NEWS OF THE DAY.

Globe, Volume IX, Issue 1289, 7 May 1878, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

The San Francisco Mail. —The Zealandia, with the San Francisco mail, arrived in Auckland this morning at 9 30 o’clo k. Electoral Roll. —The list of objections to voters and persons claiming to vote for the electoral district of Lyttelton, is published elsewhere. Scholarships.—The Education Board of the North Canterbury district have notified that the lists of candidates for the Scholarship examinations in June will be closed on the 10th inst. Asphalting Footpaths.—The side walk extending from the post office to the Colombo bridge on the western side of Colombo street is now in course of being asphalted, an improvement for which pedestrians will no doubt be grateful.

Colonial Insurance Company.—The following local directors of the Colonial Insurance Company have been appointed : —Hon. E. Richardson, Messrs H. W. Lee, W. Saunders, and C. W. Turner. It is also the intention of the company to appoint several gentlemen in the country districts as local advisers. The Teremakau Bridge.—The “Kumara Times” authoritatively states that the Government intend to proceed with the erection of the promised Teremakau bridge at once. The Teremakau lies about half-way between Hokitika and Greymouth, and a vote for bridging it was taken last session. Property Sale—Mr J. G. Uawkes yesterday offered for sale part of town reserve No. 13, situate on the Ferry road, opposite the Catholic school, comprising a quarter of an acre of land with seven-roomed house thereon. A start was made at £l5O, and it was ultimately knocked down for £750 to Mr Devine. Tho property being well-known induced a large attendance of bin ers.

The Californian Shooting Gallery.— Mr Donaldson’s application for permission to use his shooting gallery was granted by tho City Council last night. The application was supported by a petition from a large number of ratepayers, who testified to the excellent character of Mr Donaldson, and expressed their conviction that the gallery wmuld be conducted in a thoroughly orderly manner. City By-Laws. — A number of cases, in which a nominal penalty was inflicted for breaches of the City by-laws, were brought before the Resident Magist rate yesterday. In the City Council last night, dissatisfaction was expressed at the trilling punishments iu dieted, and it was slated that owners of cattle and horses found it worth their while to pay tho fines, as it was a way of keeping their cattle in fodder than purchasing food or renting paddocks.

An Honor to the Colony.—ln an article on “ The Education of Girls, their admissibility to Universities,” the “ Westminster Review” of January last says; —“ To the New Zealand University the real honor belongs of having been the first throughout (he British Empire to admit a woman to its degrees. On January 11th, 1877, the degree of Bachelor of A-ts was conferred on Mis? Edger, a student of tho Auckland College and Grammar school,"

The Public Buildings.—The new public buildings in Cathedral Square have advanced as far as the roofing. The clock tower is now beginning to show out, and apparently there are to be four faces. Up to the present time it lias not been stated whether the clock is to be illuminated at night, but it would be a very great boon to the public if the Government made an arrangement for so doing. In Dunedin the public clock is illuminated at night, and can be plainly seen from all parts of the city. If the same course were pursued with the Christchurch one the height of the tower would render it visible in many parts. Narrow Escape.—A very narrow escape from drowning—or, more properly speaking, smothering—occurred on Sunday evening. Some persons passing over Colombo bridge heard a groaning noise near the foot of the bridge on the eastern side, and, on going down the bank, they found that an old man, named Tompkins, had, by some means or other, fallen into the heap of silt formed by the discharge of the drain at the side of the bridge. He was taken out and conveyed to the residence of a relative near. Had not the attention of the passers-by been attracted by the noise, he would most certainly have been smothered in the mud. Municipal Subsidies. —A rumor has ap. parently been circulated in Southland that the subsidies to the boroughs, &c., would not be continued after June 30th. The rumor probably bad its rise in the fact that many journals in all parts of the colony have suggested the possibility of the Government being reduced to such financial straits that withdrawal of these subsidies would become a necessity. However that may be, Sir John Richardson telegraphed to Wellington, asking if there was any foundation for the report, and received tHe following reply ; —“ Uc your telegram to Mr Ballance, there is no foundaeion whatever for the report alluded to about subsidies.” 1 Steam Plough.—Owing to the long prevalence of dry weather, Mr W. M. Noake, the agent of the English firm who supplied the steam plough now ready for work at Mr Passmore’s farm, Chertsey, has been unable to carry out his intention of having a public trial of the implement. In order to allow farmers to judge for themselves of its capability, Mr Noake wished to arrange for the trial about the end of last mouth, hut was prevented for the reason above stated. As there now appears to be a likelihood of the • drought breaking up, no doubt he will have \ the trial at an early date. During the past few weeks Mr Noake has been on a visit to ! Otago, where the steam plough found great 1 favor in the eyes of the farmers.