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New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 5658, 19 May 1879, Page 2

The nominations for the Mayoralty were posted on Saturday, shortly after noon. Mr. Hunter is nominated by Messrs. J. R. Brown, and Robert Carswell ; Mr. Hutchison by Messrs. James Barnard and T. W. Young. The polling takes place on the 27th instant, and the interval will be devoted to hard work on both sides. The address issued by Mr. Hutchison is worthy of that gentleman. He is considered one of the best authorities on the subject of “rings,” and his championship of Mr. Olimie and his scheme may be estimated at its proper worth, when it is remembered that Mr. Olimie attributed, and, we believe, still attributes the non-adoption of bis scheme to the shilly-shallying of Mr. Hutchison, when Mayor. Mr. George Hunter announces by an advertisement in another column that he is a candidate for the office of Mayor, and that he will address the ratepayers in the various wards prior to the election day (27th initant). A meetmg of friends and supporters will be held this evening, at 8 o’clock, at the com-mittee-room, Panama Chambers, Panamastreet, when a committee will be formed and other arrangements made to secure Mr. Hunter’s return.

Probably it is not generally known that Mr. Hall, of Wellington, has been endeavoring, by means of the gasoline machine, to supply railway carriages with gas light. We are happy to say that after several months experimenting Mr. Hall has at last succeeded. The great difficulty to get over was that the sudden jerks and oscillation of the carriages extinguished the light This has been remedied, and Mr. Hall is moat sanguine of a successful result to his labors. Yesterday afternoon his Excellency the Governor went by special train to the Hutt, when advantage was taken of the oocaskm to light his carriage by gas. The light was very brilliant, and any one sitting in any part of the carriage (a saloon one) could read quite easily. His Excellency was agreeably surprised, and expressed himself in tlio highest terms of praise. The machine is placed in the luggage van, and the gas is connected to the carriage by means of indiarubber tubing. The lamps now in use can easily be adapted to burn the gas, so that beyond the outlay of the machine itself very little extra expease is necessary, and great saving will be the result to the railway. Every assistance has been given to Mr. Hall by the heads of the railway department here, and they are most sanguine as to the ultimate success of thp undertaking. This is the first time, we believe, that gas has been made in the train, and burnt in it. Of course, railway carriages have been lit with gas for a considerable time, but the fluid has always been portable and supplied by means of bellows. Mr. P. B. Reynolds has opened a handsome collection of pictures at Mr. MoCredie’s old store, next door to Jacob Joseph's new store on Lambton-quaj. We paid a short visit to the establishment on Friday last, and though unable to devote the time to it which the collection merits, we recommend our readers to give Mr. Reynolds a call; if after seeing the pictures they leave his establishment withoutcarryingawayasouvenir of their visit, either their appreciation of art beauties must be slight, or the hard times must press with undue severity upon their pockets. The engravings are certainly by far the most carefully selected collection which it has ever been our good fortune to come across in this colony. Quite a crowd was gathered round the window to look at the proof copy of Miss Thompson’s picture of “ Quatre Bras.” The collection includes copies of the works of Landseer, Ansdeli, Rosa Bonheur, Millais, L. Alma Tadema, Eaed, Goodall, Hicks Briton Riviere, Leighton, Holman Hunt, &c., &c. In addition to the above, there are photographs from the Photographic Society of Berlin which have obtained a very wide celebrity for their excellence, as well as photographic, copies of a great many of the leading works m numerous art galleries from allparts of the civilized world. Jlany of the photos are most tastefully colored, and some of the female faces are particularly beautiful. Chromo-litho-graphs, oleographs, photo-engravings, and aquagraphs, are to be seen, and for those who, like ourselves, cannot pretend to any technical knowledge of the points of difference, it is somewhat difficult, after a merely cursory visit, to retain any very accurate conception of the special beauties or excellencies produced by any one particular process. Of the engravings we can speak in hearty terms of praise. Many of them are such high-class works that we are anxious to postpone any detailed criticism until an opportunity offers itself for a more prolonged and more careful inspection This notice was accidentally omitted in our last issue, and we owe Mr. Reynolds a word of apology for the oversight.

