TOWN & COUNTRY.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 764, 22 October 1886, Page 20

TOWN & COUNTRY.

Mr A. Smith, of Mercury Bay, has l resigned his appointment of Justice of the Peace.

A sitting of the Court of Appeal will be held in. Wellington on Monday, the Bth.-off November, at 11 a.m. . ..

Mr Peter Duncan ihas been appointed Deputy Inspector of the Lunatic Asylum atrHokitika, vice Mr B. Clapcott.

Mr E. B. Dickson has been appointed Registrar under the Native Land Court Act,. 1886, for the District of Wanganui. Mspsrs D. Scannell and J. A. Wilson havebeen appointed Trust Commissioners under the Native Lands Frauds Prevention Act. Mr John McLean, of Redcastle, Oamarn,, has been appointed a member of the Council of the University of Otago, vice the late Mr Bathgate. On Wednesday last week the members of the Orange Lodge in this city presented the Rev J. K. Elliott with a handsome pulpit chair.

A block of land of slightly over thirteen acres, in Pahiatua, has been permanently reserved from sale, as it is intended to use it aff a cemetery.

■ Mr T. R. Ellison, of Wellington, and Mr H. M. Downs, of Marton, have been authorized to act as Interpreters under the Native Land Court Act, 1886. An order ha 3 been issued authorising the removal of sheep by land from the Wanganui to the New Plymouth sheep district, aod vice versa, without notice to the Sheep Inspector. In last week’s Gazette is published a proclamation by the Governor of Tasmania prohibiting the importation of sheep or sbeepßkius into that colony from New Zealand.

The appointaunfc is formally announced of Mr C. E. Bunny as Inspector of Weights and Measures, for the County of Hutt and Borough of Wellington, vice Mr J. HMarriutt, deceased. It is notified in the Gazette that the following Consular appointments have received Her Majesty’s approval :—Mr A. Beck to be Consul for Belgium at Christchurch ; and Mr C. J. Johnston to be Consul for Belgium at Wellington.

It is notified in the Gazette that Dr JL Cremouiui, M. R C S. Eng., L SvA,. has beenappointed Superintendent of the LunaticAsylum at Auckland, vice Dr James Young,, resigned, the appointment to date from November Ist.

The following names have besn added to* the list of officiating ministers under theMarriage Act :—Rev A. F. Williams, of the Church of England ; Rev S. Millar Smith and Rev J. B. Marshall, both of the, PresbyterianChurch of jNew Zealand. @ Mr David NathaD, eldest sob of Mr J. E, Nathan, who came out from England by the Kaikoura, arrived in Wellington yesterday week. It will be remembered that Mr Nathan was recently married, and he is accompanied by Mrs Nathan. They received a. hearty welcome from a large number of friends. The establishments of the firm, of which Mr David Nathan lately became apartner, were gaily decorated with flags.

The Gazette contains a proclamation de--daring State foreats in the Land Districts of Auckland, Wellington, and Marlborough. InWellington Land District there is one block: of 200 acres in Block I, Makuri Survey Dis~ trict, on the bank of the Manawatu River p and another of 1000 acres in the Pohangina Survey District, on the Pohangina River. The blocks in the Auckland Land District are of 5450, 1250, and 541 acres ; and in the Marlborough Land District of 21,000 and 900> acres.

The Hospital “liquor bid presented this l month shows that during the month of September, 1885, 39 patients consumed 586 pints of spirits and malt liquors, which was about 15 pints to each person. In September this year 19 patients consumed 131 pints, or an average of about 7 pints to each person. Of 131 pints in this year 65 pints were consumed by the five old men in the Hospital, who are not properly Hospital patients, leaving an average of a little over 4J pints te each of the patients proper. The consumption in September, 1885, was 2 pints of spirits and 13 pints malt liquors by each patient £ and last rnoDth the average was ~3£ pints of spirits and 3 J pints of malt liquors each.

