NEWS OF THE DAY

Globe, Volume II, Issue 140, 13 November 1874, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY

Dr. Carr.—This gentleman gave a seance last evening to a house filled in every part, and the performance passed off most successfully. The Recent Murder in Auckland.— The following from the Bishop of Auckland, in reference to the recent murder case, is published by the New Zealand Herald :—Bishop Cowie presents his compliments to the editor of the Herald, and will be obliged by his publishing the following statement : Dyer informed the Bishop, on the day after sentence of death had been passed upon him, that he poured kerosene over Eliza Battersea from the large tin; but he did not, until the morning of the execution, confess that he had intentionally set fire to Eliza Battersea's hair. 2. From the first and to the last, prisoner Charles Dyer declared himself innocent of any intention to kill Eliza Battersea, but guilty of the deed that caused her death. 3. Pi isoner Charles Dyer did not say that he lit more than one lucifer after throwing the kerosene over Eliza Battersea; but that with the same lucifer he threatened several times to set fire to her, darting his hand towards her to intimidate her; and that at last, on her continuing unmoved, set fire to her hair, supposing that he could put it out again before serious harm was done to her. 4. Prisoner Charles Dyer from the first allowed that he fully deserved the punishment of death, and expressed the deepest remorse and penitence for what be had done. The Bishop did not cousider him chargeable with hypocrisy.

Music Hall.—As was the case at all the places of entertainment, the Music Hall was crowded to excess last night, when Mr Chap man, Miss Ida Ronnifon, and Eugene Beda, gave their performance very successfully. A ball, which was largely attended, concluded the entertainment. A perimrnance will be given this evening at the same place.

THE Opera.—The Theatre was crowded to excess hist evening, when . Flotow's "Martha" was performed. All the parts were well rilled, Miss May's Martha especially. In the introduced song " Robin Adair," Miss May received an enthusiastic encore, as she would have done for "The last rose of summer " but that the people were too much crowded to be able to applaud. The seating of such a large audience without much inconvenience was a task of great difficulty, but Mr Raphael managed it excellently. Tonight "Genevieve De Brabant" will be given. Knocking Boys' Heads.—The Dunedin Star of the 7th says:—Reference was made in our telegrams yesterday to the death of a son of Mr W, Grant, a settler at vVaikiwi, under peculiar circumstances. The deceased was a pupil attending the district school at Waikiwi, and on the 10th October he complained when became home of a pain in his head. He said that Mr Macdonald, the teacher had taken him and another boy named M'llwrick and knocked their heads together, for misbehaviour at school that day. He continued to complain of his head, aud on Saturday, the 21th, Dr Ootterell attended him, and Drs Grigor and M'Clure were subsequently called in, but without avail, the boy dying at one a.m. yesterday, after been ill nearly three weeks. In the Southland Times of yesterday the following letter appears : —" One of the teachers of the Grammar school has a most improper habit of bumping the children's heads together as punishment. One of my children has been treated in this way several times. Now I know that boys especially are very annoying, and deserve thrashing, and if they would cane or strap them about the back or legs I would not care, because they must be made to be obedient and civil. But. this knocking of heads together is very dangerous ; and as far as I am concerned, if possibility offers, I shall appeal to the Resident Magistrate's Court. There is another cruel practice in vogue too—to me, at least —of the junior teachers, that of hitting the children under the chins, causing them to bite their tongues. I approve of punishment, but I object to cruelty." The Prize List of Sheep at Yesterday's Exhibition. —A committee meeting of the Canterbury Agricultnral and Pastoral Association was held yesterday on the grounds of the association, at which Mr J. T. Ford, secretary, read a letter received from the Press newspaper, calling the attention of the committee and himself to the prize list of sheep having been published in that day's Lyttelton Times, stating that the awards in those classes had been given to the reporters of the Press on the distinct understanding that the same was not to be published until Friday, and asking if the list had been published in the Lyttelton Times with his sanction or that of any member of the committee 1 Mr Ford mentioned to the meeting that it was a distinct understanding with the reporters of both papers—Mr llebden, on behalf of the Times, and Messrs Hart and Cogan on the part of the Press—that they were only allowed to copy the awards to further their work, but the prize list was not to be published until the full report of the exhibition appeared in Friday morning's papers. He would be glad if some other member of the committee would express his views on this subject. After some discussion it was unanimously resolved—" That a letter be sent to the proprietor of the Lyttelton Times detailing the circumstances, and stating that unless some explanation satisfactory to the committee (as promised by Messrs Grey and Hebden, reporters on the staff of that paper) is given, the committee will feel compelled to cease making use of that paper, or affording any information to any of the Times reporters." A second resolution- " That until the committee receives the abovementioned explanation no information will be afforded by the committee to the Times reporters to-day," was carried by five to one.