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New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 4223, 2 October 1874, Page 2

There are symptoms at last, we are happy to say, of an approaching improvement in the weather. The barometer early this morning began to rise, and has done bo all over the Colony. The wind, also, has drawn to the southwards, and the anticipation is that fairweather will bo experienced for the next two or three days. A sharp southerly breeze sprang up very suddenly yesterday forenoon, but it died away towards the evening, leaving the night comparatively fine. An enormous increase in the revenue of Otago for the past quarter, as compared with the same period of last year, 1 is reported by telegram from Dunedin. It amounts in round numbers to £23,833 ! This is a fact which is worth the attention of those who are still doubtful of the success of the policy of the Government —immigration and public works. We have been requested to state that the Press Telegraph Agency did not send a telegram to the Taranaki News, or to any other newspaper, stating that the Provincial authorities of the Province intended to exhaust the Provincial estate before the coming change is made. By the steamship Durham the German expedition for the purpose of observing the transit of Venus has reached Melbourne. Their destination is the Auckland Islands, which they may find some difficulty in reaching. They have, however, chartered a powerful brigantine, the Stranger, to convey them from Melbourne to the Islands. The following is a return of the number of patients in the Provincial Hospital during and ending the month of September, 1874 :—Admitted—Males, 14; females, 2. Discharged— Males, 8; females, 4. Died Males, 2; Females, 0. Left in hospital—Males, 32; females, 6. Total in hospital, 38. : The following, tenders were received at the Public Works Office, Wellington, for the Mataura contract of the Clutha and Mataura railway:—Accepted—McMenamin and Co., Invercargill, £19,588. Declined—J. A. Boss and Co., Invercargill, £23,187; J. Brogdon and Sons, Wellington, £24,008; W. F. Oakes, Wanganui, £25,918; J. and N. Campbell, Invercargill, £26,648; Matheson Bros, Dunedin, £27,703; W. P. Pearce, Dunedin, £27,922; T. M. Hardy Johnston, £28,607; David Proudfoot, Dunedin, £29,423; A. Hunt, Tokomairiro, £29,734; Chas. Abbott, Dunedin, £31,367; A. F. Dawson, Invercargill, £34,000. The annual general meeting of the Star Cricket Club was held last evening, at the Pier Hotel, the President of the club in the chair. The minutes of the previous meeting were road and confirmed. Mr. Bromley, on R ing elected President for the ensuing season, said ho thought it a groat compliment to be again asked to accept the office of President of the Star C.O., —a club which was truly a Colonial one. It was twenty-six years since he had first played as one of the Wellington cloven in a match agaiust the 65th Regiment, on Thormlou Flat, where the Hospital now stands ; and though too old now to do much for the good cause of cricket, he should never cease to take an active interest in its welfare. Mr. W. J. Salmon, on being re-elected Vice-President, thanked the members for the honor they had conferred upon him. He could not give much time, but he would do all ho could for the advancement of the 5.0.0., and of the noble game of cricket. Mr. J. A.,N. Salmon was then reelected Secretary and,Treasurer ; Messrs. J. J. Salmon; Turner, S. Waters; Mason, and Mace were elected as the Committee ; and several new members were elected. It was resolved to arrange for a match to be played, if possible, on the birthday of the Prince of Wales, with the Wellington C.C. General satisfaction was expressed at the progress being made with the formation of the ground of the club, and great hopes were expressed that there might be a really good wicket during the ensuing season. ■The meeting terminated after an unanimous vote of thanks had been accorded to the chairman. The Diocesan Synod will not meet until halfpaet seven p.m., for this day’s session.

