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New Zealand Herald, Volume XI, Issue 3955, 16 July 1874, Page 2

It w ill be seen by the report of the proceedings at the meeting of the City Improvement Commissioners, yesterday, that the Commissioners have abandoned their intention of opening out a new thoroughfare from the Crescent to Commerce-street, on account of the heavy award made by the jury in the case of Mr. James Williamson's property in iShortland-street. It is greatly to lie regretted that so desirable an improvement- should not be possible under the circumstances. Mutual concessions might lead to a more satisfactory result than that attained at the meeting of yesterday.

Dr. Foatherston must have looked upon the following communication from the Hon. Julius Yogel reflecting on his mismanagement in shipping immigrants to this Colony as rather warmer than he would care for. He says: "If it is difficult to believe that you could sanction such emigration ; whilst, on the other hand, it is as difficult to believe that you can be unaware of the published proceedings ef your agent the woman Howard, whom, by-the-bye, you seem to have employed after informing me you would not do so, vide your letter No. 551, of 29th November, 1872. At another Board meeting, a copy of report of which I enclosed, legal proceedings were actually threatened in your name to enforce completion of the miserable bargain entered into by Howard. I endeavour to think that you knew nothing about the matter, but, if so, how singular must bo the organisation of your department that, with a proceeding so canvassed iu the place, with a ship calling oft' the town, and, it is to be presumed, some of your offieers-in attendance to see the emigrants off, you should have to be informed from 2\ew Zealand of what occurred under the immediate notice of your officers. I find it impossible to adequately characterise the indignation such a shipment produces, or the alarm which is felt at the intention which is apparent of sending further similar shipments.

The Supreme Court was occupied the whole of yesterday (third day) with the trial of Alexander Bromi on a charge of incendiarism. The evidence for the prosecution closed at an early hour. Mr. Rees opened the defence, and called several witnesses, who contradicted those for the prosecution in very material points. The effect of the evidence was that the prisoner did give the alarm of fire, that others saw a man running away as he did ; that the bundle did not come inside the Post-office hoarding for several days after the fire ; that Jeffrey had searched tli« place the day after the fire, and could not find anything; that the prisoner's time and whereabouts the whole of that evening is so perfectly accounted for as to be only compatible with his innocence. The ease had not concluded when the Court rose at t> o'clock.

A football-match will be played at Ellerslie on Saturday next, between the Pamell and Auckland Clubs. The teams will be driven to the ground in two omnibuses, the former starting from the Windsor Castle, Parnell, at 2.15 p.m., and the Auckland players from the Parnell 'bus stand, bottom of Shortland-street, at 2 p.m. The last match betwen these clubs, after a wellfought game of two hours, resulted in a draw. The respective partisans look forward with great interest to Saturday's issue. The Rev. Bishop Moran desires the Tablet to say "that a Form of Prayer, of which copies are being distributed at present on the West Coast, has not been authorised by him, and that the signature attached to it is a forgery."

Th« Auckland City Improvement Commissioners met yesterday at their offices, Albert Barracks. The business transacted will be found reported in another column.

The smuggler still hasatt existence, says the Melbourne Telegraph in a recent issue. He lurks not in caves, it is true, but dwells in a detached villa at St, Kilda. He pu!ls no boat at night-time, in dread of breakers and guardsmen, but comes into town instead, at 10 o'clock in the morning, behind a pair of fast steppers. Instead of running a lugger he passes false entries. There was a dash of romance about the smuggler of old, and his adventures when put on the boards used to bring the house down. An audience was taken captive by the blood-and-thunder ■villain, who certainly preyed upon the revenue but who scorned a meanness. But the modern representative is but a miserable fellow. He has dropped the broadsword and wears broadcloth ; he is found not defying the breeze and the billow, but in devout attendance at church and synagogue ; he does not put his life in jeopardy, but he causes other men to peril their souls by forswearing themselves. He concocts a sham and orders his clerk to call his Maker to witness that it is a genuine one, whereby he saves 25, or even 45 per cent, of the Customs dues which reputable traders have to pav in full. Then does the smuggler smile, "and sell his goods readily and cheaply, and perhaps sends a handsome donation to the charities, and is praised by all men. Th'« practice, Mr. Murray Smith declared iu 1 arliainent yesterday, is not uncommon iu Melbourne. According to the Commissioner of Customs, who knows still more about the matter, it is most common, and some of the best firms in the city engage in it. The existence of the smuggler in shoals was admitted in the Assembly lately—and leading merchants were present—and the only question discussed was how to deal with the offender when he is detected.

