NEWS OF THE DAY

Globe, Volume VIII, Issue 914, 30 May 1877, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY

The Gaiety. —There was a fair house at the Gaiety last night considering the weather, when Clifford’s Mirror of the World was again exhibited. The various pictures are excellently photographed, and there is about them an air of realism which makes the exhibition thoroughly enjoyable. The views last night included a large portion of London pictures, which were well worth seeing. The Mirror will be exhibited again this evening.

Stewart Island Oysters. Southland papers report that the oystering trade is at present somewhat dull. The Melbourne market lias not yet been developed, the prejudice consequent upon a five days’ passage to a warm climate being hard to break through, although considerable success has been experienced in conveying the oysters in a healthy state to Melbourne. The local demand is not however equal to the supply, and several of the cutters have knocked off, and intend going to try their luck at sealing as soon as the season opens.

Canterbury College.—We understand that , his Excellency the Governor will open the new College buildings at noon on Thursday, the 7th proximo, and that the conversazione and exhibition of works of art will be held on tire same evening at 7.30 in the new Museum buildings. The arrangements for making the conversazione a success are being carried out with great zeal and energy by the committee, and it is expected that everything will pass off pleasantly and satisfactorily.

Tub Eaethquake Wave at Chatham Islands. The following extract from a private letter received by Mr Henry Travers from Mr Thomas Ritchie, of. the Chatham Islands, has been handed to the Wellington Pest as of some interest in connection with the recent tidal wave The Agnes I have had repaired and ready to launch. When we had got her down to the water, on the night of the 11th, tliere came a tremendous sea like a small tidal wave, and washing everything away from under her, left her on the rocks again, but I am glad to say she is not hurt at all. Old Jamie’s place is partly washed away. Beamish’s house was inundated, and the Waitangi bridge washed away.”

Russians Conquered by Americans.— A San Francisco paper states : —“ Another addition must be made to the number of engagements contracted by Russian officials since the arrival in the harbor of San Francisco of the fleet of that nation. It is now reported on the best authority that His Russian Imperial Majesty’s General-Consul, Yaladmer Weletsky, has surrendered at discretion to one of our city belles, and that the wedding will take place in the course of a few weeks. The Russian epidemic has attacked our fashionable ladies so fiercely that nothing short of a visit of the Grand Duke Alexis will satisfy their cravings. Many are buying Oilendorfs in anticipation of such an event.”

The Otari’s Home Passage. —Noticing the home trip of the ship Otald in 66 days, the Wellington Font says: —The voyage only once previously has been done within 70 days, and that just twenty years ago, by the Black Ball clipper Oliver Lang, whose remains still may be seen near Kaiwarra. The Oliver Lang’s famous passage of 68 days has never been equalled since until now, when it has been beaten by the Otald, a feat of which the New Zealand Shipping Company justly may be proud. The two quickest outward passages ever made were both done by their ship the Eangitikei —formerly the Scimitar—viz., 70 days from port to port and 67 from land to land. The Weecic op the Ocean Mail. —Mr Eitchie, the purchaser of the wreck of the Ocean Mail, is said by a Wellington paper not to have been such a gainer by his transaction as he might have been. He apparently thought that with so many sailors on the island he could get cheap labor, and offered a. number of the Ocean Mail men £1 per week to get off goods from the wreck. This the men declined to take ; but the purchaser did not feel disposed to give more. Negotiations went on for some eight or nine days, when squally weather set in, and then the men were enabled to make their own terms, viz., £2 8s per week, work or no work. Owing to the delay caused by haggling over the rate of pay, many hundred pounds’ worth of property was irretrievably lost.

A Stuanok Fisu. —Captain Traill reports that after the recent earthquake wave had receded in Halfmoon Bay, a large fish of a species hitherto unknown even by the oldest inhabitant on the island, was left high and dry on the beach. Traill describes it as being 17ft. long, with a head and blowholes much like a whale. It also has the flukes of a whale, measuring 4ft. 6in. from tip to tip. The most extraordinary feature however is a long bill, formed like the bill of a bird, measuring sft. long and Sin. at the butt, and tapering off to almost nothing at the extreme end. The fish has no teeth, and only one fin besides the flukes. The blubber has been tried out, and thirty-eight gallons of beautiful clear oil secured. Traill intends keeping the skeleton as a curiosity.

