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New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 5197, 17 November 1877, Page 2

Communication by the Tasmanian cable is now restored. We take the opportunity of again reminding the ratepayers of the borough that the nominations of candidates for the office of Mayor must be sent in to the returning officer on or before noon to-day. Yesterday, when the Shipping and Seamen’s Bill was under consideration, Mr. Travers drew attention to the want there existed in the present law, in not providing that captains of ships conld be punished for leaving a ship in distfess at sea, when signals for help were hoisted. He said that unfortunately this was of common occurrence, and it would be an act of humanity if they could insert a provision in the Bill to prevent the recurrence of such heartless conduct. It was, however, stated that the Parliament of New Zealand had no power to legislate outside its limits. It is not even clearly defined what the limits are. Some were of opinion that it was three miles, others between high and low water marks. Any offence committed at sea must be punished according to English law, but it is doubtful if the present law reaches those heartless wretches who leave their fellowmortals in distress at sea without making any effort to relieve them. However, we are glad to see that an effort will be made to remedy this defect in the law as far as this colony is concerned, for Sir George Grey has intimated that he will introduce a clause making it penal for shipmasters not to notice signals of distress within IS ew Zealand waters. Not that hitherto there has been any need for such a provision in this colony, for no case has come under' our notice where the mercantile marine of New Zealand have failed to render all possible succor to ships in distress—often at considerable risk. Nevertheless, no harm can arise from having enacted as imperative that which is clearly the duty of all.

The Divorce Court will sit on Monday next.' We have already published a Hat of cases set down for hearing. There will be a meeting of the Philosophical Society this evening at the Museum, when several scientific and interesting papers will be read. We understand that Mr.,.C.,Moody will be. put in nomination for the Mayoralty to-day. Mr. Moody is evidently undaunted by previous defeats when seeking municipal honors. A man was arrested yesterday "at the Hutt on the charge of assault with intent to commit rape, and will be brought before the Wellington Bench this morning. The boating season will be opened this day, and members of the clubs desirous of competing in scratch races (fours and pairs) are invited to meet at the Star Boating Club shed before two o’clock this afternoon. “ Clifford’s Mirror of the World,” hitherto a very popular entertainment here, will reopen at the Odd Fellows’ Hall on Monday evening, and will no doubt receive the same liberal amount of patronage which has been already accorded to its merit. The following appointments have been made in the railway branch of the Public Works Department :—Mr. H. Boscawen to be clerk in the stores manager’s office ; Mr. S. B. Quin to be clerk ; Mr. F. Back to be assistant traffic manager at Christchurch, and Mr. B. Whitaker to be accountant.

