LOOAL AND QENJERAL NEWS.

Wellington Independent, Volume XXVI, Issue 3240, 1 July 1871, Page 2

LOOAL AND QENJERAL NEWS.

Prorogation. — The twenty-first session of the Provincial Legislature was wound up yesterday, without attracting many of the general public, for whom such occasions as openings and prorogations seem gonerally to possess a peculiar attraction. The attendance of members was not large, as nearly all the country members had returned to their homes some days ago. Mr W. Thynne'a motion (properly Mr Ludlam's) gave rise to an unexpected discussion, mainly duo to the criticdl remarks of Mr Pearce. From the observations of the Provincial Secretary, there ia no doubt that tho strictures of Mr Pearce will bear some fruit, and may be the means of leading to a more equitable and far-soeing codo of wharf regulations being adopted by the civic authorities. With Mr Hunter to represent tho Government, Mr Poarce the mercantile community, and his Worship the Mayor to look after the interests of the city, we imagine the happy medium ought to be struck. Rifle Shootikg.— A Gazette published yesterday contains the most complete returns Bhowing the result of tho firing for the General Government prizes for 1871, and also an analysis of the firing for the years 1867-68 69---70 7i- Tho latter compilation is especially interesting to everyone who desires to see tho volunteer spirit developed in tho colony to its utmost; and volunteers may see in it the encouraging results shown by tho higher averages of this and last year as compared with former annual contests. Tho analysis also shows what must bo gratifying to tho marksmen of this Island, that their average is rapidly approaching that of the South Island, so that in all probability by next year or tho year after, if Northern volunteers stick to practice, the average for all New Zealand will be equal to the average for the South Island. We append a few of tho leading figures, which ' speak for themselves. The scoro averages for Mm fnllnwiviff veara are : —

Another feature in the analysis also boars unmistakable testimony that tho volunteoring spirit is becoming more popular as certainly as tho skill of the marksmen is becoming moro perfect. In the results for tho years 1867-68---69 and 70, we notice that in some districts there was no competition, in others no return, and in others averages were not taken from the competitors withdrawing on account of tho Bmallness of their sqores rondeving it impossible for them to win) a prize. The return for laßt year is so far sat/iefacfcory that there is au absence of any of thoso discreditable marks just mentioned. ■ A Wanganui Bankrupt. — Tho Wanganui papers, in speaking of the affairs of Mr H. J. Porhara, solicitor, bankrupt, say his liabilities aro represented at £3,700, while tho unsecured assets are little or nothing. The " Heruld" says of tho caso : — Mr Odgers has arrived trom Patea and avers that ho intrusted £125 to the care of Mr Perhain to pay off a mortgage upwards of twelvo months ago. Tho mortgage has not been redeemed, and the money is not forthcoming. Mr Roberts, wo hear, lias, been

