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New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 4193, 28 August 1874, Page 2

The business of Parliament for the session 1874 is practically over. The Appropriation Bill was passed through all its stages in the House of Representatives yesterday. Mr. Vogel informed the House, in answer to a question, that the prorogation would take place either on Saturday or Monday ; the day depended upon the progress - the Ujjper House made with the measures still undisposed of there.

Both Houses of Parliament adjourned early last night, a ball given by His Excellency having, apparently, more attractions for hon. members than winding-up the business of the session. An hour or two after dinner, while the House was waiting for a message from His Excellency the Governor, were “improved” in a sort of free-fight over the whole of the Ministerial policy, in which everything was discussed excepting the motion before the House, which was one for a return which there was no possibility of making.' The Legislative Council sits for a short time this afternoon, but the Representatives do not come together again till half-past twelve p.m., on Saturday. A special meeting of the City Council was called yesterday afternoon, for the purpose of considering the question of water service charges. There were present—the Mayor, Councillors Mills, Moss, Rainie, Dransfield, Krull, Burrett, Greenfield, aad MoKirdy. Some little discussion took place relative to a mistake in calling the meeting, as it was resolved at the last ordinary meeting that the Council should consider the matter in committee the following Thursday. A difference of opinion appeared to exist amongst the Councillors as to whether it had been determined to consider the matter in committee, or at a special meeting. Those, however, who were under the former impression, were ■ undoubtedly right, as that was the determination come to. Our report of the proceedings said—“lt was ultimately resolved that the matter should be considered in committee on Thursday next.” A letter complaining of the water service charges was also “ referred to the committee on the deputation relative to the same matter.” After a few remarks by members of the original deputation on the matter, and a discussion amongst the Councillors, it was resolved, on the motion of Councillor Dransfield, seconded by Councillor MoKirdy, that the Council should sit in committee pn Monday next, at 4 p.m., to consider the matter.

The following cases were disposed of at the Resident Magistrate’s Court yesterday : James Wheeler, charged with vagrancy, was sentenced to one month in gaol, with hard labor; Mary, Ann McGregor, for being illegally on the premises of a person named Hutchens, with the two men who, for the same offence, were sentenced on the previous day to two months with hard labor, was committed for the same derm ; Ellon Anderson, for using ; threatening language to a man named Larsen, was bound over to keep the peace for three mouths ; and a man was fined ss. and costs for iallowing the chimney of his house to become so foul that it took fire.

An action was brought in the Resident 'Magistrates Court yesterday, by Mr. Frank Towers against Messrs. Hydes and Glover, for using the title of the “ Urif Dramatic Company,” and to restrain them from further doing so. Mr. Allen appeared for the plaintiff, and the defendants were represented by Mr. Travers. The facts of the case are briefly as follows The plaintiff, then in partnerslup with Mr. C. H. Burford, originally dramatised the work of “Grif” tor special representation by Miss Rosa Towers, assisted by a company which the plaintiff with his partner formed, of which company the defendants _ were members. This was entitled the “ Grif Dramatic Company,” and they played the drama of that, name and other pieces in various parts of the Colony for a considerable time., A short .time ago the company was broken up in Wellington, the plaintiff and others going on a tour in the Wairarapa district, where they performed under the original title of the company, and the defendants, with others who had belonged to the company, appeared at the Odd Fellows Mall here, under the same title. It was contended on behalf of the plaintiff that the play of “Grif” was dramatised for his special use ; that the company was formed and the title adopted by him. The line, of argument taken for the defence was to the effectthat one of the defendants (Hydes) first suggested the title of “Grif,” and that when the partnership between the plaintiff and Burford was dissolved in the general breaking up of the Company in Wellington, the “Grif Dramatic Company” was virtually at an end; consequently defendants had as much right to use the title as the plaintiff had. Evidence of a conflicting nature was given, various cases were cited by the counsel on both sides, and 1 lis Worship reserved his decision until Monday next.

The survey of the .Waitara--Wanganui Railway is to he proceeded with, at once, instructions having been given to Mr. C. W. Hursthouse to this effect. This, says tho Taranaki Herald, is very satisfactory ; and we may expect to find by the time tho New Plymouth portion of tho line is finished, that tenders for the construction of, the railway in the Patea direction will be called for. •

There is to bo a meeting of the Wellington Philosophical Society in the. Museum on Saturday, when papers are to be read on subjects with regard to which it is safety to say—see advertisement.

