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New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5237, 5 January 1878, Page 2

Some exception was taken to a remark in our report of the proceedings of the Waterworks Inquiry Committee in yesterday’s issue, wherein it was stated that Councillor Macdonald had complained of the “insulting” manner in which Councillor Fisher put his questions. It appears, according to the members of the committee, that Mr. Macdonald only characterised the way in which some of the questions were put to him as “ impertinent.” It is merely a verbal matter, and we will leave the public to judge the relative strength of the two words “insulting” and “ impertinent.” We opine that most persons would consider it as grave an offence to be accused of an impertinent manner as of an insulting one. However, we are convinced that any person, who reads the reports of the proceedings in the three local papers will come to the conclusion that both “insulting” and “impertinent ” could be most fittingly applied to several of the questions which Mr. Macdonald was called upon to answer. An adjourned sitting of the Court of Appeal was held yesterday before their Honors the Chief Justice and Mr. Justice Richmond, when the cases of Caldef v. Duff and Spence v. Pearson, in which applications were made for leave to appeal to the Privy Council, were ordered to stand over until Friday the 18th iust. In the matter of Orbell v. Mountain, which was an appeal from a decision of the Resident Magistrate at Masterton, in a recent assault case, the appeal was dismissed, with costs.

A Government Gazette dated Thursday, January 3, which reached us yesterday, notifies the appointment of Lieutenant-Colonel H. E. Reader to the offiee of Acting Under-Secre-tary for Defence from the Ist inst., and the resignation' of Lieutenant-Colonel W. Moule as Commissioner of Armed Constabulary, and of Lieutenant-Colonel B. Gorton as Inspector of Stores.—-Messrs. G. Boetham and R. Barton, of Wairarapa, have been appointed commissioners ■ under the Financial Arrangements Act.—lt is notified, for general information, that the Government of New Zealand have decided not to take part in the International Exhibition about to be held at. Paris in . May next. The Government'of New South Wales have kindly consented to take charge of private exhibits from this colony, and any articles which persons in New Zealand may desire to exhibit will be received by , the Agent-General for New Zealand, 7, Westminster Chambers, Vic-toria-street, London, S.W., who will forward them to Professor Liversedge, at" the Exhibition at Paris.—The resignation of S. Locke, Esq., of Napier, of his office of Trust Commissioner for the Hawke’s Bay district, under the Native Lauds Frauds Prevention Act, 1870, and the appointment of R. Beetham, Esq., in his place, are gazetted.-—Notice has been received from the Inspector of Sheep for the Wellington District that he has granted a clean certificate to Mr. G. J. Squires, Hntt-road, for a flock of sheep of 200, from the 20th instant.

