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New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5271, 14 February 1878, Page 2

The friends of the late Hon. W. B. Rhodes are respectfully invited by advertisement to attend his funeral, which will leave h.s late residence at four o’clock this (Thursday) afternoon, passing the junction of Tinukori-road and Molesworth-street at half-past four o’clock. We have been requested to call particular attention to this, as by some mistake it was announced in yesterday’s evening papers that the funeral would take place on Friday. Sir George Grey will address a public meeting this evening at the Arcade, Mannersetreet, at 8 o’clock. Another attempt will be made to blow up the sunken hulk Eli Whitney very shortly. H.M.S. Nymphe has undertaken to do the work this time, and with the explosive materials which she possesses it should be easily accomplished. A pleasing notice to shareholders in the Colonial Bank of New Zealand appears in our advertising columns, viz., that their dividend warrants are awaiting their application at the Wellington branch. It must be satisfactory to shareholders to notice, by the half-yearly report just issued, that besides paying a dividend at the rate of six per cent, per annum, there has been a sum of over £2OOO carried forward to next half-year’s profit and loss * account, in addition to £4OOO added to the reserve fund. The balancesheet issued appears to us to show marked progress under every heading. We notice, by the chairman's remarks at the last half-yearly meeting, that this bank numbers as many as 2149 shareholders, and m this respect stands seventh among British and colonial banks; the leading bank in point of numbers being the London and Westminster, 5900; followed by National Provincial Bank of England, 4488 ; London and County Bank, 3300 ; National Bank of Ireland, 3700; Union Bank of London, 3000; Merchants’ Bank of Canada, 2351; and the Colonial Bank of New Zealand, 2149. The chairman remarked that if all the shareholders would move their accounts to the bank they would soon draw up to the first bank in New Zealand. As it is the progress seems satisfactory, the number of accounts opened over those closed during the last year being given as 900. We are glad to set! that the officers were not overlooked in the vote of thanks passed, directors being so much in the habit of taking all the honor and glory of success to themselves.

The Inspector of Police received a telegram from Masterton yesterday, stating that Messrs. Heron and Cray’s corn store was destroyed by fire that morning. The origin of the fire has not been ascertained. The damage is estimated at about £450, and it is said that the property was insured in the National for £IOO.

Two seamen, named George Gaswigar and Edwin Jones, belonging to the ship Margaret Galbraith, were brought before the Resident Magistrate yesterday afternoon, and charged with absenting themselves without leave. They were each sentenced to 48 hours’ imprisonment, and ordered to be put upon the ship. The Odd Fellows’ Hall last evening was liberally patronised, notwithstanding the unpropitious weather. The U. S. Minstrels appeared in a new programme, which was highly appreciated by those present.' To-night the troupe are announced to make their farewell appearance. Dr. Somerville will hold,Divine service in Wellington on Sunday next. The United Evangelistic Committee will meet at the Woodward-street Congregational Church this afternoon, when the time and place at which Dr. Somerville will preach will be arranged, of which due notice will be given by advertisement.

