Untitled

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 7001, 25 April 1884, Page 4

Oar cable messages to-day state that fie European Powers have assented to the principle involved in the Note of the Brithh Government. on the Egyptian question, and that a Conference of representatiuea of the Powers is to meet in London at an early date for the purpose of discuaein g the state of affair* in Egypt.

We publish in another part of to-day's issue an account of the opening of the fourth exhibition of the Auckland Sooiety of Arlj. The exhibition was opened by His Excellency the Governor, who presented the prizes for art, and also the medal given by Herr Schmitt for the magical composition. The winner of the medal was Mr. Thomas Wood, solicitor, who, we believe, has made a study for many years of the theory of mnsie. The gentleman who attained second place is a ton of tho late Kev. Samuel Edger, who was well known himself as an accomplished musician. The exhibition will be open till May 2, at hours which will be found stated in advertisement,

The ordinary weekly meeting of the City Counoil was held yesterday evening, Hu Worship the Mayor presiding. There was a good deal of business transacted, bat none o( it admitted of very much discussion. The ordicyy reports were adopted. The Eng:« neer's report was also received, and the recommendations, agreed, to. .. The Cooaofl received a letter from the National Bank, to say that the Auckland 5 per cent, loan had bean placed on the Stock Exchange list is London. A report o£ the proceedings appeui in another column. At noon to-day the half-yearly meetisg of the proprietors of the Sank of New Zealand will be held in the bank premises, Queenstreet. The half-yearly report will be submitted, and directors appointed to fill any vacancy that may have occurred.

An extraordinary meeting of the Thamei Valley and Rotorua Railway Company was held yesterday afternoon, at which a reaolntion was passed authorizing the redaction cf the capital from £400,000 to £300.000. by cancelling 100,000 unallotted shares. This resolution will have to be confirmed by * future meeting.

The regular meeting of the Lands Board wa3 held yesteiday, and a large amonnt of routine business was transacted. A detailed report of the proceedings appears in another column, ,

We understand that the Auckland , Domain Board have still on hand a few such packages of the seed of the Japanese grass, obtained from Sir George Grey, and grown in the Auckland Domain Gardens. Tne grass grows abundantly, and appears to be quite hardy in the Auckland district. So much is this the case, that Mr. Firth ■ intends to try it on his estate at Matamats. In. the districts to the north of Auckland, it would grow with great vigor, and as it is green almost the whole year, grows freely, it should prove a boon to many. A letter to the Secretary of the Domain Board will no doubt receive prompt attention. Those residing to the southward of Auckland should also give it a trial. The seed is distributed free of charge.

The Free Public Library was the scene yesterday of a fracas between the librarian, Mr. Shillington, and a man named Rainbow, who is accustomed to make a dormitory of the library when under the influence of beer. On being ordered ont of the library yesterd»y he refused, but instead made a blow at Mr. Shillington. The aid of the police was invoked, and the man sras taken into custody by Sergeant Gamble and Constable Mitchell. The case will be heard at the Police Conrt to-day.

We are glad to ofcserre that Hie Excellency the Governor still occasionally practice! art, and can send his pictures for exhibition by the side of the works of those who hw not the multifarious duties and engagements of the Governor of a colony. Amongst the wafer , colours is "Sketch in Dasky Sound, by Sir"W. F. Jervois, taken on his trip, &J we have the Hinemoa lying in the sheltered water.

The marriage of onr respected Residaj' Magistrate and District Conrt Judg*, #• "' Seth-Smith, to Miss JF. M. Larkins, daughter of Mr. F. Larkins, of Messrs. McArthnr and Co., was celebrated yesterday. The ceremeny took place in the' private chapel of i" 9 Bishop of Auckland, and Bis Lordship **" assisted by the Rev. T. Baker, brother-in-law of the bride. The bridesmaids were Miss Rose Larkins, Miss Mocatta, Mf Tilly, Miss Carr. and Miss Wilson, and tne groomsmen Messrs. Percival and "Hry. McArthur. The marriage took place at Mf • past eight o'clock in the morning, ib «° presence of a large number of the friends 01 the bride and bridegroom. The bride «" auperblv dressed, and tlia bridesmaid* w«f also elegantly costumed. At the conclosiw of the marriage ceremony the party Gro»e ■» the residence of Mr. Larkins, where a safflP taous wedding . breakfast was prepared, addition to the bridal party, the Rowing were among the gneste :—Bishop and w Cowie. Mr. and Mrs. C. C. McMillan, and Mrs. Mocatta, Mr. and Mrs. £• „ Carr, Mr. and Mrs. J. L. Wilson. Bianog Cowie proposed the health of the bride *n" bridegroom, wishing them all possible napp • ness. The bridegroom responded ie*P.? priate terms. The toast of " The Bn maids" was proposed by Mr. Smitt, »" Messrs. Peroival and Harry MeArthur, ao« Cowie, jun., suitably replied. The hspP7 jiair left in the Rotomahana yesterday w the Themes to spend their honeymoon.

