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New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 5090, 17 July 1877, Page 2

We received a memorandum from Dr. Lemon last evening stating that telegraph communication between Penang and Madras was interrupted. Mr. J. B. Houston, special agent: for the Pacific Mail service, has, we understand, gone from San Prancisco to Sydney by the last boat, re contemplated modifications in this line. He is to visit New Zealand on matters connected with the mail contract on his way back to San Francisco.

We regret to announce that Mr. J. C. Crawford, R.M., is again seriously indisposed, and confined to his house by the advice of his medical attendant.

The case of Cole v. McKirdy (part heard) will be resumed at ten o’clock this morning at the Supreme Court, before his Honor the Chief Justice.

A private telegram received from Auckland last evening says that the “ Tairua mine has struck good gold.” It we remember rightly this is one of those mining properties which was about to be wound up not long ago. There has been some little delay in the preliminary work connected with the proposed new schools at Mount Cook, in consequence of the conduct of a person with whom a contract was entered into for the necessary excavations. That is now completed, however, and building will be proceeded with as rapidly as possible. These schools will not in any case, be completed a day before they are wanted, as even now, and for some time past, the necessity for additional school accommodation has been very severely felt, most of the schools being,so crowded that in certain directions masters have had to refuse applicants admission to their schools.

The want of accommodation at the Supreme and Resident Magistrate’s Courts in this city has been over and over again descanted upon by the Bench, the Bar, the Press, and the public. Yesterday the Chief Justice and a special • jury were occupied all day on the trial of an action for an alleged breach of contract, of which a report appears in another place. Although the sun was shining during a great part of the day, scarce a ray penetrated the dismal room, “ unconscious of a fire,” in which the Judge, the jury, the lawyers, and the other people present stood or sat, as, it were, in an ice-house, looking, and no doubt feeling, very cold and miserable. The trial was about bricks supplied to the Wellington-Masterton railway by a Mi. Cole, and much turned upon what sort of bricks they were, and it was remarked in Court that if the jury, who were placed in a peculiarly cold and draughty situation had been supplied with hot bricks for their feet, they would have felt far more comfortable and better able to give their whole attention to the matter in issue. We hope that during the approaching session of Parliament this very pressing want to this community—a fit and proper Court House—will be supplied. If it is not found convenient to vote the funds for an entirely new building, it has been suggested that the Provincial Council Chamber and contiguous buildings could at a comparatively small outlay be converted into a suitable Supremo Court and offices, and the existing Supreme Court might be turned into a Resident Magistrate’s Court, and the latter bo added to the Police Barracks. The suggestion may be worth the consideration of the authorities.

The old Plimmer’s steps, which, half rotten as they have been for some time and completely undermined, are, we understand, to be removed and others of a broader and more substantial kind will be substituted. For some time past those steps have been positively dangerous to walk on, and considering that a very large amount of passenger traffic to and from the terrace passes that way, it is high time that something should be done to render the passage to and fro leas hazardous and uncomfortable.

[ A meteor was observed to burst over Mount Victoria last evening about 8 o’clock. The annual dinner in connection with the Wellington Artillery Volunteers will be held this evening at the Occidental Hotel. At a meeting of the creditors of Mr: Samuel Nolan, of Featherston, baker, held at the Supreme Court buildings yesterday, Mr. B. J. Duncan was elected trustee of the estate. We have received a copy of the New Zealand Insurance Company’s report and balancesheet for the half year ending May 31, 1877. The satisfactory condition of the company’s affairs has been already notified in our columns. Mr. Jones, Clerk to the Hutt County Council, assisted by Mr. Ashton, Secretary to the Highway Districts Board, is now preparing the list of ratepayers within the county, in accordance with a resolution passed at the last meeting of the Board, the County Council having determined that the local boards should have control over the roads within the several boundaries until September next. The roll will be laid before the Board at its next meeting, and a rate of Is. in the £1 will be moved. We were yesterday shown some of the coal out of the first cargo from the Coalpit Heath Company’s mine, near Greymouth. In appearance it bears a perfect similarity to cannel coal, being smooth, shining, and jet like. We saw some of it burning in Mr. E. W. Mills’ office, and were much surprised at thebrilliancy with which it burned. It seems to keep up an almost continuous blaze. Nothing is left after burning but pure ash. The s.s. Kennedy brought over the first cargo on Friday, and Mr. B. W. Mills, a local shareholder, obtained a load of it, which he has distributed among the other Wellington shareholders. He has also had it tried in the Lion Foundry with the most satisfactory result ; in fact, far beyond anticipation. The shaft of the mine, from which this coal was taken, was only bottomed some six or eight weeks ago ; and we congratu- ■ late the company on the possession of such a i valuable mine, this sample of coal being without exception one of the best we have ever seen.

