NEWS OF THE DAY.

Globe, Volume VIII, Issue 1024, 6 October 1877, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

The Mail.—The Zealandia, with the inward mail, arrived at Auckland thi3 morning at f>A5. The Hawea, with the Southern mails, left at 10.30 a.m. Up to the hour of going to press, the Press Agency had not condescended to furnish us with a summary of the news. Total Abstinence Society.—A lecture will be delivered on Monday evening in the Temperance Hall, Q-loucester street, by Mr T. J. Smith, on the advantages of Temperance Benefit Societies. Lectuees.—The Rev. Mr Elmslie will lecture in St. Paul's to-morrow evening. Subject—" The Scripture Doctrine of the Soul before and after death." The Rev. Thos. Hodgson will lecture, in connection with the Young Men's Christian Association, on Monday evening, at 8 o'clock. Seevices. —The Rev. W. Slater will preach in the Congregational Church, morning and evening, to-morrow. The anniversary services in connection with the Crescent road Wesleyan Church will be held to-morrow. Mr Thos. Bates will preach in the Oddfellows' Hall to-morrow evening. Rev H. E. Caelyon's Case.—The decision of the Bench of Bishops in this case, and also the sentence to be imposed, will be delivered by the most Rev the Primate on Wednesday next, in the College Library, at 11 a.m. Legal.—His Honor Mr Justice Johnston sat in Chambers at 11 a.m. yesterday. In the case of N. P. Meyers, an order of adjudication of bankruptcy was made ; the debtor to surrender on the 12th inst. In Monk v Robinson, the trial was altered from a common to a special jury, and fixed for the 17th inst.

Operation at the Hospital.—The very delicate operation of excision of the tongue was performed yesterday afternoon at the Hospital, on a man named Charles Hill, cnrpenter. Hill had been suffering for some time past from cancer in the tongue, and about three weeks ago was received into the Hospital, where he has since been undergoing preparatory treatment. The man was placed under chloroform in the presence of Drs Prins, Symes, Parkerson, and MacDonald, and the operation was performed by Dr Campbell. Hill was doing remarkably well last night. Canterbury Gun Club. —A meeting of members of this club was held last night, in Cookson's Garrick Hotel, Mr Tudball in the ehair. The business was confined chiefly to confirming the rules submitted at last meeting and to the election of new members. The club now consists of thirty-seven members. The secretary, Mr E. Cookson, stated that Mr Wild, Papanui, had offered the free use of a paddock to shoot in during the season, also ground on which to erect an aviary. The offer was accepted with thanks. It was resolved that the secretary should invite tenders for the erection of a pigeon-house at Mr Wild's, Papanui, a marquee, and other requisites, also the supply of pigeons in numbers from 100 to 500. Other routine business having been attended to the meeting adjourned. Trial op Grey River Coal.—A trial of Grey Eiver coal, in continuation of those recently made with Newcastle and Malvern coal, took place yesterday at the stores of Messrs Banks and M'Dougall. The pressure maintained throughout the day of eight hours was GOlbs, and the same machinery was kept at work aB on the previous occasions. The coal had been weighed in the morning, and at five o'clock it was found that 6cwt 3qrs Olbs had been used. As it was estimated that the value of this coal landed at the Christchurch railway station is 38s 6d per ton, the comparative cost of the quantities of the three kinds used while doing the same work on each occasion, was as follows :—The Springfield lot cost 2s 6d less than the Grey River, and the latter quantity 5s 3d less than the Newcastle. This result is an additional satisfaction to the local company, and will no doubt tend to further and more general trials being made. A Curious Case. —A somewhat curious case was recently heard in the Magistrate's Court at Christchnrch. A certain man bought a trumpery watch at an auction sale. It was guaranteed to possess all the cardinal virtues of watches, but it was not long before it manifested an aversion to keeping time correctly. The purchaser took it to a respectable watchmaker, who refused to undertake its repair on the |ground [that it was not worth the cost. Its possessor took it to a gentleman in the pawn-broking business, and he repaired it, charging ten shillings for the operation. Still, like the costermonger's donkey, the watch would not go, and on the owner summoning the repairing artist before the Magistrate the repairer was ordered to refund the ten shillings, because, the Court very justly held, he must have been very well aware on first seeing the watch that it was mockery to talk of putting such an article "to rights."

