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New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 5665, 27 May 1879, Page 2

The Mayoralty election comes off to-day. The polling will take place at the Corporation buildings, corner of Brandon and Featherston streets. Voters will enter by the Brandonatreet entrance, and after recording their votes will leave by the passage into Featherstonstreet.

His Excellency the Governor has received a telegram from the Secretary of State for the Colonies announcing that her Majesty the Queen had been graciously pleased to create the Hon. Edward Stafford and the Hon. William Fox Knights Commanders of the Most Distinguished Order of St. Michael and St. George, and the Hon. Edward Richardson and Mr. VV. J. M. Laruaoh Companions of the same Order.

The citizens kept holiday in a half-hearted sort of a way yesterday. Most of the places of business, with the exception of the banks, were shut, but in consequence of the threatening aspect of the weather few people left the town.

The following gentlemen have been nominated for the office of Commissioners of the Kaiwarra Local Board :—Thomas Hawkings, Jonah Harris, and Robert Yeatts. As there are only two candidates to be elected, a poll will be taken to-day.

The Licensed Victuallers’ Association of Wellington appears to be in a somewhat disorganised state. At their meeting called last Monday week there were only six members present, when they adjourned until yesterday, la the hopes of getting a full meeting. Four licensed victuallers only attended, and were rather disgusted, asserting that they would have nothing more to do with the association. John Adams, of Wellington, contractor, has assigned his estate to Messrs. T. Mills and J. Kutohen for the benefit of his creditors. A meeting to ascent to the deed will be held at the Supreme Court House, on Wednesday, June 11, at noon. The body of a man named John Dutch was found drowned on the beach yesterday forenoon, between Lyell Bay and Island Bay, by a man named James Hutchinson. It appears that Dutch left his house in Brougham-street in the morning, saying that he was going for a walk over the hill, but never returned. His body was found between 10 and 11 o’clock. A few yards away Mr. Hutchinson picked up on the beach a little money and a carpenter’s rule. Deceased was a carpenter, and leaves a wife and four children. He had been in Wellington about two years, and was generally of a lively disposition. An inquest will be held to-morrow.

The case of Regina v. Kinross is the only one out of thirty criminal cases down for hearing to-day that will be heard by the Resident Magistrate. The remainder will be taken by the justices of the peace at the old Court House. On Friday next there are about thirty more criminal cases that will have to be heard by justices. The final performance here of Mr. George Darrell’s sensational drama “ Back from the Grave,” took place last night to a large audience, the house being fairly filled in every part. The principal characters were several times called before the curtain, and the allegorical representations were remarkably good, Miss Navaro’s rendering of the several national airs being excellent. A word of praise is due to the orchestra, under the direction of Mr. Spiller, more especially for its rendering of a selection from “ Trovatore,” a performance above the average merit of what is usually heard from theatre musicians. “ Back from the Grave” being now withdrawn, there is to be a nightly succession of new pieces during the remainder of the company’s season, beginning this evening with the generally favorite drama of “ East Lynne.” Mr. Montague Browne, on behalf of Messrs. Hisoocks, Hayman, and Co., requests us to say that it is their intention to issue the usual complimentary editorial and reportorial passes to the Press, as well as to recognised literary men, for all theatres under their management.

Mr. Barry O’Neil’s entertainment at the Atheoraum was crowded last night ; every seat being occupied, and many could not gain admittance. The performance was a variety one, and 'passed off remarkably well. Mr. Collier sang ; the ballad “ Guiding Star” very nicely, and narrowly escaped an encore. The “Old Sexton” was so well sung by Mr. Monk that a most vociferous encore was demanded, and the singer rendered “ The Old Arm Chair” in a very pleasant manner. Mr. Barry O’ Neil was warmly welcomed; his singing and acting, interspersed by some.difficult step dancing, gave great amusement, and kept the audience in roars of laughter. Mr. R. W. Cary sang a descriptive song called “ A Leap for Life,” in his usual excellent style; an encore was loudly called for, and he sang his old favorite “ Nancy Lee." In the i.econd part Bliss Lizzie Lawrence and Mr. Reid entertained the audience by performing a little comedy, which gave general satisfaction. The performance concluded with some more of Barry O’Neil’s specialities. The Divorce Court yesterday granted a rule absolute, dissolving the marriage between the parties Bailey v. Bailey, a Christchurch case. Kawatina v. Kinross occupied the Court of Appeal the whole of yesterday, A deed of assignment by Williams, Cameron, and Co., was yesterday assented to. Messrs. Jacob Joseph and Co. take over the estate, and pay the other creditors 10s. in the £. At a meeting of the creditors of David Mitchell, of Wellington, held yesterday, Mr. W. A. Waters was appointed trustee. The liabilities were set down at £274 12s. 10d.; assets, £216 Bs. lOd. ;

