NEW OF THE DAY.

Globe, Volume IX, Issue 1272, 16 April 1878, Page 2

NEW OF THE DAY.

UNCLAIMED Tension.—The pension of Thomas Dooley, 8.A., remains unclaimed in the hands of the Collector of Customs. Chbistchukcii Assessment Cotjbt.—The adjourned sitting of this Court wdl be held in the City Council Chambers on Friday, 26th inst., at 11 a.m.

Dk. Somebyille.—This gentleman held a meeting at the uddfeljowo' Hall last evening, when, he delivered an address fco tho3e present. '•'attkhsall's Clpu.—A fairly attended ■"* J * olub held last night at meeting oi *■"-»«,„ ia c h.e o ]- (U j V| , A Badcliffe's Hotel, Mr - «-^ n fIOJI . committee was elected, and Mr Nieiovsented to act as hon secretary for the remainder of the year. A large number of new members were proposed for election at next meeting. The meeting then adjourned until Saturday next, at 4 p.m. Accident.—One of the quartermasters of the Ellora, named Henry Henry, met with a severe accident in Port to-day. It appears Henry was wheeling wheat in a truck between decks, and overbalanced at the combings of one of the hatches into the lower hold on a tier of tallow casks. Dr. Macdonald was Bent for, and at once ordered the unfortunate man to be taken to the Casual Ward. The shock ho has sustained is severe, the spino being badly hurt, besides severe internal injuries sustained. Lake Ellksmeee Drainage.—Sir John Coode and party, accompanied by Mr Montgomery, M.H.E., arrived at Southbndge by special train at seven o'clock op Monday morning, and proceeded at once to inspect the operations of the Lake Ellesmere Drainage Trust. Mr E. W. Mdlett, who met them with hie four-in-hand drag, had arranged for a relay of horses at Birdlina's Hotel, bo that a thorough inspection of the routo might be made. Unduly Chastising a Scholar. ■— A special meeting of the Kaiapoi Borough School Committee was held on Monday evening to investigate a complaint against the infant mistress for severely thrashing a pupil seven years of age. The chastisement was administered on Thursday, but the marks on the boy's arm and leg when examined during the proceedings showed plainly the too severe treatment to which he appeared to have been subjected, as about a dozen large black blotches, said to have been caused by blows from a manuka stick about half an inch in diameter and three feet long, still remained. The testimony of several witnesses was very conclusive, and during the progress of the examination (he mistress decided to resign. Her rwignation was at mm accept, m$ gig temStyHii

Jewish Feast.—The feaßt of the Passover commences on Thursday next, and continues the following day, being the two first days of the feat.t. The last two days of the Passover will be April 24th and 25th.

Accident on Woodend Road.—On Friday Mr A. McLaren was thrown heavily from his horse, and had his collar bone broken. He was attended by Dr. Ovenden,and removed to his home at Kaiapoi.

Bangioba Ceicket CLT7B. The final match of the season, which was to have been played on Saturday, fell through for want of a sufficient attendance, and a scratch game was played instead. Fiee.—About three o'clock this afternoon a fire broke out in Tuam street west, in an outbuilding used as a workshop by Mr C. Lawrence, mattress maker, St. Asaph street west. As the building was filled with straw and other inflammable materials the fire speedily burned out. The fire brigade turned out promptly, hut their services were not required. The fire is supposed to have been caused by children.

Ovebhanging Teebgeaph Wieeß. —On Monday the top of a straw elevator which was being removed along the North road between the Waimakariri bridge and Kaiapoi was caught in telegraph wires hanging across the road. Some damage was sustained to the elevator, and the wires were so twisted that the messages were confused. The Canteebuey Foundey.—By dint of great exertion on the part of the employes the machinery in the Canterbury Foundry will be in full work again to-day. On examination it was found that the damage done was not so considerable as might have been anticipated, although of course the combined effects.of fire and water left traces behind. In connection with the foundry it may be mentioned that a large brick and stone machine shop is in course of erection on the southern side of the yards towards Lichfield street, in which it is intended to place the lathes, &c. The building is to replace the timber one which was destroyed by the fire of Friday night. When this is completed the machinery plant will be removed.

The Late IFiee.—Mr Supt. Harris received the following yesterday from Mr John Anderson, of the Canterbury Foundry, enclosing a cheque for £lO 10s as a slight recognition of the services of the brigade at the late fire:—" Canterbury Foundry, Christchurch, 15th April, 1878. Mr Wm. Harris, Superintendent Fire Brigade, Christchurch. Deav Sir, —I beg to tender my sincere thanks to yourself and the members of the fire brigade, for the very valuable services rendered in extinguishing the fire at the Canterbury Foundry on- Saturday morning last. I cannot speak too highly of the courage and intrepidity displayed by every member of the brigade, and trust the enclosed cheque will be accepted as a slight recognition of the estimation in which I hold their services.—l am, dear sir, yours faithfully, John Anderson."

