THE WELLINGTON - MANAWATU RAILWAY CONTRACT.

Evening Post, Volume XXIII, Issue 62, 16 March 1882, Page 2

THE WELLINGTON - MANAWATU RAILWAY CONTRACT.

Frequent enquiries have been made lately regarding the Wellington-Manawatu' Railway contract, about which nothing haa been heard for some time past. We may explain that the delay in getting tho contract finally Bigned, and sealed has been due mainly to the large amount ¦ of work involved in the preparation of the extensive and .elaborate maps and plans of the land proposed to be granted to the company, which are necessary appendages to the contract deed. This work is now entirely complete. All the maps, plans, &c, have been definitely adopted and formally attached to the contract deed to which the seal of the colony will be affixed to-morrow by the Executive Council, and the seal of the Company by the Board of Directors. This important formality once gone through, arrangements have been made for the immediate commencement of active operations.

The Volunteer Land Scrip Commission leave for Auckland per s.s. Wanaka to-day. It ia rumoured that the impending changes and rearrangements in the Civil Service will include an extensive remodelling and reorganisation of the Public Works Department in the direotion of amalgamating its various branches, with a view to greater concentration and economy. No particulars, however, aa to the intention of the Government in this respect have as yet transpired. Some f asa has been made in certain quarters about an alleged message having been sent by Mr. Bryce to Tawhiao, asking if the latter desired the Native Minister's preßenoe at his approaching meeting, acd Tawhiao' s reported reply that if Mr. Bryoe pleased he might oome like any ordinary European. It ' was asserted that this was a " snub" which augured ill for Tawhiao'a future behaviour in regard to opening- up the country. It turns out, however, on enquiry, that no such message was ever sent at all by Mr. Bryce, and bo the little fabrication falls to the ground. At the Supreme Court yesterday, the aotion Baucke v. Colonial Treasurer again oropped up, Bauoke appearing to answer a demurrer that had been raised to his aotion againßt the Colonial Treasurer for _!300. The same case has been before the Court time after time, and Mr. Justice Richmond declined to make the Court a laughing stock by listening to the same arguments again. The judgment of the Court had already been given against him before, and would be again. If he wished to appeal to the Privy Council, he might do bo, and his Honour only wished he would. His Honour cautioned Baucke not to indulge in a monomania of this kind, aB it would be bad for his mental well-being. To suppose that the Government wished to do him out of J2300 waa a mad phantasy. Mr. Baucke decided to $o to the Privy Council. A little difficulty between the Hibernian Society and the City Council haß been amicably arranged. The latter called for tenders for the right to erect refreshment booths at Newtown Park at the scorta to-morrow. The Hibernians objected to intoxicating drinks being sold on the ground, and intimated that it' tenders were accepted by the Council, the picnic, &c, won dbe held elsewhere. The Conncil, we learn, has fallen in with the views of the society, and to-morrow's gathering will be of a Btrictly temperance character. A concert is to be given in the Marist Brothers' School on St. Patrick's night. It ia got up by the choir of St. Mary of the Angela (assisted by a few membera of the Cathedral choir) and the Hibernian Band. They will also be assisted by four or five leading amateurs of the city. The Mayor has also promised to sing a eolo.' The 'programme consists of no fewer than 22 items. Miss E. Smith and Miss M. Cimino, the organists respectively of St. Mary of the Angela and St. Mary's Cathedral, will pre? Bide alternately at the piano. <

