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New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5394, 11 July 1878, Page 2

It is stated that a petition in being got up in the Electoral District of Hokitika against the return of Mr. Seymour George, on the ground of bribery, corruption, and treating. The Wanaka, with the San Francisco mails, which was due at Port Chalmers yesterday morning, had not reached her destination at 8 o’clock in the evening. In the Supreme Court this morning the case of Doherty v, the Education Board will come on. The plaintiff seeks to recover something over £2OOO as damages for wrongful dismissal, libel, &c. The second tramway engine was safely landed from the Pleione yesterday afternoon, and placed with the other at the end of the wharf. They will both be removed to-day by horses to the tramway shed. The following instance of rapid communition between this and London is worthy of record. On Friday night a private telegraphic message was despatched from 'this city to London, and the reply was in New Zealand on Monday morning. • Yesterday the survey of about 400 acres of the sandy country on the peninsula between Lyell Bay and Evans Bay .was completed, and measures will now be taken to secure possession of it on behalf of the city, under the provision of the Public Works Act. This*may he considered the first step in the direction of carrying out Mr, Clark’s drainage scheme. Probably the next will be the introduction of a Bill into the Legislature for providing the funds necessary for the works. We hear that soma difficulty has arisen through an oversight on the part of the Government, which, however, can be easily rectified, in not* filling up the vacancy caused by Mr. J. C. Crawford’s resignation of the office of sheriff. A client went to his solicitor yesterday to ask why certain proceedings had not been taken in a matter of ejectment, and received the reply that as there was no sheriff nothing could be done in the matter. The lawyer is-said to have added the remark that if there was any criminal to be hanged it might be rather awkward if there was no such official as a sheriff in the judicial district.

At a meeting of the Beneyoleut Society on Tuesday a letter was read from the City 1 Council asking if the society would'undertake the administration of all charitable aid wichin the city. The Government wished to give up the work already carried on as to the Hospital and administration of charitable aid. The City Council would undertake the Hospital, and wishes the Benevolent Institution to take up the other. . After some discussion, it was resolved, —That this committee is not prepared to undertake the administration of all charitable aid in this city outside the Hospital, At a meeting of the Wharf Committee yesterday it was resolved to use kauri timber for planking, in place of waiting for. a supply of iroubark. It will be remembered that the , cargo of ironbark'on board the W. F. Tucker, bound from Clarence River to this port, was unfortunately lost. Although kauri is considered less durable than .iroubark, it is a good substitute for it.

During yesterday a large number of persons visited the Fine Arts and Industrial Exhibition at the Working Men’s Club, and amongst them were many of the crew of H.M.S. Nymphe, who had been invited. In the evening the amateurs who had promised to take part in the promenade concert did not appear, and the musical, portion of the programme was reduced to very small limits. This will be remedied in future, and the manager will take a course that will prevent such a disappointment occurring again. Mr. Thomas Moore has on view a harmonium made by him, which is entirely local work. If has a good tone, and is a highly creditable sample of local industry. . The price asked appears very reasonable, and as the instrument is for sale, it will likely soon find a buyer. The picture gallery continues to attract a great many persons, a considerable number having paid several visits, so that they might do justice to the numerous works of merit that it contains.

, The new five-brigade station on the Tina-kori-road belonging to the Wellington Fire Brigade was opened at half-past 8 last evening. The station in question has been erected on Mr, Holdsworth’s property fronting the Tina-kori.-road, and is a short distance on the Kaiwarra side of Gillespie’s Hotel. Ib-was erected out of contributions made by persons resident in the locality, the use of the site being kindly granted by Mr,. Holdsworth. At the opening ceremony last evening about thirty members of the brigade attended under Captain Whiteford. Several persons residing in the locality have become honorary members, and some of them were last night initiated into the use of the stand-pipe, hose, &c., so that in the event of a fire occurring in the neighborhood as little time as possible would be lost in making the necessary attachment of the hose and obtaining a supply of water. Mr. Gillespie, of the Shepherd’s Arms Hotel, was duly initiated. . At a given signal the water was turned onto his hotel, and two branches continued to play upon it for n ' considerable time, thus giving the front of the building a thorough cleansing. After the practice, at Mr. Gillespie’s invitation, the members of the brigade adjourned to the hotel, and the occasion was celebrated in a befitting manner. A hose reel will be kept constantly at this station, with a hose 600 feet in length. No doubt the establishment of a branch station on the Tinakoriroad will prove of great service, but it is to be hoped that it will be a long time before any conflagration occurs. The residents have certainly shown a great deal of public spirit* in contributing towards the erection of this station, and their example might well be followed by others residing in the outskirts of the city, especially where the population is very large, and where there is at present an absence of appliances for the prevention of fire. At the Resident Magistrate’s Court yesterday, before T. A. Mansford, Esq., R.M., three, inebriates were dealt with in the usual manner. Michael Walsh ’ was charged with assaulting Mrs. Emeny, and doing wilful damage to property to the extent of £l. For the assault he was fined £3, or three weeks’ imprisonment, with hard labor ; and on the second charge he was fined Is., and ordered to pay damages, 20s. Thomas Betts, oa remand, for' lunacy, was discharged. On the application of Elizabeth Betts, a protection .order was granted against her husband Thomas Betts.

