LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

Wellington Independent, Volume XXVI, Issue 3230, 20 June 1871, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

The Provincial Cotmcir. will meet at 3 p.m. to day. The second of the series of entertainments being given at St. Peter's school room, will take place this evening, at eight o'clock. Captain Edwin's Appointment. — Our evening contemporary, again referring to the above says : — " We maintain that the appointment necessary and authorised as it is, should, in justice, have been formally given to the gentleman who has hitherto been found com- | petent to perform its duties." Hero it will be seen that Captain Edwin's appointment is admitted to bo necessary and authorised, and when we explain, once for all, that no gentleman has hitherto performed its duties, it is evident that no possible objection can be found with it. If anything further were necessary to be said, it is that the gentleman whose piteous case the " PoBt" deplores is dissatisfied with nothing but the unwarrantable use made of his name. Tho " wide spread dissatisfaction of the Civil Service" exists only in the imagination of the "Post," unless, indoed, we except tho disgust they feel at 'seeing their fancied grievances paraded in its columns. It may be very stupid on their part, but, bo far ni we can learn, th«y would rathor have Captain Edwin as a colleague than the "PoBt" as an advocate. Compiimkntaey Dinnkb. — An advertisement elsewhere announces that a complimentary dinner will be given to Mr Osgood, at the Metropolitan Hotel, on Saturday evening next. This is a mark of respect which must bo peculiarly gratifying to Mr Osgood ; and nothing can bettor serve to show the general estimation in which he was held as a private citizen. Q-AB-WOBKB Kepuse.-— One of the first results from the manufacture of gas in Wellington (apart from illuminating purposes) is seen by an advertisement elsewhere, which announces that tho following substances are on sale at tho company's works, viz. — coke, tar, gas lime, and ammoniacal liquor. The uses ol the two former are well known. The two latter being excellent manuro, will no doubt find ready sale. Police, — A man named Flowers was yesterday fined by his Worship 2Os, or in default, to be imprisoned for 48 hours for being drunk and incapable on the previous day. It appeared that tho innn was riding a horae down the beach, and being in a very intoxicated state ho fell off. Unable to regain his seat, or get on his logs, he was taken in charge, and the horse put iuto a livery stable.

The Ciiristys. — A very fair house greoted tho second appearanco of the Chriatys last night. For many roasons, wo were sorry to j hear, from a statement made to the audionce by one of the member, of the misunderstanding and unpleasantness that have arisen in referonco to the disposal of tho proceeds of this concert. With that ill-natured controversy wo have nothing whatever to do, our main regret being that these dissensions should exist, because thoir only effect can be to unsettle the unity and to sap the understanding that should properly exist among the musical portion of the community ; still, there was tho awkward and undoubted fact faoing the public and tho Christys that the most legitimate claim to tho public consideration at the present moment was the case of Mrs Lawrence. This, we suppose, is where the hiatus occurred, and without further discussing the matter we dismiss the Bubject. Tho performance of last nighfe bore out our ! expectations with reference to the performI ance of the claes of mußic to which Christys are restricted. There were flaws in rendering, as might be looked for, because in negro minstrelsy the performers, in the case of amatours, do not rise to a supreme effort ; but, taken as [ a whole, the music of last night displayed considerable attention and care in working up, although the selections did not happen to be the most judicious. Still the programmo given was given well, and this we shall always look for at the hands of the Christys. With tho exception of an indiscreet loquacity, so plentiously intertwined as to surfeit occasionally, and to force upon the audience the .conclusion that brevity is the- soul of wit, the comic business was capital, and was well sustained ; indeed, in the first portion of the entertainment there was an undefinable want of animation in tho performers, which the nimble wit of Bones was the only power to remove. One fact we must impress in connection with the singing is, that tho alto in the choruses must be greatly subdued. The voice is a good one, but last night was ao powerful as to completely outbalance the other parts, the tenor only boing heard in its proper moiety in one chorus. In the performance of last night there was one first-class piece of singing, the solo and chorus "Beautiful Isle of the Sea," the solo being taken by a tenor voice of very fine quality and cultivation, which we should like to hear a great deal more of. It was quite apparent that the voice suffered, firstly, from the bad acoustics of the hall j secondly, from the proscenium intercepting nearly the whole of the sound; and, thirdly,frotnnothaving thoroughly recovered from the effects of the hilarity engendered by Bones 1 solo on the bellows, which kept the house in roars for a considerable time. " Ella Leeno" was well sung, but there was a confusion of the time in the chorus, through the voices not feeling each other, that marred the effect. " The Little One