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New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5407, 26 July 1878, Page 2

Parliament will be opened by his Excellency the Governor in person at half-past two o’clock this afternoon. ' We hear that Mr. .Ebenezer Baker has been appointed Marshal of the Admiralty Court. A coroner's inquest as to the circumstances and origin of the recent fire at Masterton is to be held there to-day. ‘ At the Resident Magistrate’s Court yesterday Thomas Francis was sent to gaol for : 14 days on a charge of vagrancy. During the Parliamentary session, late trains will run between Wellington and the Lower Hutt on Tuesdays and Thursdays, at the hours stated in our advertising columns. The football match Wanganui v. Wellington will be played to-morrow (Saturday) on the Basin Reserve, commencing at half-past 2 o'clock. A meeting of , creditors in the estate of Messrs. Wyllie aud.Girelealone, of Masterton, auctioneers, was held at the Supreme Court buildings yesterday. Mr. William Berry was appointed trustee, and the meeting was adjourned till the Bth August. The liabilities are-sot down at ,£2200 Ids. 10d., and the assets at iB6O 2s,_ A Victorian exchange says i-r-r Typhoid fever is raging in Sydney, and is especially malignant in the suburbs. The local papers state that there are strong suspicions that it has boon spread by the poisonous milk supplied from some of the metropolitan dairies.

It is stated that Captain Hnmprhries has been appointed Usher of the Black Rod to the Legislative Council.

Many hours were occupied in the Supreme Court yesterday in hearing evidence as to accounts between the plaintiff and the defendant in McDonald v. Guildford.' It was almost impossible to get a clear idea of the fignres ; whereas if the whole dispute as to accounts had been referred to some competent person, a result would have been quickly arrived at. Judge Richmond commented upon the helpless condition of the jury, and remarked if any one of them could take the books and papers into a private room he could make something of them, but Judge’ and jurors were reduced‘to mere dummies in that kind of jurisdiction, which was not fit for trying such cases. A meeting of the parishioners of St. Paul’s Parish will be held at the Diocesan Library, Mulgrave-street, on Monday, August 5, at 8 p.m., for the purpose of nominating three laymen to represent that parish in the Synod. - A meeting for a similar purpose, of the parishioners of St. Peter’s, will be held in the schoolroom, Ghuznee-street, on the same day at. 8 o’clock.

The following civil cases were decided in the Resident Magistrate's Court' yesterday:—A. Miller v. H. Mayer £2 Bs. 6d ; ordered to pay within 14 days, or one week’s imprisonment.— P. Simeon v. James Simpson, £4 95.; ordered to pay by instalments of 10s. a week, or three weeks’ imprisonment.—-Zohrab, Knocker, and Co. v. W. Edwards, £2B lls. Bd.; judgment for amount and £3 9s. costs.—Jenness. v. Evans, £l3 10s.; judgment for amount and 19s. costs.—Parata v. D. Egan, £1 ; judgment for amount and 10s. costs.—Woods, Crosbie, and Co. v. Bell, £3l 17s. 10d.; judgment for amount and 255. costs.—Allen v. Mrs. P. Hauney, £2 ; judgment for amount and 9s. costs.—C. Mclntyre v. J. Benge, £1 lls. Id.'; judgment for amount and 9s costs. Several special jurors were excused from serving in the Supreme Court yesterday, on various grounds. Mr. fijhomas Kebbell pleaded that he was over 60 years of age, and was allowed to go. Mr.-B. Pearce stated that he had to attend a meeting of the Waste Lands Board, of which ho was a member, and hecould not’ serve his country in two capacities at the same time. Counsel did not object to Mr. Pearce being excused, and he • retired. Mr. J. D. Baird and Mr. J. H. Betlrane claimed exemption for the reason that they held commissions in the militia. Mr. John Watt tried very hard to get away, and urged that as he had served seven days out of three weeks he should be excused ; but he was unsuccessful. Mr. J. S. McD. Thompson, who did not appear, was fined £5. His Honor remarked that perhaps that sum was hardly sufficient, for he was quite sure that mauy of the jurors would rather pay £5 than have to sit in' the Court for.three days, and if it were not for a sense of public duty, more would be absent. He disliked to have to fine ; but if he did not fine, all the work would be thrown upon the willing horses.

The excellent reading-rooms which Messrs. Gordon and Gotoh have opened in Bridestreet, by Ludgate Hill Circus, will prove a great boon to colonists visiting London. These reading-rooms contain newspapers from every part of Australia, Ceylon, Canada, and other British colonies. The papers are ranged out in regular order on the tables, and a librarian is there to bring forth any particular date required. The meeting of colonists there is very frequent. Mr. Poole, so well known in connection wfth the colonies, always feels the greatest pleasure in affording information to strangers, who are permitted to use the establishment as an address for their letters. Such a place of resort has only to be known to be appreciated. The Chief Secretary of Victoria has (says the Age) received a letter from the secretary to the Australian Eleven, asking him if he will extend the leave of absence granted to Mr. Horan, of the Audit Department ; Mr. Boyle, of the Mining Department; and Mr. Allan, of the Lands Department, as they have been invited by several, cricketing clubs in Canada and the United States to visit the Western world and play there. The reply of the Chief Secretary will determine the acceptance or rejection of the invitation sent by our American friends to the representatives of Australian cricketers, as the other members of the team are clearly of opinion that Austra'ia would not be represented without the presence of Messrs. Horau, Boyle, and Allan. The Chief Secretary will grant the request. A new description of chilled shell has been designed at the Royal Laboratory for use against earthworks, in conjunction with the new delayed-action fuze. The shell is slightly chilled over a considerable portion of the head, so as to prevent its breaking up on impact, and permitting the projectile to bury itself before exploding, by which its destructive power is increased at least .tenfold. The Auckland Herald says the Government have given instructions to further reduce the staff of the Public Works Department in Auckland.