NEWS OF THE DAY

Globe, Volume VIII, Issue 921, 7 June 1877, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY

Minstrels. —It is announced elsewhere that the original Georg : a Great American Slave Troupe will appear at the Theatre Royal on Monday next, Svdeniiam Literary Club. —The usual weekly meeting of the Sydenham Literary Club will be held on Friday evening, when readings will be given. Scandinavian Service.—The Rev. J. S. Sinalley will hold service in the Scandinavian language, in the Durham street Wesleyan Church, on Sunday next, at 4 p.m. Fire. —We learn that the Southbridge Junction station was destroyed by lire this morning, between eight and nine o'clock. Full particulars are not at hand as to its origin, but it is supposed to have been caused by the overheating of the stove-pipe. ' Inquest.—An inquest was bold yesterday on the body of an infant child belonging to Mr J. A. Boot, Avon street. The evidence showed that the child had been accidentally overlain by its mother, and the jury returned a verdict of accidental death.

Coursing.—With the object of establishing a Coursing Club in Christchurch circulars are about being sent to several gentlemen in the district. The promoters of the movement have great hopes of inducing the Government to permit an open season for coursing hares.

The Coombe Hay Estate.—lt was lately reported that this Otago estate had been sold at a good figure. Mr C. R. Chapman writes saying:—" 1 beg 1.0 deny the report, which appears in the Guardian this morning, that the Coombe Hay estate has been sold."

Mission in Lyttelton.—The service for children held in the afternoon of Sunday last was attended by the children of the Wesleyan and Presbyterian Sunday schools, together with the pupils from the Church of England Sunday school, when the Dean of Hobart Town * preached a sermon in that simple language which kept the attention of the children fully occupied to its termination.

The Gaiety.—Clifford's Mirror of the World was again exhibited last evening. The views comprised mainly the scenery on the banks of the Thames from its source to the city. To-night there will be a change, the views exhibited selected from various parts of the world. As this is the last week of the exhibition here, those who have not yet seen the pictures should take an early opportunity.

The Rise in Railway Fares.—Many of the up-country storekeepers are highly pleased with the increase to be made in the railway fares from July Ist, and the supposed abolition of return tickets and single tickets available for return journey on Saturdays but attention may be drawn to the rates for excursion trains. The Gazette says:—"Excursion trains will run by special request upon a minimum number of 120 full fare second class single tickets being taken, such tickets being available for the return journey." The passenger rates as proposed appear excessive for long distances.

CnmsTCHFRcn Horticultural Society. —A meeting of committee was held at Radcliffe's Commercial Hotel last evening. Mr E. C. J. Stevens, the president, was in the chair. There were present, Messrs G-. A. Reade, J. Guntripp, T. Allen, J. Asliton, F. Harvey, W. Gimblctt, and the secretary. Messrs E. C. J. Stevens, G. A. Reade, and the secretary were appointed to revise the schedule and report at a meeting to be held in a fortnight. Messrs A. Duncan, J. Guntripp, and the secretary were appointed a committee to examine the exhibits brought to the monthly meetings. A vote of thanks to the chairman was passed and the meeting adjourned to Wednesday, June 20th. Football.—The following members of the Merivale Club have been chosen to represent that Club at Rangiora on Saturday next: — Messrs Boyd, Champion, D'Einden, Gibbs, J. Millton, W. Millton, H. W. Moore, J. Martin, Paul, T. W. Stringer, H. Stringer, T. Searell, R. Searell, M. S. Smith, and T. Taylor. Emergency—Brewster, and E. F. Moore. The train starts at 12 o'clock, and members are requested to be in time. Christciiurch Mutual Improvement Society.—The usual weekly meeting was held last evening, the president in the chair. Mr Booth read an essay on " What is creation." The essay, which was very interesting, elicited considerable discussion, in which Messrs Hall, Connal, Allison, and Searell took part. Mr Booth having replied, the president summed up, after which the meeting was closed with the benediction. Coal at Waimate.—The Tribnne lias been informed that coal in large quantities abounds in different parts of the Waimate gorge. Two men, while engaged in gold prospecting, recently came across, at a depth of only 2ft. Gin. from the surface, what they state to be an inexhaustible supply of coal of the lignite kind. Considering the short distance from Waimate where this discovery was made, there can be no doubt that before long more will be known about the matter. Fatal Railway Accident.—Mr Wiseman, a railway employee who was injured at Port Chalmers on Saturday evening, has since died. He had been attended by Doctors O'Donoghue and Borrows, who did all in their power for him ; but the shock to the system was too great for the unfortunate young man, who gradually sunk under the injuries he had sustained. He leaves a widow and five children totally unprovided for. Mining in Streets.—An application has been made to the Hokitika Borough Council, by Mr H. Oliver, to be allowed to mine for gold on the east side of Fitzherbert and Tudor streets, at the outside of the main road. In considering the application, which was referred to the public works committee with power to act, Mr Cross stated that he believed the ground applied for was auriferous.

