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Wellington Independent, Volume XXVIII, Issue 3776, 10 April 1873, Page 2

New Zealand, like Sinbad the Sailor, has got its Old Man of the Sea, in the shape of that enterprising firm, Shaw, Savill, and Co. One would think that there was no other shipping firm in the world capable of doing the business of the colony, judging from the informa tion received yesterday. In spite of the very indifferent manner in which this firm has performed the work of immigration, the Agent- General has so far renewed their expired contract as to engage from them two or more ships at an increased price. It is very consoling to learn that whilst first-class ships could be engaged to bring out our immigrants at £14 10s per head, Shaw, Savill, and Co. are to receive £16 for the same work. As an instance in point, we may mention that the Captain of the Brechin Castle — than which a ""finer or better adapted ship for immigration purposes could not be found — has offered to take a charter from the Government at £14 10s per head, but there are so many ropes hauled upon in London that neither he nov any independent shipowner seems to have a chance. How is this? How is it that the colony should be dependent upon Shaw, Savill, and Co ? We are certain there is no real difficulty in getting first-class ships at a less rate than the colony is now paying, and it is simply monstrous that the monopoly hitherto enjoyed by Shaw, Savill, and Co cannot be broken down. Is Mr Morrison still in the Agent-General's office in London ? The probability is that he is, and it is therefore no matter of surprise that his fiends should be obliged. We don't know what the Government think about the matter, but we do know what is the opinion of the public, and that is not by any means [in favor of the extraordinary and unnecessary preference given to Shaw, Savill, and Co. A Gazette Extraordinary published yesterday announces the acceptance by the Acting Governor of the resignation by the Hon Mr Fox of his position as Premier and the appointment of the Hon Mr Yogel to the offices of Premier, Colonial Treasurer, Postmaster-General, and Telegraph Commissioner. The other members of the Ministry are confirmed in their existing appointments. Four seats in the House of Representatives are now vacant, or will shortly be so, namely : Lyttelton, Roslyn (Otago), Invercargill, and Nelson Suburbs. The Nelson Board of Education has passed a resolution recommending the Provincial Council to consider the desirability of compulsory education. In a Provincial Government Gazette published yesterday the following list of successful and unsuccessful tenderers is published foi* general information : Wellington and Masterton railway (Hutt contract). Ac ■ cepted : — Chas. M'Kirdy, Wellington, £19,970. Declined :— George Proudfoot, Dunedin, £17,130; William Strachan, Wellington, £20,232 8s Id ; Conor and M'Kay, Lyttelton, £22,512 ; John Beck, Wellington, £25,438 7s ; J. Rees George, Wellington, £35,045. Note.— The tender of George Proudfoot was not according to specification. Police business yesterday was exceedingly light, being confined to a solitary case. J. Dransfield, Esq., J.P, and J. G. Holdsworth, Esq., J.P., sat upon the Bench. Joseph N. Bell accused Thomas Wade of having robbed him of a-half-crown. He said he asked Wade to change half-a-crown for, him, who pulled out some silver as if to do so ; but on handing him the half-crown he coolly pocketed it and walked off. The Bench expressed their opinion of the matter by sentencing the prisoner to a month's hard labor. The members of the Wesleyan Young Men's Improvement Society having determined upon presenting to the President of the society, the Rev T. Buddie, a memento of respect on the occasion of his approaching departure from Wellington, a tea meeting was held at the Wesleyan schoolroom on Tuesday evening, when the presentation was made. The wishes of the members were expressed in the form of an address beautifully illuminated by Mr Koch, of the Public Works office, and after speeches appropriate to the occasion ' had been made by the chairman (the Rev J. S. Smalley), Mr Moxham, and Mr . Watt, Mr R. Robinson, as representing , the members of the society, presented Mr Buddie with the address. The rev. gentleman, in accepting the address, assured * those whose feelings it expressed that ho attached much higher ' value to the simple testimonial placed in I his hands than he could to any other off fering which the Young Men's Society , might have made him, because he accepted it as an acknowledgment that his efforts to do good had been to some ex- * tent successful. A number of speeches ! were afterwards made expressive of the . esteem and regard in which Mr Buddie, t the Misses Buddie, and the other mem- . bers of the family were held by the Sun- ( day school teachers and pupils, and the members of the congregation. Mr Buddie | leaves in a few days for Nelson, where he ; will be located during the next three 1 years.

