NEWS OF THE DAY

Globe, Volume I, Issue 62, 12 August 1874, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY

Bankruptcy Sittings.—His Honor will hold the usual monthly sittings in bankruptcy to-morrow, at 11 a.m. Chamber of Commerce. —The annual meeting of the Chamber of Commerce will beheld to-morrow at 3 p.m. The committee will meet at 2.15 p.m.' St John's Entertainment. —The usual entertainment in connection with St John's took place last evening, and was Well attended.. The programme was gone through admirably, Miss Winter and Miss Little particularly receiving loud plaudits. Rangiora Railway Station.—A large crane, capable of lifting from eight to ten tons, has been erected at the goods shed of this station, and is expected to be found useful in discharging heavy materials from the trucks. Sporting.—lt will be seen from our telegraphic intelligence that Mr Redwood's horses Lnrline and Papapa have landed safely at Melbourne. Th<"y are stated to be in fine order, but we hope to hear more on the arrival of our files of papers. Ball. —A ball took place on Monday evening at the Foresters' Hall, Lyttelton. A portion of the proceeds were to go to the Orphanage had it been a success, which it was not, only three ladies being present, though there were a respectable sprinkling of the sterner sex. Football. —Lower College v Midraont (Rev C. Turret l's.) —A match between the above clubs came off in Hagley Park on Saturday, and resulted in a victory for the Midmon't boys, who obtained five goals to their adversaries' one, Heathcote Road District.—A special meeting of the ratepayers of this district, convened by the Board for the consideration of matters affecting the welfare of the district, will be held at the Board office, Ferry road, to-morrow evening, at 7-30 p.m. New Schools, Rangiora.—The opening of the district school buildings is advertised to take place on Thursday ; the examination and distribution of prizes at 3 p.m, followed by a tea and musical entertainment, interspersed by addresses on education by Messrs howun, Montgomery, Maude, Joynt, and others,

Dr Carr.—This gentleman will give a phreno-me6meric seance this evening at the Oddfellows' Hall in aid of the harrribuium fund of the Dauntless Lodge 1.0.G.T Sunday Observance. —The inaugural address of the Canterbury Sunday Observance League will be delivered by the president, Mr J. H. Twentyman, on Friday evening next, in St Andrew's schoolroom, on " The present aspect of the Sunday question in Canterbury."

Testimonial to Father Ecuyer.— The Catholic residents of Christchurch in view of the approaching departure from amongst them of Father Ecuyer, have reresolved to present him with a token of their esteem in the shape of a testimonial. A meeting of the collectors for this object will be held in the library of the Church tomorrow evening.

Poultry Association.—A large number of entries have already been made for the forthcoming exhibition, to be held on the 21st and 22nd instant. Considering that since last exhibition large importations have been made in all classes of poultry, pigeons, and canaries, the show promises to eclipse all previous ones. A considerable number of prizes have also been collected for the art union to be held in connection with the exhibition.

Lecture. —The first of a series of six lectures, on " Matter and Energy," to be delivered by Professor Bickerton, of the Canterbury College, will be given to-morrow evening in the Oddfellows' Hall. The title of the lecture will be " Matter," and the principal items touched upon by the Professor will be " Experiments to prove the indestructibility of matter," " La Favoisier's application of the balance to chemistry," <; Elementary and compound matter," " Experiments showing the properties of the principal non-metallic and metallic elements," " Modern theory of atoms," " Molecules," and " The principles of chemical analyhis." As these lectures will be rendered popular in every sense of the word, we hope to see them largely attended.

Mandeville and Rangiora Board of Conservators. —Tins Board met at the Road Board office, Random, on Tuesday afternoon. All the members were present, Mr H. Blackett presiding. A communication from the Provincial Secretary was read, stating that £832 had been placed in the Bank to the credit of the Board. Tenders for cutting Barker's drain were then opened and considered, one accepted. Tenders were also received for a drain through section 1402, oh the south side of the main drain, and the contract was let. The assistant engineer having accepted another appointment, tendered his resignation, which was accepted. . After passing sundry accounts for payment, the Board adjourned.

Kaiap'oi Domain.—At l&st a start appears to have been made with the work of planting this domain. The Board. missed last season, and will have to show some energy if they wish to see the forest trees successfully planted before it is too late this season. A delay has arisen in procuring fencing materials, and without a fence the planting must have been unprotected. A post and rail fence with wires is being erected. Men have been employed in planting poplars and willow cuttings, and the hilly parts have been planted—if that term may be used—with stout stumps. Preparations have been also made for planting 8000 trees of different kinds, which Mr Stewart of Papanui' has contracted to furnish and plant for the sum of £l2O. One or two presents of trees have been made, several are likewise expected to be received from the Government, and in a few Weeks it is to be hoped that the completion of a fair amount of planting can be recorded.

