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Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2604, 14 May 1877, Page 2

The Georgia Minstrels concluded their season at the Thames on Saturday, when they had a capital house as far as the pit and gallery were concerned, and the programme was a long and amusing one, some new "business being introduced. The audience were in good humor, and applauded the Minstrels frequently and loudly, and encoring the performers in some of the more prominent items. The Minstrels have grown in favor with each performance, and if they had stayed another week they would probably have done a good business. They appear to enjoy the fun as much as their audiences, and haye 7 such an extensive variety of songs and comic acts that they never become monotonous. Their brass band is quite a feature, while their orchestra is above mediocrity. They will probably have a very successful tour through the colonies.

Most amusing scenes are reported to have taken place in the Government Buildings, Wellington, in consequence of the new regulations not allowing the usual half hour for luncheon. Some of the clerks bring down corampopulo fryingpans, saucepans, and toasting forks, together with all varieties of eatables and drinkables, and one large department, the head of which will persist in smoking, has been solemly reported to the Government by the head messenger, for "cooking red herrings, onions, and beefsteaks on the fire-tongs !" The harbor outside the buildings is further said to be covered with empty bottles.

Some unthinking persons issued the following " extraordinary " the other day ia Hobart Town, and a large number of copies.were distributed and great excitement was caused before the hoax was discovered : —"' War declared between England and Russia!'—• A Russian fleet in Hobson's Bay!'—'Melbourne is threatened with bombardment! '-—' Cruel and bloodthirsty foe! '—'The enemy threatens to reduce Melbourne to ashes!' •The streets of Melbourne are occupied by Russian soldiers ! '—• A Russian fleet of seven Huge ironclads has sailed through Port Phillip Heads ! '—• The Victorian Volunteer force, who opposed the foe, were shot down and slaughtered like sheep !'—' The streets of Melbourne were clamorous with the dying shrieks of men, women, and children butchered by thousands; the channels running with the blood of the slaughtered!'—'Children have been torn from their mothers' breasts, and butchered before the eyes cf their parents!'"

The Georgia Minstrels left for Auckland in the Enterprise at seven o'clock yesterday morning. We believe it is their intention to play for a couple of nights.in Auckland, after which they will proceed South, playing in all the principal towns. Mr De Lias accompanies them, and in him the minstrels have an experienced entrepreneur ; they could not be in better hands. It is also stated that some three of the best men will shortly join them, they having remained behind to visit their families after a long tour in the States. With such an accession of strength the Georgias' performance will be rendered more attractive, aa each of the absent members is said to possess some speciality.

In a leading article on " Representation,'' the Otago Guardian had the following :—There is not in our whole political system a more clamant wrong than the unfair representation of the people which exists in the present House of Representatives. It is claimed by the objectors to the late great constitutional change as the source of that evil; but apart altogether from particular questions of contested politics, it must be admitted by any honest .man that one of the first requisites to equitable legislation must be < equitable representation. This is so self-evident that it .is needless to discuss it, and however it may have been with the late constitu-

tional question, ifc is the duty of every man who wishes well to the Colony to desire that for the solution of all future questions the representation of the people should be equitably adjusted. That it is not at present so, a glance at a list of electorates with their numbers of population, of adult males and representatives, proves in a very striking manner. It ,may be urged, indeed, that ifc is not merely people that should be r.eprosented in Parliament, and that property should not be ignored in the distribution of electoral rights. This is quite true, and in our present system of qualifications property as well as persons is very fairly recognised in the returning of members ; but as the Constitution Act, from which ;!we derive our privileges, has the right to define the principles on which those privileges: are to be shared among us, and as in that Act it is stated that representation shall be according to population, we do not hesitate to regard the present condition of the representation of the Colony as being not only*'* violation of a fundamental principle of the Constitution, but a political scandal.