City Council.—The City Council will hold its usual fortnightly meeting at four o'clock on Monday afternoon. Councillor Briggs' notice of motion for altering the hour of meeting from four in the afternoon till seven in the evening will be brought forward for consideration. It is certain to be carried, as the majority of the members are in favor of the proposed alteration. Me F. C. Tabaet.—lt is currently rumored in Hokitika (says the local paper) that Mr F. C. Tabart, one of its leading citizens, is about to leave the West Coast, having made arrangements for entering into business in Christchurch, and that Mr H. L. Robinson, county chairman of Westland, has purchased the goodwill of Mr Tabart's business on this •east. Settlement of Shetlandees.—Mr Chas. Broad, G-oldfields Warden, in the Buller district, states in his report that quite a settlement of Shetlanders has sprung up between Westport and Charleston. Some years ago the total number was six, but since then it has increased to 100 by the addition of their fellow countrymen with wives and families specially sent home for. Mr Broad concludes by stating that after ten years' observation of the district he has perfect confidence in its becoming, at no distant period, an important centre of population. The New Inst/bance Company.—The "Otago Daily Times" of the 4th instant says :—" Mr William Saunders, chairman of the Alliance Insurance Company, telegraphs to us from Christchurch as follows: —' The attention of the promoters of the new Insurance Company has been directed to the telegram published by you on Tuesday. It is quite incorrect, as sufficient support has been pledged to the Alliance Company throughout the whole province as to warrant the commencement of business forthwith. Full particulars will appear shortly.' " The New Bobottgh op Sydenham.—A notice in the New Zealand " G-azette," of September 27th, announces that his Excellency the Grovernor has been pleased to appoint Christopher Ladd to be town clerk of thefU Borough of Sydenham, and Frederic Jones to be Returning Officer, to hold the first election of Mayor, Councillors, and Auditors of the said Borough. Also, to appoint Monday, the 22nd day of October, for the election of Mayor ; and Wednesday, the 24th day of October, for the election of councillors; and Friday, the 26th day of October, for the election of auditors of the said Borough. Also, to appoint Monday, the 29th day of October, at noon, for the first meeting of the Council of the said Borough, and the Schoolroom, Colombo road, Christchurch, to be the place of such meeting. Lyttelton Colonists' Society.—A meeting of the members of this society was held on Thursday evening|for the purpose of nominating officers for the ensuing year. The following gentlemen were nominated :—President, Mr Joyce ; Vice-President, Mr Jacobson ; Treasurer, Mr Lance; Committee— Messrs H. R. Webb, J. C. Boddington, Gk Tayler, Wilcocks, Fyfe, Edge, Nalder, Kingsford, Weyburn, Woodford, Sopp, Q-riffin, Eyes, and Chalmers, and Drs. Rouse and McDonald. The election takes place on Thursday evening next. A committee meeting was held subsequently, the President, Mr Nalder, in the chair. The annual report was received and adopted. The Treasurer stated the receipts for the month had been £35 10s 7d. Accounts amonnting to £32 Os 2d were passed for payment. After the transaction of some further routine business the meeting adjourned. ChBISTCHUECH HOETICtTLTTTBAL SOCIETY. —We have received a copy of the Prize Schedule of the Christchurch Horticultural Society's shows for the coming season, and are glad to be able to congratulate the society upon the very large number of extra prizes, in addition to the liberal array of prizes offered by the society itself. At the show to be held on November 9th in connection with the show of the Agricultural and Pastoral Association, there are no less than sixteen extra prizes offered. At the Rose Show, on November 28th (which is perhaps the most popular of all the shows), there is about an equal number offered, comprising amongst others two silver medals given by Mr T. R. Proctor for 12 roses in pots not exceeding 8 inches, and Mr Stevens' prizes of £3 and £2, as first and second prizes respectively, for twelve varieties of cut roses, three blooms of each (being a repetition of his prizes of last year), and, finally, the autumn show on the sth March completes the schedule, with a goodly number of extra prizes, extending over a variety of classes. We notice one new feature of the society, indicated by the list of patronisers appended to the schedule, and we I think the society has done wisely in enlisting | the sympathy and securing the co-operation i of the ladies. There is no doubt that of late ; the society has not received such an amount ! of public support as its objects and the cha--1 racter of the shows deserved, and we beI lieve that, in a great measure, this has arisen from the fact that the ladies had not been invited to take an active interest in the society. In England flower shows have ever been popular—with ladies more especially—and so we hope to see them here. We have been given to understand that there has been a very large accession of new members to the society, and we think that the Horticultural Society may look forward to the prospects of the coming season with more sanguine anticipations of success than has been the case for some years past. Me Wakefield and Me Stout.—The " N.Z. Times" of October 3rd says :—" Some time ago Mr Wakefield, in speaking of the colossal knowledge of Mr Stout, said he had no doubt that gentleman actually knew more about Siberia than the provincial district of Canterbury. The remark of the hon. member for Q-eraldine received point last night in the discussion on the Land Bill. Mr Stout, in speaking against free selection, said its effect had been to leave scarcely an acre of agricultural land not taken up on the Canterbury plains. Mr Montgomery promptly informed him that there was a million acres left for occupation. Mr Stout, however, appeared to adhere to his opinion, notwithstanding this assurance of the late Provincial Secretary of Canterbury. Mr Wakefield again last night strongly expressed himself about Mr Stout's knowledge of Canterbury. He said he had never heard a speaker deal with a subject on which he was more ignorant. He (Mr Wakefield) had little hesitation in stating that the hon. member's acquaintance with Canterbury was confined to one trip across the plains on the narrow gauge railway, at the rate of eighteen miles an hour. The hon. member for G-eraldine then proceeded to demolish Mr Stout's political economy. The member for Dunedin was not in his place. If he had, we venture to say ho would have laughed heartily at the views propounded by Mr Wakefield on this large branch of knowledge.'' I

