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New Zealand Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 4907, 13 December 1876, Page 2

It will be noticed in our telegraphic columns that the ' barque William Ackers has bean wrecked off Waipapa Point. She was on her way fromi the Bluff to Lyttelton with a cargo of timber, and is supposed to be uninsured. Reports as to the fate, of the, crew differ. One report says that all hut throe of the crew were lost, the captain being included, whilst another states that all were saved.

The interruption in: cable: communication between Lisbon.and : Vigo and Falmouth will not interfere with the transmission of messages to and from the United Kingdom, as there is an alternative route via Marseilles, and also a shore, line from Lisbon to Vigo. ; The. Fiji papers state .that 1 there is every probability of the A.S.N. 00, running one of their fine steamers from Sydney direct to Levuka. A rumor has also reached the paper to the i effect that; it is not at all improbable that: the same company will run a steamer between Fiji, Samoa, and Tonga, making Levuka head-quarters.

His Honor the Chief Justice was a passenger by the s.s. Hinemoa yesterday to Napier, where he will hold a sitting of the Supreme Court.

By an announcement, in our advertising columns, it will be noticed that Masons can now obtain articles of masonic dress and jewellery at Mr. W. Gr. Jackson s, .Stationers Hall, Lambton-qnay. A deputation of the Hospital trustees waited upon the Premier yesterday afternoon, and pointed out the necessities of the institution, owing to .their , not .being able to alienate the reserves, and with the view, of obtaining some Government assistance.

Mr, Cheesman made application yesterday to Mr. Crawford, as Chairman of the Licensing Commissioners, for a transfer of the license of the Princess Hotel, Moleswoftbi-street, from James Catteil to James Bright. The application was granted. ‘ 1 , To add to the attractions of the costume •cricket match on Saturday next, the Artillery Band has very kindly consented to play during the afternoon, under the leadership of Mr. Cemino. An advertisement appears in another column.

A boat-race has been arranged between two gentlemen from the mechanical department and two of the literary staff of this paper. The race will be rowed in pair-oared, outriggers, and will come off at an early date. A return race between the Theatre and Times crews, is on the tapis. . The s.s. Stella in returning from the Brothers yesterday morning just escaped the force of the southerly gale. She took with her a quantity of cement, lighthouse and other stores, and also a supply of provisions and water for the men engaged in erecting the lighthouse. The nomination day for two, members to represent the Karori riding in the Hutt County Council, has been - fixed by the Returning Officer -for Saturday next, the 16th inst., at the old schoolhouse, Karori. In the event of a contested election, the poll will be taken on Friday, the 22nd inst., at the same place. The s.s. Moa conveyed the homeward-bound passengers on board the ship Zealandia from the Queen’s wharf j a little before noon yesterday. The Zealandia will sail for England as soon as a change of wind takes place. Notwithstanding the downpour of rain and boisterous wind, a number of persons were present to wish their friends “ God speed.” Mrs. Pearce and family are passengers by the Zealandia. ,

Anniversary services in connection with St. John’s Presbyterian Church, Willis-street, will be held on Sunday next, and a collection will be made at each service in aid of the Building Fund. A congregational tea meeting will be held in the schoolroom on Monday evening, the 18th inst., and after it a public meeting will take place in the church, when addresses will be delivered by various members of the General Assembly and of the city clergy. The opening of the National Hotel was celebrated yesterday by a champagne lunch, to which some forty or fifty gentlemen sat down and thoroughly enjoyed themselves. The health of the proprietor of the new hotel, Mr.' J. Brown, was proposed by Mr. Turnbull; the toast was duly honored, and Mr. Brown responded. Several other toasts followed, and a most pleasant afternoon was spent by all present. Bather un important civil case occupied the attention of the Besident Magistrate yesterday.’ Charles Moody, a promoter of public companies, was sued by the proprietors of the Evening Post for £25 15s. due for printing and advertising. Mr. Buckley appeared for the plaintiffs, and Mr. Stafford for the defendant. The defendant was .balled by Mr. Buckley and examined, but his evidence did not throw much light upon the case. After his evidence had been taken, the case was adjourned by consent until Monday. . At the Besident Magistrate’s Court yesterday, Mary Campbell, charged with larceny of a child’s frock and two towels, was found guilty and sentenced to six months’ imprisonment, with hard labor.—Peter Brushley was fined 1 10s. and coats, for being .drunk in Court bh the previous day.—George Thomas Holmes, charged on remand with drunkenness and assaulting D. McLeod, owner of the ketch Eliza McPhee, was committed for a month, with hard labor.