Mr. Hogan, master of the Kohimaran* Trainioe School, laid an Information Joseph Newcombe, of one of the lads in the «&«* named Jeremiah Regan. The have bien already published, and the <«"£„. taking proceedings has arisen necessary to obtain the authority °i •— Hon. Mr. Diok, the Colonial Secretary.

The ordinary weekly sitting of the Court of Bankrnptoy was 'held yesterday, Mr. Justice Gillies presiding. Several bankrupts "pftmenp'for public examination. Xhe particulars will be found in another column. In vases of Alexander McArthnr and Hopkins Dlarke the deeds of composition executed by he debtors were approved.

-In the City Council jesterday evening a was carried upon a division of 8 to 5; that £10,000 should ba offered for the Western Springs Estate. At the conclusion of. the Rowing Association's meeting on Wednesday evening last, »nd after Mr. Stodart (the umpire of the Ponsonby Regatta on Eaater Monday last) had heard the decision of the committee, he at once announced that his decision was

that the protest of the Poneonby Club would be sustained by him, and he therefore awarded the first prize in the senior whaleboat race to the crew of that club.

A settlement was come to yesterday in the case of Gavin Weir, a bankrupt. His •wife (formerly Mrs. Sceats) had offered to pay a composition of 2s 6d in the £ on £600. But the debtor is entitled to a reversionary interest in the British Hotel. The Official Assignee put this interest for sale. This appears to have had a very potential effect upon all parties interested. Yesterday the solicitors of Mrs. Weir offered 10a in the £ to the creditors if the debtor's reversionary interest in the " British" were withdrawn from sale. It has been withdrawn from sale, and the affairs of the bankrupt are likely to be amicably arranged.

The Hon. Mr. Justice Gillies sat yesterday in banco. The only case before the Court was MoLeod v. Macfarlane, a motion for a decree by the plaintiff in an action for. an account. The particulars of this case have already been stated. The agreement ■will be found in another column. His Honor made a decree, the precise terms of which are to be settled in Chambers.

In onr shipping columns will be fonnd the particulars of the collision between the s.s. Kowena and barge Kauri, which oocorred at one o'clock on Tnesday morning last, when the vessels were off Port Charles. The Kowena, which sustained damage to the extent of about £150, was bonnd for Mercury Bay and the scow was bound for Auckland. The latter vessel sustained little or no injury. The matter will form the subject for an official enquiry before the Collector of Customs. Both vessels reached thin port yesterday. The damage done to the Rdwena was not, however, of such a nature as to interfere with the progress of her trip to and from Mercury Bay.

The annual meeting of the Auckland Rugby Union Football Association is to be held this evening at the United Service Hotel. The business is likely to be of considerable importance to players.

In the matter of the objection raised to the granting of a slaughterhouse license to Messrs. Hellaby, we understand that it was on the grounds only that the Slaughterhouses Act provides if any such building is erected within half-a-mile of the boundary of a borongh the consent of such Borough Council must be first obtained. No application was made for any consent.

A very crowded Lumpers' Union meeting was held at the British Hotel on Wednesday evening for the appointment of officers, when the 'following were duly elected :—Mr. Marshall, President ; Mr. Prestidge, VicePresident ; Mr. James Millett, Secretary; Mr. Geary, assistant-Secretary ; and, Messrs. J. Smith, Crawley, Boonstra, Wilson, Williams, Baker, and Ross to form the working committee. After enrolling several fresh membeis, the meeting terminated at a quarter to eleven p.m. ■

We understand that Mr. F. Larking, of Messrs. Me Arthur and Co., intends to leave in a few weeks on a visit to England. The principal reason is, we believe, for the improvement of Mrs. Larkins's health, which, we are sorry to learn, has not been good of late. Mr. Larking has been a' citizen of Auckland for some six or seven years, and has taken deep interest in. many municipal and social matters. We hope that he may soon be able to return, and that the health of Mrs. Larkins may be completely re-established.

The lecture to be given this evening on the "Tabernacle," illustrated with coloured diagrams, by the Rev. J. S. Hill, in the Young Men'a.Christian Association Rooms, wpV'bo" interesting and" full of .'instruction to the Bible student. Some men seem only to see in the " Tabernacle of witness,"; with its divinely-ordered arrangements and' priestly service, a set of Jewish antiquities, affording scope for the researches of the curious and learned, rather than food for the children of God ; a mere matter of "anoient manners 'and customs," instead of so many unfoldings of God's grace and mercy in redemption. Dr. Kenderdine will preside. A collection will be taken up on behalf of the evangelistic work carried on by the association.

Among the recent improvements in Cornhill, London, one of the most conspicuous is the hew building erected by Messrs. Street and Co., the well-known advertising agents. An admirable sketch of the new premises, appears in the London Illustrated Weekly aem of February 23. The style of the architecture is Italian classic, as best adapted 'for commercial frontages, but with rich-orna-Dental carvings on the lower parts in keepjig with renaissance work. . The building vas erected from the designs and under the lersonal superintendence ot Mr. William C. Street, A.R.1.8.A.

