NEWS OF THE DAY

Globe, Volume VIII, Issue 874, 13 April 1877, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY

Pach Horses. —Afr Logan’s Dead Heat and Cloth of (Told, and Air Watts’ Hippocampus arrived per the s.s. Taranaki yesterday. Xoimi Canterbury Races. —After the settling up for these races it is expected that there will be a balance in hand of nearly £7O.

Gaiety Theatre.—The bill of the preceding evening was repeated most successfully at this t heatre last night. To-night “ Ixion ” will be played for the last time.

Abolition of Port Arthur Gaol—Bv files to hand per Ringarooma, we sec that the Ministry of Tasmania have decided upon carrying out the instructions of Parliament, on the motion of Air Douglas some years ago, for the dis-cstahlishment of that seat of corruption, Port Arthur. The prisoners will be transferred to other gaols.

The Raglan Run.—-The Auckland papers continue to notice the steps being taken by Messrs Studholme, Russell, and Young for the improvement of this run, reporting the arrival of b‘ooo sheep by the steamer Southern Cross, and the intention to send up a large quantity of grass seed to extend the cultivated acreage. Mutual Improvement Association.—At the meeting of this association, which took place on \\ ednesday night, inaugural addresses were delivered by the Revs Alessrs Morley and Smalley, which were of a very interesting character. Readings and recitations by several members followed, with the usual criticism thereon. There was a good attendance of members and also of visitors. The subject for discussion next week will be Air J. L. Wilson’s paper on “ Mental Science.”

Calcutta Sweep.— There was a Calcutta sweep at Morten’s Hotel on the Great Autumn Handicap last evening, the value of which was £59 13s. The following were the prices obtained: —Templeton, £6; Danebury, £2 ; Fishhook, £4; Puriri, £5; Fallacy, £10; Guy Fawkes, £5 ; Isaac Walton, £2; Cloth of Gold, £5 ; Mangle, £3 ; Muritana, £2 ; Punga, £8 ; Bribery, £8 ; Titania, £o. Eclat, Tattler, Laura, Jasper, and Elfin King were not sold.

Sunday School Conference. —A largelyattended meeting of ladies and gentlemen interested in Sunday-school teaching was held last evening at the College library. The clergymen from the various parishes in and around Christchurch were present, and after refreshments had been partaken of, the most Rev. the Primate took the chair, and opened the proceedings with prayer. His Lordship said they had met together that evening to promote the teaching of children in the Sunday schools of the diocese, and to take the best means for increasing the efficiency of these schools. Religious instruction should not alone be confined to Sunday-schools, and parents should remember that "instruction of this nature should also be imparted at home. The system of education in the public schools made the necessity all the greater of increased attention being bestowed on religious instruction of children. There was one danger that teachers had to guard against, and that was teaching sentimental religion, by appealing more to the feelings of the children, than to the doctrinal facts contained in our creeds. Speaking from his experience as a Sunday-school teacher, he would advise all teachers to dwell strongly on facts and truths contained in the creeds of their religion and commandments. The filthiness of all sin, lying, and deceit should be impressed upon children, and the wrong done to God, as well as to themselves and their neighbor. His Lordship then referred to many persons going to church more for tlie purpose of hearing a certain preacher than of worshipping their Creator, and to the practice of three-fourths of congregations never going on their knees or joining in the responses during the services, and in conclusion exhorted Sunday school teachers not (o rest satisfied with teaching in the schools alone, but also to visit tHe children in their own homes, and thus become teachers qf parents as well as of children. He accepted the large attendance that evening as an evidence of the responsibilities felt of the duty they owed one another in promoting unity to further the work for which they had met together. The Very Rev the Dean after some remarks, during which ho pointed out that the necessity for forming such a Sunday school association was now all the greater, as it was rumoured that even the little opportunity given of imparting religious instruction in schools was about to be taken away under a purely secular system which it was stated was to be introduced by the (government next session of the Assembly. If this ip ten? tion were correct he lipped that petition? would be got up and largely signed, so that each churchman' might at least clear his squj from complicity in such Godless work, f Hear, hear.] After dwelling upon the duty of parents instilling the principles of religion into their children at homo, he moved the following resolution —That it is desirable to form a Diocesan Sunday School Association for the purpose of securing greater unity and efficiency in Sunday School work.” Mr H. T\. Webb seconded the resolution. After remarks from the Revs H. C. M. Watson, H. B. Cocks, and T. Flavell, in which the new Education Bill which it is rumoured is I o be introduced by the Ministry was referred to, the resolution was put and carried unanimously. Rev H. B. Cocks moved —“ That a provisional committee be now appointed for the purpose of bringing such association into practical working.” Sir Thomas Tuncrcd seconded the resolution. The motion was supported by other speakers, who referred at length to the great necessity existing now of taking every means to increase the efficiency of Sunday schools, and on its being put was carried unanimously. It was resolved, on the motion of the Rev. T. Flavell. supported by other speakers —“ That the Bishop, the clergy now present, and the Superintendent or one representative of each Sunday school represented at this meeting be constituted the provisional committee with power to add to their number.” The meeting was closed with prayer. The pleasure of the evening’s prof ccedihgs was increased by some excellent instrumental' and Vocal selections given by Madame, Mis?, aitf Mr W»tef.

