NEWS OF THE DAY.

Globe, Volume VIII, Issue 1041, 26 October 1877, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

»« * Local Board of Health.—The Local Board of Health had a long meeting to-day. A report of the proceedings will appear in tomorrow's issue. Charitable School Children'.—lt is worthy of note that the children who attend the Normal School have subscribed amongst themselves £l2 towards the Indian Famine Belief Fund. Boating Season, Lyttelton.—Readers whose tastes are nautical are reminded that the procession of yachts and boats, indicating the opening of the Lyttelton boating season, will take place to-morrow afternoon. Stock for Canterbury.—The " Otago Daily Times " understands that two bulls of the highly-prized polled Angus breed, from the New Zealand and Australian Land Company's celebrated Edendale herd, have been sold to large stock-owners in Canterbury.

Indian Famine Fund, Rangiora.—The offertories in St. John's Episcopalian Church on Sunday amounted to #l9. Subscription lists are being handed round, and at the Free Methodist Church the proceeds from a service of song will be devoted to the funds.

Immigrants by the Ranoitikei. —The following is a list of tho trades and occupations of the immigrants to arrive per ship Uangitikci, now nearly due : —JFarni laborers, 80 ; general, ft; gardeners, 13; coachmen, I; dairymen, 2 ; groom, 1 ; shepherds, 8 ; carpenters, 7 ; waggon makers, 2 ; bakers, 2 ; blacksmith, 1 ; bricklayers' laborers, 3 ; fitters' laborer, 1; waterproofer, 1. Single women —Domestic servants, 87 ; cook.-, 2 ; housemaids, 11; housekeepers, 2 ; nurses, -i; farm, servants, 3 • dairymaid-, 4 ; teacher, \ ; dressmakers, 2. Summary —Male adults, 117 ; female adults, 110; male children, 24 ; female children, 21 ; infants, 5, Total, 2?7 souls, equal 2491 statute adults. Nationality—English, 143; Iripb, 117 i Scotch, 15 } Weleb, 8.

A Golden Ceebk.—The Ten-Mile Creek is the name of a stream which reaches the sea over the auriferous beach to the north of G-reymouth. It was always believed that its watershed was highly auriferous, and lately this was proved by three men obtaining in four weeks, on a terrace six miles up the crock, seven pounds weight [of coarse shotty gold. Sthaw-Bttrning Engines. There appeared in these columns, some short time ago, a description by Mr Henry Redwood of the use of a straw-burning engine which he had introduced into the colony for working a threshing machine. The first engine of the same kind lias only now been introduced into the colony of Victoria, and a lengthy description of it is given by the "Argus," which also quotes Mr Redwood's testimony to the effective working of the engine which he imported. It is a portable engine, intended to be used as the motive-power of a threshing machine, and possesses several novel features of construction, the principal, however, being those which enable it to use straw, reeds, grass, brushwood, or other light vegetable substances as its fuel. These engines, which are patented, are the joint invention of Mr John Head, one of the partners in the firm of Ransom e, Sims, and Head, the celebrated agricultural implement makers of Ipswich, and of Schemidth, a Russian engineer, and were first exhibited at the International Exhibition of 1873, whero they created an extraordinary sation among practical farmers and agricultural engineers. Licenses on Racecourses. —When the House sat in committee on the Public Reserves Bill Mr Stout moved an amendment to prohibit the granting of licenses to sell liquor on racecourses situate on public reserves. The reception and result of the motion are thus described by the parliamentary correspondent of the Auckland " Star:"—Mr Fox said racecourses were great places of assemblage of sharpers, prostitutes, thieves, old rogues, and old rascals. In consequence only few respectable people went to such places, and they were annoyed by the other classes he had named. Mr Manders got on his legs and denounced Mr Fox, adducing medical arguments to show alcohol was not injurious. Mr Stout, in a withering reply, said it did not matter whether a man was drunk on the racecourse or in "another place." He was not responsible for his actions. Mr Stout's amendment was rejected by 34 to 24. Another clause, granting leases of racecourses and other recreation reserves for forty-two years was also struck out. The Bill was reported, but will be recommitted on Friday for the insertion of a new clause, which will be arranged between Messrs Sheehan and Stout, granting leases for shorter terms. The Needham Case Again.—ln the House of Representatives, as reported in " Hansard," Mr Gisborne asked the AttorneyGeneral, in his opinion—(l.) Whether the person Needham, lately before the Resident Magistrate at Christchurch, was charged with an indictable offence ; and, if so, whether it was legal for the Magistrate to deal with the case summarily ? (2.) If the case came before the Resident Magistrate otherwise than as an indictable offence, was the Magistrate justified in hearing it with closed doors ? (3.) Can the conviction be quashed on the above-men-tioned grounds, or either of them ? (4.) If the information were quashed, would Needham be liable to be further prosecuted? (5.) In the event of the above third and fourth questions being answered in the affirmative, will the Government take steps to bring Needham to justice ? Mr Sheehan replied to the first question that there was a charge of an indictable offence, and that if the Magistrate was of opinion that only a common assault had been committed he could, after the discharge of the prisoner, have had him charged anew for a common assault. To the second question the answer was that the Magistrate was only justified in hearing the case with closed doors if it was an indictable offence. To the third question the reply was "No;" and to the fifth question he might reply that, while the Government did not approve of the course taken by the Magistrate, they thought, especially as counsel had appeared for the informant, that they should take no further steps in the matter.