TIMARU.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXI, Issue 24, 13 October 1893, Page 19

TIMARU.

(From an occasional Correspondent.)

The coming election is the interesting topic that is txercising the minds of ihe Timaru public at present. All parties are actively engaged in placing the names of their follower, male or femalr, on the electoral roll. The common-place greetings of daily hfe are almost ignored, and instead cf the ordinary " ijow d'ye do " or tbe usual comment about the weather, you are greeted with " Is your name on the roll ? " If it is you are a happy mau and are spared further trouble ; if not, no allowance is made for time or place, you are forthwith "collared" and made an elector of the distnct. As far as the Catholic community are concerned, the adv.ci given by the Tablet has been promptly acted upjn, and I have every reason to believe, before this letter is in print that, with the exception of an odd one here or there, all the female portion of the parishio ers will be duly qualified electors. The Anglican bishop of Chris church has also sent a letter to his Timiru parishioners urging upon t! c women to have their names placed on the roll. As for the other religious denominations, I do not think they will require any stimulant m the matter. It would perhaps be wrong to administer one, as stimulants are not included in their programme.

Apropot of the women's fraichise, we have had a visit from one of the advanced women. The committee ot the Mechanic's Institute invited Mrs D. M. Burn, of Cbnatchurch, to lecture here in aid of the

Institute. Th« lecture was on " The woman of tbe twentieth century," and without going further it is only jost to say that at painted by the lecturer a more uninviting specimen of a woman could scarcely be delineated. One assertion of tbe lecturer waa agreed to be correct on all sides (witb the twentieth century woman in tbe mind's eye), and that was that there would be an alarming increase of old bachelors, and of course of their counterparts in the opposite sex. Marriages were to be less frequent, consequent oa the superior education of the woman freeing her from being so dependant on man as heretofore. There was no mincing about who should wear the bifurcated garment. It would have a representative on both sides ef the House. Men threw away the loose robes years ago as being awkward and not alljrding sufficient free lorn for physical development, and why should not women do the same. Perfect equality in all the spheres of life is the advanced woman's doctrine. In the football and cricket field as well as in the professions and gentler walks of life women are to hold their own (not hampered of course with those clumsy dresses) an \ when the physical develop* ment which, according to the lecturer is to evolve the perfect Grecian beauty, is sufficiently advanced any aspiring muscular female to inclined will be perfectly entitled to follow tha plough or compete in any other manual employment with man The lecturer's remarks about desirable changes to be made in the laws of I matrimony were very ambiguous. Tbe marriage laws were to be raised from their present low condition. Perhaps improvements would be made from time to time as the " perfect " woman would be undergoing the pro* cess of evolution until a bappy stage would be reached similar to that described by Mr Gladstone a few months ago a* existing in parts of America where a man can jump on a train and in an hour's ride be carried from tbe State in which ha resided and from the sate of Matrimony at the same time. The woman of the present day with a large family would, tbe lecturer said, be lookel back upon by her successor in he next century as a relic of a barbarous age. Tqib it only a short sketch of the tirade of stuff anl nonsense that those who visited the Theatre Royal to hear the lecture were treated to. Many went from sheer cariosity and I think returned to their homes sadder and wiser men. Reading between tbe lines it can be plainly seen that if the advanced women succeeded in inculcating their doctrines it would undoubtedly lead to the (ot il destructiou of all those proprieties in Hfe and in the domestic circle which fortunately are up to the present he'd sicred by the great majority.

The Aloytdan Society's Minstrel Troupe held a variety entertainment on Wednesday and Thursday last in the Assembly Booms. The hall on both evenings was fairly filled, and the different items on the programme were gone through without a hitch. The following songs were rendered by the minstrels :— Opening choru*, " Sound dat banjo," " Have you steu her," by Mr O. Walli9 ; '! The old fo ks at home," by Mr C. Niall ; " Ruby lips," Mr J. Kiye ; " Gathering up the shells," by Mr M. F. Deunehj ; " She told mi to go to Jericho," Mr G. Wallis; " The old itfooien Rocker," by Mr H. Necklin, and the final song and chorus, " The American National Guard," Messrs Wallis and Kaye and the company. The intervals between the songs were filled in wi h the usual minstrel basin 88. The jokes and conundrums, several of which being loc il hits were gree'el with hearty laughter and applause. The second part of the programme commenced with a song and dane, "Nimble Nip," by Mr G. Wallip, who for an encore enacted the ' Musical Professor " in good stylp f Mr H. Necklin sing " T ie British L on" with good taste, and was followed by Mr M. F. Dinneh/ singing " The old log cabin in the Ime" (m character). Mr J. Collins rendered a baritone solo, " Then you'll remember ins" with variations. This was one of the best items of tbe eveuing, the executim and triple tongueingof the player evoking hearty applause. A nigger sketch by Messrs Wallace and Griftla followed, and kept the house in roars of laughter while it lasted. The entertainm >nt concluded with a farce entitled " Are you the boss 1 " the cbief characters being Messrs Cogulan, Kaye, and Giiffia, each of whom ac ed their part in faultless style, the house being literally in a scream from start to finish. Miss May Gardener acted as accompanist and must be congratulated on the manner in which s^e executed her task, and the 6uccees that resultei from her first attempt at "coacling " amateurs. Master W. Fi zgerald aa violinist p ayed with his usual skill and good taste. I have no doubt but more will be heard of this young player before many years. Mr J. Collinp, who had chaige of the business part of the entertainment deserves special mjotion, while Mr H. Feckliß, as stage manager and interlocutor was indespensible.

The improved state of Dr Moran's health has caused a wide-sp-ead feeling of relief throughout this district. The expressions of sympathy and of hope for his Lordship's recovery during his illness were numerous and afforded a touching proof of the hold Dr Morao has on the hearts and aff actions of the Catholic people in this district as well as tt roughout New Zealand.