Untitled

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5243, 12 January 1878, Page 2

European telegrams received last night bring intelligence of the death of Victor Emanuel, King of Italy. Prince Humbert, who is supposed to entertain very different political opinions, succeeds him. Mr. Blackett, Assistaut-Engineer-iu-Chief, and arbiter on the Waterworks contract, gave evidence yesterday before the committee of investigation appointed by the City Council. His evidence disclosed the fact that an item, of £IOOO, included in the cheque of £2970 paid to the contractor for extras, was part of the main contract. The whole matter has now assumed such a serious aspect that it would not be fair to comment upon the above extraordinary circumstance without first hearing Mr. Merchant in explanation. The Supreme Court was engaged the whole of yesterday with the suit W. H. Wallace v. J. C. Crawford, an action to recover compensation for services rendered as agent in the sale of the Kilbirnie estate. The case is one which possesses great interest for land speculators, commission agents, and others. A full report, up to the time of the Court rising at six o’clock, will be found elsewhere. The Arawata, with the Suez mail, is expected to arrive early to-day. Amongst her passengers, we understand, is Major Pearce, to whom the Artillery Volunteers intend to give a fitting welcome on his return to the colony, and for this purpose there will be a full-dress parade at the Central Eire Brigade Station this morning.

The firebells rang out an alarm about a quarter to 12 last night, when it was discovered that the bootshop of Mr. Moran, Willisstreet, was in flames. The fire brigades were cn the scene within a few moments from the first discovery of the fire, and there being a plentiful supply of water, the flames were quickly got under control. From the moment the hose was got to play on the fire it was plain that all danger of its spreading was at an end, and the large crowd which blocked the roadway could see nothing but the charred remains of the shop fittings. The fire police were not long in making their appearance ; but luckily their services were not much required for the purpose of preventing the crowd interfering with the operations of the firemen. The shop was completely gutted by the fire, but the other parts of the building did not appear to have sustained much injury, the five having been confined to the apartment in which it originated. The building is owned by Captain Williams, and it is one of a number of shops erected by him some twelve months ago. We understand that the building is insured to the extent of £3OO. The stock and furniture are insured in the Northern Insurance Company for £l5O, and in the New Zealand Company for £IOO. Mr. Moran estimates its value at about £350 ; but as part of the property was saved, that amount will not be lost. However, Mi - . Moran is of opinion that he will be a considerable loser by the fire. He could not accurately estimate the amount of his loss, as it was impossible to find out what goods had been saved. About five minutes before the discovery of the fire Mr. Moran had been in the simp, and he thought that the fire originated through a lighted candle which he was using, and which had been somewhat insecurely fixed underneath the counter, dropping upon some paper used for wrapping boots. At anyrate, he states that he could not have quitted the shop more than five minutes before Mrs. Moran, who was in an adjoining apartment, noticed smoke issuing through the boards of the partition. It was fortunate that the entire family had not retired to rest, or, judging from the rapid progress of the fire in the shop, disastrous results might have followed. Tlie children, servant, and some young men who lodge in the establishment were in bed when the fire broke out; but the children were quickly removed from the premises on the first alarm. Had the fire broken out at a later hour it might have been our painful duty to record a calamity similar to that which occurred a short time ago in Thorndon. For Mr. K. W. Cary’s benefit at St. George’s Hall on Monday evening next an exceedingly attractive bill is announced. The performance is under the patronage of his Worship the Mayor, Mr. Travers, M.H.E., Mr. Krull, German Consul, Mr. E. W. Mills, Mr. Duncan, J.P., Mr. H. Mace, and Councillors Moss and Magiuity. The entertainment will open with Arthur Sullivan’s “ Trial by Jury,” in which Miss Lydia Howarde, Mdlle. Solange Novaro, and Messrs. Sidney, Cary, Stoneham, Love, and others will appear. This will be followed by the recital by Mr. Pascoe of the “ Charge of the Light Brigade,” and songs from Mr. J. Hydes and Mr. Cary, The concluding portion of this entertaining programme will consist of the operatic burlesque entitled “ Faust, M.D., or Little Mephistopheles,” the characters of the piece being sustained by Miss Nye, Miss Stoneham, Mr. Stoneham, and Mr. Love. The instrumentalists are Herr Schott, Mr. A. E. King, Mrs. Palmer, and the City llifle Band. We hsar that a very large number of tickets have already been sold, so a bumper house may confidently be expected. The Albert Hotel, at the corner of Boulcottstreet and Willis-street, is now in full swing, and the proprietress, Mrs. Power, has spared no effort in fitting it up in such a manner as to attract families and visitors to W ellington. The situation, and the fact of the hotel having one private entrance to Boulcott-street and another to Willis-street, will tend to make it what appears to bo the wish of the landlady, viz., a comfortable family hotel. The building is a very commodious one, and comfort lias been studied in its construction more than outward show. The first floor comprises the bar, commercial room, and bar parlor, and also a store-room. The second floor (which used to be tire first in the old days of the Union Bank), contains the billiard-room, to which is attached a very comfortable-smoking-room, two parlors, dining-room, kitchen, and scullery. On the third floor are three large bedrooms and two handsome parlors, fitted up with pianos and other luxurious articles for the use of families. The upper, or fourth floor contains a very large room about 50ft. x 25ft., which can he converted either into a cluh-room or billiardroom, or both together. There are five large bedrooms and fifteen single bedrooms on this flat, and also bathrooms for ladies and gentlemen. A class of hotels like this new building would he a credit to any city, and it may he reasonably expected that Mrs. Power will have no reason to regret being the first tenant of the building which is dedicated to the “ Old Identities.”

