Town News.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 232, 19 February 1876, Page 14

Town News.

A New Zealand Gazette, issued on Tuesday, proclaims the allocation of portfolios in the new Ministry, which comprise the following:— Premier, Colonial Treasurer, PostmasterGeneral, and Commissioner of Telegraphs— Sir Julius Vogel, K.C.M.G. Native Minister Sir Donald McLean, K.C.M.G. Colonial Secretary Hon. Dr. Pollen. Minister for Public Works—Hon. Edward Richardson. Secretary for Crown Lands, Commissioner of Customs, and Minister for Immigration Hon. Major Atkinson. Minister of Justice and Commissioner of Stamp Duties—Hon. C. C. Bowen. Ministers resident in Wellington assxtmed office on Tuesday. His Excellency the Governor and suite left for Auckland on Tuesday per steamer Luna. It is expected their stay may extend over two months, during which time the hot springs and other objects of interest in the province will be visited. - As will be seen by our telegrams, the missing mail steamer Grenada has turned up at Sydney, whence her mails were conveyed to Auckland by the s.s. Hero. They were despatched South by the Hawea on Tuesday morning. Mr. Fox, private secretary to the Hon. Sir Julius Vogel, who was on board the Grenada, came across by the Hero. A sale of Crown lands was held at the Provincial Government Buildings on Tuesday, but the result was very unsatisfactory. There was a poor attendance, and bidding was dull—in fact, there was not the slightest competition for any one lot. Some 123 allotments were put up, in all 24,000 acres, in the RangitikeiManawatu block ; but the only sales were—section 212, 128 acres, to Mr. B. Smith, at upset price, £1 per acre ; sec. 213, 246 acres, at upset price, to Mr. O'Reilly ; sections 219, 220, 221, respectively 306 acres, 200 acres, and 306 acres, at upset price, to Mr. S. Barrow. The land is now open for selection at the upset price. s . The following tenders were received for the Waiwangaroa contract (permanent way, &c.,) of the Mount Rochfort Railway :—Accepted: W. H. Topham, Invercargill, £2lßl. Declined : Maher and O'Connor, Westport, £2322 ; John Scott, Nelson, £2393 ; Thomas H. Kerr and Co., Hokitika, £2685 ; R. W. Humphrey, Westport, £2709 ; Edward Butler, Greymouth, £2932 ; Owen Griffin, Wellington, £3362 ; D. O'Sullivan, Greymouth, £3373 ; Robert Trouland and Co., Westport, £3625 ; John Williams, Westport, £4823. The Museum is now open daily, and large numbers of people visit it, the average daily attendance being over seventy. The work of classifying exhibits still continues, and the place will not be in thorough order for some time to come. There is plenty of room and plenty of exhibits ; but the want of glass cases, &c, has impeded the work. However, a new supply of very suitable fixings, specially selected by Dr. Hector, has arrived by the Commonwealth, and will be landed in a few days. The report of the Public Works Committee •on the proposed city tramways was brought under the consideration of the Council on Thursday, but nothing definite was decided on regarding it, the general opinion being that it would be wise to consult the City Solicitor before committing themselves to any particular line of action. On the motion of Cr. Dransfield, however, the report was adopted, subject to the approval of the Committee of Works in conference with the Solicitor. The tollgates in the province of Wellington were on Thursday offered for sale by Mr. R. J. Duncan. The Kaiwarra was the first offered, and from the first bid of £IOOO was run up to £2IOO, at which figure it was knocked down to the present lessee, Mr. Thompson. The Hutt bridge gate was run up to £llOO, but was withdrawn for £I2OO. Mr. Welsh became the purchaser, for £670, of the Eeatherston gate. The Waihone gate was started at £4OO, and after a vigorous competition it was knocked down at £B6O to Mr. J. Haggerty. The St. John's Hill gate at Wanganui was purchased by Mr. Mackay at £550 ; and the Kaitoki, at £BSO, by Mr. A. Young.

