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Evening Star, Volume IX, Issue 2621, 12 July 1871, Page 2

The Assembly.—The General Government have chartered the Phoebe to convey southern members to Wellington. She will hj ave Port Cnalmcrs {towards the end of the first week in August.

Civilisation in Fiji.— King Thakombau has appointed a sanitary commission to c nsider the best means for carrying out a system of drainage and oilier necessary works, the expenses of which arc to bo met by the levying of a rate ou municipal principles.

Lusus Natuß-E. The Charleston Herald mentions a freak of nature, which has occurred on the West Coast. It says : Amongst a litter of pigs there was one winch was a "dog in almost every respect, except the feet, which wore those of a pig. The head was of a nondescript kind, but had no appearance of any snout. English Partridges. Mr. H. Honour informs the Oamnru Times that he picked up an English partridge on the North Road, opposite the Hon. J. M ‘Lean’s pad - dock, ou Thursday last. It was dead but quite warm, and lying directly below the telegraph wires ; a wound in its throat shownig, evidently, that the bird had been killed by flying against the wire. It was quite fat and plump, so that it is evident there is abundance of suitable food for these birds in this locality.

Flax, —Mr Harling, nf Nelson, semis the Colonist the following important information with regard to New Zealand flax :—“ By one of the last mails I had advices from Mr Ernst Neh so. fi'om Hamburg, speaking very highly of the opinion which some of the largest houses in that city have expressed concerning some bales of New Zealand flax which Mr Nehse took with him from here. They value it at a much higher price than it realised in London, and Mr Nehse tells me that there is a great likelihood of a remunerative trade opening up for this article in Germany,”

Princess Theatre. —The house was fairly attended last night, but not so well as might have been expected, the programme being entirely changed. The chief feature of the entertainment was the burlesque of “ Cinderella,” which would have been verywell rendered if the prompter had had any other but the chief ro e allotted to him ;as it was, the interest of the burlesque was confined to Miss Forde and Miss Nye who sang and danced with their usual success. In “An alarming sacrifice,” Miss Caasy Matthews (Susan Sweefcappl ) and Mr L trim 'house /or "a Til l\’ ‘lou r’ w it' ho ii k flagging, playing with admirable earn and effect. The “Area Belle” (Penelope Ann, Miss Jenny Nye) we did not see. The programme will be repeated this evening. Profit? of Insurance.—As an illustration of the profits of insurance companies, it is stated that the balance-sheet of the New Zealand Insurance Company as produced at the half-yearly meeting recently held at Auckland, showed that the capital is now L 75,000, and that the reserve and reinsurance fund amount to L 35,001), making a tolal of LI 10,000. The investments of the company now amount to LIUS. 678, and there is cash in hand L 10,900, the total sum to the credit being L 130,216. Jf further appears that there has been received from premiums and transfer fees during the halfyear, L 39,759, and that the losses and expenses of management together amount to L 25,415, and the nett profi- for the halfyear therefore appears to be nearly L 14,374 or nearly L 5 15s per share.

Concealment of Birth.—A domestic servant named Agnes Walker was brought up at the Resident Magistrate’s Court, Invercargill, on the sth instant, charged with concealment of childbirth. Sergt. Fox informed the Bench that since the arrest of the prisoner, the police, by her direction, had discovered the body of a female infant, which she admitted to be hers, and asked for a remand of eight days to allow of an inquest being hc';d on the remains, and other inquiries made. The remand was granted. The inquest took place at the Police Barracks the following day, before Dr Hodgkinson, coroner. The jury returned the following verdict: —That the aforesaid female child was given birth to by Agnes Walker, and that she concealed the fact. The jury are also of the opinion that the said child came by its death in consequence of the wilful neglect of her, the said Agnes Walker.

