NEWS OF THE DAY.

Globe, Volume VII, Issue 795, 9 January 1877, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Board op Education.— The Board will meet at the Normal School to-morrow, at 3 p.m.

County Council.— The adjourned meeting of the Council of the County of Selwyn will be held at noon to-morrow, in the Provincial Council Chamber. Sheep foe the OHATHAMSi— The Seabird, brigantine, takes to the Ghathams some splendid sheep that have been purchased by Messrs Ritchie and Kerr, of those islands. The former gentleman has bought fifty ewes and one ram from Mr Boys, of Bangiora, while Mr Kerr has purchased six rams from Mr Marcroft’s celebrated flock. No doubt these animals will tend to greatly improve the Chatham Island sheep.

Trial op the New Reaper and Binder. —A private trial of the new reaping and binding machine recently imported by Mr John Anderson, of the Canterbury Foundry, and purchased from him by Mr A. F, Gray, Avonhead, took place yesterday in a field of oats belonging to Mr Boon, Riccarton. The oats were barely ripe, and owing to the strong north-west wind of Sunday last were twisted in many places. The crop would average over fifty bushels to the acre. Notwithstanding these drawbacks the machine did its work well, tying the sheaves into any sized bundles that the person in charge of the machine liked, and pitching them from five to six feet clear of the line of the horses, thus leaving a clean track for the next round. It is usual in America to work three horses abreast, but yesterday only two horses were used, and owing to the smooth way in which the machinery worked they did not seam to be distressed in the least—in fact they did not “ turn a hair.” It must be satisfactory to both Mr Anderson and Mr Gray, as it was to the few gentlemen who were present, to see that this, the latest addition to our labor-saving machinery, is so great a success. We advise all who wish to see the machine at work to pay a visit to Mr goon’s farm, at Upper Riccarton, to-morrow, when they will have an opportunity of inspecting it.

Dunedin Hospital. —The Guardian of the sth instant says “ Sir John L. Richardson, on behalf of the Committee of Management of the Dunedin Hospital, had an interview with the Hon the Commissioner of Customs yesterday, with the view of ascertaining the intentions of the Government with reference to the future maintenance of that useful institution. The reply received was that the present committee would have the management anci control of the hospital in the meantime, and that the Government had arranged to provide sufficient funds for carrying on the institution till June next. After that he was not in a position to say distinctly what would be done, but he understood that the citizens would be called upon to contribute to the support of the hospital, the Government allowing a subsidy of £2 for every £1 contributed. Mr M'Lean considered that the present state of the Treasury would prevent the Government from supporting these charitable institutions in the same way as the Provincial Councils had done, and the burden would have to be partly borne by the local authorities. The report of the meeting was submitred at a private meeting of the hospital committee held subsequently in the University Library. It was suggested that the funds required might be raised by public subscription, but the committee seemed to think that a general tax on the community would afford a more certain source of income, aud for that reason would be preferable. What further transpired it is impossible to say, as the members of the committee declare they are “groping in the dark” themselves, aud the representatives of the Press are strictly excluded from their meedngs,”