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New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4409, 7 May 1875, Page 2

~ It is stated that Mr. B. Pharazyn will take the place of Mr. W. Watt in the Provincial Executive Council of Wellington. Mr. Moorhouse was a passenger by the Ladybird to Picton yesterday, from which place he was to proceed to Blenheim, to be present at Mr. Seymour's meeting last night, if possible. He has already received encouraging promises of support in his candidature for the representation of Wairau. In our telegraphic columns will be found a report of the financial statement of the new Ministry of the Province of Canterbury. It will be seen that it is by no means of a flourishing character, and that, for a time at least, the financial glory of Canterbury has departed.

A meeting of the Board of Education will be held to-day at eleven o'clock in the forenoon, in the usual place. The business is important, namely, to consider the proposals submitted to the Provincial Council respecting changes in the Education Act. The dangers of condensation were very pointedly alluded to yesterday by the Hon. Mr. Richardson before receiving the representations of the Chamber of Commerce deputation. The Minister for Public Works said he trusted the reporters would not give a mere precis of what took place, not because ho disliked brevity, but because he could relate some very unpleasant experiences of condensed reports given by the Otago papers of proceedings in .which he was an active participant. What he objected to was not condensation but mis-

representation. He trusted, therefore, that the reporters would endeavor to give his remarks in their entirety, so that his explanations to the deputation should not be misconstrued outside. The hon. gentleman will observe that we have gratified his wishes. Last night the members of the Young Men's Wesleyan Mutual Improvement Association held their usual meeting in Manners-street vestry. The subject was an essay on " Mesmerism," by Mr. Frost. After the essayist had read a very interesting paper on the subject, he proceeded to.experiment on several of the members present, with success. A vote of thanks was passed to Mr. Frost for his essay and experiments, and he was requested to lecture on mesmerism in the Dixon-street schoolroom. The lecture will be in aid of the society, and will probably be given early next month.

To-morrow- night the engagement of Miss May Howard begins at the Theatre Royal. Her first appearance will be made in "The Geneva Cross," a drama never played in Wellington, but which has excited great interest in America, and wherever performed in the colonies. We may mention that it is the production of Mr. George Fawcett Howe —betterknown as George Fawcett—who was for years the manager and leading actor of the Princess Theatre, Melbourne ; and who, after distinguishing himself there as an actor, and to some extent as an author, went to England, and at once established a high reputation both as actor and author. The scene of the story of "The Geneva Cross," is the Crimea, at the time of the late war ; and the new scenery, specially prepared for the play, is from the well-known brush of Mr. C. Massey, who is said to have excelled himself on .this occasion. The Wellington Artillery Volunteers will parade to-morrow (Saturday), at a quarter to one o'clock p.m., for the purpose of proceeding to Evana Bay for prize-firing. I

His Honor Mr. Justice Johnston was a passenger by the p.a. Manawatu, from Wanganui, yesterday.

A meeting of the members of the Wellington Mutual Improvement Association was held last evening at the schoolroom, Woodwardstreet. An interesting discussion took place on Funeral Reform. It was decided that a reform was urgently required, and several suggestions were made as to the manner of bringing about the desired change. Last night the sisters Duvalli again appeared in the Odd Fellows' Hall. There was an entire change of programme, a sketch entitled " The Lakes of Killarney," and "The Demon Lover" being presented. There was a large attendance, and the performances were well received. Miss Rosalie achieved a greater success than she has hitherto done as a vocalist, and sang her solos very pleasingly. Miss Heloise, as the fairy of the lakes, played excellently ; while Mr. Coutts and Mr. Hall had parts in which they were able to show to better advantage than before. "The Demon Lover" concluded the entertainment. In both pieces their was some most excellent dancing, in which the ladies particularly excel.. To command a full amount of patronage in Wellington, however, Mr. Coutts must omit or modify some of the points he makes—for they are ' very much too pointed for the social atmosphere of this city. The entertainment is good, with that exception alone. Mr. Oakes, the contractor for the Pakuratahi section of the Wellington and Masterton railway, arrived yesterday from Wanganui by the Manawatu. Mr. Oakes brought five valuable horses, which will be employed on the works at Pakuratahi. One of the horses is a valuable entire, named Victory, which will be available for stud purposes in the district. The performance at the Theatre Royal to-night will be for the joint benefit of Mr. J. Thorp and Mr. Hesfojd, and under the patronage of his Worship the Mayor and City Council. The programme will be " Worth a Struggle," in which Miss Raymond and Mr; J. P. Hydes will appear ; and a "Phenomenon in a Smock Frock," in which Mr. Sam Howard will take the principal part. A champion clog dance will be given in the interval. Messrs. J. Thorp and Hesford have shown themselves very hard-working and painstaking; they have invariably played their parts ably and attractively; and they should receive recognition of their long-continued efforts to please.

