LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

Wellington Independent, Volume XXVII, Issue 3380, 25 December 1871, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

-4t~ — In order to afford our employees the full advantage of the holiday to-day, wo shall not puplish the Independent to-morrow. The directors of the Never Despair Company have succeeded in bringing to n conclusion a long pending arrangement with Mr Walker, of the Thames, to visit and report upon the mine at Terawiti. A very numerous party has been arranged to go out to-morrow morning, though they will in all likelihood discover nothing in addition to what we are already assured of, namely, that the ground is payable ; but the direction in which the company may profit is in obtaining Mr Walker's opinion as to the best means of catching the gold in tho tables. After that the company should endeavor immediately to secure the services of a porson competent to adapt that advice to practical operations. When this is done the Never Despair will have taken the first step towards bringing about the only result that can possibly prove satisfactory to the shareholders,

The Barber of Seville, a comic opera .yof Eossini's, was produced on Saturday evening to a thin house. The performers, with the exception of Signor Dondi, were entirely new to the audionce. The leading parts in tho cast were sustained by Signor Francesco Tournerie (Figaro), and Signora Augusta Cortes (Bosina). The signor has a full baritone voice of good quality, and in buffo parts, judging by his representation of the town busybody, must be very near to incomparable. From the opening aria, in which he descants upon his functions and vanities, to the close of the piece, ho sustained the burden with captivating vivacity. The aignora displayed her voice power in the cavatina "Tyrant, soon I'll burst thy chains." The singing of this little piece at once stamped the lady as one of the most enchanting singers of the troupe, her wonderfully flexible voice enabling her to execute the runs and thrills in a manner delicious to the senses ; added to 1 this there was a charming naivette in the i reudorinc of tho feelings of the raaiden who suddenly becomes absorbod in love with the Count (Signor Coy). The jealous old Don Bartelo was played in a manner that testified to a rigidly correct idea of the composer's intentions in the matter, and Basilio (Signor Dondi), who sustained some of the heaviest of the colloquy, won for himself a shower of bouquets as a reward for his capital singing and grotesque acting. The plot is too familiar to require repetition. The Count, of course, defeats the design of Bartolo to marry Kosiua, and carries out a similar intention on his own part in a manner most surprising to the aged Don, who stareß in anguish when he discovers that he> (the ward of Rosina) has unwittingly signed her marriage contract, a notary having supplied the necessary forms for that purpose in Bartolo's own house. The vocal parts are not very brilliant or very heavy, the orchestral portion of the opera being, if anything, the most enjoyable of the two. This, it need hardly be said, was given with d'accovd, not to say beauty. Altogether the piece was well dressed and sung in a manner that put so thin a house to shame, for those present must have been painfully conscious of the fact that tho attendance was undeserving of such a show of ability. The company will to-night give a grand sacred concert in the Odd Fellows' Hall. The compositions chosen are that chef d' oeuvre of Eossini, the " Stabat Mater"-— one of the greatest efforts of that great master, and Gounod's Mass. The former is full of magnificent harmony, affords full scope for solo singers of every voice, and contafris some glorious choruses; the latter is also a fine composition, and replete with the peculiar beauties of this composer's style. We venture to think that this concert offers the greatest attraction to true lovers of music, and we trust to see the hall crowded. The following is tho programme for the remaiuing nights : —Tuesday, " Martha ;" Wednesday, " Lucrczia Borgia" and " Don Pasquale ;" Thursday, "Faust." Mr Moeller has announced a reduction in the prices that should bring these performances within the reach of all classes. Under any circumstances, it will be a pity, indeed, if enterprise in such v direction is permitted to suffer. Dr Carr announces his final entertainment for Wednesday evening, at the Athenaeum.. The doctor will, no doubt, obtain a crowded house. In the Resident Magistrate's Court on Saturday, Francis Charleton was charged with being drunk aud disorderly, and was dismissed with a caution. — John lloss, a seaman on board the Go-ahead, was charged with refusing to obey orders. The chief officer said that on Friday evening, when the vessel was in the Strait, he ordered the prisoner to set sail, and he refused. The ship was short-handed, and his refusal placed her in immediate danger. Prisoner was committed for seven days, with hard labor. — Ah Fook was brought up on remand, charged with stabbing Ah Gee, and was fnrther remanded till Friday next.™ M. N.D. Lafln was charged with obtaining £1, by means of a valueless cheque, from Andrew Young. On tho application of the police, a remand was granted till Thursday next, for the production of evidence. The entries for the Marton-Eangitikei races closed on the 20th. Howe's Hotel was crowded by an unusually largo number of the genuine turf supporters of which the combined districts can boast. It will be observed from the subjoined list that several highflyers of repute are down for the events to be run, amongst them being " Flying Jib" and " Girl of the Period." Some of the publicly untried ones are looked upon with apprehension by the owners of the older horses. The following are the en tries : — Produce Stakes — Win. T. Owen's Eicardo, Dr Mussen's Escape, L. M'Lachlan's Wallflower, John Hair's Melrose, Alex. Higgie's Bully for You, T. M. Fleelwoou's Lady Grace, P. J. Richardson's Vivandiere, S. Swainson's Black Ella. Jockey Club Plate— Dr Mussen's Escape, E. A. Danioll's Flying Jib, E. A. Daniell's Girl of the Period, Robert Stevens' True to the Core (late Critic). Licensed Victualler's Purse — W. Thoß. Owen's Exchange, Win, Vincent's Woman in White, Wm. Lingard's Shamrock, Dr Mussen's Escape, L. M'Lachlan's Wallflower, Alex. Higgie's Agamemnon. Hurdle Race — L. Daniell's Nun, Archie Cameron's Dick Turpin, John Stevens' Pacha. Au accident which it at first was thought would prove fatal in its results took place on tho Tinakori Eoad on Saturday last. Two young men, slightly intoxicated at the time, were engaged in racing tip and down the road, and feeling more secure j in their saddles than on ordinary occasions, they indulged in several circus freaks while riding side by aide, eventuating in one of them, named Monck, being landed on his head on the macadam. He was picked up in an insensible state, and taken to the Karori Hotel, where he bled a good deal, but was deaf to all en treaty. Dr Gruce was quickly in attendance, and expressed the opinion that although the man was severely hurt, he could not say to what extent. The patient set all present fears at rest by returning to consciousness about ten o'clock at night, and was removed to his home at Makara about six o'clock on Sundaymorning. Conflicting rumors were in circulation during Saturday as to the condition of Ah Gee, the Chinaman, who was stabbed, but we are happy to say that he is in a fair way of recovering. The specific cause of the qunrrel cannot be ascertained until the wounded man is sufficiently con valesceut to appear at tho Court to give evidence. His treatment of Ah Gee is ungrateful as well as criminal, for it was he and John A. Tong who supplied the funds two years ago to start the prisoner in the gardening business in vrhich he was making auch favorable progress. Amongst his countrymen he bore the repute of being a quarrelsome fellow, being latterly "welly saucy," as one of them informed us, as the result of his prosperous condition. Tho Chinese have put up with a great

