NEWS OF THE DAY.

Globe, Volume III, Issue 252, 2 April 1875, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

St Luke's.—The annual meeting of the parishioners is advertised to take place this evening in the schoolrom at 7,30, Lyttelton Colonists' Society.—The first entertainment of the season will be held this evening in the Colonists' Hall. Christchurch Harmonic Society.— The usual weekly practice will be held this evening in Spensley's Hall, instead of the Canterbury Music Hall. Ashburton.—Mr W. C. Walker, member for the district of Ashburton in the Provincial Council, requests the electors to meet him at the Ashburton Library on Monday evening next. Theatre Boyal. -" Formosa " was repeated last evening. To-night Mr and Mrs Hoskins commence a short season, when "The Jealous Wife" and "The Serious Family " are underlined. Revision op Ratepayers' Rolls.— Adjourned Courts of Revision will be held as under for the following districts :—Halswell, Wednesday, 14th April, at 11 a.m., at the Road Board office ; Malvern, East Malvern, South Malvern, at the East Malvern Road Board office, on Thursday, 15th April, at 11 a.m. Elementary Singing Class.—Mr Stansell intends forming an elementary singing class which will meet for practice in the Congregational schoolroom, Manchester street. The Rev Mr Habens will deliver an introductory lecture on Monday evening next having for its subject " The advantages of a knowledge of music." Miss Christian and Rev Charles Clark —Miss Christian is in Christchurch, having arrived from Dunedin this morning by the Wellington. As she did not arrive at Port Chalmers till eight o'clock at night, she could not appear till ten o'clock; but notwithstanding this disadvantageous circumstance she was enthusiastically welcomed by a crowded audience, and at once according to the Guardian, established a claim to be considered first favorite (it was the second race night) of all the vocalists in her line who ever visited New Zealand. Her first appearance in Christchurch is fixed for Monday next, when she will appear in conjunction with the Rev Charles Clark, who is now coming overland from Dunedin, lecturing by the way. Oddfellows' Hall.—Madame and Miss Winter's long expected concert took place last night, and the hall was crowded to excess in every part. Some notion of the number present may be conjectured when we say that it was necessary to refuse admission to upwards of a hundred people, and a repetition of the entertainment is asked for by many others. In the first part of the concert the local piece " Sea Flowers" waa dispensed with, and of the remainder the most worthy of notice were the piano solo "L'Elisere," and the duets, the one for the piano, and the other for the violin and piano, both of which went well, and were received with numerous demonstrations of applause. The second part consisted of the ambitious attempt of rendering the opera of "Maritana" without scenery or appurtenances. It went, however, well throughout, and we may mention for special praise in the first act the trio "Turn on Old Time" and the ballad "In Happy Moments," both of which were loudly applauded, Miss Winter also receiving her meed of praise for the wellknown song " 'Tis the Harp in the Air." In the second act "Scenesthat are Brightest" was perhaps the most successful hit of the evening. The chorusses were capitally given. Madame Winter presided at the piano with her accustomed ability, and Mr R. Parker wielded the conductor's baton. Fatal Accident at the Waitangi.— The Herald of yesterday says :—On Sunday afternoon, about four o'clock, Miller, the ferryman at Brown's Ferry, Waitangi, and one of his mates, named Phil Smith, saw a man on horseback in the river, above half a mile above the middle ferry. They got their horses, swam to where the man was, and rescued him on the North bank, leaving his horse in the stream. They then crossed the river to Upton's accommodation house, where Mr Hammers] ey and Mr Cook, with their tandem, were wailing to be ferried over. Miller stated that, owing to the delay caused by taking the horseman out of the river, it was too late to cross that evening, and promised to come over for the travellers the next morning at eight o'clock. They then left the accommodation house to return to their hut on the North bank. They were both perfectly sober at the time. Miller swam the main stream and landed on the Spit on the North side quite safely. Phil then followed him, but, probably owing to the weakness of his horse, tailed to reach the Spit, and was washed down stream. The horse came ashore riderless on a spit on the South side, about a quarter of a mile below where he went in. Search was made during the whole of the next day, but we believe that the body has not yet been found. Phil was an experienced and hard-working hand at the ferry, and his sad end is greatly to be egretted.

Philosophical Institute.—The ordinary meeting of the Philosophical Institute of Canterbury was held yesterday evening. Mr R. W. Fereday in Lhe chair. Two new members were elected, and Dr Powell exhibited some blossoms of odontoglossum from the nursery of Messrs Duncan and Sons, and explained its structure and mode of fertilization.

The Guicowar —A London exchange says Mr Serjeant Ballantine, who has accepted a brief to defend this potentate from the charges brought against him by vhe Indian Government, has left London by the Brindisi route for Bombay. His fee is 5000 guineas as a retainer, but other amounts to which he will be entitled will run up to £SOOO more. The learned serjeant expects to be absent about three months.

