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New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4362, 13 March 1875, Page 4

Despatches were received from the AgentGeneral yesterday, covering documents from the Board of Trade, in reference to the loss of the Coapatrick. The enclosures have been anticipated by telegram, and consist chiefly of the depositions of the survivors from the wreck, . A most searching inquiry is promised into the origin of the fire. Dr. Featherston’s despatch on this subject will be found in another place. An interesting article on the proposed new lighthouses;on the New Zealand coast, appears in another column. Our space does not admit of comments on the subject to-day, but we may briefly state that the progress made by the Marine department, in the work of lighting the New Zealand coast, reflects the greatest credit on the Hon. Mr. Reynolds, under whose immediate control it is. When the new lighthouses referred to in our article have been completed, the New Zealand coast will be thoroughly lighted from North to South.

We understand that the Hon. Mr.-Vogel was detained at Florence, for a considerable time, by a severe attack of his old enemy, the gout, which accounts for his not reaching England as soon as was expected. However, as it was then the holiday season, nothing was in reality lost by this detention. The Premier, when last heard from, was in excellent health.

The Albion, with the English mail via Suez on board, arrived at Port Chalmers from The Bluff at 8 o’clock yesterday morning. The mail will probably be transhipped from the Albion to the Wellington, which leaves Port Chalmers for the North this morning. She is expected to arrive here on Monday next, collecting on her way up the mails for transmission via San Francisco.

The members of the Star Boating Club will hold a special meeting at the Pier Hotel this evening, for the purpose of presenting silver cups to the crew of the four-oar batswing gig Eclipse, which won the inrig gig race at the last intorprovincial meeting on the Waimakariri River. The occasion will also bo taken advantage of to bid farewell to Mr. Ollivier, one of the club’s batswiug crow, prior to his departure for England. At the Supreme Court, yesterday morning, before the business in Banco was proceeded with, his Honor Mr. Justice Gillies was sworn in as a Puisne Judge of the Supremo Court of New Zealand, The Registrar of the Court having read the commission, under the hand of the Marquis of Normanby, appointing Thomas Bannatyne Gillies a Judge of the Supreme Court, his Honor Mr, Justice Johnston administered the oath of fealty to her Majesty the Queen, her heirs, and successors, and the usual judicial oath, which were sworn to by the new Judge, who, after having signed the documents, retired. Wo have received, for the Halcrow family, two shillings in stamps from '■ Sympathy.”

One hundred and seventy-four messages passed along the Trans-Australian telegraph line in the week ending the 19 th of February. Eighty-four of these were outward and ninety were inward messages. New Zealand’s share was only eleven, while that of Victoria was seventy-five.

The Phcebe arrived in port at an early hour yesterday morning, with the English mail via San Francisco. It is not the proper thing to send coals to Newcastle, and to send back news to England just received thence would be equally out of place. We therefore—to-day being summary day—hold over the English and American news received by way of San Fx-ancisco, as well as late news to hand by the Tararua.

The Girard Brothers achieved another triumph last night. The Odd Fellows’ Hall was filled with an appx-eciative audience, and the company—by the spirit with which they threw themselves into the pex-formance—-seemed to reciprocate the feeling. In the first part, Airee, the “ King of the Air ” —a late addition to this talented company, though wellknown in Wellington from his visit here until Mi-, John Smith—performed some most extraordinary balancing feats on a trapeze with surprising agility and gracefulness, the audience enthusiastically applauding his efforts. The Brothers Girard appeared in a new performance, and were even better than on their previous appearances in this city. Many new and eccentric feats were introduced in their really wonderful pantomime. Valentine Jacobs, with his conjuring tricks and ventriloquism, amused the audience immensely, the dialogue between his country friends eliciting roars of laughter. This afternoon, at half-past two, there will be a matinee for ladies, and children, and the company will repeat their very extraordinary performance in the evening. On Monday, Gonzalez ■ — the really wonderful Gonzalez—will add to the attractions. for one night, as he, too, is on the way to America. We learn that the contract for the new Presbyterian Church and school-house of St. John has been taken by Messrs. Murdock and Ross of this city. The amount of their contract is £3-300 for the church and £390 for the schools.

We are pleased to notice that the Ratepayers’ Association is not merely a “ flash in the pan.” The provisional committee have been at work during the past fortnight, and last evening the draft rules were presented. It was agreed that the rules, as read and amended, should be presented at a public meeting to be held next week. The promoters desire it to be generally understood that they do not propose any factious opposition to measures, but to criticise quietly all measures brought forward, whether in the Council or General Assembly, which in any way affects the ratepayers. We very much regret to learn that the trustees of the Public Hall (or Theatre) have refused an offer made by Mr. Bates, of £BSO, as rental for the theatre for one year. A better price they are never likely to obtain. Mr. Bates, moreover, covenanted to leave in the Theatre at the expiry of his tenancy, stage property of the value of £IOO, while the company would have been relieved of other expenses. The trustees must value their property highly indeed, when so splendid a revenue for the capital engaged has been refused.

A telegraph station is now open at Warkworth, in the province of Auckland. One drunkard was the only person dealt with criminally at the Resident Magistrate’s Court yesterday morning. Four civil cases on the list were settled out of court.

Out of respect to the memory of Captain Pearce, and those who lost their lives in the wreck of the steamer Gothenburg, flags were flown at half-mast yesterday by the vessels in harbor.