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Southland Times, Volume III, Issue 12, 4 December 1863, Page 2

On Wednesday evening the Princess Theatre was reopened after having been very considerably enlarged. Tire word theatre, in is ordinary acts ' j ■captation, is scarcely applicable to this place of public amusement-; it being, in fact, nothing more thnn a long room fitted with a- stage, &c, nt one end. The audience on Wednesday was large, every seat in t;he house being ciccupied, and the standing room between fhe doors and the back row of benches, accommrriating a good many loungers. The anne uncerr.ent that '"the Xjllkjsl,' which hns caused such a sensation in other parts of the colonies, would, on that night, make its first bow to nn Tnvevenrgill nudienee, doubtless helped very considerably, in bringing about so desirable a state of thing-; for the Treasury. The amusements of the evering commenced with the rendering of a number of songs by Miss E; ma Stanley, and Messrs Small, L'wnari, and L'Hcver These ar£(.v/Vs.noquit(cd themselves to the sntivfec. (ion of the audience ; -hut we would cuj«r<* !! t- to tho mnnngement that, for the future, a liitle tn' ro novelty might be introduced with advantage into this pnrt of the entertainment, and that one or two of Sir T.ockyer's so::gs might be altogether expunged from the hill of fare, as being sorrewhat of the coarsest. After a short interval the curtain rose to the burlesque of " Lor 1 Lore! and ye Lady Nuncy." The scenery, painted by Mr John Holland, is very good, and th? dresses are also a great 'mproveinent t> what we have previously witnessed nt the Princess's. Miss Emma Stanley, as Lord I: >vel. played with considerable spirit, and was frequently applauded. Mr L^emnn. as Baron Hilly Bell, appeared to bo suffering from hoarseness. Mr Joseph Small, as Rumtifoozle, was not only perfect in the words of his part, but wns well up in the " busin vs," neither of which pieces of commendation are we able to bestow on his comrades, Ituiiiano (Mr Lockyer), and Desperado (Mr ] lev wood). Mr Lhekyor's singingwas tolerable. Mr E. D. Haygarth. made, up capitally as L.ndy Nancy Hell, and, throughout the picer, sustained the character with tact enough to leave some of the audience in doubt as to whether an actor or actress was bi-fore them. Lastly, we have a few weirds to say about the gheist, which was on fhe whole a good and very reypectaLte ybost, and a ghost worth seemg — but it was scarcely proper for it lo make nn uppointment /and keep it) witli a stage carpenter just at the moment when its attention wns required elsewhere. 8 ri'-usly, tho effect was very considerably marren by the appearance, at the samk! time as the ghost, ot a remarkably ugly bead and shoulders, belonging to some one who ought *ol>c a little more careful for the future. We may mention that the solos and duets by Messrs llaygarth and Small wc-re capitally sung, and caused an unlimited amount of merriment. Tho deiirery of the text was, in instuncos mentioned above, very defective. Burlesques should he recited briskly, with both rhyme and rhythm well marked, or the bad puns, with which it is (he fashion to overload them, are certain to become wi'Arisome to the ear. Last ni^ht the same piece was again pu 1 on tho stage with some slight vari afionin (ho cast,' —Mr Lockyor bdinsr indisposi !. Thr> Uhost bi'lnve.l very wall nnd Inked as horrible as tha 'nj.t lasli lioin couM el.'sire. Mr tliiyjarth and Mr S n ill su^ffuned their pnrts admirably, and the rest of the e>mpany were more au fait at tho text than on the previous night. An irate correspondent