Among the passengers by the Albion yesterday were Mr." and Mrs. Kirkcaldie, of this City, who have been for some time on a visit to England. They voyaged from London to Melbourne by the new steamer Durham, of Messrs.. Money, .Wigram and. Son’s line, and had a pleasant run'.of fifty-three, days, nearly all done under steam, and in calm weather. They were warmly welcomed by their friends, and are certainly none the worse for their holiday. We learn that while travelling in Scotland they met Mr. Charles Johnston and Mr. Levein, both of Wellington, who were in the best of health, and spoke of returning soon. A private telegram mentions, as a proof of the severity of the weather during the week, that a party who set out last Sunday from Westport for Mokihinui, only returned to their starting place to-day, having been interrupted by the rivers, and unable either to proceed or to return sooner. Contracts were lately called for by the New Zealand Steam Shipping Company for the supplies necessary for their fleet, and which had previously been provided for on a different system. The successful tenderers were : —Oilmen’s stores, Mr. H. F. Logan ; wines and spirits, Mr. J. Dransfield ; bread and biscuits, Mr. Griffiths ; butcher’s meat, Mr. Gear : and vegetables and poultry, Mr. Bell. On Friday last—the Wairarapa Standard reports—a young man, named James Adams, was engaged bush-falling at Springbank, Hurinuiorangi, when a tree fell in a direction he did not expect. It crushed him, breaking both legs between the knee and ankle. Dr. Spratt was immediately sent for. He found that the right leg was fractured in both bones, while the left was a compound comminuted fracture of a much more serious character. The patient was on the following day brought by stretcher and trap a distance of sixteen miles into Greytown, greater part of the journey being. over a very rough road. On Sunday morning it was decided that the left leg should be amputated, and the operation was performed by Dr. Henry Spratt, assisted by Dr. Spratt, senior, and Dr. Whittou, who administered chloroform. The right leg was set, and the sufferer is progressing favorably towards recovery. It is understood that he has friends and resources in England, but in the Colony he has neither one nor the other, and consequently for the next few months he will be dependent on the kind offices of Wairarapa settlers. A somewhat curious divorce case, some of the parties connected with which are not unknown in New Zealand, was disposed of in the Divorce Court at Melbourne on the 17th of September. It was heard by the full Court, on the petition of Hannah Julius for a dissolution of marriage on the grounds of cruelty and adultery, and desertion for more than two years. The respondent was a gymnast named James Julius, but better known as George Loyal, and he was married to the petitioner at the Registrar's Office, Fitzroy, on the 16th December, 1867, she being at that time a ballet dancer. There had been three children, the eldest of whom, George Loyal Julius, was still alive. The alleged offence was committed with a young woman named Catherine Webber, a gymnast, who performed under'the name of Zuila, and evidence was given which showed that they lived as man and wife at the Adam and Eve Hotel, Little Collins Street. The petitioner was also called, and stated that when she was living in New Zealand with her husband he had on one occasion turned her out into the back-yard because she would not allow a certain dog to be kept in the house. Witness juj, l ? - respondent and Webber went on. a; professional engagement _ to GaatlsipAnb,* where the petitioner _ sxisJaisfecL an accident whilst practising tight rope, and Webber wrote a letter (produced) to her mother in Sydney, regretting that petitioner had not broken her legs, as she hated her. This letter had been given to Mrs. Julius to post, but she had not done so, and told her husband about it, and he promised to send Webber back to Sydney. She afterwards saw the respondent walking with Webber in Bourke Street, and asked him where he was going, and he pushed her into the gutter. On another occasion, he told her that he was going to bring Webber into the house, and that she should wait upon her and wash her clothes, and if she did not like that, he would put her (petitioner) standing on her head before her. He afterwards left her and went to Sydney without giving her any money. She afterwards obtained an order against him for £1 a week; but he only paid £i. Other evidence was given with regard to the cruelty, and the Court granted the decree. There is but little hope, it appears, of a visit from a Melbourne cricketing team this season. We learn from the Otago Daily Times that a Dunedin gentleman while lately on a visit to Melbourne from Dunedin, conferred, on behalf of the Dunedin cricketers, with Mr. Gibson, of the Melbourne Club, and another loading member of that club. Mr. Gibson thought that, on account of the Melbourne men having so many up-country and intercolonial matches, they could not visit this Colony unless they could return in four weeks, and they are still in hopes that a visit will be arranged. More and perhaps definite information will be received on the matter by next steamer. The Dunedin representative, having very little time at his disposal, was unable to see Mr. Handfield, the secretary of the club, but from those gentlemen whom ho saw he, got a most courteous reception. If the Melbourne cricketers come down, they cannot play through the Colony this year; still they hope to be able to play in Dunedin and Christchurch, and would be glad to meet a combined team. A youth of about seventeen years of age, says the Otago Daily Times, who is evidently afflicted with a monomania, to judge from his look and actions, was sentenced on the 23th ult. by Mr. Mansford to two months’ imprisonment for petty larceny. He stole a lithograph of Yal Vose, the ventriloquist, whilst the owner’s back was turned, and when charged with taking it, stoutly denied the imputation, although it was afterwards found concealed on his person. Prisoner had once before been up on a similar charge, and it was proved that his parents, who sire in a good position in London, had sent him away through his stealing proclivities. The youth was a passenger from London by the steamef Easby, only a few weeks ago. The Tuapelca Times gives the following account of the accident to Mr. G. F. C. Browne, M.P.C., proprietor of the Waitahuna Coal Pit ;—“ The accident appears to have happened in this way : On returning to the pit with an empty waggon, the horse bolted, when (Sir. Browne, who was driving at the time, leapt from the shafts to catch hold of the beast, but in doing so stumbled and fell, and .the dray passed over his back. Dr. Halley, who was at once sent for, was soon in attendance, and did what he could to alleviate the sufferer. The injuries done to the spine must have been of a very serious nature, as the lower portions of Mi - . Browne’s body were completely paralysed. On Thursday morning he was much easier, and was able to move one of his feet; but next day, ho had made little or no progress towards recovery.”