Town News.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 387, 12 July 1879, Page 17

Town News.

There were received from London, by the last Sail Francisco mail, 4426 letters, 1856 books, and 1216 newspapers ; and from America 297 letters, 100 books, and 620 newspapers.

H.R.H. the Prince of Wales has been pleased to appoint C. J. Toxward, Esq , to be the successor of the late Sir Donald McLean as District Grand Master of the English Freemasons. We understand that the patent ari-ived by the last San Francisco mail. Councillor Fisher's motion re the Wainuiomata water scheme came on again for consideration in the City Council on Thursday when the Council went into committee to give more freedom of discussion. The pros aud cons of the matter were gone into at considerable length, and ultimately the motion was agreed to A railway carriage got off the line on Wednesday evening between Kaiteke and the Rimutuka tunnel. No damage was sustained, however, as the train was proceeding slowly at the time. The carriage was one of the old pattern description, which are now being fast superseded. We have received from W. R. E. Brown, Esq., Registrar-General, parts IV., V., and VI. of "The Results of a Census of the colony of New Zealand, taken for the night of the 3rd of March, 1877," and containing statistics with reference to the conjugal condition, birthplaces, and religions of the people of the colony. The following tenders have been received at the Public Works office, Wellington, ior the River Temuka Bridge aud River Kyre Bridge Contract, of the Canterbury Interior Main Line, Oxford to Temuka:—River Temuka Bridge Contract —Accepted : Henderson and Fergus, Dnuedin, £4318. Declined : T. S. Parsons, Christchurch, £4817 ; W. Paisley, Duuedin, £5070 ; J. Phillips, Timaru, £525.2. River Eyre Bridge Contract—Accepted: Henderson and Fergus, Dunedin, £3788. Declined: James Butt, Kaiapoi, £3916; F. Benham, Christchurch, £4199 ; Thomas and Hill, Christchurch, £4241 ; Downes and Proctor, Dunedin, £4450.

g" St. Andrew's new Presbyterian Church on the Terrace will be opened for divine serviee for the first time on Sunday next. The Rev. W. Salmond, Professor of Divinity in the Otago University, will preach in the morning, and at three o'clock in the afternoon the rr j v. gentleman will deliver an address to parents and children. The Rev. Mr. Bruce will preach at the evening service, which will take place at half-past six o'clock. On Monday a soiree will .be held to celebrate the opening of the Church, and tea will be placed on the tables from halfpast five to seven o'clock. At half-past seven a public meeting will be held, when the Hon. R. Hart, M.8.C., will take the chair, and addresses will be delivered by Professor Salmond, the Rev. Mr. Bruce, Rev. Dr. Wallis, and other gentlemen, The Hinemoa, which arrived in port on Sunday morning, brought thirty-four Maori prisoners from New Plymouth, and fourteen from Opunake —in all, forty-eight. A detachment of the Ax-med Constabulary, under Sergeant Roper, was placed in charge of the prisoners, who were very orderly, with one exception. The latter gentleman persisted in addressing his countrymen, but Captain Fairchild ordered him to be quiet, telling him that he was a prisoner. The Maori thereupon made use of some very offensive expressions towards Captain Eairchild ; but the captain of the Hinemoa proved equal to the occasion. He informed the native that if he persisted he would bind him to the mast aud give him a few dozen lashes with the end of a rope. This had the desired effect, and Captain Fairchild was not again troubled during the voyage. The prisoners were landed at seven o'clock in the morning, aud were immediately marched to the barracks.

The steamer Patea took fifty thousand rounds of ammunition on Monday afternoon to Patea.

A dividend at the rate of 12 per cent, per annum for the half-year ending the 30th ult. has been declared by the Wellington Trust and Loan Company. Preliminary matters being now arranged, the proposed bazaar in aid of the Convent Schools is expected to be held during next month.

It was prophesied that when the Maoris went aboard the Patea on Wednesday she would sink, and all the pakehas be drowned, but that they (the Maoris) would swim ashore. During the hearing of a case on Tuesday at the Supreme Court, the prisoner, who had been an expressman, asked a witness, who had also been in the same occupation, if he had not known him to do his duty, and earn more money than the others. To this the witness replied that he did, for he was too clever, —a reply that caused some merriment. A handsome Clydesdale horse called Samson was received on Sunday by Messrs. Rutherford by the s.s. Hawea from the Taieri. He is a bright bay, very compact, well-bred little horse, rising four years old, and has taken several prizes in the district. He will probably grow into one of the handsomest animals in the district, but will never be a large-sized animal. We have received from the local agents, Messrs. W. and G. Turnbull and Co., a copy of the Australian annual edition of the American Exporter. It is beautifully printed on toned paper, and, in addition to a great deal of general information, it supplies some capitally-written sketches of the Australian Colonies, Tasmania, and New Zealand. There is a fine engraving of the new Exhibition Buildings, Melbourne, and a map of the Pacific Mail Route.

