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New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5340, 9 May 1878, Page 2

The Government" steamer Hinemoa left Onehunga at eleven o’clock yesterday with the San Prancisoo mail, and may he expected here this afternoon about four o’obok. His Excellency tho Governor is a passenger by her.

Plans for a very extensive and handsome building, to be erected by the Colonial Bank of New. Zealand bn the ground recently purchased in Lambtou-quay, have been prepared by Mr. Turnbull, and forwarded for approval to the head office of the bank at Dunedin. It is probable that the building will bo of brick.

. Tbs nomination, of candidates for a seat in ■the jCarori-Makarai Board takes place at noon to-day at Goathurst Parm. It is expected that there will be a contest, as the owners of property in and near Kiibiruie are anxious to be represented at the Board. There will be a meeting of the Waste Band Board to-day. An important. matter to be disussed is whether volunteer scrip can be exercised in payment for sections belonging to the Patea Harbor Board. The decision arrived at will affect many endowed bodies A match is to be played to-day on the recreation ground between an eleven- of the Dixon family and an eleven of Mr. George Dixon's establishment, Cuba-street. This is in lieu of the family gathering. A lunch will be provided on the ground by Mr. George Dixon for the cricketers and their friends.

At a meeting of the Gas Company yesterday it was resolved to make extensive alterations and improvements to the building used as offices, by taking off the present roof, adding an upper story, and otherwise increasing the accommodation. ,

It may not perhaps be generally remembered, although notification of the fact has been given, that plumbers are required to take out licenses for fixing or laying pipes from the several mains in the city. Such is, however, the case, and any plumber found laying pipes from'the several mains is liable to.be heavily fined.. The license for permission is an annual fee of three guineas, aud only such plumbers as comply with the above regulation will be deemed licensed plumbers. , , The proprietors of the Wellington andTe Aro Hotels were summoned before Mr. Crawford, R.M., yesterday, for committing breaches of Hie Ordinance by selling beer in their licensed houses last Sunday. Mr. Buckley appeared for the proprietor of the Wellington Hotel, andadmitted that the drink had been sold, hut said that the persons who-received it were either lodgers or travellers. Sergeant Smith conducted the prosecution on behalf of -the police, and stated that he could not swear that those persons were not travellers. ! The case was consequently dismissed.. The" police then withdrew the case against the Te Aro Hotel. - : • . ■

A little boy scarcely thirteen years of ago was placed in the dock at the Resident Magisrate’s Court yesterday, charged with throwing a stone at another little fellow and hurting him on the knee. The accused,.who was a smart well-spoken lad, pleaded not guilty. After the plaintiff had given his evidence, accused said he wished to ask him a few questions. He : then commenced his cress-exami-nation as follows “ Did I beat and assarilt you ?" Plaintiff : “No.” “Then why do you state in your information that I beat and assaulted you ? ” Plaintiff : “ I do not know.”’ “Did I hurt you?” Plaintiff: “Yes." “Did I aim the stone at you?” Plaintiff; “ I think you aimed at a gas pipe.” Accused, to the Bench : “Yes, your Worship I aimed the stone at a gas pipe, when the stone rebounded and hit the plaintiff on the leg.” 1 His Worship dismissed the case, and cautioned the youngster not to throw stones any more. The Tradesmen’s Athletic Club have been vigorously going on with ■ the arrangements necessary for ensuring a successful meeting. We understand that there will be 20 starters for the maiden race, which is highly satisfactory for so young a club. On the Reserve of an evening may be seen quite a crowd of athletes getting themselves into condition for the Birthday sports. Amongst the passengers by the last outgoing mail from Auckland for Europe by the San ■ Francisco route was the Rev. Father Kearney, who so long and zealously discharged the duties devolving upon him in connection with Boulcott-street church, and in the spiritual care of a large, flock, to whom he was greatly endeared. When the rev. father first arrived here the church had little of the appearance of a sacred edifice. It had neither seats nor altar, and was utterly without any attempt at architectural' effect. Nor was there : any dwelling-house provided, and for some time Father Kearney had to provide himself with a house at a considerable rent. By i indefatigable exertions he succeeded■in getting- the church altered, repaired, and beautified, arid the ground around it added to and ornamentally laid out, : so that at the present time the church and its surroundings are a credit to the place. : To the temporal and spiritual wants of ■ his people he devoted himself; unceasingly,' and they greatly regret his absence, hoping, however, that he will return to Wellington and finish his days amongst them. ■

