GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5236, 4 January 1878, Page 2

GENERAL NEWS.

The immigrauts who arrived by the Hurimui found.ready employment both in town and in the country. All the single girls were engaged immediately. i ■ Mr. Hutchison, who has ably filled the office of Mayor of Wellington for the past two years, has retired, and been succeeded by Mr. Dransfield, who is also not an untried man ,in the office, and one in whom much reliance ;is placed. . i 1 :.; ■ The quarterly meeting of the District Grand Lodge of the North Island of New Zealand was held at the Masonic Hall, Boulcott-stveet, on Deo.. 20. There was a full atteudanceiof the fraternity, all the lodges in the district being represented. The Provincial-Deputy G.M., C. J. Toxward, presided. A considerable amount of business was transacted. W. S. Moorhouse, Esq.,-M .H.R., was nominated for the office of Provincial Grand Master for the Northern Island, in the room of the late lamented Sir D. McLean. :

After the meeting of the City Council on December 19th, members of that body and others, at the invitation of the newly-im stalled chief magistrate of the city, met in the Mayor’s room, to celebrate the occasion in bumpers of champagne. The health of the late Mayor was proposed by Mr. Dransfield in complimentary., terms, and was . responded to by Mr.' Hutchison. The health of the present Mayor and various other toasts having been given and responded to, the company separated. The New Zealand Gazette of December 13th contains the .traffic returns of the New Zealand railways for the four weeks ended 17th November. The receipts on the Kaipara section were £267 175., and for the corresponding quarter of 1876, £232 4s. 2d. Auckland, £2893 6s. 2d.; corresponding quarter, £1833 11s. 4d. Napier, £IB2O Bs. Id.; corresponding quarter, £1136,165. IQd. Wellington, £lll7 2s. Bd.; corresponding quarter, £974 19s. 9d.; Foxlon, £864 19s. 4d.; corresponding quarter,.,£662 2s, Bd, Wanganui, £146 12s. 2d.- New Plymouth, '£267 14s. 9d.; ’ Corresponding quarter, £213 18s. 6d. . Greymonth, £622 os. 2d.; corresponding quarter, £683 15s. sd. Westport, £65: corresponding'quarter, £7B 9s.‘3d. Nelson, £514 l9s. 9d.; -corresponding quarter, £584 16s. Bd. Pioton. £356 16s. Bd., corresponding quarter, £454 8 . sd. Christchurch, £20,569 ; corresponding quarter, £18,198 15a. Dunedin, £6285 ss. 6d.; correspondtng quarter, £6495 4s. Id. ■ Invercargill, £BO3B 9s. 2d.; corresponding quarter, £3331 Is. 3d. |

Mr. T. W. Kirk, the hon. secretary of the Horticultural Society, was presented bn Dec. 17th with a handsome gold watch and chain by the members of the society, in recognition of the able manner in which he had fulfilled the duties of the office. The committee of the society met at the office of Messrs. Travers and Ollivier, and after some formal business had been disposed ■ of,; Mr. George Hunter, M.H.E., in a few appropriate words, made the presentation ox behalf-of the members of the society. He said Mr. Kirk had gratuitously discharged the duties of the office zealously i and efficiently for a considerable time past, and'several members of the society believed that it would only be fitting to recognise those services, therefore several gentlemen, notably Mr. Burne, had - interested themselves in the matter. He (Mr. Hunter) believed that the duties of the office whicli Mr. Kirk had so ably filled weie ’so arduous that a regular, salary should be attached to the office. He would, have liked to have seen the presentation take a more substantial form—a more tangible recognition of Mi - . Kirk’s services. : However, Mr. Kirk was not to accept the gift as a reward for anything he had done; but as expressing the kindly feeling of members of - the society, and as a recognition of the zealous manner in which he had discharged his duties. The watch, on which was engraved a suitable-in-scription, was then presented by Mr. Hunter to Mr. Kirk, who briefly, returned thanks for the gift, more as evidencing the good wishes of the members of the society than for its intrinsic value, which he must say was very considerable. The company then separated. The vital statistics of the colony for the month of November show- the number of births and deaths at the chief centres of population to have been as follows:

There were 26 deaths from zymotic diseases, of 'which T 4 occurred iu Wellington. 1 Two out of three deaths from typhoid fever also occurred 'here. Seven accidental deaths are recorded : lone by being run over by a railway truck, another from the effects of a fall, one, that of a miner, by fracturing his' skull, one of a who was killed by the vehicle passing |over him, one of an hotelkeeper poisoued’by strychnine, one of a woman found drowned in the River Avon, - and; one of a'child overlain. The death-rate, it will be observed, was High in Wellington during the past month. The Central Eire Brigade held their annual picnio at the Hutt on December 27. All the members of the brigade, accompanied in most cases by their wives and families, turned out, and there were many other visitors. The large “ Umpire ”' omnibus and three of the brigade vehicles conveyed, most of the party to the ground. All the members were in* uniform, and i carried their banners, ; conspicuous amongst which was the handsome, flag presented by Alice M(vy. i An excellent spread was provided, to which ample justice was done. All sorts : of sports; and gamqa , were indulged in by the young people, and prizes wore presented to the successful competitors. A most enjoyable day. was spent by all present. ■ 1

