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New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 4158, 18 July 1874, Page 2

The London mail of the 2nd June, via San Francisco, was due at Auckland yesterday, but the s.s. City of Adelaide, which will bring the mail from Fiji, had not arrived when the telegraph office closed last night. The Cyphrenes would carry the mail from San Francisco to Kandavau, but her long outward voyage does not lead us to expect a fast inward run. In all probability the mail will be several days late. ■Mr. Holloway, who is now on a visit to New Zealand as the representative of the English Agricultural Laborers' Union, arrived in Wellington yesterday from Picton, after having visited the Provinces of Nelson and Marlborough. Mr. Holloway has been invited to visit Taranaki, but, it is to he hoped, will not pass through Wellington without taking a look at what the Province has to offer to immigrants. News from Australia to the 11th, and London to the Bth instant, was telegraphed yesterday from Auckland, on the arrival there of the steamer Hero, from Sydney. The news is comparatively of little interest. It will be seen, however, that in France, political affairs are shaping themselves into order, through the determination of Marshal Macmahon to adhere to the seven years' power voted to him by the Assembly, and, by the help of the army, to compel peace within France. Tho following list of additional Post Offices which have been opened in the Colony is published in the Oazctte for general information:—Boatsman's, Nelson; Blaekfords, Canterbury ; Crowandun, re-opened, Nelson ; Hampden, Nelson ; Kakaramea, Hawke's Bay ; Kihildhi, Auckland; Matakitaki,- re-opened, Nelson; Manutahi North, Taranaki; Newtown, Canterbury ; Port Waikato, re-opened, Auckland. The offices at Glenorchy and Waimahaka, in Otago, have been closed. The Colonial Distilleries, it was stated last night in the House, now produco not only whisky, but brandy, geneva, rum, &c.—any description of liquor, in short, to which the toper can give a name. When a member of a Jolly Nose Club calls for " drops of brandy," and fancies ho is drinking tho produce of the vineyai'ds of France, or at least Edinburgh whisky rectified in or near Paris, lie is only putting to his lips tho product of Melbourne molasses distilled in New Zealand. When ho thinks ho is indulging himself in that product of the distillation of juniper berries which assists in making the Dutchman phlegmatic and fat without robbing him of his acuteueßS in business, ho is only imbibing the Dunedin article. So with his rum. And, yet, if he were to ask in any hotel, in any town of the Colony, excepting the capital of Otago, or, mayhap, Auckland, he would be assured, with-a deprecatory shako of the landlord's head, that he did not keep Dunedin whisky, much less Dunedin or Auckland brandy, gin, or rum. One hon. member spoke of Colonial spirits as "poison ;" and others explained apologetically that numerous experiments had to be tried since 18G8 to bring the process of distillation to perfection, and that " now" good liquors were produced. However that may be, all Jolly Noses will be glad, no doubt, when the last drop of the spiritß distilled in the Colony up to this time have passed out of the market and from the bar.

A Bill to amend the land laws in the Province of Hawke's Bay was read a first time in the House last night, on the motion of Mr. Ormond. The Supreme Court Judges Bill was reported by the Committee to the House yesterday, read a third time, and passed. A meeting of the Wellington Education Board is appointed to he held ou Monday, at eleven o'clock in the forenoon. A new post and telegraph office is to be erected at Hokitika, in lieu of the dilapidated "shedifice" that has so long done duty. Letters of naturalization have been issued to eight persons living at the Lyell, in the Province of Nelson ; to one resident of Koss, in Westland ; and to one resident of Naseby, Otago. Mr. T. Kissling has been appointed Registrar of the Supreme Court at Auckland, during the absence—on leave—of Mr. L. O'Brien. The second part of Hansard for the session has been issued. It brings down the report as far as the discussion on the Electric Telegraph Bill, on the 10th instant. Mr. Macandrew obtained leave, and yesterday brought in a Bill to amend the Otago Waste Lands Act, which was read a first time in the House. A Bill to validate certain reserves made by the Superintendent and Council of Otago for the endowment of the Hospital at Oamaru ■ was read a first time in the House last night, on the motion of Mr. Steward. The same hon. member brought in 'a Bill to legalise Marriage with a Deceased Wife's Sister, which, also, was read a first time, and ordered to be read a second time on Wednesday. In answer to Mr. Swanson, the Premier stated in the House yesterday that, if the hon. member would move the House in the matter, he would lay on the table the opinion of the Attorney-General "as to the right of civil servants to pensions, which was submitted to the Select Committee appointed last session to report upon the Civil Service Bill." The hon. member for Newton, however, declined to do so, having been a member of the Select Committee. Mr. Vogel thereupon stated that he would take the responsibility upon himself, and lay the opinion on the table—a statement received with applause. As affecting the prospects of the municipal bodies of the Colony, a proposal which will shortly come before the General Assembly has a great deal of interest. It is nothing short of a suggestion (which emanates from the Christchurch City Council) that the whole of