Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1889 - 1931), Wednesday 25 September 1889, page 4


The Advertiser WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 1889

The report of the Barossa Water Com mission was laid before Parliament yester-day. The commission was appointed as the result of a motion submitted in the

House of Assembly last session by Sir John Downer, who strongly advocated the carrying ont of the well-known Barossa scheme. The report which has now been finished, as the ontcome of an investiga-tion lasting about nine months, is unfavor-able to the undertaking, and for the purpose of increasing the Adelaide and suburban water supply lends support to an alternative scheme, with which the public is less familiar. It is to be regretted that some trouble should have arisen with regard to the manner in which the commission was composed. Sir John Downer was origin-ally appointed one of its members, and in the ordinary course would have had charge of the direction of the enquiry. He resigned the position, however, for reasons which, if not entirely satisfactory, were nevertheless by no means destitute of force. The late Government un-doubtedly blundered in not bestowing upon the Hon. James Martin, M.L.C, the father of the Barossa scheme, a place upon the commission at the outset. Their idea appears to have been that Mr. Martin could assist the Investigation better as a witness than as a Commissioner. But had he been associated with the enquiry in the latter capacity it would not have been impossible for him to give the information he pos-sesses on the subject, while at the same time his services in connection with the examination of witnesses would have been of considerable value. Sir John Downer resigned partly because of the slight put upon Mr. Martin, and partly because with some exceptions all the other members of the commission who had been appointed started with an assumed bias agalnst the scheme. This was deduced from the opinions expressed in their public speeches. The exceptions were a few of the members who had not publicly declared themselves upon the question, but even these were suspected of being unfriendly to the project. In the words of Sir John Downer, he did not feel equal to the con-duct of an investigation in which he would have to fight single handed against the rest vt the commission." We have never been able to entirely sympathise with his attitude in this matter, but we recognise that In some respects he had fair ground for dissatisfaction. To have selected a commission from those legislators only who had expressed no opinion whatever on the subject of the enquiry would have been to exclude from the range of choice many of the most able and intelligent members of both Houses. But the Government were faced with the difficulty that, where opinions had been expressed, the view that gene-rally found favor was that without further information it would be unwise for the State to undertake Mr. Martin's scheme. It certainly was not fair to gentlemen whose attitude was of this descriptiin to suppose that they would not honestly en-deavor to get at the facts as members of a commission appointed expressly for that purpose, or that they would not be prepared to modify their views with the access of new light If it tended to show that their original motions were mistaken. Still In vie if of the fact that he was deprived of the aid of the author of the project, who wss in the best position to dirtct attention to its most favor

able aspect*, Sit John Djwner could hardly be blamed for declining to under- { Uke the management of an enquiry In which the majority of hb colleagues, how- j ever Impartial, wore at least sceptical as to the merlti of the scheme. After the j mischief had been done the late Govern- I ment thought better of their decision, and Invited Mr. Martin to join the com- j mUslon; bat that gentleman, not unnaturally aggrieved by the treatment to which he had been subjected, declined to act. He was subsequently asked, and appears to have been willing, to give cvi- j deace, bnt for some reason or other he never appeared before the ommlsalon even as a witness. It la almost certain that advocates of the Barosaa scheme wil point to these circumstances as discounting the value of j the report. Even as it is, the commissioners were not unanimous In their find-ing, for one of them—the Hon. J. Warren —prefers the Barossa scheme to that which met with the approval of his colleagues. The suggestion ia almost sore to be made that had the commission been differently constituted Mr. Warren would not have been left so severely alone. We have not the least doubt that the other commissioners impartially con-sidered the evidence elicited by their enquiry, though we confess that their conclusion is disappointing. The investi- gatlon was one of large scope, and the product is a bulky volume, embodying a great mats of varied information. Without careful study of Its contents it is impossible to decide whether tbe report it jastlfied by the evidence, but the commissioners are to be credited. In any case with having made an exhaust-tive enquiry, showing clearly enough their anxiety to have all the facts placed before them before deciding on the questions submitted for their consideration. The report is mainly of a destructive character. It is a heavy blow aimed not merely at the Barossa Irrigation and water supply pro-posals, but one sufficiently heavy to de-molish half a dozen other schemes that have been suggested with the object of