Untitled

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3194, 23 September 1881, Page 2

The Premier announoed in the House yesterday afternoon that Parliament would be formally prorogued to-morrow (Saturday.)

The Holiday Oommitfce will meet on. Tuesday evening next to consider the holidays to be granted during tho show and raoe week.

In our report of the last meeting of the County Oouooil we omitted to mention that Messrs House and Graham had kindly presented to the Council a number of willows for planting at the junction of the Hakawai and Peka Peka roads.

A most unwarrantable statement having been made by a looal morning paper, Mr W. Colenso offers to give £20 if that journal can prove he solicited support from any elector in view of becoming a candidate at the forthcoming elections.

It is said that a cheque for £1,400 was picked up in the streets of Napier yesterday. A cheque has been brought to us for five times that amount, but it happened to be utterly valueless. It is quite safe to throw cheques about that are drawn upon credits of elegance.

Mr G. E. Lee received an English newspaper by the mail which arrived in Napier last night, and on opening it up a letter addressed to a London firm dropped out. The letter must have been crushed into the folds of the newspaper during Its transit through the post office at St. Martin's le Grand.

The Artillery Band will play at the Spit this evening at 8 o'clock the following programme :— Quick step, " Burnished and Bright;" quadrille, " The King's Dragoons;" waltz, "Lucky Stars;" polka, "Sweet Smiles;" galop, "TheSoout;" God save the Queen. The members will meet at the band-room a 7 p.m.

Captain Edwin forwarded the following weather forecast from Wellington to-day : —" Watch barometer ; bad weather approaching between south-west and southeast ; further rise of glass." The F Battery Artillery Volunteers will hold their first church parade for this season, on Sunday next. The corps will assemble at the Fire Brigade Station at 10.30 a.m. oh Sunday and will march to St. John's Church. The parade cannot be held in Clive Square on account of the bad order in which Emerson and Tennyson streets are in. The Property Tax Act, 1881, provides that for the six months commencing Ist April, 1881, the tax shall he at the rate of in the pound, and for the six months commencing Ist October, 1881, at the rate of £d in the pound " for and in respect of all property;" The tai on fire, marine, or guarantee insurance policies to be 15s per cent, for the first, and 7s 6d per cent, for the last-named period. Those who were at the comer of Emerson and Hastinsrs-streets at half-past nine o'clock this morning were treated to an exhibition of plucky horsemanship. A lad in the employ of Mr Edward Higgins, butcher, was riding a bad tempered horse, and after a struggle for mastery was bucked off, falling heavily on tbe pavement by the Union Bank. This was the third time he had been thrown this morning. Mr Sheehan's" Liberty of the Press Extension Bill" provides that " No criminal proceedings shall be instituted or taken in respect of any alleged libellons matter appearing in any newspaper, unless and until the consent of the Attorney-General for the lime being shall have first been obtained. In the event of a vacancy in the office of Attorney-General, the SolicitorGeneral shall possess the powers of the Attorney-General. The Act shall not apply to any criminal proceedings for libel which may be on foot at the time of its coming into force." The Stamp Act Amendment Bill, introduced by the Hon. Major Atkinson, imposes additional duties on conveyances and leases of native lands, viz., 10 per cent, on the " consideration " on every first conveyance, and the same on the capitalized value of any lease, this being reckoned at twelve-and-a-half times the yearly rental. One form of stamp may be used for all purposes. As few a number of stamps as possible are to be used on any one document. An officer may refuse document? improperly stamped. Receipts for Imperial pensions are exempted from stamp duty. A painful accident occurred at Mr Bryson's timber yard yesterday, by which a little boy named Hopkins was seriously injured. A number of children were playing around and clambering over the timber, when a stack of boards fell on top of three of them, Hopkins, however, being the only one who •was much hurt. Parents should take warning by this accident and impress upon children the dancer of playing amongst stacks of timber. Wherever housebuilding is going on there troops of youngsters are to be found riding see-saw and otherwise courting accident. The farewell performance of Mr Marshall to-night should attract to the Theatre Royal all those who can enjoy genuine comedy.. There is a charm about Mr Marshall's acting which attaches to that of no other comedian who has visited this part of the colony. "Without the slightest approach to vulgarity there is a broad humor in his delineations which gains the sympathy of every one who can enjoy a hearty laugh. We trust that there will be such a house to-night as will compel Mr Marshall to carry away with him pleasing remembrances of his short visit to Napier.

