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New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 5711, 19 July 1879, Page 2

The House had another short sitting yesterday afternoon, when questions were asked and answered, and motions moved and carried, in a way which showed that no particular interest was taken in them, or that the motions did not call for discussion. By twenty minutes past three o'clock the order paper had been disposed of, with the exception of the motion by Mr. Shanks, who was to move the Address in Reply. At that stage of the sitting, on the motion of Sir George Grey, the House adjourned until half-past seven o’clock in the evening.

Mr. Ormond yesterday gave notice to ask the Government whether certain damage had not been done to the property of private individuals near tKe railway, through the sparks escaping from the engine ? and whether it is the intention of the Government to afford any relief to the sufferers. The Executive Committee of the Intercolonial Juvenile Industrial Exhibition, to be held in Melbourne, have at length succeeded in obtaining a building in which to hold their gathering of our young people’s skill and perseverance. Many difficulties have been encountered in the endeavor to secure a building which would be large enough, and also be in a good central position in the city. This has been overcome by the kind assistance of the Melbourne City Corporation, the members of which body, seeing the difficulty the committee were placed in, have agreed to lease a portion of the new Eastern Market, in Bourkestreet East. Having secured this building, the enterprise is almost sure to be a success, from its being a new erection, centrally situated, and a splendid area ; and the number of visitors will doubtless be very great. We trust the youth of our town and district will strive to be well represented. There will be ample time for them to do so, as the market buildings will not be ready until the end of December ; consequently the opening of the Exhibition will have to be postponed to that month, and the exhibits will not be required before the last week in November instead of the time which was previously advertised. Among the petitions yesterday presented was one by Dr. Gndgkinson, on the subject of Bible reading in schools, the petitioners being of opinion that such reading ought to take place. On behalf of the Chamber of Commerce, Mr. Barton yesterday asked leave to introduce a Bill giving power to constitute a Harbor Board for Wellington. Mr. Hursthouse yesterday gave notice in the House that he would move at a future date that all libraries in the colony receiving Government aid shall be supplied with copies of the Government Gazette and Parliamentary papers free of cost. There was only a short sitting of the R.M. Court yesterday in the' Athenaeum Hall. His Worship the Mayor, and Messrs. Hickson and Duncan, constituted the Bench. A woman named Christina Wilson, who had appeared before the Court for thirty-four times on charges of drunkenness, received a sentence of three months’ imprisonment for being an habitual drunkard. An inebriate who had been intoxicated at the railway station, and had caused the officials considerable annoyance, was fined £2, or three days’ imprisonment, being the alternative for non-payment. A woman, for being drunk and disorderly in Manners-street, was ordered to pay a fine of 10s., or twenty-four hours’ imprisonment.

Rapid progress is being made with the Colonial Bank o£ New Zealand new buildings, and that for the South British Insurance Company. The buildings will form a most elegant and striking addition to our already large list of business offices, and the locality in which they have been erected, namely, between the Athenaeum and the old Supreme Court-house, will be considerably improved by their presence. The business room of the bank will be a fine large one, and quite equal to any in the colonies.

During the examination of a debtor yesterday some very curious domestic arrangements were related. The debtor swore that he was paying his wife 15s. per week for a workshop he occupied, and was also paying her on an average 80s. per week for board, which he said she always took good care to be paid for. A large amount of property was deposed to as being owned by the debtor’s wife, the debtor expressing supreme indifference to this ; for, according to his account, he had nothing whatever to do with it. Indeed, he frequently found it inconvenient to remember whether his wife owned such and such property, but a forcible reminder from the Chairman that he was on his oath, and was liable to a prosecution for perjury, served to wonderfully assist his memory. The witness professed to be remarkably simple, but at times he rather overdid it. Upon one occasion when asked if some houses spoken of were built in a similar manner (with regard to funds) as one previously spoken of, he asked if his questioner wanted to know what the design was, to which his interlocutor replied that ha knew very well what his design was. The weather of yesterday formed a striking contrast to that of some of the days previous ; a cold stiff breeze blowing from the south-east, which made out-door exercise or business very disagreeable, and rendered overcoats indispensable necessities.

