NEWS OF THE DAY.

Globe, Volume V, Issue 536, 7 March 1876, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

H.A.C.B. Society. —A grand patriotic and national concert will be given by this society on the evening of St Patrick’s Day, in the Oddfellows’ Hall.

District Prize Firing. —The firing for district prizes, which will be continued throughout the week, commences to-day with the City Guards.

Antigua Street Footbridge.— A notice has been posted at the footbridge near the hospital, stating that the bridge is in a dangerous state, and that if foot passengers crossed it they would do so at their own risk. Moonlight Excursion .--On Thursday evening, on the arrival ot the 6 p.m, train from Christchurch, the s.s. Akaroa will leave Lyttelton, and proceed on a fishing excursion, returning in time to catch the 11.30 p.m. train for Christchurch.

The West Coast. His Honor the Superintendent, accompanied by Mr Carruthere and some other gentlemen, started yesterday on a trip overland on horseback to the West Coast by the Arahura route. His Honor will be absent for some days. Inquest. —At the inquest held this afternoon at the Hospital, before Dr Coward, Coroner of the district, and a jury, of whom Mr W. White, jun., was chosen foreman, on view of the body of John Storey, who hung himself in his garden in Peterborough street on Monday, the jury returned a verdict “ That deceased destroyed himself in a fit of temporary insanity.” Fire’. —Shortly after 2 p.m, this afternoon the Lichfield street fire bell rang out the alarm, and a thick mass of smoke to the eastward gave the clue to the whereabouts of the fire. On arriving at the corner of Barbadoes and Tuam streets the fire was seen to be in a four-roomed cottage, in Tuam street east, contiguous to the residence of Mr C. Kiver, jun, and occupied by Mr Andrews. The distance from town, and the scarcity of water in the neighbourhood, prevented any efforts of those collected at the early part of the fire to save the goods being effectual. The fire was first noticed by Mr Kiver coming out from under the eaves of the house, but it must have been burning some time before this, as the whole interior was a body of flame. Next door to the burning building was a four-roomed house, occupied by Mr Peacock, which was only separated from Mr Andrews’ house by a fence, and having also abutting upon it a carpenter’s shop and shed. With commendable promptitude the members of the tire brigade and fire police cleared Mr Peacock’s premises, of goods, whilst others mounted the roof, and, by deluging it with buckets of water, after a hard struggle managed to save the building. The Deluge, having laid on. a line of hose to Wilson, Sawtell, and Co’s tank, completed the work, and the fire was extinguished with only the loss of Mr Andrews’ building. Mr Andrews was insured for £l5O in the South British, but lost everything he had. Mrs Andrews and children were-ftbsent at the time from home,

Stamping Debentures.—The Mayor, as chairman of the Drainage Board, made a somewhat important statement yesterday respecting the liability of debentures to stamp duty. From this we learn that all debentures containing a proviso by way of mortgage are exempt from stamp duty, hence a considerable sum will be saved to the ratepayers of Christchurch on the debentures of the Drainage Board about to be issued.

Charles Dickens’ Panorama. This panorama was exhibited in the Colonists’ Hall, Lyttelton, last night. There was a good attendance, and the audience seemed delighted with the performance. Mr Gr. N. Phillips acted as lecturer, and Messrs Ford, Eowley, and Horaefield as instrumentalists. Appropriate read’ngs and music were given >by Messrs Skinner, Eowley, and Jacobson. The performance will be repeated this evening, when some more pictures ■will be shown, and new music given. , Heathcote Regatta.—This regatta takes place to-morrow on the estuary, over the course used on the last occasion. As it likely that - nearh^l^ bats will be being the Provincial Qowill close at noon. 1 IC laccßWWßßTwith a resolution passed by the City Council yesterday, his Worship the Mayor invite the citizens to close their peaces ; of business at the same hour. We trust that the citizens will respond heartily to “the invitation of their chief magistrate, so that their employees may have a half day of thorough enjoyment. The regatta committee- meets this evening, at Warner’s Commercial Hotel, at eight o’clock, on special business. Public Buildings —According to statement made by his Worship the Mayor yesterday, at the City Council, it would appear that it is the intention of the General Government forthwith to proceed with the erection of buildings to be used as General Government offices, in Cathedral square. The buildings are to be erected at a cost of £14,000. At the meeting of the City Council held yesterday it was resolved, on the motion of Cr Hawkes, that it is desirable to secure a site in a central position in the city for City Council offices. During the slight discussion which ensued, the desirability of securing such a site for the erection of a Town Hall was pointed out, and the Mayor alluded to the necessity of the Council’s offices being near the Government buildings. Fishing in Otago.—The trout fishing season, which closes on the 16th of the present month, has (says the Daily Timet') on the whole been a satisfactory one. The most available stream for Dunedin anglers, after the Water of Leith, is the Lee Stream, and it has been well tried during the last few months. Since the beginning of the year, however, the water has been very low, and consequently not well suited for fly fishing. Last week two gentlemen had some fair sport at the Lea, and one keen fisher had just returned from there with a well filled basked, the result of one day’s fishing. The fish numbered eighteen in all, and their sizes were as follow One 3£lb, one 2flb, one 2Jlb, six 11b to l£lb, nine Jib to fib ; being '2llb in all—a very tidy basket of trout, as all fishers will admit. They were all caught with a small black hackle, which has proved to be tbe most killing fly throughout the season. The fish, when opened, were found to be fall of grasshoppers.

