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New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5491, 1 November 1878, Page 2

TheHouseof Representatives will re-assemble, at 11 a.m. to-day, and the prorogation .will take place to-morrow. A compromise was last night arrived at between the two branches of the Legislature with reference to the Railways Construction Bill, and the Northern members left immediately afterwards ' for their homes by the •s. a. Hinemoa. The Legislative Council meets to-day at 12 o’clock. At its rising last night the Council formally adjourned till 2 to-day ; but a minute or so after the Speaker had left the chair Colonel .Whitmore returned to the Chamber and informed hon. gentlemen that the House of Representatives met; at :11 o’clock, that a steamer left at 1, and that it was important the Council should meet at noon. It was agreed by those present that they should assemble at that hour, and that steps should be taken to inform other Councillors of the change. ; Return of patients in the Wellington Hospital during and ending the month of October, 1878 Admitted, 2(1 males, 7 females ; discharged, 21 males,, 2 females ; died, 2 males ; left °in hospital, 44 males, 11 females ; total, 65. During a recent debate in the House of Representatives, it was stated by Mr. Joyce that the Press Agency had been started by Sir Julius Yogel. This drew forth an immediate contradiction from the Hon. Mr. Richardson, who stated that the originator of the Now Zealand Press Agency was Mr, 0. 0. Montrose, and that Sir Julius Vogel was very much opposed to the starting of the Agency at the time Mr. Montrose, initiated the enterprise.

