NEWS OF THE DAY.

Globe, Volume IX, Issue 1219, 30 January 1878, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Fire at St. A leans. —Yesterday a fire occurred at St. Albans, by which a house in the occupation of Mr R. Caldwell was totally destroyed, together with the whole of the furniture. Mrs Caldwell was absent at the time ; but a lad four years of age was in the house, who managed to escape uninjured. The five was accidentally caused. As Mr Caldwell loses everything, "subscriptions in his aid are being raised.

Scandinavian Services. —In consequence of the Scandinavian service on the 10th February advertised in another column in connection with the opening services of the new church in the Colombo road, the usual monthly service at Durham street will not be held next Sunday.

Colombo bo.‘D Wesleyan Church. —In another column will be seen an announcement regarding the opening services which are projected in connection with the Colombo road Wesleyan Church. The Rev. A. R. Fitchett will preach in the morning and in the afternoon, and the Rev. W. Morloy in the evening. The Rev. A. R. Fitchett will also preach at Durham street Church in the evening in aid of the funds of the new church. At the service in the afternoon the children will bring flowers, to be afterwards presented to the hospital. Christchurch Water Supply. The time for sending in designs for a water supply to Christchurch and suburbs has been extended to 19fch February. Canterbury College.—A meeting of the Board of Governors of the Canterbury College w.'U be held at the College at 11 a.m. on Friday next.

Canterbury Archery Club.—The match with the Wellington Club will he shot on Saturday, February 2nd, at 4 p.m. All shooting members are requested to take part in the match.

Aquatics.—The Canterbury crew who intend representing this district at the Colonial Rage tta at Wanganui went north in the s.s. Wanaka yesterday. They take the H.R.C.’s Hothrote with them.

Railway Trucks. —Broad gunge trucks, alt er be'ng plentiful on Monday, were as , {scarce as ever yesterday, and loud and deep was the grumblmg in port, many vessels being kept idle. Land Teansfee Depaktment.— Mr John Tunes Dixon has been appointed chief clerk in the Land Transfer Department in Christchurch, the appointment dating from the 23rd March, 1876. Thu Late Fiee. —The Insurance Association offer a reward of £250 “ for such evidence as will secure the conviction of the person or persons who set fire to the premises on the east side of Colombo street adjoining the A 1 Hotel, on the morning of 23rd January, 1878.” Ceiceet —England and Colonists. — The following will be the Association match for Saturday next: —England : D. Ashby, 0. Corfe, GK Dickenson, M. Q-odby, GK H. Lee, H. W. Moore, R. GK McDonnell, W. B. M. Morrison, W. P. Neilson (captain), E. C. J. Stevens, A. C. Wilson. The Colonies :J. Allen, E. Fowler, J. Fowler, C. Frith, W. Frith, GK Fuller, J. Hartland, L. Mathias, A. M. Ollivier (captain), GK Watson, J.Wood. Play will commence at 2 p.m., at which time all players are requested to be on the ground. Slaughtee-house Act, —By the Slaughterhouse Act, 1877, it is enacted that in all parts of New Zealand in which the whole of the Counties. Act is not in operation a Resident Magistrate to be appointed in that behalf by the Q-overnor, acting together with any two Justices of the Peace, shall form a Bench of Magistrates, who shall be charged with the administration of all the provisions of the Act. The Gfovernor has now gazetted these appointments in twenty-five counties, including Ashley, Selwyn, Akaroa, and Gferaldino.

Theatrical.—The agents in advance of Cooper and Bailey’s Mammoth Circus, and of Salsbmy’s Troubadors, are at present on a visit to Christchurch. The former, which is described as the largest show on earth, will visit New Zealand about April next. Of the latter it may be said that they have recently been playing with very marked success in the pantomime in Melbourne, and also previously on their own account to very large houses. Their entertainments are very highly spoken of wdierever they have been as something quite out of the common line. They may b,e expected here shortly. The Postal Department. -It is notified that post-offices have been opened at Kirwee, Russell’s Flat, Waimate Junction, and Waterton, in Canterbury. The following have been appointed postmasters : —Wm. St. George Douglas, at Ashburton; Joseph Fowler, at Chertsey; Hugh Corbett, at Greendale ; P. J. Foyle, at Kiwee; J. Thorne, at Hororata ; T. W. Thompson, at Pigeon Bay ; E. Oliver, at Porter’s Pass ; T. H. Zouch, at Sheffield; Anthony Lister, at Springbank ; J. Fraser, at Waimate Junction; E. Vortell, at Wait-ohi Flat; H. Hudson, at Waterton ; J. Fowler, at West Eypeton,

