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New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5534, 21 December 1878, Page 2

We are informed that the Government wrote on the Hth instant to the Government of New South Wales, to enquire what space would be available for New Zealand at the forthcoming Exhibition to be held at Sydney, No reply has yet been, received.

We hear that the Chamber of Commerce have had a communication from the Board of Trade of the Dominion of Canada, suggesting that delegates from the Chambers of Commerce in all the British colonies should meet in London in the course of next year. All the patients on the Quarantine Island are progressing favorably, with the exception o£ the two already stated. The surgeonsuperintendent has very faint hopes of the poor fellows' recovery.

The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency report :—The wool sale 3 closed firmly on the 17th instaut, and comprised 160,000 bales. 35,000 bales have been held over for future disposal; 85,000 bales have been taken for export. The sales closed at a decline of Id, to ljd. The principal decline has been in lambs, crossbreds, and inferior washed. Scoured has • declined ljd. to 2d. A good many second-hand parcels have been offered during the past sales. A cricket match will be played this afternoon between the United Cricket Club's first eleven and all-corners, at Mrs. Leitch's paddock, Polhill's Gully. The following are the names of the eleven: —Messrs. Sunley, Munt (captain), McGirr, Brown, Keefe, Wylie, Howe, Astell, Crowther, Daly, and Kutchon. Play will commence at 2 p.m. sharp. Thursday's Gazette contains schedules of land taken for public works, a new set of bylaws for New Zealand railways, regulations relating to the Rakaia and Ashburton bridges, an extension of the operation of the Order in Council under the Stamp Fee Act. A number of trustees are appointed under the Maori Eeal Estate Act. Several new polling places are appointed, and the Mayors of the towns of Auckland, Onehunga, Green Island, and North East Valley are gazetted J. P.'s. A number of other appointments are notified, and a quantity of matter .of local interest is included in this issue of the Gazette,

Mr. and Mrs. George Davrell arrived yesterday morning from the North, with the New Zealand contingent of the "Henry V." company. By the Ringarooma, from Melbourne, several o£ the principal artists from the Theatre Royal, Victoria aud New South Wales, arrived also under engagement toMi'.Darrell. The company, with auxiliaries, will number over seventy persons; in addition to which an extended orchestra and chorus have been engaged. The scenery and properties, specially painted and purchased iu London, will be mounted with every regard to historical correctness, and no expense will be spared to render the production the most complete yet witnessed on the New Zealand stage.

The Rev. Dr. Somerville and his son arrived home in Glasgow safely on the 12th of last October. The doctor is well known in Wellington, and his visit to this city will still be fresh in the memories of many of our readers. Ho was met by a large number of friends at Liverpool, and was again heartily welcomed, after his seventeen months absence, by a large gathering at Glasgow, On tho 15th Dr. Somerville addressed a large audience at the United Presbyterian Church, he gave rnany instances of. the kindness which had been shown to him on his journey through New Zealand, and especially while he was laid up with sickness. There was another very good house at the Theatre Royal last night, ■ more particularly upstairs. Tho curtain rose {o the comedy of " Who Speaks First," in which tho Misses Johns, and Messrs. Hydes, Alexander, and Wilkinson took part. We have much pleasure in again testifying, to the talents possessed by Miss Amy Sherwin j indeed we can truthfully say that never before has Wellington been visited by a lady with such highly cultivated vocal powers in one so young, and we predict a grand future for her in. Europe, should she evince the same assiduity in her studies as has distinguished her hitherto. Unfortunately for those present, Miss Sherwin was suffering from a slight cold, and she was consequently not heard to such advantage as usual. The duet "Tanta Gretta," by her and Signor Pompei, was a musical treat. The grand bridge scene from " Somnambula " was on the programme, but Mr. Hydes apologised on behalf of Miss Sherwin, on account of her cold. She, however, very kindly sang, very sweetly and with great taste, the favorite ballad, " Old Robin Grey." The audience were enraptured, aud were most vociferous in their applauso. " Checkmate," a laughable comedy, brought the entertainment to a close, "II Trovatore " will be played to-night.