The Autumn Meeting-.—The sale of the various privileges at the forthcoming autumn meeting of the C J.C. took place yesterday, at the Commercial Hotel. Mr James Campbell officiated as auctioneer. There was a very good attendance, but biddings were languid, and it taxed the eloquence of Mr Campbell to a considerable extent to realise the prices he did. The secretary, Mr F. H. Digby, had prepared a most elaborate plan of the sites of the booths, &c, but evidently this display had not the effect upon the liberality of the assembled bidders which was expected. The bar in the new stand was first submitted. After some preliminary skirmishing with the secretary as to the guaranteeing of the license, the opening bid was £lO, and by slow degrees Mr Campbell worked it up to £25 for the two days, at which price it was bought by Mr Eavenhill. Nos. 1 and 2 publicans' booths fell to Mr Cookson for £lB and £ll for the meeting respectively. No. 3 was bought by Mr J. Barrett for £5. The only confectioners booth submitted was purchased for £4, by Mr Bashford. The horse yards were bought by Mr Sheenan for £3 10s, and the right of sports by Mr Goodwin for £lO. The total of the sale was £76 10s. Last year the total amount realised was £l3O.

Lyttelton School Committee. —A meeting of this committee was held on Saturday evening last, Mr H. E. Webb, chairman, presiding. After the transaction of the ordinary business a report of Mr Hammond, the inspector, on the state of tho Bchoolat the late examination, was read. The examination was held on December 11th and following days. The number on the roll at that time was 612, the average for the last quarter 460, for the last wcok 497, and 509 were presented for examination. After giving full particulars regarding the staff and number of children in each standard, the report goes on to say :—" The scholars reach a good average standard of attainment, and the quality of the work, with few exceptions, is excellent. The work in standards 5 and 6, division 1, is unequalled for accuracy and neatness by work of the same standards in any school examined during the year. The high percentage of passes gained, coupled with the quality of the work, shows the most careful preparation, and the general results show very complete organisation and supervision. There has bee;i very little attention paid tq work outside the syllabus. C. W'illcox showed a good knowledge of the first twenty propositions of Euclid, and R. Arnold and W. Chambers worked acou? rately a paper in Algebra to simple equations. W. Chainhjji, C. Willcox, A. Moynihan, W. Roes, J. Taylor, and F. Maule were examined in part of the Latin grammar, but vith very indifferent results. The state of the work in each standard is fully shown in the class lists. The infant classes are, under the circumstances, in a satisfactory condition, but far below what will be expected when the infant department has the advantage of superior organization under a competent mistress in the new building. I cannot close the repoit without passing a word of commendation on the good state" of preservation,' and exceptionally neat and clean appearance of the school premises and furniture." Confession of Murder. —Respecting the confession of murder by a native, referred to in a recent telegram," the " Bay of Plenty Times" says that the man, whose name is Kingi, whilst undergoing a sentence in Mount Eden for stealing a watch, stated that it did not matter now hia having killed Potier (who was drowned at Tauranga on the 2i)th August, 1876), as he had suffered punishment for the crime, This statement comirjg to the ears of the Governor of the gaol and Mr Buperifteodent Bell .Thompson, SergeantMaior Mason, of the Auckland police, accompanied, by ft constable, proceeded to Mount Eden Gaol, and" elicited Sufficient to cause an order to be sent to Sergeant Crosbie ludd, of the Tauranga police, to proceed to Kauri Point and drag for the anchor of the capsized boat, to which Kingi told his fellow prisoner ho hod tied Potter's body, after killing him with a niece of iron they had with them in the bout., and with which lie had struck Potier three heavy Mows. In accordance with these instructions, Sergeant Kidd and a constable proceeded by boat to Katikati, with what result time alone will tell. Alleged Tbeasonable Letter. We print below a copy of the letter alleged to have been sent by a native interpreter in the North to certain natives, and which is said to have so greatly disturbed the minds of the Government that they intend to withdraw the writer's license as interpreter. The advice given is not good, if as the "Herald " alleges the European counsels natives >'who have cold a block of laud not to give it up." But it is certainly not, treasonable, aud we have, on the other hand, Mr Sheelmn's own statement that "not a rood of that laud belonged to Government vet," The letter is:—"ShortJand, March 13th. To Te Karauna Hou, and others,—Friend? ; I greet you all. This is a word of mine fo you respecting your lands, that is to sav, respecting J : e Aroka. The pakehao will (now, to-day) very shortly arriye there. The object of those pakehas in going thore is to take the Aroha land. Now, this is a word of mine to vou. t<ook out (be cautious) all of you ; that is,' be strong to hold the land ; do not be frightened of the words of the pakehas. These are those pakehas —John Slieehan, Minister; Hone Naho, Minister,Mackay, Preece, Puckey, George Wilkinson, and other persons in the employ of the Govern* ment. Do not agree to their word. Do not |j,, afraid of anything they may say, Hold fast- JMd M ! at is aIJ * taW *° WJFmm m> %sv Sir* fPWi''

Boaed of Education.—A meeting of the Board of Education will be held to-morrow at 3 p.m. at the Normal school. North Cantebbttby Races.—The general entries for these races will be received this evening at Roberts's Club Hotel, Rangiora.

