Untitled

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4302, 5 January 1875, Page 2

The s.s. Macgregor, we understand, is not expected in Auolcland until to-morrow, the 6th instant. It is not probable that her late arrival will interfere with the departure of the outward San Francisco mail—as was the case with the Oyphrenes—as it is considered likely that the outward January mail will be taken by the steamship City of Melbourne. In the Gazette of Thursday last is published the commission appointing the Marquis of Normanby Administrator of the Government of New Zealand. Its terms explain why it would have been embarrassing had Sir James Ferguason remained to welcome his Excellency. The commission runs as follows: “ We do, by this our commission under our sign manual and signet, appoint you the said George Augustus Constantine, Marquis of. Normanby, until our further pleasure shall be signified, to administer the Government of our colony of New Zealand in case of the death, incapacity, or absence from our said colony of, our right trusty and well-beloved Councillor Sir James Fergusson, Baronet (now a Knight Commander of our most distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George), our Governor and Commander-in-Chief in and over our said colony, with all and singular the powers and authorities granted to the said Sir James Fergusson in our commission under the great seal of our United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster, the eighteenth day of February, 1873, in the thirty-sixth year of our reign; which said powers and authorities we do hereby authorise you to exercise and perform, according to such instructions as he hath already received from us, and such further orders and instructions as he or you may hereafter receive from us ; And further know you, that we do hereby appoint that this our present commission shall for the time supersede our commission under our sign manual and signet of the fourteenth day of May, 1873, in the thirty-sixth year of our reign, appointing the Chief Justice or the senior Judge for the time being of our colony of New Zealand to be Administrator of the Government of our said colony in tho event of the death, incapacity, or absence from our said colony of the said Sir James Fergusson, and that so long as you are administering the Government under this commission, the said commission to the Chief Justice or senior Judge shall be taken aud deemed to be suspended: And we do hereby command all and singular our officers, Ministers, and loving subjects in our said colony, and all others whom it may concern, to take due notice hereof, and to give their ready obedience accordingly: And for so doing this shall be your warrant. Given at our Court at Balmoral, this fifth day of September, 1871, in the thirty-eighth year of our reign. By her Maj es ty’ s command.— Carnarvon. ’ ' The Supreme Court criminal sittings proved to be unprecedently short, the whole of the business having been got through yesterday afternoon without necessitating a long day. The calendar was a light one, but it was disposed of in a very expeditious manner by his Honor, who, without hurrying the proceedings, avoided every species of delay, with the apparent object of studying the interests of the petty jurymen, who were thus relieved from a second day's attendance at court. In his charge to the Grand Jury his Honor made a few appropriate remarks in reference to his approaching departure from Wellington to occupy a seat on the judicial bench in another part of the colony. These remarks gave rise to feelings which his Honor could not well suppress, and in their presentment the Grand Jury very fitly expressed the feelings of the community generally in their regret at his Honor’s departure after such a long .residence in the city. The Government undoubtedly acted wisely in calling for tenders for the erection of cottages (some twenty-nine in all in the Wairarapa district) —Featherston, Greytown, aud Masterton. The demand for such accommodation was very great, and the cottages have scarcely been finished when they have been occupied. The contractor (Mr. Egan) for those at Masterton had finished his work before Christmas, and the whole of his cottages were then occupied, as many as three families dwelling in one. The Government, in fact, could readily have found tenants for double the number of cottages in Masterton, at a rent which would soon have repaid the outlay. We may add that all the immigrants who have gone up to Auckland have found immediate and remunerative employment. An interesting conversation as to the necessity for the appointment of some person to watch the interests of the Danes, Swedes, and Norwegians who are now arriving in the colony in considerable numbers, took place yesterday between his Honor Mr. Justice Johnston and Mr. Julius Toxward during the proceedings of the Supreme Court yesterday, the occasion being the trial of one Geilgaard, charged with felony. As his Honor remarked, the case was not a very favorable one for illustrating the object, he had in view, but still it showed that the necessity of a consular agent or some person of similar standing was very urgent. At present the Danes aud Norwegians have no person of authority to apply to in cases of trouble, and but for the kindness of Mr. Toxward, who has always shown himself willing to assist his fellow-countrymen out of their troubles, they would in many instances bo in a sorry plight. Tho conversation upon the subject is given in the Supreme Court report, and is worth perusal. The births in Wellington during December numbered 51 and the deaths 24. Of the deaths 12 were males and 12 of females. Eleven deaths (3 males and 8 females) were of children under one year of age, aud 5 of children between one . and five years. Nine deaths were from zymotic diseases, of which diarrhoea caused 5 ; scarlatina, enteric fever, whooping cough, and rheumatic fever, each caused one death. Tubercular diseases (including phthisis 3) caused 5 deaths. Local diseases occasioned 4 deaths. Developmental diseases (including one male of 80 years from old age) caused 5 deaths. One death was the result of a bum. Brown, of Sandon, is tho luckiest of criminals. Many a man gets three or four years’ imprisonment for stealing his neighbor’s cow, or abstracting the produce of a potato field, but Brown, of Sandon, is let off with two years after three months’ active exertions in tho distribution of valueless cheques amongst tho confiding populace of the inland districts. A small volume of these worthless pieces of paper (which was exhibited in Court) spoke eloquently of the exploits of Brown and the singular gullibility of his victims. The case was, indeed, a monstrous one, as his Honor characterised it. Upon a capital of 15s. 3d. Brown had traded for six months, scattering cheques right and left, until his liabilities under this head reached £l6O. The case brought out one fact very prominently, which should bo a caution to a class which is by no means limited in the colony, namely, that a man who issues cheques knowing at the time that there is not sufficient money at tho bank to meet them, is guilty of a misdemeanor. There are people who think they keep within the pale of the law by allowing a small balance, no matter how little, to remain at the bank, and that they are absolved from criminal prosecution, no matter how many cheques they issue against that small balance. Mr. Justice Johnston has given impecunious drawers of cheques some enlightenment upon that matter. It is notified in the Gazette that the ConsulGeneral for Belgium at Melbourne has nominated Charles John Johnston, Esq., to bo consular agent at Wellington for his Majesty tho King of the Belgians ; and that his Excellency tho Administrator of the Government has been pleased to accept such nomination provisionally.

