NEWS OF THE DAY.

Globe, Volume III, Issue 275, 29 April 1875, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Kowai Pass Races.—These races an finally fixed to take place on Ihe 7th May. Acceptances close on the 4th May. Presbyterian Bazaar. A bazaar of fancy articles in aid of the St Paul's Presbyterian Church, was opened to-day at noon at Spensley's Hall, by the Pvev A. F. Douglas. The stalls are well supplied, and as the prices at which the goods will be cpiitted are remarkably reasonable, no doubt a good business will be done by the fair stallholders tO'day and to-morrow.

Winter Evening Readings.—The winter evening entertainment at the Colonists' Hall, Lyttelton, is postponed for a week, as the Sisters Duvalli have engaged the hall for that evening; but an entertainment, including an amusing farce, will be given the following week.

Accident at Leith field. —On Wednesday an accident happened at the flax-mills to a man named John Knowles,whilst he was removing timber. He tripped, and in falling a piece of scantling came across his leg with sufficient force to break it below the knee. Mr Morris, surgeon, attended and reduced the fracture. The patient was doing as well as could be expected.

N.Z. Shipping Company.—The New Zealand Shipping Company have received the following advices from London, dated 20th April, regarding ships from that port to the colony:—Sailed : Robina Dunlop and Fletcher for Auckland; Oriana and Star of China for Canterbury ; Woodlark for Dunedin; Collingwood and Hannibal for Wellington ; Countess of Kintore for Napier and Bluff. Loading : Teviotdale, Knight of Snowden, Lactura, Alumbagh, and Cordova.

Inquest at Kaiapoi.—On Wednesday, an inquest was held at Greer's Sneyd's Arms Hotel, before C. Dudley, Esq., coroner, and a jury, of which Mr C. Oram was chosen foreman, touching the death of a female chiW, aged four weeks. Constable Haldane conducted the case. Mrs T. Hassal, mother of the infant, and Mr Ovenden, surgeon, gave evidence, from which it appears that the child had been suffocated by being overlain on Tuesday morning last. A verdict of " Accidental suffocation" was returned by the jury.

Sheffield.—The second anniversary of the United Methodist Free Church was commemorated on Sunday, when the Rev S. McFarlane preached two sermons, and gave an address to the Sunday school children. On the following day a tea meeting took place in the church, when a large number partook of a good tea provided by Mesdames Brown, Jebson, Symmans, and the Misses Cooper and Lawson. Mr Jebson, M.P.C., presided, and interesting addresses were delivered by Revs S. Macfarlane, J. J. Pendray, Mr Ayers, and others. The proceeds of the meeting amounted to nearly £l4. The choir, under the leadership of Mr Wm. Lilly, contributed much to the enjoyment of the evening.

St Luke's Sunday Schools.—The annual excursion of the teachers and children attending St Luke's Sunday schools took place yesterday. At 9 a.m. the excursionists, numbering two hundred and fifty, assembled at the parsonage, and, accompanied by the Rev E. A. Lingard and the Rev C. Merton, marched with flags and banners to the railway station, whence a special train conveyed them to Rangiora, where a paddock had been kindly placed at their disposal by Mr Merton. The day was spent in various sports and games; a plentiful dinner and tea were partaken of, and at half-past six in the evening the party arrived in Christchurch, and proceeded to the schoolroom, where, having been regaled with buns, they were dismissed to their homes. The prizes won at the games will be distributed in the schoolroom on Saturday, at 4 p.m. The Karamea Settlement.—The Buller News states that all the land set aside for the purpose of a special settlement at the Karamea has been disposed of. The settlement now extends fully three miles to the north and three miles to the south of the Karamea River. The settlement on the south side having been first established shows most signs of progress ; fully three miles of road have been cleared, and most of the settlers have erected their houses, and have cleared from one to three acres of land. The settlers appear to be in good health and spirits, although having had to bear the drawbacks and discomforts incident to the pioneer bushman's life. On the south side houses are being built, and in various stages of progress. A track about eight feet wide has been cleared through the whole length of the settlement, and the sections are taken up on each side. The land is of very good qnality, and we understand that several persons have taken up blocks of land outside the special settlement reserve. Two parcies, formerly digger*, have taken up a large raupo swamp, which they purpose draining and reclaiming. They will be employers of labor, and independent of the special settlement. The track between Little Wanganui and Mokihinui ia progressing, but not very rapidly. It is now cleared about eight feet wide for a distance of seven miles from. Little Wanganui, in the direction of Mokihinui. A party under the charge of Mr Black, formerly of the s.s Ino, has been sent in the direction of the Heaphy, to explore for a track in that direction, the object being to render the whole coast line accessible from Westport to Wanganui Inlet.

