NEWS OF THE DAY

Globe, Volume VIII, Issue 1082, 15 December 1877, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY

C axle Communication. —Cable communication was expected to he restored to-day. The Edinburgh was making the final splici this morning. A.0.F., Court Star op Canterbury.— The usual Court meeting will be held or Tuesday evening. Trip to Akaroa. —By advertisement we see that tickets for the excursion per Wellington on Monday can be had at*t£9 Cbxirtckurcfc wol**7 rtrtiwj 7

Loyal City op Norwich Lodge. —This lodge will hold its anniversary picnic on Monay. An advertisement elsewhere gives pariculars.

Volunteer Artillery. —The Artillery jorps will parade at the drill-shed at 8 a.m. n Monday next for shot and shell practice at Lyttelton.

United Methodist Free Church. — Special trust sermons will be preached in the church, St. Asaph street, to-morrow.

City of Christchurch Lodge.—A summoned meeting of this lodge will be held on Tuesday next at 7.30 p.m. Post-Office Holiday. —We are requested to state that all post-offices in the Canterbury district will be open to the public on Monday, 17th instant, from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.

Waltham Wesleyan Church. —Sermons in connection with the above church will be preached to-morrow morning by Rev. J. S. Smalley; at noon by Rev. Keast, and evening by Rev. W. Morley. The annual tea and public meeting will be held on Monday, at which addresses will be given by ministers and friends.

Entertainment. —The Alleen Troupe gave an entertainment at the Colonoists’ Hall, Lyttelton, last night. The performance was really excellent of its kind, and the audience were heartily delighted with it. As will be seen, by advertisement, the troupe perform again at the same place to-night, and those who wish to spend a really pleasant evening should attend.

Anniversary Sports. —At the meeting of the committee of the sports, held yesterday, it was resolved to excise the Bicycle race from the programme and substitute therefor a Handicap Consolation race of a quarter of a mile. The course is being got into fair condition, and to-day it is intended to have the water carte on for an hour or two, and afterwards use a heavy roller. ""Accident. —A serious accident occurred at the parsonage, Rakaia,on Thursday afternoon. A working man named Moodie, who has a wife and children, was employed with a dray in the hay field. While going about his work one of his legs got between the frame and the side-board of the dray; he lost his balance and fell over out aide the cart, breaking his leg. Dr. Trevor was sent for and he set the bone. Moodie was brought to town by “he midday train on Friday, and was admitted to the Hospital. New Building Society. —lt appears from a prospectus published in another column that a new society to be called “ The Canterbury Building Society Permanent,” is about to bo established. Several new and important features are introduced in the rules, which should strongly recommend themselves to investors generally, whilst borrowers can be accommodated either as to the amount of loan or length of term, as it is proposed to lend for one year and upwards, and repayments can be made either monthly or quarterly. The names of the provisional directors and officers is a sufficient guarantee that the management of the society will be all that can be desired. Mr E. J. T. Ford is the manager.

Roman Catholic Mission at Ranoioha. —The Rev.' Father Hennebery held his usual two services in the Catholic Church here on Friday, when over 350 persons were present. In the morning he delivered his address on “ Temperance and Abstinence from Intoxicating Beverages,” when fully the aforementioned number of persons publicly took the pledge. The services tomorrow are expected to be very largely attended. After 11 a.m. mass the baptismal vows will be taken, and at <L p.m. a procession of the members of the Temperance League will take place.

Railway Passes to Fire Brigades.— The railway authorities have decided that the members of the fire brigades from Lyttelton, Kaiapoi, and Rangiora attending the torchlight procession shall pay their own fares. In previous years, the Government has shown some little liberality to the members of these volunteer brigades by granting free passes. As in the towns named the Government also has a large amount of property at stake this slight favour to the brigade would only be a graceful acknowledgment of the services which the members might at some time or other render to the public buildings in case of (ire.

Driving Rolnd Corkers. —The necessity for the by-law lately agreed to by the City Council being put into force as early as possible, was again exemplified last evening. Cabman 23, apparently endeavoring to shave the corner channel of Colombo and Gloucester streets without upsetting, threw his horse on his knees and the animal skated along the asphalte crossing, turning on its side in the shafts on reaching the outer edge. By a miracle only, the four-wheeler was not capsized, nor were the shafts broken, and the visitors to the opera, who were occupants of the vehicle, were enabled to continue their journey on foot. The poor horse was unfortunately the." greatest sufferer, as his knees were completely broken, and necessarily bleeding very much, and it would be a great pity if the sergeant who came up immediately afterwards delayed in laying an information.

