NEWS OF THE DAY.

Globe, Volume V, Issue 584, 3 May 1876, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Provincial Treasurer— Mr W. Jameson is gazetted Provincial Treasurer. Immigration, — By the ship Caitloch, which arrived at Port Chalmers on Sunday, there were twenty single men for Timaru. E.M, Court. —At the Christchurch Resident Magistrate’s Court this morning, before G. L. Hellish, Esq., R.M., an inebriate was fined 40s for drunkenness and using abusive language. Agricultural Statistics— The agricultural statistics of the Province of Auckland appear in the Gazette. The following is a summary;—Wheat, 45,626 bushels; oats, 65,599 bushels ; barley, 4107 bushels ; potatoes, 13,212 tons. Lyttelton Bates,— Notice is given by the Lyttelton Borough Council that proceedings will be taken for the recovery of all overdue rates not paid on or before the 31st May, and this “ without respect to persons." Music Hall. —There was a good house at the Music Hall last evening, when the Queen’s Yafiety Troupe made their second appearance. Encores were frequent, as also was applause. There will be a change of programme to-night. The San Francisco Mail.— This mail arrived in Lyttelton yesterday at 1 20 p.tn. by the s.s. Taranaki, and the Christchurch portion was forwarded by the 320 p.ra. train. There were forty-eight bags—thirtyeight for Christchurch, four for Lyttelton, four for Timaru, and two for Oamaru. The Executive. —In a Gazette published yesterday, it is notified that Mr Maskell has resigned his seat in the Executive Council, and that his Honor has been pleased to accept the resignation. It is also notified that his resignation of the offices of Provincial Secretary and Provincial Treasurer, has been accepted. MR ROLLESTON. —We have observed in some of our Southern contemporaries a report given, on the authority of " own correspondents ” in Wellington, that Mr Bolleston has accepted, or has agreed to accept, the appointment of Dnder-Secretary for Education. We are in a position to state that the report in question is absolutely untrue.

Accident at Kaiapoi —On Monday a horse belonging to Mr J. Edwards, Church Bush, bolted from the Northern stone yard with a post fastened to its halter, and galloping along Charles street, ran into a stable belonging to Mr Wearing with sufficient violence to press out a portion of the building, the animal dropping down and dying instantly. Its value was from £25 to £3O. Accident at Bangiora. —On Monday evening a man named D. Griffiths, employed by Mr Bell, fell from a dray in motion whilst he was trying to pick up the reins, and the wheel passed over his body. He had been lying on the road some time before found by Sergeant Morice, .who conveyed him to Michinson’s, Bed Lion Hotel, from whence he was taken to the Hospital. Fire near Bangiora.— At 2 a.m. on Tuesday a portion of the flax works carried on by Mr O. Chinnery, on the Waikaruru Creek, near Bangiora, was destroyed by fire. One of the men working on the premises, it seems, carried a candle too near some tow, which was quickly in flames. At the early hour, and with the few hands available, a store shed was with difficulty saved. Mr Chinnery’s loss is estimated at £SO. Mr Geo. Booth, however, is the owner of the premises, St Michael’s.— There recently arrived from England by the Inverdruie the stained glass windows intended to be placed in the northern end of St Michael’s church. They comprise a large wheel window with smaller wheels springing from it, and the lancet head windows below. The design, which has been most artistically carried out, is emblematical of the words " I was an hungered and ye gave me meat; I was naked and ye clothed me ; I was sick and in prison and ye visited me,” &c, The design is divided into compartments, each one headed by the special words of the text applicable to it, and the colors are beautifully blended. When erected the windows will be a great ornament to the church. The smaller wheels are stained cathedral glass simply, without any design, but are very chaste in their colours. The windows will be fixed shortly, but until then they can be seen at the shop of Mr W. Jones, Cashel street. City Improvements. —The City Council are now carrying out one or two works which, in view of the approaching winter season, will be found very useful. The first of these is in Cathedral square, near Warner’s Hotel. On the occasion of any heavy raiu the road leading from Colombo street into Worcester street, owing to the absence of side channels, has always been flooded, and very dangerous for pedestrians. The Council are now, however, putting in a side channel running round to Worcester street, and also making a brick sewer under Colombo street to carry off the storm water. The second work is in Kilmore street, near the Colombo bridge. Like the first locality referred to, owing to the number of streeb discharging storm water into the one drain having an outlet at Colombo bridge, this street is frequently flooded in times of heavy rain. The Council, to obviate this, are con structing a second brick drain, across Cam bridge terrace, discharging into the rivei nearly opposite the new fire station. Thesi two works will, as we have said, be found o) great benefit to the localities named,

