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New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIX, Issue 6696, 3 October 1882, Page 2

Amongst the rumors respecting the vacant portfolio, mention has been made of Mr B. P. Conolly as the gentleman to whom it is likely to be offered, and we have no reason to believe that this will prove to be correct. As representing generally the whole of the northern end of the Middle Island, as an able lawyer, a clear debater,’and a useful and respected member 1 of the Honse, the member lor Picton would bring a considerable accession of strength to the Ministry. Bishop Redwood was a passenger tor Picton and Nelson, per Wanaka, yesterday. ; s An inquest will be held at the Tramway Hotel at 11 a.m. to-day on the body of the lad Williams, who was run over by a tram-dar on Saturday. A London paper has discovered ; a great want in New Zealand. It hears we have “a great opening tor sensible clergymen, several incumbencies being vacant. 1 ’ The adjective is, to say t{ie least, an ambiguous one. An inquest was held at the Shepherd’s Arms, Tinasori-road, at 4.30 p. n. yesterday, on the body of Louisa Oliver Neville, who died somewhat suddenly at the residence of her . brother in the same street. , The medical evidence showed that death had resulted from apoplexy,* and the jury returned a verdict to that effect. Mr Davy presided. Ever since the new Supreme Courthouse was opened there have been complaints as to its acoustic properties. Yesterday when bis Honor Mr Justice Richmond was delivering; his charge to the Grand Jury, it was almost impossible to hear him distinctly, and the Crown Prosecutor, when opening bis first case, appeared to the reporters to be gently murmuring to himself.. The Hutt County ' Council and KaronMakara Highway' Board have a ntw source of revenue in the gold, duty, which, it is to bo hoped, will not cause them to have any unseemly quarrels. , The : sutaji collected during the past month amounts to 2s, and, as it has been customary to ’ divide the receipts between the local bodies, if more than one is in existence, each will be the recipient of Is, , It would require a somewhat intricate calculation on the part of their engineers to calculate the exact atpon'nt of improvement which could be,effected with the item.

Even grand juries can make mistakes., In finding, a true bill against John Francis Wa'rneford yesterday, for maliciously, damaging a number of grape vines, the property iof Mr H. H. Travers, the grand jury, through their foreman, complained of the paltry nature of the case they bad been asked to deal with. His Honor pointed out that the prisoner was charged with a felony. If the foreman; of the jury had ever read the 20fch -section;of the Malicious Injury to Property Act, it was not probable that he would have [allowed: himself tube made the vehicle for the, conveyance of such a complaint. The existing, state of affairs, at the Wellington Hospital does not appear to be entirely satisfactory. As we stated a few days ago, Mr Hodgson, the dispenser, Jhas sent in his resignation, and we are led to,, believe that Dr. Gilion intends to terminate his connection with the Hospital. Dr. Collins, one of the staff of honorary physicians, has placed his resignation in the hands of the Town Clerk, and that of Dr. Grace, one of the honorary surgical staff, is likely to follow. 7 We also hear that several persona : holding subordinate positions on the staff, have expressed their intention of leaving the institution.

Among coming pleasurable local events, none, in anticipation, causes more pleasurable excitement among the fair dames and gallants of Wellington tban tbe proposed Citizens’ Ball. Annually, this especial festive gathering has been marked with success, and on this occasion the aspiration is to eclipse ail previous efforts—to'make the ball, in short, a success beyond compare, an event in social records which shall long endure in pleasurable recollection. Assurance that this will be achieved is conveyed in the array of names of the energetic promoters. We refer our readers to the announcement in to-day’s advertising columns. They will, we feel assured, find cause for much satisfaction.

It will be remembered that some time, ago a huge, unsightly, and oawieldly prison van, known as a, “ black Maria, ” was brought up from Dunedin for use here in conveying prisoners to and from the police station. It was built at a cost of £IOO in Christchurch or Dunedin, but had to be sent back as it was too heavy for nso here. A lighter vehicle of equal ugliness arrived by theTe Anau the other diy, and was used for the first time yesterday to carry prisoners between the gaol and the Supreme Court. Three horses seemed to have as much werk as they could do to draw it along. This ponderous vehicle is too heavy for everyday use, a cab being hired nearly every time it is necessary to convey prisoners from the gaol to the police Court, and back again.

la consequence of the prevalence of measles throughout the city, the completion of the annual examination in the city schools has, no understand, been postponed until December.

