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New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5329, 26 April 1878, Page 4

The Government have secured the services of Sir John Goode to make an inspection of the harbor. The departure of the mail steamer Australia from Sydney has been postponed for one day, in order to give people there an opportunity of answering correspondence by the incoming Suez mail. This alteration will not affect Wellington, but it will give Auckland residents an extra day for their Home letters. Immigration under the auspices of the Government, which ceased for some months, has been resumed. It has been ordered that free passages shall bo provided for immigrants, so that they may arrive here in spring, when there will be a large demand for their services. It is intended that passages for 6000 free immigrants shall be granted for the year. The decided action taken by the Government with reference to the surveys of confiscated lands in the Patea District, has had the effect of making those natives who objected give way and withdraw their opposition. The surveys are now proceeding satisfactorily., It has been made fully clear to the Maoris who were the obstructors in this matter that when tho law is brought to bear upon them they are obliged to yield.

The Hon. Dr.'Pollen left Auckland by the s.s. Taupo yesterday for Wellington. The Wellington Cboral Society will practise this evening at eight o’clock at the Council Hall.

Notice is given that Mr. W. Berry has been appointed trustee ot the estate of Mr. T, G. Boon, wood and coal merchant. The annual wayzegooso of the New Zealand Times companionship will be held on Saturday the 6th May.

People who attended the sale of sections at Mungaroa Valley yesterday wore made acquainted with the characteristics of the country by means of three well-executed water-color paintings by Mr. Bustace Brandon. The funeral of the late Mrs. Howe took place yesterday afternoon, and was attended by many old colonists. Mrs. Howe was /8 years of age, and leaves very many relatives. The Bev. Mr. Beed officiated at the grave. We have been informed that the purchasers of the late Mr. Sutherland’s Lyell Bay estate intend to cut it up and offer allotments for sale on reasonable terms. The_ land contains many very. eligible sites for villas and suburban residencies.

Mr, Clarke, 0.8., and Mr. Baird, city engineer, leave town this afternoon with the object of laying a report before the City Council as to the best available means of extending and augmenting the water supply of Wellington. The next fortnightly meeting of the City Council is likely to be a very important one. Meetings of the following committees will be held on Tuesday next— Waterworks, Cemetery, and Wharf, and their reports will be considered on Thursday. We believe that the Hon. Sir Wm. Fitzherbert, K.C.M.G., has determined to address his constituents at the Upper Hutt on Monday evening, in response to an invitation from electors in that part of the district. The hon, "entleman’s speech will be looked forward to with much interest.

A correspondent informs us that in his opinion the waste of water which occurs at night is caused by householders leaving their taps turned on all night. If our informant knows of any such oases he .should report them to : the City Inspector, so that the offenders may be punished. The Begistrar-General has determined to introduce the contract or payment by piece principle into the compilation of the census as much as possible. The rate of pay given to the compilers, 10s. a day, is too small for the work they have to do, and a judicious system of payment by results would be much more satisfactory to the clerks and to the officer in charge of the census compilation, Mr. Von Dadelzen.

The grounds in front of the Wellington Club will be enclosed and planted shortly. _ At a meeting of the committee held lately it was decided to make a call of £lO, which will produce about £I2OO, and in addition to this some members agreed to take debentures ta the extent of £2500. The improvements contemplated will tend greatly to ornament that part of the Terrace.

At the Resident Magistrate’s Court yesterday William Bennett was fined ss. for drunkenness, and Thomas Oakes was fined ss. for leaving his express unattended. A charge against Michael Sheeney, of neglecting to clean the chimney of his house, was dismissed. Stephen Alphas, a resident at the Wairarapa, was charged with lunacy, and remanded for medical examination.

A slight misunderstanding has given rise to great inconvenience to the Wellington Education Board and people corresponding with it. The secretary of the Board is empowered to frank letters, and under the belief that teachers and others writing to the Board might also frank their letters, instructions to that effect were sent to them. They duly marked their envelopes 0.P.5.0., and forwarded them through the post-office, but on delivery the postage fee and fine were demanded and paid. The secretary now desires to notify that all letters, &c,, addressed to the Board must be stamped in the usual way. The House Committee of the Legislative Council and House of Representatives met yesterday, when a schedule of proposed expenses was submitted by the Hon the Speaker, and a variety of other matters was discussed, one of which was the necessity for the grounds about the building being kept in better order. It was recommended that a gardener should be employed under the direction of the House Committee. Instructions were given to have further provision made to guard against fire. It was agreed to request the Government Architect to examine the buildings, ■with a view of making some additions for the convenience of members.

