NEWS OF THE DAY.

Globe, Volume VIII, Issue 1032, 16 October 1877, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

The Suez Mail.—The Arawata, with the Suez mail, arrived at the Bluff to-day. Timaru —Indian Famine. —A public meeting, convened by his Worship the Mayor, will be held in the Town Hall, Timaru, on Wednesday evening, for the purpose of devising means for raising funds in aid of the sufferers by the Indian famine. Collision. —A four-wheeled cab, being driven down Cashel street by a man named Spencer, came into collision yesterday afternoon with a carrier's van belonging to Mrs Badden, which had readied the corner of Colombo street and was proceeding southwards. One of the cab shafts got jammed in the hind part of the van, and the horse becoming restive, the shaft was snapped off and the cab upset before the vehicles could be separated. The horse was uninjured. Diocesan Synod.—The first session of the tenth Diocesan Synod of Canterbury was opened at one o'clock to-day, in the College Library, by the Primate. The roll having been called, his Lordship declared the Synod duly open for the transaction of business, after which prayer was offered by the Prei sident of the Synod. His Lordship, after I this, read his opening address, and it was I resolved, on the motion of Dean Jacobs, I that the Synod thank the Primate for his I address, and ask leave to have it published. ! The Rev. Mr Hare was elected clerical secre- ! tary, and Mr Hamilton lay secretary to the j Synod. Mr Q-. L. Lee was elected chairman !of committees. It was resolved, on the | motion of Canon Cotterill, that the Synod | should meet each day, Saturdays and Sundays excepted, at 4 p.m., adjourn at 6.30, and meet again at 7.30. Various reports were laid on the table, and the reports of the standing committee and the Cathedral commission were read. j Borough of Sydenham.—The nomina--1 tions of Mayor, Councillors, and Auditors, for the Borough of Sydenham, closed at noon today, at the Colombo road Schoolroom. About twenty ratepayers were present, and, shortly after 12 o'clock, Mr Frederick Jones, Eeturning Officer, stated the nominations to be as follows :—Mayor, Mr Greorge Booth ; Councillors, Messrs W. Langdown, John Whitelaw, W. W. Charters, E. Jones, J. B. Daltry, T. &. Venuall, F. C. Hall, J. L. Scott, J. S. Buxton, F. Innes, J. T. Brown, J. M. Fitzgerald, and J. B. Nisbett; Auditors, Messrs R. McConnell and T. B. Craig. As only one candidate had been nominated for the office of Mayor, he (the Returning officer) had great pleasure, in accordance with the provisions of the Act, in declaring Mr George Booth duly elected to serve as first Mayor for the Borough of Sydenham. [Cheers.] Mr Booth, who was received with applause, thanked the ratepayers for having elected him to that honourable position. He thought the formation of the municipality a step in the right direction, and that the committee, who had used so much energy to bring about that desirable result, were deserving the hearty thanks of all the ratepayers. He hoped that any little differences that had arisen would now be forgotten, and that all would work together for the benefit of the Borough. It would be his endeavour to represent all the ratepayers, and use his best efforts to improve the district as far as lay in his power. Mr Jones then declared Messrs McConnell and Craig elected as Auditors, and said the polling for Councillors would take place on Wednesday, the Jfj24th instant. A vote of thanks to the Returning Officer closed the proceedings.