increasing the water supply of the metropolis. For various reasons the commission are unable to recommend any plan for adding to the supply from the River Torrens or the Sixth Greek. These sources of supply are those which have been .most persistently put forward In opposition to the Barossa scheme, re-garded apart from the question of irriga-tion ; but the commissioners consider that the balance of advantage lies on the aide of a scheme for a reservoir on the Onkaparlnga at Happy Valley, to cost £413,000. It may be remembered that the Victorian engineer, Mr. Culcheth, condemned the irrigation features of the Barossa scheme, bat approved of it with important modifica-tions as an addition to the existing system of water supply for Adelaide and the suburbs. Sir John Downer, on the other hand, proposed to spend some £700,000, including the purchase of 50,000 acres of land, fcr the establishment of a State irrigation colony in the Barossa dis-trict, and he made out what seemed at the time to be a very good case. The commissioners arrived at a conclusion unfavorable to the construc-tion of a reservoir at Barossa for purposes of irrigation at present, and this left them for consideration the question simply of the best site for additional storage of water to meet the growing demands of the city and its suburbs. Placing the Barossa and Happy Valley schemes in comparison, they find that the latter is the more suit-able. The matter of cost was not the sole determining factor, for such points as the purity of the water, the liability of the Government for injury to riparian rights, and other questions, were also taken Into account. But on the ground of cost alone the Onkaparinga scheme was preferred ; and probably, if no part of the 7,000 millions of gallons of water that can be annually stored at Barossa is to be made use of for irrigation purposes, the smaller scheme is the better of the two. In connection with the Barossa scheme prominence has always been given to its aspect as an irrigation un-dertaking. If the irrigation proposals are impracticable, as the commission declares, there is an end of the matter; and so far as increased water supply is concerned, it is doubtful whether Parliament will not consider even the Onkaparinga scheme one of much greater magnitude and expense than the circum-stances warrant. The commissioners tell us that irrigation from large storage reservoirs such as that proposed at Biro3sa most always be very costly. Really the question is one of capital cost, and that in its turn la determined by the natural conditions. Where these are highly favorable, Irrigation from storage reservoirs need not be costly at all. In Bear Valley, In California, 8,000 millions of gallons of water are preserved by a masonry wall 300 feet long and 60 feet high at a cost of £12,000. If at Barossa the works must be so expensive that water cannot be supplied for irrigation at a low rate —at the outside not more than a penny per thousand gallons—it would be folly to construct them. The revised esti-mate is £510,000 for a complete scheme to bring 6,000,000 gallons of water daily from Barossa to Hope Valley. After this drain on its resources the reservoir would still have 4,000 million gallons left as a year's supply for irrigation, sufficient to irrigate 7,700 acres to a depth of 24 inches annually. The commission had under consideration a scheme to bring this water to Smithfield, where a proposed. Irrigation settlement had been planned, and for this the additional provision required is esti-mated at £112,000. 'When it is borne in mind that the Lake Bonney scheme provides for the irrigation of 6,000 acres with the same depth of water per annum for a total cost of £30,000, including 34 miles of water channels and 40 miles of rabbit-proof fencing, it will be seen that the Smithfield scheme suffers greatly in comparison. Local feeling appears to be against it, and the evidence as a whole is unfavorable to it. But the report makes no reference to the larger project which- Sir John Downer had in view, and the Barossa scheme does not appear to have been considered independently of the question of the Adelaide water supply. This at any rate ia the conclusion to be drawn from the report. In place of spending £510,000 to conserve 7,000 million gallons at Barossa the commis sioners advise an outlay of £413,000 to-conserve 2,760 million gallons at Happy Valley. This does not look like economy, but if Adelaide only takes six millions of gallons of water daily from a new source of supply, the cost calculated on the capital expenditure would be £234 per million gallons for Barossa against £198 for Happy Valley. When the calculation does not con-template the utilisation of all the water that can be conserved at Barossa, the figures tell against that scheme. The Hon. Mr. Warren in his dissent from the report was influenced by the consideration that the additional cost of storing double the quan-tity of water is proportionately so small that the Barossa scheme in this respect possesses a great advantage over the other. He says— "lf the extra water is sold at 1s. 4d. per 1,000 gallons it will more than pay interest on the extea outlay." The commission do not propose that the whole community should be saddled with the cost of extending the Adelaide water supply. The area to be benefited is, of course, to pay the interest and working expenses, and this fact is sufficient of itself to excite opposition to any scheme that may be considered unnecessarily large for the object held in view.

