NEWS OF THE DAY.

Globe, Volume IX, Issue 1225, 6 February 1878, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Electoral. —We understand that Mr E. 0. J. Stevens intends to address the electors of Christchurch so soon as the Oddfellows’ Hall, now under repair, is available. New Telegbaph Offices :—The following additional telegraph offices are now available to the public:—Waipahi, County of Southland; Kopua, County of Waipawa. Railway Waggons. —A Dunedin telegram conveys the information that the Government intend to call tenders for the construction of 600 railway waggons, similar in character to those already in use in the colony. Ashburton County Council. —At the meeting of the Ashburton County Council yesterday several important matters referring to the Ashburton, Mount Somers, and Alford Forest railway, and to the water supply for the plains, were discussed. A full report of the proceedings appears elsewhere. The Piaeo.— This fine vessel, it will be seen, is reported to have arrived at Otago Heads yesterday, from London. She has made a passage of only seventy-six days. The Piako is under the command of Captain W. B. Boyd, formerly of the ship Hurunui. Salmon Ova. —By the Hawea Mr Johnson sent 2400 Columbian salmon (part of those ho is hatching for the Wellington Acclimatisation Society) to Blenheim. The fish seemed strong and well, and we understand the sou’-wester which blew last night was the wind most suitable for their removal, so that there is hope of hearing of the great majority arriving at Blenheim safely. Canteebuby Gun Club. —A meeting of the Canterbury Gun Club was held last evening at the Garrick Hotel. It was resolved to hold an extraordinary general meeting of the club on the 20th instant, to consider certain notices of motion. The next shooting match was fixed to take place on the 15th instant, on the ground of the club at Papanui. Destructive Fires at Circular Head.— A correspondent of the Hobart Town “ Mercury” says that very extensive bush fires have lately been raging about Circuit Head, everything being so dry that the flames spread rapidly. “The forest,” he states, “is all on fire, doing considerable damage to the crops and fences. Messrs H. Hills, John Ferguson, and W. Borrodale’s potato stores, at Smithton, Duck River, were totally destroyed. The Hunter’s Islands are on fire from end to end.” The Hon. Me Larnach.— lt is telegraphed that the Hon. Mr Larnach, after a tour through the southern parts of Orago, has sailed in the Arawata, which will reach Lyttelton to-day on her way to Wellington. It is also stated, on the authority of a Wellington evening paper, that (he hon. gentleman is about to proceed to England, his purpose being to promote the floating of the proposed new loan, in connection with the Agent-General and the financial agents for the colony. Horticultural Society— A meeting of the Christchurch Horticultural Society was held at Radcliffe’s Hotel last evening. The president, Mr E. O. J. Stevens, was in the chair. The other members present were Messrs G. A. Reade, T. Allen, F Harvey, D. Craw, J. Guntrip, T. Turner, and the secretary. The secretary was instructed to invite the following gentlemen to act as judges and stewards at the next show: —For pot plants and cut (lowers: Messrs H. R. Webb, J. Bunting, and J. Lowe. For fruit and vegetables : Messrs J. Trounce, Coates, and Ivory. Stewards : Messrs W. Kerr, G. Milne, H, Burrell, J. Guntripp, and T. Abbott. The meeting then adjourned to Wednesday, February 13th, when the final arrangements for the art union are to bo made. Public Meeeinq at Ashburton. — A public meeting of the ratepayers was held at the Board office on Monday, to consider the propriety of stopping a road. Mr J. Grigg, chairman of the Ashburton Road Board, was voted to the chair, and read the notice calling the meeting. The road proposed to be closed was described as follows :—“ All that piece or parcel of land delineated on the district map of the Chief Surveyor of Canterbury as a road situate near the south bank of the River Ashburton, being in admeasurement 27 acres, and running from the northern corner of R.S. 18003 in a S.E. direction through R.S. 6793, 84447, 8450, to the junction with the road dividing R.S. 6762 and 21696 ” After some discussion it was resolved unanimously that the road in question should be closed.

Legal.— Mr Charles William Purnell, of Dunedin, was on the 29fch ult., admitted and enrolled as a barrister and solicitor of the Supreme Court of .New Zealand, by his Honor Mr Justice Williams. Rangiora Schools. — A petition signed by upwards of eighty parents has been received by Ilia chairman of the school committee, to call a public meeting in reference to the question of making the school a mixed one, and to protest against any change being made. As soon ns convenient, a meeting will be called. Mr De Lautour. —A Dunedin telegram to the “ North Otago Times ” says that, though earnestly pressed by several sections of his constituency to retain his seat, Mr De Lautour has resolved, as soon ns he has visited all portions of the Mount Ida district, to forward his resignation to the Speaker. Imported Pigeons. —Mr W. Elder, of Port Chalmers, has received, by the ship County of Peebles, four pairs of almond tumbler pigeons. The birds are very handsome. They were bred by one of the first fanciers in England, and come from a very superior strain. Sudden Death. —On the afternoon of the 28th ult. a married woman named Isabella Henderson was observed to fall, immediately after dismounting from her horse, near Waiknia, Otago, and she expired in a few minutes. Her death was caused by heart disease. Workmen’s Coffee-Rooms —Following the example set by Geelong, an effort is being made to establish a coffee-room in Collingwood. The principal mover in the matter is the Rev. Mr Cherbury, and his idea is to have erected a Working Man’s Mission Hall, with coffee and reading rooms attached. A piece of ground valued at £3OO has been obtained, and the cost of the proposed building is estimated at £2OOO.

