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Evening Star, Volume IX, Issue 2784, 19 January 1872, Page 2

Supreme Court. —The case for the defence in Hunter v. Will and others, had not concluded at four o’clock. Political. —The name of Mr James Miller (president of the Arrow Miners Association) is mentioned as a candidate for the Wakatip. Technical Education.—The Canterbury Provincial Council has voted an endowment of 100,000 acres of land for the school of technical science and other educational purposes, contemplated by the Canterbury Museum Ordinance. Good Work.—On Friday week, as we learn from the Clyde paper, a horse named Tommy, owned by Mr John Mellor, was trotted over a distance of eight measured miles- from Blacks to Dry bread —in 26 minutes 40 seconds, or at the rate of a mile in 3 minutes 21 seconds. Progress. Messrs Preece and Graham, of Auckland, have purchased a large block of country (10,000 acres) immediately opposite Grahamstown, from his Honor the Superintendent. A company is likely to be formed to develope the extensive coal deposits therein, together with timber and other resources. Cricket.—A match is to take place to-morrow between the Citizens’ and Albums’ second elevens. The teams are:

Citizens—Peake, A. Coxhead, Marsden, A. W.Geddes,Dunning, Greenfield, W. Watson, Mills, Larking, Whetham, Pagan ; M'Millan 12th man. Albion : Fairgroves, Buchanan, Kirk, Smith, Millar, Grant, Sherwin, Peters. Groves, Logan, Hutchinson, W. Sutcliffe. Rifle Match—A challenge from Christchurch for a match between fifteen volunteers of Canterbury and a like number of Otago representatives has been accepted by Captain Macfarland, on behalf of the latter, and the match will doubtless be fired at an early date. The conditions are to be five shots per man at 400, 500, and 600 yards, with regulation targets, and any position. Accident.—A curious accident, and one which might have been attended Avith fatal consequences, occurred at Warepa on Monday last. A little girl, ten years of age, playing on a stack of straw Avith some others of her own age, in stooping doAvn, ran a crochet needle which she Avas carrying loosely in her pocket, in her stomach. Dr Smith, who was in prompt attendance, put the sufferer under the influence of chloriform, and extracted the needle. The child is progressing favorably. Sporting.—The Tuapeka races take place on the 25th and 26th inst. The weights for the handicap, are Slander, 10 sb; Yatterina, 9st 81b ; Backbiter, 9st 41b; Lyndon, Bst, 81b ; Patch, Bst 61b ; ‘Novice, 7st 101b ; Foretop, 7st 10lb ; Catapult, 7st 91b ; Flying Fish, 7st 41b ; Duchess, 7st 81b ; Maniototo, 6st 81b. For the publican’s handicap : Slander, 9st 101b ; Yatterina, 9st 2lb; Backbiter, 9st ; Sir Tatton, 7st 121b ; Novice, 7st 91b; Catapult, 7st 71b ; Honest John, 7st 81b ; Duchess, 7st 81b ; Maniototo, 6st 41b ; Miss Gladstone, sst Sib. Shocking Occurrence. —At Christchurch on the night of the 15th inst., loud screams were heard to emanate from a house occuppied by a Mrs Barnard, in Taylor’s lane, off Madras street north, and it was found that the wearing apparel of the unfortunate Avoraan had caught fire. Before the flames could be extinguished very severe injuries wore sustained by Mrs Barnard, and it is possible they will prove fatal. She Avas intoxicated when discovered, and Avhen taken to the hospital, by the police, Avas quite insensible. Nothing is known as to how the occurrence originated. What Larks. The skylarks in Nelson have, according to a correspondent of the Mail, departed from the habits of their English progenitors. He says :—Another change that has come over the habits of these birds consequent upon their transportation to the antipodes of their native country is deserving of mention, nam- ly, that they have been knoAvn, in more instances than one, to pour forth their melodious songs while sitting upon a fence. 1 am unaware whether this peculiarity has been noticed in any other province than this; if not, it Avill he gratifying to those who delight in applying the term “ Sleepy HoIIoav” to Nelson, to know that such js the fact here. Small Contracts. The Pruce Herald says during last week lots of work-ing-men and sub-contractors have been offering their certificates for labor done on the Glutba line at even less than 10a in the £. This arises from the failure of M‘Leod and Co.’s contract; and our contemporary points with a chuckle to the first experience of the benefits arising from the administration of the public works scheme. He Icuoavs as well as we that the General Government Avere always opposed to small contrasts; apd if it had not been for the agitation got up by the Southern League, and the pressure brought to bear in Parliament on the Brogden contracts, the Clutha section of the line would have been in Mr Brogden’s hands ere now. Bush Fires. —Very aknuiug and dangerous bush fires occurred last evening and prevailed during the past night in the localities of Porto hello, the Upper and LoAver Harbor, Sawyers Bay, and Parakanui. A dry warm north-west wind prevailed during the early part of yesterdayin the afternoon it changed to the southwest, and blew strong until after midnight, when it fortunately lulled. The effect of the strong soAith-Avest Avind caused the fire to spread in many directions; the sparks being carried by ;t great distances, rendered constant vigilance and effort on the part of the settlers imperative daring the Avhole of the night to preserve their homesteads from ignition. Many of them will, hoAvever, be heavy losers, as we hear of fences, huts, and crops being destroyed, but nothing more serious has yet been brought under our notice, though gi ©at apprehension Avas felt at Port (Uialmers for the safety of the properties of the settlers in the surrounding district. In every direction fire was apparent ip the bush, whilst at Portobcllo it assumed a magnitude that Avas alarming, for a considerable distance on cither side of Mr Coney’s Hotel appeared to bo a mass of lire. We Avere glad to hear this morning that it av;is principally confined to the back grounds, and that no very serious loss has been sustained. Aquatic.—The proposed amalgamation of rowing clubs in the Christchurch district for the Inter-provincial Reggata has not been generally entered into. The crew of the Endeavor decline to join the coalition, anff it is uoav difficult to say what course the other clubs may adopt. The Canterbury club being evidently favorable to enter a boat of their own if a general amalgamation is not effected. Mr Reese, captain of the Endeavor creAv, Avas a strong advocate for amalgamation, when the great race was first mooted but having built a boat, the creAv prefer to compete on their own account. At the meeting at Avbich the amalgamation question was discussed, the following resolutions Avere moved. The first being agreed to and the second negatived. I. “ That, in the opinion of this meeting, it is undesirable to lend any boat for the forthcoming regatta, either to the Kaiapoi or Dunedin clubs.” 2. “ That, to remove any difficulty, the club will agree to an absolute sale of one of the boats for the actual cost landed at the boat-shed. The Times commenting on the result of the meeting, says : - Amalgamation is the only way in Avlncli credit can be done to the metropolitan clubs, for even the Endeavor crew would be much better for a change. At least one, if not two. of the thawts might be much better filled than now, especially as disunion is prevelaut. Police Strike.—The action of the Canterbury Provincial Council, in reference to the reduction in the pay to sergeants and constables of police, brought about a very serious on the 16th. During the morning, all the men stationed in Christ-■

