NEWS OF THE DAY.

Globe, Volume IX, Issue 1344, 5 June 1878, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Accident. —A seaman belonging to the brig Naiad was skylarking in the hold of that vessel yesterday, when ho fell over some bags and broke his leg in two places. Valuable Foal. —A colt foal of this season, the property of Mr T. Pashby, Kaiapoi, was sold a day or two ago for £SO. The sire of the foal was Mr Walls’ horse Sir Walter Scott. Appointments. —Mr John Blythen has been appointed Registrar of Births, Marriages and Deaths, also Vaccination Inspector for the Malvern District. The appointments of School Commissioners, under the Education Reserves Act, as already announced, is gazetted. Rev. W. J. Habenß. The presentation of the valedictory address to the Rev. W. J. Hahens, who is leaving Christchurch to assume the office of Inspector-General of Schools for New Zealand under the new Education Act, will take place this evening at the Congregational Church, Manchester street, when a large gathering is anticipated. Duties of Trustees. —At the Sittings in Chambers yesterday, his Honor felt it his duty to express his disapproval of trustees in bankruptcy allowing the debtors to draw up the certificate of the trustee, required in cases of an application for discharge. His Honor stated his opinion that gentlemen accepting the office of trustee should be prepared to carry out all the duties connected therewith. Levee. —An undress levee will be held by His Excellency the Governor, at the Government Buildings, to-morrow, at noon. Those gentlemen who have the right of private entree will enter by the Speaker’s door at the south end of the building and assemble in the chamber at 11.45 a.m. Other gentlemen will assemble in the lobbies, and thence proceed to the chamber. Attendants at the levee will require to have two cards with name thereon, one to be left in the hall, and the other given to the A.D.C. The Artillery will form a guard of honor. Colonial Insurance Company.—We are informed that, upon the closing of applications for Southland, the first district closed in the Middle Island, the large number of seven thousand two hundred and fifty-five shares had been applied for at Invercargill, with further returns to be received from the country districts of Southland. The closing date for Otago will be named to-morrow, and Mr Graham, the secretary, will then return to close up the Canterbury district. Absent Solicitors. —In the course of the chamber sittings yesterday his Honor called attention to the fact that two gentlemen of the profession had three motions set down on the paper, hut had not appeared to move them or instructed any of the Bar to do so for them. In future, his Honor announced his intention of placing cases of this kind at the bottom of the list, and that then, if the solicitors interested were not present, they would be struck out, and the applications would have to he made de noto. Yesterday three cases were treated in this manner. Tb Ngakau at Court. —The Auckland “Herald” of May 30th says: —“ Te Ngakau’s appearance before the Native Lands Court at Cambridge, yesterday, was not his first in that position; but, if we are not mistaken in recollection, he used to denounce the Court and its action. Evidently he has now changed, and wishes to get his rights in any land which belongs to himself personally. When Te Ngakau takes that position, so may any of the Kingites, and so may Tawhiao himself. This would, indeed, be a solution of the Kingite difficulty.” Runaway Horse. —About 10 o’clock yesterday morning a horse attached to a cart, belonging to Mr James Morrison, butcher, of Colombo street, bolted in the direction of Cathedral square, and when opposite the shop of Hobbs and Co. capsized. A Jad named Brice was driving at the time, and being unable to check the speed of the horse, jumped out of the cart, turning a somersault in the air and coming down on his back. Fortunately he escaped uninjured, nor beyond the breaking of the splashboard was any damage done to the vehicle. From the evidence of those who witnessed the accident, no blame apparently attaches to the driver, who was simply not strong enough to pull the animal up. The Normal School. —The attention of the Board of Education might be directed with advantage to the present state of the yard of the Normal School. In the first place the children have had for the last two or three days, to wade through a pool of water to get to the school; and secondly, they have to stand in water whilst the roll is called, a ceremony occupying some fifteen minutes. The children thus have to go into school and remain there for some two hours with wet boots, which is scarcely conducive to either comfort or health. A few loads of gravel would remedy the evil complained of, and it is to be hoped that steps will be taken at once to do away with what, to say the least of it, is an inconvenience.

European Cable Tariff. —The following are the rates received at present on messages by the several companies interested in the telegraphs between Europe and Australia, as shewn at the )ate Cable Conference. The companies transmitting to India receive 3s Id per word. The Indian Q-overnment claim 4id and the Java Government 24 d. Transmission from India to Singapore costs Is 7d. At Singapore the Australian cable commences, and at this point (if we include the Java fee) an expense of 5s 3d per word has been incurred. The balance between 5b 3d and the current rate represents what the Eastern Extension Company and the South Australian Government receive for transmitting messages from Singapore to Port Darwin, and from Port Darwin across the continent to the settled colonies. The company owning the cable receives 4s per word, and South Australia Is sd.

Papakui Saletabds Company. The annual meeting of shareholders of this company was held last evening, at seven o’clock, at the Sawyers’ Anns Hotel. Present— Messrs R. Duncan (chairman), Johns, Munro, Higham, Amyes, Munro, Wild, Reid, Claridge, Godfrey, Jackson, Hackett, and Hewett. The minutes of the last annual meeting having been read and confirmed, the Secretary submitted the balance-sheet for the year ending May 31st, 1878, which showed a balance to profit and loss of 13M3 Ss Bd. Mr Amyes moved, and Mr Claridge seconded— “That the balance sheet be adopted.” The motion was agreed to. The next business was the election of three directors in place of Messrs Johns, Horner, and Mitchell, who retired by rotation. Messrs Wild and Conyers were duly elected, and Mr Johns ie-elecled, as directors. On the motion of Mr Amyes, seconded by Mr Munro, Mr Godfrey was elected auditor for the ensuing year. It was resolved that the next annual meeting should take place at the Papanui Hotel. A vote of thanks to the chairman terminated the business of th® meeting, which then adjourned.

