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New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 4278, 5 December 1874, Page 2

A New Zealand Gazette Extraordinary was published yesterday, containing a proclamation by tho Marquis of Normanby, “ Administrator of the Government,” further proroguing tho General Assembly to Monday, tho Ist day of March next. The proclamation is dated at Government-house, Auckland, December 3rd. A second Gazette Extraordinary has also been issued, containing a proclamation of the assumption of the Government of New Zealand by ; the Marquis of Normanby. The fine weather of-the last few days came to an end at an early hour yesterday morning, when a strong breeze set in from the southeast, accompanied by a very heavy rain. Notwithstanding this change a large number of holiday makers made their way to the racecourse, both by rail and steamer, and by private conveyance. Tho stewards, however, arrived at the conclusion that it would he better to postpone the events until to-day. They held a meeting at which that determination was arrived at. The announcement was received with great disfavor by the public, to whom it was most unwelcome. The sports will be resumed and brought to a conlusion to-day. The following paragraph appears in Te Wdka Maori of tho Ist instant :—“ Tamihana Aperahama, of Kaipara, Auckland, has written us a long letter on a variety of subjects. Ho has heard of a case of withcraft somewhere north of Kaipara, and he is very indignant in consequence. He thinks all sorcery bo suppressed by law, and sorcerers and magicians punished severely. In the dark ages gone by the pakehas thought so too, for magicians and sorcerers wore common amongst them then as they aro now amongst the Maoris. But in these days of enlightenment such imposters aro only laughed at, because it is known they have no power to injure anyone. They please themselves, and harm no one.”

The mail steamer Cyphreues is due at Auckland to-day with the English mail via San Francisco. 1

At a meeting of the stewards of the Jockey Club, held last evening at the Empire Hotel, it was decided that the programme of the second day’s racing (postponed from yesterday on account, of the inclement weather) should- be earned out in its entirety to-day. This determination is to he adhered to despite all considerations of weather, as several of the horses engaged must leave by steamer on Monday. Some disappointment was felt yesterday by those who braved the elements, and made their way to the course in a ceaseless and drenching rain, but the stewards, who took upon themselves to postpone the races, will be supported in their decision by the large bulk of the public, whose opinion is not biassed by pecuniary consideration or the vantage the heaviness of the ground might have given to any particular horse. Whether they are or not, they have the gratification of knowing that the meeting of last evening decided to uphold their action in every particular, The Vivian Company faithfully performed a good programme at the Odd Follow’s Hall last evening. The company appear this evening for the last time in Wellington. A change of performance is announced. The name of the horse which won the Maiden Plate on Thursday has been misprinted as Lough Reagh in all the business of the meeting. Its name is Lough Neagh. It was bred by Mr, Ballance, of the Wanganui Evening llcrald t and sold by him before the race for the plate to Mr. O’Brien, the owner of Tambourini, for £3OO. In the southern part of the Middle Island the barometer reached its lowest point on Thursday evening, and during the night the wind changed to the south-west, from which quarter it blew hard at Queenstown. In the North Island the barometer continued to fall until yesterday afternoon, and the weather had a very threatening appearance during the greater part of the day. Rainy weather with overcast sky was reported from most places. Mock suns were seen at Opunake about 2 p.m. An advertisement elsewhere notifies that on Sunday next the pulpits in the Presbyterian Churches,! in and around Wellington, will be filled by ministers from various parts of the colony, at present in Wellington to attend the meeting of the General Assembly of the Church. In the afternoon, a special sermon will be preached to the Sunday School children, in St. John’s Church, Willis-street. Notwithstanding the unfavorable weather which prevailed last evening, there was an excellent house ai the Theatre Royal. A new local extravaganza entitled “ O’Mulligan’s Daughter, or the Savages of the Wairarapa,” was well put upoa the stage, and well acted. As many Wairarapa people were amongst the audience, the piece was very apropos , and appeared to meet with their entire ajiprobation. As an afterpiece, another extravaganza was presented, “The Pair One with the Goldeu Locks,” in which Miss Stephenson, Miss Raymond, and Mr. Hydes appeared to great advantage. The New Yorh Herald reports the mar-, riage of a daughter of General Sherman with Mr. Thomas William a resident of New York. The account fills a page of the newspaper, one column of which is occupied with a detailed account of the presents received by the bride. The departure of the Waipara with the Superintendent and survey party, on Sunday week, may be regarded, remarks the West Coast Times, as the first actual step towards the establishment of the projected special settlement in the southern district of the province, for which there is available a portion of a sum of twelve thousand pounds, voted by the General Assembly. It is evident now that, for good or for evil, the experiment of colonising this part of the Provincial estate will be made, and, should it prove successful, the Superintendent, to whom the origination of the scheme must be attributed, will have earned the best thanks of Westland. It is announced that a branch of the Colonial Bank of New Zealand will be opened in the bank’s temporary premises, Hereford-street, Christchurch, about the middle of December, under the charge of Mr. Frederick Cook. The South Canterbury Times of 21st Nov. says :—Yesterday the nomination and election of a member to serve for the electoral district of Seadown, in the Provincial Council, caused by the retirement of Mr. Kennaway, took place at the office of the Resident Magistrate, Tiraaru. The event caused no interest, doubtless from the fact of its not having been more publicly made known. The only candidate who came forward was Mr. A. Perry, who after a few remarks was declared duly elected.