Theatre Royal.—The performance last evening at the Theatre Royal included the farce of "The Regular Fix," in which the stock company appeared. The sketch which followed, entitled " Persian Statue;" only deserves notice from the utter absurdity and vulgarity which pervaded it. The acting throughout was mediocre in the extreme, and the singing worse, and it did not possess one redeeming point, except a dance by the Duvalli Sisters, which was exceedingly good. With this exception, the piece was full of vulgarity and coarse allusions, and one such as in any decent theatre would have been tabooed. The Parisienne quadrilles, advertised under the attractive name of the Can Can, certainly were hardly such as any lady would have cared to have witnessed, and were on a par with the periormances of the troupe which have for the past week or so occupied the boards of our theatre. We regret that such a performance should have taken place, and more so that so large a number should have been present to have tolerated it, as it shows a very low taste indeed when such exhibitions can command a full house. We are glad to notice that at no distant date the playgoers of Christohurch may look forward to a return to the legitimate drama in the shape of one performance by Miss May Howard, and the probability of a season by Mr anl Mrs Bates, and we trust it will be long ere we shall be called upon again to protest against such utter rubbish being presented to the public as has been the case during the past fort Light. The farce of " The Lottery Ticket" concluded the performarce. On Friday evening Miss May Howard will reappear for one night, and on Saturday Mr ind Mrs Bates will commence the season with the historical play of " Elizabeth," a change which will be welcomed by all true lovers of the drama*

The Ova.—The Daily Times of the 24th publishes the following telegram:—" At 730 this morning the ova were taken on to Makarewa. Mr Wood, President of the Acclimatisation Society, Mr Howard, Curator, and Messrs Hume and Joyce, accompanied and assisted in transferring the boxes to the ponds, about one mile and a half distant. The work was toilsome, and tedious, there being over a ton of ice in addition to the fifty boxes, each measuring about 15in by 15in, and weighing 251bs. They were of two kinds—one of wood and the other galvanised iron. Bach case contained half a dozen trays, in which the ova was placed between layers of moss. The first opened we/e the best looking—pink and healthy—but Mr Howard did not seem sanguine about them, as the ' eyes' were not visible. About 1000 were placed in the hatching boxes up to 2 p.m., when your representative left. Mr Howard was inclined to think the eggs that looked healthy were unimpregnated, but admitted that if the theory that animation was suspended by the freezing process were sound, then it might be possible that development would go on. This will be settled in a fortnight at the latest. The appearance of the greater number of the boxes was depressing, the moss being of a dirty light green, and held together by a filmy mildew. This was especially observable with the wooden box, the inside of which had been charred, but the trays enclosed left uncharred. These were of common pitch pine, the odour of which was often distinctly perceptible. This wood seemed to have started the mildew. At all events the iron was much less mildewed, even when the ova were bad. The colour of the moss was found to be an unfailing indication of the state of the ova, for when green the eggs were always transparent. Messrs Morton, Riddell, and Brown (residents in the neighborhood) came to the assistance of Mr Howard, who considered that the work of unpacking would take through the night and part of to-morrow. It is understood that those of the Timaru's passengers who are willing to land will be allowed to do so to-morrow, but this is uncertain."

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.l