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New Zealand Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 4897, 1 December 1876, Page 2

A N.E. gale was experienced at Auckland, on Wednesday night, and high winds from that quarter were prevalent at most places north of East Cape. The sea increased on the; eastern coast of this island yesterday, and the glass had risen slightly at Bluff at 5 p.m. : The as. Hinemoa had strong E.N.E. winds on the; way to Napier. The Agent-General telegraphs, under, date; London, 22nd November, that the following shipments of immigrants for New Zealand; were despatched in October: —Leicester, with 340, for Wellington; Waipa and Wiltshire,: with 500, for Canterbury; Marlborough, with 239, for Otago. The Agent-General also telegraphs that the Hurunui had finally sailed for New Zealand, after her detention set Weymouth.

The process ■of migration by the different public departments to the new Government Buildings has been progressing very quickly during the past week. The offices of the Kegistrar-General and the Inspector of Stores and the Crown Lands Office have already taken up their quarters in the hew building. On Wednesday the Colonial Secretary’s department made a move, and yesterday that of the Minister of Justice and the Immigration department commenced to remove their baggage and penates. In a day or two we hope to see everything in the new building in perfect working order. During yesterday afternoon some persons exercised themselves in killing and' catching fish alongside the wharf by means of torpedoes of dynamite, or some other explosive compound. We feel bound in the first instance to protest against so unsportsmanlike , a proceeding as killingfish by explosive compounds, and only .regret that the English law is not in force in the colony on the subject under which the noblehearted anglers (?) might have been committed summarily for three months before the S.M. There is a far more serious aspect to the question, however, and that is that complaints have been made from .ships lying at the wharf, ,as to disarrangement of their chronometers owing to this foolish and reprehensible practice.: There is such a crime as wilful injury to property, and now that the offenders have notice of the effect on valuable property of their 1 mean actions towards the fish, we are sure the police will deal promptly with any future offence. We also heard of champagne glasses having their bowls shaken literally to atoms, the stems being left hanging in the swingtrays, but this is comparatively a light matter to injury to the chronometers, by means of which not only a ship but many valuable lives may be sacrificed. • The annual treat given by St. Peter’s Sunday School, - and in the festivities of which the scholars of St. Mark’s Church also partook, was held yesterday at the Hutt in a paddock kindly lent by Mr. Valentine, and was a most complete success in every respect. The party assembled at the school in the morning to the number of nearly 400, and the younger children were taken to the railway station in conveyances, the rest marching there in order under the charge of their teachers. They were conveyed to the Hutt by the 9.45 train, and upon arrival there the usual games and sports were indulged in. Lunch and tea were provided on,the ground on a very liberal scale, and by the last train the large and youthful party returned to town, being thoroughly satisfied and delighted with the exeellent treat provided for them. The teachers'and .superintendent:are to: be : congratulated upon the very successful manner in which everything was conducted, as it wag one of the most enjoyable treats of its kind ever held by the Sunday schools. : The half-yearly meeting of the Young Men’s Wesleyan Mutual improvement Society was held last night in the Manners-street Vestry. There was a large attendance of members. The committee’s report showed that the number of members on the hooks was 61, with ah average attendance of 21 ; the ■ number of books in the library was 124. The balancesheet showed a balanoe in hand of £5 13s. J 4d The following officers were' elected for the ensuing half-year President, Kev. A. Keid ; Vice-President," Hev. Hi 1 Dewsbury ; Secretary, Mr. G. B. Clark; Treasurer, Mr. A. Goddard; Librarian, Mr. W. J. Helyer; Committee, Messrs. Singer, J. Clark, Leitoh, and Tiller. After a vote of thanks to the retiring officers, the proceedings closed with the Benediction. •

f ; George Buseell, cook and steward of the barqtientine Panola, an American vessel, now in port, was charged by the captain at the Resident Magistrate’s Court yesterday with refusing duty. The defendant was, at his own' request, remanded until to-day. _ An important question may arise as to the jurisdiction of the Court, the defendant not having shipped’under the Merchant Shipping Act., Mr. Ollivior has been engaged for the defence, and in addition to the point of law, some amusement may be derived from little facts which may,be elicited during the case as tq incidents which occurredduring the voyage out.

