NEWS OF THE DAY.

Globe, Volume VI, Issue 695, 11 September 1876, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Empress op India. —The Queen’s title of Empress of India was officially proclaimed at Simla on August 18th. Winter Evening Readings. —Another evening was pleasantly spent at the Colonists’ Hall, Lyttelton, on Friday night last. There was a fair attendance, and the various items were well received by the audience. Press Club. — A general meeting of the members of the Press Club was held on Saturday afternoon at the Club-room, Mr Loughnan, Vice-president, occupied the chair. Several honorary members were elected. Mr Utting was elerted secretary pro tem , in the absence of Mr Hebden, who is going on a holiday trip. Several accounts were passed and the meeting adjourned. Fire near Kaiapoi —On Friday morning about 3 o’clock a whare belonging to a Mr McGinn, situated on the sandhills near the mouth of the river, was destroyed by fire. Its value was about £4O, and there being no fire in the house for three days, the owner thinks it must have been the work of an incendiary, and has reported the matter to the police. The Wool Market.— The Daily Times saj s :—“ A leading soft goods firm in town received a telegram from London yesterday staling that the cotton market is firming, and that silk has gone up 12J per cent. This information, we think, augurs well for the prospects of the coming wool sales, and it may be fairly regarded as an indication of a revival in trade at home.” Sad Death op an Old Colonist.—We regret to have to record the death of Mr William Chisnall, farmer, of Fendaltown, who was found drowned in the river Waimakariri on Saturday morning. Deceased left his home, riding, shortly after 12 o’clock on Friday last, and was seen by his son, Mr William Chisnall, at the Yaldhurst Hotel, at 4 p.m. on the same day, the latter gentleman leaving Yaldhurst for town at that hour, A boy named John Lewis, in the employ of deceased on Chisnall’s island, when crossing the river between 9 and 10 o’clock on Saturday morning, saw the body of Mr Chisnall lying in the river near Templar’s island, in about one foot of water, and immediately came on to the Fendaltown house and gave information, when it was taken out by Mr William Chisnall, junr, and Mr J. Fleshborne, farmer. The deceased gentleman had lately been subject to fits, and had two on Thursday night last. Mr Chisnall was forty-nine years of age, and had been twenty-five years in the colony. Football. —A match was played on Saturday between North and South, Cashel street being the dividing line. The Northerners wore red and black, and their opponents blue and white. The South won the toss, and chose the (southern goal, thus having a strong wind in their favor. The ball was kicked off at 3.20, and quickly worked into the red’s goal, when a pretty run by Field, which was well backed up by W. Chapman, resulted in the latter obtaining a touch-down for the South. The kick, which was entrusted to B. Cotterill, proved unsuccessful. On the ball being started again, the reds carried it across to the Southerners’ goal, and obtained a force-down. This was responded to by the blues forcing the ball right into the Northerners’ goal, and B. Hawkes, by a good run, obtained another touch-down for the South, which Cotterill again failed to convert into a goal. After this the blues were compelled to play on the defensive, and shortly before the end of the first spell were fotcert to touch the ball down twice in quick succession. During the second spell the blues worked better together, and continually placed the Northerners’ goal in great danger; but beyond gaining two more force-downs, no alteration was made in the score. On the ball being started again, the reds were compelled to act on the defensive, and in a short time the blues scored another force-down. Moore, instead of kicking off at the twentyfive yards flag, tried a run, which the other side were unprepared for, and taking his kick before being collared, landed the ball well into the blues’ quarters It was, however, brought back again, and Stringer, by a run through the whole of the Southern me a, scored a touch-down for the reds. The try w is entrusted to Moore, and though an easy one, it was a failure. The blues then made a rush which the reds were unable to wit hstand, and Field getting bold of the bail secured another touch-down for the Southerners. The kick this time was entrusted to Hartland, but with no better success than the previous ones. Both sides now set to work for the last spell, and the reds having the wind in their favor, got rather the In at of it. Another fine run from Stringer resulted in a touch-down for them, but though the kick was an absurdly easy one, no goal was scored from it. The ball had hardly been ki'ked off again before Wad sman scored another touch-down for the reds, from which a goal was kicked by Moove. This had the effect of making the blues pi >.y rather better, for they forced the reds ba :k again into their goal, compelling them to touch the ball down, and shortly after a touen-uv,.. by Hartland, who abo tried tho kick, but was again unsuccessful. Time was now cauea, the score standing—Southerners 14 points ; Northerners, 13J points. f

