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New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5420, 10 August 1878, Page 2

If political apathy iu regard to the exorcise of the franchise by electors be the rule, an exception occurs to prove its generality. It is stated in Waikato as a remarkable fact that the total number of votes x'ecorded at the la te election for Waipa was actually in excess of the total number of voters known to be in the electoral district. Whether the extra votes were polled for the Government candidate or for his opponent of course canuot at present be known ; but it is generally believed, we hear, that the Auckland Constitutional Association have a reserve of voters always in stock, qualified tor any emergency, and that some of these found their way to Mercer on the polling day by special train, and were not required to produce their tickets. We may hear more of this curious phenomenon.

The acoustic properties of the House once more ! Yesterday Major Atkinson complained that he could not hear a gentleman speaking half a-dozeu yards away from him, and Mr. Rowe made Ixis opening speech this session by declaring he had heard nothing at all for an hour past. Ha and other members might as well have been in Auckland as in the House for all they had heard. lie hoped Ministers as well as others would take the hint, and speak louder, it they spoke less often. Ha was quite ignorant of many things said during the afternoon. Mr. Macfarlano seemed hurt at what Mr. Rowe said, and wrath fully wanted to know what Mr. Rowe meant by “ hignoraut.” Mr. Rowe retorted that he had not used such a word.

Mr. Manders, M.H.R., has given notice of his intention to ask the Colonial Treasurer on Tuesday, the 13th instant,—Whether he has any objection to lay on the table of this House a returu ; I. Showing how the cost of the x-eclaimad laud proposed to bo hauded over to the Wellington Corporation is made up. 2. Whether the sum of £89,000, the alleged cost of said laud, contains any item for interest upon current expenditure incniTed during the reclamation of said land and for xepairs to rolling-stock, plant, and cost of tools, &o. 1 3. Whether the laud has been valued so as to arrive at its real worth? 4. Whether, also, there is any objection to laying au abstract of the documents upou which the proposed handing over of this reclaimed land to the Wellington Corporation is based, upou the table of this House'!

The Legislative Council had a very short sitting yesterday. The energy of hon, members has been such that they left but little to do ou the last sitting day of the week There were only two items ou the Order Paper for Friday—the Trade Union Bill (second reading), and the consideration iu committee of the Dog Act. There was no opposition to the first measure, no word being spoken except the introductory speech of the Colonial Secretary,' and for the second it was referred to a selout committee.

At the meeting of tho City Council last night Councillor Hunter said he wished to know how long it would be before the goods sheds would be erected , n tho wharf. He drew the attention of his brother CounciUers to tho fact that the wool season was drawing on, and he had boon asked by several persons if tho sheds would soon be finished. Mr Baird, the City Engineer, said the sheds would soon bo commenced. Councillor Hunter suggested that it rai'dit bo judicious to convene a mooting of the Wharf Committee and let the outside public see that tho Council intended proceeding with tho work as soon as possible. At the Resident Magistrate’s Court yesterday Benjamin Slaney was brought up on remand, charged with stealing a quantity of painting materials. Tho man had been apprehended on warrant from Lyttelton, and Sergeant Smith now stated that a telegram had been received from tho authorities at that place requesting that the case might be withdrawn. The K.M. said ho had no power at present to withdraw the warraut, but the magistrate who issued it might give instructions to that effect. There had evidently been some mistake in the matter, and it was a clear case of false imprisonment, showing that people should be more careful in such matters. Slaney must bo remanded, awaiting further instructions.

By a typographical error in our issue of yesterday, in our report of the proceedings in the House of Representatives, tho name of “ Mr. Joyce" was printed " Mr. Bryce." ;

Messrs. Ormond, Rowe, and Dr. Hodgkinson yesterday took their seats in the House for the first time this session.

The proprietors of the Sydney Mail offer £IOO for the best original tale, to be written for publication in that journal. There will be a meeting of the School Teachers' Association at the Sydney-street schoolroom at XI o’clock this morning.

