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New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 5079, 4 July 1877, Page 2

A meeting of the creditors of one MacMahon, a laborer, was called for yesterday, but ; there was no attendance of creditors, and the meeting lapsed.

The fact of the railway being open to the Upper Hutt enabled us to report the proceeding at the nomination for the Wairarapa yesterday in our present issue without the assistance of the telegraph. Leaving town by the first train* and the Upper Hutt at half: past nine o’clock, our reporter rode into Featherston in time to be present at the nomination at noon, and when that was over, he rode back and caught the last train into town, arriving in .Wellington at half-past six in the evening. As the day was most inclement and cold, the Uimutaka covered with snow, and snow storms frequent, our reporter’s ride of over 40 miles was not a pleasant one. A full report of proceeding at the nomination will bo found in another column.

Several petty jurymen failed to answer to their names when called yesterday, and so rendered themselves liable to fines. However, his Honor the Chief Justice, while he admonished the delinquents, said he wished to get the business of the Court done without fining jurymen, and he remitted the fines they had rendered themselves liable to. We understand that it is intended to send a football team to Wanganni on Saturday next. Arrangements jvill be made to-day.

The exhibition of Clifford’s Mirror of the World last night was well attended, and the various scenes presented to the audience were received with approbation. An entertainment will be given in the Uixon-street schoolroom on Friday evening, by the Young Men’s Wesleyan Mutual Improvement Association, The new Princess Theatre, Tory-street, will be opened this evening, and the occasion is to be celebrated by a private Masque Ball to be held there, dancing to commence at 9 o’clock. It is anticipated that the balll in point of costumes and attendance will be a great success. At the Resident Magistrate’s Court yesterday, John Johnston, Esq., J.P., Major Edmonds, J.P., and S. Deighton, Esq., J.P., presided. Several drunkards were fined, and several burgesses were fined for having allowed the chimneys of their houses to take fire. We learn that it is the intention of the employes of E. W. Mills, Esq., to entertain at a soiree, on Friday next, the son of their employer, E. C. E. Mills, Esq., who recently returned to Wellington from a visit to the old country. The soiree will be held in Palmer's rooms, and the affair, like all the festivities promoted under similar circumstances, is certain to prove a most enjoyable one. A meeting of the committee of the Web lington Benevolent Institution was held yesterday afternoon. Present—J. Woodward, Esq., elected chairman, Archdeacon Stock, Rev. B. W. Harvey, Rev. A. Reid, Rev. W. H, West, Rev. F. Trivett, Messrs. J. G-. Holdsworth, and C. P. Powles. Subscriptions received—His Excellency the Governor, £lO ; T.T.S., 10s. Several cases were considered and relieved.

A meeting of the Wellington Literary Association was held last evening, when a very interesting and instructive essay was read by one of the youngest members of the society, which caused a deal of discussion, on “ Volcanoes and Volcanic Action.” Another essay was on “Moral and Physical Courage.” The question, “ would the separation of the two islands be advantageous to New Zealand ” will be discussed next Tuesday. An exchange states that an enterprising grocer has adopted an original method of business. Each side of his store is fitted up for businessmen its own account. In the general arrangements each side is a duplicate of the other, the difference being that one side is cash and the other credit. If a cash customer enters, the goods and prices on the cash side are shown; but if it is one who want credft, he is shown the other side, and for the firstfljme in his life, perhaps, made to realise the value of ready money. Country district constables have their troubles like every one else in the world, and we may safely add that they sometimes have more than a legitimate share of “ buffeting” on the sea of life. They have much to contend against : for instance, in a district where there happen to be gentlemen of that peculiar habit or character known as the rowdy order. An instance of this occurred at the Upper Hutt yesterday. Now the Upper Hutt is a “ very nice place,” and the people there in a general way are agreeable aud hospitable. Therefore it is no reflection upon the district to record the fact that an occasional fight occurs, usually consequent upon over-indulg-ence on the part of the belligerents in alcohol. A fight occurred at the Upper Hutt yesterday, and Constable Gillespie, as in duty bound, arrested the parties, but while in the act of so doing he received a violent blow from a man wholly unconnected with the affray. The blow was a severe one, and left its impression on the constable’s countenance. This man was also arrested, not without difficulty, and will be brought to town to answer for; his misconduct. Such proceedings as this deserve to be severely dealt with, in order to secure respect for the law in places where its moral influence is its greatest strength, the affair to which we have just made reference being a case in point. Commenting on the appointment of Professor Pearson to organise the Education Department, a Victorian paper says:—“He is to receive, it is said, £I2OO a year, or £25 per week—in other words, as much as would support the families of a dozln miners—for having as we have said, delivered one lecture, made four speeches, and contested a single election in the interests of the Communists ! While there are scores of poor , creatures starving, and hundreds of families in a state of destitution in this mis-governed colony, fresh burdens are heaped on the taxpayers ; and there is even some talk of the Government spending £42,000 a year in paying the University fees of young men whose parents can very well afford to do so for their sons, in order to increase the number, of genteel idlers in the community, who want to live without work. And so the process of pauperising the colony proceeds from day to day; and so it is likely tb continue, now that the reign of jobbery has been formally, inaugurated. It is just a repetition of the infanious system of ‘ The spoils to the victors,’ which has wrought such incalculable evils in the United States. Nor should we be at all surprised to hear it declared that every other department in the public service is disorganised, and must be set right again by the introduction of a number of the creatures of the present Ministry, who wi 1 be allowed to dip their hands into the pockets of the unfortunate taxpayers as deeply as Professor Pearson is about to do. Toryism in power will prove to be a dear bargain for the deluded people before long. ...

A singular circumstance has been narrated to the Cambridge Board of Guardians (says The Times of April 11). It appears that a Great Eastern Railway Company fireman, residing at South-street, Cambridge, named Charles Lawrence, became ill at the beginning of last week, and on Friday night he was supposed to have died. He was “ laid out,” and in due time was put in his coffin. Some rumors being circulated as to the suddenness of his death, a communication was made to Mr. C. F. Jarrold, the deputycoroner, with a view to his holding an inquest. The coroner, learning that one of the medical practitioners of the towu had been in attendance on the man, wrote to know what the cause of death was. The following is the reply ;—“ Dear Sir, —In answer to the above, I attended Mr. Lawrence for five days with asthmatic bronchitis and valvular disease of the heart of some standing. His death was very sudden, as was to be expected. Believe me, my dear sir, yours faithfully, . He must have been suffering at least three months, and his disease was quite incurable.” Upon receipt of this letter the coroner properly determined that he would hold no inquest. On Tuesday afternoon Lawrence sat ■up in his coffin, and was astonished at his position. Yesterday, it is understood, he was up and walking about.

The well-known Mr. Coppin, of Melbourne, recently suffered a defeat in a contest for a seat in the House of Assembly. His constituents wanted to banquet him as consolation, but he said in reply that he considered a a banquet “an embarrassing social nuisance, and an unproductive demand upon friendship.”

The present Cabinet in Turkey is, the Athenamm says, quite a literary party, consisting ot the remaining colleagues of Fuad and Ali Pi'shas. Besides Munif Pasha, it includes Ahmed Yefik Effendi, historian and numismatist ; Ahmed Jevdet Pasha, the mollah, the historian of Turkey j Kadri Bey, now Pasha, the rival and coadjutor of Munif Pasha in the educational cause ; and Ohamnes Effendi Chamich, the best writer in Turkish among the Armenians. These are all practical statesmen, and from early life have been the leaders of reform and of intellectual progress in Turkey.