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Western Star, Issue 727, 28 March 1883, Page 2

A rather daring robbery was committed in town on Saturday, when the office of the Clerk of Court (Hr P. Grant) was entered about mid-day, and a cash-box containing upwai'ds of £4 in notes and silver, and some valuable papers was stolen during Mr Grant’s absence. It appears that Mr Grant had only returned from a visit to Dunedin by the morning train, and had just received the court takings from Sergt. Rutledge (who acted in hie absence), which with some money belonging to himself he put in the cash-box and left in one of the lower pigeon holes. Ho locked the door of his office, but unfortunately •eft the key in the door. When he returned a few minutes afterwards ho found the door locked as he left it, but he had occasion to go to the cash box for change, and immediately discovered that it was gone. From inquiries instituted it was ascertained that one person, who boars anything but a respectable character, was seen prowling about the passage on the day in question, but the police have been unable as yet to identify him with the theft, although very strong suspicion attaches to his conduct on Saturdiy. It is to be hoped that whoever (he thief is, that he will soon be brought to justice.

At a meeting held on Saturday evening of subscribers to the Riverton boat races (which should have come off on St. Patrick’s Day) it was resolved that the money in the hands of the treasurer (£7) be handed over to Mr Boniface to return to the subscribers, Mr Boniface to pay all expenses connected with the races.

The householders of the Groper’s Bush district having failed to elect a school com mittae on 22nd January last, a new election will take place at the schoolhouse, on Saturday,3lst hist.,at 7.30p.m. Thencw committee will bold its first meeting immediately after the election.

The entertainment given at the Oddfellows’ Hall last evening in ail of the Riverton-Apa-rima Band funds was not so well patronised as the merits of the performance and the object for which the proceeds are to be devoted dose vcd. The programme comprised a concert in which several popular vocalists and instrumentalists took part, concluding with the spectacular drama of “ The Miser,” which was successfully performed a week or two ago. A slight alteration was made in the cast last night, (he title role being assumed by Mr Bridge, instead of by Mr Booth, the latter gentleman representing the Miser’s servant, Simon. Although both gentlemen took the characters in hand at a very short notice, they performed their parts in a very creditable manner, Mr Booth being more at home as “ the hungry man” than as the usurer who was continually calling out about his “gold.” The other characters were pourtrayed equally as successfully as on the previous occasion, and the piece on the whole notwithstanding the short time allowed Messrs Booth and Bridge for study, went with tolerable smoothness. It is unnecessary to say that Mrs Crocket and Mr Hunter a s the Miser’s daughter and her lover were as text perfect and acted as naturally as before. The remaining characters were faithfully rapresented.

The Otautau races, which come off tomorrow promise, with favorable weather, to be in no way behind any of the previous meetings he ,<J hi that distcict. A good field of horses has been entered for the handicap events, and every facility is offered by the Railway Department to intending visitors from Riverton, Invercargill and other place?. A special train will leave Riverton 10.15 a.m. connect with 8 45 a.m. from Invercargill at Thornbury Junction, arriving Otautau 11.25 a.m. Returning will leave Otautau 5.40 p.m., arriving Thornbury 6.25 p.m., and th»re connect with train# from Rivertou and Invercargill.

- At the R.M. Court yesterday, Mr McCulCuloch stated that he wished it to be distinctly understood that,with the exception of persons summoned on indictable oases, n* witness need appear unless reasonable expenses are offered him when he is served with the subpoena. He had frequently called attention to this fact, but there appeared -to' be as great a itiiseonceptioa as ever concerning the law on this matter.

The choir of the Riverton Presbyterian Church will give a service of song entitled “Harvest Thanksgiving ” in the church at 7.30 this evening; and at Thornbury on Friday evening at the same hour, the proceeds to go towards the Church organ Fund. Judging by the choir’s former efforts, we feel assured that the residents of Riverton and Thornbury will have a musical treat in store for them.

The Rsv. Father Kehoe will celebrate miss in the Olautau on Monday next, Ist April. The Aparimi Road Board will meet at Thornbury on Friday next, at 11 a.m. An entertainment will be given at Otautau on Thursday evening, in the schoolhouse in aid of the OfcaUtau school and Riverton - Aparima Band funds. The programme comprises a concert, in which several local amateurs will take part, arid the spectacular drama of “ The Miser ” produced with the same cast and appropriate music in which it was so successfully presented in Riverton a short time since. Piitti g aside the fact of having contributed! to two worthy objects, those who patronise the performance should have good value for their money. The Easter holidays of the Riverton District High School have been extended from Wednesday (to-day) till Monday next. The Volunteer encampment at Invercargill broke up on Monday evening, after the return of tne troops from the scene of the review and sham fight at Makarewa'. The weather during Friday and Saturday was simply execrable and the greatest concern was felt in consequence lest the' affair would prove a total failure, and that the- volunteers would return to their homes immovably confirmed in the impression that has gained currency throughout the colony that Southland is an artic region, and unfitted for civilised beings to exist in. During the days named the visitors endeavored to enjoy themselves in the best way possible, and they underwent some hard work in the way of drill. On Sunday morning a great improvement in the weather took place, and enabled the church parade to he carried out successfully. On Monday glorious weather prevailed. The troops proceeded to Makarewa where a review and sham fight was held. About 900 volunteers of all arms took part in the display, which was witnessed by not fewer than 4000 people. A feature of the review was the massing together of eight different hands, which played the music for the march past. In the contest with the Oamaru band, the Invercargill band was defeated, much to the chagrin of its admirers. The great hulk of the -visitors left per special train on Monday evening for their several destinations, thoroughly well pleased at the manner in which they had been treate 1.

