Wellington Independent TUESDAY, 17th JUNE.

Wellington Independent, Volume XXVIII, Issue 3833, 17 June 1873, Page 2

Wellington Independent TUESDAY, 17th JUNE.

•As some misapprehension exists regarding the costume for the drawing-room to be held by Lady Fergusaon on Thursday next, we are enabled to state that ladies may present themselves in ordinary morning dresses with bonnets. The demand for coals in Wellington appears to exceed the supplying capacity of the port. Should the usual colliers be detained beyond their ordinary time from any of the many causes incidental to shipping, coal appears to become scarce immediately. An instance of this was shown yesterday. The steamers Albion and Claud Hamilton were detained through being unable to obtain the requisite quantity of coal. Fortunately the Cyrus was signalled outside the Heads, bound in with a cargo of coals. As there was not a breath of wind to bring her in with, the Lrtina was despatched out to her and towed her in. A most distressing accident happened on the Beach yesterday afternoon. As Mr and Mrs Pascoe drove along the street in a buggy, the horse commenced to kick and then bolted madly away. The force with which he started off caused the buggy to capsize at the first obstacle it came into collision with. Just opposite Mr Krull's office both Mr and Mrs Pascoe were shot out of the vehicle. Mr Pascoe, who landed on the broad of his back, escaped with little more injury than being rather stunned and shaken. Mrs Pascoe, however, was thrown face downward upon the newly-metalled road. When picked up the poor creature presented a pitiable sight, not a feature of the comely countenance of the moment before being recognisable. She was at once taken into the Empire Hotel, where her wants were attended to. No danger is anticipated. The Hutt road is beginning to be rather dangerous to vehicles travelling after dark, owing to trollies and barrows being left too near the edge of the road. Yesterday evening an accident happened which might easily have been more dangerous than resulted. A buggy which contained a gentleman, his wife, and two children, came into collision with one of these obstructions close to where an excavation for railway purposes is being made. The result was a general spill, all the occupants of the vehicle being thrown out on the road. A s far as can be learned, we are glad to say that no serious injury was sustained. It would be well for ovei'seers ef works on the Hutt line to caution workmen to leave their barrows, trollies, and planks as little in the way as possible when they cease work in the evening. The only spot in the city where any business seemed to be done yesterday was the Queen's Wharf, which presented an unusually busy aspect, owing to the number of vessels and steamers berthed alongside. During a great portion of the day the northern outer T was almost crowded with the impedimenta of his Excellency the Governor, which included boxes, carriages, and a number of cases containing Australian birds and animals. As might be expected, they were a centre of attraction for groups of people intent on maiding the most of their holiday. There was only an average attendance at the Theatre last evening. There was a varied and copious bill of fare provided for the play-going public. Miss Stephenson, both as Lady Teazle and Helen obtained plaudits from the house, Mr Burford impi'oves on acquaintance. This evening "Ixion" is to be performed — a burlesque in which the full strength of the company will appear. From the manner in which this burlesque has been received in other parts of the colony, we feel that we have a right to expect something more than commonplace on its appearance. Edward Edwards, who has frequently interviewed his Worship the Resident Magistrate of late on a charge of not being of sound mind, was again brought up and again remanded, in order that the testimony of two medical men may be obtained as to his soundness of mind. John Hoskins, an ordinary case of drunkenness, was dealt with in the usual manner for a first offence. Mr Crawford sat on the Bench.

The Briiiah Australian Telegraph Company (Limited), transmitted the following number of telegrams during the week ending May 24 : — New Zealand sent 13, but received none ; South Australia sent 6, received 7 ; Victoria sent 15, received 15 ; New South Wales sent 18, received 13 ; Queensland sent 2, received 1 ; Tasmania sent 2, but received none. The total number Avas 92, which is considerably below the usual amount of business, as far as number of telegrams is concerned. Their money value, of courso, is not made known.

The New Zealand Iron and Steel Company are likely to commence operations at an early period. We understand that 1000 shares have been subscribed for, and the first call paid up. Mr Maskell, the champion of the advocates of denominational education in Canterbury, declared in the Provincial Council of that province the other day that "in his opinion it was criminal to read the Bible without explanation." Mr Reeves, formerly well known as a mining engineer at Hokitika, and subsequently of Dunedin, has perfected a method for saving all the gold now lost under the ordinary crushing system, by the use of oxydrogen gas combined with platinum, by which the whole of the gold and other metals can be saved at tho cost of a few shillings per ton. The method sounds rather problematical, but capitalists seem to think well of it, for we read that, at a meeting held in Greville's Rooms, Sydney, it was resolved to place the invention before the public. Speaking of the Native Lands Court, tho Wanganui "Chronicle" says :— A largo number of natives have already arrived from the up-river to attend this Court, and the Market Square and beach present a small canvas town. Wo believe there will be some two thousand natives down to pass their titles. This tends to prove that the aborigines of this part of the island are quite willing to submit to the pakeha decision as to claims to land.

The Christchurch ' ' Press" says : — We regret to observe from an advertisement which appears in another column that the person whose tender was accepted for the Rolleston to Little Racecourse Hill railway, has seen fit to forfeit his deposit rather than take up the contract, and that fresh tenders are obliged to be called for in consequence. Fancy a dinner costing a nation about a million and a? half sterling ! Yet, such appears to be the cost to England of a dinner once eaten by Mr Gurner, the Crown Solicitor of Victoria ; and it comes about thiswise. One of the points relied on at the Geneva Arbitration was that when Mr S. P. Lord, of Melbourne, an ardent Northenei*, urgod upon Mr Gurner the arrest of the stowaways on board the Confederate cruiser Shenandoah, when she lay olf Williamstown, Mr Gurner hungrily and angrily replied, "Lord, I must havomydinne.l ;" It was argued that but for the Victorian Crown Solicitor's zeal to got his dinner, the shipping of the stowaways could have boen prevented, and for Victoria's neglect, England, was cast in damages to the amount of six million dollars. Agitation for additional public works is as much the rule in Marlborough as in other parts of the colony, and its Superintendent has been thus memorialised by a public meeting: — "That his Honor should be respectfully requested to take, with as little delay as possible, the necessary steps to obtain the power of borrowing the sum of £00,000. That this sum should be expended in the erection of bridges over the large rivers of the province, in forming roads, and in assisting in the formation of tramways." The Greymouth folk, have probably had a merry week in honor of the commencement of their railway, and this may account for the neglect to supply us with papers either by post or by purser, of later date than the 9th, although the Claud Hamilton left that port some days later. We have, however, by diligent searching, obtained a Grey "Weekly" of the 12th, which gives an account of the turning of the first sod, from which we extract. We notice in confirmation of our view that the Holdtiica papers both complain of neglect on the part of their agents to supply them with news.