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New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4460, 6 July 1875, Page 2

We are indebted to Mr. Gray, of the postal department, for tho information that the s.s. City of Melbourne left San Francisco, with the English mails, on the 21st June. She will probably reach Auckland in advance of her duo date. The Supreme Court in its criminal jurisdiction was formally opened yesterday, and then adjourned for a week. To-day a Government land sale will be held at the Provincial Government Buildings.

A Gazette was issued yesterday containing a new Commission of the Peace for the colony. We observe in this commission the name of Mr. Tully, of Greytown, included; a most wise selection, and one calculated to remove a good many complaints in that locality, that there was no resident justice of the peace. A rumor was current yesterday that the recent heavy rain had had the effect of damaging the Masterton railway line; but on enquiry we found the statement to be without foundation. A special train left the station during the afternoon with material, and this probably gave rise to the report, but the material was merely for use on the unopened part of the line. The whole length of the way is perfectly sound.

We are pleased to learn that the Rev. James McKee, who has filled the charge of the Wairarapa Presbyterian Church for the past five months, has received a unanimous call from the congregation. It is most probable the rev. gentleman will accept the call, in which case the district is to be congratulated upon the acquisition of a young and energetic clergyman, who will apply both talents and zeal to his work. Yesterday in error we attributed to Dr. Redwood, Roman Catholic Bishop of Wellington, the authorship of a pamphlet entitled "A Reply to the Question is a Miracle opposed to Reason."*The Bishop, through Father Petit-Jean, writes to say that so far from being the author of such a pamphlet, lie did not even know of its existence. We notice that it was the Protestant Bishop who wrote the work. Father Petit-Jean has requested us to publish this correction. The Fakir of Oolu opens at the Odd Fellows' Hail to-night. All the arrangements for the production of his entertainment are now completed, and the stage of the hall will, we believe, present a complete and most agreeable metamorphosis. The landing of the bulky appurtenances, comprising the paraphernalia for the entertainment, at the wharf yesterday, attracted a large number of spectators, and gave evidence of the wondrous sights to come. We may mention that the Fakir has with him a most excellent and efficient orchestra. • The Corporation carter Biddle surrendered to his bail at the Resident Magistrate's Court yesterday, to answer to the charge laid against him of having, through carelessness, caused the death of the little girl Alice Russell. Mr. Travers, who appeared for the prosecutor, the child's father, applied for a remand, but Mr. Allan, defendant's solicitor, opposed the request as unreasonable, seeing that so long a time had already been given for the preparation of evidence. Mr. Crawford refused the application. Mr. Travers thereupon declined to go on, and the defendant was discharged. Last evening "Hamlet," the first tragedy of the season, was presented to a very large house at the Theatre Royal, and with the greatest success. Of course the leading character was taken by Mr. Dnrrell, and the hearty calls he received on each fall of the curtain, showed how highly his interpretation of "Hamlet" was appreciated. In the ghost scene, the closet scene, and the final scene he was especially powerful. All throughout, his acting was of the most artistic description. Mrs. DarreU's Queen was lot less worthy of praise, and her vigorous exposition of the character well earned the hearty plaudits that the audience bestowed upon her. Mrs. Hill's Ophelia was performed with thrillinj pathos, and the Ghost, played by Mr. Hoskins, was as appropriate and appalling as any fictitious visitor from the land of spirits could be. The other characters were all played with good taste, and with a fair display of dramatic power, but Mr. Douglas made a Laertes far above the ordinary representation the part receives. The writer of an amusing article, " The World we Live In," in the Wairarapa Neios, has the following:—"A new crime has cropped up which I trust will be effectually dealt with to prevent any similar cases arising. I allude to the one mentioned in the special telegrams ifrom the Auckland correspondent of a Wellington evening paper, wherein it is stated that 'John Hunter, a barber, charged with suicide, resided with Mrs. Kennedy, a married sister.' There has been more than one person charged with ' attempting to commit' suicide; but this case presents quite a new feature. If the correspondent means that the barber was 'charged with' in the same way wo mean that clouds are charged with or full of rain, well and good ; but if the man was a suicide, then the charge should be relegated to the court of purgatory." The Roman Catholic population of the Ohariu district have recently been making very strenuous efforts to raise sufficient money wherewith to erect a new church, and so far have their praiseworthy endeavors been successful that a tender for the performance of the work has within the past few days been accepted. By a sight of the plans, which have been drawn by Mr. Turnbull, of Temple Chambers, we learn that the building it is proposed to erect will be capitally adapted to the wants of the district, and from an architectural point of view quite an ornament to the valley. The structure will be about 40ft. by 20ft., and 12ft. high, and capable of seating about two hundred persons. In addition to the nave, which is to be 30ft. by 20ft., there will be the usual sanctuary 20ft. by Bft., and a sacristry 10ft. by Bft, At the righthand corner a bell tower, with broach spire above artistically finished, having a cross at top, will rise to an altitude of Gift. Light will be obtained through four or five. lancetpointed windows. The present contract -has been let at £350, but it is intended as soon as possible to lay out another £l3O on the building, so as to thoroughly complete it. A Taranaki paper gives the following humorous account of a recent crisis in the Provincial Council there :—" An unexpected crisis occurred in the Provincial Council this morning ; more sudden and startling than the renowned ousting of the twenty-eight days Stafford Ministry in the General Assembly by the Hon. Julius Vogel, though the results and benefits following were not so lasting or substantial. On Council meeting at the usual time, the minutes wero read. The first notice of motion was to have been maved by the Provincial Secretary, but neither he nor any other Government member was present. The Speaker could not explain. Business was brought to a dead stand. To break the suspense caused by the sudden collapse of the Government, Mr. Speaker suggested that he leave the chair, upon which it was proposed that there be a general move up towards the Government seats, which being done, placed Mr. Elliott in the position of Provincial Secretary, with Mr. Teacock as Provincial Solicitor. Before attempting to proceed with business, an explanation was needed. Mr. Elliott, having been placed unexpectedly in the honorable position in which members viowed him, from no wish of his own but through the unexpected defection of the Government, felt that the magnitude of the trust imposed upon him required that the ' situation' should be carefully scanned. Matters of grave importance to the future wellbeing of the provinco required consideration, and it would bo necessary that a consultation with his colleagues should take place. The words following, uttered brokenly and with emotion, were interpreted to mean that an adjournment to Cottier's would be desirable, whero tots could be partaken of in comfort at Government expense, and a new programme drawn up. At this juncture the Provincial Solicitor entering the chamber, looked at the astonished members, at the clock, and then at his own watch, and said : ' Why, the Super's clock is half-an-hour slow !'" "The official inquiries of the officers of boiler insurance companies," Iron says, "have brought together a great amount of reliable information regarding the cause of those terrible explosions which aro continually occurring, to the destruction of life and property. Many of these disasters aro thus shown to originate in carelessness and ignorance, but not a few also from the wilful interference of the persons in charge, and who would necessarily be the first and greatest sufferers from the effects of their own recklessness. The chief engineer of one of the most important

