MISCELLANEOUS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 998, 17 April 1891, Page 37

MISCELLANEOUS.

Mr M. Farley is gazetted as Postmaster at Khandallab. The boy Matthews, who caused his friends some anxiety as to his whereabouts, was found yesterday week and handed over to his parents, who reside at the Hutt. The Hon the minister for Defence left Wellington on Friday, en route for Auckland, to attend a meeting of the Executive Council to be presided over by His Excellency the Governor. The Government has, it is stated, received intimation that several candidates are coming forward for the Te Aroha seat. Ministtrs have been informed that the feeling in the dietriot is strongly in favour of the Government. There was a meeting of the Cabinet yesterday week, there beiug present—The Hona the Premier, the Minister ‘of Lands, the Minister of Public Works, and the Attorney-General. Only routine business was, it is understood, discussed, and nothing of importance occurred. The Columbia Elite Skating Rink is now in fall swing, after being closed for the summer. The management have wisely decided to continue the ladies’ free invitations on Friday evenings.

A meeting of the Kennel Club was held at the Waverley Hotel last week. Piesent— Messrs W. P. Morris (in the chair), Rogan, Rogers, Dyer, Cook, Osborne, Clater, Poole, THggs, Percy, and Tuokey. The principal business was to make-'arrangements for printing and compiling the catalogues. M r W. H. Day was elected secretary, and Mr Triggs treasurer. It was decided that the Show be held on the sth and 6th of June next, A large committee was formed to make the necessary arrangements,* and from the amount of enthusiasm displayed by those present there appears to be every piobability of the Kennel Club having a good Show,

In connection with the aotion to be taken to test the validity of the appointment of Judge Edwards, we learn thst Mr H. B. Vogel, who is acting for the prisoner John Aldridge, will not now move for a writ of habeas corpus as was at first intended, for the reason that if he did so before showing that the Judge was not proper'y appointed, the return of the gaoler to the writ would be sood on the face of it, as it would show that the prisoner was detained under a warrant signed by a Judge of the Supreme Court. As it will be necessary to skew that the person signing the warrant for the committal of the prisoner is not a judge, Mr Vogel intends to apply for a writ of quo warranto against Mr Justice Ed war Is, jailing upon his Honor to show by what »uthority he comes to exercise the office of a judge of the Supreme Court. If successful n this motion Mr Vogel will then apply for i writ of habeas corpus. The motion will be irgued at the next sitting of the Supreme Jonrt in banco, after the return of the Chief Justice from Nelson. '■ .

There waß a large attendance of the public ju Sunday afternoon to witness the performice of the Kaiwara Brass Band on the horndon Esplanade. The programme indeied was that published last week, and le several items were excellently performed ader the conductorship of Bandmaster imino, whose efforts were well rewarded by le enthusiastic applause given at the end ! each number. A collection was made in d of the “ Arbor Day ” fund, and the sum : £2 8s 2d received, which, with the amount ready in hand for this object, makes £IS Id. Next Sunday one of the town bands ill probably give a performance at Newtown i aid of the same fund.

