NEWS OF THE DAY.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1376, 13 July 1878, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Selwyn County Council. A special meeting of the County Council was held this morning, when the resolutions passed at a former special meeting, making by-laws for the regulation of slaughter-houses were confirmed, as also the resolution relating to pound fees. The ordinary meeting was then held. The action of the Chairman in declining to accept the invitation of the Government to take a seat on the Charitable Aid Board was approved. The appointments of Mr Webster as engineer of the Malvern Water Eace, and of Mr Joynt as solicitor to the Council were approved. It was resolved that the Government be requested to hand over such plans and other documents as might be necessary to enable the Council to undertake the supervision and continuance of the Malvern Water Eace, and also that the Government be requested to state under whose supervision the work is now placed. Several reportß of committees were laid on the table, and the Council adjourned till the 26th. Society of St. Vincent de Paul.—lt is elsewhere announced that an entertainment in connection with this society will be given on the 16th instant in St. Patrick's Hall, Barbadoes street. Bingsland.—An entertainment will be given in the district schoolroom, on Monday evening, in aid of the building fund of the United Methodist Free Church there. Bazaab—The bazaar in aid of the trust funds of the Primitive Methodist Church, Cambridge Terrace, was fairly attended yesterday, and will be continued to-day in the Oddfellows' Hall. The fee for admission has been reduced by 50 per cent. Chaeitablb Aid Boabd.—A meeting of the Charitable Aid Board was held yesterday, when an interesting report, which is published elsewhere, on the cases receiving relief in Christchui'ch, Sydenham, and the Selwyn bounty was submitted by Mr March. .Vnnivebsaby, 1.0.G.T.—1n connection Wlttl the anniversary celebration of the 1.0.Gt0, a sermon will be preached in the Theatre o yal to-morrow afternoon by Vae Past S. Macfarlan, _Ajj appropriate service of song will be Dy t i ie cao ir. The tea and public to De held in the Oddfellows' Hall, on Tlu r 8 ( evening next. Hooper Variety "?boupe.—This troupe gave performances at the Colonists' Hall on Wednesday and Thursday evening. The entertainment consisted t f a farce, songs and dances, and the burlesque ol " Bombastes Furioso," in which last plenty of ringing and dancing were introduced. The truipe were loudly applauded, especially Miss Bessy Vivian and Mr Hooper. Gifts wort distributed at the end of each performance.

Election fob City Auditors. The election of two auditors for the city of Christchurch took place yesterday, and resulted in the return of Messrs H. E. Alport and T. B. Craig. The following were the number of votes colled for each candidate, viz.—Alport, 242 ; Craig, 208; Henderson, 165 ; Burnell, 109; Lovell, 32. Mr Lee, the Returning Officer, therefore declared Messrs Alport and Craig duly elected as auditors for the city for the ensuing year. Mr Alport briefly thanked f hose who had voted for him. Itte total number on the burgess roll is 1635,

Pbbjuey at Reefton A West Coast contemporary states that in the Reefton District Court the other day, in one of the perjury csibcb, Mr South, Crown Prosecutor, said there were some places where the crime of perjury was so common thrit the very atmosphere was too thick to breathe. Mr South referred to Reefton, and the statement is endorsed by a local paper. It is but too true that the crime has been committed at Reefton with shocking boldness and impunity, and the ill-fame of the district is well-known abroad.

Child Dbowned. —A sad accident occurred yesterday u-t Waltham to a little boy named Charles William Andrew. He had been in the house for some time with his father, but went out without being noticed. After some time his father missing him went in search, and was told by a stranger that there was something unusual floating in the river. Upon going to Wilson's bridge Mr Andrew discovered his child floating against one of the piles of the bridge, and quite dead. The body was taken to Mr Andrew's house, where an inquest will be held this afternoon at three o'clock.

St. Maby's, Mebivale.—Last night one of the series of parochial entertainments which the Rev. Mr Flavell has organised at Mcrivale, was given in the schoolroom at St. Mary's. It fully equalled, if it did not excel, those which have preceded it. The choir was more numerous than ever, and several ladies and gentlemen who had not previously contributed to these pleasant evenings gave their assistance. Amongst the items on the programme were several admirable readings, and some specimens of Maori poetry, the latter recited by the Rev. Mr Stack.