It is the intention of Mr. G. B. Federli to ,0 to the extreme northern settlements by the 'teamer - that leaves Auckland on Monday •fternoon. While there he will not only sisit the centres of population for the purpose of explaining to the settlers the different tranches of the small farm system carried on n the south of Europe, and the money which ,'hese farm industries brine; in, but he will visit the various districts for the purpose of seeing the places most suitable for the purpose of establishing settlements of people experienced in these industries. We need not ask our readers to afford Mr. Federli all the information and aid in their power to carry out his mission, and, while doing so, they should obtain (from him as much information as they can about these farm industries which he seeks to see established in our idopted conntry. . .

"Onlooker" writes questioning the accuracy of the statement that thc-Papakura special train did not contain sufficient accommodation for the people to whom first-class' tickets were issued. He states that there were three first-class carriages on the irain, and that only 32 first-class tickets had been issued. There were more onlookers en the railway platform than our correspondent, and they saw that there was only one first-class carriage, capable of seating 16 people, and a smoking first-class carriage, attached to the Papakura train. "An Onlooker" may have a better means than we have of judging the number of first-class tickets issued, but he cannot deny the fact that the department issued first-class tickets without providing adequate accommodation! Had he been in the train and heard the remarks of the gentlemen who paid first-class fare;, he would not have raised this defence. ■ ■■ ■

TLia forenoon at eleven o'clock a meeting of the shareholders in the Northern Steamship Company will be held. The meeting ■will take place in the Chamber of Commerce. The report of the directors will be submitted and an account of the year's proceedings given. ■ •

The contractors for the street tramways are making very good progress in Queenstreet, although the cutting of the trenohes ia slow and heavy work—in fact as bad almost as cutting through solid rock. The section from Wellesley-street to Darby-street was completed yesterday,- and a second section will be commenced to-day.

The lecture, announced to be delivered by the Rev. Mr. Baker in the St. James's Hall last evening, attracted only a, moderate attendance. In additiou to the lecture a number of magic lantern views were shown. The lecture was given in aid of the British and Foreign Bible Society. .'•■'. :

Our Aratapu Correspondent,. writing on ths 19th instant, states that "the mail did not arrive ' last night. The 'a.a. Durham waited at Helensville till long past her time for it, and came away without it. The postmaster in Auckland sent a telegram to say that:the hiail would be sent on by a special train, and would arrive'in an hour; but as at'the end of that time it bad not arrived the'steamer'could "wait no longer. Who is responsible for this ?" , .'■'.. Youth" was again repeated last,night at tue,Opera House to »,.good audience. Tonight is the last but cme of this piece, and is a grand military and naval night,-under patronage, and in the presence of Major Viret Shepherd, and the officers of tho Auckland district. It i» understood. that probably His Excellency will be present.

The Hon. E. Mitohelson, Minister for Public Works,' was present at the opening of the Society of Arts Exhibition last) evening. ■ ; .■■-.■;■:.'. .-

A man named John Hancocks fell yeiterday afternoon into the harbour near the dock. Hβ was working on the reclaimed ground, when a stage upon which he stood was carried away, causing him some contusions, but no bones were broken. He was taken to the eurgery of Dr. Wilkine, where his wounds were attended to. • '■■'■-

Mr. Larkins, contractor for the City Tramways, hopee to get through Queenstreet with one line of rails within a fortnight, if reasonable facilities for working are afforded. .

The s.s. Taiaroa arrived from Dunedin direct at one o'clock . this morning. She brings the Auckland .portion of the cargo ex Tongariro direct from London.

The City Eaal; Licensing Committee made a personal inspection of the public homes of their licenung district yesterday.

The Auckland Weekly Nirws, the largest, best, and most readable family journal In th« colony, will consist this week of forty paces. Beside being admirably Illustrated, it Is characterised by the fulness of its intelligence and the rarlety of its contents. Its agricultural articles are carefully written, its country, colonial, English, and foreign news full and well selected, and its literary matter both Interesting and edifying. It publishes each week sermons by the most prominent preachers of the age, serial tales by the ablest authors of the day, special articles on general topioj by woll informed writer*, entertaining letters from its correspondents in America and England, and a luge variety of instructire matter. As a weekly newspaper and famllr Journal, the News is without an equal. This week the News will contain a portrait of Miss Crisp L»dy Superintendent of the Hospital, who was recently decorated with the Order of the Bed Cross.

The collection of gas. and coke accounts being finished, consumers are notified. by advertisement that to-day (Friday), the 25th Instant, Is the last day on which discount can be claimed.

A number of valuable dogs will be sold at the kennols to-day, at noon, by order of the Registrar otVot*.

Mr. J. J. Boak will give a series of read, ings and recitals, In St. James's Hall, on May 6.