NEWS OF THE DAY.

Globe, Volume VI, Issue 663, 4 August 1876, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Akaroa. —Akaroa has been proclaimed a borough. The Gazette of July 27th contains the proclamation. Lecture. —A lecture was delivered by the Rev J. Elmslie last evening in the Priiqjtive Methodist church. There was a good attendance, and the lecture, which was on “ England one hundred years ago,” was both instructive and interesting. Money Orders. During the quarter ended June 30ch, the transactions of the money order department were as follows : Offices jpen, 122 ; number of orders issued, 20,582 ; amount, £81,043 10s ;“number paid, 14,643 ; amount, £57,950 7s 3d. Entertainment. —An entertainment in connection with St, Andrew’s Mutual Improvement Association took place last evening in the schoolroom. The Rev C. Fraser occupied the chair, and there was a very large attendance. The programme, which comprised songs, readings, &o, was gone through very creditably. Wreck at Sumner Bar. —The ketch Jupiter sank yesterday immediately after crossing Sumner bar, outward bound. The hands took to the boat, and succeeded in landing safely. Full particulars have not reached us, but it is supposed that a hoi3 must have been knocked in her bottom by the fluke of the anchor, as she lies on an even keel. The Jupiter was owned by Major Hornbrook, and was'proceeding to the Amuri in ballast. Waddington. —An interesting lecture on “Dreams” was delivered by the Rev B, J Westbrooke, on Tuesday " evening, at the Primitive Methodist Church. Rev W. S Potter, minister of the congregation, presided A choir, under the leadership of Mr J. Parker, sang several pieces of sacred music during the evening. The Evening Hymn, was sung before the meeting closed. The proceeds were given to the trust fund. Horticultural Exhibition. A despatch is published in the Gazette , giving particulars of a proposed International Horticultural Exhibition in 1877 at Amsterdam, and inviting the co-operation of the colonies. The following are the heads of the proposed exhibits : —Cotton, tobacco, Peruvian bark, madder, indigo, caoutchouc’ and gutta percha, fats, aetherial oils, cereals, catechu, vanilla, rhubarb, sarsaparilla. Cadet Concert. —A concert was given in the Oddfellows’ Hal), last evening in aid of the funds of the High school cadets, which was well attended. The various items on the programme were rendered very well indeed. The vocalists were Madame and Miss Winter, Miss Calvert, Messrs Sheath, Winter, &c. Madame Winter also played some pianoforte solos excellently. Altogether the concert was a very good one, and those present appeared to enjoy it thoroughly. Imports and Exports. —The value of the imports at I lie several po:ts of New Zealand fm- the quarter ended June 30th was £1,412,951 as compared with £1,609,612 for the same quarter of 1875. The exports were valued at £1,246,642, as compared with £1,383,149 for the same quarter in 1875. The Canterbury imports for fie same period were valued as follows : Lyttelton, £279,331 ; Akaroa, £325 ; Tiraaru, £13,760. The exports—Lyttelton, £441,601 ; Timaru, £10,327. Lyttelton Colonists’ Society.— The monthly meeting was held last Wednesday evening, the president, Dr Rouse, in the chair. The treasurer stated he had received during the month £l2O Bs, including £IOO grant from the Government, The vice president pointed out that the water from the school ground ran into the back yard at the Colonists’ Hall and ail ed it up, closing up the air holes in the foundations. The matter was referred to the library committee. The question of re-arranging the library was discussed at length, and it was determined that this matter should also be left for the library committee to see to. In the matter of warming the retiring room, it was resolved a gas stove should be procured. The vice president said he had arranged about the wire gauze to protect the footlights, and had also procured a gaa the library,

