NEWS OF THE WEEK.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume IV, Issue 188, 3 November 1876, Page 11

NEWS OF THE WEEK.

— ++ — The Most Rev. the Lord Bishop of Dunedin left Port Chalmers on Monday last by the Bingarooma for Melbourne en route for Batburst in New South Wales, where his Lordship has promised to preach the inauguration sermon at the laying of the foundation stone of the college for ecclesiastical students about to be erected there. His Lordship is expected to return to Dunedin early in December. The grand Hibernian pic-nic to be held at Burnuide on the Prince of Wales' Birthday, is being anxiously looked forward to by many persons who are desirous of spending some thoroughly enjoyable hours. The most extensive preparations have been made by the committee for the entertainment of their visitors and there is no doubt but that their efforts will be crowned by a brilliant success. The tastes of all have been considered, and the variety of amusements provided cannot fail to meet with due appreciation. The ears of the lovers of music will be delighted by the strains of an admirable brass band, engaged, amongst other items, to perform selections of choice national melodies. Those who take pleasure in seeing feats of strength will find a suitable display in the athletic games arranged for ; the sociable will have ample opportunity for the enjoyment of agreeable conversation, and the sentimental will find food for their pensive thoughts amongst the beautiful scenery with which the neighborhood in question abounds. Occasion is, in short, offered for the acquisition of a stock of pleasant recollections, and the recreation of animal spirits at all times desirable, and necessary now and then to the health of body and mind. Refreshments will be provided on the ground, and that they will be of the highest class in themselves and served out with attention and goodwill, is vouched for by the fact that Mr. Harris of the Duke of Edinburgh Hotel has made the successful tender for the booth. From descriptions that have reached us through, private sources concerning the compositions rejected in favor of that of Mr. J. J. Woods, we conclude that this latter is extremely meritorious. It is not because the others were below the mark that they failed, but because the successful melody was of very great excellence. A discovert of kerosene shale has been made at Cape Otway Forest in Victoria. The find is satisfactory, as the supply of oil appears to be failing, and its price i 3 decidedly advancing. Oub New Zealand exchanges continue to be filled with discouraging tidings of the Kumara. The reverse of the hopeful accounts at first circulated respecting this rush is now presented, and general depression seems to prevail there. A Guildhall has lately been erected in Castlereagh-street, Sydney, by the members of the Holy Catholic Guild j it is constructed for the accommodation of 2000 persons, and is acknowledged to be the finest building of its kind in the city. The hall was opened on the 9th ult., by his Grace Dr. Vaughan, CoadjutorArchbishop, with an inaugural lecture entitled " Hidden Springs," which title was explained as meaning the unseen influences by which the whole universe is moved. The lecture was magnificent, and was listened to with rapt attention by a crowded audience, who were, however, unable to repress occasional bursts of enthusiastic applause. It will be seen from the telegrams that the war in Europe is not likely to terminate. It might have been thought that the Porte, shrinking from the odium incurred by the ferocious deeds of the Baski-Bazouks, for which, we are told the government is not responsible, would have been glad to consent to any measure proposed for the bringing about of peace ; however it appears to be otherwise, and we are thereby confirmed in our belief that the powers that be at Constantinople, notwithstanding the sentiment expended on them in England, and the approbation expressed of them by Lady Strangford, are fully accountable for having cast loose a crew of fiends incarnate upon a defenceless and unoffending people. So far as Dunedin is concerned, the acting of Mr. Dampier at the Princess Theatre needs no further criticism. He has thoroughly made good the reputation which preceded him here. He is undoubtedly an artist of the highest talent, and endowed with all the qualities requisite to advance him to the summit of his profession; but most remarkable of all, we reckon the perfection with which he identifies himself with the characters he

represents. It is never possible, to recognise the actor beneath the mask of the part assumed by Mm. The power of thus ■uniformly concealing his own personality is a very rare one, and where it exists to so great a degree, combined with the other advantages we find in Mr Dampier, it is certain to entitle its possessor to the applause of critics, and the admiration of all. Miss Marion Willis made her re-appearance on Monday last, in the r6le of Marguerite, which she sustained with her accustomed grace and ability. To-night "The Green Bushes" ia announced, in which Mr. John Bryan, who takes a benefit, will appear as Jack Gong. A contemporary apparently nettled by certain allusions made in a San Francisco newspaper to the infamous Sullivan, who is spoken of as a resident of New Zealand, thus remarks : — " It is rather hard on Sullivan, however, to call him the bloodiest murderer of the century, when the annals of America teem with the reckless murders committed by its desperadoes." This is being patriotic and retortive with a vengeance. A number of the boys attending the Christian Brothers' Schools are to make their first communion on Sunday next. A vert curious circumstance in connection with the loss of the Dandenong has been forwarded to the * Bendigo Independent ' by a correspondent writing from Melbourne. He says : " A remarkable incident in connection with the late wreck and terrible sacrifice of lives has come under my notice. One of my servants 'requested leave to visit a friend of hers, for the purpose of ascertaining how far the rumour was correct relative to the reported loss of her friend's husband in the ill-fated ship. Her request was acceded to, and she set out. On entering the house she was shocked to see the deep distress of her friend. It appears that her husband had important business to transact in Sydney. His immediate presence was required there, and he took a berth in the ship, not, however, without a mysterious premonition that all would not be well. He hastily placed the necessary apparel in his portmanteau, and when all was ready he tode his wife and infant an affectionate farewell. Scarcely, however, had the door closed than it was re-opened, and the husband walked in, who said that ' something was o-oino- to happen, and she (the wife) might possibly never see hinfao-ain ' at the same time he handed her his watch, chain, and other valuables, and spare cash, remarking that, although only a presentiment, it had taken full hold of his mind. His last words were ' hope for the best.'" * AN accident, which fortunately was not attended with any serious consequences, occurred on Tuesday afternoon last to the Bey. Fathers Donovan and Crowler, on their return to Dunedin from a visit to the Taieri. The horse which they were driving, as they were passing along Maclaggan street, commenced to kick and finally bolted, overturning their buggy and precipitating its occupants to the ground. Beyond a few bruises, however, we are happy to say that neither of the rev. gentlemen sustained any injury. We have been favored, by the Postmaster-General, with a specimen copy of the neat and convenient post card issued for use in New Zealand on the Ist inst. Thb tender accepted for the erection of the conventual buildings m Dunedin is that of Mr. Small. His estimate amounts to £4,507 w3 OU*