NEWS OF THE DAY.

Globe, Volume IV, Issue 411, 6 October 1875, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Castaway.—This horse has only been scratched for his engagements at the forthcoming Metropolitan Meeting. It is his owner's intention to put him to the stud at once, as the season is only just commencing. With Castaway's well known power and breeding, he should be sought after by the owners of thoroughbred mares. The Young Trout.—The garden committee of the Acclimatisation Society estimate they will have over 6000 young trout of this season's hatching. Already 1900 young fish have been removed from the hatching to the feeding boxes, and the former still seem pretty full. The little ones are very healthy, and seem to be thriving well.

Ms E. D. DA VlES.—This gentleman with his company will make his first appearance in Christchurch on Saturday evening next at the Oddfellows' Hall. In addition to Mr Davies, whose talents are favorably spoken of elsewhere, the celebrated Natator, who eats, drinks, smokes, and sleeps under water as though tojthe manner, born, will appear in his celebrated performance, Presentation. —Last night, a number of the old scholars of St Luke's Sunday school met Miss Gresson, who has for several years been their teacher, and presented her with a handsomely-bound album bearing a suitable inscription. The presentation was made by one of ber senior scholars, in a few appropriate words, and replied to by the recipient in feeling terms. Registrar's Returns. —The following is a return of the births, deaths, and marriages, for the city of Christchurch and district, for the month ending September 30th:—Births —City of Christchurch: Males, 28; females, 24; total, 52. Christchurch district: Males 59; females, 42; total, 101. Marriages—City of Christchurch, 25; Christchurch district, 6. Deaths—City of Christchurch: Males, 19; females, 8 ; total, 27; Christchurch district: Males, 14; females, 12; total, 26. The returns for the corresponding month of 1874 were—Births —City of Christchurch, 38; Christchurch district, 82. Marriages— City of Christchurch, 27; Christchurch district, 5. Deaths—City of Christchurch, 25; Christchurch district, 37,

Lyttelton Borough School.—Owing to the fine weather and absence of epidemics the attendance at this school is steadily increasing. The largest number of scholais (479) that ever attended on any one day were present yesterday.

Educational,—The boundaries of the cew educational district of Ashburton forks are given in the Gazette. The Ashley Bank and Loburn educational districts are abolished, and the districts Tc-constituted, the new boundaries of which are given.

Opening- of the Boating Season.—A meeting of the joint committee of the Cauteibury and Union Rowing Clubs appointed to carry out the arrangements for opening the boating season on the Avon was held last evening. It was arranged that Saturday, the 23rd instant, should be selected for the event. Sub-committees were told off for the day. Should the weather prove fine, the opening should be a success, as it is intended to have scratch races after the procession.

Christchurch Harmonic Society.— The final rehearsal of Mendelssohn's oratorio " Elijah" took place last evening at the Oddfellows' Hall. The platform has been considerably extended to accommodate the performers; but not being completed, the band was so far behind that it was no easy matter for the instrumentalists to hear the solo voices. A good many were absent, considerably marring the effect and the efficacy of the rehearsal ; but on the whole things went well. The concert is fixed for Friday evening next. The principal solo parts will be sustained by Mrs Digby, Miss Bowley, Miss Emma Rowley, Miss Little, Mr T. W. Jones, and Mr Knox, assisted in the concerted pieces by Miss Marshman, Miss Sheath, Mr H. Loughnan, Mr A. Ollivier, and Mr Sheath. Mr Neville Barnett will conduct.

Sad Accident at Hokitika. —The West Coast Times of the 27th ult. gives the following particulars of the accident to Mr Learmonth: —A deplorable accident happened yesterday to Mr F. A. Learmonth, by which that gentleman was shot just below the region of the heart. Mr Learmonth went home to lunch about one o'clock, and shortly afterwards he went out into the back yard, when a report of a pistol shot was heard, Subsequently Mr Learmonth was found lying in the yard shot through the body. The presumption is that he took a small pistol for the purpose of shooting cats, as he had lost several chickens from the depredations of these animals. Drs Fetherstonhaugh, Rossetti, and Dermott were sent for, and arrived promptly. It was found that the pistol ball had entered just below the heart, and it was considered inadvisable to probe for the bullet. Mr Learmonth lies, as may be well supposed, in a precarious state. The same journal of the 28th says : —Mr Learmonth, who met with the unfortunate accident on Monday last, is reported to be still in a precarious condition, but his medical attendants state that no unfavorable symptoms have yet been manifested. There is a bare possibility that he may yet recover, which is hardly necessary to say is the sincere hope of his many friends.

Young Men's Christian Association A public meeting was held last evening in Gee's schoolroom, for the purpose of advocating the claims of the above association to the support of the young men of this city. There was not a very large attendance. Mr J. H. Twenty man occupied the chair, and dwelt on the benefits that would be derived by young men joining an association of that kind, He also read a constitution which had been framed, based on those of the London, Melbourne, and Dunedin associa tions. The Rev C. Fraser, after some forcible remarks, in which he stated the satisfactory position attained by similar associations in Scotland, moved—" That the constitution as read, be adopted." The resolution was seconded by Mr J. P. Jameson, who also addressed himself to the object for which the meeting had been held. Mr George Booth moved a resolution, pledging the meeting to do its utmost to help on the establishment of the association. The resolution was seconded by the Rev W, J. Habens, who pleaded the benefits, spiritual and intellectual, to be derived from such an association. After some remarks from the Rev J. Morton and Messrs Bennetts, Cass, Packer, and Trumble, the resolution was carried unanimously. The meeting then adjourned for a month.