that Died" was sung by a good baritone voice, of which also we should like to hear a little more, but it was taken a trifle too slow in the beginning, though it improved wonderfully by being taken a little faster, and with more familiarity, as it progressed. This chorus should have been about the best, but was not taken with the nice delicacy it deserves, tho alto drowning everything, and the accompaniment being too prominent. " Twinkling Stars" we did not care about at all ; throat singing never will take with an audience, especially when combined with a touch of the Roichardfc style of singing. A galop by Mr Flood was a nice, lively little thing, and went a good way toway towards enlivening the audience, although thero was nothing transcendental about it. The "Moss Grown Dell" was too much for the solo voice, and in the chorus the lead was completely smothered, but the singing of the chorus itself was good, the voices feeling each other well, and the articulation coming out simultaneously. The song " I Love to Sit" was a nice even piece of singing, evenness being requisite. The chorus was the best piece of concerted singing in the first part of the programme, and went all the better for the leaving out of the accompaniment. Tke accompaniment to the eolo was also tho best, because it was subdued and followed the voice, instead of attempting, as in nearly all the others, to lead it. Loading with the inetrument may be necessary in the practices, but should be carefully avoided before an audience. In the " Vacant Chair" there was a want of smoothness in the solo — that nice careful expression the sentiment of the song demands. The ohoruß was well sung, but there was wanting that regard to legato singing without which the chorus cannot be an entire suocess ; however, the piece was well sung, and stood the repetition from tho first performance. The accompaniment to this piece was well played, for the reason we have before noticed — that it was subdued, and played a subordinate, though an important parb, and followed the voice. Of the singing of the solo " Beautiful Isle of the Sea," we cannot say too much. In the opening, the voice seemed to be too much hurried by the accompaniment, which was far too loud for the voice. In the second verse the accompaniment was groatly ira» proved, having diminished both in time and tone. This was admittedly the best pieoe of singing during the evening, though the voice was drowned in places by tho instrument?. " Minnie Clyde" does not possess the charm usually attaching to old songs, and was one of the things of the evening we liked least. Of the corner songs, we must confess we heard enough to make us wonder why more of this element was not introduced into the programme. It must be well understood by the gentlemen immediately concerned that it would be impossible to do justice to the corner men in the limits of a short notice. We may fairly say, however, that the entertainment, as a whole, was a decided success. We have pointed out faults, having an implicit belief in the proverb — Bonis nocit qtdsquis pepercerit mails, but as suggestions would be distasteful we offer none. During the evening it was announced that the Christy's intended to appear in the course of the week, the proceeds to go in aid of the fund being raised on behalf of Mrs Lawrance. Annual Inspection Parade.— No 1 Company fell in at two o'clock yesterday, at tho Barrack Reserve, for tho purpoee ef undergoing their annual inspection by Colonel Harrington ; about thirty members were present. Previous to the arrival of the Colonel, tho Company was put through a little preparatory exercise, in the way of manual exercise, &c, and about half-past two Colonel Harrington came on to the ground, and was received by Colonel. Reader. The rear rank then took ground to the rear, and the Company fixed bayonets, presented arms, and having come to the port, Colonel Harrington inspected the arms and accoutrements of the men. The Company was then put through the manual and platoon exercise by Lieut. Werry, and afterwards were told off and put i through a few movements in subdivisions, sections, and fours by Ensign Nation. Major M'Barnett then assumed the command, and in his hands the Company were put through whuUseemed to be most familiar to them, and in which they displayed greatest, proficiency — company movement. Major M'Baruett had tho men completely in hand, and tho marching, forming fours on the march, and other movements, were executed with creditable exactitude. In akirmishing order the Company did not display such proficiency, the deploying being sometimes performed in a very confused manner. At the conclusion of these movements, Col. Harrington addrossed*a few words to tho men, informing them on what points they required to pay more attention to drill, and noticing that tho period of the year was much against the performance of the necessary out-door drill. Tho Company was then dismissed, and the Veterans were marched on to tho ground. The same formula ot inspection having been gone through, Captain Crowo put tho Company through the manual and platoon exercises. The platoon oxercise was rather uneven, bliowing either carelessness or a want of drill on the part of some of tho members, but the manual oxercise was much superior to No. 1, and was all that could be desirod by tho most fastidious of military eyes, tho different motions being done well together, and tho hands i coming away smartly. There was evidence of

