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New Zealand Herald, Volume XI, Issue 3949, 9 July 1874, Page 2

The Chief Justice and a common jury were occupied the whole of yesterday with the trial of Heremaia Paapu for the murder at Wangaroa. The defence was that the prisoner was insane. But the question was whether he was insane at the time he killed Timoti Marerau. The jury thought not. It was alleaed that the man Timoti had held an

improper intimacy with the prisoner's wife. The jury found him guilty, but recommended him to mercy. He was sentenced to three years' penal servitude. Pascoe and another will be tried to-day for the murder in a brothel in Upper Queen-street.

The Californian Minstrels gave another very successful performance in the City Hall last evening, which was very numerously patronised. There was even a better house than on the previous evening. The opening overture by the company was an excellent commencement to a thoroughly good programme. The songs were all loudly applauded, and Mr. Charles Sutton's comic song, "Hannah, how's your Ma ?" was encored. The sentimental song, '"I'm leaving thee in sorrow, Annie,"' was excellently rendered, and was received with enthusiastic applause. The " Scenes at the Circus" is a capital burlesque, and no fault could be found with the manner in which it was produced. Some very riue selections were given by the orchestra, and Messrs. Sutton and Kelly brought down the house with their double soues and dances. The farces of " The Doctor's Shop." "As like as TwoPsFs." and " The Tourists/' were repeated, and each obtained a favourable reception. The negro comicalities were irresistible. This evening's bill announces an entirely new anil very full programme. The Minstrels' rn^c'oir- , appears to be almost inexhaustible, and quite fret from stale jokes and effete conundrums. The wit and humour are all genuine, with the real Yankee smack about thtni.

The members of the Otahuhu Mutual Improvement class met in their room in the Public Hall, on Monday evening. The President occupied the chair. There were about thirty members present, and after the minutes of last meeting were read and confirmed, the following gentlemen were elected members :—W. Patterson, H. Willis, A. Thompson, and "V. Bent. The President then tfivj a reading on "Artificial Men," as did" alsi> Mr. U. Robertson. " Retreat fromMo.-0.w," Mr. A. M. Sheppard, Macaulay's •' Virginia." from Lays of Ancient Rome, and Mr. J. Luke " The Battle of the Channel." the retrospection of a Jack to the paiiL readers of Blackwood. All the readings were minutely and favourably criticised, the ditSdent members gradually gaining confidence. The business of the next meeting was announced to be au essay by Mr. Sturges and a reading by Mr. Goodwill, sen.

Dr. Car: , , phreno-inesmerist. telegraphs to us as follows : " A disclaimer of yours re WoocUir. and Carr, 2dt\\ ult. 2so person named Weodsiu ever travelled for me in anv capacity whatever. Cannot explain his conduet, but :■_'!• such huge presumption ;>.< his, prescribe a mouth's "confinement on broad and water and several applications of the eat."

It has been suggested that if storekeepers in Queen-street would have their pavements swept on Saturday nights after closing, it would greatly improve the appearance of the town on Sabbath morning, and act a≤ an advertisement, for the tmdesivan who takes this trouble will be sure to command the good opinion of his fellow-townsmen.

All that mrcel of laml situated in the Taupo District, containing 584 acres, more or less, kuovrn by the name of the NuknkauTaiuuvaeharuru Block, beini; portion of the Tauhara lilock (:unUM. hnvo 1:.v.-u 0.l to be waste kuuls ot the Ci\'Wu.