Rev. Charles Clark. —Printers, says the New Zealand " Herald," "have a wonderful respect for the traditions of their ancient craft, and a Btriking illustration of this is furnished by the fact that on "Wednesday evening, when the Rev. Charles Clark was lecturing at the Thames on "Westminster Abbey," the compositors of the " Advertiser," with the permission of the proprietor, knocked off work for an hour in order that they might hear the first portion of the lecture. The subject possesses special interest for printers, as it was in the old Abbey that Caxton set up his first printing-press. We may note that Mr Clark will shortly visit Christchurch. Harmonic Society.—A general meeting of this society was held pursuant to advertisement on Thursday evening, at the Orange Hall. There was a fair attendance of members. In the absence of the president the Rev. H. C. M. Watson was voted to the chair. After reading a letter from Mr Hamilton, explaining his absence, the chairman called upon the secretary, Mr R. Davis, to state all that had occurred as to the working of the society since the last general Jmeeting in August last, and the reasons for this meeting being called. Shortly, the secretary's statement showed that Mr Parker was still conductor according to the terms of his engagement, and that on the occasion of five practice nights he had not attended to conduct the rehearsals nor had he sent any explanation of his conduct. The consequence had been that ladies and gentlemen who had attended on those occasions, had been offended by repeated disappointments, and had finally, after the laßt occasion, 20th ult., refused to attend again until the reasons for the non-attendance of the conductor had been satisfactorily explained. The conductor, in explanation, said he certainly did not understand that his engagement was binding upon him to the end of the year, and that as he concluded he had been treated with discourtesy by the executive of the society, he did not feel himself bound to attend the rehearsals on the occasions referred to. He understood, moreover, that very few persons had attended on those occasions. After a good deal of desultory talk on side issues, and Mr Parker declaring that he would not undertake the conducting of the society unless his salary for the next half-year was guaranteed, he tendered his resignation as conductor of the Harmonic Society, and resolutions, on the motion of Mr. C. Bonnington, were passed accepting his resignation, and pledging the Harmonic to do its utmost to fulfil its part of the engagement made with the public by the Musical Union. A vote of thanks to the chair, on the motion of Mr Izard, terminated the meeting.