NEWS OF THE DAY

Globe, Volume IV, Issue 309, 9 June 1875, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY

Telegraph Communication.—Telegraph communication with tue West Coast was restored yesterday shortly before 5 p.m. A telegraph station has been opened at Cartertort in the province of Wellington.

Religious Instruction. —In the Council last evening Mr Walker's amendment on the 49th clause of the Education Bill, substituting the word " shall " for the word " may," so as to make it imperative on committees to have religious instruction in schools was rejected by 18 to 10.

Legal.— ffis Honor Mr Justice Johnston, accompanied by his secretary (Mr H. H. Loughnan), and the Registrar (Mr E. S. Willcocks), left town yesterday on circuit to Timaru. It is expected that the session will last a fortnight, after which his Honor will proceed overland to Dunedin to hold the July Criminal Sittings there. The Late Accident at Lyttelton.—Captain Helender of the Star of the South states that as he was cominguptheharborthis morning he saw floating between the pilot station and Ripa Island what appeared to be the body of a man naked to the waist with dark trousers on. On arrival at Lyttelton he informed the police, and a boat was sent in search.

Agricultural and Pastoral Association. —At a meeting of the committee held yesterday it was decided to hold the midwinter show in the drill Bhed and adjoining ground, the necessary permission to do so having been obtained. It was also resolved, on the motion of Mr R. Wilkin, to offer a prize of twenty guineas for the" best prize essay on the ergot in rye and other grasses, the nature of the disease, its cause, and best mode of destroying same. Closing of Mails. —On any occasion when it is found that time will permit of the closing of mails being extended to a later hour of the day than is given in the notice which appears in the morning papers, the Post office authorities have determined to apprise the public of the fact by posting the hour outside Cobb and Co's office, that place being considered the most central business portion of the city. This was done yesterday. Telegraphic.—The steamer Macgregoris expected to leave Auckland at 10 a.m. on Friday, the 11th inst. Telegrams for America, Europe, &c, via San Francisco, will be received at the Christchurch Telegraph office for transmission to Auckland up till 9 a.m. of the 11th inst. The steamer Tarurua is expected to leave Hokitika at 2 p.m. on Friday, 11th inst. Telegrams for the Australian Colonies, or Europe via Java cable, will be received at the Telegraph Office for transmission to Hokitika up till 1 p.m. of the 11th inst. The Drainage of Christchurch and the Suburbs. —In the Council yesterday afternoon a long debate ensued upon Mr Fisher's motion to grant £20,000 for the drainage of Christchurch and suburbs, to be expended under the direction of Drainage Commissioners. Ultimately the Government amendment to strike out the sum of money to be voted was agreed to, and the resolution simply passed that it was expedient that some steps should be taken to provide fo the drainage of Christchurch and the I suburbs.

Gazette Notices. The Licensing Courts for the licensing districts of Mount Peel and Geraldine are gazetted to be held at Temuka ; that of Waitaki at the Resident Magistrate's Court, Waimate; and that of Mount Somers district at the Resident Magistrate's Court, Ashburton. Mr W. Andrews is gazetted deputy-registrar of births, deaths and marriages for the district of Geraldine. The resignation of W. O. Jennings, of Akaroa, as a public vaccinator, is notified. Letters of naturalisation have been issued to Johanne Sophie Christi ne Lohse, teacher, Riccarton. Mr Mellish is appointed chairman of the Licensing Court of Mount Somers; and Messrs J. Grigg and H. T. Winter to be members of the Court. The Domain and the Late Gale.— Several large branches of willows and other trees along the river and throughout the Domain were broken off by the force of Saturday's gale, and some valuable English and other trees, more especially the specimens in the pinetum, were twisted right round, leaving a hole underneath of about six inches in diameter, causing considerable damage to their roots. The river rose about three feet, submerging all the lower portions of the gardens, and all the walks were flooded, the hollows throughout the Domain being filled with water. The whole place was literally strewed with leaves and small branches. The water has now subsided, and Mr Armstrong, Government gardener, has had men engaged on Monday and yesterday in clearing away the litter. Vote for the City.—His Worship the Mayor and Cr Bishop waited upon the Executive yestererday morning as a deputation from the City Council, to ask that the conditions attached to the £SOOO vote to the municipality, placed upon the supplementary estimates, that that sum was to be spent in drainage and bridges, might be removed. The members of the Executive present were the President (Sir Cracroft Wilson), the Provincial Secretary, and the Hon G. Buckley. The deputation stated that the City Council would undertake to spend £SOOO in bridges and drainage during the year, but they might require to borrow a portion of that money to pay off the overdraft at the end of the financial year, undertaking to repay the loan out of the rates to be collected after that date. The Provincial Secretary and the Hon Mr Buckley saw no objection to this course being pursued. The deputa tion then asked that an Ordinance might be brought in to allow of the City Council procuring the fees that would arise from the wholesale spirit merchants and brewers' licenses, for purposes of revenue. It was pointed out that granting these fees to the city would not be taking away any portion of the revenue from the province, as the province had never received them, and the City Council might as well have them. The Provincial Secretary said that before giving an answer he would like to look through the proposed Ordinance, and before retiring the deputation left a draft of it with him for that purpose

"Clara," asked Tom, "what animal dropped from the clouds?" —"The rain, clear," was the reply. An Arab chief, at the Marseilles opera, especially admired the trombone player, expressing his wonder "to see that Christian swallow so much brass. I cannot yet comprehend, where he puts it,"

"Sekrets," says Josh Billings, "is a bad investment. If you pass it yon lose the principle; and if you keep it you lose the interest."

The Troy (New York) Times records the death at Williamstown, Massachusetts, of a negro named Abram Parsons, but commonly called "Abe Bunter." "His thickness of skull, even for one of his race, was simply astounding. He would split heavy planks with his head in the way of business, or for the amusement of any one willing to pay a quarter for such fun, or would utterly discomfit and rout an adversary by launching himself bodily and irresistibly at his stomach When Cole's store was burnt, some years ago, and the heavy door could not be broken, Abe very obligingly pounded it in with his head."

The floating debt of the city of Paris, which was still 57,000,000 f at the beginning of the present month, has (says Gallgnani) been reduced within the last few days to 25,000,000 f, in consequence of repayments effected by means of the funds of the new loan. On the evening of March 6th, when the subscription closed, the Bank of France was reimbursed in the totality of its credit of 30,000,000 f. The city thus realised a saving of nearly 200,000 f by anticipating the date of March 31st, the day when payment could have been required. The bonds of the municipal treasury will be withdrawn from circulation to an amount of about 10,000,000 f. A floating debt of 20,000,000 f will be more than sufficient for the service during several years.