NEWS OF THE DAY.

Globe, Volume IV, Issue 350, 27 July 1875, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Supreme Court. —The business of the Court to-day was the trial of E. Mainwaring Johnston for a breach of the Land Transfer Act. The trial is before his Honor Mr Justice Johnson and a common jury. The case had not concluded when we went to press. Election of Mayor.—As will be seen by our report of the proceedings of the City Council last evening, it was unanimously resolved that, in the opinion of the Council, the ratepayers should have the privilege of electing the Mayor from the members of the Council, for the time being. Legal.—We understand that the president of the Articled Clerks' Society here, has received a telegram from the Hon Minister of Justice, stating that it is not the intention of the Government to introduce any amendment of the Law Practitioners' Act during the present session. Inquest.—An inquest was held yesterday before W. S, Coward, Esq, coroner, at the Junction Hotel, Papanui road, on the body of Frederick Wright, who died the previous day by being choked by a piece of beef. The verdict of the jury was "Accidental death." Industrial Insurance. —Mr R. Donaldson, the Government travelling agent for the industrial insurance branch of the Government life insurance scheme, will attend at the Oddfellows' Hall, to-morrow evening, to explain the tables and principles of the scheme. His Worship the Mayor will take the chair at 7.30 p.m. Immigrants Per White Rose.—These immigrants are getting on very well, and their general health is fast improving. One man on Ripa Island died of dysentery, and was buried at Camp Bay yesterday. An i ifant thirty-six hours old, who was born and dieel on the island, was also buried at the same time. The man had been ailing during the whole passage, and his death was expected.

Organists' Appointments.—ln consequence of the resignation of Mr Thomas aearell, Mr Palairet, of Merivale Church, has been appointed organist and choirmaster to the choir of the Roman Catholic Church. Mr Jameson has been appointed to the post rendered vacant at Merivale by Mr I'alairet's removal. Mr J. T. M. Smith has resigned his appointment at the German Church, and has accepted an engagement at St Andrew's Preebyterian Church, in place of Messrs Long and Sheppard, choirmaster and organist, who have resigned.

The Drainage Conference.—The following resolution, moved by Cr Jones, was carried on division in the City Council last evening—" That a committee, consisting of his Worship the Mayor, Crs Raphael, Gapes, and the mover, be appointed to confer with the chairmen of the Road Boards adjoining the city, as to the best means of providing for a combined system of drainage for the city and suburbs." The following is the division list: —Ayes, 4—Crs Jones, Raphael, Schmidt, and the Mayor. Noes, 4—Crs Ick, Gapes, Hart, and Bishop. The Mayor gave his casting vote with the ayes.

Death by Drowning.—On Monday night about 1113. m., the chief officer of the Thomas S, Stowe, who was below, heard a splash in the water, and on going up on the poop he found that the steward had fallen overboard, and was struggling in the water. He, with the assistance of the second officer, lowered the boat, and rowed towards the man, who was drifting towards the Island City, that was lying astern. They picked him up alongside that vessel, but found that life was nearly extinct, Dr Froggett, who was a passenger in the vessel, used every means to restore animation, but all his exertions proved unavailing. The body was conveyed to the morgue at 12.30 a.m. this morning.

Theatre Eoyal. —The St Vincent Concert Company commenced a short season at the Theatre Royal last evening, when, despite the inclemency of the weather, there was a fair attendance in the lower part of the house. The company comprises Madame Montebello and Messrs St Vincent and Verten. The programme comprised duets and sketches by Madame Montebello and Mr Vincent, and ballads and American songs aud dances by Mr Verten. The majority of the former were the same as given by the performers when last here, and seemed by the applause to be thoroughly enjoyed by tin audience. Mr Verten's forte is evidently in the " burnt cork" line; his song and dance, the latter especially, being verygooc indeed. The troupe appear again this evening,

E.M. Court.—The only business at the Court this morning consisted in lining sundry inebriates.

