NEWS OF THE DAY.

Globe, Volume IX, Issue 1250, 21 March 1878, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

City Assessment. The Christchurch Assessment Court will sit to-morrow, at ten o'clock, at the Council Chambers. The ordinary objections will be taken before those lodged by the City Council. The Late Accident at the Railway.— On inquiry at the hospital last evening it was ascertained that the young man, Quarterman, whs doing exceedingly well. Conference. -The conference of Mayor?, chairmen of County Councils, Rosid Boards, &c, respecting the administration of hospitals and charitable aid will be held at the City Council Chamber to-day at 3 o'clock.

Supreme Court.—lip to this data there are twenty-four prisoneis committed for trial at the April criminal sessions, and one or two cases are etill pending. As before stated, the criminal and civil business this session will be taken by his Honor Mr Justice Williams, Judge Johnston taking the Dunedin session. Pbesentation. —On leaving the Heathcote school, Miss Menkes was presented by a number of ladies with a handsome piece of jewellery as an expression of their satisfaction with her teaching. Miss Meakes has sine? received an appointment at the Kaiapoi borough school. Fish Hawkebs. —The police have been requested to enforce the resolution recently passed by the City Council to prevent hawkers of fish remaining move than ten minutes at one spot, or halting within a hundred feet of their hist position. For the convenipnoe of the public the Market reserve, near Victoria Bridge, has been appointed a place where fish hawkers can take their stand. Stueet Metalling. The works committeo have given irstructiuna for the annual coat of metalling to be laid on the principal streets at once. The work will be commenced in Colombo street, between the Bank of 'New Zealand and Victoria Bridge, and as the steam road roller will have to be used, it is to be hoped that precautions will be taken to prevent a recurrence of such accidents, from horses taking fright, as those which occurred last year. Oddfellows Fete.—A monster fete m connection with the M.U.LO.Q F. will bo held on Easter Monday at the Agricultural and Pastoral Show Grounds. In addition to the other attractions of the an art union will take place for a lanre variety of pi'izes, which will include a valuable silk dr«9s, four sewing machines, tea and coffee services, clockp, shades, &c. A large attendance of incmbi-rs of the various district lodges is expected. Cooper and Bailey's Circus. —Mr Ball, ,the advance agent of this mammoth show, arrived in town yesterday to make the necessary preliminary arrangements for their appearance here, aqd already the issue of pictorial representations of the wonders to be seen has excited great curiosity. The circus will give twelve performances here—that is, two per day for six days, the one being in the afternoon and the other in the evening. The date of opening is not yet fixed, but will be announced shortly, and no doubt here, as elsewhere, the wondcra will attract large, audienpeg,

Kaiapoi Voltjnteee Fibk Bbkjadb.— An entertainment in aid of the funds of this brigade is to be given this evening in the Oddfellows' Hall.

Mr Regs in a New Capacity.—Mr Rees, Says a Northern exchange, has set up in the prophet line of business. In speaking recently at a meeting of the Wesleyan body at Napier, he s:lid the world was on the eve of the greatest, war which had ever yet taken place, but that it, would be the last, and henceforth universal peace would prevail. The Coming Meeting with Tawhiao.— It seems that the Government are now by no means sure that the meeting with Tawhiao will end so satisfactorily as they have led people to antieipate. The " Bay of Plenty Times," of March 9th, says : The establishment of an "aukati " line is said to be under the consideration of the Government as an alternative, should the forthcoming meeting between the Premier and Tawhiao, at the end of the month, lead to no amicable understanding. We are not in a position to absolutely guarantee the truth of the statement, but it comes from a thoroughly reliable source, and is worthy of consideration. A New Zealand Coal Mine on Fire.— A correspondent of the Dunedin "Herald," writing from Palmerston, says :—lt may not be generally known that one of the best—if not the best.—coal mine in the province is on fire. I allude to the Shag Point mine, which has been on fire for months. The fire was caused through gross carelessness, and, as far as I can learn, no steps are being taken to put it out; it seems such a waste of public property. There is nothing to • prevent it burning out the whole seam, consuming hundreds of thousands «f tons of valuable coal.

Fatal Accident at Kaipaba,—On Sunday, the 3rd Mavch (says the "Herald"), two gum-digeers by (lie names of James Scott JacK and David Morgan were drowned through the capsizing of a boat, in the Northern Wairo, Kaipara. They were at the time under the influence of drink, obtained at a Maori sly-grog shop at a place three miles below Tikanui. A Maori woman named Toby was with them at the time, but by the aid of the two oars, she managed to save herself, and was found in a most pitiable condition two days after the occurrence, without clothing or food, she having torn all her clothing off to enable her to swim. Ashbubton County Council.—A special meeting of this Council was held at the Road Board office, Ashburton, on Wednesday, 20th instant, for the purpose of considering the plans for supplying the town of Ashburton with water. The members present were— Messrs W. O. Walker (chairman), T. Bullock, E. G. Wright, C. Reed, and A. Saunders. After some routine business, the Council went into committee to consider the plans, of which there were five sent in. The committee having procured a conveyance, drove out to inspect the source from which (according to the various schemes) the water was to come. On returning, it was resolved to postpone the consideration till next usual meeting.

