Untitled

Press, Volume V, Issue 583, 12 September 1864, Page 2

Erratum. —An error in printing occurred in our columns of Friday. The assessed value of the Central \von Road District amounted to £24,000, which by the omission of a cypher was stated to be £2,100. RoBBESY. —On Saturday night both Mr. Ruddenklau's and Mr Haines's piemises in the Triangle were entered, and despoiled of a considerable number of fowls and rabbits. The thieves cleared every specimen of bo' h out of the yard, and escaped without detection. It appears curious that in the principal part of Christchurch a robbery of this description should take place without the police being aware of the circumstance, but the saying which has become almost a proverb that " a policeman is never to be found when wanted" is equally applicable to the antipodal genus as to their bluecoated brethren in the old country. Robberies of this nature are by no means uncommon, we hear of even larders being attacked, and food abstracted. Diorama. —A very well executed moving panorama of the ill-fated exploring expedition of Burke, i Wills, King, and Gray, to Carpentaria, was exhibited I on Saturday evening last, at the Town Hall, to a very large audience. It pour rayed the principal in.•iden s v\ this unhappy journey compiled chielly from a diary kept by King, who was the only survivor of the unfortunate p'rty, and included sketches of the start from Me.'iournf —Meuindie, wJj.mv Burke, who was the leader, divided his party, proceeding himself with Wids, King, Gray and others towards Cooper's Creek, leaving Wright with instructions to follow with fie balance of stores —the depot at Cooper's Creek, where a fresh subdivision to >k place, Burke, Wills, King, and Gray starting for Carpentaria, which place they reached, and thou started on their homeward journey, where th.-re difficulties, which ended in the death of three of the party, commenced—the gunvah on fire—the death of Burke —the death of Wills, and the d'ucoverv of King with the natives. The panorama was ably commented on by the lecturer, who clearly and concisely explained the details of the unfortunate affair. During the evening specimens of the nardoo seed were exhibited This seed, which is the staple food of the aborigines —and of the localities in which it is found they take particular care —is similar to black shrivelled corn, and though agreeable to the palate, its nutritious qualities are very slight. It is the see.i of a plant very similar to clover, and grows on stems of about four inches long under the ground. Of this food the explorers had ample supplies, but being unable to procure any other, the sustenance derived from it was not suflicient, to preserve life. During tin short intervals in the lecture voluntaries were performed with taste on the pianoforte. The whole entertainment was brought to a close at about 10 o'clock, and the audience dispersed. Importation of Fish.—We have been favored with the following extract from the British Empire Gazette, dcs -ribing the method pursued by Mr. Johnson in his attempt to bring out in that vess-1 n supply of English fresh water fish f r int oducti >n int the rivers of Canierbu y : —" Mr Johnson bi ought on board no less th->n 800 young salmon, 600 trout, 200 perch, and 200 carp, with a fine sprinkling of ten -i> royal rud, roach, gudgeon, minnows, bl ->ik, and gold-fish, tha greater portion of which had been reared for the purpose in the artificial manner, some under thee e care of Dr. Backhand, offish culture notoriety. The tanks in which they were placed were nearly all lined with slate, and so neatly contrived that by means of perforated Partitions a constant running stream was kept up from one portion to another with each agitation of the ship. Troops of snails, water-Ullies, and weeds of various kinds, were introduced to afford food, as well as to keep tinwater purified, and in addition, other contrivances for aerating the water that the pioper supply of oxygen might be kept up. The whole was surrouiuled with a framework case with double cane matting, which was kept constantly wet during our progress through the tropics, in order to keep up evaporation and lower the temperature. A matter of the greatest importance, prior to starting with those fish, was the vegetation of the tanks, which was duly provided for ; but unhappily, during their transit to the docks in London, the woodwork warped, and some of the cement attaching the slates gave way, thus rendering repairs necessary, and diminishing at the very outset the chances of success. The fish did not thrive well from the beginning, but some seemed to do pretty well, when, in some unaccountable manner, a lump of white lead got into one of the princ.pa! tanks, and deprived Mr. Johnson of his last chance of success. He still retains a few goldfish, but all the rest have vanished." Although the attempt was thus unsuccessful, Mr. Johnson is very confident that a repetilion of it would prove more fortunate if the preparations were commenced somewhat earlier, and in other ways advantage taken of the experience acquired by the failure of the first experiment. Jockey Club, —A meeting of this Club was held at the British Hotel on Saturday, at which the following entries were made for the Railway Steeplechase on the 29th inst. Mr Moneys eh g Discount, aged ; Mr. Shirley's b m Little Maid, 3 years, Mr. L. G. Cole's bg Peacock, aged; Mr. M'Kenrick's eh g Harry Hieover, aged ; Mr. Oakes' b m Locomotive, 3 years; Mr. E. Colman's b g Red Rover, aged ; Mr. Wake- ] field's blk g Drummer, 6 yars. Two out of the! seven, viz , Little Maid an-1 Drummer, are fresh trine*, t'ij remaining horses all ran in the last race. , Princess Theatre.—On Saturday last the drama | of Jocrisse theJuggler was produced. The piece, which ■

.V.'-.vi fro-, the I- :!••«. ITIC1 T IC i"- >".■ »,"'";'" liU'-eN 0! f■' ' vd'a :i "i' tV in.-v. t■ i i-.-----..-V ,-:-tl v. who in !ur-.>« to Hiiriit.- i : .c »" the h.'roine in order ro i>!:ve the oh-Mrle oi 10-.v iTt'i in the way of his rival's m.rnige wit.t her. !lis m dt<-inii*i:r.f':itiou* jiv. !nnvew.\ i.vis r.i'e 1. all 1 if Vi-otno-i the vu-ri-u of l:i-< <>wn m.ic'nnitio is. (• >■■ Fo.-ris-e, who iris yielded to the temotation "f t!:e ■ SAW of n large sum of money, discovers j rhat Julia is in reality hi* own | iv'io was separated from him when youii: j Mr. Shiels emu-ted Jrtcris*e very effectively. The sudden change from deception to genuine ailootion for his newly-found child was wortby of all praise. Mr. Carey appeared to greater advantage than usual, iind also to have devoted some trouble to his part, and to a great extent had got rid of the curious habit of giving vent to a succession of unmelochous reclamations (ill-natured persons would call them grunts), and really a-fed creditably ; his movements being easier, and without that studied stage locomotion which is sure to end in awkwardness in the actor, and unwished-for laugher on the part of the audience. Mr. Hall, as Toby, thoroughly realised the not very flattering description given of him in tho olaybill as Jack Pudding and played some feats of legerdemain very deftly. Mi>s Annie Morton played the part of Julia with good effect, whilst Miss Ansred had her usual task to discharge, viz . that of the worthy matron. The farce of Kombistes Furwwo terminated the entertainment. To-morrow is fixed for the benefit of Mr Mas.»cv— we are sorry to fay his farewell beuolit. Mr. M-.ssey, by the capital scenic effects he has intvo lured into the theatre, lun contributed greatly to its s iccess, and in all probability his absimc? will create a vacancy which it will be ditlienlt to fill up. f lis benefit will be patronized by the Hide Volunteers of the who will a!tend in uniform, and a pirt of the dress circle will we hear be set apart expressly for them. | Aktestax Wkll —MV. Amy has recently bored an artesian well on the land belonging to J. Olhvier, Es'i., on the Ferry road. Water was obtained with a head of 15 feet, after having arrived at the depth of about 100 feet.