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New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 4190, 25 August 1874, Page 2

The division on Mr. Fitzherbert's motion, as amended by him, resulted thus—Ayes, 19 ; Noes, 45 ; and the member for Dunstan, who supported the Government in speech, retired when the division was taken. Air. Vogel's motion on the subject, raised by the discussion, was carried on the voices. The motions will be found in our Parliamentary report. The following was the second clause of Mr. Fitzherbert's resolutions as amended and proposed by him in the House yesterday :—" That in order to give effect to the fore-going resolution [as to the abolition of the Provincial form of Government in the North Island], a respectful address be presented to His Excellency praying him to dissolve the present Parliament after the Bill or Bills to be prepared to give effect to the resolutions shall have been submitted to this House, and before the same shall have been passed into law." A caucus of members of the Opposition was held yesterday. It was attended by eighteen members, and ten gentlemen who are not members. It was agreed that steps should be taken to form a New Zealand Constitutional Association, and a sum of some £4OO was subscribed to assist in stumping the Provinces, and spreading the principles of the Association by means of newspapers, pamphlets, &c The following brief biographical sketch of the Marquis of Normanby, who has been appointed successor to Sir James Fergusson as Governor of New Zealand, appears in "Men of the Time":—The Most Noble George Augustus Constantine Phipps, only son of the first Marquis, born 23rd July, 1819, entered the Scots Fusilier Guards in 1838, and was Controller and subsequently Treasurer of the Queen's Household from 1853 till 1858, when he was appointed Governor of Nova Scotia. As Lord Mulgrave, he was member for Scarborough in the Liberal intei'est from 1847 till | 1851, and from 1852 till 1857. He was sworn a Privy Councillor in 1851, and succeeded to his father's title 28th July, 1563, when he resigned his foreign appointment and returned to j England. Ho was appointed Captain of the Corps of Gentlemen-at-arms 17th December, 1869, and held that office till Bth April, 1871, when he was nominated Governor of Queensj land. In the House of Representatives yesterday, the Premier, in response to a question put by Sir J. C. Wilson, explained affairs relating to the San Francisco mail service, as far as these were in the knowledge of the Government. It appeared that at San Francisco a bailiff had boarded the s.s. Tartar, and prohibited her starting, because, being a vessel privately owned, the amount of her charter was not forthcoming. Security was given for this, and the vessel proceeded on her way, and made a fine ran. Sir J. C. Wilson, however, wished to know whether the next vessel from San Francisco, conveying the mail, would not be similarly visited, and the Premier stated that the agents of the two Colonies would be equal to such an emergency. But he had received telegraphic instructions that New Zealand mails should be forwarded via Suez until intimation should be given that the Pacific service had been properly organised. Further than this, the Premier was not in a position to say. We a,ve glad to see by an advertisement in another column that a want much felt in the district of Wellington is now supplied by the formation of the Wellington Stud Company. The Company is a private one, certain enterprising gentlemen having associated themselves together for the purpose of introducing a few of the best class of stud horses procurable. So far the company has been eminently successful, having purchased that celebrated racehorse Kakapo, winner of all the principal events in Canterbury and Nelson last season. Kakapo, judging from his aristocratic relations, must have in his veins the choicest strains of blood that we possess in New Zealand. The company has also imported the pure bred Clydesdale horse Young Lord Clyde. We hear he is a colossal specimen of his class ; and judging from his pedigree and prize-takings, liis stock should turn out second to none in the Colony. The company deserves success, and the people of the Hutt and neighborhood may be congratulated on their prospects in the way of horse-breedina. The s.s. Rangatira will not proceed further than Napier on her present trip, so that she may return with mails in time to catch the Tararua on Friday, with the outgoing Suez mail. Seven drunkards were fined at the Resident Magistrates Court yesterday. James Wheeler, who has been before the Court several times on a similar charge, was brought up for vagrancy, and remanded. The civil cases on the book, with the exception of one unimportant one, were settled out of Court. A special meeting of the Central Volunteer Fire Brigade was held in the side-room of the Odd Fellows' Hall last night, for the purpose of considering the tenders sent in for building a hook-aud-ladder carriage. Captain Moss occupied the chair, and explained to the meeting that several tenders had been received, between which there was not much difference in price. A Committee appointed for the purpose had spent some considerable time in discussing the tenders at a late meeting ; but as there was some difficulty in arriving at a conclusion, they '< had preferred to refer the matter to a general meeting, so that all members of the Brigade might tako part in the decision. After some little discussion the tender of Mr. Watson, for ! £63, was accepted. As there was no other business for transaction, the meeting then adjourned. Considering the very unpleasant weather last night the attendance at the Theatre Royal was very good. Mr. Loyal successfully performed his clever bycicle feat across the tight wire, amidst immense applause. Mdlle. Zuila repeated her act blindfolded across the same wire with her usual success, and the rest of the entertainment was well received and excellently performed. An after-piece which caused considerable laughter closed the evening's amusement. On. one or two occasions it has been necessary to complain "of the conduct of persons in the pit, and once of those in the stalls. This has generally been the effect of over-indulgcnco in drink; but such excuse cannot be urged for a certain Bet in the dresscircle, who last night, and on previous occasions lately, havo made themselves conspicuous—and ridiculous in the eyes of intelligent people —by hissing loudly whenever Mr. Turner sang in falsetto voice. Now, those who are competent of judging admire and applaud this particular part of the programme ; but those whose conduct is under notice are apparently much more competent to pronounce an opinion on the acquirements of a vulgar cad than on that of ft good vocalist, so Mr. Turner may take their marks of disapproval as a compliment. Still the practico is distasteful to the audience, and those who indulgo in it, for want of bettor means of attracting notice to their contemptible airs, should walk out during these songs if they cannot appreciate them- —or better still, to maintain the respectability of the dross circle, remain away altogether. Tonight Loyal adds to the sensation of the velocipede act by carrying Zuila over, on a trapeze suspended from the byciclo. A horso attached to a dray bolted opposite tho People's Fruit Mart yesterday afternoon, and proceeded at a rapid pace down Willis Street, into Custom House Street. As the ' animal was seon coming, the road was cleared with alacrity. On arriving opposito the Telegraph Office, one of the shafts.of the dray came in contact with a telegraph post, which effectually stayed the runaway's progress, and broke tho shafts. There was no performance at tho OddFellows' Hall last night.

Some persons have cause to be thankful that we have a police force. At the Resident Magistrate's Court, Dunedin, lately, a man named Daniel Stephenson was charged with drunkenness. When arrested he had a deposit receipt for £290 on him. He was let off with a caution. It is satisfactory to learn, as we do by telegram, that Nelson Province has proved readily capable of affording employment to the first ship-load of immigrants which it has received for many years. The immigrants by the Adamant have all found engagements, either in the neighborhood of Nelson, or on the West Coast, whither some of them had proceeded. A movement has lately been organised for establishing libraries in country districts of Hawke's Bay, in connection with the Napier Athenfeum, and lias, according to the Herald, been so far highly successful. Several applications have already been received, and others are expected to come in shortly. If the details as to the supply, interchange, and return of books are properly earned out, and subscriptions are regularly kept up, the nucleus of a good library in every country township will soon be established. The movement is one which is worthy of imitation in other parts of the Colony where similar institutions exist.