Telegraphic Despatches

Southland Times, Issue 955, 22 May 1868, Page 2

Telegraphic Despatches

"WEEx.T7<r«Tmsr, Mitlß. — The Provincial Council has opened. Pew items of extra provincial interest. The deficiency in laßt year's revenue arises from the land sales realising only £14,000, instead of £35,000 as estimated. Bank overdraft, £12,000. The usual grants to Eoad Boards will be continued, if posible — those to the Town Board are to be curtailed. A small loan, underjjjthe existing powers of mortgage, to be raised. The population of the Province is 21,950, showing an increase of 7,114 since 1864. All the other census returns are highly satisfactory. Hokitika, May, 18fch. The .Fenian trials are now going on. The case for the Crown closed at noon to-day. Mr Ireland's address to the jury in opening the case for the defence lasted two hours. Mr Eees is following, speaking specially for Manning and Larkins. It is expected the trial will conclude to-night. We were shown yesterday as fine a sample of barley as could possibly be grown anywhere. The grains were full and clear, with a very thin wrinkled skin, and, although of this year's growth and but newly thrashed, quite hard, and seasoned enough to be put at once in steep for malting. We were assured that the sample was simply a handful taken indiscriminately from the heap on the barn floor, and in no way manipulated to improve its appearance. It was grown by Mr Carmichael, of Winton, who had a field of twelve acres, all equally good, which yielded the very handsome return of fifty bushels to the acre. With barley at six shillings, this return should leave a pretty good margin of profit to the farmer, even taking high wages and bad roads into consideration. The field from which the crop was obtained had not been manured or otherwise artificially enriched, further than by the primitive method in use amongst the settlers of chipping, burning off, and ploughing. The result speaks most hopefully for Winton, as an agricultural district. The body of the unfortunate man Jamieson, who was drowned in the Oreti on the 14th inst., was recovered on Tuesday last, about 200 yards below the spot where the accident occurred, where it had become entangled in one of the snags so numerous in the river. A coroners inquest was held on the remains, on Wednesday, at which a verdict was returned in accordance with the facts already published in these columns. The jury appended a rider recommending the Government to place a suitable boat at the crossing in question. It will be obseryed from our advertising CDlumns that "Penny Readings" aretobe, after all a literal fact, an entertainment of that description being announced to take place on Saturday evening, to which admission may be had for one penny, although coin of greater value will be accepted from those disposed to pay more liberally for their amusement. We understand that a very good programme has been secured, and as the meeting takes place in the very centre of the town — the iron buildings — and on a night when most working people have an hour to spare, the entertainment will no doubt be largely patronised. It is to be hoped that Saturday evening's attempt may be so successful aB to warrant the continuation of the projected series. We are informed that the arrangements for the first reading have been made by a few gentlemen, acting on their own responsibility, who are desirous of setting a course of really popular entertainments on foot, and that, contingent on the interest manifested by the public, after the first reading has been given a meeting will be called at which a committee and proper officers will be appointed to carry on the scheme. The fears entertained for the safety of the three men, Hayes, Bates, and Eerr, who left the Pahi for Riverton in an open boat on the 12th inst., turn out to have been but too well founded. Two bodies have since been washed on to the beach near Riverton, and identified as those of Sates and Hayes. An inquest was held on them at Riverton on Tuesday last, at which Henry M'Culloch, Esq., J.P., acted as coroner, and from the depositions then made, the following particulars are gathered with regard to the sad catastrophe. It appears that at about one o'clock in the afternoon of Tuesday, the 12th inst., Dr Monckton assisted Sates and Kerr to launch the boat, which belonged to himself, at a place known as the Pahui Boat Harbor, intending himself to proceed with them to Riverton. He seems, however, to have changed his mind, and resigned his place to Hayes. While launching the boat, another boat belonging to a man named Campbell was seen to pass the mouth of the inlet, apparently bound for Riverton. Dr Monckton, after cautioning the men to return in the event of their meeting with foul weather outsido — which they said they would do, and walk overland, — saw them proceed down the harbor a little and take in ballast off the beach, and then sail round a point out of sight. Tne men were never seen or heard of again until two of their dead bodies were disdiscoyered, as already stated. The boatman, Campbell, stated in his evidence that it was blowpretty hard from the N .W. when he passe ; the Pahui harbor, but that almost immediately afterwards the wind changed to the S.W., and increased in force. He made Riverton about three o'clock ; but had seen nothing of the other boat on his way. Am'n named Taylor, proceeding from Riverton to Invercargill on the following Saturday, the 16th instant, discovered a body washed ashore near the wreck of the Wanderer, which he recognised as that of the man Hayes. He then returned to Riverton and informed the police, who took charge of the corpse. The other body wa3 found at the same place the day following (Sunday). As Dr Monckton'a boat was known to be the best on the coast, it was surmised that the men might have been running unnecessary risk in making a race of it with Campbell, whom they saw passing while they were preparing to start ; but the fact, as stated by Dr Monckton, that a sufficient time had