The railway from Ngaruawahia to Hamilton was opened on December 19th. There was great rejoicing at Hamilton. Sir George Grey visits the Maori King about the end of January, and will go by the Hawea to Te Kuiti.- ' : ,

The railway line between Dunedin and Blueskin was formally opened on December 20.' Already land favorably situated is fetching high prices. £2OOO cash has just been paid for sixty acres in the locality. The Walton Coal Company, Dunedin, held its. annual meeting on : December 20. The result of the year’s work is a profit of £666. £IOOO is set apart for a dividend at the rate of 20 per cent. 1 ‘ i 1 Mr. Firth liberated on Dec. 17th 9000 young salmon in the Thames river and tributaries, and took with him a number of mountain quail for liberation in suitable localities. The natives report that the trout placed in the Waihau, or Upper Thames, some time ago, have greatly multiplied, thousands of young fish having been seen. ■, _ Out of twenty-four plans for the river protective works submitted by the Hokitika Harbor Board to the the Engineer-in-Chief, Wellington, the one recommended by the Engineer and adopted by the Board was designed by Hr. James Bark, of Hokitika, a young man employed in saw mills, who receives a bonus of £250. Many fisst-class engineers competed. At a meeting of shareholders In the company formed some time ago for recovering the gold from-the wreck of the General Grant at the Auckland Islands, it appeared that £2OOO out of £2500 capital had been expended with no practical result, and a feeling was displayed in favor of winding up the company. Ultimately the accounts were referred to a committee to report upon at a future date. The trial of Hans Thomsen tor the murder of his mate, .George Ollandt, occupied the Supreme Court at Napier for two days until past midnight each day. At a quarter past 12 on Dec. 19th the jury brought in a verdict of “not guilty." They were only twenty miuutqs considering their verdict. The court was densely packed, and there were .demonstrations of applause, but these were quickly suppressed. Chief Justice Prendergast .remarked that he could not understand such demonstrations in a court of justice.

The N.Z. Herald o£ the 19th ult. relates the particulars of: a terrible'accideut which occurred at Tairua on the 12th to a bushman named Patrick Holland, who was killed‘by falling over a bank on to a tea-tree stump, which perforated his abdomen, tearing him open about twelve inches, so that his bowels protruded. The deceased was twenty-two years of age, a native of Auckland, where his parents reside. An inquest was held at the Tairua Hotel, Tairua, on Thursday, the 13th inst., before Mr. Robert Wigmore, J.P.; and a jury, who returned the following verdict:— That the deceased came to his death by accidentally falling over a bank on to a stump of a tree. The jury also recommended that Government should see that a proper road is made for the public 'accommodation, the sawmill company having obstructed the one formerly iu use. ""

A meeting of the stewards of the Wellington Jockey Club was held at the Empire Hotel on Deo. 21. Present—Messrs. Geo. Hunter, Esq., M.H.11. (in the chair), A. Young, J. Martin, J. 11. George, W. Brown, W. Bromley, and the secretary. The acceptances far the Cup were received, twenty-eight iu number. This cannot be considered otherwise than most satisfactory. The question of the railway accommodation' was again discussed, and it was stated that a deputation, con istiug of Sir W. Eitzherbert, Geo. Hunter, Esq., M.H.11., and J. S. M. Thompson, Esq., had waited upon the Minister for Public ’ Works, and had obtained his assurance that' the matter: would receive, his early attention, as he agreed with the views of.the club, that it would be a benefit to them and the public to run trains at hours suitable for the ‘ convenience of visitors to the course.

At the Resident Magistrate’s Court on Thursday, December 20, before J. 0. Crawford, Esq., 8.M., Henry Jennings, lately employed as cook on board the Mataura, pleaded guilty to the charge of stealing the sum of £9 10s., the property of Alfred Lancaster, steward of the vessel. Mr. Lancaster stated that before going ashore the previous evening he looked up, his casbbox, in which the money above-mentioned was placed. On his return he found that the box had been broken open and. the contents, stolen.. He informed the police of the occurrence, and also slated that he suspected the prisoner, who was shortly afterwards arrested by Sergeant Price, and admitted that be was the thief. Prisoner said he was drunk at the time, and asked the Court to deal leniently with him for the sake of his family. The Magistrate remarked that the case was one that if sent to the Supreme Court would entail a heavy sentence on the prisoner ; therefore this Court would not be justified in passing a light sentence. The prisoner was then sentenced to twelve months’ hard labor.

