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New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 4285, 14 December 1874, Page 2

We regret to learn that almost as soon as His Excellency the Governor landed in New Zealand, and long before he could reach the Seat of Government, he has suffered annoyance from one of those telegrams, reckless for the sake of being sensational, which for a considerable time past have been sent in various directions. These do not usually emanate from the AngloAustralian Telegraph Agency, but in the Auckland Echo of the 11th instant, in their message, appears the following paragraph : " Arrangements made for [His Excellency's] reception were rendered useless. The Marquis' telegram stated that he only wanted to be received by city authorities, and threw cold water on Wellington's loyalty, which is now in a damp and quenched state. The public generally are disajipointed." We are disposed to think that this message was not sent forward as published. Be that as it may, however, it completely misrepresented the message of the Governor's private secretary to the Government, and has given His Excellency much annoyance. As soon as it was seen by the Marquis on Saturday, the message to Dr. Pollen, which we publish in another column, was forwarded by Captain Maling. Lord Hervey Phipps has been appointed A.D.C., and Captain Maling, of the 35th Regiment, Private Secretary to His Excellency the Marquis of Normanby.

The Luna will sail for the South with the Canterbury and Otago portions of the San Francisco mail at an early hour to-morrow morning. Those for Wellington were landed by the steamer's boats last night, and were sorted during the night. The letters will bo delivered by the postmen on their first round this morning. It has transpired that the destination of the ship Carnatic has been changed from Picton to Wellington, on account of the refusal of the insurance agents in England to grant a policy for Picton.

In consequence of the postponement of the Wairarapa races the theatrical company advertised to perform at the Odd PelloW Hall, on Saturday evcuiug, were unable to appear. They will, however, play the pieces advertised this evening. In a short address to the electors of Kaiapoi (Canterbury), resigning his seat, Mr. John Studholme intimates that it is his intention to visit Jingland, and that he would, therefore, have been unable to attend Parliament during next session.

Tlie immigrants by tho ship Howrah, who were forwarded to New Plymouth. by the s.s. Pliccbe, appear to be very grateful for the attention shown to them on board that steamship. They have published an address of thanks to the officers and steward of the vessel in the Taranaki papers.

There was not much business before the Resident Magistrate on Saturday morning. James Wheeler, charged with being a vagrant, was remanded for a week. A caso from Porirua was also heard. Ellen charged Mason (both complainant and defendant being natives) with assulting her by striking her and pulling her hair. The case was prjjved, and his Worship fined the prisoner £1 and costs. A few civil cases, in which the defendants did not appear, concluded tho business.

The erection of ten cottages for immigrants, at Raglan, in Taranaki, is now being proceeded with.

An old Maori canoe has drifted on to the beach at Timaru. It appears to have been in the sea for a very long time. Mr. Thomas Buchanan, who has managed the Wellington branch of the Bank of Australasia since its establishment, has accepted the appointment of Inspector in connection with the National Bank.

The discovery of a large lake on the top of the ranges at. the head-waters o£ Moonlight, Blackball, and Canoe Creeks, has lately been reported to the West Coast Times by some explorers.

By the brig Neptune we have files from Newcastle to the 28th, and by the barque Malay, from Hobarton, to the 30th November.

In the week ending 27th November, 17,723 tons of coal were exported from Newcastle, N.S.W. Of that quantity 2461 tons were for New Zealand.

Mr. Conyers, whose resignation of the general managership of the Otago railways was lately telegraphed, has taken that step, it appears, for the purpose of resuming Ids profession of engineer;

Mr. Redwood has recently sold all his interest in the racing mares to Mr. Watts, of Auckland. The only racer he has now is Remnant, which he purchased at the late Canterbury races, for the purpose of training his young blood horses.

