Untitled

Timaru Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 1477, 16 June 1879, Page 2

Football. — O^ing to tho inclemency of the weather on Saturday, the football match which had been arranged to come off was postponed till aturday next. Licensing Covet. — Ihe adjourned sitting of the Licensing Court for tho districts of Timaru, Levels, and Mount Peel, will be held m the Resident Magistrate's Court tomorrow, instead of to-day, as already incorrectly stated. Supreme Court.— The civil sitting of the Supreme Court will commence at 10 a.m. today. The first case which will bo heard is Franks t. Temuka Koad Board. Pboposed Steeplechase Meeting-. — All interested m holding a steeplechase meeting m Timaru are requested to attend at the Qrosvenor Hotel nfc eight o'clock this evening. Considering the capital day's sport which was held last winter under the auspices of the Timaru Steeplechase Club, the matter should bo again taken heartily up this year. We trust there will be a good attendance at the Gro3venor to-night. Chkisty Minsteels. — The Mammoth Minstrels will open hero under engagement ta Messrs Hiscocks, Hayman and Co., m the Theatre Boyal, on Saturday, the 28th of June next, for a season of four nights. This Company is, if we are credibly informed, the largest and best that ever visited New Zealand. It contains 24 stor artists, many of whom have distinguished themselves on the London and Melbourne stages, and are the the pick and choice of the other Christy Minstrels that havo visited us for some time past. Mr W. Horace Hontis stage manager of tho company, and we are sure that there is not a play goer m Timaru who will not be glad to welcome him back, as a more popular or v better delineator of Negro characters has never visited us. Mr Vernon Reid, Mr Hawkins, and several others well and favorably known, are amongst them, and wo look forward to the occasion of their appearing here for an entertainment such as has never been seen m Timaru. Theatee Royal. — We have seldom Been a larger audience assembled at the Theatre Royal on a Saturday night than that which greeted the first appearance of Professor and Mrs Baldwin last Saturday. The lower parts of the house were crowded to excess, many being unable to obtain seats, and there was a better attendanco m the dress circle than is usual on Saturday nights. As already announced, the entertainment consisted of spiritualistic seances and their exposure, and most of those to who Professor Baldwin treated his audience were exactly similar to the tricks of the Royal Illusionists, who appeared hero a few days ago. Thus Professor Baldwin's entertainment suffers by coming after the Royal Illusionists'. It has no novelty, only a'fow days having elapsed since the same tricks were exposed here before, and consequently the Bame interest cannot be felt m it. In more than one respect Professor Baldwin and Chevalier Thorn's entertainments resemble each other, but perhaps m no way more remarkably than m the inexhaustible talking capabilities of both performers, and m their aptitude for finding fault with tho behavior of the audience. The entertainment is one calculated to evoke from a certain part of the house characteristic remarks, and both Professor Baldwin and Chevalier Thorn are indiscreet m the readiness with which they pounce upon the individuals thus offend ing. We do not sympathise m the least with anyone who, to indulge his vain conceit, behaves unmannerly and disorderly, and puts himself m the way of being severely rebuffed, but we think the worst possible way to keep such people quiet is to Bpeak harshly to them. To appeal to their good sense and good taste would be far more effectual, and wo think, though he sometimes makes mistakes, Professor Baldwin seems to have a keener appreciation of this than Chevalier Thorn. The 'latter quarrels with his audience until he loses his temper and becomes insolent ; the former, though often indiscreetly harsh, never loses his temper, and invariably succeeds m making suck witty remarks as turn the laugh on the individual creating the disturbance. In speaking capabilities, Professor Baldwin haß immense advantages over Chevalier Thorn, but we are . certain that we speak the sentiments of ninty-nine per cent of the audience, when we s*y if ninty-nine per cent of what either. say were unsaid, the entertainment would be more agreeable.. However, we must confess that Professor Baldwin has considerable talking powers, and often says verywitty and amusing things, and if he did a little less of it, and explained more tricks, he would make his entertainment, more popular. The principal tricks of the entertainment were the Davenport Brothers* cabinet trick, the! hand-cuff trick, and the pillory trick. They

