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New Zealand Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 4812, 24 August 1876, Page 4

A fire occurred in the coalhulk Anne and Jane early yesterday morning. It is presumed that some hot ashes from the donkey engine must have got through the deck timber and thus caused the fire, which was discovered about two o'clock. The men in charge of the hulk succeeded, not without difficulty, in extinguishing the flames.

On the House meeting at 7.30 last evening the Speaker caused to be read to the House a long legal opinion from Mr. Whitaker, giving the reason why the Harbor Board Bills should be introduced in a committee of the whole House. Sir Julius Vogel later in the evening said everyone must approve the ruling of the Speaker; hut as considerable delay would otherwise occur before the Bills could be brought before the House, the Government would endeavor to assist members in charge of Bills by bringing such Bills down by message early next week, that was in those cases in which the Bills met the approval of the Government. At three o’clock yesterday the Clerk of Writs attended the House of Representatives and erased the name of Mr. Read from the writ for the Bast Coast election, and substituted that of Captain Morris, who was then introduced by Mr. Sheehan and Hr. Henry, and took his seat amidst applause. It is notified in our advertising columns that an interim dividend of 6 per cent., for tho half-year ending 31st March, has been declared by the directors of the National Bank of New Zealand, and will be paid to shareholders, whose names appear on the register kept in the colony, on and after the sth September. In the Legislative Council yesterday an instance was given which shows the length of time for which clothing will retain the poison of infectious diseases. Some five years ago Mr. Waterhouse was a passenger from England, in company with Colonel Ward, the master of the Victorian Mint.' On that voyage some clothes which had been used by a child of Colonel Ward’s, who had died two years before from scarlet fever, were brought again into use. The clothes had been disinfected, and were supposed to be quite safe, nevertheless, the child who wore them was smitten with scarlet fever almost immediately, and it spread to several others on board the steamer.

The Boulcott-street school will be handed over by the Education Board to the Roman Catholic body on Wednesday next, at which date tho six months’ notice required to be given on either side for discontinuance of connection will have expired. We understand that it is the intention of Bishop Redwood to close the school, and carry on the work of education by means of the Hill-street school, until the new buildings proposed to be erected, and to be placed under the control of the Christian Brothers, are completed. The Star Boating Club having determined to make additions to their stock of boats, etc., as well as generally to increase accommodation, will make an appeal to the public for assistance towards defraying the expenses—an appeal which we hope and believe will be liberally responded to, Wellington having attained a high reputation in aquatic matters through her boating men. It is proposed to lay out some £250, and as a means of obtaining something towards this amount, the club have determined upon getting up an entertainment known as a fancy dress soiree, which we have no doubt will be a great success. It is to take place on the 15th of next month. Mr. Jacobs and his patent aluminium penshave been commanding some little attention of late,and if report speaks truly there is a probability of his becoming better known in Wellington and elsewhere within a short time. The Government were prepared to purchase a quantity of these pens, said to be aluminium, and received some of them, which were tested, the result of the test being that they were pronounced ordinary steel and not aluminum, and we understand that in consequence of this an order for a quantity of the pens has been cancelled. Illnatured people have been heard to assert that Mr. Jacobs calls his pens aluminium for an unworthy purnose, and that something may shortly be heard to the vendor’s extreme disadvantage. Whether or not such is the case will of course appear in the course of time. Perhaps the pens have got mixed up in some way. It is to be hoped so, because then it will be apparent that Mr. Jacobs is only acting towards his customers as he would wish them to act towards him were the positions of the respective parties reversed. There was a large and fashionable audience at the Theatre Royal last night to witness the representation of “ Caste,” always a favorite comedy. The company were very successful, and the audisnee recognised the fact by hearty applause throughout the performance. Mr. Bates as Bccles was excellent. The character is one which we may too often see in actual life by merely looking around us ; and it is not too much to say that Mr. Bates thoroughly entered into the spirit of the part. Mrs. Bates’ Polly was not only good, it was a piece of acting which any member of the profession might be proud to have accomplished. It was at once natural and spirited. Miss Morgan, a rising young actress, also deserves genuine praise for her impersonation of Esther. Mr. Metcalfe’s George D’Alroy was very creditable; and the same may be said of Mr. Stoneham as Captain Hunter, while Mr. Howard as Sam Perridge acted capitally, and was of course very amusing, “ Caste ” will be repeated tonight.

The Wellington Volunteer Fire Brigade, No. 2 Company, had a practice last evening with the object of timing their work. They were very successful, accomplishing the distance in two seconds less than the time which was occupied in performing the same feat at Ballarat during the late Intercolonial Fire Brigade Demonstration. This being the case, the Wellington should stand a very good chance in a contest with the Dunedin.