Thout Fishing.—The fishing season opens to-day. Only twelve licenses were taken out yesterday, but it is anticipated that a large number will be applied for during the day. The Indian Famine Keliee Fund.—A meeting of the committee of the above was held yesterday at which "some routine business was transacted. It was announced that notice had been given in many of the churches throughout the district that collections would be made on tbe following Sunday in aid of the fund. Choeal Seevice at St. Michael's.—The usual even-song service was celebrated at St. Michael's last night, preparatory to the annual meeting of the Synod. Dean Jacobs preached the sermon; there was a large attendance, and a collection was made, the proceeds of which will be devoted to defraying the expenses of the Synod. Lectube.—The fifth of the series of lectures being delivered in aid of St. Paul's, was given last evening in the Church, to an average attendance. Mr David Duncan occupied the chair. The title of the lecture was " The Three-fold Writing on the Cross." The subject was one of deep interest to all present, and its treatment by Mr Habens was all that could be desired. A vote of thanks to the lecturer concluded the proceedings. Maoeis in Akaboa.—The Maoris on Banks' Peninsula have requested the G-overn-ment, through the Native Minister, to hand over to them half an acre of land within the borough of Akaroa, and also to build a house on it for the use of the Natives when visiting Akaroa on business or pleasure, as they complain that the hotel keepers do not treat them civilly. It is to be hoped that the residents will be pleased with this addition to the amenities of Akaroa. Cheistchuech Bowling Club.—By the kind invitation of the president, Mr Wynn Williams, the opening game of the season waa played on that gentleman's ground in Latimer square, on Saturday last. Twenty-one members were present, and, after a most agreeable afternoon's amusement the company dispersed, much gratified with Mr Williams's hospitality. The club ground in Worcester street will be open for the season on Saturday afternoon, the 20th inst. A Tbue-Boen Beiton.—A Briton of that heroic stamp which is more read about than realised in these degenerate days, disclosed himself in the Magistrate's Court yesterday. On being asked by his opponent in the case before the Court whether he had not expressed a desire to see a glorious fight on the occasion of some local festivities, he promptly replied, "Of course I did; I always like to see a good fight." Canteebuet Q-HN Club.—This club, which has only been started a short time, now numbers thirty-seven members, and there are twenty to be balloted for at next meeting. The president and treasurer proceeded to Papanui yesterday to make arrangements for the erection of a pigeon house near the Sawyers' Arms Hotel, and a large number of strong birds have already been purchased to commence the stock with. It is expected that the opening match will be shot in about nine days.

Curious Incident. —While a cart load of stuff was being removed on Saturday last from a cutting in the centre of the Antigua street works, one of the horse's hind legs got stuck in the soft peat, and he was unable to extricate it. On the cart being unloaded and pulled away from him he managed, with help, to struggle out, and in doing so fished up an eel 18in. in length with the end of hia shoes. There was no indication of water at or near the spot, and the sudden appearance of his eel-ship rather astonished the workmen who were assisting in pulling the animal out.

Destruction of Books.—lt is a great pity that the Board which regulates matters connected with the Public Library could not devise some means for inflicting due punishment iipon such G-oths as wantonly destroy the volumes they take out to read. Not long ago it was mentioned that several leaves had i been torn out of a volume of Pliny, and now (it is found that some frequenter of the library has torn about twenty pages from ! Macaulay's essay on Hallam's Constitutional I History. If every book on being returned to I the library could be carefully examined, the ! perpetrators of such mischief might be discovered and exposed in such a way as would effectually deter others from following so bad an example. Mixed. —The Telegraph Department was recently congratulated upon the enterprise which it exhibited in keeping operators at the offices all night for the receipt and transmission of late war news, and some spirited proprietors of newspapers, in their desire to accommodate the public, without considering that there are limits to the physical endurance of their employees, determined that at whatever hour it should come, the news should be immediately put in type. The result has not always been happy. As an illustration, the following may be quoted as having been printed in the " Hawke's Bay Herald" office, where, we scarcely required to be told, it was received recently at 3.45 a.m.: " A seizure of arms in Transylvania caused an erruption. Over 400 mountains destroys the Jassy railway. Klapka disavows and deprecates Sulieman Pasha's telegrams re Eussian position critical." The Pawnbrokers' G-bievance.—After Mr Mellish had given his decision in the case brought against the man Thomson yesterday morning for larceny of goods found in a pawnshop, Mr S. D. Nathan again asked the Court whether pawnbrokers could not obtain restitution of the money advanced by them in such cases. In every country he had been in yet pawnbrokers always received back the money they advanced on goods which turned out to be stolen property, unless it were found that the pawnbroker had acted unfairly with a view to abuse the law or evade justice. He submitted that his Worship had power to make an order in the present case, and others akin to it, and begged to refer him to the 37th clause of the Act. On referring to the clause, Mr Mellish remarked that the only way in which a pawnbroker in such a case could obtain compensation was by the Court's ascertaining if the person who had pawned the stolen property had money on him and making an order for payment out of that. If the prisoner had any money, the Court would see Mr Nathan repaid. Inspector Buckley stated that the man had no money. Mr Nathan remarked that tho prisoner had ictually been arrested on his (Mr Nathan's) voluntary statement, and would probably have escaped justice but for him. His Worship reiterated that there was no fund out of which he could order payment to be made, except the money found on a guilty person at -he time of his arrest. Mr Nathan then withdrew from the conversation, stating that le and all respectable people would have to ,*o out of the business immediately if they Med to obtain protection-

Fire Brigade Telegraph.—The suggestion of the New Zealand Underwriters' Association, that the .Dunedin police and fire brigade station should be connected by telegraph with the bell tower, has been rejecter! by the Works Committee of the City Council as unnecessary. It is possible in Dunedin the proximity of the two plnces, or the prominent situation of the watch tower, may render such an arrangement unnecessary, but in a city such as Christchurch, where there is as yet, strange to say, no elevated watch tower provided, the convenience of connecting the fire brigade stations by telegraph and electric bell is but too obvious.

