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New Zealand Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 4834, 19 September 1876, Page 2

An important meeting of the shareholders of the Wellington Gas Company was held yesterday in the Odd Fellows’ Hall, for the purpose of considering the agreement come to between the directors and the Corporation. The action of the directors was confirmed, but at the same time opinions were freely expressed that the Council would never be able to carry out their bargain. In fact, so strongly was the belief in this, that Mr. Hunter, M.H.R., tabled a resolution for increasing the capital of the company to £50,000, to enable the company to extend its operations, and supply gas at 10s. per thousand feet. This was carried. We have not space in our present issue to comment upon the proceedings, but may remark that if the company from the beginning had adopted Mr. Hunter’s advice, and reduced the price of gas whilst they extended their mains, the question now agitating the ratepayers would never have arisen.

Strong westerly gales were felt in all parts of the North Island on Saturday, and commenced in the South yesterday afternoon. The barometer is rising very fast, and a very heavy sea was running on the western coast last night.

The Odd Fellows* Hall was as usual well attended last evening, whan the audience displayed a thorough appreciation of the beautiful scenery of which the panorama is composed.

We regret to announce that Miss Lizzie Morgan, the favorite actress, was taken suddenly ill last night. A portion of the service at St. J* oaeph’s Church, Boulcott-street, had to be omitted in consequence of the rev. father who was in attendance being summoned to visit Miss Morgan.

Mr. Sheriff Watt, of Dunedin, arrived by the steamer Ladybird yesterday, to give evidence in the case of L. T. Stead, which created great excitement in Otago some years ago, and is now before a committee of the House of Representatives. Mr, Simpson also arrived by the same steamer, and has come to Wellington on the Dunedin harbor works business.

A meeting of the proprietary and non-pro-prietary members of the Wellington Club was held yesterday afternoon, when it was decided to proceed with the erection of the new club house, and the committee were authorised to take the necessary steps in the matter. Plans of the building were submitted and approved, subject to some slight modifications, which it was left to the committee to see to.

The farce of the “Rough Diamond,” with Mrs. Bates as Marjery and Mr. Howard as Cousin Joe, went off capitally. After which, the burlesque of “The Invisible Prince” was played, and went remarkably well. Hie audience, considering the weather, was good. To-night, the beautiful drama of “ All that Glitters ” and the side-splitting farce of “ The Wandering Minstrel” will be produced, when we hope there will be a crowded house. ’ A warrant was issued yesterday, at the suit of Messrs. Thompson, Shannon, and Co., for the detention of Mr. Scott, of Palmerston, who was supposed to contemplate departing from Wellington while indebted to that firm to the extent of £94. The case came before Mr. Crawford in the morning, Mr. Buckley appearing for plaintiffs, Mr. Ollivier for defendant. Argument ensued as the sufficiency of the grounds upon which the warrant had been issued, but the contending parties came to a mutual understanding before the case was gone into.

The proceedings in the Council last night were quite lively. The Hon. Mr. Robinson moved that papers should be laid on the table as to the emoluments of the Agent-General. The Hon. Captain Fraser immediately opened fire, and accused his hon. friend of inconsistency. The Hon. Colonel Brett followed suit, and likened the hon. gentleman to a chameleon on account of his capacity for changing “ color.” The Hon. Mr. Robinson attributed Colonel Brett’s strictures to the fact that Sir Julius Vogel had dined with him, and that he was doing justice to the prompting he then received. It is not often our Senators indulge in matters of a personal nature, and we can only hope they will follow the advice of Colonel Kenny, and avoid such exhibitions in the future. They have hitherto afforded an excellent example to the Lower House in this respect, and it is with a feeling of regret we have to record otherwise.

In the Resident Magistrate’s Court yesterday, before J. C. Crawford, Esq., R.M., two men charged with fighting in the public street were each fined 5s , with the alternative of fortyeight hours’ imprisonment.—Thomas Reid, who had previously been convicted on a charge of vagrancy, was brought up a second time for the same offence. He was sent to gaol for one month, —Charles Cole appeared on aa information received from Christchurch, charging him with desertion from his wife Mary Anne Cole. Prisoner said it was all a mistake, as he was a married man living with his wife at Kaiwarra, and could produce his marriage certificate. His Worship said that whether he was the man or not he was unfortunate enough to answer his description. He would therefore remand him to Christchurch.—John King, William Prince, and Carl Frank, charged with neglecting to keep their back yards clean, were fined ss. and costa.—H. J. Pollock, for slaughtering in an unlicensed place, was fined 40s. and costs.—J. Lusty had to pay 20s. for having his back yard in a filthy state, and a fine of 10s. was imposed for non-compliance with Mr. Pilmer’s written notice to clean it. —J. L. Wiltshire was charged with having committed an assault upon W. S. Scott. Counsel for defendant applied for a remand on the ground that as his client was still engaged walking 1000 miles in 1000 hours it was impossible for him to appear. Mr. Scott wished the case to go on at once. The case was adjourned till to-day, so as to give Mr. Wiltshire time to find surety for his appearance in court on the completion of his present engagements.

