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New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 5177, 25 October 1877, Page 2

At its rising yesterday afternoon the Legislative Council adjourned till the usual hour to-day, on the motion of Colonel Whitmore, who stated that no Government business could be proceeded with tillthe no-confidence motion in the House of Representatives had been disposed of, and therefore he considered that if the Couuail only sat in the afternoons it would have ample time to clear off all private business now before it ere the discussion on that motion had come to an end. •In future the supply of water in the mains will be cut off from six o’clock in the morning until six o’clock in the (evening, and will be turned on from six o’clock in the evening until six o’clock in the morning. Consumers are recommended to store • at least twelve hours’ supply. About six o’clock yesterday evening the telegraph signal communicating between the Government Buildings and the Central Lire Brigade Station gave the alarm of fire. In a brief space the horses were yoked in the carriage. Delay, however, was occasioned by one of the horses jibbing, and becoming so refractory as to necessitate its being returned to the stall and another harnessed up in its stead. On arriving with all possible speed at the buildings the alarm was found to be a false one, the signal apparatus in the room in the buildings having been, it is said, accidentally put in motion. A requisition, already numerously signed, is in course of signature, requesting Dr. Diver to allow himself to be placed in nomination for the vacant seat in the City Council for Lambton Ward. The advantage which the inhabitants of Wellington would derive from having a medical man at the Civic Board, especially one of Dr. Diver’s standiug, is obvious. When sanitary measures come under discussion, as they do at almost every meeting of the Council, the presence of an expert in that line would be invaluable. Without at all wishing to detract from the merits of the other gentlemen in the field, we think the citizens would be best studying their own welfare by returning Dr. Diver. We are aware that the Doctor’s professional engagements occupy a great portion of his time; but the meetings of the Council are not very numerous, and what time he could spare to them would be invaluable. A correspondent writing from Pahautanui, under yesterday’s date, —“Amongst the improvements which have recently been made in this locality may he mentioned the large and commodious hotel built by Mr. H. Hilleu. It is a well designed and tastefully finished building, and reflects much credit on the architect, Mr. Turnbull. This newhotel will supply a want long felt by travellers, who have often been put to much inconvenience, owing to the insufficiency of accommodation in the locality. This cause of complaint has now been removed, and those travelling along the road, either on business or pleasure, will find all reasonable wants amply provided for.” An enterprising country storekeeper, Mr. William Smith, of Otaki, has just prepared a piece of ground for a rice plantation, and expects to be able to supply this valuable article of domestic consumption of a good quality and at a cheaper rate than it can be imported. If lie is successful others will no doubt follow his example, aud a new industry of considerable importance may spring up. Mr. Smith has succeeded well in the growth of pea nuts, of which he has now a luxuriant crop growing on his land. St. George’s Hall was again crowded last night.. The musical, extravaganza of “La Sylphide” is evidently increasing in popular favor, as evinced by the hearty applause bestowed upon it, last evening the singing of the Misses Howards, Navaro, aud Nye, and also of Mr. Cary, being especially well received. To-night a gold watch will be given away, and “ La Sylphide” is announced once more. To-morrow “ Chilperic" will be played, and on Saturday another change will be made in the programme. , Mr. Roberts, the champion handstroko billiard player, made his' third and last appearance for the present season at the Post Office Hotel last evening, when the programme of the previous evening was repeated. In the billiard match Mr. Penata was the winner by 46 points, aud in the cannon game Mr. Roberts won by 23.