At length, it will be seen, Her Majesty has started on her trip to the South of France, which WS3 projected some time ago. Mentone is widely kno,vn as a pleasant, healthy resort, more especially during the winter menths, when it is visited by thousands of tourists and persons in search of a mild and salubrious climate. Being situated on the shores of the Mediterranean, on the borders of Italy, and sheltered from cold winds by a high range of hil's on the north, Mentone enjoys the balmiest of climates, while the scenery is charming in the extreme. Following her usual practice, the Queen will travel incognita, thu3 saving herself the wony and " fusß " of formal receptions, &o. It has been whispered that for some time past Her Majesty's health has been far from satisfactory, and, no doubt, the is the prinoipal cause of her departure from England at this period, March being notoriously the most trying month in the year at Home. No formal announcement of Her Majesty's indisposition has appeared in the English papers, it not being considered etiquette to refer to the illness of Boyal personages unless it is of a serious nature. The application on the part of Mr. Stafford on behalf of the plaintiff for a re-hearing in the civil case, J. Barton v. E. Morgan, was refused by Mr Hardcastlo, R M., at the Eesident Magistrate's Court to-day. The plaintiff,* it may be remembered, had claimed the sum of £8G 16s, judgment being then given for the defendant with costs. His Worship said tho plaintiff had a right to appeal if he had chosen to avail himself of it. At a meeting of the creditors of Messrs. Webster Bros, merchants, of New Plymouth, on Friday, it was stated that Messrs. King and Humphries, who had gone into matters thoroughly, valued the assets and liabilities for the purpose of carrying on the mercantile business (and not for the purpose of realisation), as at .£13,000 and .£14,200 respectively, leaving, therefore, but a small deficiency. Ihe assets, if realised within a period of six months, would amount to aboat £9^34-, and the .liabilities, if discharged within a like period, would amount to abont -fi 15,250; this would show the estate to be worth about 12s (3d in the £ if required to be realised within six months, but no one could be got to offer that amount. After some discussion, Mr. Samuels, on behalf of an undisclosed principal, offered to pay the Bank of New Zealand its .£3OOO secured debt, and 9s to the rest of the creditors, conditionally that all the property was transferred to him. The oreditors took a week to consider the matter. The well-known case of Till v. Morgan was again mentioned at the Besident Magistrate's Court to-day. It will be recollected that the plaintiff proceeded against the defendant Borne time ago to recover the sum of £50 in consequence of the defendant having illegally voted as a member of the Hutt County Council in connection with a contraot in which he was interested. On that oocasion judgment was given for the amount claimed with costs. Mr. E. Shaw, for the plaintiff, now applied for an order on the affidavit filed by him. The application was opposed by Mr. Izard, who had filed an affidavit in reply. After argument the Court held this was a debt contracted by fraud, and made an order for the payment of «£57 8s ; in default, three months' imprisonment. At the dinner given to the Mount Cook explorers, the Eev. Mr. Green stated that the peculiarity of ascending Mount Cook was that they had to follow the gullies instead of following the arretes, thua increasing the danger from falling ioe. In describing the night passed by them under the summit of Mount Cook, Mr. Green said that the ledge they stood upon was not more than two feet wide or six feet long. They never moved six inches from 8 o'clock on the night of Maroh 2nd until sunrise on the following morning. If any one of them had slept it meant certain death for all. They stood with their faces towards the rock, one hand resting on the rock, and the other being free to keep each other awake. The only case appearing on the ohargesheet at the Eesident Magistrate's Court to-day, which, as usual, was presided over by Mr. E. Hardcastle, 8.M., consisted of a charge of assault, in which ono Kate Carter changed Thomas Carter, cabdriver, with striking her aoroes the head with a stockwhip, throwing her down, and kicking her, wherefore she prayed that he might be bound over to .keep the peace towards her. The defendant did not appear on the ground that he had not received 48 hours' clear notice of the hearing. Mr. Hardcastle pointed out that Mrs. Carter conld obtain a warrant to compel him to attend if she chose to apply for one ; but she merely remarked, " I don't want him brought here if he don't want to come," and the information was thereupon dismissed. In response to a communication received from the Town Clerk, the Chairmen of the Licensing Committees for the various districts within