INTERPROVINCIAL.

Globe, Volume IV, Issue 331, 5 July 1875, Page 2

INTERPROVINCIAL.

WELLINGTON. The toll-bar litigation is not yet at an end (says the Ne?v Zealand Times of the 30th ult). Last evening, when the Wairarapa coach came down to the Hutt bridge, the driver found the toll-gate closed, and the gatekeeper, “ pursuant to notice,” demanded toll from the driver. The driver refused to pay, whereupon the gate was opened, and the coach was allowed to pass, with the intimation that a summons would be taken out against Mr Hastwell in the morning. Should the case again come on for hearing, the point that no demand had been made cannot be raised. A dinner to celebrate the amalgamation of the two lodges, Britannia and Wellington, 1.0.0.F.,M.U., took place last night (says the New Zealand Times of the 2nd) at the Oddfellows’ Hall, About seventy or eighty gentlemen sat down to a spread that did honor to Bro Solomon Levy, the caterer. Bro McKenzie occupied the chair, supported by Bros Marriott and Kershaw, Bro S. Levy filling the vice chair. After doing justice to the good things so amply provided, the usual loyal and patriotic toasts were given. In response to the toast, “ The Grand Master and Officers of the Wellington District,” the corresponding secretary stated that they had in the district fourteen lodges, containing in all 800 members. The funds belonging to the whole district amounted to £7OOO. They spent annually for the relief of sickness, &c, £6OO or £BOO, besides a large amount for medical attendance. He saw by the latest returns they were the strongest friendly society in existence. During the evening the chairman proposed the health of Bro Kershaw, who is about leaving for England. He spoke very highly of the services of that brother, and hoped he might return and take his place amongst them. On behalf of the members of the order, he presented Brother Kershaw with a past officer’s certificate neatly framed with New Zealand wood. Bro. Smith proposed the toast of the evening, “ The union of the two lodges.” He sincerely hoped this amalgamation would tend to the still further prosperity of the Order, and bore testimony to the earnestness and ability of brethren of the lodges. The toast was responded to by Bro Godber, N.G. of the Wellington lodge. During the evening several of the brethren favored the company with songs and recitations. We regret to state says the Times , that the poor child Alice Russell, who received such severe injuries from a cart wheel passing over her on Tuesday, died yesterday morning. An inquest will be held to day at 2 o’clock, at the Albion Hotel. The Corporation carter, John Thomas Biddle, who was driving the cart at the time of the accident, was again brought up at the Pol’ce Court yesterday, and further remanded till Tuesday next. Bail was allowed, defendant entering into a recognisance of £2OO, and two other persons into a recognisance of £IOO each. A correspondent of the New Zealand Times says :—There is an immense amount of building going forward at the present time in Palmerston, The Wesleyan Chapel is covered in. and will be opened in a few weeks. A building is being erected for the Bank of Australasia, between the Royal Hotel and Mr Waldegrave’s residence, and the Colonial Bank are about commencing to build on the other side of Mr Waldegrave’s, so that that side of the square will soon be filled. The English Church will be commenced in about ten days or a fortnight, and the extensive additions to the Royal are going en. Houses are still very difficult to be met with, and the hotels have been full to overflowing for several weeks, shakedowns having to be ex temporised nightly, tables, chairs, sofas, and floors being all called into requisition. The foundation stone of the new St John’s Presbyterian Church, Willis-street, was laid this afternoon, says the Post of the 29th ult, by his Excellency the Marquis of Normanby, in the presence of a large concourse of clergy, laymen, and ladies, His Excellency performed the ceremony in the usual manner, using a very handsome silver trowel, manufactured specially for the occasion by Mr J. H. Marriott, Lambton Quay, The trowel was beautifully traced, and bore the inscription—“ Presented to his Excellency the Most Noble the Marquis of Normanby, K.C.M.G, Governor of New Zealand, on bis laying the foundation stone of St John’s Presbyterian Church, Wellington. June 29th, 1875.” On the back is an open Bible, bearing the words, “Love ye one another.” OTAGO. We have our Dunedin exchanges to the 3rd instant, from which we make the following extracts : We understand that a walking match against time is on the tapis with young Scott, who has several times appeared before the public. The distance is TOO miles, to be walked within 23h 55min. The Queen’s Theatre is spoken of as the place where the match will take place. An adjourned meeting of the Kanieri Water-race Company was held in the office of Messrs Webb and Fulton on the Ist, when there was a large number of shareholders present. Mr E, C. Quick occupied the chair. The final resolution of the meeting was to the effect that the shareholders here would gladly assist in carrying out any reasonable proposition submitted to them by the directors which would be calculated to supply the additional capital required (£3000). The Hon J, A. Bonar, from Hokitika, one of the largest shareholders, and one of the directors, was present, and gave a great deal of useful information. A vote of thanks to the chairman terminated the proceedings. Judgment has been given by his Honor Mr Justice Johnson, in the case of R. B Martin (appellant) and Anning (respondent), heard at the Resident Magistrate's Court, Dunedin, some months ago. The judgment of the Resident Magistrate was reversed, for the following, among the reasons stated : That there was no evidence of a contract by Martin with Anning to carry him from Lyttelton to the Endeavor River, Queensland, that being the contract for the breach of which the respondent sued in the Court below.. His Honor thought that the real contract was between the respondent and Mcllroy, who received the first payment of £5, at all events, on his own account, and to whom the respondent |all aKong looked for getting him carried from Lyttelton to Queensland ; that the appellant (Martin) never became, as regarded either the respondent or Mcllroy, the principal in the contract; and that therejwas no good ground in the evidence for saying that Martin wns responsible on the contract stated in the summons, viz., to carry Anning from Lyt-

telton to the Endeavor River, per Comet from Port Chalmers. There will shortly be an addition to our newspaper literature in the form of “ a journal for circulation in every town and city in New Zealand.” The class to which the stranger is to belong is amply shown in its title, and needs no further explanation. The title is The Saturday Advertiser , Weekly Time-Table, and New Zealand Literary Miscellany. We understand that a preliminary meeting will be held to initiate arrangements for the due celebration of the O’Connell Centenary in Dunedin. We are sorry to learn from the Bruce Herald that the subsidence of the railway line where it passes through the swamps a shoi t distance this side of Stirling is very serious, and will probably involve a great deal of further trouble and expense. The posts by which the levels are indicated show that the line has sunk between three and five feet in places, although it has been several times made up (o the required level. The swamps seem to be almost bottomless, and in one place a wooden culvert, that was built some months ago, is said to be twelve feet down in the mud. A correspondent of the Arrow writes : “ The discoveries at Skippers will eclipse anything yet in Otago, I never saw anything like them before—not even in Victoria. The Phoenix tributors have between 30 and 40 tons of stone out that will yield at least, if crushed alone, from CO to 100 ounces to the ton. I really believe it will realise the latter.”