At the Theatre Eoyal last night “ The Two Orphans” was repeated with great success. To-night the colonial drama of “ Hazard” will be produced, and a full house may confidently be anticipated. The funeral of Mrs. Johnson and her five children, who perished in the recent calamitous fire in Molesworth-atreet, will leave the residence of Mr. G. Bolton this afternoon at half-past four o’clock. A number of the old settlers of Wellington were present at Mr. Sutherland’s funeral yesterday afternoon. The service at the grave was read, in the absence of the Rev. Mr. Paterson, by the Rev. Mr. Moir and the Rev. Mr. Ogg in a very impressive manner. The Whareama correspondent of the Wairarapa Standard of the 20th instant says : “ A general meeting of promoters of the proposed boiling down establishment at Wakataki was held at the Tinui Hotel on Saturday last. Those present agreed to the proposals ; but as many of the large flockowners did not attend or reply to the propositions (and to properly carry out the scheme it required the co-opera-tion of the whole district), the matter is at present in abeyance. A special meeting of the Castlepoint Harbor Board was also held for the purpose of receiving tenders for landing service. No tenders were received, and the meeting adjourned to Saturday, 3rd November, to which date the time for the receipt of tenders was extended. The privileges of this Board consist of sand and water at present. The Government doubtless ought to confer the right of foreshore from the Castlepoint Creek to the Reef to enable the Board to be of any use, as they have no power to raise money except under the Counties Act, which unfortunately does not operate here. This right-of foreshore therefore is the only means 1 open to them to be of any public service. It is to be hoped that at the next meeting of the Board some further communication may be received on the subjept, that the Harbor Board may not become like the County Council —a thing only in name.” The following “ elegant extract” is from the Timaru Herald of the 22nd instant ;—“lf Mr. James Mackay, junior, does not by this time consider himself a martyr in the fullest sense of the word, it is through no fault of the Wellington people. Mr. Mackay, it will be remembered, was sentenced to seven days' imprisonment, without hard labor, by the Resident Magistrate of the Empire City, for a cowardly assault which he committed upon Mr. Hislop, M.H.R. Perhaps seven days was rather a long period to deprive him of his liberty, and he would doubtless have felt equally as much disgraced if forty hours had been the sentence. With this, however, we have nothing to do. The magistrate acted, we feel assured, in a purely independent manner, and in inflicting punishment considered the nature of the offence, not the social position of the offender. We are quite certain of one thing, which is that it some poor fellow without friends or influence had been in Mr. Mackay, junior’s, position, the boot would have been found on the other foot, and, instead of petitioning agains,t the hardship of the sentence, the charitable snobs of Wellington would have enlarged on the insufficiency of the punishment dealt out for such a brutal action. A special committee of the four thousand agitators, comprising the elite of Wellington, no doubt waited at Mr. Mackay’s prison cell door, and welcomed him to the light with warm embraces, mixed with hot and Burning tears. They would assure him that instead of his losing caste in their blue blood home circles he would be thought twice as much of as before, while Mr. Hislop, M.H.R., the unfortunate victim of the outrage, will be ‘ cut ’ by every bloated Wellington aristocrat and aristooratess who may chance to meet him in their parades along Lambton-quay. For ourselves, while we cannot but admire the unbiassed action of the Resident Magistrate in dealing with Mr. James Mackay, jun., as he did,'the wholesome contempt in which we have hitherto held the majority of the people of Wellington has now turned to utter disgust and loathing. But what can be expected from a place which depends almost entirely for existence on the crumbs which fall from the table'of the Government of the colony, and whose population mainly consists of poorly paid civil servants, needy place-hunters, a few fishermen, a large number of publicans, and the paid agents of large commercial firms in other parts of the colony.” It is always gratifying to record the progress of local industries, whether large or small, and yesterday our attention was called to some excellent specimens of glue manufactured at Johnsonville by Mr. Wilbrandt, and sold by him in large or small quantities there or in town. ■ In a place like this there must be a large demand for this article, and if Mr. Wilbrandt can supply it of good quality and at a reasonable price, he will no doubt be largely patronised. We are sorry to hear of an unfortunate accident which happened yesterday to Mr. O’Grady, of Tory-street. Whilst he was in the stables attached to the Panama Hotel he incautiously got too near a restive horse belonging to a Mr. Hutchinson, and was thrown under its legs, and very severely kicked. Mr. Schwartz, who was in the stable at the time, rescued Mr. O’Grady from his dangerous position, and in doing so received a severe kick in the mouth. From the Rangitilcci Advocate we learn that on the 12th iust., Rudolph Von Mirbach, a medical practitioner at Bulls, well-known in Wellington, was fined £3, with the alternative of 11 days’ hard labor, for assault and battery on John Schmidt. The Sydney Morning Herald of the 19th instant says ;—“ Mr. H. A. Severn, a gentleman who has recently arrived in Sydney from New Zealand, will shortly deliver a series of lectures on scientific subjects.” The well-known Lowry Bay Estate, one of the most salubrious and picturesque sites near Wellington, and a favorite resort of holiday makers, will be offered for sale to-day at two o’clock by Mr. E. J. Duncan, at his salerooms, Panama-street. The property comprises about 660 acres, with an excellent six-roomed house, lodge of four rooms, a cottage and outbuildings, and largo garden and orchard. It has a frontage to the Beach-road and the W’ainuiomata-road. and could be very advantageously divided into small farms. Further particulars will bo found in our advertising columns. Mr. Duncan will also submit to competition this afternoon sections at Vogeltown, a sixroomed house and laud in Prospect-place, Tinakoriroad, and sections of land on deferred payments in the Kangitikei District, varying in size from 75 to 150 acres: also, land and houses in Drummondstreet, &c. Messrs. Bethnne and Hunter will sell, at their yards, near the New Zealander Hotel, at one o’clock this afternoon, thirty-eight very superior Lincoln rams (hoggets). It is notified in our advertising columns that the business of the Brunner Coal Company in Wellington will on and after Monday next, be carried on at their premises on the beach at the foot of Taranaki-street. Mr. N. J. Isaacs will hold a large trade sale at two o'clock this afternoon, of which particulars will be found in our advertising columns.