Untitled

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 6935, 8 February 1884, Page 5

Our cable messages to-day contain fuller pcrticnlarsof the defeatof Baker Pasha's force. Seven officers are reported missing." Gordon Pasha -has been compelled to give up bis attempt to reach Khartoum by way of Koroako owing to the spread of the revolt. The English Government are taking precautions in view of possible contingencies. The ordinary weekly meeting of the City Council was held yesterday evening. There was a full attendance of members. A very Urge amount of business was transacted, a considerable portion being adjourned from the previous meeting. The usual official reports were brought up and read. One of the most important was Mr. Pond's analysis of the water supplied to the city from the Western Springs. This important document will be found in another column. The Tramway Company asked for a three months' extension of time, which was granted. The usual departmental reports were submitted. The principal discussion was upon the motion of the Mayor for a petition to His Excellency the Governor "To transfer the control of the Auckland Domain to the City Council pending the same being vetted in the burgesses by the Legislature." The motion was carried unanimously. A rate of a halfpenny in the pound for the maintenance of the Free Public Library was agreed to. The proceedings are reported in another column. A Dunedin telegram, which will be found In our shipping columns, states that the Union Company's steamship Takapuna will cease to run as an express boat after the end of the present month. This decision has been arrived at in consequence of the heavy loss entailed by maintaining this special service, a loss amounting, it is stated, to £1000 a month. The weekly sitting of the Resident Magistrate's Court was held yesterday. There a large number of cases on the cause list. Some of the defended cases possess more than the ordinary amount of interest. A teport of the proceedings will be found in Bother column. A case of great interest came before the Resident Magistrate yesterday, but it went on upon a resolution by the parties to settle nng the progress of the hearing. The ewe was Dalton v. Clarke. The plaintiff is a patent agent, who sued for £10 5s for services rendered. The defence was that the Tk T 'j 88 aae< * or were not duly rendered, -tne defendant is the inventor of the " verti.brickmaking machine," and several subsidiary improvements. The defendant e»ia he .considered it part of the duty of a Pjtent agent to copy plans and specifications. Jjne defendant, however, agreed to pay and the pl a i ntiff to accept, £5 and the costs in settlement. ® eor 8 e Bradburn, who was injured » Albert-street, opposite Branston and , °f?ters, on Wednesday afternoon last by a - " n E brick, is still in the Hospital. There js no marked change in his condition Bince admission. The skull is fractured, but j &Tonr able symptoms have been ob■srvea, I

At a meeting of the directors of the New Zealand Frozen Meat and Storage Company held yesterday, it was decided to return the tenders received lor cutting down Emily Place, owing to circumstances having arisen which have curtailed the time mentioned in the specification of the work. Fresh tenders will be called for when arrangements are complete, and the leDgth of time given for the work will be extended as may be thought necessary.

Signor Nobili, who is at present actively engaged in Auckland, arranging for the opening of Williamson, Garner, and Musg rove's Royal Comic Opera Company at the ipera House on the 16th instant, has received a cablegram notifying him that the company sailed in the Ringarooma, which left Sydney yesterday, and which is expected to arrive here on Tuesday next. The company is an exceptionally strong one, numbering fifty-four members. Mr. W. H. Woodfield, the favourite English tenor, who is a member of the company, is at present in Auckland, ,

The question of the suceessful or nonsucceasful acclimatisation of salmon in New Zealand waters is still one in which a good deal of doubt rests. At various times, and under many different circumstances, it has been reported tbat salmon in different stages of growth have been found both in the North and South Islands, but absolute certainty has not yet been obtained. The Grey River Argus in a recent issue says :—"A few days ago, a pretty large salmon, a little over two feet loDg, was found thrown up on the Seven-mile Beach. Our informant says he has no doubt as to the nature of the fish, as he is well acquainted with salmon. It appears that not very long ago another fish of the same kind, and about the same size, was found on the same beach. Still it muat be admitted that the royal fish is very scarce in the Grey River, so scarce, in fact, that it is doubted whether it is there at all. There is no doubt, however, as to the abundance of trout in some of the small streamß running into the Grey, and doubtless they are in the main stream also."

