LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 2431, 7 January 1876, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

ADDINGTON AND NHWTOWN.— It !9 rumoured that efforts will shortly bo made to getAddington and Nowtown formed into a Municipality. San Fjbanoisoo Maii.— Owing to tie detention of tho s.s. Hawea at Wellington through a South-east gale, the mail will n '> arrive until to-morrow.

PoflTAii.— On and after Jan. 11, a pot ofllco will bo established at and mails will oloso at Ohristohuroh oaoh Tuesday and Saturday, at 6.80 a.m. TnK "New Zhalahd Magazine."— Tho first number of this periodical has rcaohod us, and, as far as can do judged from a cursory glance at its contents, tho promiso of its projectors has boon fulfilled in tho production of a work of high library merit. A review of tho Magazine will appear at an early dato. Gaol Retuenb.— The following is the goneral return for tho month ended Doc. 31 1 —•Males : For trial at Supreme Oourt~Lyt» tolton, 11; Timaru, 8. Hard labour—ljyttelton 96 ; Addington, 47 ; Timaru, 19. Imprisonment— Lyttelton, 6} Addington, 4. Medical treatment— Addington, 6. Lunatio - Addington, 1. Debtors— Lyttolton, 4. Total males — Lyttelton, 121 ; Addington, 64 ; Timaru, 27. Females : For trial at Supremo Court-— Addington, 1 ; Timaru, 1, Hard labour — Addington^ 81. Imprisonment — Timaru, 1. Modioai treatment— Addington, 7. Lunatios— Timaru, 2. Total females— A(Wmgtron, OO| Timai-u, 4. 'JPotul la gUOIB— Lyttelton, 121 } Addington, 03 ; Timaru, 81. Total discharges : Lyttelton— Male, 1. Addington—Mftloa, 81 j females, 19. Timaru — Males, 18 ; iemales, 2. Total from all gaols, 94,

Stab ov Waktham Lodge, 1.0.0. F., M.U. — Dr J. S. Park has been appointed Medical Officer to this lodge. Popujjab Amusement Association.— The final meeting for the purpose of settling up all aooounts for the Anniversary Sports will be hold early next week. JotJENALiSTio.— The first number of the North Canterbury Independent appeared yesterday. It is published at Kaiapoi t Wednesday and Saturday. . . Pupil TBAOHBEaniPS.— The following ? the number of Pupil Teachers and candidate's for Pupil Teaoherships expected to present themselves for examination on Jan. 18,19, and 20, at the Normal School :— Candidates, 40 j Pupil Teachers for higher grades, 88 ; total, 128.

