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New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 4944, 26 January 1877, Page 2

We understand one'effect of the adoption of the Counties Act in the Hutt County will be the demise of the Hutt Local Board. Unable to tax, and without funds except such as the County may give them, the members of the Board are inclined’ to hand over all their functions to the County. At Messrs. Betbune and Hunter’s sale of Manawatu laud yesterday very few lots were disposed of. Several, however, had been withdrawn from sale previously to 2 o’clock, having been sold privately. If is very probable sales will be effected after the auction as on the last occasion similar lands were sold. The land is of excellent quality, and would, readilly sell on the deferred payment system, j A circular has been issued calling a meeting of persons interested in hotel property with the intention, if possible, of forming a mutual licensed victuallers’ fire insurance company. The cause for this action is said to be “ the difficulty, and in many cases the impossibility, of obtaining insurance for anything like a fair value on hotel properties." As stated in yesterday’s issue it was intended if possible to pull off the Outrigger Race yesterday morning at six o’clock; but the weather proving unfavorable again, the ’ match did not take place. At present the intention is to have the race pulled off on Saturday; the Timaru crew, who had arranged to leave by the Taranaki, having postponed their departure until the next available steamer. A cowardly attack having been miwle in an evening paper upon a gentleman in Wellington, coupled with an assertion that he was author of a review which appeared in yesterday’s issue of the Times, it may be as well to say that the assertion is unfounded, and that the conjectures as to the authorship are quite wrong. We take not the slightest notice of the little paragraphs which appear nightly respecting the Times; but when the ill-favored boor who prostitutes liberty into license attacks gentlemen quite unconnected with the paper, it is but fair to contradict such malicious statements. At the Resident Magistrate’s Court yesterday, James Williams, a boy of about eleven years of age, was charged with assaulting one Mary Ann Lund. It appeared that tor some reason not arrived at from the evidence, the boy had thrown at Mary Ann a stone, but the boy denied that his performance with thestone was intentional. The youngster was dismissed on payment of costs, his Worship explaining to complainant that it would be undesirable to send so young a boy to prison . to associate with criminals, and his employer, Mr. Quin, would probably look after him and prevent his doing the like again. The crew of the Black Diamond met the crew of the Danger, as invited by advertisement, last evening. Mr. Ellaby, as lion. sec. Regatta Committee, attended to see if the race could be worked into the programme on Saturday afternoon; but the Black Diamond creW anticipating they would have to work on the Friday night unloading the Wakatipu, it was decided the race should take place on Monday morning, starting from Nghauranga at 8 a.m., and finishing at the wharf. It was agreed that in case pnq t , member of the Black Diamond prow or Timaru, crew--! should be. unable to fovit* In the race,' a substitute might be taken, provided that substitute was not one of the Dolly Varden crew. Mr. Stewart kindly consented to act as starter, and Mr. EUaby was| requested to ask, some gentleman to act as judge. The stakes were deposited in the hands of Mr. Ellaby, not to be paid over unless under Written order signed by both starter and judge. The committee of the Hutt District Agricultural, Horticultural, and Pastoral Association! met at Valentine’s, Lower Hutt, on Wednesday evening, the Hon. W. Fitzherbert in the chair. The secretary reported that Messrs. Valentine and Hill had waited upon the president, the Hon. Mr. Fitzherbert, and that in response to their application he had agreed to lend a paddock in which the show might be held. Thanks were accorded to Mr. Fitzherbert for his kindness. A sub-committee to see to printing was - appointed, consisting of Messrs. Valentine and P. A. Buckley; another, consisting of Messrs, Braithwaite, Edwards, Knight, Cudby, and W. Buick, to arrange for the erection of pens and yards; a third, consisting of Messrs, J. H. Corbett, ’ Worth, McGrath, T. Bould, Buckley, J, Edwards, and Valentine,'to collect subscriptions; and the general committee was enlarged by the addition of. the names of Messrs. McGrath, Bould, and Cooper. Messrs. Buckley and Valentine were also appointed a deputation to

obtain from the Government the concession of cheap trains on show day. After transacting further routine business the meeting adjourned. A meeting of creditors in the estate of A. H. McLean took place yesterday, and Mr. T. K. Macdonald was appointed trustee, Mr. Emmet appeared for the last time at the Theatre Royal last night, and, as might have been expected, had a very good house, the dress circle, pit, and stalls being well filled. It will be seen that the unpulled races in connection with the Anniversary Regatta have been made into quite a nice programme for Saturday afternoon. Moses Stevenson and Daniel Richards, two of the Himalaya seamen, who were arrested on Wednesday, were brought up at the Resident Magistrate’s Court yesterday and remanded. The Wellington volunteer rifle representatives depart for Hokitika on the 15th of next month, to take part in the Interprovincial Rifle Match, which comes off on the 19th of February. The bad weather on Tuesday interfered with the preparations for the annual treat to the children attending St. Paul’s Church Sundayschool, and made it necessary that it should be postponed till Saturday. In reference to Woodgate’a case we have received the following letter, dated Picton, Wednesday ; “ They have not been able