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Otago Daily Times, Issue 3248, 4 July 1872, Page 2

A ball in aid of the St. Patrick Brass Band will be held in St. George's HaU to-night Dancing will commence at 9 o'clock.

The Princess Theatre presented an agreeable and now-a-days unusual appearance last evening. The performance was given under the auspices of the Licensed Victualler*!* Association, for the benefit of the Benevolent Institution, and it must have been gratifying to the promoters of the entertainment to see their efforts $o well seconded by the public. "No Thoroughfare" was revived for the occasion, and went smoothly. With one or two exceptions, the characters were well represented. Miss Anstead as Marguerite was natural and earnest, and Mr J. P. Hydes was in his element as Joey Ladel. As Obcnreizer, Mr Musgravc appeared, ail formerly, to great advantage, and showed the effecta of careful study in his rendering of the part. Mr Thorpe appears to be rising in his profession, and last night he played with graceful ease; a little more verve thrown into his acting would placet him on better terms with the audience. We may, however, offer him one word of advice, and that is, if even only one French word occurs in his part let him substitute an English one; ho will find it more judicions than risking a half suppressed titter. Before tho curtain rose to the Jlasfc act of the drama, Mr John Carroll appeared at the foot lights. He stated that he had been requested by ths committee to announce the pecuniary result of tho performance. He was not in a position to state the exact amount, but he believed that after paying all expenses .the sum of £40 would accrue to the funds of the Benevolent Institution. He thought this sum would prove highly acceptable to the Ajsylura, and it was an excellent expression of the generosity of the audience and of the charitable feelings displayed by the public on all occasions. The announcement was received with cheers.

The Fiji Times thus recorda the exploits in Australia of a scion of the noble house of Bau :—" Prince Joe appears to l>e enjoying himself in Sydney, and besides being quite a 'lady's man,' is also a public man. We hear that he is altogether 'killing,' and receives the adoration of the fair sex as expressed in the shape of rings, lockets, &c., which, no doubt, upon his return to Fiji will be bestowed upon some favoured ' fair' of his own people and tongue. As a public man he has made an after dinner speech, expressive of his desire for knowledge, so that ho might assist in the government of his own country with a view to it being ' great and gt nous' as New South Wales."

A soap manufactory has been established at Oarnaru, and another brewery is also to be added to the industries of the place.

The Wanganui Chronicle states that "a number of the poles betwetan Wanganui and Patea have been destroyed by lightning during the late severe thunder-storms. The poles in some instances have been splintered and riven into chips ; whilst in others a piece has been gouged out of them from top to bottom." The Wanganni Herald, writing on the flame subject, says :—" Fragments, in some cases a half and a third of the poles, are carried, after havirg been wrenched off, over a chain from the original pole, and scattered several yards end up in the ground, showing the for^e with which they have been driven upward.-). Small splinters are lying round for over 50 yards from the poles. Travellers should be careful to avoid proximity to poles in thunder storms, a'j there is really very great danger."

With regard to the operations of t! o New Zealand Meat Preserving Company at Timaru, the Herald says :—"The operations of the Company for the present season at the Washdyke were brought to a conclusion on Saturday last, when all the hands were paid off. Preserving will bo stopped for about four months, when the new season will commence, but during the interval work will not be entirely suspended, as nearly fifty men will be re engaged, and kept in regular employment in various ways. In order to give some idea of the benefit the Company have been to the district, merely as employers of labour, we may mention that the average number of men they have had in their employ daring the season has been one hundred and fifty. We may further mention that on being paid off, the men without exception, expressed satisfaction at the treatment they had received, and their desire to be taken on again when the Company resumes *ork."

The Dunstan Times says:-—"The inclemency of the weather and consequent difficulty of progression along our—even in the best of times—very indifferent roads, has caused considerable delay in the arrival of the coaches carrying the mails, spite of the experience and energy of the drivers. Commercial travellers too have no easy time of it, and some few have been glad to leave their vehicles behind, borrow Baddies, and finish the journey on horseback, rather than run the risk of driving over the slippery, treacherous roads. In the Nevis the severity of the weather has put a stop to all tniii ng operations, and not a few of the claim-holders have sought a lesa rigorous climate at Clyde or CroinwclL In the Carrick Eanges also the frost has been ho severe that there in no water in the races ; consequently mining is almost at a standstill. From all parts come similar tales. Yesterday there appeared indications of the frost breaking tip."

The frost in the Arrow district is still very severe, greatly impeding mining operations.

The nomination of candidates for the Mayoralty was fixed for the 12th July hy the City Council last evening. The nomination of Councillors will take place on the 24th, the polling places to be the same as last year. The only business of any importance which was transacted at the meeting wan the voting of £50 for each Ward, to bo expended in repairing the footpaths and crossings.

