NEWS OF THE DAY.

Globe, Volume IX, Issue 1227, 8 February 1878, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Board of Education.—The Board of Education held their monthly meeting yesterday afternoon. A report of the meeting appears in another column. The Autumn Meeting.—We have been requested to state that the name of Mr W. 0. Webb’s b h dangler was accidentally omitted from the list of horses entered for the Great Autumn Handicap as published yesterday. Peninsula Races.—We remind owners of horses that the nominations for the handicaps close on the 13th instant, and the general entries on the 21st. The Peninsula Jockey Club have issued a liberal programme, and should the weather prove fine no doubt there will be a good day’s sport The New By-Law.—The recent fining under the municipal by-law appears to have had a salutary effect. The cab drivers and butchers, who were the principal offenders prior to the passing of the by-law, now go at a far less reckless pace along the thoroughfares which have been placed under the operation of the by-law. Swimming Races.—The swimming race or the championship takes place to-morrow at the Corporation baths, near Cashel street bridge. There are also two other events, as will bo seen by advertisement elsewhere. As three or four of the competitors have been in strict training, and swimming their 500 yards daily, there is no doubt that there will be a keen competition. The races start at five o’clock.

Sad Accident at Stoke. —On Thursday morning a little girl aged twenty-one months, daughter of Mr F. Mitchell, accidentally fell into a tub containing water. Several minutes must have elapsed before she was found by her mother, as life was almost extinct. She died very shortly afterwards. An inquest will be held to-day. The Telephone. —A successful telephonic trial took place yesterday in Lyttelton, between the time-ball tower and the Government buildings. Last evening a fuller trial was made between Christchurch and Lyttelton, under the charge of Mr Meddings in Christchurch, and Mr Joyce in Lyttelton. Those who were present were highly pleased with the results. Conversations were carried on easily between the two places, and the sound of music was also clearly convoyed. Cricket— Eaglet Oak Leap y. Railway.—The return matches of the first and second elevens of these clubs will bo played on the ground of the former on Saturday, 9th instant, play to commence punctually at two p.m. The following will represent the first eleven of the H.0.L.C.0. Messrs Anson, Atack, Hopper, Lusk, Marshall, Smith, Stahlschmidt, Simpson, Turner, Walsh, Washer. Second Eleven. —Messrs Ashby, Booth (captain), Burley, Hep worth, Hep worth, Harris, Jones, Parker, Reading, Simpson, and Yenall. Emergency. —R. Beattie. Union Rowing Club.—A general meeting of the members of the Union Rowing Club will be held this evening at Rndcliffe’s Hotel. For some time past considerable apathy has been exhibited in boating matters, which contrasts very unfavourably with the zeal and spirit which formerly existed. During the past few months the U.R.O. has gone ahead somewhat, and if its members, with those of other boating clubs, only pull together in the interests of boating we may yet once more to see Canterbury well to the fore in the matter of aquatics. Lyttelton Colonists’ Society. The monthly meeting of the committee of this society was held on Wednesday evening last, the president in the chair. The hon. treasurer stated the receipts for the month were £29 6s fid. The President announced that proper stops had been taken to bring the society under the Public Library Powers Act, 1.875, Accounts amounting to £l7 17s were passed for payment. It was determined to have a notice placed in the library running as follows:—“ Members are reminded that the rules of the society 'provide that books should not be issued to those whose subscriptions are in arrears for more than one month.” The meeting then adjourned. Butchers’ Picnic. —The managing committee held a meeting, last evening in the Britannia Hotel, for the purpose of drawing up a programme of sports and making the final arrangements for this picnic. It was agreed to assemble at the Post office on Wednesday next, at 8 a.m., and thence proceed to Mr Monck’s, near Sumner (kindly placed at the disposal of the committee for the occasion), headed by Toomer’s Excelsior Band. It may be mentioned that, with the exception of one, all the butchers have agreed to close their establishments, so as to allow their men to have a full day’s holiday. Gymnastic Competition.— On Saturday next a competition in gymnastics will take place at the gymnasium of the Normal School. This is the first yearly competition instituted by the Board of Education, and prizes are offered by them for the various events. It will be open to pupil teachers and students, and other prizes will also be given for competition by school boys who may attend on the occasion. As we before pointed out, the gymnasium, under the able superintendence of Mr J. Q,. Walker, the drill instructor, is very completely fitted, and affords every opportunity for carrying out such a. contest as the one on Saturday most effectively. • , The Late Fire. —Messrs G. L. Beath and Co. have, we understand, decided upon erecting a large th-cc-storey brick shop and warehouse on the site of Argyle House. It will also include large and commodious milliners’ and tailors’ workrooms, and when complete will form an ornamental addition to our street architecture. On going into an examination of their stock, Messrs Beath and Co. find that they are very large losers by the fire. In their back warehouse, prior to the fire, they had stock valued at £18,407 10s 2d. On this they had insurances £9OOO, and the salvage stock amounts to £2652 Os lOd, thus leaving Messrs Beath and Co, losers to the extent of £6755 9s 4d. It is probable that extensive buildings will bo erected all along the block, which will then be one of the most substantial in Christchurch, Wellington Races.— This year again the Wellington races have been attended by unpleasant weather, the circumstances, according to description, being very similar to those of last year. The weather was cold and cloudy, with sprinkling shower*, and the attendance was consequently rather meagre. His Excellency the Governor arrived on the ground shortly after noon, but it is said that there were then onlv half-a-dozen people on the grand stand, this being partly owing to the high charges for admission to the lawn, the stand, and the paddock—a subject about which there was strong and general dissatisfaction expressed, and which had led to the resignation of the secretaryship by Mr Kerby. It is mentioned that on the Jawn there were more than anv other class represented.

