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New Zealand Herald, Volume XII, Issue 4407, 29 December 1875, Page 2

The master of the schooner Julia Pryce, from Norfolk Island, reports having picked up a corked bottle covered with barnacles, about 300 miles from the New Zealand coast. It appears somewhat remarkable that barnacles should fix themselves to such a surface as a glass bottle would present. On Monday evening last the Prince of Wales Theatre -was crowded to excess in every part. Some tiin,e before the curtain rose all the seats in the building wero occupied, and when the performance commenced there was no standing room left vacant. The dress circle was crowded to the back wall, the pit was full, and the stalls were occupied by spectators right to the footlights. The performance commenced with the lively and instructive comedy of "Delicate ground," which has several times been placed on the boards, and always successfully. The audience was delighted by the vivacious and spirited acting of Miss Carry George, as Citizen Pauline. Mr. Lawrence played his part with snccees. Mr. Searle also played remarkably well. There are bnt three characters in the comedy, but they -were all well sustained, and the performance was duly appreciated. The Christmas pantomime, which we have previously noticed, followed and concluded the entertainment. Mr. Thornton, the artist, received a call at the "transformation scene," and the applause with ■which every new scene was greeted was of a genuine and complimentary character. Last evening the same programme was repeated to a good house. An inquest was held at the Provincial Hospital yesterday afternoon, by Dr. Goldsboro', on the body of a man named Thomaa Charles Harwood, who was admitted on Christinas morning, suffering extremely from the effect of drink. He had been arrested by the poliee at an early hour that morning, for drunkenness, but on being conveyed to the station, his condition was considered so bad_ that Sub-Inspector Pardy deemed it advisable to dispatch him to the hospital Hg died there uhortly afterwards. The deceased was 56 years of age, and a tailor by trade. After hearing the evidence, a. verdict of "Death through, excessive drink- i ing" was returned. A man who had been arrested on Boxing Day for being drunk, was brought up yesterday at the Police Court, and, by some mistake was charged with being " drunk and disorderly." Hβ at once admitted the offence, and pleaded guilty, for which a fine of 20s was imposed. The error in ao charging him was shortly after discovered, and he was again brought forward and Ma fine re. I duced to ss. It often occurs that when men are charged with offences, they plead they know nothing of the matter, &s they were drunk at the time, but it seldom' happens, that a man admits an, offence of whioh he is' not guilty.

Mr. E./JX etilT continues v t6 draw"crow,dedfibnse3. .• 'Oα Box-: 1 ing night, a very excellent entertainment was given, surpassing perhaps;: anything before witnessed in. Auckland. variety ; of the entertainment makes it pleasing"' to all. For instance, there is the brilliant performance of Miss E. T. Daviea on the piano, the exceedingly clever tricks of the Brothers Du Ville on the horizontal bar, songs sentimental, and comic (demanding encores) by Mr. and Mrs.. Empson, together -with their - dialogne scene, which causes great amnsement. The Brothers Dα Ville also give exhibitions of their skill on the trapeze in such a manner as to shew that they are adepts in the _ art; and last, but not least, Mr. E. D. Davies entertains his company to their heart's delight with ventriloquism. The cleverness of his performance justly entitles him to the cognomen of " Premier Ventriloquist of the World." Last night's entertainment was equal to the preceding evening's, as proved by the laughter and applause which greeted each performer. Those ■who delight in wit and fun should pay the City Hall a visit. A man named Kennedy was charged at the Police Court yesterday with lunacy. This poor fellow had been sent down from Mahurangi, where he resides, as a lunatic. He was examined here by two medical men, who declined giving a certificate of insanity, and he was therefore discharged by the Bench, the Resident Magistrate relieving his wants from his private purse, upon the man stating that he was without money. He then went to the Market Hotel, and engaged a bed, but deported himself in such an outrageous manner that the lodgers of tha house became alarmed at his behaviour, and Mr. Haeket was compelled to send for the police to remove him. In the meanwhile he left the house, declaring it to be his intention to swim to Mahurangi. He again behaved himself in an extraordinary manner in Queen-street early yesterday morning, and was once more taken charge of by the police. Upon being brought up at the Court he appeared to be rational in his conversation, but was remanded until this morning, in order that a further examination might be made into the state of his mind. Mr. Joseph Hopkins, " President-of the Spirit Circle, Auckland," wishes complaining of the local paragraph which appeared in our paper a few days ago on "Spiritism." We cannot see any ground for Mr.' Hopkins' complaint that the paragraph was "personally insulting" as it did not refer to the Auckland Spirit Circle at all, and was almost entirely of a general nature. We have no desire to speak disrespectfully of sincere and earnest men, however mistaken we may believe them to be, but as we hold that the Spiritualists are entirely wrong in supposing that by means of a table they can hold communication with the dead, and that the promulgation of their doctrines has had s, bad effect, we believe Tre are entitled to attack them by argument, or, what seems to us more appropriate, by ridicule.