New Brighton Bridge.— The opening of the bridge over the Avon near Paynton’s, by which the distance to New Brighton is considerably shortened, took place on Saturday. The President of the Executive, Sir Cracroft Wilson, drove over a four-in-hand drag, in which were Mr Webb, Provincial Secretary, Mr Marshman, and other gentlemen. The bridge having been declared open the company present, which included Mr John Ollivier (Provincial Auditor), Mr S. Manning, Mr Langdown, and Mr P. Kerr, representing the Heathcote Road Board, the Rev Mr Glasson, Mr W. D. Carruthers, &c, adjourned to the New Brighton Hotel, where a capital luncheon was provided by Mrs Oram. The chair was occupied by Sir C, Wilson, and the vice-chair by Mr Ollivier, who it is needless to say discharged the duty in his usual genial manner, After the usual loyal toasts had been done due honor to, the vice-chairman proposed “ The Superintendent and Executive” coupled with the name of Mr Webb, who responded. In the course of his speech he took occasion to apologise for the absence of the Deputy-Superintendent and the Secretary for Public Works, who were prevented from being present. Sir C. Wilson then proposed “ Prosperity to the new bridge,” coupled with the name of Mr Peter Kerr, one of the oldest and most energetic settlers in the district, to whose efforts mainly the erection of the bridge was due. Mr Kerr responded briefly. The vice-chairman then gave “ The Heathcote Road Board,” coupled with the name of the chairman, Mr S. Manning, who responded. The health of the chairman, proposed by Mr Carruthers, brought the proceedings to a close, and the company returned to town, having spent a very pleasant afternoon,

Independent Order of Oddfellows.— A meeting was held on Saturday night, at the Golden Fleece Hotel, to consider the advisableness of initiating steps for the institution of a Lodge of the Independent Order of Oddfellows. Grand Master Bro Braithwaite, from Dunedin, presided, and apologised for the short notice that had been given of the meeting, having just arrived from Timaru, where a hall had been dedicated. He had not intended to come to this city, and only decided at the last moment to return to Dunedin via Christchurch. A hurried advertisement was inserted to see if there were any old members in the city belonging to the Order, and to ascertain what prospect there was of starting a branch here. Members in other parts of New Zealand visiting Christchurch- had experienced the want of not being able to enter one of their own lodges, and he had therefore come with the object of endeavoring to remove that difficulty. The Order existed throughout Great Britain and her colonies, in America, and the continent of Europe, and consisted of 500,000 members. The Order was originally known by the name of the Ancient Independent Order of Oddfellows, but some few years ago they had dropped the word “ ancient.” The objects of the society were then discussed, amongst which it was stated that it was unsectarian, unpolitical, and banded together persons of all nations, tongues, and creeds, for the purpose of visiting the sick, relieving the distres ed, burying the deed, educating the orphan, and to improve and elevate the character of man, imbue him with proper conceptions of his capabilities for good, enlighten his mind, enlarge tne sphere of his affections, and so lead him to the cultivation of that true and fraternal relation designed by the great author of his being. The subscriptions raised by lodges were for the purpose of systematically and practically carrying out those principles. Thrift, prudence, and forethought, and self-dependence, were instilled into the minds of its members, and intemperance and other collateral habits were strictly forbidden. Such societies were a great boon to the state, and conferred an incalculable amount of good on any community in which they existed. Several gentlemen then signed a petition, asking the Grand Lodge to open a branch in Christchurch, to be called the “ Avon Lodge,” and the meeting appointed Messrs Walton, Schwartz, and H, D. Manning a committee (the latter to be sec pro tem) to receive the names of persons willing to co-operate. A vote of thanks was accorded to the Grand Master, who acknowledged the compliment, and regretted that he could not render the assistance that he should have wished, business compelling his return by the Tanpo on Monday. He said that when sufficient names were subscribed, the deputy officers at Timaru would institute the lodge through dispensation from the Grand Master. The meeting then terminated.

Progress op the Colonies, —At a colonist dinner given in Glasgow, in June last, the chairman, Sir James Fergusson, spoke ag follows of Australia and New Zealand :— i( These communities,” he said, “ were at this moment rising greatly in public estimation and regard. They were amongst the youngest possessions of the British Crown. It was only just before the accession of her Majesty that the old settlement of New South Wales extended itself into the great and thriving communities that were now her prosperous sisters, and it was during the reign of her Majesty that the great colony of New Zealand was annexed to the Crown. Yet in this short period the progress which these communities had made was, he supposed, unrivalled—at all events, unexcelled, by any other communities in the world. A gentleman had reminded him the other day that the aggregate trade of the Australian and New Zealand Colonies was £85,000,000 a year in exports and imports, and that vast trade is still increasing year by year at an astonishing rate. The Colony of New Zealand, which he had last left, had increased its public revenue by CO per cent in the last live years without any increase of taxation, ard he need not remind them of the giant strides which thecolony—the most prosperous of the Australian group—of Victoria had made within their own recollection. ( Applause.J Those communities had been running au honorable race, and Victoria had outstripped her parent Colony of New South Wales ; but those who looked closely into the resources nf New South Wales were of opinion, notwithstanding that, after all, she was likely to be the wealthiest and most prosperous. The cthe r Colonies had great resources also, which would not fail to raise them to a much higher place than they at present occuoied. The Colony of Queensland, for example, possessed extraordin try resources of u varied kind ; and South Australia, with which some of them had been connected, had undoubtedly the elements, not only of couth ued prosperity, but of material progress ; while New Zealand seems (o possess within itself all the elements which had so greatly contributed to the prosperity of the mothe' country. With a better climate, wuh a a more extended area of excellent sftU) and with most valuable minerals, including

