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New Zealand Times, Volume XLVII, Issue 7926, 8 November 1886, Page 2

The report of the Royal Commission on the Stark Purchase was received by the G-overmpent on Saturday. Its purport fias been so fully anticipated by the jtplegraphip pepofta ojf tfie proceedings that l|t call? for Ifttle police now- Tfi® d om ' jpissions find tfiat the allegation? of conspiracy Jo defraud the Government were pot .sustained by the evidence, and that although the price paid for the labfi was |p excess of its yajqe, there was no irregularity ip the mode of conducting or completing the purchase, The Minister for'Public Works, Mr Brewer, and Mr Seaman, are all acquitted of blame, and the allusion which had bean made to the Colonial Treasurer is pronounced “ baseless, malevolent and unworthy of notice.” No surprise will be created by the outcome of this inquiry, which. has been from the first more or less of a solemn farce. Whether the Commission has really got to the bottom of the affair is a question on which some difference of opinion may exist ; but it is idle to discuss the matter any further.

The doll show and cake fair, in aid of the Girls’ Friendly Society, which closed on Saturday night, may be classed among the most successful affairs of the kind which have taken place in' Wellington. Daring Saturday afternoon and evening the attendance was very large, causing quite a deadlock at times; and the takings reached the handsome som of, £73. During the four days on which the show has been opsp the gross receipts have amounted to £242, The management are to be congratulated on the success which has attended their efforts for so laudable an object. Not the least attract tive feature of the exhibition has been the musical performances every evening by the Hibernian Baud, who kindly volunteered their services free of charge.

Sporting Notes by “Martini” will be found on the fourth page. The departure of tho afternoon train from Wellington to tho Wairarapn will bo delayed to-day from 4 p.m. to G. 30.

There were three persons in tho cells of the Central Police Station Isst night, all charged with drunkenness.

The first excursion trains to Paikakarild will be run to-morrow, when the fares will be very low. The time-table will be found in another columu.

A mau named John McGregor was arrested by Constable Glcesou yesterday on a charge of having stolon a duck, value 3a, tho property of W. H. Thompson, proprietor of the Albion Hotel. The B.M.S. Tongariro, which left for Auckland on Saturday morning, took with her tho Hon J. A. Tolo, Minister of Justice, Mrs Tole, and family. Mr Tolo will be absent -from Wellington for about a fortnight. Detective Chrystal left town yesterday for Wainui-o-mata with the intention, we understand, ot making inquiries into tho suspected case of incendiarism in connection with the burning down of Mr Wood’s house.

To-morrow, the Prince of Wales’Birthday, the Telegraph Office will be open for the transmission of messages from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m., and from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. The Telephone Exchange will remain open as usual.

The lamps which have been hung on the new watch tower on the Queen’s Wharf were lighted for the first time last night, and gave every satisfaction. The old tower is to be removed at once, to give more room for traffic.

An inquiry into the circumstances attending the wreck of the s.s. Tui at the Heads last Tuesday morning will be held on Wednesday by tho Resident Magistrate. Commander Horne and Captain Norio will act as Nautical Assessors.

Mr J. Foley repeated his entertainment, “Facetious Festivities,” at the Athenseum Hall on Saturday evening. Mr Foley’s clever impersonation of a largo number of characters kept the audience well amused throughout the performance. The Hospital Steward acknowledges with thanks the receipt of 2S pictures, very nicely framed, from Mrs E, P. Batkin, Hawkestone-street ; old linen from Mrs Graig, Tinakori-road • papers from Mrs Oliver, Caledonia Hotel; old linen from Mrs Cohen, The bazaar at tho Arcade in aid of the Primitive Methodist Church was well attended on Saturday, especially so during the evening. Several new attractions in the shape of a “bran tub,” weighing machine, and other novelties were added to the bazaar on Saturday, Tho takings at the door and stalls amounted to a very satisfactory sum. The bazaar will be open again this afternoon and evening.

This evening the 'Wellington Amateur Operatic Society will give a performance in St Peter’s Schoolroom of the opera “Los Cloohes de Cornville.” A groat deal of care has been devoted to putting the opera on the stage properly, and there is every prospect of a successful entertainment. The performance will be under the patronage of his Excellency the Governor, and the proceeds will be in aid ot the St Peter’s organ and school building funds. The wreck ot the Tui was again visited by the s.B. Huia on Saturday morning, Mr O. Seager, two divers, with complete apparatus, and several workmen being on board. It is the intention of the Company to recover as much of the cargo as possible before taking any steps to raise the vessel. Owing to the gale blowing on Saturday the Huia had to return without salvage operations having been started. She will probably make another trial to-day, weather permitting. ■ At the Magistrate’s Court on Saturday, Messrs J. E. Smith and C. J. Toxward being the presiding Justices, a woman named Milly MeAndrow was fined 5s for drunkenness. A man named Charles Nicholson was charged with vagrancy and pleaded not guilty. Detective Chrystal gave evidence to the effect that the man did no work, and was kept by a,prostitute named Murray. This woman was called, aud deposed that Nicholson was a hard-working man. The Bench did not consider the case proved, and dismissed it.

We are indebted to the Superintendent for the Cable Company at Wakapuaka for the following information: —Brisbane, Friday.—Mr Matthew, Superintendent of Telegraphs, aud Mr Stark, Electrician, left yesterday for Thursday Island to superintend the laying of a cable from Cape York to Thursday Island, a tender for which was accepted some time ago by the Eastern Company, The Superintendent has also telegraphed to us articles from the Melbourne Argus and Nelson Evening Mail on the cable dispute, for which we are unable to find room.

