Local and General.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 624, 23 May 1870, Page 2

Local and General.

Tbeatbe Royal. — The " Octoroon " waa repeated on Saturday to a thin house. Mr A. St. G. White takes a benefit this evening, and presents an attractive programme. Queen's Birthdat Races. — Some good' sport is expected to-morrow, and we are informed that the events will come off no matter what is the state of the weather. Foresters' Conversazione. — The Lyttelton Lodge have decided to celebrate their anniversary with a conversazione, which will take place to-morrow evening in the Colonists' Hall. An excellent quadrille band has been engaged for the occasion, and we have no doubt but that there will be a large attendance. Queen's Bep.thdat.— We understand that it is the intention of the Lyttelton Volunteer Artillery to have a demonstration tomorrow: In the morning a royal salute and feu dejoie will be fired, and the corps will march out; in the afternoon the corps will again muster and proceed to Battery Point' for shot and shell practice. The Christchurch Artillery will also fire off at the Lyttelton range a match with the Timaru Artillery Company. A large number of volunteers are expected to be present at the competition. The Weatheb. — For the past fortnight, er so, the weather has been . characterised by unusually sudden changes from fine to rainy, the latter predominating. On Friday and Saturday last a great deal fell, and on Saturday night, though the rain had abated, there was every indication of a continnance of foul weather. Yesterday, however, was remarkably fine up to 6 p.m., when a sou-wester of the old sort, accompanied by heavy rain, suddenly set in and continued up to half-past ten, when it died away and was succeeded by a calm, with a clear, frosty atmosphere; Bats Eijsction.— r-The nomination of a member to represent the above district in the Provincial Council was held at the School-house, Okain Bay, on Friday the 20tb inst. The Returning Officer (Mr 'E. C. Latter) having read the writ, requested those present to nominate a candidate for the vacant seat, when Mr F. Priest proposed, and Mr T. Ware seconded, Mr Robert Heaton Rhodes as a fit and proper person to represent the Bays district in the Provincial Council. No other candidate being nominated, Mr Rhodes was declared duly elected; Mesmerism.— On Saturday night Captain Wilson, who has now for a considerable time past refrained from public demonstrations of the science of mesmerism, gave a lecture in the Town Hall, accompanied by practical experiments in -support of the theories he expounded. The lecturer entered much more minutely into the subject than Captain Wilson was wont to do, and deserved a larger audience than that which assent bled. The unpleasant nature of the weather was, however, sufficient excuse for- such limited patronage being extended. After the lecture, Captain Wilson obtained/three or four goed subjects from*the auditory,' 'and exercised considerable power over them to the amusement of all. „