NEWS OF THE DAY.

Globe, Volume IX, Issue 1340, 31 May 1878, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

A Eailavay Incident.—As the 1.30 p.m. train to Oxford, on the 29th, was nearing a crossing on the Oxford road, a spring cart turned off the road to cross the railway. The breaks had to be put on, and the driver of the cart backed his horse on to the road just in time to escape being run into. MxrsiCAL Festival. —The musical festival in connection with the Durham street Weslcyan Church took place last evening. The choir of the Church was strengthened by the assistance of several well-known musical amateurs, and there was also an excellent band. The various items on a very excellently selected programme were given in a satisfactory manner. Glouckbteb STBEET School.—A presentation to Mr and Mrs Hill, of the Gloucester street school, will be made on the occasion of their leaving for Hawke's Bay, where Mr Hill has been appointed inspector of schools. The subscriptions to the testimonial have been very liberal, both Mr and Mrs Hill having made themselves many friends in Christchurcli, and it iB anticipated that the proposed presents will be worthy of their acceptance. Miss Caeandini's Conckbt.—The programme for this concert, which takes place at the Oddfellows' Hall, was settled at a meeting held yesterday. It is a very attractive one, comprising miscellaneous musical selections under the direction of Mr E. Parker, Shaksperian readings by Mr Wm. Hoskins, and Sullivan's operetta, Box and Cox, in which Messrs E. A. and H. H. Loughnan and Mr H. F. Towle will appear. City Impbovements.—The City Council in general, and the works committee in particular, are perhaps the best abused public body in Christchurch, but when the comparatively small amount of money at their disposal is recollected, the work that they do is really very large. They are now carrying out one very greatly needed improvement, which will add exceedingly to the appearance of a part of the city much requiring it. The works committee are levelling the piece of waste ground lying between the Victoria and Colombo bridges, which has long been an eyesore. They also intend continuing Cambridge Terrace across the piece referred to to a point near the Colombo bridge. The river part will be fenced in bo as to prevent any accidents, and it may perhaps be hoped that the lighting committee will see tjjat sufficient gag lamps are provided.

Rangioba Fibe Bbigade.—The annual meeting of this brigade, which was to have been held on Wednesday evening, was adjourned till Thursday next. The New South Wales Goveenoeship. —lt will bo seen by a special cable meßsago published this morning that the Governorship of New South Wales has been offered to Lord Normanby, vice Sir H. Bobinson, whose term is nearly concluded. TATTEESAiiii's Club—A committee meeting of Tattersall's Club was held yesterday, when a considerable amount of business was transacted. Amongst other things it was decided that the backers of Agent in the late Grand National must pay. Peize fob Eeapebs and Bindees. —The committee of the Agricultural and Pastoral Association have determined to offer a similar prize to that given last year for the best reapers and binders. The conditions w.'U be the same as on the former occasion. Ageicultubal Scholabshifs. —An interesting debate on the propriety of establishing scholarships in connection with the Canterbury School of Agriculture took place at the meeting of the Board of Governors yesterday. A report appears elsewhere. Colonial Insueanoe Company.—A telegram has been received in town to the effect that Mr F. A. Graham, the secretary of the Colonial Insurance Company, has met with a very favorable reception in Southland. The list of applications for that province closes on Monday next. Boys'High School. —At the meeting of the Board of Governors held yesterday, Mr C. C. Bowen gave notice of motion for the appointment of a special committee to consider the advisability of securing for the College the present site of the Boys' and Girls' High Schools, and to obtain other sites for those nstitutions.

Steam Ploughs.—Mr Noakes, the agent here for Messrs Fowler and Co., of Leeds, proceeds to Dunedin in about a week to start a set of steam ploughing apparatus for Mr Kirkland, of the Taieri Plains. Mr John Grigg, of Longbeach, has purchased an engine from the same firm for the purpose of canyjng out steam cultivation on bis large estate there.

S. Manning and Co.'s Bbeweey.—The lately erected additions to the buildings and machinery at Manning's breweiy, Lower High street, are now completed, and were used for the first time yesterday, when eveiything was found to work most satisfactorily. The plant is both complete and placed to the best advantage. The extent of Messrs Manning's business may be estimated from the fact that not less than 1200 bushels of malt are used per month. The Majeeonis.—The many friends in Christchurch of those talented artistes, Signor and Signora Majeroni, will be glad to learn that their tour in America has been a success. A private letter received in Christchurch from Signor Majeroni by the last mail states that the Signora and himself have been playing in Yi'ginia city and other towns to excellent business. At the time of writing, March 11th, they were playing in Salt Lake city. At the conclusion of the engagement they purposed proceeding to New York, where an engagement has been offered to them.