The Reformer Newspaper.— We read in the Wellington Argvs that the case of Hooper v Reformer Newspaper Company, an action to recover the sum of £75, being three months' salary as editor of that journal, was called on lately at the R.M. Court there. Mr Travers appeared for the plaintiff, and Mr Barton on the other side. It seemed that the case was not then ready to be proceeded with, and an adjournment was made until 2 p.m., but this hour being afterwards found inconvenient, the case was subsequently adjourned until next day at 10 a.m. It appeared that Mr Hooper was engaged by the provisional directors of the company as editor of the Reformer ; a minute being entered in the book making his salary "at the rate of " £3OO per annum. The action of the provisional directors was, however, upset by the permanent directors, who dispensed with his services at a week's notice, and hence the action for the three months' salary.

Municipal Property Book. —A new form of property book has been prepared by the town clerk of Auckland, and laid on the table of the Council. Describing it the Herald says: —" The book is very complete, and contains in concise form much valuable information regarding city property and endowments. It gives the sub-section, lot, situation, names of previous and present lessee, the rental, time lease expires, a description, conditions of house, transfer of each allotment. Plans are prepared on a scale of two chains to the inch. Some time ago Councillor Goldie, at a Council meeting, moved for a return of city endowments and property, and the town clerk conceived the idea of compiling a book giving the information desired, and also all that was obtainable on the subject." Items. —The Press Agency informs us that the entries stated to be for the Melbourne Cup are those for the Sydney Metropolitan.— It is stated that the Government have made a final settlement with Mr Proudfoot in respect to the Western Railway arbitration award. — On Saturday there was brought down from Reefton to Greymouth 3188ozs. of gold, the result of five weeks' purchases by the Bank of New Zealand; and about llOOozs. for the National Bank. —Mr J. H. Grevillc, who baa been in charge of the Westland Treasury since the abolition of the province, leaves for Wellington at the end of the present month. —At some "worked out" diggings at Waimea, Westland, a party of three, after ten weeks' sluicing, obtained 80ozs. of gold.—The Governor is said to have ordered ten tons of Greymouth coal per month for the use of Government House, Wellington.

MASONIC. —The date for the installation of the Hon. F. Whitnker as Provincial Grand Master of the North Island of IS T ew Zealand, under the Scotch Constitution of Freemasonry, has not yet been fixed, but it will not take place until after the close of the ensuing Parliamentary session. The Auckland tierald states that by that time the regalia and jewels for the Grand Lodge, for which an order will be sent home by the outgoing mail, will have arrived. The sister lodges will in the meantime be communicated with by the committee appointed for carrying out the arrangements, and the inauguration and installation will be carried out in the most impressive manner. It has been suggested that Bro. Lazar, of tho West Coast, who officiated at the installation of the lato Bro. Sir Donald McLean as P.G.M. of the English Constitution, might be induced to come to Auckland, and officiate in the same capacity on opening of the new Grand Lodge, and the installation of its officers.

