NEWS OF THE DAY.

Globe, Volume IX, Issue 1236, 19 February 1878, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Communication with Europe. Communication on the Port Darwin line is now restored. Scandinavian Mission.— A Scandinavian service will be held in the Wesleyan Church, Lyttelton, on Wednesday evening, at 7 p.m. Loyal Volunteer Lodge. —A summoned meeting of this lodge will to-morrow evening, at half-past seven, Selwyn County Council.—Dr. Frankish offers himself as a candidate to represent the Ellesmere district in the Selwyn County Council. Entertainment. —The entertainment in aid of the building fund of the United Methodist Free Church, Addington, will he given on Thursday evening, not on Wednesday. City Assessment. —The following figures show the value of the assessment of the property in the city of Christchurch from 1870 to the present year. That for 1878, it may be noted, is approximate only. The various amounts are as follows :—IB7O, £86,635 10s ; 1871, £86,789; 1872, £96,352 10s; 1873, £101,930; 1874, £113,005; 1875, £150,626; 1876, £147,711; 1877, £173,559; 1878 (approximate), £170,000. New Guinea Goldfields. —We direct attention to an advertisement elsewhere respecting a party starting for New Guinea. Several practical miners of large experience in New Zealand and elsewhere intend if possible to purchase a vessel and fit her out for a voyage to New Guinea for the purpose of prospecting for gold. Should a sufficient number join, the expedition will leave during March next.

Soldene Opeea Compant. — The final performance of the Soldene Comic Opera Company last night at the Theatre Royal was “ Chilperic.” The house was crowded and the various artists played and sang in their best manner. At the close of the second act Miss Soldene, Miss Liddle, Miss Slater and Miss Le Fevre were called before the curtain and the same ladies with the exception of the second named, received the same compliment at the end of the opera. Thus terminated the season of this company in Christchurch, a season which has without doubt been a highly successful one. The company leave for Wellington to-morrow. Kaiapoi Paeish. —No definite step has been taken to appoint a clergyman for the Kaiapoi Church. At a recent meeting of the nominators a gentleman, whom several of the parishioners desired to invite, was said to have been under appointment to the Kumara, and it is generally thought that the Yen. Archdeacon Thorpe, from the Nelson diocese, may be invited. The services of the church have for some time been conducted by stray clergymen, who have severally tried to improve the state of parochial affairs. On the minister appointed will devolve the work of establishing a lasting peace among the members of the congregation.