Theatke Royal.—As might have been expected, the benefit of the De Castro Family last evening was a great success, the Theatre being crowded to overflowing and numbers being unable to obtain admission. In addition to Airec's performances and other items, Mrs De Castro sang " Walking out on' Sunday," excellently, and the little stranger, in the shape of Young Australia, was immense with his gymnastic and other tricks. Mr De Castro threw several somersaults cleanly, on a pocket handkerchief doubled in four, and Young England also excelled himself. M. Vose introduced Johnny Trotter and Mrs Brown, who discoursed on things in general, much to the delight of the audience. Mr Vincent and Mdlle _ Montebello were also very successful in their duets, &c. Owing to the large number of persons unable to obtain admission, the benefit will be continued this evening, when the same programme will be repeated. A Queer Fish.—A correspondent is responsible for the following description of a fish, seen lately off Flea "Bay by a Greek sailor, named Dominique, and another' man named Pierce, engaged in trading to the bays for produce :—Whilst lying becalmed off the bay the attention of Dominique was called by Pierce to a fish which had just risen and made a noise like a man blowing water out of his mouth. It was seen to rise again straight out of the water, and look into the dingy which was towing behind, and then settle straight down. It seems to have been a most curious thing from Pierce's description of it. Tts head was something the shape of a horse's, but smaller, but very smooth and round on the top, and quite black, with very large white eyes, longish neck and broad shoulders, the shape of its body was not seen but it'had a tail something like a shark. The tail was seen as it went underneath the dingy the first time. The harpoon was got ready in case it should have risen again, but after waiting some time for its appearance and not seeing it they made sail for Akaroa. Both these men have seen seals of all kinds, and state positively that it was not a seal.

A Treat for the " Fancy."—Yesterday afternoon, a number of gentlemen of sporting proclivities, attended by invitation, at Mr Lane's slaughter yards, on the Lincoln road, for the purpose of partaking in a rat battue, these mischievous rodents having become a perfect pest on the premises. The number of spectators was very large, the crowd numbering nearly 200, and as is usual in these cases, the outsiders helped to spoil sport, and assisted many of the vermin to escape, by crowding round the dogs while at work. The dogs present were of every breed and variety, and to some of them the work appeared by no means pleasant; but the terriers were well represented, and two, the property of Messrs Deakin and Hall, carried off the honors of the day by their performances in the rat-killing line. The ferretts having been fed in the morning, did not show to advantage, but altogether the number of vermin slaughtered may be put down at about 350. The guests were hospitably received by Mr Lane, and separated in the evening well pleased, with the day's sport,

Ohoka.—A petition, signed by thirty-six of the principal residents in this district has been forwarded to the Chief Postmaster for recommendation to the Hon PostmasterGeneral, asking'.for a daily mail service to this district from 1 he Flaxton railway station. Mr W. Eobinson, blacksmith, has kindly offered to act as postmaster, in taking charge of mails. There is no doubt that the service would be a very convenient one, and as there is a daily mail to Flaxton, the expense would not be great to convey a mail two miles further.

L*cal Industry.—Mr John Anderson of the Canterbury Foundry has just completed an engine for the mills of Mr J. E. Thacker on the Peninsula, which alike from the excellence of the work and the fact that it is the largest yet burned out of a Canterbury workshop, deserves notice. The engine is of twenty-six horsepower nominal, single cylinder, horizontal, fitted throughout, and finished in a most superior manner, the work being of best description. The bore of the cylinder is eighteen inches, length of stroke three-feet, the entire length of the sole plate being eighteen feet. The engine is fitted with many of the latest improvements in mechanism ; the plumber blocks and brasses are constructed on an improved principle recently exhibited at Vienna, by which the removal of the shaft in case of repairs being needed to brasses is obviated, the fly-wheel is twelve feet in diameter, and weighs three tons five hundredweight. The boiler, is of the best Staffordshire plate and is twentyfive feet long, six feet in diameter, fitted with safety valves and all necessary gauges for water and steam. Taken throughout the engine is a credit to the establishment from which it has been turned out, combining as it does excellency of workmanship'and thorough durability. We may mention that during the last twelve months there'has been turned out from the workshops of Mr Anderson, four steam cranes for the Provincial Government, onefor Hawkins and Co for the harbor works. The last mentioned was self-travelled and steamed into Lyttelton from the Christchurch railway station. A travelling hand-crane has also been out "for the Provincial Government. This is all in addition to the usual work of the foundry, and speaks highly for the pitch to which this branch of colonial industry has been brought here, There are also two other stationary horizontal engines in hand, which are expected to be completed at an early date.