Branch Railway.—A meeting of gentlemen favorable to-the construction of a branch railway from Waimate to the Waiho was held on Wednesday evening last, in the Waimate Road Board office. The proceedings were “private,” but the “ Waitangi Tribune ” lias gleaned since that it is intended to form a pompany under the Government guarantee system, with a capital qf £IOO,OOO, to construct a lino from Waimate to within two miles of Myer’s creek. A provisional directory was appointed, including Messrs John and M- Studholme,’ E. Barker, M'Gregor, Howdou, A. MfLean, J. Bruce, J. Lees, L. Price, Howdon, and Moody. Mr Wynn Williams, solicitor, of Christchurch, was to be deputed to do the preliminary business, and the gentlemen through whose property the railway will run are disposed to work amicably together.

New Application tor Cat-o’nine Tails. —At ono of the local Police Courts the other day the Bench desired to know from a youthful witness if he was aware of the nature of an oath. He promptly replied that it was something which bound him to speak the truth. To be quite certain, however, that the witness knew the nature of his solemn undertaking, the Bench inquired qf him what became of persons who did not tell the tputh. “ They were whipppd with the cat-o’-nine tails,’ ? said the youngster. The Bench asked —“ And what becomes of them afterwards?”—a question which elicited the sought for information that the witness was aware qf a fptqrp punishment as well as the cat, and resulted in I.is evidence, which was given very ttraighfforwardly, being taken.

Midland Caxteebpby Cetje,— A special general meting of this club was held la-t evening, at E adoliffe’s Hotel; Mr Wynn-Williams (president) in the chair. There was not a large attendance. The chairman said the business of the meeting would he to edect a Becreta'’y and treasurer. He understood that the present state of the club’s affairs could not be arrived at without investigation, and it would first be necessary to elect such an officer who would go through the hooks and report to gnotheri general meeting to pe held as soon as possible. In reply to a member, the chairman said he understood that the club was in debt, but (heir liabilities would not bo known until the secretary and treasurer had, in conjunction with tlie committee, brought up a report. After some remarks it was resolved to divide the offices ot secretary and treasurer. Mr C. Pa la i ret was elected treasurer, and Mr Barfinger secretary. A resolution was fumed—- *■ Thiiii any funds to the credit of the M O.C.C. bo banked in the name of the said club, and that: all disbursements in connection with the club bt paid by cheque, to be signed by the treasurer, and countersigned ly the secretary,” The s; crctary wus au' h- .i-'scd to have a receipt book printed, and it vms <h i iuvd that ah receipts for subsee.p!ions .-liould beg.vca out of that book. The sci cf ,ny said that accounts amounting to £lO had been rendered against the club, and so lar ns was :tfc present known the liabilities amounted to about £75. The chairman sard -.hut it was understood that after (bocommit tec and oJiiccra had thoroughly invesli.'i/itcQ tb« a hairs ut urn club they would bring up a report as soon as possible, when a general meeting would be called,'at which he hoped there would be a full attendance. Two members of lira committee would also be eleclod at that meeting. This concluded the business,

Sheep Inspector’s Office.—lt is gazetted that Mr Richard Eratt has been appointed clerk in the office of the Chief Inspector of Sheep, Christchurch, as from the Ist January. 1877.