To-morrow evening a musical bee will be held in the Hall of the Younp Men's Christian Association by twelve young ladies under the age of 16. The best piano player will be presented with a 5 guinea sewing machine; short pieces of music of six or seven pages or so to be played. Young ladies wishing to compete will please leave their names with cir. Dennes to-day, so as to complete the list of players. The first part of che evening's amusement will be a grand exhibition of fifty dissolving views, by Mr. Dennes, of some very beautiful Irish scenery, just arrived, and no doubt this entertainment will prove one of the most interesting of this festive season. Return of sick treated at the Provincial Hospital for the week ended Saturday, December 25:—Remained last return, 79 ; admitted since, 14; discharged, 8; died, 2; remaining, 83 (males, 76 ; females, 7). Arrangement of cases : —Zymotic, 19 ; constitutional, 6 ; local, 34; developmental, 4; violent, 20. Two deaths occurred during the week, viz.—lst. M. 8., female, aged 8 years, on December 21st., of Typhoid fever; 2nd. A. H., female, aged 38 years, on December 25th., of pycemia. Thanks are returned to the officers of the General Government, Auckland, for thirty quarts of strawberries, and to some anonymous friends for Christmas gifts. Cricket, so long pent up, owing to the weather, will in all probability find a vent to ease its too much strung heartstrings on Saturday and Monday next. Taranaki is sending a team to do battle with our various local clubs, commencing with the United, on Saturday, and the Auckland on Monday next. The former to be played in the Domain, and the latter at JEllerslie. The Auckland and Ponsonby Clubs will play at Ellerslie on Saturday, for the supremacy of the third "cup" series. The usual annual dialogue took place in the Onehunga Catholic Institute on Monday night, in which some 15 or 20 young ladies took part. The programme commenced with a musical melange, which was opened by a double duet by the Donovan, Dickey, Graham and Beercraft. Miss Leahy presided at the harmonium. Miss Codlin followed with an instrumental piece, admirably rendered, entitled "Jessie's Dream." "The Rakes of Mallow " by Master Fred. Cullen, was greatly applauded. The "Imperial Galop." by Miss Casey, was vnry good, and capitally played for one so young. There were many other young ladies who performed the parts allotted to them equally as well a3 those mentioned, but, as the programme was rather a lengthy one, it would be a difficult task to describe each piece separately. Wiseman's drama, in five acts, entitled "TJie Youthful Martyrs of JRome," followed, and was well done. A dance concluded one of tho best entertainments that the inhabitants of Onehunga have witnessed for some considerable time, and gieat credit ia due to the Sisters of Mercy for the indefatigable pains they must have taken with the young ladies who acquitted themselves so creditably last evening.—[Correspondent.] An inquest was held by Dr. Goldsboro', Coroner, on Monday last, at the Provincial Lunatic Asylum, touching the death of Hetarake Kamaka, a Maori, who had died on Christmas Day, from exhaustion. Mr. R. Grigg acted as foreman. A verdict of " death from natural causes" was returned. The deceased was admitted to the Asylum about four months ago, from the Bay of Island*. A silver medal, with ribbon attached, was picked up in Parnell, on Saturday evening last, and has been handed to the police. The medal, according to the insciption, was issued by the Horticultural Society of London, in September, 1845, to Mr. Richard Meads for a white Ispahan melon. The owner can obtain the same on application at the Station. State of Her Majesty's gaol, Auckland, for the week ended Dec. 25, 187S:— Awaiting trial, 10 males, 4 females; sentenced to penal servitude, 35 males; sentenced to hard labour, 88 males, 33 females j sentenced to imprisonment, 1 male; default of bail, 1 male ; received during the week, 15 males, 7 females ; discharged during the week, 20 males, 2 females. Total in gaol, 135 males, 37 females. An extensive sale will take place to-day, at the Cora Exchange, when Mr. "Binney Will offer a large consignment of California hops, Watt & Co's. hams, and 89 cases of American chairs; also a large consignment of Yarraville sugar. The sale will commence at 11 a.m. The Otago Daily Times, referring to the proposed chess match between Dunedin and Auckland, says : —A telegram ass been received from Mr. Jakins (Secretary Ponsonby Chess Club, Auckland), stating that they "prefer playing 15, but will agree to nine rather than abandon match." We understand the general opinion among players here ia that fifteen simultaneous games would be bo tedious an operation that they would positively decline to have a match with such, a large number of chess players vn each side, and Mr. Archer, the Secretary Bnnedin Chess Club, h»s been instructed to reply to that effect . The prises in connection with the North Shore sports on Boxing-day will be paid at the Thames Hotel this (Wednesday) evening at 8 o'clock.

