WELLINGTON.

Thames Star, Volume X, Issue 3173, 21 April 1879, Page 2

WELLINGTON.

This day.

It is stated that Mr Forwood has accepted *the appointment of District Judge and E.M. for Wellington, offered him by the Government;, conditionally on being permitted to appear in the Supreme Court in certain important cases for which he has been retained. ' '

A man named Bell was yesterday arrested for being drunk in St. Paul's Church.

The New Zealander, in an article against Colonial Federation, pays "if Colonial Governors in spite of theoretical views to the contrary, are assuming mofe and more the right to an active and modifying control in the affairs of the Colonies to which they are sent.' 1

. The barque Clan Campbell arrived from London yesterday. ■■'■

1 The Times says that in spite of a certain degree of commercial depression here, the labor market is still but scantily supplied.

Judge Thomas, in a long letter to the Times, re-opens the question of Byqtwarry, and argues that in all he has done he was actuated by pure and disinterested motives. He promises to put the main points of the system before the public in a i second letter.

Saturday.

The Government have given formal notice to the Collector of Customs to take legal proceedings again the captain and owners of the steamer Taiaroa for carrying a greater number of passengers than she is entitled to by law. It appears While the steamer is only entitled to carry 40 in the saloon she carried 80 in the cabin.

The outside painting of the Stadt Haarlem was finished to-day; all the inside will be finished on Tuesday. Every berth in the first and second cabin it already engaged for the return voyage.

Captain Maokay, of the schooner Herald, from Westport io Wellington, reports that on the voyage through the! Straits in a heavy sea one of the crew known as " Bob," whilst engaged shaking out a reef, fell from the yard and was: drowned. Immediately after the occurrence a life buoy was thrown overboard: and a boat put out, but after searching a^ considerable time no trace could be found , of him, and the boat returned.

In an article against the existing law on patents the Post considers it detrimental to the general interests of the colony, and says :-r" We are pleased to know that this subject has not escaped the attention of the present Ministry, and if they be properly supported bj the Legislature there is no reason why before another twelve months we should not hire in New Zealand a Patent Act analogous to that of America, and the antipodes of that stupid and cumbersome specimen of legislative folly which at present disgraces our statute-book, throttling trade and industry, and injuring the community collectively and individually. At Greenfield and Cte wart's saw-mill a trial was made yesterday to ascertain how coon water could be put on in case of a fire, and though the men^ were all engaged at work, with nq idea as to what was to be done, they had the hose ready and the water turned on in 48£ seconds. A person is to be brought up here for beating a horse with a stick and a spike nail on the end of it, the nail sometimes being driven up to the head in the flesh of the horse.

The movement for establishing a gymnasium is going on vigorously. - B. J. Moore, the gold prospector, shows several samples of gold he has found in the Hutt County, but the locality he declires to make known until he is assured either by the County Council or the Government that he shall profit by his discoveries. In asking for the gold duty for fifteen years he stipulates for duty only from those f,oldfields he mvy d iscoycr within the next three years. With regard to the Waimate difficulty it is stated here in a semi-official way that when tho Hon. J. Sheehan was interviewing the natives on the way to the coast last week, he devoted his attention to examining those alleged promises, and he states that ho found that every promise made either by Sir Donald McLean or other Native Ministers has been fulfilled to the letter. As to the promises which Te Whiti alleged to have been made to himself, the closest investigation failed

to etiow that he had the slightest ground for his claims. He was plainly given to Understand this, and his manner has, as the reports from the Parihaka meeting show, altered considerably for the better.

Two telegrams have been received by the Government relative to the meeting now being held at Parihaka. The Native Commissioner of the district telegraphs that Te Whiti has explicitly and publicly declared that on no account will he allow any disturbance or" breach of the peace now existing between the two races. Mr Mackay reports he is engaged with Te Whiti in discussing the whole question, and with every hope of a speedy solution of the difficulty.

A Gazette extraordinary, issued this morning, further prorogues Parliament to the 10th of June. There will be a further prorogation, probably to the 24th of July. The Custom receipts at the port of Wellington for the week ending to-day reached the sum of £4922.

The Chronicle urges that the surplus population of Great Britain should be relieved by immigration to the colonies, and that Sir George Grey has now an excellent chance to augment his•; fame while benefiting his fellow men, by proposing to the Home Government a system of emigration from the United Kingdom te these colonies, part of the cost of which would be borne by the Imperial Governmeat and part by the Colonial Governments.

Sunday. A son of Mr Duncan, the auctioneer, aged about 14, shot himself in the shoulder while out shooting yesterday with others, who carried him home about three miles. He lost so much blood it Was impossible to save his life. Jpmes Marshall, who fell out of the window of the Branch Hotel, and whose wounds were not considered of a serious nature, died in the Hospital last night.', Joseph Bull, formerly proprietor of the Wellington Advertiser, defunct .some years, died last night.