Untitled

West Coast Times, Issue 221, 4 June 1866, Page 2

The play produced on Saturday nig\»t at tho Princo of Wales Opora House, and ontitled " Fraud and its Victims," was first represented at tho Surrey Thoatre, whon undor tho management of Messrs. Shoppard and Oreswiok, at tho time whon tho public fooling was in a state of excitement rolativo to tho gigantio failure of tho Royal British Bank j and tho author, Mr Stirling Coyne, took advantage of tho occasion by stringing togother a sensational drama, the main incidents of whioh turn upon the sufferings and misory ontailcd upon an unfortunate depositor by a fraudulent banker. Tho play proved successful, and enjoyed along run. It was elaborately placed upon tho etago, and. tfio qnsf; was a strong one, At %

later dato, attractod no doubt by its popularity, Mr Dion Bouoicault (who, by tho way, nover wrote an original play) altered the namos of most of the chief personages, retaining at tho same timo tho plot, and produced it at tho Princoss' Theatro under tho title of " Tho Streets of London." Mr Bartlotfc has very wisely selected the original odition, whioh is by far tho bettor, and has added to it the additional titlo given by Bouoioault. There was an oxcollont attendance to witness its representation at tho Opera Houso on Saturday evening, and tho audionco were most enthusiastio iv thoir applause, Stirling Coyne dosorvedly holds a vory high rank as a dramatic author j his literary capabilities and soholarly acquirements need not be dilated upon | and if wo do not in tins'— wo believe his latest oflbrt — find tho dialoguo to bo as sharp and tolling — tho spirit of comedy as rofinod and sparkling— and tho reparteo as quick and outting — as wo know it to oxist in moßt of tho dramas he has presontod to tho world, it does not laok sufficient oxcellonoioa to attract good houses whonovor it is placed upon tho stage. Tho cast on Saturday was excellent 5 all tho prinoipal artistes of tho theatre had parts allotted them oxactly suiting thoir specialilo of embodiment. Mr Bartlott, as Tom Trumpor, imbued tho oharactor with a startling air of vraisemblance which belongs to tho highest ordor o! comio aoting j it was from first to last a most successful picco of acting. Mr Lionel Harding, as tho hero of the drama, fully sustakedhis reputation as a careful actor 5 he played with a considerable amount of vigor aud force, accompanied by an appropriate amount of pathos and feoling. Mr. Burford, as tho fraudulent bankor — tho man of " cool head, of iron heart and hand," sustained his part carefully. The samo may bo said of Mr Oifford, as the Count deValmou, and Mr M'Loan, who, by the way, mado quito a character of the policeman. Mr Andrews, as Gabriol, was very humorous. The finished and olaborato aoting of Missßosj, Cooper, as Mrs Soaborno, added greatly to tho success of tho performance Wo have rarely witnessed a moro tolling situation, or one more naturally rondored, than whou at tho close of tho third aot sho rocogaisos hor son, and falls fainting in tho snow. This scono elicited loud applause, and at tho fall of tho curtain was loudly called for. Mrs Crosby has already established herself as a favorito with tho playgoers of Hokitika, and she fully maintained her reputation in tho eharaotor of Patty Hoseleaf. Tho drama has beon admirably placed upon tho stage, and tho most consoiontiouß regard for tho discharge of ovory dotail is apparont. To-night, a now piooo — " The Lonoly Man of tho Ocean" — will bo produced.

Divino service was hold in St. Mary's Catholic Ohapol yostorday, at 9, 10, and 11 o'olook, by Bishop Viard, assisted by the Rev. Moasrs. J. J. O'Rielly and J. M'Girr, At vcopors thdßov. Mr O'Riolly delivered a most imprcssivo discourse on ','Pruyor."

Wo obsorvo that Mr Gcorgo Ilornook an^ nouncos himself as a caudidato for tho gold' fields.

