MASTERTON.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 867, 12 October 1888, Page 23

MASTERTON.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESFONDENT.) October 4. “Pinafore” was put on the boards at the Theatre Royal by tho Philharmonic Society last night. The houso was welt filled, and, judging by the frequent applause, the audience must have been highly pleased. Taken as a whole, the performance certaiuly reflects credit on the Society, and upon its conductor, Mr A. von Keisenberg. Some of the characters were, perhaps, a trifle weak, aud their conception by the players would probably have astonished Messrs Gilbert and Sullivan ; but that is, of course, only to bo expected in amateurs. The best representations were “Little Buttercup,” by Mr Cecil Riverton ; “ Dick Deadeve,” by Mr Gaskill; “ Boatswain,” by Mr W. Moore ; and “ Josephine,” by Mrs G. Hooper. The performance is to be repeated to-morrow evening. A five-roomed house, owned and occupied by Charles Curtis, and situated in Kuripuni-lane, was burnt down at 2 15 a.m. Curtis, who is employed at nightwork, left the cottage late at night, leaving a fire burning, so that ho might have a cup of tea on his return, and some time afterward, while going up Queen-street, he noticed a glare in the direction of his dwelling. His employer, who was with him at the time, gave him leave to return, and signalled to the night-watchman, who at once responded with a vigorous peal. Both brigades turned out, but as the scene was about u mile from the stations, and a fresh gale was blowing, their services were of little account. Tlie steam fire engine was, indeed, delayed for

about a quarter of an hour-, as there was no horse procurable, the niggardly sum of 10s offered by the Council being considered too smhll by horse-owners to turn out at that time. "Very little furniture was saved. The building was insured in the New Zealand office for LIOO, and ‘the furniture for L3O. "There was a fire at Carterton some time •during the night, by which a four-roomed unoccupied building in High - street, owned by Mr C. Turner, was burnt down. A telegraph pole was also levelled, and telegraphic communication with Wellington has been interrupted in consequence. I may add that the high wind, prevailing during the night, has also blown over some poles north of Masterton, so that the upper portion of the valley is isolated for the time being. The Benevolent Society’s Trustees held a meeting yesterday afternoon, and decided to continue their work, as the Borough and County Councils have agreed to furnish them with supplies. October 10. So pleased were the members of tho Philharmonic Society with their success in “ Pinafore ” that they celebrated the affair with a ball, which came off" in tho Temperance Hall last night, and which was very largely attended. The ladies who interested themselves in the matter put their own skill in pastry cooking into requisition, and thus reduced the expenses to a miuimum.

The Society received an invitation to perform “ Pinafore ” one night at Greytown. Josephine was, however, unable to see her way toward going down, and the proposal had to be abandoned. 1 understand that “ The Pirates of Penzance ’ is likely to be the next to be played. The operations with the diamond drill on the Fernridge are attracting a good deal of attention. The drill has passed through a thick layer of papa, cut a thin seam of coal, several feet of iron ores, all of which appear, however, to be impregnated with sulphur, and was, by latest account, in sandstone. Several very timely showers of rain have fallen during the last two or three day 3. This morning there was a frost, though not so severe as to do much damage.

The fruit trees in the district look most promising, and with an average season there should be a large crop, especially of apples and plums. Two bankruptcies have been recorded during the last week. One of them is that of Colin Winchester, baker, and the other that of J. L. Thompson, a settler at Mangamahoe. The amount involved is small in both cases.

Dr Hosking has procured some humble bees from Canterbury and liberated them on his farm.

Men who went over to Mahakipawa and were disappointed are returning almost daily, their accounts being anything but glowing. As a matter of fact large numbers of would-be diggers would pronounce any" field a failure where they could not pick up the gold on the surface. There are said to be about 360 empty houses in Masterton, the majority of the former occupants having moved on to their sections in the Forty-mile Bush. At the meeting of the Wairarapa North County Council yesterday the resolution instituting the Woodville - Tiraumea special settlement a road district was confirmed. There had been some doubt as to whether the Council would do this, as the settlement has become part of a new county since the original resolution was passed. L?gal advice obtained was, however, to the effect that the Council was in a position to deal with the subject as it thought fit. The Council also let a contract for metalling 150 chains of the Te Ore Ore-Bideford-road to Messrs Scally and Co. for L 614 11s. The tendering was most remarkable, the highest being for L 1047 and the lowest L 552.