In consequence of the Ladybird not leaving Auckland until yesterday, the match Canterbury v. Wellington will not be played until Tuesday next, the Bth inst., A match will be played to-day. The match committee have selected Messrs. Blaoklock, Kennedy, Horwood, I. J. Salmon, J. A. Salmon, Armitage, Lockett, Edmunds, Robinson, Fordham, Knapp, and Kember to take the field against the following:—Willis, Glasson, Lynch, Houghton, Turner, Lloyd, Wyatt, Foley, Lambert, Webb, Muut, Nation, Doyle,' McGirr, Platt, Mapleson, Burrett, Dodsworth, Hickson, Russell, Gascoigne, and McDermott. Play will commence at 1.30 sharp. The Wellington team that will meet the Canterbury men on Tuesday next will be finally chosen after this match. We hear that arrangements are being made to close the banks and- offices at 12 o’clock on Tuesday, the day of the match. There was a very full attendance last evening at the Pier Hotel, at the meeting convened for the purpose of getting up a regatta to be held on the 22nd inst.—Mr. Hayes in the chair. A subscription list was opened, and over thirteen guineas were subscribed in tho room. It was resolved that the gentlemen present, in conjunction with former members, should form themselves into a committee to carry out the necessary arrangements. Numerous subscribers sent messages stating their intention to support the regatta, and expressing their regret at being unable to attend, in consequence of the English mail closing in the morning. Captain Rose, on behalf of the Now Zealand Shipping Company, has presented a cup to be competed for, value £25. Mr. Bllaby, the secretary for last year’s regatta, intimated that he would not be able to perform the duties this year, his time being fully occupied, but that he would act for a little while longer until his successor was appointed. After a cordial vote of thanks to the chairman, the meeting was adjourned until Monday evening, at the same place and hour, when officers and the various committees will bo appointed. At the Resident Magistrate's Court yesterday, before J. C. Crawford, Esq., R.M., Ellen Price, George Neal, and David Anderson were dealt with in the usual manner for drunkenness. The last-named individual was cautioned that if he appeared again before the Court on a like charge he would be charged as an habitual drunkard and dealt with accordingly.— P. A. Jones,' hairdresser, Willis-street, was charged with selling fermented liquor without a license. Mr. Gordon Allan appeared for defendant, who pleaded not guilty. Peter Petersen stated that on Sunday last he went to Mr. Jones’s establishment and called for some beer, which was supplied to him. . In reply to" Mr. Allan, the witness said he tendered the money to Jones first, who went away, and'then brought back two bottles of ale ; witness handed to Jones a £l-note, and received back 16s. In reply to Sergeant Smith, witness said he was aware that the public-houses were closed at the time.' The Sergeant remarked that 2s, per bottle was 6d. more than the ordinary retail price per bottle. Mr. Allan, for the defence, called Mr. Jones, who said he made no profit out of the transaction ; the beer was obtained by his servant, but where from he was not aware. Mr. Allan submitted that no case had been made out to warrant a, conviction. The Resident Magistrate concurred, and dismissed the information.—A second case of a like nature against Mr. Jones was withdrawn.—John Letheby was charged with permitting his chimney, which it was alleged was in a very'fon! state, to catch fire on Christmas Day last. . The defendant denied that the chimney was on fire, but admitted that the sparks from the kitchen fire might have caught the shingle roof. A witness named Chambers stated that when the alarm of fire was given the chimney was not on fire. The Bench considered the case made out, and fined defendant 10s., and costs. —On the civil side judgments were given for plaintiffs for, the amounts claimed in the following oases :—Lindsay v. Greathead, £23 3d. ; Cohen v. Paterson, £2 7s. 6d.,; White v. Jellett, £2B 10s. Bd.; Co-operative Society v. Hansen, £1 9s. lOd. In the case of Heuunga v. Stevenson, a claim for payment of an alleged debt of £2 10s., the plaintiff was nonsuited. Mr. N. W. Werry, Record Clerk in the Public Works Department, has been appointed Chief Clerk in the Railway Department. Mr. H. J. Blow succeeds Mr. Werry in the latter office.

The criminal sittings of the Supreme Court commence on Monday next. The following is the calendar of prisoners for trial :—Edward Tyler) false pretences ; Arthur Barnsley, forgery ; Edward Hughes and Thomas Keenan, robbery with violence ; Thomas Keenan, cutting and wounding ; Daniel Burke, stealing from a dwelling-house ; James McDowell, assault with intent to commit rape ; Richard Boss, horsestealing; Thomas Williams and Thomas Freeman, robbery from a tent ; H. Cape Williamson, false pretences ; William John Lawrence, false pretences (two indictments). A cricket match will be played in Leach’s paddock, Polhill Gully, this afternoon at 2 o’clock sharp, between an eleven selected from the New Zealand Times Club and the Rising Star Club. The following are the names of the New Zealand Times team :—McKenzie, Nation, Muir, Dunn, Gregory, Clements, Thomson, Howe, Kitching, Everett, Jones ; emergency, Keatch. Rising Star : Smith, Brown, Mansell, Hellyer, Bennett, White, J. Tustin, Danks, J. E. Read, Brandt, Cobham ; emergency, F. Haybittle. A briekmaker named George Tonks, living in Taranaki-street, has, we understand, been missing since Wednesday last, and it is feared that some accident has happened to him, especially as there is a report current that a man unknown, whose body has not been recovered, was seen drowning in the harbor on the evening of the same day, and • sank before efforts could be made to rescue him.