indignantly demands of us to call attention to the existence of the " dog nuisance," in the following communication: — "To ths Editor of the Times. — Sir — If Invercargiil is not, figuratively speaking, "going to the dugs/ it is becoming painfully evident that the (Inns are coming to Id ven-nrgi'l. L is not enough that one is annoyed by the numbers of loose, unowned, aud nii-crable-looking ours which in the day time almost dispute the frotloir with him; but he must bt? in danger of his life by their attacks nt night on his way home. I can cosily understand the necessity of the dwellers in lent , in (he suburbs of the town, fur having dogs to protect them; but let them be chained up, and not allowed to roum at large and ' b:\il up ' the unfortunate wayfarer. It is quite a difficult task <-nough to have to pick your \vny of a dark night, wilh . perhaps, a quagmire in front of you, ani a yawning chasm on ench siele, , without tho addition of a howling pack of dogs in your rear, ravenou-ly eager to convert your calves into dogs' ment, The worst feature in thcrco nuisances, i°, Sir. that the curs who stick 'you up are generally of Die sneaking, yelping species and although driven oft' for a lev/ minutes by a thump from a stick, or a well diree'ed blow from a stone, tliey again en flank you, or taking; up a position in the rear, keep dodging your track. Can you not suggest some remedy for this abominable infliction ? Is there no Inspector of Nuisances in Invercargiil ; or is he only awoke to offences against the olfactories of the lieges by day, and not called on to interfere with'the nightly amusements of these animals? How readily have I seen the gentlemen in blue, take up a wnndering horse in the streets' — how much more Decessary to place in limbo the wandering dogs — at least those who are allowed by their owners to go out on the loose after dark." [We can fully sympathise with the woes of our correspondent; and might suggest that the police receive ths same head, or rather tail money which in Victoria, is offered as a premium on every dog desf roved; thetsi's of the animals being produced as a gu'iraiteo of their d -structioii. El. J.Z\] At the General Publicans' Licensing Court on Wednesday., (Messrs Price, LI.M. and W. Whitton J.P , on the Bench), the following applications, were granted, viz: — "P. Matheson, Lord Clyde Eotel, Tweed street; F. A Van Ilammer, Rose o> Denmark, Dunedin Road; R. Shaw, Alhambra j Kelvin street; J. Moir, Clarenelon, Kelvin street # On the application of G. Fall, for the Excelsior, Tay street, being heard (Mr Weston appearing on behalf of the applicant), it was opposed by Messrs Harvey and RusScl. The objections raised were chiefly groui ded on the alleged insufficiency of accom. modation, and from the circumstance of a bowling saloon being attached to the hotel, rendering it a nuisance to the neighbors. It appeared however, that the application was favourly reported on by the Commissioner of Police, after the requsite inspection ; and as to the alleged nuisance, it was shown by the solicitor for the appli- , nant, that tho immediate neighbors of the applicant supported, instead of objecting to the application. The B?nch granted the application for a 10 o'clock license. Transfers of licenses were granted to Mr Koebuck of the Union Hotel, Toy street, Mr Colyer, Princess' Hotel Dee street. The applications of Mr J. G. Hughes for the Grand Juntion Hotel, North Koael, and Mr J. F. Norman for the Red I>ion, Waikivi Bush, were adjourned it appearing by the police report thnt the promises of the respective applicants were Dot fiuis'.ied.