Anti-Sabbatarians.—On Sunday last, in one of the outlying districts, a trial of reaping machines was held, at which there were a number of pex-sons present. Accident near Feenside.—On Monday, Miss Neilsexx, while riding a spirited horse towards Mr P. L. Ncilsen’s farm, was thrown heavily on the road, and remained for some time insensible. She was removed as soon as found, and attended by a doctor. She had recovered on Tuesday, but was seriously bruised and shaken by the fall. Magisterial Appointment.—Dr. Giles, formerly Resident Magistrate and Goldfields Warden at Westport, and subsequently Magistrate at Wanganui, is said to have been appointed Magistrate at Hokitika. It is understood that the office which he has held in Wellington for the past twelve months will be assumed by Mr Bunny, Novel Claim "for Damages.—lt is stated that the agent of a lecture on “ The Birth and Death of Christ, and Explanation of the Holy Trinity,”intends to sue an Episcopalian Church dignitary for damages, preferring a claim thus: To damages by representations made against the lecture, by which a hall that ought to hold 300 persons at Is per head was not Ailed, £ls ; Cr., by six persons who did attend, 6a ; claim, £l4 14s. Dinner.—A farewell dinner Vas given last even at Radcliffe’s Hotel <o Mr R. R. Palmer by a number of his friends on the occasion of his leaving the colony for England. The chair was occupied by Mr H. Sawtell, Mr Browne officiating as vice. About twenty gentlemen sat down to dinner, which was pro* vided by host Radcliffe in excellent style. The usual toasts were given and drunk heartily, that of the guest of the evening being done ample honor to. A very pleasant evening was spent by those present. The Fishhook Disqualification. A meeting of the North Otago Jockey Club was held in Oamaru on Monday evening, when the following resolution relating to action of the Dunedin Jockey Club in regard to the Fishhook and Dcrritt case was agreed to : “That, as the decision of the Dunedin Jockey Club had been arrived at with closed floors, this committee cannot receive their decision with that amount of deference which might have been accorded to it by the committee of the North Otago Turf Club, and that the secretary be requested to answer their note, and enclose a copy of the resolution.” The Colonial Regatta.—Concerning the approaching Colonial Regatta at Wanganui the “Herald” remarks:—The Stewards of the Regatta held a meeting at the Commercial Hotel on Tuesday evening, and discussed at length the various arrangements to be made for the carrying out of the programme. The time for starting the first race on each cay was fixed at 11.30 a.m.; 2nd, at 12.30 p.m.; 3rd, at 2 p.m. ; 4fch, at 830 p.m.; sth, at 430 p.m. Resolved that ti e secretary communicate with the captain of each crew on arriving, stating that the advertised time will be strictly observed, and therefore any boat arriving late would in all probability not be able to take part in the race. It was also resolved that; the sand bank opposite Major Nixon’s should be marked by stakes and flags, so as to prevent a strange crew from making a mistake. The course for the whaleboat races w r as decided upon. The start will be made from the Town Bridge, up to and round a boat moored a short distance above the Railway Bridge, and back again to the winning post. A Panorama in Pawn,—ln the Resident Magistrate’s Court, Reef for), one Muller, the proprietor of a panorama of the Franco* Prussian war, sued Alexander Constantine, carrier, in an action for detenu and damages, in which the value of the goods detained (a panorama) was laid at £SO, and £SO damages. The plaintiff proved having entered into an agreement with the defendant in Greymouth for the conveyance of panorama, various passengers, and effects from there toßeeftonand back for (be- sum of £23, the defendant to be paid a further sum of £3 per day for every day’s detention beyond five days. The defendant denied most positively that any arrangement, was entered into for returning to Greymouth, but his evidence was contradicted by various independent witnesses. His Worship in giving judgment characterised the defendant’s testimony as untruthful and generally unworthy of belief. So strongly had he been impressed with the grossness of the defendant’s conduct that he had felt strongly inclined to commit him for perjury, .and he only framed from doing so because the defendant was a foreigner, and the plaintiff also being a foreigner and neither understanding the native tongue of the other, it was a question whether there was not a possibility of the parties having misapprehended the terms agreed upon. The judgment of the Court would be that the goods detained be at onqo given up ; damages wmuld go for the full amount of £SO, and costs of Court and professional costs, £7 13s.