LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

Wellington Independent, Volume XXVI, Issue 3232, 22 June 1871, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

. » Provincial Council. — Yesterday's sitting was marked by the same desire to advance the business before the Council as has characterised their sittings hitherto. The motions on tho Order Paper having been rapidly disposed of, the clauses of the Highways Bill, which had been postponed by the Government in order to give further consideration to the objections raieed by opponents to the measure, were then gone into. In many of tho clauses the Government either adopted the modifications suggested, or embodied as much of their spirit as they deemed might safely be incorporated without clashing with the fundamental principle on which tho measure had been based, and also brought down three contingent causes providing for minor matters overlooked in the first draft. The agreeable and rapid manner in which they were dealt with showed that the Provincial Secretary who had charge of tho bill, had thoroughly grasped and maturely considered the objections raised, and the result was flattering both to his tact and judgment in eliciting so harmonious a feeling amongst so many discordant elements as existed in the opposition generally. The Toll Gate Bill, being morely subsidiary to tho former, did not disturb the equanimity of the Council and went through its stage at a canter. On the Education Bill, the Government were equally masters of the situation, though they seemed anxious, while modestly insisting on the merits of the measure, to propitiate members hostile to it by announcing that they had no wish to force it down their throats, nor even take such an inflexible stand as on The Highways Bill ; but at the same time they preferred to drop it altogether rather than to submit it; to the mangling propensities of a select committee, as asked for by Mr. Hutchison. In tbe ■abstract; everyone admitted bhe importance of the subject beiug summarily dealt with ; but, as in the well-debated Highwaya Bill, the objectors were widely divergent in their ideas of a perfect education measure. The Government were not slow to turn these jarring elements to good account, and tho Provincial Treasurer, in reply, wbb very happy in closing the discussion, by the way in which he explained how impossible it was for the Governrneut to frame tho bill iv any other manner. As will be seen by the report elsewhere, tho second reading was carried by tbe largest majority seen in any division list this session. This done, tho Council were in no humor for prolonging the sitting, and adjourned till today, at 3 p.m., as usual. Street Improvements. — A great improvement has been effected in the neighborhood of the wharf within the last few days, the roadway and sidewalk in the vicinity of tho Custom House and Telegraph Office having been greatly renovated, so as to render ifc passable to pedestrians without the inconvenience and unpleasantness hitherto inseparable from a visit in that direction. It is in contemplation to erect a corrugated iron fence for some distance along that portion of the breastwork immediately behind the weighbridge, and also to complete the approaches to the wharf, so as to make them of an equal width with Grey-street. As soon as that portion of the roadway in front of the Custom House is metalled and completed, it is proposed to remove the stand for express waggons and drays to a more convenient place in contiguity to the weighbridge The evident indefatigability which has been displayed by the City Surveyor and his staff in the matter of city improvements since the Betting in of the rainy season is in a high degree commendable, the approbation of the citizens being conveyed by the almost total absence of complaint from any part of the city. " A Gay and Festive Cuss." — In the Supreme Court yesterday a bankrupt named Dennis Wright, in applying for his final discharge, handed in a statement of accounts, from which it appeared that, the major portion of his liabilities had been incuned through an over- indulgence in " whiskey, tabacca, and ingyuns," as Handy Andy has . it, the balance being made up of a few trifling scores on account of jewelry and billiards. He described himself as a half-pay officer, and, with the object, we suppose, of extending so accommodating a principle, didn't make any attempt to pay his creditors at all. How he got into debt seemed incomprehensible to him ; indeed, like Lord Dundreary, he thought ifc a thing that " no fellah could understand." His Honor very properly withheld the discharge for the remodelling of the bankrupt's accounts. Highland Brigade.— Tho Brigade met at tho drili-ehed lasfc night, and were put through their facings by Drill Instructor Nelly. Several new members were sworn in, and, after a very satisfactory practice, the mombera of the Brigade adjourned to tho Empire for the purpose of electing officers, when Messrs Sidey and Lennox were elected to tbe offices of lieutenant and ensign respectively. A committee was then appointed to draw up a sot of rules for tho working ot the corps, a proposition to adopt aB many as poßßible of the Dunedin Highland Brigade rules being agreed to by tho meeting, the committee to report at the next meeting of the Brigade. A Bankruptcy Gazette. — In the bankruptcy caso of Henry Potts, heard yesterday. Mr Travers said ho wished to oppose the bankrupt's discharge on behalf of a creditor, but he wna well aware that he had no locus standi on account of tho creditor not having proved, the cause being that the case had, in accordance with the Act, been advertised in the nearest local newspaper, which was at Wangnnui. Mr Travers complained of fcho inconvenience of tho Wnnganui papers being proclaimed bankruptcy gazettes, as creditors in Wellivigton seldom saw them. To obviate this, hie Honor suggested tho publication of a special Bankruptcy Gazette, stating that ho thought the newspapers would be glad to publish the notices for the sake of giving information to tho public. R. M. Court. — There was a .ilean, sheet sit the R.M. Court yesterday morning, there being no cases, either civil or criminal. The Weigh bkidoe. — About 50 tons of coals were weighed at tho Weighbridge on Monday, for Captain Williams, and everything proved satisfactory. The Weighbridge is very conveniently situated, and the carters after being accustomed to it, will make a point of going I there, without any inconvouiono* to themi selves.

