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New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 5582, 18 February 1879, Page 2

Lord Normanby yesterday left Wellington in the Ringarooma for Melbourne to assume the reins of Government in Victoria. The day was beautifully fine, and as the ships in harbor displayed their bunting, and many of the business places were decorated, his Excellency’s last view of Wellington will be a pleasant reminiscence. The steamer left about half-past three, but long before that the wharf had become crowded with citizens desirous of paying their respects to his Excellency before he departed, and many availed themselves of the opportunity of doing so more especially because the pressure of Saturday morning business had kept them from the levee. Her ladyship the Marchioness embarked early in the afternoon in order to avoid excitement as much as possible on account of her illness, but the Marquis returned to Government House to dispose of some little matters of business. About a quarter-past three his Excellency arrived on the wharf, attended by his aide-de-camp, Lord Phipps, and accompanied by the Hon. Colonel Whitmore, Hon. John Sheehan, His Honor the Chief Justice, Mr. Justice Johnston, his Worship the Mayor, and a large number of other gentlemen, and was received by a _ guard of honor furnished by the Armed Constabulary. As soon as the Marquis stepped bn board, his Worship invited three, cheers for his Excellency, which were given with a will, and were followed by three more for Lady Normanby. The steamer’s deck was crammed with local notabilities, and the process of leave-taking occupied a considerable time. All visitors being ashore, the warps were taken in, and amid a ring of cheers from the spectators the voyage was commenced. As she steamed down the harbor a salute of seventeen guns was fired by a battery of the Wellington Volunteer Artillery stationed on the reclaimed land. As soon as his Excellency the Governor leaves the Bluff, and gets clear of New Zealand waters, his Honor the Chief Justice will bo sworn in as administrator of the government of the colony, pending the arrival of his Excellency Sir Hercules Robinson. An alarm of fire was given last night a few minutes past 12. The-Te Afo bell was the first to give the alarm, and signalled that the Thorndon end was the seat ot danger. However, upon arriving at the Thorndon brigade station, no sign of fire was visible, and the brigades went home. Two false alarms on consecutive nights must be rather annoying to the brigades, and it is to be hoped that more care will be exercised in the future before turning the men out. It was said that the watchman at Te Aro originated the alarm, but the driver of the Central Brigade denied the statement.

By virtue of. his office as Marshall of. the Vice-Admiralty Court of New Zealand, Mr. Ebenezer Baker yesterday seized the brig Jane at the instance of her captain for wages due to him. Mr.-Baker : was pulled off in full uniform, and was rather indignant that no one was on the look-out to lower away the gangway and receive him in a manner becoming his office. After three or four fruitless attempts to clamber up the main- chains, and getting his hands covered with a mixture of iron-rust, grease, and coal-tar, Mr. Baker mounted on the shoulders of his coxswain and was shoved aboard. On reaching the deck he went aft in the hopes of- finding seme one to inform him of his (Mr. Baker’s) commission. No one was however to be found. The cabin, iazarette, hold, and forecastle were all empty. The Marshall of the Vice-Admiralty Court then nailed his warrant to : the brig’s mainmast. Before leaving, however, he ordered it to be pulled down, and a copy nailed up in its place. Some one was left in charge of the vessel, and Mr. Baker returned to the shore to fulfil his less dignified duties. Printed copies have been issued of the cataloge for the Bam and Ewe Fair on Thursday next. Besides 209 rams entered there are 50 ewes, and an equal number of entries of hoggetts. A correspondent of a Wairarapa paper writes as follows on the subject of this fair :—“I may take it that the farmers down here see the advantage of still going on improving, as their first shipment of Lincoln rams and ewes arrived here by rail yesterday from the celebrated flocks of David Patchett, Esq., of Christchurch, per s.s. Wakatipu, to the order of Messrs.' Strang, of Gladstone, and Messrs. C. Gundy, sen., Walter Hodder, and Edward Hodder, all of Featherston. These sheep were only 30 hours in transit, including fifty-five miles by railway in Canterbury and about forty-five miles this side, and the cost, including (steamer and wharfage, will come under 6s, each ; not long since this journey would take about nine days. I may venture to inform you, Mr. Editor, that in two or three years from now- you will not require to draw the attention of the public to the inferior class of sheep grown by them. A private letter received in Wellington within the last day or two states that Miss Eva Carmichael, the heroine of the Loch Ard disaster, has become mad. It will be remembered that about eight or nine months ago the Lo«h Ard, an English passenger' ship, was wrecked near Port Philip Heads, and all on board perished, except Miss Carmichael and a midshipman named Tom Pearce. Miss Carmichael lost all her relatives; father, mother, sisters, and brothers by the wreck, and returned home to reside with a family connection, but it seems the shock and excitement since has been too much for her. The Loch Ard story is one of the saddest of the many disasters by sea on record.

