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New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5355, 27 May 1878, Page 2

A memorandum from the Post Office department informs us that the City of Sydney left San Francisco, on Hay 13th, contract date, The Australia arrived at San Francisco on May 22nd, one day in advance of contract date. At noon on Saturday the following nominations had been received for the city auditorship Messrs. Berry, Kebbell, Eainie, Stevenson, Elliott, and Warren. Of these "two will have to be elected, and the poll will take place on Saturday, Ist June. On Saturday the Chief Justice and Mr. Justice Richmond held a special sitting in banco, to hear counsel in Joseph and Another v. Peters, a rule nisi in arrest of judgment ; and in Gillon v. Macdonald and others, a; motion for a decree." Miv Barton, who is counsel for Peters, and, for : Gillen, was not present. Mr. Travers appeared for Joseph and Another to show cause against the rule, but as there was no one to support it, he applied for its discharge, a request which the Court granted. Mr. Ollivier, counsel for Macdonald and Another, intimated to the Court that, ■Mr. • Barton had, ho believed, gone to Napier, and seemed to, have been under the impression that this motion would . como on at a day to bo fixed by him. Under the circumstances a postponement was not opposed, and the case was adjourned to the 4th June. The thud of the present series of 'popular ■ concerts at the Athemeum will take place this evening. An attractive programme, which will bo found in our advertising columns, has been prepared for the occasion, 1 and there can bo little doubt that the success which has hitherto attended the movement to give really first-rate concerts at a low price will be continued. The promoters of the undertaking may certainly bo congratulated on having hit the popular taste, which can appreciate good music. The hall of the Athemeum is in many respects well suited to the purpose, and aa.rogards, its acoustic, properties is certainly second to no other public hall in the city. A crowded houso may confidently bo anticipated this evening. : . Two lunatics wore brought from Wanganui yCstcrday'for removal to tho Asylum.

The second term (1878) at the Wellington College will commence to-morrow (Tuesday). There will be a s’tting of the Supreme Court this morning in its divorce and 'matrimonial jurisdiction. J''i; Yesterday a-fisherman named Louis was brought in, from Pahautanui by ; Constable -Byau; on a Charge of stealing aslieep. The accused will he charged at the .Resident Magistrate’s Court this morning.

One of the finest farms in the Mauawatu District (at Haloombe), is offered for sale by Messrs. Thynne, Linton, and Co., of Foxtou and 'Palmerston North. Particulars will bo found iu our advertising columns. The first of a series of weekly prayer-meet-ings was held on. Saturday, evening iu the rooms of the Young Men’s Christian Association. Mr. Holdsworth conducted the meeting, in the absence of the president, Mr. Kirk the Evangelistic choir assisting in thq service of song.

Divine service was held yesterday afternoon on board the ship Chasca, in connection with the Young Men’s Christian Association; Mi-. Holdsworth presiding. Short addresses were delivered hy the Rev, James Paterson aud Messrs. S. Costall and David Hall. The singing was conducted by the Evangelistic choir. The attendance was'nearly double that of the previous Sunday. -