The official meteorological returns for September, 1886, show that the mean temperature of the air was below the average of previous years in all parts of the Colony excepting DurediD, where it was neither more nor less than the average. In Auckland thedeficiency was I*7 degrees and iu Wellington I*2 degrees. The highest temperature in the shade was 62‘0 in Auckland, 62 - 8 in Wellington, and as high as 70'0 degrees in Dunedin. The greatest cold was 41'5 in Auckland, 34‘th in Wellington, 30’7 in Canterbury, and 32‘0 in Dunedin. Atmospheric humidity was excessive In Wellington, but deficient in other places. The rainfall was below the average in Auckland, Wellington, and Dunedin, but slightly in excess in Canterbury*. In al! placesrain fell on more days than usual.

The time has arrived when the. ladies of Wellington and surrounding districts should! be favored with a warehouse well lighted, well ventilated, where they can at all times make their purchases withpleasure and delight. This desideratum is now provided by the proprietor of the New Te Aro House. The display on the various tables and windows are all late importations, and must command the immediate inspection of intending purchasers. At no former period in the history of Wellington has the same display been aimed at and obtained as at the New Te Aro House.

The Millinery room is replete with choice trimmed hats and bonnets in endless variety. The hats and bonnets are trimmed with exquisite taste. The underclothing has received careful attention. Th 6 stock of stays is of such a description as can only be met with at the New Te Aro House.

The public are ‘hereby respectfully informed that they are welcome to visit and inspect the various departments of the warehouse without being pressed to purchase, and will at all times find pleasant resting place in the REFRESHMENT ROOM just opened in the New Te Aro House.

The Governor has authorised the Chairman •and the Secretary of the Commission appointed to inquire into the purchase of Mr {Stark’s land, near Auckland ; and the President and the Secretary of the Council of Military Education, to frank let'ers, tele-

;grancß, 3nd parcels on the public service. f Tha number of persons who arrived iu the •Colony during; Sent ember was 1336, and of ••those who'left it 853, leaving a balance to the tgood or 433. Eium the Uuited Kngdoin.there arrived 734 persons, from New South Wales

1330, an.) from Victoria 172. There left for the United Kingdam 9D, fop New South Wales 4546, and for Victoria 269.

The slander case Calvert v Bertie was not

(Called on at the Supreme Court yesterday week. Mr Travers (instructed by Mr Skerrett for tthe defendant), announced that the action Ihad bean withdrawn, Mr Bertie having stated that he had never intended to cast any as-

persion on Mr Calvert, and admitted that he had used language concerning him which was <Eot justified. Mr Jellieoe, who was for the plaintiff, said he would accept that apology. He believed the words had been used under a •misapprehension. The case was then struck off the list. The following applications for patents have Ibsen received :—C. Williams, of Blenheim,

for a bar and grooved toe-plate ; E. J. Houghton, of Peckham, Surrey, for improvements in electric lighting of trains; A A. Rampart, of Melbourne, for apparatus for

•extracting the useful products of ores ; J. ■Scatterwood, of West Bromwich, Staffordshire, for improvement in the maufactuie of lock-u!:t3 ; G. H. Bowern, .of Wanganui, for •invention for brandiog animals, bales, or any •soft materials ; also, for invention for repairing wire fences.; J. Watt, of Port Chalmers, •for a pudding dish ; W. Hooker, of Weliing--ion, for an improved incandescent gas burner; R. Donkin, of Auckland, for invention for •extracting gold or silver from the ore bv •electricity ; F. N. Adams, of Christchurch, ••for a boiler for heating horticultural or other

(buildings with hot water. The ordinary monthly meeting of the Hospital trustees was held yesterday week,there present •—Messrs F. H. Fraser (chairman, Giby, \Ville6ton, Williams, Perkins, Luke, Kebbell and Daaks. The House (Jom•mittee’s report was read. It stated inter alia •that only one tender had been received for (the lease of tha brick kilc, and supplying bricks for the new wing. As there wa3 some •informality about-the tender the trustees eie•cided to inform the tenderer (Mr Neighbors, ■of Christchurch), that the tender did no; com-

ply with the conditions Mr D. Glimie wrote •offering to pay £BO cash in settlement of his •arrears of payment in connection with a (hospital reserve, and stating that he was prepared to find a good tenant for the reserve if the offer was accepted. It was decided to .accept the offer. A letter was received from ©r Grabham, in the course of which he stated that he had not been able to get an ice making machine for the trustees, and offered to do he could for them. The trustees re•ceivea the offer with thanks.

