LOCAL EPITOME.

Wellington Independent, Volume XXII, Issue 2568, 7 September 1867, Page 7

LOCAL EPITOME.

It is reported that the Lead-quarters of the 18bli Royal Imh Regiment are to bo stationed in Wellington. The Hmpijv Theatre has now- closed for the season,' after having for some months attracted! lar»c audiences. ■' On lh<: 2nd September Mr Charles Eiissell delivered] a ' mbst instructive anil amusing lecture, in the AtheiitCtun, on " The Harp of ■Erin."' During the month there have boon several amateur entertainments, and still further to cut6r to the. amusement of the }>lay-going public, the talented Nathan family have for a short season returned fo Wellington." The ; usual soirees danmntes have takea plare during the mouth, and the. next ball is' announced for the ]2lh insfc. . Mr Tnivers, M.H.U., a barrister of wellknown ability, bus expressed his intention of praelisjui* in Wellington. The oflieers of il.M.s. Charybdis were entertained at dinner, by the members of the 'General Assembly pn the 12lh, August. ■ . Mr Charles Seager lias by a tender of £889 16s obtained ilie contract for the completion of the Kennard contract for tl>e Queen's Wharf Extension.

An old settler named Matthew Gaslcin i was,, on the 13th August, severely injured .by a cart going over his leg. The limb wa I subsequently amputated. j A volunteer artillery corps hns been estab lished in Wellington, and P. A. Buckley Esq., barristcr-at-law, has been elected cap ■ tain. A cadet corps is also in course of for mation. The i returns of Customs' revenue receive* at the 'several ports of New Zealand during tho quarter ending 30th June, amount t< £217,7,80, as compared with £207,886 iv. th< corresponding.quarter of 1860. The amoun for Wellington in June quarter, 18G7, i: £18,178 ; June quarter, 1866, £18,355. It was in. the early part of the month re ported that gold had been discovered in the Patea district, but recent accounts do no 1 corroborate trio story, During the month the Penny Readings held in the Temperance Hall, Herbert street, have been largely attended, several interesting lectures and readings having been given by C. de Castro, Esq., G. Eliott Eliott, Esq., and other gentlemen. Penny Headings have also been opened at Tawa Flat. The ladies' committee of the Temperance Bazaar have shown no falling off in their exertions to make the forthcoming bazaar a success, and during the month many haudsom6 and valuable exhibits have been sent in. Telegraphic communication with the Middle Island, which was interrupted during the greater part of the month of August, owing to the damage done by the bad weather, has been resumed, and is how perfect. The Volunteer Fire Brigade has been almost re-organised under a code of revised rules; Mr-Whiteford has been elected "captain ; Mr Morton Quin, lieutenant ; Mr "happeH, secretary, and the Key A. Stock retains the treasurership. Mr Lewis Moss, late captain of the Brigade, was entertained it dinner on the 29th ult by a number of the retired members of the c.orpc, and the Inmrance agents. The usual annual election of Town Board Commissioners took place on the 2nd irist., md passed of with delightful unanimity, Messrs Dransficld, Plimmcr, and Borlase, jeing re-elected without opposition. ! Tho Custom House authorities have made i capture in the Makara district, of a still for ;he illicit distillation of liquor.' It was ound on premises in the occupation of a nan named John Iloss, who fined £100. Another person, named William Ityan, a grocer, in whose dray two kegs of the illicitly listilled spirit was found, was mulcted in a imilar amount. The spirits were of exceleut quality and tasted like potheen.