NEWS OF THE DAY.

Globe, Volume IV, Issue 325, 28 June 1875, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Resident Magistrate’s Court —The only business at the Court this morning consisted in fining four inebriates, who were mulcted in the sum of 10s each.

Telegraphic.— The Otago is expected to leave Hokitika at 3 p.m. on Wednesday next. Telegrams for the Australian colonies, or Europe via Java cable, wi l ! be received at the Christchurch telegraph office, for transmission to Hokitika, up till 2 p.m. on Wednesday next.

Confirmation. —The rite of confirmation was administered by the Most Rev the Primate last evening, at 8t Michael’s church, when twenty-four young ladies and thirteen youths were confirmed. There was a very large attendance, the church being crowded to excess.

Supreme Court. —The usual quarterly session of the Supreme Court in its criminal jurisdiction will open on Monday next, July sth, before his Honor, Mr Justice Williams. His Honor, Mr Justice Johnston, will take the Dunedin July sitting, and will then come on here to assume charge of this judicial district. Presentation. Mesdames Birch and Porter, as collectors of donations towards a testimonial to the Rev Canon and Mrs Willock upon their leaving the parish of Kaiapoi, were successful in obtaining a considerable amount. It appears that a davenport, a writing desk, marble clock, silver fish slice and fork, and a walking cane (the latter bearing on a gold shield an inscription), have been purchased and forwarded to them. The Rev Canon Willock had charge of this parish a great number of years, and Mrs Willock, in addition to presiding at the harmonium at Sunday services, also took the principal management of the Sunday school. Those parishioners who subscribed are informed that the Rev Canon Willock has written a letter expressing his thanks on receipt of the presents.

Accidents. —An accident, which might have been attended with serious consequences, occurred on Saturday afternoon, on the Ferry road,near the intersection of High street. Two women, having each a child in arms, were in a spring cart driving down the Ferry road, keeping the proper side of the road, when they met two carts coming up. One of these forced its way into the inside, compelling the spring cart to take the centre, and in doing so the former struck the latter violently with the near wheel, throwing both women and children out. The horse then commenced to jump, and before he got loose he broke both shafts. One of the women and both children escaped unhurt, but the other had to be carried into the Caversham Hotel. Dr Symes was sent for, and on arriving applied restoratives, and in a little while the woman was enabled to proceed home. It is to be hoped the name of this careless driver may be made known to the police.—A man named George Reeve, residing at Fendalltown, when returning home on Saturday night, in trying to get on to his cart, placed his left foot on the nave of the wheel. His foot slipped through the spokes, and the horses moving on, twisted his leg round, the man miraculously escaping with a simple fracture of the leg. He was picked up and conveyed to the hospital.

Communication’ with the West Coast. The Grey River Argus has the following remarks on this subject:—“ We notice by a statement in the West Coast Times that one of the objects of his Honor the Superintendent in visiting Dunedin is to confer with the Superintendents of Otago and Canterbury upon the subject of the establishment of communication between Westland and those provinces, A bush track, made at the joint cost of these provinces, is, we are informed, now in course of completion, and we presume that his Honor’s main object is to ascertain the amount of support that is likely to be accorded to a proposal for constructing a railway from the East to the West Coast. That the proposal will be warmly supported by the Superintendent of Canterbury cannot be doubted, and no doubt Mr Macandrew will lend what support he can. We do not anticipate any other obstacles to the construction of this desirable work except of a natural character, and the all-im-portant question of the ways and means. This and other undertakings of a prospective character depend entirely upon the state of the public purse, and we are afraid that this is not very favorable. However, we have no desire to be prophets of evil, and we only hope that his Honor’s efforts towards connecting Westland with the great railway system of the. colony will be successful.

