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New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 4924, 4 January 1877, Page 2

Messrs. Richardson, Ormond, and Donald Reid arrived from the South yesterday, but Mr. Ormond left again in the afternoon for Napier. It is understood Mr. Reid will be sworn in as a member of the Ministry to-day. The illness of Sir Donald McLean has become alarming, and telegrams were passing between here and Napier almost hourly yesterday. It will be remembered that during the early part of the parliamentary session Sir Donald was exceedingly unwell, and that during the latter weeks he became so much worse as to be obliged to keep his bed. For a long time he remained in a precarious state, but at last sufficiently recovered to allow of his removal to his station iu Hawke’s Bay, it being hoped that the change of scene and air would act beneficially. To a certain extent the anticipations were realised, and for a time he rallied ; but a relapse occurred, and it became necessary to remove him to the town of Napier. Here he gradually got Worse, and yesterday he was reported to be so ill that it was decided to send up Dr. Grace in the Stella; and the steamer left in the afternoon at four o’clock, having Mr. Ormond on board also. We are sure all will join with us in hoping for Sir Donald’s .speedy recovery. We understand that negotiations have been entered into by Mr. A. A. Barnett, formerly auctioneer of this town, for the rental, on a building lease of 42 years, of the site of the Odd Fellows’ Hall. The sum offered has not transpired, but is reported to be something considerable. Should the proposal eventuate in Mr. Barnett's acquiring the property, we believe he will utilise the hall for an auction mart, and erect a number of shops in Greystreet, a part of the ground on the right-hand side of the Hall being reserved by the Odd Fellows for the purpose of. building thereon a room sufficient to accommodate the society at times of meeting.

A very interesting pen-and-ink sketch of Wellington, taken on board a French man-of-war in 1843, has just been received by Mr. Parnell, ot Ghuznee-street, from a gentleman in Blenheim, with a request that it may be placed in the Museum here. The sketch is exceedingly correct, as several old residents who have seen it can testify ; and anyone who will take the trouble to compare the Wellington of 1843 with the Wellington of 1877, will find in the contrast a pleasing and interesting study. The existence of so carefully drawn a sketch proves that the officers on , foreign men-of-war are not very idle when they visit our ports.

The pantomine was fairly patronised last evening, and represented with signal success. On the last two ,ocoasions of its performance Mr. Alexander introduced the sword dance, in which he exhibited considerable ability, and was highly commended for the performance by the audience. His dancing was really excellent, and the difficult steps were accomplished with a neatness, regularity, and case not frequently seen. Mrs. Bates takes a benefit to-night, when the burlesque of “ x.obin Hood ” will precede the harlequinade,

It will be observed by our advertising columns that a branch of the Phoenix Pire Insurance Company, of London, is to bo opened in Wellington, Mr. T. H. Mabin having been appointed local agent. Mr. Mabin will shortly arrive to commence business.

There were a number of cases of drunkenness at the Resident Magistrate’s Court yesterday, and each of the defendants was fined. The Canterbury Acclimatisation Society have just liberated 40,000 salmon. The society offer to sell salmon at £2 per hundred. Scarlet fever having broken out among the Maoris and half-castes of Stewart Island, the Government despatched Dr. Burns, of Dunedin, to the island to attend to the people. A special and an ordinary meeting of the City Council will take place this afternoon. The principal business will be the discussion of various motions by his Worship the Mayor, notices of which were given at the last meeting.

In opening the case for the defence of Rodolph Laurent, who was tried at the Supreme Court yesterday, Mr. Barton paid a high compliment to Inspector Atcheson, and spoke in terms of praise of the efficiency of the Wellington police force generally. The annual meeting of the Wellington Teachers’ Association will be held in the Sydney-street Schoolroom at 11 a.m. to-day. A number of country teachers will be present; also several from other provinces who are just now visiting Wellington. The parishioners of St. Peter’s have decided to petition the General Synod to permit the parish to raise certain sums of money, required for the purpose of building a new church, by means of mortgaging a portion of the parish property.

An inquest was held yesterday on the body of the lad J. W. Hockley, who came by his death through a fall from a horse in Willisstreet on New Year’s Day. The inquiry was held at the Victoria Hotel, Abel Smith-street, before Dr. Johnston, coroner. The jury returned a verdict of “ Accidental death.”

