SOCIAL INTELLIGENCE.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4387, 12 April 1875, Page 6

SOCIAL INTELLIGENCE.

It fe intimated by proclamation that the Provincial Council of the province will meet, for the despatch of business, at the Council Chamber, in Wellington, on Friday, the 30th of April, at two o’clock p.m. His Excellency the Governor has been pleased to appoint George William Harvey, Esq., banister, to be a District Judge for the district of Otago Goldfields ; and Thomas Shailer Weston, Esq., banister, to be a District Judge for the districts of Westland North and Westland South, under The District Courts Act, 1858. These appointments took effect from the Ist proximo. The Dunedin contribution to the last outward San Francisco mail was 3134 letters and 3666 newspapers. There were received in Dunedin by the inward mail from Loudon, via San Francisco, 6139 letters and 19,200 newspapers ; and by the Inward Suez mail from London, 1811 letters and 1920 newspapers. The Auckland correspondent of the Otago Daily Times telegraphed to that journal on the 16th instant; —“The Government training schooner beat up the harbor to-day, worked by a crew of juvenile outcasts, who showed great aptitude and skill in the practical working of the vessel. The majority of the boys express a decided liking for the calling, and look clean and contented. There are only nineteen aboard, while there is accommodation for sixty.” H.M.S. Dido, Captain Chapman, is still lying in Auckland harbor, but is expected to sail "thence in the early part of April for Wellington. An extraordinary occurrence is reported from Tauranga, the whole of the telegraph staff there being at present prostrated with measles, which are said to be very prevalent in the district. The line was closed for a time, until the arrival of an operator from another station. But who is to insure him against measles ? From a return in the Government Gazette of March 18, we observe that during the year 1874 the sum lodged by depositors in the Savings Bank of Dunedin was, in round numbers, £33,856, and the amount withdrawn was £32,117. The interest on loans, debentures, and bank deposits was £4026. Loans to the amount of £5280 were repaid to the institution. In the National Bank there were £15,500 deposited, and matured Provincial Government debentures were held to the extent of £13,250. The bank had advanced £20,630, and had £14,500 deposited in bank on interest. The balance on depositors’ account at the end of 1873 was £49,358, and at the end of 1874 it was £54,097.

The Canterbury Press of the 20th March reports that Mr. Montgomery and another member of the Provincial Executive of that province will shortly resign their seats. The cargo of the ship Ocean Mail, that lately sailed from The Bluff for London, was valued at £95,226 —not a bad contribution to the amount of the total exports of New Zealand for the season. It is stated that the preliminary steps have

been taken in Dunedin for the establishment there of a Life Insurance Society on the mutual principle, for New Zealand. It will embrace some features new in such societies, but of much importance to those who may become members.

The University Senate concluded its sittings

on March 16 by the transaction of some purely formal business, the majority of the members shortly after taking their departure in the steamers which left for North and South.

The next annual sitting of the Senate takes place in Christchurch. By the arrival from Loudon on March 17th of the fine ship Dallam Tower, the colony has received an addition to its population of 260 souls. The vessel arrived with a clean bill, the Board of Health having boarded and passed the ship in the evening. Nine deaths occurred during the voyage : one adult and eight children, the latter dying from bronchitis and convulsions. The body of a child was brought on shore and conveyed to the Morgue last evening. Owing to the difficulty experienced by the emigration officers in getting together the emigrants at Christmas time—the vessel having left the docks on the 22nd January—it was found impossible to despatch the ship with passengers for Wellington only. Out of the 260 souls on board there are 168 for Port Chalmers, who will be forwarded to their destination by steamer. The immigrants have been under the medical charge of Dr. Hosking, who, owing doubtless to the roominess of the vessel and the fewness of the passengers, has had no very serious cases to deal with. The Manawatu Ferry tolls were offered for sale by auction by Mr. J. H. Wallace on March 15th. The reserve placed on the left by the Provincial Government, viz., £3OO, was not tendered, and the lot was accordingly passed. Sittings of the Supreme Court, in its divorce and admiralty jurisdictions, were held on March 15th but there being no business down for transaction the sittings were immediately closed.

