vitl Brindisi, will, it is understood, prove a financial as well as a general success. This jms not been tho case hitherto with the New Zealand shipments, and the Sorrento’s trip may bo said to mark tho turning point in tho history of this trade. ' Her mutton has throughout brought the Australian Company 7Jd per lb wholesale, and they seem to consider this price satisfactory. Their energetic manager, Mr John Hlovons wrote to the Stmmifd, and other papers, notifying to the public that the Hommto’s mutton is in prime condition, mid under its own name might now ho purchased retail at Messrs Fitters’ in tho Lcadonhall Provision Market/. 1 dropped in there yesterday (21st February), and found quite a JittJo crowd of buyers and sight-seers, who were unanimous in comparing it most favourably with the meat for sale on tho adjacent-stalls. Tho following are Messrs Fitters’ retail prices :— Legs of mutton,.Oid per lb ; neck, 7d ; breast, 54d; shoulder, 8d; loin, 9d and OJd ; saddle, 9dto 9 jd* Home of the Sorrento’s meat was sent to Birmingham Market last week, where it comparatively “ squelched ” the American frozen mutton, selling id per lb higher.