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We would remind those who contemplate ap plying for shares in the New Zealand Shipping Company that their applications must be lodged in the Bank of Zealand this day.

A meeting of the Cham be r of Commerce was held on Tuesday, 12th inst., for the purpose of considering the proposed alteration of the tariff. There were present Messrs W. H. Calder (chairman) H. J. Gibbs, T. Pratt, J. Hare, J. Stock, R. D. Yule, D. Macrorie, J. W. Bain, R. Gilmour, and F. Nutter (Secretary). The chairman having explained- the object of the meeting, said there could be no doubt that the ad valorem system was preferable to the measurement one, but he thought the duties proposed were in many instances excessive, and would press unduly on that portion of the community which was already heavily weighted. If the alteration was proposed for revenue purposes, he thought other means should have been adopted to secure that object. A lengthened discussion, conducted conversationally, then took place, during which the chairman stated he had calculated that the proposed duty on galvanised iron, which there was no possibility of manufacturing in the , Colony, showed an increase of 200 per cent, on the old duty. The following resolutions were, then passed unanimously:— '« 1. That while approving of the system of levying duties on the ad valorem principle instead of as formerly by cubic measurement, this Chamber protests against the new tariff, as the duties are excessive. 2. That a copy of the foregoing resolution be forwarded to the Southland members in the General Assembly, asking them to give their support to any proposal which may be made for the reduction of the proposed rates." The question of the repeated miscarriage of mails for Southland having been brought under the notice of tho Chamber, it was resolved, ♦' That the attention of the Postmaster- General be directed to the fact that, since the beginning of July last, mails from Dunedin for Invercargill have been twice forvrarde'd by steamer to Melbourne or elsewhere, to the serious loss and inconvenience of tbo community here." The Athenaum CDmmfttee held a special meeting on Wednesday evening last, to consider the question of the erection of a suitable building on the site granted by the Provincial Govarnment, when seven members of committee were present. Several plans were proposed, with the object of securing a building adapted to the wants of the institution, and at the same time of obtaining revenue from the portion not re« quired for the purposes of the Athenaeum. It was ultimately resolved that an architect's plan should be obtained for a block of building,, the chief feature of which should be the preservation of uniformity in the front elevation of the several buildings to be oreotei with that portion intended for the Athens im. In answer to a question relative to the recent grant by the Provincial Council of £500 to the Ather®jm, ] Mr Lumsden informed the committee of the action he had taken in the matter, and on the motion of Mr Gilmour a vote of thanks was passed to Mr Lumsden for his services rendered therein. The performance by the local amateurs at the Theatre on Tuesday evening, a* a aomplimentary benefit to Mr L. J. Lucas, pianist, attracted a moderately good attendance. The curtain rose to the comic drama of " A Rough Diamond," in which Mrs Patcnott sustained, in a highly creditable manner, the leading part of " Margery," her ..„,.,.. -1 --J : ,;ij. 1.^1. . a -CTfarallr pleasing. As " Cousin Joe," Mr Wotton was all that could be desired, the comic " situations" being hit off in a manner which was irresistible to the risible faculties of the audience. Mr Patchett as " Sir William Evergreen," and Mr Colquhoun as "Lord Plato," also deserve favorable mention. As announced in the programme, Mr Lucas produced a capital imitation of the Highland bagpipes on the harmonium, besides giving a selection of airs on the pianoforte, and received a well- merited round of applause. The playing of several familiar tunes on both instruments at one time was very good. The attraction of the evening, however, was the piece (new to Invercargill) entitled "A Day after the Fair." The " plot" may be explained as follows : — Jerry (Mr It. B. Wotton) is instructed by his master, Mr Stirling (Mr Pidgeon), to purchase on his behalf a property known as Whirligig Haft, and, attracted by the races which are being held in the vicinity, spends . a couple of days there instead of attending to his master's business. When he arrives at " the hall," he finds that he ia "a day after tha fair," as Old .Fidgefc (Mr Patchett), a retired stockbroker, Buffering from nervous debility, is in possession, having effected the purchase on the previous day. Fortunately for Jerry, his sweetheart, Polly (Mrs Patchett), having been in the •emce of the previous owner, Squire Whirligig, is retained by Old Fidget, and, on matters being explained,, they enter into a conspiracy to make the place " too hot" for tha old gentleman by carrying out certain devices for the purpose of " astonishing his weak nerves." Accordingly " the hall" is visited by Sam Wax (Sir Wotton) a drunken cobbler; Susan Squall (Mr Wotton) and her chee-ild, ballad-singers ; Timothy Thumpwell (Mr Wotton), a drumnar ; Mademoiselle Dumplino (Mr Wotton) a prim* donna, whose broken English and " airs," vocal and otherwise, are very amusing ; Ootavius Moonshine (Mr Wotton) an escaped lunatic ; Sukey Scrub (Mrs Patchett) a washerwoman i and Madam Maypole (Mrs Patehett) a theatrical manageress. The result is, as may be expected, that Old Fidget is glad to give up his rural retreat, and Jerry becomes the purchaser for the sum of £200 less than it cost Fidget. When the transaction is completed the whole plot is disclosed, and Fidget is of course chagrined to find that he has been " sold." Great credit is due far the manner in which the burletta was put upon the stage, Mrs Patchett and Mr Wotton being very successful in their conception of the different characters personated by them. The make-up for each was as remarkable as the rapidity and completeness of the transformation. As Old Fidget, Mr Patchett succeeded in giving a very good representation of the crusty old bachelor, and his servant Clod (Mr J. A. Sayers) , a country bumpkin, was equally well portrayed. •' A Day after the Fair" ib bound to become very popular in Invercargill. We suppose it must be attributed to the wellknown maxim that " one must go from home to hear the news," that we received a couple of telegrams from Wellington last evening, desiring information regarding a new discovery of gold in Southland. After numerous enquiries, we were unable to obtain any information on the subject. A Native monstrosity, born at Ohinemutu, is being worshipped by the Natives.