An interesting musical entertainment is on the tapis. Mr G. R. Allpress, the very popular violinist is perfecting arrangements for an instrumental and vocal concert, particulars of which will be shortly announced. Bishop Moran celebrated Pontificial High Mass in the Roman Catholioh Church at Oamaru on Sunday last. In the afternoon a procession left the Church for the new convent schools, where other solemn religious rites were celebrated.

At the sale held by Messrs Bethuns and Co. yesterday the town allotments facing Woolcombe and Percival-streets and Mac-donald-cresent were purchased by C. B. Izard, Esq., on behalf of Mr A. M. Schultzs, for £IOSO. All the foliage plants offered after the land sale found ready purchasers at fair prices.

The Reeftou correspondent of the “ Otago Daily Times” states that the railway agitation there is assuming great proportions. Almost everyone in the district has enrolled himself as a member of the League. The Secretary is in communication with the various centres of population wherever support and assistance is promised. The Dunedin people, it is expected (he says), will lead a helping band to bring about the much-needed communication between East and West Coast, which would materially assist in cementing the already strong relations existing between Inangahua and Dunedin.

iE'les in the * Australasian” says:—The scarcity of water in the neigh borhood tf Mount Browne was something extraordinary. This is partly illustrated by an hotel bill rendered and paid by a traveller in the vicinity of Tibooburra, where horse-feed and labor were scarce, as well as water :

To 21b oigpeas eaten by horse, at 2s £0 4 0 To seven quarts water for horse, at 6d ’ 0 3 6 To cleaning up kitchen after said horse ... ... ... ..100 To soap for Mary's hands after same 0 2 0 As a tavern bill this is almost as unique as Falstaff’s.

An extraordinary accident occurred at Brighton, England, on the evening of the 7th July. A fire-escape was being pushed up North-road, on return from drill, by three firemen, when it came in contact with an electric wire crossing the housetops at that point; the fluid ran down the escape wire and gave the men holding the steering-rod a shock that compelled them to let go. A fourth, not knowing what was the matter with his comrades, seized the rod, and, getting the full force of the shock, which had been divided between the other three, was lifted from the ground. The pain was intense, and it was some hours before he recovered, The other men, recovering themselves, and taking hold of the woodwork, were enabled to extricate the machine. The criminal sittings of the Supreme Court commenced yesterday. There were eleven cases on the calendar, and true bills were found in each. Only three cases were disposed of. Thomas Farrow, charged with larceny, was convicted, and sentenced to nine months imprisonment, John Frances Warneford, charged with maliciously damaging property, was acquitted, and Robert Littlecott, alias Liddle, an old offender, charged with horsestealing and larceny, was convicted and remanded for sentence. The conspiracy cases against James Jonathan Adams and Genevieve Elizabeth Adams will bo taken on Wednesday. ;The other cases on the calendar will probably occupy the Court during the whole of to-day. At the Timaru Resident Magistrate’s Court a day or two ago, the case of D. McGuinness, landlord of the Ship Hotel, v. J. Jobber ns, brewer’s traveller, of Dunedin, was heard. The olaisa was for £62 odd for hotel expenses, and defendant paid £33 into Court, disputing the balance as excessive. The defendant had, it seemed, contracted typhoid fever at Napier, and had gone to the ship Hotel in Timaru to be attended to during his illness. The disputed items were the charge for 31 days’ use of sittingroom and bedrqom at 15s per day, board account for 31 days at 10s Gd per day, and hotel account for nurse for 27 days at 10a 6J per day. The Bench, after hearing the evidence, agreed that the disputed charges were most exorbitant, and gave judgment for the amount paid into Court without costs.

