NEWS OF THE DAY.

Globe, Volume V, Issue 551, 24 March 1876, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Presbyterian Church, Greymouth— The Argus states that the Rev A. F. Douglas, the permanent pastor of the Presbyterian Church, Greymouth, has arrived there.

Blast at Lyttelton. — A very successful blast was fixed on Tuesday night at the works at the Officer’s Point breakwater, Lyttelton, The mine contained 27501bs of powder, and displaced fully 13,000 tons of rock.

Russell’s Flat. —The heavy wind on Tuesday night caused considerable damage to the farmers of this and the neighbouring districts, many stacks of grain being uncovered, and some were completely blown over.

The Ova for New Zealand,— lt has been determined that the ova for New Zealand shall remain undisturbed in the icehouse of the Durham till the 27th instant, on which date it is expected that the Arawata will take her departure from Hobson’s Bay for the Bluff. Pure bred Stock.— We learn from a private letter that the first importation of pure-bred sheep from England direct to the Pelorus, Marlborough, has just taken place, Mr Hyde, of the Grove there, having got out eight pedigree Lincolns from the stud flock of Mr Turner, Weeby Grange, Lincolnshire.

Lecture. — A lecture was delivered last evening at the Good Templar Hall, by the Rev 8. Macfarlane. The chair was occupied by Mr Gray, W.C.T, of the Ever Faithful Lodge, on behalf of whose funds the lecture was given. There was a good attendance, and the lecturer succeeded in making his subject both interesting and amusing.

Fire at Papanul— On Wednesday afternoon a stack of hay belonging to Mr Jackson, at Papanui, was totally destroyed by fire, A lad named John Diepenheim is in custody on a charge of having wilfully and maliciously set firs to the stack. He was brought up at the R M. Court this morning and discharged. Telegraphic —lt is stated by the Westport Times that it is intended to close the Brighton telegraph office, and connect Westport with the Lyell, Reefton, and Greymouth direct, and thus the line to the south will terminate at Charleston. Tenders for the telegraph poles required between Westport and Lyell will be called for at an early date.

Sheffield Literary Institute, —The last meeting was held at the reading room on Wednesday. Mr Jebson gave a review of the poetry of Chaucer, Shakspeare, Milton, Burns, and Byron. The last volume of the “ Transactions of the New Zealand Philosophical Institute,” was laid on the table, and the Saturday Review for 1875 was received as a present from Mr Rossiter. The secretary read a paper on “ The Form of the Earth” at the previous meeting. Auckland Provincial Council. A vacancy having occurred in the Eden district for the Provincial Council of Auckland, an election was recently held, and a Mr Wngley elected, When declaring him elected, the returning officer said—“ That the gentleman elected would have very little chance of ever taking a seat, but he would enjoy the honor of having been a member of the Provincial Council —having been in at the death,”

Width of Tires Ordinance.—The first cases under this Ordinance, which was passed during the last session of the Provincial Council, came before Mr Mellish yesterday at the Resident Magistrate’s Court, Although the cases were proved, his Worship dismissed the informations, remarking that most probably the parties summoned were ignorant of the law, which in future wculd be strictly enforced. The police, his Worship, re marked, had acted quite right in the steps they had taken, Calcutta Sweeps.—A sweep was drawn last night at Warner’s Hotel on the D J.C. Handicap, which is run to-day. The attendance was large, but speculation not very spirited. The following prices were realised, the value of the sweep being £75 16s : Elfin King, £5 ; Tadmor, £1 10s ; Guy R'awkes, £B ; Koran’, £2 5s ; Cloth of Gold, £1 ; Fishhook, £3; Ariel, £L ss; Daniel O’ lion ike, £3 ; Pungawerewere, £2 6s ; Tattler, £3 ; Tommy Dodd, £1; Jack the Flat, £1; Bory O’More, £1 ss; Merry Monarch, £1; Sir William, £\ \ Gamecock, £1; Templeton, £4 os; Right Bower, £5 ; Seabird, £1 : King Philip, £4 ; Hercules, £3 ss. We may mention that the lucky owner of Pungawerewere in the Derby Sweep on the Cup, by which he won £250, is the same gentleman who won the £250 prize with Nectar in the floTember Metropolitan,

Canterbury Kilwinning Lodge.— An emergency meeting of the Canterbury Kilwinning Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons will be held this evening in the new Oddfellows’ Hall, Lyttelton, at half-past sevm o’clock.

