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New Zealand Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 4910, 16 December 1876, Page 2

The Wharf Commitee of the City Council agreed, at a meeting yesterday, to an expenditure of £20,000 upon the improvement and extension of the wharf, according to a plan whit-h we understand has been approved of by the Public Works department. The City Surveyor was instructed to prepare the necessary specifications and advertise for tenders for the proposed work as speedily as possible. , Yesterday was the nomination day for the election of a County Councillor for the riding of Horokiwi, Hutt county. Mr. Richard Smith was nominated by Messrs. Edward Boulton and W. H. McDonald ; and, there being no opposition, he was declared duly elected. The proceedings passed off very quietly. The nomination of candidates for the Epuni riding in the Hutt County Council, took place at noon on Thursday, in the Court House, Lower Hutt. Mr. David Speedy, Western Hutt, was proposed by Mr, John Boss, Taita, seconded by Mr. William Buck, Petoni. Mr. James Knight, Lower Hutt, was proposed by Mr. George Mcllvride, seconded by Samuel Sanson. Mr. Thomas Mason, Taita, was proposed by Dr. Wilford, seconded by Mr. John White. The show of hands was for Mr. Speedy, six ; for Mr. Knight, nine ; for Mr. Mason, sixteen. In consequence of the three nominations, Mr. Speedy demanded a poll, which will be taken at the Court House on Friday next, the 22ndinst. .. ,

A man was arrested last night on a charge of using obscene language in a public place.’ Constable Darby came across him in Mannersstreet just at the moment when the blackguard was insulting some females, aad when the latter interfered the man became fightable. He was eventually taken to the lookup and provided with sleeping accommodation till this morning, when he will be brought before the magistrate to answer for his misconduct. The creditors of Messrs. Stevenson and Stuart have agreed to accept 12s. 6d. in the £, guaranteed by Messrs. Krull and Co. This agreement to be effectual must be confirmed at the general meeting of creditors on the 23rd inst. ■ If the arrangement is confirmed, Messrs. Stevenson and Stuart will resume the control of their business. The composition is payable in instalments at 3,6, 9, 12, and 15 months. The fine old comedy “The Honeymoon,” was played at the Theatre Royal last night. Considering the unpleasant nature of the weather, there was a very good attendance. Mrs. Bates’ Juliana was a fine conception of a very difficult part, and the way in which she made every point in the piece frequently received the, well-merited applause of the audience. Mr, Bates as Duke Aranza was also in , capital form, and both played into each others hands admirably. Mr Howard’s Jacques was very funny, and the part was thoroughly well played from beginning to end. Miss Morgan and Miss Stoneham, as Volaute and Zamora, were each very good, and the other characters were well represented. Altogether the play was a great success. The performance was brought to a close with the farce “ The Bonnie Fishwife,” with the same caste as on previous occasions. It went even better than ever, and was well received. For to-night • “ David Garrick” is announced, with Mr. Bates in the title role, a part in which he is really immense. Mrs. Bates’ Ida Ingot is also a part in which she excels, and there should be a large attendance to witness this admirable play. The concluding piece is “The Married Rake,” in which Mr. and Mrs. Bates, will also appear. The cold southerly wind and accompanying rain of last night it they continue do not augur well for ’ the success of the costume cricket match this afternoon. It is proposed that both teams shall leave the Theatre Royal at a quarter,to one, accompanied by the band, which will discourse appropriate music on the way to the Basin Reserve. It Is to -be hoped that the weather may take a turn, and that sweethearts and sisters may not be disappointed in seeing lovers and brothers transmogrified into all sorts of animals, historic characters, &o. It is reported that one of our, greatest bowlers intends to afford a striking and lifelike illustration of the Darwinian theory, by personating a chimpanzee or gorilla, and that a noted batsman will appear as Mark Antony. The match is sure to cause any amount of fun, and a good round sum should be added tothefund. The following are the names and characters of the theatrical team:—-W. J.■ Sweeney (policeman), T. Ritson (acrobat), J. - Shiels (Mr. Johnson), A.’ L. Inglis (Rolando), E. Alexander (Tom Bowling), J. Hesford (Charles I.), P. Hillsden (Rory O’More), W. Metcalf (Count Poffemtoff), A. Powell (Oliver Twist), E. Chuck ■ (Huzzar), C. Hillsden, captain (Beauseant), B. Creighton (emergency), Sam Howard (umpire), O. K. Jeffs (scorer).

