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New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 4254, 7 November 1874, Page 2

His Excellency the Governor returned to town late last night, or rather at an early hour this morning. We are requested to intimate that Lady Pergusson will receive visitors this afternoon if the weather be fine. Since Mr. Hunter intimated his unwillingness to stand for the office of Mayor, several leading citizens have cast about for an eligible candidate for the office. Mr. Dransfield's name has been very freely mentioned during the past few days, and it is understood that he is to be nominated. Mr. Dransfield's opponents, determined to be nothing behind-hand, have also made a selection, and it is understood that in response to a deputation who waited on him yesterday, the Hon. W. B. D. Mantell has consented to contest the election. In the event of no other candidates coming forward, the contest between these two gentlemen will probably be a keen one. It is, announced by the Town Clerk that it is proposed to strike a general city rate of one shilling in the pound on Thursday next, the 12th instant, for the year ending the 30th of September next. The intimation that the Registrar of Births and Deaths intended taking steps to enforce the law against non-vaccinators has had a very beneficial effect. Several persons have returned the necessary certificates of vaccination, and many more will no doubt do so when they learn that the minimum penalty for neglect is 405., to which Court fees of course have to he added. Where summonses have been issued, proceedings will bo stayed upon production of certificato and payment of cost of summons, (55.) The Registrar evinces every desire to administer the Act in the mildest manner possible, so that those who are put to expense mil have only themselves to blame. The General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand—the Wanganui Chronicle informs us—will hold its next sitting in Wellington, commencing on the 4th December. It is added that the Kev. Robert McKinney, of Mahurangi, Auckland, wih be Moderator,, A leisure hour could not be more satisfactorily spent than by a visit to the Provincial Hospital. Twelve months ago the patients who found the benefits of medical skill andthe comforts of a home obtainable in this institution, were littlo more than half the number that at present occupy tho wards ; but notwithstanding this great increase, so well devised have been the arrangements made to meet it that no appearance of over-crowding is evident. Por a building erected bo long back as twenty-five years ago, the Hospital bears its ago remarkably well, although the kahikatea, of which the well-whitened floors are constructed, denotes too plainly in many places tho necessity for a new structure. All the floors are as white and clean as it is possible for hard scrubbing to make them, and the appearance of the walls, ceilings, bed-clothing, &c, in the several wards is decidedly pleasant. The kitchen, lavatory, store-room, and other offices connected with the hospital aro scrupulously clean and tidy, and everything appears to be done which tends to the comfort and speedy recovery of the sick. Those of the patients who are able to get about and enjoy tho pleasant, though short, walks round the grounds, and tho well-kept flower garden, speak in unmistakable terms of the attention and kindness displayed toward them by all connected with the institution. The returns of the Wellington-Masterton railway for the month of October amounted to £458 75.; of that amount the freight of merchandise produced £65 15s. 3d., and parcels £8 6s. Id. The number of.passengers was large, being 9508. It is anticipated in Sydney that the nego tiations between tho Governments of New South Wales and New Zealand as to the San Prancisco mail service will, eventuate in the formation of a colonial company, with ample capital, to take up the contract.

