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Otago Daily Times, Issue 4419, 18 April 1876, Page 2

Rehearsals of the Danedin Choral Society are postponed until further notice, on account, we presume, of the Hall being used for the bazaar.

A new dramatic season was inanguratcd at the Queen's Theatre last night under the management of Messrs Steele and Keogh. The company is an average one, but while containing no new faces, yet it possesses considerable strength in Mrs Walter Hill, who received a hearty welcome on her reappearance last night. Indeed, the reception of the old favourites was also of the most cordial nature. With a judicious selection of pieces well put upon the stage the Queen's Theatre ought, as was the case last night, to draw good audiences for some lime to come after tbe conclusion of Md'le. De Murska's engagement. The entertainment commenced with the sensational drama of "Black Sheep," in which Mrs H:H sustained th c character of Harriet .Routh in a very natural manner. Mr Steele was Stewart Routh, but his representation can scarcely be pronounced a success. Miss Lilly May acted the part of Jim Swain in a very clever manner. Her representation of it on foimer occasions in Dunedin wilJ, no doubt, be remembered by theatre goers, and that of last night certainly showed no falling off. Mr Clinton en Phillip Dean, Mr Stoneham as the Detective, and Mr Saville as George Dallas, rlso played well, and the minor characters were fairly sustained. The afterpiece was " The Day After the Wedding." The " Woman in Red" is announced for to night with Mrs Hill in the title role. As it is one of her best impersonations there should be a crowded house.

The Combination Troupe, announced to appear at the Temperance Hall last evening, did not give their entertainment.

It must be awkward for great men when early reminiscences are revived, and forgotten friends start up in all sorts of odd places and say all sorts of odd things. We clip the follow: Dg from the London Weekly Times : —" Mr Vogel declares his belief that New Zealand is destined to pass ahead of all the colonies. Weli, perhaps he is right. But what good fortune it was to Mr Vogel that New Zealand was a fact I remember playing poker with him at Ploasant Creek, years ago, and clearing him out. He borrowed £1 from me to take him home. He was a rare fellow -elastic, full of hope, none of your croakers. He used to write some stinging articles for the 'local rag ;' articles of the Carlyle strength, full of pith and energy ; and I sometimes regret that bia pen

is lost to the Press. But between ourselves, he is an awful humbng. I don't think he believes in anything, and I am pretty sure that if he could have turned his talent in this direction to profitable account in England, New Zealand would never have seen him again. As matters stand, Sir George Grey is ready for the fray."

The Tuapeka Times says that the prospectors of the new line of resf on the Old Man Eange, near Alexandra, are prosecuting operations vigorously. They have a shaft down thirty feet, carrying the lode with them, which is well defined. They have now reached a mullock bar, and intend" carrying the shaft through it, and endeavouring to reach solid country. Gold is seen in the stone, and there is every appearance of the lode being a payable one. It is situate at the head of s number of gullies which have all been highly auriferous.

The first exhibition of the products ar A manufactures of New Caledonia was held at Noumea on the 16th and 17th March, and the result appears, by the Moniteur, to have been very satisfactory. Medals and certificates of honourable mention were awarded in the classes for animals, agricultural products, minerals, and the industrial and fine arts. Amongst the minerals, the exhibits of nickel were the most remarkable, and special gold medals were awarded to MM. Higginson and Hanckar for their collections. The Governor, in closing the Exhibition on the 17th, mentioned specially the great richness in this mineral of the New Caledonian mines.

At a meeting of the " Mount Benger Progress Committee" —a Committee appointed by the mining population of Mount Benger district to guard their interests—held on the 6th inst.,it was resolved and unanimously carried—" That it is the opinion of this Com. mittee that if the Government decide upon selling the auriferous land along the bonks of the Molyneux, it will considerably depreciate the value of all water rights and mining plant and interests, and eventually put a stop to all mining speculations, and in some instances dams and water races would be rendered utterly valueless, and great injustice done to miners generally."

Mr Bright delivered his lecture on " Victoria" in Christchurch on the 10th, and one on " Wit and Humour" on the 11th. The audiences were not very large.

The Herald states that Mr P. T. Finn, barrister at-law, has left Melbourne for New Zealand, where he proposes to commence the practice of his profession.

In the Wardens' Court at Alexandra, on Monday last, a prospecting claim was granted to G. N. M Donald and party, on a quartz lode at the head of Aldinga Gully, one of the main tributaries of Conroy's Gully. The Dnnstan Times mentions that the applicants stated that they had traced the lode along the surfase for fully a mile, and had sunk a shaft on it to a depth of 50ft., in which the stone increased from 4in. to nearly 3ft., that gold was visible in the stone, and from prospects they estimated it would yield about 1 oz. to the ton.