Friendly Societies. The Auckland correspondent of the Daily Times writes:— “ The Coart of Auckland Foresters’ Lodge, registered years ago under the Friendly Societies’ Act, recently altered its rules re* lating to general management, but did not change the scale of contribution. The revising barrister passed the rales as in accordance with the Act. After the rules had been printed and in use six weeks, a letter came from Wellington- stating that the scale of payment was not sufficient. Similar answers have been received by one or two other Lodges of Oddfellows and Catholic benefit societies, although their scales of payments are the same as have been previously registered . A deputation representing the friendly societies waited on the Colonial Secretary today, when they were informed that hitherto the clause requiring a report of the Actuary upon any application to register a society had (been overlooked, but was now being carried out. The friendly societies maintain that experience proves their scale more than sufficient, as shown by the large accumulated funds they hare, aud submit figures and report to Government in support of their position.” The Ohau Murder.— Our readers, says the Daily Times , will remember that in Mr David Hutcheson’s report upon his roadmaking expedition on the Eaast River, it was stated by him that one of his party named Lindsay was lost in the bush, Up to the present time no trace of the man hai been found, and we now learn from a gentleman who has just come from Jackson’s Bay, that it is rumoured there that Lindsay was murdered by Martin Cunningjiaqi, who, it is supposed, has found his way to the coast from the Chau. Lindsay, it is said, flqd about £BO in his possession when he left the road party, and this circumstance has pro? bably given strength to the rumor. Whether the story be correct or not, it seems to be aq undoubted fact that some outcast is frequenting the bush in the neighbourhood, of the settlement. A man in rags has been frequently seen of late by several of the settlers. He endeavors to avoid observation, and runs away when he is approached. Nothing 1 , -however, has been stolen by him from the houses, so far as the settlers are aware, but the supposition that he is Cunningham has produced a scare in (he district. Inquest. —An inquest was held yesterday morning at the Lyttelton Hotel, Lyttelton, before J. W. S. Coward, Esq, coroner, on thd body of Ephraim Dentith, who was drowned off the schooner Jessie when that vessel wai lying off Peacock’s Wharf on Friday night last. Mr W. H. Kiddey was chosen foreman of the jury. After the bqdy had been viewed, the following evidence was taken Joseph Atkins sworn, said—l am an ordinary seaman; I knew deceased in Wellington ; ha came out in the ship ; he vvas an apprentice on board ; his name was Sphraist Dentith; the produced signature was written by'himself; I saw deceasedJest^m Friday evening at 5 p.m; he went with. ;me”to fetch my clothes from the brig Derwent-; we had some conversation and then, parted. Alexander Patterson sworn, said—l am a scaman on board the Jessie schooner; I knew deceased ; I saw him for the first time on Friday last at 10 a.m; he joined the Jessie that day ; I left the vessel at S pJI is cempany wlth apQther H*mas, Itaviog

deceased on board alone. At 9.30 p.m I returned to the wharf; the vessel was lying about 30 yards from the wharf; 1 hailed the vessel three times; there was no reply, but I heard a splash in the water and a cry for help; it was too dark to see clearly; theory I heard was, “ Help, help;” I heard it three times; I jumped into a boat alongside, and skulled off to the Jessie, and after pulling round the vessel, went on board, but no one was there; the boat’s painter was loose; I then went to the police station and gave information; deceased was quite sober all day; he appeared to be about 17 years of of age. James Lewin, sworn, said —I am coxswain in the harbor boat; on Saturday morning I was with the police assisting in dragging for deceased; I found deceased about ten yards from where the Jessie was lying; he came to the top of the water with the drag; the body was taken to the Morgue by the police. This concluded the evidence, and the jury returned a verdict of “ Accidental dcith.” Mr W, H. Kiddy, foreman of the jury, again called attention to the insufficient manner in which the wharves were lighted and protected.