Serious Accident. —Another accident has taken place at the Anderson’s Bay railway works, Dunedin. One of the men working there, named Harry Brown, charged a hole and lit the fuse, and then turned and carried away the tub of powder from which he had filled the charge. As he did so a spark, presumably from the fuse, ignited the powder (some 201bs) which he was carrying, and he was lifted bodily into the air, falling almost insensible on the road close to the water. Brown heard some of the workmen cry out that he was on fire, and he had suilicient strength and presence of mind to roll himself into the bay, thereby extinguishing his smouldering clothes. On being taken out he was placed in a cab and taken to the hospital. It was there found that he was severely burned about the face and arms, and much bruised about the head and body. Kaiapoi Farmers’ Club. —The monthly meeting of this club was held on Thursday evening. There was a good attendance. Mr E. Parnham, chairman of the club, presided. After the transaction of the ordinary business, Mr R. Coup opened the subject for debate by reading the following paper on “ The Importance of Agriculture and of Drainage in connection therewith-” After a discussion, Mr 3. Bcharrell moved a vote of thanks to Mr Coup, for the information afforded by him, and hoped the question of underground drainage would generally receive more attention than was usually given to it. Mr J. Birnio seconded the motion ; he fully conmired in the remarks of Mr Coup. The motion was unanimously agreed to. The meeting was then adjourned to the second Thursday in January, 1878, when arrangemeats for holding foal, grain, mid root fljcw w$ fa md*'

Timabu Landing Service. —At a meeting of the Timaru Harbor Board on Monday, a letter received from Messrs Royse, Stead, and Co., lessees of the Government Landing Service, applying for a reduction of rent, stating that they had lost £4lO (beyond the rent) during the year, in consequence of the decrease of shipping business; and also drawing attention to the fact that the shed was quite useless for storage purposes, as it was not strong enough to bear a heavy strain. They hoped the rent would be reduced to £3OO a year, and on that condition they would be willing to give up possession whenever required to do so by the Board. It was proposed by his Worship the Mayor, seconded by Mr Hayhurst, and carried—“ That in reply to Messrs Royse, Stead and Co.’s letter 'm re reduction of rent, they be informed that the Board cannot entertain their application.” Purchase or Native Land. —The terms of settlement between Mr Mackay and the Governmci.L in respect of the negotiations for the purchase of Native land which have been carried on in the Thames district for some years back, have not been made public, but the “Auckland Herald” understands that they are satisfactory to Mr Mackay. Mr Mackay has arranged to hand over all the documents in his possession with respect to land purchase operations, with a clerk who is conversant with the details. The purchase of land on commission is now to cease, and henceforward all the Government business will be conducted by salaried officers. Great interest will naturally be taken in Auckland in all the Government does in respect of these land purchases. Grand Orange Lodge, Middle Island op New Zealand. —The annual session of this Lodge was held in the hall, Worcester street, on Wednesday. The Grand Officers present were—R.W.G.M. Bro. Anderson, R.W.D.G.M. Bro. Hogg, G.C. Bro. Rev. J. Mclntosh, M.A., G. Sec. Bro. McWilliam, G. Trcas. Bro. T. Anderson. There was a good attendance of brethren from different parts of the province. The Lodge being opened in the usual manner by the R.W.G.M. and the G.C., the secretary read his annual reports, from which it appeared that the society has made considerable progress during the past year, the number of working members being over 800. Two new Lodges have been opened, and negotiations are pending for starting other two. The following officers were elected for the ensuingyear:—R.W.G.M., Bro. B. Revell; R.W.D.G.M., Bro. Christie j G.C., Bro. Rev. Mclntosh; G. Sec., Bro. McWilliam; G. Trees., Bro. Prudhoe; G. Auditors, Bros. Beresford and Tribe. It was resolved to ask the different Lodges and members to contribute to the testimonial to be presented to Bro. William Johnston, of Ballykilbeg. After the transaction of all the routine business the newly elected officers were duly installed by the G.C. Bro. Rev. J. Mclntosh, A vote of thanks was passed to the retiring officers, and the Lodge adjourned till the second Thursday in May. The brethren then sat down for refreshments, when the usual loyal and patriotic toasts were duly proposed and honored, several of the brethren enlivening the proceedings with songs and recitations.

Railways and Haeboue Boaeds. —The Hon. Mr Richardson, in the House of Representatives, asked the Minister for Public Works, what arrangements exist for the payment to Harbour Boards of moneys collected by the Railway department for them; also, whether the authorities at Wellington or the local officers are responsible for the delays that now take place in the payment of such moneys ? The Bluff Harbour Board and the Lyttelton Harbour Board were particularly interested in the answer which would bo given by the Government to this question, because the Harbour Boards of those two places had entered into arrangements with the Railway Department of the Government to collect the wharfage dues and hand them over regularly to the Harbour Boards ; but for some ten weeks past the money had not been handed over to the proper owners. A great deal of inconvenience had been caused thereby. His desire was that the Government should ascertain whose fault it was that the money had not been handed over.—Mr Sheehan said the arrangement at present existing was that, the accounts were summarised in the railway accounts as part of the traffic accounts, and the money had to be transmitted to Wellington. The local officers were responsible for any delay that took place in the payment of the moneys. The whole matter was now under the consideration of the Minister for Public Works.