Mr. W. H, Warren held his first auction aalo of land yesterday at the Chamber of Commerce. Mr. J. Maginity before the sale commence I made a abort but appropriate speech, wishing Mr. Warren-success. Mr. ’Duncan also, on behalf of the auctioneers of Wellington, welcomed Mr. Warren, and said he trusted that. the new career just taken up by him would bo a long and prosperous one. Mr. Warren suitably replied, and the sale then proceeded.

The Marionettes entertainment was again well attended at the Theatre Royal last evening. Several new songs were introduced, and the audience testified how pleased they were with the entertainment by applauding at frequent intervals as it progressed. We would remind heads of families that an afternoon performance will be given on Saturday next.

The tenth meet this season oE the Canterbury Hunt Club came off on the 6th instant at the Yaldhurst Arms, and brought out (says tho Press) a good muster of sportsmen, many of whom appeared on well-known favorites which have become clever performers since the formation of tho club. After lunch the hounds threw off in a paddock adjoining Mr. Duncan’s farm, and soon found a trail, which they picked out cleverly until they viewed Puss away with a merry chorus. A run of about six miles ensued, but tho pack came to fault through a flock of sheep crossing the trail, which they were unable to pick up again. After a few casts, a fresh hare was found, which they hunted for an'hour and a quarter, when darkness set in. The country proved unsuitable for hunting, as almost all the fences were wired, which prevented the field, with a few exceptions, from riding as straight as they otherwise would have done. Mr. C. Wilson, a new member of the .club, acted as 'whip,' and - notwithstanding the treacherous nature of the country, was always with his hounds, riding • straight and well. The master, Mr. Egan, had a bad fall over a five-wire fence, but was soon up and away, though his horse proved afterwards to have received such a severe wound from tho wire that ho will not be again fit to hunt this season.

Mr. J, Tyrfmath, steward of the barque Whittington, died at the Wellington Hospital yesterday morning. The barque had her flags hoisted half-mast, as a mark of respect to the deceased.. ■

The Kaiwarra local school committee have determined to bring into force the compulsory provisions of the Education Act.

We Oth instaut) are glad to notice that a meeting is covened at the Tauhereftikau Hotel, for Saturday next, to get up a ploughing match this season in the Lower Valley. ■; Lord Northbrook (says an English paper of the 12th May), whilst landing at Calais, on bis way to Paris a few days ago, was robbed of his decoration of the Star of India. He has, however, since recovered it, minus the diamonds. A meeting of the directors of the Greytown Working Men’s Club Company (says the Standard of Tuesday last) was held ou Saturday last. A committee was appointed to report upon necessary furniture for the building. A billiard table was ordered.

An unfortunate woman, respectably dressed, and a recent arrival in the colony from Sydney, presented herself, says an exchange, at the Police Station, at Auckland, on Saturday night, and requested, for charity sake, that she might be locked up. She stated that for some time past she had-habitually slept, in the domain, that, she had been out in Queen-street during the heavy hail-storm which fell on Saturday night, and that she was afraid to go back to the domain lest she should perish on account of the cold. She was not locked up, but the police kindly provided her with means to obtain food and bed.