The Chairman of the Colonial Insurance “Company of New Zealand has forwarded to -ns a copy of the following circular which has been issued to the shareholders in that Comipany :—“ln accordance with the views of shareholders expressed at the last annual meet-

ing of the Company, that an interim state•ment should be furnished, the Directors have much pleasure in informing shareholders that, •owing to the cautious and economic policy which was inaugurated some time since, and

which has been rigidly persevered iu, the 'Company’s prospects have so steadily improved during the past six months that the debit balance at the close of last year has entirely disappeared, and a fair amount now -stands to the credit of profit and lo3s. The business of the Company is of the most en-

couraging character, and shareholders are ■assured that at no similar period of its operations have the results been surpassed. Shareholders will be pleased to learn that, while a ■large amount of foreign business has been

•closed by the Compauy, the returns are, however, well maintained ; consequently the Directors have every reason to hope that, by a continuance of the above policy, they will be enabled at the next annual meeting to place before shareholders a satisfactory balancesaheet.”

The London correspondent of the Christchurch Press gives the following information respecting the proposed Pacific telegraph ■cable :—Mr Randolph (J. Want, of Australia, and Mr Sandford Fleming, C.M.G., of Canada, have lately been actively engaged in' suggesting a submarine cable from E-<quimault to the Sandwich Islands, and thence to the Fanning Islands, Fiji Islands and Australia. Esquimault, as your readers are •doubtless aware, is situated on a splendid bay a short diatance from Victoria, in Vancouver Island. There is an Imperial arsenal there, and in a strategical point of view the importance of the position is very pronounced with reference to our possessions in the North and South Pacific. The Army and Navy Gazette writes as follows on the subject : —“ This arsenal dominates the Pacific, and commands the rear of the New Hebrides Islands. The importance •of a cable in a military sense is immense. It at once suggests the gradual growth of •Esquimauit into a power now little understood. Only fifteen days by eea and rail from Plymouth, the latter entirely through her Majesty's teriitory, this new arsenal is being formed under the protection of a brave and hardy military people. It is not only within easy reach of Plymouth, Woolwich, aud Aldershot; bat an attempt to capture it would be met by the full force of the Canadian people in ariH3. In view of this new feature in , the Pacific, Vladivostok, Lazareff, the New Hebrides, and all such are - distinctly on the wane; while Australia, Port Hamilton, and Hoog Kong will feel the strong arm of a great protector where least expected and most wanted. The Agente-General for Australasia and the High Commi-sloncr for Canada have •met in earnest consultation about the proposed communication. To lay a cable and •start lines of steamers of great speed and capacity on the Pacific, as set forth by the Canadian Premier in his late speech at the new arsenal, is worthy of Canada and Australia. It is a further proof of their inestimable value in securing on solid, well•considered measures those communications without which the Empire has hitherto been, -In a military eense, disjointed.’’

The Hospital Steward acknowledges with thanks the receipt of a number of walking ) sticks, for the use of the patients, from Mr Hyde, hairdresser, Lambton-quay. Sir George Whitmore and LieutenantColonel Butts were passengers by the steamer l Rotcmahana, which arrived from North on on Sunday. The Bishop of Nelson was also a passenger by the same steamer. The folio (ing tenders for shed F, contract No. 33, inner tee, Queen’s Wharf, have been received :—Accepted—M. Murdoch, £997 2s 10J. Declined-.-J. A. Jacobsen, £999 ; John McLsan and Sods, £IOO7 ; Thompson and McLean, £IOB6 14s 5d ; Jame 3 Russell, £ll9B 17s 61 Davis and Uopwood, £1389 13a. It is a noteworthy, though not perhaps a very gratifying circumstance that the business transacted in the way of fresh bankruptcies by the Official Assignee during the month of September last was larger than it has been iu any previous month daring the present year. During the mouth mentioned ten new bankruptcies were opened, and the largest number in any previous month was nme. No bankruptcies have taken place in Wellington during the present month. The second annual meeting of shareholders of the Uuited Importers’ Company of Wellington,Limited, was held yesterday afternoon week at the Company’s registered office in Panamastreet. The business, which was quickly disposed of, resulted in the adoption of the report and balance sheet, the election of Mr C. E. Zohrab as sole managing director, and the election of Messrs A. K. Newman and J. Drmsfield as consulting directors. A vote of thanks to the past directors an.l to the chairman terminated the proceedings. A man named John Findlay was arrested las; Friday morning under somewhat ptcnliar circumstances. It appears that Mrs Meier, storekeeper, Taranaki.street, missed a tin of herrings which sbe had left on the counter. A lady lodger told her that she had seen a man going down the street with a tin of herrings utfder his coat. Mrs Meier immediately set out and succeeded in coming up with the man, whom she accused of the theft. He replied that be would buy them, and asked the price, to which Mrs Meier answered that he had better come back and talk the matter over with the “ boss.” The man consented, and on getting him inside Mrs Meier locked the door on him, and sent for a policeman. On the arrival of the officer she gave the man in charge for larceny, on whicn he was arraigned next day at the R.M. Court, as set forth elsewhere.

