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New Zealand Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 4781, 19 July 1876, Page 2

In the Legislative Council yesterday the Colonial Secretary stated that the following official telegram had been received from Mr. Kennaway, of the Agent-General’s department, by the San Eraucisco mail :—“ London, June 19.—Deeply regret to announce that Dr. Eeatherston died this morning."

In reference to the election for Auckland City West, we hear that Messrs. Goldie and R. Graham have retired in favor of B. Tonks, Mayor, a supporter of Sir George Grey. Telegrams received yesterday from Mr. Whatton, of Taranaki, report that the attempt to smelt has not been altogether a downright failure. The furnace is still clear, and experiments are proceeding. The amendment proposed by the Hon. Dr. Pollen in the Juries Act Amendment Bill, with reference to the decisions of juries, was carried in the Legislative Council yesterday. The clause referred to has already been published in this journal. a journal mainly devoted to the Centennial Exhibition of Philadelphia, published on June 3, contains the following description of New Zealand’s exhibits;—“New Zealand is the next in order of the British colonies. A gilt pillar, over 20 ft. in height, stands in the centre of this section, and represents the amount of gold exported from the country since 1862, being valued at over 160,000,000d015. This section is rich in fine wools, grains, gums, and varnishes, as also in flax. A number of largesized photographs are arranged about the section, to illustrate native life in New Zealand. A mammoth piece of rimu wood, about Bft. long and 4ft. wide, and highly polished, forms an attractive feature. Near it is a case containing muffs made of the pretty white feathers of the emu ; and in a sidecase is a large mat manufactured of brand-new New Zealand flax, and containing a number of tags from wild dogs, now extinct. Three specimens of crania represent the Ethnological department.”

In speaking of the Auckland Waterworks Act Amendment Bill in the Council yesterday, the Hon. Dr. Pollen adverted to the considerable progress which the city of 'Auckland was, making. The city, said the hon. member, was like a phoenix, arising from ashes. Judging from the number of fires which occur in Auckland, it may be admitted, at all events, that there is a good pile of ashes for the mystic bird to ascend from. A meeting of the committee of the Wellington Benevolent Institution was held yesterday afternoon. Present—Archdeacon Stock (elected chairman), Rev. W. H. West, Rev. B. W. Harvey, Rev. F. Sheriff, Messrs. J. Woodward, D. Lewis, J. G. Holds worth, L.Levy,and the secretary.. Subscriptions—Mr. F. Jeffery, £1 ; Mr. H. L. MoKellar, £2 25.; and for Paul, Reidal, and Young, collected by D. Rivers, £3 125.; A.S.R., £2. We have before us the Auckland Evening Star giving a report of Mr. Rees’ second address to the electors of City East. It contains considerable abuse of the New Zealand Times, and has besides two interesting passages. In the first “ a drunken elector ” is made to say “ That’s right ” to a remark of Mr. Rees that the Ministry were incapable of witty invective. In the second Mr. Rees assures his hearers that no effort was made to tempt him to renounce his allegiance to Sir George Grey. The Rev. Mr. Ogg has received information by yesterday’s English mail that the colonial committee of the Church of Scotland have commissioned the Rev. James Lindsay to proceed to Wellington, and to place himself under the Home Mission Board of the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand, with a view to laboring at the stations of Featherston, Waihenga, &c., in the Wairarapa Yalley. Mr. Lindsay was to leave Scotland for New Zealand about the beginning of June. The secretary writes that Mr. Lindsay is very highly spoken of, and that he will prove an acquisition to the colony. Many are the stories of the juryroom and the various ways in which juries have arrived at verdicts. There are few better than an incident related by the Hon. Dr. Menzies in the Council yesterday afternoon, in the course of the discussion which arose on the introduction of the new clause in the Juries Act An eudmeut Bill. When a similar Bill was under discussion in the House of Representatives, some two or three years ago, said Dr. Menzies, a then member of that Chamber gave an instance which had come within his experience. A jury had debated for some considerable time without being able to agree, some two or three holding out against the others. The foreman arose from his seat, and, advancing to one of the recalcitrant jurymen, persuaded him, with his fist within an inch of the juryman’s nose, to “ consider his verdict.” The juryman did so, and came to the same conclusion as had the foreman. The process was repeated with the other disagreeing jurymen, and aunanimous verdict was the result.