South Australia Is now In the Federal Council, and though objections have not yet been wholly silenced, the force of public opinion should be strong enough to keep her in it. If this colony is firm in her adhesion it cannot be long before New South Wales will be compelled by

self-interest, if by no worthier motive, to abandon her present position of isolation. The proposed increase of the membership of the Council will tend to a great en-largement of its influence. The Queens-land and Taamanlan Parliaments have already carried the necessary resolutions. Victoria will shortly follow suit, and South Australian legislators were yesterday asked by the Government to take similar aotlon. In both Houses the debates hare been adjourned, but it is to be hoped that this does not indicate the unwillingness of more than tbe Irreconcilable few to carry the motions submitted. As the South Australian representatives were primarily responsible fur the suggestion to increase the membership of the Council, it will be little to the credit of this colony if it should prove to be the only one whose Parliament refuses to endorse the scheme. Under the proposed plan South Australia will distinctly benefit. Her delegation to tbe Conncil will be increased from two to five members ; and Victoria, with more than three times the population, will have only one more—six being the maximum for a single colony. Population, with certain restrictions, is a fair enough basis of representation for the federal body that now exists. The maximum is placed low enough to prevent any colony obtaining an inordinate share of the limited powers the Council is entitled to exercise. A more complete federatlon would, of course, require a different arrangement. In Canada representation according to popu-lation is applied strictly only to the lower House of the Dominion Parliament. The principle is that Quebec shall always have 65 members, and the other provinces a proportional number accordlog to the population. In the nominated Senate Ontarlo and Quebec have each 24 members, Nova Scotia and New Bruns-wick each 12, Manitoba and British Columbia each 3, and Prince Edward's Island 4. In the United States only the Lower House is constituted on the basis of population. The Senate represents the States, each of which, whatever its population, has two and only two mem-bers. Whenever there ia an Australian Federal Parliament the colonies as such will have to be represented in one of the two Houses, and only in the other will tbe principle of representation according to population be more fully acted on. Meanwhile the Federal Council may fairly be enlarged on the proposed lines. The population principle is recognised, but it is not pushed too far.

His Excellency the Governor proceeds to Kapunda to morrow to visit the annual show of the Kapunda and Light Agricultural and Horticultural Society. His Excellency will arrive at Kapunda at 1 o'clock and remain there for about three hours. The Chief Secretary did not occupy very much time in the House of Assembly on Tuesday in moving the adoption of an address to the Queen praying that the number of South Australian representatives to the Federal Council may be increased fron two to five. He was followed by Mr. Glynn, who enjoined caution in dealing with the Federal Council, as otherwise they would postpone the establishment of a true system of federation. Tee debate was adjourned, on the motion of Mr. Jenkins until Thursday. The discussion on tte Crown lands Bill was continued by Mr. Basedow and Mr. Duncan, and no one else being inclined to speak the Commissioner of Crown Lands replied, and the second reading of the Bill was agreed to. In committee clauses 1 and 2 were passed. After some debate the second reading of the Electoral Districts Bill was carried, and in committee alterations were made in the boun-daries of other districts than those originally contemplated. After this the House proceeded to deal with the Estimates. Mr. Moule as a kind of preliminary venturing the suggestion that it would be a good thing to send the Civil Service Commission to the Northern Territory to make enquiries into the service there. The Estimates for the Attorney-Generals Department were agreed to without amendment, although there was some con-siderable talk respecting the reduction of the salaries of Mr. Beddome and Mr. Fenn. The Premier was anxious that further votes should be taken, but hon. members generally were disinclined for work, and at twenty minutes to 11 o'clock the House adjourned. In the legislative Council on Tuesday the Minister of Education moved for an address to be presented to the Queen, asking her Majesty to increase the nnmber of Sonth Aus-tralian members to the Federal Council from two to five. Considerable opposition was shown to the proposition, and the debate was