Board of Education. —A meeting of the Board was held yesterday, at 3 p.m. Present —Messrs J. Inglis (chairman), W. Montgomery, W. Rolleston, A. Duncan, T. W. Hall, H. R. Webb, and H. J. Tancred. The chairman laid upon the table the annual reports of the Principal of the Normal School and the inspectors of schools. The plan of the master's house proposed to be built at West Christchurch was laid before the Board, and the chairman was requested to see that certain alterations were made in it. The plan of the janitor's house at Timani was roferred to the local committee. The draft of the annual report of the Board was brought up and considered in committee. A great deal of business, occupying some two hours, was also transacted in committee. The Board then resumed, and after disposing of some further business adjourned. Intelligent Electors.—Mr Coppin, the well-known Melbourne manager, was, until the last Victorian elections, a member of the Colonial Parliament. He has, now, however, lost his seat, and touching his defeat "JEgles" tells the following story: —Mr Coppin's notion of returning thanks for his rejection, "on behalf of Mrs Coppin and the family," was a good-humored way of encountering defeat. And apropos of Mr Coppin, there was an easy-going gentleman provided with an electoral right who exercised the franchise for the first time in his life on that important day. Some asked him afterwards for whom he had voted. "Well," he said, " I gave Zox a vote, not that I cared twopence about him, but his name struck me as comical." "But how," asked a friend, "did you use your other vote? " "Oh, I voted for Smith. I did think of voting for old Coppin; but I was in his theatre the other night, and they kept me waiting for half an hour between the acts. Couldn't vote, you know, for a man who keeps you half an hour between the acts ! "

Australian Nationality.—The Hon. J. Young, the Canadian Commissioner to the Sydney Exhibition, in a speech delivered before the Brisbane Chamber of Commerce on the 14th inst., remarked: —" I think the future and full development of Australia largely depends on all the Australian colonies uniting together under one General Government. You have got an enormous country. Public works, especially railways, are required, beyond the power of any one colony to supply. These railways, to be effective for good, must be gigantic in extent, built for the benefit of the whole country, and if so located and built, each colony's interests will thereby be best promoted. If I had the power I would begin with constructing a main trunk line of 4ft. Biin. gauge across the continent from north to south, and from this branch lines could be constructed to all the ports. A united Axistralia could borrow money for this purpose almost as cheaply as the Government of England, while the increased value of the land through which the railway passed and made accessible would more than pay for the cost of the railway. Population would increase, and the doubling of the population would lessen the cost of the railway by onehalf to the present generation."

Mr Spurgeon's Visit to the Colonies. —At the anniversary tea meeting of the Albert street Baptist Chapel, Melbourne, recently, Dr. Cairns stated that he had an important proposition to lay before the meeting. Mr Spurgcon, the celebrated and eloquent preacher, frequently found it necessary to seek relaxation from his arduous duties by passing a few weeks in France or Southern Italy, and what he had to propose was that he should be asked to come to the colonies. He (Dr. Cairns) was sure that if the proposal was properly represented to the rev. gentleman and properly backed, it would receive his careful consideration, and he felt confident he would accede to their request. He would suggest that Mr Spurgeon should leave England by the May steamer, and stay in the colonies until October. All his expenses would have to be guaranteed, and it would have to be distinctly understood that the trip should bo one of relaxation to Mr Spurgeon. and not a series of constant work. Mr Bailhache, in reply, warmly supported the proposition, and pi-omised that immediate steps should be taken to lay the proposal before Mr Spurgcon in an appropriate manner; and it was decided that the clergymen present should lend their assistance in furtherance of the desired object. Silver Mining at the Thames.—Ecferring to the possibility of silver-mining being carried on at the Thames either as a distinct industry, or in connection with goldmining, the Aiickland Herald says : —" The existence of silver ore at the Thames, has always been admitted, in fact all the gold ore raised is more or less mixed with silver, and thereby reducing the average price of Thames gold to £2 12s 6d per ounce, against 80s per ounce for fine gold. The silver, however, is not lost, but is extracted by a certain process, the patent for which is held by the New Zealand Bank, who have it in their power to. export the metal as pure gold, or with the silver incorporated, as convenience may suggest. Mining for silver ore lias not been attempted, but on several occasions the return of gold has been so poor, owing to silver predominating, that mining operations have ceased in several localities. In the John o' Groats claim, the Shotover, and lately in the Eureka block, part of the Moanataiari Company's ground, silver ore has heen obtained. The latter recently has yielded ore so rich in silver with a little gold, that sample tests of rock have been submitted to Mr Heron, assayer to the Bank of New Zealand, with the following results :—At tbe rate of 300 ounces of silver ami one ounce of gold to the ton of quart z. Half of this amount would pay handsomely. The tributcrs, Henderson and party, working portion of the Eureka block, some time since, thought they had a remarkably good crushing judging from the amalgam; but this turned out for the most part silver, and consequently the price was so low that operations on that lode ceased .so far as tliey were concerned. The lode is from two to three inches wide, and may possibly increase in size. This, however, is to be determined."