NEWS OF THE DAY.

New Zealand Times, Volume LVII, Issue 2426, 4 February 1895, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

The Premier left for Nelson on Friday night for a few days’ rest, fia js expected back to-day. The Customs duties collected at this port last week amounted to .89163 13s 3d, and the beer duty to .£248 15s (id. During last month twenty-five estates were administered by the Public Trustee, the values ranging from £5 to .£I2OO. The largest were : Walter Doorley, Mangawai, £1209; Kenneth McKenzie, Ashburton, £155; Joseph Cowan, Pangatotara, Nelson, £230; Robert Beattie, Makuri, £300; P. Garrick, Woodville, £190; Henry Sterling, Wellington, £215; John Arnold, Wellington, £l3O. The full force of the recent southerly gale was experienced by the Manapouri on the passage from Napier to this port, which occupied nearly 31 hours. For several hours she did not average more than two knots. She shipped a great deal of water, but no damage was done. The operative tailors’ annual picnic is to be held at Judd's farm, Belmont, to-day. Dancing and sports will be held during the day. Japp’s band will bo in attendance. The picnickers will go out in drags, which will leave Veitoh and Allan’s corner at 8.30 a.m.

The following entries have been received for the Wellington Cycling Club’s Fiftymile Championship Road Race, which takes place next Saturday afternoon; — A. H. Hunt, L. T. Herbert, P. B. Muir, A. Nicoll, H. Or. Smith, T. M. Lucy and P. Fabian. The first prize is a gold medal, and the second a silver medal. J. McQuistan won this-ovent last year. The race is to start punctually at 2.30, and the course is from the Telephone Exchange to Mungaroa and back. Those who wish to see the finish should be at the Exchange not later than 5.30 p.m. The Karori Rifle Club made their first effort in teams shooting on Saturday by trying conclusions with the Upper Hutt Club on the 'latter’s range. The result was a win for Upper Hutt by 56 points. The first five in the Upper Hutt team made the fair average of 72, or four points over inners per man. the whole team being one over inners. Ten shots were fired at 500 yards, and seven at 600 yards. The scores are: —Hutt—J. Greenwood, 42, 32—74; P. Wilkie, 43, 30—73 ; F. Whiteman, 43, 28—71; A. Sykes, 43, 28—71; S. Menzies, 44,27—71; J. Till, 37, 25—62; B. Whiteman, 40, 22—62 ; 'J. Whiteman, 35, 21—56 : total, 540. Karori—A. France, 43, 29—74; W. Williams, 39, 29—68; J. Burns, 38, 28 —66; J. Murphy, 39, 25—64; E. Randell, 38, 22—60 ; P. Lessington, 41, 15—66; T. Woodger, 24, 25—49; E. Randell, 28,19 — 47: total, 484. The Karori scores count for Messrs Newman and Lowers’ trophies, A. France and W. Williams each scoring a win.

The well-known old pioneer Captain Jackson Barry announces a lecture for tonight at the Exchange Hall. We notice that he will have something to say about a block of mineral country he has secured in the Pirongia ranges, which his hearers are sure to find interesting. They will also be entertained by references to tho Tiohborne case, as Captain Barry was personally acquainted with tho claimant who made such a stir 34 years ago, and with Oresswell, whoso friends want him to make a stir now. The captain discourses of both these worthies in much detail.

District Judge Kettle, of Wanganui, haring been in ill-health for. some time, has obtained a dionth’s leave of absence. He was in Wellington on Saturday on his way South. While he is absent Mr J. G. Martin, S.M., of.-Wellington, will undertake his Court engagements—viz., at Palmerston North bn February 7th and at New Plymouth on February 20th. In Mr Martin’s absence* the local Justices will discharge all magisterial work within their jurisdiction, and any cases outside their jurisdiction Mr E. L. Stanford, SJK., of Palmerston North, will come down to Wellington to attend it. Instructions have been given for alterations to the Courthouse at Invercargill. An Irish water spaniel (dog), imported by the Euapehu by Mr J. E. Orford (a passenger), was sent to the Somes Island Quarantine Station on Saturday, where it will remain for the next six months. There are only two dogs and five sheep on the | island., . i ■

The remains of tho late Drum-Major Richard Davis were interred at the Catholic Cemetery yesterday afternoon with full military honours. The funeral procession, which was, a very large one, was arranged as follows: —The firing. party, consisting of a sergeant and 19 rank and file of the Wellington City Rifles; the Garrison Band, under Bandmaster Herd, playing the Dead March; then the gun carriage—in charge of a detachment of the Permanent Artillery under Sergeant-Major Richardson, B.A.—hearing the coffin, over which was spread the Union Jack, surmounted by the deceased's hat, sword and sash, and surrounded by many beautiful wreaths ; the carriages containing the relatives of the deceased followed, and immediately behind marched the Wellington City Rifles, under Lieutenant W. G. Duthie. Representatives of other corps brought up the rear. Captain Collins (City Rifles) commanded, with whom was Sergeant-Major Finn; Colonel Newall, Captain Moorhouse, LieutenantCommander Hislop, Lieutenant AVarren and Lieutenant Hyde were also present. The members of the Ancient Order of Foresters walked in the procession. Many old soldiers came a long distance to pay their last tribute of respect to one so generally esteemed. The service at the church was conducted by the Rev Father Devoy, V.G., and the Rev Father Goggan, S.M., officiated at the grave. Amongst the many handsome wreaths was on© from the Wellington Garrison Band.

