NEWS OF THE DAY.

Globe, Volume IX, Issue 1238, 22 February 1878, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Oamartt Races.—We remind owners that acceptances and general entries for the North Otago meeting close at Oumarn on Monday next, the 23rd, at 8 p.m. Volunteer Prize Firing.— The Engineers company will fire for the district prizes at the Hillsborough butts on Saturday next. Intending competitors must enter ther names at the orderly room this evening.

Accident.- An accident happened this morning to one of the men engaged in shuntin g at the South bridge Junction. The rope by which a number of trucks were being shunted, uddenly broke, and the man was badly jammed. He was brought by the 11 a.m. goods train to the Christchurch Hospital.

The New Pope.—Joachim Peeci, who has been elected Pope under the title of Leo XIII., was created a Cardinal in 1853, and made Archbishop of Perugia. He has also held the office of Camerlengo for some time. He is said to have a deep knowledge of the world, and is well versed in the management of public affairs. U.S. Minstrel^, —The third performance of this excellent company at the G-aiety Theatre proved as attractive last night as those which preceded it, and to judge from the appearance of the house, they need not make a change till the end of the week. Tonight, however, they present an entirely new bill, in which, besides fresh chair business, will be included " Scenes at the Circus " and two new farces. A better evening's amusement cannot be found in Christchurch just now than is provided at the G-aiety.

Entertainment at Lyttelton.—A miscellaneous entertainment was given at the Oddfellows' Hall, Lyttelton, on Wednesday night, in aid of an old member of the Lodge, named R. Dennis, who met with an accident in Wellington some time ago, which for months incapacitated him for work. The manner in which the benefit was carried out by the Oddfellows, assisted by the Foresters, was highly creditable to the Friendly Societies of Lyttelton, and it is satisfactory to hear that, after all expenses are paid, a very handsome balance will remain. The performance consisted of an hour's fun with the Lyttelton Oddfellows' Christy Minstrels, a selection of songs and readings, and a negro farce entitled "The Photographer." All the performers acquitted themselves remarkably well, and were much applauded. Dr. Rouse occupied the chair, and explained the object of the entertainment. Water Biast.—Mr J. Pope, blacksmith, of Lyttelton, has turned a portion of the Lyttelton water supply to a novel use. By means of pipes he has raised the water several feet above one of bis forges, and by turning a wheel the water falls through a large ainc tube into an airtight can, and thence flows away by a waste pipe. Th« water, in falling through the tube, drives a quantity of air through a pipe leading to the fire, the effect on which is precisely the same as if a powerful pair of bellows were being worked. The labor of working the bellows is thus saved, but as 700 gallons per day are used and a hand still required to strike, it is hardly a pecuniary success at present. Mr Pope hopes, however, to make the same quantity of water work four forges, and if success, of* which he has little doubt, is achieved, a very large saving will be effected, as besides the wear and tear of the bellows two men's wages will be saved.

Cure Boating Club.—A general meeting of the members of this club was held at Schmidt's Pier Hotel, Kaiapoi, on Wednesday evening. There was a large attendance : Mr G. H. Wearing, president, occupied the chair. The sub-committee, appointed at the previous meeting to get up crews for the regatta, reported that Messrs J. Winterbourne, G. Wright, W. H. Hollier, and T. Mellor were training for the Champion four-oared lace, and Messrs Winterbourne ans Wright for the mir-oarecj race. A. Manning, A. Winterbourne, C. Wright, and R. Blackburn were recommended as the crew for the junior four-oared race. The report was unanimously adopted, subject to certain conditions. It was resolved that the custodian have the necessary repairs to the boats made forthwith, and that he be requested to enforce the rules, which provide that no person should use any of the club's property, unless a member who shall have paid his subscription, and prohibit yhe use! o$ any boat when, in his opinion. }t would bo unadvisable to. take it out of the shed. Mr Winterbourne, as captain of the club, stated that his crew intended to give as close attention to practice as possible, but, owing to their other occupations, he felt afraid the practices would not be so regular as he should have wished. It was resolved that there should be a general inspection of the boato <m Thursday evening, and that afterwards a series of races for prizes intended originally for an art union should be held. The proceedings then terminated.

