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New Zealand Mail, Issue 767, 12 November 1886, Page 16

The Wellington-Manawatu railway line will be opened to Longburn on the 29th inst.

The meeting of the Philosophical Society did not come off on Wednesday night, owing to the small attendance of members. Three drunkards were charged at the Resident Magistrate’s Court yesterday morning. Two were first offenders, and were mulcted in the usual penalty; and the third, John Smith, being an old offender, was fined 20s.

The H.M.S. Miranda left for England Wednesday night. The Miranda does not go Home direct, having to call at the Falkland Isles, Rio de Janiero, andSt Vincent, so that she will nob arrive in London till February or March next year.

The Commission of Inquiry into claims for military land grants began to sit in Wellington yesterday. They have already considered nearly 1300 claims. Sittings will afterward be held at the principal towns in the South Island. The Premier has received a communication from the Grosvenor Art Gallery, containing a proposition to exhibit 150 of their best pictures, by modern artists, in New Zealand, if suitable arrangements can be made. Sir Robert Stout has written to the various art societies in the Colony on the matter. So far as can be ascertained no very serious damage was done by the Hutt River overflowing on Monday night. The Wesleyan and Roman Catholic parsonages were surrounded by water, and there was a good deal of injury to gardens in consequence of the flood. A number of fowls owned by residents on the river banks were swept away.

The Wellington Woollen Manufacturing Company propose sending Home by_ the Kaikoura, which leaves on the 18th inst., a bale of blankets made at Petone, as a sample ot the work of the Company’s factory. These blankets are to be consigned to London, and are being sent in accordance with a request that specimens of the factory work should be supplied.

Judgment was given for plaintiffs in the following cases at the Resident Magistrate’s Court yesterday :—Henry Flookton v Charles Wooding, £8 17s 7d; E. Barber vA. McGeegan, £ls I7s 7d ; J. S. Prenderville v W. N. Jacobs, £4 16s; J. Hofmeister v W. Millbrandt, £5 0s 6d • James Thompson v Samuel Hunter, £1; A. Rickman vJ. Quin, £4 I7s ; United Importers Co. v M. Oakley, £l9 Is lOd; National Insurance Co. vA. Macdonald, £7 9s. In judgment summonses orders were made as follows : Hislop and Co. v R. G. Toulson, £7 16s 4d, order for payment in 14 days, in default 14 days’ imprisonment; Jacobowitch vG. B. Thornhill, order for payment in 14 days, in default 14 days’ imprisonment.

An ordinary meeting of the Hutt County Council was held on Wednesday morning. The principal business was the consideration of a motion made in pursuance of notice, by Councillor Wakeham, to the effect that the Chairman’s allowance for travelling expenses should not exceed £SO per annum (the present allowance being £75). Councillor Falkner seconded the motion. In answer to a question in the course of a discussion which ensued, the Chairman (Councillor Perkins) said his experience of the office showed that travelling expenses amounted to more than £SO per annum. He expressed an opinion that according to the Act the Council would have to pay up to £IOO, if vouchers were produced. The motion was eventually carried without dissent. The Chairman was authorised to take legal advice as to what roads were country roads within the meaning of the Act, There are several instances on record of persons seeing, in a dream, a race result just as it subsequently does result. Of these one of the most notable was the dream oE the owner of Nimblefoot, winner of the Melbourne Cup of 1870. A more recent instance, however, is reported. On Monday a gentleman well known in Wellington sporting circles reported—confidentially to one or two friends—that he had dreamt overnight that Deceiver had won the Criterion Stakes at the C. J. C. Metropolitan meeting. He saw the colors of the jockey, he said, and heard people talking about the horse winning. This gentleman left for Christchurch by the Mararoa on Monday, and dulv backed his dream. As the horse won the' race and paid a handsome dividend the prophetic dreamer has no doubt made a haul from what is certainly a very remarkable coincidence.

With reference to a motion by Mr Reese, passed at a former meeting of the Land Board, suggesting that maps should bn posted upafc the several post offices showing the whole of the Crown lands not yet disposed of, a letter was receiver! at yesterday s meeting of the Board from the Under-Secre-tary for Crown lands, which stated that the suggestion had received the careful consideration of the Department, and that the Minister of Lauds thought the expense of the proposed maps would be very considerable ; that if introduced into one districtothers would ask for the same privilege, which would make the cost enormous, as the maps would require revision from time to time The letter pointed out that what the public are most interested in is the lands which are open for sale, and as these are not sold before survey, it is considered that ample publicity is given in the lithographs and advertisements as at present issued. Any additional information would only perplex the ordinary class of selectors. The Board rei solved to see the Minister with regard to thQ matter.