Sergeant Major Chandler, who died yesterday at Mount Cook Barracks, will be buried with military honours this afternoon. A parade of the volunteers is called for half-past two o'clock to take part in the funeral. It is particularly requested all volunteers should attend. Court Eobin Hood invites officers, brethren, and others to meet at two o'clock for the same object. The deceased was a sergeant in the 76tb Eegiment of the line, and was subsequently musketry instructor in the 18th, and came out here with the latter regiment in 1863. Ho took part in several engagements with the Maoris, and obtained his discharge in 1869 ; since which time he has filled the office of drill instructor and [Sergeant Major to the Armed Constabulary. The deceased was 48 years of age, and leaves a widow and a numerous family. A match will be played at the Hutt this afternoon between the United Cricket Club and the second eleven of the Star Club. The following are the names of the respective teams : United ; Muut (captain), Nation, Doyle, Dryden, Brown, Gamble, McGirr, Iggulden, Wratt, Keefe, and Wylie ; emergency, Emeny. Star : Gascoine, Humphries, Ross, Robinson, Howe, Book, Haughton, H. Lockett, Welsh, Inman, and Lawrence; emergencies, Holmes and Remington. A cricket match will be played on the Basin Reserve this afternoon between the Royal Oak and the Wellington Cricket Clubs. The following are the names of the Royal Oak team :—Lambert, Oheesman, Maplesden, Burrett, Lawrence, Clarridge, Danks, Hutchens, Platt, Dodsworth, and- Woods. The match between the Wellington Club and the Armed Constabulary, which was to have been played to-day, stands postponed in consequence of the death of Sergeant-major Chandler. The amateur concert in aid of the Indian Famine Relief Fund came off last evening, and was a most successful affair in every way. There was a large attendance, and the performance was a most excellent one. The programme embraced selections from Mozart, Beethoven, Blangini, and other eminent composers, which were remarkably well rendered, and deservedly applauded. The result in a pecuniary sense will we trust be such as to give a substantial addition to the funds. At the Resident Magistrate’s Court yesterday, H. S. Warded, Esq., E.M., on the bench, James Brown, on a charge of drunkenness, was dismissed with a caution, it being his first appearance.—A man named Ridgway, who had been found drunk while in charge of a horse and dray, was fined 20s. and costs.—Mrs. Ock obtained a protection order against her husband, Peter Ock.—Two sailors, brought up on warrant, charged with disobedience of orders, were discharged, their captain not wishing to press the case against them. At the Theatre Royal last night there was the same crowded house that has marked every night of the Majeronis’ engagement up to the present time. In emotional acting Signor and Signora Majeroni are perfect; and the hearty applause which greeted them last night in “Jealousy” shows that their efforts are fully appreciated. The stock company also performed their parts very, .efficiently, and contributed not a little to .the general good effect of the piece. To-night will be produced “East Lynne,” and we anticipate a great treat. Every exchange speaks in the highest terms of the Signora’s rendition of the two characters of Lady Isabel and Madame Vine. On Monday evening “ Jealousy ” will be repeated. St. George’s Hall was fairly attended last evening. The burlesque of “ The Bride of Abydos ” was performed tor the second time, and ran remarkably well. The aerobatic performances also called forth general applause. The entertainment commenced with the musical comedietta entitled “Perfection, or the Lady of MunSter,” which was heartily appreciated. To-night a special bill is' announced, and a large attendance may be expected. The Geelong Advertiser of the sth instant relates the following narrow escape of Bishop Moorhouse ;—“ On Sunday morning, whilst returning from the service at Trinity Church, Barrabool Hills, the Bishop of Melbourne had a providential escape from what might have been a very serious accident. The pair-horse carriage from Mr- Montgomery’s stables, in which the bishop and Mrs. Moorhouse were beintf driven, had reached the beginning of Fisher’s Hill, near the Sebastopol Vineyard, when one of the traces • was detached from its fastening, and acted as a flapper against the flank of one of the horses. The consequence was that the pair bolted, down the steep descent, and every effort of the driver to check them was baffled by the incessant flagellations of the flying trace. His Lordship and Mrs. Moorhouse were calmly preparing themselves foe the worst, and especially when they approached the sharp turn near the bottom of the hill, but happily the driver gradually reduced the horses' terrific pace as he neared the toll-gate, and after adjusting the harness, proceeded on his journey to town.

Tho Masterton correspondent of the Wairampa Standard of the 15th instant says ; Early on Wednesday morning an accident occurred to two gentlemen, who were driving into Masterton, when coming down a decline at th* junction of the Taueru and Opaki roads. In passing a stray mare and foal, the mare kicked at the buggy-horse, causing it to shy over the culvert at the side of the road, capsizing the buggy, breaking the shafts, and landing one of the occupants on the road and the other into the water. Neither of the gentlemen were seriously hurt. The horse bolted through'the town, and when near the Prince of Wales Hotel, took the footpath, some children narrowly escaping being knocked down. A part of'the broken shaft attached to'the harness was striking, against the animal, making it more frightened. It was eventually stopped at the other end of the town, without doing further damage. Shortly after the above accident a valuable horse, the property of Dr. Hosking, was severely injured by the shaft of . a light cart penetrating it under the shoulder, breaking a rib and otherwise injuring it. The driver of the cart, when near the corner of Bannister-street, to prevent a collision with a vehicle that was coming sharp round the corner, had to pull his horse suddenly on one side, and in so doing ran into and injured the doctor's horse as described. A boy was riding tbe horse at the time, but he fortunately escaped injury. Victorian sportsmen will no doubt be glad to hear that snipe in the Oraubourne district are more plentiful than they have been for a groat number of years. Several first-rate bags have been secured. To use the expression of a sportsman from Melbourne recently, “ They are as thick as sparrows in tho city streets,” but they take rome shooting.