Some amusement was caused on Tuesday between 1 and 2 o'clock by the freaks of a Maori who had evidently " had more than was good for him." The man was standing opposite the Supreme Court House and cheering most vociferously for "the Maori prisoners," the crowd of pakehas about the Court door appearing to his excited imagination to be people of his own race and color.

During the hearing of a case on Wednesday at the Supreme Court, it became necessary for Dr. Puller, one of the counsel for the defence, to enter the witness-box to give evidence. The unusual circumstance of a witness appearing arrayed in legal robes drew forth some slight comment from his Honor, in consequence of which the learned gentleman unrobed. At the last meeting of the Wellington Fire Brigade, the case of the fireman who was discharged by his employers, for having left their premises on the night of the late disastrous fire, came up for discussion. After the hardship of the dismissal had been fully discussed, the brigade unanimously resolved upon supporting their comrade until such time as he was able to find suitable employment. We have received a number of very favorable notices of Mdlle. Olga Duboin, who was lately performing in Adelaide. She is a pL-vniste of the first order, judging from the criticisms before us of her performances in Melbourne and Adelaide. Mdlle. Duboin, after paying a visit to Tasmania, will, we learn from a private letter, make a tour of all the principal towns in New Zealand.

Twenty-five men of the Armed Constabulary, who lately came here from the Waikato, left by the Hinemoa on Sunday afternoon for Opunake, their ultimate destination being, we believe, the White Cliffs. A large crowd was on the wharf during the day, and some of those who happened to be near the Hinemoa as she was about to leave the wharf were amused by a Maori sailor rushing down the wharf, and making a frantic leap on board the Hinemoa. This he just managed to do, but he fell flat on his back on the deck of the steamer, amidst shouts of laughter and cheers from the assembled crowd. '

The steamer Napier arrived in the harbor on Tuesday afternoon, with a portion of the wreck which was reported as floating near Pencarrow Head on Monday. The wreckage was placed on board the Napier by Pilot Holmes, and Captain Holliday and Captain Pose, on going aboard, found that the timber was North American pine, and that it must have belonged to a vessel of about 300 tons burden ; so that the surmise with regard to its having been a portion of an English ship could not have any possible foundation. Subsequently the wreckage was taken to the Customs House, when a gentleman who happened to be there at once recognised the figure-head as belonging to the three-masted schooner Swallow, which was wrecked in Tory Channel some time back ; and it has since been conclusively proved that the wreckage must have been a portion of that ill-fated vessel.

At the sitting of the Supreme Court on Tuesday, the Crown Prosecutor made an application to the Court in regard to the Maori prisoners now awaiting trial. He asked that he might be allowed to defer preferring a bill before the Grand Jury, as the Crown was not yet ready with the case. Dr. Bailor, who appeared as counsel for all the prisoners, agreed to this course, on the understanding that; the time of trial should be left an open question, in case it should be decided to hold a special sitting for the hearing of these cases. His Honor granted the application, and then, addressing Dr. Bu'ler, said he found that in the observations he bad made to the Grand Jury on the previous day, he was in error as to the plea of guilty in the Wanganui case. Dr. Puller replied, "Yes, your Honor; on the charge of malicious injury to property the prisoners were acquitted. On the charge of forcible entry, the Crown Prosecutor declined to adduce any evidence, and your Honor directed an acquittal. After the discharge of the pi'isoners, your Ho/tor addressed some observations to thorn." The Chief Justice said, "Tees ; that i,. : my recollection of the facta,"

