Untitled

Southland Times, Issue 615, 7 January 1867, Page 2

The Theatre Kojal, we understand, will be open for a short season, commencing on Thursday or Friday next. That talented and Tersatile actress, Miss Eloisc Juno, Mr Roberts, from the Princesß Theatre, and. other professionals ■will form the company. An entertaining and well selected programme is in the course of preparation, and we are informed that great efforts are being male to ensure the success of the undertaking. The ability of Miss Juno is not unknown to the inhabitants of Invercargill, that lady having resided in this town some three years ago ; Mr Eoberfcs is highly Bpoken of by the Dunedin press, and the remaining members are said to be able supporters. It is to be hoped that the "enterprise displayed by lioth Miss Juno and the spirited owner of the Theatre— Mr Puttelkow— will be duly appre* ciated by the public.

At the "Resident Masistrate's Court on Thursday. January 4, John Simpson wa9 brought up * on suspicion of having ?tolen from the person of Thomas Fox, a bu«hnian, a sum of money amount- ( in£ to £6 12s 6d. Mr Commissioner Weldon con- ( ducted the examination. From the evidence of lie ' prosecutor it appeared he fell in with the prisoner, a stransrer to him, on Tfew Tear's Day and TvliVvin? him to be, as ho said, " hard up," lent i him hnlf a sovereisrn. Tho acquaintance tins 1 formed wa- inrnvnvivl by the p-ienner, who. the ' np^f- Tnn"nin^. invHp'l hi<s newlv-fonnd friend t> i Inn eh vnith him nt Af- Johnson's the confectioner, of 1") f ..'-i«tre»»t. Thn r-f'nsfc ronoludod. prisoner -^("•lr-.cd t-"> par for it, and nftor some dispute tho i -T- •«•■':'.!' or r>aid for it. himself. His nmn'T, h« 6\ -y <••■». w»? <hen nil ri-rht. Aero-dins to hi* own ■> -s>n. hf, *">ing so'iovrhnf in li"pwr. then wv"t" to Hlftfr.. On nvnirn? !•<* pp-'r l . to tl:c t"bae.-on st's neav by to pu*f-hn.«sp n p : r>". when he f.inivl fhn*-- Irs n-.-mor— described by hi as consist!", -i of rV ■>« oie nomt'l notes, one of them on th" "Hsii". -o+'O _'7O flimite'H. one snvervi'm, twn hVCw- .' ■> .:i i":1 some silver — wis crone. M; 1 Johr.Aion iw"dlio~i f e'l the n-osefiutoT^ evid'.'ree up to t:io point trlv«ro iho dilute n>OMt p->vnv-nt O^urvprl. TT e pt->t*»d. h 'wever. that the prison, v l^fr the phcr* bef-iw Fox paM for what they had Frx wa* in r! -j red to leave shortly after — not having stone to slepp as he nU^gf-'! — enme back ngum and had one or two drinks — loft sixain returnee in about a quarter of an hour saying he had lost his money. He was tipsy. The police -were sent for and Fox was taken into custody. Witness was not present when Fox paid for the meal — h's wife, he believed, was. Could swear distinctly 1 that Fox did not co to s?eey> in the house after he | had paid for the dinner. Sergeant Shury stated that from information received he arrested the prisoner and toolc him to the lock-up. Told him he was about to search his person. Found 5s 6d in his trousers pocket. He said that was all (he money ' he had. In his coat pocket found two knives and I the old pipe prodnced (one of the knives and the pipe were identified by prosecutor). In one of prisoner's boots found a pxirse containing four one-pound notes (Bank of ]S\S. Wales), two half sovereigns, nine half-crowns and one five shilling pi ece — in all £6 7s 6d. (Prisoner here remarked that when he said the 5s 6d was all the money he had, he meant, in his clothes ; he carried his other money in his boots for Bafety.) The prosecutor could not identify tho money, and said the purse did not belong to him. Elizabeth James gave evidence corroborating that of Mr Johnston. Joseph Storrie identified the pipe as one he gave to the prosecutor. After being cautioned in the usual manner, the prisoner stated that after leaving Mr Johnston's he did not see the prosecutor again till that morning in Court. As the prosecutor had his money when he paid for the dinner, he (prisoner) could not have taken it. As regarded the knife and pipe, the prosecutor gave it to him, with a piece of tobacco, to fill the pipe for him. That was all he had to say beyond repeating that the money taken from him by the sergeant was his own. Mr M'Culloch said the prosecutor appeared to have been so drunk that he knew very little about the matter ; but, as the prisoner did not account for his possession of ■jhe money, he must be committed for trial at the Supreme Court. Tbe witnesses were then bound over to appear when called on. We understand that although the Bluff Harbor and Tnvercargill Rialvay, is not opened for passenger traffic, that luggage trucks ore put on to bvin.' from the Bluff the cargo of the vesselslately arrived. It will he perceived from an advertisement in anoihsr column, that the Invercargill Pavings' Bank will be closed until the loth January for i the taking o? the yearly balance. ! *tf Robinson, and okl settler, disd suddenly ' ..• ■; FriJay night, the 4th January. It is though* t 1 "t ac committed suicide by taking poison. An inquest on tho body will be hell tins day, at two o clock, at the Golden fleece fcfolel, Esk-strcet. " Grif," a story of colonial life, by B. L. Ftirjeon, aivhor of " >'ha lows on the Snow," &c, with a frtjni.- j/i-'.'o by K. Chevalier, published by .Yfr fiav " l -a. .•■"!:', is worthy of attention. Whoever *v»:1 t:b'? ftV.-t Christmas story, "Shadows on tho Snow," from the pen of Mr Fa-rjeon will have a vivil recollection of the pleasing i-nd promising character of the production. " Grrif " is a story of another stamp. The first was a cleverly conceived, and well worked out piece of imaginary event 3 ; the present is a faithful reflex of co'onial life. Some of the chaiacters may be deemed slightly overdrawn, but to those who are familiar with its ups and downs acknowledge that there is nothing strained or improbable. We detect the same fault in this story that we pointed out in the " Shadows on the Snow," viz. : — a disposition to reproduce characters in a different form, that have long become celebrated ; but the transformation is cleverly executed, and notwithstanding that we think the writer would do weli to depend more upon his •r?ative powers, tliere is sufficient originality to make the stylo racy and attractive. " Grif," the hero of the story, is a city arab — a male " Topsy" — ignorant, possessing thieving instincts, but who nevertheless is not altogether bad. His devoted attachment to Alice, the first one that had treated him with kindness, is ably portrayed, and and the final scene in his history is touching to a degree. The plot is laid in Melbourne. The chief characters are Alice , an accomplished young lady, who haviag married an indolent seedy gentleman, against the wishes of her father is disinherited and they sink ij.to hopeless poverty, the liusband having fallen into dissipated habits, and formed acquaintance with criminals, and .Alice is neglected. Then follows a long and well sustained series af stories of thrilling interest, explanatory of colonial life. The story is bo well constructed that the intereßt in the various characters is ably maintained, and the reader of the first chapter is constrained to go on to the end. " Grrif" is a publication that all may read with pleasure, and not a few with, instructive interest. Grread credit is due to Mr Farjeon for the perseverance he has shown, and in the highly crreditable efforts he is putting f jrth to promote a colonial literature. " Grrif " has high merit, and we trust that it will receive the patronage it unquestionably deserves. We are requested to call attention to a sale of hams, candles, tobacco, &c, by Mr Munro, at Dalgetty, Rattray and Co.'s, to-morrow, Tuesday, Bth inst., at 12 o'clock. From a telegram we learn that Mr Fitzherbert, and Major Eichardson have returned to Wellington. Southland it appears is not deemed of safficient importance to be honored by the presence i of a Colonial Minister.

