LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 1889, 23 March 1874, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Theatbe Royal. — " Mary Price" and " The Alabama" constituted Saturday night's programme at the Theatre, which was fairly attended. Mr Keogh's benefit is fixed for Wednesday evening nexfc. "Isabella," or " Woman's Life," will be played this evening. Thb Intebpbovenciai. Regatta. — The sites for refeshment booths and the right to vend cards at the Interprovinoial Regatta were submitted to auotion on Saturday last. There was virtually no competition. The sites for the three publicans' booths were knocked down to Mr Burnip, of the Bailway Hotel, Lyttelton, for £4. the confectioner's booth fell fco Mr A. Gee, at £1, and the right to rend cards to Mr Alexander, at £14. Thb Kennedy Family.— The Oddfellows' Hall was again filled on Saturday night, and the very full and varied programme submitted by Mr Kennedy was warmly approved throughout. To-night, another new, and in no way inferior, programme ought to " draw" an equally good house. These entertainments, which cannot be adequately described in the space at our disposal, certainly deserve fche liberal patronage they hare received. Accident. — A rather serious accident happened at Kaiapoi on Saturday afternoon last to Mrs Wilson, wife of Mr Wilson, potter, of Kaiapoi Island. She was being driven in her vegetable cart by one of her sons, along Cookson street, and when near Mr J. Beswick's house, the horse shied and capsized the cart. The lad managed to keep the horse from bolting until assistance arrived to get Mrs Wilson out from under the cart, and she was then carried into Mr Hurse's house opposite to where the accident happened. She appeared to be very badly hurt, and a messenger was despatched for _Dr Fletcher, who arrived promptly. The injuries were found to conssit of some severe internal and external bruises but no bones were broken, and the sufferer was removed to her own home before evening. Immigbation. — The City of. Glasgow, bringing the first instalment of immigrants selected by Mr Andrew Dunoan, arrived off the Heads late on Friday evening. His Honor the Superintendent, Mr T. W. Maude, Secrec. f Publio Works, Mr Harman, and others, proceeded to Lyttelton for the purpose oi accompanying the Health Officer and Commissioners to the ship. On arrival in Lyttelton, it waß found that the ship was anchored Borne distance outside the Heads, and that she had the yellow flag at the main. Only the Health Officer and Commissioners, therefore, went off in the steamer Muilbgh. On coming alongside, the general appearance of the immigrants, as seen from the steamer, was considered most satisfactory. Upon inquiry it was found that twenty-four cases of measles and two of scarlatina, of a mild form bad occurred during the passage. There had been 8 deaths, viz. : — 1 adult from consumption, and 7 children from various causes. The Health Officer, accompanied by Dr Rouse, proceeded on board, and after a careful inspection, found that the immigrants generally were in a good state of health. The third officer, who duty it was to issue the Btores, was just recovering from measles, and a death having occurred only two days previous to arrival, it was deemed expedient to place the ship in quarantine. The necessary orders having been given to the captain and surgeon, the quarantine station was visited. Here, everything was found in perfect order, and ready for the reception of the immigrants. It is believed that the detention in quarantine will be for a few days only, to enable the immigrants to wash and thoroughly disinfect I their bedding, clothing, <So. 'fhe list of ! immigrants by this ship can be seen at the I Immigration Office, and it should be stated i that any letters or parcels left there will be forwarded to the personß they are addressed to at the quarantine station. St. Patbiok's Day. — The dinner committee held a meeting at Warner's Hotel at eight o'clock on Saturday evening last; for the purpose of settling matters in connection with the banquet at the Foresters' Hall, on the 17th instant. The chair was occupied by Mr Grey. It was resolved that tho thanks' of the committee be given to Mrs Thiel and Mrs Grey for their assistance in the decoration of the hall. Tbe thanks of the meeting were also passed to the members of the decoration committee for the very satisfactory manner in which they carried out the work entrusted to them. The chairman was requested to write to those gentlemen who had taken charge of toasts on the evening of the 17tb, and to thank them on behalf of the committee ; and he was also requested to convey to Mr Bowen the committee's high appreciation of the able manner in which