Narrow Escape.—The " Waitangi Tribune," in a recent number, thus chronicled a peculiar incident, of which several persons were eye-witnesses:—That spirited " king of the whips," Mr G. R. Freeman, has had two or three narrow escapes during the last _ few years, but none of them wero so extraordinary as one that was "scored" a day or two since. George had a large mob of cattle in the Waimate pound, and, having charge of that establishment, he was doing the " bossing " while the horned beasts were being drafted; when a steer made at him in a wild manner. The active poundkeeper was, however, equal to the occasion, stepping on one side as the beast made its dart, thereby escaping what must otherwise have been a fatal contact. The steer, on the other hand, steered a little too straight, running one of its horns fully an inch into a heavy gate post and breaking its neck with the force of the blow ; while George jumped up on one of the rails and calmly looked down on the beast in its death struggles. A Member's Dream.—Describing the debate on the " Waka Maori " motion, the contributor of Notes from the Gallery to the " Hawke's Bay Herald " writes : —Mr Hursthouse, the member for'Motueka, made the only speech after that of Mr Ballance in which there was anything lively or anything that had not been said before. He related a dream which he had had the previous night, and which shadowed forth the discordant elements that would exist if the Opposition got into power. The dream was that the present Ministry were out of office, and the new Ministers were in Cabinet; the Treasurer was Sir George Grey. The claims of Otago were first put forward by the Dunedin members, then those of Canterbury, and then those of Auckland, until at last the Treasurer was in despair at being utterly unable to satisfy all the demands made upon him by his supporters, and he informed them that the utmost they would be able to borrow was two millions. Then there was a general split up amongst the new Ministry and their fellowers. The graphic way in which Mr Hursthouse related his dream, without a smile on his features, created hearty laughter, Sir George Grey himself being as much amused as anybody. He went on to speak of the impossibility of the Opposition, in its present state, being able to form a Ministry which would exist for any length of time, and said he would not detain the House any longer by his remarks, on which Mr Barff said maliciously, " Give us another dream." Horsewhipping an M.H.R. —The Wellington correspondent of the " North Otago Times" furnishes the following account of the circumstances under which Mr Hislop, one of the members for the district, was horsewhipped : —There was a very exciting scene on Lambton Quay shortly after four o'clock this afternoon. It appears that Mr Hislop, one of the members for Waitaki, stated that the hon. member for was made drunk by Mr James Mackay, Government Land Purchase Commissioner, for the purpose of securing his vote for the Government, or preventing his voting with the Opposition. Hearing this, Mr Mackay, it is said, wrote a letter to Mr Hislop demanding his authority, and asking for an apology. Mr Hislop replied that what he had said was only common report, and he declined to apologise. This morning Mr Mackay called at Mr Hislop's lodgings, and left his card. This afternoon as Mr Hislop was walking along the quay Mr Mackay came up and asked Mr Hislop if he was going to apologise. The latter declined to do so. Mr Mackay then said "I have bought this whip (producing it), and if you do not apologise I will horsewhip you." Mr Hislop still declined to apologise. "Then take that," said Mr Mackay, striking Mr Hislop several times about the lower part of the body. This was repeated, and some of the bystanders sang out, " Take the whip from him." Mr Hislop tried to do so, and closed with his assailant, but in a few moments they were separated, Mr Mackay, in the scuffle that ensued, tearing away Mr Hislop's necktie and collar. Then Mr Hislop said, " You will hear more of this." Mr Mackay replied, " I don't doubt I shall, and I might as well tell you what I think ; that you are an unmitigated scoundrel and a liar." Each party's friends then took them off in different directions. Mr Hislop showed good pluck, but he was very heavily overmatched. Tho matter will in all probability be brought before the House or the Police Court.