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New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 5217, 11 December 1877, Page 2

The second session of the sixth Parliament of New Zealand was brought to a close yesterday afternoon. His Excellency did not prorogue in person, and the following gentlemen were appointed a Commission : —Sir JolmL. C. Richardson, Sir F. Dillon Bell, and the Hon. Colonel Whitmore. Atthreep.m.the Speaker of the Legislative Council entered the Chamber, and the Clerk read a return of the business done during the session, from which it appeared that there were 180 Bills introduced, 25 in the Legislative Council, and 155 in the House of Representatives. Of this number 140 passed both Houses, and have become law. A message was dispatched to the Lower Chamber desiring the attendance of its members, and in a short time the Speaker of the House of Representatives entered the Chamber, accompanied by members. The proclamation was read, and Sir John Richardson said that by virtue of his Excellency’s commission Parliament was prorogued till Tuesday, January 28th. A deputation in reference to the working of the present licensing system will wait upon the minister of Justice at noon to-day by appointment.

At the Resident Magistrate’s Court yesterday, before J. C. Crawford, Esq., R.M., John Douglas, charged with being drunk, was fined 55., with the customary alternative in case of non-payment. On the civil side, the following cases were disposed of :—H. J. Williams v. 0. J. Hughes. In this case the plaintiff, who had for a time rented the billiard-table of the Melbourne Hotel from the defendant, who is the landlord of that establishment, sued the latter for £lB 11s. lOd. tor damages arising from being dismissed without notice, for cash alleged to have been stolen from the room in which he slept, and for other missing articles, including a hat, coat, two pocket-knives, and sundries. The defendant paid £1 10s. into Court, and pleaded not indebted as to the remainder, From the evidence it appeared that a dispute arose between the parties as to an alleged debt due by a customer, which ended in Mr. Hughes dismissing Williams, who left the place, but returned shortly afterwards with his “little account” of £lB 14s. 10d., which Mr. Hughes refused to pay, and recourse was then bad to law. The Bench, after hearing the evidence, gave judgment for plaintiff" for the amount paid into Court (£1 10s.) Mr. Fitzlierbert and Mr. Ollivier appeared for the respective parties.—Johnston v. Ocks. This was an action to recover the sum of £ls for damages sustained in consequence of a collision between plaintiff’s cart and that of defendant, through the alleged negligence of the latter's servant, who was driving the vehicle at the time of the accident. There was no appearance on the part of the defendant, and judgment was given for plaintiff for tho amount claimed. All lovers of marine excursions will be delighted to bear that a number of gentlemen have succeeded in chartering Messrs. Edwards and Go’s favorite paddle steamer Wallace for the Christmas holidays for a trip to Relonis Sound and Kapiti. It is intended to leave here on the Saturday night before Christinas, and return on Boxing Night, thus giving intending holiday-seekers four clear days away from town. The fare for the trip has been fixed at the low rate of £2, so that we would advise all who wish to take part to secure their tickets early, which can be procured at Messrs. Lyon and Blair’s. A fdto is announced to take place at the Lower Hutt on New Year’s Day in grounds, kindly lent for the purpose by Ed. Riddiford, Esq. The proceeds, it is understood, go to augment the fund for the rebuilding of St. James’ Church. The Right Rev. the Bishop of Nelson, J. C Crawford, Esq., R.M., and Professor TCirk have been elected Governors of the New Zealand Institute.

The Wellington Arcade will be open for business on Saturday evening next. The by-laws for regulating the mode of building within the city of Wellington will come into force on the Ist January next. A meeting of the Board of Education will be held to-morrow (Wednesday) morning, at a quarter past 11 o’clock. There will be a meeting of the Hutt County Council to-day, at one o’clock, at the Provincial Council Chamber. Persons desirous of nominating relatives or other friends in Great Britain for passages to New Zealand are reminded <hat the list will be closed on Thursday next. An accident happened on the Queen’s Wharf last night, by which three men fell overboard. They were quickly rescued by the wharf watchman, who jumped in to their assistance.

