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New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 5734, 15 August 1879, Page 4

The talk about town yesterday was as usual all about electioneering matters, and the result of the meeting of the so-called Liberal Association was freely criticised. The “ knowing ones” had predicted that Mr. Hutchison and Mr. Shannon would probably be the picked men of the association, and an impression has since gained ground that the result of the election of candidates was a disagreeable surprise to some of those who have been chiefly concerned in getting up the association. A great many enquiries were made during the- day concerning the eligibility of Mr. Fisher for election. Some people are inclined to believe that a Ildnsard reporter is precluded by law from offering himself as a candidate for- Parliamentary honors. Mr. Fisher, however, has probably looked rtp the Disqualification Act before allowing his name to be brought forward, and if he has not done so we have no doubt that he very soon will. Our own impression is that Mr. Hunter’s chance of election is second to none and still unshaken ; during the past day or two a great many of his Wends have come forward and volunteered to work heartily for the member who has served the constituency for so many years both faithfully and well. There has been some talk of Mr. Charles O’Neill coming forward, but we believe that there is no foundation for this rumor.

Mr. W. H Levin will deliver his first public address to the electors at eight o’clock this evening, at the Adelaide-road Theatre. The Tramway Company will run a special train, which will leave the Government Buildings at a quarter past seven, and Manners-street at halt-past seven o’clock ; so that residents of Thorndon will be able to arrive in time for the opening of the meeting. Perhaps of all the public rooms attached to all the public buildings iu the colony there is none which bears so thoroughly wretched an appearance as the room in which the meetings of creditors are held in the Supreme Court building of this city. It bears upon its every side the marks of poverty, neglect, decay not even wearing an assertative air of having once seen better days. Such days it may possibly have witnessed, but they must have been too far distant in the dim vista of unrecorded time to be remembered even by the “ oldest inhabitant.” Its covering of matting on the floor—Heaven save the mark—may once have been new ; it is now the remnant of the veriest rag-', and speaks iu tones that must be trumpet-tongued to creditors, “ Abandon ye all hope who enter here while to the unwary who tread the floor it is a danger which, by its many holes, may easily cause a fall. In one corner near the window is a heap of broken chairs—the wreck of what may have been a “ goodlie companie ” of these articles, ornamental and useful—that are strongly indicative of a free fight iu former times, in which possibly heads and limbs of remorseless creditors may have come to grief as well as the chairs themselves. They should no longer lie unburied to remind the present of the past. A miserable-looking stove, away from the wall, with an attenuated pipe leading to the ceiling, and so into the regions above, is also a striking object of interest, which principally lies in the fact that it is intended to be useful and not ornamental, for a fire has known it not _ for_ generations past. But any attempt to view it in the ornamental light would be an utter failure by the most imaginative of intellects, for its appearance is dreary and dejected, wearing as it does a “take me away and bury me decently” sort of an air. The only solace of the creditor who has here to pass the half hour necessary “ 0, form a quorum,” is to gaze pensively out of the dirt-stained windows into the adjoining yard, where an extensive variety of firewood, washtubs, galvanised iron, and other interesting" items of the genus iora meet the eye. Half-an-honr of such contemplation has been known to drive a man to his bier. Mr. Jackson will hold his first meeting at the Lower Hutt on Tuesday next.