The case of Moses v. Cozens, before the Resident Magistrate yesterday, went off upon a technical issue, but that technical point is one of very considerable interest to commercial people. The facts are the following : Captain W., T. Minchin gave an order on the defendant for payment of £20 upon the plaintiff, a bill discounter in Highstreet. The order was accepted by the defendant. It provided for a payment of quarterly payments of £4 10s. Two instalments were paid. The third was not paid because the drawer had ceased to be master of the vessel (Explorer), for which the defendant was agent. Moses sued for the unpaid instalment. There was a sixpenny adhesive stamp upon the document when it was produced. Mr. A. E. Whitaker, the defendant's counsel, objected to the admissibility of the order as evidence, on the ground that it was really "a bill of exchange," and a bill of exchange required a shilling impressed stamp. The objection was held to be fatal, and the plaintiff was nonsuited.

On a recent occasion, when Mr. W. Goldie of the Domain, visited the residence of Sir George Grey, his attention was called to a strong growing grass. On inquiry, he learned that Sir George Grey had introduced it several years ago, and that it was known by the name of "Japan grass." With the permission o£ Sir George a few plants were obtained, and in due time put out in the Domain garden. These plants have seeded, and there are several small packets of seeds now available for free distribution to applicants from country districts. The seed is large and rough-looking, somewhat resembling the seed of the prairie grass, but the Japan grass is said to be quite distinct from this wellknown grass. It grows all the year round, and in Mr. Goldie's opinion would be a useful addition to the stock of grasses generally grown in this district.

Sydney Taiwhanga and his amiable lady were defendants in the Resident Magistrates Court yesterday. Mrs. Kate Lindsey sued for a dress and hat supplied to the lady, and two weeks' board and lodging for the " lady and gentleman." Sydney Taiwhanga defended the case, and cross-examined the witness with a view to show that it was one of the conditions that Madame Taiwhanga was to be kept sober. But, according to her spouse, she did not keep sober but got drunk, and was locked up. The lady of the Maori chief cast great reproach upon the plaintiff's wife, and the goods she sold. She said the hat was a bit of a thing with two sixpenny feathers stuck in it. His Worship gave judgment for £1.

We believe that there is Btill a prospect of an appeal in the case of the Rotorua leases being gone on with.

The following telegram was received from the manager of the New Masakau G.M.Co. yesterday:—"Lodged in bank 2'2ozs. gold. Cut No. 2 reef this morning, shows a little gold."

The vacancy in the South Ward of the city, caused by the retirement of Mr. Phillipps, is likely to be keenly contested. Mr. Offer, an old City Councillor, is said to be in the field, and ( Mr. Billington, of Freeman's Bay, is to be put in nomination. It appears there is a very strong desire among the ratepayers in that district to have a resident in the Bay, as it is thought the same attention has not been bestowed upon it as would have been the case had there been a resident representative. Mr. Billington has for many years taken an active part in the road matters in the Newton district, and is thus so far trained for the work which his fellow-ratepayers desire him to undertake.

The question of preserving the purity of the city water supply will soon be forced on the City Council. -It is understood that Mr. Walters,"the owner of a good sized section of land, fronting the Mount Roskill Road, is about to subdivide it for building allotments. The stream of water that is collected on the slope of Mount Eden is believed to pass beneath this property, and to follow the edge of the clay and scoria land all the way down to the Western Springs. That there is an intimate connection between Mr. Walters' land and the Western Springs is well known. On a portion of this property is a large rent in the rock, through which the rushing of the underground river is heard distinctly. It is in this rent that a correspondent proposed sometime ago to pour a quantity of kerosene oil, to prove that the water passing at the bottom of the rent referred to flowed into the Western Springs. If the statement be true that the general stream of the collected water from the slopes of Mount Eden pass through this land, and that direct access can thus bo got to the flowing stream of the city supply, it seems scarcely possible that pollution could be avoided if this property were divided into building allotments' and thus occupied. A large number of buildings have been recently erected along the Mount Roskill Road District, and the subdivision of Mr. Walters' property will not tend to the improvement of our water supply.

