Social and Domestic.

Southland Times, Issue 757, 2 December 1867, Page 3

Social and Domestic.

The Amateur performance at the Theatre BoyaJ, on Thursday evening, in aid of the fund 3 of the Hospital, passed off with great eclat. The music was excellent, under the leadership of Mr Lloyd. " Eetained for the Defence," some capital comic songs, and the " Virginian Mummy" comprised the evening's amusement. The house •was crowded, and the audience appeared to enjoy themselves thoroughly. Pressure on our space compels us to omit a detailed notice. The following unique advertisement is clipped from the Argus. " Jack Harris " was some time since well known in Invercargill as a sporting hotelkeeper : — " Wanted, twelve barmaids to proceed to New Zealand, to Jack Harris' Star Theatre, Greymouih, New Zealand. Wages £2 per week, passage paid. No young lady need apply unless auburn hair and fair complexion. Three months' engagement. Apply, from ten to one, at London Tavern, Elizabeth-street." We have received the following from the Director of Meteorological Stations : — " Martendale, November 22. — The heavy westerly gale which blew all yesterday, ceased in the night, and the wind veered to E. The barometer to-day has fallen to 28 77, the lowest reading since 1865." The following shows the number of letters and newspapers which have passed through the Inyercargill Post Office during the quarter ended 30th September, 1867. Keceived — within the Province, 5689 letters, 4494 papers j from the United Kingdom, 2213 letters, 8501 papers j from the Australian Colonies, 2332 letters, 3432 papers ; from other places, 42 letters, 4 papers ; making a total of 19,101 letters, antl 17,805 newspapers received during the three mouths. Despatched — to places within the Province, 10,740 ' letters, 9007 papers ,■ to other provinces, 5766 letters, 2563 papers ; to the United Kingdom, 3774 letters, 2252 papers; to the Australian Colonies, 2274 letters, 1102 papers j to other places, 144 letters, 72 papers ; or a total of 22,698 letters, and 15,001 papers. In connection with the above, it may be worthy of remark that a comparison between the number oi letters received from, and sent to, the United Kingdom, gives a decided contradiction to the generally received opinion that colonists are slothful correspondents, at least so far as this Province i 8

