NEWS OF THE DAY.

Globe, Volume IX, Issue 1204, 12 January 1878, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Team-way Company. —A meeting of the provisional directors of the Canterbury Tram* ways Company was held this morning, Mr J. E. Brown in the chair, Mr Allan proposed, and Mr Sargeant seconded, “That Messrs Turner, Brown, and Coleman be appointed a committee to confer with the municipalities and Avon Road Board, and eventually to report to (he provisional directors,” The motion was carried. On the motion of Mr J. A. Bird, seconded by Mr Coleman, Messrs Oarrick and Cowlishaw were appointed interimsolicitors to the company. Mr Bird moved, and Mr Hancock seconded, that the appointment of Mr Birch as interim-secretary be confirmed. After a vote of thanks to the chairman, the meeting adjourned. Notice to Jurors. —Jurors summoned for Monday, the 14th inst., are informed that they are not required to attend the Supreme Court on that day. Reduction of Wharfage Rate.— Mr Wright gave notice of motion at yesterday’s meeting of the Harbor Board to reduce the wharfage rate from 2s to Is 4d per ton. Sunday Services. —Mr Bates (Evangelist) will preach in the Oddfellows’ Hall to morrow evening. At the Baptist church, the Rev. J. S. Smalley will preach at 11 a.m., and the Rev. 0. Hallaston at 6.30 p.m. Supreme Court— A sitting under the Divorce and Matrimonial Causes Act will be held before his Honor Mr Justice Johnston and a jury on Tuesday next. The case for trial is Todd v, Todd, in which the petitioner applie? f° r a judicial separation. The jury will have to try the facts of the case.

Hazardous Exploit.— On Wednesday afternoon a young gentleman crossed in a boat from Sumner to tbe New Brighton beach on his way to the New Brighton Hotel. On returning to the bank of the river opposite Sumner in the evening he found the tide in, and was unable to get nearer than half a mile of the boats —too far for his calls to be heard. The only courses left were to walk back to the New Brighton Hotel, a distance of six miles, and spend the night there, or to swim the channel, and take his clothes with him. He very pluckily chose the latter, and reached the shore none the worse for his twenty minutes swim against wind and tide. Canterbury College.— A special meeting of the Board of Governors of the Canterbury College was held yesterday. Present—Messrs Montgomery (chairman), Tancred, Eereday, Malet, Webb, Potts, E. C. J. Stevens, Inglis, Colborne-Veel, Hon. John Hall, Dr. Coward, and Rev. W. J. Habens. On the motion of Mr Stevens, the Board went into committee to consider the time table for 1878, the appointment of lecturers in French, German, and jurisprudence, and that of an architect for the homestead at the model farm. Appointments were made of lecturers in German, French, and jurisprudence, the time fixed for the lectures, and the remuneration. Mr F. Strouts was appointed as the architect for the homestead at the model farm. The time table was approved. After the consideration of some further routine business the Board adjourned.

Lyttelton Wesleyan Sunday School The annual treat to the children attending this school took place on Thursday last. The children, in number about 230, met at the school early in the morning, and accompanied by about fifty of their teachers and friends, marched to the railway station, a banner inscribed “Wesleyan Sunday School” being carried at the head of the procession. The Addington station was reached shortly after ten, and the party then proceeded to Taylor’s Gardens, on the Lincoln road, where after some slight refreshment, games were the order of the day till dinner was ready at 12.30 p.m. All sorts of fun was then indulged in, including races for toys, of which a great many were distributed. To add to the enjoyment a unicycle circus, which was on the ground, was hired for the day, and the amount of labour expended in keeping it going was astonishing. At five there was tea, and at 6.30 a start was made for the Addington station, Lyttelton being reached at 8 p.m. The procession was then again formed, and the party marched to the school ground, where before dismissal hearty cheers were given for Messrs J. S. Olliver and Brown, the superintendents of the school, and also for the teachers and committee generally. The children then dispersed to their homes very tired but delighted with the remembrance of their day’s enjoyment. Mr Farjeon. —Mr and Mrs B, L. Farjeon have lately been staying at the Westminster Hotel, New York, where they purpose remaining for some time. Mr Farjeon’s new Christmas story of “ Solomon Isaacs” is said by “ Anglo-Australian’ ’ to be the best he has yet written. Like good wine, the author improves with age. The Sculling Championship. —A Sydney telegram states that Trickett is unwilling to row on any other but Australian waters, having travelled to London for his laurels. He proposes to row either Courtney or Hanlon, on the Parramatta river, for 1000 guineas a side.

