NEWS OF THE DAY.

Globe, Volume IV, Issue 322, 24 June 1875, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

I.O.G.T.—An entertainment in connection with the Dauntless Lodge of Good Templars, will be held on Friday (to-morrow evening), consisting of music, magic, and the trial scene from the Merchant of Venice, the characters of which will be sustained by the members of the order. Fakir of Oolu. —The Theatre Royal was again crowded to excess last evening, only standing room being obtainable after eight o’clock, to witness the Kakir’s entertainment. The previous evening’s programme was repeated with its former success, the illusions of Ancotos, the suspended lady and fairy fountain, evoking universal applause. Imported Horses.— By the Omeo, which arrived here from Melbourne on Friday last, we received a valuable addition to our draught mares. Mr Edwin Dixon, (he importer, has succeeded in procuring ten as fine mares as ever were landed in this province. The most noticeable is a really grand bay mare, six years old, by Renfrew, dam a black mare imported by Mr Kell, of Tower Hill, This is one of the grandest mares at present in the province, has never been beaten wherever shown, and has taken four first prizes. The others are all the progeny of pure bred imported stock.

On Dit.—The Thames Advertiser has thf following;—" On dit that Mr Sheehan iflikely to be found at the next session of Itn Assembly voting with Mr Stafford and a strong anti-provincial party. It is also said tba some other Auckland members will follov Mr Sheehan.”

Kaiapoi Wesleyan Circuit. Tin quarterly meeting of local preachers ami stewards of this circuit, was held on Monday last, in the vestry of the Wesleyan Chapel, Kaiapoi, for the dispatch of regular busi ness. The Rev W. H. Beck, superintended minister, presided. Messrs G. H. Blackwell and E. Bate, the circuit stewards, presented a balance-sheet, showing the past quarter’s receipts to have been £lO3 18s the ex penditure, £lO3 8s the latter having been much larger than usual, in consequence of the payment of the removal expenses ol the minister. The routine circuit matters were discussed, and themeeting was throughout a harmonious one.

The Barracouta. —H.M.S. Barracouta. which left Sydney for Fiji on Thursday, was fitted up as a temporary residence for his Excellency Sir Arthur Gordon, the newly appointed Governor. The arrangements for his residence, the Sydney Morning Herald says, are comprised in a deck-house that has been erected on the after portion of the quarter-deck. The house has been subdivided into a spacious reception-room, a very commodious sleeping apartment for his Excellency, and also cabins for his secretary and aide-de camp. The whole has been mcely finished and furnished. Captain Knollys, A.D.C., Mr Gordon, secretary, and Dr Mayo, will proceed as passengers by the Barracouta.

Harmonic Society —Sir Michael Costa’s oratorio of “Nasman” will be given by the Harmonic Society at the Canterbury Music Hall this evening, for the first time in Canterbury. It has we believe been performed in Dunedin by the local society there, but, with this exception, the work has not been produced in New Zealand before. The soloists will be Miss A. S. Taylor, the Misses Rowley, Miss Little, Mrs Barry, and Messrs Garrick, T, Jones, Sheath, and Merton. Mr J. Knox will conduct, Mr C. Bonnington acting as leader and Mr R. Searell as organist. The society have taken considerable pains in the way of rehearsals to produce the work effectively, and the generally satisfactory way in which these have gone augurs well for the success of the performance this evening.

Handbook of Canterbury.—Mr T. H Feilding who has had the compilation of Wise’s New Zealand Directory, a task which he discharged in a most satisfactory manner, has issued the prospectus of a Handbook of Canterbury. The publication will comprise 250 pages octavo, will also include a plan of Christchurch and suburbs, and it is proposed to issue it on September Ist. The scheme of the work may be gathered from the following extract: —“ It is contemplated herein to place before the people of the province an account of the chief towns, Road Boards, and other corporations; the numerous public institutions, together with their management; comprising the principal educational establishments, asylums, hospitals, reformatories, and H.M, gaols. A prominent feature will be information with regard to the approaches and means of conveyance to the outlying districts, and accommodation therein. Statistics appertaining to the province will be freely embodied in the text, whilst a copious and comprehensive index will give facilities for ready reference to the contents.” From the knowledge obtained by Mr Fielding during hid tour through the province in connection with the New Zealand Directory, the promised work is likely to be one of great value alike as a means of reference, and also as affording to persons outside the province a knowledge of our resources.

