Untitled

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVI, Issue 5373, 5 February 1879, Page 2

Tt is rumoured that Mr. J. MeCosh Clark will be invited to stand as a candidate for City West. It is understood that Mr. Clark, if he becomes a candidate, would be strongly in favour of maintaining the present systvin of secular education.

We learn that Mr. J. S. Macfirlane, as trustee in tho estate of the late Captain Ileid, of Poverty Bay, has given instructions to his solicitors to commence proceedings against Mr. W. L. Kees, M.11.R., for alleged s autier and damage sustained by the heirs to the estate through certain statements made by Mr. I!ees at Poverty Bay, and through his advice to natives there. The damages are laid at £10,000. Tho whole question will now, in all probability, be fully ventilated in the Supreme Court.

Tho following blocks of land in this province liave been passed through the Native Lands C.iurt, and memorials of ownership issuer] : —Tokitarakiki, containing IG4 acres ; Mokau No. 2, 451 acres ; Ornaunu Ho. 1, 2033 acres ; Te Totara, 5 acres 2 roods 30 perches ; Oropa No. 2, 30 acres 3G perches ; Tokakapura, G.'Jo acres; Otutaorau, 4GO acres ; Akitone No. 1, 1 acre 28 perches ; Patuinutuma, 1409acre3. Mr. M. H'-garty, of Sydney, yesterday purchased two pieces of laud situated upon the Mount Roskill Koad —one of 20 acres at £37 10s per acre, the other of nine, acres at £30 per acre. The land was leased by Mr. Ilegarty, immediately after the purchase, for a term of five years. The adjourned meeting of the shareholders in the North Shore Ferry Company, which was to have been held yesterday afternoon, lapsed for want of a quorum. The sailing race between Mr. Bailey's boat Sis and Air. Maclean's Missing Link came off at two p.m. yesterday, but proved a very hollow affair, the Missing Link retiring after making the wliarf on the upward course. The two boats at the start were quickly under canvas, and the Sis was the first round the sandspit buoy by several seconds. Standing across tho harbuur towards Orakei she increased the lead, and after reaching the south shore lead up the harbour, passing close to tho wharf at 2h. oOmin. 55secs. The missing Link reached the wharf at 3 p.m. and then retired, leaving the Sis to finish at leisure. The day was very boisterous, and it was evident that the Missing Link could not stand up to the stiff breeze. The s .s. Rotorua, for Sydney, took away yesterday Baker and Farron's Comedy Troupo and Messrs. Hayes and Benliamo's Circus Troupe, after a successful season in this city. The prizes were presented last night at the Cosmopolitan Hotel to tho winners of the open boat race (No. G), that was sailed on Monday. Toy, Ist, Mr. Lewisson's Cup value £7 10b., and £1.0 added. Missing Link, 2nd. £7. The Brothers, 3rd, £3. And tho Volaute (which saved her stakes) 4th. The amateur entertainment, for the joint benefit of the widows Moller and Alley, will take place this evening in tho Lorne-street Hall, under the patronage of the G.M. and officers of tho District 1.0.0. F., M.U. The proceedings aro under the supervision of Mr. P. Doran, and, judging from tho programme, those who patronise the entertain- ! ment aro sure to enjoy a ploasant evening, while their peosenco will materially aid a most benevolent object. Tho Presbytery of Auckland will meet to-day at 10 o'clock, instead of Jl, as hitherto.

Tho a'ldress of tho Re.v. Father Hennebcry, which was to liavo been delivered this afternoon iti the now school-house, at the corner of Pitt and Wellington-streets, has been postponed until Sunday next, when it will bo delivered at seven o'clock at the above place. As this will be his farewell discourse to tho Roman Catholics of Auckland, there is no doubt but many will be present to hear it. The school is sufficiently commodious to hold a very large audience. There will be no evening service at St. Patrick's Cathedral, nor at the Church of St. .lohn the Baptiat, Parnell, which will enable the worshippers at each place to be present at tho valedictory address.

Two match games of billiards were played at the Victoria HoteL billiard-room yesterday. The first was between Messrs. Wilkinson and Sydney, tho former yielding the latter 100 points out of 500, and defeating him by 61 points. Tho second was a level game, 500 points, between Mr. Love and Mr. Sydney, the latter being defeated by 229 pointß.

A Wellington paper states that Dr. Oroke, Archbishop of Cashel, and formerly Bishop of Auckland, will be the euocesaor of Cardinal Cullen.

An occasional correspondent writes to our Waikato contemporary fram Te Aroha, and is anxious to know when some of the money granted by the General Government is likely to be expended on roads iu that locality. He B.iya that the best season for road-making is rapidly passing asvay, and nothing is being done towards either making or rf-pairing the roads. He adds :—" The I'iako Road Board are very energetic, and without any assistance from Government, are hard at work preparing for the wet season, whereas the road between Te Aroha aud Ohinemuri is even, at this season of unusually dry weather, in a bad state, and in a few months will be impassable. Trees have fallen across the track in mmy phees in the Rotokoliu bush, and from what I cau learn, owing to the County Council employees having been discharged en masxe, tht-re is not an available man to out away the obstructions. I believe attention has only to be called to the matter, and the necess4ry authority will bo given to have the work done.

