The Evening Star. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 1878.

Evening Star, Issue 4896, 9 November 1878, Page 2

The Evening Star. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 1878.

Not four montli3 have passed since, misled by the glamor 01 tho Ukaconki-'jkld and ■Salisuuuv ta,ctic3 at Berlin, an unthinking London crowd met those noblemen to congratulate them on the success of their policy. We at the time pointed out that it was a hollow sham ; that, instead of peace being secured, the new relations with Turkey contained within themselves the germs of future wara; thateven supposing England's dominion were extended, the price paid for it was poverty to the workmen, ruin to the merchants, increased taxation and misery to the nation : that throughout the world industry had been paralysed and the Colonial dependencies undangcred. The "war-at-auy-price" party treated naming these self-evident facts as the croakings of a craven spirit, and, though disappointed at the apparently quiet settlement of affairs, supposed they had achieved a triumph by showing a bold front, and bragged that Russia was overawed into submission. How stands the account now? Whore is this boasted triumph ? Every week latterly has brought news of fresh disasters, which are all traceable more or less directly to the Brvconsriiai) policy—the 'money market der.mged, banks, merchants, and manufacturers failing, iron furnaces blown out, cotton mills a.t a standstill; men tramping about the country seeking parish relief; the people idle, disorganised, and starving; the revenue not equal to the expenditure, and fresli taxation looming. Wore the Colonies and dependencies.of Great Britain free;! from the baleful influence of these sou-iniiictea evils there would lie some relief from A ha dark .sloud shadow that shrouds th'j wliuh umpire; b.it the faction that now rules British destinies, ever blind to man's true interests, cannot be brought to see that England owes a duty to the hundreds of millions over whom she ru.les—the duty that all her possessions shall lie maintained in peace. Reigning families: or aristocracies may be interested in European complications, but not even the poorest country in Europe can suffer so much from a .--.onquering army as Great Britain from a successful war. Tho annexation of

Ailghaxtauan. cannot compensate for the shock given to credit in consequence of the fear as to what it may lead. England and Austria join against Russia.. They will conquer pre b-ibly at the co.nt of wealth. Poor aa Jlusf in 3-.i;,y be. war will cost but little com-

pared with the expense to England. A day's b, \ttlo to Russia, won or lost, is comparatively lit.Me to the country. Her people go about the/v work and live pretty much as usual; but wiiil 5 Englaud'.i armies are lighting England's luiini reds of millions are standing idly lookin.<r 01 '• The atiikcs are not e:p.i;d. If two nation \ .'i'Q determined t.> injure each other, instead «<V helping each the other to yroaper, they n unit succeed i» their design ; bit a rich wi naer .'tosea, while the poor loser has nothing- to k«c. England has commerce, and colw.ics, aud fr.ctorieg, and and -.hip3 —ktussia, 'wastes and woods. Yet, with thi i folly of ihe party to which thi-. i' political mountebi.'ck, Lord Bkaoon.smislj.), has, for his own aggrandiaoment, bound himself, lie has staked England's wealth

against Russia's poverty, and to add to the complication, France steps forward and demands guarantees* nuttier sion on our part, lest Egypt should be annexed, Tim is Lord Beauonsfifjvd's peace, on which our Parliament congratulated him some three months since !

The land sale at Gore realised over L 12.000.

A postal delivery in the suburbs of Dunedin is contemplated. The electric light will be shewn from the Bell Tower this evening. Five minutes after our reporter left the Court-house yesterday afternoon the Taupo inquiry was adjourned until Tuesday morning ne.cfc.

Through the reckless driving of a vehicle into George street yesterday from a bye street Dr Mauusell was thrown from his horse. His injuries are not as serious a3 were at tir.rfc supposed, and he will be able to be up and about again in a day or two.

At the City Police Court thi-; morning, before Air H. o. Fish, J.P., Margaret Soares, charged with drunkenness, was lined 40s, >;i default, three clays' imprisonment. J. H. G. M'Leunon, charged with wife desertion at Auckland, was further remanucd until Thursday iiext.

A meeting of the Peninsula Tram Car Comjo.ny w held yesterday afternoon at the olfl.:'j of M"ssrs Street and" Morris. The sub-cor.'!..-..-, I:w snhnit'ed a draft prospectus, which is to bj considered at a meeting to be held on Thursday sext. The company is promised strong and influential support.