Dr Hocbstetter’s Work. —The Edinburgh correspondent of the Otago Times mentions that Dr Hochstetter’s work on New Zealand forms only a small part of a much larger work, embracing the whole of the scientific results of the Novara’s voyage. Tins great work was only completed last month, after seventeen years’ labor, and at a cost of nearly £13,000. It consists of twenty-one volumes, and the series is sold at 391 florins, or nearly £4O. The Emperor of Austria lias ordered a number of copies to be given away to public institutions and libraries in his own empire, as well as in foreign countries. The correspondent suggests that the Council or the Otago University should bestir themselves to obtain a copy of this valuable work for the library of that institution. Sale of Land at Kakanul Oh featurdav last there was a sale of lands belonging to the New Zealand Meat Preserving Company, situate at Kakanui and Allday Hay. There was a very large attendance of both local and outside buyers, and considerable interest was evinced by owners of land in the district, the sale being looked upon as a test of the value of land in the neighborhood. The first lots submitted were the small sections in River View', Kakanui, containing about one acre, which fetched from £l2 10s to £SO each, the buyers being nearly all Kakanui men. The suburban sections at Kakanui and the bav realised from £8 to £l6 per acre. Dr. Jenner. —Dr. .Tenner seems to have been courting notoriety by espousing the cause of Mr Tooth. The Edinburgh correspondent of the Otago Times mentions that on the Lewisham road, about a mile and a half from Mr Tooth’s church, there is another Ritualistic church (St. Stephen’s), whose incumbent is a Mr Bristow. On Sunday, January 28th, there was a grand service in the church, in the course of which special sympathy w ith Mi Tooth was expressed. The London Times reports that the service commenced with a procesiion of the choir and clergy, headed by a cross-bearer, and adds: —“ The Rev. _Mr Bristow and two other priests who assisted him in the celebration all wore richly embroidered vestments, and the Bishop of Dunedin, New Zealand, in his full Bishop’s robes, brought up the rear, immediately preceded by an attendant bearing the crozicr and pastoral staff.” . Suicide ix Wellixcitox. -A painful sensation has been created in Wellington by the news that a man had shot himself in the Adelaide road. The body of the man was lying on a bed, the upper part of his head being shattered to pieces. A short rifle was lying between his legs. It appears that while the family were at breakfast, Petersen went into the room where the rifle and ammunition were kept, and soon afterwards a sound was heard as if a charge was being rammed into the weapon. A minute or two after this Petersen ran into the room where his family were sitting, with the rifle in his hand. On being asked where he was going, he replied, “I am after some people outside. He looked out, and then said, “ I am too late ; they are gone.” He then went into his bedroom, savin'7 ', “Pray for me,” and shut and locked the door. A few seconds afterwards an explosion was heard. Petersen had been drinking for some time past, and it is believed that he was suffering from tlic effects of liquor when lie shot himself. Items— The Bank of New Zealand has owned an agency at Ifawera, in the North Island. —The Queen’s Theatre, Dunedin, has boon opened under the leadership of Messis Clinton, and Poole. —The Christchurch Loop Line, Greenstone, and Ross roads are declared county roads by the Westland Council. —During the three months ending the 31st March last the quantity of coal brought by rail from the Brunner mine was 6100°tons.*—It is alleged that gold has been discovered near Carterton, in the "Wellington Provincial district. —Information has reached Greymouth that Henry Dufty, one of the prospectors of the celebrated Darkies Terrace diggings, died at the Cape of Good Hope on the 17th November last. —The clerical charge of Picton is vacant. The Rev. Mr Miles was offered it, but declined.—At Jones’s Flat, near Brunnerton, Henry Stephens was on Tuesday killed by a tunnel falling in upon him—The Jlohart Town Mercury calculates that the export of tin ore from ’Tasmania in 18/7 will fall not far short in value of £IOO,OOO.—A fortune of five millions sterling has been left by an Irishman named O’Keefe, who died recently in India, without immediate heirs.