Tub Thbatbe.— Although rain fell heavily last night, there was a good attendance at the theatre. Tho pantomime was repeated witk undiminished success. A grand fashionabh night is announced for Friday, when the pantomime will be preoeded by Oharles Mathew's oelebrated comedy " Used up." Christian Young Men's Association.— The inaugural aoirSe in connection with the Christian Young Men's Association recently established in Ohristohuroh was held at the Oddfellows' Hall last night. Tea was provided by Mr Gee, Colombo street, with oharaoteristio suooess. Thero was no formal sitting down, but the refreshments were handed round at intervals during the evening. The chair was ocoupied by Mr J. H. Twentyman, President of tho Association, there, being also on the platform the Boys J. Buller, W. J. Habens, F. Enowles, — Stewart (Rangjtikei), L. Lohr, and S. Maofarlane, Messrs Inglis, Jameson, and Hey wood. The proceedings were opened by singing tho 100 th Psalm, after whioh prayer wai offered by the Bey — Stewart. Mr Twentyman then delivered a shoifc address, pointing out why the Association was worthy of support. Addresses were also delivered by the Revs J. S. Maofarlane, J. Buller, F. Knowles, W. J. Habens, Messrs Inglis (Secretary of the Dunedin Association) and Heywood. Tho speeches were agreeably interspersed with vocal and instruments 1 musio by Miss Calvert, Messrs Boberts and Johnstone. Altogether a very pleasant evening was spent. Lyttbkton Colonists' Sooibty. — The usual monthly meeting was held on Monday evening, the President (Dr Bouse) occupying the chair. There wai a good attendance of oommitteemen. The President stated that the neoessary repairs were in progress tinder the superintendence of Mr H. Alfwright, and the Building Committee were carrying out their duties. Mr Little oalled the attention of the Committee to the irregularity in the arrival Qf the magazines, and considered tho resolution moved at the last meeting to pro* ouro the same from Mrs Burt should be noon* sidered. After some disoussion, the matter was left to the Library Committee. Mr Raider said he would reoommend that the papers from England should be procured from one person, and sent out in larger pack* ages, by this means the postage would be less. It was resolved — " That the Australasian be subscribed for and purchased from Mrs Burt." The Treasurer stated that during the past month he had. received £8 6s 6d. Accounts amounting to £78 10s 9i were passed for payment. Mr Boddlngton drew attention to tho mode in whiob the papers were distributed over the tables, and suggested that some other method should be adopted j he also thought that the ball should be kept open between the hours of 4 and 6 o'olook, and he would move — " That the hall be shot up for one hour only." Mr Cunningham moved as an amend* mont— " That the matter be referred to the Library Committee to report upon at their next meeting." The amendment was carried. Mr Noldor said the numbers of the Lyttelton Times, from June 22 to Juno 30, 1870, were not bound up with the volumn. The Society had the whole of that journal from the first number of publication, and he moved — " That the Seoretary be instructed to obtain the missing numbers." This was agreed to, and the meeting adjourned. Mdlib Ilma De Mueska.— Lovers of Musio may expect a great treat, as the talented lima De Murska is about to make a oonoert tour through the chief towns in this Colony, and may be looked for in Christohuroh about the end of the present mont!In Australia, the musioal critics seemed soaroely able to find words sufficiently strong to express their admiration of Mdlle Do j Murska's voioe and her method of using it. The following extraot from a late Sydney paper, where Mdlle De Murska has just con* eluded a season, speaks of her performance of tho celebrated song from Meyerbeer's Dinorah in terms whioh are no weaker than those employed by the Argus and other leading papers, when uotioing her performance of the same elaborato song :— "The oharaoter of Dinorah j is one in whioh Mdlle De Murska has no equal, and as the "Shadow Song," is tho very oulminating point in the delineation, it necessarily possesses extremo interest, even when it is robbed of many distinctive features by its transfer to the oonoert room, and it is fit here to say that she suooeeds in a marked degree in indicating to her hearers by look, gesture, inflection of voioo, and manner of delivery the dramatio as well as the musioal characteristic of every operatio piece she introduces, without once being stagey. Tho fancies that throng thickly upon tho orazod brain of tho deserted Breton girl are delioiously brought out by tbe then half-sportive, then half-mournful beauty. The listener, who has never seen the opera, and does not know its story or understand its language, oan yet not fail to fully appreciate tbe situation. Meyerbeer purposely made the musio of the part as ornate as possible > knowingly taxed tho voice up to F in altissimo, simply because he was writing for Madame Miobian Oarvalho, then what De Murska is now — the foremost, or one of the foremost of living sopranos of tho higher voioe. But Mdlle de Murska refines oven upon Meyerbeer, and, all unaided, produces on the bare platform of that desolate Masonio Hall, tho effeota whioh are usually supposed to be impossible without the assistance of an orchestra. The elaborate vocal embroideries with which the .exquisite little air is variod and broken are now murmured in the lowest piano tones, whioh yet reaoh every corner distinctly, now rise into passionate, joyous, full-voiced bursts of song, but are always entiroly technically true, and always exceedingly natural. A long series of intrioato " cadenzas," executed without accompaniment would endanger the resumption of the air by any other vooalist, but by Mdlle do Murska all those passages whioh seem intended to defy rather than to task tho voice, are given with a f aoility that for the moment prevents Tine aflHoulty from being rooognised."

Hobtioultubal Show.— An exhibition of out blooms, fruit, and vegetables, in connection with tho monthly meeting of the Horticultural Sooiety, WM bela in the Congregational sohool« room yesterday evening, and wai moderately

successful. Doubtless if the weather had been more propitious a greater number of exhibit* would have been staged. As usual the entries " for exhibition only" formed a leading feature, aad some of them were well deserving of notioe. Mr Chudley had a very nice bouquet of carnations and picotees, a floral design in pinks, a number of pot plants, several fine heads of Alexandria lettuce, one of the best varieties for growing in summer, as it does not run to seed so soon as others ; and a stand of twelve reses. The Bey J. 0. Westbrooke exhibited a fine sample of the new American Wonder po*atoe. The seed was oc'.y planted on Oot. 7, yet one of the roots dug up by Mr Westbrooke weighed 21b«, and the sample potatoes exhibited were sot only as large as an orange, but apparently quite ripe. Mr Westbrooke also exhibited three very good Frenoh marigolds. MrSpicerhad five well grown pot plants. MrGreeuaway exhibited a stand of twelve choice pieotees, whioh included several very nice seed* lings, a stand of twenty-four very fine picotees and carnations, and a nice stand of eighteen roses. Mr Crooks showed a seedling geranium, but it did not possess any great olaim to merit. Mr Chudley staged two very fine new geraniums— Am Gray, a new dark salmon ooleured doublet Wellington, a very rich velvety orimion, single. Mr Craw baa a small collection of apples, and Mr Napier an exceedingly well-grown sample of kidney potatoes. Mr J. Allen exhibited some excellent lettuce and cauliflowers, while Mr Gould, besides a choice collection of fine foliaged plants, exhibited a new variety of onions, Naseby Mammoth, four of whioh, grown this season, weighed 7|lbs. The exhibits in competition for the prixes were good, but meagre. The following is the prize list:— Judges: Open Class— Messrs T. B. Procter and D. Nairn ; Amateurs' ClassMessrs Napier, Gwenaway, and B. Chudley. Cut Blooms— Open Class Twelve carnations and picotees, varieties— J. Greens* way, lj B. Chudley, 2. Twelve verbenas, varieties— J. Greenaway, 1. General collection of Cut Blooms— J. Greenaway, 1* W. Napier, 2. Cut Blooms, Amateurs— Six carnations and piootees— D. Craw, 1 5 H. Crooks, 2. Six verbenas, varieties— B. Jackman, 1 f D. Nairn, 2. General collection— D. Crow, 1 1 H. Crooks, 2. Fruit — open olass.— Fifty oherriee, black— T. Allen,!} fifty do light— W. Napier. Fifty strawberries— J. Atkinson, lj D. Craw, 2. Fifty raspberries— W. Napier, 1 1 D. Craw, 2. Collection of gooseberries— D. Craw, 1} H. Crooks, 2. Collection of CurranU, twenty-five bunobes of eaoh oolonr— D. Craw, If W. Napier, 2. Applet of last year's growth— Mrs Florence. Vegetables — open class.— Potatoes— B. Jackman, 1 f D. Nairn, 2. Mr Chudley's prixes for twelve varieties peas on their stems— S. Jaokman, 1| H. Crooks, 2. First-class certificates were Awarded to G. Gould for Naseby Mammoth onions 1 to W. Napier for ash-leaved potatoes 1 to T. Allen for lettuces and cauliflowers.

