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New Zealand Times, Volume XXXV, Issue 6061, 2 September 1880, Page 2

Mails for Australian colonies and Tasmania, per Eingarooma, close on Friday, at 11.30 a.m., at the Bluff. We understand that further reductions in the Judicial Department will fol'ow the retirement of Mr. Bathgate from the District Judgeship of Dunedin. There is also to be a concentration where practicable of the work of Resident Magistrates, in order to lessen the number employed. The ceremony of proroguing Parliament in tho Legislative Council Chamber yesterday was of a most uninteresting character. At the appointed hour some fifteen members of the Assembly attended, and the Commission authorising the Commissioners to prorogue was produced by the Attorney -Genera’. Seventeen members of the Lower Oh .m'> r attended, including four members of the Government —the Hon. Messrs. Hall, Oliver, Uollestoo, and Major Atkinson—and Mr. Sheehan and Sir William Fox. Parliament was then prorogued.

Mr. Redwood, the Immigration Officer, will send thirty of the unemployed to Patea to-day by the p.s. Manawatu. There was a good attendance at the Theatre Royal last evening, and the musical and operatic performance passed off with even greeter success than on the first occasion. Notice has been received at the Telegraph Office that the communication by the laud lino between Bolinas and Manilla has been restored. The Hospital steward desires to acknowledge receiving parcels of various useful articles for the use of patients, left by the donors at Mr. Barraud's, in Molesworth-street, and at Mr. Fitzgerald's, in Manners-street. A sale of needlework and general contributions was held by the St. Paul's Ladies’ Sewing Society, in the church-room, Tinakoriroad, yesterday afternoon and evening, and the weather being fine, there was a good attendance of visitors. The closing of the session yesterday must have been an immense relief to Ministers. Thev will, we believe, seek a little relaxation before entering upon the serious work of the recess. Major Atkinson, Mr. Dick, and Mr. Eollsston, are the first take furlough, and will, we understand, leave Wellington —Major Atkinson to-night, for New Plymouth, Messrs. Dick and Rolleston tomorrow, for Otago and Canterbury respectively. The Major needs rest, for he has suffered much iu health lately, and the Premier appears to be very fagged. In these days of many inventions every fresh line is welcomed by the public, who are ever on the qui five to see something new and and startling. All who are so inclined may have their curiosity gratified by paying a visit to the ship St. Leonards. The genial captain has on board, for the amusement of his passengers, a new style of hand organ, called “ The American Organette,” being the first of its kind brought to New Zealand, and there is no doubt that tho captain will be pleased to explain its peculiarities to all who favor him with a visit. The weekly meeting of tho Seamen’s Union was held last night at their rooms in Willisstreet. His Worship the Mayor was elected to the chair. The Secretary reported the result of hia enquiries re registration, which was to the effect that the society could be registered as a trades’ union under the Act of 1878. Mr. Sangster drew attention to the reports which had appeared in the papers in connection with the strike of the lumpers on the wharf. He stated that it was impossible, under the Is. an hour rate, to earn from 20s. to 355. per week. He denied intimidation having been used by any member of the society to men who had offered to work at the reduced rate. In fact, the whole story from beginning to end was untrue. The question was then put as to whether any of the members had used intimidation, but this was indignantly repudiated. Several members briefly spoke to the question. It was then stated that as far the society was concerned there was no fear of persons working for the Is. per hour being interfered with. It was then resolved that relief should be granted to members requiring such. The matter of procuring new premises and furnishings was referred to the committee, to report at the next meeting. The Nelson Mail, which, by the way, made its appearance in an enlarged form on Monday last, publishes an extract fiom a letter from Greymouth, in which the writer, referring to gold prospecting in that locality, says : —“ An authentic report has been received of very good gold being got far up the ranges between the bend of the Black Ball and the Ten Milo Creeks, running from the ranges seaward. This is the terra incognita of past years, and the discovery is solely the result of the findings at the Soventeen-Mile Beach. All the country from Moonlight across to Razor Back, and all the back country down to Charleston, will now be thoroughly prospected. The last find is near ‘Roaring Meg,' to approach which demands acrobatic qualifications of the highest order.” The country referred to is of very considerable extent, and should the report mentioned prove correct, it is likely that the auriferous deposits will not be confined to the locality where