NEWS OF THE DAY.

Globe, Volume VIII, Issue 993, 31 August 1877, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Lecture. — I The lecture on “Astronomy,” to Imre been given at St. Andrew’s Church last, evening by the Rev. W. J. Hubens, was postponed until Thursday next, through the inclemency of the weather.

Benefit Concert. —Wc call attention to an advertisement in our columns announcing the postponement of the Foresters’ concert, in aid of Bro. J. Brown, till Thursday evening next, September Gth, Giving to the bad weather last evening, A Thoughtful Concession. —On the motion of Mr S. G-arforth, the committee of the Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Association resolved yesterday to grant all inmates of Orphan Asylums in Canterbury free admission to the exhibitions of the association. Illness of Judge Ward. —The “South Canterbury Times ” mentions that his Honor Judge Ward was too seriously indisposed to preside at an adjourned sitting of the District Court on Wednesday morning, and consequently the case set down for hearing had to be adjourned till the Ist September.

The Late Inspector Barsham. —It is expected that the funeral of the late Inspector Barsham will take place on Saturday afternoon, the place of interment chosen being the Episcopalian Cemetery at Kaiapoi. Nearly all the members of the constabulary force will probably be present. Runaway. Two horses in a waggon standing opposite Messrs Watt and Co.’s store, Whately road, yesterday morning became frightened at a horse and trap passing, and started off turning into Peterborough street, where the waggon came into contact with a fence, smashing the pole. The driver, who had held on pluckily by the reins, succeeded in stopping the animals without further damage. Fish Culture at Opawa. —About 30,C00 trout ova have this season been collected by Mr Johnson, who has also been very successful in obtaining a large proportion from early spawning fish, the offspring from which not only hatch earlier, but produce healthier and faster growing fish than late spawned ova. Most of the eggs are now hatched, and several thousands of young trout arc ready for distribution. In Suspense. —The Wanganui journals enjoy the reputation of being more wonderful than fearful. One of their features is the insertion of paragraphs of a very personal character, and of others \vhieh are perfect mysteries to any Ipit the local reader, if even to" him. A fair example of the latter is the following, which appears in the “ Chronicle told of a coming event which already casts its shadows before, when our informant suddenly became reticent and declined further communication. It is a social event, we divine, and of some interest; but wherefore the reservation ? Where is that mystical lore said to accompany the sunset of life ? Wo presume, in duo time, all these things wiil eventuate.” The paragraph is headed “In Suspense,” and it correctly describes the ordinary reader’s feeling as to what it all means,

An Old “Settler.”— The “first gravedigger,” who has fashioned the last restingplace for many of the Melbourne dead, has himself gone to join the majority, Thomas Pullen, who was buried lately, was one of the firat, if not the first, of the gravediggers employed at the Melbourne General Cemetery. Football. —The match on Saturday afternoon will be between the following fifteen and the rest of the club, the former wearing red and black, the latter blue and white :—Messrs Atuck, Anderson, Cuff, Evans, Field, Mathias, Millton, W., Million, J., Ollivier, A. M. and L. M., Potts, Paul, Smith, Stringer, Wachsmaim. As a visit from a Temuka team may be expected shortly, it will be as well for our men to get as much practice together as possible.

Cricket. —The secretary of the Canterbury Cricket Association has received a letter from Mr J. Conway, secretary to the Australian team about to visit England and New Zealand, giving the terms upon which they are prepared to play at the latter place. They require a guarantee of £SO each from Otago, Canterbury, Wellington, and Auckland, or a joint guarantee of £2OO, in addition to all gate moneys and the right of the sale of booths, Ac. Constitution oe the City Council. — The following telegram was received yesterday from the Attorney-General on the subject of the City Council members being obliged to retire in a body at the date of the election: —“ E. T. Haskins, Esq., Town Clerk, Christchurch Municipal Corporation.—By section 59 Council only continues in office until proper machinery established under Act is brought in operation. Therefore under section 67 whole Council goes out of office on second Thursday in September, when under section 66 first annual election is to take place. —Eredk. Whitaker.”

The New Sheep Bill. —The new Sheep Bill now before the Assembly was brought under the notice of the committee of the Agricultural and Pastoral Association at yesterday’s meeting. It was stated that some of its provisions were altogether unsuitable for Canterbury, and the Bill would be found to be altogether unworkable. A subcommittee was appointed to consider the Bill, and draw up a petition to bot h Houses of Legislature, praying that any alterations made in it may be strictly in accordance with the requirements of this part of the colony. The committee were also requested to consider the new Impounding and Slaughterhouse Bills. Christchurch City Council. —Instead of there being a dearth of aspirants for municipal honors, as was at one time feared, it is probable that the forthcoming contest will produce a larger number of candidates than Christchurch has ever known. Rumor has it that Professor Bickerton, Messrs C. T. Ick, H. Thomson, J. A. Bird, W. Pratt, J. G. Ruddenklau, C. E. Briggs, W. R. Mitchell, R. C. Bishop, W. Radcliffe, B. Cass, 11. Toomer, sen., aud J. W. Treadwell, are likely to be nominated, some of the gentlemen named having intimated their willingness to act if elected. One of the number, Mr C. E. Briggs, does so in a short address to the burgesses, which appears in another column. The Drought in New South Wales.— The disastrous effects of the drought in New South Wales are increasing to fearful dimensions. Some weeks ago the Sydney correspondent of the “Age” stated that four millions sheep less would be shorn in New South Wales this year than last year. A bank circular estimates the decrease at six millions. The losses on some of the stations are simply incredible. One station shows 60,000 out of 400,000, and another 50,000 out of 200,000. The reports from the west and north are terrifying, and unless rain comes soon, the calamity will be irreparable. Even now stockowners who twelve months ago were comparatively well to do, have been reduced to beggary. Possible Libel. —In a number of papers a paragraph has lately appeared, stating that a well-known and favorite performer on the public stage in these colonies had lately died of delirium tremens in Sydney, and, according to the tastes or sympathies of the compiler of news, the same has been published with epigrammatic “morals” prefixed or annexed thereto, such as “ The Result of Hard Drinking,” “Another Victim,” and so on. Now it happens that the person referred to is in Christchurch, quite alive, and fully retaining his capacity for kicking. Such being the case, newspaper proprietors might, by inadvertence, and in innocence of the real facts, be led into what might constitute a costly libel.