A remarkable prosecution for perjury was instituted in Dunedin against Jane Galloway, otherwise Bellamy, by a .young woman named Ada Maria Galloway, in consequence; of the defendant having declared in an affidavit that the prosecutrix was the illegitimate' child of her first ihusband. After two hearings the case was adjourned until the 15th. The facta are shortly as follows :—The prosecutrix on her father’s death was living at Wakari with her.uncle, in whose family she had been brought up from childhood. She obtained letters of admiuistration over 1 her father’s property, which comprised some Valuable sections. Subsequently defendant, who had married a Mr. Bellamy in the meantime, arrived in New Zealand from Syduey, and instituted Supreme .Court proceedings with a view of obtaining her deceased husband’s property. Affidavits were made, in which she declared Miss Galloway; to be the illegitimate daughter of her first husband by a dressmaker in Glasgow. In consequence of this declaration the letters of administration were cancelled. An appeal to the Court of Appeal failed to alter the result, aud then the present criminal proceedings were taken with the object of removing the imputation. Respecting Miss Galloway’s birth, for the prosecution a certificate of the registration of the prosecutrix’s birth in Sydney is produced. The defendant has been committed for trial. . ■

Sir George Grey and Mr. Sheehan met the Hawke’s Bay natives at Waiohiki on Dec. 15th. Tho meeting - was very large ; all the principal chiefs .were present, and made, speeches of welcome! Sir George said that wh uhe came there niuo years ago to ask the natives to sell land to settle Europeans upon, he told them it would bo for their benefit; they would secure protection from their enemies ; put an end to wars amongst their tribes ; and they would get carts, horses, ploughs, &0., also schools, : doctors, and so on. It would marry them to the European race, and,make them one family —a whole family living together, and, in spite of occasional dissensions, better than living apart. He (Sir G. Grey) now finds all these anticipations realised. Year by year they would find their condition growing better and better. It : had -now again become his duty to propose laws for the good of the two races. He would not forget that tho natives had, years ago, done what he asked them, aud they had now therefore claims on his consideration. They must remember, however, that those who had charge of a famdy could uot do everything for i one child. One child might ask everthiug for himself, but those in charge must do what was for the good of all. Still, when a‘child comes to the head of the family and wants to tell something, and asks for something, it should be listened to, though: the request cannot be granted. They might depend on. it that , their complaints , weuld always be listened to by the Government, who would do the best for them. It would be the natives’ duty to aid the Government iu doing the best for all New Zealand, Europeans and natives alike.' What strengthens any Government is the; wealth , and number of their children. Then, ns told,in Scripture, they are really strong, and not afraid >to speak with their enemies in the ;gate, of- their pa. The speech was received with three hearty cheers. A chief remarked that tho natives had collected, for. the Indian famine, aud thus acting in accordance with Sir Grey's wishes for unity between the races.

It is again rumored that Mr, Ballance has consented to join the Grey Ministry. -Within the past few days the Acclimatisation Society has liberated 2000, young salmon in the rivers in the provincial district, and the fish have been since eeeh in various localities in a thriving condition. These are from the first lot of Californian ova sent to Christchurch to be hatched. . The experiment therefore so far appears highly,..successful, and is to be repeated again shortly. A number of blackbirds have also been distributed by the society, and will doubtless thrive well in their new home. , .. . . We understand that Colonel Gorton has resigned his appointment of Inspector of Stores for the General Government, and that he is about to join Mr. John Stevens at Bulls as a partner in au auctioneering business, for the sale of land, stock, &c. Colonel Gorton, it will be remembered, commanded the Wellington, Wairarapa, and Castlepoint districts from July 1a63 to September 1865. He was then promoted to the rank of Lieut.-Colonel, and was in command of the Wanganui district in 1865 to the end of 1868. He was Acting Quartermaster-General under Colonel Whitmore until April 1869, when he returned to Wellington, having received the appointment of Inspector of Defence Stores. In 1871 all Colonial Government stores were brought under his audit and inspection, which has been his’work up to the present date. About 200 children belonging to the several Roman Catholic schools in Wellington enjoyed a picnic on New Year’s Day at Evans Bay, to which pleasant spot and back they were conveyed in carriages. The young people appeared greatly to appreciate the treat provided for them by their entertainers, the conductors of the schools. ' Ou such fine weather as that of Tuesday last Evans Bay is a delightful place tor such a gathering.—The children attending the Dixon-street Wesleyan Sunday school had also a very pleasant picnic in Mrs. Logan’s paddock, where they were well entertained by their teachers, and appeared heartily to enjoy themselves. Mr. G. H. Veuuell, we hear, is leaving for England by one of the wool ships now loading. We hope that the trip Home will improve Mr. VeunelTs health, .and we wish him and his family a pleasant voyage.

