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New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 4245, 28 October 1874, Page 2

The Hon. the Commissioner of Customs, accompanied by Mr. Seed, were passengers from Onehunga to New Plymouth on the last trip of the Ladybird. During Tuesday (20th instant), says the Taranaki herald, Mr. Reynolds inspected the public buildings of the town; and next day he visited the Waitara, accompanied by his Honor the Superintendent (E. A. Carrington, Esq.), Mr. Parris, Mr. T. Kelly, and several other gentlemen. On their way, the party stopped at the proposed junction of the Waitara railway, at Sentry Hill, where it was agreed to set aside some twenty acres for a town site. It was proposed to go as far as the Mountain-road ; and then Mr, Reynolds would take his departure overland for Wellington, Mr. Parris proceeding with him as far as Hawera.

The brigantine Isabella, having completed her trips with water-pipes to the West Coast, is now being fitted up as a whaling vessel, and will proceed shortly on a cruise. We understand that she has been fitted out by Messrs. Krull and Co., and it need hardly be said that we wish them every success in their spirited enterprise. The time was when several vessels were sent home annually, loaded with oil and bone obtained from the shore stations on this coast; and we should be glad if our merchants were enabled to do bo again. The coasters frequently fall in with schools of whales, but they are unable to capture any fish from the want of proper appliances. We trust that the success which this vessel will meet with will be the means of inducing her owners to increase their fleet, and others to follow their example. The periodical sittings of the Circuit Court at Wanganui are gradually becoming as important, to the legal fraternity at least, as those of. the Empire City itself. Yesterday Mr. Travers and another eminent legal luminary left for the sister city to oppose each other in some important cases to be heard at the civil sittings of the Supreme Court there. It appears to be doubtful at present by what steamship the San Francisco mail is to be carried from Sydney and New Zealand. The information which has reached this colony officially is to the effect that the chartered steamer Macgregor will be the mail carrier ; but the Sydney papers to hand advertise the A.S.N. Company’s fine steamer City of Adelaide as being the vessel for the service. She was to leave Sydney at noon on the 24th instant, and may, therefore, be expected in Auckland on the 29th instant.

Preparations for extending the Colonial Museum according to the plans prepared by Mr. Clayton have been commenced. Yesterday a gang of men were busily employed excavating the ground, which is to be made level with the present footpath. Mr. Wm. Allen, for many years manager of the Wellington Trust and Loan Company, has formally tendered his resignation of that office. Mr. Lipman Levy, who performed the duties of the office during Mr. Allen’s absence, will henceforth control the business of the company, as managing director. In another column will be found the report and balance-sheet of the National Bank of New Zealand, for the past year, which was to be submitted to the annual meeting of the shareholders of the Bank, to be held in Loudon on the day of departure of the last mail via Brindisi The report, it will he observed, is of a satisfactory character.

An interesting game of billiards was played last night, on the table of the Empire Hotel. It was between Mr. Ames and Hr. Andrew Young, a game of 500 up, for a stake of some twenty pounds each. The game began at eight o’clock, in the presence of a large number of the friends of the players, and was concluded soon after eleven o’clock, when game was called—Mr. Ames 500, Mr. Young 450. There were no large breaks in the course of the game, the largest being one of twenty-five points by Mr. Ames. Towards dusk yesterday evening, the signalman on Mount Victoria made signals to the effect that there was a vessel in a dangerous position at the Heads, showing signals for assistance. It was soon afterwards ascertained that the vessel was the schooner Enterprise, of Wellington, a well-known East Coast trader. The only steam-vessel in port available was the p.s. Lyttelton, which was at once sent out to render what assistance might he in her power.

His Honor Judge Johnston was a passenger by the s.s. Stormbird, which sailed for Wanganui yesterday afternoon, where his Honorwill hold a Circuit Court. The start was made under some little difficulty, and a severe night outside was predicted by nautical men as well as more timid “ dwellers on the shore.” The Stormbird, however, has many of the properties of the tvinged creature after which she has been named, and will, we trust, make a safe passage to Wanganui, though it cannot be a pleasant one, and may not be accomplished without shelter being sought in one or more of the “ half-way houses,” in the shape of sheltering bays, which fortunately are found between Port Nicholson and Wanganui. It would be too much—for the public as well as for the Bench —if the experiences of his Honorshould rival those of his Honor Judge 'Richmond on the latter’s late official visit to the West Coast. At the conclusion of the criminal business the following civil cases will be heard :—McKenzie v. Dyke, Anderson and another v. Chavannes, Gilfoy v„ Watt, Churton v. Jackson, Odgers v. Borlase. The only bankruptcy case down for hearing is that of W. C. Trafford. The annual meeting of the Caledonian Society was held last evening at Mclntosh’s New Zealander Hotel, the President, G. Crawford, Esq., in the chair. Amongst the members present were Messrs. Gilligan, Buchanan, Graham, Mclntyre, Mace, Thomson, Dransfield, McKenzie, McDowell, Duncan, and Rayer (secretary). The secretary read a statement of accounts, which showed the society to be in a satisfactory position, financially, and the election of office bearers for the ensuing year was then proceeded with, resulting as follows : —President, G. Crawford, Esq.; VicePresident, T. Buchanan, Esq.; Hon. Treasurer, Capt. Mclntyre; Secretary, Mr. Rayer; Directors : Messrs. McKenzie, Grant, McKirdy, McDowell, Greenfield, Graham, Gilligan, Capt. Bishop, Young, Rayer, Dransfield, Thomson, Mace, Eockie, Dune in, and J. Martin. The business specified for transaction being concluded, Mr. McKenzie proposed a vote of thanks to the President for the active interest he had displayed in securing the welfare of the society during the past year, and the energetic manner in which he had sought to maintain its prosperous condition. The motion was seconded, and carried unanimously. Mr. Crawford thanked the meeting for its expression of good-will, and in reviewing the proceedings at the successful gathering in January last, intimated that it was intended to offer a prize for tilting at the society’s next gatheringVotes of thanks were also passed to the VicePresident (Mr. Buchanan), and the Treasurer (Captain Mclntyre) ; and Mr. Rayer was appointed to canvass the city for funds for next year’s sports. The meeting then adjourned till that day fortnight, when a draft programme will be submitted, and other arrangements made for the forthcoming gathering.