During the rccc;nt passage of the Nevada, from Honolulu to Auckland, her engineer— a new one — discovered a flaw in the journal of the main shaft. On the arrival of the steamer in Auckland, Captain Blethcn and her agents, Messrs Henderson and Macfarlane, reported the circumstance to the Government, and the machinery waa consequently inspected by Mr Stewart, the local inspector. He reported that there would be no risk in the vessel's coming on to Port Chalmers, where she con Id be inspected by Mr Nancarrow, the Government Inspector of steamers. Mr Nancarrow accordingly inspected her yesterday, and at the request of the Commissioner of Customs, called in Mr W. Bruntcn and Mr W. R. Douglas to examine her at the same time. The joint report of the three gentlemen named has been communicated to us by Mr Naucarrow, by desire of the Commissioner of Customs, and ia as follows :— " Whether cracks are from shaft not being properly fagotted and only (superficial, or from shaft having been exposed to a great strain and cracked through, cannot be said. We do not anticipate any danger. If it does ultimately break, it will give due notice of its going to do so. If examined, say after every port, we believe there is no need of fear. Vessel should proceed to San Francisco under «!asy steam, Bay 12 lbs. steam in boilers. Mr Stewart should again inspect it in Auckland. We find three distinct cracks, not two. We recommend the shaft to be taken out and examined thoroughly by heating, on the vessel's reaching the (irst port whore such a work could be undertaken. Till uuch time we consider she should not be restricted from carrying passengers. If shaft should break, vessel must depend on sailing capabilities. A new shaft cannot be made or repaired in New Zealand. (Signed) J. Nancarrow, W. Brukton, W. 11. Douglas."

Three young men who made themselves very foolish at Green Island on a night last month, by disturbing peaceful people from their rest, paid the penalty of their outbreak of witless "humour" at the Mayor's Court yesterday. A carter named Capstick was committed for trial on a charge of stealing hides from a tannery.

In consequence of the great rise in the price of iron standards, some land-owners up-country are using blue gum standards instead. The latter are said to answer vary well indeed, and to coßt only about half as much as iron ones.

We are informed that German ships are to be sent to Leith for the locomotive engines building at Glasgow for New Zealand—these ships going afterwards to Hamburg for emigrants. The rails, made in Glasgow, are also to be sent by that route.

A Napier telegram asserts that Mr Friberg, the agent sent by the Government to Scandinavia to get immigrants, is coming back without fulfilling his mission, as the canny Swedes want a deposit of £5000 as security for the correctness of his representations.

The seventh competition for the Dunedin Naval Brigade's Challenge Medal took place at the Government range yesterday morning. The ranges were—4oo, 500, and 600 yards, seven shots at each range, any position. The three highest scorers were—Gunner Patrick, 56 j Gunner Stuart, 53; and Gunner Brown, 51. The scores were not np to the average on account of the thick fog enveloping the targets. We have to acknowledge receipt of the Evangelist for Jnly. It contains, among other matters, an article on the late " United Evangelical Services in Dunedin," in which it is stated that " the interest which they evoked, as shown by the numbers who attended, and the attention and earnest feeling which thoy displayed, was most gratifying, and gave hopeful indications that good was done." The number also contains an article on " Public Traffic on the Lord's Day ;" an Ordination Address lately delivered at Balclutha by the Rev. John Waters; aud more than usually full summaries of Provincial, Colonial, and General Religious i Intelligence.

The quarterly meeting of Court Pride of Dunedin, A.0.P., was held in Wain's hotel, on Tuesday evening. The following officers were elected for the ensuing six months :— Bra G. W. Geddes, C.R. : Bro. R. Johnston, S.C.R. ; Bro. T. Tofield, Treasurer; Bro.

J, W. Wiißon, Secretary; Bro. 3. Haze!!, S.W. - r Bro. W. West, J.W.; Bro. W. Carr, 5.8.; and fero, Thomas Ireland, J.B. The quarterly balance sheet wa» read, showing an increase of £45 Os 3d, making the total amount of the funds at the disposal of the Court, £1522 19s od. TUo number of members was 182. During the evening the brethren took the opportunity of presenting Bro. Thomas Ireland with a silver modal bearing the following inscription ;—" Presented to Bro. Thomas Ireland, in recognition of his long and valuable services as Senior Woodward of Court Pride of Dunedin." Bro. Ireland suitably returned thanks, and the meeting terminated.

The football match between the Scots and Eaylbh of the D.P.C. Club will be played (weather permitting) on Saturday next, on the South Dunedin Recreation Ground, when all members who conveniently can are ex* pected to put in an appearance.

The report of the managers of the Queenstown. Cemetery, which is published in this week's josne of the Provincial Government Oar.ettc, in a model of conciseness, very few words indeed being wasted. Among other things, the managers state that they " regret that they never could obtain the Ordinance of 1804, and therefore have not complied with its conditions." They also state that " the only bad debts are for persons interred by the Government."