: One very striking instance of the valne of Resident Magistrates' law, when tested b Y Appeal, has recently occurred. Within the last three months three Resident Magistrate" those of Wanganui, Wellington, and Ahaura' decided that tolls could not, under the authority of a Provincial Act, be levied on vehicles, carrying her Majesty's mails, even though they also < onveyed passengers. The plaintiff in the Ahaura case appealed, and Judge Pdchmond, in an elaborate judgement, has reversed the decision of the Court below, and sent the case back to the Resident Magistrate to have judgment entered for the tolls sued for. Honor Judge Richmond absolutely refused to attach the slightest importance to the idea that vehicles carrying mails were exempt from toll as being on her Majesty's service, and said that the exemption of the Sovereign from all tolls was simply a personal one, which would also probably extend to those who were in actual attendance on the Monarch when travelling. His Honor further said that he knew of no authority which could be united in support of the exemption claimed. Xi>w, if Judge Richmond knew of no stiuh authority, how was it that the three Magistrates took upon themselves the responsibility of overriding provincial ordinances and ] iractieally deciding that they were ultra n>.•., ■; if these gentlemen had been content to admin-■;-ter the Taw as they found it. they would have done their duty, but they intended no doubt to shew their independence and knowledge, while they really exposed their ignorance aiid folly, by deciding that the Provincial Legislatures had authorised, and the Provincial (lovernments were trying to enforce, tolls which were contrary to law. This case is a very instructive one, for like the glass carried by the apparition which appeared'to Macbeth, it "shews many more. , '

A resolution was moved the other evening in the Provincial Council which is calculat-jit to excite uneasiness in the minds of the peoule of Canterbury and the world at lar<'e r-ay.s th-j Cfi,d>rburij P,y.«. !V;r. Andrews priiposcd to revive what he cal!j the good old system of " cremation"—which he defined to mean "the burning of the boilies of mankind." Rather a wide proposition, and u:i» as to which we question hou. members' jurisdiction. It is difficult, a≤ Mr. Kuuaaway explains, to say what the powers <>i a Provincial Council are ; but they cannot be ijuitu unlimited. When it comes to dealing with " mankind," and especially to burning the bodies, the council must really be going too far. Such a resolution must, we think, be pronounced ultra cirt<. We should liketo know too, on what authority Mr. -Andrews assumes to speak for mankind. We occasionally profess to utter sentiments in the name of the public, but we have never ventured to represent ourselves as the mouthpiece of the whole human race. Xor do we feel at all confident that Mr. Andrews has fully ascertained the opinions of his supposed constituents. On the contrary, we believe that a large majority would be found highly averse to the operation to which he wishes to subject them. As a nile mankind docs not like being burnt. For our own part, as an infinitesimal unit, we beg to protest against such treatment. We decidedly decline to give our body to be burned ; all the more since our want of charity towards Mr. Andrews for making the proposal would prevent our deriving any benefit faom the sacrifice.

The Hill tor amending the Constitution Act of Victoria, # arried in the Parliament of that colony, is described as one "to enable the members of the Legislative Council and of the Legislative Assembly to sit together as a legislative body in certain cases." It provides that when a measure shall in two consecutive sessions have passed the Legislative Assembly—-that is, the Lower Hou3e—anil have been rejected in the Council, the Governor may prorogue Parliament, and call a. special session for the consideration of that particular measure only, in which thenienibers of the two Houses shall sit and vote together, and tile result be determined by a majority of tho -whole. It will not be lawful for the two Houses to transact any other buiness than deliberating and voting on the Bill specirieel in the Governor's summons ; nor to pass the second or third reading, with or without amendments, unless by an absolute majority of the whole number of members. Tho scheme thus proposed is imitated from tho piactice of the Norwegian Parliament. It was devised by Ministers as a means of overcoming what they consider the wilfully obstructive action of the Upper House; anil mainly in consequence of the loss last session of their Electoral Bill, which was rather summarily laid by the CouneiL It was also the one great Ministerial question on which Mr. Francis declared that he went to the country at the recent general election. Whether the Upper House will pass the Bill remains to be seen; it is not likely however that they wilL

Captain Millar, of the schooner Dauntless, which arrived froiQ Xonmca yesterday, ha.-; kindly supplied us with several items of Xew Caledonian news. An official had arrived iruHi France, via Sydney, to inquire into the recent escape of Roclicfort and others, and had upon arrival given orders for the strictest surveillance of the shipping trading there. A number of the prisoners were also be removed to other quarters for safe keeping. Kateiuan, who shot the commandant of one of the districts for undue familiarity with his wife, has been sent to France to undergo his term of ten years' imprisonment. An extraordinary murder —that of the public executioner—had been committed, but the perpetrator, one of the convicts, has since been guillotined. Duelling had become frequent, several cases having recently taken place— one or two of them by permission of the Governor. Captain Millar also reports the wreck of the Mary Stuart, brigantine. at Apia, about the Gth June, the crew being rescued at sea and taken to Noumea. They had been several days at sea in boats. The vessel was a total and everything on board was lost.

