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New Zealand Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 4795, 4 August 1876, Page 2

Tho annual general meeting- of the investment imembera of tho Permanent Equitable Building and- Investment Society is called for Monday next, at 7.30 p.m. ■ Attention is directed , to a change, in the time of commencing the Assembly ball, which is to come off on Monday next. The ball will begin at 8.30, instead of 9 o’clock. An interesting football match will take place this afternoon,’■ on'the'Basin Keserve, between the Wellington College team and a team chosen from, the schools of Messrs. Bowden and Curtis. The Commissioner of Telegraphs notifies that telegrams oan now be, accepted for Europe via Port Darwin. The exact time of the steamer leaving Port Darwin will be" telegraphed when received. Pull charges will be made on all telegrams. It is notified elsewhere that in future payments will be made by the treasurer of the Wellington District Highway Board at their office, Hutt, between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. of the first Wednesdays in the month (the day on which the Board is to meet), and the day after each Board meeting. His Excellency the Governor has been pleased to issue letters of naturalisation, under the Aliens Act, 1866, in favor of the undermentioned persons, viz.:—Frederick Fraser, laborer, Havelock, Marlborough ; David Dickens, miner, Orepuki, .Otago ; Johann Ludwig Sclionberg, settler, Dunedin. In consequence of Mdlle. lima De Murska being attacked yesterday with severe hoarseness the concert announced for last night .could not come off, and had to’ be postponed till Saturday. It was a great disappointment to the public, but under the circumstances nothing else could be done. It is pleasing to bC able to announce, however, that she is quickly recovering from her indisposition. This being so, lovers of the divine art need not fear disappointment on Saturday, and as the audience will be swelled by those who intended to be present last night, it would be wise to secure places at once. The programme for to-morrow night is a most attractive one. It comprises, amongst other items, the aria “Bel Baggio,” from “Semiramisa Hungarian Pastoral Song (Doppler), with violin obligato by Maestro Strauss Ilia; the grand duo, “Crispino e la Comare,” with Signor Susini ; and solos by Signor Bosnati and Susini; also pianoforte and violin solos by Maestro Strauss Ilia. This and Mademoiselle’s benefit on Monday night are announced as positively the last two occasions on which the public of Wellington will have the opportunity of hearing unquestionably the finest singer as yet heard here. It may be many a day ere we shall be favored with such melody as is discoursed by Mdlle. De Murska, Signori Bosnati, Susini, and Ilia. There are few plays in the whole range of the drama which have so frequently been put before us here as the dramatised version of Mrs. Wood’s novel “East Lynne.” Last night, however, Mr. and Mrs. Bates—for both deserve the credit—gave us such a really excellent rendering of it as to place their performance incomparably before any we have yet had in Wellington. Mrs. Bates’ Lady Isabel is simply one of the best pieces of acting from first to last that we have seen on the stage here, and in the pathetic scenes last night she was really excellent. Her pourtrayal of the character of the guilty Lady Isabel, whose sole redeeming trait is her love for her children, was true to life, and evinced study and care in its performance. In the assumed character of Madame Vine her disguise was perfect, and followed strictly the description given in the novel itself. The trying scene with Lord Mount Severn at the end of the third act, was most artistically worked out, as also was 1 the dying scene, which was effective, without any of the exaggerations so frequently seen in it. As a whole, Mrs. Bates may be congratulated upon having achieved a decided triumph in the part, and we hope ere long to see the piece repeated. Miss Lizzie Morgan (who received a perfect ovation on her appearance) played Barbara Hare very well, and Mrs. Stoneham made an excellent Cornelia