drill here. Captain Crowe then put tho company through a number of difficult company movements, every one of which went to prove that the company had been well drilled. The company wheoling was excellently well done, tho careful feeling towards the pivot man keeping tho lino free of all wavering, In forming fours on i,ho march, the company wont through some difficult movements in countermarching, &c., another complicated inarching movement — forming from fours into twos, then company to tlio front — being done with groat precision. Tho Veterans made the best show in numbers, about forty members being present. From the way in which Major M'Barnett and Captain Crowe handled their men, we must congratulate our volunteers on having two such, officers among them, as it was pretty evident to the spectators yesterday that it was in no small degree due to the proficiency of the officers themselves, and the clearness with which they gave the word of command, that the whole parade was so remarkable for the absence of anything partaking of the nature of bungling in the ranks. About twenty of the Cadets were on the ground, under the charge of Sergeant Warren of the Veterans, aud for persons so young went through their performances very croditably. Tho band of the garrison was on the ground under the charge of Bandmaster Currie, and played several airs with its usual excellence during the course of the afternoon. G-ardeners and others who may be desirous of obtaining samples of forest trees, fruit treOß, shrubs, and flowers, will be afforded an opportunity of doing so at Messrs Vonnell, Mills and Co'e storeß- in Grey-street, tomorrow, at one o'clock, whore a splendid assortment will be put up to auction. The Baker's Hill Company meet this evening at eight o'clock, at Donecker'o Hotel. Wholesale Meat Preserving. — The Sydney Meat Preserving Company's works, which are eight miles from Sydney, on the Parramatta river, will be prepared in a short time to tin 1000 sheep per day. Find Markets.— Tho Oamaru correspondent of the " Daily Times" sayß we have in the town and immediate neighborhood a milling power equal to something like 6000 tons of flour per annum, to eay nothing of the large mill at Kakanui, and one recently erected at Otepopo, which I shall hereafter notice. The question naturally arises, where can all this flour go to, with so many mills producing in Dunedin and other parts of the province ? Ye merchants, Otago expects you to do your duty — find us markets. Take example by California, and never use the word impossible ! The Bishop of South Australia on Voluntary Confederation. — At the meeting of tho Adelaide Diocesan Synod, on May 16, the Bishop in his Pastoral Address observed : " What signs does the world at present show of any 6iich confederation of independent national Churches ? In reply, I may say that during the last century our own communion has been gradually developing this system in the United States, in Canada, in the West Indies, in Africa, in Now Zealand, in Australia, in Scotland, and, last of all, in Ireland. Churches independent of the State, having the same standards of doctrine, the same Liturgy in substance and almost in form, the same principles of ecclesiastical order, discipline and law, are in full communion with each other in the bonds of the Gospel. They are all voluntary associations, self-governed and eelf-aus-tained." An Unexpected Result. — When the ship City of Adelaide left Port Adelaide on her laßt trip to London, she had on board two very large snakes, consigned (says tho " Register") from the Conservator of the Botanic Garden to the Zoological Society, London, and with a view, it is presumed, to afford their snake-ships a repast, should they feel so disposed, a large rat was placed in the cage with them. Much to the satisfaction, although none the less to the astonishment of those on board, instead of tho snakes devouring the rat, the latter eat tho snakes. A New Disinfectant. — The hydrated chloride of aluminum, long known to chemists, has lately been extensively used as a disinfejting agent. It is readily made by dissolving alumina in hydrochloric acid. The solution, on evaporating, leaves crystals of what was formerly called the sesquichlorido of aluminum in combination with three moloculos of water. The atomic weight of aluminum having been doubled by agreement of advanced chemists, tho sesquichloride becomes the trichloride of aluminum. Tho hydrated compound has all the virtues of the chloride of zinc without any of its dangerous qualities. It arrests decomposition and destroys disease germs, and still is not injurious or dangerous when applied as a wash for the body, or gargle in cases of sore throat, diptheria, hooping-cough, or scarlet fever. It has a sweetish astringent or aluminous taste. Its virtues are derived from the chlorine contained in ifc, being more highly charged with that element than common salt. It has been successfully used as an antiseptio, and in the preservation of food. Relieving Embarrassed Churches. — A new mode of relieving churches from debt has been adopted in America. We learn from our Californian files that St John's Churoh in San Francisco being heavily in debt, and in order to extricate ifc from difficulty, it was suggested by the Trustees that the congregation give their individual note for three years, in sums that each was willing to assume ; these notes to draw interest at ten per cent. — the interest to be paid quarterly — the notes to be considered stock notes, not to be paid out or parted with, but to bo held inviolate by the trustees, thus making individual members of the congregation pay their pro rata to the interest. Ae for the principcl, it waß deolared that there wore one hundred and twenty unsold powe, which every subscriber by note could take in payment for his subscription ; or that the subscriptions hereafter to be collected, givon, or other church income from pews sold, &c, should be applied pro rata to the payment of the notes, the belief being expressed that at the end of three years the natural growth of the church income would be sufficient to pay the principal. To this proposition the congregation responded, and the whole was duly subscribed for. This virtually places the church out of debt. How would such a plan suit embarrassed churches here ? Testimonial.