Sir Julius Vogel was on Saturday sworn in a member of the Executive. A squad of fifteen or twenty of the Armed Constabulary on Tuesday embarked in the Rangatira for Poverty Bay. An amateur performance, in aid of a sick member, by the Odd Fellows' Dramatic Society, came off on Wednesday night. There was a moderate house. A considerable addition has been made to the catalogue of books in the Wellington Athenaeum ; and among those lately to hand are some of the most recently published works. The Great Canine and Panoramic Exhibition is about to proceed on a trip to the country townships on the road to Masterton. The Press in other parts of the colony speaks very highly of the exhibition. Alfred Joseph Burton, on suspicion of lunacy, was arrested and brought before the Court on Tuesday. Certificates as to his insanity being produced, he was committed to the lunatic asylum. The Philosophical Society intend to speedily deal with the question of popularising the operations of the society. A meeting of the council has been convened for this evening, when doubtless some decision will be come to. Lieutenant Alfred Wilkinson again lectured at the Odd Fellows' Hall on Tuesday night on "The Coming of Christ." There was a very large attendance, and the earnest discourse of the lecturer was listened to with rapt attention. One of the large thrashing machines which might have been seen standing on the wharf, has been purchased from Messrs. Levin and Co. by Mr. Graham, of Poverty Bay. It was snipped on board the Southern Cross on Tuesday. We hear that his Honor the Superintendent and the Px-ovincial Secretary will directly start upon their annual visit of observation through the country districts of the province, taking the route of the Wairarapa and Forty-mile Bush, Manawatu Gorge, Palmerston, and through to the coast. Possibly Major Atkinson may form one of the party. The long pending Strathnaver salvage case was to come off before the Privy Council on appeal in December or January last. A copy of the printed Case, as it is to be submitted to the Council, has been sent to Wellington, and it was stated the argument would be heard about the time mentioned ; but as no telegram has been received, possibly it may have been held over for a time. A meeting of members of the Wellington Rowing Club was held in Mr. Collins's Albion Hotel on Tuesday evening. There were about twelve members present, Mr. Stewart, captain of the club, in the chair. The business consisted of inquiries into the position of the club financially. It is satisfactory to know that the achievements of active members during the regatta have placed the club in a position to pay off all liabilities, and retain a balance in hand. The Corporation has at last commenced a very necessary work, by which additional accommodation for shipping will be provided. It is proposed to utilise the breastwork of Customhouse-street, by driving piles (which will act as mooring posts and chafers), from the corner at Mills' Foundry to the wharf. Hitherto a few small craft and coasters have been in the habit of taking up berths alongside the breastwork ; but these vessels found that they could not do so without incurring the risk of injuring the vessels' sides, as the spare planking outside the brickwork is fastened with large iron bolts. This idea of driving substantial piles at short distances will obviate the necessity for a large number of coasters discharging at the wharf, because they can be accommodated at the quay with equal satisfaction. The first pile was driven on Tuesday. Some time since a number of minahs, birds of great value in agricultural and pastoral districts because of their usefulness in destroying grubs and other pests of the farm, were imported—we believe by the local acclimatisation society—and liberated at different points between Wellington and the Hutt. They have bred well, and every morning small flocks of them are to be seen flying about along the road and on the high lands behind the Terrace ; and even this season gardeners have become aware of the usefulness of the bird. We understand the Hon. Mr. Waterhouse intends introducing them to the Wairarapa as soon as possible, for in past years the grubs have made sad havoc on stations, farms, and gardens. The experiment of acclimatisation seems in this instance to have been attended with a practical result. The Tasmanian minah—and we have an idea the birds ax-e identical in kind—is a great boon to the agriculturalist, and with the aid of the parrot and parroquet effectually clear the farms of insects. At the annual meeting of the Wellington Philosophical Society, held on Saturday evening, a question arose as to the best means to be adopted to popularise the ordinary meetings of the society. The great drawback under which the society suffers is the want of popularity attaching to its meetings. Its member roll is of respectable dimensions, and its financial condition is healthy, but still the meetings are very sparsely attended, and discussion is confined to one small circle. The papers read are too deep for the ordinary lay mind, and hence people take little interest in the proceedings. If the council consider the suggestions made on Saturday evening, and turns them to practical account, doubtless the best results will follow. As the Hon. Mr. Waterhouse says, people are rather partial to lectures, provided they are made reasonably attractive and divested of abstruse theoretics and dry technicalties ; and notwithstanding the Hon. Mr. Mantell's funny remarks about there being no difficulty in finding Tyndalls amongst us, at least we think it wovdd be comparatively easy to find gentlemen capable of giving popular scientific lectures; and if a syllabus in which lectures, conversaziones, and soirees alternated, were drawn up, no doubt , much good would result.