The Metbopolitan Show.—At the monthly meeting of the committee of the Agricultural and Pastoral Association, held yesterday, some alterations were made in the prize catalogue of the next November show. One noticeable item is the alteration with respect to the horses being on the ground the two days of the show, as the cattle and the sheep are. In order to accommodate some, at least, of the stock, the committee, yesterday, agreed to erect twenty loose boxes on the ground, which will be devoted to the draught entires. The change has been thought necessary, because the judging of the horses takes a very long while. Indeed, last year, it waß not concluded until four o'clock. Thus no time was allowed to the public to see the horses, which formed so marked a feature of the shows. As the number of entires increases every year, it is now necessary to do the judging on the first day.

New Zealand National Show.—lt will be remembered that some time back the Hon. Matthew Holmes proposed that the three societies of this island—viz., the Canterbury. Dunedin, and Oamaru —should join in promoting a national association which, like the Royal Agricultural Society of England, and the Highland Society of Scotland, should hold its shows periodically in each of the three towns. The proposition has been endorsed by the Otago and Oamaru societies, and yesterday came before the committee of the Canterbury association in the shape of a request from Oamaru to coincide with a resolution passed by them adopting the suggestion. It has been urged that now railway communication between the principal agricultural towns of this island is on the eve of completion, no difficulty will exist in the transmission of stock from town to town. The national association is not intended to supersede the shows of the present association, but rather to encourage and develop them by offering large prizes, and thus inducing a better class of stock to compete at the district shows. The matter was discussed at some length, and ultimately a committee was appointed to prepare a report thereon for presentation at the next monthly meeting. Lincoln School Committee.—-A meeting of the above committee was held in the school-room on Wednesday evening last. Present Messrs Herrick (chairman), Bell, Frame, Clark, Wolfe, Mayenberg, and Geddes.' The chairman was instructed to take legal proceedings against those parents who refused to pay for books supplied to the children by teachers; also, to employ a competent surveyor to survey the site recently purchased for extension of play ground. With regard to the expenditure of £l7, voted by the Board of Education for erection of wash-house, coal shed, &c, the chairman was instructed to prepare specifications and put the work in hand at once ; also, to obtain an estimate of the cost of painting the infants' room. Be furniture in infants' room, the committee resolved to ask the Board of Education to request the School Inspector to report on the necessity of the same. The master reported that the attendance during the past two months had been very satisfactory, and that the recent adoption of certificates and quarterly reports had been attended with great success. In accordance with the circular of instructions received from Board of Education, the committee nominated Mr E. C. J. Stevens, of Christchurch, to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Mr J. C. Veel, as member of the North Canterbury Board of Education. A Waening to Ashbubton. —Regarding the outbreak of fire at the Somerset Hotel, Ashburton, on Wednesday night, while the race dinner was in progress, our correspondent writes that it should act as a stimulus to the people of that township in providing a water supply. If a nor-wester had been blowing at the time nothing could have saved the hotel, and with it would have gone the Town Hall, Mr Bosenberg's stables, and most probably all the buildings on the opposite side of Burnett street, involving a very great loss of property. Much praise is due to Mr Shearman for having provided appliances for the extinction of fire in his house, in the shape of a double lift force pump, with sufficient hose to reach to any part of the building. To this the safety of the hotel and adjoining buildings on Wednesday was due, as without them no water would have been obtainable. This is the second narrow escape within a week, a lamp having exploded a few days ago in the Ashburton Hotel, which nearly caused the destruction of the block. The County Council lately invited schemes for supplying water to the town, and offered a premium of £IOO for the best. Five schemes were sent in, the best was selected, the premium paid, and the matter dropped. Our correspondent hopes that the people will now take it up with spirit and carry it through to completion. It is also anticipated that the frequency of explosions of kerosene lamps will have the effect of stimulating the efforts to float a gas company in Ashburton. This has been under consideration for some time, and several gentlemen have expressed their desire to take up shares, and otherwise further the enterprise. Whether the explosions are due to bad kerosene is not knowp, but a system of inspection of the keroeena Bold should be introduced!

The Bepoeted Missing Ybssel Awaeua. —Yesterday, a letter was received by a firm in Lyttelton, dated from Invercargill on May 27th. The letter was from the owners of the schooner Awarua, and stated that she should arrive here in a day or so. From this, we should judge that the schooner did not s;ul from Bluff on May 6th, but was detained somewhere with the knowledge of her owners.