Lambing Down a Community. Some two or three weeks ago, says the " Wanganui Chronicle," by the Bale of the Mangaporau block of land, a portion of the up-river natives were placed in possession of hard cash to the tune of a couple of thousand pounds. The result is, that ever since the Maori village has presented a perfect saturnalia. In the course of a whole week, out of some two or three hundred inhabitants, there were hardly as many units to be found sober within the length and breadth of the settlement. We are informed on the authority of a gentleman who is in a position to know well of the facts of which he speaks, that, almost without exception, in every native settlement up the Wanganui river the sale of intoxicating liquors by the natives is an established feature of trade. On the occasion of the late drinking bout of which we have been speaking, at Iruharama, a European settler who visited the village in the expectation of the settlement of some long outstanding accounts, now that the Maoris were flush of funds, received very scant courtesy, especially from the diepensers of liquor, who had evidently laid themselves out to have tho greater part of the purchase money of the block transferred to their pockets. The Cabinet Meeting in Auckland.— It was telegraphed the other day that a Cabinet meeting had been held in Auckland by the lions. J. Sheehan and Honi Nahe, Mr Swanson also being present. As Mr Swanson, the member for Newton, is not a member of the Cabinet, the message was perplexing. The "Herald's" version of the matter is as follows:—"The Hons. J. Sheehan, W. Swainson, and Honi Nahe held a Cabinet meeting yesterday morning, in reference to the gazetting of Mr Stout, M.H.E., to a seat in the Cabinet as Attomey-G-eneral. but no business was transacted, as the Hon. the Native Minister had to leave promptly for the Waikato." The Hon. W. Swainson, whose residence is in Auckland, was gazetted a member of the Executive Council on March 23rd, 1876, and has not since resigned the appointment, although there have been sundry changes in the Ministry since that date. An appointment of a somewhat similar character was that of the late Commodore Q-oodenough, made on the 17th OcU b r, 1873, and refigned on June 24th, 1874. There have been many instances of members of iMinistries, not holding portfolios, but who held a seat in one or other of the Houses of Parliament, but the above are the only instances in which nonpolitical members of the Executive Council have been appointed, at all events in the last five years. GrEEMAN EVANGELICAL CHURCH.—A largely attended general meeting of the G-ernmn Evangelical Church members was held on Thursday evening, the 14th instant, in the German Church, to receive a full report from the present churchwardens and vestrymen as regards the financial circumstances of the church. The recommendations of the vestry were agreed to, and resolutions were adopted to the following effect, a minority of five voting against the first, and the second being passed unanimously :—" That, considering the unsatisfactory statement of the financial position, this meeting regrets that the church can no longer retain the services of the Rev. L. Lohr." "That this general meeting fully recognises the great services rendered to this German Evangelical Church by their pastor, Mr Lohr, and that it is with the deepest regret they see him part from this congregation, the spiritual centre of which he has been for nearly four years." Further, the following resolution was passed—" That a substantial testimonial bo raised to the Rev. L. Lohr before the Ist of April next." It was also carried unanimously—" That the last public service b* held by the Rev. L. Lohr on Sunday, the 14th April next." At the same meeting was unanimously elected Mr Wilhelm EUiuers, of Vhss road, Tai Tapu, in place of Mr John Q-erkeu, Tai Tapu, who some timo past sent in his resignation as one of the trustees.

Lincoln. —The first nnniversnry services in connection with the Baptist Chapel, Lincoln, were held on Sunday last, when the Hev. C. D'dloston preached in the chapel, both in the morning and in tho evening, and delivered impressive addresses to a large congregation. In the morning the furious N.W. gale prevented many persons from attending, but in the evening the chapel was filled to over-flow-ing. On the following day the usual tea meeting was held in the chapel, when many friends from distant districts were present, as well as those living in tho neighbourhood. Trays were provided by Mesdames Osborn, Storey, Swain, Ross, and Punnett. During the evening a public meeting was held, presided over by the Rev. J. S. Clarke, the pastor of the congregation, and earnest speeches were delivered by Kfvs. Dallaston, Clarke, Sawle, Messrs Adams, Panrett, and other friends of the congregation. From the repcrb for the past year read by the treasurer, it appeared that great success, financially and otherwise, had attended the work of the church, and that though only one year has elapsed since the erection of the building, not only does no debt exist, but there is a good balance in hand to commence tho present year with. The proceeds of the tea. '£:>., amounted to sl6 ss, which will probably be devoted toward the expense of erecting a vestry and a shed for shelter for horses. Apologies were read from Rev. R. Waddell and other friends who hf.d been invited, and the meeting broke up after a hearty vote of thanks had been curried to the Indies for providing tho tea, and {;o others for thoir services on tho occasion,