NEWS OF THE DAY.

Globe, Volume VIII, Issue 965, 30 July 1877, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Complimentary Dinner. — A complimentary dinner is proposed to be given to Mr E. G. Kerr on his leaving Kaiapoi. A committee has been formed to make arrangements for the same, to take place on Monday evening next. The Gaiety Company.— Mr and Mrs Hall and company concluded what appears to have been a very successful season at Timaru on Saturday night. They left by the Wellington for Dunedin after the performance, and open at the Princess Theatre to-night in “Old Sailors” and “Cinderella.” Shipping. —The New Zealand Shipping Company have received advice of the arrival at London on the 26th inst. of their ships, Rakaia, from Wellington; Waitara, from Bluff; Hurunui, from Port Chalmers; Loch Urr, from Auckland. The two first-named made the passage in 80 and 82 days respectively. Oddiellows’ Ball. —A ball, in connection with the Lyttelton Oddfellows took place at the hall in Winchester street on Friday night last. The room was most tastefully decorated. About fifty persons were present, and dancing was kept up with spirit to an early hour. Supper, provided by Mr Hunter, was served in the lower room. The meeting passed off very pleasantly. Inquest. —The death of the boy Henry Allen, who was run over in Madras street on Friday last, was the subject of an inquest on Saturday afternoon. The evidence given confirmed the account which has already been given of the unhappy accident. It was shown that the death of the child was accidental, and the jury returned a verdict to that effect.

Lock Out. —During last week the men in the employ of Messrs Lightband, Allan, and Co. received intimation of a reduction in the price of piece work. It has resulted in the Christchurch Operative Bootmakers’ Society taking the matter up, and the men have been instructed not to accept the new scale. During the week about sixty hands will thus be thrown out of employment. It is stated that the trade lias been telegraphed to in 'Victoria and Sydney. Winter, Evening Readings.— There was a good attendance at the Colonists’ Hall, Lyttelton, on Friday night, on the occasion of one of these entertainments. Besides a number of songs and readings, a tine display of fencing by Messrs. Adams and Lester was «jyen, and the performance wound up with a couple of Spelling Bees, one for adults and the other for ehildrpn. Both were well contested. The president announced that at the next entertainment a prize would be given for the best recitation by boys. MoA Bones.— Some bones were found recently in a cave near Reef ton. They were first supnosed to be those of a moa, and then it was ’ suggested that they were simply the bones of a calf. The “ Inangahua Times” makes them the subject oi another paragraph to the following effect Concerning the supposed moa bones recently found by Mr I. Courtney, in a limestone cave near .the Landing, the opinion hue, we believe, been expressed that the bones arc (.hope of a human being. It is Mr Courtney’s intention to foyward the remains to Kv-Ron for scientific examination."

Health in Hokitika.— The “ West Coast Times,” speaking of Hokitika, says:—“We have scarlet fever in every street, medical men worked almost off their feet, by far the highest death rate in the whole colony, and such an increase in the number of funerals as to load to the opening of another establishment for the supply of the ghastly requisites of those expensive ceremonies. Further, although we have no official information on the subject, one medical man is said to have fifty eases of fever in Ids own practice, and another admits that not only are his cases more numerous than they were during last summer, but they are of a more virulent type.” Highwaymen. —The Wellington “Post” reports a case of “ sticking-np ” occurring at Petoni. Mr John Lawrence was driving along the road in a spring cart, when two men suddenly sprang out from the roadside, and seized the horse’s head. Mr Lawrence instantly jumped out, and dealt one of the ruffians a violent blow on the head witli the butt end of a loaded whip, felling him to the gi’ound, and cutting his face and head open. At this moment, unluckily, the horse bolted, and Mr Lawrence was obliged to follow, in order to secure his property, lienee he lost the opportunity of identifying the second assailant —the first, however, will be easily recognisable by the severe cut lie sustained from Mr Lawrence’s loaded whip. Fire. —A four-roomed house occupied by Mr Aaron Lymer, at Brooklands, Otago, was totally destroyed by fire early on Monday week. Lymer and his family retired to bed at nine o’clock, leaving everything apparently safe. He was, however, awoke about one o’clock by a crackling noise, and immediately got up ; and, on looking into the sitting-room, saw that it was all in a blaze. There was no assistance to be got, so Lymer at once set to work getting his family out of the house, which was only done with some difficulty. With the exception of a few trifling articles, nearly everything in the house was burnt. The building belonged to Mr John Hollick, and was insured in the Victoria Company for £2OO. The furniture was insured in the same office for £SO.

