NEWS OF THE DAY.

Globe, Volume V, Issue 539, 10 March 1876, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

The Suez Mail —The Ringarooma, with the Suez mail, left Melbourne on March 7th. San Francisco Mail. —The outward San Francisco mail, consisting of fifteen bags, was sent on by the Granada yesterday. _ Legal. —The long vacation terminated today. His Honor Mr Justice Johnston will sit in Bankruptcy on Monday, and in Banco on Tuesday next. Both sittings will be held in the Courthouse. Entertainment. —A portion of the company recently playing with Mr Hoskins will give a very good bill this evening, at the Mechanics’ Institute, Rangiora, and tomorrow at Kaiapoi. The Benevolent Society. —"yesterday, Mr A, Duncan, who was a witness at the E.M. Court in a case of cruelty to a horse, requested that the amount allowed to him as a witness might be handed to the Benevolent Society, Madagascar. —On Monday evening next the Rev B. Backhouse, agent of the British and Foreign Bible Society, will deliver a lecture in the Oddfellows’ Hall. The lecture will be illustrated by views illuminated by the oxyhydrogen light. Canterbury College. —The meeting of the Board of Governors of the Canterbury College, convened for yesterday at 8 30 p.m, did not take place, owing to a,quorum not being present. The members in attendance were—Mr W. Montgomery (chairman), Yen Archdeacon Willock, Rev O. Fraser, Dr Turnbull, and Messrs J. Colborne-Yeel, and J. D. Bnys. Accident. —A man named Crisp met with a severe accident at the Officers’ Point Works, Lyttelton, yesterday. It appears that the man was working on the face of the rock, when he slipped and rolled to the ground, displacing some large rocks, which fell with him, and fracturing his right thigh. Dr Rouse was quickly in attendance, and the sufferer was removed on a stretcher to his own house. He is now doing well. Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Association. —A meeting of the committee of the Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Association was held yesterday afternoon at 3 o’clock at the offices of Messrs J; T. Ford and Co, Hereford street. Present—Hon J. Hall (in the chair), Messrs R Wilkin, A. Duncan, A. A. Faatham, <P. O. Threlkeld, J.. M‘Beth, J. Pergusson, E. L. Higgins, H. P. M. Aynsley, W. Norman, J. Mann, T. Bruce, W. Henderson, J. T. Ford, and C. Newton. The chairman spoke of the duties of a secretary, and the information which had been afforded by the present secretary to the applicants for the appointment. He then read the applications, nineteen in number; and said that the sub-com-mittee appointed to consider them had decided to recommend the appointment of Mr Makeig, at a salary of £IOO per annum. After some discussion, Mr Higgins moved — “ That the recommendation of the subcommittee be adopted,” The motion was seconded by Mr Ford and agreed to. On the motion of Mr Fantham, the sub-committee were re-appointed to take steps for obtaining suitable office accommodation. Presbyterian Church, Amuri, A soiree, the first meeting of the kind in the district, was held at Waiau on Tuesday, March 7th, to receive the first annual report of the church in Amuri. The tea was given in the large storehouse connected with the hotel of Mr Daniel, kindly lent by him. The trays were given by Mrs Balfour and Miss Macarthur, Mrs Caverhill, represented by Mrs Armstrong, Mrs Neville, and Mrs G. Rutherford. The tables were loaded with confectionery and with fruit from the gardens at St Leonard’s and Balmoral, One lady brought her contribution thirty miles on horseback. The tables were crowded with guests. After doing justice to the viands, the company adjourned to the church, which was also crowded. The Kev W. R. Campbell took the chair. A hymn having been sung, Mr W. O. Rutherford, the treasurer, read the financial statement from September, 1874, to March, 1876, showing in the ordinary church account —receipts, £360 14s 1 Id ; expenditure, £3Ol 4a 2d ; balance in hand, £6O 10s 9d; and in the building fund account, expenditure, cost of building manse at Waiau, £B30; subscriptions, £273 7s 6d; deficit, £56 7s 6d. Mr W, O, Rutherford stated that Mr Rutherford, his father, had paid the balance of £56 7s 6d. It may be stated the manse, recently completed, is a comfortable and wellfinished building, standing on land given by Mr Caverhill. The contractor was Mr George Anderson, Waiau, The timber was given from Mr Rutherford’s bush On the motion of Mr W. Balfour, the report was adopted, with a vote of thanks to the treasurer. A lady then sang—“ Far away ” On the motion of Mr Davison, St Leonard’s, the Church committee was re-appointed for another year. On the motion of Mr James Qaskell, a hearty vote of thanks was given to Mr Thomas Fraser, the secretary. Miss Robinson, of Parnassus, played “Oeneren tola.” The Rev W. R. Campbell then ad dressed the meeting, giving an ac count of bis work during the past

year. Mr W.. Balfour sang—“ The Pilgrim Fathers.” Eev W. Douglas, of Akaroa, gave a thoughtful and interesting address on “ The Ministry and the Church ; the need for them, and their true purpose.” Mr R. 0. Pasley played a piece of music. After a hymn, and a service of fruit, the Rev W. H. Horner gave an eloquent address on the importance of wholesome and instructive literature, and on the duty of all to encourage and co-operate with their minister. Mr W, Balfour sang Tennyson’s “ Too late.” Votes of thanks were passed to the ladies who gave trays, on the motion of Mr John M*Arthur; to Mr Daniel, for the use of his store, on the motion of Mr W. Balfour; to the musicians, on the motion of Mr W . O. Rutherford; and to the speakers from a distance, on the motion of Mr Davison; lihe • meeting was closed with the hymn “ Abide with me,” and the benediction. j Samoa.— The New Zealand Herald says: —“We have lately given some particulars respecting the advent of Captain Steinberger at Samoa, his throwing off the United States Commission, and assumption of independent authority as a kind of champion of the native chiefs. Where Steinberger grief was, like all •politicai-adffiinistrators/ in his finances. It was all very well levying contributions from inoffensive Samoans, but it was a very different matter to attempt to tax the captain of a British man-of-war. When Steinberger took up an independent position, the Peerless had on board two guns and a large supply of rifles. The guns, which were of considerable calibre, were landed, and a fort constructed, and black mail levied on all vessels trading to and from the port. It does not seem that either the English man-of war knew of her presence, or that the bold buccaneer knew that there was a ship of war in his vicinity. These proceedings continued, until one day.-the captain of the Barracouta went out for a ride. He happened to come within hail of the two-gun battery. He tvab at once told by the man on duty could not pass without payment of specified sum. This he of course' refused to pay ; and being alone and unarmed, returned to port, A conference then took place with the American Consul, which resulted Jin a search being made for the Peerless, and she was soon found and seized. She was discovered to be in every respect fitted for hostilities, — had guns and ammunition—and the crew on board, when captured, numbered no less than twenty-six. After the capture, and the broad arrow being placed on the mainmast, there was a consultation between the English and American Consuls, and the result was that the English were allowed to take the vessel, which was thenjcondemned. Captain M. McKenzie bought the vessel, and not being satisfied with the signature of the American Consul to the transfer of the ship, procured that also of the captain of the Barracouta. At the time of the transaction it was stated in Samoa that the Peerless, with the same commander and crew, had also been at other of the South Sea Islands, and levied contributions in a similar manner—that is, vi et armis. If these statements be correct, it would really seem that the old buccaneering spirit is abroad, and that the work done about two hundred years ago on the Western Coasts of America is still to fore. What became of the perpetrator of the coup d'etat (the bold Steinberger) is not told us by our informant.