need no explanation, as most of our readers are already acquainted with them, they having been performed only a few (lavs previously by the Royal " Illusionists. Professor Baldwin certainly does the tricks bet er than the last company, but not bo immensely superior that he need cast reflections on hcvalier 1 horn's capabilities, and say that that gentleman only learned how to do them m Dunedin by attending his (Baldwin's) entertainments. We know that this i 5 not a fact, because we have m our possession a pamphlet published m Victoria, m which Chevalier Thorn is referred to as having exposed the same tricks. The pamphlet has not been written by Chevalier Thorn, The Vagabond, Dr Knaggs, Mr Wilton, and The Maori, being the contributors to it. A wiser course for Professor Baldwin to follow wo Id be to perform his tricks, and not to refer to the Illusionists at all, but rather let the audience judge between them, and we are sure he will not lose by the comparison. One peculiarity of the entertainments of both performers is that they come m the character of exposers of spiritualism, and yet only partially explain the myste ies which they seem to work. Both explain fidly the least surprising tricks, but reserve their explanations of the more difficult ones. If they come m the character of exposers of spiritualism, they ought to follow that out, and not arouse curiosity by only partially explaining the feats which they perform. The only trick worth mentioning which Professor Baldwin exposed last Satur day night was the Davenport Brothers' cabinet trick. Tho door of the cabinet was opened for an instant, and both himself and his assistant were shown to have released themselves, and to be the spirits that were making all the noise, but how they released and tied themselves again were allowed to remain a mystery. The second part of the programme was different from the Koyal Illusionists, so far as Mrs I lara Baldwin's clairvoyance was concerned. It must bo admitted that this part of the programme was gone through with remarkable success ; but what -trikes us as very inconsistent is, that Professor Haldwin comes as a denouncer and an cxposer of spiritualism, and winds up an entertainment of that nature, by a pretence of mesmerising his wife, and of placing her m a state m which sho holds communion with spirits who tell her everything that is desirable for her to know. It may not be undesirable to know the modus operandi m carrying out this part of the entertainment. Ihe Professor himself, talking the while, distributes pieces of paper amongst the audience. On these papers he instructs them to writo whatever comes m their mind first, and put tho paper m their pockets. He next mesmerises Mrs Baldwin; sho begins to talk, telling what the spirits say, and eventually says that someone has asked such a question. Tho person who has written the question gives up his paper, and it is read to the audience. Some fifteen or twenty questions were thus read rightly j m fact, m every question that Mrs Baldwin tried she was successful, and the audience were highly pleased with her performance. She even went so far as to tell the number of a gentleman's watch which he had m his pocket, but wo think that this was going farther than was calculated to illcrca^o confidenco m the genuines3 of Mrs Baldwin's clairvoyance. The very reprehensible practice of calling out the names of individuals, and exposing them to ridicule under the pretence that the information had been communicated by tho spirits, was indulged m. Wo do not think at all that such things are necessary to the success of the entertainment. On tho contrary, we think that it is not alone most reprehensible, but calcidated to shake anyone's confidence m the performance. It was obvious to the dullest comprehension that it tvas all pre-arranged, and that, too, with a very bad taste. We trust that such personalities will not be repeated. 'Ihe Katie King Mystery wound up the entertainment. A rope was tied round Mrs Baldwin's neck inside the cabinet, and the ends oT it passed out through holes and knotted outside. It appeared impossible for her to release herself, but Btill she did it, and after manifesting herself m many forms, at last stepped out on tho stage as tho spirit of Katie King. When the light was turned on, and the cabinet opened, Mrs Italdwin was tied up the same as she had been at the beginning of the femce, and it remains a dark and unscrutable mystery how she was able to release herself. When this was first produced it created a great sensasation, as every one believed that these manifestations cotdd alone be done by spiritualistic agency. The assurance given by Professor Baldwin, that no spirits are present, and that his wife produces all tho effects that one sees, robs it of its weirdness and sonsation, and one sees nothing mit more than mere dexterity which he cannot understand. There is no doubt about it that society is indebted to Professor Baldwin and such other people as expose such a pernicious and wicked delusion as Spiritualism. Belief m Spiritualism has sent many to the asylum. Its effects on persons m our town recently was not such as would recommend it, and those who wero very enthusiastic m promulgating the doctrine m the beginning very wisely let it drop, when they found it was all a delusion — wicked m its very essence, inasmuch as it was calculated to shake their confidence m tho Christian religion, and reduce them to raving maniacs. We consequently say that those who expose scoundrels who indulge m such wicked practices are benefactors of mankind, but m many instances they arc not recognised as such. We have heard many characterise tho entertainments of both companies above referred to, as all humbug after tho tricks had been explained, because