The Indian Famine. —An item of Indian news in the Melbourne “Argus” is to the effect that the liberality of the Australian colonists, more particularly the people of Melbourne, in respect of the Madras Famine Fund, has excited a good deal of attention in India, The large subscriptions of Mr Clarke and others have been noted in all the papers. District Railways. —The “Southland Hews ” hears on good authority that a company has been iormed in Dunedin for the construction, under the provisions of the District Kailways Act, of a railway between Gore and Elbow. The names of Messrs G. M. Bell and McCaughan are mentioned as being the promoters. The Telephone. —An interesting and successful experiment was made last week with the telephone at the premises of Messrs M'Lean Bros, and Bigg, in Elizabeth street, Melbourne. The firm have a private and exclusive wire fro their branch store in Bourko street west, and the sounds transmitted over the whole distance of over half a mile were plainly heard and understood by those who held the instrument at either end. Cornet playing and singing were as clearly distinct as if the performance had been in an ad joining room, and there was no great difficulty in carrying on a short conversation. The German Postmaster-General has given directions for a number of telephonic stations to be established in the empire. Telegraph officials have already arrived at Berlin from the places selected to receive instruction in the new service, which is very simple.

Extraordinary Fatal Accident. —At an Oddfellows’ picnic, Sandhurst, on New Year’s Day, a fatal accident occurred to a married woman named Mary Ann Gregory, the wife of a miner residing at Clunes. Mrs Gregory was on a visit to her sister, a Mrs Ham, of Quarry hill, Sandhurst, and it appears that at the picnic the deceased joined in that popular game, “kiss-in-the-ring.” A very large ring had been formed, and the deceased was run ■ ning away from a young man, when she was struck on the breast by a short thick piece of wood on which two young men were swinging. It was a large swing, and was in full motion at the time. She was slightly out of breath from running at the time, and the force of the blow suspended respiration, and also gave her other internal injuries. On receiving th blow she staggered back, and in falling was caught by the young man who was pursuing her. Senior-constable Gleeson and several ladies rendered every assistance in their power, but their efforts were unavailing, and the poor woman expired in half an hour. She was only about twenty years of age, and had been married three years. Gold in New Guinea. —Mr Thomas S. Parker, writing to the “Otago Times,” suggests that there was a mistake in the telegram announcing that Mr Minton had been three weeks in New Guinea. Mr Minton, he says, had been three years there, and he adds :—Mr Minton has been known to me for over ten years, having stayed with me on the Bogan River in 18G8. I have a letter, written by him to me in June, 1877, wherein he stated —“ New Guinea is the finest country that I have ever visited, and, although wrecked here, and almost killed by the natives (who are hostile and cannibals), when I recovered I was made welcome by the chiefs. There are magnificent rivers and bays, and I have secured land. Would you make one of three to take over stock—say, sheep, horses, cattle, and a few pigs and poultry. This country is not only good for grazing, but abounds in minerals, for I have found jgold and copper, besides other oree,”

The Rabbit Nuisance. —The list clause of the amended Rabbit Nuisance Act should be known to the public. It is as follows: — “If any person shall knowingly and wilfully liberate in any part of the colony any live rabbit or rabbits, every person so offending shall, upon conviction before any two Justices and at their discretion, be liable to be committed to gaol with or without hard labor for any term not exceeding six months, or to forfeit and pay a penalty not exceeding £SO. All proceedings under this provision shall be heard and determined in a. summary way.”