It is anticipated in Napier that his Honor Mr. Justice Johnston will sail by the Rangatira to-day for Napier, to hold the Criminal Sittings of the Siujreme Court there, the Commencement of which has, been adjourned till Wednesday, the 16th instant. The incoming Melbourne steamers by way of Foveaux Strait will no longer be detained and inconvenienced by the lights and signals of the sealers on the Solanders. The men have been removed both from Solanders and the Snares. The number of seals captured during the season has been 1085.

The racehorses Templeton and The Belle, when on their voyage lately from Lyttelton to Auckland to take part in the races, were sold here, the former for £BOO, and the latter for £250. Tommy Dodd has been bought by Mr. O'Brien for £llO ; and for Ngaro, which was bought for £l5O at late meeting in Wellington, £250 has since been offered. Writing about the last appearance of the American Circus Company in Auckland, the Herald says :—" It is due to this company to say that they give a very excellent performance of its kind. They carry out their engagements to the public with great fidelity, and keep up the interest of each performance with unflagging spirit." The Wanganui Herald says : -"A correspondent telegraphs from Otaki that the natives have stopped the surveyors laying out the inland telegraph line. They assert that Wi Parata, unauthorised, gave permission to the Telegraph commissioner to carry the wire over land which was private property, without consulting the owners."

A steady fall of the barometer sot in on Friday afternoon, and continued up to a late hour last night, by which time the glass had fallen about three-tenths in the South, but at Cambridge it fell rapidly during Saturday afternoon, and at the same time the temperature was increased by nearly fifteen degrees. During the last forty-eight hours north-east winds have been experienced in the Middle Island, but in the North the wind has been unsteady, though mostly from the north-west and westward. Considerable interest has been excited amongst boating men at the prospect of a race between the well-known yacht Red Jacket and a new fishing-boat called the Garibaldi, built by Mr. Deßerg. A challenge has been issued on behalf of the Red Jacket to sail the Garibaldi from the yacht's mooring ground round a boat to bo moored off the Pinnacle and home, for £25 a side. The fishermen have uucepcetl blie challenge, -i.ud, if a minor difference with regard to swinging ballast can be adjusted, the race is to come off on Boxingday. The new boat has had several trials, and proves to be very fast. Yesterday, as announced, the pulpits of the two Presbyterian churches in town—St. John's and St. Andrew's—were occupied morning and evening by reverend gentlemen from a distance, who had visited Wellington for the purpose of attending the Assembly. At St. John's the Rev. Mr. Ehnslie, of Wanganui, preached in the forehoon, and the Ilev. D. Sidey, of Napier, in the evening ; and at St. Andrews in the forenoon the Rev. Mr. Sidey preached, and in the evening the Kev. Mr. McCallum, of Patea. All the sermons were earnest and impressive, that of the Rev. Mr. Sidey at St. Andrew's indeed having been eloquent, " moving to tears " those who heard the reverend gentleman. On Saturday evening the annual meeting of the members of the Wellington Typographical Society was held'in the side-room of the Odd Fellows' Hall. There was a numerous attendance. The vice-president was in the chair. The report and balance-sheet for the past year were read and adopted; from' the former it appeared, that there were seventy-three names on the members' roll, and the latter showed a large balance to the society's credit. After some routine business, the election of officers for the ensuing year was proceeded with, and resulted as follows : President, Mr. W. ICenworthy; vice-president, Mr. J. George; treasurer, Mr. J. Innes ; secretary, Mr. E. Bannister.

It is with much regret, says a Waugauui contemporary, we have to announce the issue of a warrant for the arrest of Mr. D. Lyell, sub-manager of the Bank of New Zealand at Marton, who is charged with having misappropriated funds belonging to the bank. Mr. Lyell had received leave of absence to visit the hot springs for the benefit of his, health, and was apprehended at Tauranga, on the East Coast. This event, adds our contemporary, will create a wide feeling of regret in the district, where Mr. Lyell was greatly respected, and it will be the anxious wish of many that he will be able to establish his innocence.