The following information roapeoting the new arrangements for the San Francisco mail service have been supplied by the Post Office Department:—Commencing with the despatch of next month’s San Francisco mail, the contract steamers will leave Auckland a day earlier than now, oh Monday instead of Tuesday. Correspondingly, mails will close a day sooner than the present dates at all other places. The change will enable homeward mails to be forwarded from New York by the Saturday fast boats tor Queenstown, and delivered iu London three or four days earlier than is now the case.

Among the attractions to pleasure-seekers to-morrow will bo the Orangemen’s picnic, to be hold at MoNab’s Gardens. A procession will form at the halt in York-stroet at 9 a.m., and will march thence to the railway station, music being supplied by the Orange Band. At the Halt there will be all sorts of sports, such as cricket, &e., and in the evening a tea meeting and entertainment are to be held, at which the Rev. P. A. Hunter will preside, and addresses will be given. Last night about 140 Orangemen attended the Webb-street Church, where the Rev, Mr Potter preached a suitable sermon from John 14, verse 0. On Saturday a strong wind from the N.W. sprang up and toward night freshened into one of the heaviest gales experienced here for some time past. The gale continued with great violence through the night, and lasted all day yesterday. Although it was one of exceptional violence, very little damage appears to have been done. VVe received information last night that the steam tug Paiaka had gone ashore at Point Joining, ham. So far as can be ascertained the steamer has not suffered any serious injury. With the exception of a few fences and chimney pots being blown down, no damage of any importance has been reported in the city. About midnight the gale showed signs Of abating, although the glass was still falling. ' •

The following are the orews entered for the Young trophies {Wellington Rowing Club): —Hebbert (stroke), Bennett, McKay, Roberts (bow); Cummins (stroke), N. McLean, G. McLean, E, Barber (bow) ; Rickman (stroke),' Bridson, Bell, Petherick (fipw); Hearn (stroke), Bryan, Ludwig, Sjtoddart (bow); Robinson (stroke), Arm. atrqng, Rose, Stiddqlph (bow) ; ' Wylde (stroke), Mouafc, Murphy, Waters (bow); Taylor (stroke), Ballinger, Petrie, Squtt (bow) ; Grey (stroke), Murdoch, Copeland, G. Barber (bow). The heats have been drawn as follows : —l. Robinson v Grey ; 2. Rickman v Hearn; 3. Wylde v Hibfiert; I. Taylor y Cpnmiius. The heats, which are to be rowed on every succeeding evening, beginning from Wednesday, 17th inst,, promise to bo even more successful and spirited than were those for the Stewart trophies last season,

<4 number of spectators assembled $t St. Bail's Church on Saturday afternoon to witness a carriage ceremony in which the bridegroom was Mr Harry the youngest son of Mr Robert Adams, of St. Enoch's, Beaufort, Victoria, and the bride Jessie, the eldest daughter of the late Mr Wiliam Sefton Moorhouse, formerly Superintendent qf the Province of Canterbury, and a m ea )her of the New Zealand parliament, also at one time Mayor of this city. The wedding service was performed by the Rev John Still, incumbent of .the church. The bride was given away by her brother, Mr W. S. Moorhouse, and Mr D. G. A. Cooper officiated as the bridegroom's “best man." The bridesmaids were Misses Alice, Mary and Hilda Moorhouse, the bride's sisters. At the conclusion of the ceremony Mendelssohn's ,J Wedding March" was played on the due organ of the church by Mr Morahead. Tho bride's dress was very handsome undbecoming, ofivory stripedmoire satin,' with square train, plush front and panel of Limerick lace, the bodice having a Medici collar. The bride wore a tulle veil with orange blossoms and pearl ornaments, the gift of the bridegroom's family. She looked remarkably well and excited general admiration. The bridesmaids also presented a very pleasing picture : their dresses were of cream ludian muslin trimmed with cream plush and crimsou bows'; bonnets trimmed with ruby [ plush v and cream aigrettes; cream gloves, 1 1 They carried beautifql bouquets of roses, and wore gold bangles, the gift of the bridegroom. The brides mother, Mrs Moorhouse, wore a handsome black brochu silk dress, and black bonnet, with purple pansies. The oresenta were very numerous and costly. The bride and bridegroom left by the afternoon train for Kurupuni, near Maaterton, where they will spend the honeymoon.

Tho arrival of the Mararoa from Auckland yesteiday morning attracted a number of people to the Queen’s Wharf. In the evening sho was lighted throughout with electric light, and anyone walking through her long corridors or going into her magnificent saloon or social hall would find it difficult to believe that he was not in some “fairy palace” instead of an ocean-going steamer.

A meeting of the Wellington Educational Institute was held on Saturday forenoon at the Athenroum, when Mr Mowbray, of the Thermion. School, read a very able paper on some defects in the present standard syllabus for primary schools. Mr Mowbray divided the scholars into three classes. First, those that might be called the neglected class, who were likely to leave school by the time the fourth standard was reached ; second, those that were likely to remain till reaching the fifth or sixth standard; and third, those that would go from the primary to the secondary schools, and the failure of the syllabus to suit the wants of these three classes was then pointed out. For the first class too many subjects were included, for the second class, from which our artisans are drawn, the syllabus was too rigid, so that there was no possibility of a boy working out any subject that might have special bearing on his future work ; and the third class, those that passed on to the secondary schools, wore at present greatly handicapped by the break which existed between the work of the primary and secondary schools. At the unanimous wish of the meeting Mr Mowbray consented to let the paper be published, A discussion followed on a paper on drawing, read by Mr A. D. Riley at a previous meeting.