A large audience assembled at the Christians’ Chapel, Dixon-street, on Sunday night, when Mr J. F. Floyd preached au excellent sermon upon the subject, “ Getting Married : its Meaning and Necessity.” In order that a marriage could be brought about, he said,several things were necessary. In the first place, the parties wishing to contract must have a knowledge of each other, although he had heard of cases where people had been married by telegraph, but ha 1 his own opinion of such unions. There should also be friendship sn i love. No doubt various motives induced people to marry. Some did it ou account of property ; some for riches ; and he believed Borne did it “ for the fun of the thing,” but the latter class evidently did not expect the contract to be lasting. During his address, the speaker provoked a great deal of merriment by his witticisms, which were keenly relished by the audience. A number of tha in-patient? at the Hospital are old men who are said to be proper subjects for the Benevolent Institution. At the Hospital Trustees meeting yesterday week, a list of 17 patients whom the Hospital staff recommended should be discharged, under bylaw 113, was received from the Medical Superintendent. All these men were said to be fit subjects for the Benevolent Institution. Mr Danks strongly objected to the care of the men being thrown on that institution. He was of opinion, he said, that there should be aj separate institution for the maintenance of these old men ; it was not advisable either in the interests of tha meu themselves or of the public that they should be cast upon the Benevolent Institution. As a matter of fact,, the meu could be kept at the Hospital mush more cheaply than by the institution, and it would be a wrong thiog to take them from the Hospital. Mr Gaby moved that consideration of the matter be postponed for six mouths, the question of ways and means to be considered in the meantime. This was agreed to, aud the mattsr dropped. a- The hall recently built for the Petone

Lodge, 1.0.0. F., M.U., is erected on a sectiou fronting Jackson-street, the main street in Petone, purchased from Mr J. S. Manning. The site, which is 87ft x 50fc, is an admirable one for such a structure, and the members of this thriving Lodge deserve great credit fordisplaying an enterprise which cannot do otherwise than materially augment their numerical strength. The building.is a two storied one, and was erectel by Mr D. A. Douglas, Wellington. Mr W. L. Thompson, of the firm Clark and Thompson, ‘ gave his services gratuitously as architect, and Mr Committee, Petone, placed his experience a 3 clerk of the works at the Lodge’s disposal. The main hall is 57 x 37 and id on the ground floor. It is well lighted with three chandeliers, and six side lamps. There are three Boyle’s ventilators in the roof, and tea patent Venetian ones in the walls, so that ventilation, so essential to the comfort of the public, has beeu well attended to. The seats, too, are comfortable, having good backs to them. In the front part of the building are two anterooms and a ticket office. One of the anterooms is 20 x 19, and the other 18 x 19 They have been let to the petone Institute at an annual rental of £26 10s) That institution has been fortunate in securing two such useful rooms, and should be well satisfied with such good and cheap accommodation. The upper story is reached by a staircase 4ft wide, and contains the lodge-room 27 x 19, and an ante-room 10 xlO. The whole cost, including a grand piano, £BS, will be about £IOOO. Thj is very satisfactory to know that various Friendly Societies in the township have applied for the U3e of the lodge-room, at an annual rental of £6 10s, so that the interest on the principal is forthcoming, and by economy and judicious management of the building fund it will be possible to defray tbe cost of the hall in a very short time. The Lodge has evidently been determined to spare no expense in meeting the requirements of tbe district, as their hall is furnished with every requisite for tha comfort of those who patronise it.

