NEWS OF THE DAY.

Globe, Volume VIII, Issue 1005, 14 September 1877, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Lambing. —ln the Ellesmere district, on the farm of Mr T. E. Dodd, Waikewai, a ewe of the Romney Marsh breed produced four lambs, all of which are at present ip a yery promising condition. * PcgjjiCANS’ Bulb. —During the hearing of 11the Resident Magistrate’s Court, Hokitika, m '•Well tl» plaintiff was a publican, the defendant observea puffilwUetl* cully that publicans as a rule made their bills out with a four-pronged fork. A local paper suggests that probably grooved pMk was meant. . Magistrate’s Court— At the Magistrate’s Court, this morning, Theresa Dixon was fined 60s for drunkenness ; William Oodj, 60s; Frederick Bonner, 20s j Richard Tubman, XOs ; and James Allen, 60s, These were all the police cases. Xnw Baths. —Mr Fleming, of the City Baths, has just had completed a novelty in ihe shape of the Chatsworth Spray Bath. This is one of the features of the Turkish bath, and is spoken of by those who have had an opportunity of trying it as being most invigorating. The one spoken of has been erected by Air Fleming as an experiment, but so satisfied is he with its success that he has entered into a contract for the getting of live others. Burin" the hot summer months this will supply a want that has long been felt. The arrangements are all but complete, and the additional bavlitJ vill bo ready for uep at an coyly date,

