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New Zealand Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 4804, 15 August 1876, Page 2

The House of Representatives meets this afternoon at the usual hour. The Legislative Council does not meet till to-morrow. Two steamers have been chartered to run with telegrams between Penang and Rangoon; one leaves Penang on the evening of the 15th, and the other about four days later. Each steamer will remain in Rangoon thirty-six hours for replies, and eight in Penang. The passage will be made under four days. Full rates will be charged

A return laid upon the table of the Legislative Council shows that the number of persons employed on the various Colonial Government works of the colony on May 31 last is 4245, divided amongst the various provinces in the following proportions :—Auckland, 391 ; Taranaki, 58 ; Hawke's Bay, 209 ; Wellington, 1253 ; Nelson, 148 ; Westland (principally on water-raoe), 495 ; Canterbury, 155 ; Otago, 1536.

The immigrants ex Fritz Reuter are gradually being distributed over the colony since the Government took them in hand. Last week 47 wont to- Wanganui, and yesterday 69 were sent to Foxton, 52 to Taranaki, and a large number of them have found engagements in the town and country.

There seems to be a strange fatality hanging over the lamps to the Martin fountain. Two sets were broken in course of importation, and the set which arrived in perfect order has not been in position a week before being damaged. The centre lamp has been broken, and on a windy night the gas cannot be kept alight. The Congregationalists are maturing a design for the settlement of a regular pastor in their missionary chapel in Courtenay-place. A large measure of progress has been made in this district since the opening of the schoolhouse, but whether the time has yet come for the establishment of a regular pastorate is a question on which it is difficult to hazard an opinion.

The Victorian Parliament now meets at 2.30 p.m. instead of 4 p.m. as heretofore. Hitherto the New Zealand Legislature has been tho only one in the colonies to meet before 4 p.m.

Baker's Hibernioon Troupe opens at the Theatre about the end of the present month.

The letter of " Veritas," in reference to the Ohariu Bchoolhouse, would, if inserted, revive a, discussion on a subject ■which has been settled months since.

We have to acknowledge a batch of statistical papers in relation to mining operations in Victoria from Mr. Hayter, the Government Statist.

We understand that Mr. Tuckey, cUv&ical master of the Welligton College, is a candidate for the head mastership of Nelson College, vacant by the death of Mr. Simmonds. A Bill was recently laid on the table of the South Australian Parliament at a cost of £4OO. It is entitled an Act to make better provision for the Administration of Justice. The News states that Mr. Blackett, assistant engineer, is now on a visit of inspection to the Wairarapa, the special object of his visit being connected with changes about to be made in the Public Works department.

The Government steamer Luna left the wharf at noon yesterday on an excursion trip round the harbor, with a large number of members of Parliament and their friends, who took the trip at the invitation of the Hon. G. McLean. Lowry Bay and Somes Island were visited, and the Luna returned to the wharf shortly after four o'clock in the afternoon.

The provisional directors of the proposed Empire Gas Company met at the Post-office Hotel laßt evening. There were twenty-five gentlemen present, (Mr. James Stewartoccupyingthe chair). Gentlemen who had been canvassing for shares laid their lists before the meeting, and it appeared that shares had been taken up most liberally ; therefore, it was decided to call a public meeting at once for the purpose of organising the society. The date at w hich the meeting is to be held was not definitely fixed, but very probably it will be held before the week ia out.

The Reformed Wesleyans, who have for some months been meeting for worship in the Odd Fellows' Hall, are now having a place of meeting erect for themselves in Courtenayplace. The congregation hns grown encouragingly under the ministrations of the Rev. Mr. Redstone, and the desiga in building is to erect a schoolhouse, to be used in the first place for oublic worship, and thereafter to erect a church, as the membership increases and consolidates.