Mr T. Rapley, telegraphist, has been transferred from Wellington to the Wanganui station.

A boy named Phillip McHugh, alias Sheepshank, aged 10, was committed last week to St. Mary’s Industrial School, Nelson, by Mr Wardell, R.M. The berthing accommodation of the Queen’s Wharf was severely tested last Sunday and Sunday night. There were no fewer than 22 et-amers alongside, including the Ruapehu, Kaikoura, Rotomahana, Tekapd, Hawea and Mawhera. A man named John Carlisle died at the Hospital on Sunday morning. He was admitted to the institution on Thursday, suffering from a diseased arm, supposed to have been brought on by exposure to cold weather. It is not known whether he was a married man. He was a dairyman, and is believed to have lived in Westport for some time. The Hawea, with the San Francisco mail, arrived about 9 o’clock last Sunday night. The Southern portion of the mail was despatched by tbe Mahihapua. The Hawea left on Monday morning for the Manukan, for the purpose of bringing down the outward direct mail which left here yesterday by the R.M.S. Ruapehu. As will be seen in our telegraphic columns, tbe 3teamer Wendouree, which it was feared had been lost on the passage between Melbourne and Sydney, has turned np safe. There will be a general feeling of relief that we have not to add another to the list of tenible wrecks involving appalling loss of human life and of property. During the sitting of the Supreme Court last Friday, bis Honor Mr Justice Richmond remarked that, by au unfortunate omission on the part of the Legislature, to which he had beeu calling attention for some years, it was made necessary to call an attesting witness to prove the execution of a deed. His Honor, who was indistinctly heard, was understood to add that it was to be regretted that, while so much fancy legislation was effected, no attention was p.tid to this matter. The Manawatu Daily Times mentions that Dr Mclntyre, a local medical practitioner, was dragged all the way from Palmerston North to Wanganui on Tuesday, to depose that a Mr J. S. Jolly was physically unable to attend as a witness in the Supreme Court. It appears that a certificate to this effeot was given by Dr Mclntyre, but this was not considered sufficient, and he received a subI ce ia to attend and give evidence that such was the case.

In discharging the common jury at the Supreme Court last Friday, his Honor Mr Justice Richmond made the following remarks :—“ Gentlemen of the common jury— Before discharging you, I have a word to say, and I say it, you will quite understand, deliberately—in sorrow, not in anger. It is my deliberate opinion that in the criminal sittings you have just been attending, the result has been that the juries have been made fools of—that the Court has been deeply degraded, deeply degraded—and that crime has been encouraged. Gentlemen, I now discharge you.” Hi 3 Honor appeared to be very deeply affected. A large and appreciative congregation assembled ou Sunday evening in the Kentterrace Presbyterian Church to welcome Mr Duncan Wright, the evangelist of Dunedin, almost the whole of the available sitting room being taken up. After the opening hymn, “ I love to tell the story.”j Mr Wright soon made himself on good terms with hie audience, and by his simple and unconventional style quickly gained their attention. His remarks were very direct and forcible. Mr Wright will hold a special service for women only at 3 o’clock this afternoon at the Kentterrace Presbyterian Church, and the Mission will be continued every evening at 7.30. P Mr J. Bertie, who has recently taken over the Duke of Edinburgh Hotel, has fitted up that hostelry to such an extent as to make it one of the moat complete in the city. A novelty in connection with the hotel is the “ Cafe du Due,” fitted up altogether separate from the bar of the hotel, where the best of coffee, tea, or stronger drinks can bo obtained. The cafe is provided with tables, chairs, &c., and should be a great convenience. In other parts of the hotel, such as the sittiugroom3, bedrooms, &c., every attention has been paid to furnishing and fitting. Nothing, in short, which is calculated to assist comfort or convenience has been omitted, and the Duke of Edinburgh is now one of the best and most comfortable hotels in the city. According to the Lyttelton Times the fish supposed to be a Californiau salmon, which was caught recently at Kaikoura, turns out to be merely a brown trout. It was caught in a net by a man named Paget, in the sea at the mouth of a creek, and was forwarded to Professor Hutton. The fins show that it is not a salmon but a trout. Its silvery color and general appearance cause it to resemble the sea, or salmon, trout ; but the long jawbone projecting behind the eye shows that it is one of the common brown variety which has gone become “ silvered,” as brown trout sometimes do. It is, therefore, similar to the fish which some time ago was sent by the Acclimatisation Society to Dr Gunther, of the British Museum, and which he pronouaced to be nothing but a brown trout.