The Wanganui Hero Id states that "Yankee • ■rail." a smie well understood and too well practise j""in Wansanui. has been made penal. The 11th section of the Wellington Publicans' House Management Act, lately passedthrough the Council, says :—" If any licensed publican shall permit any game of chance or skrl in bo played by persons under 10 years "i age. ■ir to "ue played for money or niouey 5 worth by persons'above that age. in or upon the premises with respect to which he sh:ill be the holdt-r of a licence under the said Act, he and the parties engaged in such ganio shall severally be liable to a penalty nut exc-eedina £5, and the licensed publican shall, on a second conviction, forfeit his. liceneo ar.d be incapable of holding another within tlie Province of Wellington for six months after such conviction. There was not so large an attendance at the Siamese and Asiatic Circus last evening, but the performance gave evident satisiaction. It was the same programme as p rd " viously given, but this evening there will l,e an entire change. The assistance of ?. number of well-known artistes haspiea en-:i u ._d for the effective production si>Lotaciilar drama of "Mazeppa, or t:ie •> ■- Horse •■:' Tartary." Considerable lias been gone to to make the pr-i-cnen this piece a success. The following are the po'.bu-p—*'* : '\ th; District of Waitemata:—T.i-' Hail. North Shore: Mr. R<.-:.V=< residence. ■Stokes's Point: Mr. Peace's Store, Fuoit,.:. Kiverhead: Mr. Gibbon', Mid, Hma. IVJ.lie HaU. Whau : Mr. H, :.,!=. ion? Milltin- store where the Cour: and Hoard si:. Weiti: RelensviHe; and the Public Store, Lucas'.- Creek. An extensive cattle m-.vt ! ~. >'<••;• era ted ue.ir Christchmeh. "Hve [ - iU ) i ,s - : ':"{ acres in extent and the accc-.^i^-- 3 '",'' be equal to 1000 head of cat: =. 1000" pigs, and -JOO calves. 1: « .0 £0000. ' .-. Howick has beeu declared .i %*s%&. the Public Health Act, ;***£* n & Vaccinator is appointed -■_> *■*- w j. 5 O'Brui:. • ■ -.

■' Anglo-Australian" in the European Mail • 'ives the following anecdote:—"Some interesting details are told of a certain emicrrant ship, bound to New Zealand, which was detained the other day by bad weather at the Tail of the Bank. There were over 500 on board, and notwithstanding the regulations which exist with regard to the division of the sexes, it appears that though Love may be blind, he found a way to elude the vigilance of the constituted authorities on board, ami shot his shafts wholesale. Cupid is by no means a bad marksman, and 1 have it on the best authority that such good use did he make of his time that the Sheriff in Greenock was called upon to marry several couples, who were permitted to eome ashore for that purpose. Nor is this all; for the services of some professional people were required from the shore during the detention of the vessel, and when they returned it was found that the complement of passengers had been increased by the addition of several soals that Were not'enumerated in the passenger list. All this w::s very pleasant, r.nd helped to wiie away the time, but congratulations p.ud merriment wvie (.-hanged when some dozen ~r so of deserted wives and forsaken maidens, with dishevelled h:.ir streaming in the wind, came rushing ?o-':.rd in search ot <ruel husbands and swains. They had hoped to have escaped " scot free." but the war of elements was against them, and in several iustaueesarrangemeiits had to be Come to before the faith!ess~o:ics were allowed to proceed. Kverytliing being settled to the satisfaction of all concerned, good humour again reigned triumphant, and the weather moderating, the ship—a si-'.cudid specimen of naval architecture—proceeded on her voyage with every :ir isfvt of making :< rapid'and satisfactory run." A correspondent asks what bcea;.;< <■'• the damaged il"ur ami damaged teas .md other provisions ; :o <i!t.cu :n«::»:c<l as i. ;ug offered for sale by audio::, ;-.:id if tin •::,■■ has iwt come for the of i:.,; Public Analyist agreed t<. ;.l the last siuliig oi the Provincial Cour.ed '.' Freemasonry is apparently m.-.king gM.it strides in Britain. A home paper .-ays ;h.-iv are 153 Freemasons in the present Bril-sh Parliament—"'•"> in the Lords and 7S in liie Commons. Tiie grants to Road Boards in Canterbury to May 31, 1574, were t:2-l<),7r.7—a goodly sum truly. An extraordinary meeting of shareholders in the Bendigo independent- <:<-ld Mining Company will bo held at Graham.-towu, o;; the -Ith Augv.st.