Accidents do not occur singly, or, as the old song has it, "misfortunes never come single 'tis plain." A man named Thomas Rosser, who is employed at the erection of tho poat-oflice and tclegraph-ofiioe in Newton, ha I an extremely narrow escape at two o'clock yesterday. He was employed oiling some of the journals outside the shed when his clothes became entinyled in the machinery. Fortunately the clothing gave wav", but not before his arm was bruised. He however escaped serious iujuries, and has much to be thankful for.

A challenge issued by the ya'jht Energy as against the Plicenix has attracted some attoution. The backers of tho Phrenix have been quite prepared to accept the challenge, but the own rs of tlio Energy have failed to come to the betting post. The race may therefore be said to be off.

"Ilie Hokitika Star says:—"Wo l»aru from good authority that the Union Bank of Australia has been served with a writ of summons iu the Supreme C"Uri, by Messrs. F. A. and Co. claiming £'20,000 as damag-a for a breach of tho arrangemf-nt existing between the bank and those gentlemen."

We learn from the Bay of Plenty Times that the piece of land which Mr. Dargaville vas alleged to have purchased from the H'airoa natives is about an acre in extent, and seems certainly a mo3t eligible plot for the purpose ho inteuded. It is situated immediately at the foot, and a little to the left, of the White Terrace on Lake Rotomahana, and adjoins the hot creek which connects Rotomahana with Tarawera. On the opposite aide of the creek is a beautiful spring, the only drinkable water in the district. The money he paid in deposit was given to a native who has merely a part claim to the laud. The chief of tho tribe is said to have beeu very angry at his taking it, and to h:ive remarked that the act carried no obligation with it.

A. telegram was received in town (saya the Sydney Morning llerald) stating that the Shamrock Hotel, Smithtown, Macleay river, has been burnt to the ground, and the house adjoining destroyed by the fire. The property belonged to Mr. Burke, and was valued at £2000. The building was insured in the office of the Liverpool and London and Globe Insurauco Company for £1300, and the furniture for £140. The house waa used as a general store, and the stock-in-trade was insured in the New Zealand Office for £1500.

The citizens of Wellington have been holding meetings, to ascertain what expression of public feeling shall be made upon the depaiture of his Excellency the Governor, but cannot decide what shall be done. Some desire to have a ball, others a banquet, while another pirty want to present an address upon the wharf, just before the departure of Ilis Excellency. It is estimated that 80,000 feet of timber is cut iu the Wairarapa district weekly. The police authorities at Christchurch have instituted proceedings against several persons for alleged cruelty to animals, iiy crowding them together in railway trucks. Tho racehorse Duudee, sire Traducer, was recently purchased at a public sale in Christchurch for 350 guineas, by Mr. C. W. Webb. As bearing upon llio recent efforts to open a market in China and Japan for wool grown in Australasia, it may be stated that the Rotorua, on her last trip from Melbourne, brought over some specimens of tha finest woollen cloth manufactured in China. Trials and discussions relative to the working qualities of tho seven American reapers and binders, which have agents representing them in Now Zealand, are occupying a good deal of attention in the agricultural districts of the Middle Island. Mr. O. M. Spencer has been appointed Consul General for the United States at Melbourne, with jurisdiction in Australia, Tasmauia, and New Zealand. His appointment was notified in the London Gazette of November 2(3fch last.

A meeting will soon take place at Wellington to confirm a resolution passed at the meeting of the shareholders iu favour of wiuding up the N.Z.S.S. Company. There is reason to believe the resolution will bo confirmed. An ice manufacturer in Wellington proposes to cease bnsiuess, allowing as the causo that the prico of water is too high. Mho debate at Dunedin upon "Christianity," between Mr. M. W. Green, the Evangelist, and Mr. C. Bright, the Freethinker, occupied four nights. The receipts at the door wero £157 0s Gd. The proceedings were characterised by great order. Tho firing for prizes at Nelson, under the auspices of the New Zealand Rifle Association, will begin about the 3rd of March. Tho two American engines (says the Dunedin Herald) which work the express between Duneilin and Chiistchurch, have run about 40,000 miles during the last ten months. This appears to be favourable to their capacity for work, when it is considered that 17,G00 is tho average yearly mileage of locomotives iu Eugland. We understand that they have surpassed tho expectations formed of them when imported, producing plenty of results for the amount of fuel consumed! Nearly all the coal they burn is obtained from the Malvern District of Canterbury. American workmanship has a name for being attentive to externals more than to solidity, but, it maybe mentioned that, during tho time these locomotives have beeu runuing, not a spriug has started.