The “ Wanganui Chronicle” of the 28th ultimo says :—“ Jeffrey Winslade, a thoroughly respectable man; bat unfortunately 'afflicted with lunacy, from hereditary' causes, was yesterday morning exported to the Mount View Asylum by the Huia. The poor man was taken down to the wharf ip a cab, escorted by Sergeant Bisset and Constable Stanton. On reaching the steamer's side, Winslade obstinately refused, to leave .the vehicle, and but for the assistance of Mr Mollhone and other civilians who were standing by, it is that the police would have had an unpleasant and difficult duty to perform. As it happened, the unfortunate fellow was put on board with some friendly pressure, and it is sincerely to be hoped that the curative properties of Wellington atmosphere and treatment will speedily restore him to his friends.” An old criminal, named Littlecott alias Liddle, who had been employed as manager for the jMessrs Beetham, at Stanleigh, Taratahi, was yesterday convicted of horse-stealing and of the larceny of certain cheques. The prisoner’s (defence' was/ virtually that he intended to rob his tellow-employds, and not his employer; and Judge Richmond expressed his opinion that the impudence of the crime was only equalled by the impudence of the defence. The prisoner, who was remanded for sentence, complained that Constable] Smith, swho.lliad arrested him,• had secured him by locking one handcuff through the other, and had left him on a bed in that condition-far three hours. , Under the circumstances, the officer does not appear to have been guilty of undue severity to his prisoner, but, at the suggestion of the Judge, the matter will probably be investigated. ' 1 Referring to the rough coaching experiences recently occurring on the. West Coast line, the “ Manawatu Herald remarks that on Wednesday last Shaw, with the down coach, did not leave Foxton until noon, arriving at Wellington at 1.30 a.m. on Thursday. , He left again at 4 o’clock the same morning with the up coach, and arrived all right at the usual hour, having thus driven a four-horse coach 150 miles in twenty-eight hours, with a rest of two and a-half ■ hours, in extremely unfavorable weather. On Wednesday, MoOonyille, with tha r up coach, had to wait at Paikakariki an hour' and-a'half before he ■ could get bn the beach, but he “ slogged ’’ along, and .reached Foxton in ample time for the train. The work both Shaw and McConville' have had to do during the past week speaks well for the care and skilfulness of both drivers. > A somewhat curious base was heard at the Auckland District Court last week. The case was Locke v. Stephens, in which the plaintiff, a .farmer, .claimed damages (£25) for.trespass. It appeared that the defendant, with a dog, was put pheasant shooting, and fired two shots in quick succession, the effect ef which wag to frighten the plaintiff's cattle (thirty-five), which ran into the bush Thej could only be collected after a good deal of trouble and expense. In the stampede of the cattle some fencing was broken.. _ The evidence disclosed circumstances .which may fallow a shot out of a doublebarrelled gun. If the sportsmen shonld be on the'public road, his dog may run. in . quest of the bird. The dog may frighten oxen and heifers and cows in calf, and bogs and boggets, who straightway make busb, and can only be fonnd after many days 1 search ; and in the stampedes the cattle! may brak their owners’ fences, for which the sportsman may beheld liable. His Honor reserved judgment.

“ Givis” in the “Otago Witness” remarks : “There is no class in the colony more entitled to sympathy than our M.H.K.’s —for the first few weeks after the close of the session. ITp in Wellington they are all great men, lawmakers, guardians of the State, very superior persons indeed, nay, the collective wisdom of this great nation that is to be. They would be more than human if they were not a little puffed up with their own wind while they sit as demi-gods and wield the destinies cf such an important branch of the British Empire. But the moment Parliament is prorogued the spell is broken, and they become as other men, not a whit Wiser or greater than their neighbors, the; three letters which attend so dutifully on their sweet names having no longer any more magic in them than A. 8.0. The very thought of, them in solemn conclave is awful, but when I meet;them singly, or even in little knots of two or three, I can look ’em full in the face, and I confess I can no more discern a halo round the head of Mr Fish or Mr Bracken, or even of Mr M. W. Green, than I can see the sun at midnight. I am thankful to be delivered from my burdensome veneration, but none the. lets do I pity the objects of my dia-' enchantment. What a change, to be sure, from the 1 ampler ether, the diviner air ’ of the Wellington Olympus to the common day as it shines or drizzles,—say. In Dunedin or Inver , cargill; or from Bellamy’s to a common taproom !. Who would not pity a poor M.H.K. -daring these disillusionizing weeks? Indeed, bat for the boaorsriuct jingling in bis breeches pockets he woald be of all men most miserable —till the glory fades quite away, and he gets reconciled again to the sober realities of life.”

