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New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5299, 20 March 1878, Page 2

The meeting of the New Zealand Parliament has been further prorogued from the 29th instant to the 23rd of May, but it is understood it will not meet for the despatch of business until the end of June or beginning of July. A meeting of persons interested in the proposed new road to Kilbirnie was held at Mr, White's office, Panama-street, yesterday. It was stated that the treasurer had sufficient funds in hand for the work to be proceeded with, and it was resolved to call for tenders immediately. From information received by the police yesterday, we learn that a former member of the Hutt baud, named Henry Thomas Curtis, has been arrested at' Lyttelton, where he was employed as cook on board a ship about to sail for England, on the charge of misappropriating £25 from the funds of the band. He has been missing from Wellington since the commencement of the year, and has left his wife and five children in destitute circumstances. He will be brought' up to Wellington in custody by the next steamer from Lyttelton. A meeting of the committee of the Wellington Benevolent Institution was held yesterday afternoon. Present The Bishop of Wellington (in the chair), the Yen. Archdeacon Stock, Rev, B. W. Harvey, Rev. R. Coffey, Rev. ,1. Paterson, R»v. O. S. Ogg, Rev. A. Reid, Rev. J. Durabell, Rev. W. H. West, his Worship the Mayor,’ Messrs. J. G. Holdsworth, J. Woodward, H. C. Wilson, D. Lewis, W. Bishop, J. G. Smith, L. Levy, and the Secretary. The following subscriptions and donations were received: £l2 10s., Government grant; £9l9s. 4d. proceeds of collection after sermon at Mannersstreet Church, by Dr. Smith ; £l, John Watt. Some cases of distress were considered and relieved. The motion brought forward by Archdeacon Stock with reference to the resignation of Mr. Crawford, R.M.', was withdrawn after considerable discussion.

As we intimated yesterday, a new dramatic season is about to be inaugurated at the Theatre Royal, Mr. Charles Dillon having become lessee of that popular place of entertainment for a term. This enterprising caterer for the amusement of the public has got together an - excellent company, comprising soma of the best actors and actresses in the colony; and on the opening night, Saturday next,-the company will make its debut in the romantic drama, adapted from the French, entitled “ The Duke’s Motto.” In it Mr. Dillon plays throe parts, in which he is imported to have made decided hits in the old country and the sister colonies. Mrs. Walter Hill, who has been engaged to play leading parts, is well known in this colony as a painstaking and able actress. Her daughter, Miss Lilly May, is also a very promising young actress. Miss Edith Pender, who is amongst the company, has already appeared before a Wellington public, and established herself as a favorite. Mr. John Musgrave, who is a first-rate delineator of old men’s parts, and Messrs. Sam Poole, Graham, Tyrrel, O'Neil, Clinton, and other well-known actors, will also appear. On Monday evening, Mr. Sothern, son of the famous “Lord Dundreary,” will make his appearance in “ Our American Cousin.” Mr. Briggs, the scenic artist, has been engaged in painting new scenery, and no pains appear to have been spared on the part of the management to make the ensuing season deserving of liberal patronage at the hands of the theatre-going portion of the community. Mr. R. J. Duncan offered for sale yesterday the leases, having 21 years to run, of fourteen building sites on the Wesleyan Reserve, between the Terrace and the Botanical Gardens. The following sections were disposed of at the rates stated :—No. 1, £l6, Mr. W. G. Jackson; No. 2, £l4, Mr. O. Tringham; No. 3, £l2 10s., Mr. Exley ; No. 4, £9 10s., Mr. C'roskery ; No. 6, £6, Mr. C. Tringham ; No. 6, £lO, Mr. Gilmore. Mr. Roxburgh purchased the last eight lots, at £lO, £l3 10s., £l3 10s,, £l4 10s., £ls 10s., £ll, £lO 10s., and £25 (two sections) per annum respectively, thus making a total annual income of £l7l 10s. from the property. The auctioneer provided an excellent luncheon prior to the commencement of the sale, to which ample justice was done. There was an excellent attendance at the Theatre Royal last night, and the performances of the Troubadours were again heartily received. The pieces consisted of the comedy “ Two Can Play nt that Game,” followed by the “ Brook.” To-night, which will positively be the last of the season, the following bill of fare will be placed before the audience, and the performance will be for the benefit of the troupe, who have made themselves great favorites during their shoxt stay here :—The popular hits in “Patchwork,” the “Brook,” “ Two Can Play at That Game,” and the laughable burlesque Roman tragedy, entitled “ Carracolling Carraoolla,” which will be produced for the first time. A full house may be confidently anticipated on this the farewell and benefit night of this popular troupe. A trotting match, to which some intoi’esfc is attached, has been arranged to take place this evening, at 6 p.m., between Mr. Thomas Crosbie’s mare Castaway, and Mr. Reeves’ Old Jack, a West Coast horse. Both these animals are well known in the district. A large number of spectators are expected at the starting place, which is to be one mile from Ngahauranga, on the main road. The stakes are for £25 a side. We were in error in stating that the mother of Herbert- Astridge, the unfortunate youth who was drowned in the harbor the day before yesterday, is a widow, she having married a second time, and her pi’esent husband being now alive. Some of her friends have requested us to correct the mistake. A full report of the proceedings at the inquest, which took place yesterday afternoon, will be found in our columns. At the Resident Magistrate's Court yesterday, before J. C. Crawford, Esq., R.M., William Nelson, a man well known to the police, was chai’ged with having been illegally on the premises of Mary Ann Mason. It appeared that the accused had been drinking hard, and had gone to the house, begging for assistance, and using threats of violence if his demands were refused. He was sentenced to a month’s imprisonment. At the same sitting Donald Campbell was charged with drunkenness, and as he was still suffering from its effects he was remnnded until next day. • The pretty new" church in St. Asaph-street, Christchurch, belonging to the new Methodist denomination, which has been completed within the last few days.