An accident occurred during the display of fireworks on the wharf on New Year’s Eve, a little boy named Blake being hit with ■ a rocket. It was at first reported that he was dangerously hurt, but we are glad to hear that such is not the case—that although severely burned he is progressing favorably, and ’ being of a strong and healthy constitution will in’ all probability soon be quite .well again. The Pioneer Lodge of Good Templars held a tea-meetingat .the Reohabite Hall, Mannersstreet, on New Year’s evening, at which over 200sat,down. After tea there was an entertainment and public meeting, at which the Rev. Mr. Dumbell occupied the chair, .and addressed the meeting. The Rev. 'Mr. Redstone, Mr. Eraser, and’ Mr. Morgan, of the ship Hurunui, also delivered short addresses. Several members of the lodge enlivened the proceedings by a number of songs, which were excellently rendered. Recitations were also' given in capital style. The hall was very tastefully decorated, and inscriptions with the usual mottoes adorned the walls. A handsome banner, painted by Mr. F. Marryatt, was particulary conspicuous, and elicited many favorable remarks as to the skill of the artist. The whole affair was highly creditable to those who got up the entertainment.' ' The Wellington and Masterton railway was opened for public traffic on New Year’s, Day' as far as Kaitoke, eight miles beyond the Upper Hutt, aud a considerable number of people availed themselves of the opportunity of going over the line. From town to the Upper Hutt the line of- route is-familiar no doubt to most of our readers, but the section beyond must be new to most of them. Soon after leaving the Upper Mutt station the line ascends, and after ruanin'g in aud out like a • corkscrew amongst the hills and gullies, passes through a tunnel under a steep spur. Then, after more , cuttings'and twiniugs in and out, a little flat country, or what appears flat to the traveller, is met with.; then there are more cuttings and another tunnel, and after a little more country of the same kind as that just passed, Kaitoke is reached. The scenery throughout almost the whole of the distance is well worth seeing.' The bush is very dense in many parts, and as some •of the gullies are passed one gets a glimpse of a picture fresh from Nature’s hand which no art can paint. There is at present but little of a township at Kaitoke,'but probably one may spring up there shortly now that the railway has reached it, as happens generally under such. circumstances. There is a refreshment room at the railway station, which will be‘ a great conve-’ uience, and it was well patronised on Tuesday , last ; and Pikuratahi is not far distant, where 1 good hotel accommodation can be procured. Pleasure parties can find many a pleasant spot for a picnic in this locality. As it becomes more generally, known it is pretty sure to become a favorite resort with the people at holiday times. The Hutt Parish Fete, for which considerable preparation had been going on for some time previously, came off most successfully on New Year’s Day, there being not less than 400 people—some say i>oo —presentin Mr. liukli■ford’s grounds dining the day. Racing, dancing, (the Hutt Volunteer Baud supplying the music) athletic sports, aud games of various kinds were indulged in, and an excellent luncheon -was spread in a large barn close at hand. The result of the racing is as follows ; —Boys’ Race, 200 yards—Olapcott, 1 ; Edwards, 2. Long Jump—D. Judd, 1 ; Percy, 2. Quartermile Handicap —J. Pringle, 1 ; D. Judd, 2. Mile Walking Race —G. Knight, 1 ; D. Pringle, 2. Boys’ High Jump—E. Knight and Epuni were equal. Egg and Basket Race— D. Judd, 1; D. Pringle, 2. Hundred Yards Race—O. Cudbyi 1 1 ;J. Pringle, 2. Boys’ Long Jump—Silva, 1 ; Chapman, 2. One Mile Handicap-rD. Judd, 1 ; D. Pringle, 2. There was a fancy stall and a Christmas tree on the ground, which were well patronised, aud the result, in a financial point of view, must have been a most satisfactory,one. The manner in which the. arrangements were got up reflected the utmost credit on the committee of management. , About forty ladies and gentlemen_sat down to a temperance breakfast at Tafner’a Temperance Hotel, Cnba-street, on New Year’s morning. The meeting was intended to inaugurate similar gatherings of the. friends of temperance in .this city, The Rev. Mr. Redstone occupied the chair and the Rev. Mr. Paterson the vice-chair., There was an excellent spread provided by’Mr. Tafner. The bill of fare included almost everything in season, and those present expressed themselves highly , pleased at the efforts which had been made by Mr. Tafner to provide all things suitable for. the occasion.. Although it was. the first affair of a similar’ kind in the city, Host Tafner’ proved himself equal to the occasion, and left nothing to be desired. After the good things provided had been partaken of with the hearty ’zest of good abstainers, several gentlemen addressed the meeting .on the good effects of temperance, and Mr. Eraser gave a brief account of the progress which had been made in this city by. the various societies established for the spread of temperance principles. The ■ company, separated 'at half-past Jen, well pleased with the meeting, and with the hope that although it'was the first gathering of the kind which had taken i place in this city it, would not bo the last. ■ ’.,

