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New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 4172, 4 August 1874, Page 2

We have received, through the Press Telegraph Agency, a lengthy telegram purporting to describe what had appeared in an Auckland paper, as from a private correspondent in Wellington, regarding the proceedings before the Parliamentary Committee appointed to inquire into charges made by Judge Ward against Mr. Justice Chapman, and into the publication of telegrams which had passed between Judge Ward and the Premier. The “ private correspondent” of the Auckland paper pretends to narrate the statements made by Judge Ward before the Select Committee, to give his answers to questions put in the course of his examination, and to describe the demeanor of some of the members of the Committee. Accepting the information thus supplied as being altogether unusual and if not also a breach of privilege, we naturally decline to republish it. The following are the motions on the notice paper of the Legislative Council for this day : —Dr. Pollen to move, For leave to introduce a Bill intituled an Act to enlarge the powers of Municipal Councils, to make by-laws for the regulation of hackney carriages and borough stage carriages, and for other purposes. Mr. Menzies : That it is expedient that the railway 5 bridge over the River Mataura at Gore be planked over, so as to be available for foot passengers. .Dr. Pollen : For leave to introduce a Bill intituled an Act to validate the proceedings constituting the Borough of Westport under the Municipal Corporations Act, 1867, and other Acts and proceedings consequent thereon. Captain Fraser : That the proposition or offer of Mr. Wedenhouse, inventor of the atmospheric railway break, which has been submitted to the Government by Mr. Thomas Russell, be laid on the table. Mr. Mantell: That there be laid upon the table, copies of all papers connected with Native reserves, sections 80 and 90, in the City of Wellington ; the former proposal to leave them to the Board of Ordnance; and their recent sale for £BOO, as reported by the Commissioner of Native Reserves. Mr. Mantell : That there be laid upon the table, copies of all minutes, memoranda, and reports of the Chief Judge and other Judges of the Native Lauds Court upon the provisions and operation of the Native Lands Act, 1873. Mr. Hart ; That it be an instruction to the House Committee to inquire and report upon the means in use for ventilating the Legislative Council Chamber. Notices of the following questions, to be put in the House of Representatives to-day, have been given by the members named : —Mr. Brandon : For what political reasons the grant of a piece of land on the Wawhiue River, in the Province of Wellington, called Ahikouhe South, to Matiaha and certain other Natives, who are declared by certificate of the Chief Judge of the Native Land Court to be the true owners thereof, is withheld from them ? Mr. Murray : How much of the expenditure of £729,403 I6s. 5d., mentioned in the statement for permanent way and rolling stock in England and New Zealand, was incurred under tender ? Have the lowest tenders always been accepted? If not, in how many cases declined, and why ? Mr. Murray : Where in the public accounts is to be found a statement of the £20,000 worth of Port Chalmers Railway Debentures which it was intimated in a former session had been purchased ? Mr. O’Neill: When arrangements will be commenced .by New Zealand, New South Wales, and Queensland for the construction of an electric cable between New Zealand and New South Wales, and from Normautown in Queensland to Singapore, in terms of agreement now ratified by the Parliaments of the three Colonies 1 At the termination of the business at the Resident Magistrate's Court yesterday, three men who were some time since convicted of broaching the cargo of the ship Golden Sea, and who had just been discharged from gaol, asked His Worship if he had “ given instructions to the captain of the ship to go away without giving them their wages or clothes.” The Magistrate replied that he certainly had not given such instructions, nor was it likely he would. “Then perhaps, Mr. Crawford, your Honor, you'd tell us what we’d better do? The captain’s gone away with . the ship,” pleaded the spokesman of the party. “Oh ! yes,” responded His Worship naively, “I should say you’d better pay a lawyer six and eightpence, and get his opinion on the matter. I can’t advise on these things myself.”. The anxious “ immigrants” didn't look highly delighted, and left the Court. .

A late Dunedin telegram reported that Mr. John Brooks had been lost in the snow near that city. It was a mistake. Mr. Brooks has since returned to his home.

