Untitled

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 5104, 2 August 1877, Page 2

The Suez mail, which arrived in the. s.s. Ringarooma yesterday, consisted of 220 letters, 150 book-packets, and 300 newspapers via Southampton ; and 560 letters, 220 bookpackets, and 490 newspapers via Brindisi. At the Supreme Court in banco yesterday, before their Honors the Chief Justice and Mr. Justice Richmond, after argument on demurrer, the case of Wi Parata v. the Bishop of Wellington and the Attorney-General, was further adjourned until the 13th inst. In the Vice-Admiralty Court yesterday, before his Honor Mr. Justice Richmond, judgment was given in the case of the ship Strathnaver, on an appeal against the taxation of the costs of Mr. F. A. Krull, one of the consignees. His Honor gave judgment in favor of the salvors, and referred the bill of costs back to the Registrar for a review of the taxation. The Judge directed that the greater portion of the costs, from the time of the consignees giving bail, should be disallowed. The costs for entering appearance and up to the time of giving bail would be allowed. Mr. Izard appeared for the salvors, and Mr. Ollivier for the consignees.

We understand that Mr. Wardell, R.M. for the .Wairarapa District, who has . been appointed to fill Mr. Crawford’s place during the latter gentleman’s absence on leave, will take his seat as R.M. in the Wellington Court this morning. There is, we believe, plenty for him to do, a whole batch of cases having accumulated during Mr. Crawford’s illness, which will have to be cleared off as speedily as possible. The return of patients in the Provincial Hospital for the month of July, 1877, is as follows :—Admitted : males, 18 ; females, 5. Discharged : males, 9 ; females, 3. Died : males, 4 ; female, 1. Patients remaining in the Hospital ; males, 38 ; females, 8.

There was a fair attendance at the Theatre Eoyal laat evening, when the sensational drama of the “Flying Dutchman” and the screaming ■ farce of “My Wife’s Bonnet” were very pleasingly performed. To-night we expect to see a bumper house, as Miss Florence Colville and Mr. J. B. Steele, the mention of whose names is sufficient to attract all “ lovers of the drama” to the theatre, will make their appearance in “Leah, the Forsaken.” Mr. Howard, the lessee, certainly deserves credit and the support of the whole of the theatregoing portion of the public of Wellington for his unsparing efforts to produce novelties. New pieces and new attractions have been continually introduced under his management, and in engaging Miss Colville and Mr. Steele he has certainly been catering well for the public. They are both well-known favorites in Wellington, and we confidently predict for them a hearty reception. The new and commodious theatre lately erected in Tory-street, and christened “ The Princess,” will shortly be opened, Messrs. Margetts and Boyd having engaged a new and talented company, which, we understand, includes the Bose Brothers, whose singing, ventriloquism, and conjuring are very highly spoken of wherever they have performed. We have no doubt that in such an excellent “show town” as Wellington is they will be well supported. ■ Yesterday a man driving a market cart along Manners-street left his post and went into one of the hotels for a few minutes. During his absence, the horse bolted off with the vehicle, and got it jammed between two other carts. The collision was a somewhat violent one, and the bystanders at first thought that some serious consequences must have ensued, but on examination it proved that no one was hurt, and that the horses and vehicles were very little, if at all, injured. This occurrence, however, should act as a warning to drivers of vehicles not to leave their horses and carts standing in the street with no one to look after them, especially in a crowded thoroughfare like Manners-street.

About 7 o’clock last evening one of the firebells sent forth a note of warning. The alarm having been given by the watchman on the wharf, who saw the reflection of a fire at Te Aro, the Central Fire Brigade and their fire engine were quickly got ready, and started at a rapid pace for the scene of action, which was supposed to be somewhere near the Adelaideroad. A good many people, apparently in search of something exciting, also wended their way in the same direction. It turned out, however, we are glad to say, that the alarm was a false one. It had arisen from the burning of some furze near the College to clear the land.

