NEWS OF THE DAY.

Globe, Volume IX, Issue 1243, 1 March 1878, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Christchurch Gas Co.— The annual meeting of this company will be held at tho offices, Gloucester street, at 3 p.m. to-day. Corporation Baths.— Mr A. Jardine has resigned the lesseeship of these baths. A number of applications have already been received to rent the baths until the end of the present season. Harvest Festival.— The annual harvest festival at St. John’s will be held this even-

ing at half-past seven. The service will be “ full choral.” Wool Ships. —Telegraphic advice has been received by Messrs Dalgety, Nichols and Co., from Loudon, of the arrival of the Meropa and Schiehallion. Both these vessels will be in time for the first wool sales.

Canterbury Tramway Company.—A large number of shares have already been applied for in this company, and the directors determined yesterday to extend the date for receiving applications for shares until 31st March.

Little River Steeplechases.—Thismeet-

ing takes place to-morrow. The programme comprises five events, and the amount of the stakes should induce a good number of entries' for the various events.

The Australian Blondin.—“ Young New Zealander ” was well patronised last night at the new Oddfellows’ Hall, and went through his performance with bis accustomed success. This evening he will again appear in a slightly varied programme. Sale of Pictures— The sale of oil paintings advertised by Mr Charles Clark was held. yesterday, and a large number of the pictures' were disposed of at moderate prices. Theattendance of purchasers was not so large as* the merits of the paintings would haves warranted, and consequently some very good : bargains were made. Registrar’s- Returns. —The Registrar's' returns show that the births, deaths and marriages in Christchurch and district, for the month of February, were as follows: Births, 48 and 96 for the city and district", respectively ; deaths, 18 and 25 ; marriages,, 22 and 7. There was one less birth than in i the same month of last year, and seven less; marriages. The mortality also showed s, diminution, being nine less in the city, and four less in the district, than in Februar’. 1877.

Halt, Lame, and Blind.—A corner pon . dent writes:—ln one passenger carrir „ e on the Northern Railway a few days ago ou t 0 £ exactly a score of persons, were one ’ man with one leg, another on crutches, auotb er j,]j 11( j j n an eye, a fourth who squinted. a fifth fi ea f and dumb, and a sixth so near lighted as to pronounce a race horse standi ng still a veryfine bull. For the information of outsiders it may be well to say that t’oat carriage load was not a fair sample of Canterbury settlers Gaiety Theatw.- -There was a good house at the Gaiety last evening when the programme of the previous night was repeated. The- various items went well, the sketches creating considerable amusement. To night a double bill will be presented for (he complimentary benefit given to Mr C Wallace. In addition the U. S. Minstrels, the beueficiare will appear, assisted by three well known professionals, and as a large numberof tickets have already been disposed of, a: bumper house may be looked for. Oanteebuey Makulb Q.tjaeey Compant. —An extraordinary general meeting of shareholders in the above company was held last, evening at the Garrick Hotel. MrE. Mitchell was moved to the chair, and said he regretted that illness had prevented Mr Aikm&n,. chairman of the board of directors, from being present that evening. The secretary (Mr Guudry) read the prospectus proposed to be issued by the directors, included in which; were a report on the quarry from the manager, letters from London and Tictoria speaking highly of the quality of the marble, and plso a favorable analysis from Professor Bickeriton. The chairman said the following resolution had been passed by the directors :—“ That for the more efficient and profitable working o£ the business of the company, it is desirable that the capital of the company should be increased to the sum of £IO,OOO by the issue of 1800 additional shares of the valvio of £5each, and that the directors he authorised to take the necessary steps for giving effect to. this resolution.” Mr Ellisdon moved the adoption of the resolution. Mr Barnettseconded the motif©* which was earned. A discussion then took place on the issue of shares and amount of calls as proposed in theprospectus submitted by the directors, afterwhich some slight amendments were proposed, and carried, and tho draft prospectus as a, whole agreed to. The meeting then adjourned.

Inspector Feast. — A letter has deceived from Mr Feast acknowledging p re . sent recently sent to him by a number of his Canterbury friends. We give his letter in full“ Qreymouth, February 20th, 1878. Dear Sir,—l received your letter containing draft for £7l 8s 6d -one pounds eight shillings and sixpence), and should have been very glad to have been able to verbally thank yourself and the kind friends who subscribed 9-uch. a handsome present for me.. Relievo me I cannot write what I think that I could speak at this moment, but I feel proud : to know that although duty has called me away Jromi you, I have left many friends - behind me, and that my humble endeavors to-' do my duty during my connection with thei Canterbury Police Force have been so highly appreciated. Independent of the value ef your present, I cannot help feeling proud fr© know that 1 bear the good will and respect of so important a community as you compose. I shall always look back with feelings 0 f pleasure to the many happy years that I epeyd amongst you, regretting that duty for the present lias parted me from you. Allow me to return my sincere thanks to yourself and my kind friends. Believe me, dear sir, to remain yours truly, Hahhy Feast, Inspector A.C.—Thomas Ick, Esq., Christchurch.” Mh Staffobd’s Fabewelx..—ln his farewell address to his constituents, published; yesterday, Mr Stafford, after expressing hisi deep sense of the unvarying courtesy he hag. received from them, having been elected; without opposition ou three consecutive occasions, adds : —“ It is a subject of much regret, to me, that our connection is now broken, buti, I am, at the same time, cheered by the belicif that while it continued we were in perfect accord with respect to the important public questiccar , of the day, and by the knowledge that I fnl 7 y sympathised with and endeavored, on. ,y suitable occasion* to give effect to your- v'r jbes in all of local concern. At sh-e. v .rmingt’.ou oi a somewhat extended public career —during which an amount of genero >j> t confidence and support has boon given to • me f or which I shall ever be grateful—l car , though conscious of many mistakes, hone* 1 Jy claim that whatever ruay have seemsd aar ,i=s i n my political option, should be dssmedi an error of judgment, and that, as. an old serf fer, warmly attached to New Zealand, I ha.w /throughout been influenced but by a singly -minded consideration for what I believed f-t the time to (or lit? caifip

