Untitled

New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 4141, 29 June 1874, Page 2

Anxiety as to the overdue mail steamer from San Francisco was removed on Saturday morning by the announcement that the s.s. City of Adelaide, with London mails of May 5, had reached Auckland on the previous night, at ten o'clock. We received intimation of her arrival some ten or eleven hours after the event, and the news itself shortly before noon. As the intelligence transmitted was rather more interesting than it has been for some time, an extra of the iVciO Zealand Times was issued about half-past one o'clock. As the mail was due in Auckland on the 19th instant, and did not reach that port until the 26th, seven days have been lost in the transit. It appears that no less than four days were dropped between Liverpool and New York, and the s.s. Mikado did not leave San Francisco until May 37, in place of the 23rd. In crossing the Pacific the Mikado lost nearly three days, from some of the tubes of her boilers having given way. The consequence was that she came on under easy steam for a considerable time, while her engineers endeavored to get her in order again to cany a full head of steam. The City of Adelaide received a very large cargo from the Mikado, having taken on board four thousand packages—chiefly of sugars, "we presume —for Auckland, and over three hundred packages and twenty rams for the South. Among her passengers was the Hon. Thomas Russell, who went to England for the purpose of arranging, in connection with the Hon. Said Samuel, the mail service via San Francisco, It will be noticed that the outward mail steamer Tartar sailed from Kandavau punctually to time, on the 1-lth instant, a full ship, both as regards passengers and cargo. The City of Adelaide sailed from Auckland for the Southern ports on Saturday night, but cannot be expected to reach Wellington before Tuesday afternoon. The outward mail leaves Wellington on Thursday, the 2nd of July, and we have not received official intelligence of any change. It is beyond the bounds of possibility, however, that the City of Adelaide can go down to Port Chalmers and return to Auckland, picking up the coast mails, by the 6th of July, to transfer them there t > the Macgregor, which is expected from Sydney to take them on to Fiji and San Francisco. As the Mikado, however, would not reach Sydney in time to sail again punctually with the New South Wales mails, the Macgregor may be detained thereto take up the running, and Captain Brown may have to return once more to Fiji. No doubt, if any I changes are made, the public will be made aware of them, as early as they are decided | upon.

To-morrow being the day appointed by the Hon. the Commissioner of Customs for .annual stock-taking, the bonded warehouses will be closed for that purpose. No goods will be received or delivered during the day. It will be observed from the telegraphic news that the mail steamer Cyphrenes, which was due in San Francisco on the Bth instant if she had sailed from Kandavau strictly to time, arrived there on the 13th instant. It will be remembered that the Cyphrenes left the Fijis two or three days late, having had to coal there and go across the Pacific in place of steaming to this Colony or Sydney. Her date for leaving on her return trip would be the 20th instant, so that she would be in good time to sail punctually. Dr. Berggren, the Swedish botanist, who arrived in the Colony some months ago, and who has during his stay made a scientific exploration of the Southern Alps, is now in the City of Wellington, with the probable intention of continuing his explorations in this Province. He is at present residing at the Empire Hotel.

Iu the Resident Magistrate's Court on Saturday Mr. Suisted, of Foxton, sued Mr. High, the driver of the Foxton coach, for £7 10s., the value of a watch placed in his charge by Mr. Kin vague, jeweller, for delivery to the plaintiff. Mr. ICinvague stated in evidence that the watch, with Mr. Suisted'h address at Foxton, were left at the coach's booking-office (New Zealander Hotel), at tho defendant's request. In due course the watch was taken to Foxton, where the defendant misread the address, and forwarded it to Schultz's at Rangitikei, in charge of another coach driver. The confusion residted in the watch being lost, and the action was brought to recover its value. His Worship held the defendant to bo liable, and a verdict was given for the amount claimed and costs.

The satisfactory result attending the first concert and soiree, given under the auspices of the Choral Society, form the strongest recommendation that eoxild possibly bo adduced concerning the noireo to bo given this evening at the Theatre Royal. The sale of tickets justifies the expectation that tho attendance will be unusually large, and in view of such a contingency, ample arrangements have been made. It may be an acceptable piece of information to Torpsichoreau devotees to mention that the introductory concert will be very brief in duration.

