The Evening Star MONDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 1888.

Evening Star, Issue 7450, 20 February 1888, Page 2

The Evening Star MONDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 1888.

Our Wellington correspondent wires: Mr H. S. Wardell, Resident Magistrate, of Wellington, retires next month on a pension, after upwards of thirty years’ service. The position here has been o fie red to H. W. Robinson, Resident Magistrate and Warden at Oamaru.”

The sixth representation of ‘ Lcs Cloches de Corneville ’ was given at the Princess’s on Saturday night. Mr Smith had to repeat his two principal songs, ' With joy, my heart,’ and 1 Silent heroes ’; while there was a general call at the end of the second act. The opera will be performed during this week.

The Rev. W. Morlcy delivered his farewell sermon at the Trinity Wesleyan Church last evening to a full congregation, basing his address on Acts xx., 24, 31, 32. After twenty-five years of church work, the last three years of which have been spent in Dunedin, Mr Morlcy takes a holiday and proceeds to the Old Country. The Rev. \V, Baumber, late of Napier, is his successor. Cr Kimbell has tabled the following notice of motion for the meeting of the City Council on March 7 “ That the resolution of the Council ye the Princess’s Theatre, passed on the 19th of January, ISSS, viz,, ‘That the outer doors leading from High street to the pit be kept open during all performances, and the inner doors unfastened,’ be revoked, and that the remaining clauses of the report on the Princess’s Theatre and public places of amusement be now considered.’’ Messrs W. Reid and J. R. Monson, J.P.s, presided at the Port Chalmers Police Court this morning. Mary Duckett was charged with using insulting language towards ■Susanna Azerotto, at Deborah Bay, on the 15tli inst. Mr T. North appeared for the complainant, and Mr F. W. Platts for defendant. After hearing the evidence, which was of a very conflicting nature, their Worships expressed the opinion that the result o f the quarrel was the interference of the children of the <'omplainant when going to school by the defendant, and inflicted a line of 10s, or in default seven days’ imprisonment, and dismissed the cross complaint. The pulpit of one of the suburban churches was occupied last night by Bishop Nevill, who, in the course of his sermon, made reference to the fact that a prominent member of the parish had very recently joined the Roman Catholic Church. It is now well understood that the person referred to by His Lordship is the wife of the incumbent of the church, who was received into the Romish Church at the New Year, just on the eve of their departure for the Colony from Home. The incumbent himself has brought the matter under the consideration of his Vestry and churchwardens, and intimated his willingness to resign Ids charge if he finds that his usefulness is in any way interfered with. The last ‘ Gazette ’ contains two procla mations which will be of interest to officers and members of the police force of the Colony. Under the Police Force Act of 1886, no rewards could be granted to police officers out of the fines and penalties imposed for misconduct, unless authority were given by the Commissioner of Police. By a recent proclamation issued by the Governor, any sum of money up to L 5 may be paid out of this fund to officers performing meritorious actions, such as saving of life, repression of crime, etc. A further proclamation affects section 10 of the Police Regulations. That section has hitherto provided that all commissioned officers of the police force should retire at the age of sixty-five, and members of the force at the age of sixty. This section has now been revoked, and under the new regulation officers and men will be allowed to remain in the force so long as they are competent to perform duty. The ‘ Post ’ understands that the terms of a number of efficient officers and men of the colonial police force would have expired this year but for the new regulation coming into force. Notwithstanding the inclement weather on Saturday, the excursion train to Mount Allen on the Otago Central Railway was well patronised, there being apparently some curiosity as to the country opened up by this much-talked-of line. Time was kept punctually, and Mount Allen reached about 4.30 p.m., where an hour’s stay was quite enough to admire the beauties of the scenery in a thick rain. Those who alighted from the carriages had to wade through deep mullock, and remembered too late that they were in or about Miilloeky (Jully. Leaving at 5,30, and with a halt of half-an-hour at the Wingatui viaduct, the train reached town at 7.45, everyone appealing well pleased with the trip which was, by the way. under the personal conduct of the General Manager. The line, after leaving the Taicri Plain where it skirts Mr Donald Reid’s property, enters the hills through a scries of picturesque gorges, inhabited apparently entirely by rabbits, who were seen scuttling about in all directions, with here and there a few desolate-looking sheep. The Taieri is soon struck, and thence the route is along the course of that river, which, it may be noted, was unusually low. The constructive work is very heavy throughout—rock cuttings, high embankments, and tunnels. The Wingatui viaduct has already often been described. It is a handsome as well as a substantial erection—one is not surprised after seeing it at the large sum of money it cost. The country passed through is wholly unfit for occupation except by rabbits, and perhaps particularly stroug-mindedgoats. There are a few cottages here and there, but these are occupied it may be presumed by employes on the line, and tots of children knocking about seemingly growing up wild. No refreshments of any kind were attainable at the temporary terminus—a casualty much regretted in pretty strong language by some of the excursionists. It is abundantly clear that until the line is carried through the mountain country it will never pay for axle grease, and the sooner this is done the better. On a fine day the trip would be a