We understand that the local amUeurs have decided upon giving an entertainment for the benefit of the widow of the Shetland Island immigrant who died recently in the Invercargill Hospital. Mr Lucas, the pianiit, has consented, we believe, to give his services on the occasion. At the meeting of the Municipal Council last evening, His Worship th.3 Mayo<" and all tlj'e Councillors were present. Certain corres- . pondence. was read, and a resolution passed to obtain the opinion of the Council's Sjliutor as to whether, with their present powers, the Council can construct gas-works, and if so, whether it is possible for the Superintendent, by proclamation, to extend the borrowing powers of the Council. It was also resolved " that the Surveyor be instructed I to report as to the cost of forming, gravelling, and permanently draining, the upper portion of Dee-street, between Spey-Btreet and Gala- street, [ with a view to plans and specifications being I I prepared, if approved." The report of the Public Works Committee was adopted. At the meeting of the Waste Lands Board on Tuesday, 12th inst., the Chief Commissioner and Messrs M'Culloch and Baker were present. The application of Thomas Brown, accompanied by a sketch of the land included therein, for a sawmill license over 1200 acres in Seaward Bush, was ordered to stand over for 14 days, applicant being required on or before Friday, 15th inst., to deposit £200 in accordance with regulations. Messrs Brogden and Sons having applied for a sawmill license over 960 acres in Seaward Bush, the application . being accompanied by sketch, consideration of the matter was deferred for 14 days, applicant* on or before 15th iDBt. to deposit £200. On the rehearing of the matter of the grant to Mr Stock, in accordance with resolution of Bth inst., Mr Macdonald appeared for Mr Holme 3, and Mr Harvey on behalf of Mr Stock, and after discussion, the Board resolved, " that the granting of Mr Stock's application of 10th ult. cannot be interfered with." George Fuller applied by letter for five acres of land in Horseshoe Bay, for fishing purposes, which was granted on same terms as similar applications on the Island, not more than two chains frontage, and not .to interfere with prior applications or rights. Mr Oliver, M.P.O. for Mount Ida, has set an example which might be well followed by by many ,of his fellow-councillors. He has forwarded £15, half of the amount of his honorarium,to the hospital of the district which he represents, and intimates that the other £15 was sent to the Benevolent Institution. Auckland papers state that the veteran colonist, the Rev. Dr Lang, is shortly expected j there on a visit from Sydney, and that during his j stay in Auckland he intends delivering a lecture under the title of " A Chapter from my Political Experience, or the Early Colonisation of Australia, Tasmania, and New Zealand." The Wellington Independent says that the result of the petition against the National Bank if successful, will delay its operations for another year. The rise in tha value of property appears to be as great at Timaru as most other places. We read in the Herald of a town section a few rode over a "quarter of an acre in extent in the main road being sold to the Union Bank for £500, which four months since was purchased for £200. The lambing season, has, it is reported, already commenced in the Mount Benger district. „ In moving the second reading of the Licensing Act Amendment Bill, in the House of Representatives, Mr Fox said that last year 500 persons in the colony died from excessive drink ing, and that to replace them with immigrants would cost £5,000. What an ignoramus that must have been (says the contributor of " Notions " to the Grey River Argus) , who recently advertised in Auckland for a kind person to take charge of a baby ! As if, indeed, there was a single individual of " the female persuasion " who could be w»kind to the crowing, leaping, frisky darling that fills mamma with j Wiss- unutterable, and expands the patprnal bosom of* papa with emotions too deep for language. Unkind to baby ! Why the feminine would be nothing less, but perhaps a good deal more, than- a real live gorgon, such that some New Zealand Barnum might strike a quartz reef x*xcl)er that! Beemed any in Inangahua wtten toe reefing fever was at its highest, by taking " the crittur " round and exhibiting her. " Tlia hairless horse," " the fat boy," " the tat girls," " the Siamese twins," " Tom Thumb,' ' and " Mrs Tom T.," all amalgamated, would not excite so much curiosity as a woman that to aid be unkind to " baby," The lunatic of an advertiser got three times seven replies from kin 1-to- baby persons in less than a single day, and I suppose by this time the applications to take the infantine cherub in hand may have reached 503. I know a few desolate homes in Greymouth whose dreary desert is never broken by the oasis of a cradle, and the masters and mistresses of them would like much to get the chance of being kind to baby. A very sensational proceeding (says the Otago Times) occurred at the Masonic Hall early on Friday evening, Bth inst. Mr Hudson, confectioner, purchased the property from the niortgagee on the 26th ult., for £2500, and yesterday, finding the doors open, put three men into possession about nine o'clock in the morning. Peaceablo possession was held until five o'clock in the evening, when a number of persons, armed with crowbars and heavy bludgeons in variety, marched up to the building. Finding the doors barred and looked, they commenced an onslaught on a large window on the west aide, and an entry was thus effected, although many of the storming party were cut with the glass. Resistance was made by those within, but they were soon overpowered and forcibly ejected. A patrol was then appointed, and a strict watch kept on the premises to prevent a surprise. No further disturbance tcok place, Mr Hudson stating it to be his intention to bring an action at law. A number of persons assembled opposite the Hall, but remained neutral. The police were sent for, and provision thus made to prevent a recurrence of a similiar scene. At a meeting of the Christ church Chamber of Commerce, a statement was read respecting the duty on 5 cases of leather. Under the old tariff, the amount paid was £15 10s 7d, and under the proposed tariff it would be £45 4s 21, or an increase of 300 per cent. On 41 packages of grindery, the increase amounted to 450 per cent.

