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New Zealand Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 4838, 23 September 1876, Page 2

Mr. Egbert Stout, is an expensive adjunct to representative institutions. It was known that in order to send Home money to meet the engagements of the colony the Imprest Supply Bill should be passed by both Houses last night, as the mail steamer for Melbourne leaves to-morrow. Accordingly, when some delay in passing the Bill occurred in the Lower House, the Legislative Council adjourned for half-an-hour and met again, as they thought, in time to receive and pass the Bill. As the gong sounded, summoning members of the Upper House, all difficulties as to the passage of the Bill through the House of Representatives had seemingly been got over, but Mr. Stout rose at the moment and so continued by talking to delay matters that the Legislative Council had to adjourn without considering the Bill. The Government may get over the matter, but should they have to delay the mail steamer, Mr. Stout will have cost the country several hundreds of pounds.

We,are .compelled to hold over a number of letters to the editor.

■ We have heard on good authority that Messrs. Macandrew and Stout proceed South next boat. .Whether they have thrown up the sponge'in'a political sense; or whether they go to Dunedin to fan the fire of rebellion amongst her Majesty's lieges, it is impossible to say. There was a. caucus of Otago members yesterday. The reports which have been in circulation as to their withdrawal from the Assembly are without foundation, the result of the meeting being a unanimous determination to see the session through, with the object of criticising the Government finance proposals. Sir George Grey took an early opportunity to disprove the truth of the hideous rumor which was current on Thursday, that he was “ not himself at all.” In the House last night he made characteristic speeches and indulged in characteristic action, which convinced every one that it was his very self that occupied his wonted seat, and not some substitute. Under the circumstances, we are glad to give these facts publicity.

The weather yesterday was more unpleasant generally than it has been during the present winter season. In the morning there was no rain, but the wind was high, and pedestrians suffered from the dust considerably ; then it began to rain towards evening, and the night was dismal. Cabs stood in danger at times, windows rattled furiously, and chimneys moaned. An amusing scene occurred in Manners-street during the afternoon. A big tin bath standing outside Mr. Love’s shop was caught by the wind and carried a good distance along the street. Two small boys belonging to the establishment gave chase, and eventually caught the running bath. The bath made a great noise, and caused several persons to look round suddenly, but they lost interest in the thing as soon as they discovered that they were hatless, and busied themselves in recovering their fast-flying property. A horse who was coming along with a dray at the time, became so absorbed in the proceedings that his driver could not get him to go ahead until things were quiet and the interest was gone. For a short time the few trifling occurrences above mentioned produced quite an entertainment.