The adjourned meeting of ironworkers was held at . the Central Hotel on Saturday evening, Mr. Harrison in the chair. Statements were received from men belonging to the various foundries concerning the reductions they had sustained in their wages, these varying from Is. to 6d. per day among the higher waged men. Others again reported that no reductions had been made in their cases. After considerable discussion, a motion was carried to the effect that the reduced scale of wages be submitted to. One of the men observed that his employer had promised to raise the wages again when more work came in. The open meeting of the Young Men's WesleyanMutuallmprovementSociety on Thursday was a great success, St. John's schoolroom being comfortably filled. An able critique on Thomas Hood's works was read by Mr. J. W. Erost, after which Hood's most famous readings were recited, " The Dream of Eugene Aram," which was given by a deservedly popular amateur, ranking foremost. A.mong the other recitations were, " Song of the Shirt," Miss Kilmensegg's precious " Leg Ode to my Son," &c. Next Thursday evening two biographical essays will be delivered, when we have no doubt there will be a large attendance of members.

Some amusement was caused in the Supreme Court on Monday in consequence of a juryman named Jehu Hill, a resident at the Hutt, objecting to being summoned in the name of John. Hall, which it appeared had been done. The juryman was put on his oath, and from his answers to questions put to him by the Judge, it appeared that he was the right man, although not summoned in the right name. He was thereupon ordered to take his place with the other jurymen, which he did very reluctantly, and with the air of an injured individual. Later in the day he narrowly escaped being fined for not being present when called. One or two other jurymen also took the same objection as Hill had done, and as their names were not similar to the names upon their summonses, his Honor allowed them to leave, as he did not think they were the persons intended. One of the released jurymen applied for his expenses, but his application could not be granted unless he actually served upon a jury. A juryman who desired to attend the funeral of a near relative was informed by his Honor that he would not be fined if absent when called during the day, but he must attend next day.

The annual meeting of the parishioners of St. Paul's, Thorndon, was held last evening at the Church-room, Tinakori-road. The churchwardens, in their report, refer with regret to the illness and absence of the incumbent, and the retirement of Mr. H. T. Clarke (churchwarden) and Mr. W. Mowbray (choirmaster). The appointment of the Rev. J. E. Otway as assistant curate, and Mr. Parker as organist and choirmaster, are mentioned, and also the introduction of chorister boys. The revenue for the past year, from offertories and seat rents, amounted to £1227 125., being an increase upon the previous year ; but owing to the large expenditure there is a deficiency of £227 os. 4d. To meet this certain members of the vestry and others have come forward and given their promissory notes, so as to enable the expenditure of the parish to be carried on. The . churchwardens have applications for seventy-six sittings, which they are unable to provide ; it is hoped, however, that the opening of the Church-room in the Tinakori-road (lately acquired from the Standing Committee, at an annual rental of £100) for Suuday evening service, will help to meet the dema,nd for increased church accommodation. Parishioners are reminded of the resolution passed at a special meeting to the effect that the parish should contribute £2OO towards the erection of a new residence for the Bishop. In accordance with that resolution the debt of the parish ha,s been increased £IOO, and a further sum of £IOO will have to be borrowed to meet, the engagement. The seat rents in arrear amount to £6B 18s., and the parish liabilities to £1421 4s. 3d. .

vi?A meeting of the Wharf Committee of the City Council was held on Thursday at 4 p.m., to consider the advisability of preparing a Harbor Board Bill, to be brought before Parliament by the Corporation during the coming session. The proposal made was that the City Council should be constituted a Harbor Board. A discussion of nearly two hours took place, but the only result was that it was agreed that nothing could be done in the matter until Mr. Eisher's former resolution to the effect that the Council should take no action in the matter, were rescinded. It was proposed that this should be done by leave of the whole Council at the evening's sitting ; bixt it was exceedingly doubtful whether any such unanimous accord would be granted. In the course of the discussion, the Mayor intimated that he considered the City Council by far the be3t body which could possibly be chosen to form a Harbor Board, and that in his opinion, despite the action which had been taken by the House of Representatives upon former occasions, such a measure,if brought forward by the City Council, would pass the Legislature with the greatest ease. As their duties would be increased, he was inclined to recommend the insertion of two clauses in the Harbor Board Bill, one of which was that every member of the Harbor Board should be paid for his services. The other proposal was that four additional members should be added to the Council —one for each ward —iu order that the duties of the existing members might not be increased beyond their powers. Mr. Hutchison explained that he thought that committees should be formed whose duties should be strictly confined to one sphere—one set of committee men to devote their attention to public works, another to harbor matters, and so on. Mr. Hunter pointed out that no such proposal as the one sketched by Mr. Hutchison would ever be agreed to by the House, because the payment of members of Hai'bor Board* had been rigorously excluded from the Harbor Board Acir of last session after •;'''-'

discussion, and the point was considered finiili. settled.