Kaiapoi Ploughing MatcH.—A meeting of the general committee iof this match was held at Harris' Kaikainui Hotel on Monday evening. Those present i were . Dr: Dudley (president), in the chair, Messrs J. Birnie, Keetley. Ross, B. Monk/ J.Straohan, Stevenson, Vale, Young, Parnham, W. Birnie, and Edwards (hon. sec.) The chairman informed the meeting thai) they had met to carry out the best part of-the match, viz, the winding up. Although it had caused the working committee and their worthy secretary a certain amount of trouble and labor, they I had the satisfaction ,bf knowing that the late match was one of the best which had been held in the' province ; it had been the most liberal in the way qf prizes, and open to all comers. He only regretted* that he was ill at the time, and could not witness the match or attend the ( dinner. . The secretary would now give a statement of the finances. Mr Edwards explained that'the receipts this year were £BO 16s; the expenditure for money prizes was £SO 10s, in addition to which there were a number of extra prizes to the value 6f £ls. The expenses amounted to £2O, and the balance in hand from this match was about £lO. On the motion of Mr Parnham, seconded by Mr Young, thebftlance sheet was unanimously adopted. it was decided, after a slight discussion, that the secretary invest the balance in hand as a fixed deposit in the bank. On the motion of the chairman, seconded by Mr J. Birnie, it was resolved thit a hearty vote of thanks be passed to Mr Carl for his present of the cup, and to the. donors of qther extra prizes. After discussing some minor matters,- Mr Parnham moved, Mr Ross seconded, "That a cordial vote of thanks be accorded to the secretary and working committee." Carried nem. con. With a vote of thanks to the president, the meeting terminated. • <

Two deacons, once disputing about a proposed new graveyard, one remarked: "I'll never be buried in that ground as long as I live 1" " What an obstinate man !" said the other. "If my life is spared I will." A lady at Chester, Pennsylvania, died recently from hasmorrhage, caused by having fifteen teeth extracted at one time. But Noah Count remarks, with a sigh, that very few married men can prevail upon their wives to have fifteen teeth pulled at a single sitting. "Do you go to Sabbath School, my lad ?" kindly asked a city missionary of a depraved little Dubuque urchin. "Nary," answered the innocent child, " but I've got a fightin' cock that can walk over any. bird in this town that wears gaffs." A St Louis newspaper says beautifully of Salvini's Othello:—" It was the awakening fury of the Hyrcanian tiger, disturbed at his feast of blood, or the distended tempest of a tropic land, laying all waste before it. The audience were horror-struck." Under these circumstances, we think that, in simple justice, the money should have been returned at the door. A worthy Quaker thus wrote :—"I expect to pass through this world but once. If, therefore, there be any kindness I can show, or any good thing I can do to my fellowbeings, let me do it now. Let me not defer or neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again." "Take a wing," gushed a pompous upstart, extending his bent arm to a sensible young lady, at the close of a meeting. " Not of a gander," she quietly replied, and walked home with her mother. A missing man was lately advertised for, and described as having a Roman nose. He won't be found. Such a nose as that will never turn up. Modern teachers have not taught much, but they have been more successful'than Solomon was in his crusade against sloth ; and as that monster is dead, we must put up with the fumes from his remains. Sloth, poor, dear old vice ! Who ever hears of sloth now? Who does not believe industry the first of common virtues ? and who, in his secret heart, does not agree with the Massachusetts senator, "I live in the hope of a better world, a world with a little less friction;" or with Hawthorne's whispering to Mr Dicey, that, when he died, he hoped he might have a good long sleep, say of 2000 years, before he was called upon to work ? " Spectator," !

* ft ' ' "r'i / I, .'■ ' ■ •■■' -■ ' At % lecent Sunday School service the rector was illustrating the necessity of Christian profession in this world, in order properly to enjoy the happiness in the next world, and illustrated his remarks by saying that he had all the waterpipes in his house I I in good order, yet could get no water, wish - ' ing to convey to the youthful mind that it was necessary iu order to have water to connect the house pipes wfth the main. He asked the children the cause, and received no reply. ." I know," squealed out a little five year boy, at last. " You don't pay your water rate !"