the revenues arising from business licenses, hawkers' licenses, and possibly publicans' licenses, shall be handed over to the corporate body of each city in the Colony. The proposal is certainly rather a , bold one, but His Worship the Mayor, has been communicated with upon the subject, and a special meeting of the City Council will be held next Monday with a view to obtaining the support of the Wellington Corporation to the proposal. All the other municipal bodies existing under the Municipal Corporations Act have been communicated with, and the subject will be brought before the General Assembly in the course of a fortnight. Mr. Swanson yesterday found a grievance in the second clause of the P. 0. Savings Bank. It limited, said he, the amount of deposits to £IOOO, but he wanted to see people put as much in the P. O. Bank as they might like. Mi-. Pyke pointed out that at present there was an unfair competition between the banking institutions and the Government P. O. Bank ; in the former exchange had to be paid for the transference of money from one part of the Colony to another, but under the rules of the P. O. Bank, £SOO deposited in Dunedin could be .drawn out at Wellington without exchange. Mr. "Vogel, however, explained the clause of which the Bill really consisted, and the measure was passed without amendment. The Manners Street Wesleyan Sunday School Library standing in need of some additions, the teachers have hit. upon the plan of having services of sacred song, interspersed Math readings illustrative of "The Pilgrim's Progress," to raise the necessary funds. These services have proved very attractive in England and in the Australian Colonies. For some weeks past the choir of the Manners Street Church, and a large number of children attending the school, have been practising with this in view. A practice was held on Friday night, and from the manner in which the pieces were rendered, it may be anticipated that those who purpose attending the entertainment on the 28th inst. have a treat in store.

Land in Blenheim, we are glad to see, is increasing in value. The Express reports : "On Tuesday last quarter-acre sections on Maxwell Road were sold by auction by Mr. C. J. W. Griffiths, and realised from £57 £7l ; a half-acre section in Domett Street, £55; section in Renwick Town, £lO ; and the offices in the occupation of A. Rogers, Esq., in High Street, £240." A sale of Provincial land took place at the Survey Office on "Wednesday last. There was no competition except for one lot, section 126, Picton Suburban, consisting of 25 acres, the upset price of which was £3O ss. After a smart competition between Messrs. McCormick and Webster, it was knocked down to the latter at £75. Section 127, Ha. lr. 19p., was bought by Mr. Barleyman, upset price £22 14s. 9d. Parts 2 and 3of 38, Upper Pelorus Valley, Suburban 1,91 a, were bought at upset price, £77, by M. Omaha. Section 45, 60a., £6O, by Mr. Jones. Section 136, North Bank of Wairau (Onainalutu Vallev), 50a Or 32p, was bought at upset, £62 13s„ by Mr. Allinson. All the other lots will now be open for selection at the upset prices. The fourteen years' lease of two reserves, each 4j-acre, in the Town of Picton, Nos. 302 and 304, were offered at an upset rental of £2 10s. per annum, but failed to meet with a bid, consequently they will have to remain unoccupied until another land sale. The second, and last but one, of the Kennedys' farewell performances was given last night in the Oddfellows' Hall to a very good house, the front seats being quite full. Mr. Kennedy's wonderful fund of humor and capital expression, combined with considerable elocutionary power, are so well known that it would be superfluous to detail his success on this occasion. His recitation of Burns's wellknown poem, "The Twa Dogs," was most admirably delivered. The glees, which form so attractive a portion of this entertainment, were favorite ones with the audience, as they, in fact, are in every community. "Come, Live with Me," and " Queen of the Valley," give unusual opportunities of showing the powers of the family ; and last evening they fully upheld their well-acquired renown. The remainder of the programme was given in a manner which could not fail to favorably impress any audience evincing a taste for a pleasant, refined, and genuine evening's amusement. The family appear here for the last time on Monday night. On tho arrival in harbor of the ship Weymouth yesterday afternoon it was noticed that she had the police flag flying. When a member of the force proceeded on board, the requisition for attendance proved to be owing to the conduct of a man who was charged with assaulting and obstructing the crew in performance of their duty. It was stated that the delinquent impeded the work of letting go the anchor, and that the obstruction came near causing the ship to go on shore. Pull particulars will, however, come out at the Court to-day, when the man will be brought up. The debate on the Civil Service Amendment Bill in the House last night was a long and dreary one, lasting from about nine o'clock to long past midnight. Nearly every member had his "say," and some of them a "say" several times. Mr. Swansou made himself very conspicuous, and descended to coarse personalities which were repudiated by the good sense of the House, and brought the hou. member's observations —some of which were very sensible—into contempt. The chief point of the discussion was whether tho Governor should have power to grant sums in addition to the amount fixed by tho Act, viz., £9OOO, which was earned on a division. Ultimately progress was reported, and leave obtained to Bit again.