..Nations as well as individuals can be ungrateful. A writer on the war, who sympathises with the .Turks, says Servia is the latest instance in .point. She is ungrateful and graceless.,. She is frequently attacking, often being beaten, and no less frequently beino* forgiven, yet she again contemplates a renewal of her errors. In 1815 she attacked, and Turkey conquered and forgave her. In 1829 she attacked, and Turkey not only conquered but granted her additional privileges. In 1856 the Powers took her under their p'rotechon, by virtue of a clause inserted in the Treaty of Paris. In 1876 she once more attacked, and the Powers stepped in, after she was thoroughly well drubbed, to save her from the wrath which the Turks did not deign to display. She is virtually independent, and has no substantial grievance. How is she showing her gratitude for the repeated pardons of her injured pardoner, and the generosity of her protectors ? By attacking the one and embarrassing the other. After having sued for peace and cried pecoave when Turkey was not engaged in a death struggle with a powerful enemy, she now threatens to come forward with her army of forty thousand men to fall upon Osman Pasha’s rear, while the Russians and Eoumaniansjjengage him in the front. The cowardice of this act is only exceeded by its ingratitude. But then is not a Christian absolved from shelving gratitude to a Turk ? When the war is over those principalities which have acted, as providers to the Russian Bear may fare ill themselves. In reference to the opening the Melbourne museums and Public Library on Sundays the Leader says ; —Once again there appears to be a probability that the expediency or otherwise of opening the museums and Public Library on Sunday will have to be discussed. Opinions on this question differ widely. There arc a large number of very liberal-minded people who, while they cannot be classed as strict Sabbatarians, are averse to any interference with the one day of rest which the State now allots to all its servants. On the other hand, there is another body, moved bv equally good intentions, who consider that the opening of these institutions and the extension of the means of recreation to the working classes on the Sunday will be followed with satisfactory social results. Again, there is a third party who are loud in denouncing from a religious point of view any attempt to infringe on the special sanctity of the day which they consider should be devoted to the active exercise of the ordinances of their creed. No doubt there is a large amount of false sentiment mixed up with the ideas both of the fanatical Sabbatarians and the anti-Sabbatarians. Common sense,. is the best guide therefore under the circumstances j and as the middle class, who represent at all event's the large majority at present, are really careless of any change in the existing state of matters, it would hardly be wise for the Government to step out of its way to legislate for a want that is not very pressing at the present moment.

