CHRISTCHURCH GOSSIP.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XVI, Issue 4946, 8 February 1895, Page 3

CHRISTCHURCH GOSSIP.

Over 27000 peoplo visited Fitzgerald's Circus during its seven night's season here. Ladies mounted on bicycles attired in masculine garb arc no longer a novelty in these parts. Tho latest couvort to tho fashionablo crazo is a i Chinaman. ' One of the local cvoning papers published a number of bogus cablegrams last week. One of them was to the effect that a revolution had broken out in France, the other being of an equally insane character. Needless to say, tlio editor, who was tho perpetrator of the silly lioax was promptly retrenched. On account of the unsettled weather experienced here lately, the grass-seed harvest docs not promise anything great. Tho Mayor of Melbourne passed

through here last Thursday. The results of the recent woolsales here are very disappointing. Despite tho high prices charged for admission, the Royal Comic Opera Company are playing to crowded houses nightly. Tour Wairarapa musical enthusiasts would be amply repaid for a trip lo Wellingto hoar them. Ma Mi Rosette and

Jja Bjgale arc about the best from a

musical standpoint, especially tho former. The Mountebanks is not up to the standard of the other four, by a long chalk. Maiuzelle Nitouche is ono of the funniest pieces seen here—it can scarcely be termed an opera—but one or two pretty songs are contained therein. The fun is of a very up-to-date French order, and as can be imagined is scarcely a Sunday School canticle. The rainbow ballot, which concludes the programme, is a revelation of spectacular effects, the local press characterizing it as the prettiest stage effect ever seen in the Colony. Miss Nellie Stewart fully sustains her high reputation, as also does Wallace lirownlow (the young English baritone). The tenor 'l'aploy is the possessor of a fairly good voice, but his acting and stage appearance suffer much in comparison with Brownlow. There is nothing shoddy about the costumes and scenery,both being well up to the" Firm's" high standard of excellence. Humours are afloat that the saintly

Wortliington is to be married shortly. In this connection, I might fc say that the " Temple of Truth " T despite the late vicissitudes, nourishes like the green bay tree, the celebrated blind organist, Mr Faulk-

ener, late of Dunedin, being in charge of the musical portion of the show. An Australian temperance lecturer, Mr R, Crabb, whose eloquence is of a nigger-minstrel order, is at present located here. Thus far, lie has not proved himself of any groat assistance to tho cause so ably championed by the Revs. L. M. and F. W, Isitt. At an open-air meeting in Cathedral Square the other Saturday night, Mr Crabb made use of some very objectionable remarks, telling one man that his nose would make a very good brake for the wheels of a brewer's cart, but the climax was reached when lie called a young man a spieler, the latter promptly mounting the temporary platform and demanding an apology. This was reluctantly given just in

time to avert, what would most assuredly have been a free fight. Such l individuals as these do more to ' alienate public sympathy from the cause of temperance instead of gaining it, and the Revs. Isitt will have hard work to recover the ground lost by their ultra-enthusiastic protege, The senior M.H.R. for this city, the Hon. W. P. Reeves, has not yet deigned to give liis constituents an account of his last session's stewardship, although the two junior members, Messrs Collins and Smith have both done so, some time since. Mr Collins did his best to place the past actions of the Government in their very best light, and wound up by denouncing tlio Temperance party as" fanatical extremists." Up to the present, the " Minister for Labah," has not intimated when he will bo pleased to address us, and the reasons for his procrastination are the source of considerable speculation on all sides. A heavy sou-west gale struck this town on Thursday evening, and did considerable damage to standing crops and orchards in the vicinity.

Sunday tram excursions to Sum- 1 net' and New Brighton, accompanied by various brass bands, are being ' largely patronized, much to the ' horror of the "uncoguid" of this ' locality. ' Business is about as bad as it can ' possibly be here, just now. ( The finding of the Royal Com- 1 mission recently set up to enquire 1 into the doings of the North Canter- 1 bury Charitable Aid Board has been the subject of an indignation meet- J ing. Jlrs Yarmeon (tlio lady who ! proceeded as far as Wellington with ] the shearers engaged by the Aus- ' tralian Pastoralists Union some tinje ' back) held forth at considerable length, and moved tlio resolution ' protesting against the summing up of the Commission—a man seconding it. Jlr Woolstein, an employe of tlio Ohristchurch Farmers' Co-operative, has gained, by examination, a commission in tho Imperial Army, being 1 appointed lieutenant in a regiment at Bengal. Mr Woolstein leaves fere immediately, and his appointment makes the second falling to Christchurch volunteers, who are . naturally very proud of the fact, I The mania for camping out lias afflicted all and sundry during the recent holidays. I heard of a gentlek man wellknownincommercialcircles " here, who, with his wife and thirteen children, lived under canvas, ;at Governor's Bay for three or four weeks. Rusty Cuss.