the city met at the Eesident Magistrate's private room yesterday, there being present Messrs. G. Allen, T. K. Macdonald, G. V. Shannon, and J. R. Blair. Tho object of the meeting was to discover the best means of taking a pnblic vote on the qneßtion of granting additional hotel licenses. Mr. James Ames was appointed Beturning Officer, and it was decided that the poll should be taken in the four distri on the 17th, 18fch, 19th, and 20th Ap Some discussion also arose with regard to the means of egress from the city hotels in case of fire, and the facilities for saving life, and it was resolved to request the Inspector of Licensed Premises to report on the matter at the next meetiDg. Mr. Hardcastle, 8.M., gave judgment this morning in the action Hart. v. Master and Owners of the s.s. Go-Ahead, in which the .plaintiff claimed £70 10s for balance of wages and damages for wrongful dismissal. Mr. Stafford appeared to receive judgment on behalf of the plaintiff, and Mr. E. Shaw on behalf of the defendants. Mr. Hardoastle said in this case the plaintiff had asserted he was discharged without notioe, for which he claimed damages. He thought the claim for six months' wages was without any ground of justification. An offer had been made to let him continue on board while he worked out a month's notice. This offer, plaintiff said, was not made until after his discharge was complete; the defendant said it was made before, and that plaintiff discharged himself. Plaintiff's view was corroborated by the fact that a successor, who was to commence duty at once, was engaged and provided for him before his leaving was i mentioned to him. Judgment went for the plaintiff for .£l4 10s and costs "The Snowball" and "The Chinese Question" were repeated at the Theatre Koyal last night, and went off in dashing style. The audience were delighted, and laughed till tears rolled down their oheekß. To-night the performance will be of a novel character. " Kerry" will be produced at 8 o'clock. At 9, Mr. S. O'Brien will recite " The Charge of the Light Brigade," followed by an amusing parody, " The Charge of the Dutch Brigade," ar.d a dwarf story by Mr. Williamson 'l he whole will conclude with "The Snowball." As this is the final performance of this talented company there should be a crowded house. The work of altering the old Musio Hall at the corner of Grey-street and Lambton Quay, was finished yesterday, and the Colonial Insurance Company have now full possession of their offices. We have already alluded to the elegant fittings of these rooms They were designed by Mr. T. Turnbullj the architect, and executed by Mr. E. B. Haughton, the contractor, and the work reflects credit on both. At a meeting oE the Mount Cook Pchool Committee this week, the appointment of Mr. M'Morran as first assistant master of the boys' school was ratified The Yen. Archdeacon Stock was nominated as member of the Education Board in the room of Mr PharazyD, jun., resigned. It was decided to request the Education Board to open an infant school in Courtenay Place to relievo the Tory-street school, which is overcrowded. In reference to a letter which appeared in our issue of yesterday, " Help Your Neighbour " writes as follows :—": — " Mr. Hayward, your Taranaki-street correspondent, appears hnrt that ho has an induslrions neighbour near him, and like many more thin-skinned people, rushes into print, and as a natural sequence makes a fool of himself. Had Mr. Hayward taken the more manly and neighbourly part, and gone to that industrious person, no donbt the petty annoyance he was subject to would hive been abated ; but if he thinks to gain his end through your asEistancp, he will most certainly fail, as other neighbours know what he is driving at. The treasurer of the Home for Friendless Women acknowledges the following subscriptions :— Mrs. Randall Johnson, £2 2s ■ Mrs. G. Moore, .£2 2s ; Miss E. Greenwood, £2; Mrs. .Battersbee, £1 1b; Eev. W. J. Habens, £1 la ; Mrs. Duncan, of Wanganui. 10a Cd ; Mrs. Kebbell, .£2 ; Mrs. Izard £5 • Mr. B. Smith, .£1 Is ; Mrs. B Smith, £1 Is j Mra. John Moore, .£1 1b ; collected by Mrs Pilcher, 15s. The Juvenile Pirates have been actively engaged in rehearsing the miscellaneous entertainment to be performed at the Theatre Boyal to-morrow evening, and the affair promises to be a Euccess. As the youngsters have not benefited much by their reoent tour, it is hoped that the public will come forward and lend them a helping hand on this occasion. The Austrian Band, who are announced to open at the Theatre Boyal on Saturday evening, are to arrive from the Sonth to-morrow in the s.e. Te Anan. We are informed that it consists of 13 members picked out of 37, with the original conductor, Herr Brann. An attractive programme has been prepared for the opening performance, and considering the reputation which the band has acquired in Australia and the South, there will probably be a la*ge attendance,

