NEWS OF THE DAY.

Globe, Volume IX, Issue 1256, 28 March 1878, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

The Australian Overland Line.— Communication with Port Darwin is now restored. Wool Ships. —Messrs Dalgety, Nichols, and Co. are informed by telegram that the ship Crusader arrived, all well, prior to the 25th inst. Christchurch Water Supply.— -Mr Clark, 0.E., was engaged yesterday examining the various schemes sent in for supplying water to Christchurch and suburbs. Only a Dream. —“ Snyder,” in the Poverty Bay Standard,” has an article on dreams and their interpretation. Amongst other things he says: —To dream that you are travelling from port to port on a stumping tour in a Q-overnment steamer at the public expense, is a sign that you will turn out a great economist, and will see that poor people are protected against the oppression of the rich, while you lend out your own money at the highest rate of interest. Manchester Street Tank.— On emptying the tank yesterday in front of the Borough Hotel, the water in which had become offensive, it was found that the artesian well had ceased to flow, and the water was some distance below the orifice of the pipe. As the consequences might be very serious in the event of a fire breaking out in the neighborhood, the city surveyor intends to have the well thoroughly cleared out to-day. Latterly a number of wells in that vicinity have given out. Mr Stephen Massett. —As already announced this gentleman will make his first appearance before a Christchurch audience, at the Oddfellows’ Hall, this evening. A capital programme has been prepared, and from Mr Massett’s credentials there should be a large attendance. Amongst the items on the programme, are, amongst others, two recitations, “The Vagabond,” and “ The Dame with the Camelias,” “Tire Death of Jo,” from “Bleak House,” an imitation of Madame Anna Bishop, and two ballads, “Sunset,” and “My Bud in Heaven,” the latter being a composition by Mr Massett. In the second part Mr Massett will give imitations of celebrities, including Artemus Ward, Mark Twain, Josh Billings, Charles Dickens, Charles Clark, Thackeray, Kean, &c., together with facial imitations. The entertainment will conclude with “ The Charge of the Light Brigade.” It will thus be seen that Mr Massett offers a most pleasant evening’s entertainment, and we hope to see him receive that welcome to which his reputation deservedly entitles him. Speaking of his appearance in London, the “ Standard” said “We cannot call to mind any artist who combines in so eminent a degree the qualifications of composer, vocalist, mimic, and elocutionist. His imitations of Madam Bishop were so comically accurate as to produce peals of laughter.” And his appearance in Melbourne is thus spoken of by the “Argus”; — “ A more clever, versatile and amusing mimic vocalist, and elocutionist has not yet visited these colonies.” Entertainment and Presentation.— An entertainment in connection with the Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Association, was held at the Wesleyan schoolroom, Lyttelton, on Tuesday evening, 26th instant. The room was crowded, and a vocal programme of vocal and instrumental music, readings, recitations, &c. was gone through most successfully, the applause being loud and frequent. When the entertainment was over an address was presented by the members of the Mutual Improvement Association to the Rev. Wm. Lee, who is leaving Lyttelton, and who has worked earnestly in connection with the society. The address, which was accompanied by a handsome tea and coffee service, expressed the thanks of the members of the society for Mr Lee’s exertions, and their deep regret at his departure. Advantage was also taken of the entertainment to present Mr Lee with a testimonial from the members and congregation of the Wesleyan Church. Captain R. Wood, in an appropriate manner, spoke of the deep regret that was felt at the change that connexional rules required, and concluded by presenting, on behalf of the congregation, a beautiful tea urn, Mr Lee replied in a feeling way, spoke of the kindness he had always received from Lyttelton friends, of the happy relations that had subsisted between himself and the church, and of the especial pleasure that it had given him to meet with the young men in their weekly meetings. He expressed a hope that the time was not far distant when the present system of itinerancy in the Wesleyan Church would be modified so as to allow a minister to remain in one place longer than three years, as at present. We understand that Mr Lee preaches his last sermon in Lyttelton on next Sabbath,

Swimming Races, —The swimming races in connection with the Gloucester street main school took place yesterday at the baths, Mr Loughrey, head master, acting as starter, and Mr Woodford and Mr Hammond as judges. There was a very good attendance of parents and others interested in the school, and the various events were well contested throughout. There were six events on the programme, comprising a champion race for a silver medal presented by Mr N. Wolfe ; a junior race for prizes given by the school, a race for an album presented by Mr Hulbert, diving for articles and diving for distance for prizes given by the school. Every event was most keenly contested, and some excellent swimming was shown, especially by Masters H. and W. Thompson, T. Childs, and W. Haddrell. The champion race for the medal was won by W. Haddrell, who was handicapped ten seconds T. Childs came a good second. The junior race was won.by -A-. Hobbs, who swam well, with Childs second, and Willstead third. For the diving race, picking up articles, H. Thomson led oif with 6,7, and 8 respectively, making a total of 21 out of a possible 31. W. Thomson came next, with 5, G, and 9, or a total of 20. The winner turned up in W. Haddrell, whose diving was something to see. He scored 9,10, and 11, or 30 out of a possible 81, He was under water for 27 secs, in one event. The winner of the Album race was T, Childs, E. Wagner being second, and A. Reese third. The distance diving brought out some excellent swimming. For the first heat W. Haddrell, H. Thomson, and A. Childs tied at about half the distance of the baths, or something over 40 feet. In the deciding heat, Haddrell quite astonished big rivals by diving to within about a foot of the end of the baths, or a distance of nearly 79 feet, which is a wonderful dive for a young lad. Childs, who came second, also dived well. Altogether the competition was a very goofl one indeed,

