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New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 4972, 28 February 1877, Page 2

The English mail will be delivered in Wellington this morning. As Messrs. Pearce and Hunter have secured the Odd Fellows' Hall, the meeting on Friday evening will be held in that building. It is not only high time that something was done in the direction of extending the present wharf, but the necessity for the thorough repair of it has. long been apparent to the, slightest observer. There is consequently somts* satisfaction in knowing that the Corporation ■ are entering into the matter, and that something will ere long be done to increase the wharf accommodation.," Thirty-six insolvents have filed their schedules in Dunedin since the commencement of the present, year. One of the papers attributes this accession of. bankruptcy business mainly to the- increased facilities for whitewashing under the new Debtors and Creditors Act. In Wellington for the same period the bankruptcies have not been half of thirty-six ; but then the Dunedin people are smart. At a meeting of the Benevolent Institution yesterday afternoon there wore present— J. C. Crawford (in the chair), Bishop of Wellington, Archdeacon Stock, Rev. A. Reid, H. W. West, D. Lewis, and J. G. Holdsworth. Subscriptions received as follows :—W. B. JJhodes, £lO ; E. Toomath, £2 2s. Several case's were relieved. The general meeting was fixed for Tuesday next at 4.30 p.m. ' A little sensation was created last evening by a bolt in Willis-street. A horse attached to a cart the property of the Empire Steam Laundry Company took fright, and galloped up the street at a great pace. It was brought to a stop in front of the Times office, and no damage was discovered.

The Education Board meet to-day at 11 o'clock. The • business to be considered is large and important. The Dunedin Jockey Club has decided to allow no'bookmaker to be a member of the club' The third annual meeting of the Napier Gas Company (Limited) has been adjourned till the Ist March at 11 a.m. On Thursday a cricket match between the I Zingari Club and the Bohemians will take place, play beginning at 11 a.m. We hear that a cricket match is being arranged between the first eleven of the Wellington College against an eleven composed of masters and parents. We have been requested to state that Madame Atlanti's entertainment has been postponed in consequence of the hall not being ready. A supplement to the New Zealand Gazette of Thursday, February 22, has been published, containing a number of notices under the Native Land Acts of 1873-74. There was a large attendance of the Artil. lery Volunteers last night for monthly inspection. The company, headed by the band, marched out after inspection. Constable McMahou brought a lunatic from Manawatu yesterday. The unfortunate lunatic, whose name is Cameron, was conveyed to the Mount View Asylum.

To show the great need for a hospital in the Patea district, the Mail mentions that there are at all times patients laid up in buildings temporarily set aside for such cases. The decrepit Maori boy who had been kept alive for months by immersion in one of the hot Bpringsi.at Taupo, is reported as having died recently. ,„ Tha Hon., W. Fox's picnic at his beautiful place* Westoe, to the total abstainers of Rangitikei, Manawatu, and Wanganui, was held on Thursday last, and was a most successful and pleasant affair. People are beginning to be alive to the necessity of providing their dogs (when they have any) with collars. No less than thirty were registered yesterday. The number of dog registrations now amounts to 611 for the year. The Chicago Minstrels are announced to appear on Saturday evening at the Odd Fellows' Hall. The full advertisement appears in another column, from which it will be seen that a very talented company has been collected together.

The "Mirror of England" was fairly at-' tended last .evening ; the audience expressed satisfaction at the performance, and a great interest was taken in the distribution of the prizes. To-night is positively the last night but one of this show. After Thursday it will proceed to the Wairarapa; The Lyttelton Times says that at Friday's meeting of the Selwyn County Council it was resolved that members living at a greater distance than ten miles from Christchurch should receive travelling allowance at the rate of £1 per day. As it was afterwards decided that the Council should only meet annually, this will not amount to a very large sum. The Christchurch Telegraph Club will be represented at the Kaiapoi Regatta by a fouroar crew, comprising-H. S. Willcox (stroke), H. W. Dawson, B. Guinness, and G. Day. The members of the crew are in active training, and have obtained the loan of the Endeavor, which whs originally built by Mr. Reese for the Avon Rowing Club. The drama " Our Nelly " and the burlesque of "Lurline" were repeated at the Theatre Royal last evening, the audience being fairly numerous. __ It was pleasing to notice that the orchestra was more and consequently the burlesque waß much more successful than on the previous night, the songs and dances " going" splendidly. , To-night the comedy of "Tottles," and the side-splitting farce, "The Young: Widow," will be performed.

