NEWS OF THE DAY.

Globe, Volume VIII, Issue 833, 23 February 1877, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

A i.l England Match —The Domain Board have made an opening in the cricket ground fence at the north-west corner of the vtouncl, by which persons, especially ladies, will be able to reach the grand stand from the upper gate in the avenue, instead of entering at the main entrance end having to pass tho crowd the whole length of the ground. Gift Drawing.—The drawing for Messrs Seath and Go’s gifts came off last evening at the Oddfellows’ Hall, and was well attended, fhe value cf prizes given was £IOOO, and the drawing was superintended by Messrt A, Duncan, J. G, Hawkes, Wm, Jameson, VV. F, Warner, and J. 11. Johnson, Thickets, >-os 1255, 9251, 2357 won the £75 bjo, mi Dely,

Sporting-,—We remind owners of horses (ha. the nominations for rim Dunedin Autumn Meeting close to monuw, Sklwyn County Council. A meeting of the County Council was held to-day at°the Government Buildings. Mr Tancred’s motion, that a portion of the .Act only he brought into force, was carried, only one voting against it. Waste Lands and Purvey Departments. —The offices of the above departments will be closed on Monday next, and Lom coon on the two following days The Waste Lands Board will not sit on Monday, Tor Armagh street Fire.— lt ia thought that tne fire which occurred in the budding at the rear of Mr Bishop’s house yesterday morning was not accidental, as some man who has been identified was seen about the premises a short time prior to the fire breaking out. It ia stated that the police arc at present investigating the matter. Kaupoi Regatta.— A meeting of the committee was held on Wednesday evening, at the Borough Council Chamber. Present —Dr Dudley (commodore), Messrs Eckersley, Wearing, Moore, Fraser, Sims, Dawson, Balch. Burnip, and Brooke (hon sec). It was resolved that the secretary write to Mr Rolleston, relative to a grant to the regatta as in former years. It was decided that the rules in force at last regatta should be adopted for both sailing and rowing races. A programme was drawn up, including a four-oared sweepstake race, champion fouroared race, junior do, senior pair-oar race, junior do, double sculls race and Eob Roy canoe race, boys’ and men’s swimming matches. After passing some other business, the committee adjourned till next Wednesday. City Improvements —As the channelling and formation of the footpaths in the centre of the city io drawing to a close, the city surveyor has been turning his attention for some little time past to the outskirts, and it must be said that the improvements lately made in some localities have been most marked. In Cambridge terrace particularly this is very noticeable, as the portions between Antigua and Barbadoes streets, and Montreal street and the Hospital bridge, have been entirely remodelled, by the addition of concrete channels, a wider road of good form and width, the hollows filled up b tween the road aud river, and the banks uniformly sloped throughout. All that ia now required to render these improvements complete would be a few evergreen bushes planted along the banks, and tbe slopes laid down in grass. The North belt near the Carlton and Park terrace have also undergone considerable change, and at the present time a strong party of workmen are transforming the appearance of the East belt.

Manilla Flax —We (Auckland Stan) have received a sample of Manilla lias, grown at the Great Barrier. The plants were put in the ground in a very young state, about four years ago, and have not been subjected to any cultivation whatever. The leaves are about 3ft 6in to 4Et in length, and are much thicker and solider than the Now Zealand flax. When cut, they are comparatively dry, and are wholly destitute of the gummy exudations peculiar to the phormium tenax. The fibre is also very strong, and is much more easily prepared than that of the indigenous plant. Mr Blair, upon whose land the fl»x has been grown, expresses his opinion that there would be no difficulty in cultivating any quantity of it in this part of the colony, and, moreover, that it would very much improve upon the present specimens if properly attended to. These specimens are very interesting, and in the face of the present market depreciation of Phormium tenax may well afford a subject for profitable discussion at the next Acclimatisation Society meeting.

Masonic.—The brethren hailing under the Scotch constitution residing in Christchurch, having obtained a warrant from the G L, in Dunedin, for the establishment of a new lodge to be called the Robert Burns Lodge, tho ceremony of consecration and installation of officers took place yesterday. In the absence of any Grand Lodge officers under the S.O, it was performed by the R.W. District G.M. of the E.Q, Bro W. Donald, asaibted by the DD G.M. Bro H. Thomson, and other Grand Lodge officers. The cere ; mony, which was most impressive, took place in the St Augustine Masonic Hall, and was attended by a number of brethren of sister lodges, working under other constitutions. The musical part was most efficiently rendered by Bro Hodge, assisted by several other brethren. After the consecration had been duly carried out according to ancient custom, the W.M, elect of the new lodge, Bro P. J, Parker, was installed, and he then invested and installed his officers for the ensuing year. In the evening the brethren, together with a number of visiting brethren, banquetted together at Quill’s Restaurant, Cashel street. The usual loyal and Masonic toasts were given and responded to, and the party separated after spending a very pleasant evening.

The Late Cyclone in the Bay op Bengal.—“ The aspect worn by all the cyclone smitten portions of the district of Chittagoi g,’’ says a correspondent in the Times of India of December 30th, “ is still very gloomy and sad. In Hatlya, Sundeep, and in many other places, corpses yet remain unburied, thickly scattered about in every direction, particularly along the banka of the lihals and chirs, and in the tanks, or in whatever places where they settled down and found their rest on the subsiding of the floods. In very many instances the bodies are still perfect, with every feature recognisable. This is owing to their having floated about in the aalt water and become impregnated with salt. The survivors of the cyclone are seen wandering' about from place to place, ignorant or insensible, to all appearance, as to both their present and future purposes. They seem to have drowned in the thought of their present wants all ideas of the numerous losses they have so lately sustained of kindred and property, I myself frequently meet them with deep traces of heavy sorrow ami loss in tLeir countenances, and enveloped apparently in some half developed thought as to where they shall go or what they shall do in the dark unknown region o! the future, whither they are sorrowfully wending their way. The look of the country grows daily more and more wretched and forlorn, in pro. portion as the cold season advances, and-the injured vegetation dies and rots. I learn that in those localities where the cyclone proved most destructive to life, many of the surviving crops will shortly wither away and spoil for want of sufficient haadfl to do tfco oi gatbQjjpg the® in.

CHRISTCHURCH CHESS CLUB —This club is now an established success, aod owing to the steady accession of members the com mittee have found it necessary 10 obtain a fresh supply of boards and chessmen Last evening being the weekly club night, the room was crowded, and some very interesting plaj w&sexhioited. It is proposed lo hold a tournament shortly. Colombo Eoad Church of England Parochial District. —A meeting of rosi dents and subscribers to the fund for building a church in this neighborhood was held last evening to receive the report of the building committee, and to nominate vesteymen. The Rev H. B. Cocks occupied the chair, and read the report, which showed that the sum of £4OO (including a grant from the church property trustees; had been promised. The chairman laid on the table the plans which were recommended by the committee, and which were drawn for the erection of a building 50ft in length and 25ft in width intended for the nave of a permanent church, and to which aisles can be added; it having been considered the best plan to build the full width at once, and to extend the length as necessity may arise. The design, which was furnished by Mr Marley, was cordially approved by the meeting, and the opinion expressed that no time should be lost in proceeding with the building. The requisite number of names for a vestry was suggested, and will be forwarded to the Bishop, who has the appointing of vestrymen in parochial districts. The meeting separated, feeling that now there is a prospect of some active steps being taken in the interest of this locality.