NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5449, 13 September 1878, Page 2

NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

SUMMARY YOU THE MONTH. AUGUST-SEPTEMBER. For fraiumissioa. hy ific P.M.S.C. City of Kexo York from Auckland on the 17th SejAcmher, to Europe, via San Francisco, ; GENERAL SUMMARY. Amongst the leading events which have occurred since the publication of our, last summary on thelCthult., the opening of the railway froraDunedin to Christchurch, which was then spoken of as being about to take place, and has siqce become an accomplished fact, taked a prominent place. The event was celebrated in a fitting manner, ns will be seen by the reports of the proceedings which appear in another portion of our columns. His Excellency the Governor, who always takes a groat interest in colonial undertakings, was present on the occasion, as were also two members of the Ministry, Messrs. Stout and .Fisher, several members of Parliament, and a large number of visitors. There was a grand banquet given by the Mayor at Christchurch, and another took place at Dunedin, and at both cities tho visitors were most hospitably received, and came back highlypleasod with the trip. Trains now run daily throughout the entire distance, and a most important link in the chain of railway communication,* as shadowed forth when Sir Julios Yoobl’s Public Works policy was enunciated, has been completed. As yet tho Wellington line is only as far as Kaitbke, twenty-seven miles from town, but before our next summary appears there is little doubt that it will be open for traffic to Featherston, twelve miles further on; and when that point is reached the engineering difficulties are

much less serious all the way to Woodvilla (where a junction with the Napier line will bo effected) than they are between Wellington and Featherston, on which section the formidable Rimutaka range presented a barrier which has required much time, money, and engineering skill to surmount. But for this obstacle the Wairarapa Valley would have been traversed by the iron horse many months ago. Several deputations have waited upon the Government in reference to the proposed line of railway from Wellington to Foxton by way of the West Coast, and the Minister of Public Works expresses himself alive to the importance of the work, and favorable to its construction ; but there does not appear any very definite prospect of its being undertaken at present, at all events by the Government ; but eventually this line will no doubt be made. On the 24th ult. the Wellington Steam Tramway was opened for public traffic, and the event was celebrated by a luncheon given by the company, at which his Excellency the Governor, a large number of members of the General Assembly, and leading citizens of the town (accompanied in many instances by the ladies of their several families), were present. Tho cars have been running daily ever since, Sundays excepted, at frequent intervals, between the Adelaide-road and Pipitea Poirft; and, ns was expected, the public have taken most kindly to this new and pleasant.mode of locomotion, so that there appears little doubt whatever of the financial success of the undertaking. There have beeu no serious accidents since the opening of the line, and the horses in the streets appear already to be getting used to the steam coach, but nevertheless the live horse occasionally shies when facing the iron one, and some slight casualties have occurred in consequence. It was understood that the trams were to run without noise, smoke, or steam. Now as regards the steam this condition has not been kept,

and instead of its being condensed it is blown off at frequent intervals whilst traversing the street, and this is certainly an objection which ought to be met by the company. In all other respects the tramway has given general satisfaction, and. from the support given to it the

