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New Zealand Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 4786, 25 July 1876, Page 2

A rapid fall of the barometer commenced in the North on Saturday, and by Sunday morning a heavy easterly gale had set in at all places to tho north of the East Capo. By noon of the same day it had begun at Gisborne, and by midnight had extended to Castle Point, and was also felt at Westport for a short time. The weather was especially severe at Tauranga, where it has occasioned much damage. No warnings could be sent, as the approach of the gale was not sufficiently marked up to a late hour on Saturday. Messages were, however, sent out to-day, indicating which way the wind would change, and giving intimation of tho approach of bad weather to such places as the gale had not yet reached or which were likely to he visited with an increase in tho force of tho gale. The barometer during the day was falling generally. From an advertisement in another column ft will bo noted that a public meeting is convened by tho promoters of tho Empire Gas Consumers’ Company in tho Odd Fellows’ Hall, on Thursday evening, when tho question of supplying gas at 10a. per 1000 cubic feet will no doubt be discussed in all its bearings. Throe valuable pure Clydesdale horses ar- f rived in Wellington by the Hawea on Friday last. These animals belong to Mr. P. F. Tnncred, who intends taking them to the Wairarapa district. All who have inspected these horses pronounce them admirable specimens of their class, Tho annual football match between Nelson and Wellington is expected to come oil shortly —probably in a fortnight hence,

At a meeting of the shareholders in the N.ZS.S. Company yesterday afternoon it was decided to sell the steamers Rangatira and Manawatu, and win'd up the company. The sale of city properties held by Mr. G. H. Vennell, at his auction mart, Hunter-street, yesterday, was well attended. The Wellington Club building and site fetched £6500, Mr. Charles Hausman bcihg the purchaser. The other properties were withdrawn. Mr. Levy’s property was withdrawn at'£37oo. In the civil division of the Resident Magistrate’s Court yesterday a case of interest to shippers and merchants was heard—Thomas v. Webster—a claim of £26 Is. Id., for damage to a number of bags of sugar brought out in the Delmix-a, of which defendant is master. Mr. Quick appeared for plaintiff, Mr. Thomas, auctioneer; Mr. Ollivier for*; defendant. A good deal of evidence was taken. That for plaintiff was to the effect that water had found its way through the stern of the vessel into the hold, and that the damage was caused by that and guano, in which the vessel had been trading previously. It was also stated that the damage to the stern of tho vessel occurred while the vessel was lying in port in Australia, and that the captain neglected to have repairs effected whilst there. The defence was that the ship after leaving the guano trade had been thoroughly cleaned; that the damage to the stern was occasioned as she was leaving port for sea; that the water could not have reached the hold from the stern, and that tremendously rough weather was experienced on the passage across. The magistrate held that it was a case of damage from sea water, and that the injury done to the vessel was not sufficient to account for that water. He held that the gales encountered were sufficient to account for the water getting in, although it was not shown where it did so. As to the guano, there was strong circumstantial evidence that there had been a fair cleansing of the vessel. Possibly a little of the sand remaining came from the sand of the stone ballast, but he was not justified in concluding that the damage was done by guano and by neglect in removing it. He must therefore hold that the ship was not responsible. Judgment for the defendant. The enterprise of Messrs. Bates and Howard in catering for the public amusement was appreciated last night, for in spite of the wretched weather prevailing there was a very good audience to witness the production of the burlesque “ The Invisible Prince.” The burlesque was preceded by a most amusing trifle—- “ The Married Rake ” —in which Mr. and Mrs. Bates kept those present in a state of laughter for over half-au-hour. The chief piece of the evening then came on, and went, as the saying is, in the most satisfactory manner, the various songs and dances incidental to it eliciting numerous encores, and the fun being well sustained from first to last. Mrs. Bates made a most charming Prince, and her acting was quite a treat, being that of a thorough artiste, and, whilst piquant and taking, lifting burlesque business from the somewhat ordinary type which it too frequently presents. The scenery was new and beautiful, and the scenic artist, Mr. Nicholson, as well as the mechanist and property man, deserve great credit for the various pretty effects introduced. The burlesque is announced for repetition to-night, and should have a good run. We have inspected the plans of tho new buildings to be erected on the site of