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New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4561, 2 November 1875, Page 2

Some time since attention was drawn to the fact that certain idle vagabonds were carrying on a trade of begging in Wellington. At the Resident Magistrate's Court yesterday morning one of these individuals was charged with being illegally on the premises of Messrs. Greenfield and Stewart; and it appeared from evidence adduced that he had been in the habit of soliciting alms from various persons, one gentleman giving evidence to that effect. It is to be hoped that the punishment meted out to this individual will be warning to other vagabonds who are too lazy to work but not too proud to beg.

A Christmas Supplement -will be issued -with the Nfiw Zealand Mail, as will be seen by an advertisement in another column. It will contain much interesting matter, including a series of original stories by " The Intelligent Vagrant," besides original poetry. "We have no doubt that this effort of the proprietors of the Mail in the interests of their readers will be rewarded by general approval. The circumstances surrounding the death of a man named Stratton, particulars of which will be found in the report of the inquest, are of a very melancholy character. As will be seen by the report of the inquest held yesterday, the unfortunate man was discovered lying at the foot of some steps in Moore-street early on Sunday morning, senseless. It is thought he must have been there through the cold night, and when he was first seen the rain was beating down upon his almost lifeless body. As yet nothing is known of him, save that his name was George Stratton, of which he informed a warder of the hospital during a brief space of consciousness, after which he relapsed, and did not again exhibit any animation. He died four hours after being taken to the hospital, where he received every possible attention from Mr. Monteith, the gentleman in charge of that institution. It may be that some person will claim relationship to the deceased man, otherwise his death will have added another to the long list of persons who have died in the colonies amidst total strangers.

The " Peep o' Day," which was performed at the Theatre Royal last night, attracted a good pit audience; the stalls and gallery were thinly attended. The piece was performed in a highly creditable manner, Mr. and Mrs. Darrell playing the respective parts of Harry Kavanagh and Kathleen. Great credit is due to the scenic artist, Mr. Massey, for the admirable scenery provided. It was really excellent, and in a play of the kind was a chief attraction. In the general representation, Mr. Burford impersonated Stephen Purcell, Mr. Deering Father O'Cleary, and Miss Jessie Raymond played the part of Mary Grace very prettily, and with the care usually displayed by that lady in all she does. Miss Marion Moore was greatly applauded for her rendering of the part of Molshee—her make-up was exceedingly well arranged. Miss Nye appeared as Sheelah, with song, " Shan van voght," and dance, for which she was deservedly applauded. " Peep o' Day" is to be repeated this evening, when, if the weather should be more promising, a good house may be looked for. Last evening a very enjoyable entertainment was given in the Odd Fellows' Hall, in aid of a sick fund being initiated by the Typographical Society. The first part of the programme consisted of readings, recitations, and vocal and instrumental music, given by lady and gentlemen amateurs. A spelling bee followed, and this passed off very successfully. The first class, open to all, drew a large number of competitors, but all except two or three were floored by the first word " adible," or "addible." Scarcely a soul understood the word, and those who did spell it according to the dictum of the examiner, owed their good fortune more to luck than anything else. The three who were left battled for a short time, and then the prize, six numbers of " Cassells' Popular Educator," fell to Mr. Capper, a writing desk to Mr. Easeby, and a volume of "Art Workmanship" to Mr. Grey. As three prizes were not disposed of, all comers went at it again. The examiner gave " minnice," intending to give "menace;" but as "menace" was too much for the examiner to pronounce, it was a poser for the candidate, and after a haphazard dash he retired. "Synomical," given for the word " synonymical," was beyond the knowledge of another, and gradually the list was reduced till the fourth prize—several books—was won by Mr. E. Johnston, the fifth prize (also books) went to Mr. Williams, and the sixth prize to Mr. Lyon. No college boys presented themselves, and the competition was thrown open to all school boys, W. E. Bannister securing the first prize. The hall was then cleared for dancing, which was kept up till the " wee sma' hours" had well advanced.