The Hutt County Council will meet on Tuesday next, at 1 o’clock p.m,, for the transaction of general business.

Tenders for the erection of the Convent School buildings io Dixou-atreet will be received up to noon on Monday, the 19th lust., at Mr. C. O’Neill’s office, Lambton-quay, opposite the Odd Fellows’ Hall. . An application was made in chambers yesterday, before his Honor Judge Richmond, in the matter of Giilon v. Macdonald and others, by Mr. Ollivier, who appeared for Mr. MoKirdy, the petitioning creditor, that Mr. Giilon should be adjudged a bankrupt. Mr. Barton opposed the application. The Court reserved judgment. A deputation from the Governors of Wellington College, consisting oi Sir W, Fitzherbert and the Hon. W. Gisborne, had an interview with the Hon. Mr. Ballauce ou Thursday last, with reference to the introduction of a Bill into Parliament to provide that a certain reserve of 4000 acres in Waitotara (originally set apart for the University, but afterwards, by Act of the General Assembly, made available for the purposes of higher education in this provincial district) be defined and set apart for the Wellington College; also to give p aver to the governors to sell a certain portion of such reserve to provide funds for the erection and establishment of a high school for girls in connection with the College, and to place the College in such a position that it may fulfil the objects for which it was founded ; the Bill also to provide that a portion of the reserve on which the College stands may be leased to add to the income of the College. The deputation also urged upon the Government to complete the setting apart of certain reserves, amounting to some 10,000 acres, promised by the late Superintendent of the province, and which would long ere this have been made over to the College but for the abolition of provinces, and asked if a sum could be placed upon the Estimates for the College, inasmuch as the late Provincial Council had voted money year byyear.aud such vote would have now been continued had not the province ceased to exist. It was also urged that the governors should have power to invest moneys in first mortgages on freehold securities, instead of being restricted, as at present, to Government and municipal securities. Mr. Ballauce replied that the Government were most auxious and willing to assist institutions founded for giving higher education. That he would look into the question of the reserves set apart by the late Superintendent, and endeavor to have them made. That he was quite of opinion that local bodies should have power to invest in first mortgages on freehold security ; that otherwise they were to a great extent starved. That the question of placing a sum on the Estimates was a difficult one ; he could hardly do it for one and not for all such institutions. The question of aid to secondary education was one which the Government must take up iu a comprehensive scheme for the whole colony. That if a sum were put down for such a purpose it must be a very large one, and he did not think the Government could see their way to doing so this year : the matter must be well considered, and brought forward next session. The deputation thanked Mr. Ballance for the attention he had given to the matter they had brought under his notice, and for his promise of the support of the Government to the Bill they proposed to introduce.

At the Imperial Opera House to-night a grand complimentary testimonial concert will be tendered to Mr. R. W. Cary, in recognition of his able management of the late exhibition in connection with the Working Men’s Club. On this occasion the prominent amateurs in the city have kindly volunteered to assist in the entertainment. The first portion of the programme will be supplied by the Bijou Minstrels, which number sixteen performers, who will give a first (chair) part, conconsisting of songs, choruses, jokes, &c.; the second part of the programme will include a very great number of choice selections of songs, duets, quartettes, &c. A well-known amateur will recite “The Charge of the Light Brigade,” and there can be no doubt that with the well-known popularity of Mr. Cary and the excellence of the entertainment, the Opera House will be filled to overflowing. Seats may be secured to-day up to six o'clock at the Athenaeum bazvar.