Mr. J. P. Stevenson, for many years Second Clerk Assistant to the House of Representatives, died on Thursday, March 18, at his residence, Pipitea Point. Mr. Stevenson had been laid up for five -weeks past with rheumatic fever, which so debilitated the system that he fell an easy victim to the advanced stages of the fever, which, on Wednesday took the form of inflammation of the heart, and terminated the earthly career of the patient at four o’clock yesterday morning. Mr. Stevenson was an efficient and obliging public servant, whose personal qualities had gathered round him a large circle of friends. The announcement of hia death yesterday took numbers of people by surprise and caused a feeling of general regret. The Civil List indicates Mr. Stevenson’s career as a public officer to have begun in June, 1860, and that his abilities were of no common order is testified to by the fact of his having risen to a position of such importance in the service. A nine-roomed house in Ingestre-street, on an allotment of land 33ft. by 100 ft., was on March 17th sold by Mr. J. H. Wallace for a little over £4OO. The land was held on a 99 years’ lease, subject to an annual rental of £lO. We leam that the contract for the new Presbyterian Church and school-house of St. John has been taken by Messrs. Murdoch and Ross of this city. The amount of their contract is £3300 for the church and £390 for the schools.

For the third time, within a brief period, the Jewish community were on Wednesday thrown into a flutter of excitement by a marriage, carried out in the manner for which the Jewish members of the community are peculiar. The happy pair were Miss Phillips, (niece of Mr. Lipman Levy) and Mr. Lionel Harris, of Southbridge, Canterbury, formerly in business in Willis-street. From midday carriages and horses, with trappings indicative of the joyous event, flitted to and fro between the Synagogue and various city residences, and set the whole female population in the line of route on the qui vive. Approaching the hour for the performance of the ceremony, the Synagogue was thronged by the friends of the bride and bridegroom, and as a matter of course the public, largely composed of persons of the feminine gender, were there in considerable numbers. There was such a galaxy of silks, satins, and muslins, that it was for a time somewhat difficult to distinguish the bridesmaids from other gaily dressed parties, but when the ceremony began, and the proceedings took proper form, there was a complete absence of confusion, and the scene had a fine effect. The Eev. X). Isaacs officiated, and at the conclusion of the ceremony, curious in its customs, the assemblage dispersed. The Hospital Trustees having finally decided upon the detail matters connected with the construction of the new hospital, Mr. Toxward has received instructions to prepare the design. Captain Johnson, of the ship Joakim, has been presented by the Waikouaiti Entire Horse Company with a massive gold albert chain, with greenstone pendant; and Mr. Horo, his chief officer, with a mounted greenstone pendant, in recognition of the attention paid by them to the company’s entire, Sir George Grey, on the Joakim’s passage out from London. Mr. Xvess, of Inangahua—a member of the Provincial Council of Nelson—has left Ileefton for the purpose of commencing a new journal, the Mail, at i’atea.

At a meeting of the parishioners of St Paul’s held on March 30th, at tho Diocesan Library, the proposal of the vestry to borrow a sum of £ISOO, for the purpose of enlarging the church and purchasing a new organ, was discussed. The proposed enlargement embraced the construction of a new aisle on the south side of the church, but the suggestion had been abandoned as tending to destroy the original design. The recommendation of the vestry, therefore,resolved itself into a proposal to borrow £I3OO for the purchase of an organ and the erection of a suitable chamber to receive it. The Rev. B. W. Harvey occupied the chair, and having made a statement favorable to the proposal of the vestry, several other speakers followed on the same side. The Hon. C. J. Pharazyn, Dr. Kemp, and Mr. J. E. Smith opposed the scheme ; and finally the following resolution, moved by Colonel Gorton, and seconded by Mr. Tolhurst, was carried by twelve to six :—“That the parish authorises the vestry to incur an expenditure of a sum not exceeding £I3OO, for the purpose of purchasing a new oman and enlarging the church to receive it, subject to the approval of the Bishop, and of that amount to borrow a sum not exceeding £BSO by loan on debentures of £lO each, bearing interest at the rate of 8 per cent.’ Dr. Julius Haast, F.R.S., has been appointed Provincial Geologist for the province of Canterbury. Among other appointments notified in the Now Zealand Gazette are those of George Bontflower Davy, Esq., to succeed Mr. Justice Williams as District Land Registrar and Registrar of Deeds for Canterbury; Theophilus Kissling, Esq., to succeed G. B. Davy, Esq., as Registrar at Auckland, and T. G. Morgan, Esq., to succeed Mr. Batham as Registrar at Westland, the latter gentleman being appointed Examiner of Titles at Auckland. The resignations by William Fox, Esq., and John L. Gillies, Esq., of their seats in the House of Representatives, as members for Raugitikei and Waikouaiti, respectively, are also gazetted. The Wellington Patent Slip Company is now building to the order of Messrs. Levin and Co., agents for Messrs. Clifford and Wells, proprietors. of the Flaxbourne sheep station, a large and substantial surf boat, measuring six tons. Her timbers are of Tasmanian hard wood and bircb, and the planking will be heart of kauri. She appears to be a good model of her class, and of great strength. -Her owners will doubtless find her of great service in conveying the station’s large yield of wool from the shore to the steamers, which at Flaxbourne, are compelled to lie some distance from the laud.