they are said to have been found, but will be spread over the whole area between the Seventeen-Mile Beach and Charleston, which is some thirty or forty miles in length, and from four to five in width. The Christchurch Echo, of Monday, relates the following mad-brained adventure A youth of about eighteen, for some time in the employ of Mr. B- Macfarlane at the Bank of New Zealand, Lyttelton, having made up his mind to go to that g“utleman, who is at present residing at Kaiapoi, conceived the idea of sailing round in a punt 18ft long, with a beam of about 3tt. 6in., which Mr. Macfarlane had left in port. On'Wednesday morning, having procured a few pi-ovisions, he took Spy, a favorite dog, and set sail. It may here be mentioned that he had never seen the entrance to the Kaiapoi river, and only knew from what he was told that the town named was situated on a river to the north of Lyttelton. During the afternoon he came up off the New Brighton Hotel, and put the boat in for shore. Finding a rolling surf on, and no apparent entrance to a river, he stood out again. Night coming on he put down the anchor, and as he states ‘ turned in.’ In the morning he started north again, and made Sumner Bar, but nearing the entrance became afraid of the breakers. He stood the boat out to sea, and ran along the coast till ha came off the next bar, which proved to be the south entrance to the Kaiapoi river. This he did not fancy, and so sailed on to the north, when, seeing another channel, and what appeared a flagstaff, made up his mind to sail in for it. The boat came easily on the broken water, when a huge wave turned it completely over, throwing the youth and hia dog into tho trough of the sea. Here the dog gave him seme trouble, but striking out he reached the boat, which was bottom uppermost, and held on to it as well as the dog. The flood tide carried them in a considerable distance, and reaching smoother water the youth made up his mind to try a swim for it, and judging from the description given of the spot whore the broken water ends to where he and Spy landed, he must have swam a good half mde. He made for the fisherman’s hut, got some dry clothes, then went on to join his master at Kaiapoi.” The following business has been placed on the Order Paper of the City Oouucil for tonight :—Publio Works Committee’s Report.— The committee beg to report—l. That app’ication has been made for a right of road through the Town Belt Reserve to the Island Bay estate, and that there is no objection to same so long as the Council is put to no expense in the matter. That the road is securely fenced, and that tho leasees of the sections of Town Belt, thereby affected, offer no objection. 2. That Mr. R. Toop claims £IOO as damages for alleged injury caused by falling into the Taranaki-street drain, but that the said claim cannot be entertained. 3. That the metalling of the South-road will be commenced as soon as the weather will permit. 4. That a claim has been made by Messrs. Jacob Joseph and Co. for £BS 7s. 6d., being balance due for uniforms supplied to the Central Volunteer Fire Brigade, and recommend that pending further enquiries no more payments bo made on this account, 5. That a plan of subdivision of the Market Hall Reserve is submitted for the approval of tho Council. Tho committee beg further to recommend 6. That the eum of £7O 2s. lid. be paid in full of Mr. B. W. Mills’ disputed account. 7. That tho sura of £6O bo accepted iu full of the balance (£9O) of guarantee for £IOO given by sundry of the residents in Lorne-streot, on account of formation of the said street. 8. That the quarries in Mount Victoria Reserve bo closed forthwith, and the reserve let for grazing purposes, 9. That the rate to be charged in future for water used for other , than domestic purposes he la. per lOOOgallous. 10. That tenders bo called for tho erection of tho Fish Market, ns per plan already approved by the Council. 11. That a concrete wall bo erected in Mulgrave street, so as to enable the street to be made to its full width; tenders to be called for. 12. That tho leases of Town Belt Reserves, Nos. 19, 20, and 22 be transferred from the late George Hunter to Messrs. Wright and Joseph. 13. That the amount of tho verdict and plaintiff's costs, in the case McLean v. Corporation (£ll6 195.), be paid. 1-1. That tho town clerk be instructed to take summary proceedings at once for tho recovery of all arrears of rent on town belt reserves. 15. That accounts araounting to £ll4 14s. lOd. be passed for payment. Notice of motion.— Councillor Young to move,—“ That it is advisable that the building regulations be amended by adding the following clause:—lf, in the opinion of tho City Council, a full compliance with these regulations, or any of them, would needlessly affect with injury the course and operations of business, or he attended with groat loss and inconvenience to any person, without any corresponding benefit to the community, tho City Council may, on special application, relax tho strict of any regulation, or modify the same, providing that such terms as they may impose be complied with by the applicant.”