Talking of Australian Exhibition Commissioners (writes the correspondent of a contemporary), there was a story about one ot them which went the rounds of the Colonials in Paris during our stay there. The Commissioner in question one day put on the Windsor uniform to meet the Prince of Wales, who had promised to visit his court. The Prince was a little late, and as the commissioner walked up aud down in the panoply of state, he said to his secretary, “How does the dress become me? Do I look like a. military offiser “Not that, quite,” answered the secretary. “ Do I look like an admiral, then ?” proceeded the querist. “ I should not take you for that, either/’ responded the other party to the conversation. v Then, in Heaven’s name, what do I look like ?” persisted the commissioner. Said the secretary, “You Ipolf like a blooming pirate 1” The Athenxum Hall was fairly attended on Saturday evening to witness and listen to Mr. Griffiths’ phonograph. It did not work quite so successfully as might have been wished, owing to the clock-work_ making rather too much noise. When this is done away with, and the machine is turned by hand, it greatly improved. A number of our leading scientific residents were present, who appeared thoroughly well satisfied with the results of the working of the machine. There were no trams running yesterday, the Tramway Company having decided to discontinue the practice of running the cars on Sundays.

There were only three men in the lock-np last night. They were all inebriates.

AVe understand that another detachment of the Armed Constabulary leaves by the Patea to-day. John Cowan, on remand, charged with bigamy, was brought before Mr. Mansford on Saturday, and on the application of the police again remanded for eight days. On account of the inclemency of the weather on Saturday last the firing for the Ev suing Post Gup at the Pollhill’s Gully range was postponed till Saturday next, when the firing will commence at 8 a.m.

It is stated that within the past four or five weeks the merchants of this colony have countermanded by cable orders for million pounds worth of goods, which had been sent to England and the C mtinent by post. A great falling off in the Customs revenue for the first half of next year must therefore be anticipated, and the deficiency duly provided against. Mr. Creswick and Miss Ashton concluded their , engagement at the Opera House ou Saturday evening. The programme consisted of “ The Stranger” and “ The Lady of Lyons,” which were performed to a large audience. It is needless to repeat expressions which have become stereotyped regarding Mr. Creswick s and Miss Ashton’s acting, and we merely refer to the fact of their last performance here to congratulate local play-lovers on the opportunity they have lately enjoyed to see Shakspere rendered in a manner that has now become unfortunately too rare, and also to compliment our eminent visitors on the way they have throughout their short season Ken supported. To-night “Back from the Grave” will be played by Mr. Darrell’s company at the Opera House.

The return football match between the Thorndon and Te Aro Football Clubs was played on the Basin Reserve on Saturday afternoon. The clubs were represented by the same teams as in the first match. The weather was very pleasant, but the little rain which fell in the moruiug made the ground very slippery, and the ball soon got so greasy chat it was impossible to kick it with anything like precision. Several good kicks were, however, made, and there is no doubt had it not been for the wet a few goals would have been obtained by both sides. The match was well contested from first to last, and there was very little advantage, gained by either side. At half-past four time was called, and all the players seemed to have thoroughly enjoyed themselves. There was a fair sprinkling of the public, who appeared to take a lively interest in the match.

Messrs. Hiscocks, Hayman and company have now perfected arrangements for the appearance in succession in Wellington of the following companies :—Miss Beatrice D'Arcy Ogden, Thuo. Hamilton, and dramatic company ; to be followed by Wybert Reeves, the eminent comedian, with a comedy company ; Captain Baldwin, the great spiritnalistio exposer ; to be followed by the Mammoth Minstrel Company, now playing in Melbourne. Each company will play a short season of only three weeks, with the exception of Captain Baldwin, who only stays six nights, so that there will be a continuous run of novelty. The “ camgaign ” will open at the Opera House on the 2nd July, following Mr. Darrell’s present season. Some amount of amusement occurred in the Resident Magistrate’s Court on Saturday during the cross-examination of Mr. Henry Anderson. In referring to the payment of Mr. Easby's account, Mr. Anderson said that he was not aware that Mr. Easby always wanted cash at once tor his work. He (Mr. Anderson) was glad to get his bids paid in six, or even twelve mouths time. The tradesmen generally of Wellington were a longsuffering body of men. He said again that he did not believe in lawyers’ letters for the amelioration of debts. Mr. Anderson also said he bad one of the worst heads in the world for figures. He always gave his money to ids wife; she was his financier. There was a large attendance of the public, who seemed to thoroughly enjoy the cross-examination by Mi’. Stafford. On one occasion the laughter was so hearty that his Worship said that if more order was not kept he would give orders to have the Court cleared.