As previously notified, the Chamber o£ Commerce will meet this afternoon at three o’clock. Notice is given that an application for a certificate of discharge will be made on the 27 th inst., under the Debtors and Creditors Act, by Charles Duncan, of Porirua, settler. The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company (Limited) notify that the fifth call of 10s. per shave on the third issue of the company will he payable at their office on Monday, Ist April. A sitting of the Assessment Appeal Court for the .Tohnsonville District was held yesterday. Present—Messrs. J. C. Crawford, H.M.; IV. H. Saunders, chairman of the local Board; and E. Bell, valuator. No objections were made to any of the assessments. The quarterly communication of the District Grand Lodge of Freemasons for the North Islam! of New Zealand, under the Grand Lodge of England, will be held at the Masonic Hall, Boulcott-street, on Thursday, the 21st inst., at 8 p.m. A tea meeting, followed by a sacred concert, took place last evening in the schoolroom adjoining the United Methodist Free Church, Courtenay-place, in aid of the building fund of the new church which it is proposed to build. There was a good attendance, and a carefully-selected programme was gone through to the entire satisfaction of the audience. The Christchurch Press of Monday last says :—A furious N.W. gale was blowing yesterday in port, but, thanks to the admirable precautions taken, little damage was done. The flying jib-boom of the Lurline was broken, aud part of her bulwarks were damaged against the piles, as, being very light, she lay over greatly toward* the wharf. If we except the blowing down of a few fences, no other damage was done either to shipping or town. The breeze lulled in the middle of the day, but again began to blow fresh towards even'ng. A Swedish paper publishes an interesting art'de under the heading “Is the climate of Europe growing colder?” It states that in the Bay of Koiuenok, near Foma, in Greenland, fossil and very characteristic remains of palm and other trees have been discovered lately, which tend to show that in these parts formerly a rich vegetation must have existed. But the ice period of the geologists arrived, and, as a consequence of the decreasing temperature, this fine vegetation was covered with ice and snow. This sinking in the temperature, which moved in a southerly direction, as can be proved by geological data, i.e,., the discovery of fossil plants of certain speecies, seems to be going on in our days also. During the last few years the ice has increased far towards the south; thus between Greenland and the Arctic Sea colossal masses of ice have accumulated. On European coasts navigator’s now frequently find ice in latitudes whsre it never existed before during the summer mouths, and the cold reigning upon the Scandinavian peninsula this summer results from the masses of ice which are floating in the region where the Gulf Stream bends towards our coasts.

A fatal accident (says the Press of Monday last), occurred yesterday afternoon, by which a young man named Francis Cassidy lost his life while bathing in the vVaimakariri River. It seems that deceased went, with a man named Chappel and two lads, to bathe in the river near the corner of Mr. James Robbie’s laud. He could not swim, and when walking into the stream was seen suddenly to stumble and throw up his arms, and he then disappeared in the current. One of the lads called out to the other man, who finished undressing quickly and ran to the bank, but owing to a large flax bush being in the way, could not reach the river at that point. Cassidy came to the surface three times in quick succession, and finally disappeared. The river is about seven feet deep where the unfortunate man went down, and as there are a number of beds of quicksands at this part, it is supposed he got into one of them. Cassidy was twentyone years of age. He came to Canterbury about twelve months ago, since which time he had been in the service of Mr. Charles Aymes, farmer, Harewood-road. He was single, and a steady and industrious young man. As will be seen by reference to our advertising columns, Mr, John Howe, the well-known actor, has taken the ' billiard-room at Mr. Harding’s Post Office Hotel, where he will no doubt be rewarded with the patronage of his numerous friends.