A meeting was held at the Waste Lands Board Office, on Friday the 4th January, when the foX lowing lots of land were sold. Waiau district I Cntlibertson Brothers, 352 acres; in the Eyre district, Battray and Tolmie, 2480 acres; Eokanui district, H". Campbell, 50 acres. Total —2883 acres. The following is the state of H.M's Gaol for the week ending Friday, the 4th insfc: — Sentenced to penal servitude, 5 males ; to hard labor <l femoles and 2 femttlpß ; debtors, 2 males ; committed for trial, 1. T>tnl, 1 2 innles a«d 2 females. TWeived darinsr (ho woek. 1 male and 1 female. T-'iseh rgel during the week, 1 male. Increase for the w-'plc, 1 fern-?.. We nre in recch- i of a oircoW emanating from the British "Fv.'unHu'al Alliance, soliciting ftlm«ttanp in all pnr's of flm wo-ld to devote tho week from the fith to I h<» 13th J:tnu?r.rv to special m-nve\ Tho following Uan extract from the '•ir-tlrr: — "Tho Fvansjeliral Alliance, by its P.riti-h find Foreign Orgi"i?ntions. un^r a deep spn«e of tho obli-iatinn hid upon them, and jvitcful to God for th- responses with which their previous appeal hare been met throughout tho \rnr'd. would n??Jn r.f?Hotionately and e-inwstlv invite Cnri*tfn.ns m erery land to make arr-inapm^nts for o>!?ervin? "a week of Special v.ni\ United Praror " at the commencement of tho ?few Year. The united prayer of only two or three di=cinles, meeting in our Lord Jesus Christ's name,, has the sure promise of a blessing. How great, therefore, the encouragement, when believers in all countries, with one accord, make common euppl ; cation to Gor! ! Few undertakings have been more owned and honored of the Lord than these annual seasons of united and universal prayer. Tidings continue to be received from many places, showing how largely and how widely the heavenly blessing has descended during that season. Many souls hare heen brought to seel: and find the true Saviour; religious life and activity among Christians haye been greatly promoted ; and in the testimony given by it of the real union of true believers, the gospel of the grace of God has been commended before the world, a stumbling block has been removed out of the v-uy of unbelievers, and the bond of affectionate fellowship between those who are brethren heloved in the Lord has been greatly strengthened. It is believed that many j of the stirring: events of the last seven years, connected with the revival of religion at home and abroad, the circulation of the Sacred Scriptures, the overthrow of slavery, and the opening of doors " wide and effectual " for the preaching of the Gospel, justify the offering of devout praise and .thanksgiving to the Almighty for His answers to the petitions of His people. The present time, especially, snpplies an earnest appeal to the Church of God at large to arise to the solemn duty of united intercessory prayer. Besides the ordinary interests calling for our sympathy, let us not forget that multitudes of our fellowcreatures are suffering from the calamities of recent wars, from the visitation of pestilence and various afflictive dispensations, and the more fatal attacks of sceptism and frror." We are requested to intimate that meetings for prayer, in accordance with the above scheme, will he held in St. Paul's school-room, every evening this week, at half-past 7 o'clock. Tha Wellington Advertiser of the 24th instant, says : — " The steamers Phcabe and Eangitoto brought a large number of Chinese en route for the Otago diggings. When the Phoebe arrived on Friday one of the Chinamen was earned on to the wharf evidently dangerously ill, and he died in the course of the ni^ht. The cause assigned .v;is an overdose of opium. The Maories were particularly amu?ed when they came m contact wilh the Chinarr:v>- and laughed immoderately at tluir comical appec-unee."