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New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 5657, 17 May 1879, Page 2

Nominations for the Mayoralty must be handed in by noon to-day. The contest will no doubt be confined to Messrs. Hunter and Hutchison.

We understand that the Government in answer to a requisition from the banks declines to alter the holiday for the Queen’s Birthday from Saturday, the 24 th, to Monday, the 25th May. The bank holiday will fall on Saturday as previously announced. The City Council is scarcely acting fairly to the Chamber of Commerce in regard to the Harbor Board question. The committee of the Chamber with whom representatives of the Council had a conference, submitted, according to agreement, a definite proposition as to the basis of the proposed Harbor Board. Since that document was lodged in the Town Clerk’s office, the Council has had two ordinary meetings and two special meetings, but no consideration whatever has been given to this matter. If the City Council is going to oppose the establishment of a Harbor Board, it might at least take a straightforward, above-board course, and not burk the question by delay. There is very little time to spare if a Bill is to be laid before Parliament next session, yet the Council lets at least a month pass away before even giving the question consideration. Those who have not yet had an opportunity of witnessing the electric light in all its brilliancy will be able to do so here at the Basin Reserve on the night of the 30th instant. Mr. David Proudfoot, the well-known contractor, of Otago, has kindly lent the Wellington Reform Football Club two of his electric lights. These lights are the most powerful ones in New Zealand. They were shipped yesterday in the Wanaka, and will arrive on Sunday. The lights after arrival will be under the care of Mr. H. F. Smith, of the Telegraph Department. The Reform Club are going to play a match by them. A small charge will be made for admission, ’ the proceeds of which will be handed over to the Lunatic Asylum. Should the night be at all fine, we have no doubt that there will be a very large attendance of spectators.

His Excellency the Governor has been pleased to appoint Oliver Wakefield, Esq. (Under-Secretary for Goldfields), to be Undersecretary for Mines, in order to carry out the provisions of the Regulation of Hines Act, 1874, brought into force by proclamation on the 28th of February last, from which date Mr. Wakefield's appointment takes effect. ' Mr. G. B. Tolhurst, manager of the Wellington branch of the Bank of New Zealand, on Tuesday’last sent the following letter to the manager of the Press Agency, in reply to a Timaru telegram containing the substance of an article in the Tinian Herald on “ Government Financing,” alleging that some Government cheques had been dishonored by the Bank Sir—My attention having been called to a telegram which appeared in this morning’s New Zealand Times, and which was sent by your Timaru Agency, I beg to state that no cheques presented in accordance with the Treasury regulations have ever been dishonored by the Bank of New Zealand.”—l have, &c., G. E. Tolhobst, Manager Bank of New Zealand, Wellington.

The football team who will try conclusions against a Wanganui team wiil play a match this afternoon in Mr. Sheehan’s paddock against All-comers.

Mr. Vines will deliver his third Bible Address in the Athenaeum Hall this evening, commencing at half-past seven o’clock. Mr. Vines will also deliver an address at the Princess Theatre to morrow evening at seven.

A large meeting of gentlemen interested in the formation of a gymnasium was held at the Athenaeum last night. A considerable amount of interest was displayed, and there is every likelihood of the affair proving a success. A report will be found elsewhere. On the occasion of the last appearance of Mr. Creswick and Miss Ashton in Wellington this evening a special double programme will be presented. The performance will commence with Kotzebue’s play of “ The Stranger,” with Mrs. Darrell as Mrs. Haller, and Mr. Creswick as the Stranger. BulwerVgrand play of “The Lady of Lyons ” will follow, with Miss Ashton as Pauline, and Mr. George Darrell as Claude Melnotte. On Monday evening Mr. Darrell’s new mystic drama, “Back from the Grave,” which has been in preparation for many weeks, will be produced with entirely new scenery and elab irate mechanical effects.

We have been requested to call the attenf tion of the city authorities to the condition of the road around Oriental Bay on the way to the Patent Slip. It has heen allowed to get into such a condition that it has become simply impassable to any but those possessed of strong resolution and Wellington boots. It is rather remarkable that from the point where city control ends and that of the Makara Highway Board begins, the state of the road is thoroughly good. The football players of Melbourne appear to have been somewhat jealous of New Zealand having one of their “ dons” amongst them. We refer to Mr. Sandilands, who has distinguished himself by his good play in every game he has played here. He left yesterday in the Albion for Melbourne. The Geelong Club paid his passage over from here, and have obtained for him a very good situation on his arrival.

There were about eight cases set down for hearing at the District Court yesterday. The case of Macdonald and Co. v. Beere occupied the whole of the day, and the rest had to be adjourned until the 30th instant. Mr. Ollivier remarked that one day a fortnight would never be sufficient for the District Court. His Honor agreed with Mr. Ollivier, and hoped soon for a a change. Later in the day Judge Hansford said that the Court would for the future adjourn at four o’clock. However, as this was not perhaps generally known, he would sit until the case was concluded. He said that the Judges of the Supreme Court sat sometimes until late at night, but then they had long vacations. He had no vacation, and” had day after day to go over the same ground, and therefore he would not sit after 4 p.m., because his health would not stand it.

Mr. Griffiths entertained a few gentlemen last evening with an exhibition of his phonograph in the Athenaeum. The instrument, or machine, is a very simple contrivance, and requires to be seen to be appreciated. Mr. Griffiths, as well as many of the visitors, sang songs, and a few seconds afterwards the phonograph repeated them. To night the public will have an opportunity of witnessing this extraordinary little machine.