The Rangitikei Advocate of the 4th instant says:—“The Manchester Corporation has now over thirty miles of metalled road completed within its boundaries, including four miles outside them made to give access to Awahuri. There will be additional eighteen miles by the new year, though that is probably more than will be accomplished during the summer season. That distance includes ten and a half miles to the Gorge ; metalling at the Feilding end of the block, say four and' a half miles ; and about three miles on the Kimbolton-road. This, with the necessary culverts and bridges, means r lot of work. At present there are. over. eighty men employed at 'different contracts in thework of clearing and formation of new routes, which are let in small jobs, so as not to inconvenience those working further on. The Corporation value the services of Mr. Jackson and his survey staff principally from the fact that former surveys were very loose. Some lines were taken over most impracticable routes, and in one case the road laid out was afterwards found to be quite impassable. In opening up new country by good roads, previous to sale, the Corporation is doing practical work, which will in the end prove the advantage of the system over the old provincial plan of selling land without any means of access to it. By laying off and making good roads before sale the value of the land is enhanced in a proportion greater than the cost of the road construction, and the risk of subsequent dispute and litigation is also greatly diminished, riuch experiences of the earlier history of’the colony have not been lost sight of, and the Manchester Corporation will shortly be in a position to point to the plans of its pstate with satisfaction and pride, as showing a large' extent of fine agricultural country available for settlement. A few years more will see even greater advancement as well in the towns of Halcombe and Feilding, and the yet embryo township of Ashhurst, as in the magnificent districts by which they are surrounded.”

An extraordinary scene occurred recently at a Methodist chapel in Staffordshire. An old man of seventy, with* several grown-up children and grandchildren, had arranged to be married to a girl eighteen years old. On the party arriving at the chapel they were attacked by a large mob and their clothes much torn. Ten policemen were present, but were overpowered, and the mob rushed into the chapel, making a continued noise while the ceremony proceeded. A window was broken, and there was almost a riot. The happy pair ultimately escaped by different doors, and eight constables finally conducted them home.

A gallant act was lately witnessed, says an English exchange, from the Liverpool landingstage, Three or four seamen, alleged to have been under.the influence of drink, were engaging in rough horseplay at the south end of the structure, when one of them, named Edward Hamilton, living in. Portland-streeb, fell into the water. The strong ebb tide carried the man rapidly away. William Pegler, one of the river policemen; bearing the cries, plunged into the river and swam to the rescue. He overtook the man after a persistent struggle in the water, and seizing him by the collar, turned towards the stage. By this time the coxswain of the River Police had come forward with a lifebuoy, which was thrown to Pegler, and by its aid he -was enabled to reach the stage chains, somewhat exhausted. Here the seaman, seeing the policemen, commenced to give a little trouble, 'He kicked and struggled to get free, but failed to release himself from the grip of his rescuer. A bowline was with some difficulty fastened round him, and he was taken to the receiving-house in an exhausted state. Pegler appeared to suffer from the effects of the immersion. It was he who rescued a chilcl that had fallen from her Majesty’s ship Assistance into the river on a previous Saturday, and he has now saved nine persons from drowning. An Auckland saw-mill merchant (Mr. Geo. Holdship) has lately purchased from the natives (says an exchange) a block of land consisting of 2706 acres, called the Kauri Putete block, located in the Hokianga District. Upon this land are growing the finest and largest kauri trees in the North Island; and the land, although somewhat broken, is of good quality. The price paid for this magnificent property is understood to be £1250, A little more than 10s. per acre paid for good land, which may be rich in kauri gum, and upon which are hundred of thousands of. kauri trees worth pounds each.

