NEWS OF THE DAY.

Globe, Volume I, Issue 36, 11 July 1874, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Durham Street Church. —The Rev J. Waterhouse will conduct a children’s service n the above church to-morrow, at 3 p.m., and will also preach in the evening. Theatre Royal. —There was a capital house last evening at the Theatre Royal, when “ Grif ” was performed for the last time. To-night “ Uncle Tom’s Cabin ” will be produced, Miss Rosa Towers appearing as Eva. United Services. —The united services will be held in St. Paul’s Church, Lichfield street, on Monday evening next. A prayer meeting will be held at 6.45 p.m., and a service at 7,30, when the Rev J. Duller and Mr W. H; Hargreaves will deliver addresses.

Erection op the Canterbury College. —A requisition, numerously signed, was presented to his Worship the Mayor yesterday, asking him to call a meeting of citizens at an early date, to consider the question of the proposed erection of the Canterbury College in the Domain. In accordance with this his Worship has fixed the meeting for Tuesday next, in the Oddfellows’ Hall, Registrar’s Returns, The following are the Registrar's returns for the month of Juno. Births; City of Christchurch —males, 22; female 13; total, 35; Christchurch district —males, 34; females, 47; total 81. Deaths: City of Christchurch —males, 11; females, 14; total, 25; Christchurch district—males, 18; females, 9; total, 27. Marriages: City of Christchurch, 26; Christchurch district, 6.

Breakwater. —The work on the western breakwater is progressing very satisfactorily. On Thursday a successful blast of some 2000 pounds of powder was fired. The report was not groat, but the amount of debris brought down was very large, it being estimated at 10,000 cubic yards. The contractors have at present some difficulty in disposing of the surface clay, although a great deal ia being put into crafts for ballast.

Colonial Bank op New Zealand. —A public meeting in connection with the above institution, will be held at the Pier Hotel, Kaiapoi, on Thursday next at 7.30, p.m., when some of the members of the managing committee will be present, to explain the views of the promoters of the bank, and receive applications for shares. The share list will be closed in Christchurch, on Tuesday, 21st iust. Lecture. —A lecture on missionary life in Fiji was delivered last evening in the Durham street chapel, by the Rev J. Waterhouse. There was a good attendance, and the lecturer was attentively listened to while he related the dangers to missionaries that obtained at one time in Fiji, and the scenes he had witnessed there. A collection in aid of the mission was made at the close of the lecture.

Presentation. —At the Rifle Association concert on Thursday evening, a silver medal with a St Andrew’s cross on it was presented to Cadet Dawson of the High school cadets. The medal was given by the llev C. Frazer, for the highest scorer in that corps, and the presentation was made on his behalf by Lady Wilson, who read a letter from Mr Frazer, intimating that he would give a similar medal every year so long as the corps retained the name of High School Cadets, Northern Railway.— Yesterday as the 8.45 a.m, down train was nearing Belfast factory the driver of the engine saw a trolly standing on the line. He signalled the guard, and, although going at full speed, they got the brakes down 50 yards or so from the trolly. It was then removed and the train went on. So far as can be learned the trolly belongs to Leech and Co., the contractors for keeping the line in repair, and had been taken by some person, at present unknown, from the Kaiapoi station yard, between 1 and 5 a.m.

Colonial Bank. —A meeting of gentlemen interested in this bank took place at the Mitre Hotel on Thursday evening. The chair was occupied by Dr Donald. Mr Curry, secretary, explained the principles on which the bank was to be started, and which were fully set forth in the printed prospectus. The meeting was subsequently addressed by Messrs Henuah, Blakiston, and H. Thomson. Mr Cuff moved, Mr J. Grubb seconded, and it was carried —•“That the meeting views with favor the establishment of the Colonial Bank of New Zealand.” A large number of shares were applied for by those present. The secretary stated that over two thousand shares had been applied for in Christchurch that day. A vote of thanks to the chairman closed the meeting. Gazette Notices. —A proclamation appears in the “ Gazette ” appointing Mr James McKenzie to receive the rate of one shilling in the £, levied in the Leßon’s Bay educational district. The following regulation is gazetted for the information of Government officers :—“ No address or testimonial shall bo accepted' in respect of his official duties, without ihc'sanction in writing of the Provincial Secretary or Secretary of Public Works.” Messrs T. S. Tancred, C. G. Tripp, A. McKenzie, W. K. Macdonald. W. H. Grimmer, are gazetted members of the Geraldine Domain Board. Messrs A, Saunders, -J. Grigg, and *K. Miller are gazetted members of the Ashburton Domain Board. Mr. B. Wadmau ia the person appointed to receive the annual sums payable under the 55th* sod ion of (he Education Ordinance for the Hillsborough district.