Great Floods in the op North Auckland —A correspondentof the Southern Cross , writing on the 14th instant, gives the following particulars of the floods in Northern Wairoa, to which reference was recently made in our telegrams :—The weather for the past month has been very unsettled, high winds and rain, then an interval of two or three fine days, and then rain again, until last Thursday, the 10th instant, when it seemed to have reached its culminating point, and came down in tropical torrents for six and thirty hours. The watershed of the Wairoa, comprising some thousands of square miles, soon caused the tributary Icreeks to swell into miniature rivers, and huge kauri logs that had for years lain for want of water to float them came crashing down, bursting the ordinary booms at the confluence of the Wairoa, and wending their way seaward At Te Kopuru saw mills the fresh came down so suddenly, that the logs in the dock actually rode and toppled over each other, nntil the boom burst and some . nine hundred logs of all dimensions, joined in the race with those which had come down from the bush creeks. The ap pearance of the river in the reach from Aratapu to Tokatoka, and in Scarrot’s reach to Awharoa, presented a scene that will long be remembered, Thousands of pounds of

property belongin'.; 1o Hie mills and .Vli Dargaville were thus set adrift, and boats, both large and small, in themselves forming a respectable mosquito fleet, hastened to the rescue, stimulated by the reward of half acrown for each log saved, and a sovereign for every square spar. Night and day, according to the tides, for three days, European and Maori vied with each other, until nearly all the lost logs found safe moorings, either fastened together as rafts and anchored, or singly made fast to the nearest mangrove. ’lhe country roads are in a dreadful state. The main road from Matakohe to Tokatoka, especially the part from Mrs Matisens’ across the flats, and which was brought to the notice of the Government last December, if not taken in hand now, at an outlay of something under three figures, will cost hundreds hereafter to repair. Railway from Greymouth to Hokitika, —The survey of the proposed railway between Greymouth and Hokitika, it is said, is nearly completed, and the Grey River Argus says; —“ That by the time the General Assembly meets full and detailed information to enable an estimate to be made of the cost will be in the possession of the Government. The engineering difficulties of the line are small, as it can be constructed for nearly the whole distance upon almost a dead level. The bridging of the Teremakau will of course be an extensive operation, but it is the opinion of the surveyor that a timber bridge will not be so great as has been imagined. It is somewhat unfortunate that the deviation which would be necessary to include the mining townships of Greenstone, Stafford, and Goldsborough would so greatly increase the length and cost of the line, that any idea of supplying those places with railway communication must be altogether abandoned. The line will entirely depend for its financial success upon the traffic between Greymouth and Hokitika, and there does not appear to be any reason to doubt that its results would be less profitable than those of any similar line in the colony,”

Policy op South Australia.— A telegram in the Argus of the 16th inst gives the following summary of the Ministerial policy of South Australia;—Mr Boucaut, the Premier, enunciated the policy of the Government in the Assembly this evening. He stated that the first measure to be introduced would deal with the question of intercolonial free trade, and bills would also be introduced to amend the mining laws, the distillation laws, to provide a water supply to Yorke’s Peninsula, to carry out the south-east drainage works, for the constitution of a marine board, to deal with the defences of the colony, and for the declaration of the manufacturing districts. German immigration would be fostered, and an effort would be made to arrange with the other colonies by means of a subsidy to reduce the cost of English telegrams from £9 to £3. The proposed annexation of New Guinea would receive attention. The expenditure on the establishment at the Northern Territory would be reduced one-half, and Port Darwin made a free port. Land reform was proposed in the direction of simplicity and cheapness, and an amendment of the land laws would include an increase of holdings to 1000 acres, and competition for rent instead of freehold, Messrs Goyder and Blonney approving of that system. Education would be free only to people who were unable to pay, and secular only, not sectarian ; compulsory, except where the children resided at too great a distance from schools, when itinerant teachers would be appointed, The scheme of railways would include a line to the Murray, and one north to Port Augusta; others, including one from Rivoli to Mount Gambier, were under consi deration. The Government would inaugurate a system of light railways, with light rolling stock, and lower speed. They proposed to spend from £35,000 to £50,000 on the breakwater at Victor Harbour, and £IOO,OOO on immigration. It was intended to borrow £2,000,000, and if the Ministry were unable to carry the two lines of railway indicated they would resign. In the face of a deficiency in the revenue they would impose fresh taxation, which would be direct, but it was not intended to alter the tariff this session. Next year, however, they would alter it in the direction of free trade, like the Sydney tariff. In future the Government would resist members carrying money votes, but if such votes were carried they would not consider them until the recess. A discussion followed this statement, in which the speaking was pretty equally divided for and against the Government.