The education rate at Hokitika amounts to £915. The collector reports after a deal of hard work having got £l2O. A lad named James Read was arrested on Wednesday on a charge of stealing £ll 15s. from the pocket of a bather in the Thorndon baths.

A man named White, who was brought befox-e the Resident Magistrate's Court on Wednesday for drunkenness, was on Thursday afternoon arrested on a charge of lunacy. The Rangatira brought to Wellington two racehorses, Auckland Kate and Fishhook; also, two ponies aixd a foal and nine Leicester sheep. As might have been expected the case against the engineer of the Tui was dismissed. The decision is somewhat important, as showing that there may be a limit to the x'esponsibility attached to such positions. As the City of San Francisco was leaving on Friday aftex'noon she damaged the ladder of the Arawata, which was lying over the side. The steamers were double-banked, and when the mail-boat moved off, the chafers caught against the ladder, and crushed it considerably. We regret that in writing of the promoters of the Vogel Reception Committee we omitted to mention Mr. McComisky as one of those who rendered able assistance in the work. He was one of the first to enter into the business, and therefore deserves the more credit. An accident befel the steward of the John Milton on Saturday night, which might have terminated fatally. He was under the influence of liquor, and while endeavoxlng to board his ship at about ten o'clock, lost his balance and fell into the watex*, where he floundered about for some time, axxd was eventually picked up and taken on board. Efforts are being made to get a detachment of the Wellington volunteers to visit the Nelson Easter Encampment. Hitherto the practice has been for the Government to find free pasages for the volunteers, and allow them Is. 6d. per day ; and it is hoped that the Government may be disposed to make a similar arrangement this year. The Council have come to the conclusioxx that the valuation of city property would be more thoroughly pel-formed by a permanent officer, appointed at a fixed salary. The idea originated with Councillor Pharazyn, who gave birth to it in his place at the Council table on Thursday ; and it was decided that a valuator should be appointed, the salary to be £IOO, in two payments, thus : £SO on completion of water rate, and £SO on completion of the general rate. The arrival at Lyttelton of the New Zealand Shipping Company's ship the Rangitikei from London, after a passage of 73 days from port to port, or 67 days from land to land, we believe to be the quickest yet on record. We are not aware of any other vessel previously having done the voyage in so short a time. The New Zealand Shipping Company are to be congratulated on possessing so fine a vessel. The Rangitikei brought to Lyttelton the large number of 302 immigr'ants ; and the fact of all being well, and no casualties having been reported, speaks well for the airy and healthy accommodation given in the ship, and the eai-e taken by the officers during the voyage. Mr. T. Turnbull, architect, is now engaged drawing plans for a new Athenaeum building, and they are to be submitted to a meeting of the committee convened for Saturday afternoon next. If the question of ways and means be satisfactorily solved, it is probable the erection of the building will be at once proceeded with. By the way, if the erection of the building is owing to any cause delayed, we would suggest that the stone steps leading up to the porch be reset, for in consequence of the great wear they have seen they are becoming dangerous to climb up. Yesterday a gentleman had a tumble, and hurt his shin. Merely tux'ning the stones upside down would give new steps for the expense of l-esetting them. The sudden gale which came up on Friday was, for the short time it lasted, one of the severest the port has been visited with for some time. During the aftex'noon a falling glass afforded an indication of what was coming, and the small craft moored off the breastwork were hauled out into deep watei\ However, one accident occurred, which was principally owing to the insufficiency of the number of hands on board. The ketch Hunter having only one man on board, and he was asleep, di - agged her anchors, and was blown broadside on to the bows of the schooner Herald. The steward Clarke, the only person on board the Hexald, was awakened by the shouting of the Dutchman on the other boat, and on going forward he found the Hunter bumping heavily. He walked along the jibboom and got on board the other boat, and the two, with the assistance of Turner the watchman on the wharf, succeeded in getting her out of her perilous position, and moored her alongside No. 11 berth. Owing to the darkness it was scarcely possible to see the amount of damage done, but the stanchions on the port side wex-e carried away, and the topmast gone, and doubtless had it not been for the prompt action taken by Clarke and Turner, much more injury would have been sustained. The Herald only sustained slight damage. Progress of Trade.