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New Zealand Times, Volume XXXV, Issue 6123, 17 November 1880, Page 2

The City Cpfinoil are about to form aud fix tho levels of Majorjtjanlcg-street, and to call for tenders for cutting the gr?sj p» tho waterworks reserves at Polhiil Gully. The primary scholarship examinations commenor to-day. Mr. C. S. Howard supervises the examinations in Wellington, and the Rev, W- H. Wost tin? examinations at Greytown. Wo think that the Boat'd has aptod wisely m getting the examiners to supervise the eyanir itmtioua at oacU place and thus pi;ey<mti9g £bo possibility o£ any malpractices.

The first number of the Manawatu Standard is announced to appear towards the end of the month.

We are requested to thank Mr. Lionel Harris and Mr. Monteith, of Manners street, for donations of clothes, which they have given to the Benevolent Institution.

A large number of lawyers have arrived in town from different parts of the colony within the last few days, being engaged in cases to come before the Appeal and Divorce Courts. Among the arrivals are Messrs. Joynt and Harper, of Christchurch, and Mr. Stout, the late Attorney General, from Dunedin. Despite the decision of the Council on Thursday, to call a meeting of the Wharf Committee on Monday night, to consider the question of transferring the Railway Wharf to the Harbor Board, when the committee met it decided that the question was not at all an urgent one, and would be better allowed to stand over a few weeks until the return of the absent councillors.

That the Canterbury cricketers are fully awake and doing, this season, may readily be gathered from the perusal of the Christchurch papers. TheH.O.C.Olnbplayed a match against Woolston on Saturday, and put together in the one innings the respectable total of 335, the highest scorers being Perceval, 42 ; Ross, 63 ; Million, 46 ; Longden and Loughnan, 51 ; and Redmayne, 29. A Swede, named Brodison, who is a road contractor, residing near Featherston was, on Monday last, assaulted by two laborers, of whom, he entertained strong suspicions of having stolen sundry articles belonging to himself and who wound up their attack by knocking him into a ditch, thereby fracturing his leg in two places. Dr. Smith being fortunately in the neighborhood at the time, attended to the case, and set the broken limb.

His Honor the Chief Justice held a short sitting in Chambers yesterday. Until the sittings of the Appeal and Divorce Courts are concluded the ordinary Chamber sittings on Tuesdays and Fridays will be suspended, but there will be short sittings on Saturdays for urgent bu-iness. The ordinary Wednesday’s sitting in Banco and Tuesday’s sitting in Bankruptcy will also be suspended, and no Banco or Bankruptcy husiuess will be taken till the close of the Appeal and Divorce Courts. Luigi Carronnelli, the railway employ'd at Fe'atherston, who recently suffered severe injuries through falling off a trolly, we regret to hear, succumbed. He breathed his last in the Wairarapa Greytqwn, on Monday. The widow of the unfortunate man gave birth to a female child, and now lies in the Hospital. She is iu necessitous circuipatances, and her sad case well merits the attention of the benevolent.

Oq Monday night last, a Mr. Richardson ono of the discharged clerks from the Telegraph Department, and who of late has been rabbit hunting in the Wairarapa district, was brought to the Hospital, Greytown, wounded in the hand, from the accidental discharge of bis gun. The injuries were found to be so severe as to render necessary the amputation of portions of two fingers of the right hand He is progressing favorably. At a meeting of the Law Society on Mon day, it was decided the society should proceed against Mr. Madden, the solicitor at Marton, who has practised without having obtained a certificate. Accordingly, at the first Banco sitting after the close of the Appeal and Divorce Courts, Mr. Chapman, on behalf of the society, will move for a rale for Mr. Madden to show cause why he should not be committed for contempt. The New York Produce Exchange Report and .Corn Trade List says :—“ We have to thank .John Lamb, Eaq., Waitemata Mills, Auckland, New 'for two samples of the 1880 wheat crop of that colony. The red sample is * Tuscan* spring, the white ‘Velvet’ winter. Both samples are superior to anything grown on this continent. They are simply magnificent, and weigh 63 to 64 pounds. The samples represent 10,000 bushels, for which Mr, Lamb writes he paid 3s. 9d. or 90 cents per bushel, delivered.” Captain Metcalf, of the ship Rakaia, will give oue of his pleasing dissolving view entertainments to Sunday school children, at the Woodward-street Church on Friday evening next. The apparatus is a most superior one, and by the aid of the new sciopticon lamps, the various views appear moat distinct. There will be 67 views, divided into 13 sets. Five views representing Reasons of the year, 12’the life of ‘the Spayiour, the Holy Land, 6 the life, seasons, and death of a ship, 3 a hurricane at sea. There will 1 be a number of other views, both in series and single, chromotropes, &c. One peculiarity will be that the words of the hymns and National Anthem which are to be sung, will be thrown oh the screen. The entertainment will be a very pleasing one, and is bound to be well atteqded.

