NEWS OF THE DAY.

Globe, Volume II, Issue 197, 26 January 1875, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

* Hailstorm. —A heavy hailstorm passed over part of the northern district on Monday. It has not been reported that any of the crops have sustained damage. The Cabmen. —At last night’s sitting of Council, an amendment moved by Ci Farr, was carried, instructing the police to move all cabmen from the public stands who have not taken out licenses under the new Byelaw. Cricket.—The Otago eleven who are to do battle against our Canterbury team next Thursday and Friday, arrived per Taranaki to-day. They came through from Port Lyttelton by the half-past two train, and were met at the station by Mr E. Millett, with a fourhorse drag, which conveyed them to the Clarendon, at which hotel they will be located during their stay in Christchurch. Accident. —A man on board the Merope named Lambert, a seaman, met with a sad accident on board that ship yesterday. It appears that the man who drives the steam winch left it in his charge while he went to give a pull on a rope, Lambert gave the winch a little more steam, and his baud slipped and got into the cogs, and the four fingers of his right hand were badly mutilated. He was taken on shore at once, and up to Dr McDonald’s, when it was found that the fingers had to be amputated, which operation was performed by that gentleman. Holy Trinity Church, Lyttelton.—A large congregation assembled on Sunday evening to hear the farewell sermon of Rev P. Pember, who has resigned the cure of this parish, and is leaving shortly for England. The rev gentleman chose for his text Psalm Ixvii., v. 1, from which he delivered an able discourse, impressing on his hearers the necessity of keeping close to Church principles as founded on Holy Scripture, and of guarding against the infidel tendencies of the present day. He urged the importance of Sunday schools as nurseriesfor the church, and concluded by desiring the prayers of his people, promising them his own, for their spiritual and temporal welfare. Union Rowing Club. —A general meeting of this club was held at Warner’s Hotal last night. The attendance was numerous. Mr N. G. Glassford occupied the chair. After considerable discussion it was resolved that a crew be entered for the junior fouroar race at the Heathcote regatta. The following were nominated for the crew to be chosen from, viz, Messrs Anderson, Dowle Hobday, Houlihan, and Wright. It was decided also to enter a crew for the senior four-oar race, but the matter of the selection of the names was left over till a future meeting. The matter of the destruction of club property was brought forward by Mr Black, and it was resolved that coxswains should not be allowed to use club boats unless accompanied by a member. A committee meeting was afterwards held, at which Mr Walter Johnston was elected a member of the club. The request for shed room to the Clutha was declined. The meeting then adjourned. A Reminiscence. —The Wairaraya Standard has the following:—“The Printer's Register announces the death on 27th October, at his residence, Camden Hill road, Kensington, of Mr William Tweedie, the well-known publisher of the Strand, aged 53. Mr Tweedie was the London agent for the Standard , as he was, also, of the newspaper which the editor of this journal first published. He then had a small shop near the General Post Office, and -we remember the late Mayor of Christchurch (M. B. Hart, Esq.) then predicting that Mr Tweedie would be one of those Scotchmen who by coming to London made their fortunes; and, said Mr Hart, ‘if he lives, I should not be surprised at seeing him become Lord Mayor of London.” Mr Tweedie did not live to attain that dignity, but like Dodsley Lackington, and others, he succeeded from very small beginnings, by temperance, frugality, industry, and perseverance, in obtaining a handsome competency ; and if his life should ever be written it will prove one of those exemplary biographies which should be placed in the hands of the young, illustrating what can be effected by the pursuit of knowledge under difficulties, and affording an example well worthy of their imitation.” The Late Murder in Lyttelton The Otago Daily Times says :—lt appears that the man John Mercer, now in custody at Christchurch charged with the murder of the girl Thomson, is identical with John Robinson Mercer, who was sentenced to twelve months’ imprisonment on October Gth, 1873, at Dunedin, for a common assault upon a little girl ten years Of age. In connection with this case, it may be stated that in August, 1873, the prisoner met the little girl in William street, and asked her to show h : rn the way to Mornington. The girl consented, and when they were near the Cattle Market, the man told her he would give he r a shilling if she would go and cut him a switch. The child went into the bush to get the switch, when the man followed her, threw her down, stuffed a pockethaudkerchief into her mouth to stifle her cries, and then beat her. The man then ran away, and was apprehended three days afterwards on board the barque Duke of Edinburgh, just as the vessel was about to sail for Newcastle, When the pri soner was tried, his Hono" Mr Justice Chapman, in addressing the jury, said “it was impossible to say what the prisoner’s motive was, but such extraordinary cases as the present one sometimes presented themselves in the annals of a criminal court. Prior to Mercers arrival in New Zealand, where he had only been for a few months before this assault, he was a sailor on vessels trading from Geelong and Newcastle. He is a married man, and, when apprehended in 1873, had a wife living in Geelong.

Lecture. —A lecture will be delivered this evening, in the United Methodist Free Church, by the Rev G. H. Turner, of Auckland, on “ The tongue, its use and abuse." The chair will be taken at 7.30 p.m. by the Rev 8. Macfarlane. Lyttelton Borough School. The formal opening of this school was noticed in our columns of Friday last. The work of the school was commenced yesterday under the superintendence of Mr W. L. Edge, M.A., the recently appointed head master, assisted by Messrs J. Ross and G. N. Phillips, Misses Stout and McGowan, and a staff of pupil teachers. Mr H, R. Webb, chairman of the committee, Dr Donald, and others, were present during the morning. Previous to commencing work in the different divisions Mr Webb addressed the children in each on the necessity of attention, punctuality, and obedience, and warning them against defacing the buildings or furniture. The total number of children attending during the day was 634. What is the difference yetween fixed stars and shooting stars?—The first are “suns,” the second “ darters.” “We cannot,” writes a shrewd contemporary, “ impress too strongly upon all correspondents, when in doubt whether the postage of a letter is a penny or twopence, the force of the old proverb, * Two heads are better than one. ’ ” A reverend Dean, economical of his wine, descanting on the extraordinary performance of a blind man, remarked that the poor fellow “ could see no more than that bottle.” “No wonder, sir,” remarked a minor Canon; “for we have seen no more than that bottle all the afternoon.” A well-dressed chap entered a jewellery store and asked if he could see those cups in the window, pointing, as he spoke, to some silver cups lined with gold. “ These,” said the jeweller, handing him one, “are race cups,” “Race cups—what are race cups?” “Why,” replied the jeweller, “they are cups I have ordered to be made for prizes to the best racer.” “Well, if that’s so, suppose you and me race for one,” and, with cup in hand, Restarted, the jeweller after him. He probably won the cup.