Untitled

New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 4161, 22 July 1874, Page 2

The weather in Wellington during the past two days has been bitterly cold and "blowy," with an unseasonable accompaniment in tho form of clouds of dust along the chief lino of street. Strangers have naturally been oxcited into expressions, strong* and severe, as to the amenities of Wellington, but it has to bo reniombored that throughout tho whole Colony weather of an exceptionally severe character is Vicing experienced. In Otago and Canterbury tho snow-fall km heavier than has

been Been for many years, and even from the Thames in the far North, report comes of unusual cold and of the hills being Bnow-clad. It is worthy of notice that intimation of the probable occurrence of the present gales was timeously made by Captain Edwin, who practically represents the Commissioner of Customs in the work of communicating information with regard to meteorological changes for the benefit of the maritime interest. The funeral of the late Captain Cleland took place yesterday. The remains of the deceased gentleman were conveyed to their resting-place in the Hutt cemetery, and were there buried with military honors, and with many marks of respect for his memory,V The City Volunteers, including the Artillery, Veterans, and Scottish corps, under the command of Colonel Reader, and a detachment of the Armed Constabulary, proceeded to the Hutt by mid-day train, for the purpose of being present at the funeral. The Hutt Rifles constituted the. firing party. The Volunteers present numbered in all about 150. In the procession there were many old settlers, among whom were, Hia Honor the Superintendent, Messrs. Bunny and Andrew, M.H.R. for Wairarapa, Messrs. Borlase, Buckley, and Ludlam, M.P.C., and there was a large attendance of other gentlemen both from town and country. No doubt, owing to the short notice of the funeral, and the extreme inclemency of the weather, with a snow-fall on the heights of the Rimutaka, the officers and members of the Wairarapa Volunteer corps were prevented from attending. Notwithstanding, the attendance at the funeral was very large, and fully indicated the respect in which the deceased had been held. Accompanying the procession was the Artillery band, led by Bandmaster Cemino, under whose leadership they jJayed, very effectively, the Dead March in "Saul," and " AdesteFideles." The Volunteers and civilians from the City returned by the evening train, the former marching to their several places of rendezvous. The day was one of the most boisterous that has been experienced for some time, and, but for that circumstance, the procession would probably have been the largest that has attended any funeral in this Province for a long time past. Some local experiments in the application of water to mechanical uses are described by a correspondent. He first mentions the working of a miniature construction for the purpose of melting metals. The melting, as we understand him, has been done in a very short space of time, and a casting of ornamental figures was produced ; the effect being procured by the use of water-power. This was at Mr. Ballinger's. He speaks also of a self-acting twin tubular blowing machine, prepared by one of our leading local engineers, to be used as a blast in lieu of blacksmiths' bellows—a very economical invention. He notices further an improved self-acting cellar punip, capable of raising water from a depth of 21ft., a specimen of which is at work at the Criterion Hotel, and which, for utility and simplicity, is said to be unsurpassed. Wellington cabs have not hitherto been a credit to the skill or the taste of coach-builders. They have rather been a subject of much satirical criticism. There have lately, however, been some signs of improvement in this particular, and one of these is thus noticed by a correspondent :—We had to-day the pleasure of inspecting a new vehicle built by Mr. K. W. Watson, of the Union Coach Factory, Ghuznee Street, which, for shape and comfort, is a wonderful improvement on the old style. In fact, it has quite the appearance of a private carriage, the painting, glass gilding, and general finish being very tastefully executed. The door panel is ornamented with a coat of arms emblematical of the advancement of Wellington. At the Resident Magistrate'sCourtyesterday, the man Phillips, who was arrested some days ago on a charge of assaulting and obstructing the crew of the ship Weymouth, was brought up, and as the charge was fully proved by the evidence, he was sentenced to four weeks' imprisonment with hard labor. Edward Crawley, for being drunk, and illegally on the premises of Mr. Edmundson, was fined ss. ; in default, 24 hours' imprisonment. A case against J. Mitchell, for allowing his chimney to get into such a foul state that it took fire, was dismissed with a caution. John Webb, for vagrancy, was accommodated with a month's retirement from the cares and vicissitudes of the outer world. The only civil case that came before the Court was Cleland v. Stotter, £l6, in which an order was made for the amount and costs. Other cases set down for hearing were settled out of Court. An addition to the number of wholesale places of business in Wellington is shortly to be made by the opening of a soft goods' house by a firm in which Mr. J. S. M. Thompson, formerly of Greymouth, is a partner. Members of the firm arrived yesterday by the steamers Claud Hamilton. Noticing the departure of Mi'. Thompson, from Greymouth, the Argus says : —" One of those agreeable gatherings which are enjoyable at the time of their occurrence, and leave grateful remembrances behind them, took place at the Melbourne Hotel ou Monday evening. The occasion was the meeting of a number of the friends and well-wishers of Mr. J. S. M. Thompson, late of the firm of Thompson, Smith, and Barkley, of Greymouth, who is about leaving the district to enter into extensive commercial transactions at Wellington. The company, which numbered between thirty and forty, included most of the leading business and professional men of the town, besides several of the principal officials, and the banking interest was well represented. Mr. Gilbert King, manager of the Bank of New South Wales, was in the chair; Mr. W. H. Revell, the Resident Magistrate, occupied the vice-chair. The arrival and character of the immigrants who were transhipped from the Waikato to the Luna, and landed at New Plymouth, seem to have given much satisfaction in Taranaki, and the News, in connection therewith, contributes the following item of Provincial history :—" On January 23, 1843, the ship Essex, 329 tons, commanded by Captain Oakley, arrived in our roadstead from Plymouth. She brought two sons of Colonel Aubrey in her cabin, and 114 immigrants in her steerage. With the exception of a few passengers at intervals, and of soldiers and sailors' in time of war, no bucli a supply of population has since been poured upou our shores till the 11U immigrants, transhipped from the Waikato, arrived by the Luna on Wednesday last." An addition to the correspondence with the General Assembly has been published. It consists of memoranda by the Minister for Public Works relating to the shipment of railway and other plant, and exhibits the anxiety of the Minister to obtain supplies, and to promote the execution of public works as expeditiously as possible. As a proof of the great demand for building in Wellington, persons have only to read the shipping columns for some dates back, when they must be struck with the immense quantity of timber delivered by the small craft trading to this port. Still the demand seems greater than the supply, as each consignment is rapidly taken up. We are indebted to the courtesy of the proprietors of the Wairarapa Standard for early copies of the evidence at the inquest as to the death of Captain Cleland, held at Featkerston on Saturday, but in consequence of other engagements . on our space wo are unable at present to furnish the whole particulars, thus supplied, of the melancholy accident by which Captain Cleland lost his life. The Theatre Royal will bo re-opened this evening for dramatic performances by a company which has been preceded by good repute, gained most recently in the Provinces of Otago and Canterbury. The company includes a talented lady of ten years of age, not thirteen, as has been stated—Miss Rosa Towers ; and with her are Miss Raymond, Mrs. Towers, Mr. Towers, Mr. Thorpe, and those now almost ancient favorites, Mr. Burford and Mr. J. P. Hydes. " The Waif of the Streets" is the play to be performed. Several articles, letters, and items of news are unavoidably omitted from our present issue. The ordinary fortnightly meeting of the City Council is appointed to be held at 4 p.m. on Thursday next.