to get a hangman anywhere, and hardly a rope. The wretched man has been kept in fear of death since “eight o’clock this morning, expecting to be hanged every moment. Is this British justice ? The people here are unanimous in thinking the evidence adduced at the trial insufficient. Four of the jury could neither read nor write, and one, the foreman,- had vowed before the trial took place that he would hang Woodgate if he was on the jury. Truly the idea that a fellow should possibly be in a . position so as to be in reality dying for twenty-four hours is regarded as monstrous.” The European residents in Fiji are again agitating for responsible government. The Fiji Times of a recent date reports that in answer to certain questions or suggestions with respect to representative institutions put to the Governor at the meeting recently held at Vuna Point, his Excellency replied “that self-government was by far the beat form of government for all parties where the people were able to, govern themselves, but that he anticipated no change in the constitution of a country such as this was. It was not likely that the power of governing the colony would be granted either to the mass of the people, who were not fit for it, or to a small oligarchy of different races and interests from the mass of the people.” A,very severe accident happened during the ast event at the Taratahi races. It appears that the gatekeeper was driving a trap through the gate, and when crossing the course the ; horses were seen to be coming round, and (says the News Letter) the riders shouted to him to get out of the way ; but instead of doing this he stopped his horse and trap on the course and looked at the horses coming. The first horse, Creeping Jane, brushed past the trap, which skinned the rider’s leg. The next, which was Playboy, ran head first into the wheel of the trap, throwing the rider up in the air, who fell •on his head on the opposite side, also capsizing the trap. Playboy was killed, and his rider had his head cut open just above the eye. It was at first expected that he would not recover, and he was at once taken to Mr. Ray’s Taratahi Hotel, but to-day he managed to ride home. The rider of Nowhere had his knee smashed, and is still at the Taratahi Hotel in 'a very precarious state. Playboy was the property of Mr. Renall, but was sold for £37 previous to the race starting. The United States correspondent of the Sydney Morning Herald writes : —lt is reported that the Government propose to assist emigrants from the United States to Sydney. Australian Commissioners who are now in Philadelphia with whom I have spoken on the subject are of opinion that the Government are acting wisely in the matter, and that with care in selection a valuable class of persons may be obtained. The depression in railway matters has thrown a large number of railway laborers out Of work, who have not yet been absorbed into other pursuits. The success or otherwise of the scheme iyill altogether depend upon the discretion exercised in the selection of applicants. Proportionately, there is as large a number of thriftless and criminal people in New York as in the large cities of England ; but it is important to observe that, even on the low grounds of self-interest, it will be the business of those who may act for the colony in this responsible matter to carefully weed out the “ deadheads” and the “ bumme’s.” An adjourned meeting of the Wellington District Highway Board took place at the Hutt on Wednesday. Present—Messrs. Mason (chairman), Taylor, Speedy, Dick, Baylis, and Smith. Below are the minutes of the proceedings. The following amounts were ordered to be paid:—No. 1 A Ward—Monk and Anderson, £l6 ; William Longhurst, £5 ; William Longhurst, £7 10s. No. 4 Ward— Henry Williams, £lO ; Messrs. Sinclair, £6 195.; Messrs. Collis, £lO. No. 6 Ward—Wm. N. Mauley, £26 11s. 6d. Contingencies—Proprietors New Zealand Times, £llss. It was moved and carried that the deviation as shown on the plan furnished by Mr. Manley, of the Upper Mungaroa extension, be accepted, and the Clerk be instructed to have the road gazetted. That the plan of Moore’s Valleyroad be accepted, and that the Clerk be instructed to have it gazetted. That tenders be called for keeping the following reads in repair from the 6th March, 1877, to 6th March, 1878: —Horokiwi District-road, Wadestown, Old Kaiwarra-road to Chew’s, Old Kaiwarra-road from top of hill to Old Porirua-road, South Tukapu-road, N of th Tukapu-road, Porirua Bayroad, and Old Ohariu-road. That the valuators be paid, viz.;—P. Greer, No. 1 Ward, £4O ; Joseph Hall, Nos. 3,5, and 6 Wards, £4B 15a. 6d.; and Thomas Smith, £2O. A case of considerable importance to masters of passenger steamers was heard at the Sydney Water Police Court on January, 2. Captain Phineas Bevan, of the steamer Eclipse, was charged, says the Echo, “with overloading his steamer _ with passengers, while plying up the harbor towards Parramatta on New Year’s.day. The defendant admitted the allegation. The vessel was only licensed by the Marine Board to carry 80 people, but on the occasion in question more than 120 were on board. The defendant in excuse said that the proprietors of the vessel should be held responsible in the matter, for if he had refused to take command of the vessel his services would have jbeen dispensed with,~and any number of men’would be found to take his place. The Bench said that if another man had taken command of the steamer and allowed her to be overcrowded, he would be liable to heavy penalties; while in the-event of a fatal accident he would be arraigned for manslaughter. They could only look upon the present offence in the moat serious manner, and expressed their disapproval of. the defendant’s conduct by fining him, under the 39th section of the Navigation Act, in the mitigated penalty of 205., with ss. on each passenger above the licensed number,' ss. fid. costs, and £1 Is. professional costs.”