NEWS OF THE DAY.

Globe, Volume VIII, Issue 890, 2 May 1877, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Primitive Methodist Church. —The anniversary tea meeting, in connection with this church, will be held to-morrow evening, at 6.30.

Compensation.— All officers lately in tbe employ of the Government, and interested in the question of compensation for loss of office, arc requested to meet at AVarner’s Hotel at eight, o’clock on Friday evening. The Australian Blondjn. —lt is stated that Air L’Estrange, the Australian Blondin, lias pledged himself to cross the Falls of Niagara within twelve months from the present time. He has successfully repeated his performance at Sydney. AV. G. Grace," the Cricketer. —Air AA r . G. Grace is to have a testimonial. Lord Fitzhardinge is leading the movement, and the ATarylebono Club, the Gloucestershire Club, and the Clifton Club, are setting to work with a will to make the testimonial one worthy of the great batsman. Jem Alace. —Mr James Mace, the famous English pugilist, is now in Alelbourne, and is to give his “statuesque illustrations” in the Princess’s Theatre. He will also spar with Christie, Foley, of New South AValcs, and any other person volunteering. The representations of classical statuary arc highly spoken of. Serious Accident. —Yesterday a very serious accident happened to a farmer named Turner, residing on the Harewood road. AVhile in the act of unloosing a bull, the animal rushed him. One of the horns penetrated bis thro t inflicting a frightful wound. The animal also trampled on him and broke his legs, and inflicted such other injuries as rendered his recovery totally hopeless. Cooper and Bailey’s Shows. —The Melbourne Herald says it is stated that the profits made by Messrs Cooper, Bailey, and Co., out of their Australian trip up to the time they left Tasmania, amounted to over £17,000, and this sum is exclusive of what has been realised out of the two side shows, which are under a separate management, although travelling as one company. Mr Domett. —The New Zealand Herald mentions that Mr Domett, the well-known cx-Alinister in this colony, and the author of the lino poem, “ Ranoli and Amohia,’ has in the hands of the publishers, Smith and Elder, a volume of poems to bo called “ flotsam and Jetsam; Rhymes Old and New.” The book will contain thirty pieces, all of which arc new except six, which were published in Blackwood years ago.” Fearful Accident. — A fright fid accident lias taken place at Kelmca. Seven men, working on (lie new bridge over the Alurray, were hoisting fifty tons of iron and stone with a largo crane, when the holt giving way, the whole mass fell a depth of forty foot, crushing the men fearfully. A special train conveyed the sufferers to the Bendigo Hospital. One man, named Godfrey, died in the train, and three others are not expected to live.

MASONIC. —Intelligence has been received hv the Right Worshipful Master of Sir AValler Scott Lodge, Grahamstown, that the appointment of F. Whitaker, Esq., as Provincial Grand Master of the Scottish Lodges in the North of New Zealand, has been most favorably received by the Grand Lodge of Scotland, and that the working of the New Zealand lodges will be materially benefited thereby. The Grand installation may be expected to take place in a few months, with deputies from all the sister lodges.

Senseless Hoax. —On the 15th February, a fishing boat picked up at sea, four miles south of Boulogne, a bottle containing a letter from the Agent General of New Zealand, addressed to Alfred Scrihbcn, Bristol, on the back of which was written in pencil, “ AVaipa lost wit h all hands, October 30th, 1876.” The publication of the discovery elicited an immediate response from the manager of the New Zealand Shipping Company, to the effect that the AVaipa. arrived at Lyttelton, all well, on January 24th. The supposed message from the sea must, therefore, have been another of those senseless and criminal hoaxes which are so shamefully common.

Duplicate Telegraph Service. —One of (he passengers to England by the steamer Durham was Captain Auclley Cooto,tho agent for Siemens Bros., cable contractors, whose proposals for a duplication of the presen* telegraphic service with India and Europe came before the recent conference at Sydney. It is understood that Captain Coote goes homo to lay before his principals certain proposals that have been made, which would give these colonies an independent duplicate service, and that he will return in November next with full power to carry out the original scheme or any mollification of it to its completion.

