WELLINGTON.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2577, 11 April 1877, Page 2

WELLINGTON.

Tuesday. Mrs Scott; Siddons last night concluded the most successful season in every respect ever played here. She and Steele leave for Christchurcb to-morrow. The Davenports also closed ytoilattended performances last night; they leave for Napier. ' - . The Lydia Howarde troupe are to be"~ caterers for; public amusement for the next few nights at the Theatre JJoyal. ■..:■_ Charles .Hillsden, custodian for the Theatre Company and business manager for the lessees, brought a criminal action for libel against a. person named Powell, formerly connected with the theatre, for having written an anonymous letter to one of the Public Hall directors, in which he insinuated that the directors of the company and lessees of the theatre were being defrauded by Hillsden. The case was heard before the R.M., and Powell, who reserved his defence, was committed to take his trial at the next Criminal Sitting of the Supreme Court.

Martin Kennedy, M.H.R., who purchased the Luna, is endeavouring to make arrangements with the authorities for landing and storing West Coast coal either on the new rec'amation or on a temporary jetty to be run out from the breastwork. He is willing to pay the same wharfage as he would if he berthed his vessel at the Queen's wharf. He estimates that if a staging about 200 feet square could be run out. from the breastwork, he could supply West Coast coal in Wellington far cheaper than Newcastle coal possibly could be landed; while it would pay his vessels to take back cargoes of goods from Wellington to Greymouth at so cheap a rate that it would pay the West Coast towns just as wellas to import from Melbourne.

This day. '•

The Wakatipu arrived late last night from Sydney, wEich she left on the sth. tf She brings the following Ceylon telegrams which did not appear in Australian papers till the sth :—

Constantinople, February 26.

The Shah of Persia has assured the Forte that the massing of his troops on the frontier is simply to punish the Turcomans.

Midhat Pasha is staying at Naples. London, February 26.

The decrease in Mr Gathorne Hardy's army estimate is due to nominal credit being taken for the whole payment by the Indian Government for* British troops serving- in India.

Among the notices of motion in the House of Commons is one by Alderman McArthur, proposing to call attention to the state of affairs in Ceylon in relation to ecclesiastical endowments.

March 3rd.

Lord Hamilton, in replyinp|to a series of questions from Sir G. Campbell, said the title of Kaiser as applied to J'er Majesty in India was Arabic and not German. Gerald Fitzgerald, he also said, had simply chosen to spend a year's leave of absence in the Khedive's service in carrying out Mr Goschen's scheme for re-organisation of- the finances of Egypt.

The reasons assigned for the British fleet quitting the Piraeus is that the state of politics does not require its presence in. the least.

March 5 th.

The Ohefoo Convention remains un? ratified.' Lord D#by requested. S|r Thomas Wade to prepare a memo, giving reasons for every concession made.

In the House of Commons Sir Stafford Northcote, jreplying to a question by Sir H. Wolffe, said the first reduction in

Suez Canal clues had been postponed till the 15th April. The Canal Company he said, objects to England's voting, because the shares held by the English Government do not boar coupons. The Government protested against this objection, and declared its right to vote ai shareholders. .

Mr Ward Hunt estimates the expenses of the navy for the coming year at 10J

millions

Mr Hardy, in presenting his army estimates* said that the condition of the army was excellent. He would shortly present a plan for the promotion and retirement of officers.

Melbourne. Bannerman's testimonial has reached 90,

Application has been made to the Supreme Court to strike an attorney off the rolls for misconduct, but it was refused on the ground that the affidavit disclosed an indictable offence, and conviction must precede any action such as asked for.

A fatal accident occurred on board the Serapis during the voyage from London. Two boys were on the top mast, when il broke away. One of the youths was killed by the fall; the other was knocked overboard and drowned. „

Adelaide, April 4th.

The ship British Enterprise has arrived with a number of immigrants. Seven cases of small-pox of a mild description occurred during the voyage, principally among the crew ; one died; two are yet invalided. Whooping cough and scarlatina were also prevalent. Deaths from all causes, 10. The vessel has been placed in strict quarantine, farther particulars cannot be ascertained.