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New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4411, 10 May 1875, Page 4

We publish to-day our usual summary of the news of New Zealand for the month AprilMay, for transmission to America and England by the San Francisco mail, which will he despatched to-morrow forenoon, the mail closing here at 10 o’clock a.m. The state of the Custom-house was considerably commented upon on Saturday. Those persons whose business called them into, the vestibule were greeted with copious showers of water, which came pouring down from the upper compartments of the building. On going into the long-room, the officials and the public who had business to transact had to put up their umbrellas to protect themselves from the water which came through the ceiling. Blotting-paper was extensively used to soak up the wet on the counters. This disgraceful state of affairs should not be allowed to exist any longer. The judicious expenditure of a few pounds would effect all necessary repairs. An accident to an old settler in the Hutt— Mr. William Abbott, formerly of the 65th regiment, and a pensioner—-was reported on Saturday, aud it was stated that the injuries he had sustained were severe. He had fallen over a bank of the river, on his way home. We are glad to learn, from a report received by the police late last night, that Abbott . has only sustained a few scratches aird bruises. The p.s. Manawatu is expected to reach the harbor at an early hour this morning. Amongst other passengers she would bring Inspector Atchison, who would have in charge live long-sentenced prisoners. The Theatre Royal was occuped on Saturday night by the stock company, with the help of Mr. Sam Howard. They repeated the bill of the previous night, “ Worth a Struggle,” and the “ Phenomenon in a Smock Frock.” There was a fair attendance. A splendid new piano, by a well-known German maker, has just been- placed in the Theatre Royal by the custodian Mr. Charles Hillsdeu, at his own expense. It is of full compass and good tone, and will be a valuable aid to the orchestra. It has cost Mr. Hillsden seventy-five guineas, aud the fact that he has placed such an instrument in the building, must be regarded as a strong proof of the interest he takes in the prosperity of the undertaking with which he is now associated as secretary of the company and custodian of the building. The Sisters Duvallis, assisted by Mr. Coutts aud Mr. C. Hall, concluded a very successful professional visit to Wellington on Saturday evening, at the Odd Fellows’ Hall. There was an excellent attendance, and the performances were very well received. They proceed hence to Blenheim, and on their return will visit Wanganui. The house on the reclaimed land on Lambton Quay, lately occuped by Dr. Diver, is about to be turned to another but useful purpose. It has been leased by Messrs. Springer and Prosper, who are about to open the premises as a restaurant, under the title of the Cafd do Paris. Mens. Prosper was lately the cook of the Dunedin Club, and both members of the firm have had large experiences in the business they are about to begin. Their speciality, we may say, will be suppers between nine and twelve o’clock p.m., which, it is promised, will be very good. In the week ending on the 16th instant, not fewer than 89 cablegrams were received in Adelaide, and 100 despatched. Victoria was, as usual, the largest patrouiser of the wires, having received 37 and despatched 51 messages. New South Wales received 35 and sent away 24. New Zealand only sent 2 aud received 3.

A meeting of the Board of Education will be held at eleven o’clock this forenoon, to consider the business postponed at the last meeting.

A fireman named John Morris, alias Robert Latimore, formerly employed on board the s.s. Otago, has got himself into in Melbourne. He stole a horse from a paddock at Bacchus Marsh, and sold it immediately afterwards for £24 to David Nesbitt, a well-known horse-dealer, who later on sold it to Mr. Morley, of Sandridge, for £4O. Morris was afterwards arrested on Sandridge pier, said he was hard up when he committed the crime, and has been committed for trial.

