Wellington Independent SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 1871.

Wellington Independent, Volume XXVI, Issue 3292, 2 September 1871, Page 2

Wellington Independent SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 1871.

City Council. — An ordinary meeting of tho City Council was held yesterday afternoon. The Alayor and all the members of Council wero present. The following letters were read -. one from the Assistant Law Officer, referring to fines in the Resident Magistrate's Court under the bye-laws ; a letter from T. H. Clapham, and also one from Capt. Rhodes, referring to the state of the Tinakori road. The matter was left in tho hands of the Sur veyor. A letter was read from Mr W. J. Williams, Tinakori road, regarding the state of the culvert near his premises — referred to the Surveyor. A letter from T. V. Aston was read regarding the drainage of the Adelaide road — referred to the surveyor to examine and report thereon next meeting. A letter from the Provincial Secretary regarding the erection of sheds on tho wharf was read, accompanied by a list of tenders. Councillor Buckley proposed, and Councillor Carpenter seconded, that the matter Btand over, as it was premature to enter into it in the meantime. It was stated that the Bank account was overdrawn £166 Is 4d ; accounts paid sincelast meeting, £182 7s lOd. On the question of schedule 13 of tho byelaws being adopted, it was agreed to refer the matter to the Council solicitor for his written opinion. The Mayor stated that the kerosene storo was in coure of erection on the reclaimed land, and suggested that a committee be appointed to call for tenders for the base of tho same. Tho following wero then elected as committee : The Mayor, • and Councillors Mills, Rainio, aud Moss, and with power to accept tenders and fix scale of charges. Councillor Moss gave notice of motion, asking for a return ofthe cost of printing and advertising for the lasfc twelve months. Councillor Moss asked if any petition had heen received, asking the Council to resign ; the Mayor said there had not. The Council then adjourned till yesterday fortnight. CoitEEsroNDENCE. — Letters from correspondents on the Permissive Bill, Education, and the Church of England are unavoidable held over until next issue. The Late Rain. 1 — A serious case of damage occurred on the Tinakori road on Thursday, during the heavy rain that fell on that day. Tho culvert opposite Mr Williams' new store having become either choked or surcharged, the storm waters flooded tho road, and making its way across to Mr Williams' building, left ono corner without any supporfc, sevoral of the polos being washed away. The hard labor gang have beeu at work in tho neighborhood for a day or two past repairing the damage to the road, which was not inconsiderable. R. M. Coubt.— At the R. M. Court yesterday morning, one case of drunkenness having been disposed of, a transfer of license was grouted from Mr Walter Johnson to Mr P. Fotheringham. Tho justices on the bench were Messrs W. JDorsott, J. Woodward, and J". Gr. Holdswortb. Slate and Paving Stones. — An important discovery seems to havo heen made on the south-west coast of Otago. A prospecting party from Dunedin, which left for Preservation Inlet somo weeks ago, to look after slate and stono quarries in that locality, returned to luvercargill on the 17 th instant, bringing some excellent samples of slato obtained thore, and a piece of stone from Chalky Inlet, well adapted for paving purposes.

