NEWS OF THE DAY.

Globe, Volume VIII, Issue 1037, 22 October 1877, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Vo lunteer Pahad e. —The volunteer parade ordered for Tuesday stands postponed till Friday on account of the entertainment to be held in aid of the Indian famine fund on the first-named day. Gift Auction. —A gift auction in aid of the funds of the Indian famine relief fund will be held on the cricket ground to-morrow, Mr Atkinson, of the firm of Selig and Atkinson, having kindly consented to receive contributions of articles and assist in conducting the sale.

Inquest. —The adjourned inquest on the body of the man found in the Avon recently, took place to-day at the Hospital, before J. W. S. Coward, Esq., and a jury of whom Mr John Baylee was foreman. After hearing the evidence, the jury returned a verdict of “ Found Drowned.”

Late Trains.— We remind our Lyttelton and Northern friends who desire to be present at the costume cricket match and entertainments in aid of the Indian Relief i und to-morrow that late trains will leave Christchurch station for Lyttelton and the North at 11 p.m. and 11.15 p.m. respectively. Holiday. —As our readers are aware, tomorrow will bo generally observed as a holiday, on the occasion of the Muff match, on the Cricket Ground, in aid of the Indian Famine fund. On this occasion there will be late trains to Lyttelton and the North. The authorities might still further consult the public convenience by issuing return tickets ijt aillgle fares ; and, as Wednesday is also a public holiday in Lyttelton, in honour pf the opening of the water-works, the same privilege might be granted on that day also. Church Collections, Indian Famine Relief. —Collections an aid of the Famine Relief Fund were made in the various churches in the Christchurch district jester* day. The very boisterous weather during the morning no doubt prevented as largo congregations at some of the places of worship as would otherwise have been present. The following are some of the amounts collected : —St. John’s Church (Anglican), £7O; Durham street Wesleyan Church,£63 10s; Church of the Most Holy Sacrament (Roman Catholic), £59 14s 3d (more subscriptions promised); St. Paul’s Presbyterian Church, £55 14s; Sfc. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, £49 10s; St. Michael’s Church (Anglican), £4l; St. Luke’s Church (Anglican), £39; Primitive Methodist Church, £3 Is 6d ; Free Methodist Church, Addington (including a small sum collected privately), £23 13s 9d; Papanui, £26 8s 3d ; German Church, £5 Is; St. Mary’s, Addington, £6 14s 2d; St. Stephen’s, Lincoln, £5 Is lOd; St. Mary’s, Springston, £3 18s 4d; Greenpark, £3 15s 9d ; Disciples of Christ, Oddfellows’ Hall, £l6 59 Sua»y?ids AsjrluflJs £1 7e Ud*

Masonic. —The installation of Brother the Honorable F. Whitaker as Provincial Grand Master, Scotch Constitution, for the North Island, has been definitely fixed for the 30th November next (St. Andrew’s Day). It has also been arranged that the installation of Brother G. S. Graham as District Grand Master, English Constitution, shall take place. The impressive ceremonies will be conducted by that veteran in masonry, Brother Lazar, of Hokitika.

Indian Famine Relief Fund.— On Saturday Mr Pratt was again to the fore near the Bank of New Zealand with his collecting box. During the day the amount contributed was £22 15s. In addition to this, the sum of £ls was handed in by the Eev. P. Fairclough, collected in Leeston. This is in addition to £ls already sent by Mr Overton, making £3O in all from Leeston. Mr Ollivier, on Saturday, added some £4O to his list, so that altogether the contribution of Canterbury to the fund promises to be a very large one. Christchurch Resident Magistrate.— On October 4th as reported in “ Hansard,” Mr Fox asked the Hon. the Minister of Justice, whether, since perusing the depositions, the Government have expressed to the Resident Magistrate at Christchurch their sense of the impropriety of his summarily disposing of the charge against Needham, after hearing the same with closed doors, the said charge being one which could not have received a less sentence if sent to the Supreme Court, and might have led to a conviction for a more serious offence ? Mr Bowen said he had laid on the table the depositions in the case of Needham, and he was bound to say that, in his opinion, the magistrate had committed an error of judgment. At the same time ho believed that gentleman acted with a desire to do what he thought best under the circumstances, and with the idea that no conviction could lie obtained for the more serious offence. It would be a very grave matter for the Executive Government to interfere with a judicial officer, or to reprimand him on account of his having exercised his discretion in a particular w T ay. The only case in which the Government should interfere would be where they thought a magistrate had gone beyond what they believed to be an error jof judgment; but that had not been shown in this case. Mr Pox asked whether he was to understand that the Government did not intend to censure the magistrate who acted in Needham’s case. Mr Bowen thought the statement he had made sufficiently conveyed the opinion of the Government. It would be a very grave matter to go further than they had done. Costume Cricket Match, —Tuesday’s fete promises to be the most attractive gathering of the kind that has ever taken place in Christchurch. On Saturday Mr Rose and his assistants commenced the erection of the booth wherein Mr J. L. Hall and his conf eres will enact the dreadful tragedies and side-splitting farces spoken of in the amusing poster issued by the committee. To-day Mr Hale will begin his labors, he having undertaken to provide the dancing saloon and the tents in which Don Derango de Deering and his performing dogs, and the Patagonian Philosopher in his wonderful and mysterious performance, will be located. There will be no lack of conveyances to take the performers to the ground, as besides those already mentioned, Mr Page has promised an omnibus, and several of the town carriers have promised to fit up tbeir vans with seats and place them at the disposal of the committee. Persons owning docile dogs will oblige by lending them for the day, to be exhibited outside the Canidrome. The police have been requested to take care that no games of chance of any description are played upon the ground, and the committee have refused to permit lucky bags, wheels of fortune, lotteries, or art unions. The persons engaged in the day’s performances arc particularly requested to be punctual in their attendance at the Gaiety Theatre at half-past nine o’clock on Tuesday morning, in order that all may assume their costumes in time to prevent the procession from being delayed. The conveyances and Toomer’s and Button’s bands will meet at the Gaiety at a quarter-past ten, and the procession, headed by Mr J. L. Hall on a long-eared quadruped, will start for the cricket ground at half-past ten punctually. The committee will hold a final meeting at Radclift'e’s Hotel this evening at eight o’clock.