The annual meeting oi ratepayers of the One-tree Hill Highway J 'Istiiet will be helil on the 24th inst., at the .Junction Hott-L The annual meeting of the Ea*t Tamaki Highway Board will be hJid on the 30th inst. The annual meeting of ratepayers <■: the. Wairoa Highway District will be held <>:i :!.-j '25th inst. The annual meeting of ratepayers of the Mangatawhiri Highway District v.ill be held on the '25th inst. The annual meeting of ratepayers o: the Otahuhu Highway District will be held on the '20th inst.. at '2 p.m. The Town Clerk notii.es that the City Council are yirepared to receive otTtrs for receiving night-soil on laud. A calf oi~ Is per share lia< been made in the Coliban Gold Mining * ompany.

IIuYAL ENGLISH OPERA COMPANY. " Lα Sonnami'.ula" was the opera last night at the Prince of Wales Theatre, performed with a. completeness and success seldom realised. The Amina was of course Miss Alice May : Elvino, Mr. H. Hallaui ; Count P.udolpho, Mr. T. H. Kainford : notary, Mr. Wilkinson; Lisa, Miss E. A. Lambert: and Dame Theresa, Miss F. Howe. It is not needed to offer any remark upon the music or the simple story which it illustrates. Everybody is familiar with V...d>. It. may be said," however, that this composition .lid more to extend the taste for operatic music than perhaps any other work. It is not onlv c-uduringly but constantly popular. The pretty intrigue of which it is tfie exponent has its locality e\trywncre. The performance last evening, making allowance for an occasional loudness in t!:u chorus, and, we must say, a similar tendency i;i the orchestra, was of the v.vry highest order of merit. Miss Alice May, both by her aetiug and singing, gave undeniable proof of the justice o:' thu popularity which she has everywhere atl.iined. i'roin beginning to end it was sustained r.nd every appearance on tho stage heightened'the pleasure of hearing her. It is not necessary to enter further into any criticism of the rauye and quality of her voice. These we have already noticed. The delicious melodies of thi.-> favourite opera were rendered by her last evening with exquisite delicacy, at the same time that siie was thoroughly well equal to the more emotional passages. Mr. Henry llallam was in excellent voice, and sang the well-known airs —"Still so Gently,' , "AU is lost lirnv"— ■with fine effect. The same may be said of Mr. Rainford's "As 1 view those Scenes." This was magnificently sung. The choruses were all good, with tho reservation we have already made. In the telling finale to the lirst and also to the second act the two principal voices were in some passages scarcely audible through being over-borne by the chorus. There was a peculiarity in Miss May's impersonation of the chamber scene. The traditional entrance is somewhat rigid and statuesque. In this instance Iα .HonnainbiJ.lt begins the recitative with gesture. The observation may not be important, but the traditional method is more in conformity with all that is known of the facts of such cases in real life. The Lisa of Miss E. A. Lambert scarcely came up to what is usually exacte.lf.;'this part. The Dame Theresa of Miss Florence- How was a careful rather than an impressive impersonation. The act-on of the piece, and the movement of the music, tvure tine:!;.- bli-n-lod without break or hiatus throughout. The audience demanded, and rc-de:i:auded the eiii'taiiito be raised at the close .if the performance. The fair priina donna v.-:i-= greeted, as on the previous night, with a very plentiful shower of bouquets. The "Grand Duchess" (Offenbach) will be produced this evening.