NEWS OF THE DAY.

Globe, Volume IV, Issue 343, 19 July 1875, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Electoral. —Messis J. Jebson and W. White will address the electors of the Rakaia district in the Kowai Pass schoolroom, on Thursday evening next, at half-past seven.

Entertainments. —An entertainment will be held this evening in the new lecture room, St Albans ; and one to-morrow evening in the Hare wood road school.

Sale op Poisons. —Under the provisions of the Sale of Poisons Act, 1871, Mr G. L. Mellish has been appointed registrar for the province of Canterbury.

Revising Commissioner.—Mr E. J. Lee has been appointed Revising Commissioner under the Canterbury Ratepayers' Roll Revision Act, 1872. Inspectors op Steamers. —Mr George Croll and Mr H. A. McGregor have been appointed Engineer Surveyors and'lnspectors of steamers for the colony of New Zealand.

Secretary for Education.—Mr Frederic Mainwaring has been gazetted secretary for education under the provisions of the Education Ordinance, 1875. City Loan. The Christchurch City Council notifies in the Gazette that it is their intention to consider a proposition to borrow £9OOO for drainage purposes.

Naval Training School.—Under section 18 of the Naval Training Schools Act, 1871, his Excellency has issued certain rules for the management and discipline of the Naval Training School. The rules refer to the manager, storekeeper, visitors, relatives and friends, divine service, punishments, clothing, food, routine, discharges, outfit, &c.

Monday Popular Concerts.—The fourth of the series of the very successful popular concerts, given under the superintendence of Mr J. T. M.Smith, will take place at the Oddfellows' Hall this evening. A very excellent programme has been prepared, and we anticipate that this one will in nowise be behind those which have preceded it in popularity. Supply of Earth.—Any residents in the western portion of the city who may require for filling up hollows in their ground, have now an excellent opportunity of obtaining the same, free of cost, in Hereford street west, where the City Council have lately been laying down channelling, and are now levelling the footpaths accordingly.

