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New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5500, 12 November 1878, Page 2

The business of the half-yearly sittings of the Court of Appeal was to have commenced yesterday, but it was not proceeded with on account of the lay being a general holiday. As yesterday was the date fixed for the opening of the Court, the sitting at eleven o’clock was merely a formal one. The Judges who took their seats on the bench were their Honors the Chief Justice, Mr. Justice Gillies, and Mr. Justice Williams. There were no members of the Bar at the table, and the only persons present were the Registrar, the Judges’ associates, and the representatives of the morning papers. The Court adjourned until this day, at eleven a.m.

We are glad to hear that his Honor Mr. Justice Richmond has so far recovered as to be able to leave his room, and that in all probabfiity his Honor will be able to take his seat on the bench during tho present sitting of the Court of Appeal. His Honor Mr. Justice Johnston is expected to arrive from the South to-day. As will be seen by the law notices elsewhere, there will be a sitting in banco at 11 a.m. to-morrow, when judgments will bo delivered in three cases. Dr. Diver was the presiding justice at the Resident Magistrate’s Court yesterday. The charge sheer, was a very light one, the offences being drunkenness and an attempt to commit suicide. The person charged with drunkenness was fined 205,, and the case against Mrs. Jacobs, for attempting to poison herself, was adjourned until this morning. One of tho Corporation water carters yesterday had an accident with a water-plug in Cuba-street. He was filling bis cart when the tram passed alocg, and as the horse appeared timid, he sought to lead it a little way off the road. -Unfortunately the horse swerved slightly, and the wheel of the cart was brought into contact with the standpipe, the result being that some part of the plug was broken and a considerable quantity of water was wasted. A little boy about throe years old, and neatly dressed, was picked up by a constable in Willis-street last night and brought to tho station. Ho had evidently got astray from his parents. Bator in the evening, Mr. Richards, of Taranaki-street, called and claimed the child as his. During his detention at the police station the lad was well cared for by the constables. The Theatre Royal was packed to suffocation in every part last night, when the same programme as that submitted on Saturday vvas gone through with great satisfaction to tho audience, who applauded most of the items in tho heartiest manner. A cricket match was played at Newtown yesterday between the Telegraph and Wanderers Cricket Clubs, aud resulted in a victory for the Telegraph by one innings and one run. Those who ran into double figures were—tor the Telegraph : MoGirr, 16 ; Crowther, 14 ; Astill, 12 ; .Willis, 10. For the Wanderers: Morrah, 11; Lockie, 14. In the first innings tho Wanderers scored 35 and iu the second 45. Telegraph first innings, 81. The ground was in very had con lition, making it almost impossible to field well. The meeting ot the Equitable Building and investment Society advertised for Monday evening has been postponed until to-night at 8 p.m. We hear that the poison taken by Mrs Jacobs was erroneously stated to be red lead’ Sugar of lead was the substance taken by tbo would-be suicide. There was a fair attendance at the Opera House last evening, when Madame Tasca gave her second recital. Tho programme was the same as that which she so brilliantly rendered on Saturday evening, and tho hearty applause which followed each effort showed bow thoroughly her great abilities werq appreciated. The programme for to-morrow night will bo dn entirely new one. The Maori baka which took place at the Princess Theatre last night was a groat success.

The streets were kept well watero-i yesterday, an arrangement upon which the city authorities are to be congratulated. Mr. Dratisflehl will give an exposition of his views on municipal matters at. the Athonreum Hall, at half-past eight o’clock, this evening There will no doubt be a large muster of ratepayers on the occasion. The Otago Daily Times saya that on Monday night last week a second exhibition of Siemcn’n electric light took place, tha light being placed in position on the Bell Tower. The apparatus worked with more success than on Saturday night, when it suffered from being hastily put together. The only breaks in the light were those caused by the driving belt of the engine getting loose. The reflector was turned in various directions over the town, and the effect, when a particular locality was hurriedly lit up was often startling to those who had not been aware or the intention to exhibit the light The r.-fleotor being turned towards Mornington, people passing up and down Breakneck Kill, Oanongate, were to be seen quite as plainly as tbo-e passing along one side of ITinc. s-strect in the full glare of the shop lights at night are seen from the opposite foot path. The maimer in which extensive blocks of buildings were lit up was sufficient to raise the query whether one such light on each of the four corners of the tower would not more efficiently illuminate the city, within a radius of say half-a-mile, than all the gas lamps at present in use. Tho last number of the Telegraphic Journal shows that tho telegraph officials of the Post Office have succeeded in applying the duplex method to the Wheatstone automatic instruments, the practicability and importance of which was pointed out in an article on “ Telegraphic Progress” in The Times of 22nd November last. The trial would appear to have been made at the recent Epsom race meeting, when there were of course a gre&t many telegrams of all kinds to be received and despatched; and it is stated that in one hour 219 messages were sent in one direction, and 139 in the other—3sß in all; more could have been sent in the latter case had there been more to s-ml; and from this it would seem not unreasonable to hope that the speed of the Wheatstone system may one day reach, or even exceed, 400 messages an hour. The messages are said to have been of the ordinary land, and of the ordinary length, and the number transmitted is believed to have been the largest ever sent on one wire in the same time.