A correspondent, writing from Eoxtou on the 6th of May, says;—“ X regard the 6th of May as a red-letter day in the Manawatu settlement. James Collins'; Esq., merchant, on that-day was wedded to the daughter of T. XL Cook, Esq., one of the first settlers in the district. Mr. James Booth, at the breakfast which followed the completion of the ceremony, proposed the health of the bride and bridegroom. Dr. Hewson gave the health of the father of the bride, and took occasion to observe that from that daymight be dated a new era in the progress of the settlement, while he drew a glowing picture of the district, its beauties and its prospects. The Melbourne Daily Telegraph of the 28th April has the following :—“ Another exemplification of the truth contained in the time-worn adage, that fools and their money have a short acquaintance, is afforded by the experience of a man named James Walsh, who only arrived in Melbourne from Otago on Saturday last. Walsh, after having visited various hotels during his short stay, found his way on Monday afternoon to a Bourke-street house, at the barof which he spent some time in drinking. On leaving he was met in the passage by three men, who knocked him down, and then placed him in a cab which was waiting. Walsh was stunned from the effects of the blow, and on recovering consciousness found that he was by himself on a piece of waste ground, and robbed of £57 in gold, a watch-chain, meerschaum pipe, and other valuables. The robbery has been reported to the police.” The passengers by the s.s. Ellora, which arrived in Hobson’s Bay on Monday morning, says the Australasian of the 24th April, experienced an unusual sensation during the passage from Sydney to this port. At about four o’clock -on Sunday afternoon, Captain Dundas, who had exhibited symptoms of eccentricity , during the voyage, ordered the helmsman to steer right in to the shore, saying there was a passage through Wilson’s Promontory, which the vessel was approaching. The officers, humoring him, turned the vessel’s head towards the shore, and then wore round to weather the point in the ordinary way. Captain Dundas, finding that his orders were disregarded, descended from the bridge, took the helm, and steered the vessel straight towards the Promontory. The shore being only about a mile and half distant, and the vessel going under steam at the rate of about eleven knots an hour, the danger of its grounding was imminent, and most of the passengers lost their heads in the excitement, but a few, including Captain Standish, the Chief Commissioner of Police, preserved their presence of mind, and finding that the captain could not be dissuaded from his mad intention of taking the vessel overland across Wilson’s Promontory, Captain Standish seized him and with assistance carried him downstairs, where Captain Dundas was kept while the chief officer navigated the vessel safely into port. On arrival at Williamstown Captain Dundas proceeded quietly to Melbourne, having apparently recovered his senses. No reason can be assigned for the captain’s temporary aberration of intellect.

On the 12th April a veteran officer, Mr. John Pollen, eighty-four years of age, was thrown from his horse and killed near Dubbo (New South Wales), and the Dispatch has learned that the deceased gentleman was at the memorable ball in Brussels, when the distant booming of artillery filled the room with consternation, and summoned the British officers suddenly from the brilliant scene of happy revelry to a scene of glory certainly, but where they had also to enter upon a work of fearful carnage. Mr. Pollen long survived the dangers of the battlefield, though he came not out unscathed, for he bears to the grave the scar of a sabre-wound across the forehead, and we believe another of a bullet-wound in the breast; but died at last almost unknown, unheeded, and alone, in the Australian bush. Newspapers continue to increase and multiply in New Zealand.- • Among the new journals that have entered the field within the last week or two is the Tnangahud [ Times, at Keefton, province of Nelson. . It will be.published three times a week, ■on days alternating with the Herald, so that' Keefton now may be said to possess a daily newspaper We learn on reliable ' authprity, says the Orey Star, that .it is .the .intention of the Government, as soon as the purchase of the stone quarries has been effected,' to put men to work without delay in getting’ out stone for our public works. All the four quarries will be kept working, but the specific purpose for which the first stone is required we have not been able to ascertain. It is probable that it will be the commencement of the harbor improvement works, the immediate importance of which cannot be over-estimated, as upon their construction the export coal trade of Greymouth mainly depends. The following telegram from Hobarton appears in the Melbourne journals : —“ At a meeting of the policy-holders in the Australian Mutual Provident Society, at which upwards of 100 were present,-resolutions were passed demanding representation' for the non-resident shareholders, in the , election of directors, and: altering laws. The establishment of a Tasmanian board was sought; The society wasrepresented as having become a political institution." . !

The Dunedin Young Men’s Christian Association appear to have found themselves unable to manage the business of inaugurating their society, and have applied to the Melbourne association for the services of Mr. W. G. Marsh, the secretary of that body, for- a few weeks, to bring their affairs into order. The request, we see from the Melbourne journals,; was likely to be complied with.