Cantebbuey Rifle Association.—The programme for the annual prize meeting of the association, to be held on Easter Monday, is published elsewhere. Firing will commence at 8 a.m. punctually, and entries can be made at Radcliffe's Hotel on Thursday evening at eight o'clock.

Poultby Show. —The committee of the association having decided to alter the date of the annual show, have now determined that the forthcoming show will be held on Friday and Saturday, 28th and 29th June next. An advertisement elsewhere states where the prize schedules can be obtained.

Kaiapoi ulectobal Koll. —ilie number of claims to vote sent in for this district is twenty-seven, and as there are only 780 electors on the roll for 1877-8 no doubt the majority of those not yet enrolled, are depending on the lists sent in by the Road Boards and Borough Council.

The Feeey Road Accident.—The little boy, son of Mr S. Aldwin, who received a severe kick from a horse in, a paddock off the Ferry road on Sunday last, died at half-past two o'clock yesterday afternoon. He remained unconscious up to the time of his death. An inquest was held this afternoon, and a verdict returned that there was no evidence to show in what way the injuries had been received.

Me Baeton's Chaeges.—lt will be remembered, says the " Wellington Chronicle," that Mr Barton, when addressing the electors a few weeks ago. at the Theatre Royal, made certain charges against the officers of the Resident Magistrate's Court. At the end of last week the officials themselves wrote to the Minister for Justice, requesting that an inquiry into the circumstances should be held, and we understand that the Government have declined to hold any inquiry in the absence of any specific charge.

Unwitting Revelations of Official Chabacter.—The Lake County Council and the Colonial Government are mutually suspicious. At a recent meeting of the Council the Chairman said that the Colonial Treasurer (then Mr Larnach), had made promises, " but he hardly thought they would be carried out; nevertheless, he thought, the money should be forthcoming." From which it may be inferred that some chairmen of up-country counties in Otago, are the most artless officials on the face of the earth. A little further on in the report of the same meeting we read : " The inward correspondence consisted of letters from Mr Cooper, Public Works Department, Wellington, asking for a record in which Mr Larnach had promised to pay for the Queenstown beacon. The Chairman said that a verbal promise had been made, he had written to Government to that effect." From which it may be inferred that the present Government of New Zealand is not only the most promising, but also the most paltry Government that the colony has yet seen. A New Zealand-built Dbedge.—We, " Otago Times," are pleased to have to chronicle what may be looked upon as one of the first results of that agitation made during last session of Assembly upon the matter of encouragement to local industry, more particularly in connection with the iron trade. Messrs Kincaid, McQueen and Co., of the Vulcan Foundry, are just beginning the work of constructing an iron dredge, ordered by Mr Carruthers (on behalf of the Government) for the Greymouth harbour works. The dredge is 45ft. long, with 14ft. beam, and is sft. 6in. deep. Her power will enable her to raise 60 tons an hour from a depth of 15ft. The principle upon which she is to be worked is the side-dredge 'principle, having ladders outside, which will allow work to be prosecuted close alongside the wharf. She is to be fitted with a pair of high pressure engines, and with a propeller to enable her to move herself through the harbor. Her hoisting gear is to be fitted with a modification of Nelson's patent brake, and the whole of her other gearing is to be arranged on improved principles. The firm have undertaken to have her working at the Grey within six months from the present time, and she is to be built with bulwarks and other fittings in order to enable her to steam from Dunedin to her destination,

Anotheb Hot Spbing- Distbict.—A correspondent of the "New Zealand Herald" writes in that paper of a late date, alleging that hot springs have been discovered in the Lower Waikato. He says :—" Few persona in Auckland seem aware of the existence of hot springs in the Awaroa district of the Lower Waikato j yet hot springs there certainly are in that place, and of a very remarkable character. We had an opportunity of visiting them a short time ago, and were struck with the unmistakable signs of their medical properties, and the facility with which they could be opened up by a little enterprise. The first spring the traveller comes to is a deep pond, about ten or twelve feet in diameter, of bubbling, boiling water, and giving forth a great quantity of steam in the pond, the water of which is quite clear, and so hot that potatoes may he boiled in it. Bound the pond are undoubted evidences of the curative powers of the water, in the shape of several holes like graves communicating with the large pond by a rery small channel. These have been dug by the Maoris; and when one of them is aillicted with rheumatism, he sleeps all night in one of the holes, with his head alone out of the water, resting on a fern pillow on the bank. We are told of one old Maori chief in the Waikato who became very rheumatic because he would grope for eels in swampy water, and was just on the point of death through his pervereeness, when some of the wise women of the tribe recommended the spring. He was carried there, and, by bathing frequently, completely recovered."