The Superintendent of Canterbury recently told a Timaru deputation that the Colonial Gj< vernment had got from India a gentleman •xpressly for the purpose of marine engineering. A Nelson paper states that by the Albion recently, a Mr Webster shipped a cask of coal , two pieces of marble, and two blocks of iron for Melbourne, all of which we believe came from the Collingwood district. ' A^'a recent meeting of the Timaru Municipal Coil'ncil, the engineer handed in a list of persons , who had contravened the building regulations, and nearly all the Councillors' names were upon it! Captain Hatton, F.G.S., having resigned hia appointment as Assistant Geologist to the Geological Survey of New Zealand, the governors of the Wellington College have secured his services as Professor of Natural Science to that, institution. I The London correspondent of the Birmingham Gazette writes : — The supporters of the Female Suffrage Bill have antagonists in high quarters. It was noticed at the recent division that the Marquis of Lome voted against the measure, and I now learn that he (and his feeling is shared by the Princes 3 Louise) is so strongly opposed to the movement, that when asked to take the chair at the approaching meeting of the Society for improving the Education of Women, he refused to do so unless Mr 9 Grey promised that no ladies should speak. Last year several of them spoke, but this year they are to be reduced to silence. A new material for working men's wear is, it is stated, now being manufactured at the Geelong Woollen Mills. It is called woollen moleskin, and is intended as a substitute for cotton moleskin. The persons who have taken out a patent for this article claim that it is much •uperior to that which it is intended to supersede. It will not shrink, is very durable, and for persons who work in wet ground it is not so liable to lead to colds and rheumatism as is the case with the ordinary moleskin. From July 29, 1871, to November, 1872, 6516 immigrants came to this Colony by 35 ressels. The nationality of the immigrants was — English ... 369S Germans ... 637 Scotch ... 570 Danes ... 403 Irish ... 842 Swedes ... 11 Welsh ... 64 Norwegians ... 535 Other countries 26 Total Great Britain ... 5174 Tl. Foreigners 1312

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ST18730815.2.9

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Southland Times, Issue 1780, 15 August 1873, Page 2

Word count
Tapeke kupu
2,630

Untitled Southland Times, Issue 1780, 15 August 1873, Page 2

Untitled Southland Times, Issue 1780, 15 August 1873, Page 2

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