A meeting of the Wellington Jockey Club was held at the Empire Hotel, last night, E. Pearce, Esq., in the chair. The programme for the December meeting was finally settled, and it will be announced in a few days. The ordinary general meeting of the Port Nicholson Mining Investment Company (Limited), advertised to be held last evening, did not take place owing to the shareholders not mustering in sufficient force to form a quorum. It may be worth mentioning, now that the coming transit of Venus is attracting general attention, that the first observer of that interesting phenomenon was Jeremiah Harrox > an Englishman. A memorial recording the fact and commemorating his name is about to be erected in. Westminster Abbey. While the hon. member for Rangitikei and his friends are rejoicing over the breaking out of the rum-crusade mania in Dundee and somewhere in Glasgow, it may interest them to read the following from the New York Herald of a date early in June “ The temperance crusade in Hudson county has fizzled out. The chief apostle of the crusade, Walter Woods, was expelled from one of the Central Railroad cars yesterday, at the request of the passengers, for persisting in annoying them on the subject.”

It has been reported, but we can scarcely believe it to be true, that the night-carts of the City are now emptied on the Te Aro beach, near the mouth of the large drain which pours its filth into the harbor not far from the baths. Those ,who travel that way in the small hours of the morning declare that when the mud is in the north-west the air is loaded with proofs that the “wha wants me” men of the City have been busy. The great objection to any proposed or practical system of drainage of the City hitherto has been that the discharge of the sewage of the town intothe harbor seemed to b» inevitable ; but that objection can no longer be tenable. The drains of the town, such as they are, all debouch in the harbor; and in the late heavy floods have carried down immense quantities of dirt, filth, apd rubbish into the waters of th 6 harbor. The nightmen have now capped the business, and removed the last difficulty in the way of considering a plan for the sewage and drainage of Wellington. Either the present arrangement by which the foreshore of Te Aro is abused, or the consideration of the sewage of Wellington, should once more engage the attention of the City Council at their first meeting. The people of Wellington will scarcely require to be reminded that a bazaar will commence in the Odd Fellows’ Hall this day, and will be continued to-morrow and Thursday, the proceeds to be devoted to extinguishing _ the debt of St. Peter’s Church, Te Aro, It is to be the weather will not prove so inauspicious as it has been for the last two days. The ladies who have taken the matter in hand have labored most assiduously in the good cause, and the elegant productions of their industry have been richly supplemented by contributions from their fair friends' at home, of articles so tasteful and elegant, that they really must be seen to be appreciated. Last night “ all hands ” were busy in preparing for the business of to-day. A correspondent at Masterton, who signs himself “ Ratepayer,” writes to us complaining of the manner in which a number of works are being carried out under the Masterton Highway Board. His complaints and criticism particularly refer to the engineering skill, or absence of engineering skill, displayed in connection with the works which he describes. His reflections, however, are such that we should not be warranted in publishing them. His remedy, as a ratepayer, he can best obtain at the election of members of the Board.