Ohoka.-—A public meeting of persons interested in holding a ploughing match in this district, was held at Lejvton’s Junction Hotel on Monday evening. There was a fair attendance. Mr R. Dailey was voted to the chair. It was decided that a match be arranged to include the Eyreto.n, Ohoka, Swannauoa, and Mandeviile Plains districts, and a committee of Messrs Dailey, Robinson, Clark, Burgin, Hopkins, Stevenson, Bradley, and Duffoll, was appointed to collect subscriptions and carry out the necessary arrangements. A sum of £lO was subscribed in the room. The committee decided to meet on Monday erening.

Avonside Entertainment. —The fourth of the scries of winter gatherings was held last evening, in the Avonside schoolroom. There was a very crowded attendance, and the Rev A. E. Qlasson presided. The first portion of the entertainment consisted pf magic, when a well-known amateur professor delighted the audience with his illusions, all of which were cleverly executed, short selections of music being played by Miss Marshman during the intervals. The musical portion of the programme came next, when the following songs were given in a manner highly creditable to those ladies and gentlemen who contributed them ;—Song, “ Tell me, my heart,” Mrs James Campbell ; song, “ Let me like a soldier fall,” Mr E. Brittan ; song, “ Mignonette,” Miss Ness ; part song, “ Departure,” the Misses Marshman, and Messrs Sims and Ollivier ; song, “ Put me in my little bed,” Miss E. Glasson ; song, Mrs J. Campbell ; part song, “ Nightingale,” the Misses Marshman and Messrs Sims and Ollivier. The farce of “ The Area Belle,” amusingly sustained, sent the audience home in good humor at, however, a rather late hour. This drawback may, however, be easily provided against on another occasion, when a similar lengthy programme is presented, by commencing earlier. Remarkable Double Suicide. —Twelve years ago, Mr C, Hall, of Bath, became a clerk in the London and Westminster Bank, but two years ago he hurt his knee and resigned, He then married Miss Howarth, a ward of his father’s and daughter of Mr Howarth, a local musician, who had died, leaving seven orphans. After their marriage, Charles Hall and his wife went to Ilfracombe, where they attempted to poison themselves with opium. The attempt failed, and Charles Hall was imprisoned for three months, during which time his wife was delivered of a child. On his liberation, Hall assisted his brother, a gaselier manufacturer, while the wife obtained, six weeks ago, a situation in London. He announced that heshould go to London also, joined his wife, and with her started for Paris, where they took a room in the H3tel de P3tersbourg, and were in the morning found dead, clasped in each other’s arms. They had taken prussic acid. They were devotedly attached to each other, and there is no suspicion of murder, though the husband probably took his dose later than the wife. Double suicides occur every day, but wc never remember one before as to the cause of which conjecture was so utterly at fault. The only conceivable theory is that the wife was aware of her husband’s fixed decision to commit suicide,'and resolved not to outlive him.

The Seat op Government Question. —The “ Daily Southern Cross ” writes : “ Rumour has it that the Otago and Canterbury contingent of our colonial legislators purpose to make considerable efforts to obtain the removal of the seat of Government to Canterbury. The place proposed is the little quondam French settlement of Akaroa, and it is said that Canterbury is prepared, out of its abundance, to pay .£300,000 to meet the expenses of removal. Akaroa is out of the question, for wherever it should go, the capital should, at least, be a tolerably large and growing city; and no doubt the Canterbury people would prefer Christchurch. But then Dunedin would be jealous, and feel that if removed to Christchurch there would be a likelihood of the seat of Government remaining permanently fixed there, instead of some day hereafter taking root in Dunedin. Many members are by no means satisfied with Wellington in its present condition as the empire city, and there is a probability that the subject of change may come before the Assembly; and if one or other of the two principal southern cities were proposed, the project would receive considerable support. Many think if any change were to be made that cosy ‘sunny’Nelson, with which, notwithstanding its alleged somnolency, all visitors are charmed, should be the site chosen, and if so it would still be a city in the neighbourhood of the Straits, while it would at once gratify Canterbury and Otago by removal from evil influences, and at the same time prevent jealousy between these two important centres. We do not believe, however, that any such removal is probable, but it is not at all unlikely that efforts will be made to constitute Wellington into a federal city, excising it from the province, and making Wanganui the seat of the Provincial Government. The question once raised may extend, and may even take the shape of an attempt to abolish Provincialism in the North Island. Some members, we know, would gladly see this accomplished, and some are even so sanguine as to believe the time to be ripe for such a movement; but they form, or we are much mistaken, but a small minority, and will have strong personal interests to contend with. Without doubt, with both North and South, Wellington is not a political favorite.”