There seems to be considerable diversity of opinion as to the number of creditors necessary at the first meeting in a bankrupt’s estate to form a quorum, and this diversity is uot confined to laymen and members of the Bar, but extends to the members of the Bench itself. It may be remembered that some few months ago the question was brought forward very prominently in Christchurch, where a Mr. A. K. Alport being the only person “assembled” (as Mr. Maginnity put it the other evening), constituted himself chairman, and then, armed with a number of proxies, proceeded solemnly to business. And the way he obtained possession of the chair was unique. He got one of his proxies to move and the other to second the proposition that he should assume that position; and then, there being no oppo.dtiou, he declared the ayes had it, and took the chair accordingly. And then one of the proxies moved, and the other seconded (through Mr. Alport) that the chairman be app iuted trustee, and be allowed so much per cent on the estate. Had there been any dispute on this question the chairman was prepared to have given his casting vote, but there was none, and with commendable promptitude he proceeded to enter the fact on the minutes, not forgetting the names of the proposer and seconder —by proxy. And then, after a vote of thanks to the chair duly proposed and seconded—by proxy,—Mr. Alport retired, no doubt highly pleased at the result of the morning’s work, and at the admirable order which had prevailed throughout the proceedings; for, except through the chairman the proxies were absolutely dumb. But some objection was taken to this mode of proceeding. The matter was brought before the Judge, and the whole thing was quashed, the Court laying it down that there must actually be three persons present at such a meeting to make a quorum. The judicial mind in Auckland, however, aupears to be of a different opinion, and there also appears to prevail another opinion in "Wellington, where it is apparently laid'down as the law that two persons may form a quorum. The point is one of great importance, and iu the present circumstances of the colony it would be as well that some definite rule should be laid down to be equally applicable throughout the colony. The following is a list of the immigrants expected to arrive by the ship Sakata :—Married couples without children : 1 “ploughman, 2 carpenters, 9 farm laborers. Married couples with children : 1 shepherd, 6 farm laborers, 1 milkman, I carpenter. Single men: 2 ploughmen, 1 carter, 1 cowkeeper, 42 farm laborers, 3 butchers. Single womeu : 2 housemaids, 23 general servants, 4 nurses, 3 cooks, 2 nursemaids, 1 housekeeper, 2 dressmakers, 2 Applications to engage these immigrants to be made at the Immigration Office or depot, Wellington, and any of those who are engaged for service in the country districts will be forwarded by the Immigration Department. A little amusement was caused in a civil case at the llesident Magistrate’s Court yesterday, while a trustee of an estate was suing for an amount owing by a debtor to the estate, for which a guarantee had been given by defendant. The defendant, upon entering Court, looked at the witness on behalf of whoso estate the action was brought, and protested that he did not know him, and owed him no money ; but when his written guarantee for t&e amount due was placed in his hands he had to admit that the signature was his, and judgment was accordingly given against him. The usual weekly meeting of the Young Men’s Wesleyan Mutual Improvement Society was held in St. John’s Schoolroom last evening, a large attendance of members being present! The business of the evening consisted of a lecture by Mr. W. Price on the “Elements of Political Economy,” which was delivered in a very able manner, and elicited warm expressions of approbation from the members present. Next Thursday an essay will be read on “ Oliver Goldsmith.”

Mr. Mansford, E.M., delivered judgment in a case brought by the Inspector of Nuisances against Gormsley, for removing rubbish, contrary to the Corporation bye-laws, in which defendant was fined Is. and costs. As Mr. McKirdy is the only licensed contractor for the removal of night-soil and rubbish, it is as well that the public should be aware that they render themselves liable to penalties by employing any other person to remove night-soil within the city. We would remind our readers that this evening the Wellington Garrick Club will give a performance at the Academy of Music for the benefit of Mrs. F. M. Bates, who recently lost her husband in Melbourne under such distressing circumstances. Both Mr. and Mrs. Bates are well known in New Zealand, and more particularly in Wellington, where they played for several seasons. The deceased gentleman was a very great favorite both on and off the stage, and was universally esteemed for his many social qualities. His sad end leaves his widow with a small family almost totally unprovided for. A series of benefits have been organised in different places where the lady and her deceased husband were known, and the initiative in this colony has been taken by the Wellington Garrick Club, who will this evening present the drama of “ The Writing on the Wall,” —one that is new to Wellington, and in which amateurs have an unusual opportunity to display to the best advantage any histrionic talent that they may happen to be the possessors of. Taking, therefore, into consideration the nature of the entertainment and the highly deserving object for which it is to be given, it is to be hoped the Academy will be crowded in every part. The agent for the s.s. Somersetshire, Mr. W. Bishop, yesterday received a telegram, advising the postponement of that steamer's departure from Melbourne to the 4th September. Passengers will be forwarded to Melbourne per Arawata on Monday, the 25th inst.