Another batch of twenty-nine Maori prisoners arrived by the s.s. Patea on Thursday. A strong force of A.C.'s, under the command of Sergeants Riddle and Galbraith, had charge of them. They were landed at 7 o'clock a.m., and marched to the barracks.

Tenders are called for the very valuable frontages to Manners and Dixon streets, belonging to the Wesleyan Church, and there is certain to be some keen competition for them. The leases will be let for twenty-one years, renewable for a similar term at a valuation.

A meeting of gentlemen interested in cricket matters was held on Wednesday at the Pier Hotel, with the object of forming a new club. The attendance was large, aud a strong committee was appointed. The idea of the promoters is to endeavor to make the national game a greater success than it has hitherto proved in Wellington, and also to provide for more frequent practices together. In addition to the other distinctions awarded to Messrs. John Brinsraead and Sons, V/ig-more-streefc, London, for superiority of pianos exhibited at the Paris Exhibition of last year, the founder of the firm has been created Chevalier of the Legion of Honor, this distinction having been conferred on no other British pianoforte manufacturer, so far as we are aware.

We understand that the Government have not yet decided upon appointing a successor to Mr. Young, who acted for many years as Maori interpreter to the native members in the House of Representatives. Mr. Young since last session received the appointment of Judge of the Native Lands Court, aud hence the vacancy. It is considered probable that either Mr. Gannon or Mr. James Carroll wiil receive the appointment. Both gentlemen hail from the Poverty Bay district.

During the delivery of Dr. Newman's lecture on Saturday evening at the Colonial Museum, the speaker apologised for not having been able to procure a human brain. " But, alas !" said the speaker, deeply affected, " there was none to be found in the Museum, and we must content ourselves with the brains of animals." There was some quiet laughter amongst the gentlemen, and a very audible sigh of relief from the ladies, in consequence of what the scientific gentleman regarded as such a great misfortune. We have heard, on what appears to be reliable authority, that the lawsuit between the Press Association and the late proprietors of the Neto Zealander has been quietly settled. The shareholders will have to pay rather dear for their " Association Whistle," as poor Richard would have expressed it. Rumour says that the little bill will amount to something like £SOO or £6OO. This will be another sweet pill to swallow, and will take away some of the exclusive profits of the Government advertising, which the members of the Ministry paid indirectly into their own pockets.

Some of our fair readers, we have heard it stated, are inveterate novel readers. This may or may not be the case, and we do not pronounce a decided opinion one way or the 'other. But what we wish to direct attention to is the fact that, according to Dr. Newman (and we should imagine he was only giving us the result, in his lecture on Saturday evening, of some of the greatest thought of the age), novel reading does not aid in the development of the brain to any appreciable extent ; whilst the reading of scientific, historical, and other works of a high character, tended to aid in the work of development, just as training before a boat race or a foot race tended to aid in the muscular development of the body. This subject is certainly worthy of some attention at the hands of parents—supposing the theory laid down by Dr. Newman to be a correct one. The examinations of pupil teachers for the Wellington Education Board district are proceeding simultaneously in the Thorndon and Greytown Schools. Thirty-two candidates, mostly or the fair sex, have come up for examination in Wellington, and twelve or thirteen in Greytown. On Tuesday morniug the subject was English grammar, and in the afternoon geography. On Wednesday arithmetic was given for the morning exercise, and history for the afternoon. To-day the subjects will be drawing, reading, recitation, and such other extra subjects as the candidates may prefer. The examination papers were prepared by Mr. Kenneth Wilson, Principal of the College, and Mr. Lee, secretary and inspector to the Board of Education. Mr. Lee conducts the examination in the Thorndon school, and Mr. Wyatt at Greytown. _ The examinations, we might state, are exclusive of candidates and first-year pupils, who may qualify by passing the higher standard under the Board of Education. The results will not be made known for a few weeks to come—probablv some time next month.

