Local and General.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 573, 22 March 1870, Page 2

Local and General.

Art Exhibition. — The attendance yesterday was very good, over 200 persons visiting the building. A large shark was caught this morning in the harbour, near Oflicers' Point. It measures 9ft 6in, and will be sent to the Museum. Ball. — The weekly ball at the Canterbury Music Hall last night, waa scarcely so well attended as previous ones, but was still a success. The Colonial Tbbasoeeb. — The Hon Mr Yogel was a passenger from Auckland to Wellington by the Airedale, which vessel arrived at Lyttelton yesterday. Amateub Theatricals. — A performance will take place this evening in the Colonists' ! Hall, Lyttelton, for the benefit of the lusti- J tute, and will no doubt attract a large audience. A late train will leave Christ-! church at 7 o'clock, returning at 11. I

The Cabandinis. — These accomplished artistes appeared at the Town Hall last evening, hut we are sorry to say that the

attendance was not so good as the excellent nature of the entertainment deserved. All the performers were in turn greeted with rapturous applause, and in the majority of instances, encores were demanded. The next and farewell concert will be given on Thursday evening, on which occasion the performances will be for the benefit of Madame Carandini. The company will appear at Kaiapoi this evening, and give one grand concert, after which they will proceed to Leithfleld. The public of Kaiapoi are well acquainted with the excellent musical treat afforded by a visit" to a concert given by this company, and we have little doubt but that on this occasion they will have a bumper house. New Zealand Flax. — Mr C. J. Pownall, proprietor of the Manawatu flax mills in the Wellington province, writes a long letter to Messrs Johnston and Co., of Wellington, on the alleged liability of flax to spontaneous combustion. The letter has been published, and the following is an extract from it:— l shall conclude with the description of a practical test npon a bale of flax at this mill, and a few observations upon a very important pomt — colouring matter. A bale of flax was put np in our hydraulic press, purposely damp, so much so, that you could feel the moisture freely through it. It was then stowed away for three summer months amidst 100 other bales, opened in the presence of Mr Collins, our manager (who agrees with me, and like myself has had great experience, having been for many years with Messrs Noble and Co., London), and many others. It was found as cool as if packed in an ice-house ; the damp still there, the fibre positively improved from its extreme glassy appearance. Flax Inspectors and others should not be led away by appearances to condemn fibre from its bluey-green. It is green to the eye only. If fibre is dried artificially after coming from the machines, it will surely dry a pale green ; or again, if dried upon wires and not turned upon them, the surface exposed to the sun's rays and the chlorine of the atmosphere will he white or nearly so, the under part, though equally dry, will be green. Thus the colour is set or dyed into it, and is afterwards very difficult of removal. Witness the Russian hemp, nearly all green from the coldness of that climate; and lastly, I trust that those gentlemen who do inspect the flax for shipping will not con found the cool and fresh feel of it with imaginary dampness, for in that condition only is the flax in the proper state for shipment. Theatre Royal. — The principal feature at the Royal last evening was the Oriental burlesque of "Lalla Rookh." Those who have read Tom Moore's beautiful poem— and there are few having the slightest literary taste who have not— might reasonably anticipate something beyond the ordinary class of extravaganza in a burlesque founded upon one of the most admirable productions of poetic genius. Unquestionably, the burlesque of " Lalla Rookh " is the best that has yet been performed by the present company, even including that of " The King of the Peacocks," which was so universally admired at the commencement of the season. It is entirely new to Christchnrch, and we certainly think it the most commendable piece of the kind that has yet been presented to the public. As illustrative of the poem of its renowned author, the burlesque is perhaps as faithful an adaptation as could be desired. There are few pieces, if indeed any, in which a company of burlesque artistes could appear to better advantage. It affords the greatest possible scope for scenic effect, anda brilliancy of costume wbich is foreign to other than oriental productions. To be presented in a manner to do justice to its author, all the appliances of a London theatre are necessarily essential to ensure success, and people must not therefore be hypercritical S the performances did not come np to the standard of those which they may have witnessed elsewhere. Considering the limited extent of the stage, and the manifold difficulties which a small company has naturally to contend with, we think that " Lalla Rookh " was performed last evening with much credit to all concerned. The various parts were evidently well studied; the mechanism of the stage was conducted with more than ordinary smoothness; the dresses were superb; and the scenery by Mr Willis was deserving of the highest commendation. In a musical sense, the burlesque was decidedly successful, and almost every performance of Miss Forde and Miss Nye was encored. The dancing of both ladies was as usual redemanded, but we think that the audience was rather unreasonable in its demands, considering the arduousness of the task which each lady is called upon to" fulfil throughout the progress of the piece. Miss Forde appeared as Feramorz, and Miss Nye as Lalla Rookh; Miss Gassy Mathews as Fadladeen, Miss Herberte as Namonne, Little Lilly as Lalonte, Mr Wolfe (with capital make-up) as Hinda, Mr Martin Forde as Khorsanbad, Mr White as Aurungzebe, and Mr Inglis as Hafed. There is one little incident in the piece, shortly before the denouement, which it would perhaps be as well to leave ont. The management willj doubtless readily recognise the allusion, and omit what is not only unnecessary, but positively objectionable. The transformation scene would reflect credit on a more pretentious Theatre, and it was only applauded in a manner that it richly deserved to be. The same programme will be repeated this evening. TnE Ovebend-Gubney Tbial. — The law reporter of the Times thus attempts to describe the Bcene when the jury pronounced their verdict of «• Sot Guilty " : — t i- difficult to describe the scene which ensued when the verdict was pronounced. Immediately the most enthusiastic che rs burst from the crowded audience which it was in vain endeavoured to prevent. In vain the Lord Chief Justice held up his hnnd, and the officers of the Court shouted for silence. The cheers drowned all other sound, and became each moment louder and louder, until

they became almost deafening in effect. Peal I after peal of cheers succeeded, and the whole! scene was one of the wildest excitement j The cheers were caught up by the vast crowd without, waiting for the verdict, and the echoes of their cheers seemed to arouse fresh enthusiasm in the audience, and they broke out into cheers louder than before. Meanwhile the scene in court was most impressive. The effect of the verdict upon the defendants and their friends was almost electrical. Some started to their feet and shook each other 'B hands warmly, and uttered exclamations of j y and del'ght, which, however, were inaudible amid the thunder of those frantic cheers which drowned all other sounds. Some seemed overwhelmed with emotion, and more than one burst into tears. The leading counsel present, the SolicitorGeneral and Sir J. Karslake, had their handa seized and warmly pr ssed by their grateful clients, and all this being observed by the vast crowd — all upstanding and cheering — only added to the excitement, and elicited still louder bursts of cheering. At last the violent excitement so far calmed down that the cheers ceased, only to be renewed out-aide, however, when the defendants appeared; and th y then received an ovation strangely contrasting with the howls of execration which were heard at the Vansion-house when, amid munh popular excitement, they were committed.