ELECTION PETITIONS.

Evening Post, Volume XXII, Issue XXII, 19 December 1881, Page 2

ELECTION PETITIONS.

It is understood that three of the Judges of the Supreme Court will shortly meet in Wellington to frame the rules respecting the procedure in regard to eleotion petitions, in accordance with section 14 of the Eleotion Petitions Act, 1880. That section runs as follows : — " The Judges of the Supreme Court, or the Chief Justice and any other two of such Judges, may from time to time make,-revake, and alter general 'rulas' and orders for the effectual execution of this Aofc and of the intention and objeot thereof, and the regulation of the practice, procedure, and costs of election petitions, and the trial thereof, and the certifying and reporting thereon. Any general rules or orders made as aforesaid shall be deemed to be within the powers conferred by this Act, and shall be of the same force as if they were enacted in the body of the Act." It will be seen, therefore, that very important and comprehensive functions have to be exercised by the Judges in this matter, and as several petitions are expected t-> be preferred on this occasion against the return of candidates, it is of course imperative that no time should be lost in preparing the necessary rnles, the sth section of the Act requiring the petitions to be presented within 28 days of the declaration of the poll. That in most cases would require the petition to be sent in by the 9th proximo. The Chief Justice has already arrived, and two other judges will be in Wellington almost immediately for the purpose of doing all that is required in the direction above indicated.

The position of the temporary Chief Post Office has at length been decided on. The offer of Messrs. Smith and Overend of their spacious premises at the corner of Feathtr-ston-street and Brandon-street — formerly occupied by Messrs. Stevenson and Stuarb — is considered the most eligible of the numerous offers received of temporary premises. This is the case not merely in respect of the terms asked, but also on account of the situation of the building, which is in very convenient proximity to the harbour and railway terminus, and is also immediately ad jaoent to the line of telegraph wires. The Wellington postal establishment will accordingly be removed te the temporary quarters about the 20th proximo, and Mr. Turnbull expects to be ready on the Ist February to commence the erection of the handsome new edifice which is to take the place of the old ramshackle, tumbledown shanty which has so long disgraced the New Zealand metropolis. It is very satisfactory to see our city at last in a fair way to possess a creditable Chief Post Office. The adjourned meeting: of the Licensing Commissioners for the Wellington district takes place at noon to-morrow. Last week the appointment fell through owing to the absence of a quorum. It is to be hoped that a similar cause will not interfere with tomorrow's meeting. The circuit sittings of the Supreme Court commence on the 3rd January next. The list so far comprises five offeudars and six offences, viz. :— Peter Newton, horse-steal-ing ; James Janeen, attempt at snicide; Harry Nicholls, forgery ; Mary Catherine Hughee, robbery from the peraon ; and Geo. Thomas Skinner, horse-st?aling and forgery. There will be a sitting of the Baukruptoy Court to-morrow, at noon, when Kichard Ayres will apply for an order of discharge, and C. G. Colville, of Carterton, for an order declaring a deed of assignment completely executed. The only criminal case heard at the Resi- I dent Magistrate's Court to-day was one in which three persons, named Alfred Morey, Mary Bendon Morey, and Elizabeth Stewart, appeared as prisoners. They wera charged, on remand, with stealing from the person of John O'Connor the sum of £6 l?s Mjnbanls notes, gold, and silver, a brass watch, value 18s, and a, bunch of keys, value 23 6d. O'Connor, who is a shoemaker by trade, hai'ing from the Featherston district, stated that he arrived in town on Monday evening, and on the following morning, while walking along Lambton Quay, he met the female prisoners, who accosted him. After some conversation, the trio prooaeded to a neighbouring hotel, and subsequently O'Connor accompanied the women to a house in Sussex Square, calling on the way at another hotel, where they procured several bottles of beer. In the evening, when the male prisoner came home, they had more drinks, and on Wednesday morning, after passing the night on a Btretcher, O'Connor found that he had been ro£b*6l of the money and articles described in the information. Numerous witnesses having been examined, the prisoners were committed for trial. The Union Company's fine steamer Rotomahana's run from Lyttelton on Friday affords further demonstration of her extraordinary power. Leaving Lyttelton at 1 o'clock on Friday morning she had a strong head wind ail the way up, also a he ivy head sea to Kaikoura am a northerly gale crossing Cook Strait, yet she arrived alongside the Wellington wharf at 3 on the afternoon of the same day, making the run from wharf to wharf in 14 hours against a Btiff adverse breeze, although only four of her six boilera were in use. A movement is on fcot to start a new " Mutual " Gas Company, and a meeting of persons interested in the scheme is convened for this evening at the Empire Hotel. A meeting of the Executive Council was held at Government House to-day, hia Excellency the Governor presiding.