coal and iron, there was no height of prosperity to which she might not look, forward to in the future. [Applause.] But the aggregate prosperity of those Colonies was what they had to look to, because it could hardly be doubted that their separation and isolation belongs to the period of their infancy, and that as a great confederation they will in time come to exercise an important influence upon the affairs of this country, if not upon those of the whole world. They knew already how important an influence these colonies exercised upon the trade and industries of tne mother country. Some people talked of the position of the colonies as if they were dependent upon the mother country, and as if they were the gainers by the connection ; but he? ventured to say the time was coming, if it had not come already, when the mother country would rely more on the colonies than they did now on her. At this moment he believed were it it not for the great demand caused by the prosperity of the Australasian colonies the shipbuilding industry of the Clyde would be in a state of perfect stagnation. (Applause.) It was a melancholy fact that just now there was great dulness in the trade of the world. Our customers all over the world were contracting their orders, and those millions of human beings who depend upon the fluctuations of trade were likely to suffer severely. And a time had come to the shipping interests of the country—one of the greatest and most historical of our interests—which was undoubtedly a sad and most depressing one. He believed he was speaking within the mark when he said the colonies had come to the rescue, and that the demands they had made upon the industry of the great community of Glasgow and neighbourhood had to a great extent made up for the wane of orders from other parts of the world. Since he came into the room a gentleman had told him that the number of orders for steam vessels which comes from the Australian colonies was extremely surprising; while another gentleman had told him what was consistent with his own ob D ervation, that the colonists would have nothing that was not of the best—that they did not care about the expense, but everything must be of the best [Applause.] In concluding, Sir James said that the colonies did not want assistance, and nursing, and coddling, but were making demands upon the industry of the country which will be eminently for the advantage of this country, and for the mutual alliance and continued connection of those great children of Great Britain with their mother country.” [Great applause.]

Opening of the Queensland Exhibition. —The Argus gives the following account of the opening of this exhibition on August 22nd: —“The Queensland National Exhibition was opened at noon to-day by Governor Cairns, and is in every way a splendid success. It was not without many doubts as to the issue of the experiment that the enterprise was started, and the directors of the undertaking based their operations upon a somewhat modest plan. All expectations have, however, been exceeded by the actual result; and to-day it has been shown that had the building been ten times larger than it is, it would not have accommodated the thousands of visitors who trooped through the gates. There were never before so many people collected together in one place in Queensland, and never before perhaps was Brisbane so full of visitors from the country, some having come from towns so remote as Rockhampton and Cooktown. A public holiday was proclaimed and kept, and the gaiety of the scenh was much enhanced by the volunteer corps, who have mustered strongly from Ipswich, Warwick, and Toowoomba. The weather has been fortunately fine, and up to the present time, when, under the gaslight, the exhibition is as crowded as ever, very little short of 15,000 people have attended, and the council of the association are delighted to know that instead of £SOO, beyond which they had no hope, the receipts are close upon £IOOO. The Governor was received with the usual salute from the volunteers, and the massed bands played the National Anthem. Amongst the officials and members of the association who received his Excellency were Mr Joubert and Mr Moutefiore, the New South Wales commissioners. These gentlemen have won golden opinions from every one by the energy with which they have thrown themselves into the work of the Exhibition, and given valuable aid in matters quite outside of their own annexe. The ceremony of opening was luckily brief, for the building was crowded and the heat great. Mr Palmer, one of the vice-presidents, formally welcomed the Governor, and the Governor read his reply, in the course of which he paid New South Wales a special compliment, a remark that was cheered by the audience. A salvo of artillery announced to the town that the first exhibition ever held in the metropolis was opened. There was singing by the Musical Union, including an ode written for the occasion by Mr Brunton Stephens, and the Hallelujah Chorus. After the Governor’s speech, Mr Joubert handed him a telegram from Sydney, wishing the Exhibition every success; and his Excellency read the message to the people. Cheers were given for the Governor, at Mr Joubert’s instance, and the ceremony was ended. The Exhibition is excellent in quality. Horses are naturally its strong point; and there are some grand Hereford cattle. The weakest section is dogs. Mr Vicars’ Jacquard loom, at work weaving tweed, attracts much attention. The machinery is fair, though there do not seem to be many novelties, and the products of this and the neighbouring colony are well represented. New South Wales takes prizes in most of the sections. The judging is now almost complete, and has given general satisfaction. In the afternoon the prize horses and cattle were paraded in the rings. It has been resolved to close the exhibition daily from half-past four to half-past seven, when it reopens till ten o’clock. To night there are vocal and instrumental performances in the buildings. The whole town is en fete, and Brisbane, which is not renowned for its excess of liveliness, is gay with bunting and holiday making.”

The Manchester Guardian says:—“Father Ignatius was on June 17th ejected by an attorney and the sheriff's officers from a budding called the Monastery, at .Norwich, win re he, with two oi three so called monks, was celebrating the sacrament. The building, a subject of litigation, had been sold, but Father Ignatius still asserts some claim to it. Before the unfinished altar, which was adorned with lights, drapery, and flowers, the officers found a monk prostrated. Father Ignatius gained time to finish the service, and, as he seemed to expect help, the sheriff’s officers carried him out of the building, and carpenters nailed the doors,’’