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New Zealand Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 4851, 9 October 1876, Page 2

The 'English mail arrived at Auckland on Saturday night or yesterday morning early. The full summary of news in another column is more than ordinarily interesting. The mail steamer may be expected in Wellington on Tuesday night or Wednesday morning. Easterly winds, varying in strength from light to strong, were general yesterday oyer both islands. At Russell there was a fresh gale from southeast, with a heavy sea ; at Castlepoint and Oamaru fresh winds from northeast and a good deal of roll on the beach; at Port Chalmers the sky was overcast, wind northeast, fresh. The weather was fine on the western coast of the Middle Island and bars smooth, with'a a slightly rising barometer. Late messages showed that the glass was falling in the North. Warnings for easterly gales were sent out on Saturday to all stations north of Lyttelton, and that strong winds from the eastward might be expected at other places. Yesterday was generally acknowledged to be the finest day that we have had for a long time. The atmosphere was beautifully clear, and the sun was just powerful enough'to be pleasant. The day was neither too warm nor too cold. A great many boating men took advantage of the weather and .the smooth water to practise or amuse themselves, and the number of vehicles which left town for the country was very large. On Saturday Messrs. Roberts and Weston played two games ; the first in the afternoon at the Club, and in the evening as usual in the Post Office Hotel. About fifty gentlemen were present at the Club. Roberts conceded his opponent 300 in 750, and won by a few points. He then played a few games of pyramids with members of the Club, and showed them wonderful play—in one game pocketing the whole fifteen balls in a break. In the evening he was again successful, when he gave Weston 500 in 1000. Both players executed some exceedingly brilliant shots, although the breaks made were hot surprisingly large. Mr. Roberts purposes playing a few matches in the Wairarapa district.

The Theatre Eoyal was again well filled on Saturday night ; in fact, the pit and stalls were crowded, and Mr. Darrell’s play “ Transported for Life ” was repeated with great success. The incidents are of such a stirring, sensational character, that they may he witnessed often, and the interest in the piece does not fall off so rapidly as with some. At the close of the shaft scene Mr. Darrell was called before the curtain, and he took advantage of the opportunity to return thanks for the patronage he had received during the season, and to state that “ Transported for Life ” would be played on Monday (this) evening, instead of another piece as originally intended, the new play having been so unusually successful, and a number of citizens having requested him to repeat it once more. It is quite reasonable to expect that there will be a good house to-night, as these talented artists Mr. and Mrs. George Darrell appear for the last time in Wellington. The Karori-Makara Highway Board met at their office, Karori, on Saturday last. Present —Messrs. C. C. Graham (chairman), Wright, Page, and Bowler. The collector’s bond was fixed at two sureties of £SO each and himself in £IOO. The two sureties named (Messrs. Maitland Anderson and Thomas Igoe) were accepted by the Board. A letter from the Wellington District Highway Board was read, stating that the books of the Board were open to inspection, that the rate of Id. in the £ had been struck, and that they could not interfere with present contracts. McLeavyandßrunger's account of £1 Bs. was ordered to be paid. No funds of any extent being as yet available, no important business was transacted. Some small matters of no particular interest were disposed of, and the meeting adjourned. A very narrow escape from drowning occurred on Saturday night as the s.s. Albion was about to leave. A woman standing on the wharf in attempting to shake hands with someone on board the steamer overbalanced herself and fell down into the water. The place was very dark, and it was found by those who went to the rescue very difficult to ascertain her whereabouts. The noise of her struggles was soon heard to cease, and it was thought by those present that she had gone down ; but Turner, the night watchman, arriving on the scene with a light, chanced to to see her a little under water. He immediately plunged his hand down, and succeeded in bringing the drowning woman to the surface, and she was speedily got upon the wharf more dead than aUve. Dr. Dunkley of. the ship Waimea was in attendance, and succeeded in restoring her so that she was able to walk home with her friends.

r Both Houses of Parliament meet this after* noon at the usual hour.

A meeting of the Featherston Memorial Committee is called for this afternoon. The Wellington Diocesan: Synod meets at 7.30 this evening in the Diocesan Library. Mr. G. E. Barton is to appear before the Supreme Court at 10 o’clock this morning, to answer for contempt of Court.

We understand that on Saturday evening Sir George Grey entertained the members of the Opposition at dinner at the Princess Hotel, Thorndon.

