Local and General.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 671, 18 July 1870, Page 2

Local and General.

Gretmouth and Nelson. — The Greymouth paper of July 14 informs us that the petition for the annexation of that district to Nelson has been signed by about 2800 persons. Slaughter Houses.— ln a Provincial Gazette issued on Saturday, it is notified that Constable Walsh has been appointed inspector of slaughter-houses for the Christchurch district, in room of Constable Judge. - Football. — A scratch match was played oil Saturday, Messrs Hall and Nalder acting as captains of sides. Messrs Stedman and Gordon kicked one goal each for the latter, and Mr Williams one goal for the former. — On Saturday, two stacks of grain, Jlbelonging tp a farmer, named Kelly, residing Cjabout two miles beyond the Selwyn Railway Station, were burned down, and two more •were in great danger as our informant passed. It appears that Kelly started early on Saturday morning for Christchurch, with tb,e object of selling his grain, and it is believed that the stacks were set on fire by some children. Lecture. — Dr Haast delivered a most interesting lecture on Friday evening in the Colonists' Hall, Lyttelton; the subject being "The Formation of Banks' Peninsula , and volcanic action in general," illustrated by diagrams. The lecturer was warmly applauded, both during the delivery and at the close of the lecture. A vote of thanks, proposed by air H. R. Webb, and seconded by Dr Donald, was carried by acclamation. Lincoltt. — An entertainment in aid of a fund for the payment of a debt on the harmonium at Lincoln, was held in the schoolroom on Friday evening. Readings were given by several gentlemen in the neighbourhood, and the music was provided by local talent, with the exception of Mr Wilmer, of Riccarton, who gave an amusing comic song. In the absence of a local gentleman to take the chair, Mr J. N. Tosswill kindly consented to do so, expressing his surprise at being called upon to undertake the duty. Readings were given by Messrs Tosswill, Wilmer, Jacobson, Arthe, Cotton, and Westropp ; and songs by Mrs Galletley, Mr Wilmer, and Andrews. Theatre Royal.— There was a very good house on Saturday night, when the management essayed to present Hamlet. Without entering into details, we may say that this, perhaps the most difficult of Shakespeare's plays, was a great deal more successful than might have been expected. As the Queen, Miss Bowring well sustained the reputation she has achieved. Mr Wolfe was " dead letter perfect " in his part, but it can hardly be said that he is equal to the representation " of Hamlet. Mr Steel e appeared very creditably as the Ghost, Laertes, and the First Player. Mr Searle did not appear to have fully realised, and certainly did not represent, the character of the courtly Polonius. Miss Nye was Ophelia, and Mr White appeared as the King. Sporting. — -A very noteworthy omission took place in the Government telegraphic summary of the English news received by the Suez mail, no mention being made of the winners of the Derby and Oaks. From our Melbourne files we learn that the former race resulted as follows : — Lord Falmouth's Kingcraft, 1 ; Mr W. S. Crawford's Paltnerston, 2 ; Mr Pedley's Masquer, 3 ; Mr Merry's Macgregor, 4. Fifteen started. It will thus be Been that the running in the Two Thou- , sand Guineas was reversed, as Kingcraft,! who started favourite in that race, came in third ; while Macgregor, the winner of the Two Thousand, started a hot favourite for the Derby and came in fourth. It will also