There were a number of civil eases set down for hearing at the Resident Magistrate's Court, yesterday. In the following judgments were given for the amount claimed, and costs : Pollock and Young v. Hopkins, claim. £1 3s. 7i; Same v. Irvine, claim £3 19s. 4d.; Same claim £9 ss. 3d.; Same v. Moody, claim" £6 2s. 3d.; Tavlor v. Cameron, claim £7 18s. Id.; Plimmer v. Gilbert, claim £lO 14s. 4d.; Somerville v. Johns, claim £1 15s. It seems that esprit de corps may survive in a Wellington cricket club long after it has altogether given up playing cricket at all, and ,whenbats,balls,andßtumps,committeemeetmgs, annual reports,and theusual belongings of cricket clubs have passed away. The long defunct Zingari Cricket Club wishes once again to renew and enjoy the eclat it claims to have had in Wellington in olden times. Without for one moment wishing to suggest that this club, with its claimed prestige, must have been somewhat lazy in not keeping on its legs, we have nevertheless old-fashioned ideas on the subject, and whatever may be the result of the coming match, our sympathy is certainly with those clubs who do keep on fighting their way upwards, with proper emulation, year by year. If some old veteran cricketers had come out of their shell, after long lying dormant, to tackle the players of the present generation, this indeed would be a most interesting and popular match ; but as far as we can learn at present, this is not quite the sort of thing we nave to expect. We will only add we hope there will be a good day's cricket. A civil case, Somerville v. Johns, was heard in the" Resident Magistrate's Court yesterday, the object'of the Buit being to test the liability of the defendant for damage done by a runaway horse which belonged to him. It appeared from the evidence that Mr. Johns' boy was on horseback, and called at Mr. Tinney's shop in Molesworth-street to get some patterns. The patterns frightened the horse, and in bolting down the street it ran into a cab belonging to Mr. Somerville, doing damage to the extent of £1 55., for which amount Mr, Johns was now sued. Mr. Gordon Allan, for the defendant, contended that the damage was purely the result of accident, but Mr. Travers, for the plaintiff, submitted that the collision did not arise out of an accident. Had the horse been frightened by a Punch-and-Judy show, or, by a sudden flash of something unusual, the blame would not rest with the defendant; but to put on a horse's back a lot of mouldings waß sufficient to frighten it, and as a matter of fact the horse did take fright from this cause. The defendant was, therefore, liable for the Mr. Crawford concurred :in this view, and judgment was given for the amount claimed. ■: • ■■-

The meeting of the committee of the Hutt Agricultural, Horticultural, and Pastoral Society, which took place. on Monday night at the Railway Hotel, Lower Hutt., was very numerously attended, and a deal of business was transacted. After considerable discussion Mr. William Buick moved, and Mr. Braith;_waite seconded, that rule 12 stand as at present, which was carried.—Mr. J. Edwards then gave an account of the progress made in laying out the show-yard, &c.—Mr. Valentine moved, and Mr. J>. Sinclair seconded,-that Mr. Duncan's prize, a side-saddle value £7 10s., be given for the best lady's hack exhibited.—-Mr. T. Caverhill moved, and Mr. D Knight:seconded, that Mr. Dutton's prize of a valuable inkstand be given for the beat 61bs. of printed butter.—Mr. Buckley moved, and Mr. Braithwaite seconded, that all school children attending schools in the Hutt County should be admitted free, on presenting a memorandum from their teacher.—The arrangements respecting the refreshment booths were left to the subcommittee appointed to look after them. Mr. Sinclair stated what the judges committee had done, and the question of deciding the numbers was adjourned till next meeting.—Mr. Braithwaite moved, and Mr. D. Buick seconded, that nine stewards be appointed, and on thesuggestion of Messrs. D. Buick and Caverhill, it Was decided tbat they should be distinguished on the day of show by ribbon or rosette. —Mr. Valentine agreed to clear out a house for Btoring the spirits, wines, and beers to be exhibited.—As it was expected the day would be held as a public' holiday, and the Governor and suite would be present, Mr. Buckley moved the appointment of a luncheon committee to provide for the entertainment of his