.... Referring to the discovery of gold near Mount Cook by two photographers in the employment of Messrs. Burton Brothers, of Dunthe Greyinouth Evening Star says : “ They were very reticent , on what they had discovered, but the simple fact of their making such a perilous journey for mining tools, alone would fairly lead to the inference that it must have been something very good to induce them to do so. One of the Burton party had an almost miraculous escape. He'was passing round an extremely dangerous place, when he slipped and fell, but a small tent that was strapped on his back caught in an overhanging branch, and held him suspended till his companions released him from his horrible position. On their return they intended to go up the Kiver Totara, with the hope of being able to get up at the back of Mount Mueller, and thus avoid a great deal of this Alpine travelling. As a i proof of the probability of an enormously rich goldfield being situated about the head of the Waiho, to which point the adventurous party has gone, we are informed on reliable authority that far lower down, at the foot of the right hand branch of the river, sonie huge--boulders covered with moss are found, and in this moss, to the very top of them, a good prospect of gold can always be found, on one occasion a piece nearly an ounce being got., This has evidently been brought down from the head of the river, and seems to prove conclusively the existence of a goldfield of vast extent and richness. In connection with'the, right-hand branch of the Waiho a singular natural phenomenon is found. The water of the river is icily cold, and the glacier is only two miles from it. - Between the two, and Within a quarter of a: mile of the main branch of the ■ river, is a hot spring that boils incessantly.” '

' The agricultural statistics of South Australia for the past season have just been issued. They show (says the Register) that the total area under wheat was 1,163,646 acres, as compared with 1,082,940 acres in 1876-77. The average.’yield per acre'was 7 bushels 46lbs. The' yield amounts to 9,034,692 bushels, or, in .round figures, about .244,000 tons. 5 Tho amount required for home' consumption, having, regard to the increase that has taken place in the population, may be set .down at about 39,400 tons. As compared 'with the surplus from the harvest of 1875-76, which was estimated at 217,000 tons, the surplus for the present year shows a very considerable falling off ; yet it is more than double that of last year, whioh, it will be remembered, was calculated at 79,000 tons. If wo (Western Star) aro correctly informed, the death knell of the rabbit nuisance is about to.bp sounded. A well-known gentleman in this' town took his departure for Wellington this week in order to take out a patent for.l£n* invention he'has * made for the total and sure destruction of bunny. Speculation is rife ns to-the mode of attack or the means to be * used; but that the gentleman referred to has great faith in his discovery may be gathered; from the fact that he puts a value of £SOOO dh bis patent, and certainly if his expectations arc realised that sum is moderate.* The discoverer is known amongst his friends as a practical man, and no, visionary, and this fact, gives color to tho opinion that the invention is entirely an original one. .The best acquainted with the rabbit nuisance assort that no cure will avail except by introducing disease amongst them, and this plan is open to objection on tho ground* of .the danger to sheep and stock attending. In the meantime the denouement will be awaited with interest. ' ' ' ‘An accident occurred on Tuesday lost to a little child, a daughter: of tho late Mr.* Henry Lawson. -’ She slipped-off a chair and broke her arm. It lias been sot, and she is now pro‘grossing favorably. \.l'■■■■: ■' ■■■

Messrs. T. K. Macdonald and Co. give notice that in future they will hold laud sales every Monday fortnight. We notice that the nuisance complained of by us, a few days ago, at the corner of Manners aud Willis street, has been removed. It is said that a writ has been served on the Education Board by Mr. Doherty, to recover damages for alleged wrongful dismissal.

The education committees for the Mount Cook, Thorndon, and the Terrace districts, will hold their first meetings at 8 o’clock this evening. ' ' ‘ ‘ v

The Blenheim section of the trunk railway of the South Island was opened on Tuesday for regular traffic, and its condition gave perfect satisfaction.

Mr. H. Phillips, of Cuba-street, storekeeper, has filed a declaration in bankruptcy. The first meeting of creditors will be held on the 13th inat. at noon.

Mr. Sam Howard, of Wellington, comedian, has filed a declaration of bankruptcy. The first meeting of creditors will be held on the 13th inst. at noon.

Mr. Alexander Dimaut, of Grant-road, Wellington, clerk, gives notice in our advertising columns that he intends to make application for an order of discharge, under the provisions of the Bankruptcy Act, ou the 23rd instant.

Councillor Fisher was last night presented with a very handsome silver coffee service and a timepiece, as a recognition of his services in the City Council. Tho gifts, which were presented by Mr. G. E.-Barton, M.H.8., are valued at £IOO.

At the Theatre Royal this evening Mr. E. H. Walton, Mr. Sain Howard, and the Star Company will make their appearance in Sheridan’s celebrated five-act comedy of “ The Rivals,” on which occasion Mrs. Fitzwilliam (from the Haymarket Theatre, London) will make her first appearance here as Mrs. Malaprop. On Saturday evening “Lost in London” will be played. ; The Cromwell Argus records -a most; das-, tardly act of sacrilege committed at the Church of England, 1 Queenstown, last week. It appears that on the night of Friday the miscreant entered the church and smashed the rails in front of the communion-table, as well as several valuable vases, besmeared the furniture and hooks with blood and filth ; and carrying away the altar-cloth, deposited it in a neighboring yard. Naturally there is great excitement and indignation felt over the dastardly act, and the police are active in their endeavors to secure the person or persons who have so far forgot common decency. Happily such occurrences are rare, and it is to be hoped the guilty party in this case will receive the punishment so richly deserved.