The Evening Star. DUNEDIN, MONDAY, JAN. 15, 1866.

Evening Star, Volume III, Issue 840, 15 January 1866, Page 2

The Evening Star. DUNEDIN, MONDAY, JAN. 15, 1866.

The contest for the General Government Prizes by the carps of No. 2 District will take place at the Kaikorai butts on Saturday next, the 26th inst. Squads will be formed from 5.30 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. We observe that Miss Grace Egerton (Mrs George Case), and Mr. Case have arrived, and will 'commence their Entertainments at St. George’s Hall on Wednesday Evening. So many complimentary notices of these Artistes have appeared in the newspapers, during Miss Egerton’s tour in the Northern Provinces, that we anticipate the pleasure of witnessing a very novel and graceful performance. Mr Case’s exquisite manipulation of the English Concertina have for so many years borne the stamp of the highest English criticism, that any praise on this side of the line can not enhance his reputation as an artiste, but simply keep it green. In the Supreme Court their Honors the Judges sat in Banco this morning, and after disposing of a few motions, adjourned it till to-morrow morning at 11 o’clock. The Thnaru Herald says that “The new road to the West Coast of Canterbury, Toy the Otira Gorge, is reported to be damaged to a serious extent by the floods, substantial works, which have cost thousands of pounds, having been washed away. A considerable portion of the line of telegraph has also been destroyed.” There will be a commanding officer’s parade in front of the Custom House on Friday evening next, and every following Friday at 7 o’clock p.m. The “sensation ’’play of “The Sea of Ice, or the Thirst for Gold,” is to be produced at the Princess Theatre this evening ; and, judging from the “cast” and the great scenic and mechanical preparations which have been made, the piece will be the event of the season. The drama, although of the unusual length of five acts, is full'of interest, and the audience are never allowed to weary of it. It will be remembered that the piece was once before played here by the Marsh Troupe, but, as might have been expected, the intensely dramatic acting which it required was not forthcoming. The whole strength of the company will be engaged this evening, Miss Julia Mathews sustaining the princiocil characters of Mcvlciinc do Lesconrs in the prologue, and that of Ogarita the Mexican Girl in the later portions of the play. We expect there will be a full house. A Sydney te’egram, dated the Ist instant, says that Dunn was captured by Police Constable Constable M ‘ Male. A desperate fight ensued. Dunn shot M ‘Hale through the thigh T)unn was shot through the loins and shoulder. The Australasian says that ;— A man went to £tn insurance ofS.ce in Paris and insured a quantitv of cigars against fire. Some time afterwards he made a claim on the company for compensation, the cigars having been burnt. He admitted that he had smoked them ; but claimed that as they had been destroyed by fire he was entitled to claim for them. The parties went to law, and a verdict was given for the plaintiff ; where’pon the defendants immediately threitened to indict the man for ars n, he having -,ct fire to property which he had insured. The scamp was only glad to let the matter drop. It was to be reeretted that the a iili6iics at the Princess Theatre was not more numerous • on Saturday night,- when the comedy of “A 3>s«on iu Love” was produced for the first time. Althought the plot is extremely light, the dialogue is exceedingly smart, and we were clad to see that, excepting a trifling hitch, the performers were sufficiently perfect to give effect to the running fire of rcp vtze contained i*i it Captain Freeman (Mr Herbirte) an Indian hero, who would not hesitate to caarge a horde of Sepoys, cannot muster sufficient cour-a-m to lay seme to the heart of a charming young la’dy Edith Leslie (Miss A. Wiseman', and conhis preference to Mr-( Sutherland (Miss Doby Green) formerly a playmate of his, and now a widow, induces her to give him “ a lesson in love ” But there is an enemy in the field in the person of Orlando Middlemark (Mr Richardson), and he becoming aware that his rival

has so powerful an ally, declares war against the pair. As might be naturally expected, the gallant Captain finds that taking lessons in love, even from a widow, is a dangerous step, and he is only saved from devoting his future life to his tutor by Middlemark discovering that she is a widow, and suddenly transferring his attention to her, leaving the spinster free to accept the Captain’s attentions. Miss Dolly Green, who made her re-appearance as the widow, after a long absence from the stage, was greeted in a very friendly manner, and her acting throughout was of a very sterling character. The scenes between herself and Mr Richardson were genuine bits of comedy, and the bye-play of both was excellent and much relished by the audience. Mr Richardson never had a part better fitted to him, and the original of the character he played (Charles Mathews) could not have failed to award praise. Of course, there was an under-plot, which interweaved the piece with ludicrous effect, caused mainly by the eccentric acting of Miss C. Mathews as Mrs Anastasia Winterbury, and Mr P. Horne as Babblebrook. The comedy is, we believe, only temporarily withdrawn, in order to make room for the ‘ ‘ kSea of Ice, ” and we confidently recommend all who enjoy a smart piece to visit the Theatre when it appears again in the bills. The burlesque of “The Maid and the Magpie” concluded the programme, and Miss J, Mathews’ acting as the “stage-struck” village lad, Pippo, was the quintessence of burlesque. Miss Shepparde was, as she always is, very charmingly dressed, and looked as pretty and piquante as ever. The rest of the characters were fairly sustained.