Gazette Notices. —Ifc is gazetted that Mr Walter Kitson lias been appointed Inspector o£ Surveys in Canterbury, in the department of the Surveyor-General, and that Mr R. B. Trudgeon has been appointed Accountant and Clerk in Christchurch, in the same department. Mr C. Meyer has been appointed a member of the Licensing Courts of Levels, Timaru, and Mount Cook ; Mr J. A. Gammack member of the Licensing Court for Temuka district, and Mr J. E. Parker member for the Licensing Courts in Waimate and Waitaki. Letters of naturalisation have been issued to William Kissel, Christchurch, and to Andres Knudsen, Pigeon Bay. It is notified that in future original telegrams will be destroyed, after being kept two years, by the General Manager of the department.

1.0.G.T.—0n Monday evening the members of the Sea Shell Lodge, Lyttelton, presented Bro. Geo. Ayers with a very handsome collar. After the usual business of the lodge had been despatched, the Worthy Chief Templar called on Bro. S. 0. Phillips to take the chair and present the gift. Bro. Phillips complying, called the attention of the members to the collar, and stated it had been awarded to Bro. G. Ayers for Ids zeal in gathering to the I.O.GdT. standard the greatest number of members during the past twelve months. The collar is one symbolic of the third degree bearing all ([insignia of that portion of the order, and has on it a silver medal bearing the inscription, “ Presented to Bro. G. Ayers by the members of the Sea Shell Lodge as a reward of merit, May 28th, 1877. On the same evening Bro. G. Dimond made a presentation to the lodge of two very handsome pieces of furniture, for which the hearty thanks of the members -were accorded to him,

Suicide in Gaol. —A man named Brown, who had been remanded on a charge of larceny, hanged himself in his cell in Wellington gaol. The door was found to be locked, but the warder noticed through a grating that a piece of rope was suspended from the ceiling, and on going inside he found Brown hanging by the neck, dead. He dropped from a stool, haring first taken off Ins boots, which wore found near him. He hanged himself with a piece of rope used for tying up his bed. His real name was Taylor, and he was formerly Colour-Sergeant in the 92nd Highlanders, and after that in the 61st Foot, in which regiments he served 23 years, retiring on a pension. He leaves a wife and family. He had not resided long in Wellington, and until lately always bore an excellent character, but latterly he had been addicted to drink, and it was owing to this that he became implicated in a robbery from Duncan’s store.

Intercolonial Reciprocity. —Sir Arthur Kennedy, when opening the Queensland Parliament, alluded to the fact that a provisional agreement had been entered into between the Governments of South Australia and Queensland for the free exchange of certain articles. The South Australian Register learns that “ the proposal emanated from the South Australian Government, and a provisional agreement has been come to between the authorities that all articles being the produce of Queensland or South Australia, together with commodities manufactured from them in the colony where the produce has been grown, with the exception of spirits and tobacco, shall be admitted free of duty into either province. The agreement is to be for a term of five years, and will then be terminable by either of the contracting parties giving six months’ notice of their wish to withdraw. The compact has yet to receive the ratification of the Queensland Parliament, as in that colony there is at present no Act in force authorising the Government to make such a treaty.” Sumner Entertainments. —The first entertainment of the winter series was given in the schoolroom, Sumner, on Monday night. The evening was beautifully fine, and the Christchurch omnibus, laid on for the convenience of visitors, was well patronised. The attendance was very large, over 150 persons being present. The programme included two piano ducts, the “En Route March,” and selections from “I Puritani,” by Miss Marshman and Miss Longdeu ■ two songs,

