Local and General.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 458, 3 November 1869, Page 2

Local and General.

J'\J£ji thquake. — A smart shock of earthquake was experienced in Cliristchurch about six minutes to one o'clock this morning. The direction appeared to be from north-east to south-west. Magisterial. — There were no criminal cases at the Christchurch Magistrate's Court this morning. At Lyttelton, Hugh Higgins was fined 10s by F. D. Gibson, Esq., for having been drunk and incapable yesterday. Ltttklton Colonists' Society. — Mr H Beechey intends forming a French class in connection with this institution. The charges for instruction are extremely moderate, and as the committee are anxious to establish classes, there will no doubt be a large number of members who will attend. Diocesan Synod. — 'I he annual session of the Diocesan Synod was opened to-day. Special morning services were held at S. Michael's Church, and were largely attended by clergy and laity. The session was opened at one o'clock, at the Freemasons' Hall. The Right Rev. the Primate delivered a long address, which was ordered to be printed in the Synod report. Several papers were laid on the table. The Rev. E. A. Lingard was appointed clerical secretary, and Mr A. F. N. Blakiston lay secretary. The very Rev. the Dean of Christchurch was appointed Chair-

3§S-#£ Committees. Notices of motion were given, and the Synod adjourned until 4 p.m. to-morrow. Amateurs. — A number of Christchurch youths, styling themselves the Duke of Edinburgh Amateur Dramatic Company, made their debut in an entertainment at the Foresters' Hall last evening. There was a fair attendance, and the pieces played were Charles Mathews' comedy, " Cool as a Cucumber," and " The Spectre Bridegroom." Singing was also introduced during the interlude, and from the applause of the audience it would appear that satisfaction was derived from the efforts of the performers. Rifle Association. — A meeting of the council took place last night at White's hotel : Captain Simmons in the chair. An alteration in the second of the proposed rules having been suggested by Colonel Packe, it was resolved that the President, Captain Simmons, and the Secretary be appointed a committee to confer with Colonel Packe thereon. Mr Thomson reported that Lieut. Pavitt had undertaken to have the boundary flag 3 erected upon the range immediately. Mr N. G. Glassford was elected a member of council of the association vice Lieut. Dobson, and the meeting adjourned to Nov. 16. Leithfield Amateuks. — These gentlemen give their second entertainment at the Theatre "Royal to-morrow evening-. They excel in the requirements for dramatic impersonation—their first entertainment being the most effective that we have seen from non-professionals on the Christchurch boards, and in fact superior to many that we have had from companies of the latter. For tomorrow night million prices have been announced. To Volunteers, the appeal particularly recommends itself as being given in aid of a corps of their northern comrades, .and we hope to see a large number of them confer their patronage. The pieces to be played are the same as on Thursdiy, and good as they were on that night, no doubt they will be improved by repetition. This performance is given because the receipts of the first did not cover expenses. Riccarton Road Board. — The ordinary meeting of this Board was held yesterday at the office, Cashel street west. Present : Messrs Shand (chairman), Nunweak, and Helinore. The minutes of last meeting were read and confirmed. A letter was read from Mr Joynt, intimating his acceptance of the office of Solicitor to the Board. Letters were received from the Heathcote and Spreydon Road Boards (in reply), stating their willingness to co-operate in any useful manner towards the eradication of Scotch thistles. A letter was received from Mr Hargreaves, asking if the Board purposed taking any steps towards clearing that part of the mill-race running through his property. The clerk was directed to inform Mr Hargreaves that the part of ilie mill-race referred to, being on private property, was not under the control of the Board. The Surveyor reported on the state of the Papanui and Washbourn's drains, also, on the Styx drain. The Board agreed to clear these drains in accordance with the report. The offer of Mr Vale to cart and fix a culvert on Highstead's road was accepted, the Board agreeing to find the timber. The Surveyor was directed to impound all cattle fouud trespassing on the roads of the district, also to take proceedings against all persons refusing or neglecting to cut and trim their live fences in accordance with the Act. The reported that Lewis had completed his contract for claying the Bush Inn Road; also, that the repairs ordered on Frost's Road had been effected, and that the culvert on the Millrace Road had been lengthened. The Board, after passing accounts for work done, -ad journed.— The Oratorio Samson. — The Philharmonic Society repeated, last evening, Handel's " Samson," which they had given on Friday last. Though the weather was not very encouraging, we should have expected to notice a much larger attendance. There was, however, only an average house. We have only a few general remarks to add to our notice in Saturday's issue. The chorusses and band present the chief features in the Society's performance. The band, amongst whom, by the way, we recognised several members or the Christchurch Musical Society, improve on each occasion of their appealing before the public, and are becoming a very creditable and efficient little orchestra. They played well in tune. Their principal parts, the overture and Dead March, went very steadily and smoothly, in excellent time, with the instruments fairly balanced. (The offending drum of the previous evening, we were rejoiced to find had been discarded, and replaced by orthodox instruments, which were kept most judiciously subdued in the overtures. They broke out, however (as drums will do except under despotic conductors), in the dead march and in the final chorusses of parts two and three of the Oratorio, overbearing both voices and instruments, and so forcing them beyond their proper power^ The solo accompaniments were well played, though too loud at times. Very few besides professional artists can sing against the full tone of even few accompanying instruments. The voices have the great merit of all doing their full share of work, and of singing well out in the chorusses;— -in which respect, we think, the Musical Society have an example to follow. Some forty voices of the Philharmonic, to the beßt of our recollection, produced an equal, if not fuller, body of sound tlian the sixty, or more, of the sister society did when performing the " Creation." They take up their parts, too, more sharply and crisply. Of the chorusses last night, some went considerably better, others not so well as on the previous occasion. In part I, the first chorus, " Awake the trumpet's lofty sound," was very well executed, and in capi'al time. The next two, " O first created beam " and " Then they shall know that He," were rather unsteady and ragged in parts. " Then round about the starry throne " opened brightly , and was on the whole well executed; the sopranos slightly out of tune at first, soon recovered

