NEWS OF THE DAY.

Globe, Volume IV, Issue 359, 6 August 1875, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Philosophical Institute.— The usual monthly meeting of the Institute was held last meeting at the Public Library, Present —Dr Powell (president) in the chair, and Drs von Haast and Coward, the Rev J. VV. Ktack, and Messrs Fereday, Wilkin, and Wakefield (hon sec). Professor Cook and Dr T. 0. Raynor (Temuka) were elected members of the institute. The Rev J. W. Stack read an interesting paper entitled “An account of the Maori house attached to the Christchurch Museum.” Some discussion of a conversational nature on the paper followed, after which the meeting adjourned,

The Abolition Bill.—As will be seen elsewhere, Mr Wynn Williams’ motion approving of the abolitio.i of the provinces was carried last night at the meeting almost unanimously, and his Worship the Mayor requested to forward the same to the Premier. The meeting was one of the largest held in Christchurch for some time, the hall being densely crowded. A meeting to discuss the Bill will also be held at Loe’s Hotel, Leeston, this evening. Poultry Association— The managing committee met on Wednesday evening at Warner’s Hotel. Present—Messrs R. W. Fereday, vice-president (in chair), Reade, Macquarrie, Stapleton, Wilkin, A. Walker, F. Williams, Porter, Gould, Rees, and W. G. Walker, hon sec. The minutes of previous meeting were read and confirmed. The secretary reported that the sub-committee, viz., Mr Macquarrieaud himself, had arranged with Mr Butler to make five pigeon pens, with twenty compartments, for the sum of £7. The action of the sub-committee was approved by the meeting. Mr F. Williams was appointed judge in the pigeon race. Messrs Macquarrie and Rees were appointed a sub committee to arrange for fitting up the exhibition pens in the Oddfellows’ Hall, and for the purchase of trestles. Judges were finally appointed as follows :—ln classes for Game, Malay, and Bantams, Messrs E. Rees and J. Todd ; Dorkings, Hamburghs, Polish, and Brahmas, Messrs T. Stapleton and A. Walker ; French fowls, Cochins, Spanish, Barndoors, ducks, geese, and turkeys, Messrs A. Saunders and B. H. Banks ; canaries, &c, MessrsMuschampand Batchelor. In the pigeon classes the judges were not finally appointed. It was decided that exhibitors of canaries should be allowed to take away cages when making entries, but that on no account were the cages to be taken away from the show after it was over. A very large number of special prizes were reported, and the secretary was instructed to advertise them iu Saturday’s paper. Further art union prizes were reported, bringing up the total to about eighty, and it was resolved to issue art union tickets at one shilling each, each ticket to admit one person to the exhibition. After some routine business was transacted the meeting adjourned. Inquest at Waimatb. —On Saturday last an inquest was held on the body of W. Drnst, who was accidentally shot on Friday last. The evidence of John Henry Bidder was as follows : —John Henry Kidder (who was cautioned by the coroner not to criminate himself) deposed that he was a laborer, living in the Waimate bush. On Thursday afternoon last he went away from the bush, in company with Harry Sauer and William Urnst. They went as far as Roster’s board-ing-house, Waimate, left their guns there, and went to Mr Price’s to buy half a pound of powder, one pound of No 1 shot, and some tucker. Roster had no room for them, and they took their guns to Herman Meyers’, where they slept. At six o’clock the next morning, they (witness and deceased) got up, left the house about halfpast six, and went along the road, towards the Lake. Each of them had guns. Witness had a double-barrel gun (produced), and deceased a single-barrel gun. Both barrels of witness’ gun were loaded. They went along the road to a creek, and when near Charles Clarke’s residence two ducks flew up from the creek. They had both hammers up, and were close together. Witness’ left-hand trigger was cocked. They thought the ducks would come back, and stood there. They did not come back, and witness was going to let his hammer down, when his thumb slipped of the hammer, the gun going off, and was shot in the head. He (deceased) stood a little, twisted around, and fell down. Witness went to him, and noticed a wound in his head, from which blood was flowing. He tried to stop the blood. A man came along, whom he did not know (the man, Mr Yoyce, was called in, but witness could not identify him); and he called out, when the man came' to him. He was about six feet from the deceased when the gun went off. He was standing still when the gun went off. Deceased seemed to be moving, and was a little to the left and a little before him. He had his thumb on the hammer, and in letting it down his thumb slipped off. By a juryman—He loaded the gun himself, and deceased loaded his. He put in shot and wads, and nothing else. The jury returned the following verdict—“ That Wilhelm Drnst was accidentally shot by Henry John Bidder on Friday, the HOth July, 1875.” Christchurch Horticultural Society. —The usual monthly meeting of the above society was held last evening in the Congregational schoolroom, The president (Mr W. Wilson) delivered an address on “ The Advantages of Horticulture.” He said that when he first arrived in the province, about twenty-five years ago, or about four months before the first settlers, Christchurch was a very dreary spot, the only garden in the district being that of Mr Deans, at Riccarton. At that time there was not such a thing as a rake to be got to clean a garden path, and on one occasion he walked some miles along the Avon to get a piece of scrub to act as a substitute for one. Poplars and weeping willows were the first trees introduced into Canterbury, and in those days long droughts in the summer months were very common, attributable as he thought to the barrenness of the plains. As one instance he remembered some oats being sown, grown, ripened, and cut without any rain having fallen on them. Christchurch andsurrounding districts were barren spots indeed then, but after the trees has been introduced their power of attacting rain gradually put an end to these trying visitations. Sou’-westers were also very prevalent, and used generally to last for two days at a time, but fortunately of late years they had become uncommon. True, they were at times troubled now with heavy nor’-westers, which did considerable damage to gardens ; but since the place had become populated, and artesian water discovered, vegetation had vastly improved, and Canterbury had become one of the finest provinces for horticulture throughout New Zealand ; as a proof of which he would mention that mignionette could now be grown in gardens nine months out of the year. Mr Wilson also said that the first flower show in Canterbury was held in Hagley Park on the occasion of Mr Godley returning to England. He would have liked to have gone further into the subject, but a prior engagement would prevent him doing so that evening A cordial vote of thanks was passed to Mr Wilson for his interesting address. Mr Abbott offered to give two prizes, 15s and IDs, open to amateurs only, for six roses in pots, to be shown at the rose show. Mr Greenaway exhibited a pot of highly scented and full blown cyclamen persicum, which was generally admired, The meeting then adjourned until the first Thursday in September.

Orchestral Society. —The next concert by this society will be given in the Oddfellows’ Hall, on Thursday, 12th inst. Immigration, —The rest of the immigrants per the Star of China, about fifty in number, proceeded to Timaru in the Beautiful Star, s.s, yesterday. INQUEST. —An inquest was held yesterday afternoon, at the hospital, before J. W. S. Coward, Esq, coroner, on the body of a man named John Sloper, who died there on the 2nd instant. From the evidence, it appeared that deceased was engaged in the Oxford bush hauling logs with a team of bullocks, and while at work was kicked twice in the stomach by one of them. He was seen a short time afterwards in his own hay loft by a man, to whom he beckoned and told of the accident. A medical man was sent for, who attended him, and subsequently ordered him to be sent to the Christchurch hospital, where he was received on the 24th ultimo, Dr Guthrie, who made the post mortem examination, stated that all the organs of deceased were healthy with the exception of the heart, which was large and fatty. Death had resulted from inflammation of the bowels, caused by a blow or kick. The jury returned a verdict of “ Accidental death.” 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.