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New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 4240, 22 October 1874, Page 2

The s.s. Tararua, with the Wellington mail via Suez on board, arrived off Hokitika at midnight on Tuesday, and sailed again yesterday morning at nine o’clock for Greyraouth. She will reach Nelson in the course of this day, and Wellington early to-morrow. The Albion arrived at Port Chalmers yesterday morning, and, unless detained on the Coast, will also reach Wellington to-morrow, probably about the same time as the Tararua. The latter has a large cargo for all ports. The telegrams that have came to hand during the last few days, and the reports in the journals—some of which have necessarily been late in reaching Wellington—show how exceptionally severe the weather has been during the last month. It has been the same thing all round both islands. It is to be hoped that the worst of the winter and early spring is now over. The gale of Tuesday night and yesterday, from the north-west, was purely local, the breeze having been from south-west along the east coast of the North Island to Auckland and northwards, where it was west, and round to New Plymouth and Wanganui, where it was north-west. On the West Coast it was from the same quarter, hut light, and the bars were smooth.

The late sittings of the Supreme Court have been remarkable for the number of adjournments which have been applied for and granted. Yesterday, however, the patience of His Honor Mr. Justice Johnston—which has indeed been long-suffering in the matter—was stretched a point too far, and he expressed himself pretty plainly on the subject. The matter was brought about by a request from an opposing creditor in a bankruptcy case asking His Honor to have the kindness to adjourn the ' case for two hours, so that he might obtain the services of a legal gentleman. His Honor rather failed to see the force of the application, for, as he said, there had been ample notice of the sitting of the Court. He refused the request, modifying the refusal, however, by allowing the case to he placed at the bottom of the list. At the same time, His Honor remarked that applications for adjournments had of late been much too frequent, and there seemed to be an idea prevalent that the time of a Supreme Court Judge was fully at the disposal of those interested in matters before the Court. Several adjournments had lately been made at much inconvenience to himself, and he really must protest against the Court being used in this way to an unjustifiable extent. We may add to His Honor’s remarks that ■witnesses, and sometimes jurymen, are subjected to much inconvenience by these frequent adjournments. Of course it is not to be supposed that the applications are caused through any negligence on the part of the legal gentlemen; but on the contrary, are made in the interests of their clients. Still, exertions should be made by all parties engaged to facilitate the despatch of the Court’s business as much as possible, and to prevent protracted sittings. Probably the Judge’s remarks will act as a “gentle reminder.” It would seem that the large shipment of prime beef made per Otago, on Monday, to the West Coast ports, by Mr. Gear, would not arrive a moment too soon. Meat is scarce enough and dear enough in Wellington at present, but—in the words of Burns’ grace— Wc has meat, and we can eat, An' sae the Lord be thankit; while in Westport, Charleston, Greymouth, and Hokitika the people have not had meat, and scarcely even fish, for two or three weeks past, so scarce have been “ the cattle on the hills,” and the heavy weather having entirely disorganised the service of the cattle steamers. The telegraph had informed us that the butchers of Hokitika and Greymouth were closing their shops for the time being, having nothing to sell ; and at Westport the arrival of a solitary beast—bullock or fat cow appeared to be immaterial—was regarded as a cause of real rejoicing. How to dispose of the creature to the public satisfaction was the question, and that was done to the content of the housewives by having him or her cut up as soon as killed, and disposed of, joint by joint, under the hammer of a popular auctioneer. On the quartz ranges of Nelson, even the flour had nearly given in before the roads became passable once more to dray or horse.

The omission of a memorandum and account in the correspondence of the Town Clerk and Messrs. Jackson and Graham, published by us yesterday, which should have preceded the firm’s letter of the Bth of October, makes the matter not quite clear. In it the Town Clerk had added interest on the value of the crane, making the claim £7 155., though on the 17th of April he had only asked the sum of £5 13s. Bd., and not £7 15s. as printed in his letter of that date.

At the Resident Magistrate’s Court yesterday the only case heard was one of assault, in which a woman named Loft was charged with assaulting a man named Lockyer. The complainant swore that Mrs. Loft broke a brass candlestick over his head, and threw several other domestic utensils at him, the remains of which he produced from the recesses of a large basket. The prosecutor’s head certainly did look as if it had been in the way when such articles of use as candlesticks were moving around ; but the defendant stated that the cut had been occasioned by the complainant falling down. She only caught hold of the tails of his coat, and as she produced the missing appendages in court, it was evident that even if she had not already called into request the use of the candlesticks, the owner of the coat thought it undesirable to remain in the vicinity, and determined to make himself scarce. His Worship evidently considered the statement of the defendant open to doubt, as he fined her 20s. and costs. It was not mentioned, however, whether new coat tails were to be included in the costs or the old ones returned to the rightful owner. It may turn out yet, it appears, that the ship signalled on Tuesday morning from Mount Victoria was The Douglas. The schooner Elizabeth, which arrived at the Heads yesterday, reports having been close to the ship at an early hour on that morning, and the master states that he is perfectly sure that the vessel was The Douglas. In the strong northwesterly wind that then and afterwards prevailed she has, probably, been blown off the laud. Tiie powerful schooner Seabird, from Hokitika, was also signalled on Tuesday afternoon, but in consequence of the strong wind and sea Pilot Holmes was unable to board her, and she was blown out again to sea. Both vessels will probably come in with the first shift of wind.