they wero so simple that their performance seemed nothing ; but if Chevalier Thorn and Professor Baldwin had come m the character of Spiritualists, with the cant, " Sometimes the spirits work and sometimes they don't," and do all these trickß without giving any explanation, we are inclined to think that not alone would they be thought terribly clever, but would make converts to a belief m Spiritualism. We, therefore, think that a visit to a performance that exposes such a delusion, cannot have other than a beneficial effect on anyone, and as Professor and Mrs Baldwin promise to give further explanations this evening, we hope to see tho bouse again crowded. Brewebs — A return relative to brewers, ordered by the House of Commons on tho motion of Mr Lock, has just been issued. It shows that m the year from October I, 1877, to September 30, 1878, there were issued to common brewers, not being victuallers, or licensed to seU beer by retail, m England, 2534 licences ; m Scotland, 80 ; and m Ireland, 59. To victuallers there were issued — iv England, 70,014 licences ; m Scotland 12,385 ; and m Ireland, 16,>i88. Licences to sell beer to be drunk on tho premises were issued m Jngland to 38,210 persons, and licences to sell beer not to be drunk on the premises were issued m the same country to S3BO persons. No licences of either of the classes were issued m Scotland and Ireland. In Kngland 13,395, m Scotland 98, and m Ireland only 1 of the victuallers brewed their own beer. Tho common brewers consumed — m England, 43,737,652 bushels of malt ; m .'•cotland, 2,134,463; and m Ireland, 3,935,323. Convict Labob m Amehica. — The recent hard times m America hare colled forth a good deal of tho angry outcry we sometimes hear m this country about convict labor and its effect on trade. The United States bureau of labor statistics has issued a rery interesting report on the subject, and ono which ought to allay a good deal of the irrita tion manifested perhaps more generally m the States than among ourselves. The whole population of American prisons at the time of inquiry is represented to be 29,197. Of these 13,186 were employed m various forms of mechanical industry, the remainder being set to labor m mines and on public roads, or about the jails m different capacities. These 13,186 were the only ones about whose employment any complaint could be preferred with any show of reason, and the report goes on to set forth what was its value. If they were employed at the average wages paid for similar labor outside the prisons they would on an average earn between them 8,122,576 dollars a year. It is quite - clear that the sum total of the mischief done to trade cannot exceed that sum, and even assuming it to be 10,000,000 dollars a year, it is a mere bagatelle m connectien with the industry of ft nation producing 5,000,000,000 dollars' worth of marketable goods m the year. It would be but one-fifth of one per cent on the whole, and could not therefore possibly produce any appreciable effect on the prospects of the country if judiciously distributed. That, how-^

ever, is of course a very important proviso, and the report embodies a recommendation tlufc convict labor shall be distributed over f.he greatest number of trades consistent with the capacity of the convicts, and that m order to insure this the amount of produce m any one industry shall be narrowly limited. Of course, that which may bo a very trivial affair with respect to tho manufactured produce of a whole nation may be a very different mutter if it bears on only a few of its industries. A few trades hu.ro no doubt suffered from convict labor, both hero and m America, at different times, but the notion entertained by some that ill-regulated prison labor is among the causes of general trade depression is shown to be absurd. Effect 3of R e- Vaccixatiojj . — A Geneva correspondent writes under date April 7th : — Dr Mieville, of Nyon, lately read before tho Yaudois -ociety of Medicine an interesting paper on the effects of re-vaccination as practised by him during v recent outbreak of smrill-pox m the chateau prison of Nyon, of which tho importance will be generally recognised. 'Jlie first caso occurred m January, and a little later the gaoler's servant — a girl whose family, consisting of her father and mother, and eight sisters and brothers, lived at Duillier, a pluco outside the town — was taken ill. Two members of the family only, the father and one of the elder daughters, had been re-vaccinated. After a few days' sickness the servant died of confluent, sniall-pox. The mother, who alone of all the family had visited her, showed the first signs of rarioloid fourteen days afterwards, and died from tho rupture of an aneurism beforo tho disease had reached its height. On the samo day Dr. Mievillo re-vaccinated tho three younger children and the eldest daughter, but he was unable to persuade two of tho boys, one fourteen, tho other nineteen years old, to submit to re-vaccination. Eight days afterwards tho three younger cliildron sickened of the small pox, and the appearance of tho vesicles almost coincided with tho eruption of those produced by the vaccination. The diseaso took its mildest form, and the little patients wero quickly restored to