The special correspondent of the Daily Southern Cross at Wellington says :—“ Quite a new feature in what might be called ‘politicojournalism,’ has developed itself this session. Members of Parliament have gone in very largely for literary laurels, by acting as “ own correspondents’—telegraphically, of course — and the outcome is sometimes comical enough. Very few of them agree with the Press Agency reports, and none of them with each other. For instance, you may read something like the following in a Dunedin paper (very like a transplant of the Auckland Star ) :—‘ Last night Vogel made a wretchedly poor delivery ; Sir Donald was absolutely servile, and altogether the imbecility displayed amongst the ranks of the Government supporters was quite deplorable, and tho House was alternately pained and humiliated, or else convulsed with laughter. On the other hand, the calm, courteous, and logical speech of Sir George Grey was something to admire, while the withering invective and incisive eloquence of Mr. Rees fairly electrified the House.’ But the summit is only attained when the correspondent comes to describe Mr. Robert Stout. It is then that language fails utterly to describe the irresistible logic and the unrivalled eloquence with which that hon. gentleman quite carried away the House. There is only one small drawback : the logic and eloquence are confined to the telegrams, and the correspondent happens to be Mr. Stout himself. I think I have sometimes seen something like tho above in the columns of your contemporary, whereby Messrs. Rees and Lusk are duly lauded—no doubt gratuitously ; but that is the way the thing is done. It is not reports of Parliamentary that are wanted so much. What is wanted is reports that suit the politics of the particularpaper ; and I must say that some hon. gentlemen display an amount of ability in achieving the desideratum that would be more commendable if it were displayed in some other line. I have heard it whispered that one rather too clever M.H.R. has managed by protending pure independence in politics, to secure the correspondeutship of a morning journal with Government leanings, and also, by strong declarations of an Opposition hue, to obtain the position of correspondent for an ultra-rabid Grey evening organ published in the same city. Those in the secret think the trick clever, inasmuch as he not only can disseminate twisted opinions, but no doubt makes a profit out of each party.”

! The inward English mail which arrived yesterday consisted of 3437 letters, 1240 books, and 14,400 newspapers. : At the request of the Pacific Mail Company, Government have consented to appoint a coastal pilot for their New Zealand steamers. , A woman named Eliza Garner Lucas arrived in'Wellington from Feilding yesterday, having been committed on a charge of lunacy. She was taken to the asylum. The following notice has been issued by Dr. Lemon, General Manager of Telegraphs:— “ Mails leave Townsville for Singapore on the 19th inst. (this day). In addition to rates from New Zealand to Townsville, the charge from Singapore to Europe is 6s. 3d. per word. Ths sensational drama of “Kocombole” was produced at the theatre last night. The play ran smoothly throughout. Mrs, Bates as Baccarat achieved another success, and the audience were not slow to attest their approval of her acting by frequent applause; The character of the villian Rocomhole was sustained by Mr. Bates, who it is needless to say played the part as it should have been played. The minor parts were well filled up. In consequence of its marked success, the drama will be repeated to-night, and no doubt it will draw a crowded house. Mdlle. De Murska’s agent, Mr. W. Secil Medcalfe, arrived in Wellington yesterday by the City of New York, to make preparations for a short series of De Murska concerts, commencing on Monday next at the Odd Fellows’ Hall. A Dunedin paper said of her first concert in Dunedin: —“ The performance in every sense was a grand success, while Mdlle., accustomed as she has been to the plaudits of multitudes, could not repress an exhibition of her gratitude for the magnificent reception she received last night at the Queen’s Theatre from a crowded house. Her magnificent voice, so skilfully used, sent a thrill through the audience which at every opportunity culminated in round after round of applause. Ecstatic as have been the notices which from time to time have been republished here from the Melbourne papers, nothing, we can now testify, has been said which is too high praise of her vocal performances; and having heard her once, we can well understand how it is that even some forty performances left the Melbourne public unsatisfied, and can quite believe that they will warmly welcome her return after her New Zealand tour. Her voice is something truly marvellous, and the perfection training (long and arduous it must have been) has brought it to, words cannot express. The range of voice she possesses is very great, for not only is she able to sing to a great height with the utmost ease and clearness, but in the lower registers her notes are beautifully mellow and full. We fully endorse all that has been said about Mdlle. De Murska’s singing, and its wonderful flexibility, and pureness and richness of tone. We are requested to draw the ‘attention of traders and others to the extensive sale of surplus stores, ex Camperdown, from London, by Mr. G. H. Yennell on board the ship at 1 o’clock this day.