Yesterday afternoon a horse attached to a dray proceeding along the Terrace became restive, and before the driver could quiet the animal it backed the dray on to the footway and over a precipice abutting on Mrs. G. Moore’s garden. The horse fortunately was not seriously injured, but'the dray was considerably knocked .about, and it will be a rather difficult job to extricate it. We understand that in consequence of the press of business in" the Resident Magistrate’s Court, the District Court will be adjourned for a fortnight. A very large amount of work has been passed through the Court lately, and it is evident that before long the staff of officials will have to be increased.

Mr. Bryce, M.H.R., the Royal Commissioner appointed to inquire into the Bay of Islands electoral transaction, left for Auckland yesterday. The Royal Commission appointed to inquire into the working of the Jacksons Bay Special Settlement, leave for the scene of the inquiry inthe Stella to-day. A man named Isaac Kalaker was brought up at the’.Resident Magistrate’s Court yesterday afternoon for stealing a basket from a dwelling. Accused was remanded until to-day. It is officially notified that the Port Darwin line is 'interrupted north of Katherine, which lies about 133 deg. east of Greenwich, and about 15deg. south latitude. The race horses Laertes and Agent, belonging to Mr. P. Butler, left by the Ringarooma, to fulfil their engagements at the forthcoming Dunedin race meeting. ,

The meeting of members of the Wellington Atheureum to decide as to whether that institution shall be opened on Sundays will take place to-night. The inquiry into the collision between the steamers Huia and Go-Ahead mil be continued at the Resident Magistrate’s Court this afternoon.

The against Mr. Campbell, an action to recover damages for breaking a lad’s leg during a football match, has been set down for hearing for next Friday. The annual general meeting of the Land, Loan, and. Building Company of Wellington will be held this afternoon at the Chamber of Commerce.

On Saturday last, two dray loads of wheat from Waikaraka arrived at Masterton. This is the first time, we believe, that corn has been brought into Mastertom from the Whareama and East Coast district.

On Sunday evening, about half-past 7, a brilliant meteor passed from west to east, and was visible at Masterton for the space of about 20secs. The same or a similar meteor was observed about the same hour at Wellington, and appeared to burst over Kaiwarra, There was a Very fair house at the Theatre Royal last night to witness “ Meg’s Diversion” and “ The Hand and Glove.” Both pieces went remarkably Well, and were highly appreciated by the audience. The company leave this afternoon in the Napier tor Blenheim.

As the telegraphist officials are often blamed, it is only just to them to say that our special telegrams with reference to the Wairarapa races were forwarded with great accuracy, and the operators at Greytowu and Featherston, and the receivers in town, uenerve commendation.

We desire to correct a typographical error in our review, in yesterday’s issue, ot Professor Owen’s “ Memoirs on the Extinct Wingless Birds of New Zealand.” The work on the existing Ornithology of New Zealand, to which the learned Professor refers in such eulogistic terms in his prospectus, is that bj- Dr. Buller, not “Butler,” as inadvertently printed. A lad named Spittal fell off the wharf yesterday and narrowly escaped being drowned. The little fellow struggled hard to keep his head above water, but the weight of his clothes was gradually sinking him when two young men observing him stripped off their coats, plunged in, and very soon had the lad safe on terra firma again. An express man named Henderson conveyed the youngster to his home.

