NEWS OF THE DAY.

Globe, Volume III, Issue 214, 15 February 1875, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Half-Holiday. —lt is notified that the Provincial Government offices will be closed from 1 p.m. on Thursday next, on the occasion of the Heathcote Regatta. No 3 Building and Land Society.— The first annual meeting of shareholders in the above society will be held in the Oddfellows’ Hall to-morrow evening, at seven o’clock, when the report and balance-sheet will be submitted, and four members of committee elected. Baker’s Hibernicon. —The proprietors of this entertainment will commence a short season to-night at the Oddfellows’ Hall. The papers in the North Island speak highly of the singing and acting of the different members of the company, and, though the town is dull at present, this entertainment should receive a fair share of public patronage. Me Seed.— The Wellington correspondent of the Otago Daily Times states that Mr Seed, accompanied by Mr Martin, intends to visit Canada en route, having a mission from the Government to make enquiries there regarding the Dominion’s institutions for local government, and the general working of the constitution. This is, of course, with a view to our proposed constitutional changes. Meeting of Good Templars.—A general meeting of Good Templars from the various lodges is called for this evening, at the Temperance Hall, Gloucester street, at eight o’clock, to make arrangements for the reception of the Hon S. D. Hastings, P.R.W.G.T., who has lately arrived in New Zealand on a visit from America. It is expected that that honorable gentleman will arrive by the steamer Wellington, due at Lyttelton tomorrow. The late Accident in the Rangitata. —The adjourned inquest was held at Timaru on Friday, and after hearing all the evidence, the jury returned the following verdict :—“ That the deceased, James Francis Leigh Hunt, Catherine Hunt, and Eliza Cunningham, were accidentally drowned in the Rangitata river, on Thursday, 4th day of February, 1875.” Rider That Wragg, the ferryman, was guilty of great indiscretion in using the up-stream ford ; in not taking the management of the horses when he saw them in danger ; and in attempting to take Mr Hunt out on the up-stream side of his horse.” Public Library. —The fitting up of one of the new cases in the Public Library has been completed, and a portion of the consignment per Geraldine Paget placed therein. Amongst other works we may note Sismondi’s History of France; a last-century-edition of “ Hudibras,” profusely illustrated; Fielding’s works; Howell’s “ State Trials ” (a work possessing great interest to the student of English history); a perfect set of the Bridgewater treatises, a curious illustrated edition of Rabelais, Spanish, German, and Italian dictionaries and grammars, an I a very large collection of theological works. The whole of the books are very handsomely bound, and will form an acceptable addition to the works of reference already possessed by the library. Heathcote Regatta.— A meeting of the committee of the Heathcote Regatta for the purpose of receiving entries, &c, was held on Saturday evening at Warner’s Commercial Hotel. The following are the entries for the various events :—Junior Pairs, three entries ; Rob Roy Canoes, four entries ; Senior Fouroar three entries ; Junior Four-oar under twenty one years of age, four entries ; Scullers’ Race, three entries ; Senior PairOar, four entries ; Sculls versus Oars, two entries. From the manner in which the various events have filled, the committee have every reason to expect a very successful fixture should the weather prove favorable. Mr Crosbie reported that the Messrs Day were engaged in staking out the course, and that every preparation was being made for the regatta. It was resolved that the committee meet this evening at Warner’s Hotel. The meeting then adjourned.

Transit of Venus,— The Commercial Advertiser, published at Honolulu, gives a long account of the doings of the observation parties there, and concludes as follows: “ With the exception of a disturbance of the photo-heliograph, all the observations of the astronomers at the Honolulu station were eminently satisfactory. The astronomical party at Waimea, Kauai, had also an excellent opportunity for observing the transit; but we regret to say that Professor Forbes and Mr Barnacle at Kailua, Hawaii, should have been disappointed by a cloud at the critical phase of the contacts. But yet they were enabled to make many observations of value. The whole observation of the British expedition to these islands must be regarded as very successful; and the result must reflect honor upon the great and enlightened Government that provided for the expedition: upon the eminent Astronomer Royal, Sir George Airy, who planned it; upon the Chief Astronomer, Captain G. L. Tupman, who so faithfully and minutely managed all the details; and upon all his assistants, who have faithfully co-operated with him. This community rejoices in the result, not only on account of the interest felt in the subject from a scientific point of view, but also on account of the high personal appreciation entertained for the corps of astronomers as gentlemen visiting our shores.” Nelson. —We take the following from the Colonist of February 2nd—the anniversary of the Province ef Nelson:—“lt is now thirty-four years since the pioneer settlers arrived in the ships Wildwitch, Whitby, and Fifeshire. At the time of their coming, Wellington was two years old, and Auckland one, and Otago had not been founded. Therefore, as far as time is concerned, our province has had as fair a chance of progressing as any. She has not done so, however, but has lagged behind in the race, and the principal city in Otago—Duredin —which was founded seven years after her, has now a population nearly five times as great, Auckland, Wellington, and Canterbury, too, have gone ahead ; but Nelson, whose riches in the shape of gold, iron, coal, and timber are greater than any of them, has crept on at a snail’s pace, and is now, after the lapse of so many years, the most insignificant of all. Whose fault is this ! Is it the fault of the people, or those who govern them? Perhaps both have been to blame —*he Government for not ac'ing wisely, and the people for allowing them to do so. We may hope, however, that before long provincialism will he abolished, and when we have the General Government to look after our interests, Nelson will stand a chance of occupying that proud position that it is proper she should bold,”

Mr Isaac Longley, of Paradise, has arrived n Halifax in charge of a cheese for the exhibition which weighs over half a ton. Mr Longley did not carry it himself in his carpet bag. It is rather a large cheese. A number of boarding house keepers are subscribing to form a joint stock company to purchase a quarter of it. There is enough of it to give the nightmare to all the inhabitants of the earth. In reference to the Archbishop of Canterbury’s baptism, the following communication respecting Archbishop Tait’s baptism, from a b other of his grace, appears in a recent issue of the Church Herald :—Archibale Campbell Tait was born on the 21st December, 1811, and baptised on the 10th of February by the Rev Dr McNight The above is copied by me from the family Bible of my father, Craufurd Tait, of Haiveiston, Esq., my father, and the Archbishop’s. It was inserted in this Bible by our mother, who died on the 3rd of January, 1814, and who entered in it the births and baptisms of all of her children as they occurred. —Jas Campbell Tait.—l 3, Great Stuart street, Edinburgh, A San Francisco paper says : —“ The expense of docking the large vessels of the Pacific Mail Company is very great, and as they have of late been unfortunate with the fans of their propellers, the outlay has been a source of drain on the revenues. Lately they have adopted a new plan for repairing these injuries. The Costa Rica, for instance, came into port with a broken screw, and a coffer dam was built. The opening in the forward end is cut after the shape of the vessel, and, to make it perfectly watertight, the edges are covered with a cushion of oakum and sail cloth. The coffer dam was placed under the stern of the ship yesterday afternoon, and, by the means of three steam fire-engines, pumped out in less than two hours. The men can work with perfect safety in this box, detaching the propeller and do other repairs necessary, while the company by this simple contrivance save at least 5000 dol.”