At the North-East Valley municipal meeting last night the Mr.yor reported that Mr Proudfoot had expressed his willingness to the borough to extend his trams on similar terms to those offered to Caversham. It was decided to request Mr Proudfoot to submit his terms in writing, and to call a meeting of the ratepayers to consider them. A lettor received by Dr Hector from Professor Levcrsidge, the commissioner for New South Wales at the Paris Exhibition, and in whose charge were placed the four or five exhibits by which New Zealand was represented, states that two awards were made in favor of this Colony—viz., a bronze medal to MrKnorpp, C.E., of Wellington, for a cabinet of dried plants ; and a silver medal to Mr Douglas M'Lcan, of Napier, for his exhibits. Mr M'Lean's collection, we believe, consisted of wools and Maori weapons, etc. In the same note the Professor adds that the geological congress passed off very well. There were nearly 400 present, and Dr Hector's books and maps were received with pleasure. The local governing bodies of Victoria appear to be very far behind those of New Zealand in getting into debt. A return lately presented to the Assembly show s the total present indebtedness of local bodies in that colony. The total amount borrowed was LI, 100,398, the amount of principal and interest paid off in reduction L4G3.902, and the tstal present indebtedness L9O4,GGS. The following is the present indebtedness of same of the larger bodies:—Melbourne, L 295,000; Stawell, L 59,538; Ballarat city, L 54.500; Beechworth, L 21.324: Fitzroy, 1,21,200; Hotham, L 25.120; Bungaree. LM.824; Ararat, L 38.470; Buuinyong, LI 5,U?0; Echuca, L 15,000 ; Emerald Hill, L 18,500; (reelong, L 10.50 0; Hawthorn, L 12.001; Sandhurst, LI 1,575; Talbot, L 10,300. Mr W. J. Steward, who for over eleven years has edited the' North Otago Times,' has severed his connection with that journal, to enter into business. In a valedictory address to the readers of that journal he says :—" In laying down the pen I have wielded for so many years, perhaps never to resume it, it is with not a little satisfaction that I can honestly say that it has always been faithfully used for the furtherance of the progress and prosperity of the district which has so long, and I trust still will long be, the home of myself and mine; and I think I may fairly claim for the ' North Otago Times ' that while it has grown with the growth of Oaniaru and the district, and prospered with its prosperity, it has played no unimportant part in furthering that growth, and in ensuring that prosperity."

The South Dunedin Hall was well filled last night, when the Prince of Wales Amateur Christies made their first appearance. The programme, which was a long one, was commenced by the band playing a aelection, which was capitally performed and was well received by the audience. Perhaps, the bt.'it item of tho evening was "Essie, Dear," rung by Mr Walters, who has & pleasing, though not powerful tenor voice. The other ballads were given by Messrs Douglas and Ernest, the latter, being rather nervou?, was not so successful in his song " Mother," as on previous occasions. The corner-men seemed quho at home, and the various dialogues and jokes were the means of great laughter. The second part was gone through to the entire satisfaction of those present, and the whole concluded with a laughable negro sketch. A dance followed, and wa3 attended by about 100 couples. Francis Foster, late of the Robert Burns Hotel, Hokitika, wac (says the ' West Coast Times' of November 4), charged before Mr Price, R.M., at Kuinsra, on Thursday last, with having made a false declaration before Mr Birch, Registrar of Marriages for the district of Kumara, for the purpose of procuring a certificate of marriage with Ellen Caslnnan, the said Ellen Cashmau being the sister of his deceased wife; also, that he had said he resided in the locality named for three days before the day of the marriage. Mr Perkins appeared on behalf of the polica. The evidence of Dr Dermott, to whom a similar application had been made by Footer, likewise the evidence of Patrick Maguire, who knew the accused and Mary Cashman to have been married, was taken, and the case was adjourned until Thursday next.

The Foresters in Canterbury have made an application to the Hospital authorities in Christohurch, which is well worihy of attention by kindred societies. "1. Are the relations of the Board with the Government such as will allow it to enter into the following an angement, without any way binding the Foresters to the. Government, but to the Board only. 2. For what annual payment will tho Board grant the Foresters a ' free bed ' in the Hospital. 3. The agreement to be to the Hospital, tho annual payment to cover the expenses. 4. Ja the event that ro Foresters be in the Hospital, then the Foresters to have the right to nominate any stranger to the benefit cf the ' free bed.' ft. An oOioei" appointed by tho Foresters to have the privilege of signing the admittance paper of one patient for eanh free bed they may take up. G. Will you kindly state the conditions on which the above can be granted V" Pending ?• meeting of the Board information bearing...on the subject is being collected by Ms: March from the authorities at Sydney and Melbourne.

