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New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 5565, 29 January 1879, Page 2

The Royal Commission appointed by the Government to revise the statutes of New Zealand will, it is expected, commence their duties at once. The commission is composed of his Honor Mr. Justice Johnston, Mr, Reid, Solicitor-General, and Mr. J. H. Shaw, with Mr. Cumin as secretary. It is as yet undecided whether the sittings will be held in Christchurch or in Wellington, the difficulty arising that wherever held some members of the commission will be inconvenienced. His Honor Judge Johnston may be able to come to Wellington during the vacation, and even then bankruptcy business must go to the wall, but afterwards Supreme Court business in the Canterbury district mu.t inevitably fall into arrear if his Honor pays long visits to Wellington; On the other hand, the SolicitorGeneral’s services are in request almost every hour at the Government Buildings, and Mr. Cumin also has other duties to perform iu Wellington. It is expected that the sittings will occupy considerable time, for although the commission has no power to codify the laws in existence, still it is requested to decide what English Acts are “ applicable” to the colony within the meaning of the English Acts Ordinance, 1815. Presumably a conscientious performance of this duty should set the commissioners to work rummaging the English statute book for all laws passed from the time of Magua Charta till the year 1810.

The next annual show in connection with the Hutt Agricultural aud Pastoral Society will be held on a new site, the one hitherto in use being in an out-of-the-way locality and difficult of access. Mr. E. Bather placed a piece of his ground at the disposal of the committee, and at a full committee meeting, held on Friday last, it was decided to accept the offer made. The March show will therefore take place at Petone, and not on the racecourse, as formerly. The society has not received the amount of support which it has a right to expect from the general public and from Wellington 'people in particular ; and we trust that now that the show will be held in so convenient a place as Petone the society may have less reason to complain. A sitting of the Bankruptcy Court was held yesterday, when two or three knotty points were discussed. In the case of Joseph John Tye, an application was made for an order declaring completely executed a certain deed of assignment. The matter has been before the Court several times, and on this occasion Mr. Travers raised ; the point as to whether the Court svould not go behind the letter of the Act to look at the equities of the deed. The Chief Justice did not seem inclined to do this, but appeared to think a point raised by tho Deputy Registrar was fatal unless such an affidavit could be filed as would satisfy him. The point was that as tho debtor resided in Napier the whole proceedings should have been taken there. The mistake, if there had been any, arose from a confusion of the terms “ Judicial District ” and “ District under the Debtors and Creditors Act.” The case was adjourned in order that the matter might be looked into. Another case which occupied a good deal of time was that of Wyllie and Girdlestoue, ’The place of business held by them under a lease containing ordinary covenants >vas burned clown two days after the filing of the declaration of insolvency. The buildings were not insured, aud the question arose who was to bear the loss—the landlords or the estate. The Court took time to consider the matter. A meeting of the committee of the Choral Society was held yesterday afternoon at the Athemeum, Jonas Woodward, Esq., vicepresident, in the chair. The hon. secretary read a letter received from the Government, in reply to his application asking them to receive a deputation re site for a Choral Hall, requesting the committee to postpone the matter till the return of the Hon. Mr. Stout. The secretary reported that the Te Aro members found the distance to Mr. Bennington’s room too great for them to attend practice, and he made a suggestion, which was adopted, that as an experiment the Athenaeum Hall should be engaged one evening in each week, when the practice should be combined, the vocalists meeting at half past seven, and the members of the band later. This course was suggested for financial reasons. The first practice therefore will take place to-morrow evening, as notified by advertisement. Upon the recommendation of the conductor, it was resolved that the programme for the next concert should be purely miscellaneous, the band to take a very prominent part at the same, the production of Smart’s cantata being- postponed till the third concert. Four new members were balloted for and duly elected. Glorious harvesting weather is reported from Patea. Reaping and binding machines are enabling grain growers to get well on with their work. The machines are everywhere well spoken of. Mr. P. Burke, on the Whenuakura Block, with a Wood’s machine, cut 35 acres of grain, estimated to yield 50 bushels to the acre, at the rata of 11 acres in a working day of eight hours, having been but three days three hours in cutting and binding the whole crop. Three men were employed in connection with the machine. The binding was well done, and the readiness with which the size of the sheaves could be regulated was deemed a good point in favor of the machine. A settler iu the neighborhood, who has had an opportunity of comparing Woods, Osborne, and McCormick’s machines, reports strongly in favor of the last named.

From the Daily Times we gather the following information regarding the Colonial Bank : —The directors of the Colonial Bank have published the half-yearly report to be submitted to the shareholders at the coming meeting on the 29th instant, aud have some reason to congratulate themselves on the progress made by the institution during its comparatively short existence. After deducting interest on fixed deposits, expenses of management, and provision for bad and doubtful debts, the net profit for the half-year amounts to £20,171 9a. 3d., which, with the balances on profit and loss account carried over from last settlement, And of premiums on shares allotted, makes available for distribution a total of £23,951 Is. Out of this the directors propose paying a dividend of 8 per cent., adding £6OOO to the reserve fund, and carrying over the balance to the new account.