—No Department of business has, during the last few years, made more rapid progress in New Zealand than the Clothing. In the earlier stages of the colony Fit and Style were but a secondary consideration with the manufacturers, and the consequence was a wide-spread dissatisfaction with and prejudice against ready made Clothing. To remedy this James Smith, Te Aro House, Wellington, procured samples of the best Styles produced in the City of Melbourne, which place has long held the premier position in the manufacture of Men's, Boys', and Youths' Clothing. Owing however to the high rate of labor it was found impossible to offer any article at a low price. J. S., being in communication with the first houses in "London, forwarded the samples to his buyer, under whose superintendence every article of Clothing ordered for Te Aro House is made up. In consequence of the speoial attention paid to this branch of the business, Te Aro House has acquired throughout the Province the reputation of being the best mart for the selection of very Superior Clothing. Fit, Style, and Quality are all guaranteed, and the residents in the Country districts will find it to their advantage when coming to "Wellington to pay a visit to Te Aro House. The Stock is now unprecedentedly large, and for further particulars see last age of this paper

A large number of the immigrants who arrived by the Shakspere went to Foxton by the Napier on Thursday. The citizens of Wellington are likely to see a reduction in the price of butchers' meat in a few days. The Hutt butchers intend to send their carts into Wellington three or four times a week to supply ready-money customers at some twopence per lb. less than they are nowpaying. Messrs. Barber and Gear are about conferring the like advantages on the residents in the Hutt district, so that competition will be advantageous to beef eaters.

The police authorities received the following telegram from Palmerston on Tuesday ; —" Mr. W. H. T. Stewart, acting as assistant engineer for this district under the Provincial Government, was found at his camp near here, shot through the chest. It is supposed that the wound, which has not yet proved fatal, was self-inflicted, and done wilfully. A Terry rifle belonging to Mx*. Stewart was the weapon used. He was discovered about noon yesterday. There is some slight chance of his recovery." On Wednesday another telegram was received stating that he had died at 7.30 a.m. The anniversary services in connection with the Webb-street Primitive Methodist Church Sunday School, took place on Sunday ; and both in the morning and in the evening there was a good congregation. On the former occasion Mr. Nixon preached, and in the evening the Rev.Mx\ Ward delivered a very earnest address upon the responsibilities and duties of parents in relation to the x-eligious education of their children, taking his text from Deut. vi., 6th and 7th verses. The children, who had been well trained by Mr. Hitchin, sang in excellent tune and time a number of hymns specially selected for the occasion, Mr. Perard presiding at the harmonium. Collections were taken at each service, and a fair amount realised. On Tuesday evening the usual tea and public meeting will be held. The anniversary tea and public meeting held in connection with the Webb-street Sunday school was one of the most pleasant and successful celebrations we have had to record. A sumptuous repast was provided, and as soon :as it had been disposed of, the second part of the entertainment was opened. The church was crammed literally, many persons being unable to obtain seats. His Worship the Mayor was elected to the chair, and after prayer had been pronounced, delivered an impressive address on the subject of Sundayschool teaching. In addition to the speeches delivered during the evening, there was some excellent singing, and recitations were given by scholax-s, and a most enjoyable evening was spent by all. The report, as read by Mr. Loop, showed the financial position of the school to be satisfactory, there being a fair balance on the right side of the ledger. A dispute has unfortunately occurred between the agents of the Border Chief and the consignees of goods imported in her. During the voyage it became necessax-y to throw overboard a quantity of cargo; and before any goods were delivered, consignees were called upon to pay general average, and, to speak in round numbers, about £3OOO was paid. Four months have now elapsed, the ship has discharged, loaded, and sailed on her homeward voyage ; but as yet there has been no adjustment of the average xnade. Consignees have complained, and the agents say they cannot help the delay, as the adjuster has not yet made up his report ; but to bring matters to a head the consignees on Tuesday held a meeting at Mr. E. W. Mills' office to consider the mattex\ There were fifteen or sixteen persons presents, representing the leading mercantile iirms in Wellington; and after considerable discussion, it was resolved to appoint Messrs. Xathan, 3 iannatyne, and Mills a committee to prepare a id forward a letter to the agents, Messrs. .Johnston and Co., informing them