Toombs's Picnic—The workmen employed at Toomer'a Boot Factory held their annual picnic on Friday last. The spot selected as the scene was the property of Mr H. Toomer, sen., at Sumner. Every preparation had been made for the party, which, of course, was a large one, numbering about 200. They left the works at about 8 o'clock a.m., headed by their band, and on arrival at Sumner engaged, without delay, in the usual sports. The children were objects of special attention on ihe part of Mrs H. Toomer, Vto" had provided a 'larg_e' number of toys for them. After enjoying themselves'thoroughly during the day, all returne*d to town,' ana finished the holiday with a ball at Gardner's Dancing Academy. T. 8., L.0.L., No. 16,—This, the firstfounded Orange Lodge in the district, entertained their brethren and friends at dinner, in the Town Hal], §outbb?id»?e, on Tuesday evening, when upwards of six\iy inyited were present.' "The excellent dinner was provided by Bro. Mitchell. Bro. Kennedy oc* cu}|ied the phair by request of the Lodge, and was supported by Bx'o. Abercrombie, W.M., No. 16 Lodge, Bro. J. Hayes, secretary, and many prominent members of the community. Bro. (Jabbie, who was alio well supported, acted as vice-chairman. After dinner the secretary read several letters of apology for absence from members of the Order and others, and the ohairman proceeded with the usual loval toasts. "The Queen," "The Royal Family, &c." "The Charter" was then proposed by the vice-chairman, and enthusiastically received, after which the banner, whioh was brought from Bro. McDaed, of Belfast, by Bro. Morrow, was unfurled with musical honors,and presented in due form to the W.M., Bro. Abercrombie, who in a very few words returned thanks and expressed his sense of the honor conferred. Healths and songs followed, and during the interval Bro. J. Hayes took the opportunity of apologising for the absence of Bro. Rev. W. Cree. He also gave in a few words a clear expression of the more serious yie s . of Orangc.sm and ita e.iectd society. The company* many of \iihom ■ had come from some distance, did not separate till a late hour. The Fihst Otago Gox/dfield. The " Morning Herald" of a late date has the following as to the present position of the earliest gold diggings in Otago, which will be of interest to any who remember the spot in 1861: Gabriel's Guily, long sac-cd to Chinamen, gives work to* a few European Operations have, however, been commenced bv Europeans tq work part of the gully nerjf the Blue Spur in a systematic maanciv xjight claims have been taken up in' the pullySear the tail race »f the Great Extended Company*. A shaft is being sunk through the accnmulation of tailings, and it will have to be closely slabbed all the way down. A commencement was made at the shaft yesterday, aid the pm-ties sinking expect they will get at the alluvial gravel on the bed rock at a depth of seventy "or eighty feet, though some think they will have to go deeper. Water will >thn luivi- to be contended against, and it appears doubtful whether the shaft, can' be kepi dry. On getting to the bed -rock, they purpose' to tunnel, and so get at the foot ,or two of alluvial which has been worked already, or perhaps a stray unworked patch that, at an early time,wa* covered with tailings. The attempt does not look promising, bub miners luye'piutk. to aceowpliib, a gw} 4e*f '

Wakanui School District.—ln consequence of the late elections for a school committee in this district having fallen through, the old committee remain in office until the Board of Education make further arrangements, i