company will in all probability be enabled to extend the line to the top of Moles-worth-streot and to Newtown, and indeed to bring most of the leading streets into communication with the main tramway. Mr. O’Neill, 0.E., and other early promoters of this tramway, may certainly be congratulated on the result which has so far been attained, and Wellington can now boast of being in the front rank of all the cities in Australasia as regards street locomotion. The annual meeting of the Wellington Working Men’s Club, held on the 20th nit,, showed that this institution continues in a flourishing condition, and the result is so encouraging as to stimulate the establishment of kindred institutions in the Wairarapa District, and probably other portions of the country which do not yet possess the advantage of having a Working Men’s Club in their midst will follow the example. As yet the important local works of the drainage of the city and the reclamation of the Te Aro foreshore remain in abeyance, but are by np means lost sight of, and ■ will, it is expected, shortly be commenced; but as regards the latter undertaking, a Bill has yet to be Anally passed by Parliament. The Thorndon reclamation is very nearly completed, and when finished it is understood that steps will be taken to bring the railway from Pipitea Point to a more central position in the town, in the vicinity of the wharf. It was hoped that the Japanese Commissioners who have recently been oh a visit to Sydney and Melbourne with a view to opening np a trade with Australia would have been able to pay a visit to Now Zealand, but they have returned to Japan without making a tour to the “Britain of the South.” It has been pointed out to them, however, by Mr. Synnot, of Melbourne, and others, that Now Zealand wool is peculiarly well adapted for weaving into cloth suitable for wear in their country, and the Cham-' bar of Commerce hero has been communicated with on the subject. Samples of our staple product will be forwarded, and there appears a probability of a large and most important trade springing up in this direction. The old conservative feeling in - Japan, which disliked innovation, seems to bo giving way to more liberal ideas, and iho foreigner and his manufactures are now not only tolerated but encouraged. If Australian and New Zealand wool can be introduced into tho Japanese add Chinese markets, and is favorably regarded by the people of those vast and populous countries, the great prosperity which has hitherto attended the producers of this important article of commerce will be immensely increased--indeod it is almost impossible to say to what dimensions it may ultimately reach.

On the 2nd inst. the German residents hero celebrated the unification of the German Empire by a' ball and supper, which was largely attended, and passed off most successfully. Mr. . Krull, the German Consul, presided, and the first toast of the evening was “The Health of Her Majesty Queen Victoria,” after which that of the German Emperor and other loyal and patriotic toasts followed.

Mr. Hoskins, the veteran actor, who recently announced his intention to retire from the stage, but has apparently altered his mind, as ho has expressed his intention to play again here shortly, has lately" concluded a successful season at the Opera House, Manners-street. The Cheevcrs, Kennedy, and Bent Minstrels have been doing a good business at the Theatre Royal, arid the several concortswliich have taken place during the month have been well patronised. At the Quarterly Licensing Meeting, held on the 3rd instant, all applications for transfers, &c., were granted. An application for a new house at Kilburnie, Evans Bay, where a suburb is gradually rising up, was refused on the ground that the house was not completed.

New houses continue, to spring up in all directions in and around Wellington, and nothing appears to strike anyone who has*been absent from the place a short time so much as to see on his return so many new buildings, many of them of a mos,t substantial and handsome character, in course of erection. Some attention is' also being paid to the footpaths, which have hitherto been somewhat neglected, and tho loading streets are being well metalled. When the town is properly drained, lighted, and its streets put into thorough repair, there will not bo a pleasanter or more healthy place of residence in any portion of the colonies than Wellington ; and it is satisfactory to find that the Corporation is not neglecting matters, although from a variety of causes there has been some delay in carrying them out. At a meeting of the congregation of St. John’s Presbyterian Church on the Dili inst., a resolution was carried in favor of the erection of a suitable manse, the estimated cost of which is about £ISOO. ■ Mr. George Hunter, M.H.R., has most liberally undertaken to make a free gift of about a quarter of an acre of land immediately adjoining tho church property in Willis-street as a site, and the" offer, it is almost needless to say, has been accepted with many thanks. The building, we understand, will shortly be commenced. An election of one councillor for each of the four wards of tho borough took place yesterday. .There were four candidates for Cook Ward, Messrs. Coffey, Port, Miller, and Banks, and two for each of the other wards, viz.;—For Lambton Ward, Mr. J. A. Allan (the retiricgcouneillor) and Mr. J. S. M. Thompson ; for Te Arp Ward, Messrs. Andrew Young and C. Taylor ; for Thorndou Ward, Mr. J. Maginity (the retiring councillor) and Dr. Newman. The result was that Mr, Thompson obtained a majority at Lambton Ward, Mr. Young at Te Aro, and Mr. Maginity at Thorndbn. The pull for Cook Ward was adjourned until to-day. Messrs. Young, Thompson, and Maginity are therefore elected for To Aro, Lambton, and Thorndon Wards respectively, and for Cook Ward tho election is not yet determined.