Afc St. George's Hall last night a popular concert was given to a fair audience, considering the strong counter-attraction elsewhere, Mr. Margetts, Miss Nye, and a number of other vocalists took part iu the performance. To-night the programme will be entirely changed. As will be seen by advertisement in another part of this paper, the Ilev. Thomas Harrington, of C. H. Spurgeon's College, will again preach in the Polytechnic Hall to-morrow. Special subjects are announced, that in the morning being “The Wonders of Grace," and in the evening “ XhejWoiid’B Great Healer.”

Mr. Ballance ’.v;u= sworn in yesterday as a member of the Executive Council. The English High School, under the management of the Rev. T. Porritt, will re-open for the first quarter of this year on Monday next, the 14th iust. A meeting of the Philosophical Society will be held this evening at the Colonial Museum, when several interesting and scientific papers will be read by Messrs. Carruthers, Kirk, Butler, Dr. Buller, &c. We have received from the Government Printing Office the “ New Zealand and Australian Postal Time-table.” It is printed very neatly on a small card that conveniently folds up. Mr. Ingles informs the Marlborough Express that he has succeeded in stocking two of the rivers near Kaikoura, the Waiwhero and the Camden, with trout. The other day he drew up three young fish in a bucket. The Otago Times understands that the Minister of Lauds and Immigration, Mr. Maoaudrew, will visit Jackson Bay, Martin Bay, and the West Coast settlements towards the latter end of Eebruary. A supplementary New Zealand Gazette issued yesterday contains the regulations under the Mines Act, 1877, and a list of gentlemen who have been appointed Registrars on the West Coast and in Otago, &c. It will be seen by our advertising columns that the Horticultural Society’s Exhibition will be held next Thursday. This should be a good show, and we hope our horticultural friends will do their best to second the efforts of the committee.

A meeting of the creditors in the estate of E. H. Welby, master' mariner, w T as to have been held yesterday, but there was not a sufficient number present to form a quorum, and the meeting The liabilities in the estate are set dow-u at £BS, and the assets nil. Notice is given that Mr. James McKenzie, of the Lower Hutt, shoemaker, has filed a declaration that he is unable to meet his engagements, and that the first meeting of creditors will be held at the Supreme Court Buildings on Eriday, the 18th inst., at noon. Owing to the long time which the hearing of the case of Wallace v. Crawford occupied, Messrs. Travers and Allan, who were engaged in another common jury case, applied to his Honor the Chief Justice, at the Supreme Court yesterday, as to when counsel would have to appear. Mr. Barton asked his Honor to confer with Mr. f Justice Richmond regarding the practicability of having the civil sittings on some other week than that of the criminal sittings. At present the strain was severe on counsel engaged in both sittings. The Chief Justice thought Mr. Barton would find it harder if his duties were conducted in London, where the Courts sat for mouths together. However, he would order the present jury to be discharged, and fix the common jury cases for Monday week. The special jury cases will be heard on Monday next, the first one being that of Joseph v. Peters, and the second Gillon v. Macdonald.