At the usual weekly mcetiug of the Town Eoard' on Wednesday, the following comprised the business: — Applications from Mr Hall, of tho Excelsior Hotel, Tuy-streefc, for permission to excavate a cellar opening in front of his premises -> and from Messrs D. and J. Mitchell, to make some alterations in the entrance to tiie right-of-way adjoining their primises, were granted The imperfect state of the druin.ige in vnrioii3 parts of the town, was brought under the consideration -of the Board by a commnnicrttion from Mr Commissioner Weldon. The necessary repairs and alterations were ordered to be done by the Engineer (pro tern) ) at an expense not exceeding £20. A request from Messrs Campbell and Robertson to be allowed to deviate from, the specifications of their contract, was net complied with. It appearing that the late Engineer to the Board, sfill retained certain paper 5 and official documents belonging to (he Board, Mr Weston , the Solicitor, was instructed to make the usual legal request for them to be given upTheTJunedin Te'eyniph states :— -" We learn that the workings at Moeraki arc at present confined almost entirely to the banks of a stream, about two and a-half miles from the township o' Hamprlen. Tho Gorge is about a mile and a half from the beqeh, and gold is being obtained in the gorge 'from which the s!ream in question called the One River flows, arid also upon the bench, whence gold hus r.lso often fuund its way to town during the last two years and a half. .] On the flat between the Gorge and the beach gold has aiso been foundj- ar.d various parties are prospi ctii g in the neighborhood. Good pros] cits have been foui.d ihicughout between the pics-cut woikiuns and the Shag Valley It is et Jifickntly expected that »old will be found all along the chaiu of rapges which runs from the pi esc nt field away to tie Kakanuis. The development of the gohifield was at first cheeked by the fact that the payable places discovered were nil on the land of absentee proprietors. Mr liopkinson, acting ns f-gent for one of them^ Mr Calcutt, thought it advisable to warn the diggers off the scene of the first disrovcry until proper arrangements had been made with the proprietor himself." On the criminal charge shoot at the Resident Magistrate's Court for the hist two days, the only cases were three of drunkenness. Tuore was a few small debt cuisee before the court, which were, however, of no public importance. From the Otago Tim.rs we Ic.irn that on Tuesday, the Ist inst, in the Resident Magistrate's Court, Dune-din, '• Jiuncs Williams, alias Squeeze^ altrts Jemmy {ho. ]\:u)ier, aJltts Yellow Jemmy, lately discharged from prison, where he bud undergone a sentence for shooting with intent, was brought up on suspicion of being concerned with two others at present unknown, of firing upon and assaulting William Act-in, nonr S'witzer's, and stealing from his r-erfen a tjuni.tif 3- of gold and other property. Detective C:issels stated — I arrested the prisoner la«t evening, about half-past 8 o'clock. I have received a description of three mon as sft !Hn, dark complexion, with a cast in one ..-ye. I bilicve the prisoner before the Court, to be identical with the man so described, and therefore pray for a remand for seven days for the appearance of Mr Acton. Prisoner said he had been slaving amongst the snow, and had not been near tho place where the roblvry was committed as the detective knew very well. Prisoner was remanded for seven days. The RvfJnfi/ ISTorvin'jlTirahl recently published the following singular story respecting the colonial rr-KTi-hnat Piororr. Tt purports to be an extract from the Chief engineer on board : — "Since I wrote you last a good many changes have taken j-lace wilh the gunboat and everybody eonnccled w ;<h her, some of them. I am sorry to say, not very creditable to the parties concerned with it. Two orlhrc-e d.iys after we arrived here the C< irmiouore refused to have anything to do with her nn'ess she was handed ovrr to ihr Imperial Gt v err. merit, This the Xow Zcalnnd Govcriiincnt wculdnot consent to; however, after a great dc-a! of tnlk and letter, writing, the Governor took it upon himself to hand her over without the consent of his Ministry, the consequence of which is, they hive resi jr>ed. On the lGih October she was formally handed over to the Imperial authorities and all hands discharged. I was the only one they asked to remain with her, which, after seeing t:ie j Minister of war and Mr Dillon Cell, I declined ' to do. They have hacked and cut up the / boat in such a manner that you would scarcely know her, and would think shame to own her if you ever had anything to do with her. The day before she was to leave for the Waikato they got up stenm and had a turn about the harbor. Next morning they left for good, aj.d had only been away about two hours when they burnt the boilers and burst the donkey engine pun-.p, and had to be