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New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4387, 12 April 1875, Page 4

We publish to-day our usual summary of the news of the month, for transmission to America and Europe by the outgoing San Francisco mail, which closes to-morrow, at 10 o’clock a.m. for money orders and registered letters, and at noon for letters and newspapers. The Ladybird will take the mail to Auckland, where it will be transhipped to the s.s. Oyphrenes. The s.s. Tararua, with the English mail of the 19th February, via Suez, arrived at The Bluff last night, having sailed from Melbourne on the night of the 6th instant. The news she brings—which is of more interest than importance—will be found in another column. This mail has reached The Bluff only one day before contract date.

Early on Friday afternoon a rapid fall of the glass set in at Auckland, and appeai-anoes showed that there was every probability of some had weather coming in from the eastward. This fall soon extended over the whole North Island, and the wind began to increase at several places, being from north-east at Castle Point, with gloomy sky. During the night the wind increased to a moderate gale from the eastward at Auckland, Grahamstown, and the Bay of Islands ; but as the barometer did not continue its downward progress, the weather cleared, and next morning was fine and calm at Auckland ; but the wind was still strong at Bussell, with hard squalls and threat-, ening appearance, although the glass had risen to nearly its former height. During Saturday the barometer again began to fall, and it appears to have been moving down over the greater part of both islands during yesterday. The sea has been generally moderate during the past few days, but on Saturday evening a heavy roll set into the Bay of Plenty.

The writ for the election for Eangitikei, to fill the vacancy caused by the retirement of the Hon. Mr. Fox, reached Wanganui on Saturday. Monday, the 19th instant, has been fixed as the date of the nomination, and Saturday, the 24th, as the day of the polling. The gigantic gooseberry being out of season, it may not be out of place to mention that; to an Italian gardener at the Hutt belongs the honor of having grown the largest tomatoes ever exhibited in Wellington. From a sample on view on Saturday, at Mr. D. Bell’s shop, Willis-street, several were weighed as a matter of curiosity, when one was found to be only two ounces short of 11b., several others being three-quarters of a pound in weight. In the Resident Magistrate’s Court on Saturday, the notorious “Jack Finn” was again brought up for using obscene language at the Hutt railway-station. Constable Connor, who arrested the prisoner, deposed to the revolting language used, and to the prisoner being in a very abusive and drunken state. Finn was remanded till Monday. Another individual, charged with being simply drunk, was let off with a fine of ss. The services in the Manners-street Wesleyan Chapel yesterday were in connection with the anniversary of the Sunday-school. In the morning the circuit superintendent, the Rev. Mr. Morley, preached an eloquent sermon ; and in the afternoon, when there was a very large attendance of Sabbath scholars and their friends, Mr. John Knowles, the superintendent, delivered an interesting address, in which he lucidly pointed out to his young listeners the advantages of regular attendance at Sabbath-school. The Rev. J. Williams, who had remained in Wellington specially for the occasion, conducted divine service in the evening. He preached an impressive sermon, which was listened to with great attention, from St. Mathew, c. 22, v. 42. Hymns and anthems, selected and arranged for the anniversary, were sung at each of the services by the scholars, in a manner which betokened the care and assiduity which had been devoted to the training of the youthful voices by Mr. Godber and the teachers of the Sabbath-school. On Tuesday evening next the anniversary tea meeting will be held in the school-room, and will be followed by a public meeting to be held in the church. At the Odd Fellows’ Hall this evening there will be rather a singular combination of talent. The Rev. Charles Clark is announced to give a series of recitations—some serious and some amusing—and Miss Christian, who has not before been heard in Wellington, will sing a variety of favorite songs. The combination, we must say, is peculiar, but the gain is all the public’s. This entertainment is most highly spoken of by the Christchurch Press, and we have no doubt it will be found very entertaining. A large sale of town property was effected on Saturday, when Mr. John Plimmer disposed of the Waterloo Buildings block, with its extensive frontages to Lambton-qnay, Hunter-street, and Custom-house-quay (including the old Noah’s Ark and wharfage rights), for the sum of £12,500. The purchaser was Mr. Jacob Joseph. One day last week, says the Marlborough Times of the 6th instant, while Mr. Ireland was engaged in digging a water-hole in the raupo swamp which has recently been laid dry, to the west of Mr. Barleyman’s paddock, in the Maxwell-road, at a depth of six feet below the surface, ho came upon a piece of wood, which attracted his attention through having sundry marks on it, evidently made with some sharp instrument. It was embedded at this depth in a close compact black soil of decayed vegetation, which must have been forming long before the arrival of the first white roan in New Zealand. The piece of wood has been chopped into shape apparently to answer the purpose of prizing, as with a crow-bar, having a heel to it. There are eight distinct cuts on it, which, to all appearance, have been made with a hatchet.

The prize of five guineas, presented by Mr. Francis Fergnsson, of New South Wales, for the best kept and best laid-ont amateur garden, baa been awarded by Messrs. A. Ludlam and T. Mason, as judges, to Mr. Brandon. A single-inninga match between the Colts and Victoria Cricket Clubs was played on the Basin Reserve on Saturday afternoon last, and resulted in a victory for the Victoria team. A general meeting of the Chamber of Commerce, it will bo observed, will bo hold in the office of Messrs. Bethuno and Hunter on Wednesday next, at three o’clock p.m. The steamer Bangatira arrived yesterday from Poverty Bay and Napier with the Hawke’s Bay contribution to the outward San Francisco mail, which will bo forwarded to Auckland to-morrow by the Ladybird. The Bangatira was detained twenty-four hours at Napier, at the instance of the Post-office department. Twenty-one navvies, who have been employed on Mr. McKirdy’s railway contract in Hawke’s Bay, arrived by the Bangatira yesterday. They will start work to-day on Mr. McKirdy’a contract at the Upper Hutt, Ten large railway tracks were also brought to Wellington by the Bangatira. Mr. J. Sheehan, says the Southern Cross, is likely to remain in Napier, and will probably resign his seat in the Provincial Council of Auckland.

The weather prophets haveheen disappointedFrom the state of the barometer, on Friday, a very heavy gale from the East was expected ; hut, on the contrary, the weather in Wellington has since been most enjoyable, with no more than a gentle puff of wind to stir the air, Samuel Durant, a gentleman who imagined he could set the game laws at defiance, was fined ss. at the Foxtou Court on Wednesday last, for shooting game in the close season. Francis Cook, the individual who purchased the game, was fined Ids. and costs ; upon the principle that the receiver is worse than the thief.

The bridge at the Manawatu Gorge, says the Handeds Bay Herald, and the road to the bush, are now nearly completed, by which means travellers will be enabled to avoid the riverbed for a few miles, besides materially shortening the distance. The total Customs revenue of the Port of Napier for the quarter just ended was £11,814 14s. 9d., as against £11,020 17s. for the corresponding quarter, 1874, thus showing an increase of £793 17s. 3d. The Southern Cross of the 7th instant states that the Auckland and Waikato railway will he finished by the contractors early next month. The line is completed within two miles of Mercer.

Among the list of passengers by the Eangatira, from Napier yesterday, were Mr. and Mrs. Case, who have appeared in that town to crowded houses. These talented artistes proceed to Wanganui to-day, per Manawatu, and their agent leaves for Nelson by the Ladybird on Tuesday.