Clan Campbell. — The representatives of tho clan Campbell, in Australia and New Zealand, will be glad to hear that it has been decided to defer the presentation of the clan's wedding gift to tho Princess Louise until August next, in order than the members of the elan in the most distant colonies may join in this expression of welcome. to the bride of thoir future chief. Hue and Cry.-— The following is an oxtract from tho " Victorian Police Gnzetto" :— John Hurst, charged on a warrant issued at Gh-evmoufch, New Zealand, with tho embezzlemenb of £5 and other moneys, tho property of the Paroa District Road Foard, at Paroa, County of Westland, on the 25th October. He was employed as secretary and collector to tho Paroa Road Board afc the time he absconded, and was afterwards proprietor of tho " Freeman" newspaper. A Haity Family for Sale.— Fowls are for sale on board the Bella Mary, afc Auckland, also whito mice, laughing jackasses, and a great variety of other birds.—" N.Z. Herald," June Cricket Feats. — Tho ' three Graces' have been playing some interesting cricket in Gloucestershire. Mr W. Grace hit three sixes off three successive balls. Dr E. Grace scored 211 (not out) in one innings, during which he hit tho unprecedented number of eleven sixes. Mr F. Grace struck a ball with such force that it wont clean through a lady's parasol like a cannon-shot. Tennyson. — Tennyson's physicians are of opinion that the poefc laureate is in danger of losing the use of his eyes. Captain David Spain, R.N., has been allowed by tho Admiralty to count the period served by him in New Zealand during the Maori war as sea time, precisely as if he had been in command of a ship. Captain R. H. Burke, half-pay, 68fch Light Infantry, has been appointed Staff-officer of Ponsions afc Perth, Western Australia. He served in Now Zealand during the Maori war of 1864-65-66. Justice behind Time.— A Scotch judge condemned a man to be hinged on the 28th of the month, for sheep stealing. As the poor convict was being removed, he exclaimed, " My lord, mv lord, I haena got justice here to-day." The judge looked up from his paper and said, " Woel, weol, my man, yo'll get it on tho 28th." Sudden Death: of the Stoutest Woman in London.— Mr Langhain recently held an inquest on the body of Mr 3M. Kenny, aged thirty-three, described as :he " stoutest woman in London." It appears that for some time past the deceased had complained of great difficulty of breathing. She retired to bed in her usual etato of health, and early next morning her husband found his wife dead by his side. Mr Langdale, surgeon, said lie had mado a post-mortem examination. The doceased was a woman of enormous Bizo. Ho found the whole of the internal organs loaded with fat, and the heart, was of immense size, weighing 23 i- ounces, the ordinary weight being tea ounces. It was covered with fat. The cause of death was from fatty degeneration of the heart. A verdict of natural death from disease of the heart was returned. Awfully Sudden Death.— On Juno 8, a laboring man, whilst going to his employment at Huia, from Onohunga, fell dead. His companions conveyed his remians to Onehunga township, where an inquest on thorn was held. His name was Michael Geary, lato of the 18th Regt. Marriage with Deceased Wife's Sister. — The majority of twenty-six, by which the House of Lords threw out the bill for legalising marriage with a deceased wife's sister, is the largest majority known since 1851— a majority greater than tho whole Bench of Bishopß, even if all voted together against the bill, a fact which some Radical winters soem to forgot. Against one point in tho proposed measure, viz., its retrospective effect, tho " Guardian " utters an indignant protest : — "Nothing ever surprised us more than to see Prime Minister advocating it. The case is simply this. Men knowiugly and deliberately violate the law, to gratify their own desires ; and then, not content with denouncing its justice, they have tho face to ask that their lawlessness should actually be made a ground for doing away with tho law, and that all the penalties of broken law should be removed." Flying Bankrupts. — - The "Chronicle" says that the passenger list of tho steamer Wanganui contained — besides tho names of 6ome other respectable persons — a whole batch of bankrupts flocking to the forthcoming aittings of the court. Wanganui appears in great insolvent force before his Honor Judge Johnston this term. Acclimatisation. — The ship North Star, from Hong Kong to Otago brought four moose doer — two bucks and two does — 'a cook and hen golden pheasant, and a silver pheasant. Tbey have been secured for the Acclimatisation Society of Otago, and are very handsome creatures, the deer particularly so. The Weathkr and the Roads. — A fortnight's almost incessant rain has managed to reduce the roads about Wanganui to such a state as to make them almost impassable. The Government road .between the Kai Iwi and Waitotura is actually so. The main road between Turakina and Wanganui has been coneiderably cut up, but is better able to stand inclement weather, and is being repaired wherever required. Wanganui ExroßTS.—The "Chronicle" says it ia high time that Wanganui became more independent of Wellington and established direct communication with the home markets. The fact of the wool-ships in Wellington refusing to take Wanganui produce, for reasons or jealousies which ought to have no weight with business men, is in itself sufficient to necessitate a change from Wanganui remaining a mere hanger-on to the skirts of Wellington. Iho s.s. Wanganui left this morning for Lyfctelton with a large cargo of flax, which had been refused or delayed freight at Wellington. Presbyterian CiruRCH. — The session of the Presbyterian Church at Wanganui, after considering the Tote of tho congregation on the question of instrumental muaio, have decided that the matter had better be left in abeyance for the present. There voted in favor of the introduction of an harmonium, 100 ; against, 38 ; while it was calculated that upwards of 150 members and adherents abstained from voting, whose inclinations were against tho step proposed.