At a meeting of creditors yesterday in the estate of John Henderson, C.E., the assets were put down at £56,658, and the liabilities at £18,486.- The assets include £25,000 due by J. Brogden and Sons, contingent on payment' by the New Zealand Government of contract moneys for the construction of railways ; £15,000 are said to be due by the Oamaru Corporation ; £2OOO by Baron and Mana, bankers, of Brazil ; £5240 by J. B. Davies, re Napier protective works, to be paid out ot the verdict recently obtained against the Napier Harbor Board ; £IOOO, life insurance ; £SOO, furniture ; £SOO, land in Now Brunswick, and several other smaller items. The meeting adjourned for ten days. It is high time (says the Wairarapa Daily) that the Press and the public denounced the frauds of all kinds with which we are surrounded, including in some instances bogus land sales. The city'of Wellington is getting tolerably full of smart professional men who; though they may steer clear of any legal penalty, have no conscientious scruples in letting the public “ in ” by trickery or misrepresentation.

The Annual District Council of the New Zealand Central District of the Independent Order of Bechabites opened its proceedings in the ■ Bechabite Hall yesterday morning. Representatives were present from tents in Wellington, Hawke’s Bay, Taranaki, Canterbury, - Marlborough, Otago, and Southland. The chair was occupied by Bro; A. Levy, D. 0.8. Some formal business having been disposed of, and the reports of various special committees read and adopted, the meeting adjourned till this morning at 9 o’clock. Last evening a conversazione to welcome the delegates was held in the Bechabite Hall, and pasted off very successfully. The Jlangitikei Advocate says :—We hear there was further unseemly discord at the Cabinet meeting convened to decide the fate of the murderer Walsh, who has been ordered for execution to please a section of public opinion. Between two stools one falls to the ground. Sir George and his confreres thought to make capital out of the reprieve, and now will claim credit for a display of unflinching justice. Of course, if Walsh had had friends at Court he would have been reprieved. A Jackson’s Bay settler, Mr. Charles Bobinsoh,,arrived in Cromwell (says the Argus of, the 4th instant) on Saturday from that place,-' having accomplished the journey in the shortest time on record—three days, Mr, Bobinson left Jackson’s Bay on Wednesday morning at six o’clock, and describes the road as very rough. Two horses were knocked up on the journey. With several partners Mr. Bobinson is carrying on a sawmill at the Bay, and they have now 240,000 ft. of timber ready for shipment. They have full demand for all they can supply. The barque Jane Ann is now lying at Jackson’s ready to load up, but it was found the vessel could not get close enough in shore to get cargo on bqard. To meet the difficulty, Mr. Bobinson had to come to Cromwell to telegraph the steamer Waipara to come round from Hokitika to convey the timber from the shore to the barque. He makes bitter complaints about the carelessness of the Government in the matter of erecting a jetty at the Bay, which has been long promised. Soundings have been taken with this object, and the work promised forthwith, but the settlers are getting sick of this “hopedeferred.” Mr. Bobinson says the want of this jetty is killing the settlement,, and that were it erected, three or four other mills would soon be started. The supply of timber —red and white pine—is practically inexhaustible, and our informant thinks that the timber trade will be the chief industry in the settlement. He does not think much of the prospects of agriculture, as the open land is not first-class, and is limited in area. Goldmining at present is chiefly confined to prospecting. There are in all about thirty people at the settlement. The Italians are clearing out; they are offered work on the Haast track, but decline on the ground that it is too far from their homes.