We regret, remarks the Wairarapa Standard, to hear of the death of Miss Minnie Parker, of Napier, at an early age. She obtained the New Zealand Cross for a very unusual act of bravery at the massacre, being at the time about thirteen years of age. Her mother having escaped from the house, forgot to take the baby, who was left in its cradle. After the family *had proceeded some distance in the scrub, Mrs. Parker missed the child, and was lamenting, when Mis 3 Parker returned and brought it away, although the house was blazing, and the Maoris around it.

We observe that in a letter to Mr. Geo. Browne, of Hobarton, Mr. C. M. S. Chichester, late private secretary to Mr. Du Cane, Governor of Tasmania, alluding to a recent London card Bcandal, writes :—" The officer of Nice notoriety has, I hear, gone to Australia under an assumed name; so look out for a very good-looking and highly-accomplished scoundrel." •

The Whareama correspondent of the Wairarapa Standard writes : —" If more than ordinary interest is centred in the Council about to meet on Friday, it is not so much from the ' legacy' which we are weak enough to anticipate from its sense of justice, as from the more catholic sentiment suggested in the funereal accessories of decent burial having been ordered before its actual dissolution. If any part of the province has a catalogue of offences against provincialism, and may be pardoned for 'nursing its wrath to keep it warm,' the Castle Point district assuredly enjoys that unenviable distinction. Year after year its land has been sold, acre after acre, till now good ' selections' are a thing of the past; and the Provincial Treasury has conveniently absorbed the proceeds of those sales, and caused them to gravitate to other and more favored localities, where the political lever was prized by dexterous and influential hands. Two years ago, had a stranger visited this district and asked to be shown the recompense which we had received from a paternal Government, he would have been directed to the Castle Point road, where he would have found no stone that nature in pity had not bestowed ; nor will he to-morrow, although some parts if not metalled at once will be impassable in winter, on account of the travelling area being restricted by recent fences. We are not angels, but were we, the political neglect we have suffered were enough to make us weep ; for our gratitude to provincialism in the past is mainly evoked by bad and unworkable Acts, with as many amendments as there are streamers to a comet's tail. While recapitulating our grievances however, —no matter what may be our political proclivities, or how they may manifest themselves, — we must admit that the present Executive have shown a disposition to do something for the district, and the Tenui and Alfredton road (discarding differences of opinion as to working details for the present), may be cited in support of this assertion. There are other indications—the Kaumingi bridge, and we hope soon to'add the Mangapakeha bridge also, with the intervening road between those two contemplated structures. These benefits, both present and prospective, we cheerfully avow, and write them to the credit of the present Superintendent and his advisers in the private ledgers of our political conscience. Still, in remembering the past we peer into the future ; and to the system which gives the greater promise of financial stability combined with greater local administration, be it which it may, shall the political sympathies of this district be directed."

The Towers' Family we notice are making a successful professional visit to Tasmania, where little Rosa has been playing " William," in the burlesque of Black-Eyed Susan, and " Nelly O'Neill," in the Green Bushes.