Carlyle. As Archibald Carlyle Mr. Bates played excellently. He never forgot that Archibald Carlyle, ■ though only a country lawyer, was yet a gentleman, and his acting throughout the piece was marked with a quiet ease and effect which materially aided in its success. Mr. Oily Deering, as Lord Mount Severn, and Mr. Metcalfe, as Sir Frances Levison, deserve notice for the care bestowed upon their parts. The scenery and appointments were excellent. After the drama Miss Lizzie Morgan sang the beautiful new ballad “ Lullaby,” with such success that a rapturous encore was demanded and responded to, “ Whip-poor-will ” being substituted. There was a crowded house in all parts. This evening the great tragedy of “ Hamlet,” with Mr. Bates in his celebrated part of the Prince of Denmark, is to be performed by special request, and we expect to see another full house. A letter has been received from the secretary of the Nelson Football Club, stating that the Nelson team would most probably leave on Sunday next, the 6th, for Wellington. If they do so, the match will be played on Tuesday, on the Basin Beserve ; and from all accounts it will be a tough ene, both sides being pretty' sanguine. After the match, a dinner will be given to the Nelson representatives, for which it is hoped pur leading citizens will subscribe liberally, as last year but little was given towards defraying the expenses), of the Wellington Football Club in entertaining the Aucklanders, which has consequently left the club much in debt. We understand that subscription lists have been placed in the hands of the dinner committee. At the Science Congress at South Kensington lately Mr. Barnaby, Constructor of the Navy, read a paper, in which he said he had no doubt the fighting ship of the future would be of the class of the Nelson and Northumberland, building in Scotland, with central armor protecting all vital parts, and a strong shield fore and aft, a high broadside battery, trained and fired by electricity from fore and aft screens, without any exposure of the crew. These ships would cost £350,000. A meeting of the Wellington Highway Board was held at the Hutt this week. Present—Messrs. Sinclair, Speedy, Taylor, Smith, Searaucke, Monaghan, and Mason (chairman). The minutes of the last meeting were read and confirmed. The following accounts were ordered to be paid : —No. 1 Ward, construction, Joseph McLeavy, £4 19s. ,9d. No. 2 Ward, construction, Daniel Dealy, £25 ; Daniel Egan, £9 75.; Stebbings and Edwards, £lO 10s.; Henry Lewer, £4 10s.; repairs, J. Wilmshurst, £8 135.. 4d. No. 3 Ward, construction, Edward Carter, £3O ; repairs, William Gardener, £3; George'Taylor, £1 Is. No. 4 Ward, construction, William Buiok, £33 1,05.; John Sinclair, £8 55.; Peter Speedy, £3 10s. No. 5 Ward, repairs, Eobert Hunter, £8 13s. 4d. No. 6 Ward, repairs, Henry Swain, £7 ; construction, Henry Swain, £lO Is.; Alex. Pringle, £l3 11s.; John Cudby, £27 65.; Giles Edwards, £6. No. 7 Ward, repairs, Alex. Martin, £6 135.; Langdon, £2 165.; David Brown, £1 6s. Contingencies— Proprietors Evening Post, £8 ss. 9d.; New Zealand Times Company, £3 75.; Messrs. Lyon and Blair, 7s. 6d.; Henry Aston, £lO. It was resolved :—(1). That no monies be paid except through the treasurer, and that the treasurer be instructed to insert advertisements in the New Zealand Times and Evening Post, stating the times and place where payments shall be made. (2). That all collectors shall furnish, on the first day of each month, a return of all monies collected during the previous month ; these amounts to be paid to the treasurer, together with the names of persons who paid tho rates, such gross amount from each ward to be entered in the minute-book. (3). That the overseer be instructed to wait upon the Wellington City Corporation, and submit to them a claim upon them which has arisen from a mistake in the boundaries of. the No. 1 2 Ward, whereby ah annual outlay has been made on a road which is within the limits of the . City: of Wellington. (4). That every facility be given to the Beturning Officer for the Karori-Makara Highways District to obtain the information he desires with respect to. the ratepayers in that district. (S).