Mr. 0. Hill, of Willis-Btreet, is, under the assiduous attention of Dr. Diver, making steady progress towards convalescence. There is a considerable debt on the Halcombo Homan Catholic Church, which Father Moreau is making vigorous and very successful efforts to extinguish. Wellington bookbinding found favor at the Sydney Kxhibition, two second-class medals falling to it, one of them being awarded to Messrs. Lyon and Blair, the other to Mr. Didsbury, of the Government printing office. The site of the late Opera House, in Manners-streer, has been seized under writ of fi fa, at the suit of T. D. Sooular and It. Archibald, and will ho offered for sale, under instructions from the Sheriff of the Supreme Court, by Messrs. T. K. Macdonald and Co., on the 6th December next. At the adjourned meeting of the creditors of Mr. Albert Fisher, publican, of Wellington, held at the Supreme Court Buildings yesterday, Mr. W. R. Waters was elected creditors’ trustee without opposition, on the mo'ion of Mr. S. Bishop, seconded by Mr. J. L. Bacon, and his remuneration fixed at 5 per cent. The Featherston correspondent of the Wairarapa Standard states that a local tradesman bought last week a parcel of 4000 rabbit skins, at 2s. 2d. per dozen. He also says:—Two men left Featherston a fortnight since, aud commenced rabbiting, and have averaged 150 per day, with dogs only, and have killed as many as three hundred in one day, and they report that there appears to be no diminution, but that the rabbits seem to increase as fast ns they are killed. Mr. O. W. Chamberlin, of H.M. Customs, who for some time past has filled the office of landing waiter at this port, left yesterday by the Hawea for Dunedin, having been promoted to the post of landing surveyor at that port, succeeding Mr. J. Borrie, who has been promoted to the collectorship at Invercargill, vacated by the resignation of Mr. W. T. Glasgow. Mr. Chamberlin's departure from Wellington will be much regretted by all who have known him either iu his official or private capacity. The Rangitikei Advocate states that “ the boring apparatus which was brought out from Wanganui to test the coal measures at Mount Stewart, broke down after a depth of 40ft. had been attained. A drill was procured from Feildiug, and boring operations were to be commenced yesterday. At the depth of 40ft. hard sandstone was reached, giving promise of a valuable coal seam. The work now being done is being prosecuted at the expense of six gentlemen belonging to Feilding, who have faith in the existence of a genuine coalfield.” A new industry, or rather the extension of a new branch of industry is now iu course of successful operation at Mr. Hammond’s fellmongery, York Farm, Manawatu district. The local journal says:—Hitherto after the wool has been taken off the sheep, the pelt has been thrown away as useless, but now under the skilful manipulation of Mr. Oarlquist each skin is made worth half-a-crown, and ,by his own labor alone fully three hundred each a week can be made ready for market. The industry is at present only iu its infancy, but so well pleased is Mr. Hammond at the result, that we understand he is going to enter largely into it, and operate upon the skins of calves and laige cattle, Nelson people are at last consoling themselves with the prospect of a good coach road between Nelfon and the West Coast, in lieu of the railroad they have vainly striven for these many years past. The Mail publishes the following telegram from a Wellington correspondent :—“ The Nelson members waited on the Minister of Public Works on Saturday night, thinking it expedient before the session closed to have a distinct understanding with reference to pushing on the works on the coach road to the West Coast, as the money had been voted, and it was most desirable to take adyantage of the summer months in carrying on the works. Mr. Oliver met the deputation in the most cordial manner, and said that the work should be at once put in hand.” The Choral Society’s fourth and last concert of the season, as will be seen by advertisement in our columns, is fixed for Friday evening. The music will be entirely secular, and the programme will comprise an excell- nt selection from Auber’s opera, “ Massaniello,” “ The Toreador” from “ Carmen.” with full baud and chorus, and Haydn’s “ Farewell Symphony,” which last, we anticipate, will be productive of considerable merriment. After this the society will take a new departure and study the popular taste. They propose to place on the stage Sir Jules Benedict’s opera of ‘‘The Lily of Killarney,” in costume. From what we hear, they may anticipate a bri liant success, as the music and parts incidental have been hired from Mr. Simousen expressly for the performance. We have been requested to publish the following communication, having reference to the recent severe sentence passed on Mr. Willis, of the Hutt :—“To the Editor of the New Zealand Times. —Sir, —Will you permit me, the mother of Mr. Willis, of the Hutt School, through the medium of your valuable journal, to tender my grateful and heartfelt thanks to all those gentlemen who have so kindly, but iu vain, endeavored to obtain a mitigation of the notoriously harsh sentence of two mouths’ imprisonment, with hard labor, in the Wellington Gaol, passed by the Resident (Magistrate of Wellington, and approved of by Her Majssty’s Government, on my unfortunate son, for caning a person who for many months past has been endeavoring to deprive him of his situation.—Yours, ic., E.W.” The Government received advices yesterday from the Native Minister, at Pukehina. He says that the natives are becoming very troublesome in their fencing operations, and that only the great self-control of the A.O. force has prevented collision. There have been several scuffles, but no blows were struck, albeit on one occasion yesterday, Mr. Bryce, tearing a rupture, sent an armed picket to the scene. Their services, however, were not needed. The natives bring fencing material from a great distance and the Constabulary cart it away as soon as it is deposited on the ground, but make as few arrests as possible. The natives are much aggravated by this, and profess to be insulted, and feel as if they were made light of because they are not arrested instauter.