An Italian sculptor, Signor Michael Bogtrotto, who has recently arrived in Wellington per mail steamer from Kanturk, is, we learn, engaged upon a bust of our esteemed fellow-townsman, E. T. Gillon, Esq. The Signor not being able to obtain any gsologieal material of New Zealand production proper for his chisel, has purchased a quantity of old brass, which is found to suit the subject admirably. The Artillery ball which, took place at the Provincial Council Hall last evening passed off with that success which usually attends this annual gathering. His Excellency the Governor and the Marchioness of Nbrruanby and suite, accompanied by Capt. .Suttie and the other officers of the Nymphe, arrived shortly after 9 o'clock, and were received by Capt. Pearce, a guard of houor being formed by members of the corps. Dancing commenced immediately, and was kept up till a late hour this morning. There were about a hundred couples present, and amongst the visitors were several members of Parliament and representatives from the Dunedin, Nelson, and Thames Volunteers.

A meeting of the Board of Governors of the Wellington College was held yesterday afternoon. Present His Honor the DeputySuperintendent, his Worship the Mayor, the Speaker of the Provincial Council, Rev. J. Paterson, and Mr. Brandon, M.H.R. On the motion of the Mayor, it was resolved that future meetings of the Board should be open to the Press. There was some discussion on the motion, and it was eventually carried on a division, the ayes being 3—the Deputy-Super-intendent, the Mayor, and the Kev. J. C. Paterson; noes, 2—Messrs. Brandon and Waring Taylor. A letter was received from the Provincial Government, stating that a reserve of 10,000 acres had been made for the benefit of the College. The rest of the business was mere routine work.

At the Resident Magistrate's Court yesterday the business was as follows:—Patrick McOafferty was charged with assaulting a man named A. B. Kelton by striking him on the face with a glass. It was a publichouse quarrel, and the complainant seemed to have been in the wrong in the first instance, and defendant was therefore only fined 20s. and costs. A man named Henry Green, for being drunk and using threatening language, was fined 40s. and costs, or to be imprisoned for seven days in case of default. We McLean and John Wilson were bound over to keep the peace for six months. They had a fight, which arose out of matrimonial complications. An unfortunate creature named Patrick Wheeler was sentenced to three months' imprisonment on a charge of vagrancy.

A meeting of the proprietary and non-pro-prietary members of the Wellington Club took place yesterday afternoon at the clubhouse, and the following report was read by the secretary:—The committee now beg to report that in terms of the resolutions passed on the 14th June Mr. G. H. Vennell was authorised to offer the premises for sale at auction on the 24th ult., and that they were sold for the sum of £6500, possession to be given on the Ist of January, 1877, and that immediately afterwards the committee purchased town acre No. 467, situated on JWel-lington-terrace (commonly known as Drake's acre), for the sum of £1382. A resolution was passed approving of the action taken by the committee in purchasing town acre No. 467, and requesting them to get plans and specifications prepared for levelling the acre and the erection of a new club-house.

A correspondent writes : —" Much has been said and written about the late Dr. Featherston as a clever politician and leader of the people ; still, many of his friends remember and talk of a qualification he possessed in an eminent degree (though not commented on at the meetings that have been held cf late, with a view of erecting some testimonial to his memory), viz, the warm interest he always took in old English sports. He was one of the originators of the Wellington Jockey Club, and often ran a horse at the primitive race meetings of former days. On learning when in London, that the club had awoke from its apnthy, that a handsome grand-stand had been erected on the Hutt course, and that the Wellington races were becoming more and more popular, he expressed his unqualified satisfaction, and hoped that he would again be present at the Wellington races under the new regime. This wish, however, was never to be realised. Few politicians were more practical in their ideas. He seldom overlooked matters that more shallow minds might deem beneath their notice or of little importance ; for instance, he used often to say that our country race meetings were sure to improve both in sport and quality in exact ratio as horseracing at headquarters was kept up in a healthy state or otherwise."

Some escaped lunatic has stated in some public print that someone was stuck-up somewhere by someone else (of ruffianly appearance), with the intention of robbing, and that the police had been communicated with. The police have not been communicated with.