The attendance at the Theatre Royal last night was only moderate, but the fact of there being even a moderate house in such weather as we have experienced during the greater part of the time that the present company have been performing, speaks volumes in their favor. Miss Rosa Towers appeared in the piece entitled “ A Little Devil,” and ‘ his Satanic Majesty, as represented by her, appeared anything but the repulsive personage we are led to believe he is ; on the contrary, it gave one a desire to know and converse with such a captivating little deviL There is really very little in the play, but what little there is was very cleverly made the most of by Miss Rosa, Mr. Burford, and the ever-amusing Mr. Hydes, on whom most of the work devolved. Between the pieces some clever dancing was exhibited by Mr. Beda, the one-legged dancer, and a member of the company who danced a sailor’s hornpipe capitally, though this style of entertainment seems rather out of place in a dramatic company. “ The Bonnie Fishwife” is a character that decidedly shows Miss Jessie Raymond’s ability, which is of no mean order, to great advantage, and she plays it so charmingly that it is to be hoped the piece will be again put on the stage before the company close their season, so that a larger audience may have the opportunity of witnessing what is certainly one of the best played pieces that have been put before the public by the present company. Mr. Towers is a fund of humour in himself; and as “ Gaiters,” in the piece in question, he was immense. To-night, Miss Rosa Towers takes a benefit, and this announcement should be sufficient in itself to fill the house to overflowing, as only a fair recognition of the treat which that talented little lady has given the play-going residents of the place ; but an additional inducement is announced in the intended presence of His Excellency the Governor and Lady Fergusson. There will, no doubt, be a bumper house. A large number of American “pilgrims” have lately been in Rome, which appears to be now becoming as much an object of attraction to the faithful as Jerusalem was to the early Christians, and as Mecca is to the Mahommedans. The English pilgrims were content « with a railway journey into France, and a stay for a few days in the locality in which a modem miracle was supposed to have occurred, or at the shrine of some mediaeval saint. The American pilgrims had among their number some “leading members of the Society for the Promotion of Catholic Interests in the United States. ” They “pilgrixned” direct to the Vatican, and they were most warmly received by His Holiness. Cardinals, Bishops, and Princes vied in welcoming them, and praising . their zeal and courage. The devotees left Rome on the 20th of June, to return to America. Soon after their arrival they presented His Holiness with a hundred thousand dollars in gold, and a coffer of nuggets of gold, from American mines, in their pure state. A correspondent of the New Zealand Herald makes a suggestion for the consideration of members of the House of Representatives in dealing with the Licensing Bilk He says ; “It has often occurred to me that were the licensed houses compelled to supply a cup of tea over the bar at the same rate that they sell a glass of. beer, many, frequently, would prefer this to the stronger drink. To settlers, and carters especially, it would be a great boon ; for nature must be sustained, and they are frequently on the road for many hours together, and are almost compelled to enter a public-house. lam fully aware that tea can be procured by going into the coffee-room ; but many can neither afford the time to wait its being got ready, nor the expense, for if it is called for you are charged at the same rate you can obtain a meal. I venture to offer these suggestions to the framer of the present Bill under discussion in the House of Representatives, that the proprietors should be compelled to provide tea and sandwiches over the bar at a reasonable rate, and I feel assured there are many who would be grateful if this small luxury could be obtained." The editor of the Herald is heretic enough to say, “We should be sorry to swallow the tea that would be served up under compulsion at a country hotel. We would rather suffer under their beer.” " •

An. attempt is being made to breed and rear sheep on Stewart’s Island. Messrs. Baird and Scott shipped some 600 or 600 sheep by the brigantine Sarah Pile at Riverton, but meantime have disembarked them, in consequence of the severity of the weather.

One of the heaviest south-easterly gales experienced here this winter, severe as the weather throughout has been, is now passing away. Alter the fine calm weather of Saturday, a breeze set in from the north-west on Sunday, and gradually increased in strength, with a drenching rainfall all the afternoon and night, with scarcely a moment’s intermission. Before sunset the aspect of the clouds was not promissing, and the weather was thick —so thick that a bad night was inevitable for any vessel that might be in the Strait. About midnight the wind suddenly shifted round to the south-east, from which quarter it began to blow with rapidly increasing violence. The waters in Port Nicholson were greatly disturbed, and it was evident from the sweE that a heavy sea was raging outside. Throughout the night it blew very hard, with heavy rain, and aU through the day, and tiU a late hour last night, it continued to rage with unabated fury. At daylight a fine large ship was seen at anchor off Pipitea Point, and when Pilot Holmes came ashore it' was ascertained that the vessel was the Conflict, from London, with a large number of immigrants on board. The pEot had boarded the ship on the previous evening, and had beat her up to the anchorage Inside the barrier, where she was anchoredWhen flie wind shifted, however, so heavy a sea set in, rising rapidly, that it was deemed prudent, as the anchor could not be weighed, to slip the cable. An anchor and sixty fathoms of chain were thus lost; .but Pilot Holmes was able, although neither the light on Pencarrow nor that on Somes Island could be seen, to bring the ship safely to anchor. About noon, supplies of fresh beef and vegetables were sent off, although with difficulty. The brigantine, Kate Brain, outward bound in resumption of her original voyage, returned to an anchorage off HalsweE Point, where '.she was lying at sundown. HALS. Blanche sent down her topgallant masts and yards, and made all snug, at an early period of the gale. PEot Holmes reports that a barque, apparently an American, was near enough to the harbor entrance on Sunday evening to signal with bluelights and otherwise for a pEot, but being on board the ship he was unable to respond to them. This morning nothing could be seen of the barque, and in all probability she has been blown through the Strait before the south-easter; The telegraph wires have ’again been interfered with, and last night the fine was down between WeEington and the Hutt, stopping communication ■with the North. The season is proving itself remarkable for the severity of the weather, and especiaEy as regards the quantity of rain which has fallen. It has also been severe, however, aE round the South Island, and the complaints at Melbourne and Hobart Town are the same as here.