6"- > “ Lullaby,” and “ Happy be thy dreams,” by Mrs J. S. Monck, with cornet obbligato by Mr Monck ; vocal duet, “ Slowly and softly,” by Miss Miles and Miss E. Marshman; the vocal trio from ,:£ The May Queen,” by Miss Marshman, Messrs Appleby and Hobbs, also “Ti prego,” by the Misses Marshman and Mr Appleby ; Mr Hobbs sang “Simon the Cellarer,” and Mr Xalder contributed two Anglo-Cerman songs. The church choir gave the choruses “ Lot the hills resound,” and as set to “Ring the bell watchman” (solo by Mr Hobbs). Mr R. Black gave two recitations “The vulgar boy,” and another; Mr Taylor also recited “The babes in the wood.” The programme was sufficiently varied to meet the taste of all. The items were well rendered, and everyone seemed pleased. It was announced that the proceeds of the winter entertainments would go to the credit of the church organ fund, and that they would be held every four weeks, and as near the time of full moon as possible. The room was then cleared, and a short dance concluded a very enjoyable evening. The War Hews. — The war news, which was received yesterday, though short, is more significant of Russian progress than any that had previously come. While their advance in the direction of the Danube has been slow, they are evidently carrying on the campaign with rapidity in the Asiatic provinces of Turkey—provinces which were lately described as being the subject of great interest to England, as they may some day become the most direct route to India. According to the telegram, while tire main army is bombarding Kars, other divisions of the forces, probably large armies in themselves, are pushing on towards Erzeroum, and even as far as Diarbekr, a town situated many leagues to the eastward. As described by the authorities, and as marked on the maps, it is situated on'the River Tigris, and at no great distance from the Euphrates, nearly midway between the Russo-Turkish boundary and the Mediterranean. It is a city surrounded by walls, flanked with towers; has numerous mosques, bazaars, khans, and Christian churches; had once a population of 40,000, carrying on extensive manufactures and commerce with Aleppo and Bagdad; but has now not more than 8000 families of mixed nationalities and religions. From the time of Constantins it has been a place of strength and importance, and lias been the scene of battle or massacre in many ages. It is apparently, as predicted by politicians, to the operations of Russia in the east, rather than in the west, that attention will soon be most directed. The Late Suicide at Creymouth.— The Argris, in its account of the suicide of one of the compositors in that office, says: — “ A most painful sensation was caused in town, when it became known that John K. Reay, a son of Mr Robert Rcay, Tainui street, had been found dead in his bed, the cause of his death having been a gunshot wound on the right side of the head immediately above the car. Deccassd had been employed in the office of this journal for the past ten years, having come to G-reymouth from California; and, in addition to being most efficient at his trade, was regarded as an industrious, steady man, and a good companion. Recently he had not been in his usual health, and his spirits appeared to be depressed, although, with a reticence that was natural to him, lie did not communicate the cause of his unhappiness to anyone. Whether this had or had not anything to do with his death it is, from the evidence given at the inquest, quite impossible to state. Strange to say, it was observed by almost every one with whom he came in contact on Sunday that he appeared to be in unusually high spirits; and when about 11.30 p.m. he left the office he bade good-night to his comrades in Ins usual manner. On his way home he was also seen by one or two acquaintances, who observed nothing extraordinary in Lis manner, and he appears to have reached his father’s house in due time. Within a few minutes of lijs death lie was seen and spoken to by Mr Reay, sen., and nothing more is known of him, life having been all but extinct when, after hearing the report of a gun, about 11 a.m., his sister and father rushed into his bedroom. He left nothing to give the slightest clue to any reason he might have for committing suicide, mil notwithstanding the inquiry that was held yesterday, his fate is shrouded in mystery.” The verdict returned was—“ That deceased met his death from the effect of a gunshot wound, but whether accidentally, selfinflicted, or otherwise, there was no evidence io show,”

Deaths of Old Colonists. —An old settler in the Timarn district, Alexander Anderson, has died after an illness which was not expected to terminate fatally.—Richard Hitchmough, one of the early residents ol Hokitika, has died there. When in Melbourne Mr Hitchmough was in the employment of Bright, Bros., and Co., and in Dunedin that of Dalgety, Rattray, and Co.—A prirato telegram from Melbourne states that Mr Joseph M'Lean, senior partner in the firm of M Lean Bros., and Rigg, ironmongers, died there lately. Hotel Enterprise. —When comparisons are made as to the style of hotel accommodation in the colony, a preference is usually given by travellers to Napier and Dunedin. In the latter city some further improvement is contemplated. The writer of Dunedin notes to the North Otago Times says : —“ There is a great deal of building going on, and in the course of a few months Princes street and the business part of George street will present quite a renovated appearance. The immense hotel at the corner of Moray place, nearly opposite the Criterion, which is said, in all, to contain about a hundred rooms, will cost about £IO,OOO. It is leased by Mr Murphy, formerly of the Shamrock. I have some doubts whether there is, at present, need for so much additional hotel accommodation. I am told that existing hotels are by no means well filled, with either travellers or lodgers, and there has been an immense increase in the amount of accommodation of late, no doubt with an eye to the future.”

