NEWS OF THE DAY.

Globe, Volume VIII, Issue 876, 16 April 1877, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Acclimatisation. —The Waitaki County Council have voted £SO towards the expense of stocking the Waitaki, Kakanui, and Waianakarua rivers with salmon fry. Thk Fishhook Case.—As will he seen by our report of the meeting; of the C.J.C., on Saturday, the action of the Oamaru Jockey Club in reference to Fishhook was endorsed by the club.

Blood Stock.—At Mr Studholme's sale of stoi'k at Oamaru, a few days ago, a two-year old colt by the well-known horse Detractor, belonging to Mr 11. Gardner, of Timaru, fetched £IOO.

SWAMP Land. —As showing the value of some swampy land when properly drained, the Southland Times mentions that Mr M'Crostie, of Spar Bush, thrashed out the other day 320 bushels of oats as the yield of a patch of three acres of land, which last season, had been brought under cultivation for the first; time. The Tadmor Rush. —The litest news from the Tadmor, Nelson, is that nothing has been found beyond the first patch, owing to the great difficulty experienced in sinking by the immense body of wafer met with in the flat. Several parties are prospecting, and are hopeful of sood results. In proof of the remunerative character of the ground first opened, the Nelson Times mentions that Parata and party made £ls per man for last week's work.

Kumara Water-Race. The Kumara water-race has been completed, and a number of claims have availed themselves of the supply. It is estimated that £IO,OOO to £12,000 worth of gold will be washed out of the paddocks which the race commands. One effect of the race is, that the once clear waters of the Tercmakau are now, from the outlet of the tail-race, muddy. Fatal Accident at Waimate. —On Thursday last a man named Ben. Bailey, whilst walking beside a loaded bullock-dray, in stepping aside to make room for a horse to pass, came too near one of the polers; the bullock kicked him, and he fell under the wheel, which went over his chest, causing immediate death. Bailey was only about six months married. Mr Butcher, who was with deceased at the tune, saw the occurrence, but could not save deceased. Poet Chalmers Railway Tunnel. — With respect to the Deborah Bay Tunnel the Dunedin Star says nothing has been done at the south end since October, 1871, when the works were stopped, except the lining, it being impossible to proceed with the driving till the lining was completed. This was done last week, and head-driving resumed, and from the nature of the material at the other end, it is confidently expected that the tunnel will be pierced within six months.

Presentation. —Some private friends of Messrs Pooley and Bramhallmade a presentation to them" on board the Ringarooma on Saturday last. The shape which this expression of' good-will took was a purse of fifty sovereigns to the two gentlemen named and a gold ring to Mr Pooley. Several speeches were made on the occasion, and a pleasant afternoon was spent by those taking part in the affair.

G-A iktv Tu ioatuk.--Mr Hall is to be congratulated alike on the recent addition? t o his company and also on the success of the pieces he is putting on the boards, which are of a class well within the scope of his corps dramathpie. Besides, they afford him an opportunity of displaying to the full his undoubted talent as a burlesque actor. The opening piece on Saturday evening was the well-known musical burlctta, "The Loan of a Lover," which served to reintroduce to Ohristchurch playgoers Miss Bessy Vivian, Mr Hooper, and Mr Love. Miss Vivian as G-ortrude was very good, and Miss Laura Wiseman made a charming Ernestine. Mr Hall's Peter Spyke was appropriately phlegmatic and funny, and Mr Hooper's Captain Amerfort fairly successful. The burlesque was "Black Eyed Susan," and it was put on the stage admirably, and with the exception of one or two little defects went well. Miss Laura, Wiseman was the William, and made a very piquante little sailor of the ideal type, and danced, and sang, and shivered her timbers appropriately. She sang " Flirting in the moonlight" fairly, but it is scarcely suited to her voice. Miss Bessy Vivian was capitel as Susan. Her dancing was good, and her dialogue was rendered, as burlesque should be, smartly. She sang " I think of thee" very nicely, and danced a double hornpipe with "Teat spirit. Mr Hall's Captain Crosstree it is hardly possible to describe. From tirst to last he kept the house in a roar. He gave a double song and dance capitally, and a dance which may be termed cosmopolitan, as it had a little of every country in it. Mr Hooper was also very good as Dame Hartley. He dances with grace, and makes up excellently for the softer sex, and his re-appearance was a success. The other parts were fairly filled, and when the minor characters get so as to be able to give their portion of the dialogue witli smartness, the piece should have a long run. There are a number of bright lively choruses in the piece, and generally it is very attractive. The same bill will fee repeated this ev«iiug.