That the Warden of No. 2 Ward be authorised to expend a sum not exceeding ten pounds _onthe Horokiwi district, and the Warden of No, 5 Ward be also authorised to spend a sum hot exceeding ten pounds near the lighthouse, and that the Warden of No. 3 Ward be authorised to accept tenders for construction of the Wainui-road extension, provided they do not exceed £3O, subject to the approval of the overseer. The Board then adjourned. A writer in the London Monetary Gazette says :—“I was walking along the canal banks in the town of Bolton a short time ago, and my attention was called to a large load of pearly white substance. ; On examination it proved to be china clay, and in my innocence I asked where the porcelain works were located, as I take great interest in such manufactures. My inquiry was received with loud laughter, and I was informed the Kaolin was consigned to Messrs. , a well-known firm of cotton spinners. Apropos of this little incident, and somewhat of a commentary thereon, let me add that a gentleman who professes to be ultra religious told me the other day that an 8-lb. shirting now never contains more than 61b. of cotton, and on my asking him if he traded in this fashion, he piously replied, “We must go with the stream.” Perhaps the machinistes (sowing machines) are not aware that the frequent breaking of their needles is mainly caused by the resistance and friction of this mineral adulteration, which is found in abundance in almost all the cotton they sew. Geologists tell us that china clay is decomposed granite ; no wonder, then, that it should be gritty and break needles. It also makes eminently unhealthy the occupation of the mill hands, a fact which I recommend to the special attention of the Society for the Protection of Women and Children. Manchester, Manchester ! this clay adulteration will be thy death !” A sentence of imprisonment for 99 years was passed at St. Louis in April upon a negro who • confessed that he had killed his ■wife. The St. Louis Republican states that he w"3 allowed to avoid risk to his neck by pleading guilty of murder in the second degree; and there being a law of the State of Missouri that a person sentenced to imprisonment for life, can claim his discharge at the expiration of fifteen years, the judge passed a sentence longer than life. " A gaming tragedy is reported from Monaco. A Eussian Count, having ruined himself at roulette, put an end to his life by jumping over a precipice near the town. He is said to have lost £30,000 in two days. Mr. Duncan has requested ns to direct public attention to his extensive sale of musical instruments, including two of Erard’s best pianofortes and one of Alexandre's finest harmoniums, &0., and about five cases of,drapery, quite new goods just landed, all of which are to be sold without reserve. The sale, owing to there being over 300 lots, will commence at one o’clock sharp.

The Ly-ee-Moon, the chartered steamer to take telegrams, arrived at North Australia from Bangowangie yesterday. Later English and European intelligence should therefore be telegraphed to New Zealand to-day. Government have, we learn, telegraphed to the New South Wales Executive regarding the second cable which it has been proposed to lay in order to obtain communication with Europe. The reply received is to the effect that the New South/Wales Government can give no definite information oh the subject at present, on account of the Victorian Government not having intimated their intentions. The Premier is credited with a very neat repartee yesterday. In the lobbies Mr. Maoandrew opined to him that the debate on separation would be a long one. “ Why,” said Mr. Macandrew, “ there will be forty speeches on our side.” Replied Sir Julius Vogel, “Then each member of the Opposition intends to speak twice.” A supply of meteorological instruments, for use in connection with weather forecasts, has been recently received per ship Sarah Bell. The shipment comprises twenty-four standard barometers upon Foster’s principle, with the latest improvements, and four mountain barometers, fitted with upper and lower indices, and with double scales for using either the metric or English system. They are very light in construction, and are fitted for ‘ use as stationary instruments. There are also 20 anemometers, on Robinson’s principle, registering to the tenth of a mile, and giving continuous registration to 500 miles; twenty-two sets of thermometers, for hygometrical observations ; and two hypsometers, for ascertaining the height of elevated stations by,the temperature of the boiling'point of water. The whole of this material, with the exception of the anemometers, have been verified at the Royal Observatory at Kew, and certificates containing particulars of the test ■ errors have been forwarded with each instrument. This shipment has been received direct from the manufactory of Mr. L. Cassella, the celebrated r instru-, ment -maker ‘of .London) iand' the packing has been carried out with the utmost case.