Dkowned,—The Bluff correspondent of the South and Times says A Mr Curran, residing in the vicinity of the Mataura, is reported to have been drowned while on his way from here to his home. He left here on Tuesday, 27th, with about 5 cwt of goods, which he had carted from Tcwais Point to a lagoon over which he hart to cross. The drayman saw himstartwith his load, audsiucethen nothing has been heard or seen of him or the boat. The boat, I understand, was of an ancient description, being part of the trunk of a tree scooped out—a thing that could not be expected to carry anyone safely, with the addition of live hundredweight. It is said Curran wasanexcollentswiinmer. Constable Hanlon started to make asc-arch on Tuesday morning last, and returned last night. He reports that the lagoon at the place where the accident occurred is about four miles broad. After a careful search, only a portion of the goods was found washed up on the edge of the lagoon, nothing being seen of the boat or body. The deceased leaves a wife (halfcaste) and six children. Shipping Manifests. —The writer of “Under the ,Verandah” in the Melbourne Leader says:—“l must congratulate the conductors of the Melbourne daily Press on having effected a clever ami plucky change by leaving out the names of shippers and consignees in the list of imports and exports. hat possible interest was it to me or to the rest of the public to know that Messrs Brown, Jones, and Robinson, the lolly pop dealers of

Little Lonsdale street, had received per Ann, Captain Blowhar.l, twocases of Evertontoffy, one of hardbake, two boxes of Boneys ribs, ank half a pound of ratifia biscuits ? It was a remnant of the days when Melbourne was a pretty little village, and the arrival of a coaster from Sydney drove the whole population mad with excitement. Publish the exports and imports by all means, but do not gratuitously puff the transactions of every grocer and "linen-draper in the colony ; the real merchant does not require this publicity —the middlemen should not receive it. If they want to advertise, let them pay for the privilege.” A Perilous Adventure. The Grey Valley Times relates the following perilous adventure ; “ Constable Denis, stationed at Ahaura, was, a few days since, proceeding to -Moonlight, when on reaching that part of the journey where the track ascends a very lofty terrace and is barely wide enough for two horses to pass abreast, he was confronted by a runaway bullock, which came careering oown the hill at a furious gallop. Ihe constable was in great jeopardy, as on one side of him n portion of the terrace was almost overhanging the road, whilst on the other hand there was a perpendicular descent of nearly a hundred feet to the bed of the creek below. eing an expert r.der, he managed to keep the infuriated animal at bay until he got an opportunity of turning liis horse, when he beat a hasty retreat. The bullock followed for some distance, and, on reaching the narrowest part of the track, bailed up, and con d not be persuaded ou any account to proo.ed any farther, or yield the position. Dorris having secured Ins horse in an old hut at the bottom of the truck, returned on foot, and securing a position ou the embankment immediately over where the intruder stood, commenced a vigorous onslaught, but the animal was not disposed to capitulate upon any such terms. binding it (juite iuqoisibic to proceed, the constable was in the act of returning for liis horse, when he unfortunately slipped on the track below, aud realising at once his damrer, made off instantly, the bullock in hot pursuit. As it did not require a very lengthy calculation to persuade Dorris that the odds of the chase were against him, he managed to diaw a pistol from his holster, and turning round suddenly, tired. The ball struck the animal over the right eye, and this thrilling little adventure was concluded by the bullock, horns, dilemma aud all disappearing over the terrace.”

City Council.—A special meeting of the Council was held to-day; Councillor Thonemau presiding. Iho committee appointed to consider the statements made at the last meeting of Council by Councillor Barnes, in reference to City works, brought up a report, of which the following is an abstract The committee had made an inspection of the work in the four wards, more particularly kerbing and channelling, now on hand; and had come to the conclusion that, as a whole, the works recently executed, aad the quality of the materials which have been supplied and passed by the City Surveyor, are of a very fair description, fully equal to any work hitherto executed bv any contractors in the City. The committee urge that in -carrying out large City works as at present, the surveyor must be allowed a certain latitude as maThere was some kerbing on the ground which had not yet been passed. It was absurd to demand that because a specilicationprovided that a kerbstone should be 12 in. square, for instance, any stone not strictly mathematically 12-iuch should be rejected. If the Council were to adopt such a course they would be blind to the true interests of the City, as not only would contractors be ruined for no purpose, but the Council would in future be debarred from obtaining the execution of specified work at anything like the price for which they now obtain it It was admitted that the works were not being carried on as rapidly as might be anticipated, but the limited number of men employed on the kerbing, &c,, and the fixing of the base line, were urged as satisfactory reasons for the delay. The statement that kerbing had been largely paid for though not laid down, was true, but the answer was apparent, viz., that for the sake of economy the Council had let the supply of lurbing in one contract, and that of channelling in another, and naturally the contractor who supplied the kerbing wanted a payment on account, before the contractor for laying the kerbing completed bis work. The committee found Harper’s crossings to be defective ; and considered it unfortunate because they bad been laid down under the superintendence of the late inspector. In conclusion, the comniitthe deprecated the interference by any councillor in the City works, as being mischievous and altogether undignified ; and that as the complaint was an attack upon the Surveyor’s reputation, they were glad to say that they saw no reason to doubt his fitness for the office or bis trustworthiness.” Mr Barnes condemned the report in foto. He distinctly asserted that large quantities of stone, which had not been dressed according to the specifications, had been laid down. He asked the Council to give him the opportunity of obtaining the un biassed opinion of two competent person'*, which he would have done at his own cost. He thought more of his reputation than LSOO ; and would maintain the truth of bis assertions even “if it cost him the shirt off his back,” He ridiculed the idea of unpractical men giving an opinion as to the state of the work complained of. Several Councillors defended the action of the committee; and after some discussion the report was adopted. Messrs Crawford, Holman, Nicolson, and Millar were appointed returning officers at the ensuing municipal elections.

