NEWS OF THE DAY.

Globe, Volume VIII, Issue 1080, 13 December 1877, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

H.A.C.B. Society. —The Christchurch branch of this society will hold its annual meeting at 7.30 on the 20th inst. Normal School.—An entertainment m connection with the Normal School will be held this evening, consisting of songs, readings, and selections on the pianoforte. R.M. Court, Christchurch.—Ellen Boyle, against whom there were a large number oi previous convictions, was charged with being drunk and disorderly, and also with using obscene language in a public street. Sentenced to twelve months' imprisonment with hard labor. Daniel Bray, a lad three years of age, was committed to the Burnham Industrial School for seven years. Ltttelton Land Sports.—These sports bid fair to be a great success this year. In another column will be found a full programme, and surely the liberal prizes offered should attract a large number of competitors. As last year, the sports will be held in London street, and visitors to the Regatta will no doubt be pleased with this additional amusement in Port on New Year's Day. Cricket.—The M.C.C.C. members match for Saturday next and following Saturday will be England v. Colonies, play to commence at 2 p.m. Sides: England—Messrs Appleby, Greenwood, Hunt, Lewin, Longden, Mainwaring,|Martin, Newman, Ritso, Ross, Stewart, Warner, and Watson, A. C. Colonies — Alkrd, Ashbolt, Birch, Crawford, H. P. Q-ray, Hartland, M'Cardell, M'lntyrt, Moore, Rule. M. S. Smith, Thompson, White, and Wright. Anniversary Sports. The following were the entries received yesterday for the handicap races at the forthcoming Anniversary sports : —Two-mile Walking Handicap—Entrance, 2s 6d. Prizes, Ist, £4 4s; 2nd, £2 2a ; 3rd, £1 Is. Nine entries. Onemile Handicap—Entrance, 2s 6d. Prizes, Ist, £4 4s ; 2nd, £2 2s ; 3rd, £1 Is. Nine entries. Two-mile Handicap—Entrance, ss. Prizes, Ist, £6 6s ; 2nd, £3 3s ; 3rd, £1 Is. Ten entries. Bicycle Race (handicap), three miles —Entrance, 2s fid. Ist prize, £3 3s; 2nd, £2 2s ; 3rd, £1 Is. Three entries. The course is being rapidly put into something like condition, the ground committee doing the best they can with the very unfavorable ground at a their disposal. Should the weather prove fine there iB every probability of a good day's sport. Australia at the Paris Exhibition. —Four figures, which are intended to stand round the pedestal of the gold trophy of Victoria in the Paris Exhibition, have been prepared for the commissioners by Mr Kreitmeyer of the Melbourne Waxworks. They consist of a blackfellow and his lubra, a stockman, and a digger. Both the blacks may be regarded as faithful likenesses of the first inhabitants of this colony. They are clothed in the conventional 'possum rug, and the woman bears a child on her shoulders. Eor the typical digger and stockman, two goodlooking men have evidently stood as models. The stockman is noticeable for the excellence with which the sun brown has been wrought into his complexion. The head and arms of the figures have been executed in wax. Should they reach Paris in safety, the the "Argus" thinks they ought to have a magnetic inlluence on visitors. In New South Wales, there are about 800 specimens of minerals from the colony ready for transmission, and it is thought the number will reach LOOO. Twenty-six vignerons have promised exhibits of wine. Nearly all the Montana companies are sending exhibits of coal. Imported Railway Material.—Towards the close of the session, Mr Ormond asked the Minister for Public Works, whether any order for railway material, sent to England by the late Q-overnment, haa been countermanded by the present Government ; and, if so, will the Minister state what material has been so counter-ordered, and upon what grounds r He put this question on the Paper in consequence of a report having been circirlated through the colony by the Press that a large order for railway material sent by the late Government had been countermanded by the present Government. The House would remember that a motion was passed which directed the Government to procure in the colony all railway material that could be obtained at anything like a reasonable cost. So far as he was aware, that was strictly adhered to by the late Government; but, in order to ascertain how far these reports had foundation, he would be glad if the Government would answer this question. Sir G. Grey replied that no order for railway material sent to England by the late Government had been countermanded by the present Government. The only case was that of the railway tickets. Rangiora Literary Institute. —The half-yearly general meeting of the members of this institute was held in the hall on Tuesday evening. There was a moderate attendance, Mr C. Merton, president, in the chair. The secretary, Mr D. M. Martin, having read the minutes of the previous meeting, then read the report of the committee for the past six months. Tho report referred to the necessity of enlarging the building, and explained that the committee had decided to ask the trustees to allow them to borrow £2OO to effect the required improvements. The trustees were quite willing to allow the committee to borrow, but they wished for some guarantee that the amount would be repaid within a stated time. The treasurer, Mr E. R. Good, then read the statement of receipts and expenditure for the six months. The former amounted to £66 lis 6d, and tho latter £55 lGs 3d; credit balance, £lO 15s Id; balance on Ist June, £sßlos 2d ; total amount to credit of institute, £69 5s 3d. The chairman gave a resume of the proposal of the committee with regard to the enlargement of the hall, and said that through some slight misunderstanding the trustees had not given their sanction to the committee borrowing the money required. Mr Johnston, one of the trustees, said that they were agreed that the committee should be authorised to borrow £2OO, but they thought some guarantee should be given that the same would be repaid in a certain time. He was surprised that a meeting of the trustees and a subcommittee had not been arrauged, when matters could have been talked over, and most probably settled. Several members said that the hall could be extended without incurring very much expense, and that the amount required could bo raised by the time the building was finished, if efforts wero mndo to do so. Mr S. Collins moved that the committee be recommended to enlarge the hall by extending it to the footpath. This was duly seconded and carried. It was also decided to apply to the Road Board for ft donation ik aid of lb work.