Excellency, the judges, stewards, &c. The usual vote of thanks having been passed to the chairman, the meeting adjourned till Friday evening, iu the Railway Hotel, at 8 o'clock. An impression, it seems, has got abroad that there is a want of accommodation in the new Theatre Royal Hotel. That iinpresssion, it may be said, is entirely erroneous, as anyone who cares to pay the building a visit may see for himself. It is indeed one of the finest hotels of its kind in the Australasian colonies, and would not be a discredit to any city. The rooms are lofty and well furnished, and there is generally a delightful appearance of elegance and ease about the premises. ;;; The embroglib between the Victorian Government and the.firm of Stevenson and.Sonß seems to have come to an end. A telegram in another column announces that the firm have decided not to proceed with their • actions against the Government. It has been stated that Stevenson and Sons have, at considerable expense, obtained the fullest information'as'to their transactions, and whilst' they are unwilling to expose their business before the public, they nevertheless, are,desirous of laying all vouchers before a committee of merchants.

At the Resident Magistrate's Court yester-' day a man named Thomas Cherry was brought up on remand to answer a charge of having assaulted J. J. M. Montgomery at one o'clock on Saturday merning. A part of the evidence was taken on Monday, and the case was remanded for the production of a witness. Mr. Gordon Allan defended. Mr. Young now being present was examined. He statea that he was walking with Montgomery, when they met prisoner, who said " Good night;" prisoner passed them, but soon overtook them again and said " You have stolen sd. from me, and I'll give you five inches of cold steel;" then prisoner and Montgomery had a scufflej and the former was knocked down ; he then got up and ran away ; witness did not see a knife in prisoner's hand ; Montgomery and himself were sober ; witness and Montgomery had had a drink together at Diamond's Hotel, but they were,none the worse for it; they did not say anything to prisoner before he attacked Montgomery. Sergeant Monaghan produced a knife which had been taken from the prisoner at the lock-up. Mr. Allan said that prisoner bore a good character on board the ship on which he was a sailor. He submitted that the prisoner only took out the knife in selfdefence, when he saw that there were two men against bim. His Worship, addressing prisoner, said—l suppose this case, like many others of assault, has been caused by drinking. The prisoner appears to have got into a state of delusion about iivepence and two shillings and elevenpence, which probably he would not have done had he been in a thoroughly sober state. This habit of using a knife is one which requires to be put down with a very strong hand, and had it not been that the' prisoner appears to be a quiet inoffensive man in general, I should certainly have inflicted the full penalty of two month's imprisqninent; with hard labor. But lam unwilling to inflict so heavy a sentence on this occasion, because the prisoner appears to be be a quiet inoffensive man. I would advise him, however, to beware of drink in future. I shall commit him for seven days' imprisonment, with hard labor. The Scotsman says:—The recent secessions from the Free Church again formed the subject of debate at meetings of the Established and Free Presbyteries of Glasgow. The Rev. F. L. Robertson brought a motion before the former body that henceforward applications by ministers and congregations of other churches for admission into the Church of Scotland should be made in open court, and should be referred to a committee, to be reported on at a subsequent meeting. This was supported by Dr. Marshall Lang, who thought the proposal so reasonable and wise that there could be no opposition ;to it. Dr. Munro, however, moved the previous question, holding that if the motion were adopted it would throw discredit on what had been done at the last meeting, and ministers who were thinking of joining the Church would fancy that the Presbytery were going to put them in the crucible. The amendment was adopted by, twenty-fi /e votes to six. The Free Presbytery, after a discussion, in which the conduct of the pastor of, the Dover-street Church in seceding to the Establishment was characterised as "heartless," " shameful," and " dishonorable," passed a resolution declaring the Rev. David Taylor no longer a minister or member of the Church.' The following particulars of the fire which occurred at Foxton, whereby Mr. Beatty'B store was totally destroyed, are given in the Manawatu Times :—lt appears that Mr. Beatty, on retiring to bed about eleven o'clock, perceived a smell of fire, and saw smoke issuing from a portion of the premises, and almost immediately afterwards the whole of the building was in flames—entirely beyond the efforts of the few people who had arrived on the scene to subdue., A small portion of the stock was removed from the front shop, but the bulk of the goods on the premises was destroyed. Fortunately Mr. Beatty's family were away from home, or, from the rapidity with which the fire gained ground, more serious consequences might have ensued. ; As it is we feel that all in the district will sympathise with Mr. Beatty in his loss, as he had only recently effected great improvements on the premises at a considerable outlay. The origin of the fire has not yet transpired, arid as the whole of the premises are completely destroyed it is unlikely that the cause will be traced.

