NEWS OF THE WEEK.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume II, Issue 60, 20 June 1874, Page 7

NEWS OF THE WEEK.

Father Cummins, before leaving Wellington ior Reefton, where he ;s; s now stationed, was presented with an address aa a parting gift from the ohildren attending rit. Philoinena's School, Willis street, Wellington, •who desired to testify their gratification to him as one of the founders of the school. Father Cummins, in return, expressed the pleasure he experienced upon receiving such a testimonial from the youthful members of his flock. But it is not with them alone (says the ' Independent') that he has been called upon to exchange expressions of respect and good will, for residents from all the country districts went to Wellington to say farewell to a pastor whom they loved and regretted to lose.

During last Sunday a large volume of smoke and considerable flame was observed issuing from the house of the Rev. Mr Watt, of Green Island. An alarm being quickly given, on the arrival of Constable Vernon it who discovered to be the parlor chimney which had caught fire, and which was easily extinguished.

A EATHUB remarkable instance of the " biter bit " occurred in the Provincial Council at the close of the debate on Mr J. C. Brown's motion giving power to the Government, to construct, undei certain conditions, a branch line to connect the. Abbotsford coal pits with the Southern Trunk railway. The hon. member for Tuapeka, with a view to have the matter finally disposed of, moved the suspension of the Standing Orders, which would necessitate the presence of a majority of two-thirds of the House. The motion was carried by voice, but when a division was demanded, the opposing members in a body left the Chamber. The House divided on the motion, and there being no " noes," and although there was not two-thirda present, ncno of the opponents of the motion being at hand to call the Speaker's attention to the fact, the motion was put and declared carried amid considerable laughter.

The XXXIII Session, 1874, was brought to a close on Monday. The lion, members assembled in their places at the usual hour and at about three o'clock His Honor the Superintendent read the prorogation address. A report was read from the Waste Lands and Immigration Committee, commenting on the system of immigration which had been carried on ; as was also the Provincial Auditor's report respecting the accounts and balance sheet for the past year.

A most brutal and determined attempt at murder occurred at Invercargill on Monday. The name of the victim is Mary Hall, a young girl, aged fifteen years, and the would-be assassin John Brer>nar, both being immigrants by the ship Scimitar. The assault took place at the Harp of Erin hotel, Invercargill, the poor girl receiving buch injuries from the blows of an adze on the head as to leave her brains protruding. She was conveyed to the hospital, but no hopes are entertained ot her recovery, the doctors declaring that it is almost impossible she can survive the frightful injuries. Brennar is in custody, and declares he cannot tell what tempted him to the deed* as he wua very fond of the girl. The telegraphic correspondent ot the

Evening Star * sends the following particulars : — " Brennar has been brought U|> at the Resident Magistrate's Court, before Mr M'CuUoch, and remanded for eight days. The girl having-reoovered consoiousneM, her deposition was taken at the hospital. She said she remembered Brennar saying, « I will kill you.' She did not know why he said so, M she had never done anything to him. Brennar who was present, exclaimed : • God bless you ; but not on this carth — I don't wish it.' "

A most destructive explosion of gas, but happily unattended with loss of life, occurred at the residence of Mr Edmond, Maitland street, on Monday morning. It appears that Mr Edtnoud, noticing a smell of gas, went into one of the rooms from whence the smell proceeded, with a view to the discovery of the leakage, after having tested the piping. Immediately on entering, the gas, of which the room must have been full, ignited and exploded with a tremendous crash, completely laying the room and ita contents in ruins, Mr Edmond himself being found amid a perfect wreck of furniture, pictures, and lath and plaster. Dr Alexander being quickly on the spot, his injuries were carefully attended to, and though seriously burnt about the head and hands, we are happy to state hopes of his speedy convalescence ara entertained.

Before the close of the Session on Monday, the following analysis of Session XXXIII, 1874, was read by the Speaker: — Length of Session, 48 days ; number of days on which the Counr il sat, 31 ; average length of sittings, 6| hours; messages received from HU Honor the Superintendent, 21 ; addresses and resolutions passed and forwarded to His Honor and the Government, 183 ; Bills introduced, 39 ; Bills passed, 39 ; petitions presented to the Council, 112 ; papers laid on the table, 80 ; notices of questions given by members, 72 ; answers to questions inserted in the journals, 68 ; notices of motions given, 393 ; committees appointed, 9 ; reports brought up from committees, 55 ; divisions recorded, 89 ; entries in journals, 760. ( Signed) W. E. Sessions, Clerk of the Council. °

Thi General Government, it appears have agreed to a suggestion made by the Dunedin Chamber of Commerce, that, Chambers of Commerce and other public bodies should be supplied with shipping intelligence at the reduced rates allowed to the Press ; but those desiring to participate in the concession, must appoiut an agent at their own expense in each port.

