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New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4416, 15 May 1875, Page 2

We understand that it is the intention of the Government to take advantage of the holiday on the Queen’s birthday, and run two trains on the second section of the Wellington and Masterton Railway, 'as far as the railway bridge over the Hutt River. The line cannot be 1 opened for regular traffic for some weeks, owing to its being required for constant use for ballasting the further section of the line. The trains are fixed to leave the Wellington station at 10.30 a.m. and 1.15 p.m., returning after a quarter of an hour’s stoppage at the Upper Hutt. Now that the Edwin Fox is-about to sail for Newcastle with cargo, wo may state that her popular and able commander,- Captain Davies, is likely to be employed in future in the New Zealand trade. We understand that he will have the command of one of Messrs. Shaw, Savill, and Co.’s new iron ships, now building on the Clyde, which are specially intended for the New Zealand line. It will be remembered that Captain Davies brought the Dallam Tower, a naked ship, 3600 miles into Melbourne last year, without the help of steamers, 1 two of which were by him to make salvage, and subsequently completed the round voyage l by Otago, at a minimum of loss to his owners. The run to Melbourne was made in ninety days, of which thirty-six days elapsed from the time of being totally dismasted and the decks swept. In another column will be found a letter from him in reference to the port dues and pilotage, which mercantile men would do well to consider. It is an undoubted fact that the character of the port suffers from excessive charges upon shipping, and we hope the Chamber of Commerce will take action in the matter. We shall gladly welcome Captain Davies back to Wellington in his new command.

The Court of Appeal yesterday reduced tho long list of cases by disposing of a Napier case and the interminable suit Vennell v. Brandon. The first case was an argument upon the petition of E. Crowtber in re the assigned estate of John Stuart, in which a deed of arrangement had been filed. Ultimately an order was made by consent, to the effect that tho rule nisi obtained in the case should be argued during the present sitting of tho Court. Mr. Wilson and Mr. Travers were the counsel engaged. In Vennell v. Brandon the Court reserved judgment. The statement made at the City Council meeting that the Hon. Wi Tako had been summoned for rates, is incorrect. Tho usual notice hail been served, and it was this missive that produced Wi Tako’s response. It will be observed -that Monday first—being Whitmonday—mil be kept as a holiday by the Banks. i We regret to learn that Mr. Borlase, who now has -been ill for many weeks, is rapidly sinking. His condition last night wassuch as. to occasion considerable alarm to his friends. 1 The s.s. Tararua left Lyttelton for this port at an early hour yesterday afjiemobn. She would probably experience tho full force of the adverse gale which prevailed last night, but still she may bo looked for in the harbor early in the afternoon.

The price of bread was yesterday reduced by some of the bakers to sd. per lib. loaf. The Hon. W. H. Beynolds took his seat in the Provincial Council-of Otago on the 10th instant.

. A meeting of the subscribers to the Wellington Athenseum, held last night, was adjourned until the 28th May, on account of the bad attendance of members.

A farewell performance, by the Sisters Duvalli is announced to take place this evening, in the Odd Fellows’ Hall. A v choice bill is announced, the performances consisting of “ Magic Toys ” and “ The Demon Lover.” At Greytown, on the Bth instant, a laborer named Henry Williams was convicted of stealing from Mr.' Wm. Ady’s public-house a meerschaum pipe and a coat, the property of Neil Olsen Eronstael. He was sentenced to three months’ imprisonment, with hard labor. In the week ending the. 23rd of last month only one trans-Australian ' message was sent from New Zealand to England, and no message was received for this colony. Curiously enough the messages despatched and those received equalled each other, being seventyseven each, way. The Queensland Government lately applied to the Government of Italy for a supply of “grain” for the culture of the silkworm. The request has been complied with, and the exexperiment of sericulture is now about to be tried in Queensland under the most favorable auspices.