— The " Wanganui Herald" says : — It has been decided to present Mr Buller with a testimonial, and a committee has boon formed to give effect to the object. It is proposed enabling the recipent to purchase a piece of plato, and a list has been opened and at the time of our going to proas a sum of upwards of £50 had been subscribed, thus evidencing that the people of Wanganui are ever ready to recognise sterling worth. The Polyute — Even Dr CoIHb Browne has not escaped the general impulse which at present turns science in the direction of destruction. He has invented a "spado," which, with his turn for inventing names as well as things, he calls not a spade, but a " polyuto." Tho back forms, as occasion requires, a spado, a fryingpan, or a breastplate ; tho handle can bo used as a rest for the rifle, and, in addition, it can easily be transformed into a "pick" and an axe. Amongst the minor details o' this novel implement are a saw, a hammer, and a matchbox j and tho whole is so light and portable us to be easily carried on the 1 march. Education by Newspapers. — The Boston " Traveller" states that a school teacher who had enjoyed tho bonefit of a long practice of his profession and had watehod closely tho influence of a family of children, gives as a rosult of his observations that, without exception, those scholars of both sexes and all ages who have access to newspapers at home, when compared to those who have not, are : 1. Bettor readers, excelling in pronounciation, and consequently reading moro understandingly. 2. They are bettor spellers, and define words with ease and accuracy. 3. They obtain a partial knowledge of geography in almost half tho timo it requires others as tho newspapers have made them familiar with the location of important places and nations, their G-ovornrnont and doings. 4. They are belter grammarians, for, having become familiar with every variety of ebvle in Ike newspapers, from

common place advertisements to the finished and classical oration of the statesman, they more readily comprehend the meaning of the texb, and consequently analyse its construction with accuracy. AdvebtisinG Ghatis.— The practice of advertising, gratis, the stocks of importers of goods in the form of publishing the consignees' names in the list of shipping manifests, has been put o stop to in Melbourne by a combination of the various newspapers, and a plan similar to that in use in California adopted instead. The San Francidco papers publish both the imports and export returns and the names of the consignees — but separately, so as to destroy any value the announcement might possess as an advertisement : — The writer " Under the Verandah," in the Melbourne " Loader," thus refers to this matter : — " I must congratulate the conductors of the Melbourne daily press at having effected a clever and plucky change by leaving out the names of shippers and consigness in the list of imports and exports. What possible interest was it to me or the rest of the public to know that Messrs Brown, Jones, and Robinson, the lollypop doalers of Little Lonsdale street, had received per Ann, Captain Blowhard, two cases of Everton's toffy, one of hardbake, two boxes of Boney's ribs, and half a pound of ratafia biscuits ? It was a remnant of the days when Melbourne was a pretty village, and the arrival of a coaster from Sydney drove the whole population mad with excitement. Publish the imports and exports by all means, but do not gratuitously puff the transactions of every grocer and linondrapor in the colony ; the real merchant does not require this pub* licity — the middlemen should not receive it. If they want to advertise let them pay for the privilege," A Liqpob Law. — Commenting on the new and very restricted Public-houses Act brought into force in Auckland, the " Southern Cross" says : — The law of libel is one of those mysterious and paradoxical things that no man can comprehend. But perhaps one of the most remarkable anomalies connected with this or any other law is the possibility of the law itself severely punishing a man for obeying it. Yet suoh an illustration of the complexity of civilisod institutions may yet be brought to light in the action of our Publicans Licensing Act. This well-intentioned measure affords abundant scope for those curious in the results of legislation to exercise their ingenuity. We have recintly shown that a man giving a friend a glass of wine is assumed to be guilty of sljgrog selling, and may be oalled upon to prove to the contrary. But this is as nothing to the difficulties attending the treatment of habitual drunkards. The new act enjoins in its 62nd section that in the case of a man convicted aB a habitual drunkard, the police must send round a