The West Coast Trade. —An effort is apparently being made by Messrs McMeckan, Blackwood, and Co. to regain the trade to the West Coast, which they had abandoned just as the Kumara rush happened, and for the purpose of giving a preference to the trade between Sydney and New Zealand. They are also offering freights which may to some extent induce a continuance of the consumption of Adelaide flour. In its report of the arrival of the Albion, the West Coast Times says:—“ It is many a long day since any of Messrs McMeckan, Blackwood, and Co.’s vessels brought such a large cargo (126 tons) for this port from Melbourne, 86 tons of which is for Hokitika, and 35 for Greymouth. This increase in the trade with the large steamers is due to the fact that Messrs McMeckan and Co. have considerably reduced freights to this port from Melbourne. The agents here announce that flour ordered to be shipped at Adelaide for Hokitika by any of Messrs McMeckan’s steamers will be carried at £2 10s per ton, landed at Hokitika.” The Divorce Court. —Reporting the delays which have taken place in the Divorce Court in consequence of the neglect of lawyers, the New Zealand Times says : —“During the present sittings of the Supreme Com t under the Divorce and Matrimonial Causes Act the learned judges have constantly had to complain of the loose manner in which the cases have been presented to the Court. In Auckland, Dunedin, and Christchurch cases solicitors have presented their petitions with such irregularities that were it not for the substantial injury that might have been expected to accrue from such a course, the Court would have declined to adjudicate upojr them. In an Auckland case yesterday, wherein the petitioner sought a rule nisi for dissolution of marriage, the citation had been served in such a manner that the Court found it necessary to deliberate as to whether, even giving the utmost latitude, they could recognise such service. Eventually they decided in the affirmative. Mr Justice Johnston, however, remarked that such concessions would weaken the rules made by the Court, and he should set his face against such cases in the future.”

White Island Sulphite. —The sulphur of White Island, near Tauranga, is reported to almost boundless, and the Thames Advertiser says that the proprietors of the island are about to convert the material at hand into sulphuric acid as well as roll sulphur, flour of sulphur, &c. Hitherto the use of sulphuric acid in these colonies has been restricted to the narrowest limits, owing to the great cost of freight and packing charges ; owners of many vessels refusing to take it under any conditions, others only as deck cargo. Sulphuric acid, itself the base of almost all the most useful acids, is made in England in vast quantities both from jjfrom sulphur and" iron pyrites, while its first cost bears no proportion to the prices charged out here, and so highly valued from an economic point of view is this useful product, that it has been truly said that the measure of a nation’s manufacturing prosperity may be taken by the quantity of sulphuric acid which it produces and consumes. The agricultural interests will also benefit by this new local industry. The carriage of bones to idic bone mill and back again to the farm can then be superseded by the employment of the acid as a solvent, which it effects in a short space of time, producing the valuable manure known as superphosphate, while the substratum of the island being gypsum will be equally useful as a manure and for the manufacture of cements and plaster of Paris.