Counties ob Provinces. —As to the relative merits of the provincial and county system from a Westland point of view, we take the following from the “West Coast Times ” :—“ With regard to the actual question which our contemporaries are discussing, which is, whether the provincial is superior to. the county system, wo have but little to say. From our experience of both, the answer must be in the negative. No one who watched the miserable farce of playing at Government here, when we had a Superintendent, a little Parliament with a Speaker and Executive, Ministry and Opposition, would wish to return to the old order of things. Compared with that ridiculous body, the County Council is successful indeed.” Fatal Accident in Wellington.—A fatal accident (says the “ Post ”) happened on Tuesday night to an old man named Charles Meadows, who for many years (past has been an inhabitant of Wellington. When coming down the steps leading to Flagstaff Hill, at about half-past eight o’clock, his foot slipped, and he fell to the bottom of the steps. It is presumed that the shock killed him, for when found a short time afterwards by two men named Vincent and Maby, he showed no signs of life, although the only wound visible was a slight cut over the right eyebrow. The men at once informed the police of the occurrence, and Dr. Harding was soon with the old man, but ho pronounced life to be quite extinct. Ashburton Local Boaed op Health.— This Board met at the Road Board office, on June 3rd. Present—Messrs Grigg (chairman), Williamson, Wright, and Hunt. The Inspector read his report of the town, which stated that ths Board could not take any steps towards having the offensive drainage stopped, but as the town was soon likely to be proclaimed a municipality, it would then be done. Re keeping pigs within the belt, it was decided to instruct the inspector to proceed against those keeping them. It was resolved that this Board recommend the closing of the present cemetery for sanitary reasons, and that a copy of this resolution be forwarded to the County Council, and also to the chairman of the Cemetery Board. Kaiapoi Institute. —The monthly meeting of the committee of this institute was held on Monday evening. There was only a limited attendance. Mr J. Lowthian Wilson occupied the chair. The treasurer’s statement showed a balance in hand of £2O 4s 4d. Accounts amounting to £5 Os 7d were passed. A letter was read from the secretary of the Board of Education, stating that the whole available grant to libraries had been distributed before the Committee’s application was received. The annual meeting of members was then held. Mr Wilson was elected chairman. The minutes of last annual meeting were confirmed. The treasurer’s statement showed the total receipts of the year were £lO9 17a 7d ; the expenditure £B9 13s 3d, viz., librarian’s salary, £35 ; insurance and license, £l2 ; coal, £3 15s ; painting, £1 14s ; binding, £3 17s; subscription to papers, £l6 17s 4d ; kerosene, £l6 9s lid. Mr C. Smith moved, Mr Clark seconded —“ That in consequence of the limited attendance, owing to the inclemency of the weather, the meeting be adjourned till Monday, June 10th.” Carried.

Kaiapoi Fae jibes’ Club. — A special meeting of the members of this club was held at the Kaikanui Hotel on Monday evening. There was a fair attendance; ,Mr E. Parnham presided. The chairman explained that the meeting was called to discuss the question of holding the annual ploughing match, and the arrangements connected therewith. Mr J. Lowthian Wilson moved, Mr Perrin seconded —“ That the Kaiapoi annual ploughing match be held on a day to be fixed during the first week in July.” Carried. It was decided that the rules of last year’s matches be adopted. Mr W. M. Ross, hon. secretary, reported that a special prize would be offered, to be competed for by swing ploughs. It was decided to accept the special prize, and to have a swing plough class. It was resolved that Mesrs Walls, G-. Edwards, Perrin, Stevenson, Biruie, M'Gregor, Young, Wilson, Bosestow, and M'Laren be elected a working committee to accept a paddock, lay out the ground, and report on the arrangements of the match. It was resolved that the secretary invite offers of a suitable paddock in close proximity to the town; offers to be sent in before Thursday 13th, at 7 p.m. The meeting was then adjourned till that day. Eefohji of the Magistracy.— The New Zealand “Jurist” says:—lnstead of amending or consolidating the Acts relating to Resident Magistrates’ Courts, the better plan would be to repeal them. There is no reason why the District Court should not dispose of all the civil business now done by the R.M. Courts, instead of exercising a merely concurrent jurisdiction. The summary jurisdiction in criminal cases should be exercised by Courts of Petty Sessions, which should have a well-defined jurisdiction in civil cases up to to £2O. This system would involve the appointment of a few more District Judges ; but the expenditure could be well afforded if the salaries of the Resident Magistrates were saved. There are fully sixty of these magistrates in receipt of salaries averaging at least £4OO, making' a total of £24,000 a year. If six more District Judges were added to the six now in office, the total cost, allowing £IOOO for salaries and travelling expenses, would be £12,000. By this means the Treasury would be so far relieved, while the country would benefit by a far more satisfactory administration of justice. As matters stand, it seems necessary that District Courts should be established at Christchurch, Wellington, and Napier—the business in those towns having grown beyond the dimensions of a Magistrate’s Court. The opportunity therefore presents itself for extending the system. The Acts relating to District Courts should he consolidated, and the rules carefully revised. It is high time that the farce of administering law by laymen should be done away with. It has nothing to recommend it; it has created general dissatisfaction; it involves extravagance in expenditure, injury to suitors, and injustice to the profession.