A return lately issued shows that in the year ended March 31st, 1878, the Excise aud Customs duty from spirits in the United Kingdom was £20,675,928 ; while the duty on malt produced £7,721,519 ; on wine, £1,623,295 ; the Excise duty on sugar used iu brewing, £526,209 ; Excise licenses on brewers aud malsters and for the sale of beer, spirits, tobacco aud wine, £1,911,912 ; and tho tobacco duty, £8,006,836. The total revenue from these sources is £10,501,600, to which England contributes £29,726,753 ; Scotland, £5,569,591 ; aud Ireland, £5,208,253. The estimated population of England on June 30th last was 21,851,397 ; Scotland, 3,593,929 ; Ireland, 5,133,610. Total, 33,881,966. The ordinary monthly inspection of the Artillery Company and Artillery Cadets was held last evening. The companies fell in at the Central Fire Brigade station, and were afterwards marched out. There was an unusually large attendance, and the drill was gone through to the entire satisfaction of the officers iu charge. Diamond digging at the Dutoitspau fields has beeen unusually successful of late, and besides several beautiful stones of 60 carats each, a large diamond, weighing 214 carats, was recently picked up on a claim belonging to Captain Jones, The “water" of the stone is not of the first quality, being of a light “ offcolor,” but the gem is free from flaw, and will cut very full. This is the second largest diamond ever found in South Africa, the “Spalding” diamond found in the river diggings some years ago, and weighing 2SS J carats, being the largest.

The Supreme Court sits in banco to-day at 11 o'clock.

The ordinary monthly meeting of the Education Board will be held to-day at 11.15. The same programme was repeated at the Imperial Opera House last night with undiminishetl success.

John Henderson, C.E., of Wellington, and James Sun, farmer, of Johnsonville, have filed declarations of insolvency. The deputation with regard to the central railway station question waited on the Government yesterday, but nothing definite was arrived at.

Mr. Cary’s panorann \ of the Arctic World will arrive to-day by the steamer Wellington from Nelson, and will shortly open at the Imperial Opera House. The Tararna arrived at Auckland yesterday from Sydney. She brings the following passengers for Wellington :—Messrs. Bunsey, Sheehan, and Dona van. Her news has been principally anticipated by cable. The band of the Choral Society had a very satisfactory practice last night at Bennington's room, under the direction of Mr. Parker, when some of Haydn’s symphonies were rehearsed, in preparation for the next concert. A dinner, given by the Gas Company’s employee, will take place at the Princess Theatre Hotel, Tory-street, at 8 p.m. tomorrow evening. A good gathering is expected. At a public meeting held at the Lower Halt the following gentlemen were elected members of the school committee, viz., Rev. T. Fancourt, Messrs. Wm. Buick, W. A. Fitzherbert, Jordan, James Knight, Speedy, and Valentine. An alarm of fire was sounded about midday yesterday. A building off Taranaki-street, belonging to Mr. O. Taylor, contractor, had taken fire, but the flames were subdued by the brigades, which turned out with their usual promptitude. From Wanganui we hear that in the Marton district harvesting is proceeding rapidly by the aid of reapers and binders, a number of which are now busily at work. The crops are in most cases large, and the quality of the grain above the average. Mr. T. Kelly, M.H.R. for New Plymouth, has received a letter from the Minister of Public Works, stating that instructions have been given to tho Engiueer-in-Chief to hava the survey of the Opunake railway put in hand as soon as practicable.

The Patca Mail says :—“ Contractors for the railway from Inglewood on the Mountain-road, are offering 12s. a day to platelayers, aud cannot get men at that price. All the contractors along the line are complaining of the scarcity of labor in this district, and the public works are being delayed accordingly.”

It has been arranged that the unfinished cricket match between the Wellington C.C. and the Wanderers C.C. is to be continued next Saturday on the Basin Reserve. It will be remembered that the latter club made 122 iu their first innings, and the Wellington C.C. made eight, with the loss of two wickets, when time was called. Both teams are requested to meet for practice every evening. The few contributions of New Zealand to the Paris Exhibition, says The Colonies, were included in those of New South Wales. They comprised samples of wool with an astringent extract, probably for tanning purposes ; a collection of ordinary articles made of wool, with some doors, hay rakes, &c.; a number of native manufactures, carving iu wood and diorite, or greenstone, and photographs. Now Zealand obtained one silver aud one bronze medal. It is certainly much to be regretted that this splendid and rapidly advancing colony was not more conspicuously represented in her great natural riches and industrial products on this occasion. Each of the great colonies had its own special court in that part of the industrial galleries which formed the British section. New Zealand, however, was not included, and was evidently conspicuous by her absence.

The “ Canada Law Journal ” for September says :—The “New Zealand Jurist” falls foul of the Court of Appeal in that colony for taking no exception to some fictitious appeals that were gravely argued before it by some professional gentlemen who possibly wished for an adjudication on some doubtful point, or who desired to air their eloquence or angle for business which was slow in coming to them. The editor, who does not lack energy, pluck, or brains, must bo a thorn in the side of a Judiciary which, judging from the contents of the “ Jurist,” is not the wisest or most prudent in her Majesty's dominions. It certainly is a serious offence to turn a Court of Justice into a debating club.

Messrs. J. 11. Bethnne and Co. will sell by public auction at their rooms, this day, at two o’clock, tho Kopuaranga Estate, near Masterton, subdivided into small farm sections, and various building allotments at Adelaide-read, Alicetown, the Hutt, and Wan ganui. Messrs. Bethuno and Co. will also sell at the Queen's bonded warehouse, at 12 o'clock noon, to dose consignments, 23 hhds English ale, ex resent arrivals.

For milkmen recruiting their stocks, and heads of families desirous of economising in housekeeping, no better opportunity lias been offered for some time than Mr. Sidey’s sale this day at Dr. Munro’s stockyards, at the top of M qoribanks-street, which takes place at eleven o’clock. All the co ws to bo offered are either in full milk or to calve shortly, and are very superior beasts. The splendid shorthorn bull Brigham Young will be sold at tho same time. Particulars will be found in our advertising columns.