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New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 4296, 28 December 1874, Page 2

The Agent-General telegraphs under date 12th November, from London, that he has despatched the India with 163 immigrants for Auckland j the Hudson, City of Vienna (?), with 721 to Napier ; the Eakaia, with 331 to Canterbury; the Garolooh, Oaniaru, Wellington, and Dunedin, with 983 to Otago, together with a large quantity of railway material. He also confirms the report that Sir Arthur Gordon is appointed Governor of Fiji. We have been requested to state that the Marchioness of Norraanby will bo happy to receive visitors on any day between the hours of three and four o’clock. His Excellency the Governor paid a visit of inspection to the Government offices on Thursday last with the view, pox-aonally, of furnishing himself with the system and routine of the civil service of this colony, and comparing it with that of Queensland. His Excellency is said to have been highly pleased with tho results of the inspection. The Oyphrenes was not telegraphed yesterday as having reached Auckland, whore the mails from Wellington and tho South, taken up by the Phoebe, now await her. From the latest Melbourne journals to hand wo observe that she was to sail from Sydney on Tuesday last, the 22nd instant. She should, therefore, be heard of in the course of tho day.

A new sehoolhouse for Greytown is about to be built, from designs furnished by Mr. Alfred Wakelin. His Honor Judge Moles worth was a passenger by the s.s. Alhambra, from Melbourne, and lauded at Hokitika. His Honor visits New Zealand for the sake of health. Four inebriates, who spent their Christmas in the lock-up, were brought up at the Resident Magistrates’ Court on Saturday morning, and fined in nominal amounts. A private telegram from Sydney, dated the 15th December, received by the Alhambra, mentions that Mr. and Mrs. Hosldns (Miss Florence Colville), were then terminating a splendid engagement in that city. The excursion to Queen Charlotte Sound to-day promises to be an exceedingly pleasant one. The weather is likely to be fine, and no doubt the number of excursionists will be large. Both the Wellington and the Taranaki were at the wharf last night, so that the New Zealand Shipping Company will be able to accommodate a very large number of patrons. The Hon. W. H. Fox delivered a lecture on “The Legislative Aspect of the Temperance Question” at the Temperance-hall last evening, says the Otago Daily Times of the 21th instant: There was a limited auditory. The discourse was listened to with marked attention, and at its conclusion the hon. gentleman was accorded a hearty vote of thanks. The heavy wind which blew throughout the day on Saturday, having died away to a comparative calm at sunset, the Circus Company were able to give another of their excellent performances. There was a large attendance, and the various feats were received -with much applause. This evening, we observe, will positively be the last the company will give in this city, as they sail per Taranaki on Tuesday for Lyttelton, to commence a season in Canterbury. For the first time for a very long period the fire bell at the police station gave the alarm on Christmas Day, just after church hours. A rush of people and the arrival of the at the European Hotel gave the clue to the locality of the fire—for as yet there were no signs of conflagration—which was on the adjoining premises, occupied by Mr. -Gladman Smith. The fire was in the upper back room and was fast gaining hold of the house, but the prompt use of a hand-hose, which was kept playing on the roof, kept the fire under until the arrival of the brigades, when it was speedily extinguished. This is the fourth narrow escape this building has had. On Thursday evening the premises of Mr. Logan, Cuba-street, were broken into some time after midnight, and about 15s. in coppers taken out of the till. No other property was taken away, though there was abundant evidence that the thieves had made a careful search for something of greater value than the bagful of coppers. The stock was very much disarranged ; in fact, everything was topsy-turvy, but as there was no money except that stolen upon the premises, the search was fruitless. Probably the Adelaide-road mob know something about this matter. A meeting of the directors of the Caledonian Society mil be held to-morrow evening at the New Zealander Hotel, to arrange all preliminaries for the New Year’s gathering. Amongst other matters, the subject of “ spiking,” a subject the consideration of which has already been too long deferred, will be brought forward. It is to be hoped the directors will take some very decided steps to put a stop to this practice, which is now of such frequent occurrence as to demand decided action. Last year two amateur pedestrians were laid up for two or three months by injuries inflicted in this manner ; and on Saturday last Skellie was so badly hurt that he will not be able to run at all at the New Year’s sports. This kind of thing requires to be dealt with with a high hand.