Supreme Court.—Their Honors, the Chief Justice, Mr Justice Johnston, and Mr Justice Williams, sat specially yesterday in banco, under the provisions of the Law Practitioner's Act Amendment Act, 1871, to hear an application from Mr Henry Smythies to be relieved from the penalties of the Act of 1866. Mr Smythies attended and read his petition, and after lengthened argument as to the petition coming within the Act of 1871, the Court unanimously concurred in rejecting the petition as informal, on the ground that it did not comply with the provisions of the 6th section of the Act, which provides that the petition shall set forth all the facts and circumsiances on which the petitioner relied for relief, and further that no person shall be entitled to relief who shall wilfully omit, suppress, or mis-state a ly material fact or statement.

Hoard op Health.—The local Board of Health met last evening, at 7 o'clock, at the City Council Chambers. Present The Mayor and all the Councillors, except Cr Calvert. The following resolutions were agree d to:—Moved by Cr Gapes, and seconded by Cr Ick—" That the nuisance inspector be instructed to give notice to owners or occupiers, as the case may be, of lands within the city which have not sufficient drainage for carrying off storm water to cause the same to be filled up in accordance with clause 30 of the Public Health Act, so that storm water shall not be allowed to remain or stagnate, detrimental to the health of the residents of the city." Moved by Cr Jones, seconded by Cr Ick—" That the inspector of nuisances be instructed to give notice to owners of property fronting or abutting on all streets which have already had side channels prepared for the reception of house drainage, to cause suitable drains to be made from their respective premises to convey house slops, storm water, &c, within three months from date." Carried. The Board then adjourned. Fatal Accidents.—Yesterday's Timaru. Herald says :—Two accidents occurred on Saturday by which two men lost their lives. One of the accidents, which was of a shocking nature, happened to Charles Kippenberger, who, from his long residence in the district, is generally known. It seems that on the afternoon of the day mentioned, Kippenberger, who was accompanied by his younger brother, brought a team from Mount Horrible to Mr Kelland's farm, which is situated about two miles from Timaru. The team comprised two horses and a dray, and behind the dray was fastened a reaping machine. Upon arriving at the gate of the farm the team was stopped for the purpose of leaving the machine. Kippenberger went to the back of the dray to unfasten the machine, and before he succeeded in effecting his object, the horses bolted. The lad, who was on the ground, tried to stop the horses, but without success, and shortly afterwards he saw his brother either fall or jump off the dray in front of the machine, which caught his body and dragged him underneath it. The arimals before going far stopped, and the boy upon coming up to it saw that his brother was underneath the machine quite dead. Upon being extricated from the machine, it was found that two of the teeth had penetrated the deceased's neck to a depth of about five inches, and an examination of the ground over which the team bolted showed that he had been dragged about 100 yards. The body was conveyed to the late residence of the deceased, situated on the Washdyke Flat. The unfortunate man, who was twenty-five years of age, was married, and leaves a wife and two children. The second accident to which reference was made, happened to David Bell, a seaman belonging to the barque Czarovitch. Bell and a fellow-seaman named John M'Lean left the beach in a dingy on Saturday night last about half past ten o'clock to go to the barque. After accomplishing about half of their journey, it was agreed that M'Lean, who had been sitting in the stern of the boat while the other man pulled, should take a spell with the oars. While the men were changing places the boat lurched and filled with water, both men fall ing into the sea. They clung to the boat, but in consequence of her turning over they lost their hold. M'Lean managed to regain his hold of the boat, but Bell failed and was drowned. M'Lean was shortly afterwards picked up by a boat from the schooner Maggie Patterson. The cries of the men were distinctly heard from the shore by a few people, but it was not known till yesterday morning from whom they proceeded, or that a fatal accident had occurred. Two boats' crews were dragging yesterday but did not succeed ir,. finding the body.