A meeting of the Board of Governors of Wellington College was held yesterday morning. Present—Sir William Fitzherbert (in the chair), his Worship the Mayor, the Rev. J. Paterson, and Messrs. Buckley, Taylor, and Jackson. Sir William Fitzherbert was elected permanent chairman of the Board, and suitably acknowledged the compliment. The amount of overdraft at. the bank was stated to be £IOOO. Mr. Brandon, jun., was appointed solicitor of the Board, in the room of Mr. Brandon, sen., who has resigned. Mr. O. P. Powles was appointed secretary to the, Board, vice Mr. C. 0. Graham, who has resigned on his appointment by the City Council to the office of Town Clerk. The Board expressed its regret at the loss of Mr. Graham’s valuable services. The Chairman congratulated the Board on having secured so excellent an officer to fill the vacant post as Mr. Powles, who was well and favorably known to them all. The amount of remuneration was fixed at the same rate as that hitherto enjoyed by his predecessor. An offer by Mr. Holmes, of the Lands Office, to resign his office of collector of college rents, the emoluments of which were stated to he about £4O a-year, provided the secretary to the Board would undertake the work gratuitously, was accepted with thanks. The consideration of the amounts to be awarded to the holders of primary scholarships was adjourned until next meeting. The motion of which Mr. Brandon had given notice at a previous meeting—that the representatives of the Press should not be present at the deliberations of the Board—was not proceeded with. After the discussion of ’ some business of a private character relating to financial matters, the Board adjourned. Messrs. T. Kennedy Macdonald and Co. hold their first monthly land auction sale in their Exchange Laud Mart on Monday next, when they will submit to public competition a large number of valuable properties in town and country. To those of our readers who desire to procure a building lot, or a dwellinghouse all ready for occupation, or to invest in country properties, a perusal of the sale list in our advertising columns may prove valuable. St. George’s Hall, was fairly attended last evening, the burlesque of “II Trovatore” and the comic pantomime passing off most successfully. To-night agreat double bill is announced, including the burlesques of “ The Little Old Woman that Lived in the Shoe” and “II Trovatore,” followed by the comic pantomime. The marches by the girls and buys will also he given for the last time to-night, and a crowded house may bo anticipated. There was a sitting of the Supreme Court in banco yesterday before their Honors the Chief Justice and Mr. Justice Richmond, i Mr. Barton appeared in support of a rule nisi obtained in the case of Sohultze v. the Corporation of Wellington, and Mr. Travers to show cause against it. . The rule was discharged, with costs.—ln the matter of Wylde v. the Bank of New Zealand, which was an appeal against a decision of the Resident Magistrate at Reeftou, the argument .was partly heard, and then adjourned until the next morning. Sir Hercules Robinson, G.C.M.G., will return home (says Truth of November 15) from Sydney early next (this) year, and report names Lord Normanby, at present in New Zealand, as his probable successor in the Governorship of New South Wales. The appointment would meet with much approval, for Lord Normanby has fully earned the confidence of the Colonial Office, and his popularity in New Zealand is beyond question. This confirms the many reports previously received relative -to the impending change of Governors, but who is to be Lord Normauby’s successor in New Zealand has'not transpired, j) A funny story comes to hand about the recent event of a sailing vessel (the Cora), crossing the Hokitika bar under canvas, a circumstance telegraphed through the length and breadth of the colony. At the time the Cora was standing on and off the bar under easy canvas, the signalman had gone away to dinner, and some young larrikins on the wharf thought it would be a splendid joke to go to the signal station and hoist the balls as signal “ Stand on ; take the bar.” This they did, and the Cora stood in, although the wind was light and the channel intricate. Espying the signalman returning the lads then hauled dowu the balls aud made themselves scarce, but the signalman coming .to his post, and seeing the craft in mid-channel, at once, as the only chance to help her out of danger, hoisted the balls again, and so the Cora, by a fluke, got safe down the channel.

A few months ago public credulity was taxed to a'great degree by a story brought from the Society Islands, that the abandoned coal-laden ship Ada Iredale had drifted into Tahiti, still smoking, after, floating about at sea for nearly nine months in a burning condition. There were not wanting several who declined to believe that a ship could remain on fire for such a long period. These unbelievers will be astonished to learn that another exactly similar case, except that the nine mouths is increased to ten months, was reported at Lloyds early in October. The following is a paragraph referring to the incident, clipped from the Daily News :—“ Information received from Lloyds states that the Peninsular and Oriental ■mail steamer Hiudostan, arrived at Suez from China, reports that ‘ on the night of the 17th of September, two days before reaching Aden, she boarded a vessel which had apparently been abandoned on fire, probably some weeks previously. She was completely gutted, but the coal was still; smouldering in her hold. She, was identified as the Teviotdale, of Glasgow, .by the official number and registered tonnage marked on the main-hatch beam. The iron ship Teviotdale, bound from Cardiff to India, with a cargo of coals, was abandoned on fire on the Ist November, 1876, in lat. lldeg. south, long. 70deg. east, near Mauritius, and has drifted about 2000 miles in about ten months. The crew were picked up aoou after abandoning the vessel.’ " A very lamentable sight (says the New Zealand Herald of the 22nd ult.) came under the observation of those who were in the neighbourhood of the Police Court at noon yesterday. It was that of a child, aged about :eight years, who was a helpless and rather violent lunatic, who was brought before the presiding magistrate in order to have him committed to the Asylum. The child is a son of Mr. Freeman, of Waikiekie, near Wangarei. The child has been insane from infancy. He was at first subject to epileptic fits. Recently the child showed that he was utterly unconscious of personal danger, and the greatest watchfulness had to be shown in order to guard against his falling into the fire or otherwise injuring himself, so that his parents at length had to come to the determination of getting the child placed in the Asylum. Upon the medical testimony of Drs. Baynton and Goldsbro, the poor little sufferer was ordered to be sent to the Asylum.

