Untitled

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 5130, 1 September 1877, Page 2

We understand that active efforts are being made to induce Messrs. George Hunter, M.H.R., T?. A. Krull, J. Dransfield, Charles Johnston, and several other well-known residents, to come forward as candidates for Councillors at the forthcoming election. ; We learn that Mr. Greenfield has consented to stand for Cook Ward, and that 'a, -requisition is now' being extensively signed asking Mr. Logan to come forward for Te Aro Ward. ;

Telegraphic communication was interrupted yesterday north of the Upper Hutt. This was caused by the heavy snowfall-on Thurs. day night so-weighting the wires as to literally' tear them' from the insulators. A wire was got through to Auckland at 7 p.m., and; owing to-the facilities afforded by Dr. Lemon's admirable duplex invention (by which one message is sent and one received simultaneously), an enormous amount of back work was got off during the night, although only one wire was available.

In the Legislative Council yesterday afternoon, before, tke;order3 of the day were proceeded with, Mr. Chamberlin addressed a few remarks to the Hon. the Speaker as to the inconvenient arrangement of the seats in the Upper House. He said that, as they were at present arranged, when members of the Council rose to address Sir J. X.. O. llichardson, and turned towards the chair for that purpose, their voices were lost to those behind them. From the place where he sat he was 1 unable to hear what fell- either from the Hon. the Speaker or from the Hon. the Colonial Secretary. When a member on one side <of the Council-chamber was speaking, those who were occupying benches oh the opposite side were unable" to catch what "he was saying.- ;He was f not, he said, unique in his ideas on this: subject now, although when he had last ..session given notice'of motion'-as to the acoustic, or rather non-acoustic properties of the Chamber, he wa3 only laughed at for his pains. He then gave notice of motion for next sitting day; for the rearrangement of the seats, in- that members might have an opportunity of expressing their opinions on the isubject. We confess 'our inability to exactly icomprehend in what way Mr. Chamberlin would wish to see the seats 're-arranged—not being quite clear aa to whether he would desire to seethe hon. the Speaker's chairremoved into the'reporters' gp-llery. Perhaps it was with some such purpose as this- 'in view that the door by which the reporters obtain access to their seats in the gallery of the Legislative Council was locked at" the time of the rising : of the Council yesterday afternoon; so that the necessary alterations-.-might be effected. But,'joking apart, for our own sake we should be glad to see an improvement effected generally in the acoustic properties of the chamber, as it is at times really difficult for reporters in their gallery to catch the utterances of the hon. members who occupy the benches helow.

A meeting of the Board of Education is convened for a quarter past 11 o'clock this morning at the offices of the Board. There will be a meeting of the Philosophical Society at the lecture room of the Museum this evening, when papers o£ a scientific and interesting character will be read. A deputation from the City Council will wait upon the Minister of Public Works this morning at 11 o'clock, in reference to the proposed land reclamation at the Queen's wharf.

A dramatic and musical entertainment will be given in the Catholic schoolroom, Boulcottstreet," on Tuesday next, when- some wellknown amateurs, . who have kindly offered their services, will take part in the performance.

A meeting of justices of the peace was held yesterday at the Resident Magistrate's Court, at which a zoster of attendance was arranged during the temporary absence of the acting Resident Magistrate. The justices whose names are on the roster for to-day are Captain Holt and Mr. C. O'Neill.

We publish in full in another column the judgment of Mr. Justice Richmond in the Taupo and Eli Whitney case. It will, we have no doubt, be read with interest by all persons connected with the shipping and commerce of the port, as well as by a large portion of the community generally. It goes very fully into the matter, and places the several points raised very clearly, and with an absence of mere technicality, which render it perfectly intelligible to the ordinary reader. An accident occurred yesterday at the Waterworks, unattended with any serious consequences, but from its nature it is surprising that such was the case. A horse attached to a cart partly loaded was standing near the stables, when, during the absence of the driver who went away for a minute or two to get a bucket of. water, the animal took it into his head to move on, and in turning round went over a precipice, and fell with the cart a distance of about 80ft. Strange to say neither horse nor cart was damaged. Since the commencement of these works, although there have been one or two slight accidents, not one of tfcem has been attended with serious results.