Massaobes in Eubopb.—lt was stated in a cable message of Feb. 14th that massacres of Christians had taken place in Crete and Bessarabia. The last name should, it appears, have been Bessaritra, in Tbessaly. Sauces’ Homes.—Some time ago a deputation waited upon Mr Macandrew with the object of obtaining a portion of the grant voted last year for Sailors’ Homes, for an institution of that character in Port Chalmers. A Wellington paper advocates the establishment of a similar institution in that city. Inciting to Incendiaeism. —At Picton, a man named John Hebherly, has been committed for trial at the Supreme Court on a charge of inciting one Robert Sullivan, feloniously, unlawfully, and maliciously to set fire to a certain dwelling house of Archibald Ruff, situated in the town of Picton, with intent to defraud the National Insurance Company. The house was iusured for £IOO. Musical Union. —A meeting of the members of the Musical Union was held last night. Mr. Lean occupied the chair. The report and balance-sheet for the past season were submitted to the meeting and were approved. It was stated that the Orchestral Society was putting its music into rehearsal for the next season, and that the Harmonic Society would hold its annual meeting next week for the purpose of electing a conductor and selecting the music to be performed during the ensuing season. It was suggested that the two societies should continue their union as heretofore for the purpose of drawing into one society the principal lovers of music in Christchurch, A Selp-Recoeding Telephone.—The “Spectator” says:—“We are assured on competent authority that the telephone has been made to write its own messages, to communicate to a pin a motion which interprets the vibration on sand or paper, andthe application which, as we have said, is already made, would, if completely successful, upset every calculation as to speed in the transmission of messages. It would do much more than this. A telephone which could write would be a phonograph, registering every sound by signs independent of man, and always in the same way, and would furnish us at once with a natural system of short-hand, a universal character, a stenograph applicable to all languages and every variety of sound, and devised, so to speak, by Nature or its Ruler, and not by man—a bewildering thought, which, nevertheless, we repeat, on much better authority than our own, may be found literally true.” Me Bunny.—There seems to he as much difficulty in getting rid of Mr Bunny as of the clown at the pantomime. Twice or three times have the wearied public congratulated themselves upon the fact that he was at length sent to a long rest in a comfortable official tomb. On the last occasion when we were informed that he was appointed Commissioner of Annuities and Commissioner of Railways “ in the North Island,” it seemed that certainty was attained, and one or two eager aspirants for his parliamentary shoes determined to take time by the forelock, and issued addresses to the electors of Wairarnpa. But alas! Mr Bunny seems to the news of the day as a circulating decimal to figures, or apots to the sun. No known power can prevent his recurrence at intervals. The New Zealand “Times” of Tuesday says that it is -now generally believed Mr Bunny will not resign his seat after all. The difficulties are that no salary has been voted for the Commissioner of Railways, and that Mr Bunny is said to entertain reasonable doubts if the House will pass the item next session ; secondly, that the Commissioner of Annuities should be a Justice of the Peace, and ‘ it is needless to say that such an honor will not bo conferred upon him (Mr Bunny) by any gentleman representing Her Majesty in the colony.” The “ Times” thinks that the civil service has had a fortunate escape, and ends by stating that it is tolerably certain Mr Bunny has given up the idea of Government billet, and- will therefore retain his seat. ThbTuenipand its Cultueb. —At Mr R. Wilkin’s rooms last night Mr Murphy read an interesting and instructive paper on the above subject, under the auspices of the Canterbuvv Agricultural and Pastoral Association. The cliair was occupied by Mr Norman, vicepresident. There was only a moderate attendance. The lecturer treated of the turnip under the heads of its natural order, its culture and economy, its management and diseases. It belonged, he said, to the order of crucifenc, to which so many useful plants belong. The lecturer dwelt on its place in the rotation of crops, the expense attending its cultivation, its usefulness for sheep-feed-ing beneficial effects upon the soil, and the kind of soil suited for it. Mr Murphy considered Canterbury, from its climate, to be specially well adapted for the culture of the turnip. The use of fQOHW.'fermented bpnes, as a manure suitable fo* turnips, was advocated., The lecAurer skcfccjfcijd. the history of turnip cult-iva-4iou in the old country, and remarked _ upon the wonderful revolution in agriculture it had brought about. He then detailed the insects to the ravages of which the turnip is subject, both in the earlier and later stages of its growth. Over-cropping produced the disease known as “fingers and toes,” or “ .Anbury. The root also suffered from mildew and from attacks of various grubs and insects, principally the Altiea nemorvm, or “turnip beetle,” which feeds on it m the first stage of its growth. This portion ot the lecture was illustrated by a Diagram. Mr Murphy concluded by recommending a isolation of crops, which would increase the vw,ue of land in New Zealand by improving fits wwrr of production, and exhorted farmers ■to the common good that knowledge vvhicholwniistry and other_ sciences have introduced to assist the practical agriculturist in bis pleasant fiipugh arduous labor. A vote of thanks to M* Murphy, proposed by Mr Wood,seconded by Mr Duncan, and carried by acclamation, closed thus evening’s proceed-