Untitled

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5529, 16 December 1878, Page 2

In our Friday’s issue we published the Colonial Secretary’s reply to Mr. Barton’s charges against tho Judges, Wo have since received a printed copy of Mr. Barton’s letter specifying the charges, which was accidentally delayed. We desire to express our thanks to the department for supplying tho information contained in tho above correspondence. The two public meetings—one with regard to the railway terminus and tho other to consider the anti-Chinese immigration question—will be held at the Athemoum Hall to-morrow night. There will be a special mooting of the Hutt County Council to-morrow, to receive tho report of tho engineer with regard to the damage done to the Great North-Western-road by the recent floods and landslips.

Mr. arid Mrs. George Darrell, accompanied by Mr. Sana Edwards, agent, arrived in Weilington on Saturday lost. They will appear with Mr. George Kignold and company at tho Imperial Opera House on an early date.

There will bo a meeting of the Board of Governors of the Wellington College to-day. It is stated that Mr, Waugh, lately chief engineer of the Arawata, lias become insane, and has been placed in the Yarra Bend Asylum.

Miss Amy Sherwin is announced to appear at the Theatre Royal for a short season, commencing to-morrow. The programme for the opening night will be found elsewhere. At a meeting of the committee of the Wellington Working Men’s Club Mr. Charles Hendry was appointed secretary. There were seventeen applications for the post. The following correction of the list of the awards at the Paris Exhibition to New Zealand is published in the European Mail ;—“ New Zealand.—The Government a silver medal instead of two diplomas of honor. J. W. Knorpp a bronze medal.”

One hundred tall men as supernumeraries are wanted for the representation of “Henry V.” at the Imperial Opera House, under the Rignold-cum-Darrell management. Applications will be received at the stage door at noon tomorrow.

The fire-escape sheet belonging to the fire brigade was experimented upon very successfully at the Occidental Hotel on Saturday evening last. Several persons jumped out of the windows on each floor, and were caught by those who held the sheet underneath in a most efficient and satisfactory manner. The quarterly general meeting of the Wellington Typographical Association was held in the Athenmum Hall on Saturday evening last, about 100 members being present. The balancesheet showed the society to be in a flourishing condition. The following officers were elected for the ensuing. half year :—President, Mr. J. Everitt; vice-president, Mr. D. Archibald; secretary, Mr. Jas. Grant; treasurer, Mr. J. Innes; auditors, Messrs. Tattle and Gallagher ; board of management, Messrs. McGirr, D. Fisher, McNeil, Keogh, and W. Nation, sen.