adjourned for a week. The Glenelg Railway Bill was read a third time and passed, and the debate on the Agent General Bill was concluded by the recommittal of the measure. In committee. Dr. Magarey endea-vored to have the proviso stipulating that Sir Arthur Biyth ehonld have the first term of office under the Act struck out, but the Council was against him. The term, however, was again reduced from five to three yean, after which the BUI was reported. The Minister of Education then moved the second reading of the Northern Territory Lands Bill, giving an able statement of the present position of our so called "white elephant." Mr. Scott fol-lowed, after which the debate was adjourned till to-day, when the Council sits again. Messrs. Nash and Gould, M.P.'s. waited on the chairman of the Railway Commissioners on Tuesday morning to ask that all the trains on the Port line should stop at Croyden. The Commissioner promised to give the matter due consideration. We received on Tuesday 5s. from F. J. Oram, Penola, for the London dock laborers' fund, making the total amount that has been forwarded to us £2,012 7s. 9d. Elsewhere the mayor (Mr. J. Shaw) announces that he is desirous of closing the fund on the 30th inst., and requests that outstanding lists may be for-warded to him on or before that date. Mr. W. A. Horn, M.P.,haa been induced by the other directors of the Broken Hill mine to withdraw the resignation of his seat on the board. The directors, who have gone to Broken Hill for their half-yearly inspection of the mine, have promised, if they return in time, to meet the Adelaide shareholders on Friday next. The Minister of Education has approved of the following appointments: — Alfred Wil-liams, headmaster. Wallaroo, from Port Victor; Emile S. Masson, head teacher, Angaston, from Nairne; Thos. Rogers, headmaster,. Port Victor, from Edithburgh; Edmund Kennedy, headmaster, Nairne, from Snowtown; Stephen Carter, headmaster, Edithburgh, from Warooka ; John Jones, headmaster, Snowtown, from (assistant) North Adelaide; Eli Denton, headmaster, Warooka, from (assistant) Parkside. News was received in Port Adelaide on Mon-day of the death at Port Louis of Captain J. J. Blair, formerly commander of the Hannah Nicholson, trading between Port Adelaide and Mauritius. The deceased gentlemen, who was a nephew of Captain Bickers, arrived in this colony in 1861, and on completing his educa-tion entered the merchant service, In 1879 he was appointed to the command of the Hannah Nicholson, and after making several voyages in her settled at Port Louis. Deceased was a brother of Mr. J. B. Blair, of Port Adelaide, who on Monday received intelligence that Captain Blair had died on August 30 of typhoid fever, at the early age of 30, leaving a widow and two children. The forty-ninth half yearly meeting of the Imperial Permanent Building and Investment Society was held at the secretary's office, Waymouth Street, on Tuesday evening. The chairman (Mr. A. S. Devenish) presided over a moderate attendance. The report and balance-sheet were, on the motion of Mr. C. J. Webb, read and adopted. The chairman congratulated the shareholders on the fact that notwithstanding the prevailing dulness in the building trade the society had been enabled to declare a profit of 3s. per share for each share six months old and carry forward £396 13s. 11d. to provide for possible losses, as against 2s. 9d, profit per share for the previous halfyear. The retiring directors, Messrs. A. P. Jones and W. H. Holmes, were unanimously re-elected, and a vote of thanks to the direc- tors and the secretary closed the meeting. Mr. Giles presented a petition to the House of Assembly on Tuesday afternoon from 69 residents of Mannanarie, asking that a sum might be put on the Estimates tor the purpose of repairing their road running in the direction of Jamestown. The petition showed that the main road for about four miles was in such a bad condition that it was positively unsafe for travelling. The flow of water had cut in-numerable channels in it, some being three feet in depth, and vehicles had often been cap-sized in broad daylight, the drivers being unable to avoid the bad places. The local district council had informed the petitioners that they had not sufficient funds at their command to put the road in proper repair, and the petitioners therefore asked that an amount might be granted to fill up the channels and construct a proper flow for the water with an outflow into the Mannanarie Creek. Messrs. T. H. Murray, of Mount Beebor, and W. A. Murray, of Cappeedee, the well-known sheepbreeders, when at Melbourne at the national show purchased seven head of polled Angas cattle, namely, one bull and six

