NEWS OF THE DAY

Globe, Volume IX, Issue 1229, 11 February 1878, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY

City Council. The usubl fortnightly meeting of the City Council will be held this evening at 7 o’clock. Educational.—Miss Julia Seager has been appointed by the Board of Education mistress of the junior girls’ department of the Normal school. Indian Famine Belief Fund.—A meet* ing of the committee of this fund will bo held at 3 p.m. to-morrow to consider the distribution of the funds in hand. Wellington City Election.—The nomination of candidates for the representation of Wellington City in the room of Mr Travers will take place on Feb. 16th, and the poll, if there is a contest, on Feb. 19th. The Governor.—lt is stated in the northern papers that the Marquis of Normanby will visit Auckland immediately, and that he purposes remaining in the North until about the middle of April. Death at the Lyttelton Gaol.—A man named Patrick Gallagher died on Sunday at Lyttelton Gaol. He had been committed for vagrancy, and for a long time has been suffering much from a complication of diseases. An inquest was to be held at 3 p.m. to-day. L T . S. Minstrels.—Mr Lingard, the agent in advance of the U. S. Minstrels, arrived in town on Saturday evening, per Taiaroa, to make arrangements for the appearance of the company here. It comprises amongst others many members well known to Christchurch playgoers—viz., Messrs Eookefeller, Braham, Campbell, Amery, Holly, &c. They will appear at the Gaiety on the 19bh of February. Reapers and Binders.—An exhibUionfof reapers and binders will be held on the Mount Harding and Methvon properties in about a fortnight, when some twenty machines will be shown. The feature of this show will be the contest of skill between the drivers of the various machines. 'lt is sufficiently apparent that, with an unskilful driver, the most perfect machine cannot do good work. A number of farmers therefore, in the district named, have subscribed to institute the above competition, when prizes will be given for driving only. The Gun Club.—At the competition last Friday Mr Tudball killed the whole of his birds, to the number of eleven. He and Mr Oookson arrived late on the ground, when only three sweeps remained to be shot for, all of which they took, but were unable to fire off the tie, on account of the scarcity of birds. It seems that the club experiences a difficulty in obtaining a supply of birds, as comparatively few people make a business of pigeon breeding, though many keep a few couple. The next match is to take place on the club ground at Papanui on Friday.

SOUTHBHIDGE SCHOOL COMMITTEE.—A meeting was held on Monday, February 4th. Present—Messrs Bourne (in the chair), Paddy, De Bidder, Andrews, and Graham. It was resolved that the chairman be requested to ascertain from Messrs Duncan and Inglis whether they will consent to act as members of the Board of Education. Miss Jane McKay was appointed pupil teacher, the agreement to be signed and duties to be entered into forthwith. The chairman was requested to apply to the Board for authority to obtain desks for the school room, as required by the master.

Presentation. —A very large number of the employees of the railway met at the Terminus Hotel on Saturday evening, for the purpose of presenting Mr H. Hesketh, the late manager Of the outside goods department with a testimonial. The shape, their expression of goodwill took was a very handsome clock, bearing a suitable inscription. After the presentation had been duly made and responded to, several good songs were sung by Mr Valpy and others, and a very pleasant evening was spent. Upper Ashburton Local Board op Health, —The annual meeting of this Board was held on February 6th, at the Road Board office, Westerfleld. Present—Messrs Charles Reed (chairman), McLean, and Stitt. The clerk reported ns to the general health of the district and the entire absence of ony infectious disease during the past year. The chairman mentioned that, from information he had received, he advised one of the ratepayers to bury or remove a number of dead sheep, reported as becoming an intolerable nuisance to the neighbourhood, and which had been done at once. The clerk was requested to continue to report on anything affecting or likely to affect the general health of the district. The chairman was asked to fill up the necessary forma containing the report for the year aiding 31st March, 1878. for transmission to Government. The Board then adjourned.

Interphovincial Match. —The selection committee met on Saturday and chose the following eighteen to practice for tho annual Interprovincial Match with Otago. Any of the players who cannot go are requested to inform the secretary as early as possible Messrs Ashby, Austin, C. Frith, W. Frith, K. Fowler, J. Fowler, Fuller, Godby, Hartland, Lee, Moore, Tfeilson, Ollivier, C. Perry, Stevens, Secretan, Watson, and A. C. Wilson. Practice will commence at 4.30 p.m. every evening. Tho committee have proposed Feb. 2let, 22nd, and 23rd to tho Otago Association as the days for the mutch. The committee of the latter were to meet on Saturday night to arrive at a definite conclusion on the matter.

I.O.G.T.—The quarterly meeting of the Young Crusader Juvenile No. 1 Temple, 1.0.G.T., was held last Monday evening in the Templar Hall. Two members were proposed for initiation, and duly initiated into the mysteries of the Juvenile Temple. After some. other business was transacted, the officers elected at the previous meeting were duly installed by their Superintendent, G. M. Bennett: —C.T., Sister A. Henderson ; Y.T., Sister L. Parker ; Sec., Bro, A. Smith ; A.S., Bro. Wm. Merson; F.S., Bro. E. Cooper ; T., Bro. Woodward ; C., Sister S. Bennetts ; W.M., Sister S. Robinson; D.W.M., Sister M. Olzier; J.G., Bro. W. Tetley; 0.G., Bro. C. Armishaw; P.C.T., Sister Tetley. The Temple is progressing satisfactorily, having over 100 members good on its books, with an average attendance of over fifty for the last quarter. The Lodge meets every Monday night at 6 p.m. It is intended to hold the annual treat on Thursday, tl,e J4th |p Tayl#>