Valuable Discovery for the Hair.—lf yonr hair is turning grey or white, or falling off. nse “ The Mexican Hair Renewer. tor jt trill positively restore in every case Grey or IVhOe hair to its original color, without leaving the d'sagreeable smell of most “ Restorers.’’ It makes the hair charmingly beautiful as well as promoting the growth of the hair on bald spots, where the glands are not decayed. Ask yonr Chemist for “The Mexican Hair Renewer,” prepared by Henry C. Gallup, 453 Oxford-street, London, and sold by Chemista and Perfumers everywhere at 3s 6d per Bottle.—f Anvt

The flag directed by the Governor’s proclamation to be carried by all vessels belonging to or permanently in the service of the Government of Victoria, has been approved by the Admiralty, and will appear in the Admiralty Flag Book, viz., five white stars, representing the constellation of the Southern Cross, surmounted by an Imperial crown.

No country on the g’obe. unless it be our own (savs the New York Times), improves -o rapidly and steadily as Japan. Within a very short time it has had a new birth ; has revolutionised itself in nearly every department of commerce and trade. Its postal business, which is usually reckoned as a mark of growing civilisation, has vastly increased within a few years. The system was established only in April, 1571, and yet it embraces all our facilities except the assortment of letters in cars in transition, which is impossible in the absence of railways. To compensate for this lack, postal saving banks were established in 1875, and they have been received with great favor. During the last six months of that year only, 19 banks were founded, and the amount deposited, counting the ven as equivalent to the dollar, was 6108 dollars. For the fiscal year ending last June, there were 292 such banks, with 208,944 dollars deposits. In 1853, the letters, postal cards, newspapers, books, &c., transmitted through the mails numbered some 10,300,000 ; during last year they numbered nearly 36,000,000. Postal cards, first used in 1877, increased from 2,000,000 that year to over 10,000,000 last year. The foreign mail matter augmented in the same year from 44,185 to 158,203, which is very remarkable, considering Japanese exclusiveness. The Japanese income last year was 69 per cent, in excess of the outlay, thus paying 45,283 dollars into the national treasury. The government generally is administered with an honesty which we enlightened republicans can hardly realise. Last year only 62 letters were absolutely lost by theft, and but 19 of these contained money—l 32 dollars—which was made good by the steamer carrying the mails. Japan, is, indeed, an extraordinary land. Amongst the specimens added lately to the Museum is a model of aMoriori canoe from the Chatham Islands, 14ft. long. The following interesting notice is appended to it :—“ Owing to the want of large timber, the ancient inhabitants of the Chatham Islands made the framework of their canoes of saplings, and split pieces of ake-ake. the interstices being stuffed with dry seaweed, which is remarkably buoyant in the water. There were four oars beside a steering-oar, and the canoe was propelled in the same way as the European boats, with this difference, that the Morioris only used one thole-pin instead of two, as in our boats, and the steerer of the canoe sat on the seat in the stern with his back to the rowers, who, by looking over their shoulders gave the direction te the steersman, a very round-about way, which could so easily have been obviated by the steersman turning round. It never seems to have occurred to them to have two thole-pins. They managed to make the wash of the sea hold the oar in its place, which was done with a sort of jerk.” This information is supplied by Mr. S. Deighton, R.M, of Waitangi, Chatham Islands .—Lyttelton Times.