description of the offender to all the publicana of the district, warning them they are not to supply him with drink. We understand that in the framing of the measure it was originally intended that, as recommended by our local Licensed Victuallers' Association, a photograph of the confirmed topers should be forwarded to all the hotel-keepers ; but the legal acumen of his Honor the Superintendent detected and had the dangerous measure expunged. But it is clear that even yet there is peril in the practice, however legally- ordained. ; and we anticipate that ere long some person, declining the honor of being held up to contempt, by letters transmitted to hundreds of persons throughout the district, will find a luwyer clever enough, and also willing, to put a peremptory stop to the action of the law ; and we believe recent cases have occurred in England, analogous in many respects, that will facilitate the course of such an action for libel. The position is a curious one, but it is not the only curious result of our abundant exercise of legislative powers. Antidote to Steohiune.— Mr W. Moore, homeopathist, of Sydney, communicates the following to a paper in that city :— " An antidote to strychnine is common smoking tobacco. Two oases are selected to convey some idea of its power — one, a large pointer dog, which had eaten poisoned meat, and showed strong symptoms of poisoning by strychnine. I first gave ten grains of camphor in liquid form, in spite of which the dog had several violent spasms, and ultimately wont as stiff as an iceberg. I then gave him a strong decoc tion of tobacco, which, as the spasm relapsed, slowly passed down his throat ; the muscles again became perfectly rigid for full five minutes that the only sign of life remaining was a slight action of the heart ; the spasm gradually gave way, the animal got on his feet, vomited the contents of his stomaoh, and in fifteen minutes was as well as ever, and has so continued ever since. From this and several other experiments I deem tobacco a perfect antidote to strychnine, and, should occasion offer, I would without hesitation administer a decoction of our common Bmoking tobacco. The method hitherto adopted was to cut up half an ounce of 6g tobacco, saturate it in a pint of hot water, press it out, and administer from one-fourth to the lot at a doße according to the circumstances of the oase." Kbbosene Oil v. Insubanoe Companies. — The "Review," the principle English insurance journal says : — lt is feared that the American and Canadian business of English fire offices will not prove to have been profitable during the year. The introduction of various mineral oils, as lubricants for machinery, has been a fertile source of destruction. The use of kerosene and inflammable oils, falsely described as non-explosive, has proved a veritable curse to the civil population- It may be very well for speculators ; but it is an open question whether, if we had never "struokoil," the world would not now be better off — shareholders in fire offices especially. The Alliance, which at one time thought of opening a branch in the United States, has, we think, wisely drawn back, and will wait a more favorable time for commencing operations. Worms in Sheep.— A late "S. M. Herald" supplies the following: — A day or two ago, Mr Pottie, veterinary surgeon, of Elizabeth street, had sent to him a number of Bheep which had been selected from a diseased flock. The flook had been depasturing on good feed; but somo months ago tho animals fell off rapidly in condition. They were then neglected, many of them became ill with foofcrot, many died, and some in the last stage of disease wore killed, when hundreds of worms were found in their inside — including thebott, lung-worms, stomach, and intestinal worms. Eighteen sheep, in the second stage of the disease were selected and sent down to Sydney for examination. They were perfect skeletons, averaging in weight not more than from 24 to 30 pounds. Most of them refused food. The foeces were covered with mucus and blood. The two worßt were first killed and examined. The right lung of each sheep showed external evidences of disease, but only two worms were found. The mesentery and intestines were literally studded with tubercular deposits of Borne standing. All the sheep of the flock are said to have been similarly affected, hundreds of botts being found in the first stomach, whilst the other stomaoh was free. In tho first sheep that was opened many thread worms wero found in the intestines, yet not in sufficient numbers to account for the emunated state of the animal. The emaciated state of the sheep, therefore, must be assigned to the tubercular deposits. The examination of these sheep led tho examiners to the conclusion that worms wore but the sequel of internal debility, which was unquestionably due to the surcharged watery state of the herbage upon which thoy had fed. And this fact led to the further conclusion that the treatment of diseased sheep ought to commence before the appearance of worms. A large number of gentlemen — amongst whom wero Mr J. Stewart, M.L.A. ; Mr Q-. Kreffib, Curator of the Museum ; Dr Morris, Dr MKay, Dr Cox, Mr J. de V. Lamb, Mr Dawson, Mr Row, and Mr O. Watt— visited Mr Pottie's establishment yesterday morning, when the sheep above 6poken of were killed, and carcases examined. A powerful microscope was used for the more minute observations .Dr M'Kay, Dr Morris, and Mr Kreffit, each took away e&tnplea of worms lor microscopical extwaiiaation.