Mr. Mansford, P.M., began to dispose on Wednesday morning of a stupendous list of 2205 objections against the land tax assessment, and before the Court rose at half-past three had reduced the number by several score. Considerable interest appeared to be taken by the public in the commencement of the proceedings, but as the day wore on the monotony of one objector after another swearing his property was taxed too high, while three or four experts swore the complainant ought to consider himself as, on the whole, extremely well treated, had the effect of clearing the building of every one not absolutely compelled to be present. Mr. Mansford at one stage of the proceedings took occasion to deprecate the readiness with which many pei-sons came forward to depreciate the value of their property, when the amount in dispute was extremely small, without considering the injurious effect it might have on the city. He should be inclined to submit even to a trifling over valuation rather than take such an unwise course. Anyone attending the Court yesterday could hardly fail to deem our legislators must have deviled a deep laid master-stroke of policy ivV.-en arranging that after the first valuation uMih-r the Act another should not be taken for sht'eo years —it must have been to allow plenty of time for objections to be heard.

The Rev. T. A. Bowden, who has so long resided amongst us, and who was so well known in connection with the English High School, has been appointed to the incumbency of Grey mouth, which was rendered vacant through the death of the Rev. Mr. Watkins. The rev. gentleman, we were informed by one of his sons, arrived in Greymouth on Tuesday last to take charge of his parish. The Rev. Mr. Bowden has many friends here, who will be glad to hear of his future welfare, and who will be sorry that he has severed the ties which bound him so long to Wellington. If a stranger were to judge of the prosperity of Wellington by the numbers of those who flock to our places of amusement, lie would hardly be inclined to think that all the hard things said of the rottenness of the city, and its utter hopelessness to recover in a monetary point of view, were quite correct. Professor Baldwin still continues to share the attractions ■with the corapaay at the Theatre Royal, and. bad another large audience at St. George's Hall on Wednesday night. The Professor, with his dry American humor, entertains his a/udieuce, whilst his wonderful tricks sends them away quite mystified. In all that he does he is ably assisted by the lady who has so long been familiarly known to us through the Press as Clara Baldwin.

The three o'clock train from Wellington broke down at this side of Petone on Saturday afternoon, and considerably delayed the other trains. The accident occurred through the breaking of the axle-tree of one of the carriages, causing the train to fall towards the fence. Men were at once sent on from the Lower Hutt to put tilings straight, but in trying to get the carriages on the line some of the sleepers got broken, and a portion of the lino got torn up, as the men who were repairing it had managed to get a wrong guago. An engine, with four trucks, was sent en from Petone with the passengers, none of whom supposed any injury so far as we are able to learn. The evening train did no'; get in to Wellington till about half-past 0 o'clock. The Tramway Company's time-table has been altered, particulars of whicli will be seen in our advertising columns. It is also notified that evening trains will be discontinued iu future, the last one leaving Adelaide-road at ten minutes to six, and returning from the railway station at thirty-five minutes past six o'clock ; but in the event of performances at the theatre, a train will leave Adelaide-road at twenty-five minutes past ten, returning from the Government Buildings at ten minutes to eleven, and waiting at the theatre until the conclusion of the performance. The evening trains have not been paying for some time, and it can hardly be expected from the company that they should run them at a loss. We understand, however, that the change is intended to last only during the winter mouths, and that a return will be made to the old practice of running evening cars, should the demauds of the public warrant the company in running them iu a similar manner to what they have done hitherto.

We publish in another column a most important message which was sent by Tawhiao to Auckland in order that it might be published in the newspapers throughout the colouy. A meeting was held at Te Kopua at eight o'clock on Thursday night, and Tawhiao asked the other chiefs present what was the cause of the trouble at Taranaki. No one was able to answer him, but they all disclaimed any connection with Te Whiti. A letter was read from Rewi to Tawhiao to the effect that Rewi did not understand the meaning of the arrests. All the speakers were agreed upon this point. From this it appeal's that there is no probability of a general war. The Maoris generally have become alarmed, and the evident determination of the pakehas to enforce their wishes has impressed them deeply with the superior power of the intruding race. Te Whiti will be disappointed if he looks for any direct support from these tribes, aud we arc of opinion that their submission is in a great measure due to the show of force winch has been made at Taranaki. We are heartily glad that such a complete success has attended the action taken, and we believe that far more good has been accomplished by the show of force and by the arrest of these lawless trespassers than by the whole of the negotiations aud meetings which have taken place iu the last five years. Tawhiao has "knuckled down," and so has Rewi, and the other names given arc those of important and influential chief's ; the only name we miss being that of Te Ngakau. We look upon this as the most satisfactory piece of news which we have been able to record in. connection with Maori matters for many xnonttkj.