I One drunkard was fined at the Resident | Magistrate's Court yesterday, and another man remanded on a charge of vagrancy. A first dividend of 2s. Cd. on all proved debts has been paid by the trustees of the estate of Mr. Fisher, of Nelson, Joe Potter, the prospector of Larry's, is reported to have discovered a new line of reef at the Lyell. The entrance to the Waitara river has proved fatal to the schooner Eliza Mary, as well as the steamer Paterson. A sudden change in the wind, and a heavy fresh, took her on to the South Spit, where she became a wreck. The Wahatip Mail states Mr. Beetham,. R.M., of Queenstown, has been called upon by the General Government to proceed to the West Coast to assess matters connected with the Waimea Water Race Company,, and the claims of land holders and others. The Government has entered into a contract with Messrs. N. Edwards and Co. for the conveyance of the San Francisco mails from the Manukau to New Plymouth, Nelson, Westport, Greymouth, and Hokitika, and back by the same route. The s.s. Murray will be employed on this service. When a man named James Wheeler was in the Resident Magistrate's Court yesterday, charged with vagrancy, he stated that he had been discharged from a Lunatic Asylum in Otago, and that the Government of that Province had paid his passage to Wellington. The statement was made in open Court; but bears strongly the impression of at least improbability. One of the members for the City of Nelson, Mr. D. M. Luclde, has addressed, through the columns of the local papers, the following letter to his constituents :—" Gentlemen, — When I landed in Nelson this morning, I fully proposed holding a public meeting to-night or to-morrow evening, but I am obliged to forego my intention, as I learn that carrying it into effect would necessitate my staying here for five or six days, thus being a week longer in attending in-my place in the House. I have therefore determined to proceed by the Ladybird to Wellington, as I think I may be able to perforin better service there for the interests of Nelson than by remaining here comparatively idle. I shall, I need hardly say, give my earnest attention to Nelson interests, as I believe that Nelson, like some other Provinces, merits special consideration at the hands of the Government. The lands of the Southern Provinces are producing vast revenues, which are being locally expended, and yet these very same Provinces are about to ask for special Provincial loans. The Railway and Public Works policy, together with the Immigration return, has_ tended greatly to enhance the value of land in 'different Piovinces. .It has enabled Canterbury, for example, to sell large blocks of land at a high price, and hence her coffers are full. This is due to the expenditure of the Colonial loan, for which the whole Colony is responsible. In my opinion it is not just to the less fortunate parts of the Colony that they should receive nothing, while those which are rolling m wealth obtain the lion's share of the advantages and other Provinces are left comparatively uncared for, if not wholly neglected. On these grounds alone, it is but just that Nelson should apply for Colonial assistance ; and on these grounds I shall support a loan for Public Works for Nelson, and also urge on the Government the propriety of extending the Fox Hill Railway such additional distance as shall be necessary to reach the seam of coal found in the Hope district by Mr. Rochfort. I shall say no more now, but after the close of the session shall take an opportunity of addressing you in Nelson. Offering my earnest thanks for the confidence you-liave heretofore reposed in me—a confidence I , trust I shall do nothing to forego,—l am,. yours faitlifully, D. M. Luoiue, Nelson, .July 10, 1574. Judgment was given on Thursday in the Resident Magistrate's Court in an action which was commenced and adjourned some little time ago. The case was, A. P. Stuart aud Co. v. Bethune and Hunter, £42 16s. 2d., for damage sustained by the plaintiffs by reason of the defendants' omission to offer for sale by auction four cases of lamps entrusted to them by plaintiffs for that purpose. The defence was, that the plaintiffs had been warned that Mr. Hunter, the salesman of the defendants' firm, was ill, and could not conduct the sale, and that the latter had urged the removal of the goods to some other auctioneer; this request plaintiffs refused to accede to, consequently any loss incurred was by their own accord. The verdict was for the defendants, with £lO 4s. costs. A visit to the establishment of Mr. Liardet, furrier, Willis Street, Wellington, will repay the curious, and also those who take an interest in seeing natural curiosities worked up into articles that are at once both useful and ornamental. Persons who have not seen would scarcely believe the beautiful uses to which the skins of birds frequenting the coast of this Colony may be put after they have been dressed with skill and taste. Out of the skins of ordinary seagulls Mr. Liardet contrives to make muffs, cuffs, and tippets, very elegant to look at and desirable to wear.. The various cormorants frequenting • the shore have also been placed under contribution, and their down works up into numbers of articles of personal adornment and use. From the down of the black swans various trimmings and other merceries of great purity and delicacy are obtained. The skins of the albatross are found, when worked up, to make many articles of feminine ware very attractive to the eye ; and their wings are largely sold to place round pier glasses and pictures. The establishment is a unique one; and it demonstrates what numberless articles there are around us that can be made valuable by artists who know how to treat them. Many of the bird skins are obtained by Mr. Liardet from the Wairoa River and Cape Campbell; but he obtains also supplies from the masters of inany vessels that trade to this port.