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New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5536, 24 December 1878, Page 2

The Christmas holidays, so far as the General Government and Corporation offices are concerned, will only consist of. Christmas Day and Boxing Day. Tho business wen also will close on the same days. The Education Board office will bo closed from this evening until after Now Year's Day. The Supreme Court vacation will commence to-morrow, and extend till 2nd January, and probably tho barristers and solicitors' offices ivill 1)9 closed during th» game period.>..,' :--:;.,.•■"'.V;v

A meeting of the Hospital trustees was held yesterday; but only routine business, such as the passing of a fewaccount3, was transacted. Itis officially notified by the Telegraph Department that the Turkish route, interrupted by the late war, is now open. The Wellington cricketing team leave by the nine o'clock train to-morrow morning for Featberston. The Merchant Shipping Underwriters' Association report from London, under date loth December, that the Renfrewshire, from Port Pirie via Port Chalmers, has arrived. This evening being Christmas Eve there will be full choral service at St. Paul's, Thorndon, commencing at half-past nine o'clock. A shortened form of evening prayer will be used, and the anthem will consist of a selection from Handel's " Messiah," beginning with the tenor solo "Comfort ye" and ending with the chorus, "Glory to God in the Highest." The Pastoral Symphony will be played on the organ, and two movements of Handel's organ concert* in B flat will be played as an offortory voluntary by Mr. Robt. Parker. The offertory will be devoted to the choir fund for the purchase of music, &c. At the close of the service a number of Christmas carols will be Bung, including the "First ISowell," "Good Christian Men Rejoice," and Gounod's fine sacred song " Nazareth," with chorus of male voices. The members of the congregation have attended the practices in large numbers, and a very bright and hearty service is anticipated. A choir of boys has been in training for some weeks past, and will assist in portions of the music. It is hoped that they will soon take a permanent place in the regular services of the Church. The Supreme Court sat yesterday, when a couple of reserved judgments were delivered, and arguments taken in the case of Nathan v. Turnbull. The case of S. J. Hill was mentioned before the Court, and then postponed until after Christmas. The dispute between Messrs. Nathan and Turnbull is in respect of the Union Hotel property, in Willis-street. Messrs. W. and G. Turnbull and Co.- are the owners of the fee simple, and Messrs. J. ,B. Nathan and Co. are the assigns of ' a lease of the property. Turnbull is suing Nathan for some breach of covenant, and Nathan has commenced a cross action. The latter was before the Court yesterday in the form of a demurrer to plaintiff's declaration, and the main point involved in the demurrer is simply whether an assignee of a lease containing a purchasing clause secures under the deed of assignment the option of purchase,—whether Buch option is an interest which may be conveyed. There is another point, that as to what constitutes service of a notice. An outline of the case will be found in our law report.

A special time-table for Christmas Day, Boxing Day, and New Year's Day has been issued by the Tramway Company, particulars of which are contained in our advertising columns. The manager states that every exertion will be made to meet each train arriving at and departing from the railway station. No doubt the public will appreciate the efforts made to study their convenience, and will show that they do so by furthering the business te the best of their ability. Mr. Andrew Young proposes making an alteration in the time of running his coaches between Hawera and New Plymouth. The coaches, by the proposed alteration, will arrive in Taranaki every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 11 .a.m., instead of 7.30 p.m., as usual. The coaches leave alternate days. A. considerable further reduction in the time will be effected when Beveral new culverts are completed on the Mountain Track road, between Hawera and Taranaki.

Mr. Varley's lecture on the " Second Coming of Christ" last evening, at the Athenjeum Hall, was listened to with the deepest interest by a large audience. The hall was filled to overflowing; indeed it probably has never been so packed before, scores of people being unable to obtain admission. Mr. Varley will continue the subject this evening, speaking specially on the Jewish nation and the signs of the times in relation to the Lord's coming. On Christmas evening Mr. Varley will deliver an address, the subject being "Lamed for Life."

