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New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4401, 28 April 1875, Page 2

A meeting of the Board of Education will take place to-day, at eleven o’clock a.m. An ordinary fortnightly meeting of the City Council will he held on Thursday first, at four o’clock p.m. The immigrants by the Edwin Eox, who have been landed from Somes Island, have been a welcome addition to the inhabitants of this city. All the single girls have readily found employment, and also the greater portion of the married couples. The remainder will be forwarded either to Manawatu or Palmerston. The outside framework of the Thomdon baths is now finished. The approach to them cannot at present be commenced, as it is dependant on the reclamation of land which is about 150 ft. distant from the outer work of the baths. The contractor will soon commence filling in, and when this is accomplished—which is expected to be during next week—there will be a pleasant place for a morning’s bathe. No dressing-rooms are to be built this season, as there are only two months more during which the weather is suitable for bathing. Applicants for new licenses are notified that their applications must bo sent in, in duplicate, in the form prescribed in schedule E of the Act, accompanied by a certificate signed by ten householders. The certificate of the householders is not necessary in the case of renewals, nor need the applicant attend-the licensing meeting to support an application' for a renewal unless it is objected to. According to the Act, the Hutt Licensing Court is fixed to bo held on the same day as the other Courts, but the day will probably be altered.

“The s.s. Otago,from Melbourne, arrived at -The Bluff yesterday afternoon, after a rapid passage from Melbourne, whence she sailed at 3 p.m. on the 22nd instant. She has brought English intelligence to the 20tli instant, and later Australian news, which will be found in apother column.Yesterday a very singular and fatal accident occurred at the Mount View Lunatic Asylum. Mrs. Galbraith, the mother of two children, a girl and boy, who are both hopelessly imbecile, and inmates, had visited tho establishment for the - purpose of seeing her children. They were taken into the surgery for that purpose, and while the mother was engaged with the boy, the sister (who was about twelve years of age) managed unobserved to get hold of a bottle of syrup of chlorale, the greater part of which she drank. As soon as the fact was discovered, Dr. France was sent for, but before be could arrive the poor child was dead. An inquest will be held at two o’clock to-day. The Immigration Barracks presented a lively scene yesterday. At present there are sixty immigrants located there, under tho charge of Mr. Corliss, who is acting-barraokmaster. Mr. and Mrs. Redwood are still unable to carry on their ordinary duties, although they are progressing as favorably as could be expected. A birth took place on Somes Island soon after the arrival of the immigrants there, and the young colonist is doing well. The following tenders were received at the Public Works Office, Wellington, for the Purakanui contract of the Dunedin to Moeraki Railway (formation and permanent way) : Accepted.— Job Wain, Dunedin, £68,384. Declined.—C. D. Irvine, Dunedin, informal; D. Proudfoot, Dunedin, £74,970 ; D. Henderson and Co., £80,573 ; E. A. Duxbury, Dunedin, £85,577 ; John Brogden and Sons, Dunedin, £85,687; Charles Abbott, Dunedin, £86,224; W. N. Morrison and Co., Dunedin, £96,971 ; Jas. Maokay, Dunedin, £98,345; Matheson Bros., Dunedin, £99,259 ; J. B. Blair and Co., Dunedin, £100,325. A concert is being arranged at the Hutt, at which some of our local amateurs have been invited to lend their assistance. As the object of the concert is a benevolent one, and his Honor the Superintendent has taken the matter in hand, in conjunction with the musical ladies of the Hutt, it is needless to predict for it a financial as well as a musical success. Should sufficient inducement be offered, a special train will be laid on to suit the convenience of those residents of the city who may wish to attend. The concert will probably take place during the next fortnight. It is seldom that Wellington goes without its share of wind when there is any near us, and most people are ready to express the opinion that we may be generally considered to have a surplus quantity of osrial matter on hand. There are, however, exceptions to every rule, ’ and of this we have a somewhat remarkable instance in the occurrence yesterday of a stiff south-east gale at Castle Point, accompanied by a high confused sea and threatening appearance of the weather, whilst at the same time we had but occasional very light airs from the northward, with clear sky and a warm fine day. The gale seems to he very local, for only moderate winds were felt ’at Napier, Blenheim, and ’ Kaikoura ; though the sea had increased considerably at the latter place during the afternoon. Last night the town Volunteers paraded for inspection at the drill-shed, Willis-street. The total number present was about 250. After inspection, Lieut.