There will be published next month a revised edition of a work which has already proved eminently useful to lawyers and others. A new and revised edition to the “ Index to the Laws of New Zealand ” is the more needed just now inasmuch as the Statute-book has been purged, by the passing of the Repeals Act, of a crowd of useless and obsolete measures, and the work under notice will show clearly the Acts which are left. The “ Index,” which is brought up to date, and arranged in a tabulated form, alphabetically, according to the subject matter, includes all cognate provincial laws remaining in force. This new edition, like those which have preceeded it, has been prepared by Mr. John Cumin, law draughtsman to the Government, which is a sufficient guarantee that the work has received the necessary care. In connection with this matter it may be asked would it not be well to apply the same sifting process to the Provincial Ordinances as has been done already with the Acts of the General Assembly? The work is being printed at the Times office, and would have made its appearance somewhat earlier but for the “ Wellington Almanack ” being in hand at the same office. The Juries Act Amendment Act, 1878, makes some alterations in the method of drawing special juries in criminal cases, and provides that in civil actions in the Supreme Court, when a party is entitled to a special jury, such jury may consist of four men, if it is so agreed by both parties at the time of settling the issues. If there is no such agreement the number is to be twelve as heretofore. Special jurors in civil cases are to be paid one pound each in respect of the first day’s service, and ten shillings each for each subsequent day. Militia officers not on actual service are no longer exempt from serving on juries; and no person qualified as a special juror, and whose name appears on a special jury book, shall be exempt from serving on any petty jury. The last section of the new Act contains the following provision :—“ In making out the common jury book the sheriff shall cause to be copied therein the name of every person contained in the several jury lists for the district, and every such person shall be liable to serve on any common jury.” As all the grand jurors are taken from the jury book, it becomes a question whether, when not summoned as grand jurors, they are liable to servo as petty jurors. The people of this city should not omit to attend the lecture on “ The Flowery Land, China and the Chinese,” to be delivered this evening by the Rev. Dr, Roseby, of Dunedin, in St. John’s Church, Willis-street, at 8 o’clock. The lecture is in aid of the library of the Young Men’s Christian Association. The question of the “Chinese” is now agitating the mind of the public to a great extent, therefore the subject of to-night’s lecture will „be highly valuable. The report of Mr. Darrell, the engineer to the Waiohine River Board, contains a long list of repairs and additional protective works required to render the desired security of Greytown certain. A certain amount of labor is required, and is not readily obtainable. On this subject the report says ;—“I beg respectfully to call your attention to the current rate of wages in the Wairarapa at the present time. I cannot get any men to stop on the river. I have had several different men this mouth, but none of them will stop. X think if you could rise the men’s wages Is. per day it would be a great inducement. It puts me to a great deal of inconvenience in having to get new hands so many times." We have been favored with a copy of the “Newcastle Directory and Almanac,” a publication that seems to be carefully got up, and which contains a quantity of useful and varied information. From it wo learn that next to Victoria, New Zealand is the best customer for Newcastle coal, the figures being Victoria 274,000 tons ; New Zealand, 149,000 tons ; South Australia, 80,000 tons. The New Zealand trade has increased from 86,000 tons in 1868 up to the present figure. The export to South Australia is decreasing in quantity. The total export from Newcastle is 781,000 tons. A complimentary address was presented to Mr. L. T. Stead, one of the oldest members of the Wellington Working Men’s Club, who is about to leave Wellington on a visit to the old country. We hear that the above-named genitlemau will probably proceed via Melbourne shortly. There was a pleasant gathering of members in honor of the occasion, when the president took the chair, and a highly complimentary speech was addressed to Mr. Stead, thanking him for his past exertions on behalf of the club. Mr. Stead replied in suitable terms, and promised that ho would endeavor to advance the interests of working men’s clubs wherever he might be, as. he thoroughly believed in the beneficial influence of such institutions, and was a hearty advocate of their general introduction, Mr. Henry Varley delivered an address at the Imperial Opera House last night. The house was crowded in every part, and Mr. Varley’s discourse lasted for an hour and a half, the attention of the audience being rivetted the whele of the time. Mr. Varley spoke on a variety of subjects, the principal feature of his discourse having reference to the second coming of Christ, which ho believed was closer at hand than most Christians believed, and he therefore exhorted his hearers to be prepared for that great event. Mr. Varley intimated (that he would be in Wellington only a few days longer, as ho intended to leave for England in February next, and he had to visit other parts of the colony prior to his departure. He trusted, therefore, that as many people as possible would come to hear him during his stay in this city. On Saturday evening a rather novel line was struck out by the management of the Imperial Opera House, the well-known temperance play “ The Bottle ” being produced. This is a thorough favorite with amateurs, especially young temperance people, and perhaps no other play has been murdered more frequently or more barbaoursly ; but for all that it is really a good drama. It contains so much of everyday life that the simplest can grasp the whole plan and purpose of the author, the incidents are so varied that an hour or so of genuine amusement is afforded, and if at the fall of the curtain the whole of the audience do not mentally resolve, as Richard Thornly often did, to touch the bottle “ no more,” a man cannot be the worse for seeing the play, and perchance may be a good deal the better. The large number of characters who have to appear afforded an excellent opportunity for the display of the numerical strength of the Hoskins troupe (the names of some 25 Indies and gentlemen figuring on the programme), and the principal characters wore very ably sustained. Mr. Walton’s Richard Thornly was a very careful performance, as showing the successive stops taken by a man on |tho down-hill path, and Miss Tilly Andrews was equally good as Thoruly’s wife. The other characters were well sustained, but Mr. Walter Hill deserves a special word of praise for having made so good a character of Goodies. Ho was extremely funny, and more than once was honored with a call. The burlesque of “Aladdin” followed, and ran off very smoothly, '

The adjourned licensing meeting takes place to-morrow, when the question relating to extra bars will be decided.