Au entertainment by the Bijou Minstrels,in aid of St. Mark’s Church Organ Fund, will take place this evening at the Princess Theatre, Tory-street. An excellent programme, consisting of comic and sentimental songs, a “ stump speech,” and a “ nigger farce ” has been prepared, and a capital entertainment may be looked for. St. George's Hall was fairly attended last evening. To-night Herr Schott, 8.A.M.L., will take a complimentary benefit, on which occasion a special bill has been prepared, including the first and second acts of that very popular opera, “ GiroHe-Girofla,” followed by .a grand concert, in which Herr Schott will perform on the oboe, the cor-anglaise, and the liguridzolosophoue. If the weather be fine a full house may be confidently expected. Tomorrow night Mr. Charles Dillon and Miss Edith Pender, two artists of celebrity, will appear for the first time iu Wellington. They will be supported by Miss Adelaide Stoneham, Mr. R. Love, and Mr. Harry Stoueham, in addition to the present company performing at the hall.

Messrs. Sackett and Gardner’s benefit will take place at the Theatre Royal on Wednesday, 12th inst., instead of at the Odd Fellows’ Hall, as previously announced. The reason for changing the place of entertainment is that Mr. Henry Walton has very kindly tendered his services for the occasion, and will appear as Felix O’Callaghan in the well known and popular comedy entitled “His Last Legs;” and so as not to be outdone by his brother professionals, Mr. Sam Howard placed the Theatre Royal company and the theatre at the disposal of the gentlemen for whose benefit the performance will take place. Signor and Signora Majeroni will appear in a new comedy, and Mr. J. R. Pender will sing a new local ditty entitled “ Our Wellington Fire Brigade.” Other professional and local amateur talent has been volunteered, and the entertainment promises to be one of the most successful of the kind ever given in Wellington. Seats may be reserved at Mr. Jackson’s, Lambton-quay. There was a fair house at the Theatre Royal last night, considering the very unfavorable state of the weather. The performance commenced with the three-act comedy of “ Playing with Fire,” Mr. Walton taking the part of Doctor Savage, and Mr. Hydes that of Pinchbeck. The piece was capitally rendered, and heartily received by the audience. This was followed by the screaming farce, entitled “The Widow's Victim,” during which Mr. Walton sang several songs in imitation of Vance and other leading English comic singers, and elicited an encore at the end of each ditty. The piece will be repeated to-night. Just before the commencement of the second act, an accident which might have proved serious occurred, the drop-scene snapping and breaking into two pieces just as it was about to be raised. This necessitated a slight delay, and the substitution of the green curtain, but fortunately no one sustained any injury. If the skies be propitious to-night, we expect to see a full house. Mr. Walton’s imitations of the Loudon singers are excellent.

Mr. A. Eubule-Evans writes to The Times from the Verulam Club, St. James’s-strret:— “Just now the papers are full of references to the telephone ; but as I have nowhere seen it intelligibly described, perhaps the following simple description may be of interest. The telephone consists oi a strong ordinary magnet. to the two extremities or poles of which are attached properly insulated telegraph wires. Just in front of the extremities of the magnet there is a thin plate of iron, and in front of this again there is the mouthpiece of a speaking-tube. By this last, the sounds which it is desired to transmit are collected and concentrated, and falling on the metal plate, causes it to vibrate. These vibrations, in their turn, excite in the two wires electric currents, which correspond exactly with the vibrations—that is, the original sounds. If, now, the two wires are connected with an ordinary line of telegraph, specially insulated for the purpose, the sounds can be transmitted to any distance, and, on arriving at their destination, are reproduced in a precisely similar apparatus. Already there are varieties of the telephone, but this is its essential nature. I have endeavored to be brief, without, I hope, becoming obscure.”