NEWS OF THE DAY.

Globe, Volume VIII, Issue 969, 3 August 1877, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

The Unemployed. —A meeting of the unemployed will be held to-morrow morning, at ten o’clock, in the Market-place. Salaries op Teachers.—As will be seen by our report of 1 lie proceedings of the Board of Education, the teachers of the education district of Canterbury may now look forward to an early payment of their salaries. The Imprest Supply Bill having passed, there should now be no difficulty in the Board obtaining funds. Suprem e Court. —A banco sitting before their Honors Mr Justice Johnston and Mr Justice Williams was held yesterday. The only case was a remanot from last banco day, Cullen v Cullen, which was an argument on a rule nisi, to set aside an award of arbitrators in a partnership case. An order was made making the rule absolute for setting aside the award, but without costs. The Colonial Marriages Bill. —Sir Stafford Northcote has declined, in the present state of public business in Parliament, to fix any day or give any facilities for the further consideration ol' the Colonial Marriages Bill. He, indeed, more than hinted that every obstacle would bo thrown iu its way. Walter Montgomery’s Widow.— A sad story from New York is thus referred to by “Atlas” in “ The World”:—Many of my readers will remember the unfortunate actor, Walter Montgomery, who shot himself on his wedding-day a few years ago. It appears that lus widow married again, after an interval. Her husband deserted her ; and I now learn that she lias died in a hospital in New York, after passing through almost every conceivable stage of suffering and degradation short of crime. Eootball. —The following fifteen have been chosen to play against the rest of the Club, on Saturday, viz.: —Messrs A. 11. Anderson, F. H. Barker, C. Bolton, E. J. Cottevill, W. C. Cuff, J. R. Evans (captain), W. Hartland, G. S. Mathias, W. and J. Million, L. M. Ollivier,, D. and G. Potts, M. Smith, and W. Stringer. The colors will be —Fifteen, blue and white ; Club, rod and black. Mr H. W. Moore will captain the Club, who are particularly requested to muster in strong force so as to make a good match, as this is the only chance of practice together the Fifteen will have before the Bth instant. Christchurch Amateur Minstrels. — This company gave an entertainment last evening at the Oddfellows’ Hall, Woolston, when there was rather a meagre attendance, owing to the want of sufficient publicity being given. The performance gave very great satisfaction, and when it is taken into consideration that the company has only been formed about six months, and the eldest of whom is only about 19, they have to be congratulated on the success of this their first public performance. Several of the jokes were really good, and what is more were original. Encores were frequent during the evening, and the farce, which wound up the evening’s amusement, created roars of laughter. Wc believe the company intend shortly to give a performance for the benefit of the Hospital, when wc are sure they will as they deserve to, get a full house. Entertainment. An exceptional programme was provided for last evening’s entertainment at St Luke’s schoolroom, the proceeds of which were to be devoted to the building fund of St Matthew’s Church. The Rev Mr Scott, curate of„St Matthew’s, presided. There was a very good attendance and all the items were exceedingly well rendered. If one feature more than another of the programme should be referred to among those which were so well given, the concertina solos by Miss L. Taylor ought; to he particularly mentioned,' as their arrangement and delivery were truly artistic. The entertainment altogether was a very enjoyable one, and a repetition of the programme would no doubt be acceptable to many. The Normal School.— At yesterday’s meeting of the Board of Education, Mr Webb called the attention of the Board to the state of the footpath on the north side of Kilmure street in front of the Normal school. For some time past this has been in a disgraceful state, I lie mud being several inches deep. Considering that the children attending the school have to wade through this swamp three or four times a day it seems strange t hat the energetic and Übiquitous chairman of the works committee lias not, long ore this, discovered and remedied what is certainly a disgrace to Iho City Council. It is to be hoped now that attention lias been drawn to it that steps will be taken at once, so that (he children can gel to the school dry-shod. The footpath, it may be observed, has been in the same state for the past two months, and is almost impassable, indeed to lady pedestrians quite so. The Auckland Natives. —The reports from Officers of Native Districts have bean laid before Parliament. Mr Commissioner Kemp reports, for Auckland, tranquillity, and a general desire to submit to the laws. There is a diminution of crimes, and debt eases are more numerous. No improvement is observable in the social condition of the Maoris. The health of natives in the vicinity of Auckland is good, the mortality not being so great as in the preceding year. The establishment, of native schools, where English is taught, has produced good effects. The natives shown an increasing desire to obtain English education for their children. Trade in land shows that many avaricious persons are anxious to throw off the allegiance t o the tribe, and deprive the weaker members of their inheritance. He thinks that employment by the Crown of many in lluenfial chiefs will continue to fill the void they must feel, but recompense should bo paid in proportion t o zeal and activity. Lyttelton Colonists’ Society. The monthly meeting of the committee was held on Wednesday evening last; the president, Mr 11. N. Nalder, in the chair. No definite answer regarding the silo on which the hall stands having been received from the Borough Council, vito eon dderavicii of ilie proposed (ire escape was deferred tor a month. “ Land and Water” and “Public Opinion” were added to Ibe list of papers subscribed to by the Society, and the Postal Guide was ordered to he procured. The vice-president reported that the committee appointed hac] selected books to the /aii;o o t i£o, and as they wore principally Iroin a Sydney catalogue, it was resolved to send to that place for them. It having been arranged that some entertainment should be held fox* the special purpose Qi pfopitfiag books, the mooting adjovtvjictJ.

Grey Coal-mines. —Of the Coal-pit Heath Coal-mine, now being developed, the Greymouth “Star” says: The company are making rapid progress in getting their mine thoroughly opened up. Another new drive, running in a southerly direction, has just been finished, exposing a wall of coal 20ft. in thickness. There was a stoppage last week owing to gas taking fire, but the difficulty was soon got over. The company employ between twenty and thirty colliers, working I hrcc shifts of eight hours each. Scientielg Lectures. —Professor Bickerton give his tilth lecture on “Light” last evening. 11 o commenced by recapitulating some of the experiments of his last week’s lecture, and then went on with an explanation of the spectrum analysis. The lights of the different, metals were clearly shown on the screen by means of the electric light passed through a battery of prisms, and the different lines showing the presence of thallium, sodium, copper, and silver. Several of the Professor’s experiments had, however, to ho shown by description on the blackboard, as a shortness of funds somewhat limits the purchase of the costly but necessary apparatus required. The difference between the heat rays on the left side of the spectrum and the actinic rays on the extreme right was beautifully shown by means of a radiometer for the first, and a photographic experiment with sensitized paper on the second. A number of other experiments were shown, illustrating the harmony or discord of the different waves of light. These were plainly exhibited by the corresponding waves of sound, producing an intermittent or regular sound when put in or out of harmony with each. There was a large audience, who wore extremely interested, and who testified their pleasure by frequent applause at the success of the various experiments.