Ross. —The '“Ross Guardian” reports : On Saturday evening a man named Francis Williams was found dead in bed in his residence, the late Auckland Hotel, Aylmer street. An inquiry into the cause of death was held at the London Tavern, before Mr Price, R.M., when a verdict was returned that the deceased died from natural causes. —A man named John Davis (otherwise known as Welsh Jack) met with a severe accident on Saturday afternoon at the Rangitoto Silver Mine, by a large tree falling upon him, which terminated fatally, he having expired at six o’clock on Sunday morning. The body was brought into Ross on Sunday, and an inquest was held at the London Tavern, before Dr. Duff, coroner, when a verdict of “ Accidental death” was returned. —We have been informed that a battery will be fplaced on the quartz reef on the left-hand branch of Donnelly’s Creek, before the expiration of three months from this date.

The Inangtjuua Mines. —In its mining report for last week, the “ Inangahua Times ” says : —The Hopeful Company lias once more worked a pleasant surprise, by producing a yield very far beyond expectation. The cleaning up of the late crushing took place on the 24th inst., the result being a splendid parcel of gold weighing 7480 z. This yield was obtained for about seventeen days’ crushing, and during that time there were many stoppages, caused chiefly by the frequent blocking of the water'-wheel by ice. Public attention has once more been rivetted upon the Just-in-Time Company, and the demand for shares therein has caused considerable activity in mining circles. Sales have during the week past been readily effected at prices ranging from 14s 6d to 16s. The opinion seems to prevail that the Just-in-Time and Fiery-Cross are to be the “ coming events ” of the next summer.

Roausi.dk Accommodation Houses. — Complaint was lately made in the columns of the “ Grey River Argus” regarding the condition of some of the so-called hotels on tire road from Christchurch to Hokitika. Referring to this complaint, a correspondent of the “ West Coast Times” writes : —“ I saw an abstract in your last issue taken from the “Grey River Argns,” where some person styling himself a distinguished traveller from Christchurch to Hokitika, has authorised that paper to publish ia complaint against the accommodation houses on the Christchurch road. lam sorry to think that our distinguished traveller, whoever he may be, should have formed such an idea about all the accommodation houses on the Christchurch road, especially on this side of Arthur’s Pass, simply because he may have passed hurriedly along that road, and I presume called at one or two houses only. There are eleven public and private accommodation houses on the Christchurch road between Arthur’s Pass and the Arahura crossing, and in most of them our distinguished traveller could find ample accommodation quite as clean and comfortable as he could _ find in any town or country house in New Zealand. The accommodation houses on said road are unfortunately situated in very remote places, and at any time a distinguished traveller may call, wanting accommodation. Tom, Dick, or Harry cannot be sent to the butcher, baker, or grocer to procure any dainties required. Nevertheless, travellers can always be supplied with sufficient good substantial food, as well as clean and comfortable accommodation either for ladies or distinguished gentlemen. I know of many ladies who have been accommodated on the Christchurch road for weeks, and always expressed themselves well satisfied. And had our particular distinguished traveller been the gentlemen he takes himself to be, I don’t think he would have classed all the houses on the Christchurch road alike simply because he has seen a little of one or two only. Since our distinguished traveller has made such a disgraceful charge against the houses on the Christchurch road, he ought to have mentioned the particular house or houses where he found so ranch bad food and filth, and not have abused all parties for the sake of the houses he called at.”