NEWS OF THE DAY

Globe, Volume VIII, Issue 865, 3 April 1877, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY

Timaru Races. — The “privileges” at these races were sold on Saturday, and realised £266 ss, the price given for the takings at the gates being £122.

District of St. John’s. —The election of two synodsmen for the district of St. John’s will take place to-morrow. Nominations must be left with Mr Ileskcth at the Railway Station, not later than 4 p.m. on Wednesday. Leeston Wesleyan Church. —The quarterly meeting was held in Leeston Church on the morning of March 26. There were present the Rev. P. W. Eairclough (chairman), Messrs Overton and Waby (circuit stewards), and five other members. The income was £6O 12s 3d, and the expenditure £56 18s Id.

Coal in Southland. —Mr K. MTvor Ims brought to the News office, Invercargill, a sample of coal from a now scam he met with recently in the course of an excursion in the Te Anau district. It is fully equal to the bituminous coal of Mount Hamilton, and is believed to compare favorably with the Grey Yalley coal. Painful Accident. —A distressing accident has occurred at Brunnerton to a lad sixteen years of age, named Charles Curtis. He was playing with a dynamite cartridge, and whilst probing it with a pin it suddenly exploded and blew away three fingers of his left hand. Nominated Immigration.—The nominations of persons as immigrants left with Mr F. LeCren, the immigration officer at Timaru, during the past month, for transmission by tho outgoing mail, represent 35 souls, equal to 32i adults, their nationalities being as follows : —lrish, 22 ; English, 9^-; Scotch, 1.

Mr. Charles Bright.—The committee of Mr Bright’s lectures in Dunedin have reported that 120 out of 150 season tickets had been disposed of, and that Mr Bright had consented to remain for another six months. The Guardian adds that “a number of freethought and spiritualistic airs will bo arranged.” Art Union.—Melbourne papers mention that several residents in New Zealand were prize-winners in the annual art union for Mr Montague’s paintings. The total value of the paintings drawn for was £4OO, arranged in twenty-live prizes. The principal prize, valued at 50 guineas, was won by Mr M. Taylor.

The Licensing Laws. — The Dunedin police have determined to try the question us to the closing of public-houses on Sunday by summoning Thomas H. Dodson, of the Empire Hotel, for an alleged breach of the law. Mr Dodson is equally determined to have the question thoroughly argued, and the informahas been adjourned till Monday. Sun Fish. —A fine specimen of this fish was exhibited on ‘the North Canterbury racecourse on Monday by Mr Ingram, Beach Glen Farm, near Woodend. The fish was found on Good Friday morning, beached on the Kaiapoi sands. It measured 7 feet in length, and about 7 feet 6 inches round the middle. It lived up to mid-day on Saturday, in spite of attempts made to kill it by stabbing. Population of Kumaka. —The Kumara paper on reliable information, gives the following estimate of the population of that goldfield ; —Miners act ually engaged at mining, 2750; business, trades, &c, 800; bushmen and laborers, 250; women, 286; children, 498 ; total, 4584. During the past and present month there has been an increase in the number of women and children, but to no very large extent. [lt is noteworthy that there are only four Chinamen on the field.

Advertising Debtors’ Names. — At the last meeting of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce, a letter was received from persons living in Greytown, in which the writer complained that Captain Thomas had advertised the names of certain persons as debtors to an estate of which he was trustee, while at the same time they had paid their debts and held receipts showing that such was the case. The members;; of the Chamber were of opinion that they had nothing to do with the matter, but Captain Thomas requested permission to make an explanation. Captain Thomas, having obtained permission, said that he was a trustee in the estate of William Anderson, of Greytown. There was £2OOO worth of book debts, and as the money could not bo got in he advertised the names of the debtors. Unfortunately, the names of two or three persons who had paid were included in the list by mistake, and this was the cause of the complaint. The mistake had occurred in consequence of the fact that Anderson had not kept any books, but it was rectified at once. This explanation was considered quite satisfactory to the Chamber, and a motion to that effect was moved and carried.

Accident to Bannerman the Cricketer. —The accident by which Bannennan was disabled when playing in the Australian match is thus described in the Arcjns —“ Suddenly a most lamentable accident happened, for Bannerman, whom the Englishmen could not bowl, and who woidd not give them catches, was disabled, and had to quit the ground in great pain. A ball from Ulyctt (whose terrific speed is his great characteristic) hit the unprotected middle finger of the batsman’s right hand, and split it to the bone. Bannerman had gloves on, but from the last joint of the middle finger the imliarubbcr was gone. Attention was promptly given to the hurt by the medical gentlemen in the pavilion, and the damage found to be serious enough to render it necessary for Bannerman to give up all play for the day, as well as to leave it doubtful, "whether he would be able to do further work in the match.”