TTis ExceUency Sir Arthur Gordonana Lady Gordon leave to-night by the Hinemoa tor Lyttelton on a private and unofficial visit to Canterbury. They will be the guests, we believe, of Mr. Studholme. Mr. E. Shaw attended the Resident Magistrate's Court this morning, and enquired of Mr. Hardcastle, Er.M , whether that gentleman had arranged to oconpy the Bench throughout the present week. He explained that bis motive for asking 1 the question was that certain prosecutions were abeut to be undertaken under the Gaming and Lotteries Act, and it was desirable that these should be heard before a Resident Magistrate. It was eventually arranged that the cases shonld oe taken on Friday next, on which day Mr. Hardcastle will be able to preside. We understand that the prosecutions rel ferred to are against some of the persons whose names were collected by the detectives at the recent race meeting on tha Hutt course as bavin? engaged in sweeps. No informations had been laid up to 2 o'ekck thiß afternoon, bnt it was expected that such would be done during the course of the day. One of the gentlemen to be summoned is, we believe, Sir William Fitzherbert, the Speaker of the 1 egislative Council, and president of the club under whose auspices the races were held. A second information will be taken out against another gentleman whose name has not yet ranspired. Whether the others are to be proceeded against or not has not yet been decided upon. In rega-'d to the yacht race at _karoa, in which the Xarifa, of Wellington, took part we learn from the Lyttelton Times that the rac» was started at 1.29, the three yachts getting away well together. The Dove was the first to pass the flagship at 2h 42m 40s, followed by the Xarifa, 2h 51m 4s, the Chance six minuteß later The wind then fell away, and kept very light and variable for the remainder of the afternoon. The Dove, however, kept the lead, and came in a winner at 4h 24m 27*, the Xarifa second, at 4h 43m, the Chance half an hour behind her. The impressive ceremony of Ordination to the Diaoonate was performed yesterday ¦morning at St. Paul's Church, Thorndon, when Mr. Cameron and Mr. J. E. Blackburn were admitted to deacena' orders. The candidates were presented by the Key. B. W. Harvey (in the unavoidable absence of the Yen. iirchdeacoa Stock), and the solemn service of ordination was performed by the Kight Reverend the Bishop of tlie Diocese, who delivered a very eloquent and instructive address on the occasion. The Rev. Mr. Cameron preached at the evening eervice at St. Mary's Church, Karori, and the Key. Mr. Blackburn at the Churohroom, Tinakoriroad. As the whole of the returns from outlying districts are not yet to hand we are informed that the share list of the Westport Coal Company will remain open till the 20th inst. to give those who have not already taken up shares an opportunity to do so. It will be remembered that tho Government the other day accepted the company's contract for the supply of coal to the railways in the South Island. The agents here, Messrs. T. Kennedy Macdonald and Co., will supply forms of application, &c. Tho Australian Specialty Company brought their season to a close on Saturday evening, the play performed being entitled " Foiled." It is said to be by an Australian playwright, but we hope for the credit of colonial writerß that it did not emanate from any of their pens. It is even more improbably sanguinary than some of the other pieces that this company have performed, and the public appreciation was shown in the fact that there were only four paying visitors in the dress circle, about a dozen in the stalls, and a half filled pit. We trust that Mr. De Lias will now recognise the fact that productions of this kind will not Buit the taste of Wellington playgoers, and will avoid further loss by putting pieces of a higher class on the stage here in future. The only redeeming feature was the scenery, some of which reflected great credit on the artist, Mr. Nicholson, who on two occasions was called before the curtain. A public meeting of the Early Settlerß Association will be held on Thursday evening next, at Mr. J. H. Wrllace's auction-room, Hunter-street, when the committee will present a report showing what has been done by the association, which at present is in abeyance. The Early Settlers and their families, who originally took an active part in the formation of this association, are as deeply interested in the colony as ever, and though many have passed away since the last meeting of the association, still, it is urged, those surviving, and the youth of the colony, should arouse to the necessity of fostering a proper national pride as the pioneers or the descendants of the practical founders of the colony. It is hoped there will be a good attendance at the meetng, and as the forty-second anniversary of the foundation of the colony (22nd