The new Melbourne Hotel is fast approaching completion. It will be a very handsome building, one of the finest in Wlllis-street, and will rival many of the superior hotels in Wellington. It will possess large accommodation for boarders, and is built on a scale calculated to afford the greatest comfort and convenience to its customers generally. It contains fifty rooms, with a large diningroom 27ft. x 30ft., and a billiard saloon 33ft. x 24ft. The exterior is imposing, and reflects credit on the architect, Mr. Tringham, and builder, Mr, Eansen. ,

It will be noticed by advertisement in another column that Messrs. Bethune and Hunter will hold an extensive auction sale at their rooms, Custom House-quay, on Monday next at two o’clock, when, amongst other property, there will be offered town acre No 198, containing la. Or. 5p., having a frontage, of 90ft. sin. to Willis-street, and a frontage of 132 ft. to Boulcott-street, together with the buildings erected thereon, recently occupied as the business premises of the Union Bank of Australia and the private dwellinghouse of the manager, with convenient outbuildings, garden, &c. The buildings were put up by Mr. dames Wilson, under the superintence of Mr. Roberts, clerk of works to the Royal Engineer department, who was stationed in Wellington when the bank was designed and erected ; and it would be a very easy matter to treble the accommodation by removing the roof, which is covered with slates, and carrying up one or two additional stories.

Mrs. Palmer’s entertainment at the United Methodist Free Church schoolroom, Courtenay - place, came off lastjnight, and notwithstanding the wretched weather was a great success, the room being nearly full. The first part consisted of a very well chosen selection, and Mrs. Palmer’s pianoforte performance was especially noticeable, being very well received. Miss Palmer received two encores for her songs, “ Hush ” and “ Strangers yet,” giving “Fading away” and “Home they brought her Warrior Dead.” Her voice is very sympathetic, and she evidently touched the feelings of her audience in her rendering of all the songs. Mr. Jupp was also a success, being encored both in “ I’m Leaving Thee in Sorrow Annie ” and the “Arab Steed.” After,the interval the overture “ May Pole Dance ” was given ■very effectively, and the comedietta “A Happy Pair” brought the performance to a close. Miss, Palmer as Constance was very good, although her delivery was rather too fast, which probably arose from nervousness. Mr. Baldwin’s Ferdy was well conceived, but he hardly did justice to the young lady by not being part-perfect. All went away pleased, having spent a thoroughly enjoyable evening. A correspondent from. Pahautanui writes; — A cricket match should have been played at Pahautanui on Wednesday last between an eleven of the Wellington Artillery Club and an eleven' of the Pahautanui Club. The Artillery Club were the challengers, and named the day. The Pahautanui team made all the necessary arrangements for the match and the reception of the expected visitors, including the ordering of refreshments on the ground and a dinner for the evening. After all this was done, a note was received at the eleventh hour from the secretary of the Artillery Club, stating that they could not come out to play the match, as some of their men were too busy. One remarkable feature about the note is that it is dated December 14. It was received here on the evening of the 12th, and the match should have beeen played on the 13th. So the secretary was evidently not behind time if some of the others were; or perhaps when he wrote the note he had just awoke from a sleep in which he had been dreaming that the match and the dinner were over, and felt a little confused from the effects of the good cheer of which he supposed he had partaken. However that may be, the Pahautanui Club felt indignant at being disappointed, and say that as the Artillery Club were the challengers and had themselves fixed upon the day, it would have been better for them to have come with a part of their team and made up the deficiency at Pahautanui, or they could have played against an equal number of the Pahautanui Club.