Notice is given to defaulting ratepayers of the Wellington Highway District that after the 14th,'instant the collectors have been instructed to take proceedings for the recovery of old rates that may remain unpaid at that date. Mr. Willis, who for several years has, we hear, been employed as scenic artist at the Princess Theatre, Dunedin, has been engaged to paint scenery for the new theatre in Manners-street, He arrived by the Taupo yesterday. Mr. Willis is generally admitted to be one of the best scenic artist in the colony. . The Palmerston coach, with the overland passengers from Wellington, met with an ugly accident on Christmas morning (says the Napier Telegraph), as it was approaching Takapau. About a mile and a half from the railway station the horses shied at a gate lying by the side of the road, and the coach capsized. By good chance no one was hurt beyond a bruise or two, and the horses were secured by the pluck of the driver, Mr. Jones, who, though thrown over the splashboard, held on to the reius. Amongst the passengers was the Hon. H. R. Russell, who escaped without any injury.

A writer in the Australasian says :—“From New Caledonia I hear that two Melbourne men turned up at Noumea the other day by different steamers. Each seemed to fight shy of the other for some time, but at length they met, aud then it transpired that they were on the same errand, viz., to acquire a lease of the guano islands to the north of New Caledonia. One of them had been already shipping guano therefrom, and had a working plant. The public biddings commenced modestly at 3000 francs between tbe two competitors, but a third from New Zealand struck in, and the lease, was knocked down to him at 59,000 francs, or about £2360 per annum. Our Melbourne friends have acquired quite new ideas of the value of guano islands, and their successful rival is believed, even at the price he paid, to have struck a pa tch.” A large number of tourists are, as is usual at this season of the year, visiting the Hot Lake district. The Hawke’s Bay Herald of the 29th ult says.:-—“Travellers by the Taupo coaches will be glad to learn that the coaches now leave Napier on Wednesday mornings, instead of Tuesdays, as was hitherto the case. By this alteration no delay takes place in the transmission of mails or passengers from Wellington to Tauranga and Auckland.” The same journal also observes '“ A work is about to be issued, under the auspices of the Union Steam Shipping Company, called ‘The Southern Guide'to the Hot Lakes and Spring Districts-of the North Island,’ which will contain all possible information as to the route to be taken by travellers visiting that wonderful locality, full particulars" as to steamer fares, road charges, dates of arrival and departure, sanitary properties of the various springs, and, in short, everything which could be found useful by tourists. The book will be published shortly, and should command an extensive sale.” ...

New townships are springing up rapidly all over New Zealand. In reference to one of the latest of these embryo cities, called Warrengate, near Wanganui, the Chronicle ot the 31st ult. states that it is most advantageously situated close to the site of the flour mill, at the junction of the No. 2 line with the Denlair and Warrengate-roads, and the crossing of the railway. A better or more convenient site for a new township could scarcely be found, and the want of a centre for the exchange of stock, produce, and merchandise nearer than Wanganui has been long f«lt in the neighborhood. The Waikato Times of the 27th ult. relates the following particulars of a serious gunshot accident “ Dr. Waddington returned yesterday from the Piako, to which place he had been hastily summoned on Monday ta attend the little son of Mr. MoGlashan, who had been accidentally wounded by his brother that morning. It appears that Master, John McGlashan fired at a fowl, and did not know that his brother and Mr. T. G. Sandes were in a line with the bird, at a distance of only a dozen yards, hidden from hia sight by the drooping branches of a willow. The principal part of the charge was received by the little brother, taking effect over the face, chest, and stomach. Several of the pellets, number eight shot, hit Mr. T. G. Sandes upon the head and face and arm, being buried deeply in the muscles. Dr. Waddington has formed a favorable opinion of the little boy’s case, for although very seriously injured, and suffering from the shock given to the nervous system, it would appear that none of the shots have perforated the lungs or stomach. The spitting of blood reported on Tuesday was caused by some two or three of the pellets striking the cheek and taking a downward course into the mouth.”