NEWS OF THE DAY.

Globe, Volume IX, Issue 1360, 24 June 1878, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Sale of Shabes.— Messrs R. Walton and Co. offered 1100 shares in the Union Insurance Company yesterday. The shares bad 10s each paid up, only 100 w r ere placed at 17s, the rest being withdrawn.

Road Boabd Confeeence. —ln accordance with the suggestion contained in the circular of the Avon Road Board, with reference to the non-payment of the monies due to Road Boards by the Government, the meeting of representatives of the various Road Boards has been fixed to take place at Radcliffe’s Hotel on Wednesday, at 11 o’clock. . The Raid on Spaeeows. —The Kaiapoi Farmers’ Club announces that poisoned wheat for killing sparrows will be distributed by the members of the club after July Ist. Sportsmen and others ought for a time to be careful with respect to game which may have been accidentally killed. The poison and direct ons for using the same can be had by applying at the club’s chambers, Kaiapoi. Oanteebuby Hunt Club Hounds.—A meet of these hounds took place at Roberts’ Club Hotel, [Rangiora, on Saturday. There was a fair muster of gentlemen riders, Mr J. R. Pearson acted as master, and led the field after the drag over fair hunting country to Fernside. A second start was made for a short run, and the sport over the fields covered with snow afforded a considerable amount of excitement.

Resident Magistrate's Court.—Although Mr Mellish has given the City Council notice of the termination at the end of this month of his tenancy of the premises at present used as the Resident Magistrate’s Court, it is not unlikely that the business of the Court will be carried on in the same place for some time longer. No arrangements have as yet been begun for fitting up any of the rooms in the Provincial Government buildings for judicial purposes. Football. —The unpropitious weather on Saturday last did not prevent some of the lovers of football from enjoying themselves. The Eastern Club and Normal College had a capital|game. The Normals, winning the toss, decided on taking the North goal. Fooks, the captain of the Easterns, kicked off and, being well backed up by his men, was not long in securing a touch-down. This was followed by two more, the latter of which resulted in a goal, very neatly kicked by Paul. A force-down was also obtained before time was called. During the next spell the Normals tried hard to retrieve the game, but were unsuccessful, thus leaving the Easterns winners by fourteen points to nothing. Amongst the most prominent players for the respective clubs were—for the Eastern— Fooks, Paul, Keith, and Johnston; for the Normals —Brock, Guinea, and Beechey.

Canterbury Pigeon Flying Club. —A race, in connection with this Club, came off on Saturday between Ashburton and Christchurch. The birds, which had been hatched since the Ist January, were liberated by the stationmaster at Ashburton at 12 noon. Fifteen entries had been made, but only three birds competed, with the following result:— The first, Pilot, belonging to the Union Company, homed at 12.48 p.m., the second Tai Tapu, owned by W. Earnshaw, homed at 12.50, and the third, Will-o’-the-Wisp, the property of the Union Company, homed at 12,59. This is the fastest race between Ashburton and Christchurch, a distance by rail of 53f miles,' that has as yet been recorded. The prize fell to the second bird, as the first was disqualified on account of the owner’s breaking one of the rules which forbids their having birds out on the race day. Pilot was bred from a pair imported from England by Mr Alfred Saunders, and is eighteen weeks old, Tai Tapu was bred from Australian birds, and Will-o’-the-Wisp was bred from English birds.