We have received a copy of the “ Report on the Proposed Improvement of the Grey River, by E. 0. Moriarty, M.A., M. Inst. C.E., En-giueer-in-Chief for .Harbors . and Rivers, N.S.W.” The report contains some information about the Grey river which anybody might pick up by a day’s visit to Greymouth, and is accompanied by a map illustrating what the local harbor and survey officials have ascertained. The inhabitants of Greymouth cannot be congratulated upon their employment of Hr. Moriarty. They have expended a large amount of money to have placed, in the form of a pamphlet, what they have read a hundred times over, and in better English, in the form of a newspaper paragraph. “An exhibition of cats, which it is proposed to hold in connection with the forthcoming show of the Stawell Pastoral and Agricultural Society promises,” we learn from the Pleasant Creek News, “to be a great success, as well as a novelty. The ‘ pusses’ of many households are being tenderly cared for and fed on the fat of the land, that they may appear at their best on the eventful 20th of the mouth.”

At a late meeting of the Nelson City Council, a letter was received from Messrs. Fell and Atkinson, as solicitors for the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel, offering the offices lately occupied by the Examiner Company as offices for the City Council, at a rental of £6-1 per annum. It is not stated in what manner the “Propagation of the Gospel” and the publication of the Examiner were associated.

A Local Government Bill is at present under discussion in the Victorian Assembly. In moving the second reading,. .Mr. Gillies explained the proposals of the Government with reference to endowment. In cases where boroughs having under 500 persons on the ratebooks join with shires, they will receive an endowment of 40s. in the £, and where they stand alone, of 20s. in the £. Boroughs having under 1,000 on the rate-books will also receive 20s. in the £. No alteration was to be made with regard to the endowment of shires. The following is given by the Otago Daily Times as specimens of City Council “ amenities”:—ln the course of the Princes Street widening discussion, Mr. Prosser said Mr. Fish was interested. Mr. Fish replied that he was impartial, and denied the imputation of unworthy personal motives. Mr. Prosser reiterated that Mr. Pish was interested, but did not impute motives to him. Further on, Mr. Fish said Mr. Prosser was jumping up on points of order like a jack-in-the-box. He also ridiculed Mr. Prosser for pronouncing spoliation “ spoiliation.” The following particulars of the circumstances under which Mr. dames McGregor, of Matarawa, lost his life, are given by the Wanganui Herald; —“ It appears that a large number of young men were in the habit of going to some very broken ground to shoot cattle, and although they had been warned by settlers to be very careful, as on such ground an accident of the kind may easily happen, they pursued their sport in the same manner as before. Yesterday afternoon they were out, and in the excitement of the hunt there was a good deal of cross-firing. The deceased was missed after a time, and, on search being made, was found dead, a bullet having passed through his head. It is perhaps a fortunate thing for the peace of mind of those who wore out with the party, that nobody appears to have the slightest idea as to who fired the fatal shot.” The following paragraph appears in the Nelson Colonist, in relation to the recent case of manslaughter, at Wakapuaka:—lt is only fair to the members of the present Licensing Court to state, that they were not aware of the life Boseley and his wife were leading, when the last license was granted. It seems the police, some two .years ago, objected to the license, but were rather snubbed by some of the Justices for their pains, and have not, consequently, made formal objections at each succeeding Licensing Bench. This, no doubt, they ought to have done, spite of the unpleasant process of being “sat upon.” We are informed that had a formal objection to the license been made at the last Court, and the facts as they are now apparent been made known to the Commissioners, the license would, undoubtedly, have been refused. But the police authorities, having been unsuccessful in their opposition to the license in former years, appear to have thought it unnecessary to press their objections this year. But the .blame ought not to be given altogether to the police, for while Boseley’s friends and neighbors, and those other persons who were constantly passing the house, and had some knowledge, it is said, of the intemperate habits of this unfortunate man and his deceased wife, they had the power, by taking advantage of what Mr. Fox considers the best part of the present Act, to have signed such a petition as would have prevented any license being granted. In the action of Walker v. George, which was lately concluded in the Supreme Court, Melbourne, the plaintiff, Mr. James Walker, sued the publisher of the Australasian for three alleged libels that appeared in that journal. The plaintiff had a racehorse called the Marquis of Lome, which ran in the Bendigo Steeplechase Meeting in May, 1873. The stewards considered that the horse Was pulled dishonestly, that the plaintiff was a party to it, and they disqualified the plaintiff, his jockey . (Reid), and the horse for ever. This disqualification was endorsed by the committee of the V.R.C. The Australasian published on the' 31st May a letter signed “ Justice,” addressed to the Bendigo stewards, and commenting on the race ; two leading articles also appeared on the subject, and it was alleged that all were libellous. The case was tried in March last, when a jury gave a verdict for plaintiff, with £3OO damages. This verdict was considered unsatisfactory, and a new trial was ordered, .which has taken, place during the past week. Mr. Justice Stephen summed up, strongly against the defendant. The jury," after deliberating for three hours, returned a verdict as to one article for the 'defendant, that it was a fair comment ; as to “Justice’s” letter, they gave a verdict for plaintiff, with a farthing damages ; as to the other article, ten of the jury gave a verdict for plaintiff for one farthing. “ Blondiu’a performance at Brisbane on Saturday afternoon, August 1, was, perhaps,” remarks the Courier, “ the most successful and attractive ho has given at Brisbane, for the difficulties he had to contend against were very great. In the first place, the wind .was blowing almost a hurricane, making the feat of rope travelling, at an altitude of eighty feet, even to 6ns so experienced as the hero of Niagara, anything but a holiday pastime. M. .Blondin,-nevertheless, went through his programme of dangers in the most praiseworthy manner. One of the most remarkable feats performed by him was that of partaking of a fruit and wine dessert on the rope. He carried his chair and table, the former in front, on which his pole was balanced, and the chair slung across his shoulders. Having placed thorn in position, a bottle of champagne and plate of fruit were pulleyed up to him, and these he partook of with evident enjoyment. The cork of the bottle, not yielding readily to the corkscrew, he coolly knocked the head off with a knife, leaning over the rope at an acute angle to do so. Instead of carrying over his secretary on his shoulders, he performed that office for Mr. Shepperson, the bookseller, who weighs over list. Blondin’s live burden seemed as unconcerned as himself, bowing to the spectators in the most nonchalant manner at several points on his aerial journey. On his descent, Mr. Shepperson received quite an ovation.” ’