From the London Athletic World the Ex aminer learns that the champion amateur jumper and hurdle-racer of England, Mr. Charles Laugtou Lookton, is a Tasmanian by birth. His father was many years ago the Anglican minister at Windermere, East Tamar, and Charles was born there on 2nd July, 1856, but was taken to England early and educated at Merchant Taylors' school. In 1869 he first entered the pedestrian arena, and for the next two years confined his successes to his school sports, not appearing in public competitions until April, 1872. During the past seven years, however, young as he is, his success has been wonderful, and his performances in high jump, wide jump, hurd-e, and handicaps have been simply unparalleled in the history of athletics. Competing at nearly all classes of sports, he contested 17 high jumps, winning 14, and being second thrice. In long jumping he has won 27, twice second, and once unplaced, out of 30 events, and he has won all the spring high jumps he contended for. In handicaps he has won 26 trial heats, second four times, and unplaced three, while in the final heat he has competed 34 races, winning 12, six times second, six times third, and 10 times unplaced. Twice he has put the weight, winning once and being third another time, and was victorious in the only tug of war he contested. In level races, country trial, and final heats he has competed 67 times, winning 60, being second four times, twice third, and once unplaced. Altogether, he has contested in 187 comnetitions, winning no less than 144, being second 19 times, third nine times, and unplaced 15 times. It may not be generally known (says the Australasian Insurance and Banking Record), even in insurance circles, that there is a sort of recognised “ Legion of Honor ” in the insurance world in England. Not that it by any means holds the same position as the French degree of merit; but still, in its way, to be included in the legion is an honor which may be presumed to be worth striving for. Shortly, this legion is composed of life-assurance agents, who have lone during a year £IO,OOO in new assurances ; and in at least two offices in England, both holding very respectable positions, and of considerable standing, the consummation of this result is the eutrde to the annual dinner in London, when they meet with their successful confreres, and the directors and officials of their companies, and where, amid pleasant and after-dinner talk “over the walnuts and the wine,” not a few hints are dropped to bear fruit in the future, and oftentimes lasting friendships formed. The chairman of one of these offices, at the last annual dinner, intimated that a trophy had been prepared for competition among the various agents, to be awarded to the one who did the largest new business in the year. This trophy was in the shape of a handsome inkstand, surmounted with gamecocks wrought in silver, in illustration, we presume, of the pertinacity with which the prize was to be fought for. At the annual dinner of this office 23 agents were present, who had each done during the year £IO,OOO and upwards of new business. And these, be it remembered, were not travelling agents, as employed in these colonies, devoting their whole time to the business of the office, but local agents, whose insurance agency was a secondary and subsidiary part of their business.

A correspondent has supplied the Pleasant Greek News, May 14, with particulars of an almost miraculous escape from sudden death, to at least two persons, which occurred on the evening of the 7th instant. It appears that Mr. Alley, police magistrate, was a passenger by the express train from Ballarat to Stawell on the evening in question. He had gone to sleep on the seat, when suddenly he was aroused from his slumbers by most fearful screams from the adjoining carriage, accompanied by on the panels and shrieks of “ Help, help 1 Save me ! Save me 1 Save ray children !” Hastily throwing up the windows he gazed out, and saw at the door of the next compartment the pallid and horrorstricken face of a woman, whose countenance betokened the frenzied state of her mind. The lady was endeavoring to force her way out of the carriage window, and » fearful death appeared imminent. Mr. Alley at once saw that there was no time for delay, and hastily scrambling out of the window of the carriage he clasped the lady in his arms just as she fell back in a dead faint. With almost superhuman efforts he managed to get the lady over his shoulder, clinging at the same time for life to the carriage door, and thus succeeded in passing her safely into the compartment. After recovering slightly, in answer to his inquiries the lady informed him that the carriages were on fire, and begged him to save her and her children. Upon looking out Mr. Alley observed flames and sparks issuing from the train ahead, which he found proceeded only from the engine fires, and had caused the lady unnecessary alarm. To the fact of bis having at one time been a tailor was doubtless attributable the saving of the life of the lady, and afterwards his own. On arrival at the next station the lady was attended to, and was enabled to resume her journey to Ararat, of which place she is a well known and respected resident.

The London correspondent of the American Mail says :—“ Private enterprise is providing ns with a great deal of electric light. A flaring, glaring, dazzling light is being flashed out by the Polytechnic Institution. At the Gaiety Theatre it continues to be burnt. It is used occasionally at the shops where oil lamps are exposed for sale. Several butchers have taken it for illumination on Saturday nights. They used to employ a brass band to play on the first floor, but the new method of advertisement pays better. It was temporarily adopted, too, at the Edgeware-road railway station. A diamond merchant, too, went for carbon-made light, and gave us an opportunity of comparing the uewgas lamps in Waterloo-place with the electrical method of illumination. The electrical method has the best of it. Yet, somehow, the notion of using the electric light for the general lighting of the streets is less fashionable than it was. Vestrymen say that it coats too much.”