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New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 5084, 10 July 1877, Page 2

The following instructions regarding immigration arrangements for the current year have been sent to the Agent-General. He is to send out 5000 immigrants altogether ; distribution to be as follows:—Auckland, 400 ; Taranaki, 100 ; Wellington, 400 ; Napier, 400; Otago, 1700, including about 350 for Invercargill ; Canterbury, 1700 ; Nelson, 100 ; Blenheim, 100 ; and Westland 100. In each case there is to be as large a proportion as possible of single women, the balance being ploughmen, farm laborers, shepherds, bricklayers, and carpenters. He is not to send any large families of young children, unless nominated. The first ships should arrive in October ; but none after February, Nominated immigrants arc to bo preferred. A portion of the above will bo sent from the Clyde, as formerly ; but the total number for the year is not to exceed the 5000.

We notice by our Sydney files that Mr. H. H. Davenport, who, it will be remembered, was so ill when the troupe was in Wellington, is dead. The “ Mirror of the World ” proves as attractive as ever to a large section of the public, being attended last evening by a very fair audience, who appeared highly delighted with the entertainment. “ Faust and Marguerite” and the farce “ Hunting a Turtle” were repeated to a failattendance at the Theatre Royal last evening, and the performance was as successful as on the previous evening. To-night the above programme will be again repeated for the last time, and to-morrow evening Bulwer Lytton’s grand play of “ Richelieu” will be produced. The supposition as to the identity of the body found on the Hutt-road beach on Thursday has proved correct. It was, as shown by the inquest held yesterday afternoon, that of George Cleveland. It will be seen from our report of the inquest, that Cleveland was pretty well advanced in yeai-s. He leaves a wife and family, who live in Auckland.

The case of Heggarty, on remand for alleged perjury, was called on yesterday ; but as Heggarty had been sent to Featherston, where the charge against him for arson will be heard, he could not appear, and the magistrate could not remand the case in his absence, so the perjury charge was virtually thrown out. Of course he may be arrested again, if necessary, on the same charge. The chess match, Town v. Civi Service, was resumed last evening, when the following games were played:— ■ Town. Civil Service. Winner. Reeves v Hullett .. Reeves .T.eary v. Wright . ■ Wright Whittem v. VonDadelzen .. Whittem Kennedy v Horwood .. Horwood The Town have won .. .. 16 games The Civil Service have won ..22 ~

Eight more games remain to be played. Mr. Alexander Boy, Stokes Valley, has been actively exerting himself in collecting subscriptions for the erection of a school in that secluded district, and with the most encouraging results. The building will be proceeded with as soon as the necessary funds are in hand ; and a young lady who has gathered a number of pupils, winch she teaches at present in a chapel belonging to the Primitive Methodists, will be the schoolmistress. Afterwards a local committee will be appointed, and the school placed in connection with the Board.

At their last meeting the committee of the Chamber of Commerce decided to call a general meeting of the Chamber for Wednesday, Ist August, instead of waiting till the usual time for the quarterly meeting. A quantity of business left over from the last meeting will then be disposed of, among which is a motion by Captain W. 11. Williams for the establishment of a Harbor Board ; also a proposal for recommending legislation to provide means whereby absconding debtors within the colony may be arrested by the agency of the telegraph. The committee also considered a communication from the Auckland Chamber. Some merchants in Auckland having recently imported some colored sheet glass, a question arose as to whether the importation came under the designation of “ sheet glass ” as mentioned in the tariff. The Secretary for Customs decided that duty must be paid as for “glassware," and the duty which articles coming under that class are liable to was collected. The Auckland Chamber of Commerce believed the decision to be wrong, and wrote to the Wellington Chamber on the subject. The matter will come before the meeting on Ist August next.

Yesterday afternoon a man named Donovan went up to another and called him a—well never mind what he called him ; it was not nice anyhow. The man addressed in this way said nothing ; but, no doubt, like that parrot of which we hear so much, he thought a good deal. It appears, however, that’fate took him in the way of Donovan again, and that amiable being once more bestowed upon him t the same delicate attentions ; whereupon, a policeman being in the vicinity, Mr. Donovan was given in charge, and taken before two justices of the peace, namely, Major Paul and J. H. Wallace, Esq. Donovan made a peculiar statement, from which it was gathered that he had a grievance against the complainant. But this was proved to be strictly incorrect, and Major Paul humanely suggested that the defendant, being in a state of “ approaching intoxication,” might have mistaken complainant for some other party. Accordingly defendant was dismissed with a caution, but warned not to contract a habit of calling unpleasant names, otherwise using obscene language, or he would be punished somewhat severely.

A civil case o£ some interest was called on at the Resident Magistrate’s Court yesterday, in connection with the voyage of the ship Wennington from London to Wellington. It may be remembered that some time ago three sailors were charged at the Resident Magistrate Court with having committed a breach of the Merchant Shipping Act by refusing to obey the commands of their superior officers, and they were committed to a short term of imprisonment. During the hearing of that case one of the prisoners stated that the mate had on one occasion violently assaulted him, and now this man, Holm, has entered a civil action for the recovery of a sum of £SO damages for the assault complained of. The case was adjourned by consent. As will be seen by an advertisement in another column, the Mutual Life Association of Australasia has opened for business in Wellington. This office was established in Sydney in 1869, and its progress during the last eight years has been very marked. The special advantages offered by it are—Age admitted on policies ; premiums calculated at lower rates than those of almost any other office ; policies issued without hampering conditions of any kind as to future residence, occupation, or cause of death ; claims payable within thirty days after death ; and, that being an entirely “ mutual” office, without any shareholders to absorb large sums in dividends, the whole of the profits ascertained at quinquennial intervals will be divided among the policy holders as bonuses. Mr. J. A. Lowe, the travelling agent to the association, is now in town, and from him or Messrs. Dalgleish and Reid, the agents for Wellington, tables of rates and full information can be obtained.

We would draw attention to the prospectus of the Union Fire and Marine Insurance Company, which appears published in another column. As will be seen the provisional directory is most influential, and no doubt the venture will prove to be a great success, ns such a company will supply what is acknowledged to be a decided want.