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New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 4236, 17 October 1874, Page 2

We learn that official information has been received by His Excellency that Her Majesty has been pleased to confer upon him the distinction of Knight Commander of the Order of St. Michael and St. George.

Telegraphic communication with the North was resumed yesterday. The southern wires were also brought into working order. As to the weather, the latest telegrams from the North state that unusually severe weather has been experienced there during the past week. On Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday, it blew very hard from the westward and southward, the wind being accompanied by heavy gusts and showers of Kail. Snow is reported as having fallen at Auckland, Grahamstown, and Ooromandel. A strong proof of the singular inclemency of the season is the occurrence of snow at Tauranga, the climate of which is known to be exceptionally free from cold weather and heavy winds. It will be noticed that at Hokitika there is at present quite a famine of meat. The heavy seas along the coast have prevented the cattle steamers from making their usual trips, and some of the butchers have found it necessary to close their places of business temporarily in consequence. It is not likely to bo forgotten that the inauguration of Wellington College, postponed from Thursday, takes places to-day, according to the original programme. The sports begin in the College grounds at eleven o'clock, and the luncheon—at which His Excellency will preside—takes place at half-past two o'clock p.m. The day—should the weather prove fine, of which there is hope—will be, comparatively, a holiday in town.

The immigrants per ship Cartvale, who have for the last few day 3 been resident on Somes Island, to enable them to have a good cleaning up before landing in Wellington, will be brought' over from the island on Monday. Two of the female immigrants have been, and still are invalids, and in a precarious state, one of them suffering severely from erysipelas. The ship has been painted, 'tween decks, fore and aft, and thoroughly cleaned up. She, also, will be released immediately.

The following new post-offices have been opened : —Alford Forest, Province of Canterbury ; Ashburton Gorge, Canterbury ; Bannockburn (re-opened), Otago ; Callaghau's Gully, Westlaud ; Coshel Street East, Canterbury ; Feilding, Wellington ; Groyetown, Marlborough ; Hautapu, Auckland ; Hikutaia, Auckland ; Newdorf, Nelson ; Ohau, Wellington ; Ohoka, Canterbury; Opawa, Canterbury; Tokaanu, Auckland.

We observe that tho post-office at Sawyers' Bay, in the province of Otago, has been closed, and that the name of the post-office in the province of Auckland known as Pakaia, has been changed to Omapero.

The Steele-Keogh Dramatic Company, we understand, have arranged to visit Wellington for a dramatic season in the end of January or the beginning of February next.

The Rev. E. H. Granger, M.A., of the United Church of England aud Ireland, and the Rev. John M. Sutherland, M.A., of the Presbyterian Church of Otago and Southland, have been gazetted as authorised to celebrate marriages under the Marriage Act, 1854. The annual meeting of the Wellington Cricket Club was held last night, when thare was only a moderate attendance. Officebearers were elected for the ensuing year, and other arrangements made for the ensuing season.

No police cases were before the Resident Magistrate yesterday morning. A number of civil cases were heard, but none of them were of any interest. A number of defaulters in the matter of water-rates were brought up, and judgments given in fifteen cases. The public will have an opportunity to-night of enjoying & novel treat—that of a torchlight procession by the Central Volunteer Fire Brigade. The brigade are summoned for this evening at eight o'clock, for the purpose of forming a torchlight procession to escort Miss Alice May from the theatre to the Empire Hotel. The compliment is a pretty one, and there will undoubtedly be an unusual turn-out on Lambton Quay and Willis Street to see or take part in the procession.

It is announced in the Gazette that His Excellency the Governor has been pleased to accept the resignation of P. A. Philips, Esq., J.P., of Auckland, of his appointment as a Resident Magistrate. The following appointments are gazetted :—Captain Burton John Davener to be a clerk in the Imperial Pensions Office, Auckland (from the Ist of October); and Charles O'Hara Smith to be a clerk in the Treasury (from the Ist of May last).