Postal. —The following additional post 1 offices have been opened in Canterbury;— Hilton, Waitohi Flat, Washdyke, West Eyreton. The following postmasters have been appointed G. Gaynor, Amberley ;E. S. Latter, Barry’s Bay; M. Woodfield, Burnham; 0. G. Bradley, Hilton; P, Greaves, Longbeach; J. May, Orari; B. Pilkington, Pleasant Point; 0. A. Wells, South bridge; 0. Terry, Sumner; J, Hook. Wainui; J. J. Melhuish, Waitohi Flat; W. if*. M'Neil, Washdyke; J. Newton, West Eyreton; G. 0. Jeffery, White Cliffs Junction, The New Fire Station.— Preparations are being made for the erection of the new Fire Brigade Station on the site already referred to near the Oxford Hotel. The ground has been cleared and building operations will be commenced almost immediately. When the new station is erected it is to be hope J the Council will demolish the present disgraceful looking lot of shanties used as the Market Place Fire Brigade Station. Standing as they do in a very conspicuous part of the city, they are not at all calculated to give a visitor a very agreeable impression of the street architecture of Christchurch. Hereford Street Baptist Sundayschool,—The anniversary tea meeting was held last evening, when about 150 sat down to tea, which was amply provided for by the ladies of the church and congregation, whose liberality of supply was fully appreciated by those present. Alter tea the public meeting was held, which was presided over by the pastor, the Rev R. Morton. The report stated that there was a slight increase in the numbers over last year, and that four of the scholars had joined the Church during the past twelve months. The treasurer, Mr Simmons, reported that when all the liabilities of the school were met, there would be a deficit of £6 to carry over to next year, and he hoped that Qie kind liberality of the friends on this occasion would remove this debt, and give them funds for continuing the good work. During the evening several of the children gave recitations, and pieces of a varied character were sung. Short addresses were also given by Messrs Thompson, Watt, Chidgey, Simmons, &c, and after the usual votes of thanks had been passed, the meeting was closed by the Benediction being pronounced by the chairman. CRICKET. —The Daily Times reports that a general meeting of cricketers of Dunedin took place on Saturday evening. About twenty-five gentlemen were present. The following resolution was carried unanimously : —“ That Mr John Eva be requested to communicate with the secretaries of the Christchurch and Auckland Cricket Clubs to ascertain what arrangements they are making re the proposed visit of the English professional team, and also to ask Mr Bennett, the English team’s agent in Melbourne, upon what terms the team will visit New Zealand.” Mr Eva, who cordially endorsed the request of the meeting, mentioned that the Otago Cricket Association was intended to be of a a general character. Members of the various clubs would be invited to become members of the association at a subscription of half a guinea per annum. They should secure a suitable piece of ground where they could charge for admission, and do just as they pleased. He thought that such an associa tion should be formed, and it was proposed to call a special meeting of cricketers for the purpose. A number of gentlemen would be asked to become honorary members. The usual compliment to the chairman terminated the proceedings,

The City op San Francisco.— The San Francisco Sunday Chronicle of the 2nd ult, has the following with reference to the cause of the detention of the City of San Francisco ; —“ The Pacific Mail steamship City of San Francisco has not yet sailed for Australia, and the company are either paying the expenses of the passengers in our principal hotels or boarding them on the steamer. The mysterious cause of the steamer’s delay has formed the topic of discussion in mercantile circles since Wednesday last, the day on which she was advertised to sail. A. P. Bacon, the general agent of the company, professes to be entirely ignorant of the real cause of her detention, but says that orders have been received from the home office in New York not to send her to sea until instructions are received from there. This fact was given to the readers of the Chronicle last Friday, and therefore is no news to them. Now comes the question what is the real cause of the detention of the City of San Francisco ? The Railway World says that on the 13th of last March a bill of sale was executed to S. V. White and B, F. Ham, trustees, of the following steamers City of Peking, City of Tokio, City of San Francisco, City of Sydney, City of New York, City of Panama, Colon, Acapulco, Granada, and Colima. The bill of sale is to secure the company’s bonds given to the trustees, which amount to 4,000,000d01. The indentures provide th it the bond shall be surrendered when the company has duly signed, executed, and delivered 10,000 registered or coupon bonds for lOOOdols each, or 10,000,000d015, the bonds having ten years to run, interest at 7 per cent per annum, payable March 13th and September 13th each year. It further provides for the application of a sinking fund by requiring the company to pay to the trustees on the 13th of March each year 200,000d01e cash, which the trustees are to invest by buying in the open market the bonds of the company, if less than par ; if not, to draw 200 (200,000dols) bonds by lot. The general impression among San Francisco merchants is that the Pacific Mail Company is a thing of the past, and that it will now be merged into the Occidental and Oriental Steamship Company. The Pacific Mail agents here say that they are utterly ignorant of any such scheme on the part of their managers, and that the City of San Francisco will sail at noon to morrow' E. T. Bacon, the passenger agent, states that the detention of the steamer is owing to an order from Sir Daniel Cooper, of the New South Wales Government. The nature of this order has not yet been made public.” Lower Heathcotb Library, The annual general meeting of the subscribers to the above named institution was held on Monday evening last, in the reading room of the library, Mr Bichard Davis occupied the chair. The minutes of the previous general meeting were read and confirmed. The chairman read the following report—“ Your committee, on retiring from office, beg to congratulate the subscribers on the very successful termination of the first vear of this institution, and trust that by the*hearty co operation of residents of Heathoote that this institution will grow in keeping with the advancement and prosperity of this important district. We have now upon our : shelves upwards of one thousand volumes of i