• At half-past two o'clock this morning ] the fire-bells were rung, and it was found' that the fire was in West Quueri-atreet.' Fortunately it wai discovered early, or eke, from the closeness of the buildings in that locality great destruction of property mnst have taken place. The fire was in the house of Mr. Dingwall, grocer, corner of Albertstreet and West Queen-street, and it was discovered by Miss Dingwall, who was. aroused, by ,the smoke. She at once gave the alarm, the fire-bell was rung, and in. a few seconds active assistance was at hand. Sergeant O'Connor and two or three policemen, and Mr. Crowther and others of the neighbours, were soon busily engaged with buckets, a ready supply of water being obtainable from the standpipe a few yards from the house. In about ten minutes from the alarm all danger was past. Several of the Fire Brigade, with a hose reel, were on the spot within a few minutes after the first toll of the belL The fire originated in the kitehenof Mr. Dingwall's house, it is supposed from some hot ashes which had been put into a bucket. The damage done is trifling. Mr. J. M. Meek, of Devonport, North Shore, has sent us a copy o£ a lithograph of the very excellent piece of penmanship by himself, which we have already published some remarks upon. Mr. Meek has made himself famous for this kind of work—having made a history of Melbourne in the form of a tree, which good judges declare to havebeen something extraordinary in the way of penmanship. We are informed that the collections at the Roman Catholic Churches at the Thames, during the Christmas holidays, amounted to upwards of £100. This sum was taken at the services-held on Christmas Day and Sunday, and the fact of such a large collection during these dull times speaks well for the liberality of our Catholic fellow-citizens. — Thames Advertiser. The following are the acceptances for the Hurdle Race:—Medora, 12s. 1 lb.; Islesman, 11 St. 12 lbs. ; Auckland Kate, 11 st. 2 lbs. ; Moose, 10 st. 8 lbs. ; Stranger, 10 st. 1 lb. ; The Arrow, 10 st. 1 lb.; Mystery, 9 st. 1 lb.—Wμ. Pekcival, Secretary. We have received a long letter from Mr. Farnall, in reply to the statements made by Mr. Lundon, but we cannot to-day afford space for its insertion. j The drawing for Baird's Art-Union of eleographs, autotypes, &c, will take place this evening.

Mr. W. Even, •who is retiring from business, has instructed Messrs. B. Tonks &. Co. to sell the balance of his stock of china, glase, cuttlery, brush ware, platedware, &c, on his premisea, 74, Queen-street, at 11 o'clock this morning.