CHRISTCHURCH ITEMS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1485, 17 February 1887, Page 2

CHRISTCHURCH ITEMS

[per press association,]

CHRWicmmujH, February 16. The Canteruury Tramway Uompanv at the hulf-yenriy meeting to-night declared a dividend at the rate of 7 pe> cant per annum, aud oarritd forward £40 to new ao .ount. A meeting waa held to-night to receive i he report of the can vainer sf >r eanporiptions to the Rifle Association's funda when it was b ate J that £58 m oash an* £2-5 m trophies had beeu obtained. I is expeoted that as the new meeting is to be held near Ohriatohuroh tha citizens will aubsoribe more liberally. One extraordinary. f -»ot conoeraing to*nlght's meeting w«a that, except Colonel Lean and the Major who is Captain of the Heath* co'.e Rifles, not a single Volunteer offioer was present It is asserted that for aome nnknown reason the Volunteers here have agreed to have nothing to do with it Some companies, however, hare decided to enter teams, eapeoiallly Rpserve Oo'pA, Kaiapol and Ohriatohnroh Riflaa, Lyttelton Navala, and N Battery of Artillery. No prominent oitizens hrve yet attended the meetings, which some persons attribute to the faot that the Mayor, who aota as Chairman, was returned at the last election m opposition to the candidate supported by moat of the principal ratepayers. Herbert Rees, telegraphist at Oalverden, reported to .the police that while riding near Burnnut on Monday night he waa stack up by two men, pulled off his horse, ntnaoed, robbed ot £7 m money, a watch, and stripped of most of his clothing. The perpetrators have not yet been caught.