We have received the eighth annual report of the Mutual Life Association of Australasia, which • shows very marked progress for the year ending 30th June, 1877. The new annual premiums exceed by over 20 per cent, the £lo,ooo'line which marks the rank of firstclass offices'in England ; the total premium income has-been increased by over 37 per cent., and the invested funds have received an addition of nearly 50 "per cent, since 30th June, 1876 ; the latter now amounting to £61,000. It is pleasing to observe that the branches established in New Zealand have yielded gratifying results. At the Resident Magistrate's Court yesterday a case of some interest to the public, and especially to "persons about to marry," was tried; the question, being whether a fee of' ss. or 20s. should be paid to the Registrar for the luxury of a marriage license. The plaintiff, Mr. Hugh Traynor, being desirous to enter' into the bonds of wedlock, went to the deputyregistrar for a license, tendering a fee of ■ 55., but was told he must pay £l. He paid under protest, and now sued for the balance. Mr. Winner, the deputy-registrar, stated that he acted in accordance with instructions from the head of his department in charging 20s. Mr. Ollivier and Mr. Stafford appeared for the plaintiff and the Government respectively; and having commented on the Acts and statutes bearing on the case, the facts of which were admitted, the Court reserved judgment. Scarcely had the acoustic wires of the House ceased to reverberate the name of Jones when they were again agitated by the resumption of the interrupted debate on the question of discharging the petition of Mr. George Elliott Barton. It was generally understood that Thursday was to be a private members' day, but their rights appeared"to be usurped for the nonce by the honorable and learned members ; in fact, one might say the lawyers had it all to themselves. .. The. members of the. legal fraternity who waited upon the two Judges iwith reference to Mr. Barton's petition with the view of expressing their dissent'at the action taken by one of their'number did not, with the exception of Mr. Travers, seem particularly edified at .the'course they had pursued. With regard to Mr. Travers, he. appeared to be by no. means pleased at the course his. colleagues on that occasion adopted in the House yesterday afternoon. With that keen satire for which Mr. Rees is becoming so remarkable, that hon. gentleman was understood to state in tile House that the hon. member for ■ Wellington City had been endeavoring to " curry favor" with our high judicial functionaries. This observation was very properly repelled by Mr. Travers.' After Mr. Moorhouse had alluded slightingly to those unfortunate mortals designated "penny-a-liners," Mr. Button launched himself forward as a scapegoat for the deputation that waited on the Judges. Mr. Button expressed regret at having formed a unit in that deputation; and it was solely owing to his defective memory that he found his way to the Court that morning ; for, as he explained the matter, had he recollected that the mystic letters M.H.R. followed the patronymic of Button, 1 that deputation would have been—well, a Button short. It was a felicitious moment for the hon. member for Auckland City East when Sir Robert Douglas proposed that the debate should be adjourned with a view of affording the lawyers a grand field day in the House. Mr. Rees, as representative of the New Zealand Bar, ably responded to the proposition by a " loud laugh that speaks the vacant mind." Sir George Grey spoke—and for the first time during the past two days; but there were no "rills of oily eloquence." Need it be said he denounced the motion of the hon. the Attorney-General in tones sad by fits and wild by Btarts. ■ Notwithstanding his oratory Mr. Barton's petition knows its place no more in the House. ' Another death by drowning occurred either late on Thursday night or early yesterday morning. The tragedy was brought to light at about half-past two o'clock yesterday afternoon in the following manner. Sergeant Price happened to be on the wharf at about the time stated, when a man approached him and drew his attention to something just appearing above the water, which he had observed through the cracks on the wharf at the outer T. On looking down the sergeant ascertained that the object referred to was the head of a man, and steps were at once taken to get the body out of the water. • Assistance having been obtained this was done in a very short time. It appears that the body, which was identified as being that of a man named Johnson, a bellman, was in an upright position, the arms resting on one of the stringers. Nothing could be learned as to how the unfortunate man came to fall into the water. He was last seen at eight o'clock on Thursday evening, when in company with a well-known bellringer in town named Cornelius Croft. The two men went into Mr. Levin's shop to get shaved, and on coming out they parted. This was the last seen of Jolmson, who was missed this morning by Croft, deceased having been a partner of- his in the bell-ringing business. An inquest will be held at 2 o'clock this afternoon.

