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New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 4930, 10 January 1877, Page 2

His Worship the Mayor, Councillors Dransfield and Mills formed a deputation from the Corporation yesterday to the Hon, the Premier, to request that the Government should, upon terms, hand over, when reclaimed, the land included in O’Malley’s contract,- and extending from Mills’ foundry to Pipitea Point. They offered to take over all liabilities, agreeing, of • course, that the Government should retain ten acres for railway station purposes, paying for the cost of the reclamation of that extent. The Premier expressed his sense of the desirableness of the land becoming the property of the Corporation, and said personally he was quite friendly to the object; but he was bound to say it was anticipated when the provincial accounts were made up that the provincial district of Wellington would be indebted to the General Government in the sum of about £40,000. This reclaimed land was a provincial asset, and the Government would have to make the most of it. In the meantime, therefore, he could do nothing, but hereafter something might be done. The deputation, having thanked the Premier for his courtesy, retired. At the Resident Magistrate’s Court yesterday Mr. Jackson charged Mrs. Tollens with having permitted a ferocious dog to be at large. It appeared that this dog had made an attack upon a relation of the complainant. Defendant stated that she was not the_ owner ot the dog, having sold it to Mr. and it subsequently appeared that Mr. Beavis had since destroyed the animal, so nothing came of the case. The Education Board will meet on Wednesday next. Mr. Lee, who finished his tour of inspection before Christmas, js now busily engaged in the preparation of his annual report for submission to the meeting. Other business of importance will wo understand come before the Board.

A sale of unclaimed goods is announced at the Queen’s wharf, F. shed, for 23rd inst. Mrs. Scott-Siddons has arrived in New Zealand by the Arawata. Miss Griffiths’ school, Mulgrave-street, resumes duties on 25th inst. The City Surveyor gives notice that for the future water from the Corporation mains must be used for domestic purposes only. The Karori-Makara Highway Board give notice of the proclamation of an impounding' district. The Wellington City Council, acting as the Local Board of Health for the city of Wellington, direct the attention of the public to certain provisions of the Public Health Act. We call attention to the pleasure trip to Nelson by the Arawata. The steamer leaves Wellington on Friday night, and returns next evening ; but passengers have the option of returning by the Ringarooma. At the Theatre Royal last evening “ School ’’ was successfully repeated. To-night “ Caste, and. a farce form the bill. On Thursday night « Elizabeth ” is to be played, and on Monday night, the last night of the season, Mr. Bates takes his benefit. Several correspondents have written to us making complaints of the delay attendant upon the unloading of one of the ships now at the Queen’s Wharf. It seems that the crew alone are- employed in discharging, and that this is performed in a leisurely manner that does not suit the tastes of consignees. A meeting of the committee of the Benevolent Institution was held yesterday afternoon. Present —D. Lewis, Esq., elected chairman, Archdeacon Stock, Rev, B, "W, Harvey, Rev. W. H. West, Rev, A. Reid, the Mayor, Messrs. L. Levy, J. G. Holds worth, and the secretary. Subscriptions received ; Mrs. Buxton, £1; Mr. L. Levy, £1 ls._; Mr. D. Lewis, £2 2s. Several cases of distress were considered and relieved. We have been shown a sample of virgin silk manufactured in Wellington, and grown by Mr. William Barber, son of Mr. Barber, dyer. There were two skeins, which Mr. Barber himself wound off, and as will be well understood, especially by those who are acquainted with silk worms, his patience and perseverance must have been great. The sample shown was the result of 300 cocoons, there being as usual the two shades, a rich yellow and silver color. This is the first silk in any quantity that has ever been manufactured in Wellington, and the fact may be hailed with satisfaction, as great results may follow such small beginnings, attained by the patient industry and care of one individual. We understand that Mr. Barber intends acquiring sufficient silk from his stock of worms to make a handkerchief, and it is said that he will not have to go out of the colony to have the silk spun. In Victoria the manufacture of silk has received considerable attention of late, so much indeed that a company has already been started for that purpose, and the great demand for the article everywhere will do doubt insure the venture turning out a complete success. We hope to see something in this direction taken up in our colony before long. Both here and in Auckland the mulberry tree flourishes,, and there is nothing whatever to interfere with the growth of the worm. Frequent complaints have been made of late in some of the country districts with regard to the destruction done to properties adjoining public roads by stray cattle. In consequence of this the Karori-Makara Highway Board, at a meeting held on the 2nd of September last year, passed a resolution making the public road from the city boundary to the Karori junction subject to the provisions of the 25th section of the Impounding Act of 1874, by virtue of which cattle running at large on the (road thus defined are liable to be impounded by occupiers of land adjoining the said road. The clause giving this power to occupiers of land can only take effect after a resolution passed by the Board bringing it into operation, and defining the particular localities to which it shall apply- In another column the chairman of the Karori-Makara Board notifies the fact.of, the Karori-road now being subject to the provisions of the 25th section of the Act. ' A miraculous escape from being struck by lightning occurred during the progress of a thunderstorm across the eastern end of Geelong. The Advertiser says:—Mrs. Bignell, a lady who resides near the Botanical Gardens, was standing in the doorway of her house watching the vivid flashes of lightning, when all of a sudden a ball of fire passed within a foot of where she was standing, went through the house by the back door, which was ripen at the time, and exploded just over the house with a terrific crash. Mrs. Bignell was forced on to a chair, but not hurt, and although she had her senses, she was powerless to speak for nearly an hour and a half. The ball of fire is described when it appeared to burst to be composed of all the colors of the rainbow. The southern colonies are gradually solving the problem of “ cheap railways.” The Melbourne correspondent of the S. M, Herald remarks :—“The scheme of railway extension announced by Sir James McCulloch embraces ten new country lines, of an aggregate length of 264 miles ; three suburban lines of a total length of 16 J miles ; and one of 5 miles,, to connect the Melbourne and Hobson’s Bay line with that now in course of construction to Gippsland. Our last batch of railway extensions was made at a very large reduct:on in cost as compared with that of previous lines—that is to say, at £5600,-per mile ; but the Government propose to make the new country lines at a still cheaper rate, namely, at £4250 per mile.” The Capricornican, a Queensland paper, ga y S ; —“ A short but very important measure of'the session now just closing is the Municipalities Endowment Act, which has already received the Governor’s assent, and is consequently the law of the land. Under its provisions towns will be encouraged to seek incorporation as municipalities by an endowment of £2 from the Treasury for every £1 raised by rates and assessments. After the primary difficulties of municipalities hayo been surmounted, the endowment will he reduced to £1 for each £1 locally raised. The advantage of this Act to the chief towns of the colony will be apparent, when we state that, under the Municipalities Act of 1364, the endowments ceased after the period of fifteen years from the date of incorporation, and that in consequence the largest Corporations in the colony were this year deprived of all assistance from the public Treasury.” Sullivan, the Maungatipu murderer (writes th e Bendigo Advertiser’s Inglewood correspondent) is again about. A person who was here last week, from Newbridge, states that he was, before becoming aware of the character of the operator, shaved by the miscreant, who is travelling about as a barber, A constable ordered or advised Sullivan to leave, which he did immediately.