Gigantic Balloon Attempt. —“ An American balloonist, by name Mr Donaldson, has informed the d’Aerostation of Paris, the Pall Mall Gazette says, “ that within three or four mouths he intends crossing the Atlantic, from the United States to Europe, in a balloon measuring 70,000 cubic metres. Mr Donaldson is convinced that there exists a constant current of air in the upper strata of the terrestrial atmosphere setting at that season from west to east. He is undeterred by previous failures, and has provided himself with cans of Liebig’s meat extract, life-belts, blue lights and rockets, carrier pigeons, bottles to con tain floating messages, astronomical instruments, and flags by means of which he can signal to vessels near which he may pass He will probably travel alone, for the sake of lightness; and the ballast in the balloon-car will principally consist of ‘ fire-pots ’ of Mr Donaldson’s own invention, which are said to be tin cylinders containing a chemical substance which becomes inflammable instantaneously upon contact with water, and emits a brilliant and long-lasting flame. As Mr Donaldson is borne rapidly along eastward he will drop those fire-pots into the sea every 10 minutes, so at night the whole horizon, he expects, will be illuminated, and he will leave a fiery track behind him on the Atlantic. The scheme sonnds all the more a ‘ big’ one, as the recent voyage of the Zenith balloon from Paris to the neighbourhood of Bordeaux is the longest on record, and only occupied some 1(5 hours. The balloonist Green, in all his 14 voyages, was never longer in the air than three or four hours at a time. Sixteen years ago the giant balloon went up from the Champ de Mars, and descended in Hanover, after six hours’ sailing. Subsequent!., MM, Flammarion and Goddard travelled from Paris to Prussia in 11 hours. Several similar trips have since been made. However, Mr Donaldson hopes to be in the air ‘ not longer than a week.’ He is said to anticipate that his course may 1 occasionally be somewhat circuitous,’ and that even ‘ there may be occasional stoppages,’ but ‘ the goal will indubitably be reached, and Europe will receive with open arms the aerial messenger from the far west,’ It is to be hoped so,”

i'.jjUCATiON t'ATKS —The fol lowing rates have been levied by ids Honor ihe Superintendent :—ln the German Bay educational district, Is in the pound, payable to Robert Dawber ; in the educational district of Templeton, 5d in the pound, payable to Edmund J. Blake ; in the educational district of Ashburton, a rate of 9d in the pound, payable to Joseph Ward ; in the educational district of Prebbleton, a rate of Is in the pound, payable to Henry Brake. Cricket. —The following repmt of a meeting of cricketers held in Dunedin on the ■’Sid appears in the Daily Times :—A general meeting of cricketers was held at the Shamrock hotel last evening, ‘‘to consider propositions re proposed Australian match, and such other business as might be brought forward.” There was about a dozen present, Mr G. K. Turton presiding. The vice-presi-dent, Mr W. D. Meares, in referring to what had been done by the sub-committees appointed, stated that letters had been received from Christchurch, Auckland, and Wellington, to the effect that they would be glad to co-operate with the Otago cricketers in arranging for the proposed match, and he (Mr Meares) had sketched the probable expenses, which he estimated, for board, lodging, and passage money, of the visiting team to this colony, to be about £750, which might be made up by Dunedin, Christchurch, and Auckland each contributing £175, and Wellington and Nelson each £llO. It was mentioned, incidentally, that at least £IOO would be required to make the ground playable. On the motion of Mr M. Cohen, it was agreed that Otago contribute £175, Messrs Meares, Beel, Rose, and Tait, were appointed a committee to complete arrangements, and communicate with the secretaries of clubs in the other provinces and Melbourne. It appeared to be the general opinion of the meeting that the match should be an odds one ; fifteen against the visiting team of eleven being mentioned as a fair contest. Before the meeting concluded, the manner in which the cricket oval has been abused by the football players was somewhat warmly discussed.

