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New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 5186, 5 November 1877, Page 2

When the alarm of fire was given yesterday morning the water was turned on at full pressure, but owing to the bursting of the main pipe in Polhill Gully near the junction with the branch pipe to the small reservoir recently made in that locality, had tho water been required for tho purpose of extinguishing tho fire it could not have been available, for the supply was thus cut off. Men, however, wore at once set to work to repair the damage, and they worked so well that everything was made all right again by nightfal, and much credit is due to the authorities and to the men for the promptness with which the accident, which might have proved a serious one, was repaired. Last night there was 17 feet of water in the distributing basin, which is an excess of 12 feet ovor that on the previous Sunday. The supplementary supply obtained by impounding the Water from the Polhill Gully stream is proving of great use, and materially assists in conserving the water for the low levels of the town. The Wellington Cricketers’ Association have made arrangements to play the Wanganui men at Wanganui on tho 9th inst., and will leave by Bfeamer on Thursday, returning-probably on the Saturday or Sunday following. The Wellington team will be chosen from the following ;—Armitago, I. J- Salmon, Edwards, Robinson, Blaoklook, J. Lockett, Kember, Ross, Foley, Gascoigne, Fdrdharn, Lambert, Dauks, Speed, Horton, and Glasson. Members are requested to meet for, practice today and Tuesday at 5 o’clock, on the Cricket Ground.

There was an alarm of fire at half-past nine last night. Fortunately it was confined to a chimney at the Thorndon end of the city, and was extinguished before the arrival of the fire brigades. The funeral of the late Mr. Charles Keeley tcok place on Saturday afternoon. All the leading members of the theatrical and musical , professions, besides a number of private friends, followed his remains to the grave, where the Rev. Mr. Harvey read the burial service. Mr. Maskell, registrar, notifies candidates for junior scholarships in the University of New Zealand that students who propose to send in their names may do so (stating the subjects they intend to take up) on or before December 15th next. After that date no application will be received. We would draw the attention of our readers, and especially of those given to horticultural pursuits, to the fact that the spring exhibition of the Horticultural Society will be held on Wednesday next. We would venture to express a hope that persons lucky enough to possess plants will gratify the public taste by exhibiting them. Further particulars will be found in our advertising columns. The Lowry Bay Estate, the sale of which to Mr. Sinclair and others was notified in our columns of the 29th ultimo, is to be greatly improved and a portion of it laid out as a public recreation ground. 'The existing buildings on the property are to be put into thorough repair immediately so as to be fit for the reception of visitors. Fronting the bay an esplanade is to be formed, and on the level land between the shore and the hill there will be a reserve laid down in grass, with a fountain in the centre, and ample provision will be made for cricket, football, croquet, and other outdoor games. Streets will be made on each side of this reserve, and the land abutting on them will be out up into building allotments, which will be offered to the public for lease on suitable terms. A commodious bathing house will be erected on the beach, and a convenient jetty will be built, at which a steamer running to and from Wellington will call at frequent intervals. On Saturday afternoons and at any other holiday times this will no doubt become a favorite resort of the citizens, and the speculation will doubtless prove a good one to the proprietors.