The other day we saw several gentlemen called into a Court of law in Wellington to decide upon the meaning of certain sentences written or printed in plain Engish. On Wednesday night Sir George Grey, in speaking of the Opposition, said “ I charge those hon. gentlemen, sir, with having applied the public funds to the advantage of themselves and their friends, with having taken care that the native lands went to their friends, who realised largo fortunes therefrom and when called to order he added : “ Those are ray firm convictions, and I believe I can prove the charges.” This language was naturally objected to by Major Atkinson; but, strange to say, many members thought that these words did not impute personal dishonesty to the late Premier. Experts in the interpretation of Parliamentary English will soon bo required, when distinct charges of corruption are made and the excuse is allowed that they are only to be understood in a “ Parliamentary sense.” Mr. Moorhouae pointed out the weakness of the defence by saying if a newspaper published such words noainst an individual a jury would bo called on to decide what was the meaning of the words. But for the fact that last night people knew they were within the Parliamentary Buildings, they would have interred that a larne educational establishment was on the point of breaking up for the holidays. _ The sittings of the several conferences necessitated short Adjournments, and some hon. members made the time go merrily round in various ways. Those most musically inclined formed themselves into quartette parties in the lobbies, and one patriotic son of Erin started the “ Wearing of the green ” with such gusto that the chorus echoed through the passages, and was' applauded by the strangers in the gallery, to whom the privilege of applauding was an unusual luxury, and they indulged themselves accordingly to the fullest extent. The principal soloist of the night was the hon., member for Dunstan; but it was a matter for regret—and the feeling was general—that Mr. iVlurray and his violin were non cst, and that there was no Mr. Christopher at hand, as of yore, to send for hia lordship’s fiddle. We hear that the Union Fire and Marine Insurance Company has been fortunate enough to acquire the freehold of the ite of their office in Grey-street. Inasmuch as this is oue of the best business sit .atioua in town, wo may congratulate the company on the acquisition, as the°tand is an excellent one, and the property is daily growing more valuable. At the annual meeting of the Caledonian Society last night, the president (Mr. G. Crawford) took the chair. The report of tho receipts and expenditure during the year was handed in as usual. The receipts during the year amounted to £390 Us., which includes a balance in hand at the beginning of the year of £l3 9s. 4d. The expenditure amounted to £304 18s. Gd., leaving a debit balance against the society of £ll4 7s. Gd. Tho report recommended that the new directors should endeavor to introduce as many new members as possible, and urged upon the society to advance its interests °to the utmost of their power. The heaviest item of expenditure was a sum-of £79 upon improvements to the grand stand, which will not recur during the present year. The secretary (Mr. Kerby) gave notice that he would would be unable to place bis services ’ at t’ne disposal of tho society after the present year, and it was resolved that the directors should endeavor to supply his place. At the same time Mr. Kerby was warmly pressed to continue iu office, and he agreed to do so until after the next meeting. Votes of thanks to the retiring officers, and especially to the secretary, were carried unanimously. It was resolved to have a annual dinner iu connection with the society on St. Andrew’s Day, a proposal that was generally approved by the meeting, and at once adopted. The next meeting will take place in about three weeks, or a month's time, when the programme of tho sports will be drawn up and presented. The follow, lag is the list of officers elected;—Now Directors—President, G. Crawford; vice-president, T. Buchanan ; honorary treasurer, Captain Mclntyre. Directors—E. Pearce, G. Hunter, J. Drausfield, K. J. Duncan, T. McKenzie, A. Young, Dr. Diver, G. E Tolhurst, Captain Sellers, G. 11. Pollock, E. W. Mills, Hon. John Martin, J. Sawers, J. H. Bethnue, A. J. McTavish, J. Reid, G. O’Neill, R. Greenfield, T. K. Macdonald. Messrs. McTavish and Sowers wore appointed auditors. At the City Council last night it was resolved that the salaries of the following officers should bo raised ; Mr. Pago (accountant), £25 a year ; Mr. Johnston (Inspector of Nuisances), £25 a year; Mr. Nichols (wharf clerk), £25 a year ;' and Mr. Ohappol (clerk in tho Corporation offices), £l2 10s. a year. Councillor Magiuity spoke iu high terms of the manner iu which the above-named officers had at oil times done their work, and advocated the increase of salary proposed. The usual weekly meeting of tho Young Men’s Wesleyan Mutual Improvement Society was held in the vestry last evening, when two essays on Iho “ Spanish Armada ” were read by members of the society, A good discussion was elicited, and both members were complimented for,their able papers. Next Thursday will bo devoted to extempore speeches. An accident took place iu Bolton-street yesterday, which fortunately did not result iu any serious injury. A cab-driver had got olf Ids box, and was in tho act of locking the wheel, when, his horse took fright and ran away. Tho driver was knocked down and much bruised, but no bones were broken Tho horso and cab proceeded down Moles-worth-street on to Lambtou-quay, but we beard of no further damage being done. Mademoiselle Charbonnot's first performance passed off with groat hclat last night. She quite took the bouse by storm, and her music was very much admired. The -Marchioness of Normanby invited the pianisto into her box and complimented Madamoiselle Charbonnet highly upon her' performance, expressing a wish at tho same time that she might have tho pleasure of meeting her at Christchurch. There was a very full house, and every one seemed satisfied that the high praises that wo have heard of this accomplished artiste’s skill ’wore more than justilio 1 upon this occasion. Wo admire her execution iu tho more brilliaut pieces, but confess that for choice wo prefer to hear her .in tho more simple music, as both her touch and her power of expression arc remarkably good. Wo feel that wo have not by any means dime justice to tho occasion iu this instance, but hope to give a more extended report at a future performance.

Tho guilelesaness and simplicity o£ the Maori miud were beautifully illustrated, says tbu Poverty Bay Standard, iu tiro evidence of an aboriginal lord of tbo soil iu the case Scrimgoour v. Wright and Carter, heard before the Resident Magistrate on 20th October. Tho learned counsel thought he had John Maori in a.corner by asking him “If a rh'ht-of-way existed for some thirty years, why did you not object to Mr. Scrimgoour putting up the fence?” Tho artless witness', replied “Because Judge Ilo“an had told mo that when the land passed through the Court everything thereon would become mine.” Tho countenance of the man of law indicated, that his feelings were unenviable when, his opponent thus throw down both bowora and the ace and euchred him.

