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New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4538, 6 October 1875, Page 2

The length to which our other reports extend has prevented our giving a report of the discussion on Mr. Sheehan’s motion, in the Lower House last night, re Hawke's Bay land transactions.

Dr. Redwood, Roman Catholic Bishop of Wellington, has returned to town after a visit to Wanganui, the West Coast Settlements, and Taranaki.

On Saturday afternoon a heavy slip occurred at the mouth of the Mungaroa tunnel, carrying away tie timbers, and smashing a truck which the workmen were engaged in filling at the time. Fortunately no lives were lost. Ten days ago a crack was noticed on the top of the cutting, about twenty or thirty feet from the mouth of the tunnel, and some people predicted that unless the place were secured it would come away with the first rains, which it has done.

The Kinfauns Castle brings to this port eleven pure-bred Southdown sheep, also a purebred shorthorn bull and cow. They have had a considerable shaking during the voyage, but it is expected that they will begin to look up after a few days spent in browsing on our New Zealand pastures. At the Theatre Royal last night Craven’s drama “ Meg’s Diversion,” followed by the farce of “The Rough Diamond,” was played to an appreciative audience. “ Meg’s Diversion” will be repeated to-night, followed by the burlesque of “ Aladdin; or, the Wonderful Scamp.” Messrs. Edmondson, Sellar, and Co. have on exhibition at their warehouse quite a model in the way of a cooking stove, the heating power in which is supplied by kerosene. Within a small space it comprises all the appurtenances for baking, boiling, and frying; and a bachelor possessed of one would, as the saying is, be really independent of hotels. , On Wednesday evening last, according to the local paper, the attention of the Masterton people was directed to what appeared to be good-sized fish rising at the flies in the Waipoua. There appeared to be a great number just below the bridge, but they could not be induced to take bait, or else the bait was not of the right sort. One individual suggested the idea that they might be the brown trout liberated by young Mr. Bannister nearly twelve months ago. A correspondent suggests that the Government should appoint a final authority in the matter of the spelling of native names. He says: “I observe that the editor of the Waha Maori will not conform to the stereotyped misspellings, Suppose, as the Waka will not not conform, the Government draftsmen and clerks take the example of Mahommed and conform to the Waka. In the old Representation Bill Mangonui and Waikaia are Mongonui and Wakaia ; Whanganui is Wanganui, &c. I have not the honor of the acquaintance of the gentleman who edits the Waha, but I would suggest that he be requested to kindly make out lists of such words for the benefit of the Government departments. A little trouble in this way would bo more useful than the perplexing system of bestowing English names on colonial townships. I have heard that there are five Havelocks in New Zealand. When the Government have settled the matter, perhaps the newspaper press will follow suit.” From time to time there have appeared in our columns “Lays of the Legislature” and other poetical pieces of a political tendency. These have met with commendation according as they have fallen in with the political views of readers. When they appeared to be disadvantageous to the Government, those who thought with the Opposition considered them of ineffable wit and beauty, whilst those who thought with the Government regarded them as very frivolous and trashy at the best. And on the other hand, when the verses have attempted to make fun at the expense of the

Opposition, Government partisans have not hesitated to say that they were sparkling “ jewdeapree,” whatever that may mean, whilst Oppositionists have regarded them as inane and silly. These criticisms have from time to time been duly appreciated by the members of our staff who have contributed the verses under remark. But further notice has been taken of these verses, which the authors have been quite unable to appreciate. The Wellington correspondents of the Auckland Southern Cross and of The Auckland Echo have telegraphed these verses to those journals, and have utterly spoiled them. They appear as “ Bays of the Legislature,” in some cases with mysterious hints as to the authorship, which would lead the reader to suppose that the correspondents had something to do with the same; and the lines are so bungled as to limp and halt in their rhythm. The intention in all these cases was no doubt highly complimentary, but the execution has utterly spoiled the results.

We have been requested to direct the attention of lovers of the fine arts to a valuable collection of oil paintings, oleographs, chromo lithographs, and to a large collection of articles of virtu, now on view at Mr. J. H. Wallace’s saleroom, and which will be sold on Thursday, October 7, as advertised.