The deputation, appointed to wait upon the hon. the Minister of Public Works, re the Wairarapa railway, will have an audience tomorrow morning at 11 o'clock.

The man named John Cummings, who was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment for being illegally on premises, arrived in town on Saturday night in charge of a constable, and was taken to the gaol. In consequence of the Choral Society being unable to obtain the use of the Odd Fellows’ Hall for Thursday next, the concert intended to be given oh that evening will not take place till the Thursday following, the 19th inst., for which date it is definitely fixed. Members meet for practice as usual.

We call attention to an advertisement announcing that an extra Assembly ball will be held on Thursday next in the Provincial Council Hall. We are informed that the committee have no surplus in hand, and are therefore compelled to charge subscribers to the regular series for admission to this ball. The Hon. Colonel Whitmore is to-day to ask the Colonial Secretary whether his attention has been drawn to a letter signed by Mr. John Hogan, Judge of the Native Lands Court, which has been published in a Poverty Bay paper, denying the accuracy of statements made by the Native Minister in documents laid on the table of both Houses of Parliament ; and whether any steps have been taken, or are in contemplation, with [regard to it?

Mr. Button, M.H.R., preached in St. John’s Presbyterian Church last night, which gave the Rev. Mr. Paterson an opportunity of supplying the place of the Rev. Mr. Ward, of the Primitive Methodist Church, Sydneystreet, who, we regret to learn, is seriously ill. In the afternoon the usual monthly meeting of the children belonging to the Presbyterian congregation, was held in the schoolroom, Willis-street, when Messrs. Bums, De Lautour, and Thomson, members of Parliament, delivered addresses. Mr. J. C. Brown, M.H.R., was also present.’

A number of men who have been at work on the Wairarapa railway contract came into town yesterday by special coach, en route for the Kumara rush. Others are to follow them shortly. We observe that the Hon. Mr. Bonar, Superintendent of Westland, in his capacity as a member of the Upper House, is to ask the Dr. Pollen to-day whether, in view of the rapidly increasing population at Kumara, the fact that the supply of water for that goldfield is very limited in extent, and that the principal source of supply has been reserved by the Government for the Waimea water race, the Government will take immediate steps for the completion of the head works of such race, so as to admit of the full quantity of water, the race has been constructed for, and is capable of carrying, being brought in for the above purposes? We notice by advertisement that the choir of St. John’s Church will give another of their musical entertainments in the Willis-street schoolroom to-night at eight o’clock. This, we understand, is the second of the series announced a few weeks since, the proceeds of which go towards procuring a new musical instrument for the church. Mr. Raymond, the conductor, has arranged an excellentprogramme, having varied it slightly from those on former occasions by the introduction of a few instrumental selections to be performed by some of our best local amateurs, which no doubt will be thoroughly appreciated by the audience. Tickets and programmes can be obtained at Mr. P. H. Fraser’s, Manners-street, or from any of the choir. Aremarkablyhandsomepurebred Clydesdale entire horse named the Duke of Buccleugh was landed from the Albion on Saturday forenoon. This fine animal was got by the well-known horse Lofty (now owned by Mr. Walker, of Wanganui), out of a pure-bred imported Clydesdale mare, and may be justly termed one of the grandest looking horses in New Zealand. The opinion we express is borne out by ' the fact that the Duke of Buccleugh has been exhibited at nearly all the annual shows held in the South Island for several years past, and has taken a greater number of prizes than any horse of this class in the colony. When shown as a four year old, his owner and breeder, the Hon. Mathew Holmes, refused an offer of £IOOO, and three years after, having no occasion for his services sold him at a high figure. Two or three years back some gentlemen in Wellington were in treaty with Mr. Holmes for the horse, and at that time he declined to take less than £750. The Duke of Buccleugh is a dark bay, or brown some people would, say, has immense power and substance, stands well on his legs, has a beautiful head, bright eyes, wide nostrils, long mane, in fact is as near perfection as it is reasonable to expect in a horse of this breed. He was purchased for . Mr, George Hunter, at Christchurch, after the show which took place there on the 30th September, and is likely we understand to be sent up to that gentleman’s station at Forangahau in the Napier province.

Attention is directed to Mr. George Thomas’s extensive sale of freeholds, &c., at his rooms to-day. Amongst other properties the lease for forty-two i'ears of the Odd Fellows’ Hall, and the: Imperial Hotel, Cuba-steet, are to be submittedifor competition.