NEWS OF THE DAY.

Globe, Volume IX, Issue 1208, 17 January 1878, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Absent Jueor. —Mr J. N. Tosswill, who had been summoned as a special Juryman in the case Regina v Horler, -was drawn for the jury, but did not appear when called. His Honor ordered a tine of £5 to bo recorded against him. Old Maps. —ln the Supreme Court to-day two maps were produced, purpoting to be the original maps of the Canterbury land. His Honor the Judge commented upon their worn appearance, and asked of what use they would be twenty-five years hence, when litigation as to titles would be raging. Supreme Court. —His Honor Mr Justice Johnston, and a special jury, have been occupied all day in hearing the case Regina v Horler, in which the defendant, a soap and candle maker, was indicted for obstructing a highway known as the River road, by erect ing upon it a building. The evidence today consisted for the most part of particulars as to the original position of the road, and possible encroachment of the river bed. The Australian Eleven.— According to the arrangements made the Australian Eleven were to leave Dunedin for Oamaru vesterday, and to-day a match between the Eleven and a North Otago team will be commenced. The Eleven are expected to play on the Christchurch ground on Saturday. Naturally there will be no charge made at the entrance to the ground. The matter will bo left to the generous instincts of those present, and it is expected that the exercise Of these will not be disappointing. His Worship the Mayor invites the citizens to dose thou* places cf busing at »00» OH Monday snd Tuesday

The Cricket Match.—The match—Australia v. Oamaru—stood as follows this afternoon, at 3 40 p.m.—Oamaru all out for 70. Australia, two out for 04. Mr Neilsou scored 18 for Oamaru ; caught out. New Mail Service. —lt will be seen by our Sydney telegrams that arrangements have been made for a new monthly mail service to Australia by the class of fast steamers of which the Lusitania was the pioneer.

Alleged Forgery. —A young man named Robert Macfarlane, junior, was arrested yesterday at Akaroa on the charge of forging his father’s name to cheques which were uttered in Christchurch and the surrounding district. He will be brought to town to-day. The cheques were on the Union Bank, Christchurch.

The Telegraph.—The violent gale of Wednesday morning did such damage to the West Coast and North Island lines of telegraph that no messages were received from several stations during the day. Communication was, however, established with some in the evening, and at a late hour the messages which we publish elsewhere were transmitted. Swimming Championship. —Mr Alfred Jardine, lessee of the corporation baths, is having a massive silver-mounted champion belt manufactured, io be given to the champion amateur swimmer of Canterbury. The distance will be 500 yards (ten lengths of the baths), and the belt will have to be won twice against all recognised amateurs. A solid silver medal will be given as second prize, and a silver-plated medal for third prize. The first contest will take place three weeks hence.

Recreation Ground for Heathcote and Lyttelton. —The trustees of (his recreation ground held a meeting at the Heathcote Valley Hotel on Tuesday afternoon. Present —The Hon. George Buckley (in the chair), Messrs H. Allwright (Mayor of Lyttelton), and R. Martindale. After discussion, it was resolved to apply to the Lyttelton Borough Council and Heathcote Road Board for grants for fencing the ground. Some further business having been transacted, the meeting adjourned, pending answers being received to applications regarding grants for fencing. Police Changes. —Dunedin papers report that Mr Inspector Mallard, who tor the last six years has had charge of the Dunedin district, has asked and has had his request granted to be transferred elsewhere. Mr Mallard will probably be succeeded by Mr Inspector Thompson, of Lawrence. Sergeant M'Donnell, who has been stationed in Governor’s Bay is to be removed to Oxford, and will be relieved by Constable Dance. Sergeant Haldane goes from Oxford to Timaru, and Constable Weatherly leaves the same district for Hurunui, Constable Birman from Christchurch taking his place. Gaiety Theatre. —The Lydia Howarde Troupe open to-night at the Gaiety, when they will produce “ Nicotine, or a Puff of Smoke,” and “Fair Rosamond,” two charming musical burlettas. In addition there will be a miscellaneous concert, in which some musical gems will bo given. Since this troupe last visited Christchurch they have secured a baritone of more than ordinary excellence. This is Mr Charles Sidney, who has received from the press, in all the towns at which he has been heard, a unanimous tribute of admiration. How far this is deserved by him the music loving portion of the public of Christchurch will no doubt take this opportunity of judging for themselves. The merits of the other members of the troupe are too well known and appreciated here to need any recommend atiou.