A writer in a -Melbourne journal says :—I should like to ask them what would become of Victoria if every one retired from mining ? What would be the condition of the colony if its principal interest was virtually disestablished ? Where would the farmer find a market for his produce, and the artificer for his manufactures ? I had a friend who lived at a gold-fields town. I often suggested that he should let me buy a few good things for him. "No, Atticus, my boy," was his invariable reply, " I don't believe in mining. A nice snug little freehold is my idea of an investment." He got his freehold, and built a row of villas upou it. I saw the property the other day ; five of the houses are to let, and the owner lives in the sixth. The market value of the house is rather less than the cost of the bricks. I wonder what my friend now thinks of freehold investments upon a mining town when the gold-fields in the vicinity are worked out. Moral: What will be the ralue of any property in Victoria, except for sheep-farming, if the gold-fields cease to be productive ? Mr. Woodward's paper in the Premier's new "Handbook of New Zealand"states that there are seventy-seven newspapers published in this colony. Their distribution is as follows : —Otago, 19 ; Canterbury, S ; Marlborough, 3 ; Nelson 10 ; Westland S ; Wellington, 10; Hawke's Bay, 5; Taranaki, 2 ; and Auckland, 11. At Christchurch and Dunedin an illustrated paper is published monthly; a Maori paper is issued fortnightly ; there are 27 weeklies, 9 tri-weeklies, 11 bi-weeklies, and 2S dailies. This is a tolerably large provision of light literature for a population of a quarter of a million of people, and should keep them well informed of current events.

The subject of marriage with a Deceased Wife's Sister is about to be brought underthe notice of the Legislative Council, by the Hon. Mr. Waterliouse, who has given notice of his intention to legalise such marriage, Says the Kew Zealand Tim/ts, in this course, if he succeed in making auch a bill law, New Zealand will only be following the example of the Australian Colonies. The necessity of such an Act in New Zealand is becoming apparent, gossip having it that it is not an uncommon occurrence for persons so situated with regard to each other as the widower and the sister of his deceased wife to go to neighbouring colonies, win-re marriage between them may be legally celebrated. Great inconvenience is often experienced by persons, especially strangers, being unable to distinguish by name one street from another. This might easily be remedied by having the names of the various streets in the city painted on the corner houses. This ought to have been done long ago by those iu authority, but, like a good many other simple and inexpensive measures that wouM add to the convenience of the general public, it is ignored 011 account of its simplciry.

At the Coroner's inquest, held upon tlie body of Mr. William Ilartley, who shot himself on Tuesday afternoon at the Xorth .Short-, after a number of witnesses had been e.\ amined, the jury returned a verdict, " That the deceased died by his own hands whilst suiiering from temporary insanity." A r<_ port of the inquiry appears in another eolumn.

The Californian Minstrels had another full house last evening, and were as successful ever in amusing their audience. The steamer a time having been altered, they will play tonight and to-morrow night, producing an entirely new bill. On .Saturday they leave for Duneclin, where we are sure they will be as much appreciated as were ever the original Cliristys some few years since. As shewing the inflated state of the land revenue in some of the provinces of this colony, Mr. Woodward states in the "Xew Zealand Handbook," that during 1573 the arnouut received was ±'1,038,310; whereas, in the fifteen preceding years it was oulv £4,332,550.

The Pakuranga Hounds will meet on Saturday, ISth, at Mr. McLaughlan's Flaxmill, Papatoitoi ; Wednesday, the 22nd, at the kennels, Ho wick; Saturday, the 25th, at the Scstch Church, Howick : each day at 11 o'clock.

A prisoner named Conway was brought up last night from the Thames, in charge <if Constable SatchwelL He has been committed for trial upon a charge of stealing itJ from a public-house in Grahamstown.

A special meeting of shareholders of the Albion Coal Company was held yesterday aftcmoon. and Howard, retiring directors, were re-elected. The Otago Times says the dearth of teaching power continues. This week's Gazette invites applications for no less than eleven vacancies in public schools.

W c are in receipt of late Australian papers by the barque Novelty, which arrived yesterday from Sydney, after a smart passage. Extracts will be found elsewhere.

The Golden Crown brought up from the Thames last evening, two boxes of gold, for the Bank of New Zealand. The gold weighs 17G3 ozs.

The nomination of candidates for the representation of Waitemata in the House of Representatives takes place to-day, at noon, in the Devonport Hall. The candidates announced are -Messrs. Von der Heyde, Stoney, Rees, and J. S. Macfarlane. A steamer will leave Queen-street Wharf at 11.30 a. iii. to-day, to convey the Waitemata electors of that district free to the North Shore. The Woodside boat will leave at 10.30 instead of 11 o'clock.

The annual meetings of ratepayers of the undermentioned districts will take place as follows :—Mangere, 2i)th inst. ; Pukekohe East, 31st inst. ; Waitakerei "West, 31st inst.

The half-yearly meeting of the New Pacific G.M. Co. will be held at the Golconda Hotel, Coromandcl, at 3 p.m. en the oth August.

The Good Templar brass band will muster for practice on Friday evening, at the Newton Academy. All claims against the estate of Benjamin Worthington, deceased, must be forwarded to Messrs. Bennett and Rogan forthwith. We observe that Mr. P. A. Philips notifies by advertisement his business for tale. Notice is given of the bankruptcy of James Missen.

Notice is given of the sale of forfeited shares iu the Italian Gold Mining Company.