As tbo only effective means of putting a stop to what promises to be a pest to the new land-owners on the Waimate Plains, unless speedily eradicated, the Hawera Star mentions that a movement is on foot for purchasing all the Maori pigs at present running on a large portion of the block of land recently sold on the plains. It is stated by those who ought to know, that there will probably be bat little difficulty ia arranging with the Maori owners at a reasonable price. No doubt buyers could easily be found for a large number of the pigs now running at large ; men and dogs would be forthcoming to catch and convey all the marketable ones to fresher.fields and pastures new, the old tuskers bping treated in a summary manner with a short shrift and a long knife.

Bather a sensational accident recently happened at Cromwell, and the wonder is that more disastrous results have not to be recorded. Mr. McKsllar was driving a young mare in a light buggy along Melmore-street. At the foot of Sliflo-street something startled the animal, and she swerved off the read. Just at this point the bank of the Kawarau riverrunning some 00 or 70 feet be!ow--is unprotected, and the driver was powerless to restrain the horse, which, buggy and al 1 , bounded over the precipice. Happily, Mr. McKellar had sufficient presence of mind to spring from the conveyance a few yards from the edge, otherwise itj.3 difficult to see how he could have escaped with'"life. The strangest part of the affair is that the horse was-recovered with little or no injury notwithstanding his terrific leap. The trap, of course, was utterly demolished.

We have been favored with a perusal of the manuscript of a pantomimic play, entitled “Harlequin Nobody,” or “The Dwarf of the Enchanted Forest,” composed by a local gentleman, Mr. H. H. Murdoch of Upper Hutt. The title “ Nobody ”at first sight appears insignificant, and is more or less calculated to convey tie impression that it truly represents the character of the author. It may bo that he has no body, but jye, have ample evidence of the fact that he has got a head, and from that head has flown a volume of racy wif, and humorous local, political, sod social hits which ha has compiled into this reservoir of sparkling pleasantry designated “ Harlequin Nobody." The Dramatis Personas ho has divided into two classes, mortals and immortals, and to the latter class belongs a character described as “To Whiti, sole lessee of the infernal regions, ‘ a devil of a fellow,’ equally ready to give or take a-fence, dealer in prophecies, wholesale and retail proclamations, &o.” This is one of the many things which to bo “ appreciated must be seen,” and wo \yill therefore content ourselves by saying that »s an example of cultivated talent the ploy js really’gopd, and will afford its composer a valuable stepping stone on the goad to fame. We believe it is shortly to be produced at the Theatre Eoyal.