The LAtb Government and thk Land Fund.— ln his recent address to the Waikonaiti electors, Mr G. McLean contradict ed flatly the reported assertion of Mr Montgomery in his Akaroa speech to the effect that the late Government were pledged to take the land, fund next year. It was because they would not make a pledge to that effect that some oi. the members went over to the Middle Party* and helped to swamp that party. Had they agreed to take the land fund when pressed to do bo, no power would have put the late Government out. Mr Montgomery must know no auch pledge would have been given while the members representing the southern provinces were in that Government. It will be remembered that Mr Montgomery, in a letter in these columns, denied having made the assertion attributed to him, which was that of Mr Curtis, quoted by him.

Soldbne Comic Opera.— “Ohilperic,” on Saturday night, attracted a very large audience at the Theatre Eoyal, and was much applauded. There was an alteration in the cast, fn the character of Fredigonde, whicli was entrusted to Miss E. Le Fevre, _ This artiste was decidedly successful, entering into the fun of the part with great zest, and singing the imusic with much spirit. The jokes which were’ introduced were well received, especially one referring to the position of matters at Constantinople. This evening tho popular 11 Grand Duchess ” will be given, arid no doubt there will be a full house. On Friday next Miss Soldene will take a benefit at the Theatre Royal. For the occasion a double bill will be produced, though the popularity of the lady should ensure a full house apart, from any other attraction. It will be noticed that Mr C. A. Ohizzola announces that the Comic Opera Company will appear for only a few evenings more prior to their leaving for Wellington, and subsequently for Adelaide en route to England. -■■ ■

Hospital Expenditure.— The following is a return of the total expenditure of the Dunedin Hospital for the twelve months ttading December, 1877, the daily average number of patients being 140 Salaries, total amount expended, £2332 19s 4d; average daily cost of each patient, 10-jjd; rations, £2152 8b lid—average, lOd 1-I.6th ; stores, £24l' 5s 9d—average, Id l-16fch ; fuel and cines, £249 Is 2d—average, lid; medical comforts, £559 4s lid—average, 2|d; bedding, &c., £BS 2s lid—average, id; printing, stationery, &e., £4l ,14s 9d—average, id; incidental expenses, £264 9» sd—average, lid; burials, £BB 7s-average, id; water rates, £44_average, jd; visiting medical staff, £lO0 —average, id. Total amount expended, £6586 Is 4d, showing the average daily cost of each patient to be 2s 61 d. Deducting the amount of £277 18s 2d for repayments, the total expenditure for the year is reduced to £6258 3s 2d, and the average cost of each patient 2s sid. Tho yearly cost of each patient was £44 7s 7id, and in order to afford an opportunity for comparison the report on the subject gives the yearly cost of each patient in several of the London hospitals, the return being taken from tho “ Lancet ” of 1870 :—Westminster Hospital, £4O Guy’s, £4B; St. George’s, £56; St. Mary’s, £57; St. Bartholomew, £SB; London, £SB 13s; King’s College, £59 ; Charing Cross, £59 14s; University College, £77.

CONFERENCE OP COUNTY CHAIRMEN. — A conference of the chairmen of counties north of Rangitata was held on Saturday at the Provincial Government Buildings the purpose of giving effect to a vote of £15,000 from the Land Fund which had been appropriated £IO,OOO for Domains and £SOOO for cemeteries ; one-third of each of these to go south of Rangitata, and two-thirds north of Rangitata. Present —Hon. J. Hall (Selwyn), and Messrs H., P. Lance (Ashley), W. C. Walker, (Ashburton), and E. 0. Latter (Akaroa.) The Hon. J. Hall was voted to the chair, and explained that the Act provided for the distribution by the chairmen of the money voted for the northern counties. He invited the gentlemen present to give their opinions in the first place us to the appropriations for domains. Mr Lance believed that the largest share of the £6666 13s 4d should be given to Christchurch bn account of its domain, which •was scarcely to be considered a local institution. Mr Hall pointed out that the Christchurch domain hud been a means of distributing a large number of trees to railways, schools, and other public institutions. At the present time he believed there were a million trees for gratuitous distribution to public bodies.' Mr Lance proposed that'out of the sum. of £6666 13s 4d, to be appropriated _ for domains north of Rangitata, £3OOO be given as an endowment to the Christchurch domain. Mr Latter seconded the motion, which was agreed to. ' The balance of the total sum was then appropriated as follows: —Selwyn, £766 13s 4d;‘ Akaroa, £900; Ashley, £IOOO and and Ashburton £IOOO. The question of appropriating the grant for cemeteries was then taken into consideration, and after some discussion the following distribution was agreed upon:—Christchurch central cemetery, £1500; Selwyn, £4OB 6 a 8d; Ashburton, £475; Akaroa, £475, and Ashley £475. Mr Wilson, Chairman of the Kaiapoi Domain Board here waited upon the , conference on behalf of Kaiapoi, to urge upon the members the claims of the local cemetery and domain. The conference listened to Mr Wilson’s representations, and admitted the reasonableness of his views, but regretted that the funds at their disposal would be insufficient to enable them to comply with his wishes. The minutes of the meeting having been read and agreed to, the conference terminated.