NEWS OF THE DAY.

Globe, Volume III, Issue 283, 8 May 1875, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Found Dead.—Yesterday afternoon, says yesterday's Timaru Herald, at a quarter to two, a laborer named Bruce was found dead on the Main road, between the Pareora and Otaio. H> had evideutly fallen off his horse, but the cause of his death has not transpired.

RANGiORA.--It is reported that Mr T. W. Maude, M.P.C. for this district, has resigned, the firm of which he is a member having obtained the contract for the Government printing. A requisition was being passed round yesterday inviting Mr H. Blackett to become a candidate for the vacancj. Mr Bcstvick has also been spoken of as a probable candidate. Presentation.—At Warner's Hotel on Thursday evening, a few of the passengers by the Tintern Abbey presented Mr H. Bills, who arrived by that vessel with birds for the Acclimatisation Society, with a gold ring appropriately crested, as a mark of their esteem for his courtesy and fellow companionship during the voyage.

Sudden Death. —The wife of a fishhawker named John Melluza, living in Lichfield street east, died very suddenly yesterday morning. When her husband left home at half-past ten, she was to all appearance in her usual good health, and on his returning at half-past twelve he found her lying on the bed apparently lifeless. Dr Symes was sent for, and on his arrival he pronounced the woman to be dead.

Anniversary Services.— On Tuesday next there will be a tea meeting in connec tion with the Primitive Methodists in Christchurch. After the tea a public Recognition Service will be held in connection with the arrival of the Rev J. Sharpe, who has been appointed second Primitive Methodist minister in Christchurch. The meeting will be addressed by ministers of different denominations.

St Mary Church, Timaru. —A meeting of the parishioners of St Mary's Church Timaru, was held on Thursday last, when the following resolutions were carried:— " That the parishioners of the parish of St Mary's, Timaru, request the Rev George Foster to resign the incumbency, in accordance with the injunction of his Lordship the Bishop;" " That a deputation, consisting of Messrs Ormsby, Beid, Wakefield, and the mover, do wait upon the Bev Mr Foster, in order finally to appoint parish arbitrators to arrange terms of arbitration in accordance with Mr Foster's suggestion."

Timaru School Committee. — Yesterday's Timaru, Herald says :—A sub-com-mittee of the Timaru school committee, consisting of Messrs Sutter, Fussell, and Wakefield, met on Wednesday morning to examine applications for the headmastership. In the evening the committee met, the chairman, and Messrs LeCren, Cain, Fussell, Wakefield, Cliff, Tate, and Jackson, being present. The selected applications having been gone through, Mr Wakefield moved, Mr LeCren seconded, and it was carried—" That out of the eighty-six applicants for the headmastership, the committee select Mr W. J. Reynolds of Goulbourn street school, Hobart Town, subject to the approval of the Board of Education." Mr Wakefield moved, Mr Cain seconded, and it was carried—" That in the event of Mr Reynolds failing to accept the headmastership, Mr Mitchell (Victoria) be selected, subject to the approval of the Board."

Theatre Royal.—The classical play of " Ingomar the Barbarian," was presented last evening at the Theatre Royal, and we can congratulate Mrs Bates upon having achieved a complete success in her rendering of the character of Parthenia. Womanly in the extreme, with the innocence of a Child, the part is one which affords great scope for acting pure and simple, that is to say, real genuine dramatic force, without rant or exaggeration. This was just the conception of the character Mrs Bates gave us last evening. Her rendering was full of soul and fire, but as far removed from rant or sensational acting as can possibly be imagined, and in the part of Parthenia, she fully sustained the high reputation she has brought with her from other places. The scenes with Ingomar, where she endeavors to explain to him what love really means, were rendered with much pathos and delicacy, and again, in the later scenes, where she defends her lover against the aspersions of her mother and Polydor, she gave us vivid a picture of a woman quick to speak in defence of the honor of him she loves. Mrs Bates was recalled at the end of each act, a compliment which was richly deserved from her really splendid acting throughout. Mrs Searle played Actea fairly, and the Misses Lily May, Francis, and Richards, made very piquante heralds. As Ingomar Mr Bates showed to far greater advantage than in the pari of Essex, because there is far more scope for him, and he acquitted himself admirably throughout. The part is in itself one in which there is every temptation to rant, but Mr Bates gave us a very scholarly and artistic delineation of the character. The other parts of the piece were well filled, and we must also commend some capital Bcenery by Mr Williams. We omitted in the proper place to notice a song sung by Mrs Bates, which was excellently given, and shows this lady to be possessed of a contralto voice of no ordinary range and power, and also considerable musical knowledge. To-night, " Richard III." will be produced. Lyttelton Colonists' Society. The monthly meeting of the committee of this society, was held on Thursday night last. Present —Messrs H. AllwrightJ (president), Rich, Fyfe, Nalder, Edge, Phillips, W. Graham, Jacobscn, and Dr Rouse. The minutes having been read and confirmed, the secretary stated he had forwarded copy of rules, etc., to the Akaroa Literary Institute, as requested. A letter was read from Mr Boddington, requesting committee to excuse his unavoidable absence. The president said that they were aware that since last meeting, a piano had been purchased by the committee appointed for the purpose, for £7O. The piano was now in the hall, and they must decide about letting it. The old piano was let at 7s 6d per night, but he did not know if the committee were willing to let the new one. The Duvalli Troupe had applied for it, but he had refused to let them have it. Mr Nalder said that the new piano should only be used for first-class music on the occasion of really good concerts being given, and after discussion, Mr P. Cunningham moved—" That the letting of the piano be left in the hands of the president," which was agreed to. In reference to fitting the hall with gas, the president stated that the Gas Company were willing to meet their Yiews