Canterbury Jockey Club.—A meeting of the C.J.C. was held this afternoon, when it was resolved to instruct the committee to proceed at once with the new stand—the total cost not to exceed £BOO. The dates of the November meeting were fixed, after some discussion, for Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, November Sth, 10th, and 12th. Supreme Court.—At the civil sittings which commenced before Mr Justice Williams this morning, the case of Bovey v Pyne was adjourned for a fortnight owing to the unavoidable absence of a material witness. The case of Bain v Walker was commenced, Mr Joynt appearing for the plaintiff, and Mr Harper for the defendant. The case was still proceeding when we went to press. Accidents.—On Thursday evening Mr John Davison, cattle dealer, fractured his leg close above the ankle, owing to his horse stumbling and falling on him, near Harleston, while driving cattle from Leithfield. Mr C. G. King, hearing his calls for help, procured a stretcher and conveyed Mr Davison in his vehicle to the hospital. On Friday James Neale, son of Mr Neale, carpenter, Leithfield, while driving a team of horses in the Ashley River, towards his home, was kicked inside the thigh by one of the horses. He was conveyed to Leithfield by Mr Oliver, carrier, and is supposed to be severely injured. Messrs Morris, surgeon, Leithfield, and Ovenden, surgeon, Kaiapoi, are attending him. Gold Export.—During the quarter ending June 30th, 1875, the quantity of gold exported from New Zealand was as follows : Auckland, 10,966 ozs, value £40,778; Nelson, 21,394 ozs, value £85,409 ; Westland, 16,271 ozs, value £65.087 ; Otago, 30,327 ozs, value £121,942; total, 78,958 ozs, value £313,216. The total quantity exported from the colony for the half-year ending June 30th, was 176,639 ozs, valued at £704,393. The total value of the gold exported from the colony to June 30th, was £30,281,409, being 7,776,612 ozs. Wheeler and De Glorion Troupe.— The members of this company gave a performance at the Colonists' Hall, Lyttelton, on Saturday evening, when there was a crowded house. The programme was gone through very successfully, Miss De Courcy for her songs, receiving loud plaudits, as also Mdlle. Lo-Lo, and the De Glorion Brothers, for their part of the entertainment, while Mi Wheeler and Master Bennie caused great laughter in their comic sketches. To-night they will re-appear at the theatre in a capital programme, when the prices will be reduced. Several new acts will be performed, and there should be a good house. Montreal Street Bridge.—Now that this bridge has been completely stripped, the necessity for its being closed against traffic at the time it was, is made very apparent. One of the corner land piles at the northern end is separated in the centre by decay, the next pile being only a shade better, while a stick can be easily forced through the centre of the other two. Those at the northern end are also much decayed, and it is only a wonder that these sets of piles, having to carry the undivided weight of heavy waggons on entering the bridge, should have stood the work so well without some serious accident occurring. The girders have also arrived at a deplorable stage of rottenness. How the bridge stood the vibration of the traffic so long, is nearly a wonder. Valedictory Demonstration at TimARU. —From the Timaru Herald we learn that the leading members of the Catholic congregation in that town, accompanied by several ladies and gentlemen belonging to other denominations, assembled at the priest's house on last Wednesday evening to bid the Rev Father Chataigner, who is leaving for Wellington, farewell. An illuminated address expressing their feelings for their pastor and friend was read and presented, accompanied with a purse of sixtyseven sovereigns. The presentation was made by Mr Harney on behalf of the subscribers. The rev Father, who was deeply affected, replied in feeling terms, after which the company were invited to partake of the rev gentleman's hospitality. City Improvements. Those of our readers who have been fortunate enough to inspect the view of Christchurch, as contained in the " Handbook to New Zealand," edited by Sir Julius "Vbgel, will recollect that the most prominent object in that solitary illustration of the City of the Plains, was a ginger beer and lemonade factory, of what has been facetiously called the "shed-efice" order of architecture. It has therefore acquired a reputation as one of the landmarks of Christchurch, and its removal deserves notice; the more so, as upon the site, Mr W. F. Warner intends erecting a large addition to his Commercial Hotel. The new building will be 26ft x 66ft. having on the ground floor large sample and commercial rooms, and on the upper storey sitting and bedrooms'era suite. Entrance will be gained through a large hall, the rooms opening out right and left, and generally, the building will be of a character creditable to our street architecture. Abolition op the Provinces.— A public meeting was held in Timaru on Friday evening, his Worship the Mayor in the chair. Mr Turnbull moved the following resolution: —" That in the opinion of this meeting it is desirable that the provincial system be abolished throughout New Zealand ." Captain Sutter seconded the motion, which was carried unanimously. Mr Wakefield moved—" That a system of local government be established which will endow each district, whether town or rural, with a fair proportion of the revenue contributed by its inhabitants." Mr J. Hill seconded the resolution, which was carried unanimously. The following resolution, proposed by Mr W. C. Beswick, seconded by Mr Simpson, was also carried unanimously—" That a petition embodying the above resolutions be drawn up and circulated for signature, to be forwarded to the Honorable B. W. Stafford for presentation to the General Assembly."

Soap. —Many persons who have cometothis province of late, may not know that the soap branded with a star, is of a very superior description, to most other sorts in use here. Very severe tests have proved that it is manufactured on the strictest chemical principles so as to produce an article, which whilst it possesses thorough cleansing properties, does not injure the finest fabrics, or affect the hands in the slightest degree. The public generally, will find it to their advantage to use this soap, as in addition to the above mentioned qualifications, it is sold at a lower price than most other kinds. A single trial will prove the foregoing facts to the satisfaction of all.—Advt.

