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New Zealand Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 4884, 16 November 1876, Page 4

The s.s. Hinemoa arrived here yesterday, with his Excellency the Governor, Lady Normanhy, and suite, after an eleven days’ cruise about the northern portion of, the. Middle Island. As the Hinemoa rounded Halswell Point!the Governor was saluted by H.M.S. Sapphire with the usual vice-regal salute of seventeen guns. :

The Wellington Districts Board have changed their offices to a more favorable .site. The meetings are.now held in the building known hitherto as, the old courthouse, situated near the telegraph office. The building is very much better than that in which the Board had their offices formerly, and there is another important advantage possessed by it. The Board pay no rent, the Government having granted them the use of it. ' , Yesterday,members for the last time used the reading-room and library of what must now he known as the old Athenaeum buildings. The library and reading-room will be re-opened temporarily on . Monday next at Mr. Bowden’s, pending the erection of the new Athenaeum. Mr. Carpenter, we believe, was one of those who yesterday took a last fond look at the old spot, and as he turned to do so, he, like Punch’s soldier, leaned upon his “ whatd’yeoall it,” and wiped away—a “thingumbob.”

The Hutt Resident' Magistrate’s Court' sat yesterday,! Mr. Wi i Beetham, and Major Clifford being the presiding justices. There were several; cases of drunkenness and one of assault. ’ In the latter, two men named Wilcox and Copeland were charged with throwing stones at a man named Edwards, who was driving a - horse along the Hutt-road. The Bench, after hearing the evidence, considered the case a trifling one, and dismissed it, the defendants being made .to pay ! costs, which amounted,toTls. 6d. ’ A; civil case was heard —Cleland v. Edwards—claim; £1 11s. Judgment was recorded in favor of the plaintiff for amount claimed and costs. Another case— Watson (a Maori)' against Everest—was adjourned till next Court, in consequence oj! the amount, some £35, being beyond the jurisdiction of ; the justices. This concluded the business, and the Court then adjourned. A telegram from’ Nelson notifies the death of Mr. Millar, E.S.A. His has .been ah exciting time in the colonies, in Melbourne, Dunedin, Wanganui, and Nelson. He was a generous hearted excitable man, and wherever he was engaged in his profession he came into prominence not only by his undoubted talents, but by his tendency to get into hot water. But it is as a clever and generous fellow that he will be recollected, and we could have better spared a bettor man, whose end it is too much to be feared has been hastened by recent ungenerous persecution. j

Referring to our report of the meeting of directors of the Caledonian Society on Tuesday evening, a contemporary labored under a mistake in characterising it as incorrect. That paper, and not this, had the misfortune to obtain its information ■ from some one who apparently was quite, innocent of what took place at the meeting, ‘ The mile race is for £2O, as stated in our report: the first prize being £ls ; second, £3 ; and third, 1 £2.

In consequence of the boisterous weather, there was no performance at Barlow’s circus yesterday, either in the afternoon or evening. Weather permitting, there .will be a performance on’ each night during the present week, and a matinee on Saturday, It is a matter for regret that.this excellent show should be ko dependent on the weather, as numbers are disappointed at not being able to attend. There were ho cases forbearing at the Resident Magistrate’s Court here yesterday. A sitting of the Court was held at the Hutt, the ‘justices being Mr. Beethamand Major Clifford,