The gardens at Government House are to be open to the public on Wednesdays and Saturdays, from 1 to 5 p.m., during the absence of His Excellency the Governor from Wellington. Mr W. Hughes, in advance of Williamson and Husgrove’s Royal Comic Opera Company, has arrived from Christchurch. The season opens at. the Opera House on Monday llth/with “ Ma Mi© Rosette.” Mr George Leitch and the Rose Dramatic appear to-night at the Opera House in the ■ admirable domestic drama “ The Old Homestead,” Mr Leitch playing the part of Joe Stammers, in which character he has scored a distinct success. The play is founded a true story of two brothers, and deals with the vicissitudes in their lives after they haye?*separated, each- to seek a fortune. The Wellington play-going public will no doubt take advantage of the opportunity to renew acquaintance with Mr Leitch, whose abilities as an impersonator of such characters as that which he is to assume to-night has been recognised long ere now. Major Steward and Messrs Tanner and Hutchison, members of tho Tariff Commission, arrived from the South yesterday. The Commission opens at the Parliamentary Buildings at 11 this morning. 'Messrs Williamson and Musgrovo's Comedy Company concluded their Wellington .season at the Opera House on Saturday night with “The Foundling,” a new farcical comedy, which abounds in improbabilities and absurd complications, some of which are decidedly amusing. -There was a crowded audience in tho Exchange Hall last night to hear Mr Bentley's lecture, “Our Best Friends.” The building was too small to hold all who thronged to hear him. Dr Findlay occupied the chair. Mr Bentley started off with 1 a humorous anecdote, which placed him thoroughly cn rapport with his audience at once. Their interest thus aroused was not for an instant allowed to flag, the transitions being frequent from “grave to gay, from lively to severe.” In due course it was made manifest that books were “ Our Best Friends,” and, of course, such a subject could not be treated without recourse to illustrative recitals. These consisted of “My Experiences with tho French Horn ” (Max Adeler), “Polonlus’ Advice to his Son,” “ Portia’s Plea for Mercy,”“ Othello’s Apology,” and “ Clarence’s Dream ” (Shakespeare), “David Copperfield and the Waiter ” (Dickens), “ Breathes there a Man,” “Tara o’ Shantor” (Burns), and “ The Calm” (3. K. Cowan). The lecture : was highly appreciated. Tenders are called by the Public Works Department for tho Mataura Bridge contract of the Seaward Bush Railway. Mr Maughan Barnett announces a first series of five subscription concerts to be given in the Gallery of Fine Arts, commencing on Thursday, 2Xst inst. A subscription of one guinea will entitle the subscriber to two tickets for each concert. Mr Barnett will include in his programmes many standard works for the piano and will have the assistance of the best available talent. Tickets may he obtained of the Dresden Company, Mr G. Reichardt, Mr Cimino or of the secretary, Mr A. E. Waterson, and an early application will he advisable.

We have received from the Government printer a remarkably handy and well got up littlebook of the Ocean Mail Time-tables for 1895, which ought to be in every household and office. The Rev Thomas Cook commenced a ten days’ mission in tho Wesley Church, Taranaki street, yesterday morning. Tho service in the afternoon was specially for children, but a large number of adults were also present. In the evening tho preacher took for his subject, Christ weeping over Jerusalem, t The Rev Mr Cook is a fluent and impressive speaker. There were very large congregations at all the services, especially at night, when the church was crowded, A mission choir, under the conductorship of Mr Billman, sang the appropriate'hymns, and Mr Hariand presided at the organ. The mission will be continued this evening. Our representative was in l no way favoured with special information about the deputation that waited on the Minister of Labour on Friday. He simply kept his eyes and ears open and pushed his way to the front at the right time. The representatives of tfio evening paper might have fared as well if they had been as wide awake.

The Railway Department advertise elsewhere the second cheap excursion to Pefcone Beach, next Wednesday. At tho Magistrate’s Court on Saturday, before Mr Martin, S.M., and Messrs G. F. Richardson, J. M. Richardson and G. H. Harbroe, Justices, four first offending drunkards were dealt with in the usual manner. Stephen Laker and Robert King were charged with assaulting H. Rogers, third engineer of the s.s. Ruapehu, and were each sentenced to a month’s hard labour. Robert King was further charged with assaulting F. -EJ. Greenstreet, the second engineer, and was convicted for this offence and discharged. A boy named Harry Hearle, charged on remand with breaking and entering the premises of James Paul, was convicted and discharged, his parents having sent him to Nelson. Henry Silk, for whom Mr Paterson appeared, was charged with wilfully failing to provide his wife and four children with support. The evidence showed a very unhappy state affairs, and the Bench adjourned the case until this nprning to give Mr and Mrs Silk an opportunity of coming to some amicable arrangement. The fourth annual general meeting of the Commercial Travellers* and- Warehousemen’s Association is to be held on Wednesday, at 8 p.m., in tho Association's rooms, Bannatyne’s Buildings, Featherston street.

Townsend and Paul sell fruit at 9 o’clock to-day, . Lasi’y and Co. sail fruit to-day at 9 o’clock.

Alfred Niool, watchmaker and jeweller, 67, Willis street, has just received a beautiful 'selection of ladies’ gold, brooches, in new designs. Inspection ia jnyited.. , , Townsend and Paul sell 399 sacks chaff to-morrow at 11 o’clock. Abraham and Williams hold their Shannon salo on Friday. Townsend and Paul are to’aell ou Saturday 15 splendid horses, on their way by the Wakatipu.

' Matthew Henry’s Palmerston sale, on Thursday, is advertised.