Fifty-seven large water pipeß yet remain to be conveyed to Holritika. The Manawatu will sail to-day with the first instalment of the Wanganui waterworks plant for that port. The Shipwrights' Society hold a meeting this evening, at the Rechabite Hall, at eight o'clock. An ordinary meeting of the Board of Education will take place in the Board's room, on Monday next, at 11 o'clock a.m. His Honor Judge Gresson was among the passengers who arrived yesterday by the Taranaki from the South. Monday will be observed as a holiday in all the Government offices, excepting those of the Customs, Post-office, Telegraph, and Railways. The Under-Secretary for the colony requests information as to the whereabouts of Ferdinand Pavelka, for whom letters have been received and about whom enquiries have been made. "We notice that the steamer Easby, which plies between Dunedin, Newcastle, and Sydney, and is commanded by Captain Kennedy, has now been fitted up to carry a few saloon and a large number of second-class passengers. The New Zealand Titanic Steel and Iron Company, it will be observed, advertise for tenders for the conveyance of 150 tons of firebricks, clay, &c, from the ship Star of India, now daily expected in harbor, to New Plymouth. Information can be obtained from the secretary. It is remarkable, says the Otarjo Guardian, that the Irish members in the House of Commons have the tallest man in the Assembly, Mr. o'Sullivan, the member for Limerick County; the least man, Dr. O'Leary, the member for Drogheda ; and the stoutest man, The o'Gorman, the member for Wattrford, who is said to be a stone heavier than the Claimant. Tn the Resident Magistrate's Court, yesterday, F. Bills was charged by Sergeant Monaghan with being away from his horse and cart, at such a distance as not to have sufficient control over them. The defendant said the cart-wheel was locked, but as; the Sergeant swore it was not, an adjournment till Monday was granted, to give opportunity for testing the veracity of the defendant's statement. Edward Harris, charged with a similar offence, was dismissed with a caution. During the month of October the estates of eleven persons, who died intestate, were placed in the care of the Public Trustee. Four of the deceased wei'e drowned, one fell over a cliff and was killed, and one was killed by a fall of earth. One poor fellow, who was known only as " George," left but a few shillings ; four left less than a £5 note each; three were possessors of nearly £2O; and the estates of three were under £SO. The following appointments are gazetted:— Harry Lucas, Esq., to be receiver of gold revenue for the Reefton district of Nelson, and Ernest Charles Kelling, Esq., for the Wangapeka district ; Edward Hammond, Esq., to be clerk and interpreter, under the 11th section of the Native Land Act, for the Thames, Waikato, and Bay of Plenty districts; Daniel Henry Bayldon to be sub-Lieutenant of No. 3 Company, Hauraki Rifles, and John Paynter to be Lieutenant of the Stoke Rifle Volunteers; and Cyrus Goulter, Esq., to be immigration officer for Marlborough, vice J. Barleyman, Esq., resigned. On Thursday afternoon the barometer began to fall fast, and during the night the wind increased rapidly, until it rose into one of the most violent gales that has been experienced in Wellington during this stormy season. At the Bluff the fall was likewise very rapid, and the lowest reading of the barometer was 2 9'15, which resulted in a strong gale, with violent gusts, accompanied by hail, rain, snow, thunder, and lightning. Strong gales from the north-west also occurred on the West Coast of the Middle Island. Yesterday the barometer was still low in the South, and westerly gales prevailed over most parts of the colony. The leading voocJioto o£ the California Minstrels will assist at the performance of mass at the Te Aro Roman Catholic Chapel to-morrow. At morning service Mr. Amery will sing Clifton's " Ecce Deus," and Messrs. Campbell, Amery, and Mavor will lend their aid in the celebration of Winter's Mass. In the evening Mr. Mavor will sing " Oh, Salutaris," by Himmel, and Mr. Amery the " Tantum Ergo." Mr. Culliford will play the harmonium at both services. Mr. and Mrs. Hoskins (Miss Colville) are understood" to have left New York on their return to New Zealand, in accordance with the intention they announced before leaving Wellington. Miss Rosa Towers—unable to obtain an engagement in Melbourne, in consequence of the contracts entered into in England and America by the management of the Theatre Royal—is now playing in Sydney, where she appears to have made a decided hit. Mr. Eugene Beda, the one-legged gymnast and vocalist, having abandoned his intention to proceed direct from the Bluff to Sau Francisco, is now in Christchurch, where, with other artists, he is about to give a series of performances. The Royal English Opera Company opened at Christchurch on the night of their arrival from Wellington, and commenced their season with " Satanella, or tho Power of Love." Mr. Templeton took the part of Arimanes (formerly played by Mr. Rainford), on very short notice, and is highly complimented on his success. The Press, noticing the performance, remarks: —" He was a little nervous in the first recita- ' tive in the second act; but this soon wore off as the opera procoeded, and his rendering of his part in the grand duet, " Though the angry bolt," was very artistically given. Indeed, Mr. Templeton throughout