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New Zealand Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 4818, 31 August 1876, Page 2

The House of Representatives meet at 7.30 this evening, when Major Atkinson will inform the House what steps have been taken in the matter of forming a new Administration.

In the Legislative Council yesterday the Hon. Dr. Follen made a Ministerial statement similar in effect to that made by Sir Julius Vogel the previous evening in the House of Representatives. After a short discussion, tbe Council then adjourned till this evening at 7.80. Of course all day yesterday numerous rumors were afloat as to the constitution of the new Ministry, but last night nothing definite was settled. It is pretty generally believed that all the old Ministry, with the exception of Sir Julius Vogel, will again take office, the choice for the portfolio of Immigration l and Lands lying between Mr. Ormond and Mr. Donald Reid, though it is by no means certain that the office will he filled up to-day. Mr. Barnard, one of the masters of the Wellington College, died very suddenly at half-past six o’clock yesterday morning. Dr. Doyle was called in, but the cause of death is at present unknown. In all probability a post mortem examination will be held.

The provisional directors of the Empire Gas Company met at the Post-office Hotel last evening, when it was decided to call a meeting of shareholders for Wednesday evening next, submit to them a report of what had been done, and proceed to the election of office bearers. This action was decided upon in consequence of a belief that the feeling of the public is so much against the proposed purchase of the Wellington Gas Works by the Corporation that the proposition will fall through. The Central Eire Brigade had a practice last evening at 8 o’clock, the ostensible object being to give Mr. J. E. Macdonald, Mayor of the Thames, who is at present in Wellington, an idea of the water power we have in this city, as well as of the efficiency of the brigade and the appliances at their disposal. The brigade, under the command of Superintendent Moss, mustered in force at the drillshed, and preparations were at once made for a start, the carriage and hose reels being brought out and arranged in proper order, each company taking up its position in respect to the hosereels. The word of command having been given, the brigade proceeded to Lambton-quay, taking up a position immediately opposite Willeston’s tobacconist shop,No. 2 Company being on the right hand, and No. 1 on the left. The practice was more than satisfactory. The men displayed great efficiency, and in their movements were remarkable for surprising rapidity. There were at one time nine branches in full play, which gave a good idea of the water power at their command. Practice having concluded, the brigade proceeded to the Post-office Hotel (Mr. Brown’s), where Mr. Macdonald celebrated the occasion by assuaging the thirst of the brigade members, whose mud-bespattered appearance and heated faces showed that they had not spared labor in performing their exercise. Mr. Macdonald’s health having been drunk in a variety of drinks, —from what are vulgarly known as deep-sinkers to polite brown sherry,—Mr. Moss spoke. He said the brigade had beencalledtogether with theobject of showing their visitor that Wellington was possessed of waterworks unequalled in few places in the colonies, and unsurpassed in none. He should be only pleased to learn that they had such waterpower in Auckland as we had here. 'He should be always willing to turn out the brigade for the information of strangers to Wellington, because he felt proud to know that wo had such a waterpower in Wellington, and desired that the knowledge of the fact should be extended. He might conclude by telling them that Mr. Macdonald was himself the commander of a brigade on the Thames, and would therefore appreciate the possession spoken of. Mr. Macdonald replied by saying that he could only accept the flattering manner in which his health had been drunk as one who was connected with a brigade in another province, not as Mayor of the Thames. He could assure them that he had been extremely gratified at the display he had just witnessed, and felt disposed to envy Wellington its water power and the appliances which it possessed for carrying into effect the object for which fire brigades were formed. He spoke flatteringly of the manner in which the men had performed their task, and concluded by saying that he should strongly advise the brigades in Auckland and at the Thames to compete among themselves, but not to enter into a competition in which the different provinces should take part. Three cheers were then given for Mr. Macdonald, and three cheers for the Auckland and Thames Brigades, after which the members of the Central Brigade retired and boused their engines, etc.

The ordinary fortnightly meeting jof the City Council will be held this afternoon at the usual hour.

: A meeting of the Wellington Philosophical Society is called for Saturday evening at the Museum.

Mr. Philip Moeller requests the'electors of Te Aro Ward to meet him at the "Victoria Hotel, Abel Smith-street, on Monday evening next, ,

It is understood that' the directors of the' Wellington Gas Company have considered the offer of £l4 per share made by the Corporation, and have decided to recommend the acceptance of the same.

A man was yesterday at Masterton sentenced to three months’ imprisonment for having obtained goods by means of a false pretence. This is one of the first cases of the exercise of summary jurisdiction by magistrates in such cases as these.