FIEE AND LOSS OF LIFE AT LAWRENCE. —The following telegram, dated Lawrence, September 30th, appears in the Otago Guardian: —Soon after midnight a fire was discovered in the outbuildings at Mr J. M. Clarke's, baker, Ross-place. The alarm was was at once given, and the fire brigade was quickly on the spot, as also several members of the police, under Inspector Thompson. After the brigade had been at work some time, an alarm was raised that two boys were sleeping ou the premises. Captain Hills immediately instructed his men to break into their sleeping apartment, which was then in flames. After playing the water on for a few minutes, the men forced their way into the burning building and dragged out the two lads, both dead, and burnt so as to be hardly recognisable. They had evidently died from suffocation, as they lay in a sleeping position. Their names are Hart and ,Heard, and both have parents residing at Wethsrstones. It is supposed the fire originated through the lads reading in bed by the light of a naked candle. An inquest will be held this afternoon. Owing to the exertions of the firemen, the fire was confined to Mr Clarke's premises. There was no wind, and the supply of water was good. Herbert and Co's timber yard adjoins Clarke's place, and there are wooden buildings on all sides, and if the fire had reached them, it might have spread over a large portion of the town. Clarke's property was insured. Ckicket.—Under the heading of " Notes from Home," the correspondent of the Otago Daily Times gives the following cricket news :—Rain spoiled the Eton and Harrow match so far as cricket went, though the attendance was as great as ever, and many thousands set out in the rain on the first day simply to see barely an hour's play before the stumps were drawn. Under these circumstances, the match necessarily ended in a draw, in which Eton had much the best of it, the scores being :—Eton, Ist innings*, 202; Harrow, Ist innings, 110 ; 2nd do, with six wickets down, 154. The highest single score in the match was 59, made by the Hon A, Lyttelton, the Eton captain. Another good match, viz, Middlesex v Notts, ended in a draw, the former county having only 63 runs to get to win, and an innings to make them in. Mr M. Turner's wicket keeping for Middlesex was something extraordinary. In the first innings of Notts he caught four men, and in the second innings caught two and stumped three, Mr A, J. Webbe made

97 (>ot out) for the Cockneys. Yorkshire I beat Lancashire iu an innings, with six runs to spare, and Sussex gave Kent the tremendous defeat of an innings and 262 runs. The innings of Sussex amounted to 414. of which Mr J. M. Ootterill, an Edinburgh player of Sussex extraction, made 191. North v South, played at Huddersfield, disappointingly resulted in a draw, the scores then being—South,' 158 and (with five wickets down) 411; North, 187. The chief scorers for the former team were G- F. Grace, with 36. and 147 (not out); W. G. Grace, with 92 and 73 ; and H. Churl wood, with 3 and 117. Mr A. N. Hornby, with 71, was the only large scorer for the Northerners. The Gentlemen of the South received an ignominious thrashing at the hands of the Players of the North, the match taking place at Prince's Ground, Loudon. Although both the Graces played with the the Gentlemen, the latter succeeded in putting together no more than 111 in their two innings, and were consequently defeated by an innings and 94 runs. Morley and A. Shaw were too well on the spot for runs to be made, the former taking thirteen aud the latter eight wickets. Lockwood (69) was top scorer for the Players. Yorkshire beat Gloucestershire by seven wickets, in spite of W. G. Grace making 111 and 43 for the former county. Lockwood was again to the front with 74 and 39 (not out), and he may indeed be reckoned one of the safest scorers in England. Gloucestershire had another defeat the same week at the hands of Notts, which won by three wickets. The annual " Canterbury week" is now in progress, and the weather is splendid for cricket.

A correspondent residing in Nelson, and writing from Sydney, under date September 2nd, to the Times, says :—The best news that you will like to hear is that which concerns Nelson particularly and New Zealand generally, viz—that the principal capitalists and shipowners here and throughout the Augtralias are contemplating the formation of a very large company to run large steamers between New Zealand, Australia, New Guinea, Manilla, and China. The ports of call are to be as follows:—Sydney, Brisbane, one or two ports in New Guinea, Manilla, and Hongkong, returning the same way to Sydney and to Nelson, New Zealand. Then there will be branch lines from Sydney and Melbourne to Adelaide. The second branch line will be from Perth, round the northwest coast to Cooktown, to meet the main line in some port in New Guinea. I was informed by one of the gentlemen connected in the scheme that Nelson is selected for the line end of New Zealand, from her central position and being of easy access, and New Guinea for the branch lines to meet, and it is supposed it will assist in developing that splendid country. The capital is spoken of. as £1,000,000, in shares of £25 each. The Parliaments of the different colonies are asked for subsidies, and the Imperial Government will be asked to allow a man-of-war to examine the route before thescheme is launched forth in proper form. . Many people do not know the reason whysome descriptions of soap, when being used, cause the hands to smart and feel sore. It is simply owing to the imperfect knowledge of some soap boilers, who not being thoroughlyacquainted with the ingredients they are using, do not compound them in a scientific manner, or as is more commonly the case, that manufacturers either try to pass off a spurious adulterated article, or else by using an undue quantity of the cheapest commodities, make one of inferior quality. We are aware that the Star Brand Soap is made on the strictest principles of chemical affinity, and that every care is taken by the manufacturers to produce an article possessing the strongest abstergent properties. All persons, whether old colonists or new arrivals, should use the Star Brand Soap, as it is the best in this market. [Advt.]