Turkish Sufferers’ Fund.—Throughout the colonies contributions are being made to a fund in aid of the Turkish sufferers by the present war, and in promoting the fund for this object the Anglo Jewish Association has been prominent. Lately, at a general meeting of the Canterbury branch of that association, a committee was formed for the purpose of collecting subscriptions to the fund, and it is gratifying to know that subscriptions are being freely made by all sections of the community, irrespective of nationality or creed. As the amount collected will be sent home by the next San Francisco mail, intending subscribers would do well to communicate early with the committee, the Rev. I. Zachariah, and Mr L. Caro, president of the Hebrew congregation. Wesleyan Methodist Mission. —The Rev. Dr. Gervase Smith, who is on a travelling mission in connection with the Wesleyan Methodist denomination, has landed in Australia and been received in a most cordial manner. After a tour through the principal districts of Australia, Dr. Smith will visit New Zealand, and may be expected in Auckland about the 17 th February next. Referring to Dr. Smith’s visit to this part of the world, the Rev. James Duller, the London correspondent of the “ New Zealand Wesleyan,” says : —The Rev. Gervase Smith, D.D., and Mrs Smith, embarked in the s.s. Hankow for Melbourne on Saturday, the 22nd August. The Rev. W. Butters and myself accompanied them to Gravesend, together with a number of personal friends, including Dr. and MrsPunshon and others. Dr. Smith’s health has not been strong for some time, but it is hoped that the voyage will set him up ; he may be expected in New Zealand during the month of February. Both Mrs Smith and himself will, I am sure, be cordially welcomed by our brethren and people ; and those of our friends who, in the several colonies, will have the pleasure of according hospitality to them, will thereby add to their pleasant memories.”

Attacked by a Cow. —Mr Charles C. Graham, the new Town Clerk of Wellington, lately met with an accident which narrowly escaped proving a fatal one. He was walking with Mrs Graham in his paddock at Karori, where some cattle were grazing, and one of them, a heifer, just about full grown, which had been made a great pet by the children, suddenly charged them in a most vicious manner. Mr Graham stood on the defensive, and managed to keep off the animal with his stick and engage her attention while Mrs Graham escaped through the fence, but in a few seconds he was knocked down by the heifer, which then proceeded to trample on him and to make vigorous efforts to drive her horns into him, inflicting severe bruises on all parts of his body and limbs. Mrs Graham, seeing her husband’s imminent peril, and no other help being near, most courageously seized a stick and ran to his rescue, hitting the heifer over the head. This diverted the attention of the furious animal, and enabled Mr Graham to rise, when they managed to keep the heifer at bay until they had succeeded in reaching and getting through the fence. They were only just in time, for another heifer came up and showed an evident inclination to take part in the fray. Mr Graham'is very badly bruised and shaken, but no bones are broken, and it is probable that he will he aty ia 9 few flop

Land Sale. —It is reported from Oamaru that Mr E. Menlove has become the purchaser at £25,000 of Mr Howden’s property at Teancraki of 2133 acres. Resident Ministers. —At an interview with a deputation, Mr Macandrew said that he considered it necessary that there should be a permanent Minister in Dunedin. He and Mr Lnrnach are to remain there till the end of the month.

Branch Roads. —lt bus been resolved by the Westland County Council to construct a track from Kumara to the Christchurch road, distance about six miles. It was also resolved to take steps to clear a track from Stafford road to Christchurch road. These two works may cost some £IBOO,

Mr Barton, Barrister. —The irrepressible Mr Barton, the Wellington barrister, lias lately renewed his disputations with the Bench, dividing his attentions between the Chief Justice and Mr Justice Richmond, apparently with the effect of eliciting strong remarks from the latter. Descriptions of some of the “scenes” appear in another column.

Mr Travers, M.H.R.—It is stated that Mr Travers, one of the members for Wellington city, intends to leave for England in a fortnight, and that he does not contemplate resigning his seat. The “Post,” in the name of the constituency, protests against their being disfranchised by the absence of Mr Travers, and calls upon him to follow the example of Mr Pearce, who resigned his seat previous to going home.