amount of his insolence, having agreed among themselves determinedly to carry out an understanding that no actions of their people should be the means of stirring up in Wellington that feeling of antipathy against themselves which they know toexist in other parts of the colony, and which they wore equally well aware did not exist in Wellington. It is impossible that the inhabitants of any colonial town could discover anything objectionable in the habits of the class of Chinese who have already made Wellington their home, and having purged this solitary black sheep from their flock, there is nothing to prevent their en joyment of that good opinion upon which they evidently set a high value. The pedestrianism announced for Saturday was a complete failure in so far as the attendance was concerned, only about thirty people paying the entrance money charged at the gate. The sense which the people evidently attached to the word pedestrianism, as defined by Bird's performances, made itself apparent on the ground, but still there was a good sprinkling of the always mean perched on the rails surrounding the cricket ground ; one individual, afraid that he was " done," rushed up to Edwards in a state of alarm and demanded his shilling because the feats were not started to the minute advertised. Ifc was returned at once. Notwithstanding these discouraging circumstances Edwards -stripped for his journey, not for tho sake of enabling him to claim the money paid, but for the purpose of keeping faith with the few I who had come from towTTtosee him walk. The distance to be done was seven miles within the hour, and Sfche course had been measured off and ascertained to be 205 yards. We stepped the dista-ice and ascertttined this to be as nearly as possible correct. Sixty times round the ring, or a lap a minute, were required to complete the distance. Four watches were compared to time the race, and at six minutes to five o'clock Edwards started, the sun being very hot at the time. The laps were completed iv varying time up to the twentieth, when time had gained by threequarters of a minute, and at the twentyfourth Edwards was a minute behind. At the thirty-eighth this hsvd increased to one and a-half minute, ar.^l at the completion of tho forty-sixth hip the time was exactly forty-eight minutes, or two minutes behind. This, however, was gradually decreased ; tho fifty.seventh lap being done in 55 seconds, the fifty-eighth in 56 seconds, the next in 53 seconds, and tho last in 56 seconds. These spurts, however, only decreased the time lost by half a minute, and the seven miles were completed inexactly a minute and a half over the hour. There was not the slightest doubt Edwards could havo walked over the seven miles had the walking taken place later in the evening, the sun being too powerful to permit of any extraordinary effort. As to the opinions about the stylo of walking there was not a dissen tient from the opinion that it could not possibly be fairer. Those prssont on the ground began to disperse at the conclusion.'and as Austin did not feel justified in going over the ground for the benefit of the railers, tho ten mile feat did not come off. Dr Hector left for Nelson on Saturday night on business connected with the colonial geological survey. Captain Hutton leaves in a very short time for Dunedin, also on the geological survey service. It is expected that he will remain about six months in the province of Otago, the Provincial Council of that province being particularly anxious that tlife coal bearing strata in tho differj^£#!#£i"**^ j *hc - province should be accurately defined and mapped. This and other duties will absorb at least as* much of Capt. Hutton's time as we have mentioned, if indeed his duties do not necessitate his becoming permanently resident in that province. A man named Laffin was arrested on a charge of obtaining money by means of a valueless cheque, which he gave to Mr Young, the proprietor of the Wanganui line of coaches, as payment of his coach fare from the Manawatu to Wellington. Tho cheque, which was for £2 10s purported to be drawn by a Mr Dagon, aud on Mr Young making inquires about the cheque, Mr Langly, tho accommodation house keeper said he thought it was all right. Mr Young then handed to the prisoner £1, the amount of the coach fare being £1 10s. The paper being discovered to be valueless, the man was given into custody on Saturday - An inquest was held at Tuck's Hotel, Maaterton, on Tuesday last, touching the death of James Tobin, who had died from the effects of injuries he had received in fulling from the window of a bedroom in the hotel on the previous Thursday, while under the influence of liquor. Much excitement was created with reference to this injury, and various reports were put in circulation, which, had they been true, would not havo been at all creditable to the proprietor of the hotel in. question. ! The particulars of the case will, however, be best obtained from the evidence given by the several witnesses examined at the inquest. — Francis Murphy deposed that on the 13th instant the deceased, whom ho had never seen before, asked him to drink with him, which ho did, and continued to do so, together with one or two others, the remainder of the afternoon. He did not see him again until Thursday, after the accidont. — John Smith, surgeon, deposed that he had made a post mortem examination of the body. He found the kidneys aud spleen congested, the liver highly congested, and there was inflamatory congestion of the whole stomach and bowels. These symptoms might have been caused by a heavy fall ; and he thought from the extent of the injuries he had received he would have died under any circumstances. Ho did not think that had he been placed in an ordinary bedroom, with all the usual furniture, that he would havo recovered. He thought when first called to attend the deceased that he had not had sufficient attention, or sufficient clothing; and he recommended tbathe should be kept warm with extra blankets and other appliances. The inflauiation of the stomach aud bowels might have been caused by excessive drinking and exposure to cold, but he thought the injuries from the fall was the cause of death. Deceased, when witness first saw him, was in a dying state. He did not think the stable or straw-room where he was lying was a proper place for a human being to be in, suffering as ho was. There was no bed under him. He was lying on the straw. — James Lowry, stableman, deposed that deceased died about nine o'clock on Sunday lust. On the previous Thursday he fell out of a window of the hotel, and had continued ill until he died. Witness did not see him full. It happened about eight o clock in the evening. He had been drinking all the day and the day before. About six o'clock on Thursday ho walked round to the back of the hotel aud asked the cook to put him somewhere, where he could lie down. He was helped up a step ladder into tho servants room which had a trap door, and which was closed after him. In two hours after witness saw