Into the Quick. —The most cutting expression used anent Mr Barton's candidature rn the recent election is that of the Wellington " Argus" in declining to discuss the matter. "Mr Barton, &c, whose candidature we decline to discuss, as we would decline to discuss that of Dr Kenealy." , The Government and Local Bodies.— The Wellington correspondent of the " Hawke's Bay Herald" says the Government intend next session to concentrate as many of the public bodies into one as possible. He sayß they would like to conjoin boroughs and Harbour Boards, and to entrust municipalities with the care of hospitals. Pigeon Race. —A pigeon race, undo the auspices of the Columbarian Society, willlakc place on Tuesday night,.the flight being from South Rakaia. The following are the entries:— Mif Potten's Fishhook, Panic, and Fenella ; Mr MersonVßathurst Flyer and Manuka; Mr. Roskrudge's First King; Mr Walker's Faugh-a ballagh; Mr Deacon, jun.'s Kingfisher; Mr Deacon, sen.'s Blueboy;, Mr Harris's Rataplan ; Mr Porter's Barmaid; Mr Trigg's Ulysses; Mr Perry's Bluegum and Rosebery ; Mr Hick's Chester and Elvira; and Mr Reeße, three entries not yet named. The birds will be sent up by first train, and will be relea-ed at fixed intervals of time. Wellington Water Supply. The "Post" is glad to hear the most favorable accounts of the progress of the water storage in the new reservoir, notwithstanding that the late rains,'although of so frequent occurrence, have been of a very light character, and have not penetrated below the surface. At the present time the water has risen between 7ft. and Bft. up the sloping bank, and the depth in the centre has increased to 28ft. or 30ft., giving a total storage already of more than ten millions of gallons. This ought.to render shortness of water a " memory of the past" in Wellington. A Bishop in Court. —With reference to the recent fining of the Roman Catholic Bishop of. Brisbane for not registering a marriage, the "Sydney Evening News" gives the following particulars of the cases: The Rev. Dr. -o'Quinn, Roman Catholic Bishop, was fined £lO on the 20th instant, at the Brisbane Police. Court, for neglecting, to register the marriage of Mr John Douglas, the Premier of this colony, to Miss Sarah ; Hickey. The ceremony was performed about; the 30th July, and the prosecution was initiated by the Registrar-General. Tne fine inflicted was the minimum penalty. A Questionable Compliment.—That the Premier is greatly adatired in the North, and that he dearly loves to suck in the hosaunahs of his worshippers, are points not to be questioned; It is dubious, however, if he will derive any intense satisfaction from the following tribute bestowed upon him in a friendly way, by one of the northern journals:—" Sir George Grey is never, more interesting than when he enters upon the arena of finance. There,is something so simple and so 'soft, in his talk as to be quite refreshing to those who have been accustomed to the Vogelian style of concealing things unpleasant, and the Atkinsonian method of making one set of figures stand for another."

The Akaroa Railway.—Mr Hardy Johnson, C.E.,: engineer to the Lake Ellesmere and Forsyth Reclamation Trust, paid a visit to Akaroa oh Saturday last, in company with Mr Browne who is attached to his staff. Mr says the "Mail," expressed himself as having no doubts of the feasibility of the scheme for draining the lakes and further states, that the formation of a line of railway to;Little River, thesurvey of which has already i been.; commenced, would occupy merely a term of, si* months, the proposed route presenting no difficulties whatever and beingsimply aquestion of money. If, however, the line .was further extended to Akaroa, a delay of two years would be caused by the formation of a tunnel through the range. Mr Johnston was much pleased with the nature of the country as far as he had seen it, a remark which is unanimous from all visitors to the Peninsula.

Quicksilver in Australia. Cinnabar, the ore of quicksilver, has been, known, remarks the Ballarat " Star,"'»'for a good many years to the Lake Bope blacksiof South Australia;. It occurs in the form of bright s©d crystals, and uncrystallised brown and red masses of bard-looking clay, from which the blacks make their war paint, as well as decorative colours for festive- occasions. The en - gineers of the, overland telegraph line from Port Augusta ascertained that those blacks became salivated, and showed all the effects of the use-of mercury. This led ,to enquiry, and a notion was formed of the position and direction,of the country that the blackfelloAvs Wf nt tcT for the colouring matter. One of the engineers communicated his information to a mining .expert in Melbourne, who, with his informant, was commissioned to proceed to the nearest point and search for the deposit.' After' a'' good deal of difficulty, and not, a little hardship, the locality was discovered, a claim taken up, and samples of the ore brought away. Mr Ulrich has since been sent to the place to* give a scientific report, which we are informed is, favorable, and a company is to be formed to work the deposits. ~.','■■"