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New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 5144, 18 September 1877, Page 2

There will, so we understand, be some lively times at the City Council meeting to-day. More than one gentleman who has not been declared elected by the Returning Officer will present himself, and claim a right to be heard as a member of the Council.

In the House of Representatives last night the clause providing <iiat schools should be opened with the reading of the Lord's Prayer and a portion of the Holy Scriptures, was struck out, on the motion of Mr. Sheehan, without a-division. Previously Mr. W. Wood moved that the teaching in the public schools should be of a purely secular character, which was carried on a division by 39 to 19. Mr. Sheehan’s motion was of course the natural sequence of this, and the Bill now stands divested of almost every particle of anything which could be looked upon as of a religious character.

At the Resident Magistrates’s Court yesterday, Messrs. J. Moore and B. J. Smith on the bench, a number ofcases of drunkenness were disposed of in the usnal way. David Hogan was fined 20s. and costs for carelessness whilst in charge of a horse and dray. The horse bolted, and it was found that the wheel of the dray had not been locked. The civil business was unimportant, being confined to undisputed small debt cases.

Much speculation prevailed for a brief period yesterday afternoon in the galleries of the House as to who the person was that so comfortably ensconced himself along with the Maori members. Suggestions to the effect that it was his Maori Majesty Tawhiao were entertained for “ but a breathing space.” The surprise, however, culminated when the gentleman was ascertained to be no less a personage than a Mr. Paraone {anglice J. C. Brown) of Tuapeka. The idea that he was endeavoring to acquire the influence of the native members with a view of obtaining the portfolio of the Hon. Dr. Pollen in the Ministry that is to be formed after the Opposition have carried their want of confidence motion this week, is, we are assured, entirely without foundation. A tea and public meeting in connection with the Manners-street Wesleyan Church will be held this evening. Several clergymen and laymen will address the meeting, and an instructive and agreeable evening will no doubt be passed by all present on the occasion, and a numerous attendance may be confidently anticipated. A subscription list has been started with a view of presenting some substantial testimonial to Mr. Whiteford, Superintendent of the Wellington Fire Brigade, and there can be very little doubt that the call will be liberally responded to by the public. The information received by us on Sunday that Mr. Corpe's mill at Carterton was burnt down the previous Thursday was, it appears, erroneous, a telegram having been received yesterday from Mr, Corpe as follows :—“ It is a false report ; the mill is not burnt.”

We are indebted to our contemporary the Evening Post for the following “ special cable war news,” telegraphed to it last night : “From Brigham Young to the proprietors of the Evening Post —-It is alas too true that I died at 8 o’clock lai-t night. Please open a subscription list for my numerous family, now left destitute. Do not take too much out of the subscriptions for advertising charges.’ ’ At Akaroa the other day the solicitor for an applicant for a publican’s license having stated that he would be glad of an opinion from the Bench as to the desirability or not for a license in a particular district, the Resident Magistrate curtly replied that he was not paid to give opinions, like Mr. Inwood, the solicitor in question. “ No, your Worship,” cut in Mr. Inwood, “ but you are in the habit of giving decisions which cost far more !”

The concert given last evening in aid of the Karori parsonage fund was undoubtedly a complete success financially speaking, the house being crowded throughout. His Excellency the Governor was present, attended by his suite. The admirable band of the Choral Society, under the able bdtou of Mr. Edwards, opened the programme with that splendid selection “ Eruani," which was so universally admired at the last concert of the society. The choruses were, with the single exception of the first, well rendered, although very much wanting in male voices. Of the solos, “ The dream of joy,” “The mountaineers’ home” (with violin obligato, admirably played by Mr. Bonnington), and “ Softly sighs” were all capitally sung, the last-named bringing an encore, which fate was also shared by Mr, Edwards in his beautiful rendering of Donizetti’s “Ah! non avea pin lagrime.” Responding to the call, he sang Molloy’s “Kings’ highway ” with beautiful attention to the expression, which is the great characteristic of this song. This gentleman afterwards took the solo in the “ Miners’ song,” the singer to whom it had been allotted being absent. It would be impossible to pass over unnoticed the beautiful clarionet solo in the first part, which was played with splendid precision and correctness of detail, showing very careful study. The same may be said of the pianoforte solo “Irish Diamonds,” which was unanimously re-demanded. The selections by the band were all rendered with great spirit and care, and fully sustained the high repute which has of late been theirs. There is no doubt but that the indefatigable exertions of Mr. Plimpton in getting up this concert, and of Mr. Edwards in so kindly superintending the management of the musical portions, will result in a very handsome gift to the fund for which it was undertaken.

A first call of 10s. per share, payable on or before the 26th inst., has been made by the Te Aro Theatre and Public Hall Company.

The prospectus of the Lion Foundry and Engineering Company (limited) appears in our advertising columns. An inquest will be held to-morrow (Wednesday) at the Theatre Koyal Hotel) to inquire into the circumstances and origin of the late fire on Mr. Alcorn’s premises, Lambtonquay.

The Wellington Reform Club and Working Men’s Institute will meet this evening at eight o’clock, in the sideroom of the Odd Fellows’ Hall, when business of importance will be discussed, and all members are requested to attend. The Hon. Mr. Fox will preside. The fine arts exhibition at St. George’s Hall drew a large attendance again last night. The programme was entirely changed, and the audience appeared highly entertained with the performance. The trapeze business of Mr. Gerrard, and the musical selections by the City Rifle Baud were duly appreciated. We are requested by one of Mr. Wilkins’s numerous friends to correct the statement that the whole of that gentleman’s family perished in the wreck of the ill-fated Avalanche. His eldest son is in the telegraph office at Waitotara, near Wanganui, and is now the only one of the family left. Messrs. Lawrence and Giovesco, two of the fishermen who were in the Stella in search of the missing boat Blue Bell and her crew, but unfortunately did. not succeed in finding any trace of boat or men, called at our office yesterday, expressing their regret that the trip had been a fruitless one, and speaking very highly of the kindness of Captain Fairchild and of his unwearied exertions in the prosecution of the search.

There was a good attendance at the Theatre Royal last night, when the “ Green Hills of the Far West” was successfully repeated, and the performances of the Vaudeville Troupe were given with much spirit. A new drama, from the pen of a local author, is shortly to be produced,audconsiderable interestis manifested by the theatre-going portion of the community as to what kind of a piece the Wellington dramatist is likely to produce. A pupil in Christ's Hospital named Gibbs, recently committed suicide by hanging himself. The case has excited great interest on account of charges which have been made of harsh treatment on the part of the monitors, and The Times and other English papers contain numerous letters, urging that a commission of inquiry should he held on the discipline and management of that ancient and richly endowed establishment.

The Melbourne Leader tells the following story :—“A lady ‘moving in the best society' in Melbourne was advised by her friends and encouraged by the dressmakers to prepare a handsome dress for the approaching fancy ball. Her husband was going as Charles II.; and it was considered that her peculiar style of beauty would be shown to the best advantage in the character of Hell Gwynne. But between the ordering of the costume and its coming home the lady took to the study of history, and discovered for the fir.-t time who the person was that she had undertaken to personate. Horror and indignation filled her soul at the thought of the indignity she was so nearly suffering ; and the husband, who should have known better, has been condemned by his offended wife not only to pay for a new dress for her, but to change his own character. As she very properly said, ‘ Them as dresses like Charles 11. might act like him.’ ”