Steam communication completely round the Middle Island 13 now accomplished. The s.b. Maori—altered from fore-and-aft to schoonerrig for the work, and subsidised by the General and Provincial Governments —is now on her first voyage in this service. She starts from Dunedin, calls at Timaru, Lyttelton, Picton, and Nelson, goes into Greymouth or Hokitika, or both, and then to Martin's and Jackson's bays, and on to the Bluff and Duuedin. It is anticipated that she will make two trips per mouth, and as settlements of miners and others are now being formed on the seldom-visited south-west coast, the Maori's services will be valuable to them.

A tangi—oiie of the few old customs to which the Maoris tenaciously cling—was held at the To Aro pa yesterday, on the remains of the well known and venerable chief Hobbs. The deceased was a member of the To Atiawa tribe, which is now located principally at Taranaki, and had attained an almost incredible age —in fact, some of the natives say he had reached his 104th year. It was evident to those about him on Thursday last that the old veteran would not last much longer, and a messenger was despatched to the Petoni, Hutt, and Taita natives—all of whom belong to the same hapu —to acquaint them of the anticipated early decease of one of their most respected chieftains. The poor old man died early on Friday morning last. The natives assembled at the pa on Saturday, and the customary tangi was held yesterday; the women decking their heads with karaka, ngaio, and other leaves, and maintaining a prolonged weeping and wailing till after dark. The body of the deceased was laid out in the customary manner, meres being conspicuous in the house in which he lay, denoting his chieftainship. The feast usual on such occasions was liberally provided. Kopiha Motuora (the deceased's native name) will bo interred in the Wesleyan cemetery this afternoon, he having received Christian baptism at the hands of a Wesleyan Missionary named Hobbs, whose name he adopted.

A telegram from Wanganui, which appears elsewhere, announces the sad death by drowning of two boys. From news wired to Wellington yesterday we learn the lads' names were John Thomas McMahon and Charles Kelly, aged six years and eleven years respectively. The father of the first-named lad is a member of the police force in Wellington, and a comparatively new arrival. The sad occurrence happened at one o'clock. The body of McMahon was recovered shortly afterwards; and at three o'clock an inquest was held, at which a verdict of "accidental death" was returned,

It was lately reported by telegram that jewellery, worth between £ISOO and £2OOO, the property of Miss May Howard, the American actress, had been stolen on board the Hero, on her late passage between Sydney and Auckland. No trace of the missing articles, and not a hint of the thief, has yet been obtained. The jewellery consists of a pair of diamond earrings, costing £4OO ; several valuable rings sot with diamonds and precious stones, a solitaire, necklace and bracelets, principally of American and French manufacture. Several of these articles had been presented to Miss Howard, and were much prized by her. They were deposited in a casket, with a bank draft for £3OO, and placed in a leather travelling bag, previous to embarking at Sydney. The loss was not discovered until the Hero had been at sea four days, when the casket was missed from the bag.

On Friday night last, an entertainment of an unusually interesting character was given in the large room of the Lunatic Asylum. The Rechabites of the city had organised a concei't on a large scale, for the amusement and benefit of the patients. It was under the direction of Mr. Barber, who was ably assisted by Mr. Parker, who presided at the piano. The programme contained no fewer than sixteen items, besides which there was a recitation and reading. The choruses were particularly good. " Blest Saint in Heaven," and "In light tripping measure," were received with particular pleasure. Some charming ballads were sung, and a variety of comic songs introduced which created much amusement. The inability of a lady to sing as she intended to have done, through a severe cold, was much regretted by those who know how fine a voice she possesses. After the concert, the patients were indulged with a dance ; and after they retired, the guests enjoyed themselves for a short time in the same way. The sympathisers with the unfortunates in the asylum who got up this concert deserve every credit for their efforts. These entertainments undoubtedly do much good. Some of the visitors who had not been present for some weeks, were particularly struck by the change for the better in the demeanor of the afflicted peojjle. It will be as gratifying to Mr. Seagar, as it must be to the public, that marked amelioration in the condition of his unfortunate patients is attending his efforts.