NEWS OF THE DAY.

Globe, Volume VI, Issue 619, 13 June 1876, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

AKAROA Railway.— We notice by advertisement that petitions in favor of the construction of the above line of railway are lying for signature at the offices of several of the principal merchants in the city.

Presentation. —A handsome Bible, sub scribed for by the members of the South Rakaia Presbyterian Church, was presented to the Rev H. B. Burnett, pastor, on last Sunday morning, to be used'in the services of the church.

Heathcote Road Board.—At a meeting of ratepayers of the Heathcote district, held to-day, to fill the vacancy caused by the retirement of Mr J. T. Fisher, Messrs G. Duncan and W. Attwood were nominated ; the show of hands being in favor of the latter. A poll was demanded. Sporting.—By the telegrams received per Albion at the Bluff, it will be seen that Mr Redwood has two horses entered for the forthcoming Champion Stakes, viz, Korari and Punri, This year New Zealand will not be represented in the Melbourne Cup, the competition being entirely confined to the Australian colonics.

Education Rate.—A test case, suing for payment of a separate rate for offices held in a building on which one rate had already been paid by the landlord, was argued this morning in the Resident Magistrate's Court. The defendant, Mr A. Jamesor, solicitor, cited a number of authorities in support of his contention that one rate having been paid for the building he was not liable. Mr Garrick, who appeared for the Superintendent, rested his contention on the iaterpretation of the term "householder" according to section 61 of the Ordinance. His Worship reserved judgment. The Trout.—The spawning season for these fish approaching, preparations have been made by the garden committee of the Acclimatisation Society, and the paths leading to the races have already been fenced off from the public. Sir Cracroft Wilson, D: Campbell, and Messrs Wallace, Jameson, and Farr, members of the committee, closely examined the ponds yesterday, and found them to contain a large number of nearly matured fish. At a meeting held subsequently in the society's office, the curator received definite instructions to complete the required preparations, and so far as can be anticipated, the coming season promises to be a fruitful one.

Lydia Howaede Bublesque Company. —Tbis company, who make their debut in Ohristchurch at the Canterbury Music Hall on Thursday evening, have chosen for their opening piece Herve's extravaganza of " Chilperic." In this Miss Howarde, as Chilperic, has been very highly spoken of elsewhere, as also have the other members of the company. Mips Howarde will be supported by Mdlle Solangc Navaro, Miss Jenny Nye, Miss Ashton, and Messrs Carey (who will be recollected as being here with the Smith Combination), Power, Alexander, &c. As a change from the legitimate drama, with which playgoers have been somewhat surfeited of late, this company should, if all that is said of their talent be true, have a highly successful season here. Peotection of Animals Act.—A point of some importance, says the Daily Times, has arisen in connection with the interpretation of the clause in the Protection of Animals Act, 1873, relating to the right of killing game on private property during the open season without a license. The section has hitherto been read by many to mean that the owner could grant permission indiscriminately to persons not holding licenses to kill game on his land while the season was open. The Acclimatisation Society, however, have taken the opinion of couusd on this point, and the .Society is. advised that " if the bona fide occupant of private lands does not choose to exercise his game privileges he can only confer them upon one individual in substitution. Were it otherwise, the privilege originally conferred upon an individual occupant might, by delegation, be enjoyed by thousands." One result of this interpretation of the Act will be no doubt that an addilional number of game licenses will bo taken out soon, as several persons have been killing game on private property without a license, in the belief that they could legally do so if they had the owner's consent.

