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New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4486, 5 August 1875, Page 2

The Supreme Court sat in banco yesterday, his Honor the Chief Justice presiding. The argument on the demurrer in the case Torotoro and Haokore v. Sutton was resumed, Messrs. Wilson and Comford showing cause for the dismissal of the bill. Hla Honor reserved judgment. In the case McKenzie v. Hall and another, Mr. Izard obtained a rule nisi calling upon plaintiff to show cause why he should not be nonsuited, or a new trial granted, or judgment entered for defendants. The rule was made returnable in a fortnight. The Court, at -4.30 p.m., adjourned till this morning at 11 a.m.

A private telegram from Christchurch says that Mr. Wynn Williams will move the first resolution to-morrow evening at a meeting in favor of the Abolition Bill being immediately carried. Mr. E. C. G. Stevens, Mr Alfred Saunders, Dr. Foster, and Mr. Hobbs (the Mayor), will follow in support. It is expected the meeting will carry it almost unanimously. An inquest will be held this afternoon, at 3 o’clock, at Barrett’s Hotel, on the body of Mrs. Maria Cockle, who died at her house on the Terrace yesterday afternoon. It appears that her husband left his home to go to his work at 6 o’clock yesterday morning, and did not return till 6 o’clock in the evening, when he found his wife dead, the death apparently having only taken place recently, as the body was warm. She had been ailing for the last fortnight, but would not allow her husband to go for a doctor.

Yesterday evening the Parliament Buildings caught fire. Perhaps it would be more correct to say that a part of the building got singed, tor to the many inquiries made by those who happened to be in the vicinity this was the impression conveyed. Just prior to half-past seven the inmates of the building became sensible of the smell of smoke, and some original minds expressed their belief that it must have been caused by fire. No one being found bold enough to set up a new theory on the subject, it became an admitted fact that there was fire somewhere, and officials busied themselves in searching for the direction. In the meantime, as the hour for opening approached, members dropped into the House and sat themselves down, and the public gallery was soon filled, as also the ladies’gallery; but none of the occupants of these seemed to he aware of the smoke, which increased in density, or if they were conscious of it they did not appear to regard smoke as strange to the proceedings of the Assembly. At half-past seven, however, the Speaker took the chair, and announced that the House would adjourn for half-au-hour, to extinguish a fire that was supposed to be burning somewhere, and the galleries were cleared. Then the Government officials, with the assistance of several of the members belonging to the engineering profession, got out a hose, which would play when anybody could be got to play with it. On the present occasion everybody meant business, so the hose discharged itself of the water somewhere about its middle, instead of playing at the nozzle. The fire was discovered to—bc''umlcnu;ath~a lobby in the right wing of the building; and, the hose having been taken through, endeavors were made to stop up the leak with a doormat, but that was found not to succeed, and the engineering members gave orders for buckets. After the lapse of some time, during which a person might have borrowed half-a-dozen utensils without “ turning a hair,” an official arrived with a tin' pail, which was immediately taken possession of by one of the engineeringmembers; although, being empty, it was practically useless. At this juncture a hose-reel and some firemen arrived on the scene. One length of the hose was rolled off by the combined efforts of the officials, firemen, and engineering members, when it was discovered that they had got the wrong length, and the right length was therefore taken off, and carried into the lobby, which by the way, at this time, had come to be as mysteriously inviting to the onlookers as the morgue to Parisian citizens. And the fire was ultimately extinguished. It arose from the heating apparatus having ignited the wood either over or under a pipe, and the result might have been serious, notwithstanding the assurances given to anxious inquirers, such as rapacious pressmen and new arrivals on the scene, that “it was a mere nothing, and need not cause alarm.” The general sense of humor was somewhat tickled at the peril in which the building had been placed, and jokes were made with the greatest recklessness. Two or three gentlemen hit upon one joke at the same time, that some ultra-provinoialist had made an attempt suddenly to abolish the House of Representatives ; and a member of the fourth estate, of the Jefferson Brick order, grimly suggested that it was a gunpowder plot No. 2. It may be regarded as a fortunate circumstance that the fire did not occur at a later hour, as it might not have been discovered until too late to avert serious consequences.

By a typographical error in yesterday’s report of parliamentary proceedings tho word November was substituted for February in giving the date at which the present Parliament will expire by effluxion of time. According to the memorandum furnished by the Attorney General, Parliament expires five years from the 25th of February, 1871. There was a capital house at the theatre last evening when the famous drama “ East Lynne” was produced. Mrs. Hill as Lady Isabel played magnificently, and in the last two acts, as Madame Vine, threw such exquisite pathos into her acting that pocket handkerchiefs were in frequent use by many among the audience. Mr. Douglas as Carlyle was not less effective ; and Mr. Hoskins gave a fairrendering of the villain character, Sir Francis Levison. “ Winning Hazard ” was the concluding farce, and passed off well. To-night “Green Bushes” will be produced ; and tomorrow evening Mrs. Hill will take her benefit.

Wo have received from Messrs. Wriggles■vvorth and Binns, photographic artists, Willisstreet, a mounted copy of a remarkably wellexecuted photographic card of member's of the House of Representatives in 1874. The arrangement of the pictures of members is excellent, and the likenesses are really good. The effect produced is striking. The artists present a framed and mounted picture to the General Assembly Library, and copies of it may be procured at a very reasonable price. On looking at the picture one recognises the likenesses of gentlemen no longer in the House ; but as a pleasing memorial of it during a not uneventful session, this photograph should be in the possession of every member. We may add, that Messrs. Wrigglesworth and Binns have enlargements of the likenesses if required. We have been informed that Bishop Redwood has postponed the delivery of his lecture on Daniel O’Connell until Monday, the request of several gentlemen who are desirous of attending the debate on the Abolition of Provinces Bill, which will take place on Friday night. A meeting of the City Council will take place this afternoon, at 4 o’clock, ,

An English clergyman and a Lowland Scotsman visited one of the best schools in Aberdeen. They were strangers, but the master received them civilly and inquired ' Would you prefer that I should speer these boys, or that you should speer them yourselves ? The English clergyman having ascertained that to speer meant to question, desired the master to proceed. He did so with great success, and the boys answered satisfactorily numerous interrogatories as to the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt. The clergyman then said he would be glad in his turn to speer the boys, and at once began: “How did Pharoah die ? There was a dead silence. In this dilemma, the Rowland gentleman interposed . X think, sir the boys are not accustomed to your English accent ; let me try what I can make of them.” And he inquired in broad Scotch ; “ Hoo did Phawraoh dee ?” Again there was a dead silence ; upon which the master said . “ I think, gentlemen, you can’t speer these boys • I'll show you how to do it.” And he proceeded ; “ Eat cam to Phawroah at his hinner end?” The boys with one voice answered: “He was drooned, and a smart little fellow added : “ Ouy lassie could hae told you that.”