most cnioyalJi one, and it is to be hoped the Railway Department will see its way to repeat it.

Lodge Dunedin, 8.C., meet to-morrow even* big. The insurance ollices will bo closed all day Oil Wednesday, and from noon of Thursday. All Nations Lodge. 1.0.0. T., Tort Chalmers, bold a picnic- in Lean’s paddock on Wednesday. The Women’s Christian Temperance Union hold their thiru annual convention in W.C.A. rooms this week, commencing on Wednesday, at 10 a. m,

TI'C admissions to the Dtuodin Hospital last Week were twenty, and the discharges therefrom eleven. On Saturday there remained ninety-seven inmates. There were fi/e deaths (■Mice Whitaker, Walter Smith, Deter Saunders, Arthur Sparks, and Mary Groig). Owiug to the exceedingly damp nature of the Caledonian Ground, Mr Illingworth has deemed it prudent, out of consideration for the puhl c, to postpone the commencement of Pain’s firework displays till to-morrow evening, when, if the present weather holds, there is every prospect of the ground being in first-class order.

There is to he a boxing exhibition at the Garrison Hall on Wednesday nigwt, a combination having been formed that comprises such excellent opponents of the “noble art” as P. Slavin, Jack Hall, and Pettmgcll, while Moris. J. Jcllctt will give a display of heavy weight lifting, etc. A silver cup is to he given to the best local amateur boxer.

Applications for patents have been received as follow Andrew M’Slmin, of Saddle Hill, an improved combination dredge for gold-mining and other minerals; John Wright, of Dunedin, for thu protection of bank notes from forgery ;, Peter Herd, Auckland, for a raft; CalVvn, oi Melbourne, for an improved liquid extract of meat compound ; Robert Stanley, of Sydney, and others, for an improved compound specially suitable as a substitute for chicory ; Walter Walker, of Liverpool, for an improved method of automatic electric signalling for railways and apparatus therefor; J. H. R. Dinsmore, Liverpool, for improvements in the manufacture of illuminating gas and apparatus therefor ; J. E. Wren, of Sydney, for improvement in the manufacture of illuminating gas for domestic and other purposes; Josiah Mann, of Wellington, for an improved chimney-pot, the invention being also applicable to ventilators ; R. S. Smith, of St. Albans, for transmitting a telephonic message to a longer distance than has up to the present time been possible, to be called “ Sneyd Smith’s Telephone Relay ” ; H. C. Young, of Wellington, for improvements in self-feeding brands; Thomas Haycock, of Nelson, for a foot and pipe-protector for pipedriven wells; William Snowball, of Sydney, for an improved apparatus for reducing the temperature of meat or other articles, and for regulating the temperature of same ; also for an improved apparatus tor obtaining a hydrous ammonia from igneous ammonia; J. D. Arnaholdi, of Auckland, an invention for use in connection with wire fencing, to he called “ The Cambridge Wire-strainer.”