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New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 5214, 7 December 1877, Page 2

His Honor tlio Chief Justice will leave for Napier to-day to preside over the sittings of tile Circuit Court there. The calendar of prisoners for trial (which we have already published) is a heavy one for that place, comprising some fourteen cases ; hut the civil list is light, there being only two or three actions to be tried.—His Honor Mr. Justice Richmond leaves for Blenheim to-day, where there arc four criminal and two civil cases to bo tried.

Mr. A. Brunton will deliver a second lecture this evening at the Polytechnic Hall, on the “ Second Coming of Christ.” The annual meeting of the Presbyterian Total Abstinence Society will be held in the schoolroom of St. John’s Church on Saturday evening next, wUen addresses will be delivered by ministers and other friends. All are earnestly invited to attend. The Theatre Royal was closed last evening owing to the non-arrival of the s.s. Hawea in time for Mr. Walton (who was a passenger) to appear ; but as he arrived last night, we are informed that he will positively appear tonight, supported by our old friend, John P. Hydes, and the dramatic company. Frost has played great havoc with the vines in tile Shire of Strathfieldsaye, Victoria. The frost at Mr. Bruhn’a vineyard has caused a probable loss of about £l5O to the vines. In other places the potatoes are damaged. (Irdinary fruit trees have also been seriously injured. An inquest was held yesterday at the Hutt before Dr. Wilford and a jury, of whom Mr. Brown was foreman, to inquire into the circumstances and origin of the late fire on Mr. Mackenzie’s premises, the particulars of which occurrence appeared in our columns a short time ago. The evidence elicited nothing to throw light on the cause of the disaster, and the jury returned an opeu verdict, that there was no evidence to show how the fire arose. At the Resident Magistrate’s Court yesterday, before J. O. Crawford, Esq., 11. M., a man named John Martin, charged with being druuk and disorderly the previous day, was fined 205., with the alternative of forty-eight hours’ hard labor. Thomas Edwards and Francis Petty, charged with drunkenness, were eacli fined 55., or twenty-four hours hard labor in case of non-payment.—James Doyle, a builder and contractor, was charged with assaulting one 'William Edwards, at Pipitea Point, on the 24th uIL The assault appeared to have been a trivial one, and to have been provoked, and was dismissed by the Bench. — Another case ef assault, in which one George Murray was charged with assaulting one Harry Williams, was struck out, the complainant not desiring to press tire charge.—On the civil side judgments were given for the plaintiffs in the following cases '. —J. White v. T. Evans, £7 7s. Od.; F. Dowsett v. R. Daniels, £1 Ss. A meeting of the governors of the Wellington College was held yesterday. Present — The Rev. J. Paterson (in the chair), and Messrs. Braudou, Travers, Buckley, Jackson, aud the secretary. From a statement of the finances, it appeared that on the 30th ultimo there was a deficiency of £852, and in order to pay salaries to the end of the year and other liabilities, further suras would be required, which would make this up to £ll6O. The bank overdraft at present was £747. Mr. Travers said he understood that a grant in aid of the college would be placed on the Estimates, aud that it would have been now available but for the abolition of the provinces. Mr. Brandon intimated that a grant in aid of £IOOO might be expected. After some further discussion on the point, Mr. Travers said he understood that the Government would probably make a reserve of 10,000 acres of land, including 5000 acres in the Rangatura.au Block, in aid of the college. Mr. Jackson said such reserve would realise £1 an acre. The Chairman said he thought the college expenditure might be reduced. There were only -some ninety pupils at the college, and £2400 a year seemed a large amount to pay for teaching them. Mr. Buckley suggested that a reduction in the number of the staff rather than in the amount of salaries would be better. After some further remarks, during which exception was taken to the expenditure of £450 a year for a teacher of botany, it was' agreed that the secretary should communicate with other institutions in the colony, in order to obtain information as to their expenses and other details. The Board authorised a further overdraft, which the manager of the Bank of New Zealand was willing to allow on the usual terms. The Secretary drew the attention of the Board to the fact that several of the leaseholders of college property near Fitzherbertterraoe had not carried out the terms of their agreement. Some had not commenced to fence, and others were in arrear of rout. Those who had fulfilled their part of the agreement naturally complained of the extra expense which was thrown upon them. On the motion of Mr. Travers, seconded by Mr. Bunny, it was resolved to place the matter in the hands of the solicitor to the Board.—A letter was read from the Principal of the College, stating that the present water supply had failed owing to the rottenness of the pipes, and requesting that other pipes might be laid down. Mr, Travers said this had arisen from the pipes being of plain iron unprotected, instead of being galvanised. The secretary was instructed to obtain estimates as to the cost of repairing the piping, &0., and to make a report thereupon at the next meeting.—Sir F. D. Bell made an application to erect on the land leased by him (5 sections) one house to cost £IOOO instead of five separate houses to cost £4OO each. Tho Board agreed that he should be allowed to put up two houses of tho value of £IOOO each.