To-morrow being Good Friday there will be no issue of the Independent. Yesterday Mr Crawford and Mr Baker, Clerk of the Court, made their usual weekly call at the Hutt, where some business had accumulated since their previous visit. The Press Association, with commendable modesty and good sense, never sounds its own praises at the expense of its constituents, though the occurrence is very common with the Anglo- Australian Agency. For once in a way we feel bound to compliment the Association upon having furnished the public with the only items of foreign news by the Rangitoto. Mrs Alice Allan, originally a Christchurch celebrity, but latterly known in many parts of the colony as the "Mermaid" recently appeared at the Thames in a theatrical performance, in which she sustained the part of Mrs Lullaby, Mr Margetts playing Mr Lullaby. The Mermaid acted in the most business-like manner, and the piece took immensely. Scarcely such a good house mustered at the theatre last night as might have been expected from the amusing character of the pieces put upon the stage ; but still the audience was by no means meagre in number. The performance opened with that really enjoyable comedy " Naval Engagements," Mr Hoskins and Miss Colville taking the principal parts, and it may fairly be said that they were really well supported by several amateurs. As might be imagined from the nature of the piece, which abounds in the most racy and pleasant dialogue and elegant humor, Miss Colville and Miss Anstead were delightfully piquant. The genial humor of the first piece was followed by the outrageous and absurdly-amusing burlesque "The Critic, or a Tragedy Rehearsed ;" a"d frequently as this piece has been played in Wellington, the enjoyment seemed not a whit less keen than on a first presentation of it. In the representation of Mr Puffs tragedy, the peals of laughter fairly made the house ring. To those who lean to the mirth-provoking class of dramatic pieces, such an entertainment as that of last night could not be otherwise than most Tonight ll Camille" will be presented for the last time. A bumper house may be expected. Mr S. Knevett, the agent in Adelaide of the British- Australian Telegraph Company, informs us in a communication received by the Alhambra that the number of telegrams transmitted through the company's cable from Port Darwin during the week ended March 8 was 20 outward from the colonies and 40 inward. In the next week, ending on March 15, the number was increased to 224 — 100 outward and 124 inward, and in the succeeding week the total number was 160. Victoria and New South Wales of course furnish the bulk of the revenue. A correspondent to a Wanganui paper writes : — "A great many new settlers have lately arrived here, and are going to work with a hearty good- will ; large flocks of sheep and mobs of cattle are continually coming, and ere long the whole of the available portion of this beautiful district will be well stocked. We have now a capital road from here to Opunake, a distance of about fifty miles, though there are some portions of it not yet metalled, but if the whole were done some one would lose a ' billet, ' and that would never do. Mr Peter'Campbell has erected a very neat and substantial hotel at Manutahi, which supplies a want that has long existed. Mr Espague has just completed a large addition to his hotel at Hawera, so that the wants of travellers can now be attended to in a proper manner. Mr Jupp lias also made extensive improvements in the Egmont Hotel. The road at the back of the mountain is progressing favorably. In conclusion, I may say that the prospects of the Patea district were never better than they ai'e at present. The price of land, which for some time lias been rather low, is again advancing, which is in itself a sure sign that the place is going ahead." Mr Bills, who has just returned to Christchurch from Nelson, took with him 120 skylarks and 30 Californian quail, which he has disposed of to the Acclimatisation Society. The birds have been released. A warrant for the arrest of Mr Solomon, lately practising in Wellington as an oculist and optician — on a charge of obtaining money under false pretences — was placed in the hands of the Christchurch police for execution on Saturday last Sixty-nine patients were admitted into the Dunedin Hospital during last month, seventy-four were discharged, and five deaths occurred. The number of patients at present in the Hospital is 127, of whom 30 are females. The. arithmetical contributor to the " Tuapeka Times" has again been trying his hand at figures, and calculates that in order to allow the booth-holders at the Dunedin races a fair profit, seventythousand liquors must have been consumed. -^ "Old Daddy," an institution in Lawrence, is now an inmate of the Benevolent Asylum. He is spoken of as being 115 years old, a native of some island near Tahiti, and despite his great age, looks hale and hearty. He has been whaling the greater portion of his life, and says he was acquainted with Captain Cook. A conviction of a publican for refusing to admit a sub-inspector of police into his hotel, within a^reasonable time after demand for admission had been made, was recently quashed by Judge Pohlman at the General Session, Melbourne, on the curious point that though the sub-inspector had knocked at the door of the hotel, it was not proved that he had asked to be admitted. The following are the volunteers enrolled and efficient in the colony : — North Island, enrolled, 4038, efficient, 3884. South Island, enrolled, 2004 ; efficient, 1516. The cadets in both islands enrolled are :— North Island, 1004 ; efficient, 866. South Island — enrolled, 439 : efficient, 356. An unusual display of game was to be seen yesterday outside of Mr Flannagan's greengrocer's shop, and doubtless all will not be cleax*ed oft' to-day. Amongst the game exposed to view, the whole of which came from the Wairau, and was perfectly fresh, there was a black swan and a great many ducks.