A caucus of West Coast representatives of the Middle Island was held yesterday, at which were present Messrs. Baigeut, Henry, Kennedy, Woolcock, Button, Barff, Tribe, and the Hon. Mr. Bonar. The object of the meeting was to arrange the boundaries of counties on the West Coast. With respeet to the Reefton district it was thought better to make it a county independent of the Buller and the Grey, each of which districts would also be a county. The dividing line bet ween the Grey and Hokitika counties was agreed to be the Teremakau up to the Hurunui Saddle. Mr. Tribe suggested that the boundary should be one bank or other of the river. Messrs. Barff and Tribe strongly urged that the Hokitika county should terminate at the present southern boundary of the Kanieri Road Board. They were, however, persuaded to forego their wishes on this point by the assurance of the Ministry* of whom the Premier and the Hon. G. McLean were present, that counties and Road Boards should not have concurrent rating power, and that Road Boards, if they so desired it, should have the power to preserve their entity outside the county system. In committee of the Legislative Council yesterday a subject under consideration' was the Canterbury Sheep Ordinance Amendment Bill. The matter was not a very entertaining one, and for a moment the attention of the Argus-eyed representative-of this paper flagged. Such a thing happens once in a way, look you. His JfljsKffiS werg/fibrought back to the discussion on moa bones between the Hons. Captain Fraser and Mr. Robinson. How the moa bones got into the Ordinance in question it would be hard to say. At all events they did not seem to have any business there, for the Chairman of Committees, in a tone almost of acerbity, took the hon. gentlemen to task, and requested to have no more of the matter. The bones of the moa were then allowed to rest in peace, and the attention of hon. gentlemen was confined to the cheerful subject of scab in sheep. At the Resident Magistrate’s Court yesterday Frederick Young was brought up on remand charged with stealing £lB from the person of Mr. Lusty. From the evidence of Lusty and a witness named Henry Pritchard, tinsmith, it appeared that prisoner accompanied Lusty to a bank, the latter having a cheque to cash, and . having got his money, £4O Is, Bd,, they went away together. Lusty put the money in his coat side pocket, and they went in a cab to the Foresters’ Arms after partaking of refreshment in the Central Hotel. On arriving at the house first mentioned, Lusty missed his money, and accused prisoner of having stolen it, and knocked him down. He (Lusty) was affected by liquor at the time. It appeared also that the witness Pritchard saw them together, and prisoner took £lB of Lusty’s money to take care of. They started away to go home as stated, and went in a cab, but did not proceed in the direction of Lusty’s house, whereat the suspicious of Pritchard were aroused, and he gave information to the police. They must then have gone to' the Foresters’ Arms, where Lusty missed his money. Prisoner in defence stated that he had taken the money to keep for Lusty, seeing that the latter was drunk, and refused to give it him until he got home. The evidence was not very strong against prisoner, especially taking into consideration the facts that Pritchard saw accused take the money for care, and that no statement of this was made by Mr. Lusty, who simply stated that he missed the money at the Foresters’ Arms, and thereupon accused prisoner of theft, which would seem to infer that he was not in a condition fit to have charge of so much money, and that prisoner was probably doingakindnessinsteadof committing a criminal offence. There was just sufficient evidence perhaps to warrant the Magistrate in committing the man for trial, which he did. The following report has amongst others been presented by the Chairman of the Committee on Native Affairs “ This is a petition from the Natives of the Ngatikahungunu tribe on the East Coast of the North Island. The petitioners desire that publicity should be given to the fact of their allegiance to the Queen, and their faithfulness to her laws. The petitioners allege that there ought to be an annual assembly of Native chiefs from all the tribes, to discuss subjects of interest to the Native race, and to suggest subjects to be brought up before the General Assembly. They also express an opinion that the existing Maori Representation Act should be repealed, with a view of passing another Act largely increasing the number of Maori members in the House of Representatives. They state that the operation of the Native Lands Act is bad, and pray that attempts to purchase land under that Act by officers of the Government should cease ; and they further pray that a bettor Act may be passed. I am directed to report as follows; That this petition involves questions of public policy, many of which have a very important bearing upon the interests of the Maori race. The committee suggest that the petition be printed and circulated, and they recommend it to the favorable consideration of the Legislature.”

In the Waste Lands Committee yesterday, Mr. Stout showed the universality of his knowledge, and the minuteness of his acquaintance with every subject under the sun, by proposing that after 1880 the assessment for runs in Canterbury should be 2s. 6d. per head for sheep and 4s. 6d. per head for cattle. This was so ridiculous a proportion that a member of tho committee murmured that Mr. Stout was only fit to assess Jerusalem ponies. Should the weather prove favorable to-day, the Athletic Club will hold its first meet of hare and hounds. The hares (Messrs. Churtou and C. Webb) will start from tho Basin Reserve at 2.30 sharp, and after a rough run of about ten miles will return to the starting point between 4.30 and 6.30 p.m. A prise valued at 60s. will be given to tho first hound in. All persons desirous of joining the hunt can do so by being introduced by a member of the club,

A large sale of sheep will be held by Mi. Hart to-day at his yards in Manners-street, at 2 p.m.

A dangerous lunatic named Donald Lees arrived in Wellington yesterday by the Manawatu from Wanganui. He was committed to the Mount View Asylum.

The “Wellington Monthly Price Current ’ for the outgoing San Francisco mail is just issued, and maintains its character as a useful and careful compilation of mercantile intelligence. A Solemn Requiem Mass will be celebrated for the repose of the soul of the Rev. Father Petitjeau, in St. Mary’s Cathedral, at 11 a.m. to-morrow. His funeral will take place at 3 p.m. on the same day. The annual meeting of the members of the Star Cricket Club will be held at the Pier Hotel on next Monday evening at 8 o’clock, for the purpose of electing officers for the ensuing season.

We understand that the Rev. Mr. Lindsay, who has just arrived from Scotland to labor in the districts of Featherston and Waihenga, Wairarapa, will preach on. Sabbath first in St. Andrew’s Church in the morning, and in St. John’s Church in the evening.

