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New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 4276, 3 December 1874, Page 2

Some bungling has again occurred in the matter of the prorogation of Parliament. When the late session came to a close the General Assembly was prorogued to the Ist instant. No subsequent proclamation appeared further adjourning the time of the meeting of the two Houses. Sir James Fergusson does not appear to have been asked to discharge that duty before he left the colony, and his successor has not arrived. On Tuesday, at noon—no member appearing—Mr. Stevenson, the Assistant-Clerk of the Assembly, who was in attendance, formally adjourned the blouse till next day. Yesterday, at five o’clock, the same ceremony was gone through ; and so, we suppose, it will go on from day to day until the arrival of the Marquis of Normanby. This is hardly the way business of this land should be managed. Judgment will probably be delivered in the Strathnaver case this morning. His Honor Mr. Justice Johnston intimated at the conclusion of Mr. Allen’s argument yesterday, that he probably would not call upon Mr. Travers to discuss the facts on his side. A report of yesterday’s proceedings will be found elsewhere.

To-day the Appeal Court will be occupied by hearing a special case argued before, in reference to the dispute between the runholdera, Messrs. Burton and McMaster, and the miners of the Marawhinua goldfield, in Otago. We believe the whole question of water-rights on goldfields will be raised. The Attorney-Gene-ral and Mr. Smith will appear for the runholders, the plaintiffs, and Mr. Macassey and Mr. Stout for the miners, the respondents. In all parts of the colony the barometer still continues a steady downward movement, and has already fallen between three and four-tenths of an inch at several places. Moderate easterly winds and fine weather were prevalent yesterday. The steamer Phccbe was despatched at noon yesterday to tow the ship Soukar into harbor, which she successfully accomplished by 4 o’clock yesterday afternoon. After her passengers for Taranaki had been embarked, she proceeded alongside the ship Howrah, and took 245 immigrants on board for Taranaki. She got away early in the evening. The following telegraphic message, under date Greytown, December 2, appeared in last night’s Post from its own correspondent ; “ Greytown, Wednesday.—The following are the entries for the Wairarapa Races :—Maiden Plate—Princess Mary, Nanakai, Pretender, Policy, Hatter, Ba, Warrior. Wairarapa Stakes—The Premier, Voltaire, Tambourini, Little Wonder, Phcenix. Produce Stakes — Policy, Formosa, Warrior. Ladies’ Purse— The Premier, Tommy Dodd, Little Wonder, Phoenix, Ba, Lady Grey. Hurdle Race— Tommy Dodd, Now Zealander, Comet. Jockey Club Plate —The X’remier, Voltaire, Tambourini, Little Wonder, Phoenix. District Race—The Premier, Pretender, Little Wonder, Ba, Hatter, Lady Grey, Warrior. There was a good attendance at the Theatre Royal last evening, on the occasion of Miss Clara Stephenson's benefit. The company presented the pretty two-act comedy of “The Daughter of tho Regiment,” in a manner which did them infinite credit. Miss Clara Stephenson, as Josephine, never appeared to better advantage. Mr, Burford as tho old veteran, and Mr. Hydes as tho young lover, were all that could bo desired. Miss Raymond and Mr. Glover rendered their parts effectively. The extravaganza of “Tho Fair One with' tho Golden Locks,” in which Miss Clara Stephenson played the part of Prince Graceful, brought the evening’s entertainment to a close. To-night there will bo a special programme, for tho entertainment of visitors to the races.

The manufacture of wool mats has been commenced in Wanganui.

Hia Lordship Bishop Redwood was a passenger to Picton by the Phcebe, which left last evening. 'He was accompanied by his brother and uncle. The report of the inspector of Schools for the province of Wellington is published in the Provincial Oazette of Monday last. The Vivian troupe and Bachelder’s troupe arrived by the Storm Bird, from Wanganui, yesterday afternoon. The following will be the Star eleven in the match with the W.C.0., on Saturday next : Messrs. Salmon (3), Turner, Mace, Mason, Inman, Bishop, Lockett, Edmunds, and Bussell. It is stated that the charges preferred against Mr. Pilmer, the Inspector of Nuisances, were yesterday investigated by the City Council committee and dismissed, for want of sufficient evidence, There was a short sitting of the Supreme Court in its bankruptcy jurisdiction yesterday morning, George Trimmer, baker, of Wellington, and George Armstrong Beere, surveyor, also of Wellington, were granted final discharges. The petition of John Stratford, publican, of Kaiwarra, was also down forbearing, but, as opposition was offered, the petition was adjourned till next sitting day. At the Resident Magistrate’s Court, yesterday, James Reid, Charles Cass, Thomas Shires, and Thomas Godman were each dismissed with a caution. The two latter were charged with being illegally on the premises of Mr. Liardet. Charles Smith, for being drunk and refusing duty on board the Star of India, was committed to prison for fourteen days with hard labor. Some of'the teamsters on the Wairarapa road, we rerret to find, have fallen into the very dangenms habit of racing with the train to the crossing if they think themselves, when within racing distance, able to get over the line before the train comes up. This is not only a foolish, but a very dangerous practice. The other day this “ game ” was tried by the driver of one of Mr. Hastwell’s waggons, heavily loaded, and drawn by five horses. The driver barely succeeded in getting across the railway when the {rain came uj), but the result was that two valuable horses were seriously injured by their exertions, and that one of them, valued at £BO, has been rendered useless. The police should look strictly after the rash and reckless fellows who indulge in this practice. We have before us the Australasian Sketcher for November. It is Scarcely up to the Sketcher’s standard of merit. The cartoon represent the horses passing the grand stand the first time in the race for the Melbourne Cup, aid the next in point of interest is a represeitation of Blondin in one of his great feats.