Skittles. —A match was played at Wallace’s Mandeville Hotel, Kaiapoi, last eveninng, between Papanui and Rangiora, which resulted in an easy victory for the former players. Ltbll Reefs. — A telegram received from the Lyell gives the news that the United Alpine Company, working in the Albion tunnel, have struck gold. Confirmation of this will enhance the value of scrip in these companies. A Capsize. —The Lynch Company of Bellringers’ coach capsized whilst descending Mount Adrah, near Adelong. The troupe narrowly escaped death. Throe horses were seriously injured, and the coach was comphtely wrecked. Mr Sothern. —Highly favorable notices of Mr Sothcrn, jun,, in his impersonation of “ Lord Dundreary,” appear in all the Dunedin papers. He is also described as having been effectively supported by Messrs Graham, Deering, Herberte, and O’Brien, while, of course, Mr Hall was a success as Asa Trenchard. Litigious. —Mr Crawford, R.M., Wellington, had a curious civil action before him lately. AMr Bird sued aMr Buck for sixpence, the value of 241bs of coal, which plaintiff alleged were short in a hundredweight supplied to him by defendant. Mr Edwards appeared for the plaintiff, and Mr Fitz Gerald for defendant. The plaintiff alleged that when he received the coal ho weighed it in lots in a pair of small shop scales, and found 211bs short. It appeared from the evidence that there was ill blood between the parties, arising from a dispute at a fire about four years ago. Judgment was eventually given for defendant, and the plaintiff was ordered to pay £1 10s costs, besides which he will have to pay his own lawyer. Portable Railways. The “Sydney Morning Herald ” has received from' Captain Audley Coote some illustrations and diagrams of a portable railway and steam carriage to be used thereon, made by Messrs Ransome and Rapier, of England. The railroad is made of single iron rails, laid upon sleepers, kept together by diagonal timber ties. The parts are so arranged that they can be taken apart and packed up for transportation without any difficulty. The steam carriage consists of engine, tender, brake, and carriage, all in one, capable of travelling at the rate of twenty miles an hour, and carrying eight or nine passengers beside the engineer. It is said that this kind of engine is not only cheap in itself, but is also economical in working, and in conjunction with the portable railway may be applied to temporary purposes with great advantage. The Drought in Victoria,— Writing of the severe drought under which a large portion of Australia has been suffering for some months past the Melbourne correspondent of the “ Otago Times ” sends the following : —“ If we had not so startling and revolutionary a crisis on hand, wo should find an engrossing topic of conversation in the drought. The season is a most severe one. Instead of getting our usual summer heats and summer thunderstorms, wo have a steady cool and delightful south wind, which tempers the atmosphere most pleasantly, but drains it of every particle of moisture, and is thoroughly drying up the country. The range of drought extends over the whole of Australia, and at many parts the accounts of its ravages are most saddening. Last year the rainfall was very deficient, and this year the absolute deprivation of rain is telling with terrible force. The telegrams which we get from day to day of deserted districts, of perishing stock, and of failing rivers, are more distressing than any I have ever found. As to the heat, it seems lo bo beyond precedent in the interior, where the cool sea breezes never reach. One place lately telegraphed to say that the thermometer stood at 100 degrees at midnight. The amount of suffering, or at any rate of terrible inconvenience, expressed by these figures it is difficult to estimate.” Peculiarities of the Telephone.— Describing some of the experiments with the telephone in Dunedin the “Daily Times” says: —What seems strange about the telephone is, that when attached to the ordinary line wire the ticking of the “keys ” while sending messages from the central station along the other wires was all distinctly heard through the telephone at North Dunedin. Some five wires were working at once, and the messages being transmitted were all heard through the telephone—not in a jumble of sound, but each message on the several lines, altogether disconnected with the telephone, was audible. Mr Muir was surprised, on first making the connection with one of the wires, to hear a message being transmitted to. Victoria. The telephone was also tried between Dunedin and Mosgiel, a distance of eleven or twelve miles, and Mr Logan, inspector of telegraph lines, not only sent spoken messages hero, but sang “Annie Laurie,” the words of which all came out perfectly clear. A test is to be made shortly between Dunedin and Christchurch, and we have no doubt the result will be the same as between Mosgiel and Dunedin. We may mention that Mr Chas. Henry, electrician, of Maclaggan street, is the maker of the telephones used, and he has received a great number of orders for the new “ telegraph superseder.” Richmond Hill Silver Mine. —The following is an extract from the chairman’s report, presented at the last meeting of the Richmond Hill Silver Mine Company, Nelson : —“ In December Dr. Hector paid a visit to the mine, and lias within the last few days transmitted his report in the form of a letter to the chairman, which will be found appended. With respect to the prospects of the undertaking, while it must be allowed that a largo body of rich cupreous silver ore, or ‘richmondite,’ has not yet been met with, and the extreme hardness of the country renders the progress of the requisite explorations slow and their execution expensive, your directors do not consider there is any reason to relinquish the hope of ultimate success. They !may refer, as an encouraging fact, to the case of the celebrated Comstock lode, in which the average silver content s, as shown by authentic returns is under 31ozs. to the ton, which is inferior to the yield of the second-class ore at Richmond Hill. By stoping there is a certainty of winning a considerable quantity of this description along with a smaller amount of the superior kind. The work the directors consider it will be advisable to pursue is, as recommended by Dr. Hector, to follow the lode they have as closely as possible with the view of finding it at some point profitably productive of the richest description of ore; and at the same time to avail themselves of one of the recently discovered processes for cheaply extracting the silver from such poorer ores as will not bear the co?ts of exportation. On the company’s lease further down the river from tl}o mine a lode had been discovered yielding 3 per cent of nickel, a proportion quite large enough to admit of profitable extraction whenever the price of that metal rallies from its present very low quotation.”