A musical and literary entertainment was given at the United Methodist Free Church yesterday evening. Its object was to obtain funds for the purpose of enlarging the Primitive Methodist Church in Webb-street. The room was crowded, and the whole affair passed off most successfully. Mr. Dumbell was in the chair, and the programme, which was a long and varied one, consisting of songs, recitations, choruses, musical selections, &c., was gone through in a very creditable manner, some of the songs by the lady amateurs being especially worthy of praise. We are glad to hear that the Church funds will be appreciably augmented by last evening’s entertainment. A little comedy after the “ Box and Cox” style was enacted recently. It appeared from a case which came before the Resident Magistrate’s Court yesterday that two brothers named F. and H. Campbell occupied one; room in a certain locality in tovn, and H. Campbell ordered some goods from Mr. Peters, a dealer in household furniture. As the goods were not paid for in what the dealer considered reasonable time, a summons was issued. The 1 bailiff presentedhimself at the one-roomed habitation afore-mentioned, and served the summons upon a person he found there by the name of Campbell, who cheerfully accepted it, in the absence of the other Campbell, against whom the summons was in reality issued. But H. Campbell denied having been served, and F. Campbell, while acknowledging the service, submitted that he had purchased no furniture from Mr. Peters, the plaintiff. This, however, was a trifling difficulty easily overcome, and so Mr. H. Campbell wisely paid the money into Court, and the little joke was then played out. .

At last meeting of the City Council Mr. J. A. Allan tabled a notice of motion for instructions to the Town Clerk to have prepared a list of all private streets and their loca ities, distinguishing those streets which are public thoroughfares. The Town Clerk will have no difficulty in carrying out the first part of the instructions, but he will possibly, find it hard to distinguish the public thoroughfares, unless indeed Mr. Allan means that no private streets shall be deemed to be public thoroughfares. The information asked for will in all probability be forthcoming at next meeting of the Council, to be held on Thursday next. The first annual general meeting of the shareholders in the Wellington Coal Company (Limited) was held yesterday at noon, in the office of the managing director in Wellington, Captain Williams. Mr. J. R. George was elected to the chair. The report of the directors was in due course laid before the meeting. The directors anticipate that the company’s mine and branch railway thereto are so far completed that coal will be delivered in Westport about the end of July. Mr. James Swinburne has been appointed mine manager, and the board have every reason to be satisfied, with the manner in which he has performed his duties ; and that the company is much indebted to the managing director for the use of his office, and the great assistance he has reu-' dered in the formation of the company, owing to which the preliminary expenses will be exceedingly , small. The directors recommend that a balance sheet be made up to the 31st December, 1877, by which time it is expected, that the company will be in working order. The balance sheet showed that the capital paid-up is £4780, and that the value of the company's property is £7564, the contingent liabilities and assets being £770 and £2260 respectively. In the course of his remarks to : the meeting, the Chairman stated that the schooner Julius Vogel was now loading with coal at jWestport, and was expected to arrive here shortly with the first shipment from the company's mine. It appears that the branch railway to the mine is completed, and coke ovens are now in course of erection. Some samples of the coal already received have been reported on most favorably. Twelve shillings per ton is the price fixed upon for the coal delivered on board at Westport, and several of the leading shareholders are in treaty for the purchase of a suitable steamer to convey the coal to Wellington. It would appear that the prospects of the company are exceedingly promising, and that the project will prove a financial success seems almost certain. The following directors then were re-; elected ;—Messrs. J. K. George (chairman), J. Burne, J. Corr, W. W. Johnston, T. Kebbell, O. J. Pharazyn, and W. K. Williams. Capt. Johnston was appointed auditor, the honorarium being fixed at £5 ss. The accounts are to be balanced at the end of the current year, and the next general meeting will be held in February, 1878. At the Resident Magistrate's Court yesterday the business was as follows : —Four persons were fined for drunkenness, one named Robert McNamara, a man well-known to the police being mulcted in a sum of 20s. and costs, with the usual alternative for having been drunk and disorderly. A man named Warner was charged with having committed a breach of the Municipal Ooporations Act by neglecting to stand by his horse, which ran away, and went near doing some damage ; but the defendant proved that he was in the cart when the horse ran away, and was thrown out, wherefore he was dismissed. J. G. Squires, convicted of having on the 10th instant scabby sheep in his possession, was fined £lO and costs. This concluded the only business by the Court. There were 21 civil cases on the list, but they were chiefly adjourned or settled out of Court ; or the justice of the claims which were entered confessed. The Thames Advertiser says in a recent issue: —“ The benefit of the introduction of the two water supplies at the Thames is just beginning to be felt. This morning’s Advertiser is printed by water-power, at a trifling cost, and with equal expedition to steam. After trying one of Ramabottom’a patent hydraulic engines, which failed to give the necessary .speed, we have just had fitted up by Mr. Wade, of Pol-len-street, one of Burt’s patent engines, which furnishes sufficient power to throw off thirty copies of the Advertiser per minute, and will perfect the impression in two hours. For cheap motive power we commend this engine, which takes up very little room, and is equal to upwards of three horse-power, to the notice of any one requiring such a convenient and economical engine.” ... ...A.,

We observe that the letter carriers attached to the Post Office department appeared in a neat and appropriate uniform yesterday. - On Thursday next, the Wellington Artillery and City Rifles will parade opposite the Theatre Royal, at one o'clock, in order to form a guard of honor to his Excellency the Governor at the opening of Parliament. Notice is given by the New Zealand Insurance Company in our advertising columns that dividend warrants can be obtained by local shareholders on application at the company's office.