A Hint.—The following paragraph from the Time-t is interesting as illustrating some points of practice and the method of dealing with work in the House of Commons: That portion referring more immediately to late sittings, we commend most cordially to the consideration of the Provincial Council : —“ln his evidence before the select committee on the business of the House of Commons, the Speaker expressed a very decided opinion against the system of sitting until 2 or 3 o’clock in the morning, and said that it turns an honorable service into an almost intolerable slavery, and that the country, instead of approving this self-sacrillce, looks upon it as extremely' unreasonable, and almost insane. He observed that, aftir his length of service, he might be considered as speaking rather for the House in general than for himself, lie evidently doubted whether the resolution which was agreed to by the committee to take no fresh opposed business after half-past 12

would be found sufficient, and whether it would not be necessary to fix a time 'for closing public business, as on Wednesdays. If the debates {closed earlier, more members would stay to the last. The influences of a fuller House would tend to check such unseemly contests as have sometimes protracted the sitting of a thin house to an excessively late hour. It was suggested in the evidence that after Easter, or thereabouts, orders should be taken before motions on Tuesdays, so that members having bills before the House (might be able to get them through their several stages, instead of having to try to bring them on late on Government nights. In reference to the adoption of means for compulsorily closing a debate, Sir T. E. May stated that since 1856 there have been three debates which exceded four days, one lasted six, ono seven, and the debate in 1863 on Lord Grosvenor’s amendment on the second reading of the Parliamentary Representation Bill lasted eight days. The modern practice of moving amendments on going into Committe of Supply, it appears, may be dated from 1811, before which time uoliccs of motion had precedence of orders of the day on every day in the week; but for 23 years there were not above one or two cases in a year, and often none. In 1870 the amendments sometimes took all the evening, and on soma other occasions there was only time left to take a very few votes. Putting the question in the House is not a long process. I >n the 20th February, 72 private bills were read a second time in four minutes, and, on the 18th, 134 first readings were accomplished in less than eight minutes. No record is ordinarily kept, however, of the time occupied in the various proceedings of the House, except that when a debate is likely to be adjourned it is the custom, for the convenience of the Speaker, to keep a record of the name of every member who speaks, and the time occupied by each speech. That has .;eeu done for many years.”

We notice by advertisement that the Lieut. Col. commanding Militia and Volunteer Forces, meets the officers in the Orderly Room, Friday next, on important business.

In our advertising columns will be found a requisition to Mr H. S. Fish to offer himself for re election as Mayor, aud hie reply.

A meeting of Mr Thoneman’s committee will be held at Watson’s Royal Hotel this evening at 8, Mr Clapcott’s readings, announced for to-morrow evening at the Masonic Hall, promise to be very attractive. Mr Clapcott has attained the reputation of being a most able elocutionist, and his readings have been the most popular amusement of the district in which lie has resided. We believe this high reputation to be deserved, and that the varied programme marked out for to-mor-row evening will attract a large audience, who will not be disappointed.