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New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5489, 30 October 1878, Page 2

We understand that Parliament will be pro* rogned by commission to-morrow. ’ln a playful humour the House yesterday 'decided by resolution that the next sitting of the Parliament should be held in Christchurch. The same thing has been agreed to before, and once it was decided to sit m Dunedin ; but it has always resulted in the same thing—the Government disregard the re-elution, and excuse themselves when questions are asked by saying there is no convenience in those places for the Parliament. It would cost' at least £IOO,OOO extra to give accommodation and remove bocks, papers, printing office, &o. - The Railway Construction Bill came on for consideration in committee in the Legislative Council last night. After a long discussion on the second clause, the committee proceeded to discuss tlie third at equal length, and ultimately the provisos moved by Sir X). Bell, were carried. These provisos, it will be seen, put the break on the Government to some purpose. It is therein stipulated that no line shall be proceeded with until surveys and details arc laid before Parliament. The discussion at times wax- cl warm, and interested motives wore hinted at, which were repudiated with emphasis by the gentlemen alluded to. Mr. Buckley carried an amendment of the fifth clause, which does not seem to be consequential, and the same honorable gentleman made an effort to have the Wellington-Foxtou line struck out of the schedule. This drew on another protracted discussion, and a motion to report progress was made, which was carried. The schedules therefore remain to be considered. In reference to the petition of Messrs. Holt and McCarthy, the chairman of the Public Petitions Committee brought up the following report yesterday :—“ Xam directed to report that the committee is of opinion that, with reference to the Press or Press Agencies, no such monopoly should be granted ; and that all newspapers, whether evening or morning papers, and Press Agencies in the colony, should be placed, with regard to the telegraph, on an equal footing, and therefore recommend the prayer of the petition embodied iu section 3 to the favorable consideration of the House.” The prayer of the petition was for equal rights with all other persons in connection with the telegraph wires. Mr. Chaplin closed his season at the Imperial Opera House last night. The performance consisted of a double bill, including three acts from “ Hamlet ” and the trial scene from the •• Merchant of Venice.” The entertainment, as on previous occasions, passed off with the greatest dclat, w The performance at Barton’s Circus last night was under the patronage and in the presence of his Excellency the Governor and su ts. The whole theatre was filled, and the different feats were loudly applauded. Owing to the successful season of the troupe, it is the intention of Mr. Burton to pay Wellington another visit at a future date, when some fresh novelties will be introduced. This afternoon there will be a performance for children and families. The troupe leave by the steamer Rotorna f»r Christchurch on Friday, We are requested to draw attention to the winning numbers in the Wellington Working Men’s Club Art Union, published in onr advertising columns. The Mayor presided at the drawing, and, as will be seen, certifies that everything ha» been done correctly. Mr. Oransfield entered all the prize numbers as they were drawn, so that there can be no doubt whatever as to the correctness of the uurabers as published. The prizes will be given away from 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Saturday next, at the club. A preliminary inquiry, touching the stranding of the btrqus Felixstowe was held before the Collector of Customs yesterday. The only witness examined was W. Taylor, the second mate. A report of Ids evidence will be found iu our shipping column. The magisterial inquiry will take place to-day. The Sydney Morning Herald, iu speaking of Mdlle Charbonnet’s first concert, gives higti praise to her musical talent; it says : —“ It is a Ion" time since wo have listened to a better concert. Mdle. Charbonnet’s stylo of pianoforte playing belougs to the best school; her touch is free and brilliant, but firm and decisive.” Her selections included three distinct schools—Chopio, Lizt, and Hummel, and she was equally good in each. Notice has been received that the communication on the Port Darwin cable has boon partly restored. It is expected to be right shortly. It is said to be interrupted beyond Batavia. The Western Australia line is also interrupted beyond Port Agustiv. diaries Schmidt was committed for trial yesterday at the Resident Magistrate’s Court for stealing £2OO, the property of Mr. Robert Cooper. The prisoner was admitted to bail iu two sureties of £IOO each. An accident occurred in Taranaki-streot yesterday morning. A horse iu a milk-cart booamo restive when the tram-cars wore passing, and hacked the cart against the e -gine, and the cart was pf course capsized. Unfortunately the man who was driving fell with the cart in such a position that the wheel passed over his body, but wo belivo that no serious injury was done to him. Wo extract the following items from the Sydney Morning Herald :—Condon, October 21st. The report iu reference to the Bank gives an estimated loss of £6,191,000, including the capital reserve fund. The examiners show that the accounts have been falsified, securities entered at fictitious values ; bad debts treated as good assets ; gold, covering excessive note issues, squandered, and the Government deceived by false returns, and the shareholders by cooked balance - sheets. Among the coUmJaj securities pledged are lands at Poverty bay (New Zealand),,New South Wales, and Queensland.—A serious panic exists in the building societies of Manchester, Crowds arc besoiging the various offices,