The tenders for the purchase of the N.Z.S.S. Company’s steamers Manawatu and Eaugatira —of/which there were several—were considered yesterday, blit none of them were thought eligible. A'heavy thunderstorm passed over a considerable .portion of the North Island on Tuesday night..' At Napier, Hokianga, New Plymouth, and’ Grahamstown it was felt the most severely,; but no damage of importance; has been reports I. . There was a limited attendance at the Theatre' Eo’yal last night,; in consequence, no doubt, of the bad weather.- “ Shaughraun ” was repeated. The Lingards, open to-night with Byron’s comedy of “ Sir Simon Simple ; or. Not Such a Fool as He Looks.” Mr. Lingard will play Sir Simon, and Miss A. Lingard Felicia. The comedy will /be followed by the “ Lingard Sketches,” with twenty songs and impersonations. In regard to these sketches we may quote the following from a Dunedin contemporaryWe mentioned in our supplement of last week that the Lingards were en route for Dunedin, and would open at the Princess .Theatre oh Saturday, 15th July. It is not'yet known what the opening piece Will be, but we understand the first of the novelties that Mr. Lingard will produce will be his lightning sketches, out of which he has already not only, made a large fortune, but also a splendid reputation. In the United States he has been literally coining money with them for the past eight years, and as he is shortly to initiate our l readers into the mysteries of their entertaining power, we think -it may hot be out of place to record the following amusing incident that occurred at the National Theatre, Washington, U.S.Some time since, having announced a. performance at that theatre, he advertised, amongst the celebrities he would impersonate during the evening, the name of President Grant. The house was crowded to excess on this occasion, but Mr. Lingard’s feelings can scarcely be analysed when, on peeping through. the eye-hole in the curtain, he perceived the President himself seated in one of the boxes. The performance, however, went on ; and as he neared that portion of the programme in which President Grant was ; announced to appear, the excitement of the audience became intense. At last the turn if or the President came. Lingard hesitated for. a moment, but the shouts of the audience were deafening, and in a few seconds he stepped forward—the life-like image of the President. For a few moments the walls of the theatre seemed ready to burst, as cheer afterj cheer was thundered out, mingled with the name of ‘Grant !’ and in the midst of the tumult the President himself stepped forward and bowed his acknowledgments. For a second, as the two men, one in the box and his counterpart on the stage, stepped forward, the likeness was bewildering, and the uproar increased. The next moment President Grant turned towards the stage to bow his acknowledgments to Mr. Lingard, when what was his surprise to see standing before him not his own double, but a life-like image of G. V. Brooke. In the few-seconds of excitement attendant on "the second burst of applause, Lingard had changed from one character to another.” In another column will be found an announcement of the arrival in this city of Messrs. Kohler and Bent, who will give an entertainment in Palmer’s store on Saturday evening. Mr. Kohler bears the reputation of being 1 a talented musician, and Mr. Horace Bent is known to be a clever comedian and a great humorist. Mr. Wand, an accomplished pianist, accompanies them, and we have no doubt that the entertainment provided by the company will be very attractive. The Canterbury Press of Monday gives the following particulars regarding the recent Jockey Club Convention in Christchurch:— “The adjourned meeting of the representatives of the various New Zealand jockey clubs, to consider matters relating to sporting, with a view of introducing uniform rules as to weights, &c., was held at Warner’s Hotel, on Saturday. Mr. H. P. Lauoe occupied the chair,; and the other gentlemen present were Messrs. Stead, Pearce, Young, D; Fraser, Heslop, Martin, Jones, Delamaine, and Captain Fraser. The first subject discussed was the Victorian Eacing Eules, which it was proposed should be adopted for New Zealand. It was. stated that they had been carefully drawn up, and had been submitted for revision 1 to Admiral Eous, and that they were admirably adapted for New Zealand. After some discussion, the Victorian weight-for-age rules were then adopted unanimously for the whole of New Zealand. It was decided that they should take effect from Ist January next. The rules with regard to other matters were considered, and it was resolved to forward copies of them to the various clubs throughout New Zealand for their consideration. Mr. Young then moved the following resolution; —“That with a view to improve the status of racing, to give uniformity to the several race meetings, make better prizes for principal events, and encourage breeders, it is desirable to have a jockey club for New Zealand, the executive representatives of which in each province or at each meeting should be the stewards, with power toadd three fromthemembers of the local jockey club. That such jockey club consist of eight stewards—viz., two from Auckland, two from Wellington,' two from Christchurch, and two from Dunedin. The New Zealand Jockey Club to hold an annual financial meeting at Christchurch, which shall decide upon and arrange the various principal racing events throughout New Zealand.” This resolution was not seconded. Mr. Stead then moved—“ That it is desirable to have a New Zealand jockey club, which shall frame rules and make a scale of weights to be used by all clubs running under its rules, and that such club shall be a final tribunal to decide any question referred to it by the local clubs. That the New Zealand Jockey Club shall consist of not more than three members from each local club, and that at least one steward at every meeting running under the New Zealand Jockey Club rules must be a member of the club, and that they shall, a< far as possible at the beginning of the year, fix the dates of all meetings.” Mr. Heslop seconded the motion, which was carried unanimously. The meeting then adjourned. .