We hear that Mr Harding, of Moun* Vernon, has had the privilege returned to him of a flag station on the railway line at the gate leading to bis homestead. If it did not pay to stop a train there why is the privilege now returned P There was some excuse for a stopping place, becanse ifc is not only situated where rivers cut off the Waipawa and Waipukurau railway stations, but a good many passengers got in and out afc Mount Vernon. But when that flag station was done away with no attempt was made to abplish the utterly useless stopping place at Mr Sydney Johnston's gate, which is close by Takapau station, and no river between the two. The sauce for the goose was too good for the gander in that case. In one there were the Hon. Mr Johnston, M.L.C., the Hon. Dr. Grace, M.L.0., and the Hon. Walter Johnston, of the Cabinet; in the other there was only plain Mr Harding, who was best known through having a dispute with the natives over a piece oi shingle bed. But the elections are to hand. We do not know whether Mr Harding is going to Bupport Mr Johnston as against Mr Ormond, bufc ifc looks very much like a sop to Cerberus when we see the Waipawa Native Land Dispute Bill withdrawn, and the flag station at Mount Vernon restored.

The well known comedy of " Betsy" was produced at tbe Theatre Royal last night with Mr F. Marshall as the Tutor. It is almost needless to say that the part was played with consummate art; there was a grave humor running through the representation that was at times irresistable. The quiet natural manner which Mr Marshall retained during the whole performance, and the absence of anything like an effort to make himself unduly prominent, stamp him as a true and considerate actor. As in all his previous performances Mr Marshall was admirably supported. The Betsy of Miss Knight was a mo.t natural and enjoyable representation, and made another addition to the popularity this lady has gained during her stay in NaDier. Mr E. W. Marshall as the fussy politician and perplexed father was admirable ;.the part suited him exactly, and not a point was lost. Mrs McGowan made a remarkably good careful mother, and the Mrs McManus of Miss Tanner was full of vigor. Mr Sefton as Captain McManus played in his usual careful and finished manner. Mr Elliott's Dolly was thoroughly well dono, and received well merited applause. Nelly Bassett appears to have been of a retiring disposition, and the manner in which Dolly and his friend Dick Talbot strove that she shouldnot obtain undue prominence was to be commended. To-night is Mr Marshall's last appearance; his "retired butterman" is sure to be a thoroughly good performance, and should draw a large house.

To-morrow night Mr W. H. Leake will commence a short season at the Theatre Royal with a popular American drama called "MyPartner." Judging from the favor with which this drama has been received in different parts of the colonies we should say it possesses great dramatic power, and Mr Leake's representation of the principal character has been everywhere received with approval. A contemporary has the following in reference to the performance :—" This cleverlywritten drama ia from the pen of an American playwright, Mr Bartley Campbell, and on Saturday evsning it w & * presented for the first time in Dunedin at the Princess Theatre. The scenes are laid in Sisiskou County, North California, and the period embraced by the four aots of «ie drama extends over about five montos. Tbe plot is laid in a mining community, and is full of dramatic force and w*™; without being unduly sensational, mr w. H. Leake made his debut as Joe Saunders, attention to detail and naturalness, the character as evidently conceived by the author-a miner, whose affection foh s mate under most trying circumstances is wonderful. Mr Leake's histrionic ability was particularly well displayed in the scenes where he administers the oath to his partner, and where he discovers the dead body of Ned Singleton. As proof that the audience heartily appreciated Mr _ Leake a well-studied rendering of the principal role, tbey insisted upon his coming before the curtain at the end ef each act."

The King of the Belgians has offered a prize of 25,000 francs (£1000), open to the world, for the best essay on the improvement of harbors situated on sandy .hores.

