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New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5304, 26 March 1878, Page 2

Communication is again restored on the Port Darwin line. - The criminal sittings of the Supreme Court will commence oh Monday next, April 1. The following is the calendar of prisoners for trial : —Richard Ross (horse-stealing), Francis Doneghue and Robert James Parr (fraudulent bankruptcy), Niels Jansen Berquist (sheep-; stealing), Richard Buokridgo and William Neil (horse-stealing), E. H, Mouravieff, alias Jacob-' son, (obtaining goods by false pretences), Walter Ockendon (robbery), Patrick Shine and Thomas Maher (felony), Frederick ■ Oattling (rape), and J Dim Pestridge (arson). Notice is given (that a sale of Crown lands will be held in the Couhcil Hall, bn Tuesday,the 23rd April, when 606 sections of surveyed lands in the Districts of Pahautahui, Hutt, Ohai'iu, - Ivlanawatu,- Wanganui, Fea-; thefston, and Mauriceville, and in the town-: ship of Carnarvon, will be submitted to public! competition. ' 1 ’ ■ ' As yet the Empire City is:.behind some of the other chief towns, of the colony in the matter of Turkish baths, which are now very generally, regarded in almost all; centres;,of oi’vilisation'as to the health' .and comfort- of the community. We are glad to hear, however, that thbre'is a prospect! of the Wellington public being, supplied in al short time withi these baths oil a soale ade-! quate to the growing population of the place, 1 and .fitted up with all the usual accessox-ies’ to comfort and convenience; and moreover that they will be superintended by a person thoroughly competent for the office, which requires both skill and expnrience, especially in matters of detail.: , We hear that it is in contemplation to start a limited liability company to eifeot the object in view, and that Professor Augustus, of Lambton-qaay, with a thoroughly qualified assistant of; long, experience, .will co-i operate with the shareholders in order to bring the hew scheme before the Wellington public iu such a manner as to warrant success. Thard can,be very little doubt, considering, the largo measure of success which has attended the establishment of Turkish baths elsewhere, that* their establishment iu Wellington will prove a great boon to the people, and a very lucrative investment to the proprietors.

A meeting of creditors -in the estate of Lawrence Salmon, of Wellington, carpenter, was held yesterday, at which Mr. W. Berry was app inted trustee. ; Notice is given that Mr. James Augustus Boyd, of Wellington, painter, has filed a declaration of bankruptcy.'• The first meeting of creditors in the estate will be held at noon on Friday, the 29th instant, at the Supreme Court Buildings. The monthly inspection of the City Rifles took place at the Central Fife Brigade Station last evening—Major Stack in command. The muster comprised 40 privates, 50 of the band, and 45 cadets. The company afterwards turned out on parade. A Bible reading was given by Mr. Harrison Ord in the Athenaeum last evening, at which there was a good attendance. The United Evangelistic Choir rendered several musical selections during the evening in very good style. Mr. J. H. Wallace notifies that lithographed plans are to be had on application at his mart, of properties for sale in the Lower Hutt township, which will be put up to auction on the 9th April; and of the farm sections in the Mungaroa Valley, which are to be offered on the 220 d April. A service of song, illustrative of the “ Exodus of Israel,” will be held in connection with the fifth anniversary of the Sabbath school, at the Wesleyan Church, Thorndon, this evening, commencing at half-past 7 o’clock. The service will be conducted by Mr. Warreu, and will no doubt be largely attended. . An entertainment will be given this evening by the members of the Pearl of Peace Lodge of Good Tempars in the new Reobabito Hall, Manners-street. The proceeds of the entertainment will be given to the' St. Peter’s Church building fund, the vestry of St. Peter’s having afforded the Pearl of Peace Lodge the use of the Ghuznee-etreet schoolroom free of charge during the past two years.