Railway Station at Sydney.— T he Sydney Morning Herald states that “the engineer-in-chief for if ilways has completed a scheme for bringing the railway into that city, Mr Whitton’s proposal will interfere as little as possible with private property; and the route which he recommends has the advantage of being straight and level. If his plan be adopted, the line will cross Devonshire-street, and pass through what is for all practical purposes public property until it is brought to Goulburn street. Belmore garden will not really be interfered with, for the rails will be carried on iron viaducts or stone a r ches across the corner, immediately at the back of the Scots Church. The viaducts will also be continued across the Belmore markets to Gonlburn street, where the line will enter a tunnel, and proceed underground below Castlereagh street all the way to King street, at which point it will emerge into the terminal station. The proposed site for the station will begin at the north-west corner of King and Castlereagh streets, extending northwards on the west side of Castlereagh street nearly to Hunter street. The only private property which therefore would have to be resumed is that along the western side of Castlereagh street, say from Market street to Hunter street. The land between Market and Kingstreets is occupied chiefly by coach factories and buildings which are of no great value; and after the completion of the line the ground between Market and King streets could be reserved, and leave the Government a handsome profit on the transaction. The only street which under this plan would have to be permanently closed is a small portion of Goulburn street, the closing of Castlereagh street merely being requisite while the railway is in course of construction. No doubt the first cost of the line would represent a considerable amount; but this extension would bring the railway within the reach of the great mass of the population, and the increased traffic would yield a splendid interest upon the outlay.”

Double Voting at Westport.—A West Coast contemporary says:—At the declaration of the pollingfor the recent Provincial Councli at Westport, the Returning Officer, Dr Giles, explained that nine votes for Mr Humphrey had been disallowed, it having been dis covered that some parties resident at Addison’s had been guilty of double voting The returning officer explained that it did not necessarily follow that any one person had committed the offence, but most probably personation had been accomplished. The fraudulent voting was in reality a ciime both at law and in public view, and any transgressor convicted of committing the offence was liable to a punishment of ten years’ penal servitude. He took the opportunity of explaining that double voting was a"great blunder, any man so doing was not only criminal, but stupid ; he ran the risk of losing his own vote, and also of injuring the chance of success of his own candidate, Supposing ,any number of per-

sons did this and there happened to le nearly a tie in the voting, such individuals would defeat their own candidate, because for each of their own votes, if honestly recorded, both votes under this double system of voting would be knocked off. Thns double voting was in reality the very best system of insuring the defeat of any candidate, and moreover rendered the culprits liable to two years' penal servitude. In reference to the present occasion, he would inform those present that if positive widence could be gained the parties implicated would be prosecuted. It was necessary that he should make those remarks ■to that a better understanding of the rights ■nd reservations of vote by ballot should prevail, and that any unscrupulous or careless men might avoid running the risk they now incurred. He thought that at any election much rested with the candidates ; they should employ scrutineers, men having a wide personal acquaintance throughout an electoral district, and able to identify and check any fraudulent personators. Found Dead, —The Thnaru Herald says —A laborer named James Walker, who is supposed to be nearly seventy years of age, was found dead near the Raugitata bridge on Monday last. It appears that on Saturday morning, about nine o’clock, John Sullivan, a laborer, and Walker left Goodwin’s accommodation house to go fo the hut of the latter. When they got as far as Goodwin’s store, Walker said that he wanted to have a sleep, and asked Sullivan to go forward to the hut and make him some soup. Sullivan did as he was desired, and says that at the time of his leaving for the hut Walker was quite sober. Nothing further was seen of Walker until Sunday afternoon, at about four o’clock, when a laborer named George Jenkins found him lying in a fiaxbush, situated on the track leading from Nabob’s cutting to Acland’s gate. He was then groaning and shouting, and appeared to *"e drunk. An empty brandy bottle was lying near him, and this Jenkins filled with water for Walker to drink. Walker drank some of the water, and Jenkins then tried to get him home, but could not get him to move. He then left him. Walker was not seen after this till about three o’clock on Monday afternoon, when he was found by a laborer named Robert Peel lying dead at the spot described by Jenkins The body was afterwards conveyed by Samuel Goodwin to his hotel, at the Rangitata bridge, where an inquest will be held upon it. Mr Goodwin says that Walker was sober when he left his publichouse on Saturday, but that he took two bottles of spirits away with him. Jockey Club. — A committee meeting was held at Warner’s Hotel last evening, Mr Wynn Williams in the chair. There were also present Di Prins, Messrs Delamain, Stead, Griffith, and Brabazon. The minutes of the last meeting were read and confirmed. A letter was read from the secretary of the Agricultural and Pastoral Association to the effect that the annual summer show would be held on Monday and Tuesday, the Bth and 9th November next. Some discussion ensued relative to the above communication, and Mr Griffith said that Monday was an inconvenient day on which to hold races, in consequence of the amount of work necessarily required to be done on the Sunday. The Tuesday in the holiday week was proposed as the gala day of the Association, and this necessitated the Jockey Club having three racing days in succession, which Mr Griffith thought was trying the energies of horses too hardly. Saturday was obviously a business day at the end of a week’s holiday, and moreover the club would lose the support of the Hebrew fraternity, always representing a valuable item in the auditors’ accounts. The association by claiming the Monday and Tuesday bad thus placed the club in a fix, but of course the Agriculturists were quite justified in appropriating the Prince of Wales’ birthday, by virtue of their precedent. He thought it probable that Monday might not suit the up-country exhibitors at the show, and if the celebration of the holiday was altered from Tuesday to Wednesday, he believed it would would suit all parties, the C.J.O. especially. The Superintendent had on more than one occasion at the request of the Association, altered the date of the holiday, and he (Mr Griffith) thought that if it was for the benefit of the public, the request might be again preferred. He begged to move the following resolution—“ That it is inadvisable to hold the race meetings on Mondays or Saturdays, and advantageous to have a bye-day between either the first and second or second and third days of the meeting,” The resolution was seconded by Dr Prins and carried unanimously. It was further resolved that Mr Griffith be deputed to wait on the Agricultural and Pastoral Association, with a view of arriving at some more convenient arrangement with regard to the C.J.O. with reference to the foregoing resolution, and that the secretary be instructed to forward a copy of these resolutions to the Agricultural and Pastoral Association. Some discussion ensued relative to the new stand, and the secretary stated that Mr Armson had promised to have the plan of the stand in readiness for the next meeting of the committee to be held on the 3rd of July. After some further routine business the meeting adjourned.