the opera shared with Miss May the honors of the night, and fully bore out the favorable impression formed of his voice when he was last here." . Even in the matter of public halls the effect of competition is not without its benefits to the community. For many years the Odd Fellows' Hall might fairly have laid claim to the possession of the most uncomfortable auditorium in the colony, while the stage accessories were by no means up to the requirements of the times. This condition of affairs brought about its own reward : the hall was always vacant after the opening of its formidable rival the Theatre Royal. The committee of management have changed all this. The stage has been redecorated and made more commodious, but the best proof of the spirit of enterprise with which the committee of management have become imbued is found in the altered arrangements for the accommodation of the public. The front seats have.been raised upon a graduated scale, so that the occupants of the successive rows have no difficulty in seeing everything on the stage, which was not always possible heretofore. The seats have also been cushioned in scarlet rep. The back seats have been raised so that the back row reaches half-way to the gallery, and every person in this portion of the hall has a full view of the performance. The alterations were very much required, but it is only proper to say that the excellence of the arrangements, and the general improvement perceptible, are due to the painstaking and attentive custodian, Mr. Marshall. An audience in keeping with the excellent performance attended the California Minstrels' entertainment last evening. The ballads and part songs were well rendered, and met with the appreciation they richly deserved. Numerous encores were demanded, which in all cases were complied with. Mr. Herman's variations on the violin are hardly to be surpassed, though the piano accompaniment to one or two of the airs somewhat marred the otherwise good effect. Messrs. Sutton and Kelly are not to be excelled in their comic sketches ; but the rendering of Offenbach's now familiar "Gensdarmes" by Messrs. Rockefeller and Sutton was decidedly the feature of the evening. The company present an entirely new programme to-night, which will be their last in Wellington. Next week the inhabitants of the Hutt, and of the townships in the Wairarapa district, will have a visit from the Minstrels, who are capable of giving them the finest treat in Negro minstrelsy and eccentricity they ever enjoyed.

The production of Buckstone's favorite drama "Flowers of the Forest," and the increasing popularity of the company at the Theatre Royal, drew a better house last evening. The piece has frequently been produced in Wellington, but seldom with more success, Miss Stephenson's Cynthia being an excellent portrayal of that difficult character. Mr. Burford's Ishmael, and Mr. Hydes' Kinchen were acted with all the care and ability which these stage veterans can bring to bear. The leading characters were well supported, and the evening's entertainment gave the highest satisfaction. St. Peter's choir have in preparation an excellent programme to be presented at a concert in the schoolroom on the Ist of next mouth. The absence of these pleasant reunions—for in reality the parish concerts are social gatherings of the most enjoyable nature—has been very notable during the past twelve months. The announcement that Mr. Hammerton intends to resume the series will be received with satisfaction by the residents of Te Aro. We are informed that it is intended to hold a Church of England bazaar about August next for diocesan purposes, the proceeds to be devoted towards liquidating the debt on the Diocesan Library in Mulgrave-street, and augmenting the fund for the erection of churches and parsonages, and otherwise assisting the outlying country districts. The names of the ladies who have kindly consented to receive contributions for the bazaar 'will be advertised at a future date. Fitzgerald, the Wanganui child assaulter, was whipped to some purpose yesterday morning at the Wanganui gaol. A communication received in town during the day stated that the prisoner received three dozen lashes, administered with such dexterity, by a " practised hand," that he was severely lacerated, and is now confined to his bed. Corporal punishment in this province has not hitherto been remarkable for its severity or success. The flagellator in Fitzgerald's case, however, seems to have made it what it really ought to be—something to be dreaded. As a deterrent from crime the " cat" has been found very efficacious in India, where it is largely resorted to, and it will be so here if the work is done as.thoroughly as it seems to have been in Fitzgerald's case. The s.s. Wellington, with Madame Arabella Goddard and her company on board, left Nelson at half-past four yesterday afternoon, and so may be expected here early this morning. It will be observed, from our telegraphic intelligence, that at the conclusion of the second concert in Nelson the enthusiasm of the audience was of a most demonstrative character. In three days the people of Wellington will have an opportunity of showing their appreciation of Madame Goddard's talents ; and judging from the rapidity with, which places were secured yesterday for Tuesday's concert, a crowded audience may be expected to assemble in the Odd Fellows' Hall. The increased facilities the hall now affords, not