We {Wanganui Chronicle) regret to learn that a fire broke out at Mr. Stone’s farm, Westmere, which did great damage before it was extinguished. It seems Mr, Ritchie was there threshing out a stack of wheat with a new machine and engine, and that the stack suddenly blazed up and burnt with great rapidity. About 1200 bushels of wheat were destroyed, as also the machine. The engine, being a locomotive, was saved by being steamed out of harm’s way. The machine was insured, but not the grain, so that the heaviest of the loss will fall upon Mr. Stone. During so dry a season as the present the greatest care is necessary to prevent disastrous fires on farms, as the slightest spark is soon fanned into a flame. The contractor’s engine on the Brunswick section has set the grass along the route alifht on several occasions, but up to the present without doing much damage. . The Saturday Advertiser says The New Zealand laborer gets eight shillings a day for eight hours work; he has a comfortable house, :generally,- of his own to live in; he has meat two or three times a day. In the English 'agricultural counties the laborers’ wages are down-to thirteen shillings a week for work extending over ten and twelve hours daily. The Englishman has a wretched hovel to live in, and provisions are so dear that he never sees butcher’s meat.

The Rangitihei Advocate of the loth inst. says:—Another solicitor has commenced the practice of his profession in Marton.—A few tons of good potatoes should find a ready sale in Marton, there being none to be had for love ! or money. There is apparently an opening for a Chinese gardener also.

The Prairie Farmer states that Great Britain has one sheep to each two acres of land ; Germany, France, and Spain one to each five acres ; and the United States has one to each fifty-six acres.

The Wanyanui Chronicle says a sharp frost on Tuesday last did considerable damage to the gardens. Mr. Henry Churton informs us that he has no recollection of a frost so early in the season during his residence in New Zealand.

An Auckland telegram to a contemporary says : —“ The Chinese question was vigorously debated on Wednesday evening by the members of the St. Thomas Mutual Improvement class. A majority of the members were in favor of Chinese immigration.” Mr. Macfarlane, M.H.R., has devoted his honorarium to the purchase of 800 volumes for the county library of Waitemata district. He and the Hon. Mr. Waterhouse have regularly applied a portion of their honorarium to some similar useful and patriotic purpose ; but the feature remains the exception. The County Council referred to in the following paragraph from the Southland Times shows that that body has found it necessary to look a gift horse in the mouth. The two last lines are worthy of notice: —“A County Council notification in another column calls for tenders for repairing the Oreti Bridge at Dipton. This is the bridge which the Government valued at £6OOO, and generously presented to the County, but it was long since ascertained that it was worth nothing but to keep in repair, it having been constructed on exceedingly faulty principles. However, something has to be done to it in compliance with public demand, and so the County has undertaken to put it in repair for autumn and winter traffic. From what we have heard about the bridge it seems to ns that the cheaper and better course to pursue would be to build a new bridge altogether, the Government of course contributing the cost." ' The Dunedin Aye of the 14th says : —“ The Public Works Department for the Middle Island have got out no fewer than seven contracts this month, the survey of which was only commenced about two months ago. Considering the arduous nature of much of the work that has been effected, and the strength of the staff employed, the task is probably one of the smartest ever achieved in this part of the world. Including the Port Chalmers wharf and Dunedin railway station, the plans of which will be finished in a day or two, the plans and specifications of ten important contracts have been prepared since the beginning of February.” , A noteworthy instance of commercial morality is made known by a Mr. Bancroft, of Liverpool. One Saturday in November he received an unsigned letter, in which was en-

closed a bank note for £IOOO. The only information given by the sender was that the bank note was the amount of an old debt and accumulated interest, which he was sorry not to have been in a position to forward before. The recipient has not the slightest idea from whom he has received this conscience money. Under the heading “Railway Accident,” the Wanyanul Chronicle relates the following: —“Awkward for the coo,” said George Stephenson, when interrogated as to the probable consequences should any stray cattle wander over the railway line. The truth of his prediction has been only top frequently verified on the Wanganui line; but lately it was very nearly proving awkward for more than the “ coo.” While the morning train to Wanganui was nearing Kakareke, a bullock was seen on the line, and speed was slackened with the hope that the animal would move off, but instead it kept straight on in front of the engine, and, stumbling, was instantly cut in pieces, the shock, however, lifting the engine completely off the rails. No other damage was done, and when the up and down trains from Eoxton and Wanganui arrived passengers and luggage were transferred, and no very great inconvenience was thereby suffered. Mr. Rotherham left for the scene of the accident as soon as possible, and returned into town with the engine.