I The Minister for Public Works has received an invitation from the Directors of the Puhlpuhl Mining Company to be present at the opening of the new battery at the end of the present month. Mr Seddon will accept the invitation if he possibly can. A deputation from the Council of the Chamber of Commerce, consisting of the President (Mr J. Duncan), Vice-President (Mr T. J. W. Gale), Messrs J. Duthie and T. K. Macdonald, M.H.B.’s, have been appointed to wait upon the Premier for the purpose of laying before him the views of the Chamber with reference to the vexed question of bills of lading. At the meeting of the Trades Council last week a letter was read from the Auckland Trades and Labour Council suggesting that an effort should be made to get an Act introduced next session under which abattoirs and slaughtering establishments should be placed under Government inspection. A special committee was appointed to consider the present Act with a view to suggesting amendments therein. Mi s Katharine Hardy, the accomplished alnd favourite local -soprano singer, left by the s.s. Tekapo last week for Sydney, on her way to Melbourne, where she intends entering on a musical career. Her numerous admirers in Wellington and other parts of this Colony where she has sung so successfully, while regretting her loss to the Hew Zealand musical world, will heartily wish her success in her new sphere. The Chief Justice and Mr Justice Conolly have forwarded their report on the Te Aroha Election Petition to the Speaker of the House of Representatives. Their Honours decide upon the suspension of Mr Allen from Parliamentary candidature for -the space of twelve months, but the new writcannot be issued until the House meets. It is understood that Mr Fraser, on whose petition Mr Allen was unseated, will not again contest the seat. The City Council have accepted tenders for the annual contracts as follows :—General supplies—J. Duthie and Co. (accepted), S£- per cent, off schedule prices ; Stewart aod Co., 7J per cent. ; E. W. Mills and Co., 6£ per cent. English cement—J. Duthie and Co. (accepted), 15s per barrel ; E. W. Mills and Co , 15s lid per barrel. Colonial cement—Milburn Lime Co. (accepted), 15s 3d per barrel, with per cent, discount; E. W. Mills ani Co., 15s 6d per barrel. A letter from Mr G. Baxter was read at the Trades and Labour Council last week with reference to the “Mokau Co operative Coal Mining Company, asking what they should do to secure the support of the Council. It was decided that the Secretary should give the Council’s view in respect to this matter, which was that the Company should be placed under the Industrial and Provident Societies' Act of 1577, if the support of the Trades and Labour Councils was to be obtained. Torpedoman Cornwall is now out of danger and was well enough on Saturday to permit of his evidence being taken by the Coroner in the presence of the jury. His many friends will be pleased to hear that though the injuries to his bead and face were most serious, he will not be disfigured. His hands, ths flesh of which was nearly all blown away, are still in a very tender state, and it will be some time before he can use them. The fact that no less than 46 wound marks aie on his body will give a good idea of the fearful injuries he received and the wonderful escape he has had. Dr. Cahill is still unremitting in his care and attention to him. . a ... The Rev L. M. Isitt, Wesleyan minister, well known during his ministrations here as organiser of the Saturday night free concerts, continued his labours In .the cause of., temperance at his new circuit at Sydenham, Christchurch. During the three years ho has been stationed there he has worked with his well-known zeal in the same cause. During the paßt year both find prohibitionists.have been organising for ..the fray. The excitement of late has been very great and feeling high. On Friday the matter culminated in the victory for the prohibition candidates ;for -the Licensing Bench by a majority of 200 votes. This, we believe, is the, greatest success the temperance party have achieved in New Zealand.

An informal meeting of creditors in the estate of T. H. Hill, horse trainer, was held yesterday week. There were only two creditors present, Messrs Caatendyke and Focke (£55 15s lOd) and J. Mandel (£2O). The Official Assignee presided. The debtor presented a written statement which set forth that the immediate oanse of his bankruptcy was the pressure of a judgment creditor for the sum of £l4 12a. Being the bread winner for six children and having no means to satisfy the judgment he was obliged to file. For the last seven months he had kept the Island Bay Hotel, but this bad proved a most unprofitable business. The trade defended upon line weather particularly on Sundays and holidays, and during his term of occupation there had been no less than 13 consecutive wet Sun-

At the Meeting of the Trades and Labour Council last week the following letter was read from the Secretary, Mr T. J, Honghton, of the Trades and Labour Counoil of New South Wales :—“ Dear Sir, —In reply to your communication suggesting that onr Council should take the initiative in according a public “ send-off ” to Sir George Grey on the occasion of his leaving Sydney, I have to inform you that in the present feeble state of Sir George Grey’s health, it is deemed inadvisable by my Council to take any action calculated*to excite the feelings of that revered statesman. I might inform your Council that Sir George was invited to attend one of our meetings, and we made preparations for his reception, but at the last moment he replied that his health was such as to deny him the pleasure it would