Action against a Corporation.— An action at 'law (says the Cromwell Argus') has been entered against the Cromwell Corporation, wherein the plaintiff—a Clyde resident—seeks £SOO damages for injuries sustained by his wife in Mel mo re terrace owing to an alleged neglect of the municipal body. The case will probably be tried at next sitting of the District Court. The injury was sustained over twelve months ago, and is said to be of a permanent nature. Agricultural Statistics.— The agricultural statistics of the province of Auckland, says a contemporary, are coming in but slowly. The nature of the country, and the average small holdings of settlers, render it a very difficult matter to collect the papers which have been distributed from end to end of the province, in very many cases the landowners taking no notice whatever of them. The returns for only one district—that of the Waiteraata—have as yet been completed. These f-how 9318 acres to be under cultivation, being, rather less than last year. Although more wheat has been sown, the crop, it is feared, will not be correspondingly increased.

Contempt of Court. —Yesterday morning during the sittings of the Resident Magistrate’s Court, a man in the body of the Court shouted out, “ I want my case called on,” Mr Mellish, who was on the Bench, directed the man to be brought forward. The police accordingly took the man into custody, and he was brought before the Bench. His name is Charles Weeks, and he was in attendance as a witness, but so intoxicated as to be utterly unfitted to give evidence. His Worship ordered him to be locked up for twenty-four hours for contempt of Court. Shortly afterwards Henry Rutson made his appearance to answer an information for having an unregistered dog in his possession ; he was so drunk that he could not articulate, and his Worship at once sentenced him to twenty-four hours’ imprisonment for contempt.

Canterbury Amateur Athletic Club. —The sports of the Canterbury Amateur Athletic Club -will take place to-morrow on the Canterbury Cricket Ground, which, after the late rain, will be in splendid running order. The first event will start punctually at two o’clock. There are sixty entries for the ten events, of which the entries had to to be made last Wednesday night. From the entries, we may look forward to a really good day’s sport. The following are the handicaps for the handicap races—2oo Yards Handicap —J. Fowler, scratch ;G. A. Macquarie, 2 yards ; A. H. Anderson, 3 yards ; H. B. Goodeve, 4 yards; M. Smith, 4 yards ; Wachsmann, 6 yards ; H. McCardell, 5 yards ; Ward, 7 yards ; Brewster, 9 yards ; W. Chapman, 10 yards ; J. Martin, 11 yards; G. O’Connell, 12 yards ; S. Saunders, 13 yards. Half-mile Handicap—M. Lewin, scratch ; J. W. Davis, scratch ; H. Black, 40 yards; M. Smith, 50 yards; E. G. Hawkes, 60 yards. Adulteration op Liquor.— -The cases against several publicans f®r selling adulterated liquor, which were to have been heard at the Resident Magistrate’s Court yesterday, all fell through. When the first case was called on, Mr Joynt, who with Mr Thomas appeared for the defendant, rose and pleaded autrefois acquit, remarking that under the 23rd section of the Justices of the Peace Act, a certificate of previous acquittal or conviction operated as a bar to all future proceedings. When these cases were last before the Court, a test case was tried and dismissed on technical grounds, and all the rest of the cases, of which the present was one, followed suit. Mr Garrick, who appeared to support the informations, said that he had been under the impression that the cases were withdrawn, not dismissed. Had he not believed so, he should never have recommended the informations to be resworn. Mr Mellish said that the informations were dismissed, not withdrawn, and it was so on the record. He should issue the certificates, and there could be no further proceedings. This decision is based on the well known principle of English law, that no person shall be vexed twice for the same offence. Sunnysidb Asylum. —The attendants of the Asylum, with some of the inmates, gave a capital performance of “ Black Eyed Susan ” at the Asylum on Wednesday evening, when there was a large attendance of the friends of the inmates and visitors. The piece was capitally mounted and dressed throughout, the moving panorama of the fleet especially being excellent. The dresses, which for the most part were made by the female patients, were good and appropriate. Miss Rose Seager played Susan very well indeed, a slight nervousness and tendency to drop her voice somewhat being the only defects noticeable. Miss Dutton made a very good Dolly Mayflower, and the other female characters were well filled. Mr Hickling's William Was a fair performance, and he was very good in the later scenes. Mr Seager made quite a hit as Jacob Twig, his make up and acting being comical in the extreme. Altogether the performance was a decided success. Mr Seager announced that it would be repeated in about three weeks, when those visitors attending would be invited to contribute towards a fund for completing the organ, We may notice in connection with the institution that Messrs Bruce and Coe have kindly sent several tins of biscuits, and Mr Stanley some boxes of apples for the use of the patients, HOEORATA. —On Saturday, the 18tb inst,, the school children of the Hororata district were invited by the Hon. John Hall, together with the members of the school'ccmm it,tee and some of the parents of the children, to the Rakaia Terrace station,where a large number of prizes were kindly pro vided by Mr Hall for racing, See. ; a nice course having been mown and formed in an English grass paddock adjoining the house, and marked off with flags. The children had lunch, and shortly afterwards adjourned to the lacecourse paddock, Mr Digby, the school teacher, undertaking the duties of bandicapper and starter, Mr J. E. Foutdaine (hose of judge. After the sport?, the children had tea, Mr Palmer, of Hororata, supplying the necessaries, all the details being ably carried out by Mrs Fountaine. Amonst the visitors were Mesdames Oordy. G. Phillips, Baker, Osborne, Richards, &c, and Miss K. Cordy. The adults then had tea. The children were again formed in ranks to receive the prizes, which wore most appropriate. Thee cheers wenthen given by the children for Mr and Mrs Hall, when they were marshalled off to the drays which their kind host had provided for (heir transit both for coming and returning to the ptation.