In an article on the Bay of Islands scandal the Christchurch Press says “ These and other facts throw some light upon the manner in which the rolls are prepared for the return of friends of the Premier. Eor it must not be forgotten that the Mr. P. Lundon, whom Raniera Wharerau so kindly assisted to stntt the roll, is brother of the candidate who was defeated at the last election, and whom Sir George Grey introduced to the electors as a ‘ companion’ he was anxious to have in the House with him. Had a dissolution been granted some time ago as desired by the Ministers, and a new election taken plane, no doubt Sir C. Grey would have had Mr. Lundon as a ‘ companion’ in the House, but it would have been by trampling upon the rights of nearly every bona fide elector in the Bay of Islands.”

The Marlborough Times says “Rather a good story comes to us from the ‘ happy hunting grounds.’ A party of enterprising sportsmen celebrated the opening of the imported game season by a tour days’ cruise amongst the Sounds and their environs. When they came to sum up results they were rather chagrined to find they had jointly and severally engaged to donate twice the number ot pheasants they had bagged. In that dilemma they hit upon a novel expedient for making goad the deficiency. They shot an equal number ot the feathered carrion known as swamp hens, and by dint of some ingenious manipulation, be-t known to themselves, they transferred the tails and plumage of the pheasants to the carcases of the swamp hens. By that means they were enabled to redeem their promises in full. It afforded quite au exhilarating sight, we are told, to witness the satisfaction with which the unsuspecting victims ot this ‘ little ruse, walked home with their ‘borrowed plumes.' Since then, dinner party invitations, with a brace of pheasants set forth in bold relief on the bill of fare, have been all the rage, so that between this and that and the et cetera, the ‘sell’ becomes rather wide spread. The denouement, or discovery, although safe to eventuate, has not yet occurred. . Meantime, one or more of the tender-hearted chickens of the party have undertaken another excursion, so that if any unpleasantness occurs, they will not be there to witness it.”

We (Otago Daily Times) were yesterday shown a specimen of bluestone from a quarry discovered upon the Peninsula, distant about five miles from Dunedin, by Mr. Wm. Brown. It is of a character excelling anything which, so far as wa know, has been found near Dunedin previously, aud as it exists in great quantities, should be turned to advantage in the city without trouble. It is especially suitable for flagging, and can be worked off into the requisite sized slabs for this class of work with singular ease. Mr. Brown is confident he could supply and lay down flagging of this stone at a cost of even less than half that now paid in Dunedin. Builders and those interested in stonework should see this sample, which, we believe, will be on view at Murray’s Hotel for a day or two.

The shortest line for the Canadian-Pacific railway (says an exchange) from Canton to Liverpool lies through British territory, It touches the American continent at Yancouver s Island, passes through the Saskatchewan ■Valley and the Red River country, and reaches the Atlantic at Cape Breton. The route thus indicated is 1200 miles shorter than that by the United States Pacific Railway. Commerce and intercourse between Asia and Europe is likely to increase year by year as Western power takes the place of the effete dynasties of Asia. Clearly commerce will select the shortest available route, aud thus the construction of a railway through the British dominions of North America becomes a work of Imperial concern. But the benefits to Canada, and therefore to the Empire, are far greater than it would reap merely from the profits of the through traffic.

The most wonderful mineral discovery yet made is that of immense beds of mineral wax in Southern Utah and Arizona, and in the Sierra Madre mountains, about fifty miles north-west of Lcs Angeles (California). It is the same as the Z'etriskisite, or the Roumania mineral wax. It differs from paraffin by being insoluble in ether, aud in other respects. It is a snow-white resinous substance, softer and lighter than chalk, and burns with great brilliancy till consumed, leaving no ashes. In European countries this curious and valuable mineral is found m small quantities ; but in America they have found it in beds said to be as much as twenty feet in thickness, and extending over many square miles.

The latest “ idea” out is the manufacture of butter from tallow. It is stated that when the sperm has been extracted from tallow the remaining substance can be made into moat excellent butter—equal to the best fresh butter churned from cream so far as table purposes are concerned, and better for pastry making. It is suggested that if thia_ discovery were turned to practical account in the colonies, boiling down sheep would become much more profitable.