Specimen Stealing. —Another robbery of quart z specimens has been perpetrated at the Thames, (he Cure Gold-mining Company being this time the victims. In the evening the manager, Mr Crawford, left the mine office, where he resides, and on returning some hours later, found the door of his office open, and a wooden strong-box, in which there had been a quantity of specimens and picked stone, estimated to be worth about £3O, was wrenched open,the specimenshaving disappeared. The key was hidden in a place known to a good many, and the box, which is composed of inch kauri, was but lightly fastened, and had evideutly been prised open with a pick. Racing Sweeps. —ln Auckland, Westport, and Hokitika, there have been at different times mistakes in the drawing of sweeps on races, and consequent dissatisfaction. Another similar incident has happened in Hokitika in connection with Evans and Hansen’s sweep, and a series of letters have appeared in the local papers demanding that the sweep should be drawn a third time. One “ Shareholder” writes to the “Times” describing the following as the circumstances under which the drawing took place :—“ No place of drawing was advertised. The drawing was conducted by the light of a few tallow candles, and there were very few of the public aware that it was taking place. The plac of drawing was in a dingy lumber room, and no one could see what was going on. No committee was elected by the shareholders, whose money it was that was being disposed of, and who therefore had a right to direct the arrangements. The persons who signed the list of drawing described themselves as ‘volunteer committeemen.’ ”

Quartz Reef Discovery. —A reef discovery which gives very high promise has been made in the Boatman’s district, Inangahua. A miner named Henry Edwards, engaged in procuring timber for one of the Boatman’s mines, recently came across indications of the existence of a quartz reef in a locality not previously supposed as likely to contain stone. These indications he subsequently followed up with the result that several rich specimens of surface stone were found, and further exploration has shown the existence of a well defined lode varying from Gin. to 18in. in thickness. A mining lease was subsequently applied for, and since then two men have been employed stripping the reef, which is now laid bare for a length of 200 ft. The “Times” has been shown some specimens taken from the reef, and they certainly stamp the discovery as one of great importance, as the gold is of a very coarse description and well distributed through the stone, which itself is of the regular gold carrying character. Steps will shortly be taken to register the undertaking under the name of the Pactolus Gold Mining Company, The Dead-Letter Office. —The report of the Postmaster-General of Great Britain for 1876-77 states [that upwards of 33,100 letters were posted without addresses, and 832 of these letters were found to contain altogether nearly £390 in cash and bank-notes, and nearly £SOOO in cheques. In different Post Offices 78,575 postage stamps were found loose through being insecurely affixed by the senders. The number of newspapers for places abroad detained for insufficient postage or other cause was 203,355. Four sovereigns were found in one newspaper in the Returned Letter Office ; a gold locket was in another ; and a large seal on the back of a letter becoming chipped, £1 10s was found embedded in the wax. A live snake which had escaped from a postal packet was discovered in the Holyhead and Kingstown Marine Poet Office, and at the expiration of a fortnight, being still unclaimed, it was sent to the Dublin Zoological Gardens. A packet containing a live horned frog reached Liverpool from the United States, and was given up to the addressee, who called for it. Another packet, also from America, reached the Dublin Post Office, containing two live lizards, and was similarly given up to the addressee on personal appilcation.

Stoeji Signals. —Favourable reference is made by the Melbourne “ Argus ” to the efforts of Captain Edwin to establish in New Zealand a system of weather telegraphy, and his desire to have an organised system extending to the other colonies and including the steam services now running between Melbourne, Sydney, and New Zealand ports. And in this connection the “Argus” remarks: The complete fulfilment of a prediction—made several days before the event—that on October 27th the coasts of the United Kingdom would be visited by severe and destructive gales, has revived public interest in England in the subject of storm warnings. The science of meteorology has made such strides of late years, especially in America, that considerable attention is now paid to the vaticinations of those who make this important branch of observation a specialty. The results which have been already attained, although not comprehensive enough to enable general laws to be deduced, are yet sufficient to indicate the great practical value of the systematic study of weather telegraphy. In Illustration of the increased value attached to storm signalling, we may mention that the investigation of a Royal Commission appointed to inquire into the result of weather warnings in England has induced them to recommend an additional expenditjyro o| about SSOOO yer aouuw io ibis direction.