At the meeting of the conference re the suppression of intemperance last night, Mr. Holdsworth stated that the lion. Mr. Pox would give a lecture on intemperance on the 28th instant in Wellington. The promenade concerts at St. George's Hall appear to he as popular as ever. Last night there was another good house and an appreciative audience, and we have little doubt the same will continue to be the case for some time to come.

The Wellington Amateur Temperance Minstrels will give their second performance on Wednesday, the 18th inst. (to-morrow), in aid of the widow of the late Captain Anderson, of the schooner Kaikoura. The entertainment will take place in the Odd Pellows' Hall, and we hope to see a large attendance on the occasion.

The want of adequate hospital accommodation at Napier has been long felt there, the building devoted to the purpose being small and inconvenient. We are glad to learn from the Napier journals that plans have been prepared lor a new and commodious building in every way suitable to the purpose. The designs for the new building are now on view at the Council Chamber in Napier. The electoral rolls of both Napier and Clive, says the Telegraph, contain the names of many persons who have not become naturalised British subjects. Their registration as electors was illegal, and as their names will be certainly struck off the rolls next year, we advise them in the meantime, if they desire to exercise the privileges of Englishmen, to apply for letters of naturalisation under the provisions of the Aliens Act, 1866.

His Worship the Mayor, who presided at the recent meeting of the Wellington Working Men’s Club, and who was requested to forward the resolution asking his Excellency the Governor to become patron of the club, has received the following reply through Captain Maling, private secrtary to his Excellency: — “ In reply to your letter of the 11th instant, to his Excellency the Governor, expressing a wish that his Excellency would allow himself to be named patron to the Working Men’s Club in Wellington, I am desired to inform you that his Excellency has much pleasure in allowing his name to be associated with an institution, which he believes will prove of great benefit to the working classes of Wellington.” We are informed that the committee are making good progress, and that about thirty to forty of the leading gentlemen of the city have expressed their intention of becoming honorary members. Mr. Banks has promised to the club all the gas-fittings required for the buildiug, and Mr. F, Barber has presented twenty-five volumes of books towards a library. A crowded house greeted Mr. Morton Tavares on the occasion of his benefit last evening, when Tom Taylor’s comedy of the “ Overland Route ” was placed for the first time before a) Wellington audience. The piece illustrates incidents of the overland trip from; India to England, in which almost everything is viewed in a facetious and laughter-provoking light, and was most heartily applauded. The leading characters, Tom Dexter, Mrs. Seabright, and Mr. Lovibond were allotted to Mr. Morton Tavares, Mrs. Tavares, and Mr. Sam Howard, who ably sustained their parts, and were well supported by the rest of the company. The performance may be confidently pronounced a decided success. The same programme will be repeated this evening. The grand complimentary concert to be given to Mr. Hollister promises to be a great success, both musically and as regards attendance, as we understand nearly all the tickets are disposed of. The Choral Society’s usual weekly practice on Thursday is to be altered to Friday, to enable members to attend. Mr. Raymond has consented to act as conductor, and Signor Bonacorti,. Messrs. Mowbray, Isherwood, and other gentlemen will take part, as well as several of our leading lady amateurs. Several influential citizens have undertaken to act as a committee, and this concert altogether bids fair to be a brilliant treat.

At an auction sale held recently in Wellington there was sold, for the sum of seventeen shillings, a wheelbarrow, to which quite a history is attached. It was made twenty-seven years ago for Mr. P. Laing, who used to .wheel it about town daily as he served his customers with bread. At the time he grasped the handles of this bread cart he was laying the foundation of that business which, owing to his honest perseverance, has now made him a wealthy colonist. The wheelbarrow was bought by Mr. Griffiths, who intends sending it to the forthcoming Wanganui Exhibition. It maybe mentioned that it was made by Mr. Walter Jackson, and the length of service it has undergone shows the good value workmen years ago gave for what was paid them.

The New Zealand Herald of the 10th iust. takes a hopeful view of the prospects of the Northern goldfields. Our contemporary says : —“ It is satisfactory to know that the Thames mines during the past month have shown upon the whole a very good return, and sustained the improvement that has been current for several months past. There has been no very great or exceptional yield on this occasion, if we except the Alburnia Company, which is about a thousand ounces more than has of late fallen to their lot.. The general yield from the mines and tributes have kept up, and there is every prospect that the present term of operations will be profitable to shareholders when the monthly returns fall in. The sharemarket has of late been a true index of the mines, for there has been no great advance in the value of the shares, but stocks are held firmly, indicating that the mines are yielding well, but not sufficiently brilliant to warrant a fever of speculation.”