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New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4512, 6 September 1875, Page 2

The Halcione, as our readers are aware, brought her immigrants for New Plymouth, and in consequence of a gale of wind springing up whilst she was in the roadstead there, had to come on to "Wellington with somewhere about half her passengers, who will be forwarded by steamer to their destination. The ship was visited yesterday by Mr. Carringtou, Superintendent of Taranaki, who addressed the immigrants* and pointed out to them that with sobriety and diligence they might ensure a life of comfort in Taranaki. Mr. Carrington also sent on board, for the use of the new arrivals,, a quantity of fruit, which was most acceptable after their passage. Messrs. H. and D. McMaster, of the Wairarapa, imported yesterday, per s.s. Taranaki, the first instalment of an entire flock of purebred Lincoln sheep, purchased from Messrs. Hay Brothers, of Pigeon Bay, Canterbury. The entire flock consists of seventy sheep, comprising seven rams and eleven ewe hoggets, the balance consisting of four-tooth, six-tooth, and full-mouthed ewes. Seven of the ewes were bred by Messrs. Kirkham and Duddiug. Early on Saturday morning a horse harnessed to a cart full of gins;erbeer in bottles was standing near the footpath in Cuba-street. It is believed that the animal had overheard its driver on the previous night telling its owner that it was as slow as a snail, for a butcher boy on horseback happening to go by in the cavalier fashion common to hia species, the gingerboer horse evidently determined to try a turn of speed, and redeem his character. So he started off with his cart but without his driver, in such a state of violence as might have been produced had some one tied a bundle of Mr. Eitzherbert's stinging sarcasms under his tail. Three gentlemen who were in the middle of the road discussing the Municipal elections, adjourned hastily without a formal resolution for the. purpose. : The gingerbeer bottles began to be distributed along the footpaths and gutters " thick as autumnal leaves that strow the brooks in Vallombrosa." Mr. Pritchy had been up at " the House " the previous evening, and was- standing talking to some friends at the intersection of Mannersstreet when the horse and cart came along. He was repeating as much as he could remember of Mr. T. L. Shepherd's speech, and was endeavoring to ape the dignified bearing of that gentleman, when the passing point of a shaft caught him where his breakfast expected to be in a few minutes, and he said, " Oh !" with emphasis. As the steed " fiery red with haste" galloped along Willis-street, a number of thirsty souls, "whose worm dieth not," put down their glasses on the counters, rushed to the doors of the hotels, cried "Hi," and then went back to finish their drinks. A goutleman in the civil service, whoso clothes are fearfully and wonderfully made, and who in a praiseworthy effort to copy the manners of tho British aristocracy, walks like a barber's clerk out for a Sunday, heard tho noise behind him, gave an affrighted look and rushed into a doorway, tearing some beautiful clothes which ho had got mado oil a pieco in a tailor's window, labelled, "The Stilton, only £C> tho suit." Mr. Reader Wood, who was going down the wharf for an early stroll, got such a start that his elaborate calculations on the financial proposals of tho Government wore knocked clean out of his head, and it is supposed that ho will be very weak iu committee in consequence. Some other frightful results would have happened only that tho horse, appalled probably by the last effect ho had produced, stopped quietly near the police station, and was presently overtaken by his driver, broathless but thankful. We havo been requested to draw attention to a lecture to bo delivered by Sir J. L. C. Richardson in St. Paul's schoolroom, Sydneystreet, this evening, at half-past Boven o'clock! Subject "China." The proceeds of the lecture are to bo devoted to the organ fund of St. Paul's Cathedral. We observe in our obituary notice of to-day the name of Mrs. Vallance, wife of 0. A. Vallance, Esq., of the Wairarapa. Mrs. Vallance was the daughter of Mr, Mcltae, of Nelson, one of tho early settlers of that province, and was first married to Mr. Donald Drummond, of Wellington, who was unfortunately drowned whilst crossing tho mouth of the Wairarapa Lake. She was afterwards married to Mr. Vallanoe, and has resided in the Wairarapa for a considerable number of years. She was, much esteemed as a kind, genial, good, woman, ever roady to assist a new comer in making a home in this now laud of ours, and her loss will be deeply regretted by her family and a large circle of friends. A meeting of the Board of Education will be held at the Board offices to-day at eleven 0'0100k... Business—hearing appeals against rating, and striking the rate.