works of the best authors of the day, comprising a proportionate number of works on the arts, sciences, manufactures, history, biography, travels, and discoveries, and a selection of the best works of fiction. The number of issues of books during the year is 2237 ; the number of subscribers is 87. This we trust will be at least doubled during the ensuing year ; in fact, it will be necessary for our progress. Your committee therefore seriously desire to impress this necessity upon you, and trust that each member will feel it a duty he owes to this institution to obtain at least one subscriber, so as to enable the managing body to keep up a regular supply of the latest works. STour committee have to report a donation of fifty-seven books from Mr Wood, of Christchurch, saddler, and to request your thanks for the same. The following newspapers have been obtained and laid upon the reading room table, viz—The Australasian, Illustrated London News, Punch Illustrated Penny Paper, Press, and Lyttelton Times. Our buildings are in very good order, and will no doubt be sufficient to suit all requirements for another twelve months. An insurance for £2OO has been effected on them, and also for £I CO on the library and fittings.” Mr Bamford, treasurer, read a statement of accounts, showing receipts to the amount of £177 15? 7d, and expenditure to amount of £l4B 10s 7d, leaving a balance to credit of £29 6s, against which there is an account due of about £1 10s. It was proposed by Mr J. W. Davis, and seconded by Mr Hopkins, and carried unanimously—" That the report and accounts be received and adopted.” The chairman requested the subscribers under rule 2 to submit names of five gentlemen as a committee for the ensuing year. The following were duly elected Messrs R. Davis, H. A. Bamford, J. W. Davis, H, H. Hopkins, and J. Richardson. Mr Beaumont proposed, and Mr Beresford seconded—“ That a vote o£ thanks be recorded to Mr Wood, of Christchurch, saddler, for his donation,” which was carried. A vote of thanks was then passed to the chairman and outgoing committee, and the proceedings terminated. Don’t say ‘centennial bill,’ it isn’t respectful. * Old Hundred William’ is better. In an action brought by the Bight Hon Edward Horsman, M.P, against the World newspaper for libel, the Court of Queen’s Bench granted a rule! nisi for a criminal information. The libel complained of was as follows :—“ A most superior person and a wealthy Yorkshire baronet are brothers-in-law, and both are ex-Liberal office holders. When the baronet came of age, the superior person undertook to find a superior investment for £400,000, which belonged to the fortunate Yorkshireman. The superior person had a superior estate somewhere in the east. A mortgage on this superior estate became the superior investment discovered by the superior person. A few weeks ago the superior person informed his brother-in-law that the £400,000 had gone the way of Peruvian loans, and that neither interest nor principal was likely to be forthcoming. The baronet suggested a reference to a court of law. To this the superior person demurred, and insisted that the affairs of so superior a person as himself ought to be left to the superior tribunal of Heaven. As a slight concession his latest proposal is to give up his seat in Parliament, and to live in obscurity, if his brother-in-law will provide for his superior wants by an annuity of £SOOO. I regret to say that this moderate proposal of a superior mind has not been received by the baronet with the cordial approbation which might have been anticipated. So obtuse is he that he cannot understand why he should pay even a superior person £SOOO per annum for depriving him with superior astuteness of £400,000, What next ?” Mr Hawkins, Q.C., who appeared for Mr Horsman, said that the matter complained of imputed to Mr Horsman about as flagrant and gross dishonesty towards his brother-in-law, Sir John Bamsden, as could be well imagined, namely, that he had taken advantage of the youth of his brother-in-law and of his inexperience, to borrow from him the sum of £400,000 on what he knew to be utterly worthless security.