Untitled

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5274, 18 February 1878, Page 2

The poll for the election of a member of the House of Representatives for the City of Wellington, in the room of Mr. Travers, resigned, will commence at nine o’clock this morning, and terminate at four o’clock in the afternoon. The Right Rev. Bishop Redwood preached a panegyric at St. Mary’s Cathedral last evening on the late Pope, and announced that a solemn pontifical mass would take place at 9 o’clock on Wednesday morning, prior to the opening of the synod, at which twenty-four priests from different parts of the diocese will be present. A requiem mass will be held at 9 o’clock this morning. A house belonging to Mr. P. J. Murtagh, situate at the Hutt, was destroyed by fire late ou Saturday night. Mrs. Murtagh and her two children, who were awakened by the crackling of the flames, had to make their escape by windows, and Constable Stewart, with others, succeeded in saving a considerable portion of the furniture. Mr. Murtagh at the time of the occurrence was absent at the Wairarapa. The house was insured in the London and Lancashire office for £3OO, and the furniture in the Hew Zealand office for £IOO. The Registrar-General’s report on the vital statistics of the boroughs of Auckland, Thames, Wellington, Nelson, Uhristehurch, Dunedin, and Hokitika, during the month of January, 1878, shows the total number of births to have been 336, and the deaths 127. The number of births at the several boroughs enumerated was—at Auckland, 45 ; Thames, 31 ; Wellington, 69 ; Nelson, 24 ; Christchurch, 55; Dunedin, 96; Hokitika, 16. And of deaths—at Auckland, IS; Thames, 7 ; Wellington, 45; Nelson, 11 ; Christchurch, 22 ; Dunedin, 22 ; Hokitika, 2. The births were 89 more than in December. The deaths were 2 fewer in number thau the deaths iu December. Of the deaths, males contributed 71; females, 56; 84 of the deaths were of children under 5 years of age, beiug 66T4 per cent, of the whole number; 68 of these were of children under 1 year of age. There were 9 deaths of persons of 65 years of age and over; 5 of these persons were males and 4 females ; 2 males of 67 and 86, and 2 females of 67 and 70, died at Auckland; 1 female of 87 at Nelson; 2 males of 66 and 79, and 1 female of 74, at Dunediu, and 1 male of 66 at Hokitika. The causes of death were—zymotic diseases, 52 ; constitutional, 21 ; local, 31 ; developmental, 18 ; violent, 5. In Wellington the number of deaths were—from zymotic diseases, 31; constitutional, 4; local, 2; developmental, 3. It is reported that Mr. Buuuy has been appointed Commissioner of Annuities and also of Railways for the North Island, at a salary of £BOO a year, and that the vacancy for the Wairarapa created by his acceptance of office will be notified immediately. “ Romeo and Juliet ” will be played at the Odd Eellows’ Hall this evening, for the benefit of Mr. R. Thatcher. Miss Ada Ward will take the part of Juliet, Mr. Dillon Romeo, and Mr. Walton Merdutio. The intrinsic merits of the piece, the strength of the cast, and the popularity of the gentleman for whose benefit the performance takes place, warrant the expectation of a bumper house on this occasion. The “ Colleen Bawn” was produced at the Theatre Royal on Saturday night to a good house. This terminated a most successful season. At the conclusion of the piece Miss Ada Ward thanked the people of Wellington for their kindness and support. A cricket match was played in Polhill’s Gully on Saturday afternoon between the United and Rising Star Clubs, resulting iu an easy victory for the former in one innings and 19 runs. The batting and bowling of McGirr and Dryden for the United, also the batting of Brown for the Rising Stars, deserve special mention. The panorama of the Russo-Turkish war exhibiting in St. George’s Hall had a fair share of public patronage on Saturday evening. The manager announces the last nights of this panorama ; so all who have not yet seen this pictorial representation of the present exciting war should not lose the present opportunity. It is worth remark that the mechanical naval scene works nightly without a hitch. The usual distribution of prizes is also made. At the meeting in the Theatre Royal yesterday afternoon, when Dr. Somerville delivered a gospel address, which will be found reported in another column, the choir was composed of ladies and gentlemen who kindly volunteered their services, and the singing was exceptionally good, Sankey’s hymns being rendered with an effect most pleasing. We have been requested to draw the attention of shipowners, merchants, and others to Messrs. J, H. Bethuno and Co.’s sale, at 2 o’clock to-day, of the well-known brigantine Sarah Pile ; also the hull anti ma.-ts of a vessel constructed at the Wellington Patent Slip Company's Works.'