The Under-Secretary for Defence, Colonel Header, paid a flying -visit to the South last week upon business relating to the Constabulary Department. He first went to Dunedin, inspected the police barracks and powder magazine there, and thence proceeded to Invercargill and Bluff and inspected the quarters pf tbo police at those places. From what we have heard of the Invercargill barracks we should jmagine that {Colonel Header was not very favorably impressed'with them. From Inyercarei)! he went down to Christchurch and Lyttelton, inspected the barracks at those places, and also those at sipa Island wherj the Maori prisoners ore confined. The latter looked remarkably well, and heartily welcomed the Colonel os an old acquaintance. .We hear that the late measures of retrenchment adopted in connection with the Constabulary Department involve a saving of some £4500 a-year without inflicting hardship on any individual. The higher officers who retired, rather than occupy a Ipwer grade* were liberally compensated even tif ihofy’ own satisfaction, and of the rank and file squeezed out a}l havp found occupation. The amount of' compensation paid was somewhere about £3OOO, and those who received it wore given to understand that in the event of on augmentation of the force they would receive preference should they desire to Sjryoagaii}, *

At the Butts, Greytown, to-day (Wednesday), the Greytown Rifle Volunteers, in uniform, will fire for the district prizes.

Mr, Sidey’s advertised sale of furniture, at Xiinton Cottage, Tinakori-road, will posititively take place at 2 p.m. this day, whether wet or dry. The Spring Exhibition of the Wellington Horticultural Society and Exhibition of Local Industries opens at the Arcade at 2 p.m. The preparations carried on till a late hour last night give promise of a brave show to *day.

Young Croft, the champion walker, has re* turned to Wellington, and announces his intention to appear at the Drill-shed. He seem* in excellent trim, and will, no doubt, add to his already well won laurels. The s.s, Wanaka, with the San Francisco mail, did not get away from New Plymouth till 11.30 a.m. yesterday, and will not, therefore, be in port before 7 or 8 o’clock this morning. She leaves again for Nelson at nine o’clock, so that residents there will really have but very little cause for complaining of a delay in the delivery of their mails.

An important sale of jewellery, silver goods, &c., will be held to-day by Messrs. T. Kennedy Macdonald & Co., at their rooms, at 2.50 p.m. The sale is in consequence of the goods being seized under distraint. The articles will therefore be sold without the slightest reserve, and as they include diamond rings, lockets, ladies’ gold watches, sterling silver ware, &c, purchasers of really first-class goods canuot do better than attend the sale.

Last Friday night, one of the largest stores iu Carterton, Messrs. Gardiner and Sons, had a narrow escape from destruction by fire. In the brief absence of the shopman one of the window lamps suddenly flared, and the flame caught the rolled-up curtain, and but for the promptness of two or three men, who, with a few buckets of water, put an end to the further progress of the flames, serious results must have followed. One of the men got his hand severely scorched. Mr. Young will address the ratepayers as a candidate for the Mayoralty, at the Athenasum to-night, and Dr. Diver will speak at the Princess Theatre to-morrow. The only other advertised announcement is an address by Mr. Hutchison at Adelaide-road on Friday night, and that will perhaps be the last speech delivered in the contest. The nominations must be handed in before noon to-morrow, each being accompanied by a £lO note, to be confiscated if the candidate does not poll an eighth of the successful man’s votes. The polling takes place this day week. Explaining the precise result of the recent land sale at Qkaiawa, about which certain contemporaries got into an inpenetrable fog, the Hawera Star says :—There were seven smallfarm allotments offered on deferred payments, all of which, with one exception, were keenly competed for, and consequently all were taken up. There were twenty-four village allotments offered for sale, but only four were sold. There were nineteen suburban deferred payment sections offered, but only two were taken up. A case of housebreaking and robbery occurred in Featherston-street last evening. About seven o’clock Messrs Murray, Roberts, and Go’s store was broken into and a number l of articles extracted therefrom. It appears that ingress had been effected through a win* dow at the back of the building, but before the thief had time to complete his purpose he was surprised by some men employed on the premises, who were working in an upper story. The matter was immediately reported to the police, and the delinquent detained until their arrival, when he was straightway marched to duiance vile, to await an introduction to the R.M. this morning. The prisoner is an old man, who gives the name of Adam Leitcfa. Jt will be noted by our advertising columns that a'popular concert is to be giveuin the Tinakori churchroom to-morrow evening in aid of the funds for furnishing that very useful room. The object of the c mcert will no doubt commend itself to many of the Thorndon folk, but apart from this the character of the entertainment to be provided should render it attractive to those who delight in a cheap evening’s amusement, for we are informed that a capital programme has been prepared, and will be rendered in excellent style, and it will be observed that the price of admission is very moderate.