. Bulwer Lytton’s “Lady of Lyons,” although full of sentiment that is now regarded as “shoddy” has become a classic of the stage, and the appearance of two “ stars” in the piece attracted a large audience to the Theatie lloyal last night, despite the heavy rain that fell. The play has never perhaps been given here to better advantage. Pauline is a character in which Miss Ada Ward exhibits her powers to the utmost. The daughter of the Lyons grocer, though born of “snobs,” is preeminently womanly, as any character drawn by such an interpreter of true womanhood as Bulwer Lytton must necessarily be, and Miss Ward seemed, in our opinion, to exactly convey the author’s idea of a woman brought up to regard wealth and position as superior to worth, yet possessed by an inmate consciousness of the nohility of nature. Although all the characters she has presented here have been well considered and couscicntous interpretations, with a decided claim to originality of conception, Miss Ward’s Pauline may be considered her beat rendering, and we trust that it may be repeated, ho that many who were kept at home by the rain may be permitted to see the piece. Nothing can be said of Mr. Walton’s Claude except in praise. He astonished those who thought him wedded to parts such he has hitherto appealed in. There was nothing of the Higby Grant or O’Callaghan in Mr. Walton's Claude Meluotte, yet it was as characteristic and bold a rendition as either of them, the chief charm being the excellent elocution and easy delivery of the cxquLlte poetry with which the part abounds. Mr. linrford was also very good in Loan-cant, which is one of his happiest efforts. Colonel Hamas in Mr. Howard’s hands had full justice done to it, and Glavis had a really good expositor in Mr. St. Lawrence. Mrs. ytoncham has few better parts in her repertoire than that of Madame Hoschappelles; and the Widow Meluotte, always a very ungrateful part, except in the burlesque, was very ably played by Miss Lizzie Lawrence, albeit >hc looked a very young and pretty mother of such a big son. To-night the immortal tragedy of “Macbeth” is to be produced, with the full strength of the company. Miss Ward’s powers will be much taxed; but she is said to give a thrilling picture of the guilty devoted wife. On Friday she takes her benefit, and as the company arc to appear in Wanganui on Tuesday, we shall only have three more opportunities of seeing one of Clio most pleasing and talented actresses that have ever appeared iu Wellington. The benc-ft will be under the especial patronage of the Premier, Sir George Grey. - ' ' The Taratahi-Carterton Highway Board call for tender# for the lease of the Waiohiue tollgate for 12 months, from the Ist March next.

The wretched weather last night had the effect of thinning the audience at St. George's Hall, but notwithstanding this the full programme of the panorama of the Russo-Turkish war was given.

Notice is given in our advertising columns that the third call of 10s. per share, made on tile 30th January by the Te Aro Theatre and Public Hall Company (Limited), is payable at the office of the Bank of New Zealand, Te Aro, on or before the first of March next.

At the Resident Magistrate’s Court yesterday, John Connor and Thomas Campbell were each fined ss. for drunkenness.—-Por a similar offence M. Giltnour was fined 10s.; and Alexander Russell, who, in addition to drunkenness, was further charged with using obscene language, was ordered to pay a penalty of 20s.—■ A trivial case, in which 15dward Law, master of the Shepherdess, was summoned by Thomas Rdward Hagan for assault, was dismissed, with costs.

The Princess Theatre was well attended last night (although the weather was not so propitious as the fates might have ordered) for the benefit of so good and efficient an actor as Mr. W. C. Dillon, who appeared, for the first time in New Zealand, as Hamlet, and acquitted himself in such a manner as fully justified the flattering critiques lie has received at the hands of the colonial Press. We have seen Walter Montgomery, who is generally considered one of the best exponents of Shakaperian character ever seen in Australia or New Zealand, and there can be no doubt that Mr. Dillon’s portrayal of this difficult character is deserving of great praise. We arc glad to see that the management has recognised the talent of this gentleman, and have arranged with him to reappear iu the same character again to-night.

To the many handsome and commodious shops which this city can boast of, another has been added on the ground-floor of the Athenrenm, and has been recently opened by Mr, Bowden, the bookseller and stationer. It is 30ft. long, 30ft. wide, and 20ft. in height. The fittings are of Sydney cedar, which has been lately introduced here by Messrs W. and G. Turnbull as a material particularly well suited to ornamental work of this kind, and it certainly seems to answer the purpose remarkably well. The shop is stocked with a new and choice assortment of hooks and stationery of every description, and is well deserving of inspection.

