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New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5381, 26 June 1878, Page 2

A memorandum received from the Telegraph Department yesterday informs us that cable communication is restored between Hongkong and Amoy. Yesterday Mr. Barton made an application to the Supreme Court in banco for a rule nisi setting aside a rule of the Court, made on the 4th June, in Gillon v. Macdonald and others, whereby that case was struck off the list. The Court refused to grant the rule. A full report of the proceedings, which appears elsewhere, will repay perusal by members of the legal profession, as well as by the many who have from time to time watched the different phases of this long-continued fight. How it will crop up next is not easy to foretell. We have been requested to make known for public information that the several bonded warehouses in the city will be closed on Monday next, Ist July, for the purpose of stocktaking. Wo believe a cheque for £ISBO, being the duty on tlio estate of the late Mr. George Moore, will be banded to the Government to-day. Patrick C’onrey was committed for trial yesterday on a charge of cutting and wounding Philip Bitohle.

We understand that Mrs. George Cottrell (Miss Carandini) contemplates giving a concert at an early date, and we have no doubt the entertainment will be in every respect worthy of the large audience it is certain to attract.

The boy Leonard Hancock, who stole sd. from a shop in Caba-street some days ago, was brought before Mr. Crawford, R.M., yesterday, and ordered to be sent to the Industrial School at Oaversham, Otago, for two years.

In the Supreme Court in banco yesterday an application was made to set aside a conviction against one Drury, for riding in a railway carriage other than that which his ticket entitled him to occupy. After argument the further hearing of the case was postponed. We understand that Mr. George Hunter has received a telegram from London informing him that 328 bales, being a portion of his Porangahau clip, had been, sold at one shilling per pound. This is a reduction of one halfpenny per pound upon last year’s sales. The group of buildings used as the Supreme and Resident Magistrate’s Courts, the police quarters aud offices, and the land on which they stand, were sold at auction yesterday by Mr. R. J. Duncan. This property comprises undoubtedly one of the most valuable freeholds in the city, having a frontage to Lambton-quay of 107 ft. 3in., and it was naturally expected that the bidding would be spirited, and that a large price would be realised. These prognostications were fulfilled, for the property, which was offered in one lot, realised the highest figure, we believe, ever reached for real estate in Wellington, viz., £153 per foot. After some discussion as to the amount of advance which should be made at each bid, it was agreed the advances should be made at not less than £1 per foot. The bidding was started by Mr. Port at £IOO per foot, which was rapidly followed by bids of £lOl, £lO2, aud £lO3. A bid was then made of £llO, followed by one of £l2O, The bidding then quickly rose to £l4O, when there was a slight pause, after which it ran up rapidly to £l5O, when there was another pause, after which the bidding proceeded spiritedly until the large sum of £153 (making a total of £16,371) was bid by Dr. Duller, at which price it was knocked down to him, amid considerable applause from the bystanders. Dr. Duller bought for himself and partner, and not for any person or firm out of Wellington, as has been stated. Mr. E. W. Mills bid £152 per foot on his own account, he having previously bid for the Colonial Insurance Company up to £l3O per foot. Amongst those present were the Hon. the Colonial Secretary (Colonel Whitmore) aud the Solicitor-General (Mr. Reid.) The buildings, which are in excellent repairalmost as good as when they were put up about fourteen years ago—were built by Mr. John Cell, of Cuba-street, Mr. J. Carter being the architect. Mr. Duncan afterwards sold a freehold allotment, with a house thereon, the property having a frontage to Marjoribank-street of 39ft. Mr. Urwin was the purchaser at £875. Mr. Sellar was the buyer of another similar property at a like figure. The leasehold of the St. George’s Hall property on Lambton-quay was sold yesterday at auction by Mr. Einnimore to Messrs. B. Smith and Co. for £2550. The frontage is 52ft. 9in. to Lambton-quay by a depth of 96ft., subject to a right-of-way from Lambton-quay of 6ft. by a headway of 12ft.; the lease has nineteen years to run at a rental of £SO per annum. The building lately used as the Scotch Church, Lambton-quay (to be removed within twentyone days) was also sold by the same auctioneer yesterday for £220 to Mr. Alex. McDonald, of Manners-street, who, we understand, bought for the new convent school to ba erected in Dixonstreet.