At the Resident Magistrate’s Court yesterday, James McKay was fined 155., with the usual .alternative, for being drunk and disorderly in Willis-street. Mr. Pilmer laid several informations under the Municipal Corporations Act, 1867 ; but Mr. Buckley having informed the Bench that the Act had been superseded by the legislation of last session, the cases were not proceeded with. .Frederick Werelt, who was brought up on suspicion of lunacy, was remanded until Tuesday. The remaining cases were prosecutions under clauses in the Publichonse Management Act, for selling or supplying liquor on the Lord’s Day, and are reported in another column. An entertainment was held on Thursday evening at the Karori school in connection with the breaking up for the holidays. A capital tea was provided, to which parents and children did ample justice. The pupils had been examined by the Rev. W. Ballachey, incumbent of S. Mary’s Church, and after tea he passed a high encomium on the progress which had been made during the past half year. The prizes were then presented, and afterwards three handsome vases and a flower-stand were presented by the rev. gentleman, on behalf of the children, as an expression of their attachment to Mr. and Mrs. Marten, the teachers. Mr. Marten returned thanks, and after some recitations, an hour or two’s dancing brought a very pleasant evening to a close. The following team have been selected to represent the Rising Star Club in the match with the local club at Karori :—Smith, Kebblewhite, Godber, Brown, Hellyer,Bennett, Read, Tustin, Mansill, White, and Brandt. Karori team —F. Cole, J. Cole, A. Glasson, D. Turner, E. Porter, E. Bell, T. Lewis, A. Morris, T. Longhurst, A. Nixon, and B. Kennedy. Mr. G. Kennedy will act as umpire for the Karori team.

Last evening the Young Men’s Wesleyan Mutual Improvement Society held its halfyearly tea and entertainment. There was a large attendance, notwithstanding the inclemency of the weather. The entertainment consisted of glees, solos, pianoforte duets, readings, and recitations, which were all rendered with Great spirit, and all present went away highly delighted with the evening’s amusement, which was closed by the audience joining in singing the National Anthem. Anniversary services will be held in St. John’s Presbyterian Church, Willis-street, tomorrow, a collection to be made at each service in aid of the Building Fund. We may draw attention to the fact that a tea and public meeting will be held on Monday, when addresses will be delivered by various members of the General Assembly and of the city clergy.

The own correspondent of the Otago Guardian, writing from San Francisco under date November 7, gives the following details of the frightful accident which occurred at the Chinese Theatre on Sunday, Oct. 29 : It was a benefit night, and nearly 2000 Chinese were wedged into the theatre. Some Chinaman catching sight of a little smoke rising somewhere near the stage, raised the cry of “ fire," and a panic immediately ensued. There was a rush from the gallery to the narrow stairway leading to the main exit. The stairs gave way, and a portion of the crowd in passing the portal were overthrown by those who followed. To add to the horrors of the situation, the swinging doors opening to the narrow vestibule were wrenched off, and fell forward upon the unfortunate .crowd ahead, crushing a number of them to the floor. The surging mass struggling outwards precipitated itself upon the fallen doors, compressing the helpless beings beneath to death. Still others crowded upon those on the doors, and trampled them to death. The exit from the floor of the theatre to the vestibule is down a short flight of steps, which accounts for the wedging of the mass at that point. The flight was down an inclined plane. Twenty-eight bodies were carried out from the doorway. Of these, 19. were quite dead, seven mortally injured, and the others dangerously so. The coroner of the city was immediately notified, and took charge of the dead. As may be easily surmised, the scene outside the theatre was ghastly—the dead and dying lying on the street and side-walk; the dying groaning and struggling, and a stream of chattering and appalled Chinamen pouring out, hopping over bodies like crossing a muddy street. Speaking first on theatrical matters, and then on ’Frisco generally, he says: It seems now to be quite an acknowledged thing that as soon as a star is “ played out ” in this country, up bag and baggage and off to Australia. No wonder, when they once get out there, they are loth to leave it, for ’Frisco is a very slow place com*

pared with Australia. Everything is overrun in this place, and unless you are absolutely able to turn your hand to downright manual work, there’s nothing but the veriest skeleton of a chance for you. Oh, yes, though—l forgot, there is still one occupation that only a man of refined taste can touch without soiling his hands, and with a little perseverance there is a good chance of getting plenty of work. I now refer to the “ professional assassins,” of which there are many in this city. The price of the undertaking depends almost entirely on the difficulty of the job ; if the party be a woman, 40 dollars is a reasonable figure ; if a man, another 10 is generally added, and so on —reach variety of undertakings having their specified scale, according to the danger and chances of detection.