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New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4388, 13 April 1875, Page 2

His Honor Mr. Justice Johnston will hold a sitting in Banco on Friday next ; a sitting in bankruptcy will be held on Tuesday ; and a sitting in Divorce on the 22nd, when damages will be assessed in the case of Fowkes v. Fowkes and Coross. McKenzie v. Hall and Hirst was set down for hearing at the civil sittings of the Supreme Court yesterday, but when the case was called on it was found that Mr. Travers, for the defendant, had summoned his witnesses for Tuesday, and was, therefore, not prepared to proceed. The jurymen summoned, and the witnesses for the plaintiff, were in attendance, and after a short discussion between Mr. Travers and Mr. Izard (counsel for the plaintiff), it was agreed to ballot for twelve jurymen, and proceed to trial on the following morning. The action is brought to compel specific performance, the plaintiff having purchased from the defendants a piece of land for which the latter afterwards refused to give a title. This being the only case on the list, the remaining jurymen were dismissed, and the Court adjourned. It is supposed that a passenger named Cleve, who was lost in the Gothenburg, was Mr. Alfred Cleve, formerly in business in Hokitika and Greymouth. The Bank of Australasia here will be closed to-day, for the purpose of enabling the accounts to be made up for the usual half-yearly balance. The friends of Mr. Commissioner Clark, of the Native Office, will regret to learn that Mrs. Clark died at her residence yesterday, after a severe illness. Miss Bosa Towers, and the “ Grif ” Company, after a successful season in Melbourne, are now in Tasmania, where they are doing excellent business. It has been currently reported during the last few days (says the Waimrapa Standard of the 10th instant), that instructions have at last been given for the survey of a railway line through the central portion of the Wairarapa. Whether any engineering difficulties exist, will of course not be reliably ascertained until the survey has been made; but the general opinion is that the line first surveyed under the hills on the western side of the valley will have to be abandoned. We trust that the report above referred to will turn out to be well-founded. Mr. W. W. White, the absconding auctioneer of Launceston, whoso acquaintance Mr. Moton Moss, of Melbourne, and other creditors, have so long been desirous of renewing—a privilege for which they are willing to pay a high price —has turned up in San Francisco. He has now become a share-broker and commissionagent, and writes to the Cornwall Chronicle (Launceston), a long account of his adventures, and the state of matters in San Francisco. As there is a reward of £SOO offered for his apprehension, the force of impudence could scarcely further go.

The racing mare Calumny, it appears, has again been offered for sale by auction in Melbourne, the auctioneers being Messrs. McCulloch, Campbell, and Co. The bidding commenced at 200 guineas and went up to 525, at which price this fine daughter of Traducer and Gitana was passed in, the reserve upou her being 650 guineas.

The proprietors of the British Art Journal are about to publish a work illustrative of the scenery of Australia, Tasmania, and New Zealand. The illustrations will be steel engravings. For the scenes they give (says the Sydney Morning Herald) Messrs. Virtue have relied principally on the pencils of Messrs. N. Chevalier, 0. M. Brierley, Skinner Prout, J. C. Armytage, and others, whose skill and fidelity in the reproduction of Australian scenery are well known. “Australia Illustrated,” which is the title of the forthcoming work, is to consist of thirty prints, which will be published in the colony, as in England, at half-a-crown each ; also in eight divisions at twelve shillings each. The New Zealand Herald has the following: —“ As a matter relating to the public health, the following fact is curious as well as instructive :—The Sheriff has the duty of summoning the Grand Jury. Upon the last occasion, out of thirty-five persons summoned nine medical certificates were returned. The average for many years past has been two. Hardly any fact could be more indicative of the prevalence of sickness at the present time.” The Bendigo Advertiser (Sandhurst, Victoria) of the 31st of March, thus notices the visit of Dr. Haast to that district ;—“ The Government geologist of New Zealand, Dr. Julius von Haast, has paid a visit to this district, and examined the various appurtenances belonging to each class in the local School of Mines, which were explained to him by Messrs. E. L. Maries, the lecturer on chemistry, and 6. Thureau, M.E., the lecturer on practical mining and geology. It may be mentioned that Dr. Haast declared himself very much pleased with the character of the instruction given at the school, though he thought that the services of the lecturers ought to receive a more substantial recognition. The visit of Dr. Haast was quite unannounced, and consequently unknown to the local authorities, or he would have met with a warmer reception.” Our Victorian contemporary is incorrect in describing Dr. Haast as Government geologist of New Zealand, a post held by Dr. Hector. Dr. Haast is the geologist for the province of Canterbury.