The Secretary of the Benevolent Society has requested us to correct list of subscriptions to the Benevolent Institution published yesterday;—Miss Cochrane Ids., an.d Mrs. Millner 55., are to “Diocesan Fund,” not Benevolent Institution. Further subscriptions to Benevolent Institution: —J. G. Holdsworth, £ljls.; grant from Government, £l2 10s. Our Featherston correspondent, writing yesterday, says that on the previous day a boy about six years old named Murphy strayed in the bush and had not since been heard of. Search parties went out on Monday afternoon and evening, and these were reinforced yesterday, but up to the time of our correspondent writing search had proved unsuccessful. A short time ago a mare in the possession of i farmer named Hugh Jordan, near Southbridge, Canterbury, gave birth successfully to twin foals, so like each other that the owner himself can scarcely recognise the difference between them. The Times says both foals are exceedingly handsome and well-proportioned, and betray great likeness to their sire, the well-known Lord Glasgow. This being the acknowledged “big gooseberry ” season of the year, we may be pardoned for asserting we have seen something in the gooseberry line ■which surpasses anything seen in Wellington for a good while past. They were grown by Mr. Parnell in his garden in Ghuznee-street, weighed upwards of three-quarters of an ounce, and were alleged to be fair specimens of a quantity growing. The first meeting of the Hutt County Council will be held at noon to-day, at the Courthouse, Lower Hutt. The Act will be brought into force in the County, and we understand it is very probable that Mr. Thomas Mason, who has for some time past very ably filled the position of Chairman of the Wellington Districts Highway Board, will be elected Chairman of the County Council. Mr. H. Ashton, collector to the Highway Board, will probably I act as clerk to the Council, at anyrate for a short time. There is a strong feeling in favor of holding the Council meetings in Wellington, as being more convenient for the majority of parties. An application made on behalf of the Australian Governments, says the Argus, will be sent by the mail to the Secretary of State for the Colonies, asking him to bring under the notice of the War Office the request that a Koyal Engineer officer of high standing may be sent out to these colonies to devise a proper scheme of defence. The Governments of the adjoining colonies have joined in this application, and the name of Sir William F. D. Jervois, who is at present Governor of the Straits Settlement, has been mentioned as that of an officer admirably qualified for the duty, During the course of a lengthened military career, Sir William Jervois has obtained great experience in the art of fortification. At a meeting of the Cricketers’ Association held at the Occidental Hotel last night, it was decided to play the costume match on the Basin Reserve on Saturday week. It was also decided to play the eleven that went to Nelson against an eleven of all-comers next Saturday, wickets to be pitched at half-past one. The following are the names of the teams :—Nelson eleven : Messrs. Armitage, Bell, Bryce, Edmunds, Garwood, Knapp, Foley, Bond, McKenzie, Haughton, and O'Connor. All-comers : Messrs. Mace, Mason, Lockett, Cross, Kennedy, Evans, I. J. Salmon, J. A. Salmon, Blacklock, Speed, and Russell. Umpires; Messrs. Bromley and Staples. Scorer: Mr. Humphries. In our yesterday’s issue we published a paragraph to the effect that the Auckland Waste Lands Board had received no reply to the offer it had made to Mr. Broomhall. It seems, however, that this was not owing to any neglect on the part of that gentleman. Mr. Broomhall arrived in Wellington last evening, having driven or ridden overland from Tauranga to Napier, thence to the West Coast, and the letter of the Waste Lands Board having been posted to Wellington, did not find him until Friday night at Crofton, where he spent a few days, and inspected the operations of the Feilding block. We understand that Mr. Broomhall agrees to- the resolution of the board as to purchase, deposit, and cultivation of ono-fifth of the block in five years. ,

Two amusing anecdotes are related of the Prince of Wales by the Edinburgh correspondent of the Otago Daily Times, the events having happened during the deerstalking expeditions while he was the Duke of Sutherland’s guest at Dunrobin. In the first instance the Prince was passing through the forest, when he came near the house of a crofter, who ran up to him, saluted him as “my darling Prince,” and insisted on his coming in to see the wife and children. As soon as the Prince entered the house the man produced the inevitable whisky bottle, and poured out a glass for the Prince, who merely tasted it. The crofter was by no means satisfied with this, and strenuously pressed his Royal Highness to finish the glass, meeting a royal remark that it was strong, 'with the rejoinder—“ Oh, yes, she’ll be strong, and she’ll be good too ; no like yon nasty weak stuff you’ll be getting iu the South.” Of course, after this the Prince had to take a good dram, aft.er which he was permitted to depart, bearing with him the exuberant blessings of the crofter and his wife. The second instance is to the effect that the Prince gave a cigar to an old man while out deerstalking. The recipient, not knowing what a cigar was, eat part of it, but flung the rest away in disgust, exclaiming—“ She'll no like ta French meat at all !” An alarm of fire was raised at noon yesterday, and the city was for a short time thrown into a state of considerable excitement. The Central bell was agitated by some person who presumably was under the impression that he had heard one of the other fire bells ringing ; it is more than probable, however, that he only heard one of the ships’ bells striking the hour. The effect of the alarm thus raised was rather funny ; the Supreme Court, which a moment before had been crowded, was soon clear of spectators, and the streets were soon filled with an excited, inquiring crowd of people. Everyone was asking, where it was, and so sure as a few took it into their heads to move towards Te Aro, a general rush was made in that direction. The brigades turned out, but knew not which way to turn, and confusion reigned supreme for a brief period. It soon became apparent, however, that there was no cause for the alarm, and the firemen retired and tbe public dispersed.

Te Waka Kawhatini, a chief of some note at one time in Hawke’s Bay, and the owner of considerable blocks of land, is now (says the Telegraph) begging his bread from the settlers of Clive. This old Maori, having parted with all his possessions, and squandered may be the proceeds o' their sale, is too infirm to work at the potato patches of his hapu. He is consequently neglected by his people, who probably have helped to drink the rum, eat the sugar and flour, smoke the tobacco, and wear out the clothes bought by the old man’s money. Such is life. The orange has been sucked, and poor Waka is the peel that has been thrown aw .y.