Christchurch Passenger Station.— The following is the text of the petition to be presented to the Superintendent and Executive, praying that the Christchurch passenger station may be retained in its present position ; —“ To His Honor the Superintendent of the Province of Canterbury—Sir, —We, the undersigned, your humble petitioners, beg respectfully to address you on the subject of the intended new Christchurch passenger station, and to urge upon you and the honorable gentlemen members of your Executive Council,‘the great desirability of placing it in the immediate vicinity of its present position, for the following reasons:— 1. The situation is admirably adapted for the site of the passenger station, from its favorable position in the yard, as compared with any other part of that block of ground, as it is approached by Madras and Manchester streets, which have the important advantages of being chiefly used and occupied by the passenger traffic to and from the railway station, and which are not or ever can be impeded by a through traffic to the country districts, as would be the case if the passenger station were placed at the Colombo street end of the station yard. 2. Taking the cabstand opposite Cobb and Co’s booking office, Cashel and High streets, acknowledged to be the central position of the business part of the city, the distance to the railway station yard at the end of Madras street is about equal to the distance from the same place to the Colombo street end ef the railway yard ; so that in distance and time to travellers little or nothing could possibly be gained by the public by changing the site of the passenger station to the Colombo street end. 3, The interests of the large and rapidly-increasing populations in the eastern parts of the city from Manchester street to the East town belt, and in the eastern townships or suburbs, extending to the Stanmore road, Phillips’-town, Ferry road, and Waltham, would be detrimentally affected if the passenger station were removed further from them to the westward. 4, At the joint cost of the Provincial Government, the City Council, and the subscriptions raised from the owners and occupiers of business premises on the present route to the passenger station, an excellent costly asphalte pavement has been laid down from the centre of the city to the present passenger station, and if the passenger traffic were diverted from its present route a great injustice would be done to those individuals who so largely contributed their funds to its cost, and who have also expended many thousands of pounds sterling in the erection of warehouses, hotels, stores, and public and private boarding-houses, &c., on the faith that no radical change would ever be made by removal of the passenger station from its present immediate vicinity, If such were done vested interests would be materially affected, 5, That whereas it is at all times slightly objectionable and dangerous to have a line of railway crossing a thoroughfare on the same level; this evil would be immensely augmented in the case of the Colombo street crossing if the passenger traffic were collected in its immediate vicinity, and at any sacrifice the assembling of a large passenger traffic at such a point should be carefully avoided. 6. We respectfully trust this petition will receive your most favorable consideration, and we, your petitioners, will ever pray, &c, &c.” Copies of the petition, which has been largely signed, are lying for signature at the office of Mr W. Wilson, and at Morton’s. Barrett’s, the Provincial, Eastern, and Foresters’ Arms Hotels. , A counter petition advocating the removal of the station to Colombo street was also largely signed on Saturday. The following is the counter petition referred to above : “To his Honor the Superintendent and members of the Executive Council of the Province of Canterbury, in the Colony of New Zealand. The petition of the inhabitants of the Province of Canterbury,—Respectfully sheweth—That in view of the rapidly increasing extension cf the various lines of railway in the province, the present large number of persons travelling to and from Christchurch, and the certainty that in a few years the number will be doubled, make it imperatively necessary that the passenger station should be centrally situated. Your petitioners, believing that a large sum of money has been voted for the erection of a new station at Christchurch would respectfully submit that the position which would give the greatest facilities to passengers, would be at the junction of the railway and Colombo street, that being the main direct street of the city. We, therefore, respectfully trust that this, our petition, may receive the favorable consideration of your Honor and the members of the Executive Council, and your petitioners, dutybound, will ever pray,” &c.