that the consignees considered there had been much unnecessary delay in the matter, and the agents must be held responsible for the delay, as the adjuster shoxxld have been urged on in his work. A meeting of the Wellington, Trust, Loan and Investment Society is called for Monday next, at noon. The report runs as follows :—" The directors have much pleasure in presenting the shareholders with their third annual balancesheet, which they think is sufficiently full and explanatory to supersede the necessity for any detailed report. It will be seen that the mortgages held by the company now amount to the sum of £135,703 ss. 9d., and that the profit of the year has been £5127 3s. Id. This will give a dividend of 10 per cent., which dividend is therefore recommended to be paid at the offices of the company, on Wednesday, the 23rd day of February inst. The three directors retiring by rotation are Messrs. Dransfield, George, and Hunter-, who, being eligible, offer themselves for re-election. The auditors also are willing to continue to act, if they should be re-elected." The balance-sheet will be found printed in our commercial columns. A meeting of the ratepayers of Te Aro was held on Friday evening in the Victoria Hotel. There were about seventeen ratepayers present, Mr. Trueman being elected to the chair. The object for which the meeting had been called having been explained by Mr. Waters, secretary to the Ratepayers' Protection Association, Mr. Anderson delivered an address of considerable length, in which he gave reasons for the action it was proposed to take, and read the resolutions passed at the meeting held at Thorndon. He proceeded to point out in plain tex-ms what the law required to be_ done in reference to the management of municipal matters, reading from the Municipal Corporations Act. That Act had been very carefully framed with a view to giving the utmost publicity to the annual statements of corporation accounts, so that the ratepayers might have the fullest opportunity of examining those accounts, and of objecting to any part of them which they might not think just and true. The books of the Council should be kept in such form as would give true and regular accounts, to be thrown open to the inspection of any of the ratepayers. He then referred to the provision for giving twentyone days' notice to the ratepayers before the

annual meeting. None of these forms prescribed by law had been followed by the Council, and certain discrepancies appeared for which no mistakes in bookkeeping could possibly account, and yet those accounts had been passed by the Mayor and Council. The management of affairs had been such as to leave it in the hands of the officials to do practically what they liked, a state of things which, he maintained, could not be too strongly condemned. He then proceeded to quote figures for the purpose of showing that the Council had, among other misdeeds, endeavored to place a fictitious value on the waterworks. He hoped those present would decide upon holding a public meeting. If so,hebelieveditwouldbevery largely attended, and that the ratepayers -would raise their voices in universal condemnation of those men (the Council) who had so basely betrayed their trust, and neglected -their duty. In conclusion, he moved that the resolutions passed at the Thorndon meeting, and which he had read, be adopted. This was seconded by Mr. Petherick, and carried. Mr. Pierard then moved that a public meeting be called at some time to be decided upon by the commiteee of the Ratepayers' Association, and that the resolutions just adopted be submitted to such meeting. Seconded by Mr. J. Hill, and carried. Mr. Waters desired it to be understood that at the meeting proposed to be held discussion need not of necessity be confined to the resolutions, but that it would be competent for anyone to enter upon the question of municipal matters generally. A vote of thanks to the chairman brought the proceedings to a close. A meeting of the council of the Wellington Philosophical Society was held at the Museum on Tuesday evening, Dr. Buller, C.M.G., President, in the chair, for the purpose of deciding on some steps for giving effect to the Hon. Mr. Waterhouse's proposal at the annual meeting of the society on Saturday last. After some discussion, it was resolved to hold a monthly course of lectures, followed by a conversazione in the Museum, the first lecture to be given on Saturday evening, the 11th March. A list of gentlemen was made, to whom the Secretary was instructed to write applying for their co-operation and assistance as lecturers. Judging by the success which attended the popular scientific lectures delivered by Messrs. Fitz Gerald, Hector, Mantell, and Travers, on a former occasion, we may safely assume that the course will be well attended, and that it will have the effect of interesting the outside public in the operations of the society. It is intended, we understand, to invite Dr. Lemon to take a part in the course by giving an account of the recent telegraph cable recovery in Cook Strait, a sitbject which has excited considerable