Girls’ High School, —This school was opened yesterday morning at half-past nine ; out of ninety-one pupils entered eighty-nine were present. At yesterday’s meeting of the Board of Governors the appointments for class and solo singing, music, drawing and German, recommended by the College committee, were confirmed. The committee were also authorized to engage an assistant teacher temporarily, until the arrival of Miss Hamilton, who has been permanently appointed. The Northern Railway. —With regard to the dastardly attempt made to upset the train on the Northern Railway on Monday, it has been stated that the matter had not been reported to the police. It appears, however, that Mr Leach, who has charge of the permanent way, reported the facts to the railway authorities at once. Inspector Feast, who is in charge of the Northern district, was duly informed of the same, and Sergeant Pratt and Detective Benjamin have been engaged in making an investigation into the affair with a view to bring the offender to justice. There is, however, very slight chance of this, as no clue has yet been obtained. The act is supposed to have been that of a man, and not a boy, as it required more than boy’s strength to prize the rails up. A.0.F., Lyttelton. —The half-yearly meeting of the members of the Court Queen of the Isles, No. 2703, was held at their hall, Lyttelton, on Wednesday evening. There was a large attendance. The balance sheet and report were read and adopted, and the following officers were elected for the ensuing half year:—C.R., Bro. N. Neville ; S.C.R., Bro. Geo. Ayers; Surgeon, Dr. McDonald ; Secretary, Bro. -I. S. Willcox; Treasurer, Bro. M. Weastell; S. W., Bro. J. R. Smith ; J.W., Bro. J. Chester ; 5.8., Bro. W. Kennedy J. 8., Bro. J. Ralph. The new officers having been installed, the meeting adjourned. The lodge is in a [flourishing condition, having assets amounting to over £IOOO. Christchurch Acclimatisation Society. —The grounds of this society present a different appearance now to what they have done for a very long time. Walks have been formed, shrubs trimmed, grass mown, flower seeds sown, ponds cleaned out, &c., and altogether the improvements have altered a dreary looking waste into a very pleasant promenade. The large ponds contain sixty male and female trout over a year old, and ninety of last year’s fish, and in a smaller pond are five large trout weighing from 51b to 101 b. All these fish are healthy and free from the disease which lately made its appearance in the river. In the fishhouse the ova are being rapidly hatched out, and the various boxes are beginning to swarm with tiny life. In a small water enclosure thirteen large gold fish (among them two very handsome and uncommon fantails) have been placed for breeding purposes, and are expected to spawn in about a month. The pheasant houses contain eight hen and four cock birds, and numerous orders have already been received for tins season’s broods. The poultry department has undergone a very marked change. All the common fowls have been disposed of with the exception of a few for hatching purposes, and have been replaced with pure-bred game, Dorking, and Brahma birds. The hatching, so far, has been exceptionally successful this season, and in a few weeks several broods of chickens will be ready for disposal. A number of Chinese goslings are being reared, and recent purchasers of last year’s birds have expressed their preference for this kind to English geese for table purposes. At present a flock of hedge sparrows visit the gardens occasionally; and finally the rats, which for years have been so destructive in the grounds, are being rapidly got rid of, no less than 130 of the vermin having been killed within the last few weeks. Altogether the place has the appearance of being well looked after, and the different departments systematically worked. Durham Street Wesleyan Sunday School, —The twenty-fourth anniversary of this school was celebrated last night by a soiree and public meeting, If he tea which was served in the fine new schoolroom attached to the Chapel was attended by about 400 persons, old and young, and was as successful as anything of the kind could be. The donors of the trays were Mesdames Christian, Sorensen, England, Russell, Gould, Ballantyne, Morley, Brooker, and Turner, Miss Wood, MrMouldey, and the bachelors. Tea over, the company proceeded to seat themselves in the chapel, the school children and their teachers occupying temporary benches arranged for the occasion. In the absence of Mr Ballantyne, the Rev. Mr Morley, pastor of the congregation, assumed the duties of chairman. The proceedings having been opened with the usual religious observances, the chairman called upon Mr Patten, the superintendent of the Sunday School, to read the annual report, which showed that considerable progress and various improvements in connection with the school had been made during the year. Part of the old room had been fitted as a gallery for the infant class, and the floor of the new room had been covered with matting. An office in connection with the new room had also been fitted up, to servo us a library and a room for the secretary. The total number of books in the library was 620, and the average weekly circulation was thirty=.six volumes. The children who used the library was 140 —60 boys and- 60 girls. The report thanked Mr Sutherland for a donation of £lO, and Mr Ballantyne who had promised a present of fifty volumes. The number of teachers on the roll was 40; and the number of young men who attended the Bible class was 28, of young women 25. Tim tptal number of scholars on the books was 462, showing an increase since last of 47, and the average attendance had been—ln the morning, 80; afternoon, 300. The tyeasum ,J s statement showed that the receipts during the year had been £93 17s 6d, expenditure £97 3s 6d, leaving a debit balance of £3 5s lid. The children and those present were then addressed in an appropriate and characteristic manner by the Rev. Mr Hodgson, of Addington, and Mr C, 0. Howard, of the Normal College. Mr Patten then, on behalf of thp children, presented Mr Roberts, 'who had acted for some years as their instructor in singing and as secretary of the school, with a handsome sijvpr salvor, and, on behalf of the teachers, with an elegant silver tea and coffee service. Mr Roberts, who has been connected with the school for the last five or six years, and who is on the eve of leaving Christchurch, acknowledged the presents in suitable terms. An enthusiastic vote of thanks was accorded to the ladies for their assistance on the occasion, the mover being the Rev. Mr Smalley, the second ’l’ the Rev. Mr Worker. Before" the close of the proceedings the Chairman stated that the monetary results of the anniversary services, including that evening, totted up to £Bl 13s 2d. During the evening the school children sang a number of hymns in a manner creditable to themselves SttdtljEif gipgipa aweteft Mr Eo^ertp.

Political Dinner Parties.— We md in the Wellington papers that Renata Kavepo and Te Hapuka, two o£ the leading chiefs of Hawke s Bay, invited a number of menbers of the Assembly and citizens of Wellington to meet them and other native chiefs at lunch at the Polytechnic Hall, Featheeton street. The gathering was to celebrate the withdrawal of the Native Lands Bill and the verdict for the plaintiff in the “Waka-Maori” case. Mr Peter Laing was the caterer, and the affair was got up in the best style. On the same or the following night a dinner was given by the licensed victuallers to the delegates from Dunedin, Christchurch, T.maru, &c., at the Theatre Royal Hotel. Arrangements have been [made to ensure a large and influential attendance. In addition to the “ trade,” several of the leading mercantile firms were represented, and a considerable number of members of the House of Representatives have been specially invited to favor the meeting with their company.