The Wairarapa Free Press says that the Featberston railway as yet proves unequal to meeting the "demands of our ..local timber trade with the Empire City!sJVe trust the department are making the necessary arrangements to cope with this difficulty. ' Mr. Burton’s Girons at tho Theatre Royal last night drew a. fairly •> good house. The entertainment Was given with the usual care and finish, many of the feats being loud'y applauded. The horses, are really well trained, and the.entertainment has been well spoken of by all who. have witnessed thv performances. We trust, that the company is_ thoroughly satisfied with the results of their season in Wellington. We believe the attendance has been generally good, in spite of many counter attractions, an I no doubt that the compauy will be held to deserve tho encomiums passed upon it here by those who may next enjoy the pleasure of witnessing it. A special reporter of the Bruce Herald has the following about the late Hoods;—“ I never saw a more pitiable spectacle than Beachstreet next the lake side. Not a building but has been very considerably damaged; in fact the back premises have, in most cases, been carried away. The business residents have all removed to higher ground. The extent of tho damage lias not hitherto been made known by the local Press, or by correspondents. I consider Queenstown has lost much more than Balclutha. The valuators appointed by the Queenstown Corporation estimate the damage to private property hero at £SOOO ; damage to the streets, £IOOO. The following particulars about the Kliyber Pass may be interesting to our readers at the present time; they are taken from “Sir G. Lawrence’s Reminiscences”: —“ The Khyber Xhiss, which the Viceroy of India will now probab'y annex to British India, is a narrow defile, 28 miles long, between lofty, perpendicular hills, the road, during its entire length, passing over rocks and boulders, whith render a speedy advance or retreat of any body of men impossible. Tho heights on either side entirely command tho defile, and are scarped so that they cannot without great difficulty be scaled. They are also perforated with numbers of natural caves, tho secure haunts of the savage robbers who have for ages held possession of the Pass. The crests of the hills are further defended by stone breastworks, called suuglias. A small valley, called GurheeLall Beg, about six miles from the western entrance to the Pass, is the only open spot to be met with during the entire distance.’’ The Globe, a Christchurch paper, gives the following example of quick work at Port Lyttelton. We believe that Wellington cannot equal this rate of despatch ; —“ The time taken by the Waimate in discharging her cargo at the Gladstone wharf, and reloading for her homeward voyage, was exactly a fortnight, the quickest time on record, and a fact which boars creditable testimony to the facilities afforded the ship by the Railway Department, and to the industry of those employed in the work.” The Southland Times has the following paragraph headed “attention.” We suggest a more appropriate— “ Prepare to receive visit irs”:— “The Volunteer,review to be held at Dunedin on tho 9th proximo promises to be of more than ordinary importance, and that it will put tire citizen soldiers upon their mettle. Their effectiveness will be submitted to a o ucial test, inasmuch that no loss important a personage than tire Hon. the Defence Minister, Colonel Whitmore, will be present on the occasion in hia Ministerial capacity. The Colonel is noted as a bit of a martinet. We hope our local forces will take the hint, and drill up to concert pitch beforehand.” The Loudon correspondent of tho Wanganui Chronicle thinks that colonial Governors should bo "sentimental.” This is a novel qualifica-

