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New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 4157, 17 July 1874, Page 2

Old residents, unwilling as they are to complain of the climate of Wellington, are forced to admit that they do not remember having experienced, at least for many years, such a season for rain as the present. It has rained more or less every day, with scarcely an exception, for tho last couple of months, and as the month of August is usually the wettest of tho year, there is a lively prospect before us of “ fine weather for the ducks.” Yesterday and the day before were, no doubt, the coldest experienced this winter. In the face of the surly blast from south-east (south-west, we suppose, outside) it could not be denied that “this is -winter fairly.” Yesterday morning tho ground was white in many places with mixed snow and hail; and so heavy were the showers of hail that fell yesterday afternoon that tho juveniles, if they were unable to make snow-balls after the old English pattern, were at least able to form hail-balls, for their own pleasure—and tho discomfort of those wayfarers to whom they were addressed. More disagreeable weather, in short, than that of tho last two days has seldom been experienced on the shores of Port Nicholson.

At the Resident 'Magistrate’s Court yesterday the business was greater than usual. One drunkard, who resisted the police, was fined 205., or forty-eight hours’ imprisonment. Thi - ee cases against cabmen, for breaches of tho Municipalities Act, were dealt with ; hi each instance a fine being inflicted, with order for costs. Another case under the same Act was brought against a man for allowing two horses to-wander in the streets, the penalty imposed being 10s., with 6s. 6d. coats. The adjourned cases against the two immigrants of tho Waikato for broaching and stealing tho cargo, and five others, for receiving tho stolen goods, were, on the application of Mr. Ollivier, who appeared for the prosecution, still further postponed until Monday next, the reason assigned for the application being the illness of tho doctor of tho ship, who is an important witness in tho case. As the captain did not ■wish to press the charge against two of the men for receiving, they were discharged. The

civil business actually disposed of consisted of three actions Mclntyre and Co. v. Laird, £1 19s. 3d. ; order for amount and costs. Carson v. Ross, £3 10s.; verdict for defendant, with £1 14s. costs; and Guilford and Co. v. C. Horne, £37 9s Id. ; judgment for plaintiff, and £4 9s. costs. A number of other cases were settled out of Court.

We are requested to correct an error in the report of the ruling of the Speaker of the House of Representatives yesterday. What the Speaker said had no reference to Judge Ward. His advice to the House was that the telegrams were not of such a character as to justify any action in the way of an address to the Crown for the removal of Judge Chapman. The extraordinarily wet weather Wellington is now experiencing has had other effects, it would appear, besides incommoding the citizens, and rendering the highways and by-ways of the City hardly passable. ‘ Housewives, on economy intent, complain that within the last two or three days choice beef has advanced twopence and mutton one penny per lb. Butter has also advanced threepence per lb. within the last two days. As for eggs, the hens seem to have held another convention, and resolved not to lay at all until the weather mends and they can do so under more comfortable circumstances than at present. The question of the opening up of a portion of the Waikato district, by the construction of a railway from the Thames district to the Upper Waikato, was brought before the House yesterday by Mr. O’Neill, who reminded the Premier of the representations made to him by a most influential deputation from the people of the district, when he was on a visit to that portion of the North Island. Mr. Vogel remarked, in answer to the question of the hon. member for the Thames district, that the Government had taken the matter into consideration, and that no difference of opinion existed in the Cabinet from that which he had expressed when he was on the Thames. He would, however, prefer not to discuss the matter further until the Minister of Public Works had made his statement to the House.