We letrn from the London Printer’s Register that an evening newspaper, to be printed in French, is about to be published in London. £25,000 have been subscribed for the purpose. -ft is calculated that there are a sufficient lumber of Frenchmen in London to support such a journal. To-day will, practically, be a holiday in town. The banks will be closed ; the establishments of the principal merchants will be closed ; and the city will be all but deserted before noon. We direct attention to an advertisement in another column as to the services that will take place on Sunday next, in connection with the Church of England in the new district of Te Aro.

To-night the performances at the Theatre Royal will consist of the new drama of “Cigarette, or Under Two Flags;” with the extravaganza of “The Fair One with the Golden Locks.” This is a combination which should draw.

The Odd Fellows’ Hall will be again opened to-night, when Bachelder’s fine diorama of Paradise Lost will he exhibited, and afterwards the Vivian Royal Comique Company -will appear. The diorama has been exhibited here before, when some of the paintings were greatly admired ; and Mr. Arthur Vivian, during his last visit to Wellington, made himself very popular as a comedian and comique vocalist. The other members of the company have not appeared here before, but their performances would seem to have been well appreciated in have been

A remarkably shrewd banker (at least he thinks so) was waited on the other day, says “ .TEgles,” in {lie Australasian, by a prosperous New Zealand settler, who wanted a hundred pounds or so for personal expenses. He stated his business, but the Melbourne manager poohpoohed the applicant—in fact, would hardly listen to him. The New Zealander telegraphed to Sydney and got what he wanted instantly. A few days afterwards a stock and station agent incidentally mentioned to the shrewdest of managers having sold a station on behalf of the same New Zealand gentleman for £90,000. That manager almost fainted. To have refused £IOO to a man worth £90,000! He wanted his address to smooth matters, but it was too late—the New Zealander had shaken from his feet the dust of our city and departed. A newly-organised dramatic company, under the management of Mr. G. Collier, is about to commence a season at the Prince of Wales Theatre, in Auckland. The leading member of the company—which was lately formed in Sydney-—is Miss May Howard, who has lately been performing successfully there and in Melbourne. It is expected that Miss Howard will be followed by Mr. and Mrs. George Darrel (Mrs. Heir), and Mr. and Mrs. Hoskins. Mr. Hoskins, we observe, has been appointed agent for Boucioault, in New Zealand. So far the shipments of wool from Sydney for the London market this seasn phave by no means kept pace with those of last year. For the year ending 30th of September last the shipments were 105,41.5 bales, as compared with 113,924 in the corresponding period of the previous year. From Ist October to the 19th of November only 10,735 bales were despatched, as against 1C,399 in the same period of 1873. Some explanation of this decline are given in the circular of Messrs. Fanning, Griffiths, and Co., which will be found in another column.

Some curiosity—it would be too much to say anxiety—has been occasioned in Melbourne, by a small and apparently unimportant incident of the sea. The Blaekwall clipper Essex sailed from Hobson's Bay a few days ago for London. Four clipper ships (the Essex included) were towed through the Heads almost simultaneously, and were not many miles apart when they passed Cape Schanck. The Aryus, however, remarks ; —“ Some tirao after parting from the pilot schooner, she ran up her ensign to the galf as if bidding goodbye. Some commotion, however, was observed in the vicinity of the ship soon after, and she rounded to, as if to recover something or someone that had gone overboard. The schooner would have run down to her, but the ship made no signal, and after remaining for some time in about the same position, she stood away beforetho wind. When the boat was picked up by the steamer Tamar, there was a shark 12ft. long inside of it.” It is curious how, in ouch a situation, the Essex should have lost a boat; it is curious how she should have manoeuvred as she appears to have done ; and it is still more curious that when the Tamar picked up the boat there should have been such a seamonster a passenger in it. Till the Essex reaches London, these mysteries will probably remain nnexplained. A late colonist appears to have been distinguishing himself in Melbourne. The Telegraph reports respecting him ns follows :—“ A powerful-looking man, named Anthony O’Brien, who is said to bo a pugilist of some note in Now Zealand, was charged at the City Police Court with assaulting Joseph Cohen. Tho assault took place in the bar of the Duke of Kent Hotel, Latrobe-atroet, whore the prisoner was drinking. Seeing Mr. Cohen coming to the bar, ho cried out to know what such Jews wanted there. Mi - . Bain, tho landlord of tho place, told him to bo quiet, when he turned round and knocked him clown. Tho fellow also assaulted Mr. Cohen, and smashed everything he could lay his hands on in tho bar. Tho Bench fined him 10s., with £2 costs; or, in default of payment, two months’ imprisonment with hard labor.”

On Saturday, the 21st November, as Mr. Isaac Collins, a wool-scourer living atTemuka, was driving his team across the ford of the Opihi, situated just above the bridge, a serious accident befel him. Upon arriving at the north bank of the river with his team, which consisted of three horses and d dray (the latter laden with eleven bales of wool), he found that he could not cross without assistance. He therefore obtained the loan of four horses, which were hooked on to the front of his two leaders. The river was then entered, a man riding one of the leaders, another sitting on the shaft, and Mr. Collins having hold of his own off-side leader on the up-stream side. When the team had proceeded a good part of the way across, Mr. Collins got out of his depth, and the current carried him swiftly under the draywheel which went over both his legs. Although injured severely he managed to get out of the river on to the south bank nearly as soon as the team. He was shortly afterwards conveyed homo, and a messenger was at once despatched to Timaru for Dr. Mclntyre, and another to Geraldine for Dr. Fish. Dr. Mclntyre was in attendance as quickly as possible, and upon examination found that the wheel had severely bruised and grazed the knee of the right leg, and deeply lacerated the upper calf of the same leg. The injuries are more serious than a breakage of the leg would have been.