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New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 5027, 4 May 1877, Page 4

We observe by i Australian papers that it was Austrian securities that underwent a fall of 7 per cent, on the declaration of war.not Australian 1 per cent., as was telegraphed. Warnings were yesterday issued by Captain Edwin for easterly gales. A heavy gale from the N.E. was blowing all yesterday at Russell and Hokianga, and the sea at the former place was very heavy.

In our commercial columns will be found an interesting item from the " Wellington Prices Current" for the present mouth. It gives a return of the quantity and value of the wool exported from Wellington this. season, which, as will be seen, already exceeds that of last season by 2,400,0001b5. The usual monthly meeting of the KaroriMakara Highway Board will be held on Saturday, the sth May, at 2 o'clock, in the old schoolroom, Karori. The most important business will be to consider the invitation emanating from the Hutt Council, that the various local bodies comprised within the county should levy an uniform rate of Is. in the £, thus obviating the necessity for the county to levy a separate rate. At the Resident Magistrate's Court yesterday the business was as follows :—James Kerr was fined 10s. for being drunk and disorderly, and a protection order was, on the application of his wife, ordered to issue against him. There was one case of drunkenness, and Henry Wilson, charged with larceny of articles, to the value of £lO, was remanded, on the application of Mr. Ollivier, who appeared to prosecute, bail being allowed, prisoner in his own recognizance of £SO, and one surety in a, like amount.

A programme of athletic sports, to take place oa the Queen's Birthday—Thursday, the 24th inst.—at the Basin Reserve, is published in our advertising columns. It will be seen that the events on the card are numerous and various, and that the prizes are of considerable value. .The auniversary of her Majesty'** natal day is always the Beason of a general holiday throughout the British dominions, and is kept up in New Zealand with as much spirit and loyalty as in any part of the world. If the weather prove fine, we have no doubt that a very large number of visitors will-be attracted to the Basin Reserve, and that the prizes will be keenly contested. ■ . ' The unusually extensive exhibitions of beef and mutton at the shop of Messrs. Barber have of late formed the subject of surprise and admiration. Yesterday again there was on view at the Willis-street establishment an immense bullock, hung up whole. The carcase weighed no less than 1750 pounds, from which an idea may be gathered of its ; size. It at-' tracted a good deal of attention during the afternoon and evening. "

The ivcto Zealand Herald mentions that Mr. Domett, the well-known ex-Miuister in this colony, and the, author of the .fine poem, " Ranolf and Aniohia," has in the hands of" the publishers, Smith and Elder, a volume of poems to. be.called "Flotsam and Jetsam : Rhymes Old and New." The book will contain thirty pieces, all of which,are new except six, which were published' in Blackwood years ago., ; The annual general meeting of the Wellington Public Hall Company will be held on Monday next at three o'clock, for the purpose of receiving the directors' report and balancesheet for the year ended March 31, 1877, and for the election of three directors and two auditors.

' The uew Catholic school buildings just completed at the upper part of Boulcott-streetlook very imposing, and as to the detail work about them it certainly does the builder great credit. For a school there is every possible convenience that could be imagined. The ground is now being enclosed by a high fence. There were a large number of cases set down for hearing on the civil list at. the Kesident Magistrate's Court yesterday morning, most of them being taken out by the city valuer, Mr. Ames, against defaulting ratepayers. They were soon, disposed of.

A smart shock of earthquake was felt ; at Queenstown about 8 p.m. on Wednesday; direction from north-west to south-east. Strange to say, it was not accompanied by any rumbling or other noise. ,Mr. F. Mountier, nurseryman, Tasmanstreet, calls the attention of the public by advertisement to his stock of hardy, ornamental, and evergreen shrubs, forest trees, hollies, &c, and gives quotations of prices, &c. The Waste Lands Board notify by advertisement that certain lands on the East Coast are declared pastoral, and open to purchase at 7b. 6d. per acre, on and after the sth June. A list of the sections is given. The forty-second general meeting of the Wellington Building Society for the payment of subscriptions, sale of shares, &c, will be held at the offices, Panama-street, at seven o'clock this evening. ;:■„ It will be seen by a notice in our advertising columns that the new billiard-room at Mr.' Hugheß' Melbeurne Hotel is now open. Arrangements have been made for a match to be played on it this evening. A meeting of the Board of Governors of the Wellington College will be held on Monnay next at fioon at the offices of the Education Board,

The Stella left port last evening to bring the Hon. Mr. Whitaker from Auckland, and, as - she returns, the Hon. Major Atkinson from Taranaki. Messrs. Baker and Farron appeared again last evening to a moderate attendance,. the play ef " Lisa Eceles" being repeated. We would draw particular attention to the an. nouncement in another column that the per* formance this evening will be for the benefit o£ Messrs. Baker and Farron. Colonial cricketers (writes the S.A. Advertiser) will be glad to learn that definite arrangements are being made for taking an eleven of Australia to India and the old country. We have it on the best authority that several of the leading players of New South Wales, Kendall, Midwinter, and Hodges, of Victoria, . and Arthur and Bailey, of Tasmania, have consented to join the team, but the final selection will not be made until after the ihtercocolonial match in Melbourne on Boxing Day. South Australia will have a chance of being represented in the team should one or more of our Adelaide players show sufficiently good form during the intervening months to warrant their selection. There are at least sixteen good names now on the list from which, to select, but the desire is to make the ele ren. thoroughly intercolonial, and almost entirely amateur, but good enough to play against the county elevens of England. Coates will be captain of the team, and Bannerman will be included in it. In fact, all the best Sydney bats have consented to go Home if choseny with the exception of Evans, who has not yet giren a reply. After the Boxing Day match in Melbourne, the selected men will play a round of matches at Ballarat, Sandhurst, Adelaide, Melbourne,"'and 'Sydney. From Sydney they will probably return to Melbourne, and play a final match ere they take ship for India. They will play against ' the leading clubs' of Colombo, Madras, Bombay, and Allahabad, and after their Indian tour will proceed to England. Mr. John ■' Conway, the well-known cricketer and sporting writer, will accompany the team as agents - and under his experienced guidance it is to be hoped the Australian Eleven will achieve victory in the field, and make their tour a financial success. '".''.'' Among the passengers to England by the Durham on her last outward trip was Captain Coote, the agent for Siemens Bros., cable contractors, whose proposals for a duplication o£ the present telegraphic service with India and Europe came before the recent conference at Sydney. It is understood (says the Age), that Captain Coote goes Home to lay before his principals certain proposals that ". have been made, which would give these colonies an independent duplicate service, and that he will return in November next with, fall power to carry out the original scheme or any modification of it to its completion. Before Captain Coote left he received the assurance of the Victorian Government that it was most unlikely anything would be done to give effect to the main resolutions of the Sydney conference, unless by any serious and prolonged interruption' of communication it became necessary to take action, wholly irrespective of the interests of the Eastern Extension Company^—Midwinter, the well-known cricketer, was also a passenger by the Durham.

Messrs. Beauchamp, Campbell, and Co. will sell at their rooms, at two o'clock this afternoon, fencing wire, brass foundry, Smith's patent hinges, American shovels, and sundries, enumerated in our advertising columns.