; The report of the Astronomer Royal on the Transit of Venus in 1874 has just been published, from which it appears that the observations taken in New Zealand proved of value, notwithstanding the ‘ unfavorable weather experienced on the eventful day. The final result is to show that the distance of the earth from the sun has been hitherto underestimated by a million of miles, and that the true distance is 93,321,000 miles. As is well known New Zealand will be one of the principal stations for the Transit of Venus on December 6, 1882. Two old colonists have died within the past few days, one of them, Mr. Abbot, of Featherston, who expired on the 27th ult., had attained the great age iof 93 years ; and the other, Mrs. Cording, wife of Mr. B. Cording, of Courtenay-place, who died the following day, had been resident, here between 30 and 40 years. ■ ' 1

'■ The Canterbury team, who have just won the iuterproviucial match at Auckland, will play at Wellington on Monday next. The Hon. Mr. Sheehan, it appears, had a narrow escape of being drowned at New Plymouth. The boat in which he was being conveyed from the steamer to the shore was swamped in the surf. The following is the return of patients at the .Wellington Hospital for the month ending December 31;—-Admitted; Males, 16; females, 7, Discharged Males, 8 ; females, -4. Died: Males, 3; females, 2.' Left in Hospital: Males--38; females, 9.

The colonies have surprised themselves (says an exchange) in their generous contributions towards the Indian Famine Fund. . A few weeks ago it was thought that if a grand total of £50,000 could be reached, it would be a remarkable achievement. But that line has been passed, and will be left far behind when all the lists have been closed. Victoria has exceeded £25,000, New South Wales is likely to exceed £12,000, New Zealand has already raised £12,000, South Australia has contributed £IOOO, Queensland will send £3OOO, and Tasmania will not lag behind her wealthier neighbors proportionately. So that tile whole group of colonies will, contribute not far short of £60,000. I Ins is the biggest thing in public charity yet accomplished on this side of the world. It is said that the Maoris in New Zealand have heartily assisted the Famine Fund with their donations. This will not surprise those who know how brightly the virtue :>f hospitality has always shone in the Maori character.

Among the numerous picnic parties that availed themselves of the Boxing Day holiday was a large party who accompanied Mr. J. H. Wallace to that beautiful valley in the Upper Hutt hitherto almost unknown to the Wellington public as ‘one of the most pleasant and picturesque spots near the city. This spot, known as ■ the Mungaroa Valley, is enclosed between low ranges of hills, and within, fifteen minutes’ walk of the railway station. A well metalled road, leading from the Upper Hut-troad up what is known as No. 3 line, is the entrance to the valley. As a rural, retreat, within-two hours’ distance of the city, no spot can be pointed out which possesses such a charming variety of scenery for the painter and meditation for the poet. The duly wonder is that , such a fertile and beautiful spot should have remained so long hitherto unknown to the seekers of retreats for pleasure parties. . As a small-farm settlement, we know of no spot so close to the city more capable of forming an outlet for industry; and, we are informed that the proprietors are now preparing the land for the reception of small 1 farmers'by having a main drain cut through the.ceutre of the valley, which is a fertile swamp. When this is completed the land will no doubt be readily taken up by numerous settlers who are, seeking for laud to locate themselves and familes upon.