The public will doubtless bo much disappointed on perusing an advertisement in another column, to which we call their attention, notifying that the Choral Society’s concert, announced for this evening, is postponed until further notice. The unfortunate cause of the disappointment is the indisposition of several of the leading vocalists, who have severe colds. The postponement was decided on at a meeting last night. The necessity will cause much inconvenience and expense to the society, and probably dissatisfaction to the public. Still, as the leading vocalists have colds, the propriety of the step cannot be questioned. It can only be said that the notice is very short, and if tho expediency of tho deferment was not suggested until last night, the colds must have come on rather suddenly. However, it is a source of congratulation that the rich musical treat of which the public have been in expectancy for a considerable time past, is only deferred. At Christchurch, the other day, Mrs. Walter Hill—who is still tho leading lady of the Steele-Keogh Company—took a benefit. The play performed was a version of Wilkie Collins’s novel “ The New Magdalen,” which was produced for tho first time. It was dramatised, we notice, by Mr. Hill, whoso success is highly spoken of by the local press. It is pleasant to observe that, while now unhappily physically debarred from active life on the stage, Mr. Hill is able to use his pen successfully, and we hope profitably, in connection with tho profession of which he was an ornament.

Judge Hogan has arrived at Gisborne. Poverty Bay, from Auckland. The Vice-Admiralty Court -was formally opened yesterday, and adjourned till the next regular day of sitting. The appointment of secretary to the Wellington Public Hall Company has been given to Hr. Charles Hillsden, who will also be the custodian of the building. The applications were numerous.

It will be observed, from an advertisement in another column, that a change of arrangement in connection with Mr. Cockery’s Pakuratahi's coaches, commences on Monday, the 2nd proximo. H.M.S. Blanche, with whose presence in Port Nicholson the people of Wellington have become so familiar, got up her anchors and steamed out of the harbor against a stronguorthwesterly gale, shortly before noon yesterday, on her voyage to Sydney and thence to England.

The following tenders were received at the Public Works Office, Wellington, for the erection of the Waikato bridge, viz. ;—Accepted ; John Taylor, Auckland, £12,789. Declined : James Brown, Tararu, £16,993 ; George Edgeoumbe, Newcastle, £17,788; William Cameron, Auckland, £21,213. From our Hobart Town exchanges we observe that on the Ist instant the following were among the letters lying in the Post Office thex - e, having been insufficiently stamped ; Mi’s. W. McConnon, Weld Street, Hokitika ; Mr. James Black, care of Mr. G. Falla, Westport, N.Z. ; and Captain George Davies, care of D. Kirkwood, Esq., Onehunga, N.Z.

The time for tenders to be sent in to the Corporation Clerk for the proposed survey of the city, which would have expired at noon tomorrow, has been extended to Thursday next, the 29th instant. It is to be hoped that an eligible offer will be made to the Council, that so desirable a work may be proceeded with as early as possible.

The examination of an insolvent at the Bankruptcy Court yesterday disclosed rather a loose way of doing business, which, if practised in more extensive dealings, would probably lead to slight complications. The insolvent described as a publican, but his real occupation seems to have been that of wood carter, with very little control of the public-house business. To give his own explanation, he was away from home every other night, and all day cutting wood and carting it in; the “missus” looked after the public-house business in general. With reference to book-keep-ing, the drinks obtained on credit were put down on a slate, but not transferred to a book, and when the slate was full the items were rubbed off and proceedings commenced afresh. He said they did not put drinks down, bat trusted to the generosity of those owing to pay. His Honor suggested that although he did not put them down he perhaps “chalked them up”—a customary process, he understood. It appeared, however, that after the slate got full no record remained of the items, and the payment of the scores was left to the conscience of those incurrring the debt —rather doubtful generally with the class who habitually incur the liability in question. The witness said it was astonishing the profits publicans made when the custom is brisk; for instance, to a cask containing four buckets of spirits it was the custom to put a bucket of water.

A meeting of the Marton-Bangitikei Jockey Club was held at Batchelor’s Hotel, Marton, on Saturday evening last, when themost liberal programme ever offered by the club was decided on. It includes the Marton-Bangitikei Handicap Plate of 100 sovs., nomination £2, acceptance £5 ; Goodwood Stakes, £3O ; and Hurdle Bace and Bangitikei Produce, each £SO ; also, Hack, Hurdle, Scurry, Selling, and other races, making in all a total of nearly £4OO to be run for. . The course is in very good order, the grand-stand is to be improved, and as a still further inducement the various stake* will be positively paid on settling night, as has always been the custom of the club. At the meeting seventeen additional members were elected.

A curious action for damages has lately been tried at Guildford, in England, before Mr. Baron Bramwell and a special jury. It was brought by the })roprietor of a troupe of Christy Minstrels, who sued the proprietor of another company for £IO,OOO, in consequence of the defendant’s company having “systematically endeavored to ruin his business by proclaiming him a swindler and-ftn impostor in all the towns in which they performed.” The jury returned a verdict for the plaintiff, but only gave damages to the extent of £3O.