NEWS OF THE DAY.

Globe, Volume IX, Issue 1347, 8 June 1878, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

The Wakatipu.—The Wakatipu left Wellington to-day for Lyttelton about two o’clock.

City Guards. — A special meeting of the corps will be held on Monday evening at the Drillshed.

Canterbury Coursing Club. —A committee meeting will be held on the 10th inst., at 4 p.m., at the Shades.

Young Men’s Cheistian Association. — An Evangelistic service will be .held tomorrow evening, at the Theatre, at 8.15 o’clock.

District Oedee. —An inspection parade of the Artillery, Engineers, and City Guards will take place at the Drillshed on Wednesday, at seven p.m.

The Education Boabd Election.— The Harewood road school committee have nominated Mr Thos. Pavitt for the vacancy in the Board of Education. Colombo Road Wesleyan Chubch. —The Rev. J. S. Smalley will continue the Evangelistic services at the above Church to-morrow evening. Sankey’s solos will be sung by the choir.

Canterbury Herd Book. —The fourth volume of the “ Canterbury Herd Book” is now ready, and can be had at the office of the Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Association, or at Mr R. Wilkin’s office, Hereford street.

N.Z. University. —The presentation of the diplomas of the University to the undergraduates who have gained the B.A. degree is to take place in the Provincial Council Chamber on Tuesday at noon. Hot Spring-. — A hot spring has been discovered on Mr Parkinson’s land’ at Gebbie’s Valley. Mr J. Gobble is about to submit a sample of the water k to Professor Bickerton for analysis. Inquest. —An inquest was held this afternoon at the Hospital on the body of Eichard Houghton, who was found, on Friday morning, dead in a drain on the Stanmore road. Evidence being given of the circumstances under which the deceased was found, and testimony given that when last seen on the previous evening he was perfectly sober, the jury returned a verdict of “Found dead in a drain.”

Wooiston Cricket Ciun.— A general meeting of this club was held on Friday evening, at the Wharf Hotel; Mr F. Pavitt, president of the club, in the chair. It was reported to the meeting that the new ground had been ploughed, which greatly improved it; Mr Napier was progressing with the laying out satisfactory, and that it would be ready for the coming season. The election of secretary and treasurer was then proceeded with, in consequence of the present one, Mr H. Buxton, being unable to devote the necessary time through pressure of business ; Mr Dunbar was elected to fill the position for the present year. After which a hearty vote of thanks was accorded to Mr Buxton for his services. It was resolved to wind up the past successful season with a dinner, which will be held at the Wharf Hotel on the 21st inst, A vote of thanks having been passed to the chairman the meeting adjourned.

Legal. —His Honor Mr Justice Johnston sat in chambers yesterday, when a long list was got through. The Judge proceeds on Tuesday to Timaru, the criminal sessions there opening on Wednesday. There is a very heavy calendar, and his Honor will be absent about a fortnight. Fatal Burning at Katuoura.— A sad accident through burning occurred a few days ago to a child of Mr Jesse Redwood, a farmer in the Kaikoura district. The mother was outside the house when the child, which was only two years old, ran out in flames. The little thing subsequently died of the injuries received. Coursing Club. —The entries for the Puppy Stakes, and the nominations for the Eight All-aged Stakes, to be run under the auspices of the Canterbury Coursing Club, appear elsewhere. The number of entries for the Puppy Stakes is fifteen. The date fixed for the meeting is the 21st June, and as hares are plentiful a good day’s sport may he anticipated. St. Peter’s Parish, Akaroa, — A wish has been expressed by a large number of the residents on the west side of the harbor and at the Head of the Bay to separate from the original parish of St. Peter’s and form themselves into a parochial district with a clergyman of their own. The necessary stipend has been guaranteed, and Canon Cotterell has intimated to the Akaroa vestry that unless they object to the proposal, the severance will take place. It is understood that no opposition will be offered.

Dobbie’s Broadcast Seed Sower. Messrs Friedlauder Bros, tried this machine on the road yesterday morning. For this purpose they secured it firmly on a springcart, and by an ingenious contrivance of small brackets, one of which was clamped to each spoke of the trap wheel for the endless chain, obtained the motive power. By this means the sower can be used from a dray or trap, which will save a carriage with the machine. The trial yesterday was very successful as a test of the sowing capacities of the invention, the seed being evenly distributed to a distance of fully 50ft. on either side. A further trial will be made on Monday.

Concrete Bricks. A concrete brick manufactory has been established by Mr Hibberd of Green Island, and was recently visited by a party from Dunedin. It is said (observes the “Dunedin Herald”) that a house built with these bricks can be put up 25 per cent, cheaper than if erected with the ordinary bricks when the latter are as low in price as £2 10s per thousand. Mr Hibberd has erected a cottage having a frontage of 26ft. 9in. by a depth of 13ft. 9in., and with walls 10ft. in height, for the sum of £BO, including papering, carpenters’ work, roofing, &c.