An application was made to . the'Resident Magistrate on' Friday by some of the seamen belonging to 'the Zealandia, who asked his Worship’s advice under circumstances previously brought under tlie notice of the Court and the public, and which are briefly these;— There being infectious disease on board the ship she was placed in quarantine on arrival, and the men’s clothing was. burned ; but the law which requires this to be done makes no provision for compensating the men for their loss, and the poor fellows are left almost destitute of clothes. Whether the master of the shipper the owners, or the Government ought to make good, the loss seems a question still at issue, and the case'is a very hard one for the men. ’ The Resident Magistrate said he would communicate with the Government immediately _on the subject, and return an answer as soon as possible. He expressed his sympathy withthe applicants, as did also the captain of the vessel. A somewhat important work in connection with the drainage of the city has just been completed at a cost of about £I6OO, viz., the construction of a culvert Ssoft. in length between Murphy and Muturoa streets, Thorndon. The timber frames, are Sin. by 4in. in thickness, aud 4ft.apart. The interior dimensions of the culvert are 4ft. by 3ft., and the side aud bottom board 12in. by 2ih. The capping is 12in. by 4ft., and sft. in length, all being' composed of the best heart of totara, to which has been applied a substantial coat of tar put on boiling hot. The contractor (Mr. McCoIl) appears to have carried out the work in a thoroughly workmanlike and substantial manner, la order to make the job more complete, Mr. McColl purchased a seotiou of land, so as to carry the culvert in a straight line, instead of pursuing the somewhat winding course of an old creek. The City Engineer and Inspector we understand have expressed themselves thoroughly satisfied with the manner in which the work has been performed. The improvement to this part, of the town in a sanitary point of view from the construction of the culvert will be thoroughly appreciated by the residents in the locality. ~ Mr. Connelly, the' landscape painter, has returned to Taurauga. He made the first real ascent of Tongariro. He has climbed even the cinder cone of Ngaruaos, where he has built a cairn of stones on the lip of the outer crater, which is of vast extent. The crater is not a single one, as it has hitherto been believed to be, but is double—the, inner one being much smaller. The valley between is covered with white sand, granite boulders, aud many colored rocks. Mr. Connelly descended into this valley, where not even a lichen was to be seen. Volumes of steam emerged from the inner crater, whose lip appeared in the distance to be covered with a coating of molten sulphur. Slight tremors of the ground were felt occasionally, aud no sound disturbed the weird-like solitude of the smouldering volcano. The sketches taken by Mr. Connelly of these strange scenes fell into the hands of the natives, who robbed him of his horses aud other property. He has laid a criminal information in the Resident Magistrate’s Court here against Huritahi, the native who is said to have committed this robbery. At a recent raeetingof. the Grand Lodge of Gdod Templars at Christchurch, the following resolution was carried —That the thanks of the Grand Lodge be accorded to Bro. the Hon. W. Fox, Mr. Robert Stout, the Hon. Mr. Stafford, and Mr. B. Wakefield, and other representatives, for the very able and determined stand they took at the last meeting of the House of Representatives in support of the Local Option Bill, and further that the Grand Lodge. pledges itself to support these gentlemen in any way and every manner that is in their power towards the securing of such measures as will tend to give the people the right to deaT with the liquor traffic. Resolved— That a copy of this resolution be forwarded by the G.W. Secretary'to each member of the House of Representatives who voted for the Bill at its second reading. A very largely attended meeting of the Wellington Typographical Society was held in the Polytechnic Hall on December 15th. The reports, and balance-sheet showed the society to be in a very prosperous condition, the credited funds amounting to about £230. The following officers were elected for the ensuing six months President, Mr. C. Monaghan; vicepresident, Mr. J. Keogh;-secretary, Mr. H, Mason; trustees, Messrs. ■ Everitt, Bannister, and Irines; treasurer, Mr. J. Innes; auditors, Messrs. Tattle and E. Johnston; board of management, Messrs. Grant, Brooke, Stevens, Mackintosh, aud McNeil. • ■ ’ A meeting of persons interested in the formation of a direct road from Wellington to Kilbirnie was held at Mr. White’s office. Panama-street, on December 17. Mr. White occupied the chair, and explained the object of the meeting. Those present were unanimous as to the desirability of having the road made, and expressed their willingness to subscribe in order that the object in view might be carried out. It was moved and seconded that a committee should be formed, and a trust account be opened, the names ,of the following being approved of as a 1 committee :—Messrs. White, Williams, Sir E. Gibbes, aud Barber.

Mr. Cotterell, celebrated for his drawingroom entertainments, died on December 16th, He was the husband of one of the Carandinis, ■ and was very widely known and respected by his brother professionals and the general public. Laud has been Sold next the Bank of New Zealand in Queen-street, Auckland, at £250 per foot.

Mr. Travers, it is said, contemplates a visit to the old country, but'does not intend to resign his seat, as he intends returning in a few months ; at least that is the current rumor. A collision occurred on Thursday, December 27th between a goods and a material train near Taupiri (Waikato). Considerable damage was done. Ono man’s legs were broken, and another much injured. Mr. McLiver, of the Thames, son of Mrs. Gillan, formerly of the Scotia. Hotel, Auckland, has gone to England, intending to assert his claim as heir of the late Lord Clyde. It is said that his case is a very good o e. A telegram was received by the Inspector of Police on Dec. 14 from the officer in charge at Masterton, stating that a man named Henry Eagle was run over the previous day by a cart loaded with shingles and killed. The occurrence took place near the Waipoua Bridge. The outward mail via San Francisco, despatched per the Rotorua on Dec. 16, for transhipment to the City of Sydney at Auckland, consisted of 4534 letters, 551 books, and 3024 papers for London ; and 247 letters, 92 books, and 207 papers for America. Christmas Eve in Wellington this year was not marked by the amount of decorations displayed in previous years, the unbroken stream of people which perambulated the city from Cuba-street to Thorudon showed that the population had increased immensely within a comparatively short space of time. We regret to hear that Dr. Alfred Butler, a comparatively recent arrival in the colony, who had lately started in practice in Tarauakiatreet, died suddenly on December 24th. Dr. Butler was, we believe, between fifty and sixty years of age, and possessed high testimonials -is to his qualifications as a medical practitioner.