The requiem service in honor of M. Thiers, at the Church of Notre Dame de Yictoires, was really a striking affair. The church was lined throughout with black, escutcheons bearing the monogram of the illustrious deceased were placed in all parts, an enormous catafalque stood before the altar ; it was also inscribed with the monogram, and covered with beautiful flowers and 'wreaths of immortelles. The Lafayette Guard and French Zouaves were present in full uniform, and the splendid baud of the latter played a solemn march during the service. The Abbe Robert pronounced a few words eulogizing the dead, comparing his conquering peace work with the bloody and disastrous results of war. The great feature of the service, however, was the singing of the choir, and through the medium of the French newspaper, the cure of the church publicly thanks Madame Zeiss-Dennis, Miss Coursen, and the members of the church choir for their able and gratuitous services on the occasion. “ Pietro Signore, ” by Mine. Zeiss-Dennis, was remarkably beautiful, as also the solos by Miss Ferrar and Miss Jennie Cobb, both members of the voluntary choir. The services of the hired artists might have been dispensed with, as besides not being of a high order, they not only lengthened the service most unnecessarily and wearily, but increased the expenses so much that the Lafayette Guard has had to make an appeal to their fellow-country-men to aid in defraying them. The Border Watch writes ;—The SurveyorGeneral, Mr. Goyder, who visited Port Macdonuell to inspect the block of land which the Government have been memorialized' to drain and put up for sole, informs us that his examination has led to a singular and important discovery. He was soon satisfied that the flooding of the country which it was sought to drain was not the result of the local rainfall, and further inquiries led to his eliciting the information that something like a stream ran into it from a deep waterhole some miles distant. Mr. Thomas Ewens had at one time sailed a boat between this bole and the flooded land, and was only stopped from reaching Port Macdounell by thick tea-tree. , Mr., Goyder at once procured a boat and had it carted to the water-hole. This was found to be thirty feet deep. A stream was discovered running southerly from it, which soon entered another water-hole twenty-four feet deep. Following the stream, two more water-holes were sailed over, both .eighteen feet deep. Out of the last the stream spread, over the swampy land, but a well-defined channel was seen to run through it to the sea. The stream could not be followed up for the teatree, but it enters the sea about five and ahalf miles distant from the first water-hole. Throughout the whole length traversed the stream is about twenty-five feet wide, and about sixteen feet deep, with a current of about a mile and a-balf per hour. By clearing the mouth of the stream » much greater velocity will be gained, and the effect will probably be to drain the swamp at the same time. The Surveyor-General named the new discovery the Thomas Ewens Spring Ponds, He thinks the ponds are fed from the Dismal Swamp, or from the underground drainage from Mount Gambier. They are undoubtedly the outlet of one of our underground rivers,' Now and then, says the Ararat Advertiser, the large eaglehawks become very bold in the seizure of their victims. Recently Mr. \V. C. Harricks, of Jackson’s Creek, observing the sheep of a neighbor rounded up as if by a dog, made for the spot, and there he found one of these ravenous birds of prey had got a fullsized sheep down, about a chain from the flock, and was making a good meal off it. It showed no intention of taking flight at first, but seemed, on the contrary, prepared to dispute Mr. Harrick’s right to interfere. When he left the sheep was still alive, hut with its head and throat so terribly mangled that nothing could be done for it. It was a fine four-tooth sheep, carrying no little flesh.

As a horse and. van were proceeding on September 4th across Hammersmith Bridge from the Surrey side of the Thames, the animal suddenly took fright and darted away at full speed, despite the efforts of the driver, a lad, to restrain it. Swerving to the right, it then leaped over the parapet, carrying (he boy ; and the van with it. Two or three boats at once shot out from the shore to the rescue, and luckily the lad escaped with a few bruises and a good ducking; but the horse and van went to the bottom. Walking along the, Strand the other day, an officer saw a man approaching in tatters, carrying a tray, on which were some small pies, marked id, each. As he got. near him he recognised a brother officer, who had served in the same regiment some years previously. He accosted the poor fellow, and was sympathizing with him on his sad plight, and altered circumstances, when the other exclaimed, “Hang your pity 1 Buy a pie.” A cannon ball is worshipped as a god by the inhabitants of Banavar, in Mysore. Until two years ago the people worshipped the cannon itself, but the Government taking possession of the weapon the ball was abstracted and placed in a shrine, where it now receives divine honors. Hot Politician (who wants to have an argument, stopping a friend just as he is getting into a cab) :—“ I say, are you for the Turks Sporting Friend (with gun-case) :—“ Blow the Turks ! I’m for the Moors ! (Drives oil te Euston-square.)”