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New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4426, 27 May 1875, Page 2

Tho southerly gale which commenced yesterday has given ample warning of its approach, the first signs of change having been observed on Saturday last, when telegrams were sent to , Port • Chalmers, Hokitika, Bluif, and several other places, giving intimation of tho probability of falling barometer, and a reply received from Hokitika on the same day, stated that the glass had already commenced to move down, and this it continued to do until Tuesday. Tho weather in the meantime became threatening ; and on Monday last warnings to expect a westerly gale wer - e sent to all places from which reports hiid been received on that day. On Tuesday the barometer was still falling, and as there seemed a probability that the wind would change into the north, and perhaps north-east, before the southerly gale came, additional warnings were sent to southern stations that they might be prepared for this change should tho wind increase from tho north, but stating that they must not tho less be prepared for a heavy southerly gale. By telegrams received yesterday it appears that the change took place, the wind going round to north-cast at Port ChalmerSj. Hokitika, Lyttelton, and most of tho southern ports, accompanied by very. threatening appearances. The barometer commenced to rise soon after midnight at-The Bluff, and a very heavy south-west gale soon commenced, which rapidly extended itself over the Middle Island, reaching Wellington at about 8 a.m. yesterday, and continuing a whole gale from tho southward up to the time of our going to press.

Tho additions to the gaol are proceeding satisfactorily. A new wing is being erected for the female prisoners, which, when finished, will accommodate about twenty-four inmates. A complete classification of criminals will then be possible. Oue of tho chief features in tho now building is the provision for a bathroom, the absence of which in the present building has been greatly felt, According to

the prison regulations now in force, there must be an evening class held between the hours of six and eight, at which all the inmates must be in attendance. The general health of the prisoners now in the gaol is satisfactory, with one exception—a man named Williams, suffering from rheumatics, and at present helplessly paralysed, evidently being a much more fit subject for the hospital than the gaol. It is needless to say that every available comfort has been granted him by those in attendance, but it is curious that something has not been done by the visiting justices, who alone are in a position to order his removal to a place where due care can be taken for his recovery. The state of the cell in which the unfortunate man is now confined is perfectly in accordance with the most rigorous prison regulations as to cleanliness, but without affording the least warmth or comfort, both of which his apparently critical state require. The number of prisoners at present in durance vile is fiftyeight males, seven females, and one debtor'. The only industry for which a shop is supplied within the precincts of the establishment is that of shoe-making. The boots turned out by the hands are very strong, and are in some cases supplied to the inmates of the lunatic asylum. The library comprises about 450 volumes, all of which have been approved by the visiting justices. The books are lent out, for a week at a time, to those who require them. A case deserving the attention of the charitably disposed was brought under the notice of the clerk at the Resident Magistrate Court on Tuesday last. Many of our readers will remember the death of a female on board the La Hogue on the day of the ship’s arrival in harbor. The occurrence gave sorrow to a bereaved husband and seven children, the latter all below the age of twelve. The father in his extremity allowed the eldest child to go to service, for the sake of providing her with a home. Another girl, about eight years old, was adopted by a shopkeeper at Te Aro, and the father having found a situation out of Wellington, took the remaining five children away with him, entrusting the welfare of his other two children to the kindly instincts of their guardians. The elder girl did very well, but from some cause which the younger child was unable to explain, she was turned out of doors by her foster parent, and sent to do the best she could wiljh her sister. Of course, the person who had charge of the latter could not maintain the two, and the result was an appeal to the clerk as stated. Some shipmates of the children having stepped into the breach, the poor little things are being provided for at present; but as their shipmates are themselves poor people, the attention of the more wealthy citizens, or of the Benevolent Society, is directed to the case.

We notice that Mr. Bainford, who has been so long and so favorably known to all lovers of good singing in the colonies, arrived in Wellington yesterday, and the date of the complimentary concert for his benefit has been fixed for Friday evening. Mr. Bainford has always been a prime favorite with the Wellington public, and this, even without the sympathy which circumstances have very properly evoked for him, should ensure him a bumper house. We may add that an excellent programme has been prepared for the occasion, the particulars of which will be published tomorrow.

Mr. W. G. Geddes, agent for Mr. Hoskins, who, with Mrs. Hoskins and a very strong company, open at the Theatre Eoyal on. the 31st iust., arrived yesterday in the Ladybird, and has set about active preparations for informing the public of what is in store for them. It is intended during the .coming .season to produce Gilbert’s fairy comedies, “ Pygmalion and Galatea ” and the “ Palace of Truth,” and in these there will be a decided treat. Further, however, Mr. Hoskins contemplates placing on the stage quite a number of new plays, to the representation of which he possesses the exclusive right in New Zealand. In consequence of a severe cold Miss Howard was unable to appear at the Theatre Boyal last evening, therefore the house was closed. This evening “ Camille ” will be produced, and as the piece is highly popular no doubt there will be a large attendance.