We learn that the new firm for whom the brick premises in Willis-street, which we noticed yesterday, are now being built, will consist of Mr. W. Nathan, of Messrs. L. D. Nathan and Co., Auckland ; Mr. James Goldsmith, lately of Dunedin, who lias gone home to buy for the firm ; and Mr. Joseph Joseph. The style of the firm will be Messrs. Jacob Joseph arid Co., general merchants and commission agents." It is expected that business will be commenced early in January. A very silly rumor was in circulation yesterday—the origin of which could not be traced—to the effect that the mail steamer Tararua foundered in the gale which she encountered in or on leaving Foveaux Strait, and that some of her people had been rescued by an inward-bound collier and landed at Port Chalmers. The folly of the mischievous person who spread the rumor is inconceivable. The Tararua encountered a very severe gale, we all know, between Port Chalmers and the Bluff—a gale so severe that thirty-nine hours were occupied in doing a distance usually accomplished in fifteen or sixteen. It is also known that she started again in the teeth of the gale, and that Captain Clarke was doubtful as to whether he would be able to force his way out of the Strait. If he succeeded in doing so, he would have " a soldier's wind," and, he hoped, would be in time to save the mail. If the Tararua could not face the gale, undoubtedly Captain Clarke would take shelter under the Solander, or in one or other of the many places of refuge to be found on the coast of Southland. He does not appear to have done so. If he had taken shelter under the Solander, the Otago would have seen the Tararua, but she did not. If Captain Clarke had gone'into Dusky Sound, H.M.S. Blanche would have reported him. There is no doubt that the Tararua forced her way to sea, and that she will herself, in a few days, report from Hokitika her safety ; though it may be doubtful whether she succeeded in catching the P. and O. steamer in Hobson's or Port Phillip Bay. By way of the Bluff, through the incident of the visit of the U.S. Swatara with the American astronomers who are to observe the transit of Venus at the Chatham Islands, we have a few items of later English and Australian intelligence, which will be found in another column. It will be seen that the accusation made by Prince Bismarck against Count Arnim is regarded in Germany as serious, involving, in the abstraction or suppression of public documents of the highest importance, very grave consequences. It will also be noticed that the amendment proposed by Sir James McCulloch, in opposition to the TariS Bill of the Victorian Government, has been negatived by a large majority. The RamsayKerf erd Ministry are therefore safe for the present. We observe from the home journals that at the last quarterly meeting of delegate officers of the Grand Protestant Association of Loyal Orangemen of England, Southern district, a resolution was unanimously adopted congratulating Prince Bismarck on his escape from assassination, and expressing the sympathy of the officers with the great Protestant movement now being carried out by him in Germany. In reply, Count Munster writes : " I have riot failed to forward to its high destination the resolution enclosed in your letter of the 24th ult. According to orders lately received, I feel very happy in expressing to the Grand Protestant Association of Loyal Orangemen the gratitude of His Serene Highness the Prince Bismarck for that sign of sympathy shown by them on the occasion of the very sad event of the attempt on His Highness' life." We mentioned lately that the New Tori Herald was running a special and exclusive Sunday morning newspaper express between New York and Saratoga. The last journey was made in the end of August, and the 400 miles' journey was done in twelve and a half hours—about the same time as the night express on the Great Northern line does the journey (399 miles) between London and Edinburgh. Part of the journey, where the gradients were favorable, was done at the rate of sixty miles an hour. The train consisted of an engine, and sufficient carriages to accommodate despatchers of the paper, who made up and delivered the parcels as the train proceeedd. A party of American cricketers played a match with the Sheffield Club in August, in that town. American cricket would seem to have improved of late, for the Americans defeated the Sheffield men in one innings, and with forty-two runs to spare. The Sheffield men only made forty-three and forty-five in their two innings, and the strangers in their first innings scored 130. They have been victors in games with several other English clubs.

Wellington shares with Dunedizi the complaint made in the following paragraph by the Times :—"Though the building-trade in Dunedin appears to be as brisk as ever, the competition is scarcely keen enough to provide house accommodation for the large numbers who are being poured into the province. His Honor the Superintendent's expression of surprise to a recent deputation that our capitalists were not more impressed with the importance of erecting cottages was well founded. The high rents at present, which have been ruling for some considerable time past, must be returning an enormous percentage on the original outlay." The Californian Press denounces the late conduct of Mr. H. H. Hall, in connexion with the Australasian and American Company, as " swindling,'' as he had been made aware by telegraph that the tickets he was selling as "through tickets" would not be honored by the American railways. The San Francisco Call requires that the American Government should take steps for his arrest and punishment.

An interesting piece of news comes to us by way of America. It is that the various magnificent but secret donations that have been given to the different charitable institutions of London during the past few years have been traced to the Queen, who is said to have disover £IOO,OOO in that way. Cornell University (U.S.) has sent Professor Charles F. Hartt on a scientific journey to the gold and diamond-fields of Brazil. _ He will examine their character, geologically and otherwise, and review observations he had previously made on the southern glacial drift. He is accompanied by a student of the university as assistant.