Messrs. Hunter and Nolan held a successful sheep fair at Green Lane yesterday. A considerable number of sheep were penned, and with very few exceptions the lots were quitted at fair prices. Ewes and lambs brought better figures than at recent sales, and for well bred lambs there was good competition. The result of the sale will be found in another column. One little incident occurred during tho sale, which was somewhat unusual. A respectable, gentlemanly looking stranger, who represented himself as being a visitor from the South, bid for and purchased several lots before Mr. Philson, the auctioneer, discovered that he (the buyer) was either intoxicated or iwn compos mentis, bnt to save trouble he simply offered the lots again, and tbey found purchasers at prices very little below the offers of the "distinguished visitor."

At the Police Court yesterday, before Messrs. W. R. Waddel and C. C. McMillan, Justices, the hearing of the charge of indecent assault preferred against William Alison was continued. After hearing the evidence the case was dismissed ; but Alison was fined 10s and costs for a common assault on Amy Giles.

A man named George Evan Sawyer, and bearing several other names, was charged at the Police Court yesterday, before Mr. Waddel, J.P., with breaking and entering tho Wharf Hotel. Prisoner was committed for trial.

Messrs. J. Wilson and Co. have imported, per Lutterworth, and are now fitting up a new crushing machine for their hydraulic lime. They have 18 trams at work, and are prepared to supply 300,000 bushels of lime per year. There is an unlimited stock of the raw material, and no natural obstacle in the way to prevent their extending the works to any extent required by the demand. They have now four concrete buildingß in progress, and have just finished one in Hepburn-Btreet. They employ an average of about 25 men at concrete work.

Notice of appeal has been given by Mr. G. N. Brassey in the case of the trustees of Thomas's creditors v. Cohen. The decision of the appeal will decide an important point, viz., whether title to property in the creditors'trustre "relates back" to the act of bankruptcy, in oonsaquence of which the trustees received their trust, or in other words, whether the act of bankruptcy is not inseparable from the time of certain acts charged. Cohen, a money-lender (the defendant), had seized under a bill of sale. The comparative relations of the trustee of creditors and -the holder of a bill of sale to property in the position of this estate require to be determined by authority.

A meeting of licensed victuallers of City North was held at Luks' Viotoria Hotel last evening. It was resolved to nominate the following for the City North Licensing Committee :—D, G. MacDonnell, Thomas Thompson, James Polyblank King, J. A. T. Butler, and William George Connolly. We understand that the nominations of the licensed victuallers for the Ponsonby Committee will be the same as last year. .

A very interesting billiard match is to take place this evening at the Prince of Wales Hotel, Hokson-street. Mr. Weiss, the Australian champion, is to play Sydney Pell, a well-known local player. The game is 500 up, and Weiss concedes Pell 230. The game is one which is likely to be fought out, and the result is open. The house steward of the Hospital, Captain Breton, desires to acknowledge the receipt, from Mr. W. H. FentoD, of a parcel of bats for distribution amongst the inmates. The half-yearly programme of the Soci6t6 liitteraire Francaise has been prepared. It comprises lectures, debates, novellettes, and musical soirees. The opening paper of the session will be by the Rev. Peter Mason, on "Alfred the Great." A number of brick and wooden houses for removal will be sold by auction by Mr. G. W. Binney, on the ground to-day at balfpast eleven, and as there is no reserve they should find ready buyers. They are situate in Grey-street, opposite the Town Hall reserve; Albert-street, close to Wellesleystreet (Market end) ; and also off Karanga-hape-road, close to the reservoir. The following will be the order of the sale Three brick buildings, Grey-street (opposite the Army and Navy Hotel); three wooden buildings in Albert-Btreet; three wooden buildings in Karangahape-road, close to reservoir; one wooden building in Bopetounstreet.

The young deer taken to Tauranga have succumbed to the effects of the wounds received from the doge when they were run down and caught. The animals had evidently sustained internal injuries that proved more serious than the actual bite of the dogs.

Dr. Tennent's appointment as visiting surgeon under the Contagious Diseases Act for the city of Auckland has been gazetted.

Mr. T. McEwen, of the City Buffet, has received by the Bannockburn, brigantine, a monster turtle, the largest, it is stated, that has been received from the Islands. Its measurement is given as 4 feet 6 inches by 3 feet in width, and its weight is estimated at 3cwt. The turtle was visited by numbers yesterday, but she will not be long on exhibition, for on Monday next turtle soup, steak, and cutlets are announced for the City Buffet. It may be added that this turtle laid two eggs while in Mr. McEwen's restaurant.

