NEWS OF THE DAY.

Press, Volume XXII, Issue 2647, 30 January 1874, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Cricket.—The return match between the second eleven of the Papanui and Woolston will be played on Saturday next on the ground of the latter. The following members will represent the Papanui club, viz ; Messrs Ritso, Homer junr., Mayo, Triggs, Amos, Mant, Jennings, Hill, Hewitt, Wild and Jackson. Play will commence at two p.m. sharp. LiTEBABT Institute.—As will be seen by our report of the meeting of the Governors of the Canterbury College, held yesterday, arrangements are in course of being made for the resumption of the circulating I library in connection with the institution under its new character of a public library. The subscription has been reduced from £ 1 per annum to 10s ; but it will probably be arranged that any person wishing to read books in the reading-room may do so without any charge. The reading-room, with the papers, magazines, &c., ia now open to the public free of charge. The cataloguing and other arrangements rendered necessary by the ohange will probably take a short time, but it is expected that the library will be open in about a week. A shipment of new books is now on the way, and may be expected daily. Public Library.—At a meeting of the College governors, held yesterday, it was decided to call for plans for the erection of the public library. A grant of £5000 for this purpose has been voted by the Provincial Council. Canterbury College. — An amended plan for the building of the College, furnished by Mr Mountfort, was yesterday approved by the Board of Governors. It is a very handsome building, and when finished will be a creditable addition to our public buildings. Astronomical Society. —We remind subscribers and members of this society that a general meeting will be held this afternoon at the Literary Institute. Legal.—The Registrar will sit in Chambers this morning at 11 a.m. to dispose of bankruptcy applications. Theatrical. —It may interest playgoers to learn that Miss Claia i*tephenson was recently married in Southland to Mr Wills, the agent of the Burford-StephensonTroupe. Obituary.—We notice in another column the announcement of the death of Mr Samuel Kaston. The deceased, who was in hia 70th year, has been resident in Christchurch for some twelve years. OE a retiring disposition, he was best known among the Congregationaliets of this city, by whom his loss will be much regretted. He was prominent in the movement which originated in the formation of the Independent church here, and for some time conducted the services before the arrival of the Rev. W. Habens. He had been for many weeks Buffering from heart disease and dropsy. His death took place yesterday morning. The funeral is appointed for to-morrow, at half-past three at the public cemetery in Barbadoes street. Sons of Temperance.—The installation of the officers of the Resolution Division was performed last evening at Rangiora by the D.G.W.P. Mr Exall. The following are the officers—W.P. Bro Meredith. W.A. Bro A. Robertson, R.S. Bro J. Withers, F.S. Bro J. Thompson ; treasurer, Bro G. Watson; chaplain, Rev H, Bull ; conductor, Bro J. Seed ; A.C. Bro J. Shaw, J.S. Pro S. Wood, O.S. Bro H. Seed. A vote of thanks to the ! D.G.W.P. terminated the proceeedings. Good Templars. — The usual weekly meeting of the Pioneer Lodge, of Addington, was held last Monday evening. There was a good attendance, and after some routine business the following were elected officers for the ensuing quarter: —W.C.T., Bro T. Thompson, sen ; W.V.T., Bro T. Menzies ; W.S., Bro J. Booth ; W.P.S., Bro J. Brown ; W.T., Bro G. Froggatt; W.C., Bro R. Hepburn ; W.M., Bro G. White ; W.J.G., Bro B. Unwin; W.0.G., Bro B. Booth ; W.R.H.S., Bro Clarke, sen; W.S., Bro G Scott; W.A.S., Bro J. Clark : W.D.M., Bro A. Bull. The Lodge was closed in the usual manner. Theatre Royal.—The romantic drama lof " Guy Mannering" was presented last evening at the Theatre Royal, and in this Miss Aitken added another to her list of triumphs. Her Meg Merrilies throughout was one of the finest pieces of acting we have seen here. It differs widely alike in conception and character from Madge Wildfire, inasmuch as in this case Miss Aitken had to pourtray a weird woman, deeply imbued with the superstitions of her tribe and time, who, working ever towards one grand end— the restoration of Henry Bertram—has to subserve all other considerations to its accomplishment. In the representation to her audience of her character, Miss Aitken succeeded most thoroughly in sinking her own identity for the time being, and those who have read the work—and few have not —had a rich treat in seeing the conception of the Wizard of the JSorth, drawn by him in words with a master hand, embodied before them with all the force aud fire so requisite for its successful pourtrayal. Mrs Hill made a very good Julia Mauuering, aud the other ladies of the company rendered their parts fairly. As Henry Bertram Mr Winter was capital, and sang tha incidental music in good style. Mr Musgrave in the part of the old Dominie Sampson, with his exclamation " Prodigious !" had one of those parts which suit him perfectly, and he both looked and acted the character to the life. As Dirck Hatteraick, Mr Douglas played carefully and well, and his dialect was also good. The other characters were well sustained.' To-night a new piece, " Valeric," will be played. THE CITY Drain.—The formal opening of the new outfall drain by his Worship the Mayor and the members of the City Council, will take place at noon this day. In the evening his Worship will give a banquet to celebrate the event, for which nearly 200 invitations have been issued. 1.0.G.T.—A session of the Dauntless Lodge will be held this evening for the election of officers. TpA. Meeting.—A tea meeting will be held in the Wesleyan schoolroom, Lyttelton, this evening, after which a public meeting will take place, when addresses will be dc livered by several ministers. A special ttain will leave Lytteltou at 10 p.m.

School Treat.—The children attending the Catholic schools had their annual treat yesterday at New Brighton. They were con- j veyed to the beach by the new steamer, and thoroughly enjoyed their day's pleasure. Queen's Variety Tboupe.—Miss Lizzie Watson and Mr Harry Braham took their benefits at the Music Hall last evening, when there was a capital house. The programme was an exceedingly varied one, comprising nearly everything in the line of singing and dancing. Miss Lizzie Watson in her medley eong " Not in this dress," shewed that she possesses musical talent of no mean order for the higher class of music, and it is somewhat to be regretted that she has not given us more of this sort during the season, instead of the inane rubbish called comic songs, the only redeeming feature of which has been the melodies. Mr Braham's songs were not so successful as on previous occasions, the selection not being a very good one. Mr J. Wood made his first appearance,and as a dancer of Irish jigs is by far the best we have seen here, and Mr Newman and Mr Baker were successful in their double song and dance. If what was performed last evening be the burlesque of " Pygmalion and Galatea" which had so lengthened a run in Melbourne, it says but little for the taste of the playgoing public there, as it has but little pretensions to wit, and is altogether a very poor production ; added to which, it is, to say the least of it, vulgar. To burlesque so charming a piece as " Pygmalion and Galatea " at all is in itself a mistake, but when that is done so clumsily and so devoid of point and wit as is the case with this, it makes the matter still worse."