The Press. TUESDAY, AUGUST 7, 1866.

The City Council have been suffering under a plague of lawyers; in consequence, a Greek of tbe olden days would have said, of an apparent, though unintentional, defiance of destiny. On entering the third year of a useful and honorable life, they placed at their head a gentleman whose name seemed a guarantee that the good fortune which had attended them so far would not then desert them. But Nemesis, thus challenged, took a dire revenge, and in the extremity of its wrath, set up its miserable victims aa marks for the " slings and arrows of outrageous " attorneys. First arose Mr. Wynn "Williams to I deny that the Council had any exist- ! ence at all, and nearly made his words good by worrying them out of their lives and driving them into official suicide. After many weeks of painful j struggling and uncertain hovering between life and death, the Council gained the day, and hastened to seek a recompense for their protracted troubles by ridding themselves of official cares and passing the remainder of their days in a luxurious state of dreamy inaction. But fate was not to be so easily baulked, and another lawyer was at hand to disturb their repose. Dr. Foster, their champion, who had upheld their cause in so many an arduous fight, now turned against them, and not content with forcing them back to their weary labors, mercilessly rebound on their shrinking shoulders the burden they had only just before so joyously thrown away. Finally, when they had hit upon a plan for disposing of part at least of their troublesome task, a third lawyer, name unknown, is found standing in the way —a spectre at which the majority of the Councillors recoil in horror. Who indeed can blame them, if, after their woeful experiences, the very mention of a legal opinion is sufficient to frighten them from their propriety. "We had hoped however that at last night's meeting some spell would be found to lay the legal spectre which with menacing gestures waves back the drainage committee from the river brink. But the question was postponed through press of other business, and we must wait till next week to know whether even to that slight extent the town is to be purified before next summer. In the meantime we congratulate the Council on the spirit they have shown in deciding on a shilling rate, in the face of "Wynn Williams and his threatened public meeting of recusant ratepayers. That rate means, we hope, that the streets are to be repaired and cleansed, nuisances abated, and the ordinary routine of municipal duties discharged with the punctuality of former days. The relighting of the lamps, a contract for which has been entered into, is a cheering symptom of returning energy. The great question of all must, we suppose, in this hubbub of conflicting legal opinions, stand over till after the session of the Provincial Council, when a new and greatly improved Ordinance will have removed all doubt as to the powers of the Council, and all possibility of a troublesome citizen obstructing byi his unmeaning vagaries the measures necessary for the health and comfort of the whole city. Kaiapoi Steeplechases.—A meeting of the stewards will be held at the Pier hotel, 'Kaiapoi, on Wednesday evening, at six o*clock, for the purpose of settling for the different events. The Amateur Dramatic Society—This society, which has been but lately formed, will give their first entertainment in Christchurch at the Theatre Royal, on Tuesday, the 14th instant. The plays selected are "Don Ctesar deßazan," and the " Area Bell." The proceeds will be devoted to the Benevolent Aid Society. Mb. Jones's Benefit. —We would again remind our readers that Mr Jones's benefit will take place this evening, at tho Theatre Royal. Arrangements have been made by which any confusion in obtaining the seats, selected during the day, will be avoided, and the number of tickets disposed of ensures a good house. Fibe Brigade.—Tlie quarterly meeting of j the members of the Fire Brigade which was Ito have been held this evening, has been postponed. Land Sales.—The following is the return of land disposed of in various districts, at the Government buildings, yesterday : — Ashburton, 142 acres ; Ashley, 41 acres ; Christchurch, 38 acres } Ellesmere, 20 acres; Mandeville, 1 acre 2 roods 17 perches ; Oxford, 1 acre ; Timaru, 928 acres; total, 1171 acres 2 roods 17 perches; Value, £2343 4s 3d. Theatre Rotal.—Last evening the programme commenced with " The Black Doctor," in which Miss Shepparde acted with her usual ability. The announcement that Master Pablo Fanquc would take his benefit, had the effect of drawing a very fair audience. Tho wonderful feats of this boy excited great admiration. Pablo Fanque afterwards went through his astonishing feats on the tight rope, and his powers were duly appreciated. Resident Magistrates' Courts. —The only business transacted yesterday at the Resident Magistrate's Court, at Christchurch, was the fining of four persons for being drunk aud incapable. At Lyttelton, William Hcither was fined for the same offence. •

Town Improvements.—A very handsome brick building has been lately erected in the triangle by Mr Ruddenklau, of the City hotel, the upper part of which has been elegantly fitted up, and supplied with a firstclass English billiard table, by Burroughs and Watts. Beneath this are two very commodious shops, which will give an altogether difiVrent appearance to this part of the city. The front of the building will be stuccoed, and a verandah similar to that in front of Mr Kiver's shop, erected. The whole building is perfectly fire-proof, and its connection with the City hotel is of such a nature that in case of fire it can be immediately cut away. Two or three more buildings of a similar character would add much to tlie safety of this, the most dangerous part of the city. Mr Farr is the architect for the work. Kaiapoi Embankment. —It has been freely circulated that the Embankment Committee intend suing Messrs Carson and Stevenson, whose contract was accepted for the bank at Sneyd's corner, but who afterwards refused to uudertake tlie work. Fresh tenders, however, have been accepted, and the work is now, we are happy to learn, in progress. The New Zealand Insurance Company. —We have been favored with the report of the New Zealand Insurance Company, for the half year ending May 31, 1866, presented at the general meeting of proprietors, held on the 18th of July, at the company's offices, Queen street, Auckland: —"The directors have to submit to the shareholders the statement of the affairs of the company for the past half year. The net profit amounts to £13,518 9slod, out of which the directors declare a dividend of 10 per cent per annum ; they also propose to appropriate the sum of £5000, being £2 per share, to augment the paid up capitel of the company, which will then be increased to £55,000. The balance, viz., £6,048 9s lOd, will be carried forward to meet the unadjusted losses which have accrued during the half year just ended, and which your directors regret to state have been heavier than usual. The dividend will be payable at the head office of the company on and after the 20th instant, and at the branches on receipt of advice. Robberies at Kaiapoi.—Some days ago we noticed the robbery of several articles from different parts of this town. On tho evening in question, the schooner Rifleman left the wharf, and one or two appear to have suspicion that some of their missing property wont with her. On Sunday night last, a quantity of coal was stolen from Messrs. Birch and Co.'s coal bank, and a grindstone from Mr Middleton, the blacksmith. The boat of tho Rifleman was seen lying at Messrs. Birch and Co.'s wharf till very late, and the coal has been traced to tlie end of the wharf. It seems more than probable, from the time the Rifleman was at the bar, that her supply of coal must have considerably diminished, if not that it was all consumed. However, tho myaWy will soon be cleared, as we are informed that a searchwarrant has been issued, and that the police will examine her from stem to stern. The All-Eno-land Eleven.—The "New Zealand Advertiser" says, that by the Bombay, a letter has been received at Sydney, from H. H. Stephenson, in which he regrets that he is unavoidably prevented from coming out with a team of English cricketers, but he says that Willsher is willing to undertake the t»Bk. He mentions the names of Jupp, Humphrey, Pooley, and others as likely to come.