A lad named John Paul, the son of Maugere (Auckland) settler has been drowned iu Ins father’s sheep dip. Is there any real love of music iu England? (asks-a London paper). Writing to the “Musical Review,” a “ Gentleman of Position and Experience” roundly asserts that nobody cares for music in England, except the Germans who have settled in our midst. The so-called “ cultured classes ” who frequent the Monday popular concerts would applaud the Great Yance just as loudly as high-class music if the exigencies of polite society would allow it. He has watched the faces of the public while a symphony of Beethoven’s or a quartette of Brahm’s was being played, and ho has “ shuddered at the utter inanity of most of the physiognomies.'’ In fact, according to this sturdy pessimist, the Englishman seem? to be able to appreciate no music above the level of the street. 1 ' The editor of the “Musical Review” makes a gallant attempt to refute , the heresies of his correspondent; but even he admits that “ the ordinary run of professionals are utterly indifferent to the higher and more general aspects of their art.” If the professionals are in such a parlous state, what can be hoped from the amateurs.

The success of a Eoman Catholic colony, including several county Cork, In/land, farmers, in Greeley, Neb., has encouraged Mr Lane, of Cork, to form a syndicate of capitalists with the view of establishing a similar Irish colony in that State. The rate of vibration of the rattlesnake’s tail has been determined by Dr Ott to be sixty per second. The method of experiment was to attach a pen to the snake’s rattles, the record being received on a revolving drum. It is to be hoped chemists do not often make little mistakes like the one advertised by the town crier one night last week in the streets of Burslem in England. An unfortunate customer had asked fbr/ 1 . magnesia,' and the chemist had served him by mistake with “ poison.” Having no means of indentifying his customer the chemist very sensibly instructed the crier to make the little error known throughout the town ; aud as nothing more has been heard of the matter the announcement presumably came in time.

A seizure was made at the Lake House Hotel, Ohinemuti, on Monday under a search warrant of the celebrated stone image ‘ Vlatua tutonga,’ which is said to have been brought by the Maoris in one of t u e original canoes to Maketu from Hauraki, and afterwards brought by Tukorangi to the island of Mokoro, and buried there. Sir G-eorge Grey is said to have been the only European who ever/sxw the image until it was discovered' on the 13th by the employes of vMr Graham, who on the evening of the 14th brought it over to the Lake House. The figure represents a human being squatting on the haunches, with the knees drawn c’ose up to the body. The forearms are flat aga : mt the chest, and the hands are extended upwards, with the palms against the body and fingers resting under the chin. The height of the figure is about 4ft Sin, and the greatest girth is over 7ft. It weighs more than a ton. There is great excitement both among the Maoris and Europeans—the former because they look upon the disintermeatas a gross outrage against their moafc sacred relic the latter.

because the action of Mr G-rabam jeopardises ithe relations between themselves and the Maoris here. As the news of the outrage spreads among the hapus the excitement is likely to increase.

A contemporary informs ns that Lady Florence Dixie is* the sister of the present Marquis of Queensbery. She is still quite a young woman, have ing been born in 1857. In 1875 she married Sir A. Beaumont Churchill ■■ Dixie, Bart., and there is one son by the marriage, born in the following year. One of their residences is known as “ The Fishery,” at Windsor. Lady Florence is a remarkable woman. She has travelled in South Africa and Patagonia, and wrote an accent of her adventures in the latter country. On the question of “how to deal with large estates,” the following were the exact words used by Major Atkinson in his Christchurch speech on Monday night:—“l say this: That if we find there are large estates which are impeding the settlement of the country —if land is being held to the detriment of the country —our business is to face it directly. (Cheers.) Our business is to face it directly, and determine, if necessary, what amount of land a man should he permitted to hold, and to deal with it accordingly. We do that in regard to public works, and I say that is the way the question must be dealt with if large estates should never come to be, or are now, in the way of the settlement of the country. The owner must be fairly compensated, but the State must take possession of the land. And that, gentleman, is in accordance with principles that are reasonable and right. We should then argue it out just as we do any other question, as to what is to the advantage of the State. We should compensate the individual, and avoid what seems to me,, and what must seem to everyone who thinks, the unwisdom of taxing the whole community in order to get rid of a fen persons who are doing an injury to that community. —(Applause.) We learn (says ‘Modern Society’) that in a cause celelre, which will shortly engross the attention of the public, a lady occupying the honest, if humble, situation of barmaid, will ask an intelligent jury for heavy damages for breach of promise of marriage. The defendant is a scion of one of those noble houses whose peccadilloes afford so much material for envious people to work upon. There is every chance that tbe drama will prove “ new and original” in more senses than one.

“ Mary ” asks in a letter to ‘ Truth*: “ Would you like to purchase an ‘ eternal smile ’ p This art cle is advertised by a Trench perfumer, and his advertisement is one of the most deliciously funny things I have ever read. Here iaT~ a translation. — ‘Women fascinate by a look, a smile. A kiss or a tear is often more eloquent than all the poets. I have to tell you of a marvellous discovery I have made; a philtre conferring an eternal smile ; after which he goes on to describe a dentifrice, and to dilate upon certain prosaic inconveniences, such as ( swollen gums, etc., which it removes. What a descent, from the poets to a barber’s paste! And can you imagine anything much more disagreeable than a perpetual smile — except, perhaps, a chronic tear ? ” The Char’ty Organisation Society intend to request Sir Charles Dilke, President of the Local 'Government Board, to advance emigrants money from rates collected, and also from the security of the land grant.

The French Government have issued orders to their gunboats at Madagascar to blockade that port. Here’s good news for old topers. An old gentleman in Chicago professes to have discovered a method of making solidified whisky which can be carried in the waistcoat pocket like plug tobacco. Three gentlemen who are connected with the liquor trade are said to have tried the stuff, and found it to be equal to the best quality of rye whisky.