The Otago Daily Times of the 13th inst. says :—We are requested by his Worship the Mayor to state that the Dunedin branch of the Bank of New Zealand has practically contributed to the Indian Famine Relief Fund the handsome sum of £l6O, that being the amount of exchange upon the remittances to. London, which the bank very liberally transmitted at par. A correspondent sends us the following.frotn Pahautanui, under date December 17: —A party of surveyors, under the direction of Mr. jillet and Mr. Jonrs, ore at present engaged in surveying a block of land for the Government, containing about fifteen thousand acres. It is situated between the Pahautanui small farms and the Hutt. I am informed that there is some very good land amongst it, which will be suitable for farms, and any part of it will make good sheep runs. A line of road has been laid off, commencing at the end of the small farm road, and connecting, with the Hutt road at the fern grounds. The distance is nearly six miles, making altogether about eight miles from Pahautanui bridge. There is no serious obstacle in the way to prevent a good road being made. The chemical and anatomical divisions of the new University buildings at Dunedin will, it is confidently expected by the Daily Times, be finished within contract time, the Ist of April next. At present the contractors, Messrs. McGill and Forest, have about 50 men employed on this work, and the building will,be ready for the second-floor joists by the end of the week. The basement is of Port Chalmers stone, the outside walls are of bluestone, with facings and mouldings of Oamaru atone, similar to Knox Church, and the interior walls are brick. With this portion of the new- University buildings, and such accommodation as can be obtained in the Museum, the Council expect to provide for the next session of the : University classes. The contract price for the erection of the chemical and anatomical division is £5674. The firm of McGill and Forest have also the contract for the portion of the main building which it has been decided to erect, including the 100 ft. tower. This work is to be completed by the 3rd of April, 1878, and the amount of the accepted tender is £13,837. The foundation of the" tower has been laid down to the level of the bed of the Leith, and the ground is so loose that the remainder of the foundation has been put down to within two feet of the same depth. However, a good foundation upon the boulder bed, and.it is believed close, to the rock, has been obtained. About 12 men are engaged at this work, and the contractors will be ready to lay the foun-dation-stone of the main building during the first week of the new year,- which is the time appointed for the performance of • the ceremony. . ..

On evening of the 21st ult. a pleasant entertainment was given in the Lower.Hutt schoolroom, on the occasion of the commencement of the Christmas holidays. • Several ladies kindly assisted, and highly gratified the audience with some very beautiful and appropriate selections of music ; and Mr. N. Valentine, a member of the school committee, volunteered his' valuable assistance with the flute. The recitations given by the children were exceedingly good, and not only did great credit to them, but were further clear indications of the efficient manner in which the school has been conducted' under its present master and mistiest! One' little hoy,' not much ,bigger than a quart cup, recited his piece in such a way as.to bring down the house, and win a, deserved encore ;.and he left the stage with a shower of bouquets, and some more substantia! acknowledgments. There being no member of the Education Board present, the usual rewards for merit were not distributed. The funds derived from the entertainment were in-' tended for the purpose of giving the children a fete during t e Christmas week; but as the threatening aspect of the weather prevented many from jj, distance, from attending, the takings fell father short of what was anticipated. It is, however, hoped that those who take an interest in the school, as part of our educational system, may, at this holi-day-making time of the year, be ready, to give some assistance towards the proposed treat for the little ones. Every little helps. ' Our correspondent from Palmerston North writes on the 24th December as follows: The Corporation have given notice to the ratepayers that theypropose to borrow£lo,ooo, to be expended as follows :—Streets and footpaths, £4OOO ; clearing and forming bush section roads, £ISOO ; road, to botanical,gardens and racecourse, £500; improvements to square, £SOO ; municipal buildings, £SOO ; sewerage and drainage, £3OOO. When this is done it will of course be a great stride in advance, and landowners will be encouraged to improve their property as much as possible, as it will then be much increased in value. Already new buildings of a good class are being erected all over the town, and land is rising in value.:— Dr. S. Sherman, of this town, was thrown from his horse while returning from Napier, and.broke his collarbone ; but I am glad to hear that he is rapidly recovering, and will shortly bo about again.—A somewhat novel sight was seen here this morning. The path to the church being considerably overgrown with weeds and generally out of order, it was proposed to hold a “ working bee” to put it to rights, ahd at 8 o’clock many of the leading members of the Church of England ‘appeared, each oils carrying a spade, a shovel, a pickax*;- a rake, dr a hoe, and in an hour or rn the work was done. I would recotnrne d this plan as being cheap, rapid, and efficient iri eases of this sort. 1 -

An Auckland paper relates a singular dr*’ cumatance. The Curator Of 'the’Acclimatisation Society’s Gardens received infractions to capture some Prussian carp for distribution, and while one‘of Tils assistants. Iras dngiged'id the’work 1 he observed a large eel :: spring forward and seize a - carp ' siu.' long by the head and kill him;t The eel then'oaught the fish by the back, and was dragging him into’deeper water, when the man rescued' , the'fish. :f, lhis circumstance abundantly proves the r necessity of the arrangements made.-by Mr. J; 0. Firth for the protection of the salmon' ova lately distributed by him in the northeru and southern ' districts of this province, in . building l walls, and closing them id with fide wfri 'netting so as to protect the fish until.' able to take care of themselves. The.-carp, being a sluggish fish, and very slow, in its , movements when'fcomr pared with the trout, or salmon,'would the, more readily become a prey to the cel. > . From Hokitika we learn thutadarge number of miners were in town from the outlying die-, tricls during Christmas week, and it was said that about 10,000ozs. of gold were sold in the district. The banks were very busy, and the hotels crowded out.