on the subject; the fittings were in the Mystery, and were expected daily. There was another matter on which he wished to speak. It appeared that a valuable book had been injured by a person who had visited the hall, and deliberately cutout an extract. He thought something decided should be done to stop this practice. There had been several previous offences of this sort, but this was the first, time they had caught an offender. After a lengthy discussion, it was determined, on the motion of Mr P. Cunningham, that the person, whose name is Richie, who had cut out the extract, should have the volume of the Lyttclton Tiines from which he had taken it unbound, and another number replaced instead of the injured one, and the volume rebound to the satisfaction of the librarian. The president said that it appeared from inquiries he had made there were no trustees for the property belonging to the society. After discussion, it was proposed that a trust deed should be drawn out, the trustees to be appointed being Drs Donald and Rouse and Messrs B. H. Hargreaves and D. Davis, and that a draft of the deed should be brought up by Mr Nalder at their next meeting. It was mentioned the catalogue had been completed, and it was determined that a letter should be sent to Mr G. N. Phillips thanking him for his services in this matter, and enclosing a cheque for £5 5s as a present, but not as an adequate compensation. Accounts were passed amounting to £5 4s. The president said Mr Cunningham had kindly presented the society with a music-stool, and a vote of thanks was passed to that gentleman for his kindness, The meeting then adjourned.

St Peter's, Akaroa.—The first meeting of the new vestry was held on Tuesdayevening. There were present—The Eev Incumbent, Messrs Worsley, ITenton, McGregor, and H. Watkins. The meeting having been opened with prayer, the rev chairman read from the Synod regulations the duties of vestrymen, and then gave, in the absence of the minister's churchwarden, a statement as to the financial condition of the parish, by which it appeared that every fund in connection with the parish was in credit. The subject of the building of the parsonage was then discussed, and as the present vestry (with one exception) is composed of new members, who had not seen the plans, it was resolved that the consideration of the tenders be postponed until a special meeting, to be held as soon as the plans and specifications had been inspected. A desultory conversation ensued upon the best way of getting the building erected at the least cost, and Mr Fenton kindly undertook to superintend the erection of the parsonage. Several members of the vestry thought it would be better to call for tenders for labor only, and to get the timber on the ground as soon as possible, so that it might be well seasoned. In connection with the system of raising funds for the support of the church for the ensuing year, Mr Fenton asked if there was any objection to the introduction of pew rents as that seemed to be the easiest way of raising the funds required. This subject was very fully discussed. In advocating the letting of the seats, one speaker instanced the conduct of some of the parishioners who occupied several pews, but who refused to contribute to the support of the church. He thought that those who took up the room of others who were willing to contribute voluntarily should be obliged to pay for their accommodation. It was also objected to that one pew should remain appropriated, when there was often a difficulty of seating the congregation. The incumbent said that although he personally objected to pew rents, stil!, under the circumstances, he would not object to the change for a year to see how it would work ; but as there had been no difficulty heretofore, in obtaining the necessary funds by voluntary offerings, he did not think there would be any in future. He thought that £lO would fully cover the amount of withdrawn subscriptions. The persons who made the greatest objections and talked most were those who had subscribed least, none more than £2 a year, and some only £l, and those very people had done little or nothing towards any church work, but were continually finding fault with one thing or another. It was finally resolved to issue the usual annual circulars inviting voluntary subscriptions for the ensuing year ; if the amount promised was not sufficient, then the introduction of pew rents would be considered. The enlargement of the church was the next subject brought under consideration, and the necessity for increased accommodation was admitted. Mr McGregor hoped that any plan would include a mortuary chapel. In the diocese of Brechin, in vi hicli he had for some time lived, the Bishop never consecrated a church if he could help it, unless such a chapel was attached. The importance of erecting mortuary chapels in a hot climate like this could not be overrated. Houses in general were small, and there were no convenient places for decently laying out the dead. If his suggestion were carried out, the body of a deceased parishioner could be at once removed on death to the chapel, which ought to be near the chancel, and not necessarily connected with the church, and there it would remain until the funeral. Mr McGregor's proposition met with approval from the vestry, and the incumbent said that although the idea was a new one to him, yet he fully coincided with the views expressed, and would communicate with Mr Mountfort, architect, as to providing the proposed accommodation in the plan for the enlargement of the Ohurch It was proposed that the parish be divided into districts, and that each vestryman undertake any necessary collections, &c > in his own district, and that especially in the case of the quarterly offerings, those persons who neglected to put their offerings into the alms-bag on the appointed Sunday, be called upon during the next week. The Incumbent then said that he wished the members of the vestry to consider the vestry his parochial oouncil, and that he would be at all times glad to hear suggestions as to any improvement or alteration in the working of the parish, and also all complaints that were not frivolous. He then having left the chair, the question of the guarantee for the year was brought before the meeting, and it was unanimously agreed to raise the guarantee from £l7O to £2OO for the ensuing year. The members present having signed the usual form, and handed it to Mr Worsley, churchwarden, for transmission to the church steward, the meeting separated.

If a man is getting shaved in a barber's shop, and a fly alights on his nose, and he gives his head a twitch to remove the fly, during which the barber removes a slice off the man's ear, who is to blame—the man, or the barber, or the fly, or the ear, or the razor?