Should the prize essay prove as gooi m practice aB it probably will appear on paper, we in these colonies will be able to supply sufficient examples by which to illustrate ita efficiency.

The American correspondent of the Otago Witness saysi—"The Chinese are being shovelled ashore from each steamer by the thousand, and hundreds arrive by sailing v vessels at Oregon. The Mongolian in- r*~ vasion has become quite alarming, and if y continued much longer at tbe piesent it must be forcibly resisted in self-defence by our people. Don't let the Chinese get a foothold in New Zealand upon any account whatever. They are a moral plague."

A writer in a contemporary, giving a running commentary upon the scenes of the stonewalling epoch, has the. following:—- ---" Many are the grins that spread over appreciative faces when Mr Seddon gets up and makeß havoc of the Queen's English—when he declares that ' Pre-hemptory horders 'aye been sent by tho Government on occasions not benefiting'—when he announces with vigorous action that his ' 'art boils hover icithin 'im at the ■wickedness of a bill that must 'arrow the soul of the most 'ardtned sinner- in the 'ouse' —when ha gives forth, in thundering voice, 'Mi Katn t Sir, I say I ham,' and is suddenly interrupted by a member (for his credit's sake he shall be namele-s), who, rising to a point of order, blandly asks if it is competent tor the honorable member to introduoe BAD peovis-ONS into the House."

A new cricketer, named Leslie, of Oxford, is creating a sensation at Home. He won the University match for Oxford by his brilliant batting in the second innings, making a Boore of 70. A correspondent of the Leader says of him :—-" The debut of Leslie has been the event of the season. He is only 19 years of age, having left Kugby last year; bufc, fairhaired ' boy' though he is, he is as strong as a horse, and is certain to earn a great name in cricket annals if he sticks to it. This proviso I mention advisedly, for I am in a position to state that his father, who is an eminent musician, does not mean to send him back to Oxford, although he has only been a year in residence. The present intention is v, for him to enter Lloyd's, and it is toj be 7 hoped that if he is lost to his alma mater, he will not be to the cricket world, for a more promising novice has not appeared since tha great ' W. G. first caused such fluttering in the dovecotes of the cricketing Carioli."

With regard to the questions of the height of Mount Cook, the SurveyorGeneral in his recent report says :—" The Westland triangulation has extended down the coast past Mount Cook, and observations to the summit peak were taken by Mr Roberts from 24 trigonometrical stations at distances varying from twenty to seventy miles. The observations from these stations have been computed by Mr w Mueller, and the height of Mount Cook N above the mean sea level is found to be 12,349 ft. This is the mean of all the computations, and no single observation differs more than sft from the height given. The other observations have yet to be computed, but they are not likely to affect the result more than a foot, if bo much. The height of Mount Cook hitherto accepted has been 13,200 ft., as given by the Admiralty surveyor, or 85ft higher than the determination of the trigonometrical survey. There can be no doubt that the Admiralty determination gives too great* height to the monarch peak of the New..' Zealand mountains. For the future the"* height will have to be taken as nearly 1000 ft less than what all the published maps give it.

Mr P. Marshall in "Our Boys "at the Theatre Royal to-night, farewell performance, at 8. Messrs H. Monteith and Co. will sell tomorrow a large number of horses, etc., afc 1.30. Tenders for the right to provide luncheon! on the 12th and 13th of October must bfl\ sent in by to-morrow at 4 p.m. / Mr M. E. Miller will sell on the 25th the Parawharika, Waima, Korokipo, and Mofceo estates, comprising 6250 acres. Terms of sale will be found in the advertisement. The secretary of the A. and P. Society will receive entries for the show on the 12fch and 13th October, of stock on or before the. Ist October, and of produce and impliruenti' on or before the sth of October, Mr H. Monteith and Co. will sell on the 14fch October, at Hastings, valuable draught horses, &c. Mr W. Eoutledge will sell on the 28th instant, afc the Spit, a consignment ot, Tennant's ale. The annual meeting of the H.B. Cricket Club will be held at Hastings on the 24th instant. A number of new adverfcisementi will bift found in our " Wanted" column.