Daily wo are experiencing tho inconvenionce and danger to life and property arising from tho absence of municipal laws to abolish many nuisances that oxist uncheokod in our midst, An instance may be seen in tho centre oi the town — halfway up Rovoll street — where exists a hugo pool of liquid mud about oighteen inches deep, and twenty squaro yards in oxtont, that omits a stenoh only to bo compared to bilgo wator fivo years old, From this siokening and disgusting slough, through which tho horses and drays, all day long go splashing, there arises an effluvium that poaitivoly taints tho atmosphoro a considerable distance up and down tho stroot. How the shopkeepors in tho 'vicinity can boar it and livo, or find ouslomors to do so, is a mystory only solved by tho long-suffering naturo of a Hokitika community. Anothor nuisance, although not so pungent, y<>t as dangerous in anothor sense, is tho roprehonsiblo praotico that 'stookmou indulgo in of driving half-wild cattle through tho strcots at hours when business is boing carried on, and people going about. No later than Saturday last a little boy — son of Mr Kennedy, proprietor of tho Club Hotol — was attackod in a furious mannor by one of thoso infuriated beasts whilo it was being driven to a slaughter-yard, and boforo tho little follow could be resouod ho was tossed high into the air, and ouly by a wondorful strike of good luck camo to earth again living, and without any limbs broken. It is a inattor of voxation that our police havo not the power to stop such conduct.

During tho forenoon of yestorday, a man was seen to bo engaged in a suspicious mannor scraping a hole in tho sand, near a stump, at tho back of tho Exchange Hotol in Rovellstroet. The person who . saw the operation, had his curiosity so far oxoitod as to visit tho spot immediately after tho lnah loft, and, aftor clearing away tho sand, ho brought to light a silver hunting wntch, with Alborfc chain attaohod, which had been buriod a fow inches below tho surface. Information of the circumstancos was at once convoyed to tho police, who placed Constable Elliott to shepherd tke plant. About jan hour afterwards tho samo individual who had secreted tho valuables, carao baok to take possession of his property, when ho was disagreeably astoI nishod at finding tho timokeopor gone and in its stead, though not buriod in tho sand, a policeman, who quickly informed him that if ho would accompany him to tho camp ho would sco tho watoh ho was vainly looking for. Tho man, whoso namo is Thomas Cain, was immediately lookod-up, and will remain so until tho real owuor of tho watoh is proven. As Cain is known to bo one of the fraternity whoso fingers havo an itching for other peoples goods, it is not likely that ho will romain long boforo ho knows the result of tho unlooked-for discoyory. Tho loser of such a watch and chain is roquostcd to call at tho camp. Yesterday morning, the dwelling-houso of Mr Eaton, situate at the cornor of Wold and ITitzherbort streets, was entered, and a small amount of nroporty stolon? It appears that about four o'clock on Sunday morning, Mra Eaton awoko hor husband by saying that there was eonio porson in thoir bodroom. Immediately Mr Eaton got up, and saw a man retreating, whom he pursued, but failed in oaptaring. An investigation was then instituted, when tho discovery was made that a gold brooch hall been stolen which lay on the table, nothing else boing missing, through tho daring burglar having evidontly been disturbed in his operations. Entranco was offeoted by a back door, which had bcon loft unlocked during the night. A dosoription of the man has boon giron to tho police, wljo will doubles* be

nblo in a fow days to give an account of hi.n Tho man Jones, who was charged soino time ago with garrotting, a half-drunken man in Rovell-streot, and who was soveral times remanded in consoquonco of tho absence of tho prosecutor, and was ultimately dischrr^el on his own recognisance of £50, was ro-or-rested yesterday, in consequonoe of the mnn who entorcd tho charge having mado his appearance in town. Tho cut e will come bofore tho Rosidont Magistrate I h's morning. Early yesterday morning a minor named Marohinont narrowly escaped a horrible death by his tont oatching fire while lio lay asleep in bed, near tho tramway, at the top of Revellstreet. Two men in an adjoining tont awoke during the night by seeing a bright glaro issuo from Marchmont's tent, to wliioh thoy immediately rushed, in time to drag out ttie heavy sleeper, whose clothes were alroadyon fire and his tout in full blaze. The man w^as, fortunately, not injured, although all his available property, consisting of wearing apparel, some money ho had in his pockets, and other odds and and onds, were lost. The aeoident was occasioned by Marohmont having gone to bod leaving the candle burning, wlulo he was too muoh under thp influence of liquor to be caroful whore tho light was placed.