Untitled

New Zealand Herald, Volume XIII, Issue 4636, 22 September 1876, Page 5

The provisional directors of the Athenaeum will hold a meeting in the large room of the Insurance Company's buildings this afternoon, for the purpose of deciding what course to pursue in reference to the establishment of so useful an institution. The question of amalgamation with the Mechanics' Institute will also be taken into consideration. Through Captain Burton's untiring exertions, no less than seven hundred annual subscribers to the Athensenm have been already obtained, and as many more may be expected. The groundwork for founding the institute, an well as for its incorporation with the Mechanics' Institute, may be said to have been already fairly laid, and it is to be hoped that the directors will see their way clear to proceed with so desirable a project without any unnecessary delay. An Athenaeum is, unquestionably, a desideratum in the city, and when it is takeninto consideration that there is wealth enough amongst us to defray the expense of such an institution, there is no excuse for being so long without it. The Mechanics' Institute, well as it has always been conducted, does not now meet jlie growing literary requirements of the city—hence, thenecessity forthe Athenceum. We understand that the directors have already taken steps to. procure a suitable site for the proposed building, and that this matter will, with others, be discussed at the meeting. In the event of a site being readily procured, designs for the building should be speedily invited, so that the work may not be unnecessarily prolonged. We trust something definite will be done at the meeting, and that we may hear of further action being soon taken in the matter.

! ast night the non-commissioned officers anil crew of H.M.S. Nymphe tendered a complimentary ball to their friends and residents of this city. The depot at the North Shore had been fitted up for the occasion, and the walls of the rooms were tastefully decorated, and covered with the flags of various nations. The side-arms and cutlasses of the marines and sailors formed a most conspicuous feature. Many were present from the city, and there could not have been fewer than 80 to 90 couple when the ball opened. The presence of the officers tended to show the harmony existing m the vessel, and a most anxious desire on the part of the promoters was evinced, to add to the enjoyment of those who had honoured them by the!r presence. lJaucing was kept up till this morning, everyone appearing loth to depart from the room. At the ordinary sitting of the Resident Magistrate s ( ourt, yesterday, Mr Tyler applied on behalf of Joseph Pooley for a summons to Messrs. Jakins, Tole, Dacre Stuart and Morton, trustees of the Ponson by and or Dedwood Highway District, calling on them to shew cause why they should not be ousted from their office on account of having been unduly elected, contrary to the provisions of the Empowering Act, 1871 (General Assembly). The case will come on for hearing on Friday, the 29th inst,

Use Melbourne' Company who have purchased the Poverty Bay oil springs intend to commence operations at once. _A competent manager ha 3 been already appointed, and as he is under instrnctions to proceed to Gisborne without loss of time, and arrange for effectually working the springs, it is probable that boring for -oil—the principal work —will be resumed by the beginning of next month. The company are said to be sanguine of success, and indeed they may, from the fact that the indications at the springs are so unmistakoable as to leave no doubt of the existence of suberabundance of oil there. The company will probably open the petroleum springs at Waiapu, which are within five miles of a shipping place—the Poverty Bay Springs being upwards of thirty miles front the coast.

FflOm our Coromandel telegrams it will be seen "that Sorenson, the diver, who was sent from here on Wednesday, arrived at the Union Beach mine early yesterday morning. H-e at once proceeded to descend the shaft, remaining below for nearly half an hour. He appears to have been partially successful in his efforts to throw off the chain, but the hook becoming entangled he was compelled (to ascend to the surface ere he could loosen it. He will make a second trial this morning, •and we sincerely trust that he may be successful, although we doubt it very much. The Raglan and Waipa read is in a most wretched state, and the settlers are thus cut off from easy communication with Waikato —a serious inconvenience to them. A correspondent writing to the Waikato Times on the subject says :—" If people could only get into the district and see it for themselves, settlement would Tapidly spread. People who come to Kaglan only see Chamberlin's run (deserted hills) aud fancy they have seen the whole district, aud like our late representative, give the district a bad name." At the public meeting held at Hamilton East on Tuesday eveniug last, to discuss the present political aspect of tho colony, the following resolutions were carried unanimously : —" That as the aepeot of affairs has so changed since this meeting was called, we need not at present pass any resolution upon it." " That the chairmen of the various Highway Boards be empowered to convene a publ'c meeting to consider political matters, should the action of representatives render such public notice of their acts desirable." The reputation of the fertility and suitability of large tracts of land on the East Coast, for the receiving oi stock, has attracted the attention of some of the Victorian grazier capitalists, and it is expected that when the scab is eradicated, several runs will be leased north of Tologa Bay by Victorian enterprise, which, as is well known, is more energetic than that of any other colony in Australasia.