The first meeting of vocalists in connection with the contemplated performance, on a large scale, of Handel’s “ Messiah ” at the coming Christmas, took place on Monday night in St. John’s Church, Willis-streeb. Over 109 voices were present, all the city church choirs being represented, although there was by no means a fall muster, mauy members being otherwise engaged. A very successful first practice was held under the skilful direction of Mr Robert Parker, the more difficult movements being chief! 7 rehearsed —• including “ His yoke is easy,” “ He shall purify,” the “ Amen” fugue, &c. Even at that preliminary stage, and with only a small proportion of the vocal strength present, there wa? so good a volume of sound a 3 to promise an exceptionally fine effect when tha complete force should be available. Mr Harland presided at the fine organ of the church. At the conclusion, Mr Parker announced that the next rehearsal would take place in, a fortnight, and thenceforward weekly, and he intimated that capable vocalists, good readers possessing a knowledge of the music, would be welcomed as assistants.

We have to acknowledge' the receipt from the Government Printer of the New Zealand Statutes for 1886.

The New Zealand Shipping Company’s R.M.S. Tongariro left Capetown last Friday afternoon for New Zealand. The Tongariro’s first port of call is Port Chalmers. Mr von Sturmer, of Hokianga, who has been appointed’to tbe magistracy of the Wairarapa, was a passenger by the Oreti, which arrived fiom Wanganui on Tuesday. The Te Anau, with au English (Brindisi) mail, arrived at the Bluff on Monday morning. The mail was brought to Wellington by the Rotorua on Wedne day. A prayer meeting was held in St.John’s Schoolroom last Monday night, aud was well attended. Mr J. G. Aitken presided, and the Revs. Jas. Paterson and P. N. Hunter delivered addresses to the congregation.

Return tickets at Saturday rates will be issued from all stations on the Government Railway to Wellington to dav and to-morrow, on the occasion of the Island Bay races. The tickets will be available till Monday.

On her return from Wanganui the steamer WaUabi is to be laid up in order to have her engines compounded and to receive a general overhaul. Her preseat owner, Mr Hungerford, intends, we understand, to run her between Grieymouth and this port ia the coal trade. Messrs Gardiner and Pickering, of Christchurch,- have on their hands for sale or to let, Coker’s Hotel, near the railway station at Christchurch. This hotel is known as one of the best in the Colony, and there should be no difficulty in finding a purchaser or tenant, Mr Justice Richmond and his secretary, Mr Edward Richmond, were passengers by the Penguin, which sailed for Nelson on Monday afternoon. His Honor opened the criminal sittings of the Supreme Court in that city next day. The Chairman of the Board of Directors of the New Zealand Shipping Company, Mr Murray Aynsley, has come to Wellington from Christchurch for the purpose of watching the progress of events in connection with the proposition to remove the headquarters of the company to Wellington. The Government steamer Stella is now laid up undergoing repairs. The steamer ia having new boilers, decking, and piston, and her cylinders are being rebored. After the work is finished she will go on the Slip for a thorough overhaul. Messrs Cable and Co., of the Lion Foundry, have the work in hand, and it is expected the steamer will be ready for sea in about five weeks.