Newspaper Office Burnt. —At Clyde, Otago, between 12 and 1 a.m. on Saturday morning last the " Dunstan Times " office was completely gutted by fire. At 6 a.m. Joss's saddler's shop, adjoining, burst into flames and was partially destroyed, together with the stock. Joss only was insured. At an inquiry an open verdict was returned. Accident to a Teaineb.—Samuel Haynes, the well-known trainer, was severely injured on Saturday evening by a horse which he was riding rolling over him at Sawyer's Bay. He was assisted into Port Chalmers, and sent into Dunedin by the 7.45 p.m. train. It is feared some of his ribs are injured. Tactics of a Witness. —At a Magistrate's Court the other day a defendant of the Teutonic race, summoned for a small debt, in answer to the query, "Do you owe this money?" said "Yes." But when asked why he did not pay it, he replied, "I no understand your Worship." Decision of the Court—Judgment for plaintiff. Hagley. Oajl Leaf v. Lyttelton.—A between these clubs will be played on Saturday, December loth, on the ground of the former. Play to commence at 2 p.m. The following will represent the H.O.L. club: —Messrs Hopper, Marshall, L. Jones, Turner, Walsh, Smith, McCormick, Simpson, Booth, Nevin, and Ashby. A match will be played on Monday, 17th, between the Hagley Oak Leaf Second Eleven and the Railway Second Eleven, on the ground of the former. Wickets to be pitched at 10 a.m. A meeting of members of the Hagley Oak Leaf will be held Thursday evening, at 7 p.m., at the Pavilion, to consider alteration of rule seventeen. All members are requested to be present. Resident Magistrates' Couet Disteicts. —The " G-azette " of December 6th contains a proclamation altering the boundaries of the Timaru Court district, and constituting the district of G-eraldine. The following are the new boundaries : —G-eraldine District —All that parcel of land in the provincial district of Canterbury, bounded towards the North-east by the Ashburton district, as defined by a proclamation bearing date the 19th September, 1876 ; towards the South-east by the sea to the Opihi river; towards the South-west by the Opihi river aforesaid to its source, thence by a right line to the nearest mouth of the Godley river in Lake Tekapo, from thence by a right line to Mount Cook on the Southern Alps; and towards the North-west by the summit of the main range of the Southern Alps aforesaid to the western angle of the Ashburton district aforesaid. Timaru district—All that parcel of land in the provincial district of Canterbury, bounded towards the North-east by the G-eraldine district hereinbefore defined; towards the East by the sea to the Waitaki river ; towards the South by the provincial district of Otago to Mount Aspiring on the Southern Alps; and towards the North-west by the summit of main range of the Southern Alps aforesaid to Mount Cook. Legislative Amenities.—Describing a recent scene in the Victorian Legislative Assembly, the " Argus " says : —The discrepancies in the narratives gives by Mr Lalor and the Speaker were severely animadverted upon, and several times the Speaker rose to defend and to explain his conduct. As to Mr Lalor, Mr Purves described his statements as "inconsistent with common truth ;" and upon being called to order, after a stormy scene, Mr Purves pleaded that if he retracted he would be guilty by implication of charging the Speaker, and not Mr Lalor, with falsehood. Mr Lalor referred to Mr Purves as a " police court practitioner." "No doubt of it," said Mr Purves, "and in that capacity I have had considerable experience of such men as the Minister of Customs, and have learned how to deal with them." In reply to some further sarcasms, Mr Lalor interjected, " Say Judas Iscariot at once." " No," said Mr Purves, " for Judas Iscariot carried the money bag, and no one would trust the hon. member with that." The interchange of compliments came fast and furious, and the result was a continual uproar, the Ministerial side attempting frequently to put Mr Purves down by uncouth sounds and ories.