A pabty of twelve working men have entered into an agreement with the purchasers of the wreck of the Surat to still continue the work of salvage. The terms are, we believe, that the proprietors provide all working gear and expenses, and receive one-half the proceeds of the sale from goods, the tributors giving their labour as an equivalent. We understand that an opinion has been expressed by a gentleman who is an authority, that the vessel can be raised and removed from her position, and we believe an attempt is to be made for that purpose. As she has a quantity of railway iron still in her, which the Government have offered to take at almost the current rates, and of course the tributors will work with a will, a considerable amount of property will yet be recovered.

The ' Otago Daily Times,' in its issue of the 17th, in a sub-leader on the Industrial School Report, makes a few rather pointed remarks as to the visits paid by the clergymen of the different persuasious to that institution. At the present time there are about 64 children who are deemed old enough to receive formal religious education classified as follows :— Church of England, 25 ; Presbyterians, 25 ; Roman Catholics, 14. In accordance with the Act every Thursday is specially set apart for religious instruction by clergymen of the different denominations. Of fifty-one visits from clergymen made durin" the year, the report shows that one was made by the Anglican Bishop, four by ministers of the Presbyterinn Church, and forty-six by Roman Catholic clergymen. The ' Times' says : "We will not comment upon these facts further than to say that it does seem strange, after all we have heard of late about the claim of clergymen to impart religious instruction in our schools, and after ail the awful things that would happen if the reading of the Bible wore discontinued. It has sometimes been our lot in the discharge of public duty, to write things that were likely t© be misconstrued by our Catholic fellow-colonists ; but we have not the slightest hesitation in saying that the conduct of that body, as brought out in the report,— in caring for the religious instruction of their children— is worthy of the highest praise, and begets a respect for theip professed belief in its importance, which, shines out m prominence where others scarcely suffice to raise the most miserable twinkle." This is rather plain speaking, but with the 'Times' we fail to see the consistency of leaving those unfortunate waifs of society— bereft as they have been of all parental care— to aJmist total neglect, while raising such an outcry on the part ot their more favored brethren. The following paragraph, from the • Coromandel News,' will help to convey some idea of tlie diiliculties under which journalists labor in that district : — " Mr Reed having given his parole of honor not to indulge in any libel during the week, and Mr Brett having looked over and revised the ' Star ' leaders up to Saturday inclusive, that gentleman ventured down to Coromandel last night by the steamer, with a view to consult with Messrs Woollains, Riug, Home, and other copartners in the ' Mail,' us to the desirability of making another call for the sustenance of that print." The immigrants by the Atrato who have been detained at Quarantine since the arrival of the vessel, were on Wednesday brought to town, and conveyed by rail to the Caversham Barracks. Yesferday they were open to engagements. It is leported that owing to the great pressure of business in the Resident Magistrate's Court, Mr Ward, the Registrar of the Supremo Court, has been appointed a Resident Magistrate, with a view to relieve Mr Bathgate of the Criminal cases. A lad, named Richard Hogg, met with an accident on board the ship Buckinghamshire, by falling down the hold, on Wednesday. The assistance of Dr Drysdale being obtained, the injuries which were not of a serious nature, were attended to.

Ws would draw attention to advertisement* issued by the Colonial Government for tenders for the supply of road metal at the Dunedin Railway station, and for the construction of a turn-table and engine pits. In each instance tenders will be received at the office of the District Engineer till noon on Thursday, 25th instant.

Thb following paragraph appears in the Wellington * Evening Post : — One of the crew of the Chevert (the disabled vessel which put in here recently) called at the office and made a statement that whe-n five days from Newcastle, the weather fine, and a light breeze, vessel going about five knots, Goko, a Taihitian, was sent aloft to splice the mainroyal, which carried away, owing to rottenness in the rigging. The backstays broke, and the topmast and Goko went over the side. After getting clear of the rigging Goko swam after tho vessel for half an hour, and, notwithstanding th« entreaties of the crew and passengers, no attempt was made to pick up the unfortunate man. The only reason given for not doing so was that it was no use losing other lives for the sake of one. Finding on arrival that the loss of the man was not reported, and considering the rotten condition of the rigging, the crew were afraid to go in her.