church sent in their resignations, and in the afternoon refused to go on duty ; whilst from every out-station within reach of the telegraph, resignations also came to hand. The matter had in fact re'olved itself into a strike, which had every appearance of being up throughout the Province. For some considerable time there was not a policeman to be seen on duty in the city, and the citizens were general in expressing their opinion that the attempt to reduce the rate of pay to present members of the force was a step in the wrong direction. Inspector Pender, on being informed that the men refused to go on duty, and that those on duty had returned to the depot, communicated with the Commissioner, who at once waited upon the Provincial Secretary to lay the matter before the Executive. On returning thence, he ordered the men to parade, and informed them that the Government had not yet reduced the rate of pay, axi l that, before doing so, a month’s notice would be given to all the members of the force. Under these circumstances, he would give them ten minutes to consider whether they would resume duty, and, after a brief consideration, they decided to do so, but with the understanding that immediately notice was given of a reduction in their pay, they would discontinue their services. Improvement in Anchors. —Capt. Thomson, harbor master at the Bluff, has patented an improved anchor, a trial of which was made last week in the presence of Sir William Stawell, Chief Justice of Victoria; Capt. Greig, of the James Paxton; and other gentlemen. Capt. Greig furnishes the Southland Times with his observations on the experiment:—l have just witnessed a serious of experiments made with variouslyshaped anchors as to their holding poAver on land and soft soils; their power of taking hold and clearing themselves when fouled by the cable, and I have no hesitation in giving it as my opinion that the new anchor just patented combines properties superior to any anchor hitherto known to me. Its superiority I take to be—lst, the impossibility of the cable fouling the stock when it is being let go; 2nd, the impossibility of the cable fouling the stock when at the bottom under any circumstances ; 3rd, the very small chance there is of the cable fouling the flukes, for in the experiments I have just witnessed the chain when wound round the flukes cleared itself when the strain came on it; 4th, the certainty of the flukes gripping the ground on hard and soft bottoms, and thereby exerting a resting power equal to, and I believe greater than, that of any anchor I know of; sth, the simple and effective means by which the flukes may be set to any angle, so as to suit the nature of the bottom, the experiments having shown that soft soil requires the flukes to be set at a different angle from that required for hard ground ; 6th, the almost impossibility of the stock getting bent or broken, when dropped among rocks or when dredging in a tide-way. These I consider to be its main advantages, and on the other hand I can see no corresponding disadvantage ; for it could not inflict any more damage to a A r ,essel’s bottom settling down on it in shallow water than Trottman’s anchor would do. The shape is rather startling at first sight, but after setting aside ideas which long habit gives one, and exercising the judgment alone, I see that the shape can in no way be inconvenient, but that the newly invented anchor may be catted, fished, and taken on hoard as easily as an ordinary shaped anchor.” "We have to thank Mr Oagli for tickets of admission to the Opera. The members of the Dunedin Rifle Club will compete at the various ranges tomorrow as under : —Anderson’s Bay, Sam. and 3 p.m. ; Pelichot Bay, 6 a.m., 'll a m., and 3 p.m. ; Waikari Range, 5.30 a.m. only.