; The outside of the GoverumentPrinting Office certainly presents anything but a picturesque * appearance ; but to those made acquainted with the fact, quite a treat was in store for . them on the evening of Dec. 21 For the last . nine or ten years, the young people engaged in the machine and bookbinding departments in J thatoffice have indulged in thepastimeof Christmas decorations at each successive season, and , were encouraged and assisted by the heads of the departments—and we believe also by the Government Printer. This , year, however, has eclipsed all the others. As you enter the machine-room door, the words, “A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year catches the eye ; and at. the end of the room, “ Peace and Goodwill to All ” stands out prominently amidst a great profusion of flowers and ferns. The engine-room is not forgotten either. As the governors revolve round, a stranger might fancy a small flower-bed twisting and turning, so completely are they enveloped in flowers and ferns and colored papers. The pressroom is also decorated very nicely, presenting a very different aspect to what pressrooms generally do. The upstairs portion of the establishment, where the bookbinding is done, is even more profusely decorated than the machine department. It is only natural to expect such a thing, for as soon as the visitor goes hp stairs, he finds about fifteen or twenty young ladies in the folding-room ; and, as might be expected, the designs wrought by their fair hands (assisted, no doubt, by some members of the other sex in the bindingroom), were superior to those of the young Caxtonians. At one end of the room, •“ A Merry Christmas,” in which each letter plays some fantastic shape, greets the visitor ; whilst at the other end of the room are representations of a large sirloin of the “ Roast beef of Old England,” a foaming jug of (home-brewed, we presume) beer, a large wiue decanter and glass ; and last, but not least, a huge plumpudding. As we looked on, we could not help feeling a kind of wish that it were Christmas Day, and that we had the reality, and not the semblance, so close to hand. On the side-wall, “Long Live the Governor,” has a prominent place, and on the other side was what was described to ns as a colonial shield, viz., pickaxe, shovel, &o. Going from the foldingroom into the binding-room, we observed the motto, “God Save the Queen,” and under-' . neath it, surrounded by a pretty banner-shaped bordering, “Wishing you all the compliments of the season ; ” and on ■ the opposite side, Advance New Zealand,” in large- letters. At the far end .of the room is a mechanical scene, which rather surprises the visitor, being neither more nor less than a moonlight view of the “ Falls of Niagara:” Rooks and-water are there in reality, whilst the Dog Island Lighthouse, with its red light, is distinctly visible. There is a rope suspended across the falls, and presently a representation of.Blondiu’s dread exploit is given. The whole thing is most creditably got up, and we could not help expressing a wish that the clever designer, was known to those who are so busy with designs for the Christmas pantomimes. At the opposite end of the room to where the “Falls” stand,, the old motto of “A Merry Christmas to all,” in designs which recall the “ beautiful snow” and the Yule-log, stands out in bold relief. Taken altogether, we can hardly imagine that there will be any Christmas decorations to excel those we witnessed last night. The Government Printer and the heads of the departments are to be congratulated for encouraging such harmless pastimes among the young folk employed in the establishment ; and it is only right to add that the whole of the - work was cheerfully done before and after the labors of the day. The whole affair is of a very cosmopolitan character. The Irish banner, with the words, “ Cead mille failthe,” hangs from one room, whilst the “Stars and Stripes” of the United States keep ; watch over the American, side of the “ Falls.” This matter of Christmas decoration, we would hope, will yet be indulged in at someof the large establishments in town, if not in the present year, at all events in those which are to follow, i Connelly, the artist, w'hose sketches and inn-gage were seized by the Hauhaus, is painting at Tanpo, whilst awaiting the restoration of his goods. He ascended Tongariro Mountain alone, and explored the summit. He has only been in bed two nights out of fifteen, and was not seen or heard of for nine days. He used up three guides. Most of the chiefs are anxious to return his luggage, but one obstinate individual holds out. The natives will consider the case at the forthcoming meeting. It is believed the reason why the natives robbed him is that Tdngairiro is tapu.

Boroughs. Total Births. Total Deaths. Proportion of Deaths to the 1000 of Population. Auckland .. . 19 17 / 1'41 Thames 10 0 1 ‘34 • Wellington .. 85 31 102 Nelson. .. 20 7 1*02 ! Christchurch .. 41 ; is 1*40 Dunedin ... .. . 85 . , 22 • 0*94 : Hokitika ' ‘8 5 172 ; Total' : ; .. 298 r wo —