heifers. The bull {Urich), which was 10 months old, took the seoond prize in his class at the Melbourne show, sod his sire (Solomon's Son) waa the first prizetaker at the Sydney Centennial show in 1888 and also at the West Bourke show, Victoria. Urich is a re-markably well grown animal for his age, and has never been forced or pampered. The heifers were specially selected from New Zealand stock, tbe progeny of imported animals. These are the first lot of polled Angas cattle imported to South Australia, and the Messrs. Murray deserve every credit for their enterprise. In England these cattle are con- sidered the best beef producers, and command tbe highest prices in the different meat markets. This importation, the joint property of Messrs. T. H. and W. A. Murray, will be kept at Cappeedee, near Hallett. The case of the liquidators of the Commercial Bank of South Australia against the directors was again before Mr. Justice Boucaut. sitting in chambers on Tuesday morning. Mr. J. H. Simon, Q C, and Mr. E P. Nesbit applied on behalf of Messrs. Rischbeith and Tarlton (late directors of tbe bank) that paragraphs 3 and 9 of the claim of tbe liquidators should be struck out or amended. It was contended that paragraph 3 stated that the liquidators approved of tbe action against the directors, the inference being that the liquidators were not actually bringing the action, and this inference was taken exception to. Paragraph 9 read that dividends had been paid oat of " capital," and it was objected that it should have read that dividends had been paid out of "subscribed capital." His honor allowed the objectionable portion of paragraph 3 to be struck out, and the other paragraph was altered in tbe direction indicated. Sir J. W. Downer, QC, asked on behalf of Messrs. Tennant and Salom (two other directors) that the writ should be set aside together with the writ and claim in the action. Paragraph 3 was objected to on the same grounds as in the first instance, and it was also contended that the sanction of tbe conrt had not been obtained by the liqni-dators to bring the action. This summons was not upheld, Messrs, Kingston, QC, Grundy, and Buchanan appearing for the liquidators. A petition was presented by Mr. Jenkins to the House of Assembly on Tuesday afternoon, asking that compensation might be given to Mr. H. D Melville, late chief clerk of the Forest Department and warden of goldfields in tbe Northern Territory, on the ground that while employed in the latter position he con-tracted a disease of the eye (cataract}, which had to an extent incapacitated him from work. The petition showed that Mr. Melville in all his long connection with the public service— some 33 years—he had never had any censure passed on him. His compulsory retirement in 1887 acd his inability to obtain any employ-ment owing to his defective sight, had placed him and his family in a very painful position, and it was shown on the opinion of the doctors that the malady from which he suffered would debar him from undertaking any clerical duties, nor wonld he be able to bear exposure to the sun, and in such a condition he was little able to do anything to support himself and family. The petitioners thought that as an old and faithful servant who had spent all the active years of his life in the public service without a blemish on bis character, Mr. Melville deserved the sympathy and support of the House; and be-lieving his case to be very exceptional, and one of extreme hardship, they hoped that the House would be pleased to take the fact into consideration, and award him such compensa-tion as they might deem equitable and just. There were 95 signatures attached to the petition. The model of the Strasburg clock drew good houses on Tuesday afternoon and evening. The Cogill Bros. pleased all who were present at Garner's Booms on Tuesday evening by their amusing entertainment, and as a minstrel company they have premier claims to public recognition. The farcical comedy of "The Grasshopper" was successfully repeated at the Theatre Royal on Tuesday evening, when Miss Jennie Lee and her company gained tbe plaudits of all who were present. The pieoe will be repeated this evening. At a meeting of shareholders in the South Australian Natural Flux Oompany, held at tbe Arbitration room, Royal Exchange, on Tues-day, it was resolved that the funds in hand after payment of all charges be divided pro-rata among the contributing shareholders. We have received a copy in pamphlet form of the paper on the " Geological Structure and Physical Features of Central Australia" read before tbe Royal Society in April last by Mr. J. J. East. It is an interesting paper, and has bound np with it a plate showing sections of the country described. A child named Alexander Lauder, aged 8 years, was run over by a tramcar, in Grenfellstreet, on Tuesday evening, and sustained a compound fracture of the thigh. The little fellow was conveyed to the Adelaide Hospital, where he is