An advertisement in another column announces that Mrs. Palmer desires to form musical classes. The papers at Marlborough, from which province the lady comes, spjak very highly of her talents, and say "she possesses a rare power.of execution, and a correct taste." Wellington is never behind in appreciating ability, and Mrs. Palmer has a good field before her. The Timaru. Hevald thinks Sir George Grey not in earnest in bringing down his separation resolutions, but that in doing so he has only desired to cause delay and confusion, and to have an opportunity of exposing the weak points of the Government The same journnal says:—Anything more utterly futile and inane as the enunciation of a policy it is impossible to conceive.

A terrific "bolt" occurred yesterday, by which Dr. Grace's carriage was completely smashed, and the coachman seriously injured. The doctor was attending to a patient, and the carriage awaiting him, when the horses took fright, and bolted down Pipitea-street towards the hospital. Near the hospital the hood of the carriage was carried away, and further on the rest was demolished. Meantime the driver had been thrown out violently. He was taken to the hospital, and every attention paid to him.

We have to thank the Clerk of the South Australian Parliament for a batch of Parliamentary papers, copies of Bills, &c. We observe that a Bill has been introduced into the South Australian Legislature to reform the Legislative Council, by poking it partly amenable to public opinion fitftuMs of general election. The second clause of 111 Bill reads—At the next dissolution of the House of Assembly, and thenceforward at every dissolution of the said House, such six members of the Legislative Council as shall be the first six on the members' list, called the members' roll, shall vaoate their seats, and six members shall be elected to supply the vacancies so created; and immediately after the members so elected to fill the vacancies so created shall have taken their seats, they shall proceed to determine by lot the order in which their names shall be respectively placed on the members' roll next after the names of the members previously on the said roll; and in the event of a single member being elected to fill a seat in the said Council, vacant by reason of death, acceptance of office, or otherwise, the name of such member shall be placed last on the said members' roll, to the intent that one-third of the whole number of members of the Legislative Council,, consisting of Buch six members as shall have held their Beats for the longest period, shall vacate their seats at every dissolution of the House of Assembly. Mr. Skey, the Government analyst, has reported as follows on a sample of the water from the Waiwera Springs, sent to the laboratory at Wellington for analysis by his Excellency the Governor on his recent stay in Auckland. The following is the official report on the same:—Specimen No. 1820, forwarded by Mr. Robert Graham, at the request of his Excellency the Marquis of Normanby. Locality, Waiwera. Received 10th July, 1876. Reported on 26th July, 1876. Mineral water, quite clear and colorless ; manifests a distinct alkaline reaction to litmus paper, and has a feebly saline taste. From the appended results of its analysis, it appears to belong to the class of mineral waters known as the alkaline. Analysis: These results are computed in grains per gallon—Chloride of sodium, 116715 ; do potassium, - 091 ;do lithium, traces ; iodide of magnesium, traces ; sulphate of soda, "383 ; bi-carbonate of soda, 87"573 ; do lime, 10-692? do magnesia, '954 ; do iron, '686 ; alumina, traces; silica, 2-464 ; total, 219-558. This water is similar to several of the famous Continental waters. For instance, from Vichy, in France, and Fachingen, in Nassau, both o£ which are largely used medicinally.—(Signed) W. Skew

From a late issue of the Melbourne Telegragh, we notice that the position of the officials of the Victorian Crown Lands department has been attracting the attention of Government, and the Victorian Ministry are bo convinced of the fact of the officers in that department of their Civil Service being underpaid, that they have just divided a sum of £IOOO amongst them, in addition to a previous £SOO also awarded them. In reference to the interprovincial football matches the Nelson Times publishes the following table, showing the number of games played between Wellington and Nelson, and their results :

Year Played at Wonbj--1869 ■Wellington Nelson 1871 Wellington "Wellington'. 1872 Nelson . Nelson 1873 "Wellington drawn game 1876 Nelson drawn game 1878 Wellington Wellington Thus each province has won two matches, and" two have been drawn games.