A LIGHTNING-FOOTED COMMISSION.

Whatever fault may be found with the newly-appointed Railway Commissioners, it cannot be said that they are deficient in expedition when they are engaged in examining the conntry through which it is propased lines of railway shall be carried. La fact, if t&ese gentlemen go on in the same steeplechase style that they have been exhibiting up to the present, the record of their travels, if ever it comes to be written, will read very much like the adventures of Jules Verne's hero in his novel of. " Round the World in 80 days." They started from Wellington on Wednesday last, and returned on Sunday evening. In that brief space of time they travelled over about 120 miles of country," and were suposed to have carefully examined it with a view of deciding not only whether it would be likely to be profitable to open it up by railway communication, but also to settle the conflicting' claims of rival routes. From Wellington they went to Featherston by train ; thence a special coach conveyed the five Commissioners, their two shorthand writers, and their private secretary, at breakneck speed, to Masterton. Next morning they must have been up betimes, and they appear to have started on their wild career with a "whoop !" and a " halloo !" to Woodville, frightening the peaceful inhabitants of the country districts out of their propriety as they flashed through the townships like a meteor. Possibly they gave those simpleminded people the idea that coach, horses, Commissioners, shorthand-writers, and secretary, were all a phantasmagoria of the Evil One, sent to vex their innocent spirits, like the "Phantom Horsemen," which occasionally terrify the peasantry of the Black Forest in Germany. From Woodville the party scampered across to Palmerston, and thence took train to Foxton. We are informed that here two or three of the Commissioners actually found time to go some distance up the river in a boat — for what purpose is not very clear — and were subseqnently picked up by the coach. They arrived in Wellington on Sunday, as already stated, after a journey of unexampled rapidity, somewhat exhausted by the velocity of their movements, but, so far as we could ascertain, perfectly sound in wind and limb. Now all this may be, and undoubtedly is, very credible as an equestrian or vehicular performance against time, but we question whether the Commissioners are likely to get much information that is likely to be of use to them in their deliberations by this hurryscurry galloping across country. We would also seriously warn them against perilling their valuable lives by these break-neck performances. The country might survive their loss, perhaps, as Royal Commissioners, but they are individually very estimable private citizens, and on that account we should be sorry to see anything happen to them.

Forms of application to be used by persons derirous of being placed on the electoral rolls of Wellington City or Wellington Country District can be obtained of Mr. W. P. James, the Registrar, at the Provincial Buildings, or at the publishing office of the Evening Post, gratis. I The Railway Commission met again yesterday, and transacted some formal business. Mr. E. G. Wright, M.H.R., went South yesterday, and the other Commissioners will probably follow him by the Penguin on Friday. A deputation from the West Coast Railway Committee wait on the Commission this afternoon at 3 o'clock, instead of 11 a.m., as at first intended. This morning Mr. Blackett, the Engineer-in-Charge for the North Island, was examined by the Commission at considerable length regarding the Wellington railways, it being the wish of the Commissioners to complete their work thoroughly in this district before proceeding to the other parts of the colony. The Government have at length decided on the appointment of a fifth member of the Royal Commission on Local Industries. The gentleman who has been selected and has accepted the position is Mr. Theodore S. Tinne, of the well-known firm of iron-founders, Fraser and Tinne, Auckland. Mr. Tinne has arrived in Wellington, as also have Messrs. J. W. Bain, E. Wakefield, and W. A. Murray, the only absentee being Mr. A. J. Burns. The Commission held a preliminary meeting' yesterday, when Mr. | Wakefield was elected chairman. The ap- | pointment of a secretary was postponed, I several applications having been received. It was decided to send circulars to the various Chambers of Commerce throughout the colony, inviting suggestions as to aiding present industries or developing new ones. The Civil Service Commission met again yesterday. The Secretary to the Treasury and Registrar-General were examined, and the Secretary to the Post Office was re-ex-amined. It was decided to print the evidence taken, and to apply to the other Australian Colonies for information regarding' their Civil Service Departments. The report of the Public Works Committee, to be presented to the City Council at ths fortnightly meeting on Thursday evening, contains the following recommendations: —