health. The two sons who had refused to bo re-vaccinated wero attacked directly afterwards, and both died of confluent small- pox after four or fivo days' illness. Tho father and tho eldest daughter entirely escaped. Thus all who were not re-vaccinated died, while all who followed Dr. Mieville's advice were either only slightly affected by tho contagion or not at all. Thb Telephone. — Tho Manchester Guardia > says : — A number of gentlemen — eloetriciuna and others — met recently at the offlco of Mr JS. C. Warburton, superintendent engineor, Lancashire and Yorkshire Kaiiway Company's te'egraph department, Hunt's Bank, for the purpose of witnessing an interesting experiment with the telephone. Their object was, m fact, by means of this instrument, to form part of tho auditory of the Hoy. Dr. Mellor, who was conducting his usual servico at the Square Congregational Church, Halifax. One of the ordinary conducting wires of tho rai way telegraph was brought into use. It was fitted ut this end with four of Bell's telephones, white at Halifax the wire was extended to Dr. Mellor's chapel, and connected with one of Mr Louis John Crosslcy's patent telephone transmitters, which is n modification of the microphone of Professor Hughes. ThearrangementsatHalifax had been carried out by Mr Enimott (Messrs Bl&key Brothers and Emmott). The distanco between Manchester and Halifax as tho wire goes is about 3G miles. Precisely at halfpast 10 o'clock the service commenced with the singing of a hymn, which was reproduced through the telcpliono almost perfectly, tho sonorous voice of Dr. Mellor being heard above that of the congregation. Afterwards there wa3 prayer and the usual lessons ; but we pass at once to the sermon, which was regarded as the crucial test of tho instrument. The result was, on the whole, rery encouraging, though it was made evident that much remains to bo done before this mode of communication is perfected." A Ghost with a Pubeose. — A strange ghost story (says the Birmingham Gazette) comes from tho Principality. There is a friendly society at Pontardawc, m the Swansea Valley, among whose rules is ono that the funeral allowance on account of a deceased member shall not be paid m cases of suicide. Ono of the members recently died by hia own hand, and the club accordingly refused to pay the death money. For this reasonable and just refusal the members are now complaining that they are subjected to sorious persecution from an unseen and presumably a ghostly agent. The manifestations began on a recent Sunday, when one of the officers, returning home over a lonely road, was assailed, as he asserts, by the spirit of the late member, who, failing to obtain a satisfactory reply to his demand for the money, m a somewhat unspiritlike manner assailed tho unfortunate man, and actually " tore liis clothes to ribbons." t'uch, at least, was the aceoimt he gave, m tones of horror, at the first public-house he came to after this terrific encounter. But the ghost does not appear to have been satisfied with tliis demonstration. On the following Tuesday evening, whilst the members were assembled m the lodge-room, the usual knocks were heard at the door as of a brother seeking admittance. The door was opened, but no one was to bo seen. The members, however, are all very certain that they heard the voice of the de« ceased utter tho words : " Pay my widow my funeral money, and then I shall bo at rest." The meeting precipitately broke up, and the members are now puzzled to know what to do with such a determined deceased brother. POBT ELIZABETH AS A PBISON SIIE. — It is now some years ago (says the Grey Ricer Argus) since the above site was strongly recommended by Mr Balf our, then M arinc Surveyor, as ono of the most suitable spots m New Zealand for the establishment of a central prison, and tho project was seriously discussed at the time. The want of a harbor of refuge on tho West Coast has long been felt, and from the Sandspit on the north to Milford Haven on the south there is no spot m which a vessel could seek shelter from the fury of a storm. Surrounding Point Elizabeth are coalfields of unlimited extent, and if a central prison was established there a harbor and breakwater could be constructed at a comparatively small expense to the Government and the criminal portion of our community employed m constructing a useful and remunerative work. Vessels of the largest tonnage would be able to load up at the very wharf, and the money now enriching other places would bo spent within the Colony and increase its revenues. Already it is a serious question what shall be done with the numerous and rapidly increasing criminal class, so that they should neither hurt the laboring man or become a useless burden on the State, and it is only on works of this nature that this could be done. One of the finest harbors m the world — that of Portland — was constructed m tliis manner, and a similar work could be done here. The place is easily guarded, the rocks at Point Elizabeth would sufficiently shelter the position from the south-east gales, and the only thing required is the formation of a breakwater (for which there is material m abundance down to the water's edge) to make Point Elizabeth one of the . safest harbors m New Zealand.