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New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4543, 12 October 1875, Page 2

In a sub leader re the recent charge of perjury against the girl Smith in yesterday’s issue, “June 4th,” was by a typographical error printed for “June 14th. An accidental error in date formed part of the groundwork by which designing persona attempted to obtain the release of Cameron. It is quite right, therefore, that impudence should make our error the sole ground for its defence. . The following are the principal provisions of the Bill to amend the Parliamentary Privileges Act, 1865 . —Whereas by the sixth section of the Parliamentary Privileges Act, 1865 (hereinafter called “the said Act”), it is enacted that the Legislative Council and House of Representatives, and any committee either of such Council or House,: and any joint committees of such Council and House, may respectively administer an oath to the witnesses examined before such Council or House or committee, and any person examined as aforesaid who shall wilfully give false evidence shall be liable to the penalties of perjury : And whereas it is desirable to amend the said Act : Every witness sworn and examined under the provisions of the said Act has and shall have, in respect of the testimony which he has given or shall give when so sworn, the like privileges, immunities, and indemnities in all respects as are possessed by, or belong to, any witness sworn and examined in the Supremo Court of New Zealand. It is said that a movement is on foot to take steps for presenting a testimonial to Mr. C. K. Jeffs, in recognition of his recent efforts as a Christian man for the protection of society. Mr. Gillon, M.P.C., it is stated, is the originator of the movement, which is thereforelikely to be highly successful.

The excellent effects of Mr. and Mrs. Darrell’s engagement at the Theatre Royal were testified to by the audience which was in the theatre last night, presenting as it did a most agreeable contrast to the Monday nights of previous weeks. Byron’s drama “Blow for Blow ” was produced, full of unnatural incongruities, not without stilted language, and incidents depending upon the impossible rather than the improbable. Yet, as written by a skilled playwright, it had plenty in it when well played to please the audience, and that it was well played the audience showed by being liberal of approbation. Mrs. Darrell played the parts of the twin-siatera,on whose fates turns the interest of the piece, and made those parts as interesting as Mrs. Darrell can make such parts. Mr. Darrell in the comedy character of “Blow for Blow” was rewarded by those symptoms which audiences exhibit when the comedy is good. Mr. Burford, to whom was entrusted the representation of the melodramatic villiany contained in the piece, gave no ground for complaint, and afforded many reasons for praise. Lastly, Mr. Oily Deering played and dressed an old doctor so naturally and so accurately as to lead one to the inevitable conclusion that in the certain classes of characters which he affects he is in many respects the most careful, natural actor, the company possesses.. This may seem rather a superlative style of writing concerning Mr. Deering, but it is neither more nor less than what is appropriate to describe the care and conscientiousness with which he does all that is required of him. “ Blow for Blow " will be repeated to-night, and to-morrow evening “ The Stranger” will bo produced. One Saturday evening lately, according to th e Bay of Plenty Times, an Aimed Constabulary boat loaded with long Snider rifles, on its way from Te Teko to Ohiwa, capsized, and all the arms, &c., were totally lost. The arms were being taken down to Ohiwa for shipment on board the s.s. Rowena, to be returned to store.

A telegram some days since from Australia recorded the loss of about £9ooo'worth of gold, which was in course of shipment from N orth Australia to A delaide, per the Claud Hamilton. The following particulars concerning the loss are from an Adelaide paper :—“ The boat conveying the gold from the shore to the steamer’s side had reached the vessel, and Mr. Frew, the bank manager at Palmerston, had given instructions to wait for the tackle being lowered from the Claud to hoist the box with its precious contents aboard; but a boatman moved the package, weighing over 2001b5., then the craft canted, and the valuable case slipped into water eight fathoms deep. Probably the mingled feelings of the unfortunate loser and the possibly irate manager can neither be imagined nor described. The spot has been buoyed, and it is believed by those most interested that there is little doubt that the gold will be recovered, though it may become necessary to send an experienced diver from here. Perhaps the services of Malayan divers from the pearl fisheries could be earlier got. The lost treasure is insured in Adelaide offices The wire message, given in another column describes the untoward occurrence, but the sentence about the boat belonging to the now famous cutter Root-Hog-or-Die is not very clear; readers must therefore guess at a rendering. We publish it as received, and it does not distinctly show whether the gold, buoy, or boat finally disappeared. The Press telegram is supplemented by the subjoined messages, which have been placed at our disposal. Mr. E. M. Ashwin, Secretary of the Adelaide Marine Insurance Company, has received this :—“ Bank’s box gold taken off in shore boat in charge of manager. Boatman moving gold alongside steamer canted boat and box dropped in eight fathoms low springs. Eventually recoverable, but appliances hero doubtful.” Mr. Frew, the manager of the English and Scottish Bank at Port Darwin, telegraphed as follows :—“Box

in my charge containing 2311ozs.got lost overboard in eight fathoms low water, in transferrins from the shore boat alongside steamer, by

boatman moving it contrary to my instructions to wait for tackle from steamer.”