There wag a fair audience at the Theatre Kojal last night to witness the diorama of the American war. As usual a number of valuable gifts were given away to those of the audience who were lucky enough to hold the winning tickets.

A night rehearsal of Mr. George Darrell’s drama “Back from the Grave” took place last evening at the Imperial Opera House. A number of the Wellington Volunteer Fire Brigade, under Superintendent Whiteford, were in attendance, and in order to verify the statement of the manager that no real danger existed in the exposition of the “ realistic fire scene," the stage building was placed in flames, the alarm given and the conflagration subdued under twenty seconds.

The return football match between the Thorudon and Te Aro Reform Clubs will be played on the Basin Reserve this afternoon. A little story which has the merit of truth is going the rounds as to how a worthy citizen recently lost and found certain jewellery. He went home one evening breathing forth indications of sundry visits to the pub., aud bis wife, noticing the fact, took the precaution of removing several rings from his fingers. Next morning she casually remarked on the absence from bis hand of the rings. “Yes,” he observed, “I took them to so and so, the jewellers, yesterday.” Clear of the house he rushed to an evening paper and inserted an advertisement stating his loss of the rings, aud willingness to pay a reward for their recovery. The notice was repeated in the morning papers, aud went on for some time, when his wife one day presented hersc-lf at his place of business, produced the rings, and demurely applied for the reward. He has resolved to make a clean breast of his losses in future.

In Thursday’s Government Gazette, the Uuder-Seoretary for Mines directs the attention of owners and managers of mines to a proclamation of the 28th of February last, bringing into force the Regulation of Mines Act, 1874, the provisions of which will as far as may be reasonably practicable—especially with reference to precautions for safety—be strictly enforced. The match to take place on the Basin Reserve this afternoon should attract the attention of all those who wish to see football played in a scientific manner and under the Victorian rules, thereby avoiding all dangerous scrimmages and unnatural contingencies incurred by the Rugby game. The match is between the Reform Clubs, Te Aro and Thorndon. The following is a list of those members chosen to represent Te Aro :—Bentley, Bishop, Badley, Bristow, Bonthorn, Butts, Buoholz, Chapman, Christie, Campbell, Cameron, Forsyth, Grey (2), Hill, Haughton, Kemble (2), Keasbury, McDermott, Row, Pilcher, Pilcher, F. E. Sandilands, Stubbs (captain), Soheer, and Tait.

The arrangements for giving immediate assistance to persons who may meet with street accidents in Paris have been very much improved of late years ; and at the present time there are eighty-four surgical depots in the district town hall, market, octroi buildings, barracks, and other buildings. There is also provided a fumigating apparatus for the relief of suffocated persons in the watch-houses of the cemeteries, and along the banks of the Seine aud canals, which are further provided with buoys and boat-hooks. Each surgical depot contains every kind of apparatus and medical preparation likely to be required in the case of accident, and in addition each police station has a mattress and stretcher ; while all the twenty district police stations have a dress with which the wearer can enter rooms full of smoke, and several carriages for the transport of the dead and wounded. Registers are also kept at each station, upon which are recorded the cases in which relief has been given, together with a list of the medical men in the neighborhood, and instructions as to how to treat particular cases. There are as many as ten rescue-stations upon the banks of the Seine and of the two canals which run through Paris; and at all of these, in addition to the ordinary life-saving apparatus, there is a small life-boat in constant readiness.

The Daily Telegraph of the 24th April says ; —“ The deliberate act of Sabbath desecration which was committed by the Commissioner of Railways by ordering eighty or ninety men to work on the South Yarra and Oakleigh railway on Sunday, the 30th March, was brought under the notice of the Government yesterday, by a deputation which waited upon the Acting Chief Secretary. A memorial protesting against the act referred to was presented, and several leading clergymen and members of Parliament supported the memorial by their presence and arguments. Sir Bryan O'Loghlen did not make the slightest attempt to defend the action of his colleague, but gave a distinct assurance that the Government would yield to no body of men in their desire to have the Sabbath-day properly respected.” The Sydney Morning Herald, in an article on the Sydney Exhibition, says :—“ Attention is called to the fact that rock-drilling apparatus is already made here equal in quality, and at a cheaper cost, than that imported ; and it is hoped that samples of those implements will find a place in the New South Wales court. The committee further say that no country excels this in the manufacture of crushing, grinding, and other machinery under class 505, and that evidence should be furnished of the fact. In view of the importance to the comfort and health of the people of a cheap process for producing artificial cold, as also in view of the pressing necessity which exists for some practicable method of enabling the surplus animal products of Australasia to be conveyed by means of a low artificial temperature to those countries where the supply is deficient, the Commission will decree, irrespective of country, the following special awards For the machine capable on land

of producing artificial cold at the least cost— Gold medal and certificate. 2. For the machine best adapted fer maintaining a low artificial temperature on board ship at sea, and best suited to the economical preservation of a cargo of fresh meat du ing a voyage to Europe, together with least liability to derangement of machinery—A gold medal and certificate. Should auy refrigerating machine combine both series of merits, it will receive the double award ; and stamped as it will be by the reports of competent jndg*s, the inventor, whilst conferring on the world great benefits, will secure for himself high renown and ranch profit. The better to enable the inventive faon'ti-s of the world to compete for these two prizes, the Commission have determined to extend the time for entering and erecting the competing refrigerating apparatus to the Ist of February, 1S80.”