It is to be feared that there are incendiaries in our midst. On Saturday evening an attempt appears to have been made to set fire to the Argus printing office. Our evening contemporary iu its issue of yesterday thus describes the 1 particulars of the affair, which certainly seem of a very suspicious character: —“ About half-past six o’clock on Saturday evening the Evening Argus printing office was closed, the publishing office being kept open till about nine o’clock. At the latter hour all seemed to be right. Yesterday morning, however, a neighbor observed that several of the windows in the rooms of the printing and literary departments were open, though they had been closed and fastened on the previous night. About eight o’clock this morning it was discovered that the accountant’s and editor’s offices had been broken into, and that a vile attempt had been made to burn down the building. The incendiary had evidently entered the accountant’s office by means of the window, and after he was there had broken off the gas pipe so as to allow the gas to escape. This design, however, was frustrated, for it happened that the gas was turned off at the meter, which the man could not get at. After turning on the gas, as he supposed, he set fire to a quantity of papei's (receipts, &o.), which were on three files that hung very near the gas pipe. He apparently concluded that the flame would catch the gas, and that an explosion would ensue, whereby the whole of the building would be destroyed. This was not the case, however, because, as we have already stated, the gas was turned off at the meter, and there was none in the pipe. The papers on the file were burned to cinders, but very little other damage was done. It is supposed that the iucendiary got iu at the window of the accountant’s room, and, after setting fire to the papers and turning the gas tap, broke open the door of the editor's room and made his exit by the window which faces the harbor. The supposition is that on getting out by the window just referred to he proceeded along the beach at low water until lie reached some place by which he could ascend to Willis-street or Old Custom-house-street. ! The police are now on the look-out for the offender. It may be stated, that nothing is missing from the office, and therefore it is assumed that the person who endeavored to bum the premises had no intention of committing robbery. The Associated Insurance Companies notify that they will give a reward of £IOO for such information as will lead to the apprehension of the offender.’’ The Theatre Royal was well attended last evening, when the company appeared in “ Our American Cousin,” which served to introduce Mr. Lytton Sothern in the part of Lord Dundreary. This gentleman brings with him the highest testimonials, having received most flattering encomiums from the Australian Press. The piece is one with which all theatre-goers are acquainted, and in the leading part a good actor is bound to make a hit. Mr, Sothern at once established himself in the favor of the audience, there being an even gracefulness about his acting which added to the effectiveness of his impersonation. His style of playing the character of the aristocratic swell, convulsed the audience with laughter, his quaint sayings being irresistible. He was ably supported by the rest of the company, who worked smoothly together, and the individual parts were rendered with much success. Mr. Sam Poole was deservedly applauded for his excellent rendering of the good-hearted Asa Trenchard. Mrs. Walter Hill also created a most favorable impression, and gave a natural representation of Florence Trenchard. “ Our American Cousin” will be repeated this evening. It will be seen by reference to our advertising columns that Messrs. T. K. Macdonald aud 00. offer for sale at the Exchange Mart, ou Monday next, some very eligible town aud country sections. Amongst these are twentyfour admirably situated building sites, being subdivisions of town acres 334 aud 343, having frontages to Brougham and Austin streets. The terms, which are arranged with the view of giving working men a chance of obtaining a freehold, are as follows :—25 per cent, deposit, and the balance in one, two, and three years. The auctioneers will make arrangements with purchasers to help them to build, it the latter desire it. This offers an excellent opportunity to all who wish to acquire comfortable homesteads for themselves. It is a very generally admitted fact that building allotments within an easy distance of the ceuti’e of population are becoming very rare, and that working men have often great difficulty iu obtaining suitable pieces of land for building, without having to walk a long distance to and from work. The lots above refex-red to are exactly suited to meet this want. Lithographed plans may be had in a few days on application to the auctioneers at the Exchange Mart. :