'' Lka Eccles" has been withdrawn from tho tho production of ".Struck Oil" to-night, which 14 ijp.w to Duncuin, a:ul concerning,' which <; Tahite," in the ' Australian,' wrote : — ; 'l remwdx'rboin/'solemnlyassured by one of these carper thai ' Struck Oil' had exhausted the possibility of evoking interest, and that it would be impossible ever to revive it. And now it is revived by Messrs Laker and Farron, and it seems likely to be no less popular than it was four or five years ago whin it was quite new to ua. As a good aetincc domestic drama it has, then, quite established it 3 claim to favorable consideration ; rmd. judging by the wav it was received at tho Princess's last Saturday night, on the occasion of its revival by Messrs Baker and Farron, I think it has made a lasting place for itself on the stage. Concerning the way in which the characters of John and Lizzie Stofel are played by those two gentlemen, as matter of course opinions will be divided on the question of comparison with Mr and Mrs Williamson. I, for my part, see no objection at all to making comparisons. I often make comparisons myself, and I submit that comparisons help one to form a proper judgment. If I were asked to point out the difference between the John Stofel of Mv Williamson and the John Stofel of Mr Baker, I should say that; keeping in mind the obvious limitations of the character .as a dramatic- whole, and looking to such interpretations as aro possibla in this sope, Mr Vi'illi.-'.ms.in's John Stoi'ol was distinguished by simplicity, candor, and honhommie, while Mr Baker's shows more of quaint eccentricity and irritability. 1 n rc-pect of Dutehism Mr Baker lacks nothing in tho way of comI>lytcucss."

Mr Reeves declines to contest the City Mayoralty. At the Port Chalmers Police Court this forenoon, before Mr W. Elder, J.P., Win. Batchelor was fined 20s, with the usual alternative, for drunkenness. Mr William Mills's, of Waikouaiti, tender for L 3,048 for the erection of the temporary lunatic asylum buildings at Blueskin has been accepted. The work is to be completed in four months. It would be well if some horsemen, who are fond of showing themselves off when in a crowd, were made acquainted with the City Bench, and taught that they cannot gambol to the risk of limbs and lives of people. One of these iudividuals to-day—we should have liked to have been able t his nametwice narrowly escaped running over boys ; and when remonstrated with "by the bystanders was exceedingly impudent. It would have served him right had he been unhorsed and roughly handled.

The second, performance of "Trovatore" at the Queen's last night drew even a fuller attendance than upon the previous evening, the lower pails of the home being crowded to inconvenience. - The opera went with much smoothness, and gave universal satisfaction. The Misses Humes, Signor Morley, and Mr Borrows in their several rdles were highly successful, and were rewarded with frequent calls and enthusiastic applause. The last-mentioned acted wisely in merely bowing his acknowledgments for the recall for "11 balen." The same compliment was paid to Miss M. Hume for her trying duet with the Couut, and for the graud aria iu the final act, to Miss B. Hume for "stride le vampa" in th? second act, and the duet " Ai nostri monte" in the prison scene, while we should not have objected had a repetition of Manrico s aria " Ah si ben mio" in the third act been demanded, so well did Signor Morley sing it. The proceeds of last night's performance are to go to the Benevolent Institution. The opera will be repeated to-night.

Sunday hcurn will be observed at all telegraph (stations in New Zealand on Monday tho 11th inat. A special train will on Monday leave Dunedin for Palinerston at 10 a.m., returning from there at 3 p.m. A meeting of those interested in tho Taieri Caledonian Society will bo held in the Mosgiel drill-shed at 7.30 p.m. on Tuesday evening. Ihe ordinary monthly meeting of the Union Permanent Building Society is postponed to Monday, November 18. A meeting of shareholders in the Greymouth Coal Company will be held at Wain's Hotel on Monday evening, at 8 o'clock. An adjourned meeting of the Dunedin Operative Tailors' Society will be held at the Douglas Hotel on Monday, as 6.35 p.m. A meeting of Mr H. S. Fish's supporters in ensuing election of Mayor will be held at Watson's Hotol on Monday evening, at 8 o'clock. We hear that a portion of the volunteer force will go to St. Paul's Church to-morrow morning, and will be accommodated i-i tho new aisle. " From Auckland to Salt Lake City " is the title of a lecture to be delivered by Mr T. Dick in t •(? George atie«t < )ddfellows' Hall, on Wedneaday evening, in connection with the Primitive Methodist Church.