That the resolution of the 24th July be rescinded, and that the sum of £10 be paid to C. McCarthy in full of all claims forjiijurles sustained by his horse owing, as alleged, "to the defective condition of Riddiford-street. That the request oi the City Tramw»v3 Company, for the consent of the Council t<fthe proposed sale of the company's interests, be acceded to. That tenders be called for recasting the broken fire alarm bell. Thafi the cab-stand in Willis-street be altered so that two cabs may stand in that street and two In Eoulcott-street. That no farther stefi3 be taken in reference to Mr. Alex.. Wilepn'js complaint as to ,fhe 15ne(tf Constable-street. TJiao the Council co-operate with the City Ecuncil of Christchurch in taking steps for the repression of Sunday trading. We are glad to observe that at the next meeting of the City Council Councillor Logan will move that a sum of £50 be granted towards the erection of a clock at the Wellington Athenaeum. It will be remembered that a valuable clock has been presented to the Athenaeum by Mr. J. F. E. Wright, but if funds for its erection are not speedily obtainable, the gift will be withdrawn. The absence of a public clock in Wellington ha 3 long been felt as a great inconvenience, and the grant is one which may very well be made out of the Borough funds. We hope, therefore, that the resolution will be Carried. We reget to learn that Mr. Edward Allen Hargreaves, lately of Canterbury, but formerly an old Wellington settler, died very suddenly at Timarn last week, being attacked by a fit of apoplety from wbidh he never rallied. The late Mr. Hargreaves originally came out to Wellington, but subsequently removed to Lyttelton, where he continued to reside, carrying on business as a merchant until a few years ago, when he retired, and took vp 1 his rettidentJe alternately at Timaru dud at his station on Lake Tekapo. He was the first Mayor of Lyttelton, and sonic jears represented that constituency in Parliament. He was very popular, bo"th in public and private life, and^ the news of -his death will j be read wUh deep regret by a wide circle of friends, both in Wellington and Canterbury. We hear on good authority that large sums of money have been recently sent up from the South, an^d invested in Wellington. It is stated, further, that the money so sent has been invested in security so satisfactory to the investors that larger remittances are ex*, peeted* Toe probablility of this will be recognised when it is considered that 10 per cent, can be obtained here on good security, while down South, eight per cent, is the I ruling rate of interest. - A statement was telegraphed yesterday from Auckland to the effect that ""Mrs. Boyle, widow of the late James Boyle, killed at Fort Britomart, complains in the local papers that though her husband's life was insured in the Government Insurance Department, and the premiums all paid up, she has not received the money. Boyle's death occured three months ago." In. reference to this statement wo are informed by the Commissioner of Insuranoe that the probate was not received until the Bth insfc., was passed on the same day, and the cheque forwarded to the widow on tHe lOtH. It will be seen therefore thstt there was no unnecessary delay on the part of the department. The Public Works Committee of the City Council decline to recommend that the request of the Karori-Makara Highway Board for a subsidy in aid of the drive round Evans' Bay, be acceded to. Residents in Sydney-street and Tinakpri Road will be glad to learn that the City Engineer is now making the necessary surveys for the continuation of Glenbervie Terrace- to .the Tinakori Road, and that the Cemetery'trustees are being consulted as to the possibility of obtaining a better route through the property under their control. The sooner this long-delayed work is carried out the better. Two men wHo depend fdr & livelihood on casual work obtained on the wharf, called at our office this morning with a grievance. They complain that whenever there is a busy day at the wharf, a number of men who have obtained employment on the Corporation works on the South Road, leave the latter"" and come down on the wharf, thereby as our informants urge, unfairly competing with the men who have not succeeded in being taken on the Corporation works, and have only the occasional employment afforded on the wharf to depend upon. They. strongly contend that men employed on the South Road works should not be allowed to go on and off whenever they like. The reason that they go upon the wharf is that there they can earn 8s a day, while on the Corporation works they only get 5s or 6a per day; - The national entertainment at the Academy on Wednesday night, in honor of St. Patrick's Day, will be a treat to lovers of Irish minstrelsy. Messrs. Henry and W. F. Baker, the talented Irish ballad singers, who will be the chief performers, will be assisted by Miss Donaldson, Whose nTnMTTnnmfr_ i " Ejllargey^^jOJEßflifld "«acn"a^rof« alS&e Arcade about a fortnight ago. A dance, which will be kept strictly select, will conclude the evening. Tickets, 3a each, may be had at Holliday's box-office. The " Happy Land," localised for New Zealand, is to be produced at the Academy of Music to-morrow night, and will doubtless attract a good attendance. It is refreshing in these lard times, when such constant bickerings are going on between labor and capital and masters and men, to hear that not only friendly but cordial relations exist between the employes of one of our Wellington contractors and their "boss." On Saturday evening Mr. Lockie, who is the contractor for the new j railway wharf, received a most gratifying token of the esteem in which he is held by