We are pleased to learn that the match committee are making efforts to open the cricketing season in a befitting manner wlili a match between two fifteens chosen from the ranks of the different clubs in the city. The ground on the Basin reserve has been most carefully prepared under the direction of one or two of onr thost enthusiastic cricketer.*, and has never been in better order. Notwithstanding the* early promises of a‘ vepy lively , season, the matches which have hitherto been played have been little better than scratch matches, and the match now being arranged ig therefore well timed, as it is calculated to infuse new life into the game, and thus lead to matches being played between different clubs.

It will be remembered there was lately some complaint from buyers of seoti ms on the rec'aimed land, at the actmn of the Goverment in running the railway lines across Whitmorestreet, and thereby cutting off the access of the buyers to the Railway Wharf and breastwork. The complainants alleged that they had given a higher price for their land on account of this access, and that they were consequently entitled to compensation fur being deprived of it. Mr. Levin, chairman of the Harbor Board, subsequently wrote to the Government suggesting that as, through the closing of Whitmore street, Baliance-street alone would have to take the greater part of the traffic from the quay and wharf, that street should be made wider. Government have now decided not to close Whitmore* street, bnt, while the lines_ run across it into the space beyond, traffic will be able to pass over the rails, and there will be a fence on each side. The rails across the street will be seldom as the area beyond will be devoted to spare : rolling-stock. The actual business of the’Court of Appeal will begin this morning, at 11, before the Chief Justice and Justices Williams and Johnston, the latter of whom arrived from Christchurch yesterday. Mr. Justice Richmond is now disposing of an exceptionally long calendar of 22 oases at Wanganui, and will not be able to take part in the sittings of the Court for eight or teh daye, rvlr. Justice Gillies is at present on a visit "to Eigland. Ther following are the oases for hearing s—Wilson and Another v. Dann (Christchurch), Wright v. Wilson (Christchurch), Reid v. Friendly Sooieites (Dunedin), Collins, appellant, and Lowes, respondent (Wellington), Williams v. Wellington Corporation, Smith, appellant, and McKenzie, respondent (Dnnedin), National Bank v. Macintosh (Christchurch), Bank of Australia V. Macdonald (Wellington), Bullock’s Trustee v. Guy and Kinross (Napier). Of this list the tha first cases will be taken first, and the others jn an order to be arranged. Besides the foregoing," there are" Oiown oases reserved for the decision qF the Court. They are Regina v. Donald McKay (Dunedin), and Regina v. O’Neill (Dunedin). On Monday the Divorce Court will begin its sittings, and the Appeal business remaining will be taken after the conclusion of the Divorce cases. The following is the Divorce list Ferguson v. Ferguson and another, Gilfillanv. Gilfillau and Scott, McGhee v. McGhee, Hancock v. Hancock, and Denby v. Denby and Gilbert. It will be observed that, with the exception of the last, Dunedin has the unenviable privilege of contributing the whole of this list.

The audden death is announced of Mr. Andrew Richmond, M.H.R. for Nelson Sujaurba. The deceased gentleman was the only’ eon qf the Kou, Major Richmond, 0.8., who ‘is still living, hod is the oldest member of the Assembly. Mr, Richmond was known to a great many people in Wellington, through his having attended a number of sessions of Parliament here, and he will also be remembered by old settlers as a boy and young man in the very early days, when his father (who was then known as AXajor Brassbuttona) was stationed here, and was "Superintendent.” Mr. Richmonds career was an uneventful one, and he never made any considerable figure in public life. He satin the House many years, first for Collmgwood aid latterly 'tor Nelson Suburbs. He WM essentially a moderate politician, very seldom spoke, nndif there wasanydiffereUceof parties he generally supported what some people call the Conservative *sida. He never took part in provincial politics. Ho was about fifty years old, and leaves a wife and several grown-up ch.ldree Mr. Richmond was a man of tolerably large means, and was proprietor with his father of a lar‘ r e run at the Wairau, where he died, being presumably there to see to the shearing, but he generally lived at Nelson. He was an estimable private -entleman, and was greatly respected bv a very large circle of friends for his many sterling goo 4 qualities. Mr Richmonds military figure aild well-known features wiL be missed in-the House, where ho will be kindly remembered for a long while, mote especially by the older members of every side.