Kiewee.—The new Baptist Church here was opened on Sunday, when sermons were delivered by the Rev. C. Dallaston, of Christchurch. On Tuesday a tea and public meeting was held, when Mr Sawle, president of the Canterbury Baptist Association, took the chair, and interesting addresses were given by several ministers and other gentlemen.

The Native Meeting-.—The Waikato “Times” of March 16th says:—The Ngatimaniapoto have had a meeting at Te Kuit.i, and it is reported that Eewi will be the inviter of Sir George Grey at the ensuing meeting, and not the King. If this is so, the meeting will, in all probability, take place at Te Kuiti, as Wahanui, the great Ngatimaniapoto orator, and a chief of great influence, is greatly averse to any meeting being held anywhere adjacent to European settlements.

Taeanaki leon Sand. —There seems some prospect of the Taranaki iron sand being at length really turned to account. The “ News” reports that recently Mr E. M. Smith succeeded in casting some disc railway wheels from raw iron sand, and direct from a cupola furnace, and the same paper suggests that the most feasible way of dealing with the sand would be the establishment of works for small castings, and for the manufacture of axes and edge tools. At a late experiment on the sand about H cwt. of the metal was successfully run. If this much can be done with certainty the difficulty is solved, as the size or weight of the pig is a comparatively small matter.

Kyle School Committee. —A meeting of the Kyle school committee was held on Monday, the 25th inst. Present —Messrs D. Buckly, A. F. Baynes, E. McAnulty, W. Lodgerwood, and J. Lambie (chairman). Correspondence was read re school site. It was resolved that the school be erected on a site forming part of reserve No. 2058. It was decided to open an account with the Bank of New Zealand, South Rakaia. The committee determined to vote for the following as members of the Education Board of North Canterbury, viz.—Messrs Inglis, Andrew Duncan, O. 0. Bowen, W. Montgomery, W. Eolleston, E. J. Lee, J. Ivess, J. Grigg, and H. J. Tancred.

Rangioea Horticultural Society. —A meeting of the committee of this society was held on Tuesday evening, at the Road Board office. There were eleven members present, Mr J. Story, one of the vice-presidents, presiding. The hon. treasurer, Mr Aherne, reported the total receipts to be about £7O. It was decided that after, paying a number of accounts and expenses connected with the two exhibitions of the season, the balance should be divided amongst the prizetakers. As 540 points had been gained, the treasurer will pay prizetakers at the rate of Is per point. Votes of thanks were passed to the judges and the officers of the society, after which the meeting adjourned.

North Xowai School Committee. —A meeting of this committee took place at the Schoolroom, Amberley, on the evening of March 26th, 1878. Messrs Greig (chairman), C. Higgins, J. Thomas, D. Robertson, R. Bristow, J. Stanton, and A. Simpson. The principal business was the selection of members for the new Board, which resulted as follows :—Messrs Inglis, Duncan, Tancred, Rolleston, Fraser, Turnbull, Bowen, Webb, and Montgomery. Four letters were read from applicants for the appointment of mistress to the old school, but the Board having allowed a master, none were accepted. It was resolved to open the new school on April Ist. The committee then adjourned.

Me Charles Woolcoce.— The “Grey River Argus ” thus chaffs one of the local members :—Mr Charles Woolcock, one of the members for the Grey Valley, has recently been rusticating in the Arcadian fields of Motueka, the verdancy of which is only surpassed by that of the inhabitants thereof. Early ties, however, go for much, and it is not a surprising tiling that during the re-visit of the hon. gentleman to the scene of his earlier life, the unsophisticated tillers of the soil and growers of fruit should be induced to present him with political capital in the shape of a request that in the event of a general election he would condescend to become their representative. But the responsibilities of his present position weighed too heavily upon Mr Woolcock’s shoulders, and he magnanimously stated that much as he would have liked, &c., to represent so highly intelligent, &c., a constituency as that of Motueka, it was “ not his intention to desert ” his present constituents. This statement, we have no doubt, will take a load off the minds of those who feared that some possible event might deprive the Grey Valley of the valuable services of its member.