1.0.0. F., M.U. —The annual meeting of the Lyttelton district jOddfellows was held at the Oddfellows’ Hall, Lyttelton, on Saturday evening, there being a large attendance of delegates from all parts of the district. The general and financial position of the district was reported to he most satisfactory. The following officers were elected to serve during the present year: Grand Master, Bro. Exley ; Deputy Grand Master, Bro. Leggatt; O. Bro. Clarke. The usual half-yearly meeting of the Loyal City of Norwich Lodge, No. 4356, Lyttelton, was held last week, there being about 150 members present. The officers having been elected were duly installed by P. Bro. Sowden, as follows : —Bro. W. Toomey, N.G. ; Bro. E. Glover r.s V.G.; Bro. H, Clarke as E.S. Bro. F. Arnold then took the G.M.’s chair in virtue of his office as the retiring N.G. The minor officers were then elected, as follows :—Bro. Fisher, R.S. to N.G.; Bro. Wills, L.S. to N.G.; Bro. Hollow, R.S. to Y.G.; Bro. Lanyon, L.S. to Y.G.; Bro. B. Toomey, 1.G.; Bro. S. Norris, 0.G.; Bro. Burns, Warden ; Sick Visitors, Bros. Gifford and Arnold. Receipts of the evening, £46. The Snowstorm. —The heavy fall of snow on Friday night appears to have extended fairly over the whole district, and our correspondents from all parts write of snow-balling, snowdrifts, and the hardships suffered by stock. In many places there was no thaw during the whole of Saturday, and in the evening the snowy sheet was frozen hard. At Kaiapoi a tough snow-balling battle was fought between the residents on the north and south sides of the river, resulting in the northerners, after an exciting struggle for two hours, carrying the bridge by storm, and driving the southerners into their entrenched position at Burnip’s Hotel. The last fall of snow which would in any way compare with that of Friday night was about nineteen years ago, shortly before the Ohoka bush was destroyed by a large fire. The date of the snowstorm of 1878 will be the more easily remembered from the fact that it happened on the shortest day. The Constabulary. —The Government (says the New Zealand “ Herald”) has acted judiciously in deciding on a re-classification of officers and men in the Colonial Constabulary. The degree of rank awarded to some of the officers when the “ Gazette” notice was published in last January, surprised many people, and perhaps none more so than some of the officers themselves. It is most unfair that small places like Blenheim should have officers bearing equal rank with Auckland, Napier, Nelson, the Thames, and other distiicts where the work and responsibilities are four times that of the former place. If, as has been stated, another conference of superintendents of police is to take place r.t Wellington, it is oply reasonable to suppose that the questions of compensation, retiring allowance,or pension should receive the consideration of the responsible heads of the district departments, as if any branch of the public service should receive special attention, the police is that section, not only from the arduous duties which they have to perform, but the continual rists to health which surround them. It is also high time that special constables were done away with, and one general system in force in all districts. The constabulary frequently encounter cons : di rablo inconvenience in getting witnesses for inquests, owing to Parliament having made no provision for payment for such purposes. And this is another subject which should receive attention at the deliberations of the conference. Whether another meeting of superintendents is necessary, or whether a general report from the head of each provincial district to the commissioner, in connection with the various details, is the more advantageous, must, we presume, be left to the Government itself to decide,

Prebbleton. —An entertainment was given n the evening of the 18th at the schoolhouse in aid of the church organ fund. There was a large attendance, many coming from a distance. The programme was a well selected and varied one, consisting of songs, duets, recitations, and pianoforte pieces, all of which were given with more than usual taste and skill The proceeds amounted to about Lib, At the conclusion the Rev. De Berdt Hovell thanked the ladies and gentlemen who had assisted, and Mr J. W. Anderson also returned thanks. Oamabu Steeplechase Club —At a general meeting of this club, held on Friday night, it was agreed that the date of the next steeplechase meeting should be August Ist. Officers for the meeting were then elected. Sydenham Borough Council. the ordinary meeting of the Sydenham Borough Council will take place this evening. City Council.— A special meeting ot tne City Council will be held this evening to coneider the subjects to be brought before the proposed Municipal Conference. 1.0.0. F., M.U. —A special summoned meeting of the Loyal City of Christchurch Lodge will be held at the hall this evening to consider matters of very great importance, affecting the welfare of the Order. . . Pigeon Race. —The pigeon race from Timaru, under the auspices of the Christchurch Pigeon Flying Chib, takes place to-morrow. There are several entries, and the race promises to be a close one. Teachers’ Examination.-Tlic examination of teachers for third class certificates will commence at the Normal School at 10 a.m. on Tuesday next. „ , . Inspector of Schools. The Board of Education of the district of North Canterbury invite applications for the office of |jYP ec^or 0 Schools, the sahry for which is £SOO a year, with travelling and forage allowances.