Mr. Walter Reynolds, the comedian and play-writer, who has recently been performing with marked success in the South Island, is a passenger by the s.a. Wakatipu for Sydney, where he intends to organise a new dramatic company, for a tour through this Colony, He expects to open in Invercargill on Christmas Eve, and after a short season there will play one month in Dunedin, then one month in Christchurch, and will next open in this city.

The usual weekly meeting of the Benevolent Institution was held yesterday, at 4 p.m. Present—Messrs. Holdsworth (in the chair), Smith, Brown, and the Rev. P. Kerrigan. The usual routine business of confirming the minutes, and considering and adopting the relieving officer’s report, which exhibited nothing -of an unusual nature, was gone through. Tenders for supplies of rations, and board and lodging were opened, but consideration deferred till the next meeting, when it was hoped a full quorum would be present. Accounts to the amount of £93 3s. 2d, were passed for payment, and the meeting adjourned.

There was again a large attendance at the Theatre Royal last night to witness the Dioramie Exhibition and the profuse distribution of gifts, which is just now the one especially attractive item of the performance. The leadiuggift, a most handsome suite of drawingroom furniture in crimson rep, fell to the lot of Mr. F. Casey, of Lambton-qnay. To-night the management announce that they will present a suite of furniture valued at sixty guineas, and it may be assumed from the good faith they have kept in regard to previous promises that they will do ao. Besides this they promise also a multitude of smaller gifts.

Mr. R. P. Whitworth, editor of the Official Australian Gazetteer, and also a well known writer of fiction and serial literature, has issued ** The Official Handbook and Givde to Melbourne,” and which also is a guide to the cities, principal towns, mining and other districts of Victoria. The little work is one of the most compact, well compiled, and systematically arranged guides we have seen. It may be carried in the breast pocket without inconvenience, and it contains a very muffuw hi payvo of infoimation. A detached topographical map accompanies the book and completes its usefulness. We should imagine that every stranger visiting Melbourne, and indeed every person anxious for information about the colony, will become possessed of one of these invaluable books.

The first action in the colony for default in sending in property tax returns, was heard and decidedinthe R.M. Oourtyesterday, Mr. Crease being the victim. The department consented to forego costs, and to press only for the minimum penalty of £5, which, with an order for the payment of quadruple duty, the Bench had no option but to impose. The decision given is calculated to have great effect upon those who have neglected to comply with the law, but it is stated that in Wellington the returns have been furnished by nearly all from whom they could be expected, and that only a very small proportion of those taxable have omitted the necessary formality, which they are now likely to perform on seeing that an action once begun cannot be withdrawn, and that the offence being proved the Bench has no option in awarding the penalty. Even an abettor in the omission is liable to a penalty of £SO, and the penalty of quadruple duty and a fine of from £5 to £IOO is applicable to those who send an incorrect return, as well as to those who send none at all.

The Russian papers recently published particulars of the explosion of 1000 tuns of kerneine oil at Tsartsin, on the river Volga, resulting in the loss of 30 lives. The oil was stored in a “ popoffka,” a floating reservoir of the circular round-boat description, and containing oil from Baku, awaiting shipment by railway to Central Russia. The explosion was caused by a Tartar entering the reservoir with a naked light, which ignited the gas, and led to an explOsifin heard many miles around. In a moment a vast pillar of blazing oil rose towards the sky, and, in subsiding again, flowed flaming down the river on the surface of the water. A barge, containing several hundred barrels of oil, rapidly caught fire and increased the conflagration. All the men on board were burnt alive. Further down the stream a wood barge was moored with fifteen men on board. Their only boat was tied to the bank of the river, and it was impossible for it to return in time to save them. As the vast sheet of flame advanced towards them, they screamed loudly for help, but it was impossible to send them assistance or for them to swim ashore. After a few minutes’ time, the flames closed round them, and it is believed that all must have perished. Not far from the barge two rafts were destroyed. * In course of time the oil began to grow exhausted, and at length the flames died out. Had the wind been blowing from the north, the oi\ would £ave been carried direct towards Tsaitsin, and the town must have been burnt to the ground. The exact loss is not yet known, bnfc at least thirty people are believed to have perished. Tho price of oil rose the next day at Taartsin 100 per cent.

