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New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5385, 1 July 1878, Page 2

The Working Men's iuid Industrial Exhibition will be opened in the new clubhouse this afternoon by his Excellency the Governor, who will arrive at 2 o’clock. It is expected that he will be met at the door by his Worship the Mayor, and on his entering the exhibition-rooms he will be received by Messrs. P. Galvin (president of the club), W. Hutchison and iS. Brown (trustees), W. H. Quick (solicitor to the club), and by the committee. On Saturday afternoon his Excellency paid a private visit to the club, and expressed himself as highly pler-sed with the exhibits and with the general arrangements. This afternooon the public will be admitted at half-past 1, and the doors will be closed at 5 p.m., the charge of admission being 2s. 6d. In the evening the exhibition will be open from 7 to 10 o’clock, at a charge of Is., which will be the rate in the future. As there will be a half-holiday, there is sure to be a very large attendance, and the opening will pass off with great eclat. There is some doubt as to whether a telephone will be exhibited ; but there will be an electric telegraph connecting the two storeys.

The list of prisoners for trial which is given in another column shows that persons have been committed for several serious offences The worst cases are those of attempts to commit crimes, attempts which, fortunately alike for the persons sought to be injured and for the prisoners, should they be guilty, were not successful. The charge against O’Ooouor of seeking to kill W. Light, of Barrett’s Hotel, by placing poison in some liquor, will probably lead to a trial that will excite a great deal of interest, for the whole of the circumstances surrounding the affair are curious, and some well nigh inexplicable. The criminal sittings of the Supreme Court commence this morning at ten o’clock.

At a special meeting of the Hufct County Council held on Saturday list a resolution was passed affirming the desirability of a site being reserved on the reclaimed land for the purposes of a public market, and a deputation was appointed to confer with the Government on the subject. A report of the proceedings will be found in another column.

The return of patients in the Provincial Hospital daring and ending the mouth of June, 1878, is as follows :—Admitted : 19 males, 4 females. Discharged : 16 males, 3 females. Left in Hospital: 46 males, 9 females. Total, 65. In Willig-street on Saturday last a gust of wind caught a coat which was on view at a clothier’s shop, and placed it across the telegraph wires, where it dangled for some time, until a more favorable blast restored it to its owner. As a cheap and effective means of advertising the clothier had nothing to complain of, since the incident attracted the attention of a large number of passers-by, who no doubt thought the garment reasonable enough at eighteen and sixpence. A meeting of the inhabitants of Mitchelltown was held at Mr. Savill’s on Saturday evening last at 5.30, to consider the advisability of solicting the Karori-Makara Highway Board to take over the road leading through the district. Mr. H. Mitchell was voted to the chair. One of the speakers stated that the road being along the gully it required very little formation, and hitherto what repairs were needed the neighbors had done for themselves. It was stated that neither the present nor any previous highway board had expended a sixpence iu the neighborhood, though . the collector had called very regularly for the rates; and the inhabitants very naturally expect that some of the rates should be spent in the neighborhood in which they are raised. It was moved, seconded, and carried that Messrs. Mitchell, Barber, aud Richardson wait on the Board and represent the case, and that a memorial be presented by their representative, Mr. Finnimore, setting forth that this being a pleasant suburb of Wellington, and being near the heart of the city, it was fast becoming studded with comfortable cottages, and the road being a favorite walk of the people of Wellington, it was therefore thought desirable to have a suitable and appropriate name for the said road, and several names having been suggested, it was put to the vote and carried that it be called Holloway-road. The meeting terminated with a vote of thanks to the chairman.

There was again a very good attendance at the Imperial Opera House on Saturday evening last. Mr. Sothern re-appeared in another of his best characters—that of David Garrick —and his acting was thoroughly appreciated by the audieuce. Most of the other characters in the comedy were well sustained; and the farce entitled “A Regular Fix” brought to a close a very excellent evening’s entertainment. As will be seen by advertisement, Mr. Sothern has been engaged for a further season of six nights, commencing this evening, when he will reappear in his great impersonation of Lord Dundreary. On Wednesday evening this gentleman will take a benefit, and will submit on that occasion a new piece,. entitled . “ The Woman in Mauve.” Mr. Sothern deserves a crowded house, not only on account of his talents as an actor, but for his social qualities as well, as he is a decided favorite both on and off tho stage. The concert at the Athensenm this evening promises, from its programme, a treat to all lovers of music. The Choral Band, sixteen performers, play one or two pieces ; the singing is varied by a quartet, and the songs and ballads are all well known favorites, so that it is almost invidious to pick from amongst them. We notice “The Swallow,” “ Nancy Lee,” “ Thou art so near,” “ The Old Sexton,” and comic varieties, which, we understand, are to be given in character.

Captain Kenny, M.H.R. forPioton, arrived at Blenheim early on Friday (says the Marlborough Express of the 28th June) and attended the meeting re the railway extension. Nothing having been raised during the speeches to justify his. interference, he did not make any remarks, and acted merely as a. spectator. Should it be thought necessary that a deputation should wait upon the Government, Captain Kenny will willingly take part in it, and use all his influence to promote the progress of the works. His many friends will be glad to learn that he has returned improved in health, and will be able to take his seat when the session opens. Captain Kenny intended to call a meeting of his constituents in Ficton next week, but owing to the uncertainty respecting the time when he may be required to form one of the deputation to the Government about the railway extension, the notice is deferred for a few days. In our next issue it will probably be announced when the member for Pioton will meet the electors.

