NEWS OF THE DAY.

Globe, Volume V, Issue 519, 16 February 1876, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Presentation. —The presentation of the certificates of merit, by the City Council to Messrs Piper and Roberts of the Fire Brigade, will take place on Monday evening next, at 8 o’clock, at the Fire Brigade station, Lichfield street. Congregational Cjiubch.— The annual tea meeting of the Congregational Church will be held this evening in the Oddfellows’ Hall. After tea a publie meeting will be held, when addresses will be delivered by several ministers and other gentlemen, Telegraphic. —The Arawata is expected to leave the RJuff at 11 a.m. on Thursday. The Hero is expected to leave Auckland on the same day and hour. Telegrams for the Australian Colonies or Europe will be received at the Christchurch Telegraph Office, for transmission to Auckland, up to 10 a.m., and for transmission to Bluff up to 10.30 a.m. on the same day. The Time Ball for Lyttelton.—-Pre-parations are being made for the erection of this time ball. A road Bhs been cut by the contractors from the Sumner Road past the Flagstaff to the proposed site, and yesterday the prisoners were employed ip levelling the ground for the foundations. Its position on the spur on which flagstaff is placed is all that can be wished for, as it will be visible to all vessels in harbor, and give captains every facility for correcting their obronometeri,

Chamber op COMMERCE.—The quarterly general meeting will be held to-morrow afternoon at 3 o’clock. Christchurch Harmonic Society.— A general meeting of the members will be held on Friday evening, at eight o’clock. The committee will meet at 5 p.m.

Accident. —Ashocking accidenthappened on Saturday night last on Mr David Wilson’s farm, Wakanui, Ashburton. A young man by name of Daniel McCormick, who was engaged harvesting, turned into his tent in the evening at the usual time. About the middle of the night it was discovered that McCormick’s tent and the stubble about it were on fire. The fire was kept from spreading, and it was not long before the same was extinguished. McCormick was found to be most severely burnt about the face, head, left arm, and feet. He is now lying at the Immigration Barracks, Ashburton, in a most pitiable condition. It is supposed that when he went to bed he must have left the candle burning, which set fire to the tent. As he is not a smoker it could not have been caused through smoking. Burning op Hillgbove Station, Camabu. —The North Otago Times ot Saturday says :—We were informed at a late hour last night that Hillgrove station, Moeraki, the residence of Mr Joseph Culling, had been burned to the ground yesterday, and nothing saved but a portion of the furniture. The gale which prevailed yesterday would tend materially to assist the devouring element, and added to the fact that the house was built of wood, it can be easily imagined that the flames having once got a start, the chance of saving the building would be very small indeed. Mr Culling, we are informed, was away from home at the time, indeed we believe that he was in Oamaru. The Otago Guardian, with reference to the same subject, says On Friday afternoon last a large woolshed and dwelling-house, the property of Mr Joseph Culling, of Hampden, were destroyed by fire. A considerable quantity of property was in the premises at the time, to the value, it is said, of something like £2OOO, totally uninsured, and only a small portion was saved. It is not at present known how the fire originated. Carriers’ Picnic. —According to their yearly custom the carriers of Lyttelton held a picnic on Monday last, and it was a most thorough success. At 8.80 a.m. a cavalcade of no less than seventeen vehicles started from Mr D. Dimond’s house, in Winchester street, and after a merry ride arrived at Mr Beechey’s Hotel, at Governor’s Bay. An adjournment was made to the grounds, where all sorts of fun were indulged in till 1 p.m., when a capital repast was served in the onpn air under the shadow of a huge broom fence. After dinner, dancing, quoits, and kiss in the ring were indulged in till 5.30 p.m. when tea was partaken of ; and at 6 30 p.m, the party made a start for home, which was reached without mishap. At least 130 went, and in the afternoon some came across the bay in boats- The arrangements were excellent, and Messrs D. Dimond and George Dimond, jun, deserve the greatest credit for carrying out the work (the majority of which fell on their in the manner they did. Those composing the Wishart family acted as band during the day.

Fire Police. — A general meeting of the members of the Fire Police was held last evening, at half-past seven o’clock, at the Fire Brigade Station, Lichfield street. Mr H, B. Alport presided. A letter was read from the town clerk, stating that the Fire Brigade committee could not recommend at present any alteration in the mode of ringing the alarm bells, but they hoped in a short time to make a satisfactory alteration. Captain Mitchell produced his appointment as Fire Inspector by the Mayor, which had been duly gazetted. He might state that the City Council had re-voted the sum of £lO for the purposes of the Fire Police. He also wished to say that Messrs Piper and Hall had joined the Fire Police, and would be shortly sworn in by the Mayor. Sundry accounts were passed and ordered to be paid. Captain Mitchell explained that the cause of his absence at the fire at the Triangle was that he did not hear the bell. He was glad, however, to find that twenty-nine members and four officers had attended that fire, and he was pleased also to hear that the services both of the Brigade and Fire Police were greatly appreciated by the citizens. After a slight discussion it was resolved that the secretary write thanking the Fire Brigade committee, and urging on them the desirability of an additional bell in the east district. A vote of thanks to the chairman terminated the proceedings. Music Hall Company. A general meeting of the shareholders of the Music Hall (Theatre Royal) Company was held yesterday at the offices of Messrs Garrick and Cowlishaw. Present—Messrs F. A. Bishop (in the chair), W. P. Cowlishaw, T. Raine, J. Ollivier, W. H. Hargreaves, H. E. Alport, J. Baylee, G. Beatty, H. H, De Bourbel, W. Savage, and H. Thomson. The meeting was convened to consider a proposal for the building of a new theatre upon the present site, and to authorise the sale of the existing site and property to any new company which might be formed, Mr Ollivier spoke as to the want that undoubtedly existed in Christchurch for a new theatre, as the present one was a disgrace to the city. They could erect a theatre suitable to the reauirements of Christchurch for about £5500, of which amount there was already persons willing to take shares to the extent of some £2OOO. He had consulted Mr Hoskins, whose management of the Theatre had given such universal satisfaction, and whose experience was well known, and he had given it as his opinion that the theatre could be erected for the sum named, and further stated that he would be prepared to lease the theatre for a term of years at a rental to be agreed upon. His proposal was that they should wind up the present company, forming a new one, the present shares to be commuted into £2 10s paid-up shares in the new company. There was no doubt of this, that if they did not take steps to erect a new theatre others would do so, and alret dy he heard of a proposition to erect a theatre here by capitalists from Dunedin. He therefore beggfed to move—“ That it is desirable that the existing Canterbury Music Hall Company be wound up, and that a new company be formed, to which the property of the company be offered on the following terms, namely—That the existing shares be commuted by paid up shares in the new company equal in value to 50 per cent of the shares of tMb existing comps ny ; the new company to pay off the mortgaf e at prssent existing on the company’s property.” Mr W. Savage seconded the motion, After some discussion, Mr W. H. Hargreaves moved u aa Amendment, “ That the pro-

petty of the company be sold by auction at an early date, without reserve, to the highest bidder.” Mr Baine seconded the amendment. Some further discussion ensued, and ultimately Mr Ollivier consented to withdraw his resolution in favor of the amendment, which was then put and carried, A vote of thanks to the chairman concluded the meeting.