At the Resident Magistrate’s Court, on Saturday, Joseph Bush was fined 20s. and costs for assaulting Hannah Box, or in default ordered to go to gaol for a week, with hard labor. The same defendant was fined 10s., or 48 hours’ hard labor, for being drunk and using obscene language. “ Under the Gaslight,” a sensational drama with which playgoers are familiar, was produced at the Theatre Royal on Saturday night last, to a moderate house. The piece went remarkably well, mostly all the parts being creditably filled. The scenery and mechanism were all that could be desired, and the sensation scenes were well presented to the audience, whose applause was frequent and hearty. This evening Mr. and Mrs. Bates will appear for positively the last time in Wellington, the former taking his farewell benefit. Mr. Bates has announced a capital bill of fare for the occasion, the curtain rising to “ Ingomar,” which has not been played in Wellington for a very long time past. The afterpiece is “ Toodles,” in which Mr. Bates is intensely amusing in the title rdle, his assumption of the part being quite a masterpiece of acting. It is to be hoped that Mr. Bates’ numerous friends will muster in full force, and that when the curtain rises the Uneficiaire will have the gratification of beholding a house filled from floor to ceiling. The Church of England body is about to attempt to organise a general Church fund for the diocese of Wellington, for the following purposes : —(<t.) To provide adequate stipends for such a body of clergy as is demanded for the spiritual oversight of all the Church people within the diocese. (5.) To build all requisite churches, parsonages, and schools, (c.) To train young men tor the work of the ministry." The population of the diocese has for some years been rapidly outgrowing the provision made for the supply of their spiritual wants. Very much zeal and liberality has indeed been already displayed in the promotion of Church work, as is shown by the statistics of the past year, the total revenue, derived chiefly from offertories and pew rents, &c., having , been upwards of £BOOO. But with all this, there remains the fact that there are not fewer than nine important districts, viz., Porirua, Foxton, Palmerston, Feilding, Bulls and Sandon, Hawera, Waverley, Waitotara, and Featherston, where the services of a resident clergyman are urgently demanded, and most of these places are in need of church or parsonage, or both. The district of Feilding, which, as yet barely three years old, has now a settled population of over 2000 souls, may be taken as a fair example of the way in which work is being thrown upon the Church by the material progress of the country. Some of these districts enjoy occasional visits from a clergyman, but most of them, save for the Bishop’s periodical visitations and the invaluable services of lay readers, are quite unoared for. Besides these, there are many smaller places and parts of the diocese remote from centres of popnlation that could only be reached by the employment of one or more missionary clergymen. There are, moreover, five or six of the existing parishes, where, as in the case of St. Paul’s, Thorndon, an assistant curate might with great advantage be employed. Altogether it is estimated that, if the Church is to fulfil her mission at all efficiently, not less than twelve new clergymen would have to be obtained, and as the supply of ministers from the home country appears to be failing, provision must be made for theological students. The diocese, when fully organised, would require for above-mentioned purposes something like £20,000 a year, but probably half that sum would be sufficient for a time. To meet this the following scheme is put forth ;—“ There is good reason to believe that the Church of this diocese contains over 4000 families, or probably fully 6000 persons who might, if they would, contribute something towards the proposed fund. But say 4090 persons could be induced to give a small weekly subscription, according to some such scale as this :—IOOO subscribing Sd. each, 1000 Is., 1000 25., and 1000 4s. a week, the grand total at the end of the year would be £19,600. For our present needs it would be nearly sufficient if we could obtain half the sum, whether from half the number of subscribers or for the same number at half the above rates. Surely it would imply a great want of faith in the divine mission of our Church, as well as in the sincerity and zeal of our people, to doubt the possibility of success.” The following extracts from an enquiry into the causes of railway accidents will be interesting. The intelligence comes from Oamaru. On the subject of inquiry into railway accidents, to which the local Chamber of Commerce drew his attention, Mr. Macandrew said first:—“As to the question of the public investigation of railway accidents, he was not aware . that there had been so many as the chairman seemed to imply. The most recent was the result of carelessness on the part of a servant of the department, whoso