NEWS OF THE DAY.

Globe, Volume VIII, Issue 983, 20 August 1877, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Missing. —Mr Edward Harman, the surveyor lately stationed in the Oxford district, lias been missing for upwards of a fortnight. He was last heard of on Monday, July 30th, at Saltwater Creek, which place he left about five o’clock. It was supposed that ho was staying with some acquaintance in that locality, but an active search has been made without, obtaining the slightest trace of him. Nothing has transpired to explain the cause of his absence, and it is feared that he has met with a serious accident. The Skating Rink. —There was a very nood attendance at the Skating Rink on •aturclay evening, when the Queen of the dinks and Champion Australian Skater made their appearance. They first went through some skating evolutions together, and afterwards*! he gentleman alone. Of the latter we may say that be exhibited considerable / r acc and ease in the various movements, and hi the leaping of tbe hurdles ho was very good indeed. Toomer’s baud, under the leadership of Mr Dorn, was in attendance and played very creditably during the evening, The two artists appear again to-night.

Nelson Alive. —The following motion passed at a recent meeting of the Nelson Education Board will prove that there is no sleepiness there in the matter of instructing the young : —“ That the Board give a free education at the Nelson College for two years to twenty boys selected from town and country schools by annual competitive examination.” Accident. —At the meet of the C.H.C. hounds, on Saturday, at Oxford, Bob Vallance, the huntsman, in going at a fence was thrown and his horse fell on him. This was caused by the horse pushing his way through the gorse fence instead of taking it. He was insensible for some time, but by a telegram received yesterday we are glad to learn that he is out of danger. Breach of Promise. The “ Timaru Herald” quotes the authority of a correspondent for stating that another breach of promise case is likely to take place there. The fair plaintiff claims £2500 as recompense for her wounded feelings. She hails from Otago, and has not yet seen twenty summers, whilst the heartbreaking defendant is a wealthy squatter, living not a hundred miles north of Timaru, South Rakaia. —A lecture on the subject of Life Insurance was given in the schoolroom of the township by Mr R. Wiggins, Government Agent, on Tuesday evening, the 14th instant. Some fifty persons were present, many of whom showed substantial appreciation of the lucid explanation of the Government system by application for insurances. Cricket. —A meeting of the Canterbury Cricket Association was held at Radcliffe’s Hotel on Saturday. Mr 11. H. Secretan was, by ballot, elected to fill the offices of secretary and treasurer, and Messrs Stevens and Sweet were elected to act as the ground committee. As selection committee Messrs Moore, Ollivier, and Sweet were appointed. It was proposed by Mr Sweet, seconded by Mr Condcll, and carried —“ That any member of the ground committee may call a meeting of the association’s committee for the transaction of any business that may arise.” Kaiapoi Farmers’ Club. —The annual meeting of this club was held on Thursday evening at the Kaikanui Hotel. There was only a limited attendance, in consequence of another meeting. Mr E. Parnham occupied the chair. Mr W. M. Ross, lion, secretary, read the statement of accounts, showing that £272 Os 4d had been received by the club during the year, and after paying accounts there was a balance in hand to the credit of the foal show and ploughing match accounts. On the motion of Mr Wilson, seconded by Mr Beharrell, the balance-sheet was adopted. An unanimous vote of thanks was passed to the chairman and to the secretary, whose accounts had been very clearly and accurately kept. It was then resolved that the meeting be adjourned till the usual date of meeting, when the election of officers would be proceeded with. The meeting then adjourned. Branch Railways. — A preliminary meeting was held in Robinson’s Hotel, South Rakaia, on Thursday evening, to consider the steps it was most advisable to take with a view to obtain the construction of the South Rakaia and Mount Somers line. Mr R. R. Pitt having been voted to the chair, the following resolution, proposed by Mr Mann, seconded by Mr Patton, was carried unanimously : —“ That Mr Pitt be requested to convene a public meeting of land owners and others at an early date, to discuss the best means of obtaining a line of railway from the South Rakaia'to Mount Somers.” Mr Pitt, in expressing the willingness with which he should act in pursuance of the resolution passed, said that the object in view—a railway to Mount Somers—had not only been a subject of thought to himself but of conversation with many influential laud owners in the Rakaia district, who were of opinion that such a line would much conduce to development of resources, and, therefore, general prosperity of the country. Should such an alternative bo necessary, he had been informed by those who were conversant with such subjects that there would not bo any difficulty in effecting the object by means of private enterprise.