The Late Captain Macpherson.—We take the following account of the career of the late Captain Macpherson, who died at Geraldine on the 22nd instant, in the 83rd year of his age, from an obituary notice in the Timaru Herald : —ln 1810, when he was yet under 19 years of age, the captain himself entered the army, joining, as ensign, the favorite 59th Regiment, then commonly called, from the peculiar hue of their facings, the " Lily Whites." Having been sent out at once to Cadiz, he took part from that date in the whole of the Peninsular campaign from South to North. As the clasps of his medal testify, he bore his share in four of the most important contests waged during that memorable war. He was at the fierce conflict of Vittoria in June, 1813. Two months* later, on August 31st, he was at the dreadful storming of St Sebastian. While serving in the trenches before this formidable fortress, he was wounded twice, though neither time very seriously. Here, also, he narrowly escaped obtaining his company. Having been the first officer to enter what was known as the Little Breach, it was at his option to strike and carry off the French flagstaff. Fearing, however, that any halt, no matter how momentary, might prove disastrous at so critical a time, he rushed forward, leaving an officer of another regiment to seize the flag, and so to secure his immediate promotion. He was at the murderous passage of the Nivelle on November 14th, and precisely a month later we find him taking part in the series of actions which took place in the neighborhood of the Nive. It was at one of these latter conflicts raging around Bidart—a place about half way between St Jean de Luz and Bayunp, and not far from the sra coast—he received the wound which caused his ultimate retirement from the army, On the escape of Napoleon from Elba, and the consequent commencement of hostilities, the captain, by this time considerably recruited. offered himself for active service once more ; but after his arrival in London, the doctors, taking into account the serious nature of the wound he was still in some

measure suffering from, would not allow him to proceed. Accordingly, retiring to his native country, he gave himself, for the most part, to agricultural and pastoral pursuits. Occasionally he took an interest in politics, at one time fighting for his favorite candidate, at another supporting his kinsman and chief clan of MacPherson. During this interval of his career he held the captaincy of the Inverness L.I. Militia; discharged the functions of the magistracy, and also acted as Deputy-Lieutenant for the county, fn 1849, with all his family, and accompanied by a number of dependants and followers, he came to Australia where, for some dozen of years, he followed sheep farming. In 1861 he arrived in Canterbury, in which province, until his death—just taken placehe constantly resided. SoAr. —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.

The Swedish expedition to Nova Zembla which was to start at the beginning; of June from Tromso, will be occupied first with botanical, geological, and ethnological inquiries in the southern part of Nova Zembla, aud then advance along the west coa3t to the northern point, which it expects to reach towards the middle of August. From thence it will go to to the north-east to explore this still quite unknown part of the Polar Sea, and thence southwards to the mouths of the Ob and the Jenisie, where the country is geologically very interesting. If the ice creates no obstacles, Professor Nordenskjold will here quit the vessel, aad go in a boat up the river to return home afterwards by land, The vessel is expected back at Tromso towards the end of September. Private letters from Cape Town reDresant the condition of affairs at the Diamond Felds as most serious. The president magistrate having inflicted a heavy fine for illegal traffic in firearms, 400 men armed and organised themselves to resist and intimidate the officers. Governor Southey issued a proclamation warning them to disband, and declaring them to be in rebellion against her Majesty. This proving ineffectual, he sent a despatch asking for military assistance, and Sir Henry Barkly ordered up to the Diamond Fields two pieces of artillery, 300 men of the 24th Regiment, and 100 cavalry. Delay occurred in obtaining transport, £7 10s per man being demanded for transporting them tiOO miles in eighteen days. Meanwhile, although the revolters did not disband, they became less menacing, and a considerable force of men enrolled themselves on the spot m support of Government. Sir Henry therefore deferred the departure of the military. Further news was awaited with anxiety. The Cape newspapers comment severely on the vacillation and paltry economy which they say have been displayed. They also criticise and condemn Mr Froude's speech in London. Hopes are expressed that the Prince of Wales, when returning from India, will call at the Cape.