It is our painful duty to record a fatal accident, which happened to Mr. Janies Carter on Saturday last, at Paramatta, in the Pahautanui district, while falling some bush. The particulars to hand are these ;-a-Tho deceased, with six others, agreed to fall certain bush for Mr. Walker, and on the day of the accident they went to work as usual. They had been at work about an hour when the deceased met with the accident white clearing a tree that had lodged in another. It appears that, seeing the danger as soon as the tree cracked, he tried to get away, but, his foot,slipping, the tree fell on him, smashing completely the hip joint. He was extricated from his position by the others, two of his brothers being of the number, and carried three miles to the house of Mr. Walker, where he lingered six hours, being conscious to the last. Dr. Taylor had been immediately sent for, but gave no hopes of his recovery. His loss will be felt very much, of course, by his own family, and also by his fellow settlers and a large circle of friends. He was a member of the Pahautanui Company of Porirua Volunteers, who, no doubt, will pay their tribute of respect to his memory by their presence at his funeral. As medical aid was called, there was no necessity for a Coroner’s inquest. Referring to the anti-nun crusade, the Alta California, says :—“ On general principles, everything that partakes of the character of revenge should be frowned down. A crowd of fanatic husbands have broken loose in Wisconsin and are crusading the milliners, praying and begging them not to deal out to their wives and daughters the intoxicating Spring bonnet 'and the ravishing pork-pie hat, with ribbons on a side-dish.”