-Colonel Reader presented the prizes for the provincial rifle contests, and before so doing informed the Volunteers that owing to the absence from town of the ladies who usually took an interest in Volunteer matters, the pleasant task of distributing the prizes fell upon him. In the first class the winners were—J. Ballinger, Ist prize, £6 and medal; Capt. Crowe, 2nd prize ; Sergt.-Major Stevens, 3rd prize. Then followed Turner, Lieut. Scott, Mason, A. Monk, J. Robinson, T. Boey, Sinclair, Bannister, G. Monk, and Aplin. In the second class—Lieut. Godber, Cording, E. Scott, Milner, Sergt. Harris, Eagle, Brewer, Nairn, Dixon, Underwood, and Groy. The Veteran Corps has proved itself possessed of many excellent shots. The total number of prizes was twenty-four, out of which ten fell to that company. The cadets also received prizes as follows :—W. Ballinger, A. Ballinger, W. Wilton, E. Howe, C. Stuart, J. Brown, Leech, Bennett, Crowther, Read, and Dransfield. At the conclusion of the presentation the corps, headed by the Artillery and Veteran bands, marched as far as Brandon’s corner and back, arriving about 8 p.m.

The Hon. the Commissioner of Customs must have experienced great satisfaction in seeing such results arising from his introduction of a training ship, as he must have done during his recent trip in the Auckland training ship, which was worked entirely by boys. When our insular position is taken into consideration, and the natural advantages which our coastal line affords, it is evident that our mercantile marine is of the utmost importance; indeed, our commercial success depends entirely upon the facilities which we may possess for carrying freight to and from the colony. Speaking roughly, there are 450 vessels registered as owned in New Zealand, the tonnage of which amounts to upwards of 83,000 tons, and which require over 2000 hands to navigate them. In addition to these are the fine ships belonging to the New Zealand Shipping Company, which are at present not registered in the colony, but in all probability will be so shortly, and open up an additional field wherein to draft those boys who have served their apprenticeship oh board- the training ship, and who may eventually become worthy members of an important branch of industry, instead of growing , up in vice and depravity. Taken altogether, it is one of those unobtrusive improvements which confer a benefit alike on the present and future generations. An ordinary general meeting of the New Zealand Titanic Steel and Iron Company (Limited), was held in the Odd hollows’ Hall, on Monday evening. Mr. W. Gibson, the Chairman of the Board, presided ; and over forty of the members were present. The chairman moved the adoption of the report and balance-sheet, and in doing so, expressed his regret that delay in the shipment of the neeessary material from England and Scotland had prevented the completion of the works at New Plymouth. All the material, however, had now arrrived in splendid condition; the furnace had been erected, and was considered an excellent piece of work. The erection of the machinery and the necessary buildings to contain it would be completed within three or four months, and smelting operations would then be commenced. He thought that another call of £1 per share would be sufficient to enable the directors to complete the work, and he hoped that the amount would be paid without the necessity of reference to the Magistrate’s Court. He expressed his belief that the property of the company was good, and said; — “ We have selected, and will shortly have in our possession, the grant of 5000 acres of Taranaki land, and you all know the value of land in that part of the colony. Let us then, gentlemen, all pull together. There is no necessity for fear because we have been a long time in getting matters in order. It is better to do things slowly and thoroughly than to rush into them and court failure, and the directors have every confidence that a little patience will amply reward every shareholder.” Mr. Archer seconded the resolution ; expressed his confidence in the company, and expressed his regret that the Dunedin shareholders had not worked more pleasantly with those of Wellington. The motion was then agreed to. The election of three directors to take the place of Messrs. W. Gibson, D. Anderson, and D. Anderson, jun., who retired in accordance with the articles of association, but were eligible for re-election, was the next business. Mr. D. Anderson, jun., expressed his regret that he would not be able to give sufficient time to the duties, and would not therefore allow himself to be nominated. The following gentlemen were then duly proposed and seconded as directors I—Messrs. W. Gibson, D. Anderson, W. Asher (Dunedin), and R. Haworth (Dunedin). On being put to the meeting, the first three were declared duly elected. On the motion of Mr. P. Laing, seconded by Mr. J. M. Oleland, Messrs. D. T. Stuart and S. Carroll wore re-elected auditors, and their remuneration was fixed at £5 6s.