It is not much to be wondered at that the immigration agents in England are occasionally deceived by persons of the black-sheep type who pass themselves off as suitable immigrants. At the City Court yesterday, a specimen, a man named Roger Kennedy, who had only been five months out from the old country, was charged with stealing a watch and chain, and though the charge was fully proved, and even admitted by the prisoner himself, his humble demeanor and pleading tones would almost have led one to suppose that “ butter wouldn't melt in his mouth.” There were, however, other indications of character which led to the surmise that the prisoner’s position was not by any means new to him, and Mr. Crawford sentenced him to twelve months’ imprisonment

Travel on the Wairarapa road has already felt the influence of the comparatively fine weather which has succeeded the floods. The coaches that ran over it from the Hutt station are now loaded daily, and there is • reason to believe that the business of the summer season will be brisk, both as regards passengers and goods traffic. Mi’. Hastwell is preparing to meet the wants of travellers, being about to place new coaches on the line, for which the wheels, framework, &c., have lately been imported, via Melbourne, from the best coachfactory in America. The bodies, however, null be constructed in Wellington. We also learn that Mr. Hastwell has arranged with Mr. Cookery, to take over his coach-business, and the service will be extended shortly. What has become of the Wellington Cooperative Butchery Company ? Has it collapsed, or is it merely that more difficulties have been met with, and have been less easy to overcome than was expected 2 For some timeit has been advertised that the company had secured eligible premises on Lambton-quay,. and were about to commence business in proper style. But the door remains locked and the shutters up, and it is understood that other tenants have secured the premises.

The death of a lady, a very old colonist of South Australia, and who had many practical reasons for claiming association with literature, is reported by the journals of that colony. The lady was Mrs. Margaret Stevenson, the mother of the ex-Attorney-General, and widow of Mr. George Stevenson, who was one of the founders of the Adelaide Register newspaper, and for some years City Coroner. Mrs. Stevenson arrived at Adelaide in 183 C, with her husband, who acted as Private Secretary to the first Governor, Captain Hindmarsh ; and in 1837 started the first public journal published in the colony. Her father was Mr. John Gorton, who was on the editorial staff of one of the London daily papers, and author of a “General Biographical Dictionary” and a “Topographical Dictionary of Great Britain and Ireland,” both of which works attained a large circulation. Her husband was subeditor of the Globe, and at her marriage the late Lord Lytton gave her away. The deceased lady herself possessed considerable facility in literary composition, and a keen sense of humor, and in the earlier days of the colony was credited with the authorship of a number of amusing and telling articles which appeared in the Adelaide press.

An old English officer of distinction—Lieut. - Colonel Le Marchand—who held command of a field battery in India, and saw some active service, has received an appointment in the Victorian Volunteer Force. He was an officer of the Koyal Artillery for twenty-four years, and retired from active service on full pay. His addition to the Volunteer Force of Victoria is regarded there as a great acquisition.

The Koyal Oak Hotel at Wanganui has been disposed of by Mr. Joseph Chadwick for £IOOO to Mr. Anthony Nathan. A meeting of the Victoria Cricket Club was held last evening at Donecker’s Union Hotel, when officers were elected for the present season. It is mentioned that Californian apples and onions are now being sold in Auckland at prices which leave a considerable profit to the importers. There is some room for greater energy on the part of the farmers of the colony when it is found that the public must look to San Francisco for onions, and Victoria and Tasmania for potatoes. The Fiji Times states that “ a respected and much esteemed townsman was arrested on warrant for threatening the life of Mr. D. AV. L. Murray (formerly of Lauceston). Mr. Murray made a remark in Court to the effect that the gentleman in questioncould not sing, and compared his voice to the piping of a cocksparrow. This angered him, and the result was the threats made use of.* The West Coast journals now state, on authority, that His Honor Judge Harvey has been offered, and has accepted, the Judgeship of the Otago goldfields circuit, Mr. "Wilson Grey having retired. Judge Harvey is expected to begin his new duties in two or three weeks. The same authority says that Mr. G. G. Fitzgerald is likely to be the successor of Judge Harvey. A very strong proof of the heavy character of the weather in Nelson and Westland lately, is offered by the fact that during the past month the men employed on the Fuller railway,, near Westport, have only been able to work for twelve days ; while on the public works in Westland the time has barely averaged ten days. A country wedding, gone through in the style of “ the good old days,” has occurred on Manning Biver, N.S.AV., and the Vries gives an approving notice of the proceedings. .“The youthful pair,” says our contemporary, “were conducted from the house of the bride’s father by a long procession of friends to the church. After the interesting ceremony was ended, the party returned in procession, greatly augmented in numbers, to the place from which they started, and there sat down to a very enjoyable breakfast. Persons were seen coming from all directions, dressed in their best, all the day. Dinner was announced, and about sixty sat down to as fine a display of good things as eye ever glanced over. Then came the dancing, which was kept up all night until morning, when friends separated. This wedding reminds us of old times. There was a delightful absence of the hole-and-corner business. To our mind nothing is more pleasant to look upon than a loving couple going openly to church to plight their vows fearlessly before all. We hope this may not be the last of these processions that our eyes may feast upon.”