The following tenders were received at the Public Works Office, Wellington, for the completion of the Glenore contract of the Tokomairiro and Lawrence railway :—Accepted— A. J. Smyth and Co., Dunedin, £13,513. Declined—Jas.- McKenzie, Dunedin, £15,791 ; Matheson Bros., Dunedin, £15,890 ; W. Strachan, Dunedin, balance of amount of original contract. Despite the inclement weather there was an ■excellent attendance at the Theatre Loyal last night, and “ The New Magdalen ” was received with even greater favor than on the previous evening. To-night the old and well-worn play of the “ Octoroon ” is to be produced, being, in theatrical language, “ a good Saturday night’s piece but we doubt whether the substitution will be to the benefit of the treasury. We should mention that we omitted to state yesterday that Mr. Massey responded to a welldeserved call for the excellence of his scenery.

The cases at the Resident Magistrate’s Court yesterday morning were not of much public interest. The only case in which counsel appeared .was one of debt. From the evidence it appeared that a Mr. Tocker had made an. assignment of his estate to a certain trustee, who sought to recover a debt which it was alleged had been paid to Mr. Tocker himself. Mr. Gordon Allan appeared for the defendant, and Mr. Quick for the trustee. His Worship gave judgment for the amount and costs. A case of criminal assault on a woman was adjourned. We understand, says the Inangahua Herald, that it is the intention of the Rev. Father Cummins to hike action with a view of inducing the Government to place a vote on the estimates for the cemetery at Reefton. Its present condition is positively disgraceful—unfenced, the gate torn from its hinges, and the bodies interred with but little regard to order. It is high time that something was done to remedy the neglect in connection with this reserve.

According to a statement made by Mr. G. H. Tribe, Secretary to the Wellington and Hutt Building Society, the number of shareholders in the society is 173, holding 792 J shares, giving a monthly income of £2ll 2s. 6d. The amount of mortgages held by the society is £1650, but in addition to this, applications for a large amount have been granted, and only wait the completion of the necessary deeds. ■ The realisation of shares and the issue of new ones are steadily increasing the income of the society, and as a matter of fact the figures given above only represent about twothirds of the present business of the society. ■Like the other building societies it is in flourishing circumstances; so much so that the committee have resolved, immediately after the next monthly meeting, on Ist June, to increase the entrance fee. The June meeting will be the sixth regular monthly pay-day, and it is , thought that those who join now, the success of the society being assured,; should pay more than those who shared the risks of its initiation. Nobody can doubt the wisdom and 'justice of such a course. Those who helped the society in the period of difficulty are best entitled to share its prosperity. In view of an extension of the society’s operations, the secretary calls attention to the fact that after the next meeting the society will be legally entitled to issue debentures, which will offer a convenient and profitable mode of investment for sums of £lO and upwards, recallable by notice of not less than three months. Mr. Tribe will visit the Hutt at the end of the present month, to enlighten the shareholders resident there' as to the condition of the society’s affairs. The Sydney Evening News of the 3rd inst. has the following :—George King, a miner; Charles ' Hunstan, painter ; Thomas White, miner ; and Thomas Palmer, mason; were charged with having travelled in the steamer Maegregor, from Auckland to Sydney, without having previously paid their fare when demanded, and with intent to avoid payment thereof. King and White pleaded guilty ; Hunstan and Palmer pleaded not guilty, and stated in defence that they paid a sum of £2O in San Francisco for their passage in the Mikado, from that place to Australia ; and that although they stayed in Auckland, New Zealand, some time, they thought that they might come on by any of the company’s , steamers, having paid for a through passage. They wereeach fined £5, or in default of payment to be imprisoned for one month. The Marlborough Times of the 11th instant has the following :—“Mr. W. McHutcheson, late assistant-officer in charge of the Blenheim telegraph station, left here yesterday, having been transferred to the Wellington office. As a testimony of the high appreciation in which he was held by his brother officers, they presented him previously to his departure with a farewell address of regret at his departure, and good wishes for his future welfare. They also presented him ■with a valuable gold Albert chain and locket. We have no doubt that all those who have been brought into contact with Mr. McHutcheson will join in the good wishes of his more immediate friends, and will long recollect with pleasure' his friendly demeanor and genial disposition.”