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New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 5208, 30 November 1877, Page 2

The inward San Francisco mail, which is due at Auckland to-day, will be brought on to this port by the Wanaka, which leaves the Manukau to-morrow morning, and not by the Taupo. The Wanaka will arrive here on Monday if the mail reaches Auckland at the proper date. The Southern portion of it will be transhipped into the Taupo, which takes the Wanaka's trip to Port Chalmers. She will be be here from Auckland, via the East Coast, on Monday. The Wanaka will return again to the Manukau, via intermediate ports. The Postmaster-General stated in the House yesterday that arrangements would be made that the Wanaka should wait for the mail if it did not arrive to date. The meeting of the City Council last night Was certainly one of the most important in its results which has ever been held here. An opinion has prevailed both in the Council arid outside that considerable l reductions could be made in the permanent staff, and those holding that opinion will bo pleased to see that the Council has at last taken very decisive action. The report is too lengthy to go into at the late hour it was received by os', but it speaks for itself, and it will repay perusal by those who take an interest in civic matters. The treasurer at the Hutt has received the sum of £25 from Wainuiomata towards the Indian Famine Relief Fund. The names of subscribers will be advertised in a supplementary list. On Wednesday night another fire occurred at the Hutt, by which a house belonging to a Mrs. Williams was totally destroyed. It was insured for £l5O.

The company formed with the object of utilising the iron sand at Taranaki came in for a large share of discussion yesterday. There is a Bill now before Parliament, chiefly directed to the company obtaining the land set apart 'for it upon the fulfilment of certain conditions. It provides that when the company succeed in smelting one hundred tons of iron five thousand acres of laud should be granted. The Legislative Council amended the Bill in a direction liberal to the company, inserting 50 tons in lieu of 100. This amendmentjdid not meet with favor by a large section of the House of Representatives. Mr. Travers spoke strongly against making any undue concessions to the company. He said the whole thing was a trick from beginning to end. The greatest metallurgists in Europe, after repeated experiments, had proved that it was impossible to utilise the sand profitably. However, one Smith,: an armorer in Wellington, had succeeded in inducing a number of gentlemen to believe that he had discovered a method for smelting the iron sand, and a company was formed. Speaking of the work of smelting carried on at Taranaki some time ago, Mr. Travers said ho was in a position to prove that fifty or sixty tons of the iron ore smelted was taken from his property at Massacre Bay, and smelted in Taranaki. Not that he had any objection to the ore being taken. The company could take as much as they liked, he only mentioned the fact to show the conduct of those who had the charge of the works. He would strenuously oppose the amendment made by the Council. The land was intended to be given solely on the condition that the work should turn out to be a success. Major Atkinson said it was perfectly plain that the conditions had not been carried out, All the company had done was to place a certain amount of machinery on the beach at Taranaki; but they had certainly failed to prove that the smelting would be a success. He sympathised with the shareholders, but the company had never yet made a decent attempt to thoroughly test the practicability of working the sand, as they had not endeavored to obtain the services of a really competent man. Mr. Burns admitted that some ore had been obtained from Para Para; but it had been a complete failure, and had nearly ruined the furnace. The only irori that had been smelted was from Taranaki sand. He contended that the quantity smelted proved as much as if they smelted fifty or a hundred tons. A division was then taken, and the Council’s amendment was disagreed to by 30 to 20. After the division, Mr. Stout complained that many members had voted under a wrong impression. They were told that 100 tons would L..ve to be smelted under the original terms. , That was not the case, and the company had substantially fulfilled every condition imposed. Messrs. Travers, Reynolds, and Kelly were appointed managers to draw up reasons for disagreeing with the Council.

The Civil List Act Amendment . Bill occupied the attention of the House a considerable portion 1 of yesterday’s sitting. The Bill was introduced by Sir George Grey, and had for, its object the reduction of Ministers’ salaries to £IOOO each. Eifteen members spoke on the subject, and a division being called for on the second reading, the result was 31 for and 31 against the Bill. The Speaker gave his vote on the side of the ayes, as he felt himself bound to support economy, although he did not go altogether with the Bill. He was of opinion that' the Premier’s salary should not be reduced. The Bill was then read a second time. Oh going into committee upon it Mr. Rolleston said the division evidently was not as the Government desired ; and as one or two members had been shut out from the last division, he would move that the Chairman leave the chair. Sir William Eitzherbert delivered an oration on responsible government, saying that it was on its trial not only here but in all British communities. Speaking to the subject matter of the Bill, Sir William said it went too far, Ministers’ salaries might be reduced, say from twenty-five per cent.; but it would not be advisable to reduce the Premier’s salary. On division, Mr. Rolleston’s motion was carried by 32 to 30, which, of course, virtually shelves the Bill. The result, we opine, is not at all displeasing to Ministers, as it is the general belief that it was never intended that the Bill should be carried. The Native Minister said there was no doubt that £IOOO was an inadequate salary, but that as the Government were determined on reductions in the public service they wished to set an example. Such claptrap had no effect upon the House ; iu fact, it was pointed out by those best capable of judging that the salaries now giveu to public servants were so low that they could not be reduced without impairing the efficiency of the service, although in a great many cases offices might be amalgamated.