We acknowledge receipt of a copy of The Te Aro Reclamation Bill, the purpose of which is to provide for the reclamation of the foreshore at Te Aro, in the City of Wellington, and to enable the Corporation to raise a sum of £150,000. At_ the request of the writer we publish, as a favor, the following letter, addressed to the editor of the Wanganui Herald : —" Sin,—My attention having been directed to one or more articles published in the Wanyarmi Herald, reflecting on myself as Chief Surveyor of the Province of Wellington, I beg you will afford me the privilege of saying that I cheerfully court the fullest inquiry in relation to the discharge of any official duties, either by the Provincial Executive or by the Provincial Council.—l am, &c, Henry Jackson, Chief Surveyor." The Secretary of Customs (Marine ißranch) has received from Mr. C. H. Robson a letter dated Cape Campbell, July 10th, which reports a circumstance suggestive of the likelihood of another wreck having occurred on these shores. The letter, of which a copy has been forwarded to us, is as follows :—" Sir, —It is to be feared that another wreck has taken place in this neighborhood. When on my way home from Elaxbourne, yesterday, I found on the beach, two miles south of the lighthouse, about thirty feet of the lower end of the mast of some small vessel. It is quite sound, and has not been long in the water, having only a few very small' barnacles on it ; it is about twelve inches in diameter ; from the keel to where it passed through the deck, eight feet ; and from the deck to the broken part, about twenty feet.— I have, &c, (Signed) C. H. Robson."