The following are approximate arrivals and departures for the next three weeks of steamers ■running between India and Straits ports : Arrivals: August 31, September 8,9, 10, 15, 18, and 22. Departures: September 1,5, 6,9, 13, 14, 19, 20, and 21. Judgment in the suit Sutton v. Hoera has been given in favor of the plaintiff, the verdict having been sustained. In the case of Holder and White, an action arising out of a question of a disputed right to a road at Wanganui, the Supreme Court has directed a rule to issue for a new trial.

The public meeting re the proposal of the Corporation to purchase the gas works will be held this evening at the Odd Fellows’ Hall From what we hear, there is likely to be considerable discussion, as resolutions and counterresolutions as to the desirableness of the purchase being effected were in course of preparation even yesterday. , There were a number of cases of drunkenness on the charge-sheet of the. Resident Magistrates’ Court yesterday, (before W. R, Buller, Esq., and J. Dransfield, Esq., J.P.’s). In two instances the offenders were charged with additional offences, such as being illegally on the premises and with committing an assault, and they received additional, punishment. Being Wednesday, there were no civil oases. Last evening at 8 p.m. Wiltshire, the pedestrian, completed the first 100 miles out of the 1000, and he is still going ahead spiritedly. The average time taken for each mile at present is a shade over twelve minutes. He is being well patronised by the public, who drop in at all hours both day and night; but those who wish to be sure of seeing him walk should manage to arrive at Kaiwarra about a quarter of-an-hour before any of the even hours, at which time he makes each start.

The local paper understands that Mr. Blackett has fixed a site for the single span bridge, 40ft. long, which is intended to cover the future channel of the Waiohine. The site will of course be where the new river line crosses the main road, and the stream when the new line is opened will be diverted from its present crossing, and will be some chains further from Greytown than it is at present. A meeting of the committee of the Wellington Benevolent Institute was held on Tuesday afternoon—Present: Bishop Hadfield (elected chairman), Archdeacon Stock, Rev. W. H. West, Rev. B. W. Harvey, Rev. C. D. de Castro, Messrs. J. G. Holdsworth, L. Levy, and the secretary. Subscriptions received:— £2 25., Mr. J. M. Cleland; £l, Mr, Roxburgh; 10s., Rev. O. D. de Castro; and for Paul, Reidal, and Young, £l3 7s. 6d., collected at the Pier Hotel, and 10s. subscription, Rev. 0. D. de Castro.

During Tuesday a strong southerly gale visited nearly all .parts of the North Island, and was accompanied by a high sea on the eastern coast. The weather all yesterday wore a very unsettled appearance, and the glass began to fall down after 11 a.m. This movement set in earlier in the South, and the wind backed into north-east from Kaikoura to the Bluff. The bars at Hokitika and Westport show increasing sea, and the appearance of the weather generally and the movement of the barometer appear to indicate that some unusual changes are taking place. Warnings for bad weather were sent out yesterday afternoon. A meeting was held in the schoolroom, North Makara, on Monday night, for the purpose of establishing a public library in the district. The following committee was elected for the purpose of carrying it out :—Messrs. R. Robinson, H. Cook, J. Bowler, H. Border, J. S. Prendeiriee, and G. Monk. It was resolved that the committee make a canvass for books and subscriptions. Over 200 volumes have been promised in the district. AH present became subscribers. A vote of thanks to the chairman concluded the business of the evening.

A special meeting of the governors of the College was held yesterday afternoon. Besides the Mayor (who was in the chair), there were present Messrs. Jackson, Buckley, W. W. Taylor, Brandon, and the Rev. Mr. Paterson. Through some misunderstanding of the recent resolution admitting the Press, the reporters were not present; but we have ascertained that the meeting agreed to approve of the Bill now before the House of Representatives, empowering the governors to sell certain of their reserves, but the resolution embodied the addition of words, to be inserted as an amendment in committee, to the effect that any such sale must be agreed to by a majority of not less than three-fourths of the whole governors. The Rev. Mr. Paterson (who contended strongly against any power of sale in any form) recorded his dissent from the resolution, which was otherwise unanimously agreed to. Some other amendments were suggested in the Bill, which Mr, Brandon was requested to take charge of in committee. The Theatre Royal was largely attended last night. The performance commenced with the well-known farce “ Mr. and Mrs. White,” in which Mr. Sam Howard, Miss Lizzie Morgan, Miss Follande, and the company, created great amusement. The Globe Variety Troupe then appeared in a complete change of programme, and the various members gave as much satisfaction as ever. But Miss Kate Russell, besides being excellent in everything she did, really excelled expectations in her impersonation of a middy. She was so like the real thing, so utterly unlike the usual young lady’s stage representation of a middy, that it was perfectly refreshing to look at her, whilst her sailor’s hornpipe was a specimen of the most admirable dancing that has been even seen in Wellington. No wonder Miss Russell is a favorite in all she does. No one in her line previously before a Wellington audience could ever approach her. Last night's programme is to be repeated tonight, and on Saturday a matinee will be given.