| Mr. J. Smith,of Blenheim (says tho Express), is about to start another industry in Pioton, by commencing the curing of herrings in a different manner to any before tried here. The promoter is having the necessary appliances constructed for preserving fish in a similar manner to sardines, and he believes that a ready sale can bo effected in the Colonial market for goods of a prime description. The herrings, so far as we can learn, will be put up in one and two pound tins, and will be prepared in a variety of ways. If the speculation answers as it is anticipated, employment will'be afforded to soma 12 or 14 persons. ■

Captain Burrell, of the schooner tTao, gave information to the police last night that a man had sold him a first-class overcoat for the small sum of 10s. Suspecting that the man had not come by it honestly, Captain Burrell thought it proper to inform the police of the matter, so that in the event of its being stolen it might bo restored to the owner. The man who sold the coat to the captain is a well known character to the police, and is now in custody. An inventor named Bailey, of Indianopolis, United States, has sent to England, and proposes .placing at the disposal of : the War Office, a wonderful specimen of a Gatling gnu; This formidable engine of destruction is guaranteed to fire from 1000 to. 1600 shots:per ■minute, so directed as to sweep a whole lino.' It is also entirely self-loading.

A little child was seriously injured yesterday by falling over a cliff at Glyde-quay. A post-office at Petoni will be opened on. and after to-day.

We beg to acknowledge the receipt of the “ Postal Guide” for July, which as usual coutains the fullest information upon the subject. . The returns of births, deaths, and marriages,, during the month of June last are as follows: Births, 70; marriages, 29 ; deaths, 15..

Dr. Held, of Picton, we hear, has been appointed' house surgeon to the Wellington Hospital.

We are requested to state that the Terrace school will not reopen until Thursday, the 4th instant, in consequence of the new furniture not being in readiness. A list of the Napier Harbor Board Reserves, the leases of which, for thirty years, will put up to auction at Napier on the 12th August, appears in our advertising columns.

Mr. Mansford, the recently appointed Datrict Judge and Resident Magistrate of Wellington, may be expected hare to-morrow, having left Port Chalmers by the Hawea yesterdav.

It is notified that the partnership hitherto existing between Messrs. Thomas and Sullivan, of the Central Hotel, is dissolved, and that all accounts are requested to be rendered for payment not later than to-day. Wo have to acknowledge the receipt of a copy of “Bradshaw’s Guide” for July. This number is quite up to the usual standard of excellence which this little publication has attained, and contains a new map of the colony, with the railways, steamers’ routes, &c., to which we called attention in a recent issue.

We are requested to state that iu consequence of the opening of the Fine Arts and Industrial Exhibition, in connection with the Wellington Working Men’s Club, to-day, Messrs. T. K. Macdonald and Co.’s usual fortnightly land sale stands postponed until tomorrow.

It is satisfactory to find (says the European Mail of May 10th> that the Secretary of State for India in Council is showing year by year an increased disposition to proceed vigorously with the construction of State railways in our Eastern Empire. The fact that the net profits realised upon the guaranteed railways of British India in 1877 are about enough to cover the guarantee of interest given upon them by the Anglo-Indian Treasury, is a stimulus to the Secretary in his work. India by her railways has done wonders for the British iron trade, and English commerce will materially benefit by the Indian demand for rails and railway plant. Of the whole export of British railway iron during February this year rather more than one-third went to British India alone, and if the development of the railway system proceeds rapidly there are practically no limits to the demand. The trunk lines which have been constructed in India during the last quarter of a century have been earning upon the whole a clear return of 5 per cent, per annum upon the capital employed, so that, in addition to opening up the resources of industry, they have proved a sound and fairly remunerative investment. It was stated at the Royal Dublin Society that anew explosive agent has been discovered by Professor Emerson Reynolds in the laboratory of Trinity College, Dublin. It is a mixture of 75 per cent, of chlorate of potassium with 25 per cent, of a body called sulphurea. It is a white powder, which is very easily prepared by the mixture of the materials in the abovenamed proportions. The new powder can be ignited at a rather lower temperature than ordinary gunpowder, while the effects it produces are even more remarkable than those caused by the usual mixture. Dr. Reynolds states that bis powder leaves only 45 per cent, of solid residue, whereas common gunpowder leaves about 57 per cent. It has been used with success in small cannon, but its discoverer considered that its chief use would be for blasting, for shells, for torpedoes, and for similar purposes. Dr. Reynolds pointed out that one of the advantages this powder possesses is that it can be produced at a moment’s notice by a comparatively rough mixture of the materials, which cau be stored and carried without risk so long as they are separate. The sulphurea, the chief component of the new explosive, was discovered by Dr. Reynolds about ten years ago, and could be easily procured in large quantities from a product of gas manufacture which is at present wasted. A shop for the sale of horse, donkey, and mule flesh, on the model of those already existing in France, Belgium, and Italy, has been opened in Castle-street, Leicester Square, says the European Mail of May 16. The event created au unusual amount of excitement in the neighborhood, and demonstrations of aversion continued throughout the day on the part of a rough mob- So much was this the case that half-a-dozen police constables were engaged in keeping the roadway clear for the ordinary traffic, and in preventing an anticipated disturbance. In appearance and cleanliness the place is a vast improvnment on the ordinary butchers’ shops of the neighborhood, and no pains appear to have been spared to render the meat as attractive as possible. Sides of horse, donkey, aud mule, decorated with tinsel and holly, and certified by a veterinary surgeon’s certificate to be those of healthy animals, were hung round the shop, forming a background to a large number of joints of all sizes, besides a quantity of sausages and sausage meat. The price of the joints ranged from 2d. to fid. per lb. Those who became purchasers consisted for the most part, if not exclusively, of foreigners, to whom this meat was evidently an old-acquaintance.