the old Crown and Anchor on Lambtou-quay, to which it has a frontage of 95ft,, with an elevation of 42ft. The ground-floor will consist of a gateway entrance to the rear 12ft. in height ; a bar 20ft. by 19ft. 6in., with bar parlor at back thereof ; entrance hall, 6ft, wide ; commercial room, 17ft. by 14ft.; dining-room, 21ft. by 14ft. This part of the building will be divided from the law chambers, which form an important feature in it, by a brick wall 14in. thick, running up through the roof, on the plan adopted in London. The first floor of the hotel comprises billiard-room (39ft.;by 21ft.), bar, two parlors, and three bedrooms. The upper floor is reached by a staircase close to the brick wall before mentioned, and will contain twenty-two bedrooms, each 12ft. by Bft. An iron door in the brick wall will divide the corridor into two. In the event of a fire occurring in either end of the building it can be effectually shut off from the other by closing this door, while an exit is provided at either end. The chambers, or lawyers’ offices, are placed on the ground and first floors of that part of the building nearest to the Supreme Court, leaving an entrance hall or passage 6ft. in width, with two offices each 19ft. by 12ft., and two of 16ft. by lift. 6fn., and a strongroom 10ft. by Bft, 12ft. high at the rear. The offices on the first floor are reached by a staircase in the centre of the passage. They comprise two offices each 19ft. by 12ft., and a strong-room of the same dimensions as the other; two offices, 16ft, by lift. 6in., and two smaller do, forming altogether ten commodious rooms in which litigants may consult as many different lawyers. We understand that the whole of the offices have been bespoke, and tenants could easily be found for as many more. The building is to be called “ Lincoln’s Inn Hotel and Chambers,” and will cost about £4250. Mr. Moody expects to have it complete by the Ist of January, 1877. Mr. Ames, of the Upper Hutt, lost a valuable horse on Saturday last. The horse had been in the paddock during the day, and was there until within half an hour of the arrival of the last train ; but some careless person having left the slip rails down the horse got out and on to the railway, and tho last train coming along while the animal was there, a collision took place which of course proved fatal to the horse. It it rather surprising that accidents have not been more frequent in that direction, as the line is not divided from the road. The necessity for fencing off the road from the line must be apparent, and the sooner such a work is undertaken the better for general safety, for the accident above chronieled is trifling to what might happen simply through the want of a protecting fence. The fact that we have no faith in dreams, in no reason (says the Wairampa News) why we should not record the following, for the truth of which we are in a position to vouch;— On the morning of Sunday last, one of the gentlemen who visited the Forty-mile Bush, and who was then, along with the others, in Palmerston, mentioned at the breakfast table, as rather a singular coincidence, that he had dreamt during the night Mr. Graham, of the Club Hotel, Masterton, was dead. A few minutes afterwards, another of tho party, without the slightest knowledge of what had already passed on the subject, casually remarked he had dreamt tho same thing. Neither gentleman was intimately acquainted with Mr. Graham, and his illness was not likely to make a deep impression on their minds. Tho circumstance, although significant enough, was taken but little notice of at the time. In fact, it had altogether escaped recollection, until the party arrived at the Scandinavian camp the following Tuesday, when they were informed that Mr. Graham had actually died the very morning upon which they had had their dreams. In these degenerate times a coincidence of this kind is not regarded with particular awe; still the day was when it would not have been quite so lightly esteemed.

“It is not often that a man’s life is saved by a watch, but,” the Advertiser says, “ such appears to have been the case a few days since in Geelong. A grocer's assistant in a well-known establishment in Moorabool-street was taking the cane binding off a package with a. largo sharp-pointed butcher’s knife, when the binding gave way, and the knife slipped, and would have evidently entered a vital part but for the man’s gold watch, against which, fortunately, the point struck. To show the force with which the knife came in contact with the watch, a deep dent was made in both cases on the thickest part of them, showing, but for the timepiece, the steel would have entered the man’s heart. The waistcoat at the spot was cut completely through.” Tasmanian papers relate that the Ministry of that colony resigned a few days prior to the date for the opening of the session. Their resignation was caused by the fact that Captain Gilmore, who had accepted office as Colonial Secretary at tho end of last session, had been unable during the recess to secure a seat, having suffered two defeats.