January) is fast approaching, some suggestion may arise out of the gathering referred to. The final practice for the vocalists and orchestra taking part in the coming festival at St. Peter's Church will be held in the church this evening. A pleasing little ceremony took place at Mr. T. Ballinger's tin and zinc works, Willis-street, on Saturday, when Mr. A. Fraser, the clerk, was presented with a handsome time-piece by Mr. W. H. Ballinger on behalf of the men employed in the establishment, the occasion being the return of Mr. Fraser after his marriage. Under the heading " Qais custodies ipsos custodes?" " Peregrinator" writes to vb — '1 1 amuses one who almost daily takes a walk along Custom House Quay, about 7 a.m., and sees the sweepings from the very building occupied by the Harbour Board thrown into the harbour, to hear of the indignation of that body vontel on Corporation labourers and small boys that is as justly merited nearer home, if not at home." Recent visitors to the Southern provinces report that the grain crops have to a large extent been saved by late falls of lain. The effect of tho long drought during the spring is, however, very plainly manifest in the general shortness of the straw. Some of the wheat and oat crops in Canterbury especially, promise to be very heavy, but in a few districts they will be lighter than last year. . A mistake was made in the list of names published on Saturday of persons against whom informations have been taken out for alleged personation. The name of Mr. William Moxham, senior, was inadvertently inoluded in the lifet. The inmate 3of the Mount View Lunatic Asylum were afforded a rare treat on Saturday afternoon in the form of mnsic supplied by the baud of the D Battery of Artillery, which played a capital selection of music on the Asylum grounds. Among those present were numerous visitors. At the conclusion of the entertainment Dr. Kin<*, the medical superintendent, expressed his thanks to the members of the baud for their kini consideration. Another similar concert takes place on Saturday, 31st instant. We have received the following letter from Mr. C. Welby Jackson, dated Featherston, 16fch December, 1881 : — " I see in your issue of Saturday a letter charging me with using certain expression concerning Mr. Bunny's supporters. I deny having made use of such expressions, and if your correspondent will give his name I will state what I did say." Through inadvertence we omitted to mention previously that the Arti lery was among the corps represented at the funeral of the late eeamau iillsou. We have received the following let l er from " C. A.8." :— " In last Wednesday's issue, after giving an account of the disgusting state in which Mrs. Barrett was found, I notice yon say that she was conveyed in a cab to the Hospital. What a pity you could not give its number. I generally utter a mental prayer to be delivered from fevers, &c , on getting into a cab, but I shall now have to undergo a certain creeping of the flesh into tha bargain. If Mr. Johnson sent the woman to the Hospital in his capacity of Relieving Officer, I think he should next proceed to take away the cabman's license in his capacity as Inspector of Nnisance3. Do you not think that; it is high time for the Hospital to be provided with an ambulance van for the greater comfort of patients and safety of the public ?" We agree with our correspondent as to the desirableness of obtaining an ambulance. The cab referred to, however, was, we are informed, thoroughly cleansed and fumigated after being used. The entertainment, consisting of a servioa of song and sacred concert, winch was giveu with so much sucoess at the Sydney-street Primitive Methodist Church a short time ago, is to be repeated at the Webb-street church to-morrow evening. Some popular amateurs having promised to assist a pleasant evoning is anticipated. A detachment of the Naval Brigade, under the command of Lieutenant Hislop, proceed to Evans' Bay on Saturday afternoon for shot and shell practice with the 6-pounder Armstrong guns. The shooting, upon the whole, was excellent, especially as this was the first practice of the Nayals with this class of weapon. Sergeant-Major Hyde, of the Now Zealand Regiment of Artillery, was present, and expressed himself as quite satisfied with the results. Owing to the fact of the College br*aki_? up earlier than usual no prizes were awarded to the pupils, and none will be given on the resumption of the school, though why the early breaking up prevented the usual distribution is not quite clear. The scholars who belonged to the College under the old rigime will assemble about the 17th January for examination in connection with the special prizes offered by Messrs. TurnbuJl and Levin, and the Turnbull, Rhodes, and Moore Scholarships. The first term for 1882 commences about the beginning of February.