At the meeting of the Chamber of Commerce yesterday afternoon attention was drawn to a very important subject as affecting the high position held by the city of Wellington as the capital of the colony. Mr. George. remarked on the success which had attended the formation of the latest insurance company originated by New Zealand capitalists, and justly said that it was high time a company should be established whose head-quarters should be in Wellington. He merely drew attention to the fact, in order to bring it under notice; and Mr. Krull, in reply, remarked that the fault rested with the monied men in Wellington, who would not interest themselves in the required direction. As a matter of tact the men who had made their money in this town would not, so far as this matter was concerned, do what might reasonably be expected of them towards the advancement of Wellington. Mr. W. Finnimore, who is well known in Wellington as an esteemed settler and excellent man of business, announces in our advertising columns that he is prepared to act as auctioneer and general commission agent, and that his office is next door to the Bank of New Zealand, Lambton-quay, where also steam and shipping agencies, &c,, will be undertaken. We have no doubt Mr. Finnimore will receive a liberal share of public support in his present undertaking, and we wish him every success. The fancy bazaar at the Odd Fellows’ Hall in aid of the funds for rebuilding St. Peter’s Church was very well patronised again yesterday, and doubtless would have been even still more largely attended had the day been more agreeable. But little rain fell, but the streets were sloppy and disagreeable to pedestrians, and this probably kept some people at home who would otherwise have turned out for a. walk to the hall. Nevertheless, about 600 people found their way there. The bazaar will reopen at noon to-day, and if the weather be fine there can be no doubt, whatever, that a large number of visitors will be attracted to it. The intrinsic merits of the bazaar itself, the presence of the fair ladies at the stalls, and the object for which it is held, cannot fail to make the affair a great success if only the weather would be propitious. The amount of cash taken yesterday was £278, and various other sums were promised. At the Resident Magistrate’s Court yesterday, John Maher, charged with being drunk and disorderly, was sent to gaol for twentyfour hours, without the option of a fine, his wife complaining that he frequently ill-used her. The magistrates told her that she was entitled to the protection of the Court, and should her husband again maltreat her, they recommended her to take steps to have him brought up again, when he would probably not get off so easily as he had this time.—John and James Lawrence, charged with stealing on the 28th ult. two sheep, the property of Mr. Toohill, butcher, pleaded guilty, and were each sentenced to three months’ hard labor. Mr. Toohill stated that he missed the sheep from his slaughter-house on Sunday last, and afterwards found one and part of another in a hut occupied by prisoners beyond Vogeltown, about two miles from the place where he missed them. They had apparently either eaten or sold the missing half of one of the animals.

The Municipal Conference will meet at ten o’clock this morning in room No. 37 in the new Government Buildings. A meeting of the Wellington Philosophical Society will be held on Saturday evening next at 8 o’clock in the lecture hall of the Colonial Museum, when several papers of an interesting character will be read. The first meeting in connection with the Hutt Agricultural Society was held last night at the Lower Hutt, but owing to the lateness of the hour we were unable to obtain a report in time for publication. The promenade concerts at St. George’s Hall appear to lose nothing of their popularity by repetition. There was a very good attendance again last evening, and the audience appeared well pleased with the bill of fare provided for them. These concerts, combined with the attraction of the skating rink, have evidently hit the popular taste here, and hence the large amount of patronage they have received.

Mr. Swanson, in speaking on the Charitable Institutions Bill, made an essentially practical speech. That gentleman’s oral efforts are seldom otherwise than practical ; but this tendency assumed a slightly exaggerated form last evening. Speaking of the independence of the poor, he related how a man who was, as the song sings, too proud to beg, and too honest to steal, and hadn’t a penny to buy him a meal, actually hanged himself out of his excessive independence, the little tragedy being enacted in the Auckland Domain, and Mr. Swanson said that kind of spirit should be encouraged ! Sir Charles Gavan Duffy (says the Melbourne Argus) is to be commended for the determined stand he has taken against the attempt made by the committee of the Bairnsdale Mechanics’ Institute to place him under contribution. It appears that this institution, like many others of a similar nature, is suffering certain inconvenience arising from that common difficulty, insufficient funds, and it was proposed some time ago to organise a tea meeting for the purpose of obtaining relief. The idea, however, had to he abandoned, owing to want of support, but the committee, being composed of gentlemen of boundless resources, rose to the full height of the occasion, and at once determined that as a tea meeting could not be arranged with any prospect of profit, “Sir Charles Gavan Duffy be invited to give a liberal donation to the institution.” There is something about this resolution which shows that the fine, free, bold spirit of the typical highwayman is not yet quite extinct in this colony. The good people of Bairusdale, not liking to be out of the fashion, desire to maintain a mechanics’ institute, either as a guarantee of their literary tastes, or a convenient reading-room, or a cheap circulating library ; but they labor under a strong disinclination to pay for the luxury out of their own pockets. In these circumstances, what so easy as to write to the “most likely” sitting member for the district, and demand a contribution? Their intended victim, however, proves awkwardly recalcitrant. He had offered to give something at one time in lieu of a promised lecture ; but as a donation was asked as a matter of right, and apart altogether from the former understanding, he “ definitely declined” to part with his money, being of opinion that it is “ a total misconception of the duties and functions of a member of Parliament to regard him as bound to contribute money to local objects.” We trust that other members, emboldened fey his example, will go and do likewise. Where the debilitation of the people mil end under our present system it is impossible to say. We see that when they cannot bleed the State they fasten on a member of Parliament, so unaccustomed are they to assist themselves. Surely it is time that some effort should be made to restore the public self-respect by practically forcing on the attention of the people the merits of selfhelp. A large establishment has been opened in St. Louis for drying eggs. It is in full operation, and hundreds of thousands of dozens are going into its insatiable maw. The eggs are carefully “ candled ” by hand—that is, examined by light to ascertain whether good or not—and are then thrown into an immense receptacle, where they are broken, and by a . centrifugal operation the white and yoke are separated from the shell, very much as liquid honey is separated from the comb. The liquid is then dried by heat, by patent process, and the dried article is left, resembling sugar ; and it is put in barrels, and is ready for transportation anywhere. This dried article has been taken twice across the equator in ships, and then made into omelet, and compared with omelet made from fresh eggs in the same manner, and the best judges could not detect the difference between the two. Is this not an age of wonders ? Milk made solid, cider made solid, apple-butter made into bricks ! What next ?