We wonder who is responsible for the unclean condition of the grand jury room at the Supreme Court ? In this room and the passage leading from the staircase to it dust reigns supreme, the floor having as much dirt upon it as would form a small potato patch, while every step upon the tattered carpet raises a cloud only equalled by the dust which fills Willis-street on a windy day. If it is nobody’s duty to see that this portion of the Supreme Court is kept clean, then someone should be deputed to attend to the matter. “ The Eye and its functions,” formed the subject of an exceedingly interesting lecture, delivered at St. Paul’s schoolroom, Tinakoriroad, on Friday evening, by Dr. Kemp. The "Ven. Archdeacon'’Thorpe occupied the chair, •and there was a very select, although not large, audience present. The lecturer fully explained the various parts of the ocular organa; the structure of the eye and the functions of vision being described in plain and comprehensible language, technical names being avoided as far as practicable. His lecture formed an intellectual treat, which we regret we are unable, through extra demand upon our space, to present to our readers. Dr. Kemp made some very sensible remarks condemnatory of the system at present in vogue of allowing boys ' and girls to grow up in complete ignorance of their own, frames, this being hardly in keeping with the spirit of the age, which is essentially one of progress. The proceedings closed with the usual votes of thanks, A rather novel tender appears in our advertising columns, being for the supply of twenty hogsheads of first-class beer to Mr. Wakeford, of the Bank Hotel, in Manners-street. We have been informed that this step has been taken in consequence of a reduction in the tariff charged by some other, hotels in the city.

An extraordinary meeting of shareholders in the Tramway Company will be held on Monday, the 28th inst., to confirm the resolution which was passed at the last meeting of the company, giving the directors power to call up more capital than was possessed by them previous to the passing of that resolution. The Mammoth Minstrels were again largely patronised last night, when the same programme was repeated as on the previous evening, the performance giving general satisfaction.

The Circuit Court sittings commence again on Monday, when the special jury case of Wood v. Buller will be tried, Turnbull v. Maysmor standing for Tuesday.

The next boat for Banjoewangie will be the Atjeh, which will leave Port Darwin on Friday, the 25th instant.

Rabbits have made their appearance near Marton, in the Raugitikei district ; and a meeting has been convened in Palmerston, for the purpose of taking steps to stay the ravages of the pest in that neighborhood. One of the latest monstrosities recorded is a calf without legs. This lusus natural was calved on the farm of Messrs. Bathe and Davi-, at Springvale, near Wanganui. The owners intend having it stuffed and sent to the Sydney Exhibition.

Some of the mills in Carterton, which had only been working half time, and others which had ceased work altogether, have again resumed full operations. Let us hope (says the Standard) that this is an indication of the dawn of happier times. Mr. George Darrell, the well-known colonial actor and author, will make his re-appearnce in Wellington on Monday evening, at the Theatre Royal, where ho will be supported by Mrs. Darrell and the excellent stack company with which Mr. Darrell has surrounded himself. Mr. Huntley, the scenic artist, has been' hard at wox-k all the week preparing for the opening night, and painting a series of realistic pictures for the opening piece, “ Transported for Life.” This play is well known in Wellington, having been successfully produced in this city two years ago, shortly after it was written. Since that time it has been performed in Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, and other places with signal success, and doubtless on this occasion it will meet with the same favor which it experienced two years ago. The company leave Christchurch to-morrow, and will arrive on Monday morning, appearing in the evening, as above.

“ Selling off ” is the order of the day, and Mr. Jenness, watchmaker, opposite this office, appears to have caught the prevailing epidemic. He is advertising a great sale of watches and jewellery during to-day and the ensuing week. At a meeting of the budding committee of St. Peter’s Church, it was stated that a lady member of the congregation had offered to present stained glass windows to the new church, and another lady had also offered to provide some portion of the church or its accessories, as memorials to departed relatives. Both offers were cordially accepted. The Rev. Mr. DeOastro was appointed treasurer instead of Archdeacon Stock, who resigned the position. “ Marilana ” was repeated last night, and we confess our great surprise (considering the short notice) how well and creditably her part was taken by Miss Johns, who is certainly deserving of very great praise. The rest of the company also acquitted themselves remarkably well. To-night, being positively the last of the season, it is proposed to give two acts from “ Maritana” and two from the “Bohemian Girl,” comprising all the principal gems from these two favorite operas. We trust to see a good attendance, for whatever shortcomings there were on one occasion, we feel sure that ample amends will be made at the farewell performance to be given to-night. We regret to learn that Mr. Cary has been suffering from very severe indisposition since Wednesday night, and through his enforced absence and

