NEWS OF THE DAY.

Globe, Volume VIII, Issue 1077, 10 December 1877, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Mayoy of Sydenham. —Mr George Booth was re-elected Mayor of Sydenham to-day at noon. There was no opposition. Sydenham Borough Council.— The usual fortnightly meeting of above Council will be held this evening at seven o’clock, Pigeon-Shooting.— ln a pigeon match for 6200 a side, at Sydney, a Sir Waugh was backed to shoot 30 out of 50 with ounce shot at twenty-five yards rise. He killed 36 out of 40. Exctjbsion to Pigeon Bay. —The favorite s.b. Akaroa will make an excursion trip to Pigeon Bay on Monday, December 17th, which is to be kept a holiday, as Anniversary day falls on a Sunday. No doubt many will avail themselves of the short and pleasant trip on the water, as they will be able to return to Christchurch on the same evening. Cheistmas Donations. —At the close of the business of the Magistrate’s Court, Leithfield, Mr Whitefoord announced that he was prepared to receive subscriptions in aid of the treat to the inmates of the Burnham Industrial School and the Orphanage. The clerk of the Bench collected £5 in the Court, which the Resident Magistrate said showed well for the liberality of those present, and stated that it would be applied in the proper way for the object named. Lyttelton School Committee.— A meeting of this committee was held on Saturday evening, Mr H. R. Webb in the chair. Mr Archibald Binnie was appointed third master, subject to the approval of the Board of Education. It was agreed to write to the gaol authorities asking for the use of some of the hard labor gang, to build a concrete wall and perform other work in connection with the infant school. Leave of absence was granted to Messrs Hawkins and Nalder. Whaling. —Messrs Krull and Co.’s whaling brigantine Isabella, Captain Toms, returned to Wellington after an absence of nine months. The Isabella came last from Auckland, having sailed thence a fortnight ago. She left Wellington last February, and has been cruising about in the North ever since. Her total captures amount to five whales, giving a result of between fifteen and twenty tuns of oil. Captain Toms reports the vessel in good condition, and the crew in good health. Cheistmas Teeats. —The following donations have been received at the Resident Magistrate’s Court towards the Christmas treat to be given to the children at the Industrial School and Lyttelton Orphanage:— From Mr C. Mouldey, two large cases of assorted toys ; Mr Whiteman, parcel of books ; Messrs Nashelski and Reece, parcels of knives; H. B. A., one writing case ; Messrs Ballantyne and Strange, parcels of miscellaneous goods. It is anticipated from the promises given that Mr Mellish will be enabled to give the children at both institutions a very substantial treat, and it has been suggested that this excellent object would be materially aided by employees of large firms in the city subscribing individually a small sum, which would amount to something substantial in the aggregate. Almanac foe 1878. —•“ The Press Shilling Almanac and Diary, 1878,” is the title of a compact volume just published, containing a variety of information useful to readers in all parts of the colony, but particularly in the Canterbury provincial district. Its index of contents enumerates upwards of forty different subjects on which information is furnished, and it is creditable to the compiler that while he has selected subjects of most constant and prominent interest, the selection is made in such form that both brevity and readiness of reference are achieved. The almanac is also a very creditable production of the typographer’s art and skill, and it is accompanied by a lengthy list of advertisements, which are in themselves a valuable local directory. Besides the more complete calendar suited for such publications, it contains a small sheet calendar which may be easily excised, and used separately as a source of reference. Presentation. —On Saturday the members of the C.R.C. met at the sheds for the purpose of presenting their captain, Mr J. O. Jones, with a mark of their esteem for his many services rendered to the club and to aquatics generally. Not alone in his connection with the CEO. has Mr Jones shown great zeal; he has been the means, more than any one, of keeping alive the interest in boating matters here, and no one so amply deserved the recognition made on Saturday as he did. As an oarsman himself, whether in the fours, pairs, or canoe, Mr Jones has been very successful, having placed many prizes to the credit of his club and himself. The presentation took the form of a very handsome clock, bearing a suitable inscription, and was made by Mr R. J. S. Harman, on behalf of the club. Mr Harman, in the course of his remarks, made allusion in eulogistic terms to the many services rendered by Mr Jones to the cause of aquatics and the energy and zeal displayed by him as captain of the C.R.C. Mr Jones briefly replied, thanking the club for the handsome recognition by it of anything he had done to forward its interests. The Late Question of Privilege,— ln an article on the subject of the late correspondence between the Marquis of Normanby and the Ministry, involving an alleged question of privilege, the “Australasian” of November 24th says Pei usal of the published correspondence shows conclusively that though his Excellency was placed at