lu reference to the Surveyor-General, Mr. J. T. Thomson, the Otago Daily Times has the following:—“Before coming to Otago, in the year 1866, Mr. Thomson had been an officer in the East Indian service for the period of seventeen years. He was led to seek these shores for the benefit of his health, and for the purpose of taking up country for occupation as a ruuholder. On his arrival at Auckland he met Captain Cargill, by whom ho was induced to accept the position of Chief Surveyor of this province. Before Mr. Thomson’s advent to Otago, the interior of the province was a terra, incognita. He immediately inaugurated the reconnaissance surveys, which are now a matter of history, and in the course of about two years he had mapped out the great internal features and the lake and river systems of the country. He then addressed himself to the miner triangulation survey, and with it as a basis all property and section surveys have been controlled ever since. The excellence of Mr. Thomson’ssurvey arrangements has become well known throughout the colony; and we believe we are correct in stating that his system is the only one to which the Land Transfer Act can be applied. Not only had he to do with the Survey department, but also, in the early days, he had the control of the construction of roads, bridges. Harbor Board works, lightouses, and he also was the originator of what is known as the Dunedin Cutting—which work, strange to say, met with a determined opposition from the “ Old Identities.” But in regard to it, as well as many other public matters, Mr. Thomson having

once come to the conviction of what he thought should be done would not be turned aside. The General Government in assuming the suryeya of ..the colony have wisely availed itself of the services of one who has attained so high a reputation in his profession, and who by long experience and trial has proved his fitness to fill the position which he now occupies. He possesses in a high degree the systematic and administrative faculty, and we predict that in the Herculean task to which he has now addressed himself he will soon produce order in the surveys of those provinces where utter confusion now reigns supreme.”

On the subject of the prison debate the Lyttelton Times, qj'jjontnal which bitterly opposed the Vogel Government, says ; —During the discussion of Mr. Whitaker’s resolution to postpone the consideration of a central penal system till next session of Par* liament, Mr. Stout displayed a recklessness which cannot fail to seriously damage his political reputation. This was not in his opinion to the effect that there was “ very little in all this talk about classification.” Opinion is free, and it Mr. Stout chooses to hold views which deliberately ignore all the honest and well-considered attempts at reform often made, and now being made, throughout the civilised world, that is Mr. Stout’s affair. It is quite possible to conceive that Mr. Stout is quite sincere in his ridiculous conviction, for he was careful to add that he did not see how any system of classification could be arranged. So far, Mr. Stout only made it clear that he thought the question difficult, though he failed to show why that should be a reason for shelving it when its immediate treatment in some shape is imperatively demanded by the commonest considerations of humanity. It was in the succeeding remarks that bfr. Stout displayed the extreme recklessness of assertion which has astonished every one who knows anything of the subject, and who was previously inclined to admire Mr. Stout for the talents and general information he was universally thought to possess. Mr. Stoutsaid that in England there is no ■ more system of prison discipline than there is in New Zealand. He was quite right with respect to the common gaols of the two countries. He does not seem to have heard that a greatstride has been made towards general reform in Britain. He has, to judge by his remarks, never heard of the great prisons conducted on new principles in which the objects of enlightened reform are being attained in a surprising manner, and which it is proposed to make the centres of a great central penal system. It might even surprise Mr. Stout to hear the names of Millbank, Wakefield, Mountjoy, Portland, Pentouville, and others. So far from the subject being in darkness in England, which is the only meaning which Mr. Stout’s remarks are capable of conveying, successful experiments have there thrown such a light upon it as to suffice for our guidance in New Zealand for years to come. It may be a very natural feeling in Mr. Stout that prompts him to assist in defeating the Government on any and every occasion. On an occasion such as this one, a little more discretion and a little leas recklessness would have allowed him to vote against the Government, but without saying anything about his reasons.