services had been dispensed with.” Subsequently Mr. Conyers came in, when the following conversation took place :—“ Mr. Macandrew then intimated to Mr. Conyers the views of the Chamber on the subject of holding a public inquiry on railway accidents, when Mr. Conyers said that in order to do so they would require a Board of Trade. Mr. Steward said that in the case of shipwrecks a resident magistrate and nautical assessor were all that was necessary to conduct an inquiry, and why should not a magistrate and a railway assesssr be sufficient in this case ? Mr. Conyers : Nautical men are plentiful; good railway men are very scarce. Mr. Steward could not see why Mr. Conyers or his officers could not act in the capacity of assessors. Mr. Conyers said it the public were to take these things into their hands, he would consider himself relieved of all responsibility. It was as impracticable as to try to follow the advice contained in the rider of a coroner’s jury. Mr. Connell read Mr. Conyers’ letter to the Chamber, in answer to the request of that body for a public inquiry. He said that as Mr. Conyers was himself an official, it was not right that he should hold an inquiry. It was very hard sometimes to got the officials to give evidence. Mr. Conyers said he quite agreed that it was difficult to getthe officials to give evidence at a public enquiry, but he would have no trouble. If they hesitated, they know what to expect. Mr Hislop said this was not always a satisfactory way of arriving at a solution of the difficulty. Discharging a servant did not ease the public mind, because it was well known that subordinates were sometimes discharged in order that the mistakes of their superiors might be cloaked. These accidents, if not publicly inquired into, might shake the confidence of many of the public in our railways. Mr, Macandrew said the matter was one which demanded very careful consideration, as as such it should receive their attention. Mr. Connell brought up the subject of the extension of the telegraph hours, and argued in support of their demands. Mr. Macandrew said the matter was one which he knew nothing of. They would probably have an opportunity of seeing Mr. Fisher before he left on the subject.” From a private letter to a gentleman in this city we learn that the ruin caused by the insolvency of the City of Glasgow Bank has been very widespread indeed. Very many private families hitherto in affluence are left penniless, and one gentleman, who has up to the present been accounted almost a millionaire, will probably bo reduced to poverty if the full cost of ,£SOO per share is levied and the unlimited liability of shareholders absolutely insisted upon. Some relief may be expected from the subscriptions now being raised in aid of the sufferers, but the amount required is so large that under any circumstances many persons must be very heavy losers. In another column we publish an exhaustive history of the dealings of the bank during the past three years, and a clear exposition of the enormous liabilities incurred. We are indebted to the European Mail for tho article referred to. The Balclutha section of the railway (says the OltUha Leader), which was destroyed by tho flood, and which has been reconstructed under the supervision of Mr. McMillan, is now almost completed. There was a vast amount of work to be done when the contract was taken up, not the lightest part of which was four chains of bridging, the pile driving having been done by hand labor; but great expedition was used, and Mr. McMillan may be congratulated on the result. To those who have not visited the site it would seem impossible that tho flood could have worked so much mischief. But tho work of reconstruction is nearly completed, and we are safe in saying that the lino will bo ready before Christmas Day. There remains, however, about two miles of the section yet to be completed, that is of plate-laying, and there are two cuttings to go through. It is thought that the work on this portion of the line will not be completed until some time in January, so that through communication by rail with Invercargill can scarcely be looked for till the New Year.

Messrs J H. Bcthuuo and Co. will soil by public auction this day. os advertised, ot tho bonded shod on tho Queen's wharf, at 12 o'clock noon, without reserve, on account of whom it may concern, a quantity of cargo savod from tho wreck of the ship Southminatsr.

On Tuesday morning last (says the Press) Mr. S. 0. Farr conveyed 1300 young trout to Ashburton, for distribution iu the tributaries of the river. Owing to the excellent arrangements for the prevention of oscillation the llsh arrived at their destination without any diminution of their number. A portion of the trout were placed in three different branches of the Ashburton Elver and in two of the Hinds. The society have given 200 young trout to Mr. Martindale, and 300 to Mr. Peach, the former for liberation in the Governor's Bay district, and the latter in the source of the Ashburton River.