Sergeant Price of the City Police made a very prompt capture on Saturday morning, in the neighborhood of the wharf. Some.time since a man named Stewart set fire to his own house at Saudridge, the Victorian seaport, and recovered the insurance money before suspicion was aroused. Circumstances which came to the knowledge of the police led to the issue of a warrant, but before it could be rendered effective the bird had flown, no one knew whither. It leaked out at last that Stewart had sailed for Grey mouth, New Zealand, in a small schooner, and from there he was traced to Oamaru, though the police could never come up with the fugitive. ’ Prom Oamaru he went to Lyttelton, and the first that %vas heard of the matter here was the receipt on Saturday morning of a telegram from the Christchurch police, stating that the prisoner sailed North iu the schooner Dunedin, about the 11th inst. Almost immediately after being furnished with the description of the person “ wanted,” Sergeant Price met a man on the wharf whose appearance tallied closely with the description, and in ten minutes from the receipt of the telegram Stewart was lodged in the lock-up. When first questioned by Sergeant Price, Stewart gave the name of Davis, but it'lias since been ascertained that he has also given the names of Thomas Douglass and Thomas Smith. He also said that he had not been in Victoria for the last five years, hut to the captain of the schooner he said that he had a wife and family in Victoria whom he had not long left. He was brought up at the Resident Magistrate’s Court, charged with arson, during the day, and remanded till to-morrow to await the arrival of a Victorian detective sent in search of the prisoner, who is at present in Lyttelton. The Adelaide-road larrikins are becoming a perfect peat to the residents of the southern end of the city. Scarcely a night passes without the perpetration of some piece of vandalism which speaks of recklessness and depravity that should bo put down at once by the strong arm of the law. The instances of destruction caused by this horde of rowdies are too numerous for recapitulation here; but no later than last Thursday night, or rather very early on Friday morning, the Prince of Wales Hotel, near the cricket-ground, was assailed in such a furious manner that the landlord and the rest of the inmates were almost frightened out of their senses. The panels of the front door were split by heavy blows, and other damage which will necessitate a considerable outlay, the disturbance being followed up by the theft of a ladder fourteen feet long. The inhabitants have long required the services of a constable at that end of the town, and the sooner one is placed there the better. In the interests of those who own property in the locality, this should ho done as speedily as possible. Some time ago, it will bo recollected, says the Melbourne Argus, the b.s. Albion, on her voyage from New Zealand to this port, fell in with veVy tempestuous weather, and was placed in imminent peril iu consequence of the rudder shaft carrying away. When the vessel was in greatest danger the chief officer, Mr. Corbett, volunteered to attempt to secure steering tackle to the rudder, and was lowered over the stern for this purpose. The weather, however, was so stormy that Mr. Corbett was not only unable to elfect Ixis purpose, but suffered severe injury, which has entailed on him n prolonged illness. The passengers by the Albion were so sensible of the exertions made on their behalf that a handsome sura was subscribed and presented to Captain Underwood and Mr. Corbett; and, in addition to this, the various insurance companies interested have, with a view of marking their appreciation of Mr. Corbett’s intrepid conduct, resolved to present him with a sum of £3O, or its equivalent in any shape in which he may prefer it. The insurance companies have also given £5 to other members of the ship's company who distinguished themselves on the occasion. Sir Donald McLean promised, says the New Zealand Herald, that a gunboat _ should be secured for the Thames Naval Brigade; also, that he would give tho brigade one of the new guns which ho had sent homo for. The same deputation introduced the subject of making some addition to the salary of the drill-instructor, Sergeant-Major Grant. Sergeant Grant’s qualifications and duties were spokon of, and Sir Donald's favorable consideration of the point was asked for. Ho promised, in reply, to increase the salary.