There is abundant evidence that there is still some heat left in the smouldering ashes of provincialism. A Hawke's Bay paper has the following paragraph, in which it points out that the Thorndon reclamation has revived some of the old-standing grudges and rivalries: —"Provincial animosities and jealousies are as strong to-day as ever. There was a forcible illustration at the end of last session, when by a narrow majority the House of Representatives actually denied the rights of tho Corporation of Wellington to the strip of shallow beaeh fronting tho main portion of the city. It is true that that strip of shallow beach is worth between £300,000 or £400,000 Bterling, but this fact only renders the injustice greater." A Manawatu paper of. the 13th says : " Owing to the condition of the roads on tho Horoluwi side of the hill after tho recent floods, the passengers have to do about nine miles on foot, and the coach has therofore been several hours late each night. The drivers, however, do their best to push through at an early hour, and deserve oredit for the excellent time they make under the present circumstances,"

The acceptances for the Wellington Gold Cup will be found in another column. The Board of Education held a. meeting yesterday, when a large amount of business was disposed of. Bishop Hadfield and family left for Wanganui yesterday, and will be absent from Wellington till July, by which time it is expected the Bishop's new residence will be completed. A meeting of the creditors of John Norval Bell was called for yesterday, but in consequence of the small attendance it was adjourned till to-morrow. Mr. Charles Rossiter Norwood, formerly a Judge in Fiji, was admitted yesterday a barrister and solicitor of the Supreme Court of New Zealand, and it is said intends to practise in Wellington.

In order to do his many patients full justice Dr. Schwarzbach will prolong his stay in Wellington until January 3rd. The doctor will leave then for Europe, via the South, but will return to the colonies after a year's travel in England and on the Continent and settle permanently in Sydney. Since his arrival in Wellington Dr. Schwarzbach has not only been successful in removing or alleviating a large number of complicated diseases of the eye and ear, and performing some most delicate operations, but he has also made many personal friends in addition to those he had here previously. The subjoined paragraph was accidentally omitted from the prize list of the Convent select school examination in yesterday's issue : —The following young ladies were classified accessit, that is, as being almost equal to the prize-takers:—ln the first class— Christian doctrine—lst, Miss Scully ; 2nd, Miss Goulter ; 3rd, Miss Verdon. Dr. Redwood's prize—Miss Jessie Compton. French —Miss Grace. History—lst, Miss Graham ; 2nd, Miss Coker. Grammar—Miss Verdon. Special subjects (botany, globes, astronomy, g-ology, and geography)—lst, Miss Goulter; 2nd, Miss Coker. Captain Fraser, of the Jane Douglas, says there is very little fear but that the ship Hyderabad will ,be successfully launched about Christmas. The tides suit at that time, and if there is sufficient steam power in readiness the task of towing the ship off the beach into deep water will not be a difficult one. Captains Humley and Scott left last evening to hold a survey on the ship on behalf of the owners.

A cricket match will be played on the Basin Reserve this afternoon between the Wanderers and Excelsior clubs. The following are the names of the two teams :—Excelsior— Duncan, Kreeft, Kennedy, Stohr, Hoggard, R. Renner, Mcßeth, Climie, W. Holmes, Brown, and Mansill; emergency, Smith, J. Renner, and Bannister. Wanderers—Speed, Mansford, Mapleston, McDermott, Hickson, Blacklock, A. W. Leckie, R. Leckie, C. France, Hall, and Morrah ; emergency, F. France.

The Taiaroa, with the English mail, arrived yesterday morning between 9 and 10 o'clock. The Wellington portion was made up as follows:—From England—376s letters, 852 books, 10,251 newspapers ; from America—--278 letters, 115 books, and 716 newspapers. The Wanganui portion of the mail was left at Nelson, as a steamer was going direct from there to Wanganui. Including the English, interprovineial, and intercolonial mails no less than 20,000 letters passed through the office yesterday.

T. K. Macdonald and Co. will hold a large and im= portant sale of freehold properties in their mart on Monday next, the 23rd instant, at 2.30 p.m. The catalogue is largo and varied. The following are some of the properties which require especial note, viz., fourteen sections in Masterton; as these are good sites it is an admirable opportunity of acquiring a business position in this undoubtedly the finest township in the district; a fiat building allotment having a frontage to Austen-street, house and land at Featherston, four capital sites in the township of Feilding, thirteen sections in Feathers ton, house and land Artlnir-sfcreet, with horse and cart and the material for at once starting a paying trade as a coal merchant.

Tenders are called for by the City Council for tho supply of all carts and horses required for the Corporation service during the coming year. Tenders close on Monday at noon. Messrs Beaucbamp, Campbell and Co. hold a large sale of horses of all descriptions at their yards to-day, including the four-year-old horse Te Oro Ore, by Southern Chief.