A special general meeting of the shareholders of the New Zealand Titanic Steel and Iron Company was held last night in the sideroom of the Odd Fellows’ Hall. There were about twenty shareholders present, of whom Mr. Burne was chosen chairman. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed.' The object of the meeting was to confirm the following alterations in the articles of association, as passed at a special general meeting of the shareholders, held on the 26th of April last “ Ist. To alter Eegulathm No. 34, so as to read as follows : —‘No business shall be transacted at any meeting except the declaration of a dividend, unless a quorum of shareholders is present at the commencement of such business ; and such quorum shall be ascertained as follows—that is to say, if the shareholders belonging to the company at the time of the meeting do not exceed ten in number, the quorum shall be five ; if they exceed ten, there shall be added to the above quorum one. for every ten additional shareholders up to fifty, and one for every twenty additional shareholders after fifty ; with this limitation, that no quorum shall in any case exceed twenty.’ 2nd. To add as Begulatiou No. 50a the following :—‘The directors shall have power to appoint one of their number to be managing director, and to pay him such salary as they shall think fit.’ 3rd. To add the following words to section 1 of Begulation No. 52 ; ‘Excepting that of managing director-.’” On the motion of the chairman, seconded by Mr. Collins, the resolutions, as proposed, were carried unanimously. A vote of thanks to the chair closed the proceedings. A well finished pair-oar inrigged skiff, with all the latest impu-ovements, including steering apparatus and sliding seats, has just been turned out by Messrs. Crook and Harrison, Martinstreet. Her dimensions are 23ft. over all, with a beam of 2ft. Sin., and at the launch, which took place last Saturday, the speed of the boat and her excellence of build elicited favorable comment from a number of gentlemen well known in aquatic circles. Messrs. Crook aud Harrison being experienced boat-builders have turned out the skiff as a speculative enterprise, and as sho can be purchased for twenty guineas, the local clubs have an excellent opportunity of making an addition to their plant.

“The Official Handbook of New Zealand” has been favorably reviewed at Home, but in the colony it has had to run the gauntlet of adverse criticism such as has been bestowed upon no other publication since the foundation of the colony. For a wonder, even the Timaru Herald and Lyttelton Times agree in its wholesale condemnation. This is a sample of what the Times says about it, after weeks of careful study : —“ It is not many years since every poet or novelist who had a hero he could not dispose of by shipwreck or battle-field, or any of tho other ordinary quietus-givers of fiction, sent him off to New Zealand, leaving a feeling on the reader's mind that he bad done the very best for his hero that human nature could demand for such a being, that he had sent him to a happy Valhalla, whither the pen of tho fiction-writer dare not or need not penetrate. The broadside of New Zealand poems and novels and experiences of the last ten years, has not quite done away with tho practice among tho skirmishers in the rear of the great army of authors. But wo will effectually put a stop to it now that the Colonial Government has taken elaborate pains to disenchant oiir modem fiction-writers Valhalla by publishing an Official Handbook. If it were only its dirty drab covers, its illegible maps, its blurred photographs of the least picturesque scenery, its primitive artless woodcuts, the curiously inappropriate distribution of them through the volume, and the enormous number of blunders in the letter-press ; the volume is equal to at least to two Cospatriok disasters as a dissuasive from immigration.” They are going ahead in the way of sport in Otago. Already one season’s trout fishinghas passed, and now coursing is about to come into fashion, a Mr. Rich, of Palmerston, announcing his intention to give a cup, value £SO, to bo run for. It is noticeable that, according to several of tho country papers, hares have become a perfect pest in portions of Otago. Mr. John Moran, Irish Comedian, passed through here yesterday, on the Maori, for Dunedin, to seo his wife, who is dangerously ill.

At the Resident Magistrate’s Court yesterday morning, Howard Wallace, Esq., J.P., presided. A couple of inebriates appeared before his Worship, and each was fined in the usual small sum, with the alternative of fortyeight hours’ imprisonment. The Otago Guardian says ;—“ East Tuesday evening, Mr. J. M. Perrier, who had for some time filled the position of editor on the Bruce Herald, and who is now about to leave the district to fill a similar position on the Wellington Mail, was entertained at a supper by the employes of the former journal, and presented with a very handsome silver tea and coffee service, and a travelling-case and writing-desk. Mr. Perrier’s health was proposed in very glowing terms by Mr. Maokay, the proprietor of the Bruce Herald, and responded to in suitable terms. A very pleasant evening was afterwards spent.” According to the Wairarapa Standard the celebration of the Queen’s Birthday there was severely simple. Our contemporary says : “ Y esterday was a holiday, but not a very animated one. The only loyal demonstrations we observed were feus de joie fatal to pigeons and rabbits, and a grand somersault performed in Main-street, Greytown, last evening, by a loaded cart and an excessively ‘loyal’ driver, who attempted to run his vehicle over a culvert on one wheel.”