INVERCARGILL.

Western Star, Issue 353, 29 May 1880, Page 3

INVERCARGILL.

[iaOM OPS OWK,COKEESPORI>BST.] The turn out of Volunteers on Monday morning was very creditable. The usual salute of 21 guns from the howitzers, with the fue de joie from the small arms were tired, to celebrate the anniversary of-the birthday of our gracious Queen. A large concourse of people congregated, near the drill shed, but there was great disappointment at the men not marching down Dee street to the place where the salute is generally fired, i.e. the crescent, for the townsfolk were thus deprived of the martial strains of the band and our citizen soldiers marching. The day was cold, and there seemed to he a chance of it raining heavily, but bar one shower in the morning, the rain held off. The places of business were all closed, and the town wore a deserted appearance, “ Riverton Ho !” being the watchword. The football match between the Invercargill and Dunedin men, resulted in a decisive victory for the former, they having secured a goal and a try, to the other sides’ try. The Dunedin men were surprised, and some of them were so dispirited at the result, which they had so confidently supposed would be all in their favor, that they took train and got out of the place at halfpast four. A few remained, however, and attended the dinner, which was given in the Albion Hotel by the victorious team. Tbe carbine match between the Qand K Batteries resulted in the latter winning by 29 points. The scores were : K Battery, 326; Gr Battery, 297. The shooting was not good, as the light was bad and tbe wind shifty. The volunteer ball came off in the drill hall in the evening, and was an unqualified success. To this result, Capt. H. Feldwick certainly largely contributed, as his efforts as the secretary to the committee and “ pusher ” of tickets, were untiring and unceasing. There was first of all, a large and •well selected committee organised, and so the affair turned out well and gave idle greatest satisfaction. A fellow named M'Leer, who is a

young iQa,n, committed an unprovoked aud certainly very cowardly assault upon an elderly man, named Ross, on Saturday last. He commenced his brutal tricks while on the train, and continued them until the guard, Shepherd, separated them by placing Ross in another carriage, but on arrival at Oreenhill’s the fellow again assaulted Ross, aud caused blood to flow, by “butting’’the old man with his head. M‘Leer tbeu abused him aud used dreadfully foul language, at the same time informing Ross that he had been advised by someone else to give him a “ hiding.” M'Leer tried to get Ross not to prosecute, but despite his offerhim (Boss) £2 as a “ silencer, the offender was brought up on Monday, and sentenced to one months’ imprisonment, with hard labor. LATEE. The Carandinis are still doing a good business hero. The opinion has been freely expressed that if they were to produce scenes from operas, and of course dressing them, that they would draw crowded houses to the close of their season.

One more unfortunate, one more wretched being, cursed by drink, was again brought up before the Magistrate, the other day, for being drunk and disorderly. Her name is Catherine Tracey, and time was when this poor creature was a happy wife. But drink became her idol, and instead of the ties of home and husband keeping her in the strict path of honor and duty, she gradually sank lower and lower, until the husband, in despair, left her. JSJow, she is lost to every feeling of decenc} 7 , has reached the last round of the ladder. —“ Dealing in shame for a morsel of bread, hating the living and fearing the dead !” The Magistrate who told her that she had been in gaol on many previous occasions, for different offences, sentenced her to fourteen day’s imprisonment. The Waimea Plains loop line is complete, the last rail having been laid on Monday last by Messrs A. R. W. Pulton, A.T.C.E., the resident engineer, and John Whitaker, contractor. Concluding some remarks as to the difficulties contended with owing to stagnation at present existing in commercial circles, and stating then hud the company not been composed of men of considerable standing in the colony—and had there been any other contractor than Mr Whitaker had the contract in hand, they would not have been there to witness the laying oi the last rad from Amherley to Dunedin— Mr Pulton went on to say he hoped that now the main line was completed, together with its various branches — more especially those from Gore to Invercargill, and Bluff to Elbow—the traffic returns would increase, and the tailways be in a better position to pay the interest on their cost. Prodigious ! I leave the perusal of this paragraph to your readers", and the condeumaii-'ii of Mr' Pulton’s utterances to th- ir good sense. Remember, the branch lines from Gore to Invercargill and Bluff to Elbow ! It is an unqualified insult, aud I trust the papi rs of Soul bland will not rest until Mr Pulton’s impertinence, audacity, or else gross ignorance is thoroughly canvassed and some explanation is given by him .for his presumption. Had the wine, champagne, &c., drunk on the occasion anjahing to do with the po-d----tively imbecile nonsense that he gave utterance to ? The . fraudulent bankrupt, Flynn, has been sentenced to six mouths imprisonment. Weaie to have a third paper for Invercargill. A meeting was held on Wednesday night last at the Melbourne Hotel, and a committee appointed to secure the necessary plant and make all other arrangements. The inquest on the body ot the poor fellow Potts resulted in the jury returning a verdict of accidentally drowned, to which the following rider was attached : —“ The jury further consider that the attention of the Aparima Road Board should be drawn to the state of the embankment whore the accident occurred, in order that proper steps may be taken to prevent the occurrence of auy similar accident in future.”