Lyttelton Town Clock. — Since Thursday night at 8 p.m. this clock lias ceased to strike, though it keeps excellent time. Inquiries are made on all sides respecting this, and it is to be hoped it frill soon be remedied, Lyttelton Borough Council. —A special meeting of this Council to hear objections to the burgess list was held on Monday night. There being none, the burgess list was duly certified. The ordinary meeting of the Council was adjourned to this (Wednesday) evening, at the usual hour. Chess.— Some time ago Mr liookham, who holds the position of best chess-player in Canterbury, sent a challenge to Mr Benbow, of the Wellington Chess Club, to play three games. "We now notice by the Post that the challenge has been accepted, and that the games will be played shortly by letter. The Gaiety. —The farce of “ The 'Wandering Minstrel,” and the burlesque of “Cinderella,” followed by the harlequinade, formed the bill at the Gaiety last night. The burlesque went capitally throughout, Miss Wiseman, Miss Bessy Vivian, and Messrs Hall, Hooper, Keeley and the other members of the company entering most thoroughly into the spirit of the piece. In the harlequinade the comicalities of Messrs Hall a id Wilkinson, as clown and pantaloon, ai.d dancing of Miss Bessy Vivian and Mr Hooper, as columbine and harlequin, evoked loud laughter and applause. To-night the same bill will be repeated, and we may say that the pantomime, with its really excellently painted last scene, is well worth a visit. Poisoning at Onehunga. —ln the case of the boy poisoned by drinking the contents of a bottle found on a by-road near Onehunga, a verdict of “Accidental death” was returned. An analysis showed that the bottle contained two grains of strychnine in spirits of wine. Kaiapoi Parish Meeting. —An adjourned meeting of the members of the vestry of the Episcopalian Church was held in the schoolroom on Monday evening. All the members were present, the Rev H. E. Carlyon presiding. The chairman stated that he had attended at Bishopscourt with the minutes of last meeting, but he was informed that the Bishop was at present at Hokitika. It was stated that a copy of the stipend guarantee of last year had not yet been obtained. It was decided that the terrier of the church property be prepared by Mr Birch and Dr Dudley. A conversation took place in regard to signing the stipend guarantee of £2lO for this year. The members of the vestry appointed to canvass for subscriptions, reported that only a small amount had been promised. It was stated that the contributions of the Church Property Trustees and church work extension committee had been received towards the stipend. The amount in arrear at Easter was £52 10s. Since then to a sum of £5 10s the minister’s churchwarden added £47, and the amount of £52 10s was forwarded to the Diocesan Treasurer, who returned £l2 10s, the quarter’s contribution from the trustees, and £6 from the Extension Committee, on receipt of which at Kaiapoi, the £47 was refunded. Some of the vestry expressed their disapproval of this procedure. Dr Dudley moved, Mr AV. AVilsou seconded —“ That the members of the vestry, having canvassed the parish, are not able to obtain any promises of material support, and decline to sign the stipend guarantee.” —Carried. Mr Birch stated that he should sign it. It was decided that a copy of the resolution be sent to the Diocesan Treasurer. The meeting was then adjourned till May 28th, to receive correspondence from the Bishop. Inebriates at Hurunui.— “ An inebriate,” on his appearance for his first offence before the city Bench, is usually discharged on payment of a fine of 5s towards the pay of the police, his lodging, and the salary of the Stipendiary Magistrate, and compared with the state of affairs at Hurunui, he is a fortunate individual. It’s seldom such characters come before the latter Court, not because there is a temperance society in the district, lor, so far as can be learned, there is no such institution, but some months ago a case occurred in which a “drunk and disorderly,” or “drunk and incapable,” as they are technically described in the police sheets, fell into the hands of the law and was fined in the handsome sum of £5, a special entry being attached in the criminal convictions book, “ and well deserved.” Immediately the inebriates (if there were any) took the'hint, and a story was put forth that Mr Mallock did not intend lo harness up his buggy to attend at Hurunui under £5. On Friday last, however, an unwary one, who was found “drunk and disorderly” at the. door of the police officer’s house, was fined the smaller sum of £4 in consideration of having been incarcerated several hours in the lock-up. The fine was paid. Stealing a Kiss. — In the Melbourne County Court, John Miller and Annie Miller (bis wife) sued Stephen F. Croxton for £4O damages, for having assaulted Mrs Miller by attempting to steal a kiss from her. Miller and Croxton are Sandridge cabmen, and it appeared from the evidence that they wore drinking rather heavily in Melbourne on the night of the 12th of March, and then went off together to Miller’s house, in Sandridge. AVlien there they had more drinks, and after (hat Croxton caught hold of Mrs Miller with (he intention of kissing her. She, however, frustrated his efforts and her husband put. Croxton outside, and thrashed him so severely that he had to be taken off at once to the Hospital. In his defence Croxton informed the Court that ho drank so much on the night of the occurrence that he knew nothing of what happened from the time lie left town until the following morning, when ho found himself in the Hospital. His Honour Judge Cope thought that as the plaintiff had taken the law in his own hands, and had punished the defendant so severely as he did, the plaintiffs were not entitled to much further damages. Ho therefore gave a verdict for plaintiffs for 20s, that amount having been paid into Court by defendant before the case commenced, and ordered each party to pay their own costs. The Ptako Swamp. —The Wailtato Timex thus refers to the recent visit of Air Thomas Russell to the AA r aikato district; —“ The visit of Air Thomas Russell to AVaikaio has not been without beneficial results to the district, as we foresaw it would be. The works of the Swamp Company will be recommenced upon a larger scale than ever,and be continued with vigour. Orders have, wo understand, been issued to commence drainage works on a scale hitherto unprecedented in swam]) reclamat ion in this part of New Zealand, and every available dry acre is to be forthwith put under the plough, with the object of laying it down in permanent English grasses and clovers. To enable these works to be carried out with a system, and economically, the estate is to bo at once surveyed, and as soon as this shall have been completed contracts for draining and other works will bo called for. Amongst other matters it is intended to establish two new stations, and tenders will shortly he invited for the erection ol cottages, buildings, &e.”