public interest, and which would no doubt, in the hands of such a lecturer, be made very entertaining and instructive. We have been requested by Messrs. Johnston and Co. to publish the following letter: — "Wellington, February 17, 1876. —W. M. Bannatyne, Esq., Chairman at meeting of consignees Border Chief. —Dear Sir, —In reply to your letter of yesterday, communicating to us the resolution of a meeting of consignees of goods by the ship Border Chief, and which resolution expresses the opinion that a cause of complaint lies against Messrs. Johnston and Co., as agents of the ship, for the delay in adjustment of average, we beg to point out that the meeting accord to us a position of supervision on the adjustment, and a power quite unwarranted. The delay complained of has been, and is, beyond our control. The great desire of ourselves and Captain Leslie has been to close this matter as quickly as possible, and our demands for a statement from Mr. White (the gentleman appointed by Captain Leslie, acting under the advice of his solicitor) have been frequent and urgent. We did hope to have received, and were led to believe we should receive, the statement before the Border Chief sailed. It seems to have quite escaped the notice of the meeting that we are more than ordinarily interested in a speedy settlement of the average. For as consignees ourselves, as agents for other importers, and as agents for the ship, we represent by far the largest contribution to the 5 per cent, deposit, say one-fifth of the whole, and, like the gentlemen constituting the meeting, we shall only be too glad to have this sum refunded. We may mention that a special account—'The Border Chief Average Account' —was opened at the Bank of New Zealand, into which all contributions, including the ship's and our own, were paid as received. Mr. White promises that the stateshall be in our hands on Monday next, and he excuses himself for the delay—firstly, on the ground of the very incorrect manner in which many importer's rendered their pro forma account sales ; and secondly, he pleads illhealth.—We are, dear sir, yours very truly, Johnston & Co." As announced, Lieutenant Wilkinson delivered a lecture on Friday night at the Odd Fellows' Hall, on the subject of " The Coming of our Lord near at hand." Owing to the rough weather the attendance was not so large as perhaps it would otherwise have been, but nevertheless the hall was pretty well filled. Mr. Bishop occupied the chair. The lecturer, after a short exordium, in which he referred to the importance of the subject he was about to speak upon, said that God had ever dealt with the nations of the earth through periods of time or dispensations. The beginning of each dispensation was a revelation of His will ; the history of each dispensation was that man turned away from, doing the will of God and following after his commandments, and then the dispensation was closed with the righteous judgments of a forsaken God. It was scTin the first dispensation when God first created man and gave his commands as to the rule of man's life; man fell lower and lower, and in the onward progress of time the heart of man became desperately wicked. Then came the warning of the preacher Noah. The warning was disregarded, and the judgment fell, and the people of the earth were swept away. The second dispensation commenced with the

family of Abraham and the race of the 1 Israelites. After they had became a nation,_ the command as to the order of worship was given from Sinai; from thenceforward the welfare of the Israelites as a nation depended upon their conduct as a nation in respect to the commands of God. Increase of wealth, power, and influence attended obedience to the revealed will of God ; famine, pestilence, and war followed disobedience; and upon national repentance the people were again led into the ways of peace. At length the hearts of the people came to be far from God. Isaiah, Jeremiah, and the minor prophets in uninterrupted succession proclaimed the wrath of God, Jesus Christ came upon earth, but the hearts of the people were not turned, and the judgment came upon them, and the prophecies of the Old and New Testaments were literally fulfilled. That dispensation was closed, and the Jews were scattered abroad over all the earth. As at the close of the first period, a remnant was saved, and the children of the old dispensation became the fathers of the new. The great statute of the Christian dispensation was the Church. The lecturer then sketched the history of the Church to the present day, and compared its united state at the commencement of the dispensation with its divided, broken, distracted condition at the present day. The commands of God had been broken in this respect, and judgment would follow unless the unity of the Church were accomplished. Through the mercy of God alone could this be achieved, but man must prepare to surrender himself to the influences which were working and had been working for the past few years in this direction, before it was too late to avert judgment. A second lecture will be delivered on Monday evening.