A.O.F.—The performance given on Friday evening by the members of the A.0.F., in aid of the Widow and Orphan Fund, was repeated on Saturday to a very good house, Both pieces were well mounted, the scenery and dresses in the " Three Musketeers" especially being good. During the evening a capital band, under the direction of Mr J. M. Thompson, played several overtures in first-class style. We believe the results of the performances will be to place a respectable sum to the credit of the fund. Fatal Accident—The following account of a fatal accident in the Turanganui river is taken from the Poverty Bay Herald, reference to which was made in our telegrams a few days ago:—" The delightful weather on Sunday last tempted a large number of the Gisborne public to take a quiet walk along the Waikanae beach. Over two hundred people crossed during the afternoon, but as the day drew to a close, and the pedestrians were wending their way homewards, an event occurred which too effectually cast a gloom upon the afternoon's enjoyment. Four lads, Kenneth Nasmitb, Archibald Munn, William Murphy, and Joseph Seager, had crossed the river in Mackay's ferry boat, shortly after mid-day, for the purpose of taking a walk. After ascending the hill they returned homewards, and in place of walking towards the ferry, they proposed crossing the river in a canoe which was at hand ; a Maori lad also got in the canoe with them. They had paddled more than half way across the river, when the canoe suddenly capsized. Some say that one of the lads commenced rocking the frail craft; but be that as it may, she was overturned, and all the boys thrown into the stream. Nasmith at once swam ashore ; the Maori lad was grasped by Munn as only drowning people can grasp, and in spite of his efforts to free himself, Munn held him until they had both gained the canoe, which, as there was an anchor on board, had become anchored in the stream. Even then Munn retained his hold on the Maori in spite of a series of vigorous blows which the latter inflicted on him, even whilst they were in comparative safety on the capsized canoe. Fortunate indeed it was for them that the anchor held fast-, otherwise they would have inevitably shared the same fate as Seager and Murphy. These poor lads soon succumbed to the force of the tide ; Murphy sank like a stone immediately and Seager, after struggling for a brief interval, endeavored to grasp Nasmith as he etvam ashore, but his strength was exhausted, and he relaxed his hold and shared the fate of his younger companion. A canoe put off from the shore in a few moments after the capsize, and rescued Munn and the Maori from their precarious position on the canoe, and a boat from the schooner Eover, then lying alongside the wharf, went down the stream in search of the two lads, but no sign of them was discovered save Seager's hat, which floated ashore about one hour afterwards. Both of the lads who met with such an untimely fate were in the employ of Mr Dugleaux, who gives them the highest character. Seager used to drive the cart for the bread delivery, and was generally liked on account of his civility and readiness to oblige. He had been in the colony about Murphy's relatives reside at Ormond. Early on Monday morning, and throughout the day, a strict search was instituted along the river banks and the sea beach, as far as the Big river. Sergeant Stanhope, with a party of the A.C. Force, spent a considerable time in dragging for the bodies, but no trace of them could be found up to the hour of our going to press.

A Kansas farmer purchased a revolver for his wife, and insisted on target practice, so that she might be able to defend the house in his absence. After the bullet was dug out of his leg, and the cow buried, he said he guessed she'd better shoot with an axe. "Julius, why is de gettin' out o' bed on de 31st ob August like one ob Moore's melodies ? Does you gib it up, my 'spected eullud frien' ?" "In course 1 does. Why ?" " Bekase it's de last rose ob summer!" An individual at the races was staggering about the track with more liquor than he could carry. "Hallo, what's the matter now ?" said a friend whom the inebriate man had run against. ' Why—hie—w-hy, the the fact is, a lot of my friends have been betting liquor on the race to-day, and they have got me to hold the stakes." In one of the courts lately, there was a long and heated discussion between the counsel as to whether a witness should be allowed to answer the following question: " What did Mary say?" Three judges took near an hour to decide the point, and at last allowed it. The question was put to the witness by the defence, and the reply was short and sweet—" Not a word." Instructions have been received at Tauranga from Mr Vesey Stewart for the erection of. six additional whares on the Katikati special|settlement block, owing to a larger number "of emigrants than was anticipated having embarked. On the 13th, the Yorkshire Exhibition of Arts and Manufactures was opened by the Duke of Edinburgh, at Leeds, and on the Bth the Duke presided over a meeting in aid of the Artists' Orphans Fund, wheu the sum of £60,000 was subscribed.