O, foe the Pen of Byeon. —The writer who represented the Palmerston Times at the late coursing meeting of the Waihemo Club, thus describes the accident that resulted in the death of two of the dogs: —“After twenty minutes breathing time the same dogs were slipped to a strong hare close to the point of the spur; puss was hard pressed, and made straight for the precipice, both dogs being close on her, Chimney Sweep leading about a length, when, to the astonishment and dismay of the spectators, the trio disappeared at full speed over the edge. The judge himself was within an ace of following them, and several eager horsemen had all they could do to pull up. I rode to the edge, dismounted, and looked over; and what a audit thpre met the eye, on the sandy beach 100 ft below lay the two gallant dogs, and the not less gallant hare, all perfectly dead, :llK l in precisely the relative positions in which they went over the cliff. A slight detour took me down to the spot, and an examination showed that both dogs had broken their pecks ; no further injury was apparent in Chimney Sweeps but Pharisee had his two forelegs smashed to pieces, having fallen on a large rock. Perhaps not the least pathetic feature in the ' tragedy was the grief shown hy the Irainep and his wife, with whom both of these dogs had been especial pcts._ I would have given worlds for the pen of a Byron, or the pencil of a Landseer, with which to do justice to the scene. Suffice it to say, that there were strong rough men there whose eyes were suffused, and whose hearts rose in their throats as they gazed on those beautiful animals done to death so suddenly, so unexpectedly, so tragically, in ministering to their pleasure. With measured pace and saddened heart I made ray way homeward, almost registering a vow that I would never be seen at a coursing meeting again,”

Altered Circumstances. —The influenc of an importation of tea, sugar, and Hour is thus poetically described by a Taranaki paper —“The scene is changed. But yesterday we all had long faces, no flour, but little tea, and a scarcity of sugar. Now, everyone is busy, the stores again are full to repletion, and a contented happy expression pervades the community.” Eorging a Summons. —A. peculiar case was heard at the Charleston Court the other day. One Peter Murphy by some means got hold of a blank summons form, and filled it up as a summons for debt, and got it served on Edward Murphy, adding to the amount of debt 11s foes and 23s mileage. Mr Herbert Ci'oss, deputy clerk of the court, then laid an information against the aforesaid Peter Murphy for forgery.

Government Buildings at Lyttelton. —Anyone requiring a shower batli has only to stand in Oxford street, under the shadow of these buildings, and he will get one to his heart’s content, for the guttering is most defective. Besides being a great nuisance to passers-by, this continual drip must injure the woodwork. As it is months since the nuisance existed it is quite time attention should be called to the matter.

Tea Meeting. —The annual tea meeting of the Church of Christ, meeting in the large Oddfellows’ Hall, Lichfield street, was held on Thursday evening. Mr Bates, the permanent evangelist of the church, occupied the chair, and delivered the opening address, in which he vindicated the position of the church. Mr Black and Mr G. Ladbrook also addressed the meeting, and there were several anthems and recitations. The church has now secured the services of Mr T. H. Bates, of Dunedin.

Kaiatoi Episcopalian Church. —The incumbent on Sunday made an appeal to his congregation to assist him in resisting the members of the Vestry, who claimed the right to collect the offertories, and four of whom had sent him notice that they would assert their right if even force was necessary. He said he should appoint anyone ho chose to collect the offertories, and did so with the Bishop’s approval. He made some personal reflections on the members of the vestry, and has in a letter stated they were not fit to collect the offertories. The Adulteration or Water. —A writer in the Dunedin Star seems to consider that Corporations should be made as much responsible for the water which they supply as are the vendors of milk or of stronger beverages. He says :—“ The Council have enacted laws against the adulteration of bread, alcoholic drinks, &c., but they seem to labour under the idea that they can act with impunity in respect to the quality of the articles with which they supply the public, and over which they Hold the monopoly, to wit, the water and gasworks. I should think, sir, the public would be quite as well justified in refusing to pay for adulterated water as for any other adulterated article, and have as much need of a law to protect them in one as the other, and I am not alone in thinking the conduct of the Council, to say the least of it, is quite unjustifiable, when a small expenditure would enable them to supply the City with pure water in place of the unhealthy mixture we are now forced to imbibe.” Items. —When the mail closed in London, on the sth April, the following were the latest advices from the colonies : —Adelaide, 27th January; Melbourne, sth ; Sydney, 9th; Fiji, 15th; and Auckland 14th February.— Book drills have been ordered from San Francisco by the Moanatairi Company, and the Kuranui Hill United Company. Two of Ingersoll’s machines arrived by the City of Hew York. —Mr Whitworth Bussell has disposed of his interest in his Hukumaru property to a Mr Tyerman, for the sum of £llOO. The property consists of 400' acres, and is a leasehold, having eleven years to run, at a rental of £6O. —The new township on the north side of the Tcreraakau is to be named Westbrook. A post-office Is likely to be established there in a few days.—The case of Gfeorge Simpson, Greymouth, who was the winner of £SOO in Tonks’s last sweep, has been struck out of the bankruptcy list, he having made a composition with his creditors. —A fire occurred at the Hampden Hotel, Mocraki, doing damage to the amount of £7O, covered by insurance. Alternative Mail Boute Westward. —The Ahaura correspondent of the Urey River Argus writes: —-“I understand the Post office authorities arc making inquiry as to the best route for a mail service to connect this place with the Canterbury Plains, with the intention of calling for tenders. The distance from here to the Waiau is only 81 miles. There is I believe a mail twice a week from Christchurch to that Plain, and the mail could be delivered from the Waiau to Ahaura in thirty hours and even less if necessary. Should this service be carried out, it will be a great advantage to this part of the district and Beefton. At present, letters from Christchurch have to come by way of Hokitika, but if the time of arrival of the mail here could be so timed as to meet the coaches up and down, the mails could be delivered in Greymouth quicker than via Hokitika and would make a difference of two days to the Beefton people, besides which it would be the thin edge of the wedge to get a coach road between the Grey Valley and Hanmer Plains. The actual distance of road to be made would not bo very great, and the benefit that woidd arise would be considerable to both sides of the ranges. A very large amount of splendid agricultural and pastoral country would be opened up for settlement.