The Fakir op Oolu.— The mid day performance on Saturday at the Theatre Royal drew a large attendance, and the many ■wonders exhibited by Dr Sylvester, including the Lion Leo, the Fairy Fountain, &o, affording the greatest amusement to the adults present, as well as to the juveniles. In the evening the programme which has been presented during the week was repeated, very successfully, the illusions of the Anoetos and the Entranced Lady being as incomprehensible as ever. To-night Dr Sylvester introduces one of his best illusions, which he has named “ Masks and Faces.” In this Miss Daisy Sylvester, sitting at a table placed upon the stage, will exhioit instantaneously the various styles of beards and moustaches of fashionable people in different countries, the change being made before the audience and with lightning rapidity. In this illusion some ten different styles will be illustrated, the deception being complete. The Sylvester Brothers will also introduce a skating act illustrative of a skating scene in Central Park, New York, by moonlight, which has a very pretty effect. This, together with other illusions which Dr Sylvester will introduce, forms a very attractive programme, and as the stay of the Fakir is limited to tour nights longer, those who have not yet seen him should take this opportunity of doing so. Death in the Police Cells.— We take the following particulars of the inquest on the death of Mr Charles Padon, from the Southern Cross of the 16th. It will be seen from the evidence that deceased was for merly a resident in ChristchurchAn inquest was held yesterday afternoon, at the Auckland Hotel before T. M. Philson, Esq., M.D., coroner, touching the death of Charles Padon, who died suddenly in the Auckland lock-up on Monday night. A respectable jury were empannelled, of whom Mr Kyan was chosen foreman. The jury having viewed the body, the following evidence was taken:—John Wadham, plumber, of Wellesley street, deposed that on Monday evening, at seven o’clock, he was in Mr John Abbott’s shop, at the corner of Victoria and Hobson streets, when he saw deceased lying drunk at the stable gate attached to Mr Abbott’s premises. He was removed from the position in which he was lying to enable the door to be shut. Witness afterwards procured the services of a couple of police constables, who on arrival took the man in charge, and removed him to the station in a wheel-barrow, witness accompanying them there. The deceased was quite helpless, and unable to offer any resistance. He was, in witness’s opinion, “ dead drunk.” Constable R. G. Gillies proved being sent by Sergeant Sanderson with previous witness to take charge of deceased, in company with Constable O’Reilly. He found him lying on the pavement in Victoria street, apparently stupidly drunk. A number of persons were round him at the time. Witness and the other constable conveyed him to the station in a wheelbarrow. No violence was used towards him. On reaching the station he was carried into one of the cells in the lockup. A great coat was rolled up and placed under his head for a pillow. He appeared to be breathing “ very weighty” at the time, from the effects of drink; He never spoke, and witness believed he was not conscious of what was being done to him. The cell door was left open to admit fresh air. Witness, being lock-up keeper, visited him several times in the cell afterwards, and found him breathing in the same way as described. He smelt strong of drink, and had vomited in the cell. On the last occasion of looking at him, at nine o’clock, witness found that he was dead. By Sergeant Sanderson’s order, witness fetched Dr Hooper, who, upon examination, pronounced life to be extinct. Witness stated that he had seen deceased often, when he was usually in a state of intoxication. Detective Jeffrey proved several convictions against the deceased for drunkenness, and stated that when the prisoner was brought in a sum of £l3 5s was found upon his person. He had known deceased for nine years. First became acquainted with him in Christchurch, where he acted as a merchant’s clerk. He afterwards went to Nelson, where he practised as a solicitor, but was not successful. Dr Hooper was next examined, and deposed that he was called in by the police to the deceased. He found life to be extinct. The deceased had vomited, which smelt of rum. In his opinion deceased had died from the effects of excessive drinking. A juryman (Mr Heslop) asked the witness how drink could have caused the man’s death? Dr Hooper replied that excessive potations of strong liquor would act as poison on the body, besides acting on the brain in such a manner as to cause death. The jury having heard the evidence, returned a verdict that the deceased had died from the effects of drink. An order was made out by the coroner for his interment.