only for hearing; but also for seeing, will be of great advantage to the patrons of the Goddard concerts, for people apparently go to see Madame Goddard play as well as to hear her. It is announced that the programme for the opening concert will appear in Monday's issue. There was a tolerably numerous attendance of "peds" at the New Zealander Hotel last evening, to make their entries for the Birthday Spoils to be held at the Basin Reserve on Monday. It was intended to close the list for the Open Handicap last evening, but at the request of the competitors themselves it was decided to admit all comers up to the time of starting, so as to make the events as interesting as possible. The programme comprises a Maiden 100yds. race, the Open Handicap of 100, 150, and 200yds., with prizes of £5 and £2, a two-mile walking race, a boys' 100yds. race, a handicap mile race, and a Consolation Handicap. There was some talk of Purdy, the champion walker, doing seven miles in the hour, and it is likely time will find a backer, in which case the match will form an interesting event in the day's proceedings. A band will be in attendance, and should the weather be fine' there will be a large gathering, the small charge of Is. being no obstacle. The case McDonald and Co. v. O'Neill, partly heard in the Resident Magistrate's Court yesterday, evolved a knotty point of law which rather non-plussed the presiding Magistrate. The defendant is a married woman, separated from her husband under a protection order of the Court, and the claim was for goods, some of which were supplied before the protection order was granted. The point raised by the defendant, rather an ingenious one, was whether she was liable under these circumstances. The plaintiff hinted that the defendant might still be liable as long as she was charged only for articles for her jjwn use, but she successfully upset this idea by pointing out to the Bench that the bill of items contained charges for children's clothes and a pair of socks for her husband. His Worship admitted the novelty of the case, and postponed his decision till Tuesday. The following is an approximate list of the immigrants expected to arrive by the Soukar, nearly due : —Married couples without children : 2 laborers, 1 coachman, 1 carpenter, 2 farm laborers, 1 ploughman, 1 painter, and 1 shoemaker. Married couples with children : 14 laborers, 9 farm laborers, 1 painter, 1 dairyman, 3 gardeners, 3 shepherds, 8 masons, 1 shoemaker, 1 printer, 1 miller, 4 blacksmiths, 3 carpenters, 1 plumber, 1 cooper, and 1 tailor. Single men : 10 laborers, 13 lads, 1 coachmaker, 1 tailor, 4" bootmakers, 2 fitters, 1 painter, 5 carpenters, 1 paperhanger, 1 gardener, 20 farm laborers, 1 carman, and 2 miners. Single women : 33 general servants, 3 milliners, 1 housekeeper, 6 housemaids, 9 young girls, and 7 cooks. Applications to engage these immigrants are to be made to Mr. Redward, Immigration Depot, Wellington. Any of the above immigrants who are engaged for service in the country districts of the province will be forwarded by the Immigration Department. It will be in the memory of most of our readers, says the Wanganui Chronicle of the sth.instant, that a Mr. Russell was shot in the ankle by a sentry at Westmere some six years ago. The bullet was extracted at_ the time, and the wound gradually healed up, but Mr. Russell has ever since been subjected to occasional inconvenience through a weakness in the joint. A few weeks ago, the ankle swelled up so much that he was unable to walk, when to his astonishment a piece of his boot ieather which had been driven in, and which had escaped observation when the bullet was extracted, -was discharged from the wound, since which he has been able to walk much better, and anticipates soon being relieved from all inconvenience in connection with it. I A correspondent writes stating that a serious accident happened on the 3rd of November to Mr. Arthur Nicholls. He was on L his way to Castle Point with his bullock-team, and while adjusting some of the gear, one of the bullocks suddenly lifted its head, and in so doing inflicted a severe wound in Mr. Nicholls's body. Dr. Smith arrived during the night, and the patient is progressing favorably. The natives of Opape, in the district of Opotiki, have completed the erection of a new council-hall, or court-house, or hostelry for strangers. It measures 54ft. 6in. in length, 24ft. in width, from floor to ridge-pole is 12ft. Sin., and the walls in height are 6ft. Gib. It is handsomely carved. It is reckoned that during its construction the native workers engaged consumed food to the value of £2OO. A proclamation appeared in a late Gazette stating that the seal or badge to be worn in'the Union Jack used by the Governor of New Zealand, when embarked in any boat or other vessel, shall be tho Southern Cross, as represented by four five pointed red stare, emblazoned on the white Bhield aforesaid, and the monogram N.Z. in red letters in the centre of the Southern Cross. Here is a woman's critique on Mrs. Tilton:— <%Mrs. Burnham, of the St. Louis Republican, says:—' Theodore gives the world the impression that Mrs. Tilton is a beauty; but Elizabeth is 40, has had seven children, was never handsome, is shapeless, with a dull ordinary facebetween two rows of corkscrew curls, that givo a school-marmy air to her. She's just tho woman, if I were a man, that I should go to for a good pattern for a flannel undershirt'"