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New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4496, 17 August 1875, Page 2

The Secretary of the Post Office kindly informs us that the Mikado arrived at San Praneiaoo, from Auckland, on the 2nd instant —three days in advance of contract date.

The Hon. Mr. Waterhouse was a passenger by the Phoebe, from Auckland, yesterday, having come out by the San Francisco mail boat. The hon. gentleman was looking in the best possible health. It is one day ovtxr eight years since the cable was laid in Qook Strait, to connect the North Island of New Zealand with the Middle Island. Since that time great progress has been made in extending the telegraph over the colony, and there is now something like a definite proposal before the country to connect New Zealand with Australia by cable, which would enable us to hold daily communication with the great cities of the world on the northern side of the equator. The returns up to the expiration of the year 1874 show that there were in New Zealand 108 telegraph stations, a fact which speaks well of the general progress made by the people of New Zealand. The South Island has an advantage over the North as to the extent of the lines, but this is owing to there being so much of the Northern territory locked up from settlement. The Government have, however, been signally successful in their endeavors to open up the country in different directions —known to some as a process of “oyster opening ” —and in the dix-ectiou of Hauraki they .may be said to have inserted the thin end of the wedge into a large tract of very valuable country. This will, no doubt, be followed by further achievements in overcoming native prejudices, and in the extension of telegraphic communication. The Catholic Young Men’s Society Amateur Dramatic Club give their performance, as will be seen by an advertisement in another column, at the Odd Fellows’ Hall this evening, in aid of St. Mary’s Convent Schools. The drama to he produced is entitled “ The High Treasurer of Florence ; or, Bright Dreams and Sad Waking,” which is quite foreign to our local stage. The evening’s amusement will conclude with the screaming farce of “ The Careful Servant.” From the names of the gentlemen amateurs furnished us, we have no doubt the personations of the different characters will be ably sustained. A number of tickets having been disposed of, we have no hesitation in prejudging that the funds of St. Mary's Convent will be largely augmented by this performance. A Wanganui paper chronicles the capture of a rare animal, in the shape of a black rat, which was caught on the premises of Messrs. Taylor and Watt, on the quay, the other morning. This species is indigenous to New Zealand, and so far as Wanganui is concerned, was supposed to be extinct. The animal in question is peculiar for his predilection for dainties, in proof of which it may be stated that this remnant of its race had, previous to its capture, been indulging in a feed of pomade, which, judging by the quantity which had disappeared, it appeared to have relished considerably. The following is a list of the immigrants expected to arrive by the ship Rodney :—Married couples without children—3 plastei-ex-s, 3 carpenters, 1 miner, 5 laborers, 5 farm laborers, 1 gardener, 1 platelayer. Married couples with children—B laborers, 3 blacksmiths, X shoemaker, 4 carpenters, 2 gardeners, 1 baker, 1 cabinetmaker, 1 navvy, 1 brickmaker, 1 chairmaker, 12 farm laborers, 2 butchers, 1 shepherd, 1 plumber, 2 miners, 1 engine driver, 3 plasterers, 1 bricklayer. Single men laborers, 3 gardeners, 1 ship’s carpenter, 13 carpenters, 2 platelayers, 1 saddler, 1 bricklayer, 2 ploughmen, 1 groom, 26 farm laborers, 1 butcher, 2 plasterers, 1 shepherd, 1 bootmaker. Single women—26 general servants, 3 nux-ses, 2 needlewomen, 1 chairwoman, 1 governess, 4 housemaids, 3 dairymaids, 4 parlor maids, 4 cooks, 3 young girls, 1 housekeeper. From our report of the Resident Magistrate’s Court of Thursday last the case of Biddle v. Marshall was accidentally omitted. The plaintiff claimed £6 for varnishing paper, the same being alleged extra work not included in the contract. The Bench gave judgment for the amount claimed, with costs.

In a late issue o£ the Times attention was drawn to the insecurity of the footboards or gangways by which persona reach tho steamers lying alongside the Wellington wharf, showing that serious injury might result to anyone from the neglected condition in which many of them are allowed to remain. A case in point occurred yesterday, which showed that the apprehensions expressed were not without good grounds. As a gentleman was passing from a steamer on to the wharf, one of the cross pieces placed on these gangways for foothold, which was in a high state of rottenness, gave way, and he was nearly precipitated into tho water. Fortunately, however, ho fell forward on to the wharf. Had such not been the case, he would have fallen between the steamer and the wharf, and the consequences might have been fatal, as ho would more than likely have had his brains knocked out by tho fall. To walk on these slippery and neglected bridges, without rails in most instances, is an adventure of no mean hazard.

“The Hut of the .Heel Mountain" was produced at the Theatre Koyal last night, being a piece of a most sensational and thrilling character, abounding in murders and startling situations, which, together with gambling of a moat reckless description, was calculated to have, and certainly had, a great effect upon the audience. This evening “ Leah” will be produced. The A.S.N. Company are in negotiation for the purchase of the steamer Hero from Messrs. Bright, Bros. £22,000 is mentioned as the figure at which the fine old boat is to change hands. It is very likely indeed that the transaction may have come to pass by the time the vessel arrives in Auckland at the beginning of next mouth. The A.S.N. Company’s surveyors have already examined her engines and hull, and the transfer is regarded as almost a certainty. The Hero is not likely to be removed from her present trade under the new proprietorship. A rumor was spread some months back that the Auckland Packet Company wanted her, and in the interests of Auckland merchants it is a thousand pities they did not secure, by her purchase, the bulk of the Australian trade.