A heavy hailstorm passed over Carterton on Wednesday.

Yesterday being St. Andrew’s Day was observed as a semi-holiday. The banka were closed.

We notice that the Misses Featherstoii, who arrived at Melbourne in the Northumberland, have reached New Zealand by the s.si , Albion, which arrived at the Bluff , yesterday, - Mr. Baird, the Provincial Engineer, who has been on’a tour of, inspection, throughout the province, returned yesterday by the p.s. Manawatu. ‘ ’

The final heat for the trial fours of the Star Boating Club did not come off last night owing to. one or two gentlemen being . unable to. ■attend. It is intended, to row the heat off about half-past five to-night.

At the sitting of the Resident Magistrates Court on Wednesday at the Hutt, before J. O. Crawford, Esq., R.M , there were a number of ■cases disposed of, biit none of them were of any public interest..

There was a meeting of the Waste Lands Board yesterday at noon. XTnder the new Lands Administration Act, section 26, subsection 1, the Board resolved that its meetings should be held on every alternate Tuesday, the first meeting to-be on the 12th December^ A number of blue-jackets and marines from H.M.S. Sapphire had a field-day ashore yesterday. The small-arm men were in force, and in addition a field-gun with its complement of men came ashore. A series of manoeuvres were gone through on-the Reclaimed Land, and afterwards, being St. Andrew’s Day, Jaok had a day ashore, which he utilised in a befitting manner. At the mission services in connection with missionary enterprise,' held by request of the Archbishop of Canterbury, on Wednesday evening, in the Anglican Churches in the city, the total sum collected for the heathen was £ll 17s. Bd. There was a full choral service at St. Peter’s, and at the Anglican Cathedral the service was in plain monotone. Impressive sermons on the subject were preached in each of the two churches,'

In the Resident Magistrate’s Court yesterday, Wm. Taylor was charged with vagrancy, and committed for three months. Thomas Brown was brought up on remand charged with larceny of a bottle of porter at Pakuratahi. The case was proved, and he was committed for two months and three weeks with hard labor, having been in’ custody for a week. There was one case of drunkenness, which was; disposed of by a fine of 10s., with the usual alternative. There was no civil business of any public interest , ■ ■ On Wednesday night the following communication was received at the office of this paper: —“Wellington, November 29, 1876. The members of the Theatre Royal Dramatic Company being desirous of trying their prowess against the New Zealand Times in a matter of boating, I hereby challenge the Times office to a friendly contest, to be pulled on Saturday week, December 9, 1876. Boats, time, and distance to be arranged by O. Hillsden and one appointed from the Times, The losers to pay for ten suppers.—C. Hillsden.” It is needless to say that the challenge met with a prompt response,'and that the match will take place ou the day named, Saturday, 9th December. We understand that a friendly match at cricket between the same parties is also on the tapis. At the Theatre Royal last night, “Rose Michel” was reproduced.’. It is needless to say that Mr. and Mrs. Hall in their respective parts were all that could be desired, and were from time to time rapturously applauded by the audience. The piece is merely an adaptation, of course suffering thereby, and we can only regret that the talented artistes did not make a better choice for their first performance. To-night they appear in comedy, which we understand is their strong point. Mrs. Stoneham as the Countess de Buissey was, of course, excellent, and Miss Stoneham as Moulinet even outstripped her previous performance. Miss Lizzie Morgan as Louise Michel was as charming as ever, and part perfect, her performance being exceedingly creditable. 1 Mr. Oily Deering was again very good, as was also Mr. Metcalf. There should be a good attendance to-night, as the Halls have a great reputation in comedy.