We notice that, owing to Christmas aid New Year's days falling upon a Sunday, the banks intend to close on Tuesday, the 27th December, and Monday, the 2nd January. This example might well be followed by business people generally, otherwise the usual Christmas and New Year's holidays will be curtailed. Probably no steamer has ever carried co large a number of saloon passengers on the iN e-vr Zealand coast as did the Rotomahana from Lyttelton to Wellington on Friday. No fewer than 70 were bound to this port alone, but beside these Bhe had on board the Montague-Turner Opera Company, numbering about 40, on their way to Auckland, and also a great many passengers far Napier and Auckland. She had, we believe, some 150 through passengers from Melbourne, and brought 60 who had just arrived from London by the Orient, on the.r way to settle in New Zealand. We understand the total nnmber of the Rotomahana's saloon passengers exceeded 300, and a considerable number of intending passengers by har were actually shut out at Lyttalton, and tkeir money refused on the ground that the ship was already too full. The scene on board at night is described as an extraordinary one. Every cabin, state room, &c, was packed as closely as it could hold. The social hall, saloon, and smoking-room, were crammed with sleepers, who lay extended on tables, Beats, sideboards, and even all over the floors. All the decks also were strewn with slumberers, main-deck, quarter-deck, and hurricane-deck alike. Several sought extemporary conches in the boats on the davits, and one large family was berthed on the floor of the engine-room. The social hall was absolu ely filled with ladies and children, the jatter being on board in dozen 0 . The spectacle presented in the dead of the night, when the prostrate forms of several hundred people lay thus scattered all over the decks, floors, seats, i< and sideboards, as if stiuok down by ' me mysterious power, was singular in the extreme, and the trip one to be remembered. The passengers say that the officers of the ship did their utmost to make things as comfortable as possible under such exceptional circumstances. The meals had to be served in three successive relays. It i 3 evident that the new boats will not be out any too soon for the traffic. Mr. Castindyke, who has for several years resided in Wellington, is, we hear, about to leave Wellington, intending to take up his abode at Coromandel, where he commences business in partnership with anothar gent eman. For a considerable period he wa3 employed as bookkeeper and salesman by Messrs. Joseph Nathan and Co., and also by Messrs. Krnll and Co. Hiß absence will be greatly felt by hia German fellow-c >lonists in W ellington, by whom he is well liked. A lad named Saunders was thrown from a horse at Featherston on Saturday night, and sustained serious injuries. A man named Frank Ford fell out of the door at Hodder's Victoria Hotel, Featherston, on Saturday night and broke his leg. He is progressing favourably, under the care of Dr. Hanratty. The name of the Wellington candidate who passed 9th in the Senior Civil Service Examination was misprinted in the published lißt. It should have been given as Andrew Francis Crombie. Among those who passed in the junior examination was William Ward Baker, who, although at present resident in Dnnedin, was educated at Wellington — two years at a private school. If years at the High Sohool, and 4 yeara at the State School. Shortly after noon yesterday a female patient belonging to the Mount View Asylum managed to find her way in 1 o tho private ro»m of Captain Inollys, aide-de-camp to his Excellency the Governor, and on being asked the cause of her visit, announced her determination to have an interview with Sir Arthur Gordon. Judging from the excited demeanour of the woman that she was somewhat demented, Captain Enollys summoned an attendant, who handed her into the custody of the police. It afterwards transpired that the woman had been present at divine service at St. Mary's during the morning, attended by a female warder, whose control she managed to elude. She was conveyed back to the Asylum by Constable Shea, and one of the Asylum official?. We understand that Mr. G. G. FitzGerald, the newly-eleoted member for Hokitika, is still editor of the Wanganui Chronicle, n.nd has not left to join the staff of the Ashburtan Mail, as was recently stated. The Rev. R. Baviu, who was for a long time damgerously ill, has gone on a visit to Wanganui, having greatly improved in health. His many lxiends (remarks the Wanganui Chronicle) will be glad to learn tbat the reverend gentleman is looking quite himself again. We have received the following letter, dated 15th December, from a