NEWS OF THE DAY

Globe, Volume IV, Issue 352, 29 July 1875, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY

Imprisonment for Debt Abolition Act.—The New Zealand Gazette of July 22nd contains rules for District and Resident Magistrates' Courts, under the Imprisonment for Debt Abolition Act, 1874. Volunteer Engineers. A general meeting of the Volunteer Engineer Company, will be held at the orderly room on tomorrow evening, at half-past seven, for the consideration of important business. East Chkistchurch District. —A meeting of the householders of the East Christchurch district will be held this evening at the Oddfellows' Hall at 7 p.rn , for the purpose of appointing a member of the school committee, in the room of Mr Wm. Dymock, resigned. SOUTHBRIDGE BAZAAR. —At a meeting of the ladies' committee, held in the readingroom on Tuesday, the 27th instant, a statement of the accounts was laid upon the table, which showed a credit balance of £2OO after all incidental expenses had been liquidated, and it was resolved to lodge that amount with the Union Bank of Australia till wanted. The ladies desire to take this opportunity of expressing their sincere thanks to the many kind friends through whose liberality such a satisfactory result has been obtained. Breakers.—The following is the paragraph in the Post referred to by Mr O'Neill in the General Assembly yesterday . " Captain M'Lean, of the Otago, reports that on his last voyage he saw heavy breakers about four to five miles west of Kourangi Point. He steamed outside of the breakers, and found that the water was much discolored, but in consequence of the thick rain falling, he was unable to get the cross bearings from Rockes' Point. The breakers were so heavy that if a small vessel had got among them she must have been capsized."

Volunteer Inspection The #«*l monthly inspection of the head quartets corps was made last night by Major Lean, in the absence of the Colonel. There was a very good muster, the companies present being the Cavalry, Artillery, Engineers, City Guards, and Cadets, After inspection, the different companies were put through manual and platoon exercise by their respective officers before being dismissed. The Moas.— In Harper's Weekly, of May 15th, we notice an engraving of the skeletons of five of the moas forwarded to the New York Museum in exchange. The paper, after describing the engraving, says : '' The American Museum of Natural History at Central Park his just acquired a grand series of skeletons of the extinct birds, the moa ; Dr Haast, the curator of the Canterbury Museum at Christchurch, informed several of the leading museums of the world that he had for exchange six p'erfect skeletons, including the five above-mentioned, and about twice that number of skeletons, more or less perfect, which would be valuable for purposes of study. The trustees of the American Museum, in accordance with their settled policy to secure the most desirable mateiial, telegraphed by cable direct to New Zealand, and made them at once their property." Fine Arts.—Our readers will recollect that some time since Mr J. C. Hoyte, of Auckland, was here on a sketching tour for the purpose of exhibiting at the Victorian Academy of Arts exhibition in Melbourne. The pictures so contributed have been much admired. The Australasian, of the 3rd inst, says—" Mr J. C. Hoyte, of Auckland, furnishes no less than nine brilliant transcripts of New Zealand scenery, embracing landscapes of singular magnificence and loveliness, stupendous gorges, cascades, snow-clad mountains and noble estuaries. Each subject is powerfully treated, and the artist shrinks from grappling with no difficulty that presents itself. One or two of his pictures aie poems, and their truth to nature will not be disputed by any one who is familiar with the marvellous beauty of the islands, which promise, we are glad to observe, to produce a school of water-color artists with a distinctive cachet of its own." Reward for Gallantry.—We were yesterday shown a very handsome gold watch and chain that has recently been received by the widow of the late Captain Ifwersen, of the barque Velocidade. It was sent to her husband by the Imperial Government as a token of the esteem in which they held him for rescuing the crew and passengers of the ship Belle Isle, that foundered off Newcastle on May 2nd, 1873. The watch bears the following inscription:—" Presented by her Majesty's Government to Captain Charles Ifwersen, of the barque Velocidade, Lyttelton, New Zealand, for his humane services to the crew and passengers of the ship Belle Isle, of Liverpool, whom he rescued on the Ist May, 1873." Captain Ifwersen also received a medal from the Shipwrecked Fishermen and Mariners' Royal Benevolent Society. Inquest.—An inquest was held yesterday afternoon, at the Mitre Hotel, on the body of John Matheson, who fell overboard from the barque Thomas S. Stowe on the night of the 26th. From the evidence of Captain Darling, master of the Thomas S. Stowe, H. Schultz, a seaman belonging to the same vessel, and F. Jeffries, chief officer, and Dr Froggett, a passenger, it appeared that deceased was steward on board that vessel, and that he was a sober man, aged fifty-two years, and a native of Ayr, Scotland. On the uight of the 26th, shortly after 11 o'clock, deceased went on to the poop, and was seen to stagger and fall overboard. A rope was at once thrown to him, and all hands called to lower a hoat. The rope was thrown right on to his back, and a life buoy was also thrown to him, but he made no effort to get hold of either. The boat was lowered quickly, and his body was picked up within five minutes after he fell over. He was taken on board the Island City, and the doctor, who was present, used every effort to restore life, but without success. The jury returned a verdict of accidental death. General Government Life Assurance. A meeting called by Mr R. Donaldson, Government travelling agent for the above was held last evening at the Oddfellows' Hall. Through a misconception as to whether the meeting was to be held in the large or small hall, the attendance was only limited. His Worship the Mayor on taking the chair said that as he considered the subject of life assurance was of such general interest to the community he had consented to preside that evening. Before calling on Mr Donaldson, the agent, he would ask Mr W. Wilson to say a few words. Mr Wilson said that feeling with his Worship that life assurance had in its results such an important bearing on their general welfare, he considered that in attending the meeting he was only doing his duty as a citizen. Though possessing property, he felt that as a husband and father it was his duty to prepare against every contingency, and believiug the Government branch of life insurance to be the most stable, had assured his life for £2OOO at first, and subsequently for another £IOOO, and would advise each head ol a family to follow his example. Mr Donaldson, who was called upon by the Mayor, said that the Government branch of insurance was started in October, 1869, and up to June. 1870, which was made the end of the financial year, only fifty-three policies had been issued, In 1871, 395 policies were granted; in 1872, 1322; 1873, 1131; 1874, 14K5; making a total of 4366 policies, representing an amount of £1,000,589. Mr Donaldson then explained the various tables, copies of which had previously been distributed, and dwelt upon the separate advantages of the industrial and endowment branches. The Rev Charles Fraser, who was called upon by the Mayor, dwelt at length on the advisableness of every young man assuring his life, showing how his doing so inculcated habits of saving, besides the ultimate advantages which woukl be derived. After Mr Donaldson had answered several questions, votes of thanks were passed to him and the Mayor, and the meeting separated. 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 tria ]will prove the foregoing facts to the satisfaction of all. —Advt.