The performance at the Theatre Royal last evening was for the benefit of the Queen Bee sufferers, and as might be expected, the Wellington public responded to.the call made upon their charity. There was a crowded and fashionable audience, the entertainment being under the patronage of His Excellency the Governor aud suite, the captain and officers of H;M.S. Sappho, and officers of the Wellington "Volunteer Artillery Company. An excellent programme was presented, in which the stock company of the. theatre and the American Vaudeville Troupe took part. The first piece was the " Rustic Prima Donna," which, as on former occasions of its production during the present season, proved highly interesting. To this succeeded an overture, followed by vocal and terpsichoreau performances, and an amusing farce entitled "Dead and Alive." _ The performances of Onzalo, the aeriel evolutionist, were as usual received with great applause, his graceful flights eliciting admiration from all present. The performance concluded with an amusing farce entitled " The Phenomenon in

a Smock Frock," in which Misses Adelaide Stoneham and Lawrence, Messrs. Howard, Hesford, St. Lawrence, and Smythe appeared. It would be improper to terminate the present " notice" without mentioning the valuable services rendered by the Artillery Band, to whom | was due no small portion of the success that attended the performance, from which the sufferers by the Queen Bee should reap substantial benefit. To-night the American drama "Uncle Tom's Cabin" will be produced. Notwithstanding counter attraction the Odd Fellows' Hall was largely attended last evening. No small measure of the continued success of this exhibition lately is to be attributed to the performances of Lieut. Herman, the ventriloquist, who was recently engaged by Mr. Thompson, and, it is believed, will proceed with hiin to Christchurch. Lieut. Herman is young in his profession at present; but there is no doubt that he has very great natural talent. He wants experience, but is infinitely superior to many who travel on less real merit. His power of modulating the voice is truly remarkable, and cultivation is all that he requires to insure for him a successful career on the stage. As usual last evening a quantity of prizes were distributed among those present. This afternoon and evening visitors to the hall will have the same chance of carrying away prizes. This will be the last night of the season, as Mr. Thompson leaves Wellington en route for Christchurch on Monday. The Amateur Temperance Minstrels will give a benefit at the Odd Fellows' Hall on Monday evening next, in aid of a family in distress. The case, we understand, is a deserving one, calculated to elicit the sympathies of the charitably disposed, who are not wanting in our midst when cases of real destitution are brought forward. By a New Zealand Gazette published on Thursday, it appears that the receipts on the Dunedin section of the railway for the month ending 30th June, 1877, were £7417 6s. 10d., and on the Invercargill section, £2871 17s. lid. — The following justices of the peace are appointed:—J". H. Hickson, Esq.; Charles Samson, Esq. (Mayor of Green Island) ; and Andrew Dunlop, Esq. (Mayor of Avenel). — Mr. H. L. N. Clarke is gazetted clerk of the Kesident Magistrate's Court for the district of Blenheim, and clerk of the Licensing Court's for the districts of Pelorus and Havelock. —F. Bull, Esq., is gazetted to be accountant at the head office in the department of the SurveyorGeneral ; and J. B. Redward, Esq., to be superintendent of the quarantine station at the port of Wellington. At the Kesident Magistrate's Court yesterday, before H. S. Wardell, Esq., E.M., the case against Mr. Jameson, of storing on his premises a larger quantity of petroleum than was allowed by law, was resumed, when Dr. Hector deposed that "petroleum " and " kerosene " were one and the same article. In the colonies refined rock oil was known as " kerosene," but in England as " petroleum." Mr. Gordon Allan quoted from the Act bearing upsu the matter, to show that the term " petroleum," the word used in the summons, included only such natural oils or products of them as gave off an inflammable vapor at less than 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Mr. Wardell concurred, observing that there was evidently a mistake in the Act, and dismissed the case, but without costs, ordering the oil to be. given up to the defendant.- —In the matter of E. T. Gillon v. T; IC Macdonald, which was before the Court on a previous day, the Court gave judgment for defendant, with costs, the Resident Magistrate remarking at the same time that he considered Gillon had been somewhat harshly dealt with by his co-partners in having to pay the costs of the libel case and of this case also.—Frederick Cook, charged with having permitted the chimney of his house in Majoribank-street to catch fire on the 29th inst., was fined 10s. and costs.—John McAllister, charged .with stealing oranges from the steamer . Wakatipu, was sentenced to seven .days' imprisonment. The second mate of the vessel deposed that a-quantity of oranges were stowed away on deck,' and were covered over with a tarpaulin, under which the accused put his hands and removed several oranges, which he put into his pocket. The case was brought before the Court as a warning to others.

Mr. George Thomas will sell this day flour, bran, potatoes, etc., exT. B. Taylor from Lyttelton. This sale was to have been held yesterday, but owing to an unforeseen delay, was postponed until noon to-day sharp. ' ' '