Such has been the demand for sawn timber in Poverty Bay, for several months past, that it has been deemed necessary to start another saw-mill to supply the local building and -exporting trade. The mill, which is about to be erected, is to be carried on by Mr. S. C. Caulton —a gentleman of property in tbe Bay, and the M.P.C. for Turanganui. The annual financial meeting of the Scottish Volunteers, which was announced to be held at the dcill-shed last evening, lapsed for want of a quorum. The meeting will take place next Thursday evening, in the Bame place. The polling far the election of & City Councillor, in the room of Captain Daldy, takes place to-day, commencing at S a.m., and closing at -1 p.m. The candidates are Messrs. Nicco] and Waddel. The erection of the New Zealand Bank building at To Awamutu is being vigorously proceeded with, the contractor taking every advantage of the fine weather. His Honor Mr. Justice Gillies arrived yesterday, by the s.s. Ladybird. He will sit in chambers, and hold the ordinary banco sitting to-day. The New Zealand, Time» learns that Messrs. Watt and Duthie do not intend to contest the Wanganui election. An owner is wanted for a 50 lb. bag of flour, found yesterday by the police. It is now lying at the station. The Waikato was again visited with frost a few days ago.

A case of brutral assault (says the New Zealand Times) is reported from the Hutt. A Maori named Te Puuui went to the house of another native named Kotuku, on Friday night, and made a murderous attack on him with a wood-chopper. Had it not been that Kotuku was in bed and covered with a mat, the outrage might have had a fatal termination, and as it is, the wounds are of a very severe character. The iujured mau lias a large gash on one side of the head, and his left shoulder is so severely cut that the arm is nearly Bevered from the body. The editors of the Wairarapa papers like each other. This what he of the Standard says to him of the News Letter:—" Again the editor of the News Letter has been hoaxed by some heartless person, who told him that a cow had eaten the seat out of a pair of trousers. The editor thankful for such a piece of information, built up a solemn local, cautioning the public against cows. Had he warned his readers against goosey ganders instead, he would liave done them better service." A Queensland bachelor, in advertising for a wife, who must not be younger than seventeen nor older than twenty-live, concludes his advertisement' as follows: — "No one need apply who intends to turn indolent or slovenly in her personal or domestic habits after marriage." A correspondent from the Forty-Mile Bush writes to a Wairarapa paper saying :— " Hailstones as large as beans fell here the other day, and I am informed by a person whose veracity I have no reason to doubt, that on eating some they tasted salt." The Bay of Plenty Times states that the carp liberated in Lake Kotorua, about a year ago, can now be seen in thousands, enjoying themselves in water almost too hot to bear one's hand in.

The Rev. Mr. Tomlinson, of Onehunga, will lecture in the Young Men's Christian Association Rooms, this (Friday) evening. Subject: "Venice" Many excellent lectures have been delivered on this subject; and, as Mr. Tomlinson is said to be a good lecturer, we have no doubt there will be a large attendance. The lecture will be illustrated by Mr. Crook's Venetian Views, associated with musical selections. A notice appears in another column that it is proposed early next month to hold a fancy fair and gift auction in aid of the Mount Albert and Whau parsonage fund. Gifts of money and materials will be received by several ladies, who are interested in the movement, and whose addresses will be found in our advertising columns. A musical and literary entertainment, in aid of the organ fund, will take place in the Pitt-street Wesleyan Church, this evening, at half past seven o'clock. The Rev. Mr. Kirk will preside, and the programme is sufficiently attractive to draw a large audience. A grand vocal and instrumental concert takes place at the Newmarket Hall this (Friday) evening. The programme is very attractive,- and a large attendance is expected. The third anniversary of the Caledonian games is announced to take place at Ellerslie Gardens on the 9th proximo, the Prince of Wales' Birthday. The programme will appear in a few days. By notification, it appears that Simonsen's Royal Opera Troupe have been induced to prolong their Btay at the Thames three nights, returning to Auckland after the Saturday night's performance. A notice of dissolution of partnership between Messrs. Fleming and Stevenson, storekeepers, of Onehunga, will be found in another column. A pnblic sale of confiscated lands, situated in the Patea district, will be held at, Carlyle on the 26th of next month. Tenders are required by Messrs. Keals for I the erection of a shop in Hobaoa-street.

THE ATJGKLA.ND GRAVING DOCK. Although it is only two -months since Messrs. Jones and Ware' have commenced their contract for the construction of the graving dock, yet the work is already in a more forward state than could be expected in so short a time. The coffer-dam has been completed, and considerable progress has been also made in the inner and outer piling. The dimensions of the dock are 315 feet on the floor, 45 feet in width, and 16 feet depth of water on the sill. The dam is composed of an inner and outer casing, the inner consisting of totara piles 12 inches by 12 inches, and shod with 251b. 1 wrought iron shoes, and so pointed as to be capable of being driven a sufficient depth into the soft sandstone. _ The work, so far as it has been executed, is of a most substantial description, being, as it is, superintended by Mr. Ware, who is a practical engineer. Large quantities of dressed scoria stone are on the spot, and should the weather prove favourable, the stonework will be proceeded with in about -a week hence, the stone ordered from Melbourne being shortly expected, there will always be a sufficient quantity of this material on hand to prevent any interruption of the work in this respect. The cost of this stone will not, we believe, exceed £3000. Arrangements have been made for the regular supply of all other material required for the dock from time to time, and the contract will no doubt be completed by the end of next year —twenty months being the time allowed for its execution.