A meeting of trustees of Greytown was held in the Wairarapa Institute on the 31st ult. Present : Messrs. Haines, Walker, Gallagher, Dr. Smith, and Mr. Lucas (chairman.) The minutes of the last meeting were read and confirmed. A letter was read from Mr. Sheet, naming the sum of £lO 10s. as terms on which he would peg off town belt sections in blocks as leased to the various lessees. It was resolved that Mr. Sheet’s offer, dated July 10th, to survey town belt sections (never before surveyed) should be accepted, provided he agreed to commence with No. 4 and leave off at No. 53 inclusive, placing pegs for each section; the secretary to write Mr. Skeet to this effect. It was resolved that, considering the Education Board has had the use gratis of the Greytown Public Hall for above nine months, the trustees have. decided to carry into effect the month’s notice to quit previously given. It was also resolved that tenders be invited by the chairman for the supply of twelve seats with backs, and twelve seats without backs, for the Town Hall. The chairman was authorised to arrange with Mr. Braggins to take charge of the Town Hall, and it was agreed that notice be- given to the Greytown quadrille club to discontinue using the Town Hall. The meeting then adjourned. The births registed in Wellington Borough in July were 45, the highest number for any month since January, when-they amounted to 77. The deaths in the Borough in July numbered 11,.the smallest number for any one month this year; in June they were 19. Of the deaths, 4 were of males, and 7 of females; 3 infants died, one from premature birth and one from diarrhoea; one child of five years of age died from endocarditis (inflammation of the membrane of the heart). The other deaths were of adults, of whom one, a female, died at seventy-five years of age, from old age. Of the total deaths, eight were caused by local diseases, viz., three deaths from diseases of the nervous system, two from diseases of the organs of circulation (including the child of five years of age); one from disease of the respiratory system, and two from diseases of the digestive organs. There was only one death from diarrhcca and not any death from fever or other zymotic disease. In one of its series of articles on state forestry, the Otago Daily Times remarks : “It is in the direction of forest creation that we see the probability of th’s huge success. Although every one who has studied the subject is impressed with the certain profitableness of forest planting, few are able, and still fewer willing, to sink large sums of money in an investment which is likely to reserve its profits for his children rather than return them to himself. Thus this class of enterprise stands out from among the ordinary methods of investment as one which may, like our railways and telegraphs, be taken up by the State without injury to individuals.” A Philadelphia car-wheel maker, named Asa Whitney, lately died there leaving a largo fortune. By his will he left fifty thousand dollars to the University of Philadelphia, for the endowment of a Professorship of dynamical engineering ; twenty thousand dollars to the Old Men’s Horae, ten thousand dollars to St. Luke's Church, Pennsylvannia, for a pastor’s house, and two thousand five hundred dollars for a chapel; and five thousand dollars to the Children’s Seaside Homo at Atlantic City. , We find the following obituary notice in the clerical intelligence of the Home News of the 2nd of June last; —“The death is announced of the Kev. John Jordan, Vicar of ChurchEnstone, Oxon. Mr. Jordan, who graduated at Clare College, Cambridge, in 1820, was ordained in the follpwing year. In 1840 he was appointed to the living of Enstone, which is worth about £350, with house, and is in the gift of Viscount Dillon.”. Sir William Martin, formerly of this Colony, is now on a visit to the United States. In June he was registered as an inmate of Astor House, New York,

An opera is nothing now-a-days unless it is Italian. The good old story of “Kip Van Winkle ” h aa been turned into opera by a clever American composer, George F. Bristow, but to propitiate the opinion of his highly trained patrons, he has named it “ Tin Sonno di Vent Anui.” It is about to be brought out in Melbourne : so, at least, we learn from New York. AUCKLAND. A serious case of assault, lately reported from Auckland, appears to have occurred on board the brig Syren. A seaman on board the ship Miltiades was accommodated for .the night on board the brig by the steward. The sailor was accompanied by one of the female immigrants. Jealousy appears to have arisen between the two men about this woman, and the sailor, it is alleged, El-treated the steward, who, in revenge, or defence, seized a tomahawk and struck the sailor (Geo. Joslyn) on the leg, inflicting a flesh wound. The steward, whose name is James FarreE, has since been committed for trial. The joint committee of the Auckland City Council and insurance companies have decided to accept the application of Mr. John Hughes, of Dunedin, for the appointment of Superintendent of the Fire Brigade. The terms under which he is now offered the office are thus stated by the Herald ;—Twelve months appointment, or so long as he shaE continue to give satisfaction, with three months’ notice to be given after the expiration of the first year. He will be required to form a volunteer fire brigade of not less than fifty men.- These men wiE be allowed remuneration when at work at fires at the rate of one shiEing per hour. He will be expected to take complete control of the brigade, and be held accountable for the efficiency of the same. He is also to keep the plant in first-class order and condition, and will be required to devote the whole of his time to the duties appertaining to the office. On Thursday, the 23rd ultimo, Dr. George Topp, who has resided at Waiuku for the last sixteen or seventeen years, expired very suddenly in the house of a man named Frederic Coverly. • The deceased, who was in his seventy-fourth year, having/been appointed Government Vaccinator, in the fulfilment of his duties has been taking an unusual amount of walking lately, and being feeble, owing to his age, and suffering from disease of the heart, he died so suddenly that it was necessary to hold an inquest. Alter taking evidence, the jury returned a verdict to the effect that he died from disease of the heart.