In South Australia 660 miles of timber overland telegraph posts have been replaced by iron ones. A man named Richard Dyer, who was for some time a detective at Hokitika, committed suicide at Adelaide recently. The Hon. S. D. Hasting, of the Order of Good Templars, who some time ago was in New Zealand, has arrived home in the United States, and is going about to grand receptions. It has been resolved by the Invercargill lodge of Masons to form a fund for the purpose of establishing two Masonic scholarships—a senior and junior—in connection with the Invercargill Grammar School. It has been proposed to bring out to Australia the great comedian Mr. J. C. Toole for six months, to give seven performances a week (six evening and one matinee), and to receive for the same £16,200, or £6OO per week for twenty-six weeks. The Melbourne ‘ Cricket Club is an enterprising body, and the members don’t allow a mere trifle like £7OOO to stand in the way of the progress of their club. At a meeting held on the 13th instant it was unanimously resolved to raise that sum for the purpose of improving and adding to the buildings on their cricket ground. The recent earthquake appears to have been much more violent farther north than it was here. The Napier Telegraph mentions that at one homestead at Titiokura, in the Hawke’s Bay province, all the chimneys were thrown down. These chimneys were built of large blocks of stone, and were of massive construction. At Tarawera, and also at Pohui, the chimneys were thrown down. A very excellent entertainment was given last evening by the choir of St. John’s Presbyterian Church in aid of the Sunday-school funds. Notwithstanding the bad weather there was a vex-y large attendance, the schoolroom being quite crowded. The Rev. James Paterson px-esided, and also during the evening assisted by x-eading. The programme was made up principally of vocal music, a pianoforte solo and readings and x-eeitations being intex-spersed. The glees by the choir, “ Here in Cold Grot,” “Sweet and Low,” and “Spring’s Bright Flowers,” were highly appreciated, and the duets “The Echo,” and “Flowon thou Shining Rivex-” were applauded. “ Castles in the Ah',” au old favorite, was sung most pleasingly by a young lady, and an encore eagerly called for was gracefully responded to. “ The Wishing Gate,” given by another lady, was also encored, “ Sweet Spirit Hear my Prayex” being sung in response. The comic element was supplied by the gentleman who generally pleases his audience, and “Rocked in the Cradle of the Deep” was well sung by another gentleman. Several other songs, including “ I Never can Forget,” “ The Stirrup Cup,” &0., were given in good style. In reference to iron smelting at Taranaki, th e Budget of the 18th inst. has .the following : —Opex-ations at the Titanic Company’s furnace at the Henui have been brought to a close. The furnace has been blown in and bloxvn out again, and the men who wex-e engaged for the tx-ial are at liberty, and were discharged this morning. The result of the trial has shown that the Para Para ore can be smelted, as several tons of metal have been obtained from that ore. The iron sand has not been successfully smelted. Great care has been taken to keep both shareholders and outsiders off the xvorks. It is reported that one gentleman interested in the result of the trial with the Para Pax-a ore is threatened with an action for trespass. After the tx-ial to smelt the iron saud had been abandoned, and the operation of cleaning out the furnace was proceeding, a few persons were allowed on the xvorks. Shax-e----holdei'S say that the manager attributes the failure to the fact that the men xvere xvox-u out with continued attention to the furnace, to bad charcoal, and to some slight defect in the furnace. It was found that the furnace was not capacious enough to smelt successfully xvith coke. Some xvho have taken an intex-est in the matter express no surprise at that, seeing that it had never been intended in planning the affair to smelt xvith coke. The fux-nace has been constructed for the use of charcoal, and it is therefore looked upon as nonsensical to have attempted the smelting xvith coke in such a furnace. With the plant and general arrangements no faxxlt whatever is found. All who have had the oppox-tunity of inspecting the xvorks speak in high terras of px-aise as to the plant and the manner in xvhich it has been erected. Some shareholders express themselves very decidedly that so far as the appliances go nothing could be bettex-. The xvorkmen, too, are believed to have been xvell qualified for the practical xvork of looking after the furnace. The one thing lacking, it is believed, xvas a qualified scientific director. A little scientific kuexxdedge to x-e----gulate and direct the operations of the practical xvorkers is said to be the one thing needed. The first day’s operations xvere thox-onghly successful. Why equally successful results should not have been continued is puzzling even to the xvox-kers. It is said that on coke being used the x-esults gx-adually got xvox-se. Coke came from the furnace at the bottom in the same condition that it xvas put in at the top. Complaint is made that no person should have been allowed, on behalf of shax-eholders, to xvatch opex-ations. It is thoroughly believed that with the present appliances the sand can be smelted. The keep-it-dark policy which has ruled during the late trial, has irritated shareholdex-s ; and should another trial be made they xvill endeavor to get authority to have a repx-esentative present. There is a strong feeling in favor of giving Mr. E. M. Smith the use of the furnace for a tx-ial. It is not unlikely a public meeting xvill be called to consider the matter-, xvith a viexv to inducing the dh-ectory to agree to a trial being made by the originator of the company. Shareholders here expx-ess confidence, and desire a further trial.