A cricket match will be played this afternoon in Mrs. Leitch’s paddock, between, the Rising Star and Thorndon Cricket Clubs. The wickets will be pitched at 2 o’clock. The following are the names of the respective teams :—Rising Stars : Messrs. Smith, Brown, Robinson, Tustin, Banks, Madsill, Helly, J. Read, Godber, White, and S. Read ; emergency, Cobham and Bennett. Thorndon 0.C.: Messrs. Dobbie, Kuohen, Love, Mills, Burrett, Daly, Gascoigne, Watson, Osgood, Read, and Astill; emergency, Harris.—A match will also be played on the Basin Reserve, commencing at the same hour, between the Royal Oak and the United Cricket Clubs. The following are the names of the teams : —Royal Oak : Messrs. Lawrence, Lambert, Banks, Burrett, Platt, Maplestone, Dodsworth, Plimmer, Mills, Greer, Brown ; emergency, Nicholson and McGinnity. United : Nation, Munt, Gamble, Wrott, Doyle, Wylie, Keefe, Emeny, MoGirr, Chatwyn, E. Nation ; emergency, Iggulden. At the Resident Magistrate’s Court yesterday, before J. C. Crawford, Esq. R.M., Thos. Mansfield, charged with drunkenness, was fined 55., with the alternative of twenty-four hours’ imprisonment in case of non-payment.— On the civil side, before J. Dransfield and W. Hutchison, Esqs., justices, in the case of Tozer v. Hill the plaintiff was nonsuited. The action was brought to recover the value of a horse, £ls. The price of the animal was to be taken out in board and lodging, and there was a dispute as to how many weeks this was to last. The defendant’s version of the matter was that it was to be eight weeks, and when that period had expired he told plaintiff that he would for the future have to pay for his board and lodging.—ln the matter of Hansen v. Willbraudt, a claim for £ll, judgment was given for plaintiff.—There were some other cases on the list, but they were either settled out of court or adjourned to a future day. Tradesmen who are in the habit of supplying seamen with goods without a guarantee ef payment from the master of the vessel will be interested (says the Otago Times) in the following case, which has been heard in the Resident Magistrate’s Court, Port Chalmers, before Mr. Mansford. Thomas Cunningham, a bootmaker, sued James Hogg, third officer of the ship James Nicol Fleming, for £3, the value of two pairs of boots supplied to him. The plaintiff stated the defendant, accompanied by the second steward, had called at his shop and ordered some boots, stating that Captain Moltat would nay for them. They were accordingly supplied, and those had by the second steward paid for by the master, who, however, declined to settle the third officer’s account. The defendant admitted his liability, but stated he was an articled seaman, and had no money. Mr. Mansford remarked that Hogg’s conduct was not at all creditable to any officer of a ship. However, the law stated that ss. was the greatest amount recoverable by civil process from a seaman while under articles of engagement, and judgment would be given for that sum and costs. His Worship added that he thought the best the defendant could do was to return one pair of the boots to the plaintiff. The Wanganui Herald of the Bth inst. says: —We are not in full possession of the facts, but we learn that the licensed victuallers of Marton were yesterday each fined £2 and costs for opening their houses at the witching hour dividing New Year’s Eve from the glorious First, and distributing a glass of refreshment to the members of the band that favored them with musical strains. We are informed on good authority that the publicans in question carefully refrained from taking payment for the refreshment thus kindly given. The Hon. W. Fox took the trouble to assist in the administration of justice. We shall return to the subject. An unusual honor, says a late English paper, is about to be paid to a journalist. A memorial to the late Alexander Russell has been set on foot by way of acknowledging his services as editor of the Scotsman to the Liberal cause. It has not yet been decided what form the memorial shall take, but already about £2OOO has been subscribed by a large number of our most distinguished politicians (including Lord Hartiugtou), in sums of from £6O te one guinea. Three thousand young Californian salmon arrived per the Taranaki yesterday from Mr. Johnston’s piscatorial nursery, 'Christchurch. Their destination is Wanganui, and they will be placed in the river there, some four miles up. The fish have arrived here in excellent condition, thanks to the c*re bestowed by Mr. Bull, the gentleman who is in charge of them. They will leave for Wanganui to-day by the Mnnawatn, and it is to be hoped will reach their destination in safety.