each. Mr, D. Anderson moved, and Mr. P. Laing seconded, the following motion, which was carried: unanimously That the next general meeting; be held' on the first Monday in May, 187 d." Mr. D. T. Stuart said that one part of the report referred to the services rendered by Mr. Chew in visiting New Plymouth, and devoting some two months gratuitously to furthering the company’s interests there, he had therefore very much pleasure in moving that an honorarium of £SO be given to Mr. Chew for his services at New Plymouth. Mr. J. Burne and the chairman warmly supported the proposition, which was carried unanimously. A vote of thanks to the Board of Directors for their services during the past year, concluded the general business, when the meeting was made special for the purpose of making alterations in the articles of association. The following extract from the speech of the Hon. Mr. Richardson, in replying to the toast of “ The Colonial Ministry and the General Assembly,” at the late celebration in the province of Canterbury of the opening of the extension of the Northern railway there to Ashley Bank, will be read with interest, as not only bearing graceful testimony to the exertions of the traffic manager and engineer respectively, but as indicative of a policy in connection with railway management which we should like to see generally adopted :—“ My firm belief is that if those parts of the colony where railways have been opened wish them to pay, those entrusted with the conduct of affairs must rely more on those they put in charge of the railways. (Cheers.) Let them be entrusted with more discretionary powers, let larger latitude be given to them, and if they don’t do their work satisfactorily and bring about satisfactory results, then let them be removed, and others put in their place. (Loud cheers.) So long as the Executive of the day interferes with the detail management of the railways, so long, in my opinion, it will be utterly impossible for them to pay. (Loud cheers.) I feel quite sure that the gentlemen in charge of these railways —gentlemen of such large and varied experience as Mr. Warner and Mr. Lawson—would merit the utmost and implicit trust that could be put in them, and if this were done, I for one have no fear as to the result.” (Loud cheers.) The Mr. Lawson referred to was but lately a resident in this city, in the position of accountant to the firm of Messrs. John Brogden and Sons, the well-known railway contractors, and was ,parted with by them, we understand, with great regret, on the occasion of his appointment as traffic manager of the railways in Canterbury province. We draw attention to Mr. Duncan’s large sale, to be held at his auction room at eleven o’clock this day, of wines, beer, spirits, teas, and sundries; and at the same time state that on the day after (Thursday, 29th April), he will commence the sale of the stock-in-trade of A. Mullin’s and Son, at their store at the Upper Hutt. Catalogues are already published. This sale will occupy at least two days, possibly three, commencing each day at eleven o’clock. Luncheon will be provided at one o'clock on each day. It is needless to add that these auctions must be absolutely without reserve. It will be noticed that to-day Mr. B. Levy will sell under the hammer, beginning at two o’clock p.m., the valuable jewellery, plated goods, &c., the property of the late Mr. W. W, Kinvague, watch manufacturer and jeweller, Lambton-quay. The sale is by order of the trustees, for the purpose of winding up the estate.