The Bankruptcy Court sat yesterday, when two applications were made for orders declaring completely executed certain deeds made between bankrupts and their creditors. In one case a creditor opposed the application, and the matter was hung up. There seemed to have been a good deal of irregularity and carelessness in the manner in which the proceedings had been conducted. Perhaps it is not neoessary to remind school committees throughout the provincial distriot of Wellington that their term of office comes to an end in the first month of the New Year, and that their accounts must be made up, audited, and sent to the district board as soon after the commencement of January as possible.

We understand that Mr. Bobt. Parker, organist of St. Paul's Church, has formed, with the consent of the incumbent, a class of boys as choristers for the Cathedral Churoh of Wellington, and it is intended that they take part for the first time at the special Christmas Eve Bervice this evening. We are glad to notice that Wellington is to be no longer behind other places in having a propor cathedral ohoir. Even in the smaller country churches in other districts it is not an unusual oiroumstance to find surpliced choirs, A meeting was held at the Polyteohnio last evening, to appoint a committee to carry out the resolutions arrived at by the public meeting on the Chinese question. Soma explanations having been given and misunderstandings cleared up, a large committee was appointed. A sub-committee is to be appointed to deal with the question of collecting and remitting funds to the seamen on strike in Sydney. They start with £3O in hand. The general committee meet on Friday the City Council Chambers.

We have reoeived a copy of " Watt's Almanao and Calendar." It oontains carefully arranged tables of information on a variety of subjects, and to those who desire a cheap almanac for handy reference it may be recommended as embodying a large amount of information in a very Bmall oompasa. It contains a good index and table of oontents, a very useful item, and one that is often conspicuous by its absence from similar publications. We hear from Kaitangata (says an ?exchange) that after twelve months' hard work sinking their shaft and driving, Winter, Moore, and Co. have this week been rewarded by a splendid seam of coal, which they struck on Tuesday morning. They are now some 15ft. into it. Their shaft is 392 ft. deep, and from tho bottom they have put in a drive 250 ft. long, mostly through very hard conglomerate. Their sucoess is considered a great benefit to the district, as it clearly proves that tho coal is there in any quantity, although it was predicted by a great many that their efforts would result in failure.

" Wamba," of the Dunedin Age, says:—"The Government purposos to make the Press of New Zealand as independent of its patronage as possible. After the end of the present year it is intended to abolish the free railway passes to newspapers. Henceforth editors, reporters, and runners will havo to pay their way like ordinary passengers. It is hard to foresee what the effect of this alteration will be. In all probability a howl of dissatisfaction will mingle with the Christmas carols of the dismayed journalists. VJhak between tho abolition of railway passes and the withdrawal of Government advertisements, the Opposition Press of New Zealand will have the exceedingly distinguished honor of claiming to be tho most free and independent Press in the world. I would suggest to the Government the expediency of stopping the freo transit of nowapaper exchanges by post. It only requires this to be done, and the Press of the colony will owe its parliamentary institutions nothing. The Wellington Chronicle has taken the matter up warmly. The editor contends that if the privilege of free travelling is withdrawn from the Press, it should also be taken from tho members of the Legislature. But our contemporary forgets that such a polioy would be ruinous to tho country and very false economy, for tho members would have their expenses, even if they had to steal tho money from the Treasury."

By an oversight the description of the opening of Messrs. Compton's mills, which took placo on Thursday .last, appeared in our yesterday's issuo without tho necessary alteration of the dato. By a typographical error tho area, which is ono acre, appears as ten.

Mr. Sidoy's sale of produce takes placo today at 10.30 a.m.; ns soon as it is disposed of the remaining portion of the now furniture will bo offered, including tho best piano of the consignment which has been latoly on sale. All those previously advertised having been dispoaod of. Wo have been requested to notify that the a.e. Taiaroa will leave the Queen'a Wharf at five o'clock Bharp this evoning, thoveforo Intending excursionists must not reckon ou even fifteen minutes' grace.

