NEWS OF THE DAY.

Globe, Volume I, Issue 78, 31 August 1874, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Mutineers. —We hear that a subscription is sot on foot to defray the cost for a lawyer to defend the men accused of mutiny on board the Cathcart. St Patrick’s Hall,—An entertainment in aid of the school funds will be given by members of the St. Patrick’s Dramatic Club aud others, this evening, in the hall, .Barbadoes street. Lyttelton Larrikins, —A number of these gentlemen amused themselves the, other evening by carrying away the lamps, aud in some cases breaking them with stones. IL is to be hoped that the police will put a atop to this very objectionable practice. Accident.— On Saturday afternoon, a boy about three years old, son of Mr W. Taylor, Kaiapoi Foundry, by placing his right hand on the cog-wheels of the machinery of a turning lathe, had the three first fingers taken oil. The little sufferer was attended by Dr Fletcher. Immigrants per Cathcart and St: Lawrence. —It is notified that a portion of the single women by the above vessels may be engaged at the Addington depot on Wednesday next, and families and single’ men on and after Thursday. The Late Accident in Selwyn Street. —lt is gratifying to learn that Mrs O’Malley, who met with a serious accident at the Selwyn street crossing some little time ago, and whoso injuries were greater than at first thought, is sufficiently recovered to be be able to leave the Hospital to-day or tomorrow. Peal of Bells. —It will be remembered that some time since the German residents of Christchurch, through Mr J. G. Ruddenklau, who was then in Europe, made application to Prince Bismark for a peal of three bells —or rather for sufficient metal to cast them —the Germans here undertaking the cost of founding them. They are now in the province, and steps are being taken to add to and complete the peal, and erect it in a bell tower to be built in connection with the German Church in Worcester street. With a view to make the peal a public one, and thus solve the very difficult problem of a peal of bells for Christchurch, the committee of the church have decided to hand over the three hells now in Christchurch to a committee to be appointed by the citizens, they only reserving the right to be represented thereon. With this view, and with the intention of making the peal complete, and also to defray' ; the . cost of the erection of the belfry tower and hanging, subscription lists have,been issued and are now lying at Warner’s 'Commercial Hotel, Schmidt’s Barrett's Hotel, and Petersen and Co.’s. Subscriptions will also be received by Hobbs and 'Co,, -Messrs Thiele, Carl, Furhman, aud J. G. Ruddenklau. A very fair amount has already been subscribed, aud it is anticipated that sufficient will be forthcoming to carry out the project as contemplated. The cost of the erection of the tower and hanging is estimated at about £3OO. Football. —The last match of the season was played last Saturday, and the sides selected were North and South of Lichfield street. Owing to the arrival and departure of the English mail on that day the attendance was not so good as might have been expected for the liuishing of the season, but notwithstanding the small attendance, the game was a very good one. The North mustered stronger than their opponents, aud wen; fortunate in winning the choice of goals, and secured the south end, as the slight wind blowing during the early part of the afternoon was in their favor. The Southern men, however, were equal to the occasion, aud, although numbering five less than their opponents, kept the bell out of their goal until half time was called. Shortly after changing goals the South obtained the first ad vantage. M r Deacon obtained a mark close in front of the North’s goal, but iu his anxiety to make a good kick nearly missed the ball, much to the delight of the'Northerners, but Mr R. Searell, by a good kick with the left foot, obtained the desired result immediately, afterwards, The Northerners again having the wind, and playing up better to retrive their lost laurels, pressed the Southerners hard, and, after a good resistance on the part pf the South, Mr W. G. Cotterill obtained a goal' for the North. Play was continued until time was called, bat neither side obtained any further advantage, a very successful season being thus brought to a conclusion by a drawn game.