progressing as well as could be expected. Mr. W. A. Davison, formerly manager of the Blackwood brickworks, has joined Mr. O. H. Jones, of Ballarat, in partnership, and they have just been successful in securing a contract from the Victorian Railway Department for the manufacture of 30 double bogie brake vans, which are to be completed within 14 months. Mr. A. H. Byer. Prov. G.S.. I.O.OF. M.U, received a telegram from Melbourne on Tuesday stating that Mr. J. S. Hart, the corresponding secretary of the society in Victoria during the last 25 years, died on Tuesday morning. The deceased was a brother of tbe late Mr. D. S. Hart, of this city. Mr. J. Stone, of Largs Bay. and one of the members of tbe S A. Stevedoring Company, met with an accident at Port Victor on Mon-day afternoon. He was superintending the loading of the steamship Duke of Devonshire, when he missed his footing and fell down the hold. He was badly hurt, but his injuries are not of a serious character. The judges (Hon. F. W. Holder, and Messrs. H. C. Evans and W. J. Sowden) of tbe im-promptu essay written at the Town Hall during the progress of the late literary com-petition have given their decision as follows: — First prize to Mr. E. P. Sells, of St. Luke's Literary Society; and seoond prize to Mr. W. H. Selway. jun., of North Adelaide Young Men's Society. Mr. J. Carson, of Port Adelaide, has shown at our Port office a sample of butter which he states was made by the American system of placing tbe cream under ground. The cream was wrapped in a piece of linen and left for 21 hours buried a short distance under the soil. At the expiration of that time the butter was fully made. It looks well and has an ex-cellent taste. Mr. Dashway, a member of the Silbon-Stirk combination, who is now in Dr. Gardner's private hospital, is suffering from an injury to the leg and not to the wrist, as we stated a few days ago. The injury is the result of an accident at Broken Hill, where one ot tbe Silbon brothers also met with a disaster and broke his collarbone. Mr. Dash-way hopes to be able to resume his place in the Silbon company in four or five weeks. An entertainment waa given in the Gouger-street Academy on Monday evening by the Comet Entertainment Party in aid of the Maley fund. There was a small attendance, owing to so many other attractions. Some good songs were rendered by Misses Frearson and Riley, and a pretty ballad, " Barney, take me home," by Miss Harlow. Songs were also given by Messrs. Thrush and Teale. The pro-gramme concluded with a laughable farce. Mr, N. Passmore and F. Mongoven officiated as end men. The Garrick Club will this evening place two original plays by Mr. Guy Boothby on the boards at the Albert Hall. "Memories," a one-act domestic drama, will first be presented, and this will be followed by '"The Nabob." a farcical comedy. The members of the club have been rehearsing for the past couple of months and have beoome proficient in their parts. Lord and Lady Kintore and suite have signified their intention of being present, and as a good many seats have been booked it is probable that the amateurs will be favored with a numerous audience. The attendance is daily increasing at the Exhibition Rink. On Tuesday evening every number on the programme was received with applause, Mr. Hunt especially getting quite an ovation. The Electric Orchestra was quite complete, and the wonderful manner in which Herr Renier manipulated it caused considerable astonishment. Little Lillian did her shooting amidst considerable applause. This afternoon there is to be a special children's matinee, so as to afford those who cannot leave home in the evening an opportunity of witnessing the novelties. To-morrow night will be a select evening, when there will be no skating until after the performance, and the programme will be commenced at 8 o'clock. The half-yearly business meeting of the Trinity Literary Society was held on Tues-day evening. There was a good attendance, presided over by Mr. W. Rebbeck. The sec-retary's report showed that the society had done a good amount of work during the half year. The treasurer (Mr. F. Lindow) gave his financial statement, indicating a substan-tial credit balance. The following officers were elected for the ensuing half year:— Vicepresidents, Messrs. W. Rebbeck, W. Shake-peare, and J. Donnell; corresponding sec-retary, Mr. J. K. Lawton; treasurer, Mr. F. Lindow; librarian, Mr. J. Marvell; minute secretary, Mr. W. T. Dobson; and union delegates, Messrs. W. Shakespeare and W. T. Dobson. For the art class teachers' certificate awarded by the authorities at South Kensington, the officer of examinations forwarded to Adelaide in March last the four works required to be submitted by the South Kensington Science and Art Department, from candidates for the certificate. These were worked by Mr.