Mr F.;Waldegrave, of the Justice Departments has been appointed Private Secretary to the Minister of Justice, vice Mr J. P. McAlister, who has been appointed Deputy Registrar of the Supreme Court iu Dunedin. Mr T. E. Richardson has received the appointment of Chief Clerk in the Prisons Department. Mr McAlister left for Dunedin on Wednesday. , An information was laid on Monday against a man named Andrew Miller, charging him with being a lunatic not under proper care and control. As the unfortunate man was not able to appear at the Court, the Justices of the Peace who presided at Monday’s sit ting of the Resident Magistrate’s Court visited him at his lodgings at Pipitea Point, and ordered an examination of the man with a view to his committal to the asylum.

On Tuesday afternoon a gentleman who was walking along the road from Crofton to Kaiwarra overtook a solitary penguin, about a mile from Kaiwarra, marching along with great solemnity toward the harbor. The bird was evidently one of those brought from the South in the Hinemoa by Captain Fairchild. It was in good condition and plumage, and showed very little sign of timidity. It is to be hoped that it escaped boys and other enemies, and reached the salt water in safety.

•A concert and dance was given at the Drillshed last Monay night by the Garrison Band in aid of the Hendereon family, who are in indigent circumstances. There wa3 a very good attendance, about sixty couples being present. An excellent programme had been been arranged, and the whole affair passed off very successfully. It is expected the proceeds will make a very acceptable donation for the family. The Garrison Band, under Bandmaster Cetnino, supplied.the music, and Messrs Roberts and Carver acted as M.C.’s.

Mr Duncan Wright held his second meeting in connection with his evangelistic mission in this city in the Kent-terraca Presbyterian Church on Tuesday night. There was a very good attendance. Mr Wright delivered a moat interesting sermon, and was listened to with great attention. The Wesleyan choir assisted in singing several hymns during the evening. During the afternoon Mr Wright held a special service for women, which was well attended. The mission will be continued every evening this week except Saturday.

The ordinarv meeting of the Benevolent Society was held ou Tuesday, there being present—Messrs T. McKenzie (in the chair), Wilson, Danks, Ponies, and the Rev Mr Van Staveren. Various cases were relieved. The Kev Mr Coffey applied for assistance to a woman whose husband, it appeared, had been entitled to a grant of land for military services. He had deposited his papers, it was stated, with the late Mr Brandon, for investigation. It was decided to leave the matter at the discretion of the Relieving Officer. Mr Johnson acknowledged the receipt of £1 Is from Mr J. B. Penny, in aid of the Ward fund.

A very successful social gathering was held in St. Peter’s schoolroom on Tuesday night. .There was a large attendance. The proceedings were begun with a few remarks from the Ven. Archdeacon Stock, who alluded to the very encouraging prospects of the room. He stated that the liabilities at the end of the year would be about £SO, toward which he had now about £4l in hand. During the evening the following ladiea and gentlemen contributed items, vocal and instrumental :—Mrs Greenwood, Misses Morrah, Dixon, Little, and Stanford, Messrs Johnson, Henderson, and Hammond. AU the items were excellently given, and were well received by the audience. Miss Hudson, a recent arrival from Nelson, presided at the pianoforte. An abundant supply of refreshments was provided, which l were freely partaken of.

The Mayoral election will take place oa the 24th November next.

An English superstition is to the effect that if a robin die in the hand, the baud will always tremble. Lieutenant D. Cameron, of tbe Greytowr*. Rifle Volume.-rs, has been promoted to b* captain. The liovsrnor has accepted the resignation of his commis-dim by Lieutenant E. Johnston, of tha Palm.-rston Notch Bidet Volunteers.

The following appointments have been mad» in the New Zealaud Militia : —Major T. V. Bh.-pherd to he Lieutenant-Colonel ; SergeantMajor J. Falconer (Royal Engineers) to be Lieutenant ; Hon Captain iC. Schmidt, College (Auckland) Rifles, to be Captain. The prizes won at the Riyal Football Club’J athletic sports were presented at the Athenaeum Hall, by Mrs Saunders, last night week. Dr Hutchinson preeided, and during. the evening a presentation of a' handsome epe-rgne was made to Mr C. Bolton, in recognition of the services he has done the club bv acting as coach during the season. Mr Dunne, the secretary of the club, was also the recipient of a substantial testimonial to his efficiency.