Mr. Duncan was obliged to postpone his large trade sale yesterday until Monday, 14th inst., in consequence of a subpoena being served on him just before the time for commencing the auction, The sale, it will bo noticed, is to come off on Monday next at half-past II o’clock. Luncheon as usual at 1 o’clock. The proprietor of laud adjoining the township of Kiwitoa will submit to public competition, a few days only, commencing at 0 o’clock on Monday, the 14th inst., 20 blocks on very liberal terras. Full particulars will be found in our advertising columns. An excellent investment in the coach-building business may be made shortly, the lease, fixtures, stockin trade, etc., of Messrs. Doneghue and Parr being about to be sold by Mr. G. Thomas. Fuller particulars will appear in a future issue.

The Unita Cattolica of Tuiin has proposed to petition the Pope to nominate a patron saint of Catholic journalism, and to choose as such the new doctor of the Church, Francis de Sales, in the same manner as Benedict XIII. appointed as the patron saint of university students, St. Aloysius of Gonzaga. The Voce della Verita supports this proposal as most salutary and opportune. A well known old colonist (says the S.A. .Advertiser), who has recently returned from a trip to England, informed us that he called one day at one of the chief telegraph offices in the, city of London, desiring to send a telegram to Adelaide. He was informed that the line was broken, but was expected to be restored in the course of three or four days. He went on to Charing Cross, where he took lodgings, and a day or two after he entered the handsome building w r hence telegraphic communication is held with the rest = of the civilised world. He said he wished to send a telegram to Australia, and asked if the line was repaired. The gentleman at the window, apparently a person above forty years of are, informed him that it had not been broken, and was in working order. The South Australian representative told him that a day or two previously he had heard in the city that it was broken ; the other assured him that it was a mistake. Our informant then wrote a message to Adelaide and handed it in. The clerk looked at it and said, “ Oh, Adelaide—ah, yes, that’s in New Zealand.” On being told he was mistaken, he declared he was not, and must know more about Adelaide, from his position as connected with the Telegraph Department, than a person who, he supposed, had never been there. Being undeceived on this point, he took the telegram and payment thereof, saying it should go all right. The next d;iy a messenger from the office waited on the colonist at his hotel, with many apologies for the mistake that had occurred, but the Australian line was broken, and Adelaide was not to be found in New Zealand, and if he would be so kind as to call at the office, he could have the money returned, or might leave the message to be sent on when the line was restored.

The present owners of White Island, according to the New Zealand Herald , are actively preparing to turn the sulphur found there to commercial account ; —There are two parties now in the field for the purpose of utilising the sulphur deposits to be found in various parts of the North Island, and as about £4OOO worth of sulphur is used in the colony every year, there appears to be a good opening for the development of this trade. Throughout Australia there are no places where deposits of sulphur are found, and sulphur works at Auckland, or other suitable locality, would of course have the command of the trade of Australia as well as that of New Zealand.

Bristol, thanks to the machinery which Oxford and Cambridge have supplied, has become a new centre of University teaching, and Dean Stanley has delivered an address in the happiest and richest vein in celebration of the event. The relative advantages of self-educa-tion, mainly carried on in after life, and of the education acquired in the customary scholastic methods, formed part of his speech, and were illustrated by special reference to the author of the “ History of Civilisation.” It Buckle had gone through a regular school and college training, Dean Stanley thought that he would not have gained the immense and multifarious information which enabled him to write his great book. The Dean had also something to say on the subject of the impossibilities of one age becoming the common places of the next. The late Lord Derby promised to swallow the boiler of the first steam-engine that crossed the Atlantic, and only the other day, when, Mr. James Bryce was presented to the Armenian Archimandrite as the gentleman who had ascended Mount Ararat, that veneral ecclesiastic smiled sweetly -but sceptically—and said, “ That is impossible.” Altogether, Dean Stanley’s address was suggestive and interesting from beginning to end, full of apt instances, felicitous allusions, and faultless in its mellow and subdued eloquence.