Canterbury Riele Association’.—At a general meeting of the Rifle Association, held last night, it was determined to continue the association only so long as is necessary to fire off the competition for the Challenge Cup presented by Mr Blake. This it is intended to do by means of monthly competitions, commencing in March next. This step has been rendered necessary by the almost total want of interest evinced by the majority of the members of the association in its progress. Such a state of things is to be regretted, and it may be hoped that some means will yet bo devised of resuscitating the association, and placing it in even a sounder position than before. During the years it has been in operation, the association has done good work, and if a fresh start could be effected it might be made quite as useful, if not more so, than it has been in the past. Rev. Ciiahles Claek.—lt may be remembered that when this popular lecturer was last in Christchurch he promised to give another short series of lectures on his return from the South. We learn, however, that after the close of his fourteenth consecutive lecture in Dunedin on Saturday night, Mr Clark stated that owing to his New Zealand tour having lasted three months longer than he expected, he had had to leave to fulfil Australian engagements ; but before returning to Europe he intended making another flying visit to this colony, when, in addition to giving a week’s lectures in each of the large cities his route would include the most important towns that he had been unable to visit during his present tour. Mr Smytho was a passenger by the Wakatipu which sailed yesterday for Sydney, and Mr Clark will follow in the Rotorua. The Grand National Steeplechase,— The programme of the New Zeajand Grand National Steeplechase appears elsewhere. As determined on some time ago by the Club, the meeting will be held on the Christchurch course, on the 24th May next. It is, we believe, the intention of the committee to include a stone wall in “ the country that the stewards may direct.” The programme comprises a Ma’den Plate, of 100 sots (two miles) ; the NZ- Grand National, of 200 govs (four miles) ; the Hunt Club, of 150 sovs (three miles) ; and a Consolation, of 50 sots (two miles). Nominations for all the above must be sent to Mr F. Egan, the hon. sec., before 8 p.m., on April 27th, which is the Saturday alter the Christchurch Autumn Meeting. From the success which last year attended this meet at Timaru, it may be expected that the removal to the Metropolitan course this year will result in a very Igrge attendance. Cricket.—A match between the M.O.C.C. Second E'even v. Hagley Oak Leaf Club was played on Saturday last, on the ground of the latter. The M.O.C.C. had first innings, and scored 84 for the loss of nine wickets, Ritso, the la«t man, haring to retire hurt, after making 5 runs. The Hagley Oak Leaf commenced their innings with A. G- Atack and W. H. Smith. No stand xyqs made by any one, with the exception of Atack, who carried out his bat for a well-earned 16. The innings closed for 20. The M-C.O.C. commenced their second innings, and had fire wickets down for a total of IN when time was called. The game was decided on the first innings, which left the M C C.O. victorious by 55 runs. The Hagljy Oak Leaf played with a very weak team, only three of the First Eleven being present, ihe remainder having been picked from the Second Eleven.—A match wits played on Saturday afternoon on the ground of the Excelsior Club, bet ween that and the Wools) on Clubs, resulting in a victory for (he W.C.C. on the first innings, the scores being—W.C.O. : first innings, 56 ; second innings, 50. Excelsior: first innings, 30; second innings, 33 for four wickets. A. Beaumont 10 and 20, and J. S. Monck 18, j were the principal cont ributors to the Woolston total, Whitley 11 being the top scorer for the E.C.C. Beaumont and F. Barnford bowled well for Woolston, and Whitley, Hardy and Thompson all bowled well for the E.C.O,

Charleston in Eclipse. The Press Agent at Charleston has taken the trouble to advise the whole colony, says the “ Press,” that “a nearly total eclipse of the moon” was observed there on Sunday night. That genius would have us believe that the moon is Charleston’s special property. We can at least believe now that she has an extraordinary influence there.

Milkmen’s Picnic. —At a meeting of milkmen at the Q-olden Age Hotel last evening, it was agreed to have a picnic on the 26th instant, the trade to meet at the PostOffice at 10 a.ra, and the picnic to be held in the St. Alban’s recreation grounds. Messrs C. Palmer, J. Parish, J. Frost, T. Arnold, W. Davison were deputed to receive subscriptions.

The Government Steamers. —lt is understood (says the “Wanganui Herald”) that the Government have determined to sell the Stella, making the Hinemoa do the whole of the lighthouse work, as well as perform the ordinary Government services. Public tenders for her will probably be called in a short time.

Boating at Kaiapoi. — A four-oared crew in connection with the Cure Boating Club has been formed, and is now in training for the four-oared race at the Kaiapoi regatta. The crew includes Messrs J. Winterbourne, G. Wright, T. Mellor, and W. Hollier. As they have only commenced to practise some changes may be made, but in any case it is satisfactory to note that there is likely to be some competition for the four-oared race. The Roads of the Metropolis. —The Wellington “Argus” of the 12th has the following woeful story as to the dangers of the metropolis : —A gentleman was, this week, riding along one of the beautiful new roads made by the City Council. The horse sank in. The gentleman got off to pull his horse out. He sank in too, and couldn’t get out again. He floundered about for three hours, and the sun went d' wn on his labors. He was at last extricated by two men and a rope. A Contrast. —The contrast {between the state of the labour market in Nelson and Southland at the present time is very great. In the former district there are a great many laborers with families out of employment just now, and the “ Mail” wonders how they manage to live. But of Southland the local “Times” says:—Southland is perhaps worse off for labour than any other part of the colony. We say this deliberately, and are prepared to hear a howl of indignation from the purblind party that has set itself up to oppose immigration. Go wherever we may in Southland the same complaint is made—labour is not to be had excepting at exorbitant rates of remuneration, and scarcely then.