The committee of the Fine Arts and Industrial Exhibition of the Working Men’s Chib have issued a very large number of circulars to all parts of the colony during last week, from which answers are expected by May tho 2Sth, as to how many exhibits they may probably receive. Mr. Cary, the manager, lias already received numerous promises from intending exhibitors at Christchurch, aui this week he will call on the several firms in Wellington asking them to give their co-operation to this laudable object. As advertised in our columns, Messrs J. H. Bethune aud Co. will sell this day, at 2 o’clock, at their rooms, corner of Featherston and Brandon streets, sixty choice freehold building allotments, situated at the picturesque and healthy suburb of Wadestown. The laud adjoins the property of the late Hon. W. B. Rhodes, is approached by a good carriage road, and commands a magnificent'view of the harbour and surrounding districts. Being conveniently situated near the Railway Station, House of Parliament, Government Buildings aud Post-office, aud not subjected to City rates, the various allotments will doubtless excite keen competition. At the Theatre Royal on Saturday evening there was a good house, especially iu the pit and stalls, to witness the production of “British-Born,” a piece which seems to he very well received, appealing, as it does, to the national sympathies of the audience. ' Mr. H. E, Walton sustained the character of Tom Tullook, a jolly British sailor. It is a part which evidently suits Mr. Walton, aud his acting throughout the piece was thoroughly appreciated by the audience, who were not slow iu applauding him. The other characters were ably sustained throughout, aud altogether the piece is one of the most successful produced by the company during the present season. The evening’s entertainment concluded with the well-known aud laughable farce of “ Family Jars," in which Messrs. Haward and Hesford were highly amusing. To-night the highly popular comedian Mr. Sam Howard will ’ take a benefit, aud his numerous friends will no doubt take the opportunity of being present on the occasion. The performance of “ Don Pasquale” at the Opera House ou Saturday evening passed off excellently. The opera is very pleasing, and as far the two characters with which the success of the opera may be said to entirely rest, as far as acting is concerned, had capital representatives. All went : well iu that respect. Signor Tessada makes a great deal out of the part of “ Dou Pasquale,” giving a very faithful representation of an enfeebled old gentleman suffering from a severe attack of love. From first to last he sustained the impersonation thoroughly well, and whether courting under' difficulties peculiar to old age and rheumatic limbs, triumphing in his imagined' success when he was led to believe he was the accepted lover and then the husband of tho charming Norma, or wounded aud indignant at having his ears boxed, aud being roundly scolded by his unruly spouse, he was equally natural. While abstaining from undue exaggeration, ho was, sufficiently grotesque to be thoroughly entertaining, and his acting gave au insight) into the plot, which was much needed by many, for “ Don Pasquale,” from the infrequency of its performance, is hut little known. Italian is not a language familiar to the large majority.! Signora Caranti Vita played Npriua very nicely indeed. All the company were iu very good voice, and the audience, who at first were rather apathetic, gradually thawed, and became enthusiastic when the third act was reached. There were several encores, aud at the fall of the curtain the company wero paid the honor of a call. This was the farewell performance of the opera company, but negotiations are pending which will probably result iu the theatre being leased by a highly popular manager.