At the Resident Magistrate's Court to-day, 1 in civil jurisdiction, a number of civil cases I were dealt with. Judgment Bummona :—: — R. M. Cleland v. H. Miller, ,£l<l 10s, to pay Jil per month. Judgments for plaintiffs with Co3ts :— W. Fife v. T. Espasrne (Mr. Gully for plaintiff), £7 10s ; A. A. Barnett v. J. Flannagan (Mr. Forwood for plaintiff), jEIO; iidwarda and Green v. T. H. Mabin, £S lls 9d;i C. Gamble v. VV. Murray, JBB 6a 6d; W. Fiugerald v. G. Mabey, £3 18a 6d. The Court was still Bitting when we went to press. We hear that the solicitors in town, following the example of the banks and various insurance companies, intend closing their offices to-morrow, it being St. Patriok'a Day. An adjourned general meeting of the Salvage Corps is to be held this evening at Mr. S. Palmer's store, at 8 p.m. The entries and handicaps for the St. Patrick's Day sports, to be held at Newtown Park to-morrow, will be found in onr advertising columns. A epeoial feature of the gathering will be a pedestrian feat by O'Brien, who announces that he will cover ten miles within an hour. The weekly session of the Safe Betrat Juvenile Temple was held last evening -at the Good Templar Hall. Two candidates were admitted to membership. An address waß given by Mr. William Nutt, and several recitations by members. Sister Fitzgerald was awarded first prize for an essay, and Brother JKberlet second prize. A man named Eiddell, whose chanty at Tinui is a popular resort of station hands (says the Wairarapa Star) was prosecuted for sly-grog selling. The witnesses, however, on whom tha prosecution relied, appeared in a well-primed oondition, gavo their evidence with evident reluctance, and brought the offence home to Mrs. Mulvey, BiddeH'B house-keeper, rather than to Riddell himself. The Bench fined Mrs. Mulvey JB3O, with £9 12s costs. The conviction was obtained under the 160 th clause of the Licensing Act. — a clause which is likely to prove eminently useful in reaching the unlicensed retailers of grog, who are becoming so numerous in certain parts of the oolony. The oldest Baptist minister in London, j and one of the oldest in England, the Rev. Phillip Dickerson, has jnsfc celebrated the fiftieth year, or jubilee, of hia conneotion with the pastoral office of Little A lie street Baptist Church, near Aldgate High-street. Mr. George Rignold ia returning to the colonies, accompanied by Miss Bradbrook Henderson. Mr. Rignold's repertoire will include as the principal items the three successful dramas, " The Lights of London," " Faithful Heart," and " Youth.,' Mr. Henry Ward Beecher has been soundly rating his congregation for the scantiness of the collections. He said the amount of the collections had run as low as 375, and even special appeals, as that for the Home Missionary Society, with objects as broad as the continent, elioited only §300. A coDgregation of 3000 people, M. Beeoher deolared, should never contribute leas than §500 on any occasion ; and he hoped that fewer five- i cent pieces would hereafter find their way into the baskets that were passed round. "if you don't do better," ho said, " you shan't have any contributions at all ; I'll take them away from you altogether." The Princess of Wales waa the cause of an unwitting scare recently at Sandringham. It appears that with the view to keeping up the featiyities of the season, " snap-dragon " was introduced as one of the entertainments of the evening. The Royal children and the guests entered into thia naming game with a zeat worthy of true enjoyment. The Princess of Wales, always on the alert to contribute to the pleasure of those around her, sought to lead the fun ; in doing so, the dish containing the fruit and flaming spirit was upset ; and the sleeve of Her Royal Highness' light evening dress was instantly enveloped in flames. Some of the more cool and collected persons present rushed forward w ith woollen wraps, and the fire was happily extinguished; this, however, waa not done until the Princess had sustained a nasty burn on her arm and her eyebrows had been singed. In addition to the sleeve catching fire, the tablier of the dress also beoame ignited, but this, thanks to her presence of mind, Her Royal Highness herself extinguished by tearing it away with the arm which was disengaged, 'ihe oonsternation in the saloon for the moment was painfully alarming. For sightseers this evening there will be some special attractions. The Horticultural Society will hold its Autumn Show, and the jvindows of Te Aro House will be filled with a galaxy of the latest autumn novelties in millinery, mantles, and dress fabrics. As these exhibitions have ever hitherto gratified the public taste, no doubt to-morrow wo shall have to ohronicle the fact of a crowd of onlookers at the display. Mr. F. H. Fraser, bookseller, Mannersstrept, has received a consignment of Dr. Richardson's Temperance Lesson Book. Messrs. Lawrie and Fernandua announce that they have commenced bnsinesß as fishmongera and dealers in game and poultry, on Lambton Quay, and solicit the patronage of the public.

Thirty men's heavy Scotch tweed sac suits, usual price 425, will be sold on Saturday at 27s 6d each, at Te Aro House.— A dvt. Bots' superior tweed suits, suitable for boys from four to ten years of age, will be shown on Saturday, from 83 6d each, at Te Aro House. — Advt. Three hundred and sixty-nine yards of heavy grey twilled sheeting, two yards wide, slightly damaged, worth la 4d per yard, will be sold on Saturday for 9id, at Te Aro House. — Advt. One thousand yards of strong heavy blue Berge wil bo offered on Saturday at 12£ d per yard at To Aro House. — Advt. The question of the day— how to dress well on a small amount of monoy — has been solved by Graves & Fleming, where every article can be obtained by ladies and gentlemen at their establishment during the cheap sale nowibeing conducted bo successfully by them. Their system is to give nothing but sound goods, so that customers may rely upon getting in whatever they purchase in drapery and clothing nothing but what is really good and genuine during tha present sale. On Saturday and following week they will £f er special lots of fresh goods at their well-known sale prices, which all their old friends are particularly requested to see and judge for themselves. — Advt.