The Harbor Board will hold a special meeting to-morrow afternoon at three, for tha purpose of confirming the alteration of and new by-laws recently published. At the close of the special meeting there will be an ordinary meeting for general business. Among other things to be discussed, will he the harbormaster’s report upon the important question of silting np along by the breastwork, cansed by the detritus brought by the drains throngh the reclaimed land. Captain Holliday was directed to confer with the City Surveyor upon this matter, the urgency of which was generally admitted, inasmuch as the depth of water at the outfall of the drains has decreased several feet in a few months. The committee to whom the questions of lighting and protecting the breastwork and Railway Wharf was referred for re-consideration, with a view ta devising a more economical plan, will recommend that only six lamps be erected instead of nine, but that iron posts be used instead of wooden ones ; and that twelve fender piles’be taken from the wharf and cut into twenty-fonr mofirigg posts (or the breastwork, the posts "to be sunk inside the coping piece and to be used to support two lines of chain for fence. The interva’s between the posts will be about 30ft. The angle betweea the wharf and breastwork is recommended to be fenced with iron stanchions and two chains. The Board will also decide as to providing accommodation for landing cattle and sheep.

The Government’s vigorous policy of retrenohmVnt and economy his evidently not yet reached the Red-tape’ and Circumlocution Department The Railway Wharf and breastwork have now been for some time handed over to the Harbor Board, which body soma weeks since applied to the Government to emse both wharf and quay to be gazetted legal landing-places. This simple matter has not yet been done, and the request must either have been overlooked or the genius of redtape prescribes that a gazette notice cannot be published for a month or two after its receipt. Meantime- the Hannah Laudles has arrived with a qargo of water pipes supplemented by a few packages of geneial merchandise The pipes will, of course, be discharged at tha Railway Wharf, and the captain was about to take his vessel there, when he found that through the non-gazetting he must go first to the Queen’s Wharf to discharge his few tons of general cargo, and then move to the Railway Wharf for the pipes. This, of course, involves additional time, labor and expense, and to avoid this the captain asked to be allowed to put the general cargo into lighters and send it to the Queen’s Wharf, or to have a Custom s officer to superintend its discharge at the Railway wharf. The Custom's authorities, however, would allow neither course, and the traditions of red-tape were therefore nnvioiated.

“ Asmodeus,” in the N.Z- says What did Mr. Henry Bunny,' M.H.R., intend to insinuate the other day when, while ihe College Governors were arguing whether prison labor is worth 4s. a day or not, the volatile and versatile member for Wairarapa emphatically asserted it was not, and added, by way of proof, *■ we all know what the prison stroke is very welh” Hid the “we ” include merely the College Governors, or was it meant, in the wider sense, to embrace the public generally! Because, if it was the latter, the vivacious Henry should speak only for himselfJ J am'alwaya prepared for a grs.it deal from a member of l’arliamcnt, but that he should unblushingly admit a profound acquaintance with prison routine ; I was hardly ready for that. And that it be said at a College Governor’s meeting, of all places ! But I suppose as “ the nearer the church the farther from heaven,’ so the nearer the teachers of morality the farther, &c. I could understand the remark being made at a meeting of magnates in Sydney or Hobart Town in the early days, but it is entirely out of place in Wellington, A.D. ISSO. The Empire City may contribute a large proportion to the insolvent roll, but that her citizens generally “ know what the prison stroke is very well! ’’—Henry, I scout it,