The Evening Post. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 8, 1865.

Evening Post, Issue 261, 8 December 1865, Page 2

The Evening Post. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 8, 1865.

The mails for England and the Australian Colonies close to-morrow at half-past twelve o'clock. The steamers Wellington, Egmont, and Lord AshJey arrived to-day — the two former froth the Bouth % end foe latter mm ths North. We have to thank the vessels officers for our files, which, however, contain no news of importance. The Lord Bishop of Wellington arrived to-day, per Lord A«Uley> from toe ISorfch, The public are requested to take notice that a meeting will take place at eight o'clock this evening, at the Mechanics' Institute, with & view to concert measure! for the celebra tion of New Year's Day. At the Supreme Court, yesterday, James Sweeney, charged with stealing a purse, was acquitted ; and a half-caste, named John Crib, charged with horse stealing, was also acquitted. This terminated the Criminal business. The Civil Sittings will take place on Monday. Yesterday evening Mr. and Mrs. George Case's entertainment at the Hall was very well attended, and the performances elicited bursts of applause. We regret to say that to-night will be the last opportunity of seeing " Grace Egerton" in Wellington— for some time at least. The programme is more than usually attractive for this their farewell appearance, when no doubt their numerous admirers will attend, and give a cheer at parting. The New Zealand Dramatic Troupe, it appears, have taken the Odd Fellow's Hall for six nights, commencing on Monday next, wli^n will be presented the play of "Ambition, or the throne, the tomb, and the scaffold " Miss Eloise Juno and Mr Tom Fawcett form a portion of the company. The Canterbury Press observes—" We see by the Lyttelton Times that a requisition is being got up in the Avon district to Mr. Ward, to become a candidate for that seat at the general election. We hope the electors will not be hasty in making promises to a gentleman whose vote was used during the late session to place in power a party which

has inflicted irreparable injury on Canterbury. Mr. Ward now goes in against paying for the war expenses of the North. But it was Mr. Ward's voice and Mr. Ward's vote which mainly helped to place Mr. Stafford and the Auckland potty in power— the same party which saddled us with the three million debt, and expended it in colonising Auckland. If Mr. Ward voted that party into power, what security have we that he will not vote again to keep it there ? And how can any such constituency as the Avon consistently support such a candidate ? There will be no want of good men and true to come forward, and the electors of the Avon will find no difficulty in procuring a member who will consisttntly represent their own views, and will maintain the influence of Canterbury in the Assembly. At all events, we ask the electors to remain unpledged until they have all the candidates before them." During the sitting of the Supreme Coui t, Dnnedin, one of the petty jurors applied for exemption on the ground that he was & volunteer. The judge said the privilege of exemption from jury service had been discontinued, and that volunteers would have to serve on juries. We learn from the Oamaru Times thtit "A requisition is in cours« of signature amongst the electors of the district, for presentation to H. J. Miller, Esq., asking him to come forward at a candidate far the ! representation «f the electoral district of J Oamaru in the Qeneral Assembly. It is reported that Mr. Miller will resign his seat fn the Upper House, and that he will accede lt«the request of becoming a candidate for a seat as member for Omaru in the Lower House. It is reported that Mr. Campbell, of Ben more station, will be asked to do so (and that he is willing to do so) for either Hampden or Manuherika. We have not yet heard of Mr. Wayne's intentions, nor of any likely candidate for the W&ikouaiti district." #ftie Lyttelton Times says that on Monday last, at nine a.m., the escort started from Christchurch. The force consisted of four constables, an inspector, and a sergeantThey were first mustered at the stables temporary occupied by them ; they then marched to the police statioa near the Mechanic's Institute, and thence to the river side, opposite the Government Buildings. Here Messrs Mundy and Lft'Mert were in attendance with their photographic apparatus, and took a view of them. The escort van is a light American one, painted crimson, picked out with yellow, having wheels of the some color. It was drawn by a team of four grey horses. The escort seemed a smart body, and several persons assembled to witness their departure^) Ws exlr&ct iJ>6 SdJJdwSd;? $ tvm the O&T»ar» Times •.—". — " On Sunday morning last, about i half-past ten o'clock, a fire occurred at Muddy Creek, the property of H. J. Miller, Esq., whereby the Btables, &c, in the occupation of Mr. Clayton, were destroyed. It is reported i I that the cause of the fire was a child playing with matches. Having lit one, it was dropped to save the fingers from being burnt, and, falling amongsfr'some straw, the whole place was speedily in flames. One of Mr. Clayton's horses is said to have been destroyed." At a sitting of the Provincial Council, Dunedin, a few days since, Mr. Grant moved that the bar or tap-room adjoining the Council Hall should be swept away, and Mr. Maddock agreed to second the motion if the honourable member would strike out the last woi d and substitute the words " out daily"— (laughter). The suggestion was accepted, and the motion amended accordingly. Mr. Cargill hoped the joke would not be carried too far. The motion ought to be withdrawn, as it would not look well if recorded on the votes and proceedings of the Council. The motion was withdrawn. Yesterday morning, Mrs. Merry, wife of Mr. Thomas Merry, a respected settler on the north bank of the Avod, adjoining Broom, left her. house to go towards the river, and was found Lot many minutes afterwards lying in a ditch, with her head and shoulders under water, of which the ditch was full. This was about half-past eleven o'clock, and as soon as possible afterwards Mrs. De Troy, who resides at Broom, despatched a messenger to town to find a medical man. It was nearly two hours later before the services of a doctor could be obtained, and by that time life had been long extinct, as was apparent on the arrival of Dr. Powell at the scene of the accident. It is conjectured that Mrs Merry must have had a fit when near the ditch, and have fallen into it, without being able to recover herself.— Lyttelton Times.