SATURDAY, June 18th. (Before A.C. Storde, Esq., R.M.)

Otago Daily Times, Issue 782, 20 June 1864, Page 5

SATURDAY, June 18th. (Before A.C. Storde, Esq., R.M.)

Diujnkkhness.-George Hennis, • for being drank and disorderly, was fiued 20s, or fortyeight hours' imprisonment, Nuisances.—James Kennedy, charged with neglecting to keep clean his premises in Great King street, was fined 30s and costs. —James Ulark, Jone* and Williamson, and Menlove and Jones, were charged with neglecting to clean a right-of-wayat the back of their premises, at the corner* of George and St. Andrew streets. The

Inspector explained ttiat the nuisance was principally caused by the butchers' shop belonging to Menlove and Jones at the corner, and by the filthy water from the three houses being cast out on to St. Andrew street. The defendants complained that they had no possible means of carrying off their surplus water, and were compelled to cast it jou to the street. Clark, Jones and Williamson were each fined 10s and costs, and Menlove and Jones 20s and costs.

Minor Offences.—Alfred Rawlias, charged with driving his horse and dray across the footpath in Great King street, was fined 20s and costs. Jame3 Grant, a similar offence, was fined 20s and costs. Jas Johnston, was charged with obstructing the footpath in Maclaggan street by erecting a watertrough thereon. Mr Ward nsked that this case should be adpurned to Tuesday, which was granted. John Bafferty, charged with removing the surface of the footpath ia Great King street, was fined 5s and costs.

Accidents From Fibh-—At a meeting of Theatrical Managera couvoked by the Lord Chamberlain for the purpose of examining how far accidents from fire can be averted, it was generaly agreed (as came out in regard to the ease of poor Mdlle. Livry) that the actresses who are in the most peril, namely, the dancers, will not be warned—will not avail themselves of the chemical means said to render light fabrics incorabuatible (the virtue ot which, by the way, a lady witness testified, weara out after a short period of application). It did not seem proved that the lights are well fenced as they shonld be, especially in cases of jets of flame iron) pipa-wons, any dislocation of which might lead to disastrous consequences. The readers of the " Athenceuui" may recollect that the giving way of the galleMes of a temporary pavilion at Swansea last autumn, very nearly brought on a catastrophe which would not have yieldei in horror to that at Santiago- It was not wise in Mr Webster to plead that our theatres were as safe as our churches, instancing Westminster Abbey (we suppose at a night service). Surely, the excellent manager fjrgrot that the construction of our cathedrals is mainly of stone—that our congregations do not require the twenty thousand para,ffine lamps of Santiago to pray by;—surely, too, he forgot that a theatre before the curtain is <i necessity a composition of shelf above shflf, reached by squeezed corridors and narrow staircases ; and behind the curtain arjd above the chandelier (where the scene rooms are frequently situate) packed with every possible combustible material. It is to the iuter^st of_ every >. ne's lite, security of enjoyment, and profit even, that thesft things should, be looked in the face steadily. la any event, the inquiry and the caution cannot fail to do some good.

Blasting Powder— Some improvements in the ma ufaciure of blasting powder have been patented by JWesffirs Killow and Short, of Delaboie ; acco'"dit>.!? to which the ingredients used are nitrate of potash, chlorate of potash, nitrate of snda, sawdust, tan, and sulphur. Sometimes they dispense with the potash, and they sometimes substitute turf or peat for the Bftwdtt9t> or for both eawdust and tan.