Local Intelligence.

Lyttelton Times, Volume VIII, Issue 514, 7 October 1857, Page 5

Local Intelligence.

The Wonga Wonga, s.s., arrived from Wellington last night, in the,middle of a gale from the S.W., but still punctual to her time. Our limited space last week curtailed the remarks suggested by the concert on the occasion of the opening of Christchurch Town Hall. The occasion was full of pleasant interest. For the first attempt at a concert, with a tair number of performers and in a spacious building filled to overflowing, showed that the trial and struggle for life's bare necessaries endured by the first settlers were becoming less severe—that there were now time and means available for innocent recreation. It must always' be satisfactory in such communities as ours to see a wish to recur to pursuits, which, in their own way, indicate a recollection that we are born for something higher than to seek a supply of our bodily wants. We hope that the first concert will be followed by many others, and that audience and performers will always be as well pleased with each other as they were on Thursday last. To contribute as much as in us lies to this good end, we will venture to point out one or two little imperfections to which Mr. Merton and the performers are doubtless as much alive as were their audience. In justice to the singers, the songs should be carefully adapted to their register of voice. Neglect of this may sometimes bring undeserved discredit on a singer ; — as in the case of Mrs. Beechy, whose inability to reach the highest notes of " Lord Remember David "would have told against her but for her beautiful execution of " Adelaide " later in the evening. Would it not also be as well that the singers should be placed rather more above the level of their audience ? Those especially who have to sing solos would, we think, find their execution less impeded if they stood in a higher position. We noticed in' our last, number a defect in the quality and volume of the treble voices, but omitted then to point out the certainty of amendment as the result of assiduous practice, of which the long and patient preparation for this first concert is a sufficient pledge. Nothing brings out the power of all classes of voice so well as accurate knowledge of the music to be performed and mutual confidence between conductor and performers. There is one other point on which we think both audience and performers may take a hint with advantage, viz., the unreasonableness on the part of the audience in calling for, and the too great facility of performers in granting frequent encores. It would be well if the audience would consider that an encore, which costs them only the pleasure of listening, is often a severe tax on the strength of the performer. In curious coincidence with our present suggestion, the beautiful air of Pergolesi, " O Lord have Mercy " (twice sung on Thursday last), was that of which the encore ended the life of poor Malibran. Every song which a singer repeats may be regarded as an unfair deduction from his strength and spirit for subsequent performances. And although, in cases of rare excellence an encore may be allowable, it should be remembered that such cases, to be rare, must he infrequent. The effect of frequent encores will be that the performers will soon cease to value praises when they are indiscriminately bestowed; and the audience will tire of bestowing praise which no longer stimulates to the attainment of higher degrees of excellence; and then good-bye, for a time at least; to the zest, and possibly to the existence of our concerts. It should also be remembered that frequent encores cause an undesirable prolongation of the whole entertainment. It may seem inviduous to point out these little defects of management in a concert which had much actual merit, and abundant promise of more. But we trust our anxiety for the successful and tasteful cultivation of music among us will procure forgiveness for our strictures. Mr. Merton has shown admirable taste in his selection of classical music; to which we trust he will adhere in future. We hope that he and his friends will soon permit us to listen to them again, and that they will receive that support from the public which they well deserve. We have several items of progress in public works to record, from which it will be seen that activity in this department continues to be shown as much as ever. Several contracts were let last week.

In the town of Christchurch, the contract has been let for metalling the junction of the North and Lincoln Koads, or Oxford Terrace from the Papanui Bridge to the Scotch Church. This piece of road has been formed and thereby much improved, hut the metalling is necessary to give substance to the road and to obviate some of the

unpleasantness of the dust which arises from the sandy soil on a windy day. The gully between Skillicorn's and Fisher's store is also to be immediately improved by being filled up. The Lower Lincoln Road is to be formed from the Heathcote bridge to the fifth mile. The works are now in hand, and progressing rapidly. Contracts are let for widening and remodelling the Riccarton Road from Hagley Park to Riccarton Bush.

On the hills road, which joins the Heathcote Valley with the Ferry Road, the bridge over the Heathcote will be put in hand at once. On the North Road, contracts have been let tor forming that portion still remaining unfinished between Papanui and the River Styx. Ihe improvements on the river-bed of the Styx are finished. The metalling of the road through the piece of swamp on Kaiapoi Island is contracted for; and, near the Ashley, contracts are also out for forming and draining the road between Raven's bridge and Massacre hillock; these works are in hand.

It has been decided to set out a road to the West Coast without delay along the line of country lately traversed by Messrs. Dobson and Taylor. When this is done all the necessary information will have been obtained before asking the Council at its next meeting to vote a sum for the construction of a dray or other road. We believe that this district will be rendered more accessible without delay. With a view of laying out a township in that locality, a reserve will be made for a site in the position indicated by Mr. Dobson's sketch. The reserve will be made temporarily until confirmed by the Council. It is pleasant to know that while discoveries are being made and territory added to the province, the revenue from the district pays the requisite expenses. All this is a pretty fair budget of work now doing in the province; we can feel that we are going-a-head.

We are requested to notice that the advertisement in our columns, notifying the Heathcote district election, has been altered as to the clay of polling. An error in transcribing the copy from which the Gazette was printed renders necessary the change of the day first fixed upon. The days now appointed are Thursday the sth of November for the nomination, and Friday the 6th for the polling. We observe that the Returning Officer for the Avon district has appointed two places for nomination, Mr. Gregg's barn at Riccarton, and the School room at Papanui., This form of proceeding is not in accordance with the usual practice; and, though it has been so done in other provinces, it seems to us to be open to several sound objections. At Kaiapoi, on the. Ist of October, the Revising Officer for the district held a Court for hearing objections to the list of voters. There were fourteen objections recorded and called for hearing. Mr. Wyatt, appearing on behalf of the objectors, proved the service of notice on the 21st ult. This was objected to by Mr. Duncan, who appeared on the other side; the words of the Act requiring service " ten days at least. before the day of revision. The Revising Officer, Mr. Hall, ruled that service on the 21st did not allow the; interval required by law, which was ten clear days, exclusive of the day of service and the day of revision. The objections were not proceeded with further.

At a meeting of members of the Church of England in Lyttelton, at the temporary church, on Monday Evening, three sets of designs for the contemplated parish church were produced. It -was agreed that the designs should be exhibited in the Town Hall for a week, when a decision might be come to as to their respective merits. The meeting accordingly adjourned till next Monday evening, and the designs are hung up in one of the apartments of the Town Hall, where they can be seen by the public. The Glentanner arrived on Saturday last, about noon, after a voyage of 113 days from Gravesend, not having touched anywhere. The particulars of a disaster which happened to her at sea will be found in another column, as well as some particulars of her voyage. The accident was very nearly fatal. We are told that if by chance the masts had withstood the strain the ship would never have righted and a total loss must have ensued. This is remarkable as the first accident, worthy of putting on record, having happened to any ship bound from England with emigrants to this port. The Glentanner brings a fair complement of emigrants, some of whom are for Otago. Those for this province consist chiefly of persons joining friends already in the colony. Excepting the disaster alluded to, the voyage of the Glentanner has been a prosperous one; indeed, considering that comparatively little sail could be made on the ship since the 20th August, her passage from port to port of 113 days must be considered as rapid. The passengers speak in the highest terms of the kindness and ability of the commander, Captain Bruce, and the officers of the ship.