Ths concert at the Academy of Music last night was not so well patronised as on the previous evening, the counter attraction at the Theatre Koyal being no doubt the cause. The members of the Opera Oompany were again the performers, and a good programme was submitted, comprising the second and third acts from the “Bohemian Girl,” the mad scene from “ Lucia di Lammermoor,” and the comic opera, “ The Hose of Auvergne.” The entertainment passed off very successfully. Hudson’s Surprise Party of male and female minstrels left Lyttelton yesterday in the s.s. Tararua, and will arrive in town to-day. They open to-morrow evening at the Academy of Music.

In our report of the meeting of Mr. Carl Peters’ creditors, the debtor was reported to have said that after the Jirst action had been lost, Mr. Ollivier had informed him that the bank’s solicitor had made a proposal that both parties should pay their own costs. We are informed that Mr. Peters said that it was after the second action had been lost that the conversation took place between him and his solicitor.

The concert to be given this evening by Mr. Robert Parker, the organist of St. Paul’s Church, Thorndon, promises to be a great success, from a musical point of view. A feature of the entertainment will be some part songs by the Orpheus Glee Club, and there will also be a trio for the flute, oboe, and clarionet; whilst that popular favorite Mrs. Cotterell, will contribute several songs during the evening—one of them with violoncello obbligato, and an excellent orchestra. Good musical entertainments are invariably well patronised in Wellington, and we feel confident that Mr. Parker will have no reason to regret that he has commenced his annual concerts in this city. Two stragglers from the man-of-war were arrested early yesterday, and were sent on board during the afternoon, A disgraceful scene occurred at the comer of Lambton-quay and Johnston-street last ni-'ht shortly after 11 o’clock. A woman, apparently under the influence of excitement from some cause or other, was wrangling with some men, and in order to get away from them hailed a hansom cab which was passing and got into it. One of the men she had been quarrelling with demanded the number of the vehicle, which the driver refused to give. The man then seized the horse’s head, and endeavored to prevent the vehicle from proceeding, for which he received a well-deserved castigation from the whip of “cabby.” He, however, held on in a very determined manner until another man ran across to the cabman’s aid, and the horse’s head was then released. The woman inside the cab kept calling the man “ a loafer ” in very loud tones, and quite a crowd gathered during the affray. A policeman, however, appeared upon the scene towards the conclusion of the row, and order was restored as soon as the vehicle was driven awav.

A lecture on “ Egypt, Ancient and Modern,” will be delivered on Tuesday evening, at the AtheDseum, by Mr. J. H. Twentyman, of Christchurch. This will be the second lecture of the course got up by the Young Men’s Christina Association.

A second call of £1 per share has been made by the directors of the Tramway Company, which will be due on the Ist of next month.

A rumor has gained currency that Mr. Charles O’Neill, 0.E., has pouseuted to stand for the city, at the request of a large number of electors.

The man Matthison, charged with stealing a gold watch, guard, and locket, belonging to f Hubert Long, from the Melbourne Hotel, was A ls brought down in the Hotoruafrom Napier yesterday, in charge of Detective Grace, and will be brought up at the Resident Magistrate’s Court this morning.

The Education Board notify that the competition for scholarships, to be held on the 27th instant, will be open to girls as well as to boys, recent arrangements which were made having permitted this concession to the fair sex.

Messrs. Samuel and Co. will hold an extensive sale of drapery and clothing at their rooms. Panamastreet, at2pm.

Mr. Francis Sidey’s large sale of furniture will be continued this morning, at eleven o'clock. There was a pood attendance at yesterday's sale, and a considerable quantity was disposed of. Messrs. H. Moss and Co. will hold a sale of furniture, electro-plated ware, china and glassware, &c., at their rooms, this day, at 11 o’clock.