A will case, arising from thft sudden death in Melbourne of an old Dunedin celebrity, "Scotch Jock," is likely to afford a bone of contention. The estate is said to be worth some £17,000, and there are said to be not only two wills but two "relicts!" In the first will the whole of the deceased's property was left to his wife, but in the second will it is shown that he had changed his mind, and left his valuable horses to Mi Morley, of Sandridge, and the remainder of his property to the later friend of his bosom. At present the case has not advanced beyond the stage of the "reading of the wills."

The head teachers of the Victorian State Schools have been directed by the Minister of Public Instruction to plant the school grounds wUh trees aad shrubs. Ornamental foreign plants will be supplied by the State Nursery, and where actually necessary, a small allowance for the purchase and planting of native trees will be made.

The Scotsman of the 12th February says : —"Mr Hercules Rosa, son of Captain Horatio Boss, and the champion shot of India, has just carried off a cup offered by the Viceroy of India with the remarkable score of 141, made with ton shots at 800, 900, and 1000 yards. Including the two sighting shots at each distance, the score was made up of 30 bull's-eyea, 3 centres, 2 inners, and an outer. At 900 yards, 5 was registered for each of the 12 shots fired. Mr Ross, who is to be home this year on leave, intends to compete for a place in the Scottish Eight for the Elcho Shield."

hours."

An exciting chase on a railway is narrated by a Home paper as follows : —"On February 7th a bullock, whUe being unloaded from a truck at Dover Piiory, escaped and ran up the line. Mr George, one of the railway officials, gave chase on a pilot engine as far as Kearnsey, where, coming up with the animal and seeing a man by the side of the line, he sent him for a gun. Having obtained a rifle, Mr George got down from the engine, when the animal charged him. He was compelled to dodge behind a signal post, and after firing three shots brought down the bullock. The chase occupied two

The Rev. Mr Fitchett, who recently left Christchurch, has returned to Dunedin after an absence of six years, and again takes charge of this circuit. He preached in Trinity Church on Sunday evening, from Hebrews xiii. S—"Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today, and for ever."

The conversazione which is to be given in St. Paul's schoolroom this evening, under the auspices of the St. Paul's and All Ssints' Young Men's Association, promises to be very successful. The room has been tastefully embellished with beautiful pictures and evergreens. Every exertion has been made, both in reference to the musical and scientific portions of the programme, to make the entersaiumertt a decided success. In order to prevent crowding, ticket-holders are requested to be in attendance before a quarter to eight o'clock. The free refreshment stall will be presided over by several ladies. At the Port Chalmers Police Court yesterday, Joseph Williams was fined 10s, or in default to undergo 48 hours' imprisonment, for being drunk and disorderly on Sunday. Mr R. B. Martin yesterday sold, at the Lands Office, Dunedin, in accordance with the advertisement in the Government Gazette, several sections in the township of Greytown. Ihe whole of the sections submitted were sold at prices ranging from the upset price to £S0 per section. A number of sections in the Blueskin township were also offered, but the majority of them ware passed.

The gentleman who took the Dunedin Cricket Club's scoring book from the Pavilion will oblige by returning it to this office without delay.

The weather continued fine yesterday, when numerous parties, as usual on Easter Monday, proceeded to the favourite picnicking localities which abound in our neighbonrhood. The number of passengers booked at the Dunedin Railway Statioa was:—Port Chalmers line, 406 ; Clutha line, 463.

The regular meeting of the Loyal Leith Lodge, 1.0.0. F., was held in the Caledonia Hotel last evening, when another initiation took place. It was resolved that the dedication ceremony of the new hall be performed in public on the Queen's Birthday, and that Brother Braithwaite be requested to supervise the arrangements. Brothers Ritchie, Wheeler, Alexander, Braithwaite, Holme 3, Wathen, and tha Secretary were appointed a Committee to prepare an entertainment for the evening of the 2-ith May.

Another fire occurred on the farm of Messrs William and James Christie, Lower Harbour, yeEterday morning, by which three stacks were destroyed. The origin cf the fire is unknown. The stacks wore insured in the National Office for £150, and were valued at £300.

We give a full report of yesterday's racing at Christchurch from our special reporter. Our correspondent there sends us the Wizard's tip for to-day's races, as follows : — For the Flying Stakes : Guy Fawkes or Ada Colfc; the former for choice. For the Autumn Handicap: Ariel. For the Selling Stakes : Tadmore or Mangle; the former for choice.

In times past, we always contributed as much as lay in our power to forward the laudable objects for which the Caledonian Society of Otago was formed, and most willingly gave full publicity to all proceedings of the Society. Uufortanately, we had occasion at the beginning of the present year to complain of the discourteous treatment received by the representatives ot all the Dunedin journals, and by our own in particular, at the hands of an officer of the Society, whose action was afterwards endorsed by the Directors as a body. Instead of making amends, a majority of, the Direc tors have chosen to " nurse their wrath," and have exhibited some spitefulness which we feel bound to resent. While regretting very much that the interests of the Society should suffer through the foolish conduct of some of itss Directors, we feel compelled, under the present circumstances, to omit all reference in our columns to the sayings and doings of the Society.