Mr. Sheehan announced in the Hoine yesterday that the petty native.diatu biuca at Waiapu was over, and that the qutrrel, which was confined to about a score or Maoris, was likely to be peaceably settled. Amongst recent arrivals we notice the name of DE W. IC. Collins, a Bachelor in Medicine of the University of London, who has. we are informed, determined upon practising hia profession in Wellington. Dr. Collins at present may be consulted at Mr. B .fraud’s, Lambtonquay. We are requested to state that the number of passengers carried on the tramway during the past week has been incorrectly given by several of our contemporaries, the exact figures being 14,632, and not 14,032 as published. This number of passengers mast be considered a very satisfactory total, and a further proof of* how great a source of convenience the cars have proved to the public. The fact that the cars now ruu on Sundays between church hours will tend to increase the passenger returns considerably. The members of St. Paul’s Church choir purpose giving a complimentary concert to Mr. W, Mowbray, upon the occasion of his retering from the office of choirmaster of St. Paul’s Church, a position he his occupied f«>r nearly twenty years, and we have no doubt that Mr. Mowbray’s many friends will support the choir, and that there will be a large attendance. The concert is to take place on Friday next at the Athenaeum, and will be under th „ direction of Mr. Robert Parker, the organist of the church. A meeting of the Wellington Literary Association was held la-*t evening, when a discussion took place on -the proposition “ Would a law embodying the local option principle prove an effective check on intemperance 1” The majority of the members argued iu the affirmative; but several members disapproved of recourse being had to restrictive legislation. Two essays will be read next Tuesday on, the subjects, “ The Stage,” “ Labor, Rost, and Recreation.” We regret to hear that, owing probably to counter attractions, the meeting was somewhat thinly attended. A meeting of old residents of the Thames goldfield was held at the Star Hotel last evening; Mr. Power iu the chair. Mr. James McColl explained that the meeting had been convened for the purpose of considering what steps should be taken iu regard to recognising the service which Mr. Rowe. M.H.R., as one of the representatives of the Thames, bad rendered to the district in every respect. It was decided that the recogniozx should take the form of a dinner to Mr. Kowe. We desire to draw the attention ©f our country renders to the very important sale of pure merino rams and awes, advertised in our columns. The sale is to bo held down at Christchurch on the 13ch of November. The sheep have been selected from some of the very best Australian flocks, as the names of their breeders will show. Messrs. James and W. H. Gibson, of Tasmania, head the list, whose sheep are by the celebrated champion rams Sir Thomas, Sir Thomas 11., and Grandee. Some are from Messrs. Taylor and Toosoy, of Tasmania, and others from the Krcildoua flock, of world-wide reputation. Visitors are requested, to examine the stock the day before the sale, and as the sheep will probably have only about twelve months’ wool on them, they will be iu a good ntato of fleece to pass an opinion on their merits. Messrs. Dalgeiy, Nicholls, and Co., deserve the thanks and the patronage of sbeepowners throughout the colony for their enterprising importation ot first class blood stock. In another column will bo found a notice respecting the allotment of the balance of unallotted shares in the Wellington City Tramways Company. Applications for shares will be received at the following rates For any less number than 50, at a premium of 2s. 6d.; over 50 and up to 100 shares, at a premium of 2s. per share ; over 100 shares, at Is, premium per share. Applications will bo received during the next fortnight at the above rates. The Auckland correspondent of the N. Z, Sun speaks in very high terms of the Kelly and Leon’s Burlesque Opera Company, He says:—“They are by far the best that have ever been here, or in New Zealand, and they made an impression last night that will be as lasting as time. The sentimental singing is simply perfection, and Leon deserves all that has been said and written about him. . His make-up, gesture, gait, and everything about him, are so like a refined young lady, that you can at once stamp him as the finest female impersonator that has ever been seen on the stage. He has to be seen to be appreciated, and it is very seldom that a man of his ability vitits this side of the glooe, I can assure you that there is a treat in store for the New Zealand public. The dwarf, Japanese Tommy, in the comic acts, is very eccentric, his business being really good, and is a great acquisition to \he company. Mr. Beaumont Read has a beautiful natural alto voice, of great range. Mr. C. S. Fredericks, the first tenor, sang ‘ Speak, only Speak/ in such a manner as to call forth the loud plaudits of the an Hence. Messrs. Win. Ball (bass), J. H. Surridgo (second tenor), and Edwin Kelly (tenor robust©!, are all excellent singers, and have rich voices. On© noticeable feature in the singing is the distinct articulation of the words, and most singers’ chief detect lies in that direction.” We hope our Wellington play-goera may be able to echo so favorable a verdict. We closiro to call the attention of our readers to a very extensive sale to bo hold by Messrs. Betlmne and Co. to-day. at their rooms at tho corner of Brandon and Foatheraton streets. Tho sale is to commence at 2 o’clock. Without passing any o inion upon tliomeiits of the sections of land offered, wo may mention that the list includes town acre No. 350, divided into ten good building allotments with frontages to Austin-strcet and KUico-stroct: town aero 920 on tho Adolaide-road: 214 acros in the Porirua District; some sections in tho Hutfc, Waiwetu. and Dryertown ; a town aero fronting Coromandol-street, ><nd several other town sections. A number of building sites in Feaiherston aro to be put up to auction, and several in Woodvillo In addition to the above a great mmib r of shares will bo sold, including some in the Colonial Bank of New Zealand, Para Para Iron and Coal Company, Standard In suranco Company, and Northern Land and Loan Company, some Government land scrip, and several debentures. Persons having money at their disposal will have a largo choice of investments offered to them at this sale.