Mr J. D. Powdrell, the well-known racehorse owner at Kakaramea, has summoned the stewards of the late Patea .Tockey Club for balance of prize-money won in 1879. Judgment was given in his favor for the amount of his claim, about £6O, with £5 15s costs. This, it is stated, will be followed by actions against former members of the club for arrears of subscriptions, as the stewards admit the claim, bat plead no funds. A requisition will to-day be presented to Charles J, Johnston, Esq., M.H.R., soliciting him to stand for the office of Mayor. The signatures, which are almost excludvely those of working men residing in Cook Ward, number one hundred and twelve. These were all secured in four days, and numerous other signatures are available, there being a general feeling in favor of Mr Johnston, which we hope he will see his way to gratify. Street hawkers, says the “ Scientific American,” have lately taken to selling a *• magic cigar-lighter,” which is calculated to do much mischief. As every student knows, the affinity of sodium tor oxygeu is so great that it will take the coveted element from water with such rapidity as to cause it to burst into flame. The new lighter is a thin strip of sodium, a fragment of which, when placed on the end of a cigar and touched with water, burns with great vehemence. Few of those who buy the little vials of lighters are aware what vials of wrath they may turn out to be if unskilfully handled. The burning sodium will make an ugly wound if it comes in contact with the skin, which is likely to happen from the sputtering way it has. A sweaty finger is enough to set the stuff ablaze, or a sweaty pocket, should the cork of the bottle chance to oome out. As the lighters are bought chiefly by the ignorant, who are taken by the seeming miracle of producing fire by the direct action of water, it is a wonder that no serious accidents with them have been reported. The traffic is not one to be encouraged.

Have you seen it ? The Mantle Depart meut at Te Aro House is quite an Exhibition* in its way. There are hundreds of Visites, Dolmans, and Jackets to select from, in all sizes, every prevailing shape, and in quite a plethora of materials. Ladies’ Cashmere Jackets, trimmed with Chenille fringe, Spanish lace, and jet passementerie, from 13s Gd to 67s 6d. Handsome Visites in Broche silk, trimmed with lace and jet passementerie, from 29s 6d to 1A 4s. Broche silk Dolmans, richly trimmed with Chenille lacs and passementerie, from 67s 6d to L 7 7s. A bewildering profusion of Ladies’ Capes in Broche satin, sicilienne, and the new brocaded grenadine, from 7s 6d_to 755. In the Costume Department, are the fashionable Nun’s veiling, in pretty wool beiges, in lovely shades of plain satteens, in zephyr cloths, in choice pompadour satteens, in black grenadines, in Madras muslins, and Madras. lace. Inspect without delay the Exhibition at Tb Abo House.—[Advt. Improved Sheep Shears.—As an article of the seasonable kind for the approaching^shearing time, we draw particular attention to Marshall's Patent Double-Bow Sheep Shears. These patent elastic Sheen Shears are manufactured from the best cast steel, and by new and special machinery, which secures the important advantage of working steel at a lower heat, and dispensing with the uncertain process of welding. The blades being hammered and tempered in a superior manner, are warranted to carry an edge equal to the' best made razors. The bows are double and firmly rivetted, thereby combining the greatest strength with the greatest elasticity. They are lighter, stronger, more compact and easier in the grip than any shear hitherto invented. They we-e two seasons ago introduced into Australia, and many, thousands of dozens have already been placed without a single complaint about their quality. As many as 3000 sheep have been shorn on the Darling with one pair of these shears, and it is quite a common thing for 1500 to 2000 sheep to be turned off a single pair. Mr Scott, of Bathurst, who took the first prize at the Sydney International Exhibition, gives his opinion of the Marshall’s Shears as follows 1 find them second to none ; I would advise all shearers to use them, as I can shear 120 a-day with these shears with more ease than I can 100 with most shears. I have had eighteen years’ experience, and can recommend them as really good, the grip small and lively.” Tb meet the requirements of all classes of shearers, each half-dozen parcels contain shears of at least three different strengths of bows. To those who have not yet used these shears, we would suggest that they write to Messrs Robert Gardner and Co., Wholesale and Retail Ironmongers, Lambton-quay, Wellington, who are agents for the makers, and they will cheerfully supply, post free, particulars of prices and numbers.—[Advt. The excellence of an article is generally conceded when it enlists a host of spurious imitators. The very fact that it is firmly entrenched in popular esteem invites others to counterfeit it. ‘ Hence, the number of impostors «ho have pirated even the trade-marks by which Udolpho Wolfe’s Schiedam, Aromatic Schnapps is distinguished, and endeavored to p rim off on the public a deleterious compound in the place of the genuine invigorant.— [Advt.] 3 Thames Street Industries, by Percy Russell.—This Illustrated Pamphlet on Perfumery; See., published at Gd., may be had gratis from any Chemist in the world, or John Gosnell and Co., London. —[Advt.] . ;