The Eimutaka Tunnel.— The New Zea land Times of a recent date says :—“ Collie and party are making rapid progress with the Eimutaka tunnel. Driving was commenced on the Wairarapa side of the hill, and the tunnel is now in over thirteen chains, which is more than half the distance. The contractors will now commence to put in a drive on this side to meet the other. They had to perform a considerable amount of dead work before operations could be commenced in earnest, but the preliminary work has now been effected, and the men have got at the face, and will will push ahead to reach the workers on the other side.

The White Eagle. —George Holcroft writes to the Auckland Herald as follows : “ I see in a paragraph in the Weekly Herald that the ship White Eagle was supposed to have had a narrow escape in passing the Crozet Islands, and also that the passengers saw signals of distress. This is not true. The captain told us that we should sight the Crozet Islands at about eight o’clock the next morning. We had a fresh breeze, but no gale, and were going about ten or eleven knots, and had topgallant sails set. I am certain that not a word was said aboutany signals being seen. Two or three of the passengers were making a sketch, and the others were looking at the islands with the field glasses and telescopes, so had there been any signals we must have seen them.” Railways in Otago. —The Riverton correspondent of the Daily Times telegraphs on the 19th as follows “ A largely-attended public meeting was held yesterday, to endorse the action taken by the Town Council in memorialising the Minister of Public Works in re Western railway works. A number of resolutions similar to several clauses of the memorial were carried unanimously, the principal one being that a searching investigation into the contract between Mr Proudfoot and the Provincial Government for public works in Southland is required to restore confidence to the minds of the people. Proceedings which had taken place between the Government and the contractor were severely commented on by some of the speakers, it being stated that the latter paid more to settle the recent dispute about the railway bridge at Highlands than the construction of the bridge cost. The meeting closed with a unanimous vote of thanks to the Council for the action it had taken, and ordered the resolutions passed to be telegraphed to the Premier and Minister for Public Works immediately.”

Railway Works in Wellington.— We learn that a difficulty has arisen with reference to the railway line between Wanganui and Marton. The local paper states : —“ The natives at Kakareka refuse to allow the railway works to proceed until their claims for compensation for the land taken for the purpose shall have been satisfied. Some months ago Mr Commissioner Booth met these natives at Marton to arrange the matter. The claims then submitted by the natives were so exorbitant that they could not be entertained. Mr Booth, on the part of the Government, offered them a liberal price for their land, when the price paid for that in its vicinity is taken into consideration. This was rejected, and the natives dispersed to their respective abodes. It was then thought that reflection would induce them to accept the terms offered by the Government. These expectations have not been realised, for the other day the works were stopped, and some workmen’s huts pulled down. Mr Ward was telegraphed to by the Government to interview the natives, which he accordingly did. After a long korero, Mr Ward, by dint of tact and judgment, succeeded in bringing them to something like reason. They wish to see Mr Booth, but should they persist in demanding what the commissioner considers excessive compensation, the matter will have to be referred to arbitration,”

The Jackson’s Bay Settlement.— The Grey River Argus has the following remarks on the state of this settlement;—“The Jackson’s Bay settlement is attracting considerable attention, not on account of its favorable condition, but on account of its entire unsuitability and alleged mismanagement. Of course its promoters and the resident agent endeavor to make the best of it, and generally deny the truth of the numerous complaints that have been made. This is but natural. It is not likely the resident agent would do otherwise, considering that his situation depends upon the continuance of the transport of deluded people to the place. An elaborate defence written by him, in reply to the letters of Mr Hoos in the New Zealand Times , appears in the West Coast limes of yesterday, which, with the private information in our possession, we cannot accept, unless with a considerable amount of salt, A person, not a settler, but who has been down to the settlement for purposes of hia own, and who has just returned, gives us a truly pitiable account of the condition of the settlers. He says that there is no land worth anything ; where it is not swamp it is sand or shingle, and that when cleared it is useless for cultivation. The case of the women and children is described as melancholy in the extreme. The heads of families can earn barely sufficient to procure the necessaries of life, and their wives and children are going about barefooted and ragged, unable to purchase needful clothing, and are generally in a miserable condition. We have received two letters from the settlement. Some of the statements may be exaggerated, but it is patent that unless the settlers are to become paupers on the State, the settlement will have to be abandoned.”