Untitled

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4585, 30 November 1875, Page 2

The immigration barracks are almost empty, nearly all the immigrants by the Herschel and Howrah having departed. There are not twenty in all remaining.

The Court of Appeal sits to-morrow, to give judgment in several coses. In the list of passengers by the s.s. Otago, which arrived last night, will be noted the names of Messrs. Martin and Seed, old residents of Wellington, returned from a trip to England. A paragraph in yesterday’s issue, referring to the action of the Roman Catholics during the late elections in Victoria, was unintentionally inserted without acknowledgment of its source, namely, the Melbourne correspondent of the Dunedin Evening Star. The deputation appointed by the Chamber of Commerce, viz., Messrs. Devin, Hunter, Pearce, Bannatyne.'and Vennell, waited upon the City Council yesterday afternoon, and a long conference was held with reference to providing additional wharf accommodation for Wellington and the wharf management generally. It was pointed out by the deputation that the two T’s on the south side of the wharf might be lengthened for a sum of about £SOOO, and that this would afford additional accommodation for two wool ships ; and if a corresponding addition were made to the T on the north side of the wharf, room would be provided for two colliers—this latter work being calculated to involve an additional expenditure of £2OOO. The deputation recommended that the City Corporation should take the management of the wharf into their own hands for a period of twelve months after the expiration of the present lease, which will take place in the month of February next. For their part, they offered to use any influence they might have with the General Government in inducing them to forego their claim to the £BOOO to be received. Some discussion took place as to the advisability of employing a hulk, but the members of the deputation were unanimously opposed to that idea. It was pointed out that this was a question that did not merely affect the mercantile interest, but that it was a question of vital importance to the city of Wellington and to the whole province. The disbursements of each of the wool ships loading in Wellington amounted to from £ISOO to £2OOO, and if we could load ten ships instead of five it would be manifestly to the advantage of the province. As an illustration of this it was stated that during the present season there wereno ships loading at Port Underwood; the wool was coming to Wellingtonforthe purpose of being shipped direct to Doudon, and that would be the case with other ports where facilities were - offered for prompt loading and despatching of wool ships. The deputation thought it advisable that one or more small wharfs should be run out from the breastwork, and rendered available for landing cargo from coasting vessels ; they were also of opinion that the regulations for the management of the wharf should be more strictly enforced, and that goods should be removed from the breastwork as soon as landed. In reply to the deputation, the Mayor stated that the suggestions made would receive the best consideration of the City Council, and that they would in all probability ask the deputation to confer with them again on the subject. The deputation then withdrew. Last evening the soiree in connection noth the Typographical Association was held on board the ship Border Chief, and was attended with the greatest success. There were a large number present, but the deck is so spacious that no inconvenience arose from overcrowding, and the night being deliciously cool dancing was really enjoyable. The Artillery Band, under the able leadership of Mr. Cemino, provided the music—a fact sufficient to prove that the music was good. On the whole, the soiree was a genuine treat. There was a 'arge attendance at the Theatre Royal last night. There were several, new features in the programme. The Man Fish entered the stage dressed in evening costume, and divested himself of his clothing under water ; Miss Nye sang one or two songs very sweetly, and Mr. Smith performed the golden shoe dance, which has been made famous by minstrel troupes, in a moat finished style. Mr. Smith’s dancing is superior to the ordinary class of such performances. He has evidently made it a study, as was shown by the ease of his movements, and regularity of his beats. He received an encore, in response to which he danced a hornpipe. A farce by members of the Dramatic Company brought the entertainment to a close.

The necessity for a reformatory for Wellington has on several occasions been referred to. In the Resident Magistrate’s Court yesterday morning a case was heard which gave additional proof of the want of some such institution. It was that of a young girl, under fourteen years of ago, and of apparently respectable parentage, charged with having stolen a diamond ring from a jeweller’s shop. His Worship reserved his decision, in order that he might think what he should do with the child, for it was evident that to treat a child such as that before him as an ordinary criminal would be highly improper, and would have a bad rather than a good effect upon the after life of the child. A Hutt correspondent, writing in reference to the forthcoming races, says that Premier, one of the Wairarapa horses, is doing his three miles very fast. Lady Grey, a mare also from the Wairarapa, will be heard of in the shorter events. Phoenix, a Wellington animal, does not show much pace in training, seeming shaky about the hind legs. The report of the Registrar of the Admiralty Court, and the merchants appointed to assess the damages of the Jane Spiers, was yesterday confirmed. Taxation of cost will lie immediately proceeded with, and when concluded that also must be brought before the Court. We understand Captain Bcare has received a letter from the owners of the Jane Spiers, expressing tlio fullest confidence in him, and quite approving of the course he has taken in the matter.