We have received a copy of the “Canterbury Baptist,” a quarterly publication edited by the Rev. O. Dallaston, and published by J. T. Smith and Co., of Christchurch, The present number contains the report of a sermon preached in the Polytechnic Hall, Wellington, by' the Rev, T. Harrington, on the text, “ The wicked is driven away in his wickedness : but the righteous hath hope in his death "—Proverbs xiv. 32 ; an article on “Denominationalism ;” the abstract of a sermon by the Rev. T. Spurgeon, on “Jethex*, the son of Gideon a paper ou “ The Life and character of Job," read recently at the Southern Cross Young Men's Christian Association ; an obituary of Mr. Joseph Cricks, of Christchurch, and items of news relating to the Baptist Churches in Canterbury, Wellington, &c.. The pamphlet is neatly printed, and the reading matter is evidently carefully selected. In our advertising columns will be found the prospectus of a new company, entitled the Tanning and Leather Manufacturing Company of New Zealand, which is to be incorporated under the Joint Stock Act. The capital is £20,000, in 2000 shares of £lO each, until power to increase to £50,000. The company proposes to take over and work, on a much greater scale than at the present, the tanning business which has been carried on for some years by Mr. J. Guilford, at The affair, judging from the prospectus, promises to be a highly successful undertaking. At the Resident Magistrate’s Court yestex - - day, before T. A. Mausford Bsq., R.M., Patrick Cullen was charged with attempting to destroy himself; It appeared that the man mads repeated attempts to hang himself with a strap suspended from a lamp post on Tiua-kori-i-oad, but the strap broke with bis weight each time, and some passers-by observing him, took him away. The accused said it occurred through drink. He had been a temperance man for several years, but being jilted by a young woman whom he was about to marry, and for which event he had made every preparation, he had x-ecourae to the bottle, and so far lost the use of his senses as not to remember having attempted to hang himself. If the magists-xto would let him off this time he would take the pledge and keep it. The Resident Magistrate discharged him with a caution to avoid drink in future.

Tho Infant Prodigies (the Elder Brothers) are announced to appear at the Opera House on Monday evening next. The company have been very successful in the Southern provinces, and have received high enconiums from the Press. The Otago Daily Times favorably notices the performances of the company. Tho children are pronounced exceedingly clever, either as vocalists, dancers, or gymnasts. Mr. J. Elder's performances as a onedegged gymnast are very highly spoken of. the performing company consists of six members, tho “ star" being an extraordinarily clover child of six years of age. Oooktown telegraphic advices, published in tho Brisbane papers of the 2dth ult., reported a new discovery by Chinese, thirty miles below Palmerville. Two men are said to have got 30oz. in one week, and others are reported to bo getting from 2oz. to 3oz. per day. The Chinese are flocking to the field in large numbers. The report (says tho (lucenslai\dcr of the 27th July) which appears elsewhere of tho alleged discovery of gold by the Chinese on tho Palmer liiver, thirty miles below Palmerville, will in all probability prove to be well founded, as a belief has always existed amongst European miners acquainted with the locality that a payable goldtield is to be found below Palmerville, and more than one party, have prospected down the river from that town, but without success, A little gold has been found in nearly all tho gullies running into tho main river in tho locality of the alleged discovery. Many miners are of opinion that good deposits on the Lower Palmer are to be reached by deep sinking. Tho reported Chinese discovery, however, may turn out to bo a mere patch of no more value than those that caused tho late rush to the conglomerate, and the report should be received with caution. Advick to Mothers Arc you broken in your rest by a sick child suffering with tho pain of cutting teeth f (to at once to a chemist and get a bottle of Sins. Winslow's Soothino Street', ft will relieve the poor sufferer immediately. It is xjerfoetly harmleas and pleasant to taste, it produces natural, qu t sleep, by relieving tho child from pain, and the little cherub awakes “as bright as alnittmL itsoothos the child, it softens the gum<. allays - P tlilt known wind, regulates tho bowels, and is the best known remedy lor dyso dory ami dlarrhaa, "hothej a * r '"Jß from toethlmr or other causes. Mrs. Winslow s boom Ing Syrup is sold by medicine dealers i e a v _ or ( T v f^ e at is. lid, uor bottle. Manufactured at 103 Oxfordstreet,