NEWS OF THE DAY.

Globe, Volume I, Issue 81, 3 September 1874, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

St Luke’s Entertainment. —The usual weekly parochial entertainment will be given this evening in the schoolroom. Bankruptcy Sittings. The usual monthly sitting of the Supreme Court in Bankruptcy will take place on Thursday next, the 10th hist., at 11 a.m. Masonic.—A special convocation of the Canterbury Kilwinning Royal Arch Chapter, No. 130, S. G., will be held this evening at the Canterbury Masonic Hall, at 7.30 p.m. Philosophical Institute. —The ordinary monthly meeting will be held this evening, at the Public Library, at half-past seven, when a paper will be read by Dr Haast. Fakaia Bridge. —The laying of the narrow guage rails across this bridge being now complete, ordinary traffic over it will be resumed on and after to-morrow. Horticultural Society. A general meeting of the members of this society will take place to-night, at the Clarendon Hotel, when the vacancy in the committee caused by the resignation of Mr Reid, will be filled up, and other business transacted. Professor Bickerton’s Lectures.— The fourth of the series of lectures by Professor Bickcrton. will be given this evening, in the Oddfellows’ Hall. The subject of the professor’s discourse will be, “ Origin and distribution of solar energy.” Avonside Entertainment.— The usual weekly entertainment in connection with the parish of Avonside takes place to-morrow evening, in the schoolroom. The programme comprises a charade, a musical interlude, and the well-known farce of “ Betsy Baker.” Important Sale.—By reference to our advertising columns it will be seen that Mr Hawkes holds an important sale at his rooms to-morrow. The articles to be sold comprise furniture of all sorts, and a quantity of jewellery and sundries. City Rates. —The work of leaving the notices to pay rates for the years 1874-5, is now nearly complete, and we may remind ratepayers that only one application is necessary under the Act, and that after fourteen days proceedings may be ;taken for the recovery of the rates without further notice. WOOLSTON. —It is the intention of the nsuh nts at Woolstou to take steps to erect a public library and reading room in the district, and a meeting is called for Friday next at the new hall, to consider the matter. Mr VV. Montgomery, one of the members for Heathcotc ii- the Provincial Council, will occupy the, chair. It is expected that there will be a large meeting. Ollivier Testimonial. — A meeting of the committee of the above was held yesterday at the City Council Chambers. The secretary stated as yet but few of the subscription cards in the country districts had been sent in. It was resolved the secretary should again urge those gentlemen having cards to return them, and the several amounts therewith. The committee agreed to meet on the 16th instant. Canterbury Rowing Club.—By an advertisement elsewhere it will be seen that the annual general meeting of the above club will be held at Warner’s Hotel, on Saturday evening next. The business to be brought before Hie meeting is of a special and important character, and as the election of officers'for the ensuing season is to take place, it is hoped that all members will be present. Railway Management— Why should it ue ueei ssury to detain unfortunate passengers from Timaru for forty minutes at the Rakaia 1 The ostensible reason is that they must wait for the arrival of the train from Dunsandel, but surely there is time for a train to leave the Rakaia and reach Dunsandel in forty minutes, and the crossing of the two trains might be effected at that station. There does not appear to be any other reason for the present arrangement, and the sooner the inconvenience is remedied the better. Municipal Election. —As will be seen by advertisement elsewhere, a requisition has been presented to his Worship the Mayor asking him to call a meeting of the burgesses for the purpose of hearing the views upon municipal matters of the various candidates now before the ratepayers. His Worship has acceded to the request, and the meeting will take place at the Oddfellows’ Hall on Tuesday next, the Bth instant. The candidates are Messrs Ick, Gapes (retiring councillors), J. Lee, E. H. Banks, W. Schmidt, and A, J, Raphael. There are three vacancies. Acclimatisation. —The 1 imam Herald says a line covey of fourteen partridges were Hushed a few days since on the Seadowu estate, near the Maori pa, by one of the tenants; a smaller covey of eight have lately been seen on the island part of the same estate. The original birds (16) were received from the Acclimatisation Society, Christchurch. about two years ago. We also learn that a largo Hock of English linnets were seen at the back of the town of Timaru on Saturday last. Lecture.— The Rev W. J, Watkin of Lyltekon gave an elaborate and well-digested lecture last evening, on “ British Colonisation,” in the Durham street schoolroom. The attendance was only moderate. The chair was occupied by the Rev J. Builer, and, after a hymn had been sung and a short prayer given, lie introduced the lecturer, who gave a rapid review of the early history of England, going through the successive stages of her national development; glancing at the causes which, one after another, led to the establishment of her vast colonial empire, and dwelling particularly on the origin, growth, and greatness of the Australian colonies and New Zealand. Mr Watkin made mention of the well-known names of men who took a leading part in the planting of the colony, and of those who at the present time influence the counsels and direct the progress of this “Britain of the South.” The lecture occupied an hour and a half in delivery, and was listened to with great attention. A vote of thanks was tendered to the lecturer, and the meeting closed with singing and prayer. I

New Club. —The contractor is now pushing on the work at the new club, and it is anticipated that only a very short time will elapse before it is handed over. As the greater part of the furniture and fittings have been some time to hand no great delay will ensue in the occupation by the members.

Theatre Royal. —There was a very good house last evening at the Theatre, when a comedy new to Christchurch, entitled “ Behind the Curtain,” was produced. Apart from a few inconsistencies, and a slight haziness in the development of the plot, the piece is fairly written, some of the situations being very effective, and at the same time natural. The part of Grace Dangerlield, the heroine of the piece, was very well played by Mrs Hill, the character being rendered with eare and dramatic effect. Miss Lilly May too deserves commendation for the excellent manner in which she played Polly Scott. If this young lady could only forget that she is acting, and also vary the intonation of her voice somewhat, she would find her success in parts of this kind far more marked. The other parts filled by the ladies of the company were but subsidiary ones, and call for no comment. Mr Musgrave, as Jemmy Scott the clown, was excellent, the deep affection which the old man has for his daughter being strongly brought out by him, and the little touches of pathos which the author has given the character were rendered most effectively and naturally. Mr Steele played and looked well as Bob Olive, and Mr Hooper played Frank D’Arcy fairly. Messrs Keogh and Clinton had the congenial parts of the villains of the piece, and succeeded admirably. Mr Williams contributed some good scenery, and thanks to Mr Leech and the orchestra under him, the various characters made their entrances and exits to appropriate music quite en regie. The piece will be repeated this evening. The Weekly Despatch, once the foremos Radical organ of the country, has succumbad (an English paper says) to the transformation effected on the tastes of the public by the introduction of the penny press, and it is now in the Bankruptcy Court.