his workmen, in the shape of a testimonial, consisting pf an ivory foot-rule and some other articles. After the presentation, which was accompanied by reciprocated expressions of goodwill, Mr. Lockie' s health was drunk with acclamation. Messrs. William Donald and William Pascoe, trading as brewers under the style of Pascoe & Co., have filed a deed of inspection under the Debtors and Creditors Acts, and a meeting of their creditors is to be held at the Supreme Court on the 31st instant, for the purpose of assenting to the same. Messrs. Buckley, Stafford, and Fitzherbert are the solicitors in the estate. Bachelder's Pantascope drew a fair house yesterday evening, and the usual fun arose in the gift distribution. It will be again exhibited this evening ; another silver watch being the most valuable prize. To-morrow, being St. Patrick's Day, an extra prize in the shape of a watch will be given for the best connndrum in connection with the Saint, and the subject being a good one, keen competition will doubtless be excited. A special meeting of the Wellington Guards will be held this evening, at St. George's Hall, at half-past 7 o'clock. Volunteer officers commanding and two representatives from each corps are invited to meet tfo)night at a quarter-past 8 o'clock, for the purpose of appointing two trustees in whom, with one appointed by the Government, the site of the new drill shed will be vested. A woman named Janet Hall died in childbirth at Taratahi the other day. At the inquest Dr. Campbell said that if medical assistance had been obtained earlier life might have been saved. The jury found no fault with the attendants, but expressed the opinioi^that. medical aid should always be obtained-iri such cases wherever possible. The Temple Crystal Spring, 1.0. G.T., held its regular session last evening at the Athenaeum, when two candidates were admitted to the second degree. An interesting debate followed, respecting wine as a medicine, and the advice of the Apostle Paul to Timothy was especially made the ground of discussion. It was argued that drinking wine as medicine often led on to intemperance, and that the utmost care was required. Mr. J. T. Steele's advertisement, respecting his special lines in drapery and millinery, will appear to-morrow. Mr.' C RedwoodVaorgea Magnolia, Talent, and the newly - purchased Falcon, 'were shipped to Blenheim by the s.s. Waitaki yesterday evening. Young Scottfleft to-day for Wanganui. The Victoria Hotel, Featherston, which was destroyed by fire some months ago, has boon rebuilt and reopened by Mr. Faber. We are requested to remind our readers of the display advertised to take place at Tc Aro House to-morrow evening, from 6 to 10 p.m. In addition to the latest fashions in feminine attire, we are informed that a fine selection of French artificial plants for decorative purposes will be exhibited. Mr. G. Fraser's horse Betrayer, the winner of the Wanganui cup, was shipped for Lyttelton by the s. s. Arawata yesterday. While on the wharf he was eagerly scanned by an admiring crowd. His diminutive size was the subject of considerable comment. But Betrayer is not the only little horse that has done great deeds. Lecturer, who won the Cffisarewitch as a 3-year old, withTst 31bs, and a 4 year-old, won the Ascot cup, was little bigger than a pony. We are requested to state that at the dance to be given at the Arcade to-morrow night, the strictest care will be exercised to exclude any whose presence would be offensive to respectable persons. Whilst thoroughly crediting the police with the best intentions in stringently carrying out the provisions of the Females Employment Act, the case brought before the Resident Magistrate's Courtyesterday; when Messrs. Casey & McDonald were prosecuted for an alleged infringement, showed that zeal sometimes outruns discretion. The 11th clause of the amended Act of 1675 runß as follows: — "Xothing in the said Act or this Act (the amended one) Bhall be deemed or

taken to prevent the employment of saleswomen in retail places of business where goods are exposed for sale, so long as such rebail places of business are open to the public ; but saleswomen or others employed or retained for work after the closing of such places of business to the public shall continue to be under the operation of the said Act, and this Act." Nothing in the case referred to could be clearer than that the females employed werej in the strictest sense of the word, saleswomen, and that they were engaged in a room open to the gitblid^thdt being actually the ladies' sfiow-ioom ; and Sergt . Anderson could hardly have been cognisant of the existence of the clause in question when he summoned Messrs. Casey & M'Donald. No great harm resulted, as it happened, but at the same time it is too bad that any firm should be put to trouble, expense, and annoyance in defending an action that should never have been instituted. It is to be hoped that this will be a warning, and that, except en thoroughly justifiable grounds, business men will not again be subjected to legal proceedings altogether unwarranted by fact 3. A few of the members of the Working Men's Club met last evening, and presented the ex*president, Mr. O. C. Heiden, with a massive gold Albert and locket in recognition of the special services he rendered during a double term of office* Mr. Nees, in making the presentation, deprecated