Nbw Zbalahd Mihbbai, Watbb.— The Qtago Daily Times, of rec«pt date, states that Mr Mendershausen, of Princes street, hat received from Auckland aome eases containing the mineral waters of the Waiwera. The ° water " it effervescing, pleasing to the taste, and, we hate no doubt, will oome to be mooh used in New Zealand tot its medicinal proper* tie*. A Pbbpbtual Pabtb.— Diisolre a tea* •poonfol of alam in a quart of warm water. When cold stir in at much flour as will give it the consistence of thick cream, being par* tioalar to beat up the lamps | stir is ai muoh powdered resin at will lie on a sixpence, and throw in half a dozen doves to giro it a pleasant odonr. Hare on the fire a teaoapfal of boiling water in a suitable Teasel, pour the flour mixture into it, stirring well all the time. In a few minutes it will be of the consistence of porridge. Four it into an earthern or ohina vessel} let it cool} lay a cover on, and put in a cool place. When needed for use take out a portion, and soften with warm water. Paste thus made can be kept twelve months. It it better than gum, at it does not gloss the paper, and can be written on. Thb Patbbson Iksubancb Oasb.—A case lately heard at Wellington before the Court af Appeal, involving the law affecting the insurance of vessels, is of considerable importance. The action was Brogden v. Miller (Chairman of the Victoria Insurance Com* pany). It may be stated that the three local companies, the New Zealand, the South British, and the National paid their policies on the Paterson without hesitation. The New Zealand Timet has some comments on the case, and from the artiole are taken the following extracts :— ln the case Brogden v. Miller, the plaintiffs, on March 7, 1874, negotiated with defendants to insure the steamer Paterson; the premium was paid, and a document commonly known as an insurance slip was issued, purporting to accept the risk, with some few exceptions mentioned on the memorandum, At the bottom of the slip were the words, " A polioy will be issued if required." Plaintiffs, like all insurers are in the habit of doing, considered themselves safe by virtue of the afore-mentioned slip, and did not ask for a policy} but in the course of a few months defendants of their own motion, for* warded a jpolioy, whioh, being looked at for the first time after the loss of the vessel, was found to contain exceptions to risks, which had not been exoepted in the slip, whioh plaintiffs had never been asked to consent to, but whioh were found in the polioy, and upon whioh defendants took their stand, in refusing to honour the engagements they had entered into. This is a course of procedure which the Court of Appeal, acting under the law of insurance and the stamp laws of the Colony, has declared to be proper. Stripped of technicalities, if the decision means anything it means this, that a trader paying a large sum of money for a policy of insurance, under certain conditions, may have in a manner thrust upon him a polioy of a totally different oharacter, whioh he has never bargained for and is unwilling to receive, yet under the law of the land he has no redress. The only course open to insurers is to insure exclusively with local offices, dispense with the slip which, under those circumstances, is a delusion and a snare, and get a polioy drawn according to their wishes before they Kurt with a penny in the shape of premium, uring the hearing of the case Mr Justioe Johnston said that English insurance com* panics had for many . years paid claims, whioh possibly they might have successfully combatted, but they had a regard for com* merdal honour. He added that commercial honour perhaps was commercial interest ; for unless the policies were met, business would be lost. This was a doubtful compliment to the Companies t but looking at the matter from even this rather low stand point, in* surance companies will soon find that, afterall, " Honesty j» tbe best polioy."