At the meeting of the Philosophical Society, in the Provincial Hall to-night, Mr. T. L. Travers will read a paper entitled " Notes on the Extinction of the Moa." The well-known ability of the lecturer should make his treatment of the subject peculiarly interesting. Mr. Fitchett, whose death is announced in our obituary column this day, was a well known and respected resident of the province, and had been an inhabitant of the colony over thirty-four years. He died rather suddenly, after having been ill of influenza for two days. The Waikouaiti Herald of September Ist explains that several communications did not appear in that issue " for the very simple reason that they could not be put into type owing to our compositors being what is termed ' on the spree' this week. Our experience of such instances as above, and the facilities afforded sor dehauchery on the Sabbath, make us deeply regret the disallowance of the Town and Country Police Ordinance, 1862, Amendment Ordinance, 1875, passed by the Provincial Council at its last sitting." M. Paschal Groussett, writing to a London paper says : —" On relating how a political prisoner in New Caledonia had been ordered to perform the office of executioner, and how, upon his refusal to obey such an order, he had been almost beaten to death, you have questioned the possibility of such an occurrence. But a letter which I have received via Australia enables me to confirm this horrible story. It is a "real fact, of which there can be no doubt, and, as if to increase the horror, you must know that the convict selected for this work is a distinguished literary man, a poet, M. Henri Brissac ; still further, he is well known for the earnestness with which he has always combated capital punishment, both theoretically and practically. I could furnish you with still minuter details, and tell you how those who knew him intimately esteem him, how noble his nature, how tender and generous his heart, how superior his intellect; but no doubt I should be accused of converting this convict into a hero of romance." There is now before the French courts an action important to theatrical managers and agents. A certain M. Roux, belonging to the latter profession, engaged to fiud a company for the theatre of Algiers. He supplied one of great numerical strength, but the widow of the manager declines to pay his commission. The case is yet undecided, yet a droll point may be noted in the pleading. M. Koux recites the company he chose and duly forwarded. It sounds most impressive—five light tenors, two strong tenors, two basses, two baritones, a soprano, a contralto, singing chambermaids, and a ballet of the first force. This certainly looks like a formidable case, but there is the other Bide to hear. The manager's widow goes through the list seriatim. Five tenors are enumerated, and thus are they disposed of :—One proved so utterly incompetent that he never appeared at all; two were hissed off the stage before the third performance; the fourth took such liberties with his part that the public remonstrated, and he resigned ; the last fell ill at Marseilles, and never reached Algiers at all. Two prime donne then are named. The first %vas simply pelted off the boards, and her comrade declined to tempt the fates, running away with what money she could lay hands on. The baritone broke down on that third night which was fatal to two tenors ; so did the hassi, and the chambermaid, seized with sudden illness, outstayed them but one day. It sounds like a joke or a puzzle, but the tale is grave enough. With regard to the ballet, of two prime batferins, one never went to Algiers at all, and the other consented to take half her salary, admitting her incompetence. The male dancer alone fulfilled his engagement—conduct immensely creditable to him, since he is proved to be seventy-six years old. The court was convulsed with laughter at the reading of these pleas, which were set forth with dry humor. It has named two experts to report, for the plaintiff alleges that all the members of his company were excellent, and that the manager simply allowed them to take advantage of him.

Two imbeciles have lately arrived in Otago from England. One of them is a Government immigrant, and is to bo sent back to England soon. The other is a free immigrant, and the captain of the Aldergrove, in which vessel he arrived, has been served (so says the Daily Times) with a writ, under the Imbecile Passenger Act of 1873, calling upon him to enter into a bond for the support of the imbecile as long as the latter remains in the colony. The committee of the Dunediu Poultry Show have determined on having a rather novel "art union," according to the local paper. Every person visiting the show, and paying for admission, will receive a free ticket for the art union. The " objects of art" to be disposed of include Polish fowls, canaries, eggs, fancy bantams, pigeons (jacobins, trumpeters, and black carriers), white dorldngs, a ham, au umbrella, a tin of biscuits, and a tin of lollies. At a luncheon recently given at the Brighton Aquarium, a number cf delicacies were served for the first time in England, including an octopus, which was dished up cold, boiled, and broiled. The company pronounced it excellent, comparing it with lobster and skate, though they found it rather tough, and thought it required beating, like a steak, to break the fibres and render it more tender. The octopus was caught off the pier head. Mr. Sutherland Edwards mentions that in almost every house on both banks of the Rhine may be seen a series of old designs known as the " Seven Conditions." These are represented by typical figures. The first is the Emperor, who says, " I levy tribute." Next comes tho nobleman, who says, " I have a real estate." The priest says, "I take tithes." The Jew (mediceval type of the trader) says, " I live by my profits." The soldier says, " I pay for nothing." The beggar says, " I have nothing." The peasaut says, " God help me, ior those six other men have all to be supported by mo." .