Tai Tapu Eaces. —A meeting of the committee was held at the Ellesmere Hotel on Saturday evening last. The sub-committee appointed to lay off a course reported that they had selected one of about one and a-half miles on Mr Fleming's station at Ahuriri. It was resolved that the committee bo empowered to have all necessary arrangements for the day carried out. A letter from Mr Sharpies offering £1 10s for the right of printing cards and for the right of sports on

the course was rejected, as being too low. Mr Little informed the meeting that Mr Kirkwood had guaranteed the sum of £lO as a purse for a trotting race. It was resolved to accept Mr Kirkwood's offer with thanks, and that the race be a four-mile handicap. The following were the nominations for the Tai Tapu Handicap—F. G. Craddbck's Phantom, P. Butler's Eclipse, R. Little's Tai Tapu, R. Ray's Tadraor, B. Shadbolt's Ladybird. It was decided that the races commence at 11 o'clock instead of 12 o'clock as previously advertised, on account of there being a trotting race added. After some further routine business had been transacted, the meeting adjourned.

Jackson's River Beefs.—The West Coast Times of June Bth says :—" Mr;Warden Price, who left Hokitika for Jackson's Bay by the Waipara on May 31st, for the purpose of deciding between Callery and party and Kroener and party, respecting a disputed claim to the discovery of a quartz reef, returned by the Waipara. The steamer arrived at Jackson's Bay at midnight of the Ist instant, and the next day Mr Price held an inquiry into the matter, which resulted in the discovery that the claim applied for by Callery and party, and objected to by Kroener and party, was on entirely different ground to that applied for by Kroener, although no doubt the same reef. The ground applied for by Callery commences from a point on the north side of Macfarlane's Creek, about two chains above where the creek branches and goes east across the reef, and then north from the creek along the reef. Kroener's ground commences in a gully running south-west, which is situated about two chains above the forks of the Jackson'* river. The commencing point is about eight or ten chains up the gully going north-east towards Macfarlane's Creek. Hence, after the parties are granted the areas they are entitled to, under the Goldfields Act, viz, 40Oyds x 200yds, it is probable that after survey, at least a quarter of a mile will be left between the two leases. The Warden informed the parties that ho would recommend the Governor's delegate to grant the mining leases, and directed Mr Murray, the district surveyor, who went down for the purpose, to survey the ground in accordance with the description given by the parties. The evidence shows that both parties arc perfectly satisfied. The Warden found that five ordinary claims had been marked out on the reef as follows :—No 1, North of Callery, Skipper and party, eleven men 660 ft x 300 ft; No 2, North of Callery, Fell and party, seven men, 420 ft x 300 f t; No 3, North of Callery, Turnley and party, six men, 360 ft x 300 f t; No 1, South of Callery, Whelan and party, twelve men, 720 ft x 300 ft, and No 2, South of Callery, Crawford and party, six men, 360 ft x 300 ft. Two head races were also applied for by Callery and party and Turnley and party. An application was made for a prospecting claim by W. Bowmaster, under the 133rd rule of the Mining Regulations and granted, 600 ft x 390 ft on the reef. Bowmaster purports to be the discoverer of a quartz reef at the Cascade river, which runs north and south from a point on the Cascade river, about six mil?s in a southerly direction from Jackson's river, opposite Macfarlane's Creek. The reef ia 2ft thick, and crops out from the river bank. Mr Warden Price brought up a specimen of quartz obtained from Bowmaster's prospecting claim. It is now in the possession of his Honor the Superintendent, and is precisely the same class of stone as that obtained from Gallery's reef. Bowmaster's claim is situated about a mile from Sinclair's mineral lease. No more is known as to the auriferous qualities or otherwise of any of these reefs than appeared when Callery and Kroener first arrived in Hokitika, those persona who went up to mark out ordinary claims having not only not tested the reefs but failed to bring any specimens with them. In fact, nothing has been done at Cascade Point or elsewhere, aud there is not as yet the slightest inducement for miners or others to procsed to the locality. It is impossible to say how the reefs will turn out, as at present it is a sheer matter for trial. In consequence of the short stay of the Waipara at Jackson's Bay, it was impossible for Mr Warden Price to visit the ground, Macfarlane's Creek being about eighteea miles from Jackson's Bay, and the ceef on the Cascade River twentyfour miles."