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New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 5120, 21 August 1877, Page 2

The Tasmanian cable is now repaired, and telegraphic messages can be sent as usual. At the Vice-Admiralty Court yesterday, before his Honor Mr. Justice Richmond, in the case of the owner of the hulk Eli Whitney against the owners of the steamer Taupo to recover damages for injuries sustained by the collision of the two vessels, Mr. Izard (with whom was Mr. Chapman), addressed the Court for the defendants on the evidence previously given. At the conclusion of his address the Court adjourned untjl the 31st inst., when it is understood that judgment will be given in the matter. There was a fair attendance at the Theatre Royal last evening, when a very full programme was gone through to the entire satisfaction of the audience. The performance' commenced with “ Love and Pistols ” by the Theatre Company, This was followed by the sensational aerial performances of Onzalo and several laughable songs by Messrs. Davenport and Scott.

The Diorama drew another crowded house to the Odd Fellows’ Hall last evening. Notice is given that there will be no baud practice of the Wellington Choral Society this evening; but the vocalists will meet as usual on Thursday evening next at 8 o’clock. We understand that the Star Hotel is about to change hands from Mr. J. Ames to Mrs. Power, the' outgoing tenant receiving £I9OO from the incoming one, who is to take possession next Thursday. The City Rifles and Cadets underwent their usual monthly inspection last evening at the .Central Fire Brigade station. After the inspection Major Lockett presented the prizes to the winners in the late prize firing. Notice is given elsewhere that the certified statement of accounts of the City Council for the half year ending March 31, with the auditors’ report, have been published. Persons interested therein may obtain copies by applying at the Town Clerk’s office. Meetings of creditors in the insolvent estates of John Ludford, of Wellington, printer, and John Yarnold, of Carterton, blacksmith, were convened to have been held at the Supreme Court buildings yesterday; but there was no attendance on the part of creditors, and further proceedings were postponed until to-day. Mr. John McGrath has recently built a large hotel at Porirua. It is a very handsome building, containing a spacious bar and several comfortable sitting-rooms on the ground floor, besides eleven bedrooms and a sitting-room upstairs. The whole of the rooms are well finished and comfortably furnished. Travellers and excursionists will now be able to get as good accommodation here as in any part of the country. Mr. McGrath deserves encouragement for the enterprise he has displayed, which no doubt will be fully recognised by the public. The house is situated about twelve miles from Wellington, and commands a most picturesque view of the scenery around Porirua Bay. Pleasure-seekers will be well rewarded for a drive out in this direction. The design of the building and the manner in which it has been carried out are highly creditable to the architect and contractors, Mr, Turnbull and Messrs. Ball and Nicholas. The Dunedin football'team will arrive here early this morning, and will probably play on Wednesday afternoon, as no steamer leaves till Thursday or Friday. If the day prove fine a general holiday is likely to be observed, as several of the leading merchants have kindly consented to close their establishments, and it is hoped that the banks and General Government will follow suit. As Park has declined to play, Budge takes his place, and the team now stands—Brandon, Blacklock, Burnes, Budge, Bishop, Oastelli, Campbell, Davy, Dumbell, Fitz Gerald, James, Pollen, Thomson, Welsh, and Webb. They are a good team, and fail only in unity ; but it is hoped that they will unite, and so score a a win for Wellington. The committee have used every endeavor to make the match a success, the only thing wanting being fine weather, which of course is a “ moral.”

Mr, Michael Monaghan has opened a private inquiry office, adjoining the Theatre Royal, in Johnston-street. .Probably no one in the community is better qualified to discharge the peculiar duties of such an office with shrewdness and tact. Mr. Monaghan’s long residence in Wellington and his connection with the police force (which lost one of its ablest men when he left it) has given him many advantages, which, added to his hatural quickness and soundness of judgment, admirably adapt him for the line he has chosen to adopt. What amount of business there is to be done in this direction in New Zealand we are not aware, and we believe no one has hitherto entered into it here ; but in the sister colonies such institutions as private inquiry offices have been found useful in a variety of directions, and have been very profitable, to their proprietors. If there is a field open here for a private detective, Mr. Monaghan is the man to work it to advantage, and to give satisfaction to his clients.

