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New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 5142, 15 September 1877, Page 2

The official declaration of the poll taken at the municipal election on Thursday is published in our advertising columns. The result is the same as that previously notified. The following gentlemen are declared duly elected : —Messrs. Greenfield, Hunter, George, Logan, Dixon, Macdonald, Moss, Mills, Allan, Allen, Fisher, and Maginity. A well attended meeting of the members of the Wellington Reform Club and of others favorable to its objects was held in the sideroom of the Odd Fellows’ Hall on Tuesday evening last. The Hon. Mr. Fox was in the chair, and amongst those present were Dr. Watts and Mr. Quick and several other, influential citizens. Unfortunately the meeting was hardly opened when the firebell rung, which had the effect of clearing the room in a very short time. It was afterwards arranged to resume the meeting next Tuesday evening at 8 o’clock, when Mr. Fox will again preside. The friends of this movement should muster on this occasion as numerously as possible, as the business is of an important nature. Mr. Travers has got a whale in his thoughts eternally. In committee on the Education Bill last night in the House of Representatives a discussion arose as what articles might be deemed fitting to be included in asohool library. It being stated that maps, diagrams, and things of that kind might be considered as fitting for such places, Mr. Travers said, “If that is the case a stuffed whale might be deemed, fitting for a school library.” Now, why should Mr. Travers use a whale as an illustration? The Wellington Artillery Volunteers, at the adjourned meeting of the battery last evening, resolved to ask Mr. W. S. Moorhouse, M.H.R., to accept the post of their captain. In accordance with this,resolve a deputation, consisting of Lieutenants Fox and McCredie, Sergeants Lyon and Mason, and Gunners Robinson and Scott; waited upon Mr. Moorhouse at (the House of Representatives, and received his consent to his nomination, which now only requires the assent of the Governor in (Council to complete the appointment. _ The election of this gentleman to a post of this importance will give, ah additional status to the already high position which the battery holds in 'the Empire City, and all will recognise the importance which 'is 'attached to the acceptance of such a post by any one hplding the high position which this gentleman has idways held throughout the colony; Mr. A. Barnett held a'sale of freehold land .in the city of Wellington, yesterday.-, Acres 958 and 955 on the Adelaide-road were sold in half and quarter acre sections; the two halfacres brought £l9O each, while the quarteracres fetched from £95 to £l3O. One acre in Daniel street brought £270, and another in Coromandel-streCt, £3OO. , Mr. 0. W. Clayton was the purchaser of all the sections sold,

There will be no meeting of the Philosophical Society this evening. The Wanganui Athletic Club are making arrangements for holding a three-miles steeplechase on the 29th inst. Written tenders will be received at the Public Works Office until the 10th October for the Halcombe contract, about ten miles in length, on the Patea-Manawatu railway. There was another good attendance last night at the Fine Arts Exhibition at St. George’s Hall, which continues to maintain its popularity. The Theatre Eoyal was again fairly attended last evening, and the bill of fare provided was well received by the audience. To-night the “ Green Hills of the Par West ” will be produced, and we expect to see a full house.

The Bank of Australasia notifies that the half-yearly dividend of £2 10s. per share—being at the rate of £l2 10s. on the capital of the company—will be payable on the 9th of October.

Mr. G. Bishop, son of Mr. W. Bishop, the well-known agent for the Melbourne line of steamers, has commenced business as a solicitor in offices immediately over the Chamber of Commerce.

We understand that subscriptions are still coming in to swell the already considerable amount raised for Mr. Alcorn. It is pleasant to see such substantial sympathy evinced by the people of this city. To-morrow (Sunday) sermons in aid of the Trust Funds of the Wesleyan Church, Manners-street, will be preached in the morning and evening. On the Tuesday following a tea and public meeting will be held. The Hon. W. Fox will preside at the meeting, which will be addressed by several ministers and other friends.

A telegram was received in town yesterday by the Inspector of Police stating that a Scandinavian named Svensen Olsen had been thrown from his horse and killed the previous night on the road between Palmerston and Foxton. The same news was confirmed by a telegram subsequently received by the Press Agency. The late municipal elections show that the number of votes are pretty equal in the various wards. Assuming, for the sake of comparison, that every voter exercised his right of voting for three candidates in each ward, the numbers polled would stand thus:—Cook Ward, 418 ; Te Aro, 528 ; Lambton, 414 ; Thorndon, 483. It will be seen that that portion of Te Aro Ward which retains the old name, still heads the list in the number of votes polled.