The Otayo Daily Times of the 14th says:— A fine deer was captured in the Lower Harbor yesterday, while making its way across from the cockle-bank towards the Deborah Bay side. The animal, a doe, was seen on the bank late on Monday evening, and while swimming across yesterday was caught by the crew of the schooner Hosannah Rose, who placed it on board the steam-launch Reynolds for conveyance to Port Chalmers. It is supposed to be one of Mr. Larnacb’s herd, which has escaped from his property on the Peninsula. In a post office not a hundred miles from Edinburgh the following incident actually occurred : —Clerk in the post office : “ Well, sir ?” Gentleman ; “ Postage stamp for Jerusalem, please.” Clerk ; “ There you are, sir. Thanks.” A genuine son of the Emerald Isle happened to be the next customer, and he was evidently amazed at what he had just witnessed, for he stood ia open-mouthed wonder, quite forgetful that it was Ids turn to be served. Cierk : “ Well ?” Irishman : “ Bat sure, now, you don’t mane to tell mu that ye kin siud letters to Jerusalem V Clerk ; “Of course we can! What’s to hinder?” Irishman ; “ Sure, I thought it was aboove !”

Captain Paul Boynton, the famous swimmer who crossed the English Channel, has a number of queer experiences to relate. At one time, while floating down the Danube, and enjoying a nap, he was awakened by the dashing sound of a large mill wheel, under which the rapid current was carrying Idm. He could not escape, and turning himself upon his face, he was carried under the wheel, the paddles cutting a severe gash in his head. He was finally taken from the water by some persons, and fainted from exhaustion and loss of blood. In crossing the Straits of Messina he bad a desperate fight with a shark, and, though he drove the fish off, one of his ribs was broken by a blow from its tail. While floating down the Somme ho received a charge of shot in his upturned feet from a hunter, who, in the twilight, mistook those members for a duck. The American bar-keeper (writes “ iEgles” in the Australasian) easily understood what Leontes meant in the 11 Winter's Tale” when he said “ I have drunk and seen the spider.” There is now an Australian version. Dr. L., of Balrauald, ia an industrious naturalist, and is always collecting entomological specimens. He arrived the other day at Braganza station with a pickle-bottle full of beetles, grasshoppers, &0., upon which he had poured a little whisky as a preservative. After dinner he produced for inspection his bottle of specimens. Going out to the stables to prepare for departure, he left his bottle on the table. Just then a visitor came in, for whom lunch was laid. On the doctor’s returning to the room, he found the visitor with a pickle-fork and a wry face, wondering why they put whisky in the chutney. The following is an extract from a letter dated Gibraltar: —“The 42nd- came home a few weeks ago from Cyprus with 250 men hors de combat. One lias died. There are at present 120 in hospital, seen with my own eyes ; poor devils, sallow, yellow, suffering from the worst form of ague ; mere boys. It was a crying sin to send them to Cyprus ; had they drafted old men from various regiments, and left the young men here (Gibraltar) valuable lives would have been saved, and the country much money. What must be the result of these boys, aged eighteen to twenty, with fever and ague in their houea for life, turned out of hospitals, no pension, wasted, menial, miserable beings, a curse to themselves, a loss to their country.” A distressing affair took place at Palmyra, Pennsylvania, recently. An aged invalid lady, Mrs. Martin Bowman, having expressed a desire to be baptised according to the rites of the German Baptist Church, of which she was a member, aud being unable to walk, was carried to the river bank in a rocking-chair, accompanied by her husband, children, aud a number of friends. So determined was she to be immersed at any cost that on being informed the water was frozen she insisted on the ice being broken by hatchets. This was accordingly done, and Mrs. Bowman was carried into the stream on her chair by the Rev. Mr. Hertzle aud an attendant, and dipped three times in the water. After the third plunge, to the horror of all present, she presented the appearance of a corpse. She was carried to the shore amid loud lamentations ; and everybody thought she was dead. A frightful scene followed. Her husband, who himself is in weak health, and has been advis’d by the doctors to take every precaution against cold, “ rolled in the snow in his bitter anguish,” and rent the air with his cries. Her children also wept bitterly, and refused all consolation proffered by the assembled spectators, who were themselves, without exception, moved to tears. In the meantime the supposed corpse was hurriedly conveyed to a neighboring house, where brandy aud other stimulants were administered, and hot bricks and irons applied to the soles of the feet. These remedies at last happily took effect, aud to the surprise and delight of all present the old lady first uttered an exclamation, and then gave vent to her feelings in rather strong language. It was some time before the ice iu her hair was “ thawed out and although by latest accounts she is progressing towards recovery, she complains of rheumatic pains, especially in the head. Several other persons who were waiting to be baptised wisely “ concluded to wait until warmer weather.”