correspondent signing himself "Justice": — "Without wishing to interfere with the charity of Wellington people, I wish to correct your paragraph in yesterday's paper, re the late Mr. Elson's family. Mrs. Elson has no child of her own and never had a child. The girl now living with her is 9 years old, and for keeping h a r she receives 5s per week from the Ladies' Benevolent Society. The lad of 19, who drives an express, is a sister's son, and her mother has been in receipt of 7s 6d a week for » long period from another source." The Wanganui papers, with the full reports of the spech delivered by Mr. Bryoe, at the Wanganui banquet, last Friday, are now to hand. Both roports are substantially the same as that telegraphed by the Press Association, which, in fact, was a very excellent and accurate condensation of the speech. We commented on the latter in our last issue, and have nothing to alter in what we then Baid. A London telegram to the Melbourne Argus states that six men have been rescued from the ruins of the Calf Rock Lighthouse, JBantry Bay, whioh was destroyed during tho gtles which prevailed on the Irish coast on 27th and 28th November. Some of the Christchurch people do not seem pleased with their Cathedral bells, and even revile them as a nuisance. Persons who have heard both peals pronounce the Christfhurch bells to be inferior in Bweetness of tone to those of St. Peter's Church in this city — whioh, however, unfortunately cannot be properly rung owing to the weakness of the tower in which they are hung. There was some talk of a movement for erecting a new bell-tower, and it aeemed at one time likely to meet with strong support, but it appears to have died out. It is a great pity that the bells should not be heard to better advantage. It is understood that a careful examination Ins proved the damage to the spire of the Christchuroh Cathedral by tha late earthquakes to be not of a serious nature, although ?roublesomo to repair. The spire, indeed, is so bound together by iroa rods and ties that & is hardly possible for it to be badly damaged unless bodily overthrown. The stones which were displaced were merely portions of the ribs which run up the outside angles of the spire They fall from a point on the eastern side at a height of some 200 feet, and were actually flnn? right round to the opposite side of the tower, striking the pavement outside the enclosure some 30 feet distant horizontally from a perpendicular line below the spot whence they were dislodged. The notch in the stone ribbing is distinctly perceptible from the grou 'd, but is no material disfigurement to the structure. By advertisement it will be observed that Me3sr3. Tjrrell and Brennan have opened a " Private Enquiry Office" in Willis-street. Mr. Brennan is stited to have had considerable experience in this particular line of business. To purchasers of Christmas presents, Messrs. T. Kennedy Macdonald and Co. announce a large sale of fancy gooda, jewellery. &c , suitable for presents, to be held on Friday next, full particulars of which will be obtained from catalogues to be issued ekortly. Mr. George Thomas will Bell to-morrow, bananas and cocoanuts. MessM. Dwan & Co. will sell to-morrow, household furniture, &c. Mr. J. D. Fraser will sell to-morrow, at Anikawa, Qneen Charlotte Sound sawmill property, &c. Chribtmas and New Year's Gifts. — Many will doubtless remember the beautiful Chromo Pictures, veritable works of art, that were presented to customers during the recent Surplus Stock Sale at Te Aro House. It will be satisfactory to know that the coming Christmas and New Year's holidays will witness a similar distribution, but upon a still more liberal basis. Every purchase in cash to the amount of i>l will entitle the buyer to one presentation copy, and as many mora as there are additional pounds spent These admirable pictures are worthy of a place on the walls of either mansion or cottage, and all who desire to beautify their homes aay do so without expense, by making their purchases at Jambs Smith's, Tb Abo House.— [Advt.] " Handsome is that handsome doeV Since the firm of Graves &Flkming started business in this city, their great aim has been to s.ll a superior quality of goods at the lowest possible price; this they have successfully ¦succeeded in doing, and they n»w reap their reward by seenring the entire canfidanc* of the public, and consequently a large increase in business. The^r name has ; now become a household word, and their famous cheap prices aro known and appreciated over the length and breadth of the province. Everyone is cordially invited to visit their establishment (the corner house, Te Aro), when every civility and attention will be paid to them. — [Adtt.]