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Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXII, Issue 7825, 18 August 1887, Page 2

elusion of the scene from the " Kose of Castile," Mrs Sheath being tendered a similar compliment for her fine acting and ringing in the very effective selection fiom "II Trovatore." This scene was better managed than on the last occasion, and Maurico'u milo was allowed more

prominence with gooil effect. Deserving of special mention was also the rendering of the " Market Chorus" by the Musical Society, ami the really excellent acting shown by the performers in the operetta " The Koscof Auvergnc," Miss Hitchiugs, and Messrs S. H. Kennedy and Finch. They thoroughly deserved the enthusiastic applause with which their efforts were acknowledged. Mr Sheath conducted, Mr Keith Wilson devoted himself to the stage management, and Mrs Heath was indefatigable in perfecting the vailou-, arrangements.

The fashionable Kpiscopal churches of New York have decided to sell no more pews, but to make them free to all. This is in consequence of a fund of nearly half a million having been left to the churches by the late Catherine Lorilbud Wolfe, coupled with a request that they should be free to the public. The following conversation took place between two Skye crofters during Mr Chamberlain's recent visit to that island: — " ■\Yeel, Angus, and what do jou think of this Maister Chamberlain that's to be here the morn?" " W eel, Donal.l, he maun be a very bad man, travelling about wi' awonmn wi' adifl'erent name ! " '" \Yi' a woman ! Xli, mon, some one has been foolm' ye.' " Na, na ! it's true. They tolled me she's one Jessie Colling* ! " The old buildings of the University of Edinburgh are just now being completed by the erection of a handsome dome over the portico. The.-f buildings are only i about one hundred years old, the foundation stone having been laid in November, I7SO. liobert Adam was the architect, and hi* design included a dome somewhat similar to that now erected, lint neither then nor in ISIO, when the completion of the souare was begun, trom the plans of >V, 11. Play fair, were there sufficient funds for the building of the dome.

The committee formed to commemorate he services rendered to the town of

Birmingham by Mr John Bright as for over twenty-live years one of its rcpicscntatives in Parliament have presented to

the town, through the Corporation, ii handsome, full-length statue of the light lion, gentleman in marble, executed by Mr W. I (nice Joy. The presentation, which was announced at a meeting of the Town Council on the 7th of Juno, was unanimously accepted and ordered to he put in the public art gallery. Madame Christine Nilsson is superstitious. She has always believed in fortune-tellers, because early in life an astrologer foretold that in after time she would experience trouble through the agency of fire and lunatics. The prediction has certainly been realised, for in the .meat fire at Chicago she lost £4000, and in Boston she lost over £40,000 from the same cause. In New York some years ago a crazy man followed her tor "weeks, believing that the words addiesacd by Marguerite to l'"aust were intended for himself. In Chicago a poor student decided to marry her, and wrote several impassioned letters to the popular singer, which, however, remained unanswered. The third insane person she bad to deal with was her husband, M. Kouzaud, who died in an asylum. Has a University professor a light to his own lectures after he has delivered them * The whole tribe (says ii Home paper) will be delighted to find on the judgment expressly given by the House of Lords that he has. The ease in dispute was that of Professor Caird's lectures at Glasgow, which one of his audience had, like a good student, taken down verbatim, and then like a canny Scot sold to the public. The local courts, with that zeal for the free diffusion of knowledge which distinguishes the Scots, held that the student had done no wrong, for that a professor's lecture once delivered was common property, and the more, widely dispersed the better. In England a law court cares a good deal more about the clear interests of property than about any contingent interests of education, and the judgment of the House of Lords was naturally in the professor's favor. The decision has averted a serious blow to the system of teaching by lecture. The body of A. \Y. M'Kinnon, recently ,a travelling agent for a Sydney Life Insurance Society, was found lying in the Port Maequarip graveyard beside (he grave of his wife, who was killed by a coach accident nearly four years ago. He had been staying at the hotel for several months, and not paying his way the landlady threatened to turn him out. The body was lying on its stomach with the gun close by, and a forked stick was found alongside. There was a hole in the left side where the shot had entered. The body and face were quite black and almost beyond recognition. The deceased had evidently sat. down, and placing the muzzle of the gun against his side after removing his clothing, he discharged the weapon by means of the forked stick which pulled the trigger. M'Kinnon was a very intelligent and well-educated man, and was for 1-1 years teacher of the Taree Public School, and afterwards for eight years teacher of the Port Macquane school, which position he resigned about six months after his wife was killed. He leaves a large family.