towed Lack to the- i-k-lip.se. They hari all the men they could get from the ships ar.d the shore wOl king night and day for eight days before tl cy got her repaired agrvin. They did their best to conepal the whole affair, and even 3 aid that they had made the chief engineer -of ihc Kclipse examine the boilers, and lhat he did not consider tlrcm sufficiently stayed, iind rf eeome nded extra stays to be put in, and that tl.ey had cone back to get it done; but nil was of no "use ; the truth will bo out some way or other, ar.d 1 have taken good care that the truth is known in Auckland, at any rate- The Ministry have made a good handle of it. I believe it will be the subject of some very hot discussion in the Assembly next week-" The following from ihe.Jr/e, may be valuable to some of our pastoral renders: — "Allan's specific for scab has established its reputation in the estimation of a number of gentlemen whose names were affixed to a certificate affirming its curutive virtues, on Saturday last. Among these are the names of Messrs Ryan, Goldsborough, Stilling and KUe. This document was signed on -tho occasion of the final inspection of the sheep dipped on tho 30th >f October, re-dipped on the 12th of November and pronounced perfectly cured. That these animals are miraculously transformed since the day they were first immersed in the specific, everyone who saw them and will look at them now will nt once admit. More wretched objects than they were at that time; — covered with disease, with but a ragged and dirty scr»p or two of wool hanging about them, and almost too feeble to stand upon their feet — can scarcely be conceived. Now they are vigorous, lively and stout-; they might even have been fat had they been better fed. They discover no inclination to scratch themselves, their skin looks healthy nnd fresh, and the new crop of wool, which is showing all ov«r them, is in all respects equal to what sheep ot the same description who have never had the scab would produce. So far, then, we are disposed to acquiesce in the judgment of the gentlemen above named, nnd others who have signed the certificate, namely, that Allan's specific Is what it professes to be, a euro for scab." "We ace that ihe construction of the Christchurch line of railway lias at length reached a successful tei initiation, and the Canterbury journal*, in congratulating their readers upon this gratifying event, state upon authority that the railway will be officially opened upon the first of December, and that there will be a grand ball on the following evening in connection with this event. A trial trip of the ongiio over the line from Fcrryinead to Christchuvch, was made on the ISih inst.. and the espcrimeut is announced as having resulted in acoainletc succig.

Iho following is from the Argus: — "We ore glad to learn that Mr Coppin's enterprise*, to which w c owe the presence of the Keans, is not likely to po unrewarded. At the close of the season in Melbourne, Mr Coppin has found that his calculatio n.of the receipts, so far, has been exceeded. I may also bo stated that, in six successive nights within a few shillings of of LI4OO was taken at th Uajmarket Theatre — a sunj, we are assured, ex_ cceding by About LI SO the largest sum ever before drawn in the some period by any dramatic entertninment, even in the most golden day9 of tbe colony, when tickets were sometimes sold at a very high rate. This tact says much for the appreciation of the drama in Melbourne, as well as for the popularity of Mr and Mrs K>'an." The Hobart Town Advertiser of the 9th Not, states : — •' On Saturday last, a most desperate attempt to murder Constable Morrison, Of Bridgewnter, was made by a man whom that officer was ende.voring to apprehend The following are briefly the facts'. It appears there was a great disturbance at Wood's public house, Bridge water, in which several laboring men were engaged. They presently got outside and commented smashing the windows; The Police interfered, and as Constable Morrison was erdeavoring to arrest one of the men, the fellow drew a !kr/ffc from his pocket, and stabbed the constable's body to the entir? depth of the blade, inflicting a frightful gash from which the blood flowed in streams. A m<?ssfn<>er was at once dispatched' to Hobart Town for Dr Bright, who lost no time in hastening to attend. Upon examining the wound, he prnnouncrd it to be of a most dangercus charai ter, from which the constable was not likely to rrrovor. I). C. Bcrresford at once forwnrded a message to Brighton for a magistrate to take the depositions of Mr Harrison was the magistrate, we learn, who attended for this purpose. The ruffian was at once taken into custody Upon inquiry last evening we have ascertained that the constable is in a most precarious state, and up to a late hour Dr Bright wns still with himi There was a late report that the constable was dead, but this has been contradicied."