NEWS OF THE DAY.

Globe, Volume IX, Issue 1096, 3 January 1878, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Rangioea Municipality. A counterpetition to the one in favor of the municipality has been prepared, and has also been largely signed. Political. —Mr C. C. Bowen, member of the Q-eueval Assembly for the Kaiapoi district, is to meet the electors at the Oddfellows’ Hall this evening. Street Tramways. —The City Council have appointed a committee to report upon a communication received from the Canterbury Tramways Company, Limited, as to laying down tramways within the city. Railway Servants. —A meeting of the Railway Servants’ Benefit Society will he held at the old Oddfellows’ Hall, Lichfield street, at eight o’clock this evening, to consider business of special importance, Lyttelton Harbor Board. —The nomination of candidates for the vacant seat at the Lyttelton Harbor Board, caused by the retirement of Mr Anderson, took place yesterday. Mr P. Cunningham was the only candidate, and was therefore declared duly elected. Water Supply. —The City Council agreed last evening to vote £IOO and £SO for the best and second best schemes for supplying Christchurch and its suburbs with water. A sub-committee was appointed to draw up an outline specification of the terms on which the premiums shall be given. Street Regulations. —The by-law passed by the City Council for regulating the speed of driving and riding round corners, has rer ceived the G-overnor’s assent, and the town clerk was last evening instructed to take measures to bring the regulation into force on and after the 11th inst. Me RitcipiONi) Thatcher’s Beneitt.— This gentleman takes Jus benefit at the Skating Rink to-morrow evening. Mr Thatcher’s name in connection with amusements is ns familiar as household words. He first accompanied his brother, Thatcher the inimitable, to New Zealand, and afterwards successfully piloted Mr J. K. Emmet, of “ Fritz” notoriety, through the colonies. He is now attached to Mr Levy’s company, and we hope to see his many genial qualities recognised to-morrow night by a bumper house. A late train from Christchurch to Lyttelton will be laid on to-morrow to convey passengers from the Rink Concert to the Port. Inquest. —An inquest was held on the body of John Bunny at Bruce’s Hotel, Akaroa, on Monday last, before Mr Justin Aylmer, the coroner for the district, and a jury. The jury, after hearing the evidence of Mr F. Aiming, butcher, who described the mod.e ip which the deceased had been gored by a cow, and th.e evidence of Dr Guthrie, who described the fata] nature $ jffie accident, returned a verdict in pcoordsmcp with the facts. The Osborne Reaper and Binder. —- The prizes offered by the Agricultural and Pastoral Association has had the effect not only pf inducing colonial entries, but indirectly of attracting hither representatives of American firms. The latest arrival is M r Case, the representative of D. M. Osborne and Co., Auburn, N.Y., the inventors of the Osborne combined mowers and reapers. In America the Osborne has achieved very great success, the farmers there speaking in high of its durability and general good working q,.cities. It will be tried at the ensuing trial o t machines, under the auspices of the Agricultural and Pastoral Association, when our farmers wd! have the opportunity of testing practically the powers of the machine, and becoming acquainted more intimately with it. The Oatorpe se^f -binding harvester is a machine for cutting _ and binding grain at one operatic?!. It delivers th,e bound sheaves at any desired interval, being entirely controlled by the drjypr. The mechanism of the binder is simple ; the motions arp all easy ; the working parts are of fine Steel 5 and fhp adjustments are such as to insure precision of "movement and uniform good work. It

ihiis been one aim of the inventor to secure nri pf working parts much more simple than those of #«y other self-binder, am. -nbisft ftOJlbrnfS g le made in this m.. the ? a . > swinging of the crane tv. ' ‘ pj- }}]' are steps far forward in this . * ventions. The harvester portion 01 machine is of strong materials and of fine construction ; it is well balanced; is of light draft; has no side draft; can be easily adjusted for any condition of the crop ; and is in all respects convenient to manage and thoroughly controllable,

Heathcote Road Board.— An election of four members on the Board in place of Messrs Jones and Langdown, resigned, and in consequence of the retirement of Messrs Manning and Attwood by rotation, was held at noon yesterday. Messrs R. Clephane and W. Attwood were the only persons who had been nominated, and Mr G. L. Leo declared those gentlemen to be duly elected. An extraordinary election will have to be held to fill up the remaining vacancies. SotmißEiDGE — Presentation.— On New V ear’s eve the members of the Presbyterian Church and other friends of Mr C. A. Wells, met in the church to present him, on his departure from Southbridge, where he had most creditably fulfilled the duties of Chief Postmaster and telegraphist, with a souvenir of their special appreciation of his services as organist. Mr William Graham, chairman of the church committee, in making the presentation on behalf of the congregation, expressed his own and the general sense of the obligations which they lay under to Mr Wells, and the pleasure he felt in presenting him with a massive gold chain and locket attached, bearing the following inscription : “ Presented to C. A. Wells for gratuitous services as leader of Psalmody. Presbyterian Church, 29th December, 1877.” After Mr Wells had suitably replied, Mr Robert Thompson proposed the health of “Mr and Mrs Wells,” wishing them a pleasant journey and prosperity in their new home.