A gentleman lost ,£l2B in notes in Tarauaklstreet yesterday. Unaware of his loss ho picked up a £lO note, and whilst looking for any others that might be lying about—having in the meantime discovered that he himself was a loser—ho was asked by some lads if he had lost anything. On answering in the affirmative ho was referred to their mother, who held £BO which had been picked up by her sons, to whom ho gave £ls. He also found £l2 more near the spot himself. The legal experience of Mr. Baucke cannot be of a pleasant nature. For six years he has been-before the Courts about a claim of some £3OO he has against the Government, and by the decision of Mr. Justice Williams yesterday he is placed in exactly the same position in ■ which he • stood six years ago, so far as regards recovering the money goes, but as regards his own position he must bo infinitely worse. The case may bo said to be subjndii-e, and, therefore, it would be quite out of place to say anything as to the merits of the claim, but this much is clear ; that Mr. Baucke, by his unwillingness to trust a lawyer with his grievance, has long delayed a settlement of his case. Yesterday ho again conducted his own case ; it came on in the form of an argument on demurrer —which necessarily is an argument on purely legal points and technicalities—and it was really painful to see how he floundered about in matters of which he had not the slightest knowledge. Mr. Justice Williams allowed every latitude, and was exceedingly considerate and patient towards Mr. Baucke, who evidently feels ho is being treated very unjustly, but the learned Judge had no possible alternative from giving the decision he did. The Manawatu Times asks, “Who does the tramway belong to ?” and says, “this is a question that will be naturally asked, after the proceedings of last Monday afternoon. On the coach leaving for Foxton, and without any previous notice, the driver, who is in the employ of Mr. Young, the proprietor, very politely informed the anxiously-waiting group of both sexes, that his orders were to take only through passengers to Wellington, and acted up to his instructions by leaving some half-dozen behind, whose destination was Foxton ; the coach being but partly filled. Certainly this is a most arbitrary proceeding, and one which demands a full explanation. If Mr. Young contracted to draw passenger carriages with his horses, and had reason to be dissatisfied with his contract, that should give him neither power nor right to make use of the tramway for his convenience only, and we should imagine, under such circumstances,

the authorities here would have prevented him taking possession of it. The reason of this occurrence is obvious. So much sympathy has been felt and expressed for his overworked horses, that it became necessary to take measures for their relief by reducing the weight to be drawn. There can be no doubt that Mr; Young has had very much to contend against in working them upon the wretched tramway, and with carriages of the worst description, but he was well aware of the condition of both when accepting the contract, and was not justified on Monday in assuming the arbitrary and dictatorial manner displayed by his instructions. Mr. Batt, the usual conductor, did not accompany the coach.” Inflicting ridiculously harsh sentences is an eccentricity not confined to magistrates in England. Dately, says an Australian exchange, the West Maitland Bench sentenced a boy to fourteen days’ imprisonment, without the option of paying a fine, for pummeling another lad. The case seems to have been simply one of juvenile ill-blood, and not premeditated ruffianism, and there is a good deal of virtuous indignation about it. The magistracy nuisance is one of the worst in New South Wales, as the appointments have been made in too many instances for party purposes, and without any regal'd to the fitness of the recipient of the much prized title of J.P., which list needs revision very badly, especially in the large towns, and notably Sydney, where ignorance and malignity too often struggle for mastery in the breasts of the justices. In some of the undefended cases the greatest illegalities are committed, while any scoundrel, defended by a clever lawyer, is sure to escape scatheless. That happy family, the Diocesan Synod of Christchurch (says the Otago Daily Times) have been dealing in warmth of expression once more. The Yen. Archdeacon Willock is reported to have said that, when before a committee of the Synod, he had been treated like an old drunken rowdy. Mr. G. D. Mellish, R.M., in rising to a point of personal explanation, said he understood the Archdeacon to say that he (Mr. Mellish) had treated him as a drunken rowdy. The Archdeacon here remarked, “That is what I did say.” Mr. Mellish thereupon went on to explain what had taken place before the committee, and he concluded by asking the members of the Synod whether the circumstances justified the assertion of Archdeacon Willock, that he (Mr. Mellish) had treated him as an old drunken rowdy. The Archdeacon, in reply, commenced by saying that the committee had come to their meeting “with pre-conceived notions in their heads.” Whereupon, he was called to order, and was, at the same time, told by the President that he had better keep to the point. The Archdeacon, after having been requested to withdraw his words, then proceeded “ 1 will not withdraw them, at any rate at present. I attended that committee to give evidence. I was one of the trustees, and the charge was made against us that we had not exercised proper control over our agent, and the remark was made in a most insulting way. It was the tone and mauer in which I was addressed. X have never before been addressed in such a way ; neither will I take it from any man, no matter his position or where. I was addressed as though I was being committed for contempt of Court, and given in charge of a policeman. If I had withdrawn, and refused to give further evidence, it might have been said that I was trying to burke further inquiry. Otherwise, I should have taken up my hat and walked out.” The Synod then proceeded to take up the ordinary business of the day. One result of the constant sparring in the Synod would seem to be that the members of the Christchurch City Council have taken to the use of sedate and proper language in their debates.