Mr. G-. H. Yennell held yesterday afternoon an important sale of town and country properties. A section in Willia-street, opposite the drillshed, containing 36ft. Sin. frontage with a depth of 90ft., was the first lot offered. The highest bid made for it was one of .£SO a foot, but as the reserve price was fixed at £7O per foot the section was withdrawn. Another lot in the same street, in the occupation of Mr. Asher, measuring 30£t. frontage with a depth of 100 ft. was next offered. A start at £SO a foot was obtained, but as there was no advance upon that it was also withdrawn, Town acre 547, measuring 212 ft. frontage to Hill-street with a depth of 508 links, was the next lot. It was knocked down at £1100; but as two bidders claimed to have bid that sum, it was put up again, and the figure was soon raised to £I2OO, at which price Mr. Benjamin Smith became the purchaser. The next lot was part of town acre No. 397, with a frontage of 68 links to Majoribank-street by 100 links in depth. It was knocked down to Mr. R. Martin for £llO.

A capital football contest came off on Saturday between the Wanganui and Patea teams, in the presence of a large concourse of spectators, says the Wanganui Herald. The play was spirited and determined throughout, but the Northern warriors had to succumb to the combined strength and vigorous prowess of our local competitors, for whom the victory has therefore to bo scored. The first part of the game was played with a strong ■wind blowing across the ground, the ball being frequently beyond the assigned limits. The Patea team opened the ball, both sides exhibiting marked skill, activity, and endurance. Wanganui claimed the only touch-down obtained during the game, and scored 6J points, as against sof Patea. Some of the players had their habiliments more or less damaged, and others sustained corporeal damages, though none were of any severity. Messrs. Bayly, of Patea, and Montgomery on the Wanganui side, proved themselves no mean opponents, and from beginning to finish the play was kept up with vigor. The greatest good feeling prevailed on both sides, three hearty cheers being given when the victory was announced. On Wednesday afternoon at Auckland a gentleman on horseback dropped a pocketbook, containing £ls, in one of the public streets of the city. The accident was noticed by the wife of a workingman, who shouted to the gentleman to turn back, at the same time holding up the pocketbook which she had picked up, and which she restored to him. The Herald says; The generous owner rewarded the honest woman with three shillings. What liberality ! A man named Amos Burr, convicted of assaulting his wife at Foxton, arrived here on Wednesday night by coach, and was taken to the gaol yesterday morning.

Mr. Seaton is to move for a return of the amount paid by the Government to the Wellington Gas Company for some time past. It has been arranged that He Murska shall visit Wanganui, a guarantee having been given.

A gentleman with the appropriate name of “ Wisdom” was recently fined for drunkenness at Wanganui. The Manawatu Argus has already heard of several candidates for the office of chairman of that county. As the paper remarks, this is taking time by the forelock with a vengeance. There was only-one case at the Resident Magistrate’s Court yesterday. John Johnson, a poor old man who has been in and out of gaol continually of late in consequence of heavy drinking, was again brought up yesterday and remanded for a week. The Wellington correspondent of the TPoirarapa Standard does not always telegraph the truth. On Monday he sent the following message:;—“Appearances are in favor of the Opposition at present, judiciously guided they are certain of success this session.”

The Rangitikei paper suggests that the English cricketing team should be sent up there for a game, believing that a team could be found up there who would be able to give the visitors if not a licking at least plenty of work to beat them.

The Rangitikei Advocate says ;—The lambing season has now fairly commenced, and gives promise of being a very successful one so far as regards the district. Twin lambs are numerous, and triplets not uncommon. The season so far has been very favorable for the advent of these interesting “ little strangers”— more interesting since the reaction in the wool market. The copious rains and subsequent mild and even warm weather have had a most beneficial effect upon the pastures, which have already assumed the emerald hue of spring, and afford an abundance of food.

A series of letters under the noni de plume of “Red Cap” are appearing in the Thames Advertiser. In one of the latest the writer appeals to Sir George Grey in the following terms :—Great! noble ! virtuous ! maker, mender, and breaker of Constitutions, suspend for a moment your frantic efforts to succeed in your self-imposed task of leadership in the art of nation-breaking, and listen to a few words from a full private in the ranks of that army whose “mission is nation-making.” Look down from your high stool of tinkerdom and recognise the adage, “ lawmakers should not be lawbreakers.” He then goes on to make charges of maladministration against the Provincial Government, and concludes thus :—“ If you are the real Simon Pure administrator you you would have us believe you are, and your promulgations worth the paper they are written on, apply the rod of correction to those transgressors I have mentioned; and, dear, good Sir George, don’t send us any more of those bunkum messages about thanks for valuable telegrams. They may do very well for the Auckland children ; but men here are apt to think you are poking fun at them. The result of meeting telegraphed by Dr. Kilgour was not worth a cupful of cold water to anybody. Make no mistake ; what the Thames wants is abolition of provinces, abolition of the Native office, and abolition of the Warden’s Court as at present constituted. None of your separation. Tria juncta in uno would cost £3,000,000 per annum to maintain. Bagnall reckoned it at two; but Stevens, who happened to be speaking at Wellington about the same time, is nearer the mark.”