a disadvantage owing to what he may reasonably consider tbe sharp practice of his advisers, he was quite able to hold his own in the consequent discussion. As to the merits of the privilege question, there can be but one opinion in impartial minds. The fussy debate and decisions of the House of Representatives are simply an absurd waste of time and energy about a trifle. It is sheer nonsense to pre? tend that the reference by the Governor in a confidential communication addressed to his Ministers to an impending debate in the House formed a breach of the privileges of that body, and an interference with its freedom of discussion. If the gravamen of the the complaint is transferred from the writing of the paper to its publication, then the whole bearing of the question is shifted, and the responsibility for the action complained of is laid, without chance of evasion, on the shoulders of the Ministry. This position is stated with much cogency by the Governor. It is not pleasant to see a colonial Ministry virtually charged by the force of facts with something like conspiracy against her Majesty’s representative, whom it is their province to advise. The unpleasantness is increased when the head of the Ministry is a gentleman who has himself held the office of representative of the Queen, and the correspondence between Lord Normanby and Sir George Grey places the latter gentleman «j

Journalistic. —The Wellington “Evening Post ” is to appear to-day in an enlarged form—the third enlargement of the same paper within the last eight months. In Sydney the publication of a new daily penny paper is announced. The promoters say that ft is to have no political bias. The protectionist and anti-immigrationist party also intend to start a “ Working Man’s Advocate.” At present the protectionists have no organ, nearly all the influential journals of New South Wales being of a free-trade complexion. Phenomenon at Sea. — The recent voyage of the s.s. Go-Ahead, Captain Hclander, from Gisborne to Auckland is one which is not likely to be forgotten by the passengers on board, who received such a scare by a sight they witnessed, and for which it is difficult to account. The “ Herald” gives the following as the captain’s version of the circumstances : —lt appeared that on Saturday last, between the hours of 8 and 9 p.m., when the steamer was off Open Bay, and about five miles from the land, the watch on deck was in charge of the first officer, the captain being below, when the latter, and also the passengers, were suddenly alarmed by the chief officer exclaiming, “ My God ! what’s that ? —Hard a-port —Stop her!” Such a strange order naturally brought all on deck, and looking a short distance ahead of the vessel, the sea was observed to be one mass of seething foam, the disturbance travelling towards the vessel, with much greater rapidity than the speed the steamer was, making. The vessel’s stem was immediately directed to clear the outer edge of the agitated water, and although the captain was successful in so doing, yet the influence was felt, and the steamer pitched violently until the agitation was out-distanced. The alarm of the passengers was great, and one of them took to his bunk, and was not seen again on deck until the arrival of the vessel in Auckland. The agitation was no doubt due to some volcanic disturbance of the sea bottom, as a slight shock of earthquake was felt at Gisborne on Friday evening. Royal Engineers at Fiji. —The Fiji correspondent of the Melbourne “Argus” writes: —The company of Royal Engineers stationed here have at last got their orders to return home, for which the colony at large should sing Te Deum. How or why they w r ere ever sent out to increase the expenditure of the colony, no one will ever know. So far as utility or service is concerned they are simply useless—a mere standing joke and a fraud upon the revenue. What could be more absurd than to send out carpenters, joiners, masons, &c., when the colonies are full of such men who will do a fair day’s work for a fair day’s wage, instead of doing the “ Government stroke ?” The style in which our Engineer artificers work is something as follows:—A dozen burly fellows, bursting with beef and beer, march out of barracks to repair a drain situated say a mile distant. They leave their quarters about 8 a.m., and after a pleasant walk, arrive on the ground at say a quarter to 9. Then they divest themselves of their coats, turn up their shirt sleeves, and take a collective look at the drain. The non-commissioned officer, acting —God save the mark! —as clerk of works, then leaves them, and, by a polite fiction, work for which they are remunerated at the rate of 5s a day is supposed to commence. Six out of the dozen sit down and light their pipes, while three others start off to the nearest house to ask what o’clock it is. The remaining three potter about, and “ make believe ”to do something. At half-past 11 they troop back to barracks, knocked up with the amount of work done, and march out to repeat the same farce in the afternoon. Now, would it not be better to give a civilian who would work 20s a day, and let him find himself, than to give these men 5s to do nothing, and find them in food and quarters into the bargain? However, they are going, and the day of their going should be appointed as a day of public prayer and thanksgiving for deliverance from such an incubus.