A meeting of the Star Boating Club was held on the 10th instant at the Pier Hotel, to consider its financial position, at which meeting it transpired that the accounts of the treasurer, Mr. John Gaudy, were in complete confusion. The committee, after going through his accounts, made the unpleasant discovery that he had failed to account for the large sum of £l3O. As the discovery had then only just been made, the club considered that Mr. Gandy should have an opportunity of explaining matters and making good the deficiency. It was therefore decided to allow him a fortnight’s time for the purpose ; and it was thought that he might possibly be able to give a satisfactory account of himself, and the meeting deemed it hardly right to publish the state of affairs just then. The time allowed, however, having elapsed without any attempt on Mr. Gandy’s part to explain his deficiencies, a second meeting was held yesterday evening to consider this and other matters. It was reported that Mr. Gandy had left the colony, and it was resolved that the club should take no further steps iu the matter at present. Mr. Gaudy has been removed from his treasurership and expelled from the Star Boating Club. After disposing of Mr. Gandy’s case, the meeting proceeded to general business. Mr. Martin Chapman was elected treasurer; Mr. J. C. Taylor to be a member of the committee in the place of Mr. Chapman and Sir E. Osborne Gibbes ; Dr. A. K. Newman and Messrs. A. Osborne Gibbes and M. J. Kilgour were elected members of the club. Certain routine business was also gone through. We are glad to learn that iu spite of its heavy loss the Star Boating Club is still iu a perfectly solvent condition.

. “ Forsaken ” was again presented at the Theatre Royal last evening, and met with a hearty reception by the audience. Mr. Dillon and his clever company are deserving of liberal support for the excellent manner in which they perform the pieces produced by them. “ Richelieu” will be performed this evening, by request, and under the patronage of Sir George Grey. The Reverend Thomas Harrington delivered his second apologetic lecture last evening. The subject of his discussion was “ J.’icethought : What is it, and what has it done?” The Rev. H. B. Redstone presided, and there was a large number of both ladies and gentlemen present. The lecturer exposed what he considered to be the fallacies of freethought, and combated the arguments urged by its believers. A discussion "afterwards took place between the rev. gentleman and some members of the Wellington Freethought Association. Messrs. Wright and Mace, who recently visited the mine of the Golden Point Company, Picton, speak very favorably of its prospects, and with reference to the contemplated erection of machinery they are of opinion that it would not be well to order plant until large leaders, from which good prospects were obtained, have been cut iu the tunnel. The mine manager anticipates that he will cut these . leaders iu ten or twelve weeks, and it is thought to be more prudent to wait until then before incurring a heavy outlay. The appearance of numerous gold-bearing leaders, one of which is 2ft. wide, indicates that they will join and form a good strong lode. A meeting of members of the Choral Sociotf was held last evening, Mr. Hunter, Mr.H.K., iu the chair. The report of the nmole committee was presented and adopted, the meeting approving of the selection that had been made. An offer by Mr. D. T. Stuart to sell a piece of laud in Bouloott-street as a site for a Choral Hall was considered, but it was declined. The position was not deemed suitable, and the committee did not see its way to provide funds for so large an expenditure as that which would be involved. The committee reported that the votes, recently taken on the question, whether seats at concerts should or should not be reserved for members, had resulted iu a large majority iu favor of the seats being reserved. An extract was read from a letter written by an eminent professor of music in England, its purport being to inquire whether the society would be disposed to place the directorship in the hands of the applicant, who stated that he had been instructed under the most able masters, and possessed testimonials satisfactory in every respect. It was decided to state that, the appointment would be kept open for a few months, to enable the professor to advise whether he would make up his mind to emigrate to the colony.

The executors of the late Mr. Geo. Moore, merchant of this city, have recently paid over to the legatees the following legacies bequeathed by him, viz., £SOO to the Wellington College, for the establishment of the Moore Scholarship ; and £SOO to the Wellington Diocesan Bund.

Instructions have been given for the survey of an extension of the railway along the Waireka Valley to Livingstone, North Otago. Residents in the district contemplate extending the railway beyond this to the plains by means of a public company; but the line would involve a very heavy outlay. Irrespective of the question of cost, it is a matter necessary to be considered whether it would be advisable that the line should be made by a company at all, or should not rather be treated as a work to be undertaken by the Government at a future day. On Wednesday last about 30 members of the Kaiwarra Volunteer.?, with their wives and families, and several young ladies from town, at the invitation of Captain Wood, of Wainuiomata, proceeded to that place for a days’ outing and picnic. The party left Kaiwarra at 7 a.m., and after a most enjoyable drive arrived at their rendezvous with a keen appreciation for anything in the eating line. The Wainui people soon supplied them with all that could be wished for in the way of edibles. Bifle shooting and other sports were indulged in during the day, and in the evening, after tea, a concert and dance combined was vigorously kept up till the small hours of the morning. This is the last of a series of picnics that have been indulged in by the Kaiwarra and Wainui people during the summer season. At the close of the dance Captain Thompson suitably expressed his pleasure, and thanks on behalf of the Kaiwarra people, for the hearty and sincere manner in which they were always received by their entertainers, and stated that they, the Kaiwarra people, would be glad to renew their picnicing again next season. After three cheers for Captain Wood and the Waiuuis had been given, then it was “ all aboard," and a start was made for home, arriving at Kaiwarra at about I o’clock the next morning. Messrs. T. Kennedy Macdonald and Co. announce the sale of some of the finest and most valuable building sites in the city, particulars ot which will be found in our advertising colums. The property adjoins Pirie and Ellice streets. Every lot offered will go to the hammer, and the terms are most liberal, To persons seeking investments, or to working men of small capital desirous of securing a suitable residence site, this presents apparently a most excellent opportunity, which should not bo neglected.