him lying in tbo scullery, and assisted in removing him on to a rnattrass into the billiard room. At one o'clock he went for Dr Spratb, and on Mr Tuck's orders be assisted in removing deceased into the stable, where he remained until his death. There was no bed, but there were four blankets and two pillows. Witness attended deceased until his death, and supplied him with food and drink at the doctor's orders. The window of the bed room from which deceased fell was open, and under the window was a verandah about nine feet from the ground. The deceased was very heavy, and about G8 years old. Witness did not think that he could have been lifted upstairs, as they had great difficulty in removing him into the billiard-room. There had been no horses in the stable or straw room where the deceased was put. The deceased shouted out in agony, and used very bad language at the first part of his illness. Some other evidence was taken in corroboration. The jury desiring to take the evidence of Mr Tuck, who was absent in town, the inquest was adjourned till Friday for that purpose. While the inquiry is thus pending it would be perhaps wrong to comment on the case; but I may state that previous to the inquest a strong feeling was manifested against iVIr Tuck on aceouut of his removal of a man in a dying state into a stable. It, however, appears from the evidence that, with that exception, quite as much attention was shown to deceased after his accident as is ordinarily exhibited on such occasions ; and in this summer weather a man might die in a worse place than a stable. The prospects of the marriageable young ladies of Taranaki do not appear to be very bright according to a letter addressed to one of the Taranaki journals. The writer says that there are three hundred unmarried young women in the province of Taranaki, and proceeds to point out a remedy for this anomalous state of things. He says : — Now, sir, I wish to tell you plainly what I would like to do if I had the power in this province, for after all it only requires a little forethought and planning, and I tell you, Mr Editor, it is a pity to see so many fine young women unprovided for, when the evil can be easily remedied. I would give every settler's son who would marry a settler's daughter fifty acres of land, and to every settler's daughter who would marry a settler's son twenty- five acres of land, making seventyfive iv all, and ensure to him employment, if required, at least three days a week at fair wages for at least four years, making roads to their sections of laud ; the remainder of their time I would insist on their clearing and cultivating their land or forfeit the same, until they had afc least forty acres cleared of the seventy- fire, before they would be entitled to the Crown grants. If some such plan was adopted we should not require any immigrants from England, Scotland, Ireland, or any other country, at the Government expense. It is suggested in Auckland that the system of pensioner settlements berevived, and that his Excellency the Governor be requested to recommend the Home Government to bring this plan of immigration again into operation.