Dr. Carr gives his first entertainment at the Boulcott-street schoolroom this evening, and will in all likelihood have a good audience should the weather prove favorable, as the subject possesses many attractions, and is pleasing to numbers who find no amusement in theatrical entertainments. It is announced that Dr. Carr will present some novelties to the Wellington people. Owing to the boisterous and inclement weather the Theatre Royal was not so well attended last night as might have been expected in consideration of the performance being for the benefit of Mrs. Bates, and being the last night of the season. “ The Hidden Hand” was well represented, Mrs. Bates taking the part of Capitolo, and Mr. Bates Black Donald, both parts being well sustained it is needless to say, as was that in which Mr. Oily Deering appeared, namely, Major Ira Warfield.

Mr. and Mrs. George Darrell commence a season of twelve nights only at the Theatre Royal this evening, appearing in Shakspere’s grand tragedy of Macbeth ! The universal popularity of these artists should suffice to ensure them a crowded audience, especially with Wellington playgoers, who well know how to appreciate and support legimate talent. The engagement is announced as a farewell one.

The Blenheim Fire Brigade have received a donation of £lO from the General Government. This was in consequence of the Superintendent, Mr. Seymour, having brought under notice of the Government the fact that the escape from destruction of the entire block of buildings, General and Provincial, including the new telegraph office, was due solely to the energetic and persevering exertions of the Volunteer Brigade, continued without intermission during'many hours. The telegraph office was frequently on fire, and a large hotel adjoining so much burnt that the whole front was charred into holes. If the fire had gained this building, nothing could have saved the Government offices. The town is not supplied with waterworks acting by pressure, but every drop had to be pumped by the manual labor of the volunteers.

The collapse of one of the massive booms, forming the upper section of the girder of the railway bridge on the side nearer the town, and the miraculous ■ escape of a number of workmen engaged in elevating it into .position, have been one of the principal topics of discussion in town during the day (says Wednesday’s Wanganui Herald), and not a few have visited the scene of the disaster. This unfortunate catastrophe took place shortly before 2 o’clock yesterday afternoon, and was caused through one of the rings attached to the top scaffolding—of which there are five, and into which were hooked tackles to regulate the purchase—giving way. The boom which was in process of being raised weighs some eleven tons, and this weight was supposed to have been equally distributed among the rings, reducing the weight actually borne by each to about two tons. The inferior quality of the iron of which the ring was made is doubtless the whole cause of the catastrophe, for if of superior metal it could have borne considerably more strain. This ring breaking, a sudden strain was thrown upon the others ; but they stood the shock, the ultimate collapse being attributable to the lengthening out of the tongues of the blocks, when the boom fell with a terrific crash. Three men were on the boom at the time, and a number of others were walking quite close to it, all of whom escaped without the slightest injury. The scaffolding suffered but slight injury, only three of the longitudinal beams being broken by the heavy weight with which the boom fell upon them—a weight that has been calculated at about 25 tons. Fortunately, the mortices of the boom at the shore end remained over the caps of the terminal posts, otherwise the catastrophe would have been attended with a complete collapse of the scaffolding and loss of life. About a mouth’s delay has thus been caused, and the girder will have to be taken away and reconstructed. In order to make the delay as short as possible the contractors intend to make use of one of the girders of the opposite end of the bridge. A meeting of the Star Boating Club was held at the Pier Hotel last evening, Mr. H. Dillon Bell in the chair. The following gentlemen were balloted for and elected members of the club :—Messrs. Thomas Buchanan, C. Webb, G. Lowe, J. M. Baldwin, A. S. Monteith, M. Chapman, Allen Bishop, J. Bishop, W. M. Crawford, J. Townsend, S. H. Hickson, A. Dawson, H. E. Jones, F. Brown, W. T. Ayer, B. Y. Goring, C. A. Knapp, A. E. T. Nickson, A. Leckie, and Louis Blundell The following gentlemen were elected honorary members : -F. Cook, S. S. Downes, —Hickson (senior), and H. Manders, M.H.R. The next business before the meeting was to consider the question of extending the boatshed. Tenders were opened and considered, and the question which tender should be accepted was left ,'to a special committee. Other business of a routine character was transacted, and it was intimated that all arrangements were completed for the forthcoming ball, which promised to be very successful.

We are requested to draw attention to the postponement of Mr. N. J. Isaacs’ extensive furniture sale, in consequence of many of the articles not being landed in time from tho City of Sydney. The sale will positively take place at 2 o’clock on Monday next, when, owing to tho extensive assortment of really first class new and second-hand furniture, and a large quantity of pianos, harmoniums, and parlor organs to be disposed of, there should be a large attendance, particularly as the sale is an unreserved one.