Highway Boaeds.— Mr Gisborne gave notice yesterday of his intention to bring in a bill for the constitution of a uniform system of highway boards throughout the country. Westland County.— The inhabitants j of Greymouth, and eminently Mr Harri- ! son, M.H.E., have agitated for the annexation of the north part of the County of Westland to the Province of Nelson. Mr Hoos, on the other hand, as member for Hokitika in the County Council, has carried a motion in favor of tho annexation of the Nelson goldfields to Westland, with one administration and one code of laws for the coast. Prospecting. — Bill Fox, tho wellknown prospector, is forming a party to open a new goldfield about twenty-five miles from Cromwell, Otago. Imported Stock.— The ship Merope has brought to Lyttelton a fine roan, pure-bred, short-horn cow of the best strain of blood ; a steam launch, two pair of swans, some prizo fowls, and numbers of small birds. Ecclesiastical. — A telegram in the " West Coast Times" states that the Key. Mr Gow, of Hokitika, will receive a call from Dunediu, and that he is offered £800 per annum and a manse. Mr Gow was formerly minister of St. John's Presbyterian Church, Lyttelton. Pedestrianism.— Messrs Hewitt and Harris purposo filling their engagement on the West coast Before giving their intended sports iv Christchurch. The sports iv Canterbury are thus indefinitely postponed. Education. — The "Dunedin Star," by request, publishes tho replies of Bishop Moran to a series of questions submitted by a select committee of the Provincial Council, to consider the question of education. Miss Dolly Geeen.— This favorite actress, who, since leaving Dunedin, has been giving a series of lively entertainments in the Australian colonies, is now in Christchurch, but does not appear to be meeting with the success she deserves. Thomson's Eoad Steamebs.— A road steamer expressly adapted for the Canterbury roads has been received at Lyttelton by the Meropo, along with the ironwork of a number of waggons. At the same time the Provincial Government are inviting tenders for the purchase or hire of the road steamer purchased by them in Otago. The new road steamer is intended for the Northern district. Libel.— An action for libel is beiug raised by Mr Evans, postmaster, Horseshoe Bend, against the proprietor of the " Bruce Herald." Thatcher. — An Auckland paper states that Thatcher, the " Inimitable," is likely to return to New Zealand in the courso of a few months. He is to bring with him a magnificent panorama of colonial scenes. ' Scott Scholarship.— An influential committee has been formed to promote the foundation of a Scott scholarship in connection with the University. A further subscription of five guineas was received from the Hon Major Eichardson, and a . suggestion was made that subscription lists should be sent to the members at Wellington, so that tho members there ' might fill in their subscriptions. 1 Suicide. — A young Irishwoman named • Sarah Fenaghty, in the service of Mr I Snalo, butcher, Invercargill, drowned herj sslf while in a state of despondency, after a love disappointment. ; The Late Suicide at Oamaru.— -The following particulars as to tho manner of i death of Mr Eobert Miller are given by the" Oamaru Times," with which paper the . deceased had been connected : — For some ■ weeks Mr Miller had complained of de- : pressiou of mind, aud about three weeks since went to Dunedin, where his relations and friends resido. He returned about a fortnight ago, and appeared soiiie- [ what better in health, continuing to attend [ to his work as usual ; but on Saturday morning, on coming to his work about 8 o'clock, he brought his rifle with hira, and ' after a few remarks to one of the boys, \ stepped into the press room, and in a second or two afterwards an explosion was I heard, and to the utter dismay of those who happened to be in the offico at the ! time, thoy saw the unfortunate young man fall over a corpse. The evidence taken at the inquest would lead to the 1 belief that it was self-destruction, while suffering under temporary insanity. The deceased was an excellent tradesmen, ab- [ stemious, and upright in his conduct, and respected by all who knew him, and the melancholy event has cast a gloom, not , alone over the companions with whom he worked so long, but over the whole community. Unclaimed Deposits. — In colonies such as these, and especially in goldfields districts, it is in the nature of things that there should be many and considerable amounts of money deposited in banks, and left there for ever unclaimed by the original depositor. This fact, and the propriety of some public information as to those deposits, "for behoof of whom it may concern," seem to have weighed with Mr T. L. Shephard as good reason for a return being made on the subject in tho House of Representatives. That member has placed upon the order paper, for Thursday next, a motion to this effect : — " That a bill be introduced to compel the annual publication, by the Government and privato banks in the colony of New Zealand, of the names of depositors and the amount of their deposits, the piincipal or interest whereof has not beeu claimed for a period of three years prior to such publication, such bill to apply to unclaimed deposits and interest prior to the passing of the Act." The Press Club.— The performance of the Club was repeated last evening to a moderate house. The drama, "Tlie Farmer's Story," was repeated, Mr Taylor's acting of the leading character eliciting the enthusiastic applause of the audience. Mr Williams, Miss Williams, and Mr Mitchell contributed in the able manner for which they aro held in such deservedly good repute. The characteristics of the play itself are most strikingly shown in its tableaux, wliich wero carefully attended to, so much so a 9 to necessitate the raising of the curtain after it had fallen at the close of each act. The Garrison Band supplied tho orchestra for the evening, and seme goocl music filled up the intervals. It is much to be doubted whether the proceeds of the two entertainments will cover tho expenses, but no doubt if any loss has been sustained the puhlic will mako good the deficiency on a repetition of the club's meritorious performances. Black Bn.cn Timber.— Mr Georgo Allen, of Waiweta, noticing tho report of some remarks by tho Hon. Mr Peters, in the Legislative Council, as to tho value of black birch, writes tous:— '"l havo had twenty-five years experienco as a tradesman in Wellington, and fivo years as a settler in the country, and I never saw a piece of decayed black or whito birch, the sap wood of course excepted. I havo lately had posts removed that were placod in the ground for more than twenty years, and they wero as fresh as tho day they were put in, and, as for strength and

durability, either in or out of tho water, or, what is more, between wind and water, I know of no timher that surpasses it. There ia only ono thing that it succumbs to, viz., the teredo navalis in salt water, and they soon destroy it." A Pointed Amendment. — The annual meeting of the congregation of the First Church, Dunedin, was held in that church last week. A topic which ovoked considerable discussion was a proposition to increase the stipend of the pastor, tho llev G-. Sutherland. An amendment, hinting that Mr Sutherland should resign, was proposed, but that gentlemen, in his capacity as chairman, ruled that it could not be pnt. Ultimately, it was resolved that the stipend should be retained at the iormer amount — £400. Faemyaed Fiee.— A serious stackyard fire took placo early on Monday week, on the farm of Mr James Adam, Bon Accord Lodge, Tokomairiro, when three stacks of oats, containing 3500 bushels, and valued at £350, were consumed. Incendiarism is strongly suspected. Captain Baldwin.— We regret to learn from the " Waikouaiti Herald" that Captain Baldwin, "well-known as the Deputy Sub-Commissioner, Government Life Assurance Department, also recently, we believe, appointed Travelling Subcommissioner for the colony, and while engaged in the duties of his office in Canterbury, has suddenly been obliged to return home seriously ill, having overtaxed both brain and body in his zeal for tho work in hand. Ho is now being attended by Dr Harding."