James Keane, assistant master of the School of Design and master of tha Port Adelaide Branch School of Design. By this mail advice has been received that three of these works have been accepted, viz.:—Stage 1a, Geometric problems; stage 3b. Outline from ornament in low relief; stage 5b. Drawing from ornament in high relief, or from casts of fruit, shaded in chalk. Stage 5a. Shaded drawing of group of models was worked in sepia instead of in pencil or chalk, and on that account was rejected. "Spain and its Moorish marvels" was the subject of Professor Dickinson's lecture at the Town Hall on Tuesday evening. This is one of the best lectures of the professor's reper-toire, and it is to be regretted that the audience was a small one. Aided by a series of beau-tiful and effective limelight views admirably managed and thrown upon a large canvas, the professor gave a capital idea of picturesque Spain. His narrative of the ten years' struggle between the Christians and Moors was exceed-ingly interesting, and so was his description of the Palace of the Alhambra and other historical buildings. He was attentively listened to throughout, and was frequently loudly applauded. This evening Professor Dickin-son is announced to make his last appear-ance here, when by the wish of the Countess of Kintore, who will be present, he will re-deliver his lecture on "Picturesque New Zealand," admission to which will be free by tickets, which may be obtained at Woodman's music warehouse. A successful concert was given in St. Peters Town Hall in aid of the College Park Congregational Church on Tuesday evening, and there was a large attendance. The pro-gramme opened with Pattison's cantata, " Sherwood's Queen," a tuneful composition, the libretto of which is written by A. J. Fox-well. In this the tenor role of Robin Hood was sustained by Mr. W. F. O. Hillary, that of Allan-a-dale (tenor) by Mr. A. E Hawkes, and Little John (basso) by Mr. W. G. Cooper, while the part of Marian (soprano) was apportioned to Miss Vandepeer, that of a widow soprano) to Miss Isenhagen, and of Alice (contralto) to Miss Dawson. The second por-tion brought Mrs. Johnson James on the platform, where she rendered Cowen's "The better land" in a manner which evoked an imperative encore, to which the lady re-sponded with "I can remember the old songs." Mr. W. P. C. Hillary followed with " Best of all;" while Mrs. Ramsay, who next appeared, was so successful in Saiston-Dolby's "He thinks I do not love him" that she had to re-appear and give the last verse once more before tbe audience were satisfied. The Adelaide Glee Club tendered " Blow, blow, thou winter wind," under the conductorship of Mr. A. Walmsley, subsequent to which Mrs. Johnson James again thoroughly pleased the audience with her rendition of two old English ditties, "A lullaby," and "Sand me a lover, St. Valentine;" and being called upon to respond to the consequent continued plaudit* she favored those present with "Oh, for a ha* band." Ijohr'a "Oat of the deep" wai tbe selection of Mr. W. G Cjoper, Mrs. R>miiy following with' "A. mother's love" (H-?p9 Temple), the last vene of which she repeated in response to an enthusiastic encore. Tha "programme was brought to a dose by the Glee dob rendering "Stan of the summar night," one of Hatton's serenades. Miss Liwrence acd Mr. A. Walmoley accompanied the singers throughout the evening, and special praise is due to the latter for his energy in organising tbe concert. "Great American Preachers I have known" was the subject of a lecture delivered by the Rev. F. Hastings at the N. A. Congregational lecture ball on Tuesday evening. The Hon. J. H. Gordon (Minister of Education) presided, and there was a large attendance. The lecturer, who has visited America six times; and resided there for three years, referred in a chatty style to the striking points of tbe various famous preachers of the Great Republic, and told a number of anecdotes about each in a style which carried his audience with him. He re-ferred to Dr. Wilkes of Montreal, Milburn, the blind Methodist preacher and chaplain of tbe Senate. Dr. Hoge, the friend of Stonewall Jackson. Dr. Cuyler, Talmage, Dr. John Hall, Dr. W. M. Taylor, Dr. Phillip Brookes the millionaire preacher. Dr. Clopin, Henry