Mr.' Wright (who is travelling for Messrs. G. Wright and Co., of New York}, called at our office yesterday, informing us that their firm is about to publish a commercial and general directory for America and the Australasian colonies. Mr. Wright has recently visited the sister colonies of Australia, where he has been most successful in obtaining subscribers to the work, and in collecting statistical and other valuable information obtained from authentic sources, with the object of , making his book thoroughly reliable for reference. Every subscriber will receive from Mr. Wright a valuable map, containing a mercantile chart of the world and a chart of the United States. The work will no doubt recommend itself largely to the attention of the New Zealand public. ’The Lyttelton Times of the 20th instant gives the following description of the . “ Althouse Windmill,” which has lately been introduced into the Canterbury District A mill of the above-named description has just been imported by Messrs. Eriedlander Bros,, and is to be seen in full working order in front of their stores, East-street, Ashburton. It is, we be.liev.e, the only one of its kind ever imported into Canterbury. The chief point of superiority over the other kinds in general use will no: doubt make it a valuable acquisition on all large farms where deep-water pumping is requisite. , On the plains, windmills are greatly used for this purpose, but none presents such a favorable idea of its usefulness in all kinds of winds as the one we now notice. In this respect it is a “ speciality.” The windmill is called the Althouse vane mill, and is fixed in

a very simple, though exceedingly strong, manner for pumping purposes, on, a wooden structure about 15ft. high. The chief merit pertaining to it is that the strongest gale of wind does not make the least perceptible difference in its speed, as the sails are self-acting, and instantly take Just the angle to meet the winds. The mill continues its .work-with unvarying regularity; neither it nor the pump is ever in any way affected by being jerked or strained, but both are kept in conditi m with the utmost amount of work. There are no pulleys, cords, springs, or weights, except the one weight which balances the centrifugal force, and its simplicity of design, and the completeness with which it regulates its own motion, will also make it, in all probability, the best kind of windmill for pumping purposes. The maker of the mill is Mr. L. H. Woodin, of San Francisco, and we hear that they can be obtained from the importers at a much cheaper rate than other kinds. Hr. Vesey Stewart (says the Bay, of Plenty Times), has sold the greatest part of the land at Katikati, and' the arrival of his second party may be expected in Auckland during July or August, the success he has met with is wonderful, and the colony will owe a debt of gratitude to him for the large number of capitalists he is iutroducing, persons too of the highest social position, as well as many of tlie sturdy yeomanry. His remarkably able • and interesting pamphlet has been moat favorably re vie', red by many of the leading English, Scotch, and Irish newspapers, and whilst it naturally dwells chiefly on Katikati and the Bay of Plenty District, it still has a general application to the colony at large. On every hand (says the N.Z. Herald), we hear of the rapid strides which the timber industry is making ; and notwithstanding the extensive output of sawn timber by the numerous mills in the district, the demand is apparently beyond their power t.i supply. We recently intimated that a party of capitalists were about to erect a large mill at Hokianga; aud the latest is that Mr. Launagan, the wellknown contractor, has purchased an extensive bush at Ngungururu, aud is now engaged in the erection of a sawmill which is to out between 50,000 and 60,000 feet per week. The mill is intended to be in operation in about two months. The New Zealand Herald of the 21st instant says:—“Some alarm was caused on the wharf during the stay of the s.s. Rotorua in port, by a report being circulated that a little boy, about tw» years of age, the sou ot Captain Carey, was missing. It appears that the captain end Ills wife had- gone below to dine, leaving the child asleep in the cabin on deck, and while his parents were enjoying their meal, the little fellow awoke, and without being observed strayed on the wharf, aud was speedily taken in charge by the Water Police. Inquiry was made of the purser and steward of the Rotorua if the youngster belonged to any passenger, but they replied in the negative. None of those on the wharf could give any account of him, and he was therefore taken to the police-station. Captain Carey and his wife subsequently returned to the cabin, and to their astonishment found their son absent, and an alarm being made the vessel was searched. While so doing, one of the seamen remembered the enquiries being made a short time previous by the police, and informed Captain Carey, who without delay went to the police-station, and there found his child.”

A correspondent of the Australasian, writing from Canala, New Caledonia, mentions that to the formerly known mineral resources of New Caledonia, is added antimony, of which a very extensive and rich deposit was discovered, on December 14, by M. Eerault, general merchant, of Canala. “ Some of the ore,” writes our correspondent, “ which was sent to Australia for assay, proved to be most remarkable for its quality. The mine is of very easy access, and is situated within five miles of Naket Bay, one of the best anchorages of the colony. At the present crisis of the country it is highly satisfactory for the prospectors to have found a new source i f wealth from which much advantage is to.be anticipated.”