The County Council of North Wairarapa have adopted a novel out excellent means of showing how Ilicy spend their money. On the buck of their rate notices they publish a statement ot expenditure. From this we gather that they require JL'l 194 2s lid for the following purposes : — Salaries, £300 ; travelling expenses of members, £150 ; painting offices and repairs, £2.j ; printing, advertising, and stationary, £70 ; postages, &c, £40 ; expenses general election of nieiubers, 135 ; rates, insnrance, legal expenses, and sundries, £81 5s : interest, £100 ; IJistrict Charitable Aid JJoaid contribution, £+42 14s 5d ; Hospital Board contribution, £10 3s (id ; total, £1194 2s lid. There does not seem to be any money expended on roads, bridges, or the other works for the construction and maintenance of which County Councils are supposed to exist, and if the only work done by thib Comity Council is to collect £452 17s lid ot poor rates then we think that £641 5s

is rather too much to pay in salaries,

printing, travelling, election and ollice expenses. No wonder that New Zealand has to complain of being ovcrgsverned when such a stale of things exist, and the figures given above certainly point to tho necessity for retrenchment in other quarters than the Civil {service. It may be that the luxury of local government costs rather too much for the good of the community. Of course the figures printed on the back of the rate notices may not disclose all the purposes to which the rates aie applied, but we have given them as they appear, and they are certainly highly suggestive. — Post.

On the fourth page will be found an article entitled " Whom to Marry." Ot the !),) members of the last Parliament, according to the Wiuigautii Chronicle, only 20 pay property tax. At the Resident Magistrate's Court yesterday, before Mr (i. A. Preece, X.M.. Peter Jensen was fined on and costs for drunkenness. Captain Edwin wired at -> o'clock last evening : — " Indication of strong winds north to east and north-east, with considerable aea and falling glass." The Napier Rowing Club holds its annual meeting to-morrow evening, at the Criterion Hotel. The list of candidates nominated for office can be scon by members on the club"s board at the Criterion.

Talk is cheap, but " By their fruits ye shall know them." The Ministry " talk " when electioneering of their dislike to the Upper House, but they have appointed 13 of their wealthy friends to that Chamber. That is a new way of abolishing an institution, adding to its power and the number of its members.

The Council is becoming a, kind of Municipal l J oo-Bu. It is the Borough Council, Board of Health, Meance Domain Boaid, and Papakuia Domain Board. Last night it allowed itself a fortnight to solve the problem whether the money it receives as the Meanee and Papakuia Domain Boards can be expended in its capacity of Borough Council on CUve-square and the botanical gardens. Kr.v, J. G. Paterson will lcpeat at the Working Men's Club this evening his clever and humorous lecture entitled "He who wad eat Iho kernel maim crack the nut." This lecture was recently delivered before a large audience at the Atheii.Tum, ami was voted tlio best one given in Napier for ninny years. Members of the club arc cordially invited to take their wives and lady relatives to the hall.

The nomination of candidates for the Eastern Maori district tonic place at the old Provincial Chambers yesterday. Captain Preece acting as ltreturiiiiig Oflicer. The following persmib were nominated : — Wi Pere (the late member), Sydney Tfuwlmn<;a, James Carroll, and Joseph Warbriek. The show of hands was in favor of Mr Carroll, but Mr Warbrick's supporters appeared nearly as numerous. The poll will take place on the 7th of September.

Cr. Cotton ".scored one" lust night at tho meeting of the ]toroiigh Council as the Hoard of Health. An hour of the Council's time had previously been tievoted to considering the drainage of the Spit, and in the end tho progress made was not enough to satisfy Cr. Cotton. So, when the Board of Health mettho worthy repicsentativo of the North Ward arose and solemnly moved that Hie Hoard of Health urge on the Council the necessity for more vigorous action with inference to (hi! drainage of the Spii. l(o raised a hearty laugh. Is the ".Spanish la*>, in which the action of ii portion of the " ltoie of Castile" takes place, a very "enrlhijuaky" locality? That it is ".subject to violent convulsions of nature would appear evident from the fact that on the first presentation of theoperatic concert ai the Theatre ltoynl a range of mountains descended Middenly from the Hies, threatening Maurico with speedy extinction, and ultimately leniainod suspended like Mahomet's collin betwixt earth and heaven. Last night (here was nn equally startling upheaval, and the mountain's and rocks were observed to oscillate in a most alarming manner, the shocks succeeding each other with great rapidity, and entirely altering the aspect of Ihe landscape. Our Wiiipawa correspondent writes as follows under yesterday's date : - A committee meeting of tho local branch of the Political Heform Association was held this afternoon. The movement is in full swing now, a large number of members having licen enrolled. It was decided today to form committees in the various centres, to further the interests of candidates working from the same platform as that upon which the association is formed. Members are very active and enthusiastic in their endeavors on behalf of the good cause, so that, beneficial results may safely be anticipated, — Tho dance in connection with the iire brigade fund that I mentioned last week has been fixed for I'Yiday night. Acceptances are rapidly coming in, and if the weather keeps fine we shall no doubt have a jolly evening. The operatic conceit given with such remarkable success a short time since with repeated last evening to a full house at the Theatre Hoyal. Tho programme of the first performance whs adhered to, the only addition being a vocal solo by Mr Chamberlain in the lirst portion of the concert, for which he was encored. Miss Laige was alsu recalled for her song tiom "|,n Fille dv Kegiment.'' Mrs NtiMth, Miss Bell, and Mr (Sheath were , culled before the curtain, at the con-