Councillor Petherick was to move at tbe City Council meeting last night—- “ Should the same person be elected to the Mayoralty more thau one year, the salary after the first year shall not be more than £lO9, including any allowance? from tha Corporation funds to the person holding the office any longer than one year. This motion to refer to past and future Mayors,” The belief of a man who really needed assistance ia the efficacy of implicit confidence in Providence was reported to the meeting of the Benevolent Society’s Committee ou Tuesday afternoon. The mao, it appeared, did not care to take assistance, although he wa? almost starving. He preferred, ne sail, t> trust in God. “Let him trust in Gai by a.I mean.?,” said the Rev Van Staveren, “ but let him eat at the same time." . .

A motion for a new trial in the case Morley v. Dunn is to be male at the next sitting of the Banco Court. This is the caee in which his Honor Mr Justice Riehmoud gave judgment against the plaintiff ou tbe ground that tha agreement entered into between tha parties to-, practice as general medical practitioners and homeopathic general diap“nsl <g chemists was invalid, on account of Mr Moilay not being qmlified. In unloading a vessel at Chicago a bar'-ei of kerosene dropped and burst, and the oil spread over the surface of the water clear across the river. After the vessel left the dock a stevedore threw a lighted match into thtf stream to “see if the stuff would .burn.’’ There w.is a flish, and a sheet of flame and smoke rolled across the stream and toward Clark and State-street bridges. The excursion boat Albert J. Wright was iu the midst of the fire, and everybody in the vicinity set upthe cry that the river was on fife. The oil burned out without doing any damage beyond singeing the piling of the docks oa each side of the river.

At last week’s meeting of the Trustees of the Benevolent Society a woman waited on the Trustees and asked for assistance. Having stated her case she was requested to withdraw, and was told that if she called next -hay she would be informed what assistance the Trustees would give her. The Trustees subS9q -eutly decided to give rations to the woman aDd her son. At Tuesday’s meeting tbe Relieving Officer reported tha; the woman had called upon him as she was directed, and that when she was told what the Trustees propo-e.i to do for- her, she “firmly, gently, and gracefully declined to take the rations.” Accordingly the rations were not issued. It was unanimously decided to approve Mr Johnson’s action.

to*? The following report of the Public Works Committee was to be presented at the meeting tf the City Council last night :—1„ That cousent. be given to the formation ov private streets called Dawson, Pitt, and Blyth-streets, intended to be laid out through, sections 1072 to 1076 by Messrs W. R. R. Brown and E. Reeve 3, connecting South-road and Adelaide-road, upon a bond being given fjr the metalling and kerbing thereof by the eud of May next. 2. That consent be given to'the formation of a private street called Wilson-itreet. proposed to be laid out by Mr Alexander Wilson in sections 783, 784. 785, 786, connecting Daniel-street with Ricdifordstreet. 3. That consent be given to tha formation of a private street called Elizabethstreet extension, proposed to be laid out byMr Edward ileeves, off Anstin-street. 4. That ths application of Mr S. Lancaster for drainage in North-street be done at a cost not exceeding £5. 5. Mr J. J. Boyd having applied for the footpath to b 9 cut down in Adelaide-road, opposite his premises, that he be informed be may have tbe spoil if he does the work himself. 6. That the No. 1 water main in Coromandel-streer, be extended to the new house that is-baing built by Mr White. 7. Th’at permission l?e given to Mr Geo. Adams for a continuation, through Town Acre 296, of a right-of-way leading off Moir-street. 8. That no action be taken in the matter of a proposal from the Cab ProDrietors’ Union for the making of further by-laws regulating the tramway. 9. That notice under ths Public Health Act be served upon Mr Jas. Browne to abate, within seven days, the nuisance existing upon his premises in Wallace-street, consisting of an accumul itioa of rubbish. 10. That an additional opening be made lDto the sewer on Lambtou-quay, as asked for by Messrs North and Scoullar. 11. That a small embankment in front of tbe premises of Mr W. Gard, Daniel stieet, be removed. 12. That a deputation from the Council wait on the Minister for Public Works to urg-r the necessity for provision being made for a r -creation ground for Thorndon. 13. That accounts amounting to £4SS 9s 7d be passed .for payment.