that gentleman, as chair man,. conducted the proceedings. Votes of thanks were passed to Messrs Marshman, Jones/ 1 Tippetfcs, Hale, Baylee, Treacy, Booth, and Fleming, for the bunting placed by 1 them at the disposal of the committee; to Mr W. Booth, for bis ornamental harp ; to Mr O. Oakes, for presiding at the piano ; and to Messrs Carder, Quinlan, J. Booth, RV O'Connell, G, Wontner, J. Green, Paget, and J. Grey, for their contributions towards the musical portion of the programme. The chairman was also desired to write to the Commissioner of Police, thanking that gentle* man for hie ready compliance with the request contained in the committee's letter of date March 16. Accounts to the amount of £42 16b 4d were passed for payment. The ordinary business of the meeting having terminated, the chairman said the next question for consideration was the desirability of establishing a St. Patrick's Sooiety, which would be open to all Irishmen, of whatever creed or shade of political opinion. The object of the sooiety would be to make the celebration of Sfc Patrick's Day an annual event. From the great success attending the recent banquet, he was sure that large numbers would join the society, and he had no doubt fchafc nexfc year a place would have to be secured, which would be capable of accommodating three or four times as many persons as were able to gain admission to the Foresters' Hall on the 17th inst. Tho entrance feci

would be a merely nominal amount, which would be fixed at the first general meeting of members called to adopt rules, Sec. After some discussion, Mr S. P. Craig moved— "That a society be formed, called the St Patrick's Society, and that all Irishmen be eligible for membership." Mr J. Green seconded the motion, which was carried unanimously. The chairman was deputed to take all necessary steps in the matter, and was requested to call a general meeting of members as soon as a sufficient number had enrolled their names. A vote of thanks to the chairman terminated the proceedings. Discoveby 01? Qutcksilveb.— . The Buller News of February 21st, says : — " An extensive mineral deposit containing a large percentage of quicksilver has been discovered lately in the province. We are not at liberty at present to state the precise locality, but we believe the discovery will lead to important results." ' Salmon ik thb Molyneux. — The Otago Guardian of Maroh 17 says:— The following welcome news concerning the existence of salmon in the Molyneux has been received by the Provincial Secretary : — " Port Molyneux, 13 March, 1874. Dear sir— l have fche honor to inform you of there being salmon in the Molyneux. The facts are these: A small party went out with a net to catch a few flounders and mullet, and while making a haul they observed a fish swimming about the water, which they took to be a mullet, and which was put in the boat as such, but, on coming, with their fish, I found this to be a young salmon, measuring 13in. long, and weighing lOoz. None of those in the boat had ever seen a salmon, otherwise it never would have been taken out ef the waf jr. The fish had evidently been hurt, as it bore a J bruise on the back, and underneath the tail, and that may perhaps be the reason for its being so close in shore. I thought it only proper that I should report the matter, so as to clear any doubt as to whether salmon existed in the Molyneux. — I am, &c., John Patebson." The writer adds that the fish would be put in spirits of wine, and forwarded i to the Museum. , Slatb Tbadb and Commbbcb. — In his ! report on the year 1872 the British Vice-Con-sul at Bengasi, Tripoli, records a great decrease in the Bhare of British ships in the trade of that port In 1871 10 steamers and 64 sailing ships under the English flag entered and cleared with .cargoes ; in 1872 the numbers were only three steamers and thirteen sailing ships. The principal cause, he says, why the trade between Bengazi and Malta has almost ceased in the enormous proportions which trade in slaves has assumed. Extraordinary prioes have ruled both in Egypt and- Constantinople, and, the local Government having openly countenanced tho slave-dealers, thousands of slaves have been exported. Now British subjects dare not mix themselves up with this traffic. The natives protected by their Government, buy slaves in the interior and ship them to Alexandria, wheee they quadruple their capital ; fchey there buy calico, grain, wine, oil, and other articles for a return cargo fco Bengazi. The Nice-Consul Bays :—" With such splendid profits as an incentive, it is not be wondered at that the whole population are forsaking legitimate trade for ;tpe more lucrative slavedealing, and the result has been disastrous to our interests."