The last lot of American salmon, numbering between 700 arid 800, will be liberated in the north branch of the Waimakariri (says the Lyttelton. Times). This will make a total of 37,000 turned out, and they have been distributed among the following rivers:—Hurunui, Ashley, North Branch of the Waimakariri, Avon, , Irwell, Little Rakaia, Opihi, and Waihi. It is worthy of record that not more than thirty of the salmon died while in the gardens, but owing to the others not being liberated until they had become rather too old, a'considerable number, say about 10 per cent of the whole, died during the process of removal. There are still many in the gardens, but the curator will be unable to catch them until they are much larger. Some of them are now four inches in length, and when it is considered that it is not three months since they were hatched out, they must be deemed to have grown very fast. In a contribution to the Argus concerning small-pox in Victoria the following occurs : *" When there was an epidemic of small-pox in New Zealand some years ago, the medical men displayed a callousness which caused a very considerable sensation amongst the mothers "and fathers "of * the white. children. With a supreme indifference to prejudice, the doctors actually vaccinated the white children from the arms of the dusky Maoris, and vaccinated them in a very successful manner, too. • This caused the sensation. The white mothers believed that with the lymph their children would acquire some of the Maori qualities, and perhaps develope a taste for cold missionary or lay reader barbacued. So high did the indignation run that the doctors stood in danger of being driven from society, because they refused to bow to the prejudices of the white •population, from whom the bulk of the fees were received. It is scarcely necessary to eay that none of the consequences predicted followed. There is no record of the vaccinated children of those days having developed a taste for Maori life ; they do not incline to cannabalism ; nor, we may as well add, have they shown that any of the virtues of the Maori have been carried into their constitutions with the cow-pox. The clamor which arose on this occasion may be taken as a very fair sample of the general ignorance which prevails, and of the curious belief that the ways of diseases are peculiarly mysterious, affecting not only the body, but altering the very constitution of the mind itself. Recently in this colony we have had something of the same kind manifested in regard to scarlet-fever." "Oh, that men should put an enemy in their mouths to steal away their brains. —Shakspebk. And yet this is precisely what men do who are led away by " old fogoy ideas, and partake of the crude concoctions heretofore called Schnapps, _ when they can procure at every hotel Lkdia«.ds Knickkkbocker Schnapps, The purest and best article (at once tonic, diuretic, anti-dyspeptic and aromatic) ;now known in the world of science.— [Apvt],