Praying and Pig Hunting. The Wanaka correspondent of the Cromwell Argus narrates that, in the good old days, before the Wanaka and Cardrona districts were widely known, there lived a jolly old chap, known as Parson Andrews, who had a sheep station on the Waitaki. One Sunday the Parson was holding mourning service in one of the men’s huts when one of the “hands” noticed a wild pig outside. Nudging his neighbor, lie remarked in a stage whisper that a pig was there; but, for reply, was told to “Be aisy now and don’t be after disturbing his rivircncc.” “But,” answered he in a louder tone than before, “ 1 say there is a pig.” This caught his “ rivcrencc’s” car, for lie immediately stopped prayers and enquired if there really was a pig there. “ Sure an’ there is,” replied Mike. “Well then,” quoth Mr Andrews, “we will adjourn prayers for a while and catch him.” Accordingly a rush was made outside; one man seized an iron standard, another a crowbar, and the third an axe, while the fourth had to content himself with a saucepan. The others modestly followed with sticks and stones. After an exciting chase of twenty-live or thirty minutes’ duration, the pig was secured, prayers were resumed, and everyone pursued the oven tenor of his way as before.

Street Slander. —A correspondent of the Melbourne Argus writes “ A few evenings ago an election meeting was held in a certain public hall not quite seven miles from the General Post-office, Melbourne. After the meeting was over, and the free and independent electors had emerged into the open air, one of them, a very old resident of the locality, suddenly appeared to be seized with a fit of the oaooethea loquendi, and proceeded to ‘let off steam’ at the expense of the candidate to whom he was opposed. In the course of his harangue the venerable elector allowed his zeal to outrun his discretion, and made use of language of a very peculiar nature in reference to the candidate in question. The following day the elector received a missive in the shape of an attorney s letter, and it is probable that before long the matter will come before a Judge and jury in the Supreme Court. It is said that the damages will be laid at something like £5000.”

Literary. — A book, which Mr Wakelin, the editor of the Walrnrnpa Standard, is about to publish, as announced at the recent Caxton dinner, is now formally advertised as follows :—“ To be published by subscription, a work by R. Wakelin, under the title of ‘History and Politics,’ containing the personal recollections, political observations, and leaves from the writings of a New Zealand journalist of twenty-six years’ standing. The work will be published in royal octavo, double columns, will contain not less than one hundred pages, and be sold at not more than five shillings, bound in cloth. Old identities, newspaper proprietors, and editors, and all others who desire to subscribe to such a work, will oblige by sending their names to R. Wakelin, Standard office, Greytown.” The work is to be out at the beginning of July. It will contain, in addition to other articles, a defence of Sir George Grey’s first administration of the Government of the colony; a sketch of the origin of the small farm settlements in the Wairarapa ; a history of Sir George Grey and the Constitution Act; an account of Dr. Featherston’s waste lands administration; political predictions, some fulfilled and others in course of fulfilment, &c.