The examination of the children (in all, 130) attending the middle and infant schools conducted by the Sisters of Mercy, took place on March 23, at the Convent, Hill-street, previous to the “ breaking up ” for Easter holidays. The Bev. Father Petit Jean presided, and after the usual course of examination in reading, writing, arithmetic, grammar, geography, Scripture history, catecliism (for the Catholics), and needlework, the rev. father distributed thirty-two prizes to the most deserving—manners and good conduct carrying off the most elegant of the prizes. A statement in the Gazette shows that in the year ending with December last the number of Imperial gallons of spirits, distilled in New Zealand, received into bond was 95,880'2, and the quantity cleared was 75,382'5, of which only 206 gallons were for exportation. The number of gallons in stock on the last day of the year was 87,075'6 gallons. The lease of the Government wharf at Nelson, for one year, has been purchased for £BSO, by Messrs. N. Edwards and Co. A ram avis in the shape of a pure white robin has been found on the West Coast. A specimen was recently caught on wh it is known as Fox’s Track to the Arahura diggings. It is described as perfectly white, even to its beak and legs. Of late the export of old iron has been rapidly on the increase, and in consequence of the demand and the high rate paid for that metal in Australia, the owner of the Stormbird’s discarded boiler is having the ponderous bulk broken up so as to facilitate its shipment. Twenty-two tons of old metal were forwarded to Newcastle by Captain Williams on the last trip of the barque Anne Melhuish. Good Friday was observed in Wellington with all the solemnity appertaining to a holy day. Mass was said -in the Homan Catholic chapels ; and those of the faith, devoutly inclined, attended special services in remembrance of the death of Him who proclaimed Himself the Light of the World. The mass of the people, however, otherwise employed themselves, and “sought the alien sunshine” both on land and water. Picnics innumerable absorbed the bulk of the holiday makers, and, as a matter of course, the heights surrounding the.city were peopled by promiscuous groups of old and young, who made the day short and merry; The margin of the waters, and the seductive scenery of Oriental Bay had its attractions for those who love to look at the poetic aide of nature and the shellgatherer, the crab-hunter, and the sea-weed collector found plenty of occupation on Shelly Beach, and the shores of Lyell’s Bay. Fishing boats dotted the harbor in all directions, and the weather being fine throughout the day the diversions was thoroughly enjoyable. The Basin Keserve, and, indeed, every available paddock in town was occupied with cricketers, in full practice ; the whole juvenile population of the city, to all appearance, having turned out for indulgence in “ the noble and manly pastime.” The inference deducible from all this is plain. The streets of the city were completely deserted—-the strongest proof that the population generally were away gathering health and strength for the business of the morrow.

The following is a return of the patients in the Provincial Hospital during and ending the month of March, for which we are indebted to Mr. Monteith, the assistant surgeon :—Admitted—Males, 20; females, 4. Discharged— Males, 9; females, 6. Died—Males, 4; females, 1. Left in Hospital—Males, 33 ; females, 7. Total in Hospital, 40.