The Queenslander, one of the best weekly papers published in Australia, has been still further enlarged and improved, and on the 2nd inst. came out in its new form. It comprises 32 pages of matter, and, both from a mechanical and literary point of view is a most creditable production, and reflects infinite credit on its enterprising proprietors, who it is evident have not been standing still whilst the colony of Queensland has been progressing. In. reference to the selling of intoxicating drink to the Maoris the N. Z. Herald of the sth instant thus answers a correspondent signing himself “ Colonel,” who refers to the law regarding the selling of intoxicating liquors to natives, and inquires how the rejection of the Local Option Bill would affect hotelkeepers and others who sell liquors in cities and country districts:—“The old law was never enforced, and no Act declaratory has been passed pointing out how it must be construed or how far its provisions have to te carried out. This is a grievance to both publicans and Maoris, for the former do not know when they are infringing the law, in selling liquor to the natives; and the latter act as if the same laws applied to them as to the whites in the matter of public-houses. If a Maori, for instance, puts up, at a hotel he naturally enough expects to be supplied with liquors; but would the publican be right in selling them?” The rejection of any Bill could not affect any ordinary existing law. The A.ct referred to could be enforced at any time without any declaratory Act. In reference to the importation of stock question the Lyttelton Times observes ;—“ The first fruit of the Animals Importation Prohibition Act of 1876 lias ripened. The ports of New South AVales have been thrown open to the New Zealand stock-breeders. . The result so fondly hoped for, and for which in the main the Act of 1876 was passed by the New Zealand Legi-lature, will fill many a pastoral breast with joyful anticipations of profit. The recommendation of the select committee of the Lower House which produced the Act of 1876 was not founded on arguments drawn from veterinary or any other sources. That recommeudation was simply dictated by an enterprising commission agent—a Mr. Miller, well known all over the colouy, and more particularly in Napier and Otago—who managed, and very easily, to persuade the committee that it would be a very capital thing for all concerned if the importation of stock from beyond the colonies could be prohibited. This is all that the history of the whole transaction—writ not in very choice English in a blue-hook—is capable of conveying to the Australian inquirer. The charge is excellent for those who are in the position of sellers of choice stock. But they are not the only people who ought to have been considered in the matter. Turning to the other side of the shield, we fiud the buyers. These will probably view the situation in a very different light. Elongated faces and grumbling voices will be their chief characteristics. Cut off from the Home and American markets, they find their field of choice restricted, with the certainty of paying an increased price for what they want. It cannot be that in so young a country as this is the number of buyers is too small to be considered. As a fact, their position was not considered at all.”

In the new London weekly (Brief) we find the following:—“We hear a little too much about honorary services in this city, because we also hear a great deal too much about testimoiilala an * acknowledgments. An entertainment committee at Guildhall is not complete unless each of its members receive a gold or silver badge, or some valuable memento of the festivities. The chairman of a board is usually the recipient of a trifle in plate or an object of -verity and ho on, the rewards occasionally taking the form of very small souvenirs, which are however expensive when they have to be conferred on a number of individuals. The latest exemplification of the practice is the sum of 1000 guineas voted to the committee of the Indian Famine Fund, to be distributed by the lace Lord Mayor, who has, it is declared, awarded 350 guineas to his private secretary, Mr. Soulsby ; 350 to Mr. Witizar, the swordbearer ; and 100 to Mr. Lane, tbe remainder being returned to the fund, except 50 guineas, which a friend of the late Lord Mayor moved should be spent to buy him a testimonial. Now, nobody would grudge reasonable remuneration to the people who have devoted much time and intelligent work to the proper collection and distribution of the fund ; but then, why hrmoraiy, if the principal officials so engaged ore paid 350 guineas a-piece for their services V* Mr. 11, J. Duncan will sell at his rooms, Panamastroefc. at 2 o'clock this afternoon, pursuant to instruction;* from the executors of the late Mr. William Dorset, four sections of land with frontages to Parkstreet and Tinakori rond. This properly is most desirably situated, and is part of town acre No. lt>9. The adjoining acres are owned and occupied by Messrs. C. J. Wiaraayn, M.L.C. ; W, Johnston, M.U.R.; \V. 11. Levin. "W. 11. Brown, and Oiaph;im. Opportunities of securing eligible town sections of this kind are every day becoming scarcer, and these Jots will therefore no doubt excite considerable competition.