Sri)i>Ex Death at Otaio.—A man named Anthony Dougherty was found dead in his tent at Otaio on the morning of the 12th inst. Deceased was seen the previous evening, and appeared in his usual state of good health. As he did not come to his work the next morning one of his fellow workmen went to look after him, and found him quite dead in his tent. At the inquest Mounted-Constable Conneli said he had searched deceased's clothes and tent, and in a small bag lie found two deposit receipts of the Bank of New Zealand—one for C 573, and the other for £l3O (produced) ; also, a receipt from Manchester Bros, and Goldsmith for £22 15s, as part payment of sections of land in Waimate. In his trousers pocket he found £5 ill notes, a half-sovereign, lis in silver, and 9 id in coppers, three pocketbooks, and two letters. The medical evidence showed that death resulted from a rupture of a blood vessel in the left lung. A verdict of "Death from natural causes," was returned.

SuiiDivisrox of Cor> T TiES. —At Cromwell, a deputation waited upon the Hon. D. Reid, when there were represented to him the reasons which induced a desire for the formation of a new county separate from Vincent County. Mr Reid, in rsply, said he might at once say he was opposed tq the subdivision of counties on principle, as lvj thought it would be a mistake. There might be special instances in which an exception would hold, but generally, he thought small counties would be a great mistake. It would be better, in his opinion, to amalgamate and make them larger. In the particular case of Vincent County there might be strong local reason for making an exception. He believed in some cases that it would be better to have small counties with communities of interests rather than large ones without. He did not think it woidd be wise, however, to encourage the idea that separate counties could be easily obtained, as it would give no end of trouble. The petition from that or any other community would be considered fairly and without bias.

The Late Suicide in "Wellington.— The unfortunate man Arthur Petersen, who shot himself on Monday week, is said by the Post, to have been the son of a most distinguished Norwegian gentleman, who had held many of the highest offices in the Kingdom of Norway, and who had received the highest marks of favor his royal master could bestow upon him. The late Arthur Petersen arrived in the colony about three years ago. He took a situation as schoolmaster at the Scandinavian Settlement, Seventy-Mile Bush, but in consecpienee of a disagreement between him and the English schoolmaster stationed at the place he gave up his situation and came to Wellington, where he resided up to the time of his death, earning a livelihood by working as an ordinary laborer. Latterly he became despondent and took to drinking, with the awful result already known. lie was a Master of Arts of the University of Christiana, and was distantly related to a late Danish monarch, lie also held a commission in the German Legion during the Crimean war, in which he fought. His family have been left in very distressed circumstances.

Induction at Cust.—The Presbyterians of Oxford and Cust met together at the latter place on Thursday, April sth, for the purpose of witnessing the induction of the Rev. N. McCallum to the pastorate of the newlyformed congregation. The induction scrvic -s were held in the old schoolhouse, which was filled by an attentive audience. The Rev. J. Macintosh, of Sefton, preached, after Avhich the Rev. C. Fraser, of St. Andrew's, Christchurch, put the usual questions to the minister elect. These having been satisfactorily answered, he was then inducted as pastor of the charge. The Rev. Mr Fraser afterwards shortly addressed the newly-inducted minister; and the Rev. J. Elmslie, of St. Paul's. Christcliureh, addressed the congregation. At the close of the service the usual welcome was given to their minister by the retiring congregation. A tea-meeting was held in the new schoolhouse, Cust, on the evening of the same day, the Rev. N. McCallum in the chair. The large building was completely filled, there being from 200 to 300 persons present. The tables were copiously supplied, and gracefully presided over by Mesdames Higgins, Conway, Wotherspoon, MeClinton, Grant, Webster, Crommie, McLachlan, and Bennett. Duriug the evening addresses were

delivered by several of the reverend gentlemen present, and also by Messrs Higgins and Early. The Misses Higgins and the Misses Searell contributed several choice selections of instrumental music, these being varied by the singing of a number of Mr Sankey's hymns, with pianoforte accompaniment by Mr Searell, junior. The evening's proceedings, ■which were most enjoyable throughout, terminated about 9.30 p.m.