TOWN AND COUNTRY.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XXV, Issue 1707, 6 June 1866, Page 2

TOWN AND COUNTRY.

Cnm—A match is to be played between the members of the Christchurch Chess-club and that of Nelson. The progress of the game is to be recorded by the telegraph. A meeting of the Christchurch members will be held this evening, at their rooms at the Mechanics' Institute, at 7 p.m. Clerical.—The Lord Bishop of Christchurch left fcr Hokitika on Monday last. He purposes remaining there until the arrival

of tlio Vou. H. W. Iliirpcr, Arcliilcacon of Hokitiku, from England, who is expected to arrive in August next. Kakaia Election.—The nomination of a member to represent this district in the Provincial Council, was held on June 4,ut Ford's Woolshcd, Mr. John Hall was proposed by Mr. John Cordy, and seconded, and after having given his opinions on several subjects, there being no other candidate, lie was declared by the Returning Officer, Mr. E. J, Lee, as duly elected. City Lights.—Last night all the lamps in tho city under the control of the City Council were extinguished, and as the majority of the inhabitants have adopted tho early-closing movement, almost absolute darkness prevailed after their establishments were shut. The prospect of having the lights replaced seems to be very remote, as the workmen of the Gas Company were yesterday employed in removing the burners, fittings, &c., of the lamps. Has the Executive no power to remedy a state of tilings where the public safety is concerned ? Reported Loss.—Mr. George Dobson left the Arnold Township last Tuesday morning, with the intention to reach Grey mouth the same evening, and visiting the coalmines on his way. Mr. Fox, a storekeeper, of the Arnold Township, left shortly afterwards, and expected to see him the same evening at Greymouth. Mr. Dobson left without blankets and provisions, but, instead of keeping the road, intended, in order to find a better track, to cut across the country. On Thursday, the police from Greymouth, went up to search for him, but without result. Mr. Sale, when the sad occurrence was reported to him at Hokitika from Greymouth, last Sunday, sent out at once a good and experienced searching party, and telegraphed to Christchurch at the same time, but no more news has been received up to last night. Mr. Edward Dobson, our Provincial Engineer, left this morning by Cobb's coach, to do everything in his power to And his son, dead or aliTe. It is supposed that this young and promising engineer, of whose energy and knowledge the province in the last two years has had so many proofs, has met with some accident-such as a broken leg—by which he was unable to proceed. The country to cross was about four miles, and only small creeks flow through it, which to such an experienced swimmer as Mr. George Dobson is, would offer no obstacle, ihe Secretary for Public Works has ordered every effort to be made to aid in the search; and, though it is now a week since Mr. G. Dobson was last seen, his friends need not yet give up all hope of recovering him alive. Theatre Rotal.—Last night, a romantic story,in two acts, entitled "The Seven Clerks, or the Denouncer," was produced. It is illustrated by four new scenes, painted by Mr. J. S. Willis with his wonted taste and judgment in the production of scenic effects, and was preceded by the overture to the opera of Masaniello, played by the band in capital style. Count Adolphe de Briancourt arrives at Marseilles in search of a lady whom he had seen at Paris, and who had stolen away his heart. Here he meets one Simon Siggel (Mr. H. Morrison) the half-starved servant of Claude Darnauld, an old gentleman who exalts the virtues of mortifying the flesh and sparing the gold; he gets into conversation with Simon, and tells him the object of his visit to the city. While they are talking a bell tolls, which Simon explains to be the knell of a man who is going to be hanged, and the seventh whom that fate has overtaken on the charge of robbing his master. Immediately afterwards, Victorine, the lady Adolphe seeks, runs on, pursued by two men who threaten her life, because, as they say, she is the daughter of Darnauld, the denouncer of seven innocent clerks. He rescues her, and they recognise one another. She believes that the man about to be hanged is innocent, and engages the Count to enter her father's service, promising to be his wife if he discovers the thief. He consents, and the old man's treasure, consisting of seven bags of gold, is given into his custody; but Darnauld retains the key of the safe in which the treasure i 3 locked. Next morning one of the bags is missing, and Adolphe is given into custody on the charge of stealing it. In vain Victorine protests that he is innocent, declares thatihe is a Count, and explains how he came to-enter her father's service. The old miser ia-inexorable; but he consents to her proposal that she should watch the treasure next night. She < watches accordingly | and before the morning dawns, three'• rascals John Brown, Hans Hogflat and.Matteo Magles, the burglarious produce of three different nations, break into the house to steal the treasure; she grapples with them and calls for help, and they are secured; but as they protest they have never been there before, the mystery of the previous abstractions of gold is not unravelled. Immediately afterwards a door opens and the old miser enters, goes to the safe with his key, takes out a bag of treasure and drops it into a cellar. He is a sonambulist who has been robbing himself without knowing it. He is awakened on the spot and made conscious of his situation; and as some recompense to Adolphe for the injury he had done him he gives him his daughter and all his treasure. The interest of the drama centres in the old miser (Mr. W. S. Addison), whose remorse on becoming aware that he had caused the death of seven innocent men, was terrifically delineated and much applauded. Between this piece and the farce of the " Unfinished Gentleman," Miss Shepparde danced a hornpipe and was encored.