be observed that the number who started for the Derby this year was unusually small. For the Oaks seven started, and the race resulted as follows :— Mr G. Jones's Gamos, 1 ; Mr Merry's Sunshine, 2 ; Mr Keeves Pate, 3. The time taken is not given for either race. Dramatic. — Miss Hose Evans, assisted by Mr G. Claremont, gave an entertainment in the Colonists' Hall, Lyttelton, on Saturday evening, and although only a short notice had been given, the place was well filled. 1 Miss Evans' acting fully bears out all that has been said of her by the Press. The applause she received on Saturday night, and the numerous calls before the curtain, must have been very gratifying to her. The programme consisted of a farce entitled " Clouds and Sunshine," the celebrated scene (from Schiller's tragedy of "Marie Stuart; ") between Marie and Lord Lindsay, selections from Byron's farce of " The Maid and Magpie," the great curse scene from "Leah," scenes from " The Honeymoon." At the close of the entertainment Miss Evans, whilst apologising for the short notice given, expressed her gratification at seeing so many present, and stated that she would appear again on Monday night in a new entertainment. The San Fkancisco Mail.— The telegrams which we publish in another column are not calculated to impress the public favourably as regards the value of the San Francisco mail service. They are meagre in the extreme, and a good few items had to be struck out altogether, being stale. With the single exception of a brief remark about the wheat crop in France, there is nothing in these telegrams worth sending along the wires. It might have occurred to the gentleman who compiled the . message, if there was really no news to send, that the latest market reports from New York and San Francisco are of some interest and importance to a very large section of the community. There is this much to be said for the compiler of the message, in excuse — the time at his disposal was necessarily very brief. It is to be regretted that the Government are so indifferently served, more especially when the public are the chief sufferers. Postal. —We have received the Time Table issued by the General Post Office, London, showing the dates on which the mails for New Zealand will be made up during the current year. Three despatches will be made in each month ; but the public are recommended to post their correspondence in time to be forwarded by the first or second despatch, although they are informed it may reasonably be expected that mails sent by the last despatch will reach San Francisco before the departure of the packet. For the mail by that route just arrived, mails were to be made up and despatched on the 17th, 19th, and 21st May, respectively ; thus we may have letters dated the day after the mail via Suez left, but the chances are that they will be dated a day earlier. Letters will be charged at the same rate as those via Southampton — viz., 6d per half-ounce. All correspondence for New Zealand will, as a rule, be henceforth forwarded via San Francisco, in the absence of any special indication to the contrary ; but letters, &c, for the Australian colonies generally will continue to be forwarded via Suez, unless specially addressed to be forwarded via San Francisco, and in such case they will be liable to the same rates of postage as correspondence for New Zealand. Reserves. — In a provincial Gazette issued on Saturday, it is notified that the following reserves have been made under the 43rd clause of the Waste Lands Regulations, as payment for the formation of a portion of the Akaroa and Pigeon Bay Road : — Twenty acres Banks Peninsula. In Flea Bay valley, about one mile from the beach, and lying to the north of a creek which is the first gully to the north of the present Flea Bay track ; commencing at a point about five chains below Rhodes' fence being a rectangular block of land running up the creek twenty chains, and having a width of ten chains ; subject to roads on survey. Twenty acres, Banks Peninsula, lying upon the top of the ridge, about twenty chains to the north of the last described piece of land, being a block twenty chains across the ridge, by ten chains up the ridge ; subject to roads on survey. Twenty acres, Banks Peninsula, lying to" the northwest of the last described piece of land, about ten chains higher up the ridge ; twenty chains northerly and southerly, and ten chains easterly and -westerly ; subject to roads on survey. Forty acres, Akaroa Harbour, bounded on the southwest by Reserve No. 1220, in red ; on the northwest by the road on the dividing ridge between Akaroa and Pigeon Bay, to its junction with the new Akaroa and Pigeon Bay Road ; on the southeast by that road. Halswell. — The second entertainment in aid of the Church funds, took place on Thursday evening last, and was in every sense of the word a Buccess. The musical arrangements were, as on a former occasion, in the able hands of Miss Murray, and the programme which she had succeeded in forming, was certainly a highly enjoyable one. Mrs Beverage and Miss Dunbar opened the evening with a set of quadrilles, in very good style. During the evening, they gave two duets " The Gipsy Maid," and " The Miserere," and Mr Alexander Dunbar, two songs in a manner which showed them to be a great acquisition to the musical talent of the district. Mrs Smith Sullivan accompanied her sister in two songs on the violin, and received a deserved encore. Mr Fred. Blower gave the " Old Folks at Home," the new choir of children now being trained for the Church by Miss Murray and Miss Cole, giving the chorus capitally. Miss Brittan and Mr Frank Brittan also contributed materially to the enjoyment of those present. The gem of the evening was the glee " Come where my Love lies Dreaming," by Misses Murray and Cole, and Mr Stedman, which was executed in a manner rarely attained by amateurs. The readings were " The proud Miss M'Bride

and the gridiron," Mr Elwin ; " A Love Story," Mr Stedman ; "Bob Sawyer's Party," Mr Jacobson; "A German Legend," Mr Guise Brittan," junior. The audience numbered over a hundred persons.