LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

Wellington Independent, Volume XXVI, Issue 3330, 27 October 1871, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

The Bbogden Contract.— lt will be seen from our Parliamentary report that the compromise embodied in Mr Reynold's amendment was carried by the largest majority on any division this session. One Wellington member voted against it — Mr Andrew. Another was absent without a pair — Mr J. Bryce. Mr Edward Pearce, who was suffering severely from indisposition, was obliged to retire, but paired with Mr Collins. The others voted for it. The great pressure on our space, owing to the full report given of Mr Vogel's speech, compels us to curtail our report. Mr Yogel, in replying, referred to the vituperation he had received out of doorß on account of the contract, and was greeted with vociferous sympathising cheers from all parts of the House. Cobkespondence. — We must acknowledge the exertions of contributors in j supplying us, within the last twenty-four hours, with more correspondence than would fill two such sheets as that Upon which this journal is printed. One difH culty is how to give it all, or any part of it, publicity when our columns are otherwise so occupied with reports and current news. Within the next few numbers we shall endeavor to find space for as many of the epistles as are of imme diate interest, or have reference to passing events. These include an amusing letter from " Slate Pencil," in reply to the strictures of " Silver Pen" on the Permissive Bill. " Silver Pen" herself is the coontributor of a " skit" upon the AsAssembly Ball, of a Parliamentay sketch, and of a sketch of herself. Mr James Davis, junr, and Mr E. M. Smith write on the subjects of Iron and Steel ; Dr Carr on Law and Justice ; a " Peripatetic Philosopher" on a Peripatetic Parliiment; and another correspondent who puts to us the question if we are " hard up,"ancT to whom we must give the answer that we are at present — very "hard up" —

for '"Bpaco." For the reasons prefixed we must also postpone for a few numbers our Napier correspondence. A Correction. — To the Editor.— Sir, — la your report of the few reparks I made in the Houso upon the subject of the next session being bold in Dunedin, you make me refer " to a plan adopted in the Roman Parliament." What I did say was this— "That the Parliament of New Zealand might well adopt the system established by Zeleucus,;the Locrian, in the Assembly of that Commonwealth, i.e., that anyone who proposed a law, or an amendment in one, should appear with a rope round his neck, prepared to be strangled if his proposals were not carried."—Yours, &c, C. E. Hauohton. Mr Thomson's Diagram Lecture on Life Assurance.— Mr Thomson, travelling agent and lecturer for the Australian Mutual Provident Society, gave his lecture at Kaiwarrawarra last night, at the schoolroom. The superior merits of the mutual system formed the first division, showing the profits derived from life assurance generally, and the lecturer advocated that this profit should be solely the property of the policy-holder. The origin and progress of the Society was fully explained. The many diagrams fixed on the minds of the audience the figures and various modos of assurance. The relative merits of each system were explained, and amusing anecdotes and interestiugstatistics given. Mr A. Cameron occupied the chair, and a voto of thanks to the lecturer from Mr Wyatt, commenting on the advisability of teaching the people by diagram the advantages of the mutual Bystem, terminated the meeting. Yesterday's Debates. — Our columns being occupied so fully with the detailed report of the Treasurer's statement on the Brogden contract, we are only able to make disjointed extracts from the report of yesterday's proceedings in the House of Representatives. Land Sale.— At Mr Duncan's unreserved land sale yesterday, one town acre in Oriental Bay, near Wilkinson's tea gardens, brought £95 ; 100 acres in Porirua road realised £280; 24 acres, rural district, and four town allotments at Mandeville, in the province of Canterbury, sold for £35 ; £55 was bid for 100 acres at Ohariu. All the lots were sold for cash. Supreme Court.— Bankruptcy Ex amination. — Yesterday the examination of H. J. Pei-ham, solicitor, Wanganui, was resumed in the Bankruptcy Court before His Honor Mr Justice Johnston. The counsel by whom the petitioner was examined were Mr Pharazyn, who appeared for him, and Mr Buckley, who appeared to oppose. A great deal of evidence was also elicited by questions from the bench. The examination was of a very discursive character, and, having frequent reference to documents, it is almost impossible to represent its results intelligibly in a report. Mr Buckley contended that it was necessary far a full investigation that tho evidence of Dr Curie and of Mr Douglas should be obtained. The grounds on which he opposed were that Mr Perham had received £330 from Mrs Bracey for investment ; that he did not carry out her instructions; that he took a security which was not such a security as she intended ; that, contrary to his practice, he did not inform her of the nature of the security : there was a suspicious circumstance of his having lent the money to Mr Donglas who was his own clerk, and of whom he was a creditor ; and further that he paid the money away before he had taken the security; although as he (Mr Buckley) j was instructed, Mr Douglas denied having ever received the money. He thought Mr Douglas's evidence, therefore, essen- j tial, and also that of Dr Curie, as to the ! extent of his agency between Mrs Bracey j and the petitioner. His Honor said, if j the case was one in which Mr Perham could ask for a discharge, the presence of Mr Douglas might be of the greatest importance. He did not wish to put a harsh construction on the circumstances, but he was bound in such a case as this, of. all others, to take the greatest amount of trouble to investigate the whole matter of the petition. He thought the case should be still further investigated. The Court was not then in a position to give a decision. Even if no further evidence had been asked for, he should have taken time to consider it fully, as it was an exceedingly anxious case. The worst suspicion, and one which, ho trusted, waanot well founded, is one of groBS collusion. He had not expressed any conclusion on the matter, but he agreed that they should go further with the investigation. It was true, as urged by Mr Pharazyn, that the petitioner would thus be put to inconvenience, but there was a far greater question at stake, and the petition could not complain of it as the fault of anyone. The further hearing of the case was accordingly adjourned for the attendance of Dr Curie and Mr Douglas. Earthquakes. — The statement of metrological observations for the month of August describes that, during the month earthquakes were reported by telegraph on Ist, 8.52 p.m., Cromwell., Otago ; 16th, 12.25 and 9.30 p.m., Tauranga ; 22nd 7.45 a.m. at Maketu ; 27th, Lyttelton ; 21st, 2.5 a.m. at Wellington, White's Bay, Chevoit, Kaiapoi, and Kaikora. Literary. — We have to acknowledge receipt of an altogether unique volume, the title to which is " The Philosophy of Jjove : a Poem in six cantos ; with other poems, by W. Golder, author of New Zealand Survey, &c." The book is printed at Mr Golder's amateur press, Mountain House, Hutt, and is dedicated to Lady Bowen '•' as a memorial of her ladyship's loving welcome among the people of Wellington, August 3, 1871." Resident Magistrate's Court. — Yesterday, before J. C. Crawford, Esq, John Eagle was charged with assaulting Robert Kells, a carter residing at Karori. According to the evidence, an altercation had occurred between the parties near the Earori Hotel, accompanied by the branishing of an axe and a stick, and the defendant finally struck the complainant with bis fist. The defendant was fined ss, and ordered to pay costs. Mary Grough was oi'dered to be fined, or, in default, committed for 48 hours, for drunkenness and vagrancy. In the civil case of It. Greenfield v. the Mutual Investment Society— a claim of £50.— His Worship gave judgment as follows : — After taking into consideration clauses 145 and 14G of the Bankruptcy Act and the cases stated by Mr Buckley, I shall hold as follows : " That wife's choscs in action will survive to her unless reduced into possession by her husband in his lifetime ; that at time of her cancellation or sale of the shares they had not been reduced into husband's possession ; therefore, that the wife was entitled to sell them. Judgment for defendant, each party to pay his own costs." St. Stephen's Church, Marton.— The foundation block of the Marton church intended for the members of the Church of England, and bearing the above name, was intended to be laid by the Lord Bishop of Wellington, yesterday.