A meeting of the Waste Lands Board was held yesterday. Present—Messrs. Holdsworth (in the chair), Bunny, and Mason. The land sales for the past fortnight amounted to 2103 acres, realising £I6BO. The following letter, received from the Chairman of the Manawatu County Council, was read:—“Sir, —I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 18th October, and in reply I am instructed by the resolution of the Council to request your co-operation in assisting us to protest most emphatically against the contemplated reservation of so large or any block of country available for settlement within this county, as an endowment for the harbor of another county, as is probable by the reply you sent me.” The Board decided that they could take no action in the matter. An application by Mr. H. H. Jackson, for- 900 acres of pastoral land in the Wairarapa District, was granted. A letter was read from the Chairman of the Manawatu County Council, asking that the surveyor who was now laying out a block of land at Karere for special settlement, •should be instructed to report upon the suitability of the laud for the purpose before it was offered for selection. The Chairman stated that he had written to the Government on the subject, but had not as yet received any reply. The District Surveyor reported favorably on the improvements made by the immigrants on certain sections of land at Palmerston, and the Board decided that these people were entitled to the land referred to. The Board then adjourned. i At the Resident Magistrate’s Court yesterday, before J. 0. Crawford, K.M., Esq., Christina Wilson, who had on several previous occasions been before the Court, and has only just completed a sentence of cue mouth’s incarceration, was charged with drunkenness and disorderly conduct the previous night in Taranaki-place. She was fined 205., with the usual alternative of 48 hours’ imprisonment in case of non-pay-ment.—Edward Smith, charged with driving at a faster pace than a walk round the corner of Lamhtou and Custom House quays, was fined ss. aud costs.—H. Innea, Otto Schwartz, Matthew Livingstone, aud Henry Amber, for like offeuces were dealt with in a similar manner.—A Chinaman who was also charged with fast driving, and who said he did not understand the law in such case made and provided, was let off on payment of’the mitigated penalty of one shilling.—Thomas Holmes, master of the schooner Cynthia, pleaded guilty to an information charging him with over-loading the vessel. The Collector of Customs said this was a similar charge to that recently brought against the master of the Pelican. He did not press for a heavy penalty.. Defendant said he had just come from Pelirus Sound, and was not aware when he started that the vessel was so deep in the water. Under these circumstances he was let off with a mitigated penalty of 10S. and costs.—The case of Eliza Eitchett, who prayed for a. protection order against her husband, who she alleged had been guilty of repeated acts of cruelty towards her, was adjourned, after hearing her statement, for the attendance of other witnesses.—A sailor named Kelly, charged with being absent from his vessel without leave, was discharged on payment of costs, amounting to Us., the captain expressing his willingness to take him back .again.—On the civil side judgments were given for plaintiff in the following cases;—Dowsett v. Bell, £3 ss. lid.; McCredie v. Ball, £l3 lls. 9d.; Cleland v. Gillett, £ll 3s. Id., to be paid by instalments of £2 10s. per month. The collector to the Board of Education notifies that all school fees in arrear after the 14th inst. will be sued for.

Two lunatics were brought from Wanganui yesterday and lodged in the Asylum. An information has been laid against Mr. James Hughes for a breach of the city bylaws by causing a waste of water. The opening services in connection with the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church will commence on Thursday evening next. The Hon. Mr. Pox will deliver a lecture at Kaiwarra on Saturday evening in aid of the funds of the Temple of Peace Lodge, 1.0.G.T. It will be seen by reference to our advertising columns that Mr. James O’Shea has commenced business as a broker and commission agent, and that he is a cash buyer of wool, produce, &c. The Lunatic Mclntosh, about whose doings some anxiety has .been manifested by the settlers at the Hutt and elsewhere, has been arrested near Greytown by Constable Bryue, and forwarded to the Asylum, and it is to be hoped now they have got him back once more that they will not allow him to escape again. This asylum is not, however, apparently the safest place in the world for the custody of lunatics. This man has effected his escape on more than one occasion, and we believe there are at the present moment one or two other of its patients at large. Some very fine prize bulls were brought here from the South yesterday by the steamer Taranaki. They have been purchased by Messrs. Douglas and Co., and will be placed on their run in the Manawatu District. Amongst the lot are “ Orlando,” a two-year old that took two first-class prizes at the Christchurch Show, and “ Premier,” who came second to him. Mr. Dawson, who is in charge of the stock, has also with him two fine imported bulls from the station of Mr. Kitchen, and other valuable animals. Two very important laud sales will be held by Mr. W. Pinnimore to-day, at his auction mart, opposite Barrett’s Hotel, one of the town sections in the centre of the rapidly rising township of Bull’s. Building sites in this favorite locality have recently realised from £2OOO to £3OOO per acre. This sale offers an excellent opportunity for investors in land, which is certain to increase in value. The, sale will commence at noon. At two o’clock in the afternoon Mr. Pinnimore will submit to public competition 300 valuable town sections in Beacousfield, also fifteen five-acre suburban sections and ten ten-acre sections in the same locality. The township of Beacousfield is delightfully situated on the Kiwitea River within an easy distance of a railway station of the Poxton and Manawatu line, which will in a short time be connected with the Wellington railway, which will bring it within a few hours of the capital. To working men, speculators, and investors generally this sale is well worth attention. The title is under the Land Transfer Act, and the terms are liberal. In accordance with the motion of which Mr. Buckley gave notice towards the end of last week there will be a call of the Council this afternoon. In taking this step the mover said that it was necessitated by the large amount of important business which always came on at the end of the session, as well as by the persistent way in which some members tried to shirk their responsibility, and throw the onus of passing into law the most important measures that have been before the Legislature for years upon those who chose to stick to their posts.