of the societies referred to, in his annual report, states that during the bygone year, he or his assistants found no fewer than 1189 safetyvalves overloaded or out of order, 31 of the latter being entirely inoperative. The safety-valve of one boiler, insured to work at 501 b. pressure on the square inch, was found loaded with extra weights to 1191 b. Another, the stipulated pressure of which was 601 b., was loaded up to 1001 b. In one case the attendant had driven a wooden plug into the escape pipe, and when it was removed he replaced it ; in others the valves had been purposely rendered immovable, or had become so by the too free application of washers, and in one case white lead, to make them steam-tight. Overheating from a deficiency of water, was another fertile source of explosions. In last year's experience of the company in question, in addition to a very large number damaged, five boilers exploded from this cause, killing thirteen persons, while nine exploded from over-pressure, causing a loss of twelve lives." Not one in Wellington but is interested in the happiness and welfare of Mr. and Mrs. Sharp. The following extract from a letter received by the last mail by Mr. Reading, of Karori, from his son-in-law, Mr. H. Allington, dated Salt Lake City, will therefore be read with pleasure :—" I have not heard anything of Mr. Fox's arrival in the city as yet, but there were quite a number in the city about three weeks ago from New Zealand and Australia. I saw Mr. and Mrs. Sharp, and had quite a long conversation with them. Mr. Sharp remembers me as a boy at the Wakefield Club, and as a matter of course knew father well and yourself. He told me of the death of many of the old settlers (which information I had obtained through you before); of the present and future prospects of New Zealand—in fact, we had about an hour's chat. He was pleased to see me, though, as he said, he thought he had got to one place on this little globe anyhow where ho was not known, but it seems that he was mistaken. I was pleased to see him and to have a chat with him; and he wished me to state when I wrote, that they ' were all well and enjoying themselves very much.'"