Found Drowned. — The man named Doughty, who had been missing for a week after leaving Taranaki after receiving his pension, has been found drowned by some natives in the Waiongona river. The verdict at the inquest was " accidentally drowned." The American Minstrels.— A fresh programme was performed last evening by the American Excelsior Minstrels, and to a crowded house. It would he impossible, by the most flattering notice, to exaggerate the excellence of the entertainment given by this company, and they will, no doubt, perform to equally full houses both this evening and on Saturday, which is to be the last occasion of their appearance in Wellington. Rehearsal. — The members of tho Press Dramatic Club meet this evening, at halfpast seven, at tho Athenamm, for the purpose of rehearsing the farce to bo performed as part of the entertainment on Monday. Maeine Excubsions. — Tho season for marine excursions seems to have fairly begun. As will be seen by an advertisement in another column, passengers to Pieton and Nelson by the Taranaki tomorrow, and the Wellington on Sunday, can visit those pretty places at a very moderate cost, and return after a few days of pleasure by the Wellington, which vessel leaves Nelson on Thursday, the 2nd November next. We understand that the N.Z.S.S. Company contemplate following this up by a trip to Nelson and back direct about the middle of November, issuing return tickets on that occasion at the low rate of £1. Insurance Offices. — Government Insurance and Annuity Offices have been opened at Masterton, Featherston, and Marton, in this province. Committals. — For the information of Magistrates in the habit of committing prisoners for trial at a particular date it is intimated that it is intended shortly to alter the dates of sittings of the Supreme Court throughout the colony. Customs Eevenue. — The Customs' revenue for the colony amounted in the September quarter to £183,722, as compared with £190,499 for the correspoding quarter of 1870. The revenue at the port of Wellington was £13,836 for the quarter of this year, and £15,374 for the corresponding quarter of last year.