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New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 5128, 30 August 1877, Page 2

Mr, George Jones was last night served with a summons calling upon him to answer a criminal information laid by the Hon. Mr. Whitaker at the R. M. Court on Monday. This is the most gratifying news we have heard for some time. What the French would call L’affaire Jones being now sub judice, no one can say a word about it. AH the planets known to the ancients are now visible. Yenus in the evening star. Close to Yenus; on the left, is Mercury. Jupiter is the evening star overhead. Mars rises about six o’clock over Mount Victoria ; and Saturn is the dull star on the left of Mars. Mars on the sth September will be nearly as close to the earth as it can be, and will be a very beautiful object. To-night is the grand opening night of the Fine Arts Exhibition, regarding which an advertisement will be found in another column; and it will be seen that the prizes are very numerous and valuable, and that the price of tickets is very reasonable ; indeed, as the advertisement says, the tickets are “ within the reach of all.” In ; connection with the exhibibition, which is to be-held in St. George’s Hall, a drawing-room entertainment will be given by an excellent company, ‘and the City Rifle Volunteer Band bos been engaged to perform during the evening. The exhibition should prove a great success.

The Theatre Royal was fairly attended last evening. A programme very similar to that of the previous evening was gone through, and gave evident satisfaction to those present. In another column appears an advertisement, in which Mr. G. H. Bayliss signifies his intention of becoming a candidate for the representation of Cook Ward in the City Council. A meetings of the Board of Education was to have been held yesterday; morning at halfpast eleven; o'clock; but, there .not being a quorum present*,/the meeting'was adjourned until Saturday next. The following is a list of successful and unsuccessful tenders for the Wallace Town Branch Contract received at the Public Works Office : —Accepted—Miller, Murray, and Walker, Invercargill, £11,358. Declined —Graham, Bennett, and Co., Invercargill, £11,536 ; -John Moady, -Dunedin, £12,000 ; W. H. Topham, Invercargill, £12,850 ; Henderson and Fergus, Dunedin, £12,948 ; Martin, Hughes, and Co., Invercargill, £13,657 ; J. B. Blair, Invercargill, £14,423. We understand that a grand epneert by lady and gentleman amateurs is to be given on the 17th proximo at the Odd Fellows’ Hall, the proceeds of which are to be applied to the building fund for the extension of the parsonage at Karori. Members of the Choral Society have consented to take part in the entertainment, and Mr. George Hunter, M.H.R., has, with his usual liberality, given the use of his grand piano for the occasion, to enable the eminent pianiste of the society to perform some of her choicest morceaux. Mr. Charles Bounington and, Mr. J. A. Edwards (who will wield the baton) have generously given their services. A portion of the magnificent band of the Choral Society have already kindly intimated their willingness to assist, and will perform some superb orchestral selections. As this concert is under the especial patronage of his Excellency and Lady Normanby we have little doubt that it will prove a brilliant success. ■

A painful sensation was caused yesterday afternoon about the vicinity of the Court when it was heard that Mr. G. S. Sellar had been seriously attacked with indisposition of a very distressing character. Mr. Sellar was during the morning serving oh the jury in the Waka Maori case, and-was taken ill during the adjournment for lunch, so that he was unable to attend when the Court resumed at half-past two ; and as Mr. Nicholas Marchant, another juryman, was also indisposed, and expressed inability to sit out the afternoon, the Court was adjourned till 11 o’clock to-day.

Dr. Wallis was fervid last night when replying to the imputation cast upon him by the hon. member for Wanganui, to the effect that he (Dr. Wallis) had broken faith with his constituents owing to the recent action he had taken with reference to the Local Option Bill. But Dr. Wallis was avenged. In retaliating he amused himself and the House especially by making capital out of many remarks that had fallen frem the great advocate of temperance. That gentleman, said Dr. Wallis, had complained that, in the course of his travels,'liquor at one place was used to such an extent that even the ladies of the establish ment at which he stayed were actually redolent of rum. He (Dr. Wallis) was at a loss to know how the Hon. Mr, Fox had acquired this knowledge, as it was generally understood to be rather difficult to ascertain what odor pervaded a lady’s breath unless one approached very near to her lips. Thompson’s Southern Diorama of the American War seems to lose none of its attractions for the public. Last evening again there was an excellent attendance, and the distribution of prizes was as usual watched iwith the greatest interest. We may state that the season will positively terminate this week, as Mr. Thompson intends leaving for Christchurch on Monday, he having leased the theatre from Mr. Hoskins. No doubt the diorama will be well patronised during the few remaining nights of its stay here.

.Our readers may "remember that sometime ago the Bank of New South Wales at Kumara was robbed of a quantity of notes, cheques, and coin. The bank agent, Mr. Hogg, stated that he had fired at a man, supposed to be the robber, as. he was making his escape by the back door of,, the premises. The bank was kept open on the evening previous until after eight o’clock, when it was suggested that the supposed offender concealed himself under a bed in the outer office while the agent and teller were engaged inside: It now turns out that the whole story about the robber was a fabrication, Hogg, the batik ' agent, having since confessed to having committed the robbery, for which offence he has been arrested, and is now in custody.

Wb are requested to draw attention to the important sale o£ land to be hold by Mr. Duncan at his salerooms to-morrow. -As will be seen by the ad Vermont in this issue, he will offer first 400 acres land in the Taranaki district, not far from the township of Inglewood, and a short distance from the line of railroad from New Plymouth to that township. Afterwards he sells freehold property and houses in Cubastreet, Ingestro-street, and Lecds-streot, all of which will no doubt receive atttention from buyers of valuable city investments. Practically all without reserve.