A painful accident took place near the Caledonian Hotel on Saturday afternoon. A horse and cart belonging to Mr. Monaghan, and in charge of a man named Saunders, was proceeding along the road running parallel with the end of the cricket ground, when of a sudden the horse commenced to plunge, and evidently had it in his head to bolt. So thought Saunders, who rose from his seat in the dray with the intention of putting the rein on the back of the horse, and jumping out in order to get to his head ; but in the act of doing this, the horse darted ahead, Saunders was pitched forward, fell to the ground heavily, and the left wheel of the cart passed over his foot and one of his legs. The horse galloped away, turned the corner at the Caledonian Hotel, carrying away a post on the footpath, and was only stopped at last by a general collapse of the cart. After the accident Saunders endeavored to get up and follow the horse, but he fell back exhausted, and two passers by carried him to the hotel, where he was known and met with all possible attention. His foot was badly cut, and he was generally shaken. In pursuance of the terms of the Act of Parliament, passed during the recent session, for the incorporation of the Wellington Athenaeum, a meeting of members is convened for Thursday, 11th inst. The following is a return of patients in the hospital during the month of October :—Admitted—Males, 15 ; females, 3. Discharged —Males, 7 ; females, 3. Died—Male, 1 ; female, 1. Remaining in hospital—Males, 37 ; females, 7. Total number k remaining—44. A gentleman very nearly fell a victim to absent-mindedness on Saturday afternoon. He was an old gentleman. He was in the middle of Willis-street, and a young gentleman driving a horse in an express cart was bearing down upon him. The driver repeatedly called out "Hi!" but to no purpose. The driver pulled up, but not in time to prevent the old gentleman from being knocked down, although he sustained no injury. A feature of the Superintendental demonstration at Dunedin on Wednesday last, was, according to the Daily Times, the appearance of two coats with the sleeves turned inside out, which were stuck upon the high poles belonging to the scaffolding of the building adjoining the offices of the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company (Limited). By the instructions of somebody, however, perhaps Mr. Barnes, the coata were taken down before the Superintendent passed. The names of the " turncoats" whom the author of the joke wished to have a hit at have not transpired. Tamati Rupuha, of Otaki, writes to Te Waka Maori that, on the 27th of September last, a native named Te Wheoro, of the Ngatirangiwewehi tribe, was travelling along the Manawatu beach, in company with his wife. They had a bottle of brandy with them, from which they occasionally drank as they went along. Shortly after passing Horowhenua they were overtaken by a half-caste named Tatana, who took the woman off with him. Shortly after the coach came up, when the dead body of Te Wheoro was found below high-water mark. The head only was visible, the body being covered with sand which the tide had washed over it. It was conjectured that he had lain down on the beach and was drowned by the advancing tide. The next day (Tuesday) the natives from Poroutawhao came and took the body away, and buried it on the Wednesday. The natives, Rupuha says, applied to the doctor at Otaki to go and hold an inquest on the body, but he refused, saying it was out of his district, and that it was the business of the doctor at Manawatu. The natives are troubled because an inquest was not held on the body. The deceased belonged to the hapu of Mita Hikairo of the Arawa tribe.

The following number of paid telegrams were transmitted through the Eastern Extension Australian and China Telegraph Company's Cable during the week ending Friday, October 15 :—Sent from the colonies—South Australia, 17 ; "Victoria, 51 ; New South Wales, 47 ; Queensland, 3 ; New Zealand, 7 ; total, 125. To the colonies—South Australia, 15 ; Victoria, 62 ; New South Wales, 51 ; Queensland, 1; New Zealand, 4 ; total, 133.

The Advocate points out that the advantage of having a steamer plying regularly to Rangitikei is exemplified by the fact that Mr. McElvy, being informed beforehand what day the steamer would leave, had his wool pacfeM and conveyed to Wellington within a few days of shearing. Hitherto it has been a matter of weeks, and frequently of months, to get the clip aboard the export vessel. The Argus notices that a nice little quarrel is going on between the Dublin Nation and the Voce della Vcrita of Rome, the latter being one of the organs of the Ultramontane party. This grave dissension has arisen out of the discordant and tumultuous proceedings at the O'Connell Festival The Voice of Truth is greatly scandalised at the disorderly break-up of the banquet, which it attributes to a conspiracy of Continental Liberals; while it liken 3 two of the Home Rule members of the House of Commons who were present at the " ruction," to a couple of Italian representatives who are conspicuous for their anti-Papal sentiments. This has roused the ire of the Nation, which asserts that the ruin of the Holy See has been brought about by the Catholic Press of the Continent, and that the Roman newspapers more particularly—at least such of them as are inspired by the "Vatican — are in the habit of caliunniating Ireland and Irishmen. As a sample of their anti-Irish feeling, the Nation refers to the fact of the Observatore Romano having characterised Mr. Gladstone's Coercion Bill as a benevolent effort of that statesman to repress the frightful crimes rife in Ireland. It is a notable fact that a feud of the intensest bitterness is raging at the same time between the two Roman Catholic papers in New York. One of these, the Freeman's Journal, is Ultramontane and Absolutist in sentiment ; the other, the Irish World, is Republican and Fenian; and this is the way the latter commences a leading article, of which the Abbe* Mac Master, the editor of the Ultramontane organ, is the sole subject:—"Stand forth exCovenanter and Pharisee ! and for once in your life see what manner of man you are. Some twenty-five years ago this gentleman got religion. He came into the Church, he says, to save his miserable soul, and ever since he has been advertising the fact—in bar-rooms and out. But in all that time, instead of trying to save his soul, he has been energetically engaged in 'bossing' born Catholics," &c., &c. If England hated Ireland, as some of her fanatical culminators say she does, could she inflict upon the sister island a more cruel punishment than to dissolve the Union, and to leave her to be torn in pieces by the factions —of which these men are the representatives abroad—factions which may detest England much, but which assuredly cherish a far deeper and a more deadly animosity towards each other ?