the too general custom of testimonial-giving} but explained that Mr. Heiden' s long and valuable Bervices were of bo special a nature that the subscribers felt they must testify their approval of his disinterested exertions in some practical shape. Mr. Heiden and his confreres had borne the heat and burden of the day ; they Had an up hill fight in the first instance to Establish and furnish the tflub, $nd when the premises were destroyed in the" MannersBtreetfire, the management had anotherhard struggle td Secure suitable premises. i While' nb there gift could repay these services, he trusted Mr. .Heiden would liVe t long, to wear the souvenir, and be able in future years to look back with satisfaction on his connection with the club. His health having been drunk with musical honors, Mr. Heiden' appropriately thanked the subscribers, and ' in an 1 able speech reviewed the progress of the clnb. The healths of ex-president Galvin, and the present President, Mr. Taylor, having been, drunk, a remarkably pleasant re-union came to a close. The present, which is of remarkably handsome workmanship, was supplied by Mr. Hislop, jeweller, Lambton Quay. A bazaar and tea meeting will be held in connection with the Lower Hutt Presbyterian Church to-morrow. A bus will leave Government Building at 11 am., conveying Wellington visitors at moderate rates. Mr. Sidey's extensive sale of furniture takes place in the Arcade to-morrow, at 12 o'clock. As the sale is compulsory, and the furniture of a useful and substantial character, it is anticipated that a large number of buyers will be present. The Hawke's Bay Racing Club annual meeting takes place to-day, on the Pakowhai cource, near Clive, and the Hawke's Bay Jockey Club races will come off to-morrow and the next day at Hastings. The principal race to-day is the Hawke's Bay Cup, for which Vampire, Grand Duchess, and Laertes should run prominently. In the Napier Handicap, the piece de resistance of the Jockey Club, the finish should bo fought out between Vf mpire. Hailstorm, Grand Duohess and Soukar, and I prefer them in the order named. The return match between the Greytown and Bohemian Cricket Clubs will be played on the Basin Reserve to-morrow (St. Patrick's Day), play to commence at 10 o'clock sharp. As each of these clubs has outrivalled the other in its own district, a good display of cricket may be anticipated. The respective teams are : — Bohemians — Messrs. Blftcklock, Willis, Speed, England, Daly, J. Kirke'r, O'Connor, Haughton, Thompson, Russell, and J. A. Salmon ; emergency, Shand. Greytown — Messrs. Caff, Greig, W. J. Salmon, I. Salmon, Ronaldson, W. G. Beard, O'Connor, Maguire, Palmer, Hirschberg, and C. Beard; emergency, Wickerson. A meeting of tho creditors in the estate of Mr. Marsh, storekeeper, Palmerston, was held there on Thursday last, Mr. R. E. Beckett being in the chair. The list of assets and liabilities was read, and showed that there was a surplus of .£13,000, the liabilities being set down at JJ7OOO and assets at £20,000. An offer on the part of the debtor, to pay 12s 6d in the £„ payable in sixteen months, was not accepted. Mr. Capper, of Wellington, was appointed trustee of the estate. It is supposed (says the Rangitikei Advocate) that Messrs. Turnbullj Smith, and Co. will offer 10s in the £. By fuller advices received relative to the accident that occurred to Mr. Stevens, mate of the Wakatipu, it seems to be" of a far more serious nature than the telegrams first received'yonld have led his friends to suppose. *The injuries are of the gravest nature. His jower Jimbs are paralysed, and it is exceedingly doubtful if he will ever regain £heja£e of them, whilst there is great fear of even more serious results. Mr. Stevens is well-known in Wellington as a master mariner, and formerly commanded the .E. P. Bouvene trading to this port. He has many wellwishers here, and with them we sincerely hope tliat the next accounts of his condition may be of a more favourable nature. Featherston annual sports and races will be held to-morrow (St. Patrick's Day) on the grounds of Mr. W. Nichol, at Featherston. The programme has been published, and comprises seven horse races and six foot races. Good prizes will be given, and the entrance fees are very small, both for horses and men. Visitors from Wellington who go out by the first train will arrive in plenty of time for the first event, as arrangements have been made with the railway authorities to stop the train at the course. A correspondent informs us that upwards of twenty horses have entered for the various events, and that these include all the " cracks " of the Wairarapa, co that the probability is a good day's sport will be enjoyed. One pound fbee gifts. — The proprietors of Wolfe's Abomatic Schnapps, to induce the destruction and prevent the improper use of their wrappers and labels, and thus further protect the public against fraud and deception, have inclosed in the wrappers, or under the label on the quart bottles, since Ist October, 1878, and continue to inclose IN EVEBT DAY'S PACKING THBOTTGHOUT THE TEAB THBEE £1 OBDEBS, which are drawn upon the undersigned, and which will be cashed by their agents. To secure these gifts, the public must be careful to ask for and accept nothing but the Genuine Udolpho Wolfe's Schnapps, with our name upon the top labe.l. M. Moss & Co., Wynyard Lane. Sydney.— f Advt.]