On the Austrian side of the Stelvio Pass, according to the Brescia papers, measures have been taken whereby the Pass could at once be closed on any emergency. The Kussian naval engineers hope that certain alterations which arc to be made in the Popc-ifkas will render them at least fit for active service. At present they are in the harbour at Odessa, where they are to remain for the winteri

Among the most recent inventions for railway signalling is one which consists of a Hashing light placed on the hind carriage. Two lights are used —a red and a white—which, by a peculiar though simple sort of gearing connected with one of the axles of the carriage, are made to appear and disappear with each revolution of the wheels, the light shining steadily whenever the train is at a standstill.

A citizen was telling of the grand benefits conferred on people who abstain from drinks, and cited among other things how greatly it prolonged one's days on earth. "That's true," said a reformed soaker, who stood by, " it has just been two days since I took the pledge, and they were the longest days of my life."

A singular discovery was made on January 12th, on board the Irvine, a full rigged vessel, while in dry dock at Rotherhithe. The ship recently arrived from Peru, at which place the body of a woman was found embedded in the cargo, which consisted of soda. The body is in a good state of preservation, and it is supposed to be that of a victim of an earthquake which occurred many hundred years ago in Peru. The body is at present lying in the captain's bath-room in a crouching position. Pings are inserted in the ears.

A new method of engraving on glass has been discovered, electricity being utilised for the purpose. The surface of a plate of glass or crystal having been covered with a concentrated solution of nitrate of potash, ana a horizontal platinum wire, connected with bpo of the poles of an electric battery, being placed in the liquid along the edges of the glass, any design may be easily drawn on the glass by touching it with the point at the other end of the platinum wire. The wire forming the (' pencil" is insulated, the tip alone remaining uncovered, and by simply using the wire ai au ordinary pencif aud tracing imaginary line* on the surface of the glass, the design is peji thtmW "

_, trks International Conference, at Berne, for .the reorganisation of the St. Gothard ''undertaking separatedwithout result, Instead of the 8,000,00'0f. required, only three millions and a half were assured. The notorious Madunie Eachel has been arrested in England on a charge of victimising the wife of a stockbroker _of a quantity of jewellery, under pretence of proTiding her with enamel for her face. Manthorpe Bey, the English Commodore of the Turkish Flying Squadron, reports a general absence of torpedoes on the Russian coast of the Black Sea; also that Sebastopol has been rendered practically impregnable against a sea attack, even if it were made by the whole English navy. Kertch he also rereports impregnable. Her Majesty has conferred the "Victoria Cross on Captain Andrew Scott, of the Bengal Staff Corps, for gallantry at Quetta, on July 26th, 1877, in rescuing Lieutenant Hewson and Lieutenant Kundhart from a murderous attack by some Patban coolies. Captain Scott bayonetted two of the assailants, and closed with a third, who fell with him to the ground, and was subsequently killed by Sepoys of his own regiment. Lord Lytton has been requested to state how many troops could be spared from India in case of an emergency requiring their presence nearer home. In his reply he has stated that in case of a war against Bussia 200,000 men might easily and rapidly be raised from among the Mohammedans of India.

The cannon and other trophies captured at Plevna will be divided equally between the Russians and Roumanians, the Emperor of Russia having declared that as the valour had been equal in the allied armies, he could only consider this fact and not the relative proportion of the numbers, in dividing the trophies captured from the Moslems. The returns of the number of vessels launched on the Clyde during 1877 show a decided falling off in the tonnage as compared with the four preceding years. During the year there were launched by 35 firms, carrying on business in the various towns on the river, a totalof 219 vessel?, representing an aggregate tonnage of 169,710 tons. Of these, 119 were sailing vessels and 100 steamers. The falling off is to a large extent explained by the protracted struggle ■which occurred between the masters and the workmen.

The " Dubbo Dispatch " says that on Tuesday, at the meeting of the Pastoral and Agricultural Association's committee, a sample of Brazilian grass, grown at Barbigal by Mr J. Heane, J.P., was exhibited. It measured sft. llin. When the rain fell in the beginning of February, the grass was just sprouting, and it attained its present growth within a month. It is a coarse but succulent fodder, and carries a seed like the rice plant or pearl barley. The leaves are broad, and the stem is something similar, though much thinner, of course, than young sorghum. Mr Heane grew it from seed obtained from Dr. Schomburgk, of the Adelaide Botanical Gardens.