A Touting Lawyer.— We (Napier “Telegraph”) do not know what the professional etiquette may be, but the following advertisement appears in the “ Wananga,” which, as purporting to como from a barrister, looks

very much like touting for business—“ Notice to the whole of the tribes of New Zealand—of Wairarapa, of Taranaki, of Ahuriri, of Taupo, and Poverty Bay. This is a notice to you all, that none of you shall sign your names for the sale of lands, of leases, of mortgages, or of anything concerning land. First come all of you to me, that you may understand what you are about to do. From Eees, Lawyer, Napier.”

Lived too Long,—The “Napier Telegraph” says :—Weitui Pakukohatu, once the principal chief of the Ngatimaniapoto, died recently at Hikurangi. Some time before his death he fell into the fire and was badly burnt. Old Hoheka, of Puniu, shortly after the accident went to see his friend, and condole with him in his way, which he did in the following manner:—“Weitui. you are a very old man, why are you staying so long on the earth waiting to see the end of the world P It is quite time you passed away ; you should have done so before, then you wouldn’t have fallen into the fire and got burnt, and so would have missed the pain you are now suffering. I cannot see what use it is for you to live any longer.” Waitui saw the force of this logic, determined to follow his friend’s advice, and so straightway gave up the ghost.

The Weather. fallen in the Ashburton district since Sunday night, and at present there are no signs of cessation. The result is that there are large puddles in all the streets and that many of the low-lying sections are covered. It is time that the town was proclaimed a municipality, if only for the purpose of having some regular system of drainage. Few towns in Canterbury could be so easily drained as Ashburton, if there was only some public body to do it. Yesterday many persons might be seen cutting drains through the footpaths, in order to allow the water surrounding their houses to escape. The river has risen slightly, but the only serious damage done as yet by the rains, is to Messrs Jameson Bros, back grain store, which is built on a swampy piece of ground. The piles on which the building rested (some 2ft. high) have entirely disappeared, leaving the store resting on the ground, and the front store shows evident signs of following the example of its neighbour. In the Northern districts the various small streams and creeks were flooded. The rivers also were very high; all the swamps are full. Traffic over the Waipara and to

the north will probably be restored to-day. The Ashley, although very high, is not reported to have committed any serious damage. The Waimakariri was mainly flooded in the north branch by the surplus from the Eyre and Oust drainage. Auckland and the Chaeities.— The correspondent of the “ Otago Times” writes : —The Auckland municipal authorities appear to be in no hurry to take over the care of the public and charitable institutions, now under the supervision of the General Q-orernment, notwithstanding the liberal and tempting offers that have been made by the latter in the event of their so doing. The corporation have a fragrant recollection of Mr Yogel’s capitation allowances to the provinces in perpetuity, and what came of it. The Q-eneral Government, however, have untied the Qordian knot by cutting it, for it is understood that the officials of the above institutions have been notified that after the 30th Junc they must not look to the colonial authorities for payment of their salaries. It may be questioned whether the management of some of these establishments would not be more efficient under local supervision than under the control of heads of departments 500 miles distant. The Lunatic Asylum, for instance, has furnished a test on many occasions of late for a press homily, and a triangular duel recently came off at one branch of it, in which the matron, the cook, and the Government agent constituted the dramatis personae, the latter functionary, as a last resort, appealing to Caesar at Wellington. A Strange Accident — A most singular and alarming accident (says the “ Arrow Observer”) occurred at Morven Ferry last Tuesday evening to a waggon and pair of horses belonging to Mr E. Puddy, the wellknown teamster. Mr Puddy left the Arrow on Tuesday afternoon with a load of flour for Cromwell, having a team of eight horses in. Ho arrived at the Morven Ferry punt between five and six o’clock, and, as usual, unyoked his leaders for the purpose of crossing them, leaving the waggon and pair of shatters on the approach, with the brake on. The leaders were safely crossed, but as the punt was returning for the waggon the brake was heard to give way, and the next moment the waggon was seen coming down the incline, the shatters being unable to stay it. There being nothing to bar their progress, waggon and horses were launched into the Kawarau. Fortunately, the waggon kept up straight, and, the current being very strong, it was floated down the stream, the horses striking out for the opposite bank. The horses and their novel barge eventually grounded, about 150 yards below the point of starting, when the waggon partially capsized, and a largo portion of the loading was shot into the river, and carried down. Meanwhile, Mr Puddy, with the assistance at hand, got into the boqt, and, arriving at the spot where the waggon was lying, liberated the horses and got them out of harm’s way, although not without a deal of difficulty and great personal danger. The most alarming, and yet ludicrous, feature in the accident was that a Chinaman, whom Mr Puddy was taking to Lawrence, was on board all the time and filled the air with cries of terror in his own peculiar maimer.

An Unexpected Windfall.— Unlike the counties of Canterbury, the Thames County has received its 20 per cent, of the land fund, a circumstance which, judging from the subjoined extract from a Grahams - town paper, has created considerable surprise: —A new source of revenue for the county has been opened. A letter has been received from the Secretary to the Treasury stating that the sum of £1 some shillings has been remitted to the credit of the county, being 20 per cent, payable to counties from land sales within their boundaries. We believe the county authorities are completely in the dark as to what land has been sold within the Thames County, but they would not quarrel with the source ; they would like the amount to be larger.