The Inangahua Times, PUBLISHED TRI-WEEKLY. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 19, 1884.

Inangahua Times, Volume IX, Issue 1485, 19 December 1884, Page 2

The Inangahua Times, PUBLISHED TRI-WEEKLY. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 19, 1884.

The Japanese Troupe gave their farewell performance in the Oddfellow's Hall last night, and were rewarded with a good house. They are undoubtedly a very clever company, and are well worthy of public patronage. As gymnasts they are far in advance of what one is accustomed to in thai class of performance, and are in some respects superior to the formor Lenten Troupe who made such a noise in the Colony fifteen or twenty years ago.

We learn that the appeal case Homeward Bound Company (appellants) v. Anderson (respondent) was disposed of in the Supreme Court, Wellington on Wednesday last, the appeal being dismissed with costs. It will be remembered the Company was sued here some ten or twelve months ago by Anderson, a Victorian expert in the working of diamond drills for a sum of £'150 damages for nonfulfillment of engagement, when judgment -was given for plaintiff, . for the amount claimed. The Company subsequently appealed, and the appeal has been disposed of in the manner stated.

The funeral of the late Alexander Stephonson took place yesterday and was attended largely, the local Lodge of St. Andrew's Society mustered in goodly numbers to pay the last tribute of respect to their deceased brother. The Rev. T. B. Maclean of the Church of England, iv the absence of Mr Gow conducted the service, and Mr John Davidson, Master of the Lodge delivered the usual address. The deceased was known to be an honorable and straightforward man and highly respected by all who knew him, he was a native of Linlithgow, Scotland, and 47

years of age,

In the course of an article on the political outlook, the Wellington Post strongly urges the probability of a disnolution next year. It urges that the Ministerial party is seriously disorganised, and continues : " From a somewhat careful study of the members of the new House, we very much doubt whether any scheme

of local government which the Ministry may bring down will command the support of a working majority in the House. It will be extremely difficult even to define distinct party in the present House, and unless tho Government is supported in its policy by a well-knit party of sufficient strength to give effect to its principles, it will have in option but to appeal unto Caesar. This is the result which we fully anticipate. The Ministry will bring down its local government proposals, and will be unable to carry them. Then, as it will be fully entitled to do, it will ask for a dissolution, and leave it to the country to pronounce a duciuive verdict on its policy. A general election about the middle of the coming year is, we think, not only possible, but extremely probable ; and then, if well defiled issues are placed before the country, the result can hardly fail to. smooth away many difficulties which have for a long time past seriously interfered with the proper and legitimate operation of Parliamentary government in New Zealaud."

Mr Edward Wake6old delivered a lecture on the " Poetry and Proso of Greater Britain " on *he 11th inst, in the Oddfellows' Hall, Chriatchurch, under the auspices of the Young Men's Christian Association. His Excellency the Governor presided, and briefly introduced Mr Wakefield to thn audience. The lecturer selected four colonial authors for analysis and illustration, namely, Marcus Clarke, A. Lindsay Gordon, A. Domett, and Judge Maning. He i^ave an exceedingly able review of the literary work of each of these authors, and read extracts from their writings illustrative of their peculiar powers. When dealingr with Judge Maning and Mr Domett, the lecture did not concharacteristics. He drew a graphic picture fine himself merely to their literary of the personal traits of these men, derived from hia own personal recollec tions. The lecture was frequently applauded in the course of its delivery, aud was listened to with the very greatest attention. On the motion of Professor Von Haaat, seconded by Mr Clissold, an enthusiastic vote of thanks was accorded to Mr Wakefield for the great literary treat ho had afforded his audience. In replying, Mr Wakefleld said it must not be supposed that he had exhausted the list of colonial authors that •yeßing. There were others as great as those he had diecpißed— and one.«|^hera yi& in the room— to whose wurtß he couid

devute a whole evening. If he could find Accmgeuial audience and give the time and | cuuld spend an entire night over the works of Mr Thomas Bracken nlone A hearty vote of thanks to His Excellency I for presiding terminated the proceedings. The Union S.S. Company on Monday | inaugurated a tri- weekly service to Nelson, which will be maintained during the excursion season. The Bteamer VVanaka is appointed to leave Lyttelton every Monday afternoon calling at Wellington „n l y. ( The two other steamers being the ordinary , Tuesday and Saturday night boats, and ' will call at Picton. This arrangement should meet the wishes of both shippers ' and passengers, in the first place giving extra facilities for cargo to Nelson ami West Coast ports, and secondly will pre I vent any overcrowding in the cabins. The [ steamer Wakatipu has been selected »$ I the most suitable steamer to run the usual annual excursion trip to Akarna 011 Anniversary Day, December 16th, and we predict for her a large number of pan- i aengers, as in addition to the excellence > of the steamer for such a trip, the Akaroa people provide their annual regatta, shore pports, and, last but not leant, a grand fancy fair, which promises to be mi a magnificent scale. The ladies of Akuroa have been working and collecting articles for the fair, which is at present in a fur advanced state. Should the day be fine visitors will we are sure not regret going to Akaroa on this occasion.