“ It is believed,” tho Ballarat Courier says, “that the identity of the Bollan ruffian has been established, and that he proves to have been a discharged convict from Pentridge, who was several times convicted from the Sandhurst district—once for horse-stealing, another time for maliciously shooting cattle, and once or twice in addition for similar offences. A microscopic examination of the portraits taken by Mr. Willett has revealed certain marks on the features, which, with the general appearance of the man, correspond with tho description of a criminal who was discharged from' Pentridge in September last.”

♦lt is stated that the prospectus of a projected Westport Gas and Coke Supply Company will very probably be soon submitted to tho public.

The Ballarat Star learns from a private source that the Hon. J. G-. Francis is going to Canally, In Riverina, where he will be the guest of Hr. J. F. Maguire. Mr. Thomas Birch, of Dunedin, is publishing a series of letters in the Evening Star, giving a narrative of his journey through America, and his experiences in Great Britain, as Immigration Agent under the AgentGeneral.

A contract is likely to be made by the Government of South Australia with the Dutch Company, who are now running steamers from Batavia round Australia, for the carriage of mails between Port Darwin and Adelaide. The company are now having four new steamers built for the trade in Great Britain.

The Poverty Bay Standard states that Mr. Stubbs, the manager of Gisborne Peti-oleum Company, informs it that several new oil springs have been discovered on the company’s ground, about half a mile due South from the old springs. They appear to be as prolific as any hitherto found. Mr. John Bennett, lessee of the Victoria Theatre, Sydney, has rescued in Iris time twenty-eight persons from drowning in the Darling harbor. A public testimonial is to be presented to him, for which a subscription (limited to 55.) is being energetically carried out. Judge Rogers has given great offence to the people of the Corner at Ballarat by some remarks he made in a case, which recently came before him. Mr. William Nixon, the chairman of the Ballarat Stock Exchange, has forwarded a letter to the Solicitor-General, in which he encloses a report of the Judge’s remarks, from the Ballarat Star, which represents his Honor to have said that “All the brokers at thd Comer should be in gaol, in consequence of their villainous practices.” Mr. Nixon considers it his duty to assure the Solicitor-General that a grosser or more dangerous calumny was never uttered by a public man, and expresses-a hope that “ as Judge Rogers has so unwarrantably traduced, and probably injured us in the eyes of the whole Colony, you will be pleased to require from him that lie shall publicly withdraw the calumny.”