The sailing race between the open boats Violet and Pet, for £2O a aide, which was postponed on Priday in consequence of the light wind, came off on Saturday, and resulted in an easy victory for the Violet. At about twenty minutes past 1 p.m. the race commenced. A bad start having been effected through the Violet getting on the wrong tack, before she could come back to the course again the Pet had a lead of about 300 yards. However, they had not proceeded far when it was quite evident that the Violet was rapidly gaining on her opponent, and when they had got about a mile down the bay Mr. Duder’s boat took the lead, and very soon left the Pet a long way astern. When they came round the course the iirsttime the Violet was 3min, and 33sec. a-head, - and when the race concluded she was nearly five minutes ahe wl. The course over which the boats ran was twice round from the wharf to Hals well Point, thence to the barque Camille anchored off Kaiwarra, and from there beat up to the wharf. The wind during the race was blowing a nice breeze from the S.E., which evidently suited both boats, for they vyeut over the course at a good pace, the winner doing the distance in 2 hours and 10 minutes. One noticeable feature during the race was the excellent manner in which the Violet was sailed, and this was particularly noticeable in working to windward. There is good reason to believe, the Australasian writes, that the Tichborne Claimant delusion will only perish with the death of the generation which contains the believers in that stupendous imposture. Any expectation that they would ever be convinced by evidence must long ago have been given up. Those who remained unconvinced by the cross examination of the Claimant by Sir John Coleridge and the evidence adduced at the criminal trial, would not alter their opinion though the unfortunate Tichborne should come back from, the grave to denounce and testify against his persouator. Attempts have been made of late to get up a case at Sydney on the basis of the assertion that the real Arthur Orton has been discovered in the person of a lunatic named Cressweil in the Parramatta Asylum, aud the other day Mr. Eokford brought the case before the Assembly by an application for the release of Oreswell. This gave Mr. Pitzpatrick, on behalf of the Government, the opportunity of pricking the bladder, and he pricked it soundly aud deeply. He showed that the statutory declarations were a “parcel of moonshine,” made of irrelevant statements and hearsay. As to the tangible facts of the case, he showed that, whereas Arthur Orton had letters tattooed on his arms, Cressweil had no tattoo marks. Orton had his ears qnercod twice, Cromwell's ears wore not pierced. “ Cressweil did not recognise any of the Tichborne portraits shown to him, nor did he know Mrs. Jury, his reputed sister. A Mrs. Hay, of Waverley, visited him, aud recognised him as Cressweil ; he recognised her, and a portrait of his sister, a Mrs. Gough. He said, “ That should be my sister, Mrs. Gough.” He had previously said that" he had two sisters at home, and one was married to a man named Gough. Further particulars of the same tenor were given, .and this latest of the series of impostures aud delusions which have grown out of the great Tichborne case was irrevocably demolished. Of bourse, where-the credulity exists in such ample measure, some other will soon be found to take its place. The Auckland Weekly News of the 13 th inst. thus refers to the system of drainage which is now being carried on in the swamp surrounding St. John's, College Eake:—“The plan which he has been compelled to adopt, from the peculiar character of this lake, is remarkable, and deserving of notice. This little sheet of water, as is well known, lies in the middle of, a basin, extending from the road near St. John’s College to the rising ground nt the back of they EUerslie Gardens. Prom this hollow there is, strange to say, no open outlet to the sea, and all the rainfall accordingly collects in the lake. There is, however, an opening somewhere at the bottom of the lake through which tho water ilows, and, following an underground •

passage, supplies—it is with great probability supposed—the Ouehunga and Panmure springs. As this opening only admits of a uniform flaw of water throughout the year, in winter, when the-rainfall is great, the surface of the lake rises - about four or five feet above its summer level. ... Surrounding the lake there is a large area; of''swamp—at the Ellerslie end twelve acres or more ; and as in winter this was always covered with-the rising water, it could never, though valuable land, be utilised. It was proposed, years ago, to cut a tuunel through the hill from the lake to the nearest branch of Orakei Greek, and reduce the level by means of this, but the scheme was abandoned as impracticable. However, not long ago it was discovered that several holes in the scoria near tire Ellerslie slaughter-house, by which the' drainage from one gully was carried into some underground passage, and which were with'n the basin of the lake, were below tire winter level of the water ; and, in consequence of this discovery, a trench about five hundred yards in length was cut from the lake into another trench about -the same length which ended at the holes. The experiment was found to answer perfectly. The lake, which was very low this summer, rose with the last rains ; but the overplus pours through the trenches, and disappears into the scoria, and if the rainfall be not unusually heavy this winter, the water will be kept below the level of the swamps, aud they can be thoroughly drained in the usual manner.”

The Bay of Plenty Times lecords a serious accident which recently took place there, and , by which a son of a well-known settler, Captain Tovey, J.P., was seriously hurt. It appears that the youth was out shooting, and in climbing over a fence placed his gun on the ground in front of him, in a line with his arm. From some unaccountable cause the guu went off, causing an exceedingly ugly flesh wound on the right arm, extending from the wrist close up to the elbow, tearing the flesh clean away, and laying the sinews bare. Dr. Armitage and Mr. Hoyte were promptly in attendance, and during the day Dr. Purchase, of Onahnnga, was telegraphed for, who arrived per Boweua on Thursday afternoon, and recommended the lad's removal to Auckland. It is considered certain that young Tovey must lose his arm, aUd we regret to learn that beds just now considered to be in a dangerous condition.