Untitled

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 4802, 12 August 1876, Page 2

In the supplement which accompanies this day’s issue of the New Zealand Times will be found the speech of the Hon. Mr. Bowen on the separation question. In our report in Wednesday’s Times of proceedings in Parliament on the previous day, we were compelled to omit Mr. Bowen’s speech in consequence of the late hour at which it was delivered and the length to which our report had already extended. The barometer commenced to fall in the North on Thursday evening, and hy noon yesterday the appearance of the weather was very unsettled, with glass falling fast. Warnings to expect easterly gales were telegraphed to all places northward of Kaikoura during the afternoon, and generally for easterly winds at Southern stations. Kain was falling heavily at Auckland and adjacent places nearly all yesterday.

Fully half the afternoon sitting of the House of Representatives yesterday was wasted in discussing points of order. A debate arose upon a question in reference to some Land Purchase Commissioners report, and Sir George Grey, finding himself out of order in entering into extraneous matter while putting a question, subsequently moved the adjournment of the House. Sir George immediately began to travel outside even native affairs, and Mr. Wakefield wanted to know whether he was in order in so doing. Mr. Stout volunteered a ruling in favor of Sir George Grey, but Mr. Wakefield very neatly rejoined that he had appealed to the Speaker and not to Mr. Stout. The Speaker then ruled that the hon. member for the Thames was in order, and the debate proceeded for a time, till Mr. Wakefield again raised the same point in another form, when Mr. Rees wanted to know if the hon, member for Geraldine was in order in raising the point. Of course Mr. Rees began to talk, and he looked considerably astonished when, on refusing to obey the direction of the Speaker to resume his seat, the House fairly cried him down, as hon. members also did Mr. Wakefield, who exhibited the manners of an ill-bred schoolboy by standing while the Speaker was delivering his ruling. At this time there was a very near approach to a “ scene,” but matters were softened over and the debate Jproceeded, occasionally being interrupted with more points of order from young gentlemen, such as Messrs. Wakefield and Stout, who would continue to show their ignorance of the forms of the House, and not only this, but dispute the ruling of the Speaker. In the Legislative Council yesterday the Hon. Mr. Mantel! called attention to a statement which had been printed in italics by an English scientific paper, and which he thought he could not have made in the form in which it had been reported. The hon. gentleman took occasion to say that the fault was possibly his own in not having made himself clearly understood. He considered that the official reports of the House reflected great honor on the Hansard staff. We understand that the choir of St. John's Church intend giving another of their pleasing entertainments, and are now actively engaged preparing for the occasion. The programme will consist of several choice glees, duets, &c., interspersed with readings and recitations ; and under the able conductorship of Mr. Raymond will no doubt be equally successful with previous efforts. Monday, the 28th August, has been fixed as the date for the entertainment.

Bulwer's well-known prize play “ The Lady of Lyons” was produced by the Bates-Howard Company last night before a very large audience. This popular piece has often been presented to the Wellington playgoing public, but we have no hesitation in pronouncing the Pauline and Claude Melnotte of Mr. and Mrs. F. M. Bates as one of the best efforts of these accomplished artists. Mrs. Bates appeared to great advantage as the heroine of the piece, the character affording full scope for the display of the deep pathos and feeling she is so capable of calling forth, whilst the Claude Meliiotte of Mr. Bates w’as equally deserving of praise. The audience gave frequent manifestations of their approval throughout the piece. The grand scene when, after the solemnization of the marriage, the pretended prince discloses his real birth, the wounded pride and shame of the proud beauty, struggling with her actual affection for the man who had so cruelly deceived her, and the combination of shame, remorse, and intense love of the husband, was rendered full justice to by the hero and heroine, and was, as it should be, the most effective portion of the piece. Mr. Sam Howard as Colonel Dumas, Mr. Oily Deering as Deschappelles, and Messrs. Stoneham and Holloway as Glavis and Beauseant also merit a word of praise. The scenery was excellent, the general appointments all that could be desired, and the performance was in every way an entire success. The “Lullaby” song by Miss Lizzie Morgan concluded the performance. This evening the successful drama “ The Will and the Way,” Miss Morgan in new songs, and the immensely amusing farce of “ Toodles ” will form a very attractive programme. A New Zealand Gazette was published yesterday. It contains : —A proclamation setting apart certain lands in the provinces of Hawke’s Bay and Wellington for the purposes of immigration; proclamations dividing certain portions of the colony into districts under the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1875, and the Marriage Act Amendment Act, 1358; a proclamation abolishing the Post-office, Clinton, as a place of vaccination, and appointing the schoolhouse, Clinton, in its stead; appointment of the Hon. George McLean to be Commissioner of Customs, and to be Minister to have charge of administration of the Naval Training Schools Act, 1874; correspondence between the Hon. Sir Julius Vogel and Jules Joubert, relative to the Agricultural Society of N.S.W.; new by-laws of Nelson Municipal Corporation ; appointment of registrar of births, deaths, and marriages; resignation and appointment of volunteer officers; Land Transfer notices, &c. There were no cases of importance tried at the E.M. Court yesterday, although there were a largo number on the sheet, consisting chiefly of cases of drunkenness and vagrancy, in which persons of both sexes appeared as defendants. There were also disposed of a number of summons oases under the Municipal by-laws.

The p.s. Luna will make an excursion round the harbor to-day with the members of Parliament.

On the Basin Reserve this afternoon a football match will be played, sides to be chosen on the ground. Play will commence at halfpast two o’clock.

The steamer Moa will make an excursion trip round the harbor this afternoon, should the weather be favorable, leaving the breastwork at half-past two o’clock.

The return of traffic for the four weeks ending 29th July, on the Picton and Blenheim railway, gives—Passengers, etc., £174 Os. 3d.; goods, £2lB 7s. 9d.; total, £392 Ss. For the same period, on the Nelson and Foxhill railway, the returns were—Passengers, etc., £293 14s. 6d.; goods, £l4O 6s. 9d.; total, £434 Is. 3d. Mr. Nicholson, a member of the Nelson football team, who had his collarbone broken during the recent match—Nelson v. Wellington—had many sympathisers at the time the accident occurred, but in one case that sympathy took an active and practical turn. We understand that an Auckland gentleman (not a football player either), signified his willingness to hold himself responsible for the expenses arising out of the unfortunate accident.