The Taupo correspondent of the Hawhe's Bay Herald, writing under date August 8, says that the little steamer Victoria, belonging to Messrs. Wall Brothers, is lying at anchor at Tapuaeharuru, and that the natives are anxious to buy her. One Topia Turoa is, we are informed, most anxious to become master of the vessel. As she is said not to have been a lucrative speculation to her present owners, it is not improbable that they will be willing to part with her. At the Resident Magistrate’s Court yesterday Thomas Tolley was charged with having on the 13th inst. feloniously received from a boy named James Briggs a quantity of iron and lead and one brass cock, which had been stolen from the warehouse of Mr. B. W. Mills. He was remanded till Wednesday, on the application of the Inspector, in order that the necessary evidence might be obtained.—A man named Edward Glenville was charged with' having committed a breach of the harbor regulations, by boarding the ship Taranaki in the harbor before she had come to an anchor, Captain Holliday stating that he. had instituted the present prosecution because there was a good deal of danger attached to the practice of boats going alongside vessels while they were in motion, and he feared that a fatal accident would occur if it were not prevented. The defendant pleaded ignorance of the law on the subject; and as this was the first case of the kind brought before the Court he was discharged with a caution.—The only other criminal cases were two of drunkenness.—The civil list was not large and the cases were unimportant. The new hotel now being built at Pahautanui by Mr. Sam Prosser, mail contractor, will be completed in about a week or ten days, and when finished will without doubt bear favorable comparison as regards appearance, convenience, and comfort with any of the upcountry hotels in that district. It will contain an unusually large and lofty dining-room, spacious public and private parlors, commodious commercial room, well ventilated sleeping apartments, and every other convenience. Everything has been done regardless of cost to make this really a first-class hotel. It will be furnished with every care and consideration for the wants of visitors, so as to ensure giving the utmost satisfaction to those guests who may favor Mr. Prosser with their patronage. Attached to the house is a large and well furn:ihed billiard-room, in which will be placed one of Aloock’s best tables, with all the most recent improvements and appurtenances. The outbuildings comprise a commodious stable fitted with loose boxes, and close at hand there are paddooking accommodation and everything requisite for equestrians and others. Mr. Prosser having the mail contract between Wellington and Pahautanui, and running his coaches daily to and from those places, offers great facilities to parties wishing to avail themselves of a pleasant trip to this favorite township. Mr. Prosser is well and favorably known as a popular host, and will no doubt be amply repaid for his present outlay by a large amount of patronage. Mr. Tringham is the architect for the new hotel, which reflects great credit on that gentleman, and also on the contractors, Messrs. Barry and McDowell, who have ably carried out their portion of the work. A serious danger appears to be threatening certains owners and occupiers of land on the Heretunga Plains, near Napier. According to the Hawhe’s Bay Herald, the Ngaruroro River has been manifesting a tendency to break out again, and the opinion is gaining ground that the whole of the Heretunga Block—one of the most rich and fertile portions of the district—is becoming every day more liable to the risk of submersion. Although the danger may not be immediate, our Napier contemporary points out that it would be wise to take time by the forelock, and adopt some measures of prevention at once. This from the Otago Daily Times of the 14th inst. shows to what an extent monopoly may go :—“ Bread is now being imported from Dunedin to Milton, but from various reasons it is not thought that such will long be the case.” When it is considered that Milton is in the midst of the moat important agricultural district in Otago, it may well be imagined that the importation in question will not be continued for any length of time.

The match members of the House v. Weilington Chess Club, was resumed last evening with the following result: — . House. Club. ‘Winner, Lusk v. Hullett Lusk Bryce v. Benbow Benbow Brown, J. E. v. Browne, W. E. E. Browne, W. E E