Referring, says the Age, to our recent comments on the dangerous practice of stowing gunpowder loosely throughout the cargoes of merchant vessels, as disclosed in the startling letter of Captain Harvey of the Altcar, which we published on Wednesday last, we learn that the committee of the Melbourne Underwriters' Association, Lloyds' agents, had, immediately on receipt of Captain Harvey's letter, telegraphed to London a summary of it 3 contents, and forwarded by the Nubia's mail copies of all documents in their possession connected with the case. In reply, they have received a telegram from the committee of Lloyds', in London, requesting to be furnished with full particulars of the Altcar's case ; so that the subject is now prominently before the authorities at Home, and no doubt the very dangerous practice under notice will be at once discontinued.

The following story comes from the Green Isle :—Two men had a quarrel in a tavern. They adjourned outside to settle the dispute. The first man, being from Connaught, immediately seized a lump of stone and let fly at the head of his opponent, who dipped his head and missed the stone, which went through an expensive plate-glass window, and did much damage. A magistrate was called upon next morning to determine which of the two should pay the cost. The evidence clearly showed that the aim was a good one, and that if the second man had not dipped his head he would have been struck. "Therefore," said the magistrate, " he must pay the damages, as it is certain the first man didn't intend to injure the window, and the window would not have been injured if it had not been for the act of the second man."

"At the Sydney Central Police Court, on October 28," states the Evening News, "a woman named Kate Smith, who was brought up on a charge of drunkenness, made the confession to the Bench that she had murdered her child 18 years ago in Melbourne. Whether she was in her right senses or not we cannot pretend to say. She certainly appeared sane enough, and made the statement positively and unreservedly. She said, on being asked to plead to the charge of drunkenness ' Before I plead to this charge, I've got something very particular to say to the Bench.' She was asked to plead to the charge, but proceeded : —.' I committed a great crime in Melbourne, 18 years ago, and I want it investigated here.' She was again told to plead to the charge, the Bench apparently not heeding what she said. She declined to plead, but the case against her proceeded. While the constable was giving his evidence against her, she continued as follows (at intervals) : —' The crime I committed ; I can't rest night or day ! It's a fact, really ! I'll tell you all about it, if you let me ! I would like to have the case investigated now, and if I've done wrong I would like to be punished for it! It has been the cause of my getting into prison for years, and it's time it was dropped ' It's time, really. I murdered my own baby. lam perfectly sane. There's nothing the matter with me.' By this time the case had concluded, and she was ordered to pay a fine of 205., or to go to gaol for seven days. She repeated her request to have her case investigated, saying it occurred 18 years ago, that it was time it was cleared tip, and offered to tell all about it. The Bench ordered her to be taken away, and as she was being removed from the court she repeated,. ' I hope, gentlemen, you will investigate this case.'"

The tradition current among seafaring people with regard to sharks following vessels when there is likely to be a death onboard received some color of justification on the voyage of the ship Clyde from London to Melbourne. One of the crew named Scott, who was suffering from paralytic fits, died on August 7, and for several days previous lie had been in a dying state. During his illness a pilot fish was observed under the bows of the ship, just in front of the cutwater, where it steadily maintained its position, as if the ship were a shark, and it was leading it to its prey. This procession of ship and fish continued for some time, and one day a shark appeared on the port side of the vessel. The pilot fish took no notice, however, but kept ahead of the ship as usual. On the following day the shark gave up the chase, and the pilot fish disappeared about the same time. The body of the sailor was committed to the deep not long after. Particular notice was taken of the pilot fish, which was described as being bluish grey in color, with darker bands round the body from head to tail It was about 1 i inches in length.