A writer in Mayfair says :—I understand that Sir Stafford N orthoote has had it suggested to him by a “ financial adviser ” that if next session he find it necessary to impose any new taxes, he ought to increase the duty mi tobacco, and impose a stamp duty on photo-, graphs. This Litter tax ought not to be unpopular, and it cannot fail to be remunerative. Nobody will sympathise with the grievance of the cad if, when he buys a carte of Mrs. Langtry, or Mrs. Cornwallis West, in order that he and his friends may gloat over these fashionable beauties, he is mulct for the benefit of the State. A tax on photographs is, to a great extent, a tax on vanity and snobbery, and for fiscal purposes these foibles are surely fair game.

The following particulars respecting landed estates in Great Britain are somewhat surprising : —Five men own one-fourth of Scotland. One duke owns 96,000 acres in Derbyshire, besides vast estates in other parts of England and Ireland. Another, with estates all over the United Kingdom, has 40,000 acres in Sussex and 300,000 acres in Scotland. This nobleman’s park is 15 miles in circumference. Another duke has estates which the high road divides f n- 23 miles. A marquis there is who can ride 100 miles upon his own land. There is a duke who owns almost an entire county stretching from sea to sea. An earl draws £200,000 yearly from his estates in Lancashire. A duko regularly. invests £BO,OOO a year in buying up laud adjoining his already enormous estates. A marquis enjoys a million a year from land. The income from land de rived by one duoal family is £600,000, which is increasing every year by the falling in of leases. One hundred and fifty persons own half of England, 75 persons own half of Scotland, 35 own half of Ireland, and all the lands of England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland are owned by less than 60,000 persons.” Mr. John Hollingshead, of the Gaiety Theatre, has written another letter on the subject of electric light, in which he says;—“lf there was any obscurity in my letter as to the cost of the electric light, let me clear it up at once. As I am instructed the electric light can be produced on a large scale at half the cost of gas. The advantages of the electric light, as stated by Mr. Stayton, a competent and disinterested expert, arc these:—Tho lieht is vastly superior ho gas, and not injurious; there is an absence of noxious smells, both in the production and combustion; and heat in a room, so often unbearable in the case of gas, is scarcely felt; tho most delicate colors are preserved; air is not consumed, ns in the case of gas; there is no chance whatever of explosion; and, although the light is so powerful in' tho streets, no accidents to horses have occurred. Because it is known that it produces no heat, I have had several applications for the ‘ Lonten light’ from Sydney, Turkey, and other hot climates, and because it is known that it has no explosive or inflammatory quality, I have had an application for it from a line of American steamers.” The Olutha Times has the following about the new danger that threatens the town of Balolutha :—“ Nona too soon have the people of Balolutha bestirred themselves to consider what must be done to avert the additional evil which threatens to follow in the wake of the late floods, namely, the destruction of our shores by the wash of the rapid fiver Molyneux. It has come to be recognised, now that there is time for calm reflection, that enormous as was the disaster of the flood, considered by itself, yet “ worse remains behind ” as a consequence or partial consequence of that eventful occurrence. Now we have to turn from thoughts of the misfortunes that have befallen us, and devote our attention to another difficulty, with which it is absolutely necessary to grapple in real earnest. With regard to what must he done in these circumstances, it has been suggested by persons supposed to be competent of forming an opinion (hat an excell-nt mode of diverting the water is that of simply anchoring trees along tho banks ; and in addition to tho testimony of these authorities we have the practical experience of others who have adopted this course with success elsewhere. At the meeting of residents oh Saturday, it was resolved to apply the teat, and with this object Mr. Rennert was appointed to collect subscriptions on behalf of the work.” Tho Qcdonj Advertiser says:—“A marriage in haste was celebrated the other day, and the happy couple did not know each other’s names until they arrived at the altar. It appears that a widower residing a short distance from town went to one of the registry ollices for the purpose of hiring a housekeeper. He fell in love at first sight with one who promised to attend to his want-, and the pair inarched off to tho church, whore the nuptial knot was tied. A laughable scene, however, followed, when the clergyman gently reminded tho bridegroom that the fee of £7 had to be paid. Tho demand was considered excessive, the bridegroom remarking that ha had that morning given exactly £7 for a good milch cow, and he wasn’t disposed to pay that sum for tlie light work of declaring man and woman husband and wife. The bridegroom reminded the rev. gentleman that the ceremony had been performed, so that there was no necessity for a fee being required afterwards. This was not held to he a good excuse, and tho newly married one promised to pay the fee by instalments.” A correspondent, writing from the Paris Exposition to the San Eraucisco Mining and Scientific Press, says ;— I have recently witnessed tho operation of a newly-invented handpower rock drill. It may bo worked by two men with a pressure of 80 pounds per square inch, on the top of the cylinder, and a proportionate dead blow of 20 pounds per square inch. It is admirably adapted for tunnel drilling, where tho expense of the steam drill cannot be afforded. It is worked by a crank force being applied to the drills by a system of cams. All old Californian expert in rook mining in two minutes drilled with this machinery a hole two and one-half inches in depth in a block of hard granite. Tho invention promises to be of a remarkably valuable character for various purposes. Referring to tho cost of the water supply in Wellington, tho following statistics from Victoria may he of interest I The cash statement and balance-sheet of the Yean Yean water supply for the year ending 30th June, 1878, was recently presented to tho Victorian Assembly. The revenue received from waterrates for the year was £35,327 19s. Bd. The departmental expenses amounted to £9531, the construction account to £20,799, the maintenance account to £4572, and tho stock account, purchase of pipes, lead, &0., £63,666. Tho amount expended on construction of works to date is £1,461,029 ; the amount of revenue received from water supply to date, £1,353,021.