Jurors who are summoned for Tuesday next, the 12th instant, to attend in the Supreme Court, will be glad to learn that they are relieved from attendance, there being no civil business to come before the Court. By the arrival of the Hero from Sydney at Auckland we hear of the arrival of the new steamer, St. Osyth, at Melbourne. No dates, however, are given, and no particulars of the ship’s voyage. The Government have acceded to the request of the committee charged .with tho preparations for the ball in honor of his Excellency the Governor, to run a late special train on Thursday evening, to accommodate those of the residents of the Hutt who desire to be present. We understand that the committee are very actively at work, and that nothing in their power will be left undone to make the ball a great success. Six drunkards were dealt with at the Kesideut Magistrate’s Court yesterday, the rest of the business being either withdrawn or adjourned. Later in the day J. Houghton, grocer, Willis-street, was charged with attempting to commit suicide by jumping down a well at the rear of his premises, before doing which he had attached weights tp his feet. He stated, on being taken out, that he was tired of. this world. He was remanded for seven days. No. 5 of the Postal Guide for New Zealand has been issued by the Post-office authorities. It is for the quarter commencing with the first day of the New Year, and we are glad to observe that it embraces a table of the dates of the inward San Francisco mails for that period. The information given in this Guide is already very full, but we understand that improvements are contemplated which will by-and-bye make the publication even more generally useful than it at present is. Captain Lloyd, we understand, -will succeed Captain Wheeler, on the retirement of the latter from the command of the Taranaki; Captain Griffiths, of the Mauawatu, will take charge of the Hangatira ; aud Captain Evans, first ° officer of the Taranaki, will relieve Captain Griffiths in the Manawatu. On New Year’s Day an accident occurred to Drill-Sergeant Carey. He was returning to Johnsonville when he was thrown from his horse, and his foot becoming entangled in the stirrup he was dragged for some distance. Dr. Diver was sent for, and found that Sergeant Carey had received some severe contusions, but none likely to prove of a serious character. Tho Press Agency, and our own correspondents, have left us in ignorance for some days of the whereabouts of the s.s. Otago, and her crowd of excursionists from Melbourne. It is understood that on this trip the -Otago is not to be hurried, but to give her sight-seers as much of New Zealand air and scenery as possible. She, in all probability, will be followed so. closely by the now refitted Omeo that the latter will not go on to the West Coast ports, but sail direct from Nelson fo Newcastle, eu route to Melbourne. Writing in reference to the Maketu country, the correspondent of the Bay of Plenty Times, 23rd ult,, says:—“ The natives are everywhere planting large quantities of. crops. Maketu looks verdant. There is more land under cultivation there than has been known for the last ten years. The last tew days’ rain will be most beneficial. A very heavy thunderstorm passed over Maketu to-day. A house was struck and set on fire by the lightning. There were several natives in it at the time, but they escaped in a miraculous manner. A very large waterspout was observed on the coast. The Ohinemuri correspondent of the Bay of Plenty Times, writing under date 23rd December, states that the chief Are Teimona, has taken in marriage Oriwa Are Katera, the daughter of another great chief. The ceremony was conducted by the Yen. Archdeacon Clarke, in the.presence of a large concourse of Europeans and Maoris. The father of the bride entertained over thirty pakehas at the wedding festival, and afterwards over ten times that number of natives. The Poverty Bay Standard, of the 30th instant, has the following ;—“ Wo learn from private advices, with great satisfaction, that His Honor Judge Bogan has been appointed resident Judge for the East Coast under the Native Lands Act. Judge Hogan will reside in Gisborne, and may be expected to arrive by early steamer. A bettei appointment could not have been made ; aud we may look for the happiest results (always provided that any results can, under the present state of the Native Land Laws, be so considered) to be derived from that gentleman’s presence at the periodical sitting of the Lands Court.” Sir Charles St. Julian, the first and last Chief Justice of the late Kingdom of Fiji, expired at his residence, Vadratan, on Thursday, the 26th ultimo, after a protracted aud painful illness. The deceased was for many years the chief law reporter of the Sydney Morning Herald. The Maoris have presented to Mr. A. Danvers, of West Clive, a handsome gold watchchain and greenstone pendant, as a small mark of their recognition of his services as judge. Sec., at the Pakowhai races. Dr. Bergen, the eminent Swedish botanist, is again in the Taupo Lake district, says the IJaw/ce’s Bay Herald, making examinations of that wonderful region on behalf of the Swedish Government. An earth-tremor or slight shock of earthquake, was experienced in Wellington about half-past six o’clock last night. A meeting of the Star Cricket Club will be held this evening, at the Pier Hotel, at 7.30 sharp. The sale of furniture advertised by Mr. Duncan will take place to-day, at noon, at Devonshire House, Murphy-street.