Wo have to acknowledge the receipt of a Report of the Colonial Museum, 1866.--7,-including *n abstract of the contents of the Museum, and a list of presentations and deposits. Also, the Geological Report of the Lower Waikato District, with maps and sections ; and an abstract report of the progress of the G-eological Survey of Uew Zealand, during 1863-7. To a telegram sent to Wellington a few days ago relative to the Duke of Edinburgh's visit, the following answer was returned 6n Tuesday : — Until it is known what time the Duke of Edinburgh can devote to New Zealand, it is impossible to say whether he could be advised to visit Southland, and if he travels much in the interior it is not likely any of the funds voted would remain for a visit to Southland. ' : The system of allowing members of Parliament to " frank " communications passing through the post offices, was, until a recent period, adopted both at home and in the colonies. It was found, however, that this privilege was much abused. The peraons to whom the authority was given i not only franked their own letters, either public j or private, but gave their signatures to all their friends and acquaintances. To remedy this evil the law was changed. In Victoria it was resolved to abolish the system of " franking " altogether without calling upon members of Parliament to pay the postage on political business letters. This was to be accomplished by the librarian of the Assembly being supplied with stamps, to he issued to members upon application. The extent to which 'this privilege may be abused, is illustrated by the following : — The Age says : — "When the hon. member for Ballarat East, Mr Jones, undertook the defence of Sir James Palmer, for the alleged misappropriation of postage stamps, he was silent as to his own share in the transaction. But the report submitted to the Legislative Council yesterday by the Library Committee names him aa the grand appropriator of the public stamps. According to the report, the librarian addressed a letter to the Chief Secretary, stating that in two days he furnished an hon. member with 235 fourpenny and 210 twopenny stamps ; and the same gentleman had signified his intention of applying for two thousand fourpenny stamps to defray the carriage of letters to his constituents. The hon. Mr Mitchell, who read the librarian's letter, did not name the member, but simply referred to him as an hon. member in another place ; but on handing a copy of this letter to the press, *he name of Mr C. E. nes was found very clumsily erased from it. A return recently published shows that, from 1853 to 1866, inclusive, there was exported from New Zealand 2374t, Bcwt. of copper ore. That export, commencing with l7ot, in 1853, had increased to 510fc in 1856 ; that was the greatest quantity exported in any year j and there being a decrease fiom 35Ut in 1858 to 51t in 1862, no copper ore has been sent out of the Colony since then. Of chrome ore, the Colony has exported 5306t, 3cwfe. 2qr. The first chrome left our shores in 1858, the quantity being 3t 2wt 2qr ; and since then there has been a yearly export (excepting during 1865), the quantity shipped last year being 281t. Just seven tons of plumbago had been exported up to the end of 1866 — 5t Bcwt in 1857, and It 12cwt in 1864. These statistics, we fancy, are illustrative of the history of the Dun Mountain Company, or of other undertakings directly connected with the Nelson Province. The Christchurch Chamber of Commerce have appointed a Committee to inquire into the state of the laws affecting bills of sale, with instructions, to report upon the game, and to suggest such amendments as may appear desirable, in order to protect the trading community for the losses arising from the present practice. A public meeting, in accordance with a resolution passed at the recent meeting of the representatives of Christchurch, was held on the 20th inst., in the Christchurch Town Hall, for the purpose of forming a Financial Reform Association. Mr W. Wilson, chairman of the City Council, presided. The following were the resolutions passed by the meeting ; — " That this meeting is of opinion that a Financial Reform Association should be established in Canterbury, for the purpose of effecting a reduction in both the colonial and provincial taxation and expenditure." " That a method of raising the necessary revenues which shall be less burdensome to the industry, commerce, and enterprise of the Colony and Province shall be one of the objects of this association." " That it shall be one of the special duties of this association to endeavor to secure a modification of the customs duties on imported articles of general consumption." " That a provisional committee be formed for the purpose of drawing up rules for the management of the j association, and that a public meeting be called at an early date to consider the adoption of such rules, the appointment of permanent officers and working committee for co-operating with similar associations or leagues in other parts of the Colony." The Chairman hoped that Wellington, Ofcago, and Auckland would follow their example and pass similar resolutions. A Wellington paper understands that, by the Rakaia, Captain Benson received advices from Opara that the king or chief had granted the Company a goo 1 pieca of hind, about five acres, with water frontage, on lease for ninety-nine years. It is suitable for collecting stock and growing vegetables, both of which have been already commenced, and will doubtless prove a great boon to passengers travelling on this now popular route. On September 20fch, the American whalers, Cleone, Captain Luce, and Alfred Gibbs, Captain Jennings, both of New Bedford, called at the island, and were very glad to find the Midas there. The captains consider it will become a most important place of call for whalers, and desired to be reported. The former was out forty months, and had in 1800 barrels of oil j the latter had 600 barrels, and was twenty-seven months out. It is quite possible that whalers may yet take advantage of the steamers to send oil to New Zealand for sale, and return to the United States, an operation the Panama service would most speedily effect. The Age, 15th Nov. says :— « The Oddfellows of this colony (Victoria) have for a long time enj deavoured to bring their societies en rappart with their brothers in America. To that end a correspondence has been going on for some years. By the last Panama mail, a delegate from the lodges of America arrived, armed with authority to treat with the graud masters here. As the object of hi 3 visit cannot be accomplished without a serious alteration in the rules of the Australian lodges a meeting of the masters has been summoned for an early date to consider \rhsthe? it ii ftdviaablft to ttftfcd &egQ aitwatioQi."