Thunderstorm. —At 7 p.m, on Friday a fearful thunderstorm passed over Kaiapoiand that part of the northern district. The sky, which had been clear and starlit, was suddenly overcast with clouds, aud about this hour there was a brilliant flash of sheet and forked lightning, which dazzled the eyes of persons in the houses, even in rooms where strong kerosene lamps wore lighted. Instantly it was followed by a peal of thunder, which shook the foundations of the houses, in addition to causing windows to- rattle. The shock was such that the cement and brick cellar at Oram’s Pier hotel was cracked in places, and other brick buildings may have been similarly affected, but the borough schools escaped. This flash and clap was followed by three others in quick succession, and all equally appalling. It is said that the leading horse in a dray on the north road was knocked down, but not injured. (Several persons out of doors were temporarily blinded with the flash, many too noticing a strong sulphurous smell. One horse belonging to Mr J. Baker was seen on Saturday to be then still suffering from blindness. At Mr T. Taylor’s the lightning fused part of a galvanised iron wire, aud struck a sapling poplar, cutting the tree into splinters. \ Mrs Burnett, sitting by the fire in her own house, was struck on one side, her arm and leg being for a time rendered powerless, but she was recovering on Saturday. A son of Mr T. Veysey was also affected in a similar way. In the house of Mr W. Hansom, the paper on one of the rooms was split, a picture knocked down, and the nail on which it hung, strange to say, drawn out of the wall. In Mr J. Matthews’ house the paper and canvas in his sitting room were also rent. At one house a watch hanging on a nail near a window was caught by the current, thrown off the nail, and on examining it, the owner found the works, including the spring, shattered as if broken under a hammer. At the Police-station the top of a keiosene lamp chimney was cut off as clean as if done with a diamond. It is fortunate the storm was only of short duration, or probably loss of life might have occurred. The members of No 5 Co. C.R.V. had assembled for inspection parade, but the first flash so alarmed them that they beat a retreat.

New Stone Quarry. —A new quarry of very excellent stone has recently been opened by Mr Butterfield, in the vicinity of Cass's Peak, about eleven miles from Christchurch, and the first lot of stone has reached town and is now in course of being used at the new Club. The stone is easily worked, very close in the grain, and, in the opinion of competent judges, likely to prove very useful as a building material and for flagging, being of a very durable character. Government Industrial Insurance.— The Gazette of Aug. 19th contains regulations respecting Government Industrial Insurance. The term “ Industrial Policy” is explained to mean a policy the premiums on which are paid weekly. It is further stated that no industrial policy shall be granted for a sum exceeding two hundred pounds, and only on the life of a member of societies registered under “The Friendly Societies’ Act, 1567,” or of the wife of such member. Accompanying the regulations is a table showing the weekly premiums payable. Theatre Royal. The Steele-Keogh Dramatic Company, who have been recently performing in Dunedin, opened a dramatic season at the Theatre Royal, on Saturday cvenibg, to a very good house. Lord Lytton’s play of "The, Lady of Lyons” was selected for the opening piece, but its representation did not afford a fair criterion of the capabilities of the company, which evidently lies more in comedy. Mrs Walter Hill played Pauline with her usual care and success, some of the scenes, more particularly the one in which she discovers the deceit which has been practised upon her, being rendered with much dramatic force and feeling. Miss Bessie Vivian, who made her debut before a Christchurch audience on the occasion, played Madame Deschappelles, but was Somewhat too youthful in appearance for the part. This lady possesses a very good voice, and a thorough knowledge of stage business, and in parts more suited to her will prove a favorite here. Her line is essentially comedy, and, as to-night she appears in this description of character we anticipate a greater amount of success. The part was, however, with the exception we have noticed, fairly sustained. Miss Marion Willis was cast for the Widow Melnotte, but, as might have been expected, was completely out of her element. Mr Steele played Claude Melnotte well throughout, and Mr Musgrave’s rendering of the bluff old soldier, Colonel Damas, was, as are all the characters sustained by him, played thoroughly well. Mr Hooper, who played the part of Mons. Deschappelles. did not appear to consider it necessary to alter his appearance at all to represent the age of the father of Pauline, hence the reference, in the text to his “aged” dimbs being consigned to a debtors’ prison bordered slightly on the ludicrous. Mr Keogh was the Beauseant, and would have been successful, only that he fell into the error of imparting to the character rather too much of the melodramatic villain, which was certainly' never intended by the author. At the close of the piece Mrs Hill and Mr Steele, on whom, by the way, the whole weight of the piece fell, with but slight support, received a well-merited call before the curtain. Between the pieces-' Miss Ettie Martineau, a very piquante little lady, danced a highland fling capitally, and being encored danced a sailor’s hornpipe. This lady dances both gracefully and with spirit, and promises to be a prime favorite, indeed she made the hit of the evening, so far as the Audience was concerned. A farce, in which Misses Vivian and Willis and Messrs Hooper and Musgrave appeared, . concluded the performance. Tonight a new comedy, “Owing and Paid,” followed by the burlesque of “ Romulus and Remus,”: will be produced. A very good little orchestra, under the able direction of Mr Leech, played some capital music during the evening.