The Gourlay Family, who aro about to be rejoined by " Johnny Gourlay," were playing with success at McGuire's Theatre in San Francisco in September last, drawing good houses, and much appreciated. Nothing like business ! Ati American widower, who signs himself " Protestant," advertises in the matrimonial column of the JVeie York Herald for "an intelligent self-support-ing woman for a wife, from forty to fifty years of age." In the Japan- stream, on the recent scientific cruise of the Tuscarora, bottom was found at the enormous depth of 4658 fathoms, or five and a-half miles. This is said to be the greatest depth, by nearly a mile, that has ever yet baen sounded.

The free public library project has been knocked on the head for the present. The voting took place yesterday in the various wards, and the result was a grand total of 21 votes for the library and 235 against it—the adverse maiority being 214. There voted : In Te Aro Ward, 12 for and 115 against; in Lamb+on Ward, 4 for and 40 against; and in Thorndou Ward, 5 for and 80 against the proposal.

The United States sloop-of-war Swatara arrived at the Bluff yesterday morning at six o'clock, last from Hobart Town, with the American party of sarans who are to observe the transit of Venus at the Chatham Islands. The Swatara, we leam, was specially fitted up for this service. She sailed from New York, iu command of Captain Chandler, on June 8, with five parties of observers and their instruments. She touched at Capetown first, to compara chronometers with the observatory at that place. Next she proceeded to Crozet Island, where the first party, under the command of Captain C. W. Raymond and Lieutenant S. E. Tillman, both of the U.S. Engineers, were left. Thence she went to Kerguelen's Laud, where a party, under the command of Lieutenant Ryan, and Lieutenant Train, U.S. Navy, were landed. Thence she proceeded to Hobai-t Town, which point is occupied by a party in charge of Professor Harkness, of the U.S. Naval Observatory ; and from there she came to Bluff Harbor, where Professor Peters and his assistants have been landed. Chatham Island will be the last point of call, where the fifth and last party, under Mr. Smith, of the U.S. Coast Survey, and his assistant Mr. Scott, will be stationed. In the meantime, the vessel will make a number of trips, carrying chronometers to different places, aud after the observations are over she will proceed back and pick up the observers. She was expected to arrive at the Bluff on the Ist of October, but owing to the severe gales recently in the Southern Ocean was delayed till yesterday. Mr. Bass—one of the party, who came by way of San Francisco—lately visited the Clyde, and decided to lecommend that locality as a suitable place for an observation, being likely to command a clear sky. The Swatara has a crew of two hundred men.

Madame Agatha States, or Orlandini, news of whose death was brought by the last San Francisco mail, will be remembered in Australia as one ,of the best singers who have visited that portion of the world from abroad. We learn from an obituary notice in the Ameiican newspapers that she died of pleurisy, at the early age of thirtythree. She was bom in Dublin in 1841, her maiden name being Gayor. v'Ata very early age," say the journals, ."she went with her parents to San Francisco. When a young girl, signs of a very sweet soprano voice became evident, and she was given the beat musical training which the place could afford. This being found inadequate (as it had been resolved upon to make her a professional singer), she was sent to Italy to complete her musical education. Her studies were conducted in Milan, and the voice which had first been remarked with increasing years grew to be a very flexible and sympathetic though not powerful organ. Eor some years after her education was completed she sang iu public in. Italy, and formed one of many companies, which travelled from place to place. Indeed, there are few Italian cities in which she is not known. . She subsequently returned to San Francisco, where she married. It was not. until the spring of 1868 that Mdme. States sang in New York city, appearing at Pike's Opera House (now the Grand Opera House). Her personal success was very great, though she sung in rivalry with Mdme. Lagrange and Mdme. Parepa. Her best role was that of Elvira, in Verdi's "Ernani," in which her success was unquestioned. The season, however, was a disastrous one and broke up very suddenly, the company being turned adrift. A short time after Mdme. States gathered the scattered fragments together and made several professional tours through the provinces, she and Signor Orlandini travelling as "stars." This gentleman she subsequently married, and the two travelled with a troupe not only throughout the United States but in Mexico, South America and Australia, from which country, where she was a great favorite, she but recently returned, reaching San Francisco in July last. Mdme. States in person wa* handsome and winning in her manners. She leaves two children, son and daughter, respectively aged thirteen and eight years.":