NEWS OF THE DAY.

Globe, Volume VIII, Issue 1008, 18 September 1877, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Lecture. —The Bev. C. Fraser delivered a lecture in St. Paul's Presbyterian Church last evening to a moderately large attendance of listeners. The subject was " Creeds and Confessions, as connected with the Eeeent Currents of Thought." Mr J. Anderson presided. During the evening Mr Bell, of Wanganui, sang some sacred solos. At the close the reverend lecturer was cordially and deservedly thanked by his audience. New G-old-Mining Company. The "West Coast Times" is informed that a company called the Enterprise G-old-Mining Company has been successfully floated by Messrs F. A. Learmonth and Co., with a capital of £4200, to purchase the claim, plant, &c, of the late Kohinoor Gold-Mining Company, Eedman's, and work the same. At a meeting of shareholders held last Friday, the following directors were elected : —Messrs Churches, Banks, Liston, Meyer, Malfroy, and Dyson. Mr E. W. Wade was appointed legal manager. Dramatic. —Mr Charles Pope, a tragedian, who brings excellent credentials from the leading theatres of the United States, arrived in Melbourne by the last San Francisco mail steamer, and intends making a professional tour through the Australian colonies. Mr Pope will make his first appearance at the Theatre Eoyal, Melbourne, in the course of a few weeks. Intercoastal Communication. —In reference to the desirability of making a through road connection from the Grey , County to the Christchurch road viei'Lake Brun- I * the Paddock, the "Grey River ner anu ...„ t : Tjate gunner d; s . \ reus states u». *** * ~ , , , , Sb 7000 acres of token up, and that from 10,000 to !«;OoQ&cres more are under application. The present occupier* have to take both stock and produce across the Teremakau down the Christchurch road and from thence to the Kumara or the Grey district—a difference of two-thirds m the distance to Kumara and a proportionate distance to Greymouth. If the road were made and the farmers of the Lake district could send their produce easily to market, Kumara would derive a benefit, and the Christchurch mails could be delivered at tfokitika, at the same time 'is at present, and at G-yeyaioutli »»& Ewuaw cue day earlier.

The Population of Victoeia.—The population of Victoria increases very slowly. It was estimated by the Government statist on June 30th at 849,021, viz., 460,907 males and 388,114 females. The increase during the quarter ending June 30th by excess of births over deaths was 3,034, and that by excess of arrivals over departures 2110; the total increase being 5144. Hotel Till Robbery.—The till in Messrs G-ilmer Bros. Hotel, Reefton, was l-obbed on Thursday night, or early on Friday morning last, and a sum of something over £IOO in notes and cash taken away. It appears that it has been customary for one of the proprietors to take the till and contents out after closing for the night, but owing to the sum in cash not being so large as usual, the chief portion of the contents being represented by cheques, the till was left in the bar unfortunately. When Mr S. Gilmer came down on Friday morning about seven o'clock he found the bar-door, which he had locked when going to bed, open, and on going to the till found the drawer missing. Search was made for the latter, but for the time being unsuccessfully, though it was found shortly afterwards on the billiard table. All the notes and cash, amounting to over £IOO, were missing, but it contained cheques. Subsequently the manager of the hotel, named Harry Smith, was arrested and brought before the Resident Magistrate on Saturday morning, and evidence given to connect him with the offence. The prisoner was remanded, and admitted to bail, himself in £IOO and two sureties of £SO each. Suicide on the Hobson's Bat Railway.—A terrible death took place lately on the Melbourne and Hobson's Bay Railway. When the 6 p.m. train from Windsor to Melbourne had left the Richmond station, and when the wooden bridge leading to the Botanical gardens had been passed, a man jumped upon the line about twenty yards in front of the train, and was immediately run over and killed. The engine driver saw the man jump, and has no doubt that he did so with a suicidal intention. Owing to the short distance the train had to travel before reaching the deceased, it was impossible for the driver to prevent the fearful occurrence. On arriving at Melbourne the driver reported what had taken place to the stationmaster, who at once despatched Constable Flannery in a cab to bring the body of the deceased to town. The constable found the body in a terribly mutilated condition. The back of the head was extensively fractured, and this injury alone must have caused instantaneous death. The back of the left shoulder was smashed to a pulp, while the left leg was fractured below the knee, and was hanging only by the sinews. From these injuries it would appear that the deceased had been struck on the shoulder by one of the buffers of the engine, and on the head by the guard-iron, while the wheels had passed over his left leg. His coat was ripped open behind, and both his boots had been dragged off in some way. His hat, umbrella, and meerschaum pipe were found lying near the body. On searching his clothes the constable found no money, and the only thing in his pockets which may afford a clue to his identity was an empty envelope, addressed, "Richard McGrath, Friendly Societies' Dispensary, Smith street, Fitzroy," and bearing the post marks of Dookie South (August 22nd), Benalla (August 23rd), and Melbourne (August 24th). The deceased appears to have been a man from thirty-five to forty years of age, and was nearly 6ft. in height.