The Great South Australian Suit.— The Adelaide correspondent of the Argus writing on June Bth, says of this case —It is a singular coincidence that simultaneously with the formation of the new Cabinet, numbering amongst its members two leading lawyers engaged upon opposite sides in the suit of Dalwood (contractor for the Northern Territory sections of the Trans-Australian telegraph) against the Government, that case itself should have hopelessly collapsed. For hmr years attorneys and counsel had been engaged in arranging the preliminaries of the action, and it was confidently believed that the trial of the issues entered upon on the 25th May would not only give employment to the Chief Justice and a special jury tor three or four weeks, but would pave the way for a long course of costly litigation. Judge, then, of the astonishment of the public when, on the very day that Mr Boucaut was sent for, Sir Richard Hanson gave the death blow to the case by intimating that he should refuse to admit certain evidence upon which the plaintiff had been relying in justification of his claim for £50,000 damages for breach of contract. All the next day the counsel for Mr Dalwood laboured hard to convince the Chief Justice that he had made a mistake—that, at the least, he should admit the evidence under protest, so as to aveit the possible expense of having to begin the case do novo— but his Honor remained inexorable, maintaining in the first place that in determining the contract the Gove mnen representative in the Northern Territory uad acted within his powers; and jn the second

plaCv, that the notorious failure of the contractor to fulfil his agreement was not attributable, as alleged, to default upon the part of the Postmaster-General. Under these ciicumstances the best the plaintiff’s lawyers could do for their client was to agree to a compromise, and accordingly a compact has been drawn out between the parties, in terms of which the Government undertake to pay a lump sum amounting to something under £12,000, as an allowance for work and labor done and stores appropriated at the time of the cancellation of the contract. A most lame and impotent conclusion this, it must be admitted, for a case which has been so long in process of incubation, and which, as first submitted to the jury, involved an amount only a trifle short of £120,000. It says something for the selfdenial of members of the profession that that they should have assented to such an inglorious stoppage of the case in midcareer.

Jewish Synagogue, Timaeu.— The Herald gives the following description of this building, the foundation stone of which was laid on Monday last:—* 1 The site of the building, which is about an eighth of an acre in extent, and freehold, is very eligible, being situated in Bank street, almost immediately opposite the new Wesleyan Church. The synagogue is to be composed of bluestone, ornamented with cement. The foundations were commenced a short time back, and on Monday they were sufficiently completed to allow of the corner stone being laid. Before alluding particularly to the laying of the stone, we will give a brief description of the synagogue. The length of the building is to be 30ft, the width 24ft, the. height of the side walls Isft, and the height of the front elevation from the ground to the apex 2 Ift. The cornices and other projections are to be in cement, the style of the architecture being Doric. On the front elevation there is to be some neat work round the main entrance, four piers sup*porting a pediment, and other suitable ornamentation. The roof is to be of iron The entrance door is to open into a small lobby. The door to open into the body of the church will be opposite to the entrance door, and in the northern wall of the lobby is to be another-door, which will open into a cloak room for the use of the female members of the congregation. A flight of stairs is to spring from this lobby, to lead to a gallery to be set apart for females exclusively. The gallery is to be erected across the western end of the church above the entrance lobby. The inside walls and ceiling will be plastered throughout. The ceiling is to be coved i, The building will be lighted by six windows, three in each sidewall. All the woodwork in the body of the building, which is to comprise among other things seats, platform with pedestal, and recess for the tables, will be finished off neatly and varnished. The cost of the section was £BS, and the amount of the contract for the building is £350. The architect is Mr F. J. Wilson, and the builder Mr Henry Thornton, The ceremony of laying the corner stone was performed at about noon on Monday, there being present, in addition to members of the congregation, a 'few persons belonging to other denominations. The ceremony was conducted according to ancient custom. The Reverend Jacob Levi, the Rabbi, read the pi oper service appointed for the occasion, and the stone was laid by Mr Chapman Jacobs, one of the elders. The service was read partly in Hebrew, and partly in English.