In noticing the fact that a meeting of the Bowling Club .of Invercargill will take place on Saturday first, the “ Times ” says they hope they are not letting the cat out of the bag prematurely, when they mention that a good green will shortly be aufaut accompli ? Well, not exactly. There’s scarcely a soul in Invercargill that doesn’t know of its existence, and that too, through the columns of the papers. The fact was published months ago. The sacred concert, under the control of Mr H. West, took place on Wednesday evening,'and was a great success, although the attendance was not so large as might have been expected. The ketch Palmerston, which is lying at present at the jetty, had a fearful time of it after starting from Dunedin on tbe 19th. When two days out she was so knocked' about, that she was forced to put back to Port Chalmers, where she repaired, and started again for Invercargill on Monday last, arriving here on Thursday all safe. Strange things happen now-a-days. “The latest” is a little drama that happened a few days back in Dee street. A bookseller, having gone insolvent, was sold off, his shop being knocked down to Mr J. Kingsiaud, boot manufacturer, &c., and in due course that gentleman took possession. The spouse of the unfortunate bookseller failed to see that anyone had a right to turn her out of, or put anyone else in, the place, she had so long regarded as her’s entirely. Thus it happened that when Mr Kingsland informed the young women at his old establishment that they were henceforth to “ labor and' to wait ” at the new shop, they accordingly took up their quarters there. Infuriated by this invasion, the better half of the “ faded flower ” rushed to the room, slammed to the door, and locked the young woman in ! She then proceeded

to “go for” the shop windows with a stick, but the men who were in the building put a sudden stop to her demonstrations of disapproval, forcibly pushed her on her hack, and held her there until her senses returned, when she saw that, despite all she could do or say, the building was lost to her for ever. It is a rare instance of woman’s devotion aud strength of character. Her heart clung to the old place ; she could not be-ir the thought of making room for stt angers and tearing herself away from the old home, aud I’m sure there are very few who will not sympathise with her. A rather peculiar affair happened the other day at an hotel not very far from the railway station. A young man, of rathor good appearance, took up his quarters at the hostelry in question, aud then looked about him. He had no money, but soon got a little to do, and with the money he rose by doing odd jobs at his trade took the “ down off by “ boosing up ” the landlord aud one or two others. Theboniface was far from suspecting the true state of affairs, and so let the young spark run on till one evening he informed the Utile publican that, not being in constant -work, he couldn’t pay him anything off his board. Then the boniface looked aghast; then he commenced to snivel. “ Why didn’t you tell me before ?” he exclaimed, “that you wern’t in constant work?” They went to the door of the hotel together, and the young fellow espied coming down the street a couple of his chums. The publican kept up a fire of anathemas upon the head of the delinquent, and the latter could easily see there would be a “ show up ” for him if he didn’t do something soon; so, mustering all his courage, he turned upon the Boniface, while yet his friends were at a distance off, and said: — “ Ho thanks, I don’t care for one just now.” This so enraged the publican that he began another tirade of abuse. The “ pals ” were nearer now —in fact, close to the “ barneying ” pair, when the “ hard-up ” customer bawled out at the top of his lungs, completely silencing and overpowering Mr D., “ What the devil do yr-u want to keep pressing me for ? I tell you I don’t want anything to drink, and what’s more I won’t have it. If you press me again in this manner to drink with you, I’ll leave the hoteland‘ with a wave of hia baud and a “ hilloa ” to his friends, he vanished round the corner. The pu lican, fairly r-rnsed, rushed to the bedroom occupied by the “ gentle stranger,” with the full deteimination i-f taking possession of every rag he possessed, when what was his ch grin to find thht nought was left in the room but a carpet bag much the worse for wear, and containing —nothing but two dirty paper collars! The maddened publican lifted the receptacle, aud then let it fall, when it collapsed like a bad concertina. He’s on the look-out for that young man still, but it’s supposed the “ knowing one ” has got away to some of the surrounding townships, where no doubt he’ll put some other unsuspecting boniface through the same delightful bit of experience.

The antics of a certain gentleman in this town—who is celebrated for having very much the appearance of a prize-fighter, although he’s a “ big bug ” —at the Theatre Royal a few nights ago attracted a great deal of attention. He first made his appearance in the upstairs part of the house, then be came down into the pit. While upstairs he stared through his opera-glasses at the Carandinis, and when he gut downstairs he swept the semicircle with his glasses, pausing as they focussed upon each lady, and then moved them along. He disappeared from the lower part, and again appeared in ihe circle. Here he again made himself noticeable by his “ spying,” until the “ gods ” got out of temper, and soon let him know it. At last they succeeded in inducing the gentleman (?) to desist, after “ joeing” him and laughing heartily at his audacity. A correspondence, has commenced in the newspapers here as to the right and wrong of giving sacred concerts on Sunday evenings. Whatever may be oaid of it, I do not see much to recommend it. I myself am under the impression that it is not only bad form on the part of a company of theatricals, but that it is bad for those engaged in said companies. Instead of having a rest from their work for at least one night in the week, they are liable to be called upon at any time to sing or play tbe whole seven nights. On these grounds alone I would unhesitatingly condemn the practice, putting religious prejudice and cant out of the affair altogether. Last Saturday night we had a terrible exhibition at the Post Office corner. Our earnestly religious townsman, Mr Deck with several other friends, held an open air service. A large crowd gathered, and the genus arrikin was strongly represented. When the preacher raised his voice in prayer, the young fellows round about began yelling out—“ Who cut your mouth ?” “ What’s the price of jam ?” “ How much will you take for the umbrella?” “Ask Him to chain the devil up!” “Shut up!” and other such remarks. Then, when the little band would start to sing a hymn, the larrikins would sing . “Auld Lang Syne ” and other airs. Such a scene I have seldom witnessed, and trust I may never see again. It was simply dreadful, and could have no possible good. Where were the police ?