Northern Land, Building, Loan, and Investment Society.— The first meeting of this society was held on Wednesday evening, when the Cddfellows’ Hall, Kaiapoi. presented quite a busy appearance; about 560 shares have been taken up. At a meeting of the Board of Directors Mr B. Parnham was unanimously elected chairman. It was resolved to vote £6O a year as salary to a secretary, and out of the working expenses carry the surplus to capital account. The solicitor’s scale of fees was agreed to, It was decided that the monthly payments of Rangiora members bo received on Tuesdays, at Rangiora, between 11 a.m and 1 p.m, all other payments to be made direct to the stewards at Kaiapoi. The advances to members was fixed at £SO. It was resolved that shares withdrawn during the first financial year be subjected to a discount of 10 per cent. The receipts for the evening were £304. Lyttelton Time Ball Tower. —This erection is fast approaching completion ; in fact it is externally finished; bnt there is still a good deal of work to be done internally, and also the fixing of the mast and ball on the summit of the tower. It is a most imposing looking building, seen either from the town or from the sea, and the view from the summit of the tower is very fine. It is situated so that it is in full view of all vessels lying in harbor. This was absolutely necessary, one of its principal usee being for the correction of ships’ chronometers. Placed on the ridge of the spur, above the signal staff, the tower is 42ft in height, the ball having a play of 10£t above this. The walls are of stone, and are nearly all of a thickness of 2ft, being composed of a brown colored stone, procured from the Sumner road quarries, laid in Portland cement, and frequently bonded with hoop iron bonds. The quoins and dressings to doors, windows, cornice, and battlemented copings are of white Oamaru stone, On the ground floor are the astronomical clock room and a kitchen. The chamber floor contains two bedrooms, and the third story a look-out room, over which there is a lead flat for a look-out in fine weather. There are fireplaces in all the rooms, and a separate staircase leads from the kitchen to the apartments above, so that the attendant will not have to pass through the room where the astronomical instruments are kept. Access to the tower, lead flat, and to each floor, can be gained from the stone spiral staircase. On the stone newel, which is 2ft in diameter, the iron column carrying the time ball apparatus will find a quiet and secure resting place. The spiral staircase is of Butterfield’s Cass peak stone. The building will be completed this month, when there will be only the astronomical works to fit before the ball is ready for use, and we hear a gentleman is coming from Wellington to accomplish this portion of the work. The building is being erected from the designs of Mr Thomas Oane, Provincial Architect, under the superintendence of Mr W. H. Espenett, the builders being Messrs Brassington and Kennington, of Christchurch, and so far the work has been accomplished most satisfactorily. St John’s Association. —The first meeting of the above association was held last night, in the schoolroom, for the purpose of enrolling members. .After opening service, the members' 3 ’ {Wtßtfcl *lf|,ned the constitution and rules, after which the meeting was adjourned to make room for the entertainment, which commenced at eight o’clock, and was open to the public. Mrs Palmer and Miss Ida Palmer commenced the entertainment with a pianoforte duet, the “ Marche des Tambours,” which was skilfully and tastefully executed. In 'addition, Mrs Palmer contributed several songs during the evening, which were rendered with her usual success—“ Consider the lilies,” “ Castles in the air,” and “ II Back)’’ (encore) ; besides playing the accompaniments to most of the songs, in the absence of Mr Neville Barnett, who was indisposed. Mr Hull read, well, two poems, entitled “ Bingen on the Rhine’ and “ How Jane Conquest Rang the Bell.” Mr Hobbs sang, with effect, “The Yagabond,” and, as an encore, “ Will-o’4he-Wisp.” Mr T. Barnett contributed “I ) Anthea,” and “ Annabel!! Lee,” very nicely. Mr Knox sang “ A Free Lance” vigorously, with bis usual gcod taste; and “ A Freshening Breeze,” in response to an encore The Misses played a very pretty pianoforte duet, and the Rev H. C. M. Watson read a poem, entitled, “ The Hebrew mother.” Mr Scared who came to supply the placo of Mr Barnett, was in time to accompany some of the songs and to play the closing ode. The chairman gave notice that in connection with the Association which had just been formed, a Bible class would be held on Wednesday evening at a quarter to eight, and that it was proposed shortly to hold one in the afternoon for those who could not attend at that hour; that next Thursday the subject for discussion would be “ Whether the giving of religious instruction in our schools is consistent with a national system of education ?” ; that on the third Thursday (the evening of the general meeting of the Association) the president would deliver a lecture on the life of Joshua Davidson. In spite of the numerous counter attractions, there was a good attendance. A number of members joined the Association, which promises to be a successful institution.