A meeting of ratepayers will be held in St. James's Hall at half-past seven o'clock this evening, for the purpose of taking steps for the formation of a ratepayers' association. Mr. W. Thorne 13 announced to take the chair.

We have received a letter from Mr. J. R. Mcßeth in reference to the remarks made in the Southern papers aB to his action in the King Country, but we are compelled to hold it over till to-morrow.

Messrs. E. Porter and Co. have imported, for use in their iron warehouse, a weighing machine which offers very peculiar advantages. It is made to travel on a pair of rails, but its chief advantage is that it removes all chance of error or fraud by automatically printing the weight of the article on a ticket the moment the weighing is effected. It is, indeed, a tell-tale machine. The maohine is a French patent (Chameroy, of Paris), and has been procured from Messrs. Avery and Co. It has only been received by the s.s. Doric, and it will be erected in a day or two.

Mr. J. R. Randerson has issued the first number of a monthly circular containing reports of the money, property, and stock and share markets. £

We have to acknowledge the receipt of a copy of Bradshaw's Guide for February. It contains tho usual information found in this publication.

The cricket match Publicans v. Wine and Spirit Merchants, Brewers, and Aerated Water Manufacturers (combined), played at the Domain yesterday, resulted in an easy victory for the former by sixteen wickets and four runs. The teams were eighteen a-side. A report of the match will be found in another column.

An Adelaide paper says :—Those of our theatrical readers who were acquainted with the principal reason why Mr. George Rignold left the colony to visit England will regret to learn that the object of his visit has been frnstrated in a very sad manner. The actor's father and mother were both living, and he had promised them that he would be home to eat his Christmas dinner with them. Every second year (for many years past) he has returned to England at. Christmas time to fulfil this promise to his aged parents, and has not unfrequently surrendered lucrative engagements for this purpose. A letter received yesterday by Mr Polloek from Mr. Allison, dated Paris, December 15th, states that on that day Mr. Rignold's father died, and his mother had suffered so much from tho shcck that she was not expected to live. Mr. and Mrs. Rignold would arrive in England on December 19th, so that the sad news of his bereavement would reach the son probably before ho set foot in the old country. The Rignolds are a family of actors and actresses, the deceased gentleman and his wife having been leading members o£ the Theatre Royal Company at Birmingham in 1836, when George's elder brother William was born.

The application of Mrs. " Doctor" Potts for her license to practise has been refused by the Victorian Medical Board. The body has even gone a Btep further, and intimated to the enterprising American lady that if she does not at once drop the affix of M.D. to her name, she will be liable to .a prosecution.

The Auckland Weekly News (illustrated) is the best and largest weekly journal published ill tho colony, and contains an ample and well-assortsd collection ot general, commcrcial, political, mining, agricultural, and sporting intelligence • the latest English, American, and Continental cablegrams, recording the principal events throughout the world; special contributions from our travelling correspondent**; tales by tho most popular novelists ; and interesting itemn relating to art, literature, science, music, and the drama—the whole combining to render It tho most attractive and readable weekly journal published in New Zealand. Amongst the illustrations this weok is a portrait of Sir Frederick Whitakor.

Cecil Gardnor and Co.,sole proprietors and publishers of the Auckland Penny Time-Tablo, which has hitherto been printod the Star Oflics, beg to inform their advertisers aud the general public chatfit is now printed at tbelr own registered general printing office, corner of High-street and Vulcan inne.

The manager o£ the Old Men's Refuge acknowledges with thanks the bats kindly sent by Mr. w. H. Fonton, of Queea-itreet, for the tote of the inmates.

Programme of music for the Alb e;i> Park on Saturday next, by the Artillery Band (Mr. A. E. bandmaster) Slow march, "Kissengen" (f. Favro); overture, " The Knight Templar" (fl. Hound); valse, " Tho Beautiful Loch Lomond," on Scotch aira(H. Round); fantasia, Kmira" (Escudic); quadrille, '* The Wheel of Fortune" (H. Round); valsc, 14 Brise Des Nults" (Lanaothe); grand fantasia! " Honoria''(H. Smith); galop, "The Jolly Brothers" (W&inwnght).