The question of Marriage with a Deceased Wife’s Sister is to be brought before Parliament once more in a direct way. Mr. Steward yesterday gave notice in the House, of a motion for leave to bring in a Bill on the subject. The hon. member also gave notice of his intention to ask leave to bring in a Bill to legalise reserves made by the Provincial authorities of Otago for the benefit of hospitals, and other public institutions. A question was asked in the House yesterday by the Hon. Mr. Fox, as to whether it was the intention of the Government to introduce a District Courts Act Amendment Bill this session. In doing so the hon. member observed that he thought, if the Bill were reintroduced, it would probably be received with greater favor in another place than it was last session. Mr. Vogel, in reply, remarked that he was under the impression that the Bill of last year was rejected in another place because it was supposed to he disliked by the Judges of the Supreme Court. He was, however, not sorry to hear the remark of the hon, member for Rangitikei as to the probable disposition of the Legislative Council at present. He had received a letter from the Chief Justice on the subject, which would be laid on the table of the House in a few days. It was likely, however, that the Supreme Court Practice Bill would be altered next year, and he therefore thought it would not be necessary to interfere with the law now. After the letter was on the table, said Mr. Vogel, he would be happy to consult Mr. Fox on the subject of the District Courts Act and its operation. Various questions were asked by hon. members yesterday, in the House, as to the progress of railway works in various parts of the Colony, to which the Minister of Public Works answered by asking hon. members to have patience until he should be able to make a statement to the House as to the progress of the public works generally, which would be in a few days. As to the coal railway from Ngakawhau to Westport, about which a question had been asked by the Superintendent of Nelson, the first contract, which embraced the heaviest works, had been advertised, and he believed the whole of the necessary plant had been ordered long ago from England.

When the notice of motion—Mr. Wakefield to move a series of resolutions of an ambitious character as to the taxation of the Colony—was called upon in the House of Representatives yesterday, the hon. member for Christchurch City East was not in his place. There was “ a vacant chair,” and no one to explain or apologise for the absence of the honorable member. The House was spared, for a time, a speech of many words, and the members present did not seem at all unhappy in having to postpone their expectations to some future occasion.

A correspondent -writes to us to say;—“ Sir, —ln that article which appeared in your columns of the 14th inst., in regard to Mr. McDonald’s case, X have to thank you for the kind manner in which you have made public the facts. The article in question, with one exception, is correct. The statement you made that Mr. McDonald took the gun from one of Mi - . Shultz’s rooms is incorrect. Two Maori boys who had been shooting in the bush happened to cross the bridge at the same time Mr. McDonald was on it. He took the gun from one of them, and on the arrival of the coach shot one of the leaders.” [We are happy to be corrected, but the statement we made was based on the evidence given at the preliminary inquiry.—Ed. N. Z. Times.'] A petition was presented to the House of Representatives by Mr. Taiaroa last night, from Natives of the Middle Island, praying for the establishment of a Native Council in that island. A petition was also presented by the same hon. member from a Maori of the Middle Island, in connection with claims arising out of the sale of lands some years ago in that part of the Colony. This petition probably relates to those extraordinary claims which the Maoris resident about Otago Heads have lately been putting forward. The fire-brigades of Wellington have followed the example of their confreres of Dunedin, in petitioning Parliament that they should bo exempted from serving on juries. A petition to that effect was presented to the House of Representatives last night by Mr. Pearce. The firemen represent that their duties are of a peculiar and often arduous nature. They are liable to sudden calls, in the interest of the public, and their request to be exempted from service on juries—which might, in a time of great emergency, interfere with their duties as firemen, to the great loss of the community—is not unreasonable.

The Bill now before Parliament, entitled an Act to amend The Canterbury Public Domains Act, 1872, is intended to enable the Provincial Government of Canterbury to jurovide a site on the Government Domain for the erection of a College at Christchurch. The extent of land so to be appropriated is five acres, and it is to be held by trustees for Canterbury College. The Bill was read a third time and passed iu the House of Representatives last night. The Foresters of Court Sir George Bowen dine together at the hostelry—the Foresters’ Arms —of Brother J. Valentine, on Monday next, at 7.30 p.m., to celebrate the anniversary of the Lodge. We have no doubt there will be a good muster of the members, and that the host null provide for them something more of the pasty which Brother Friar Tuck so much appreciated, and less of those “parched peas” which the same jolly old churchman and woodman and forester of Sherwood Forest so heartily hated. The Canterbury Reserves Bill passed through committee, and was read a third time and passed in the House of Representatives yesterday. Mr. Reeves had charge of the Bill.