Shortly before noon yesterday there was an alarm of fire at the Te Aro end of the town. The firebells were rung, and the brigades, with their usual promptitude, hastened to the spot. Their services, however, were happily not required, the fire being extinguished by the bystanders within a few minutes of its breaking out. It occurred in a house in course of erection in Fine-street, belonging to Mr. Kayll, and is supposed to have arisen either from someone who had lighted a pipe throwing a lighted match accidentally on some shavings, or from a spark from a pipe. Beyond the burning of the shavings and the charring of some of the woodwork of the building, no damage was done. There was a strong wind blowing at the time, and had not prompt measures been taken the consequences might have been very serious. The probable winner of the great Victorian Handicap of 1877—the Melbourne Cup, which will be run for to-morrow—haviog considerable interest even at this remote distance, we append an extract from a private letter from one of the leading sportsmen of Melbourne, as to the probable winner, in which he says, after naming Chester as a certain winner of the Derby; “The Cup is of course a much more open race, but will, I think, be won by a three-year-old. Woodlands, though second to Chester in my opinion at Derby weights, Bst. 101 b., I do not think can be beat with sst. 71b,, and, well on the day, he ought to go to the front and win all the way. And next to him I class them in order as follows: Savanaka, Tom Kirk, Alonzo, Artful Joe, Amendment. But, well on the day, I expect to see Woodlands win, and nothing else.” There was a good attendance down stairs at the Theatre Royal on Saturday, when “ Oliver Twist ” was very creditably placed on the stage and well performed. The piece is an excellent adaptation of Dickens’ celebrated novel, and the strange scenes through which little Oliver passes are very faithfully pourtrayed. The piece will be repeated to-night, and is well worth seeing. At the close of the performance a number of gifts were distributed, several of them of considerable value, and this part of the programme will also be repeated tonight. St. George’s Hall was re-opened on Saturday evening, and notwithstanding the unpropitious weather was crowded in every pajrt. The programme was a most inviting one, consisting of Byron’s burlesque “ Ali Baba,” in which the singing and dancing of the three ladies—the Misses Nye, Wilks, and Vernon—and the eccentricities of Messrs. Keogh, Metcalfe, Alexander, and John Howe (who made his bow to a Wellington Audience) called forth genuine applause and repeated encores. The local hits introduced were extremely funny, and the finale, in which all the members appear to burlesque a minstrel company, was one of the features in the programme. Three or four new scenes were painted for the piece, and the artist deserves credit for them. The burlesque was preceded by the comedietta entitled “ The Day after the Wedding.” The gifts, numbering over 50 useful articles, were distributed by Mr. Cary at the end of the performance. Tonight the bill will be repeated, and prizes will be given away as usual. The drawing iu the St. George’s Hall art union of£looo will be commenced to-day at half-past one o’clock. Mr. Cary has informed us that several well-known gentlemen have signified their intention of acting on the committee, but still some more are required. The manager notifies that the drawing will be left entirely to the committee ; so it rests with the ticket-holders to spe that it is done avell. The winning numbers will be announced from the stage during the entertainment, and as the first prize is valued at £231 it should cause some excitement. A few tickets are still for sale. A concert of chamber classical music, in aid of the Indian Famine Relief Fund, is to be given on Friday, the 16th instant, by a few gentlemen amateurs who have for some time past held a private club in this city for the practice of high-class music. When it is mentioned that the names of Beethoven, Mozart, Himmell, Reisseger, and others appear in the programme, which is varied by,several pieces by some of our best local amateurs, enough has been said to warrant the conclusion that the concert will be an excellent one, andthie, combined with the excellence of the cause for which it is given, will no doubt draw a large house. His Excellency the Governor (under whose patronage the concert will take place) has signified his intention of being present. The programme will be advertised in a few days. The New Zealand Herald of the 27th inst. says :—“ Te Hira, Mere Kuru, and a number of their friends, who have up to this time been residing at Ohinerauri, have cleared out from that settlement and have gone up the Piako, where they intend to plant at a place about six miles inland from Tarapipipi’s settlement, A short time since Te Ngakau, the King’s secretary, paid a visit to Piako, where he saw Te Hira, and we suppose this removal is the result. Te Hira took up all his household gods, including ploughs and working implements. The manner in which the old chief has stuck to Ohinemuri must be fresh in every memory. For years he resisted the opening of the district, and was the means of keeping it closed. He had some excellent reserves made for him, and it was thought he would stick to the place where he had lived so long, and which he had for so many years defended against the invasion of the pakeha. Since the opening Te Hira has had several disputes with Europeans who had purchased portions of the Ohinemuri flat, and no doubt he has felt altogether out of his element. Whether he will finally take refuge amongst the Kingites no one can tell.” At a meeting of the Taratahi-Carterton Highway Board on the 30th ult., the clerk was instructed to write to the Secretary of the Education Bard and inform him that all schools under the Education Board in the Taratahi-Oarterton Highway District will be exempt from paying rates.

In consequence of the inclement state of the weather on Saturday the meeting of the Teachers’ Association was not' held, as a sufficient number did not attend to form a quorum. At the Resident Magistrate’s Court on Saturday, H. S. Wardell, Esq., R.M., on the bench, two cases of drunkenness were disposed of in the usual way. Edward Hughes, charged with assaulting Alfred King, was, on the application of Mr. Buckley, who appeared for the defence, remanded till Monday. Mrs. Rankin was fined ss. and costs for allowing her chimney to catch fire. A meeting is to be held at Carterton to-day to discuss the question of municipal government for the district. The Standard says there is a strong local feeling both for and against the movement. The Highway Board is a popular and useful body, and many settlers prefer the district to remain a while longer under its rule, while others, who have a strong progressive tendency, are altogether for a borough. Working Men’s Clubs are gaining in popularity throughout the country, and the success which has attended these excellent institutions wherever started, if properly managed, is stimulating other localities to follow the example. The Wairarapa Standard of the 3rd inst. states that “ a committee meeting of the South Wairarapa Working Men’s Club was held at the Institute, Greytown, on Thursday last. A letter .was read from G. Beetham, Esq., M.H.R., supporting the movement, and enclosing application fee for ten shares. It was reported that the deed of land for site was in preparation by the solicitor of the club, and it was resolved that before tenders for building were invited the land should be surveyed. It was decided that a general meeting of shareholders should be called at an early date for the election of trustees and provisional directors. The meeting then adjourned till Thursday, November 15.”