NEWS OF THE DAY.

Globe, Volume IX, Issue 1213, 23 January 1878, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Driving Bound Corners. —A number of informations for infringing the new by-law by driving at other than a walking pace round the corner of Hereford and Colombo streets, will be heard in a few days.

Runaway.—A horse and trap belonging to J. Dermott, Royal Hotel stables, bolted about 9 o’clock last evening down High street. The trap came into contact with a verandah post at the corner of High and Cashel streets, smashing it, but was pulled up without doing further damage.

Xm migrants by the Hereford. —The remainder of the immigrants by this vessel were landed yesterday morning. Those for Christchurch went to Addington by first train, and those for North and South were forwarded to tbeir several destinations by the steamers Ringarooma and Taupo. The Steamer Taranaki.— The departure of the s.s. Taranaki has been postponed till the arrival at Lyttelton of the 5.30 p.m. train on Thursday, so as to allow the Australian cricketers, who are to be passengers by her, time to conclude the intercolonial match at Christchurch.

Railway Employees’ Picnic. —Arrangements, we are informed, have been made to afford a holiday to the railway employees, their wives and families, on Saturday, the 2Gth instant, and from the programme of the sports and events to take place on that day, it promises, should the weather prove fine, to be a most enjoyable outing. A paddock has been provided at North Ashburton, and workmen are now busy in fixing up the stand, pavilions, tents, &e. The train will leave Christchurch station at 6.45 a.m. All employees desirous of taking part in the picnic should make early application to Mr Owen, Traffic Inspector, for such tickets as they may require. Railway Travelling. —lt has already been mentioned that a special train left Christchurch at 8.15 a.m. and arrived at Timaru at 11.45 a.m., thus doing the 100 miles in 31hours, including 15 minutes’ stoppage at Ashburton. The “ Herald” states that at 12.3 p.m. it started from Timaru, and reached the Oamaru station, 53 miles distant, at 1.45 p.m., or in 1 hour 42 minutes. The 153 miles between Christchurch and Oamaru were actually run in 4 hours 57 minutes. After this there should be no difficulty experienced in eventually doing the distance from Christchurch to Dunedin by rail in less than 10 hours.

Ih migrants in Southland. —The immigrants who arrived at the Bluff by ship Oamaru are said to have been already all engaged. The immigration officer found employ for the last married couple without children at £7O a year and found. The single men have gone to farmers at from £1 a week and upwards, and the men on the railway at 8s a day. A single woman, a cook, obtained 25s per week. The “Times” states that the last importation was totally insufficient to meet the present demands that farmers and contractors make upon the labour market. There is also a good demand for female servants.

Wellington Regatta. —The annual Wellington regatta has again been carried out under rather unfavorable circumstances. Last year, the high wind prevailing prevented the programme being carried out on the first day, some of the rowing matches in which Canterbury crews were concerned having had to be postponed for several days, and the event was also attended by a melancholy loss of life. This year, the weather has scarcely been more favourable for rowing boats, but beyond the swamping of one, which prevented her winning a race, there has been no casualty to record. The wind seems to have been high enough to make the race between coasting vessels a line spectacle, and this time the schooner Herald, which last year proved so far superior to her numerous competitors, was beaten by the Clematis, of Lyttelton.

Wellington Racecottese.— lt was expected that this year the Wellington racecourse would be reached by a branch railway which it was proposed to construct. At a recent meeting of the Jockey Club, however, a letter from the Colonial Secretary was read, informing the club with regret that owing to some difficulty occurring in regard to the lands through which the line of railway to the course would pass, and the fact of the plans of the proposed line being burnt at the late fire at the railway station, the project would have to be abandoned this year. A letter from (be secretary of the North Otago Turf Club was also read, referring to the disqualification of Fishhook, which has been removed by the club after due consideration. It. was decided to consider the letter at a future meeting of stewards. Pigeon Shooting. —Mr Kohler, the eminent musician, appears to be as good with the trigger as he is with his instruments. It is reported by the “ Otago Daily Times" that at a pigeon shooting match on Saturday afternoon, held at the Forbury, he placed all the crack shots of Dunedin completely in the background, scoring twelve birds out of thirteen. The feat is the more astonishing from the fact that the p'geon match was the first at which Mr Kohler tried his skill, and the only bird that escaped his aim owed its life to a faulty cartridge. Mr Kohler, however, has had some experience in the gun and rillo in the American backwoods, and this will tend to explain the reason of bis being such a dead shot.

Christchurch College. —Tin* following paragraph appears in the Dunedin “ Herald ” : The number of boys leaving this province for Christchurch College for the ensuing term is about twenty-four, which testifies to the esteem in which that school is held, and the corresponding unpopularity of the High School. Each boy costs nearly £ LOO a year. Our much vaunted educational system must be at fault somewhere.

The Inteeurovincial Eegatta.—Preparations are, no doubt, being made in different parts of the colony for the annual interprovincial regatta, to be held this year on the River Wanganui. The regatta takes place on the 13th and 11th of February next, and it is time that crews intending to compete were putting themselves in form for the contest. So far as concerns Canterbury and the fouroar champion race, tin’s has been done by the selection of a strong crew and by diligent practice on the part of its members. The “Heatbeoto” is the boat which will engage in the regatta, and the following are the names, positions, and weights of the crew which has been formed: —J. Carter, how, list lib; W. T. Taylor, second, 12-t 10lb; T. Harkiss, third, 12st 101 b ; P. H. Duncan, stroke and captain, 12st 41b ; C. Dixon, coxswain, 4st 81b. All these rowed at tire Lyttelton regatta, and three in one of the winning boats. On Friday last they pulled round their boat from the Heathcote to the Avon, and, though she was not completely fitted as she will be for the regatta, they covered the last six miles in forty minutes-probably the fastest time in which the same has been done. They have since been regularly practising on the Avon, using another boat, the “Tyne.” and from all appearances they should he able to give a good account of themselves. And it will be no light task to do so, the champion race being this year a four mile race.

Railway Employees’ Grievances.— The Dunedin “Morning Herald” lias received a letter signed “ Veritas ” in reference to railway management. He writes : —“ In a late issue of your paper I noticed that the railway employees at Lyttelton had convened a meeting to discuss sundry grievances they were suffering under. Among them was the following —That a class of individuals whom they term outsiders were being constantly admitted to the various departments through political influence, and were placed in positions which the old employees, through long service and good conduct, were entitled to by promotion. Allow me, sir, through the medium of your columns, to inform the public that the same thing is a constant occurrence in the Dunedin Railway.” lie then enters into a detailed statement of the grievance in connection with the goods department particularly. He points out that in this department there are a certain number of “permanent” men, and the able and energetic foreman is also empowered to engage outside labor when an increase of traffic necessitates it. These occasional employees were formerly appointed to fill any vacancy in the permanent staff for which their acquaintance witli the work rendered them competent. Furthermore, the prospect of a permanency induced them to continue working at the goods shed, although sometimes they only earned a few shillings weekly. Now, however, men who have worked on and off from one to three years, always hoping that their turn would come, are forced to stand aside and see other men — sometimes utterly incompetent—appointed over their heads.