Messrs. J. H. Bethune and Co. sold by auction yesterday forty valuable allotments of land at Wadestown, at prices varying from 12s. to 325. per foot. The attendance was good and the bidding spirited, as indeed it usually is when town and suburban lots are offered to public competition. The following notices of motion are on the order paper of the City Council for Thursday's meeting ;—Councillor Allan to move,- —That in accordance with the report on the removal of night-soil, all water-closets connected with wooden drains, or the Te Aro or Tinakori streams, be immediately disconnected, as a nuisance dangerous to public health. Councillor Fisher to move, —That the City Surveyor be instructed to ascertain the cost of laying off a carriage road from Te Aro to the Botanic Gardens. Councillor Fisher to move, —That the resolution of 4th April, re removal of nightsoil, be rescinded, and that tenders be invited for the removal of the nightsoil of the city, in either one or two contracts. Councillor Maginity to move,—That his Worship the Mayor endeavor to make arrangements with the Government for the purchase of the new reclaimed land, at a price as near the cost price as possible. Councillor Maginity to move, —That the Tinakori drain be covered in forthwith. Councillor Maginity to move,—That Thorndou-quay, from Burrett’s corner towards the railway station, Mulgrave and Sydney streets, at their junction with Thorndon-quay, be at once reduced to their permanent level. The members of the Wellington Cricketers’ Association intend to give a series of soirees during the winter months in aid of the funds of the society, and the first will take place at the Princess Theatre, Tory-street, on the 3rd July. The programmes offered will include musical and dram itio entertainments, followed by a dance, and as the admission fee is fixed at 2s. 6d., there should be large attendances. The committee announce that every possible care will be taken to keep the gatherings select. A number of leading amateurs have promised their assistance. The committee, Messrs. Armitage, Hamilton, Haughtou, and Kelly, appear to be determined to place the association on a strong footing, and are desirous to sea the cricketers of Wellington hold their own in future against all visitors. At a meeting of the directors of the Wellington Patent Slip Company held yesterday the resignation of the Hon. John Johnston as a member of the board was handed in and accepted. Mr. Edward Pearce was elected to fill the vacancy, and Mr. George Hunter, who was chairman, having resigned that office for the purpose of enabling Mr. Pearce to occupy his old post at the board, he was elected chairman of the company. There was a meeting of the Clerks’ Association last night at the Albert Hotel, • when satisfactory reports as to the progress made by the society were given by several members. It is intended to take steps for establishing a library, and a hall will be engaged, in which will be held discussions on subjects connected with the moral, social, and intellectual advancement of the members. The adoption of a constitution and a code of by-laws will be considered at a meeting to be held at the Albert Hotel next Tuesday evening. The Westport Times states that Messrs. Stewart, Beatty, Phillips, and party prospecting in the Karamea District have lately struck ground which proves payable, and although difficult of access during the present season, is likely to attract miners as soon as fairer weather sets in. The expenditure of a small sum of money in opening up a track would be of infinite service.

Captain Murray, of the Thames Scottish Volunteers, says the New Zealand Herald, has made an application to the Harbor Board for a grant of about five acres of land on the foreshore for a Volunteer parade ground. It is proposed to reclaim from Curtis's wharf, in rear of the Pacific Hotel, towards Holdahip’s wharf, carrying O'Neill’s esplanade along the required distances. It is also contemplated to build a large hall facing or on the parade ground, capable of accommodating the whole of the Volunteer at once, and to include orderly-rooms, armory, guu-room, and permanent storeroom.

“ A singular difference of opinion, says the Melbourne Argus of the 11th inst,, exists as to the identity of the man whose dead body was found last Saturday on the beach at St. Kilda. One gentleman affirms that the body is that of a man named Woods, a recent arrival from Tasmania, who had been residing at the Royal Arcade Hotel, Little Collius-street. Another says positively it is that of a publican named Rentiers, of Hamilton. And Mr. Prusser, bootmaker, of Brunswick-street, asserts -that the remains are those of his traveller, George Lake, who lived in Little Charles-street, Collingwood. The gentleman who identifies the deceased as the Hamilton publican is a brother-in-law of the person ho refers to, and is so confident about his identification that he bos ordered a coffin to be supplied, and has made arrangements for the funeral. The only article foynd on the body that may certify the identification is a silver lever watch, No. 19,264, with a small piece of string tied round the ring, maker ‘Balski, Melbourne,’ and appendages. Amongst the latter is a key with a stamp bearing the maker’s name, ‘ Bastree and Co., Hamilton and Melbourne,’ and from this it would appear probable that the deceased may be the Hamilton man.” The body has since been proved to be that of a Mr. Monntier, We are requested to call attention to the altered advertisement of the steamer Go-Ahead. She Bails this day for Wanganui.

A meeting of the Wellington Literary Association was held last evening; Mr. Hopkirk in the chair. An essay was read on “The life of King John.” The subject for discussion next Tuesday will be, “ Have the Crusades been beneficial to mankind ?”

A tramway car in which compressed air is the motive power has been proved during some months on the line between Courbevoie and Bateaux, and the Round Point in the ChampsElysees. This car has room for thirty passengers, ii served by a conductor, and a mechanician who has entire charge of the machinery, which with a number of iron tubes is all placed between the wheels, under the floor, where it occasions no inconvenience to anyone. A powerful air-pump at the starting station forces au* enough into the iron tubes for the journey to and fro, and the car travels smoothly and without noise or smoke, and can be stopped and s*arted more readily than a horse-car. Mr. Mekavaki, the inventor of this car, has been thanked by the society for having solved the problem of a locomotive which can be used with safety in crowded streets. Of course there are appliances for regulating the pressure of the air, and for preventing the deposit of hoar-frost in the tubes, consequent on rapid expansion of air; but for a description of these aud other particulars we must refer to the Bulletin published by the society. We have been requested to direct attention to the fact that Messrs. J. EE. Bethune and Co.’s extensive land sale will bo held in Messrs. Benjamin Smith and Co.'s rooms, Lambton-quay, this day at two o'clock.