Found Drowned. —At Balclutha, on the 2nd inst., an inquest was held on the body of a man found in the river. Daniel O’Brien, a farmer from Lawrence, deposed that he believed the body was that of his brother Michael, whom he last saw on the 13th January, and who was “ slightly cranky.” Inspector Thompson deposed that the police had been searching since the above date for Michael O’Brien, but without avail. The jury returned an open verdict. New Reef Discovered. —The “Inangahua Times ” of Wednesday last states: —Intelligence reached us last night of the discovery of a new line of reef in the vicinity of Devil’s Creek. The precise locality is between Nathan’s Gully and the Oriental Creek. The prospector is Mr A. W. Thompson, one of the pioneers of the Boatman’s district, and the stone found is reported to be of exceeding richness. The Colonial Regatta. —The Canterbury Rowing Club crew who intend to compete at this regatta, to be held at Wanganui on the 12th and 13th of the presnt month, went north in the Hawea yesterday. As before stated they are entered for the Champion Four-oar, prize £150; Four-oar inrigged, prize £SO; and Ladies’ Plate, £3O. They took with them two boats recently received from England by the club, one of which is called the Ilyssus and the other the Canterbury. The Grant for Schools. — A Wellington telegram states that, on (he Ist instant, in reply to a deputation from the Education Board, the Hon. Mr Ballance explained that of the £50,000 voted for school buildings in the colony £IO,OOO would be allocated to the Wellington Provincial District, which would be equally divided between the Wellington and Wanganui Boards, each receiving £5,000. This would be irrespective of sums already advanced by the Government, amounting to some £7,000. It would be exclusive also of the cost of school sites. The capitation of 10s per child for school repairs would be paid over direct to the Board, and not to each local committee, thus increasing the total capitation allowance (including the original £3 15s) to £4 ss. The Government also would pay inspectors’ travelling expenses without charging them against any of the above.

Stewaet’s Island open foe Sale.— The “Southland Times” of Friday says:—“The action of the Waste Lands Board yesterday, in deciding to throw Stewart’s Island open for sale, is another step taken in the progress of settlement of the southern district of the colony. We have often wondered why Stewart’s Island had been so persistently withheld from the public, and notwithstanding all the enquiries we have made into the matter, we can obtain no satisfactory explanation. It is ten or twelve years since the purchase of Stewart’s Island from the Natives was completed. And from that time until yesterday the Island lias been little more than looked at. It is true there are a few settlers, chiefly fishermen, and very small cnlt ivators, and there is also a largo saw-mill establishment, but of settlement worthy tho name there is none. Neither can anything be stated, with an approach to certainty, respecting the resources of the land. It is known to be well wooded with timber of good quality, and what land has been cleared for cultivation is exceedingly fertile. However, the uncertainty that has hitherto obscured Stewart’s Island will ere long be removed. Speculation is rife, especially whore fat land is concerned, and is certain to induce a thorough exploration of the thousand square miles of hill and dale, comprising theabove appendage of the Southland district.” The “ Lyell Aegus.” —Somewhat frequent reference is made in a friendly way to this unique production of the colonial press, but perhaps the most correct and complete description of the sheet is the following by a contributor to the “Press News”:—“They must be an intellectual populace at Lyell to appreciate their local paper—the ‘ Argus.’ As a literary and mechanical publication, it may safely claim to be without compare. Sometimes it appears with four pages, and sometimes with three. When its readers are favored with only three pages, one is placed (I was going to say ‘printed,’ but refrained) at tho back of the other two ; and when this is the case, the ‘artist’ who prints, publishes, pdJbo, and owns the property, invariably leaves out the ‘heading’ as taking up too much room, or requiring too much mental strain to ‘Justify,’ Its leaders are as quaint as its appearance. In one issue tho editorial calls upon the Government to ‘ante-up ’ for some local works, and there would then be no occasion I to growl.’ Mr Metcalf dispenses with the orthodox spaces; and lest two words should be mistaken for one by the uninitiated, puts in a three or four em quad. In several issues of the journal, the proprietor promises its enlargement owing to the engagement of a ‘ good compositor,’ and I wait patiently to see how the proprietor will economise his ink so as to cover the increased area. I can sometimes read the numbers I receive at present, but with the prospect of a larger sheet, I am very much afraid that I shall have, like the i darkie, ‘to gib it up.’ ”