The five-ton locomotive which has assisted to obstruct tho traffic on the wharf during the past two months, was shipped on board tho Kennedy on Saturday for transport to Greymouth, where it is to bo used on the lino between the coal mine and the port. The shipment of such a massive piece of ironwork occupied a considerable time, but it was ultimately landed safely on tho Kennedy's deck, which is admirably adapted to the safe carriage of heavy weights. Citizens desirous of beautifying tho surroundings of their residences, by cultivating a floral display or indulging the taste for forest grandeur, have an opportunity of Bccuring specimens of all species of arboreal growth at Mr. 11. .T. Duncan's sale to-day. The catalogue to bo submitted shows a splendid collection of flowering shrubs and pines from tho nursery of Messrs. J. T. Henry and Co., of Now flymouth, who have devoted a great deal of attention to tho culture of the pinus inaiynia, some splendid specimens of which will be submitted. The taste for horticulture which the people of Wellington manifest at tho periodical shows, will no doubt lead to a large attendance at the sale.

We are requested to intimate that Lady Eergusson will be at home to receive visitors at any time on Saturday afternoons.

The tender of Mr. S. Brown for the erection of two sixth class stations at Kaiwarra and Ngahauranga, at £SO each, has been accepted. It will be seen from the European news telegraphed via San Erancisco that a Russian squadron is about to visit the waters of Australia and New Zealand. ' The Hon. Donald McLean is now on a visit to Melbourne. Major Eopata is with him, and Sir George Bowen has been showing the lions of the city to his New Zealand friends.

The s.s. Tararua was to leave Melbourne for the West Coast, Wellington, and the South, on Tuesday afternoon last, and may, therefore, be heard of from Hokitika in the course of the day. rl'rf^r. The intelligence from Honolulu and Eiji, brought by the mail steamer City of Adelaide, is of no particular interest. A good crop of cotton is expected. H.M.S. Rosario had arrived at Levuka.

. The Hon. Secretary of the Wellington Choral Society requests that all members of the orchestra and choir should meet at the Oddfellows' Hall, with punctuality, at seven o'clock this evening. We are glad to see that the Corporation laborers have at last been set to work to improve the footpath along Thomdon Quay, from Molesworth Street northwards, past the Government Printing Office. It has been widened, levelled, and kerbed, and the sooner the large stones, previously used as a sort of kerbiug, are reduced to the condition of road metal the better. The road towards the railway station, however, is still without a single lamp, unfenced on the sea side, narrow, and worn into dangerous holes. As the traffic occasioned by the railway is now considerable, the earlier this roadway can be attended to and lighted, the more will those who use it be pleased. 'The Siamese Troupe concluded their short season at the Odd Eellows' Hall on Saturday evening, in presence of an audience far in excess of the attendance at any previous exhibition during the week. The feats were very varied, and were accomplished with the dexterity and precision peculiar to Japanese jugglers. The wire-walking artist, the man with the tubs, and the bending boys, elicited the highest encomiumß which could possibly be bestowed in the shape of vociferous applause; and it is not too much to say, even in these days of things sensational, that the exhibition as a whole was little short of marvellous. In visiting Wellington at the present time Messrs. King and Geddes miscalculated the chances of profit and success, otherwise tho merits of their troupe must have met with more substantial recognition. " The spending power of the people" was all but exhausted by the unprecedeutedly successful season of the Opera Company, who leave the field to other professionals with anything but encouraging prospects. Messrs. Geddes and King may be more successful on another occasion. The New Zealand horses entered for the Melbourne Cup seem to have been treated leniently by the Victorian haudicappers, who may be found to have held the strangers too cheap. Lurline, after her many victories in this Colony, is weighted at Ssfc. lllbs., Calumny at Sst., Papapa 7st. 51bs., and Waimea Gst. The race will be run in November-.

Tenders for work on the Westport and Mount Kochfort railway, and on the Timaru and Waitaki railway, are called for. In the first instance, the work required to be done is " formation and permanent way," and in the second the work is described as " the Pareora contract."