A correspondent whom the New Zealand Herald pronounces thoroughly competent to judge of such matters, sends some account of the new Maori faith, which, it seems, has extended to Taupo. “It is,” he says, “a service of traditional lore, chanted and interlaid with English phrases Maorified.” As in the Hauhau superstition, Tawhiao is the centre of the system, and we are told that he is regarded by some as being infallible. Probably a division will arise bn this point, and some Maori Bollinger will question it as a tenet of the Church. ■, Contradictory reports come from Auckland. Some time ago we heard that female domestic servants were too plentiful there, now a paper says—“ So scarce are domestic female servants in Auckland just now that it : is difficult to supply vacancies, and the arrival of the Jessie Osborne with immigrants is eagerly looked fer. Many families, we are informed, are obliged to endure the inconvenience of being without servants, who, taking advantage of this favorable time in the labor market, ask higher wages than usual. This scarcity is to some , extent accounted for by the comparatively large proportion of the single female immigrants that axe getting married from time to time.” : The farce “ To Oblige Benson” was repeated last night at the Theatre Royal, and went even better than on the previous occasion. - Mdlle. Eranzini’s bicycle performance was first class as usual, and as her engagement is drawing to a close, those who have not seen her truly wonderful feats should take the opportunity before it is too late. Miss Lizzie Morgan was in capital voice in her song, and very deservedly received two : encores. The performance concluded with “The Bonnie Fishwife,” ■the caste being the same as bn the previous evening, and going again swimmingly. For to-night the same programme is announced.

A meeting of the committee of the Wellington Benevolent Institution was ’held yesterday afternoon. Present—J. C. Crawford, Esq. (chairman), Rev. B. W. Harvey, the Yen. Archdeacon Stock, Rev. W. H. West, Rev. A. Reid, Mr. D. Lewis, and the secretary. A grant of £l2 10s. was received from the provincial district. Some oases were considered and relieved. A deputation from the musical amateurs attended, offering their services for the benefit of the institution at a sacred: concert proposed to-be given at the Public Hall on the evening of Christmas Day, and asking the patronage and assistance of the committee. The committee decided to accept the offer, and that the institution should accord its patronage to the concert. The Yen. Archdeacon Stock was requested, on behalf of the institution, to join a deputation to wait on his Excellency the Governor soliciting his patronage.

A meeting of the Waste Lands Board was : held yesterday afternoon; Present —The Commissioner: of Crown Lands (in the 'chair), Messrs.. E. Pearce, H. Jackson, and H. Bunny, M.H.R. An application was made by Mr. Brandon, on behalf of Henry Page, for compensation on account of allotments 17, 18, and 20, section 43, Karori, being two acres short. After . an explanation by the Chief Surveyor, the Board decided that they had no power to award compensation. The Commissioner was authorised to ' receive and register all applications for surveyed lands open for sale, and it was resolved that no further applications should be received for unsurveyed land. It was also resolved that certain sections in Sandon should be offered at the upset price of £1 per acre. Mr. J. S- Smith’s application for a refund of 2s. 6d. per acre for land purchased in Horokiwi was refused. The Board then adjourned. During the last few days the Resident Magistrate’s Court has been very largely attended by those who regard the hearing of criminal cases as a pleasant pastime. It is on such occasions that the wretchedly bad accommodation afforded by the building is noticed; and it is only'natural that surprise and disgust at, the place should be expressed by strangers in Wellington, who visit the Court as “one of

the institutions ”of our city. The little Space devoted to the public is usually crowded whenever a case that happens to be’ at all interesting is being heard, and the means of ventilation being extremely limited, the air becomes almost poisonous after a few hours* sitting of the Court. It is to be hoped that the promise towards the close of the last session oi Parliament as to the improvement in the accommodation for the officers of the Court will be shortly fulfilled, for improvement is sadly needed.