Mr. Travers seemed to contradict himself a little in the House of Representatives last night. The Education Bill was under consideration in committee, and the clause referring to levying capitation fees was being discussed. Mr. Travers objected to capitation fees, but advocated rating to support State schools. The effect of this would be to compel religions sections of the community who conscientiously object to the system of education proposed by the Bill to contribute more largely to a scheme to which they were opposed. Mr. Travers, of course, voted against the capitation clause. In other words, he supported denominationalism by his vote, and endeavored to oppress deuominationalists by his speech. At the Resident Magistrate’s Court yesterday, before H. S. Wardell, Esq., E.M., a sailor named Roderick Stuart was charged with having been drunk the previous night. From the statement of Constable McWilliams it appeared that the man had narrowly escaped being drowned. As the officer was on duty on Custom House-quay he heard cries of “ Help ” proceeding from: the direction of Mills’s Foundry, and on going to the spot found the accused struggling in the water. He was with some difficulty extricated from his unpleasant petition and conveyed to the Police Station. His Worship discharged Mr. Stuart with a caution, observing that he : had undoubtedly had a very narrow escape.—Alexander Williow, a Russian, was.charged with feloniously entering the premises of Mr. William Barber, at the Upper Hutt, and stealing therefrom a quantity of wearing apparel and £5 in money. Mr. Barber deposed that he left his residence on Sunday morning, and returned home in the evening, when he discovered that the till had been ransacked of its contents, amounting to the sum above stated, and that a quantity of wearing apparel had also been stolen. From the evidence of Constable Lister it appeared that in consequence of information received about the robbery he made search for the prisoner, and succeeded in arresting him soon after the robbery occurred. He was then wearing the hat, shirt, and coat now produced in Court. These articles were identified by Mr. Barber as part of the stolen property. The prisoner, who made no defence, was sentenced to three months’ imprisonment, with hard labor. —John Freeman, who was brought up charged with stealing a dog which he had in his possession, was discharged, no evidence being offered against him. The accused said it was very hard that he should have been arrested when there : was no charge against him.—A summons case, Purnell v. Purnell, in which W. H. Purnell was charged with assaulting his wife, who also sought for a protection order, was withdrawn.—Judgments were given for the plaintiffs in the following civil cases :—R. J. Duncan and Co. v. Moody, £37; Sloan v. Williamson, £6 12s. There were some other cases on the list, which were settled out of Court.

A very narrow escape from what might have been a most serious, if not fatal, accident occurred yesterday morning. As a man was passing along Lambton-quay, in front of the Athenaeum, a piece of scantling, which had been apparently loosened, was blown by the wind from the roof into the street, and tell just in front of the feet of the passer- by. He was not even touched, but had he been only an inch or two more in advance on the pathway the heavy mass must have fallen upon him. The removal of all dangerous portions of a building as [ speedily as possible, is very necessary for 1 the public safety, and ample powers for the purpose, we believe, are contained in the city by-laws. From the Wanganui Herald of the 11th inst. we learn that a meeting of the Reception Sub-committee of the Regatta Committee was held the previous day. Mr. R. Pharazyn, who was in the chair, was requested to wait on the local agents of the" steam' shipping companies, with a view to arrangements being made for the passage of crews and boats from the Southern ports. It was intimated that Mr. C. Cross had very kindly placed his stores at the disposal of the committee for storage of the visitors’ boats. The meeting adjourned on the understanding that it would be called together on an early date to consider the chairman’s report.

A strange scene occurred and some strange statements were made recently in the Victorian Legislative Assembly in connection with the penal vote. Mr. L. L. Smith and Mr. Gaunson were championing the cause of the prisoners in general and the late Mr. Weechurch in particular. Weechurch, it was said, had been judicially murdered. “He was driven past hope by starch.” Death was his only relief. Pentridge was a living tomb. Our code was one of blood. In this way upwards of an hour had been consumed, when Mr. G. P. Smith expressed his opinion that the disturbance among the Pentridge convicts was due to the interference of an ex-Chief Secretary, who showed personal favor to Weechurch. This brought up Mr. Berry, with a statement that if the ex-Chief Secretary referred to had not been obstructed by factious opposition, “the scandals which had culminated in the hanging of Weechurch would not have occurred, for the hon. gentleman would have brought the permanent officers of the penal department under the heel of authority.” “What is the heel of authority?” asked Mr. G, ;P. Smith. “ The hon. member,” said Mr. Berry, “ can put his own interpretation on the phrase ; I think it a very expressive one.” This speech was described by Mr. Maokay as being “clap-trap,” and a point of order was raised as to the Parliamentary character of the expression. Mr. James this time was equal to the situation. “ Clap-trap,” he ruled, “is not a dignified term, but it is perfectly Parliamentary,”

Captain Grubb, of the ketch Merlin, has been charged at Greymouth with having in his possession a box of tea and three scrubbing brushes, part of the shipwrecked goods of the schooner St. Kilda. The goods had been seized by the Customs authorities. Captain Grubb states that he bought the box of tea from his owners when he was last at the Waitara, and Alfred Weber, cook and seaman, corroborated that statement; but the magistrate, Mr. Revel, said he considered the defendant had not proved that the box of tea seized was the one said to have been bought at Waitara, and he would therefore order the restitution of the goods, and inflict a fine of £5, with expenses. Mr. Perkins (according to a local paper) gave notice of appeal. The Southland Times of Sept. 5 says : “The cutter Hannah arrived at the Bluff yesterday afternoon, with a party of sealers, who have been working the Snares this season. They have had very indifferent success, the whole take amounting to only 236 skins. The sealers have not had a very pleasant time of it, as they were all attacked with sickness, which they attribute to the bad water on the island. One of the party named Roger Owen, a youth about 20 years of age, who had worked very hard, and somewhat strained himself, was landed at Stewart Island very ill, and we regret to say died the next day. After burying their comrade, the party arrived here as above.”

Large and attractive signboards are a great feature of Chinese shops, and the words upon them are a mixture of the flowery literature of the land and the advertising instincts of a commercial people. Here are some of the signs of Peldng :—“ Shop of Heaven-sent Luck “ Tea Shop of Celestial Principles ;” “The Nine Felicities Prolonged;” “Mutton Shop of Morning Twilight “ The Ten Virtues all Complete ;” “ Flowers Rise to the Milky Way.” The New South Wales agricultural returns this year show 145,608 acres of wheat under cultivation, yielding 2,391,978 bushels, or an average of 16J bushels per acre, against 14S last year.