A meeting of the committee of the Wellington Horticultural Society • was held yesterday evening in Mr. Travers’ office, Archdeacon Stock occupying the chair. The business was the appointment of judges and officers for the ensuing show, which will be held on Tuesday, the 26th inst., at the Odd Fellows’ Hall. The following judges were appointed :—For flowers and cut blooms—Messrs. Manders, Mullins, and Gibbs. For vegetables—Messrs. Reid, Bramley, and McKay. Hitherto the judges of flowers and cut blooms have also been judges for bouquets and arranged flowers. But the committee were of opinion that if ladies would undertake these duties it was desirable that ladies should be judges. It was therefore proposed and carried that the following ladies be requested to act as judges of arranged flowers ; —Mesdames Moore, Kemp, and Grace. The following gentlemen were elected stewards : Messrs. Jeffs, Parris, and Hellier. It is requested that persons who purpose exhibiting plants for competition will see that they are properly labelled with competitors’ envelopes, which may be procured either from Mr. Jeffs or Mr. Cooper. It is also desired that those persons who intend taking plants for exhibition only, and not for competition, will apply to the secretary, who will provide them with cards, on which they may write the name of the plant and the name of the exhibitor, so that the stewards may easily distinguish between the plants for exhibition only and those for competition, and thereby prevent the mistakes which have hitherto so frequently taken place. We understand that the committee will make arrangements for a band to be in attendance during the afternoon and evening. An assault case which came before the Resident Magistrate’s Ceurt yesterday created some fun. Wiltshire, the pedestrian, was defendant, but did not appear, his wife appearing for him. The particulars of the case did not come before the Court, but it was ascertained from a statement of counsel that complainant was alleged to have used a revolver to defendant. Mrs. Wiltshire had this pistol. It caused some uneasiness round the Court. It was loaded in six barrels, and Mrs. Wiltshire was carrying it about in a kind of way which suggested the painful thought that it might go off and kill somebody. It is stated that this revolver was at one time seen pointing in the direction of the Magistrate’s head, and that he winked. Within five minutes the revolver had pointed round the compass about fifty times, and the effect of its presence there was shown. The passage between the witness-box and the wall was cleared quicker than it ever was before by the bailiff. Then Mrs. Wiltshire went to advise her counsel, Mr. Buckley, about the case, and he took a deep interest in her words until he found himself looking down the muzzle of the revolver. Then he turned away and addressed the Court. Eventually the weapon was got rid of, being placed in the care of the clerk, who put it away carefully, the case being adjourned.

The Wellington Christy Minstrels give this evening, in the Odd Fellows’ Hall, what may bo termed their first public _ performance in Wellington, in aid of the Wellington Teachers’ Association sick fund. The company comprise, as singers and musicians, some of our best local amateurs, and as they have been practising assiduously, and the programme issued is of real merit, a good entertainment will no doubt bo the result. The first part of the programme comprises the usual sentimental and comic songs, with choruses, and the selection of songs is really first-class. The second part comprises solos vocal and instrumental, trios, quartettes, comic and step dances, etc. Through the kindness of G-. Roxburgh,

Eeq., one of Broadwood’s grand pianofortes has been lent for the occasion. As the entertainment is in aid of a worthy object, we expect to see a crowded house, especially as the prices of admission are very reasonable, viz., Is., 25., and 3s. We understand that the concert is to be under the patronage of his Excellency the Governor. The anniversary services in connection with the Manners-street Wesleyan Church came to a conclusion last evening by a tea and public meeting. On Sunday special sermons were preached, and collections were taken on behalf of the trust funds, amounting in all to £l3. The financial success of the tea meeting last evening was militated against by the bad weather; but still all who were present very much enjoyed the meeting and the excellent tea which had been kindly provided by ladies of the congregation. Tea over the assemblage adjourned from the schoolroom to the church, where the public meeting was opened by prayer. Mr. Joseph Nancarrow took the chair; and some very interesting addresses were delivered by the Kevs. J. Paterson, W. H. West, Redstone, his Worship the Mayor (Mr. Hutchison), and Mr. Thomas. During the evening the annual report was read, reviewing favorably on the whole the operations of the various agencies in the church work. The financial responsibilities of the circuit were reported to be greater than they had previously been, owing to certain circumstances ; but the congregation had been most liberal in its efforts to meet its responsibility, and it was hoped that if the proceeds of the anniversary were up to the average, £IOO would be paid off the church debt. The balance sheet of the trust fund showed that there had been items of extraordinary expenditure amounting to £BS Os. 2d.; £3O had been paid off loan, and there was a balance in hand of £23. The income had been £356 3s. lid. The proceeds of the tea amounted to £lO, and there was a small amount taken as a collection at the public meeting. Votes of thanks to the ladies and the choir, proposed by the Kev. Mr. Dewsbury, and to the Chairman, proposed by the Rev. Mr. Reid, brought the business to a conclusion, and after the benediction had been pronounced by the Rev. Mr. Reid, the meeting separated, well satisfied with the pleasant evening spent, and which had been rendered all the more enjoyable by reason of the beautiful selections of sacred music tastefully rendered by the choir.