instructed to take proceedings." Tbo " Chronicle" does not make the affair look any better by the following sentence : — We hear of certain phases of this case which it "would be both improper and injudicious to discuss here, and which, if true, must corao before the public in another way. License Fees. — The Provincial Government received a welcome addition to its funds yeßterday, the annual fees of our Bonifaces having been paid into the Provincial Treasury. Lectures.— The first of a course of lectures to be given at the Presbyterian Schoolroom, Willis street, will be delivered on the 10th instant by the Eev. J. Paterson, the subject chosen being " Oolon : al Life." This will be followed up by others, by the Hon. Mr Fox, his Honor the Superintendent, the Right Rev. the Bishop of Wellington, the Yen. Archdeacon Stock, and the Rev. T. Buddie. Other gentlemen have promised to lend their assistauce towards making this series as popular and entertaining as the series delivered at the Bame place last year. Wo h&vo no doubt that the general public will render every support to the promoters by their attendance. The beneficial and healthful effect of these lectures in the popular form has now come to be universally recognised in all the home and colonial cities, the great humanising power they exercise on the body of the people by conveying instruction and amusement in an attractive and easy form having now become a generally accepted fact. An additional attraction at this particular season of the year is that these lectures will afford an agreeable means of passing away some of the weary hours of the present long winter evenings. From the names of the gentlemen who have promised to lecture the public may infer that tho subjects I will be judiciously selected anal ably handled, so that we may hope to see them well attended. Masonic. — On Thursday evening, June 29, the Pacific Lodge held their usual monthly meeting in the Masonic Hall. Worshipful Master Toxwurd opened tho lodge. Aftor the business of initiation had been disposed of, the brethren wore summoned to refreshment, and along with the R.W.M. (Powles) of the Waterloo Lodge, and a largo number of visiting brethren from all parts of the province, proceeded to celebrate the Festival of St John in true Masonic style. The usual loyal and fraternal toasts were proposed and duly responded to, and the entertainment was brought a to close about twelve o'clock, in peace, love, and harmony. Brother Donneckor was the purveyor, and most satisfactorily did ho perform his duty. Forty-five brethorn of tho mystic tie assisted in tho lodge aud in the celebration of the festival. We are requested to state that in consequence of the inclemency of the weather, the tale of building materials of the Lion Foun dry, was postponed from yesterday till this day (Saturday), at half-past o'clock. Makaija Volunteers. — The Makara Volunteer Rifles were inspected on Thursday, the 29th, by Colonel Harrington, accompanied by Liout.-Colonel Reader. Captain Monaghan put the corps through the manual and platoon exercise, and the different formations, and skirmishing drill. At the conclusion, Col. Harrington complimented tho corps on their efficient, steady, and quiet conduct while on parade, and trusted that some of them would try and carry off some of tho prizes at the nest annual firing. An Overwhelming Minority. — Speaking of the trial of Captain Percival for perjury a correspondent of an Auckland paper says : — 1 Captain Pex'cival, late paymaster of the Colonial forces, was convicted of perjury, aud sentenced to one year's hard labor. In connection with this case, there are many mitigating circumstances well-known here, but not brought forward in evidence. One important witness for tho prisoner was somehow taker, suddenly ill, though seen waking about in robust health shortly (i.e. a day or two) before. It ia said that if this witness had appeared, and told tholiruth, the accused would have been discharged. In brief, there is good reason to for thinking that the alleged perjury was, in fact, no perjury at all, morally speaking, but merely an act of forgetful nes, such as any one might commit who was suddenly asked to remember one out of a multiplicity of business events that occurred two years ago. The evidence in this' caso was all taken about two hours after sunset. An- hour later the jury could not agree, there being 7 for acquittal and 5 for conviction. They were therefore locked up for the night. In tho morning there were 9 jurymen for acquittal ; shortly after it is said the jury were near fighting each other, and the police had to interfere. By that time the jury were reduced to great hunger, and tho foreman, a thin individual, said— so I was told by one who ought to know — " Brethren let us pay ; perhaps tho Lord will enlighten our darkness." Tho foreman was ouo of the minority. It took a very long time to enlighten the nine, but they gave in at last, and unanimously brought the prisoner in guilty This trial has created a painful foeling, and I hoar many people say it is a disgrace to civilisation that such things are possible. It has been suggested that the praetico of Victoria would bo a great improvement. Your readers aro probably aware that in Victoria juries can bo locked up for six hours only, and must be dismissed if, at the end of that time, they aie not unanimous. The Permissive Bill appears to be in favor in Wunganui. One evening this week two members of the committee engaged in obtaining signatures to the petition got 50 signatures out of 52 amongst the residents of a place called the "swamp.." The other two refused to sign. How Mrs Stowe Wrote " Uncle Tom." — The most popular fenuilo writer of America, whoso great novel struck a chord of universal sympathy throughout the oivilisod world, has habits of composition peculiarly her own, and uulike those belonging to any author of whom we have record. Bhe croons, so to spoak, over her writings, and it makes very little difference to her whether there is a crowd of people about her or whether blio is alone during the composition of her books. " Uncle Tom's Cabin" was wholly prepared for the press in a little wooden house iv Maine, from week to week, while tho stovy was coming out in the Washington newspaper. Most of it was written by the evening lamp, on a pine table, about which the children of tho family were gathered together conning their various lessons for tho next day. Amid the busy hum of earnest! voices, constantly asking questions of the mother, intent on her world renowned task, Mrs Stowe wove together those thrilling chapters which were destined to find readers in so many languages throughout the globe. No work of similar importance, so far as we know, was ever written among so much that seemed hostile to literary composition. — " Jas. T. Fields." French Account of an English Christmas. — M. Felix Prat, in a Paris newspaper, gives the following account of Christmas I in England : — " Christmas is the great English fete — the Protestant Carnival — au AngloSaxon gala — a gross, pagan, monstrous orgie — a Roman feast, in which the vomitorium is not wanting. And the eaters of 'bif laugh at us for eating frogs ! Singular nation ! the moßt Biblical and tho most material of Europe — tho best Christians and the greatest gluttons. They cannot celebrate a religious fefe without eating. On Holy Friday they eat buns, and for this reasos — they call it Q-ood Friday. Good, indeed, for them, if not for Qod. They pronounce messe ' mass,' aud boudiii ' pudding.' This pudding is made of suet, sugar, currants, and tea. Tho mess is boiled for fiftcon days, sometimes for six months ; then it is considered delicious. No pudding no Christmas. Tho ropast ia sacred, and tho English meditate over it for six months in advance — they aro tho only people who put money in a savings bank for a dinner. Each poor family economises for months, and takes a shilling to a publican every Saturday of the year, in return for which, on Christmas Day, they gorge themselves, and are sick for a week after. This is their religion. Thus they adore their god." M. Pyat goes on to <3jjscribo the ,

butchers' shops before Christmas. One of them he. says, is kept by a butcher olergyman, and over his door is a text. English Aehs. — Notwithstanding the contempt with which the English avrns are now generally regarded in Germany, there are still some intelligent Germans to be found who do justice to the bravery of British soldiers. Among these is Horr Carl Blind, who, in a letter on " Military Reform in England," addressed to the Neve Freie Presse, referring to the pamphlet " The Fight in Dame Europa's School," says : — " England has not been, and is not, in a position to enter into this gigantic war. The people of this country, whether of Gemanic or Celtic descent, are of the bravest in the world. A hundred thousand Englishmen would not have allowed themselves at Sedan simply to be made captives. Fire hundred thousand of them would not have surrendered in the way the Paris garrison did ; for long before hunger would have forced them to do so, they would have attempted sorties of a moro terrible kind than were made by Trochu's troops. But what would the greatest bravery avail if it had to struggle in insignificant numbers against masses of warriors whose valor surely equals that of the English?" The Singing Telegraph.— Mr 0. F. Varley, C.E.j has just invented some telegraphic apparatus whereby two, three, or more messages can be sent on one line wire at the same time, and without interfering with each other. A remarkable feature in the invention is that the instruments sing or hum their messages. The Morse alphabet is used ; a long, loud hum is given for a dash, a quieter and shorter hum is given for a dot. When one of the instruments is at work it sounds as if a big bee were teachiug a little bee to exercise its voice ; because, as a general rule, the loud and softer sounds are given alternately. Tbe sounds are Caused by the vibrations of a thiok, long wire, the instrument being something like a violin, five feet long, with one thick string.

1871 1870 1869 1868 1867 South Island 28-77 27-07 32 62 31-78 3139 A.WN. Z. ... 25-89 22-43 22 65 26 68 24 23