elapsed between the time of Campbell's paseiag and their getting clear of the harbor to have allowed him to be out of sight ; and that the boat was in charge of Kerr, an experienced and careful boatman, renders this supposition improbable. The likelihood is that the boat was caught in a Budden squall and capsized. The jury returned a yerdict, in accordance with the evidence, of accidental death by drowning. We are informed the Hon. Colonel Haultain, Colonial Defence Minister, has intimated his intention of visiting Invercargill during the ensuing month. We understand that the object is to make an official inspection of the various Volunteer companies existing in the provinces of the Middle Island. It is to be hoped that the Invercargill Riflemen will exert themselves to put in a creditable appearance. While upon the subject of volunteering we would remind the members of the Invercargill company that the Rifle match to come off on the Queen's Birthday, is one of much importance. It has been stated that the rifles supplied to the Invercargill Rifle Company are of a most inferior description, notwithstanding this the Company has done well, and we hope that it will do still better On this occasion. For some time back we have been continually hearing of the " Nathan Juvenile Troupe," and one could scarcely glance over any of the journals published in the neighboring provinces without lighting on a paragraph or two concerning them. The little artists appear to be really astonishingly olever, and aB they are expected to pay Invercargill a visit shortly, it may be interesting to our readers to know something of them. The following account of the family is taken from the " Daily Southern Cross," Auckland, of the 29th April : — " To attempt in a single article to give either a fair criticism of, or to do adequate justice to, this truly marvellous band of juvenile performers, would be as hopeless a task as it would bo unsatisfactory -both to the reader and the writer. It has struck us, however, that, irrespective of the performances of this talented little family, some interest would naturally be felt in learning a few details respecting the circumstances under which these clever juveniles were first brought forward in a professional light. Mr Nathan, we may premisa, has for years past been connected, as proprietor and manager, with various theatres in the Australian colonies; and it was under his auspices in Adelaide, some three years ago, that the children were first introdaced to public noticeIn tracing the career of that infant prodigy, little Marion, we fear we shall hardly have opportunity at present to notice the other members of the family, each of whom, in their respective lines of theatrical business, give every indication of a most successful professional career. Little Marion, with whom, undoubtedly, the chief attraction lie?, is a piquante pretty little child, now six years old. She was born in Bendigo, Victoria, and, trom the earliest possible are, gave some indication of the future cleverness that only required time sufficient to develop itself. Wuen quite a baby music formed the great source of attraction to her, and the opening of the piano or the sound of any other musical instrument was amply sufficient to rivet her attention, and detract it from all else that might be going on at the time. When little more than able to toddle she displayed practical symtoms of her truly wonderderful juvenile precocity by an evident desire and most persistent determination to be allowed to join her two sisters Julia and Selina, who under the auspices of Mr Chambers, were commencing to learn dancing. To quiet the little elf her wishes were acceded to, and, in company with her two sisters, she soon obtained a proficiency that must be considered really wonderful when the age of the child was taken into consideration. In her, as well as in her sisters, Mr Chambers found the aptesfc of pupils ; and it was at his earnest solicitation that Mrs Nathan was induced to write to Mr Nathan on the subject of their appearing in public, the result being that the children were engaged as supernumeraries at the theatre in Adelaide, at a very trifling remuneration. The actual date of little Marion's first appearance we have been unable to determine, but the first time she stood before the footlights was a little over two years ago, when the child came forward to execute a horn-pipe — in which s&mewhat difficult dance she had become quite a proficient — to the enthusiastic admiration of an overflowing house. The child created quite a furore in Adelaide, and danced for nights successively to the delight of everyone who saw her. She received the the highest enconiums from the press ; and so small was she, at the time that, in order to lift one leg to assume an attitude, she had to catch hold of one of the theatre wings to support herself. Shortly after her first appearance, Miss Cleveland arrived in Adelaide to fulfil an engagement at the theatre there, and obtained little Marian to take a child's part incidental in her great impersonation of '• Leah, the Forsaken Jewess." There were but two or three lines to repeat; it is true, but the manner in which they were spoken, the delicacy of feeling, and intuitive knowledge of stage business displayed by Marion astonished everyone who saw her. During the same season Lady Don arrived, and was at once Btruck with the wonderful precocity of the child, and engaged her to act a child's part in " Orpheus." A somewhat amusing anecdote, as related by Lady Don, is told of little Marion. Previous 1 to the first performance, the child hardly knowing her A B C. at the time, and quite unable, therefore, to study a part, Lady Don asked her whether she thought she would be able to remember what she had to say, when, turning round with the most contemptuous expression of a little tragedy queen, she replied, t: Know my part, indeed ! You may ask me that when I have some forty or fifty sides to learn." That Lady Don felt as surprised aa she was delighted it is almost needless to remark. Marion did play her part, and that to perfection too ; and from that night sn uninterrupted flow of success has followed in her footsteps throughout the Australian colonies, Tasmania, and New Zealand, With: respect to what has been always considered the most attractive of all the child's performances, her impersonation and singing of "Finnigan's Wake," ehe had as her instructor the great O'Neill himself, who was the first to discover her wonderful capabilities of impersonating Irish character. One night, whilst O'Neill was in the course of fulfilling an engagement, he was taken ill, and unable to dance, when, forsooth, the little fairy wanted to be allowed to go on in bis stead, and offered in the most cool, deliberate manner to do so. O'Neill wanted her to dance, but Mr Nathan did not like to let her do so at so early a stage, although O'Neill declared that she could dance it far better than he himself. However,

O'Neill did eventually obtain his desire, *nd th» ohild went through the performance one nightfor his benefit, whilst the best indication of the success she achieved iB evinced by the encore that has always greeted her on every succeeding night of her so doing. To enter at atf fully into details respecting the other members of this really talented family in the present notice would be out of the question, but we shall take an early opportanity of bo doing. . . .- - ■.: .