Untitled

New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 4261, 16 November 1874, Page 2

Tlie Court of Appeal begins its sitting to-day at 12 o’clock, their Honors the Judges being occupied from 11 o’clock hearing matrimonial causes. The appeal case for hearing to-day is the Hokitika and Greyinoiith Tramway Company v. the County Council of Westland. The Attorney-General, Mr. South, Mr. Button, and Mr. Newton, are the counsel engaged. The members of the Artillery Company fire this morning, for choice of district representatives, at the - colonial prize firing to take place at the Thames. The other town companies fire during the week. Business at the wharf to-day will be unusually brisk. No fewer than six steamers are now lying alongside, and two more are expected to arrive during the day. The Hon. Mr. Richardson, Minister for Public Works, was a passenger from the South by the Otago yesterday. The Napier will leave for Poxtou to-day with about sixty immigrants for the Feilding Settlement by the ship Star of India. We understand that His Excellency the Governor leaves Wellington to-day for Auckland, by his yacht the Blanche, and will embark from Brown's wharf at five o’clock p.m. Mr. Carroll, provisional trustee in bankruptcy, will fulfill the duties of deputy registrar of the Supreme Court until the appointment of a successor to Mr, Hammertou. His Excellency the Governor was entertained at a farewell dinner by the members of the Wellington Club on Saturday evening. Sir George Aruey and the puisne judges were present as guests. There was little business before the Resident Magistrate on Saturday. Two drunkards were dealt with in the usual manner; and a warrant was ordered to issue against a man named McLauglin, for illtreating his wife. A civil case concluded the business. Some eminent members of the Dunedin bar, including Messrs. Stout, Smith, Chapman, and Macassey arrived by the Otago yesterday, being engaged in several Dunedin cases to come before the Court of Appeal. Mr. Melchior Winter, the tenor of the late Claus-Rokel Company, having concluded his New Zealand engagements, is now en route to Melbourne by the steamer Otago. A fog, almost as dense as those for which London is noted, enveloped this city during Saturday night and yesterday morning. A singular-looking cloud was visible to the southward from early on Saturday, but appeared to be stationary. In the evening, however, it had reached the city, and up till eleven o’clock caused no inconvenience, but as the morning drew on houses on the opposite side of the street were not visible. At seven o’clock yesterday the fog began to lift, revealing a glorious morning. Steamers in the Strait encountered it, the Napier and Star of the South being delayed several hours in consequence. Theintimation that spurious half-sovereigns have found their way into circulation within the past week will no doubt come in time to save a good many business people from being victimised. The first of the counterfeit articles was palmed off upon Mr. Marshall during the rush to the money-taker’s office on the evening of Madame Goddard’s opening concert, and since that time the experiment has been successfully tried upon several tradespeople, whoso suspicions were not aroused, although the spurious coin is a very clumsy imitation of the genuine article. In one case the victim has a distinct recollection of the person who presented the coin, who is described as a man of middle size, fresh complexion, sandy hair, moustache and beard of the same color, and trimmed off, and dressed in a blue cloth suit. On last Saturday some thirty or forty ladies and gentlemen called upon Madame Arabella Goddard to request her to play one of Beethoven’s sonatas, this evening being the last chance of hearing the great piauiste. With her usual willingness to please, Madame Goddard consented, and will perform the whole of the grand Funeral March Sonata in A Hat, op. 26. It is one of the most sublime pieces of music, by the greatest of all composers, and it occupies twenty minutes to render. As Madame Goddard is one of the tew thorough and true exponents of Beethoven’s music, wo anticipate this evening the greatest treat ever heard in Wellington. Herr Doehlor also will bo heard to great advantage. The introduction to “ Tarantella” opens with a long andante in B flat major. The first movement, in G minor, is one of the most spirited things over written. The second subject is an allegro movement in the key of G major, and no one who has over heard it can forget it. It then returns to the first subject, and finishes with a most brilliant coda. The “ Tarantella” is full of difficulties, and only first-class artists can attempt, to produce it. A train in connection with tire concert will run to the Ilutt, leaving Wellington at 11 p.m. Weather not to be excelled favored Wellington on Saturday last, and the half holiday usual on that day of the week was availed of to a great extent. The gardens, museum, and other favorite places of resort and recreation received an unusual number of visitors j while the inviting appearance of the harbor induced many pleasure parties to venture on its sometimes “ corrugated” surface. A little incident occurred which, no doubt, will lead to greater caution in the future. A crew belouging to tho Wellington Rowing Club were indulging hi a spin in one of tho club’s outriggers, the silk covering on the after part of which was slightly torn. They succeeded in reaching half way down Evans Bay, when the boat was observed to be settling down, tho water pouring in at the rent. The shore was headed for, and was only reached in time to prevent a ducking. The attendance of cricketers at the Basin Reserve was not small, and cricket was inaugurated for tilo season by a scratch match, which lasted till after sundown.

Counsel engaged in the Strathnaver case are making every endeavor to bring this longpending suit to a speedy termination. His Honor Mr. Justice Johnston is to be consulted to-day with the object of fixing a time for the beginning of the action, so as to secure a sufficient number of days to conclude the hearing of the suit. It is questionable, however, if this can be accomplished for a fortnight yet, as the Court of Appeal will be fully occupied this week with the more important cases on its list, at the end of which time Sir George Arney leaves for Auckland to swear in the new Governor. It can scarcely be expected that the remaining members of the Bench would consent to detach one of their number for the purpose of hearing the suit; and the probability therefore is that it will drag its slow length along for three weeks or a month yet. Mr. K. C. Hammerton, late deputy registrar of the Supreme Court, begins the duties of his new office, that of Secretary of Stamps, to-day. It will be remembered that the office is one recently created by Parliament, which recognised the necessity of a responsible head for the department. Mr. Hammerton was selected for the office from amongst a very large number of applicants, and his administration of the department will, beyond doubt, testify to the wisdom of the choice. The people of Greymouth seem thoroughly in earnest in their efforts to carry their coals to a profitable market. From the West Coast Times we take the following on the subject:— “ Several of the leading local merchants of Greymouth have united in raising sufficient capital for the purchase of proper vessels, and have empowered Mr. Masters, of the firm of Forsyth and Masters, who lately proceeded to Melbourne, to send the necessary orders home. It lias been mentioned, in connection with this subject, that there is a desire to secure the services of Captain Whitweil as superintendent of the building of the steamers to be constructed, and certainly no better selection could have been made, but whether the negotiations or suggestions have come to any definite issue we have not heard. By the same boat by which Mr. Masters proceeded to Melbourne—the s.s. Otago—Captain Williams, of Wellington, who is largely engaged in the coal trade, was a passenger, his purpose being to visit Melbourne, Newcastle, and Sydney, and part of his object in proceeding thither was to inquire as to the possibility of procuring a steamboat suitable for the Greymouth trade. He was one of those whom the Greymouth deputation consulted when in Wellington, and he has expressed his willingness to take part in any enterprise such as that in which he has already been so extensively engaged.”