tioa iu a Governor. We extract the passage ; —“The Duke of Buckingham is to be go- rid of. It ia proposed to send his Grace to Melbourne. If he consents to go, I shall be sorry tor the change. In India the Dnke’s dry wav of regarding facts, and eminently practical mind,"is useful. He is there to originate as well as to rule. Ho is not merely a nominal Governor, but one may say a sovereign. But in Australia his functions will bo mainly ornamental, and the very characteristics which (It him for success in his present work will make the new work more difficult. For a colonial Governor, no doubt a man must have a great deal of practical sagacity ; but to be very successful he should be somewhat sentimental, capable of making a good speech, sympathetic, and proud of his work and the people of whom he is the head. I would rather send Lord f.ytton to Victoria, and make the Duke of Buckingham Viceroy, than turn the Duke away from Madras just now.” A correspondent of the Southland Times sands the following sketch of a large sheep station in New South Wales, owned by the New Zealand and Australian Land Company (Limited); —“ The run iu question is known by the name of Till Till, and is generally regarded as the crack station of the back blocks. It was formed by Mr. Crombie, the present manager. for Mr. Fairbairn, in 1872-3, and sold iu 1875 to the company for £IIO,OOO. The run comprises 000 square miles of country (six tenmile blocks) fenced into twelve paddocks, and carries 100,000 sheep, the feed been principally salt bush. There is no disease among the stock, and consequently very little trouble with them beyond shifting them from one paddock to another, when the feed is eaten down. During shearing.there were 150 men employed on the station; at present the number is reduced to 50. The annual rainfall is about 15 inches (considered a safeguard against selectors); the highest temperature is 120 deg. in the shade, and the lowest say 28deg. Since the property came into the hands of the present owners, a large sum of money has been expended on improvements, and Till Till is now far ahead of any station in the neighborhood, although the others are of much longer standing. There is every reason to believe that the company will find the property a very profitable one.” An American paper has the following strange story ; —At the end of last month a man of the name of Burleigh—with opinions, it would seem, somewhat similar to those of Bradlaugh —was giving lectures in Illinois, 11. S. One day bo published “ a card,” informing his fellow-citizens that since they had a fondness for tragedy he had resolved to indulge them. He undertook to deliver a lecture in Thornton Hall, at tlio conclusion of which lie would gratify the audiouco by blowing his brains out, and “ secure for himself eternal poaco by annihilation.” And the first part, at least, of this programme lie accomplished. After the delivery of an infidel lecture to a crowded audience, lie suddenly drew a Derringer, placed it to his forehead, and shot himself. The proceeds of tho lecture ho had arranged should defray his funeral expenses, and tho residue he spent in tho works of Huxley, Tyndall, and Darwin for tho town library. Wo have received a notice of the new daily paper to bo started at Mastorton, which runs as follows ;—“ On and after Monday, November 4. we shall publish the first daily paper which has yot boon issued iu tho Wairarapa. Tho name of tho now journal (with which is incorporated tho Wairarapa Free Press) will bo tho Wairarajpa Daily." Tho circular concludes with tho following lines, which we cornmonk to our readers “Wo roly on tho cordial co-operation of all clas-ms in the community for our success, and will do all iu our power to merit tho confidence wo solicit.” Wo wish tho undertaking every success, and hope that Mr. Payton may reap his reward. ■ Tho Thames goldfield is in a had way; and, as a local journal observes, wants “lilting up.” It has pnly been at rare intervals that tho Thames has not wanted “lifting up,” but thou it bus done so much to elevate people and things in general that residents think they deserve lifting up in turn. Tho immediate cause of trouble now is tho prospect of a stoppage of tho pumps on which tho principal mines depend for drainage. Tho County Council undertook to keep, tho Pumping Association going till February next, but then the pumps will almost certainly stop unless assistance is obtained in tho meantime. Tho Waici-ICaraka Association is in a still worse position. It has been engaged carrying out* heavy prospecting works without any subsidy, and tho costliness of the undertaking, combined witli tho poorness of tbe immediate results, has rendered it impossible.to continue these works. The eonsoque-neo of a otoppage would bo di.ast.roua to tho Thames, yet it ia a nice question how, far a Government ia justified ia subsidising directly any mining operation carried out' by a company simply as a business speculation. Tile Fecnhuj Star, after a leadin'' article, from which we extract the above passage, says that tho Thames must look to tho opening up of tho magnificent land up the Thames River for permanent prosperity. Wo notice that tho Wairarapa Free Press contains the following notice of a sale at Tenui:—Messrs. lorns and Ferguson sell at Teuui on November 15, 300 head of cattle, 0000 feet of timber, 2 teams bullocks, bullock drays, horses, &o. As wo believe that this is the first sale of this description iu the Castlopoint district, wo draw, attention to it as iudiI eating a stop forward in tho march of progress I aud settlement in tho country districts.

lu connection with the Hutt County elections, a meeting of tho electors of tho KaroriMakara riding was . convened .by Messrs. Graham and Finn! more yesterday. Tho meeting was held at the sohonlhnuso, Makara, and Dir. Eiuulmore addressed.the electors at some length, confining himself chieliy to local matters. ■,

The Ranyitikei Advocate is responsible for tire following specimen of high life below stairs':—“The Mona .vatu County Council are a very particular body. At a recent meeting t vo petitions were ruled ioformal because tire words, ‘ and your petitioners will ever pray,’ were not appended thereto. This is surely like splitting hairs.” We desire to draw the attention of our readers to Mr. It. J. Duncan’s sale of property in Newton, which takes place to day. The proposed extension of the tramway will place this suburb of Wellington within easy reach of town, as a few minutes’ ride will then enable persons rositlinc there to reach any place of business in trio city. Wo expect, therefore, that t'-e sections advertised in our columns will provoke considerable competition. In addition to the above property, Mr. Duncan 'will odor a number of country sections. A considerable farm near Featherston. and some sections at Foxton, are tho most important blocks specified.