themselves. The chorus, " Hear Jacob's God," and air and chorus, " To song and dance," were both worked up with great spirit. The two most successful chorusses of the evening were to our mind,"Fixed in His everlasting seat," at the end of part 11, and the final chorus to part 111, both of which were performed with remarkable spirit and vigour, and especially the latter, which was justly and deservedly redeinanded by the audience. The chorusses were all deficient in light and shade, being too uniformly forte throughout. There was too much delay in the conducting, in not taking them on at once after the solos. The solos were all sustained in the same style as on the first occasion, Mr Merton taking "Return O God of Hosts," in lieu of Mr Lee. They were aeknow- , ledged by sundry thumpings of sticks, &c. \fty the way, we are inclined to wonder whether Handel ever thought of writing a part for sticks and umbrellas for those portions of an audience who enjoy the introduction of such unnielodious implements at untimely moments in a musical entertainment. We throw this out as a•' happy thought " for any one who may wish to makeausefuladdition to Handel for special occasional Subject to our foregoing observations on points of detail, we may say that the oratorio as a whole was a very creditable performance. Immigration. — A Bill "to authorise and regulate assisted immigration" is now before the New South "Wales Parliament. It proposes, s«ys a Sydney paper, to revive the scheme of assisted immigration, with this important modification — viz , that the person " resident in the colony" who nominates and pays for the proposed immigrant (at the rate of £8 for an adult, and £4 for a child) shall receive from the Government "Land- Keceipts" for the full amount of any moneys he may pay for sucli purpose. The passages for the immigrants will be provided by Government, and the land receipts given to the nominator will be transferable and available, with interest at the rate of five per cent., for the purchase of land by free selection for three years thereafter ; after which period, for 1 2 years, they will be available for the purchase of any Government lands whatever. Persons in the United Kingdom, not nominated by residents in the colony, may secure passages at the rate of £15 for adults and £7 10s for children, together with land receipts for the full amount, available under the same rules as before mentioned for assisted immigrants. The persons eligible for immigration under this Bill are mechanics of every description, agriculturists, miners, domestic servants, and all persons of the labouring classes being of sound bodily and mental health and capability and fitness for industrial employment, and jot good moral character.