The following vivid and graphic description of a drought in Queensland is supplied by the Brisbane correspondent of the Argus: — "No one who has not lived in the west during a drought can realise the conditions under which life has t<» be endured there just now. The evaporation of which I spoke just- now sucks the moisture out of every living thing, and man and beast alike are tormented by constant thirst. The little scrub wallabies, which, in ordinary seasons, find enough sap in the plants to serve their needs, are now in despair, making their way down to the creek channels huntiug for water, and are often found dead, exhausted by thirst, and overpowered by the sun, which catches them before they have time to return to

the scrub, after their nightly soarch. The sheep. wander far during the cooler hours of the day and the night, targerly tearing up the withered tuft 3of Mitchel graaa. When the sun approaches the meridian they camp under the least shade that the

sparse trees and bushes of the downs' afford, and aa the sun declines in the afternoon they string eagerly into the water holes and rush into the muddy, lukewarm watar. These waterholtM present ■ moat curious and pitiful sights. Wild birds and animals come crowding dowu to them in the evening, mingling with the sheep, and hardly even to be scared away by the presence of man. A naturalist by simply looking at the water could secure specimens of all living creatures in the country. . . . Animals, big and little, die in their efforts to extricate themselves from the mud, and unless a vigilant watch is kept over the water it soon becomes a pool of liquid horror, irridaseant with the festering slime which poisons it. In cattle country there is, to my mind, an additional element of pain iv tho nightly Bounds that come from the water, for the joor, perishing beasts that have perhaps dragged themselves 20 or 30 miles for a drink, keep up an incessant, pitiful bel-

lowing, in which the note of pain and mortal distress is plainly distinguishable."

The annual supper of the Canterbury Caledonian Society to commemorate St. Andrew's Day was held at Arenas' Cafe last. Dec 4th. The bill o' fare was headed with the grace —

" Some hae meat and canna eat, And some wad eat that want it ; But we hae meat, and we can eat, And sac the Lord be thankit." First was " A hue o' Hillcoat's best,' 1 which of course meant whiskey, followed by " Saunnnon troots wi' butter hree,"

** Noo safe the stately saumont sail.

An' trootg bedroppod wi' crimson hail." And " A wee drappie o' Milton-Duff. The "first coorse" comprise 1 " Nowtos' feet, tripe an' ingans, pottit heid, minced collops wi, a wheen sma peas : " second coorae, " Howtowdies bakit in an ashet jigot o' mutton wi' curran' jeelie." The third coorse consisted of the haggis, the dish of the evening, which was ushered in by the piper, the lines selected for it; reading —

"Ye pow'rs who mak mankind y ere oare And dish them out their bill «>' fare, Auld Scotland wants nae skinking ware That jaups in luggies ; But if ye wish her gratefu' pray'r, Gie her a haggiß."

This coorae was succeeded by a " half mutchkin amang four," and there wero also " tawties biled, biled, chappit, ami stoved, bishud neep and !»re- j n kail, syne end up a' wi' cheese, ait-surles, syboes, an' ither green meat, and then a houpie o' Hillcoat'a.

Tho Melbourne Argus says : — v About a hundred gentleman in London, afßictod with the Bacon craze, have formed themselves into what they call a " BaooShakespearean Society." the objoct of which is to collect evidence and ruart papers in proof of the theory that Shakespeare did not write his own plays. One of the promoters of the movement is a descendent of that Theobald upon whom Pope bestowed such an uncomplimentary epithet. All the members of tho Society are still at large "

When the brain is wearied, the norves unstrung, the muscles weak, ÜBe Hop Bitters. Read.

Skinny MBN.—"Well 8 ' ??ealth Renewer, " restores health and vigor cures Dyappeeia, I.npotence, Debility. At druggists.. Kempthoros Prwser & Co.» Ajenta, Chrißtohtircb.