Aswurton.—The railway bridge over the Ashburton river is fast approaching completion, the last 60ft span being all but finished. The contractor's ballast engine crossed the bridge for the first time on Monday afternoon. The road and bridge approaches are nearly finished, and the protective works above the bridge will shortly be out of the contractor's hands. It is anticipated that the section of the line between Ashburton and the Rangitata will in every respect be ready to open for public traffic by the Ist of May.

Church Extension in Christchurch. —The Church News states: —"A service is now regularly held on Sunday evenings in the Colombo road school, at which the Rev. R. 8. Jackson officiates. In the opposite direction two plots of ground, comprising half an acre, on the section belonging to the Dean and Chapter estate, adjoining the North town belt, have been reserved from letting, as a site for a church. It is earnestly to be hoped that the newly elected vestry for St Luke's parish will see the necessity of making an immediate effort to raise funds for the erection of a building, be it ever so small and plain at first, which may serve for Church and Sunday school in this locality."

Christ's College.— The Church News says:—" The Governing .Body have at length determined the site for the college tutors' house, which is to include rooms for studeut-. It is to be placed in the front of the quadrangle, facing Antigua street, between the new library and the main entrance to the college grounds. A committee has been appointed to carry out the buildiDg, and Mr B. W. Mountfort has received instructions to prepare plans. The house of the second master, Mr A. E. Worthy, is at the same time to be enlarged and improved, and made capable of accommodating twenty boarders. Notwithstanding the opening of Wellington College, Christ's College Grammar School has increased instead of falling off in numbers, and has now nearly 160 pupils,"

Accident. —The Timaru Herald says:— On Monday last an accident happened to Mr B. G. Wright, railway contractor. It seems that the Honorable Major Atkinson and six other gentlemen started from the Ashburton for the Rangitata on two hand trollies, and when about a quarter of a mile from the Hinds river, Mr Wright, who was one of the party, fell on to the line, the wheels passing over his body. Mr Wright was promptly attended to, but it was not known then what was the nature of the injuries he had received. The other members of the party proceeded on their journey southwards, and yesterday, the Honorable Major Atkinson received a telegram in Timaru stating that the accident to Mr Wright had not been attended with serious results, no injuries beyond a few bruises having been sustained.

Grant in Aid to the City.—The following is a copy of the petition which is to be presented by the City Council of Christchurch to the Provincial Council, praying for a grant in aid :—" To the hon the Provincial Council of the Province of Canterbury, in Session assembled—The petition of the City Council of Christchurch, humbly sheweth, —1. That the introduction of immigrants under the scheme of the General Government has had the effect of largely increasing the population of this city. 2. That the safety, health, and convenience of such increase, and the inhabitants generally, necessitate the carrying out of the public works upon a more extensive scale than hitherto. 3. That such extension is beyond the means at the disposal of the Council. 4. That tbe estimated cost of the required works is £56,300, a large portion of which is for those of an urgent nature. 5. That this sum does not include a large amount of money required to carry out a system of drainage. 6. That the funds of the Council are not assisted by an endowment. 7. The Council therefore humbly pray that your honorable House will be pleased to take this matter into its serious and favorable consideration." A copy of the Otago Local Revenue Ordinance is also furnished, by which all moneys from licenses and registration fees raised in municipalities in that province become a portion of the Municipal revenue;

Coroner's Inquest.—An inquest was held yesterday afternoon at five o'clock at the hospital, before Dr Coward, coroner, on view of the body of Edward Fitton, aged twenty-six years. It appeared from the evidence that deceased was admited into the hospital on Tuesday afternoon from Governor's Bay suffering from typhoid fever. About seven o'clock on Wednesday evening he was seen to go into the water-closet. As deceased did not, after the lapse of a considerable time, again come into the ward, search was made in the closet, and it was found that he was not there, having squeezed himself through a very small window which opened into the yard. The house surgeon immediately despatched men to look for the deceased, and, the police having been communicated with, a special detachment was told off, who continued the search all night, but without success. About a quarter to eight o'clock yesterday morning deceased was found by a man, named George Starkiss, in a pond near the fish-house in the Acclimatisation Grounds. The body was lying in about two feet of water, face downwards, close to the edge of the pond, as if the deceased had accidentally walked into it. Dr Parkerson, the house surgeon, who had made a post-mortem examination of the body, stated that death had resulted from suffocation. The jury returned a verdict that deceased, whilst suffering under delirium arising from typhoid fever, was accidentally drowned, and recommended that the watercloset windows shonld be barred.

Now that contagious diseases are abroad, every housewife should use carbolic soap for household purposes, as it is a thorough disinfectant, and recommended by the faculty.— [Advt.]