that of Madame Le Couteur, the company have had to submit to a serious drawback. However, they have dore exceedingly well on Thursday and Friday evenings, and we have no dou’it they will prove equally successful with this evening’s performance. A meeting of ratepayers will be.held on Saturday, the 9th August, for the purpose of discussing the proposal to borrow £130,000 for carrying out the Wainuiomata water supply scheme.

On Monday next those who are desirous of buying city properties will have an opportunity offered of getting them very cheap. Messrs. T. Kennedy Macdonald and Co. have received instructions from the Registrar of the Supreme Court, to sell on that date, in their mart, at 2.80 p.m., the following valuable properties, viz., two cottages in Holland-street, built on an allotment of laud, and having a frontage of 25ft. by a depth of 51ft. There will also be offered a splendid block of land in King-street, off Adelaide-road, immediately behind the tramway station. The laud has a frontage of 39ft. by a depth of Sift. There will doubtless be a largejattendance. ,At a meeting «f the Vestry of St. Peter’s Church, held on Thursday evening, the Ven. Archdeacon Stock presiding, the resignation of Captain Kreeft as churchwarden was received with regret, and a vote of thanks was passed to Mr. Hamerton on hia retirement from the post of organist and choirmaster. It was stated that there was no intention to curtail the music beyond the point at which it had remained for some years past, and an opinion was expressed that there had been some misconception on the part of the choir as to the views of the vestry on the subject. Some of the Wellington Volunteer Artillery went on board H.M.S. Emerald yesterday, and were courteously conducted all over the ship by Mr. Clark, the first lieutenant. They were much interested in seeing the men belonging to the Emerald going through what is known week at the rifle butts between a number of the sailors and the Artillery, and some good shooting may be expected. Tenders are invited by Mr. T. Turnbull, architect, for the restoration of the building occupied by the branch Bank of New Zealand, in Manners-street, previous to the occurrence of the fire.

A sitting of the Bankruptcy Court was held yesterday before his Honor the Chief Justice. In the deed of assignment by F. H. Wood, Mr. Gully applied for an order of complete execution, which was granted. Similar applications made by Mr. Bell on behalf of James Harvey and J. Adams were granted. At a meeting of directors of the Sandon District Railway Company, the Chairman stated the sum of £447 ss. had been lodged in the bank as first deposit on shares. We clip the following items from the Wairarapa Daily : —“ Mr. T. H. Murray has resigned his seat In the Wairarapa West County Council,—Tenders for the Greytown branch railway close on Wednesday next.—Fifty short Enfields are to be at once served out to the Masterton Volunteers. —Hares are now rapidly increasing in the Wairarapa.—An effort is now being made to have Mr. Campbell, of Carterton, appointed a drill instructor for the Wairarapa district.” The Manawatu Herald states that the Samson has been chartered to convey railway material ex Hyderabad from Hartley’s to the island of Kapiti, where she will transfer it to the American ship Matilda, which vessel will load the remainder of the stuff there, and proceed to Adelaide. The Samson is being got ready for the work at Wellington, and she may shortly be expected in the river. “The Wellington Monthly Price Current and Trade Report,” for transmission by the San Francisco mail, is just published. It is, as usual, well compiled, and the printing has also been neatly executed. It is a very creditable monthly production. A match will be played this afternoon by the Reform Football clubs in the Hon, J. Sheehan’s paddock, Hobson-street. Miss Fiddler is now giving lessons on cooking in Wanganui. Messrs. Dwan and Kirton will hold a sale this day, at their rooms, at 2 p.m., of a large consignment of goods suitable for storekeepers ; and a sale of furniture will be held afterwards. Messrs. Leary and Campbell will hold a sale of horses, drays, spring carts, *c., at their Horse Bazaar, Manners-street, to-day, at 2 p.m. Mr. Francis Sidey will hold a sale at 11 a.m. at the Arcade of unredeemed pledges, consisting of jewellery, articles of vertu, clothing, &o.