In answer to a question, Mr. Vogel stated last night, in the House, that the Government did not propose to lay before Parliament the reports of the Judges of the Native Land Courts on the operation of the Act which constituted. them, but a Bill founded mpon them was now in preparation for submission to Parliament.

A special meeting of the City Council has been called in the usual way, to be held on Monday next, at four o’clock. The Justices of the Peace Act Amendment Bill, and the Offences against the Person Act Amendment Bill, were passed by the Legislative Council yesterday, and transmitted to the House of Representatives, where they were read a first time.

It is stated on reliable authority that a prominent and wealthy citizen is prepared to take over the New Zealand Steam Shipping Company’s fleet of steamers for £60,000, which indicates a firm faith in the value of the vessels themselves and the prospect of a profitable trade for them on the coasts of this Colony. Whatever may be the results of the forthcoming meeting of shareholders, which promises to he a very turbulent one, there is little doubt that the proprietary of the -vessels will remain in Wellington. The Kennedys gave the first of three farewell performances last evening at the Odd Fellows’ Hall, in presence of an audience which, though less numerous than was anticipated, could not be regarded as otherwise than highly complimentary, considering the exceptional severity of the weather. Fireside attractions during mid-winter storms form the burden of many of Mr. Kennedy’s most interesting narratives, so that it was not in the least surprising that no very considerable number of persons cared to desert the domestic hearth to face the keen blasts and heavy rainfall of last evening. The audience, therefore, was not a crowded one, though the front seats and gallery were tolerably well filled. The programme submitted was about one of Mr. Kennedy’s best, including his famous recitation of Bums’ more famous “Cottar’s Saturday Night.” As an elocutionary effort, exhibiting great power of facial and mental expression, the piece was admirable, though Mr. Kennedy depends most upon his singular power of entertaining his audience hour after hour, as it were, by his historical references, humorous anecdotes, and quaint songs. Occasionally, however, he gives evidence of a power which coming upon the audience unexpectedly takes the house by storm, and this power was evinced last evening in “The Last Words of Marmion,” which, though sung in imitation of the style of the far-famed Braham, was no less characteristic of the great ability of Mr. Kennedy himself. The piece won a warm encore. The younger members of the family sustained their share of the entertainment -with the usually successful results. The glees sung were, “ Hail, Smiling Mom,” and, “ Now by Day’s Retiring Lamp," and these, it need scarcely he mentioned, evinced the highest culture attainable in part singing. The Misses Kennedy furnished the accompaniments throughout the evening, in addition to playing a pianoforte duet and some solos. The family give only two more performances, on Friday and Monday, when they go to Christchurch, and after giving four farewell performances there, and four more in Dunedin, they leave for Melbourne. This evening Mr. Kennedy will recite Burns’ “ Twa Dogs,” and The Family will sing Weber’s glee, “ Come Live ■with Me,” and Calcott’s magnificent glee, “ Queen of the Valley.” The meeting held at the Masonic Hotel last evening, for the purpose of reviewing the prospects of the Choral Society, was not by any means satisfactory—a result, it should be understood, which was solely attributable to the bleak and boisterous condition of the weather. At the appointed hour there were only about twenty persons present, and, after a short delay in the expectation that this number would be increased, the business was proceeded with. Mr. G. Hunter being voted to the chair, Mr. J. R. George explained the condition of the society’s finances, the nett result being that there remains to be extinguished a debt of £6O, which the chairman suggested was too small an amount to be allowed to stand in the way of the society's advancement. The meeting was invited to make suggestions as to the best mode of clearing off the debt, but as there was an evident disinclination to proceed with the consideration of the matter at such a thinly attended meeting, no steps were taken. The chairman, however, availed himself of the opportunity to suggest that, failing other means, or even without resorting to other means, the debt could easily be‘cleared off by subscription. Mr. W. G. Sealey was elected secretary in the room of Mr. McGowan, resigned ; and on the motion of Mr. Bull, the meeting was adjourned till Thursday next.