Mr. Hull, the late secretary of the Philadelphia Exhibition, has received (says the Hobavton Mercury ) a letter from the firm of Landreth and Son, gardeners, in America, to whom a bushel of the best Tasmanian wheat was sent last year as a present. The writer sends an indent of seeds of a large number forest-tree seeds of season 1877, which ho presents to Tasmania. -Mr. Hull has abstracted the following information in regard to these forest trees :—The seeds will, by authority of the Hon. the Colonial Secretary, be distributed (after a large supply has been sent to the Royal Society’s Gardens), amongst colonists who will take the trouble to cultivate them, and who will probably then report to Mr. Hull if they shall have succeeded in germinating the seeds. A yery large quantity of vegetable and forest seeds were gratuitously distributed by the Exhibition Comngssion throughout the colony last year, but have failed to elicit more than two reports in reply, one of which reported the successful growth of Kentucky blue grass in the Falmouth district, and the other (Mr. Hull’s) of “ Kentucky blue grass,” “ Mammoth clover,” and “ white maize," the latter Oft. high. The seeds now at Melbourne in the Garonne are of the Liquid-amber, or sweet gum, the Douglass nobiles, Balsamea, and Frazeri pines, the Juniper, or red cedar of California ; Jlalesia, Oatalpa, and Virgilia lutea. The Fraser pine bears a balsamic gum used in medicine, and the sweet-gum leaves emit a sweet aromatic scent when bruised. The tree grows to a height of 165 ft., with a circumference of l/ft. | % We understand (says the Brisbane Courier), that Mr. Chester, Government Resident at Thursday Island, .is about to visit Port Moresby, to report officially respecting the movements of the prospecting expedition who recently landed at that place ; also to report generally on the condition and prospects of the settlement. Sir Arthur Gordon having expressed a wish that this visit of inspection should, be made, the Government of this colony have granted Mr. Chester two months leave of obsenco for the purpose, appointing Mr. Dull (second officer at Thursday Island) to act for Mr. Chester during his absence.. It will be understood that Mr. Ingham, who was commissioned by the Queensland Government to render what assistance ho could at Port Moresby, with a view to chock any irrogularisies that might occur on the landing of the prospecting expedition, and to establish amicable relations between the Europeans and natives in New Guinea, had really no legal status there, and although he undoubtedly did good service to the attempt that has been initiated with a view to the opening up of New Guinea to Europeans for purposes of trade and settlement, his appointment was in a sense irregular. Mr. Chester, however, is in a different position, ns he holds a commission from Sir Arthur Gordon as Judicial Commissioner of Polynesia, aud will therefore, in the intended visit, bo properly regarded as the authorised representative of the Imperial Government. The Gramma electric light is extensively used iu factories and largo works on the Continent, ns well as on board the vessels of nearly all the European navies, having been found of great service in discovering torpedo boats, and in throwing light On dangerous coasts, &c. The power of the light is equal to 6000 candles, or 600 gas-burners, and the cost of producing it is only 2Jd. an hour, without power ; and with engine-power, IJd.anhbur.

From 1873 to 1877 inclusive about forty million feet of timber have been cut by sawmi Hers out of tho Southland forests, while but £4878 has been returned to tho Stated The royalty (says tho Dunedin Star) charged is hnquestionably toq, light. The Lake Waipori correspondent of the Otago Daily Times writes :—A fearful death has occurred hero. Mrs.' A, Twaddle, of this district, went out fora short time to feed some cattle, and when she returned to tho house found her child, a little boy about three years old, lying on the floor speechless, with tljo clothes litterally burned off his back. Medical aid was sent for immediately to Outram, but human skill was of no aval).

A Greek gentleman, says tho./ibwe News of 23rd May, who has just returned from Athens, ’says that tho current of feeling in favor of England is wonderfully strong all over Greece. Not only in this case in tho towns, but tho peasants, who take a keen and intelligent interest in foreign affairs, are always arguing, “If only England will take us with her we shall be all right.” This correspondent thinks that besides the Greek army, which would make a respectable figure, there would be large numbers of volunteers, if their pay were guaranteed by England. ■What a valuable product can be obtained from the refuse from gasworks is shown by the following paragraph from the London Times : —The Bradford Corporation have accepted the tender of Mr. Steuart, of Manchester, offering £10,359 per annum for seven years for the aramoniacal liquor produced at the Bradford gasworks during that period from July 1. There were several tenders, the highest being £10,600. .The price paid under the expiring contract has been £BOO per annum during the past ten years. The holder of this contract was among the competitors for the new contract, and his tender was not £BOO a year, but £BOOO a year I The discovery in the liquor of a certain chemical substance used m aniline dyes has greatly enhanced its value.

Mr. George Thomas will sell, at his auction rooms. Lambton-quay, at 1 o’clock to-day, 300 chests of English tea. He will also sell, at his rooms, at 2 o’clock to-morrow (Friday) afternoon, the clipper schooner Tauranga, 61 tons register. Messrs. lorns and’ FergUsson will sell on the 20th insfc. Masterton Trust lands; also freeholds in ihe same neighborhood, and at Homebush, Carterton, Msuriceville. Ac. Particulars will be found in our advertising columns. Messrs. T. K. Macdonald and Co. will sell by auction on the 29th instant, at the. Exchange land xnart, a quantity of land, comprising si*ty-seren of the most eligible sites in the townsiiip of Wanstead, Hawke’s Bay, on the main south road between Wellington and Napier. - It is the centre of a fine agricultural district, and when portions of it were offered for sale iu March last every lot was sold immediately, and settlement quickly followed. Wanstead is now said to be a rising place. The land in the'locality is well grassed, and free from bush or scrub. Full particulars will be found in our advertising columns. We are requested to call attention to the advertisement of Mr. Edward Jackson (late of Christchurch), who has just opened up in Wellington his large and varied assortment of saddlery and ironmongery, containing all (he requisites of the trade.