It may be mentioned that forms of applica. tion, to be filled up and sent in by persons desirous of becoming candidates at the annual examination for admission as teachers, are now to be had at the Education Office. If we only saw our way clear to support the Government we should have been able, like the Ministers' paper, to charge 4s. an inoh for this announcement.

The Kaiwarra Rifles on Boxing Day aro to fire two matches, to complete a competition. The first match is to decido who is the winner of a clock presented by Captiin Thompson, and other prizes presented by the members of the company, and also a special priie by Mr. W. Staples ; and the second match is for a revolver presented by Mr. W. Donald. The firing is to take place at 5 or 6 a.m.

- The experimental protective works at Balclutha have proved highly successful. The plan adopted was that of sinking bags of gravel in the river, and attaching wire ropes to them, which extend up the face of tho bank, and are fastened some distance back, and under the3e wire ropes placing fascines of scrub. Over a* chain has been protected in this way, and, as stated, with entire success. The whole distance requiring protection about ten ohains—will be dealt with in like manner as soon as possible.

The rapidity (says Atlas) with which m editor may, under sufficient p-escure, be induced to change his polioy, was recently forcibly illustrated in a Canadian country paper. It had been the organ of the Government, and had reoeived in consequence the official advertisements, Upon a general election taking place, and the opposite party coming into power, the new Minister withdrew them. The editor remonstrated; the Minister replied, "Impossible to furnish you with the Government advertisements unless you support ite policy. Reply by wire." He received the following sensible and laconic response : "It's a d—d sharp curve, but I'll take it." The paper is still a good property. Arrangements have been made for a system of railway telegraphs in the South Island (says the Press), being wholly dissociated from the Telegraph Department, and worked altogether under instruction from a new officer just appointed, to be designated the Manager of Bailway Telegraphs, whose appointment is quite independent of Dr. Lemon, the head of the Telegraph Department in New Zealand. It will be worked by telegraph clerks connected I with the railways. The appointment has been given to Mr. Floyd, the electrician bo well known in connection with the Telegraph Department of this colony, and at present of the North Island. Mr. Floyd, who will enter upon his new duties on the Ist of January, was brought out from Home by Dr. Lemon some eight or nine years ago. He was for many years ou one of the principal lines in England, which required an immense amount of-tele-graphing to be done to ensure the prevention of accidents. Owing_ to the very largely increased number of trains, the block system now in vogue in this island, the single line of railway, and the numerous and frequent crossingplaces, it has become absolutely necessary to have the railway telegraph Bystem thoroughly perfected, and this could only be accomplished by dissociating it from the general telegraph system, and placing it under the entire control of a competent officer. Notwithstanding this change, all telegraph stations will Btill, as heretofore, be available to the public. In replying to the toast of the House of Representatives at a banquet given to the retiring Mayor of Wangauui, on Wednesday last, Mr. Bryce said:—" If he attempted to turn the General Assembly into ridicule he would be doing something quite opposite to his conviotions. Hia opinion of the General Assembly was a very high one. It had been said that the House had deteriorated. He didn't know so much about that. It was certainly true it had lost somewhat of the high tone it once possessed, many of those who gave it that standing having passed away. But looking at the rank and file of the House, they had members who possessed more knowledge of colonial requirements, more public spirit, than the rank and file of ten years ago. If it was possible to strike an average he would say that it would be found that the General Assembly of the day, had higher intelligence than ever it had before. Of his own knowledge he could say that the members paid such attention to public matters as to allow their own private affairs to fade away and ultimately become quite indistinct. At a later stage in the evening, in proposing another toast, he said—" Look at the railway. It was thought at first that it might pay, but so doubtful was the prospect to some minds that a tramway was proposed instead. Howowever, the courage was screwed up and a railway made. Now it is an absolute fact that the Wanganui line is at tho present moment the best paying line in the colony. (Cheers.) He did not of course take into account a small section at Greymouth. When the railway was extended northward to the Patea district the trade would develop to a very large extent. Not having been prepared for the toast, he oould not give them statistics ; but this waß a fact, that the residents did not altogether grasp the importance of their town."