Ward Beecher, Moody the evangelist, and Albert Barnes the venerable commentator, who at one time preached for Mr Hastings; Dr. Hall, the Chancellor of the New York University, known as the " millionaire preacher," because he was supposed to be worth a million of money; his marriage fees were esti-mated to total 30,000 dollars a year. Ward Beecher, was in the lecturer's estimation tbe greatest American preacher he had met, and he was probably the greatest preacher of the century. He did not consider that he was superior to Eugene Bernier, tbe great French preacher, in culture of utterance, but in all other points he was his superior. He also re-ferred to the Rev. W. Warren, who had become celebrated as the "contract labourer" as his church had to pay 1,000 dollars for bringing him from England under engagement contrary to the statute passed for the purposes of preventing laborers being introduced under contract. He was not a great preacher, but the friendly action which had arisen, in conse-quence of his arrival, made him at one time the most talked of preacher in the States. Mr. Hastings also described some of the magnifi-cent churches of America, costing £200,000. and at the close of his discourse was accorded a hearty vote of thanks. A collection was made in aid of the church renovation fund. The fourth annual banquet in connection with the Christian Brothers' Old Collegians' Association was held in the Caledonian Hall, Victoria-square, on Tuesday evening. There were about 60 gentlemen present, and Principal O'Brien, in the absence of his Grace Archbishop Reynolds, who was unavoidably prevented from being present, occupied the chair. An excellent repast having been done full justice to, and the toasts of "His Holiness the Pope," and " The Queen" honored, the Hon. J. V. O'Loghlin. ML C. proposed "The association and officers" He briefly referred to the objects of tbe association, and expressed the hope that it would continue to grow in strength, and that each succeeding annual gathering would be even more success-ful than the preceding one. Mr. Austin Hewitt (secretary), in replying, mentioned that the association was in a thoroughly sound financial position, and showed an increasing membership. The meetings of old collegians had been well attended during the past year, and the elocution debates and prepared papers had been fully up to those of previous years. Mr. J. J, Supple (treasurer), also responded Mr. J. P. Lynch gave " Our alma mater." He alluded to the success which had attended past scholars of the Christian Brothers' College, and spoke in eulogistic terms of the work bring carried on there under the able adminis-tration of Principal O'Brien. The toast was received with great enthusiasm, and Principal O'Brien, in responding, said it was nearly 11 years since he came out to take charge of tbe school. Since then not a single thing had occurred to make him think that the affection he felt for his pupils had been misplaced. (Applause.) It was his proud boast that there was not one of bis former pnpils in Adelaide and South Aus-tralia, who had not grown up respecting them-selves and respected by others, and who did not owe in a great measure the noble principles which governed their conduct to the lessons they had received within the walls of their alma mater. (Applause) Mr. A. Lynch submitted the toast of "Our native land," to which Mr. D. A. Murphy responded. The company then sang with great enthusiasm "The Song of Australia." Mr. H. Davis proposed ''The Parliament." The Hon. J. V. O'Loghlin, M.L.C. replied on behalf of the Upper House, and Mr. P. Mc M. Glynn, M.P.. and Mr. B Nash, M P., for the House of Assembly. Other toasts, including "The Patron" and "The Visitors" were honored, and the evening, which was enlivened with songs and recitations, was passed in a most enjoyable manner. The advertisements with reference to amusements appear on the second page. Professor Ives will give an organ recital in the Town Hall this evening. The Melbourne-street Mission School Church, North Adelaide, will be dedicated by Bishop Kennion this evening. The sacred cantata "The building ot the Temple' will be given tonight in the Thebarton Town Hall by The Franklin-street literary Society.