Au American paper says;—‘‘The llu-mau iron corvette 'which is now being built alL’hiladelphia is nearly framed, and the work i« being pushed forward very rapidly.’ The Wanganui Herald says ;—Now tha' ‘he worthy represe natives of the people h w returned to their homes to enjoy tho rust do aiml them in Wellington, it may bo in well t.. .[ nice back at the session and see the result,f their labors. Tney met on 61 days for a average of seven hours per day, 380 hours lie ing spent before midnight and 70 after thai hour. 113 Acts passed through both Houses represent the labors of the session. Most of these are those known as “ Private Bills.” The Wuirarapa Mail says:—There is little doubt that both in Dunedin and Auckland there is a strong feeling in favor of insular separation. During the recent session a prominent Otago .member stated that there would be no good Government in New Zoa laud till each island hat the management, o its own affairs. It is true that the phra-m insular separation L seldom used. Those opnosed to the unity of tha colony speak of t.rlarge provinces, one for the North and one for the South Island, with a Federal Parliament, to meet once every two or three years in Wellington. It must not, be forgotten that there are four members of tho present Ministry who up to their accession to office were ardent separationists, and ’ Sir George Grey and Messrs. Macaudrew, Steohan, and Stout have not yet by any public utterance renounced their former political creed. The serious danger caused by the floods to Balclutha is set forth in plain words by the Otago Witness as fellows :—“ As showing the necessity which exists for protective measures : iii connection with the river bank above Bill clutha, it may he stated that the river U now within lens than 300 yards of the street which mas behind the Crown. Hotel Oharluttestreet. Continued encroachment does not mean the cutting of a new channel above the town, which would thu* be left an inland. It means the total washing away, if not of th.-. whole of Balclutha, at least of all the business portion, of it. As has often been said, with every fresh inroad after a flood, the rate of encroachment increases as the current gets a stronger set upon the land, and as a yard a day is not perhaps a very excessive computation of the rate, it will be seen that a very long time is not likely to elapse before things will wear a serious look. Indeed, so great.!*, tho danger that it is questionable how far either the Government or the local corporation will be justified iu expending much money upon public works unless measures are previously taken to avert tho mischief. The townspeople appear to be so much in earned that they are subscribing a sum for the pur pose, and surely if they do so, they will have a claim for a subsidy from some public fund.” An exchange says;—lnstructions have been issued by tho Government, for the survey, with ;i view to its being opened for settlement, of a block of 9400 acres on run 228 (Messrs. Ddgoty, Nichols, and Co.’s), St. Bathaus. This is one of the blocks petitioned for a short time ago.

It is rather hard, says' “ Atticus ” in the Leader, on jurors who cannot come to a decision on tho merits of a case they have to try to be not only locked up all night, but to be told—as some gentlemen were a few days ago —tho next morning by the Judge that he is surprised they could not arrive at a verdict, and that in consequence of juries being unable to agree there have been many miscarriages of justice of late. Locking juries up is at best but a barbarous plan for endeavoring to secure unanimity. Tho Judges themselves disagree, and give their reasons for doing so at full length, but no one thinks of locking them up The Press disagree, the public disagree, members of Parliament, the two Houses of Legislature, the clergy of all denominations, and to come home to domestic life, every married couple disagree/- without fear of being locked up all night and lectured in the morning. We have very often seen criminals who richly deserve punishment, bub who escape with greater impunity than the twelve unfortunate men whose only crime was that they were jurors who couldn't see things with the same eyes as the learned Judge. The Tasmanian Mail says :—Great competition is threatened at present in the woolbroking and buying trades of Melbourne and Sydney. It is admitted that, hitherto, Melbourne has been the better market of the two, but the great supply of wool iu it represented c'ipa in the Biveriua district of New South Wales, and there comes into operation the difficulty of the Border Customs duty to mar the progress in the trade. That wool can be sent to Sydney without such a charge being paid, and the cheapness of packing wools by day fo-than coraneusates for the lighter carri iga by the train.