Ancient Obdeb of Fobestebs.—The annual meeting of die district officers of the Canterbury Foresters was held at the Foresters' Hall, Lyttelton, on Thursday evening. Delegates from the Star of Canterbury, Queen of the Isles, and Pride of Courtenay Lodges were present. After the accounts for the past year had been submitted and passed, and the usual routine business transacted, an adjournment took place to the British Hotel, where a really splendid dinner, placed on the table in admirable style by the proprietress, was much enjoyed. A very happy evening was Bpent, those not resident in Lyttelton returning to Christehuroh by the late train. The Taipo Reefs. Another attempt (says the " West Coast Times"), and it is to be hoped it will be one of success, is to be made to work the Taipo Quartz Mining Company, or as it was known in earlier diys, the lease of the Enterprise Company. A substantial provisional directory has been formed, and a most favorable prospectus has been issued. It has been found beyond doubt that the quartz is the richest ever found in the district, or perhaps on the whole Coast, and the original shareholders offer moßt reasonable conditions to the public, by accepting shares in the new company, in lieu of their heavy outlay for labour done and expenses incurred, and in payment of their entire right and title in the lease. The trial crushings have been most satisfactory, and a great deal of work has already been done.

Moee or the Missing Land Fund.— At a meeting of the Waitaki County Council held on Thursday, the chairman (the Hon. Robert Campbell) mentioned that he had interviewed the Hon. the Premier and the Hons. Messrs Ballance and Macandrew, with reference to the distribution of the land fund of Canterbury, and had pointed out that not only had the Council not received its Bhare of the fund, as entitled to do by law, but that large deductions had been made from the sums handed over, on the alleged ground that the Council had been over-paid. The Government promised that they would sanction no distribution of the fund except in strict accordance with the law. A complete statement was being prepared, and the Waitaki Council would receive whatever amount it was legally entitled to. Sons op Temperance.—The Perseverance division held its usual meeting on Thursday night, in the Temperance Hall, Gloucester street. There was a good attendance of members, and much business was transacted. The half-yearly reports of the officers were handed in, showing that the division was in a very prosperous condition, having nearly £4OO to its credit. The purchase of the Temperance Hall from the Total Abstinence Society was formally ratified, and the officers for the ensuing half-year were installed by the G.W.P. Bro. J. Caypill. The names of the officers are : W.P., Bro. Paton ; W.A., Bro. Goodsall ; W.R.S., Bro. J. A. Caygill ; A.R.S., Bro. Efford; W.F.S., Bro. Cutler; W.T., Bro. W. T. C. Mills ; W. Chap., Bro. Shaw; W.C., Bro. Fenner ; A.C., Bro. Payne; IS., Bro. S. P. Andrews ; 0.5., Bro. Cocker.

Pr/Bisi Soda Spbings.—The water from some springs at Puriri, in the Thames d strict, has been recently analysed by Mr Skey. Dr. Hector reports on the result that " by far the larger proportion of solid matter consists of bi-carbonate of soda, giving to the water a strong caustic reaction. It therefore belongs to the interesting group of mineral waters known as the alkaline, to which many of the Spas on the Continent of Europe moßt famous for their curative properties belong, such as Vichy in France, and Fachingen in Nassau, which were resorted to for the cure of diseases of the digestive organs, and especially for diseases of the kidney and bladder, and for removing constitutional tendency to gout." It is anticipated, therefore, by the local paper that the springs will soon become of great commercial value, and astonish the world with their wonderful natural qualities, superior to all the manufactured sodawater now in uee.

The Kebosene Scabe.—A Nelson tradesman tenders the following advice to consumers of kerosene: —The ordinary qualities of oil imported into New Zealand, in reference to the testing of which so much has of late been reported in the newspapers, are as a rule sufficiently safe to stand the test required by English law, viz., 100 degrees, but may not reach the New Zealand standard of 110 degrees. Badly trimmed lamps and dirty burners are a much greater source of danger than the uee of oil ranging in fair test from 100 to 110 degrees. A simple test, slightly altered from Downer's pamphlet, is here submitted, that consumers may judge for themselves as to the kinds of oil they are using. Test —Take a cup or tumbler, fill it nearly full of water warmed so that a thermometer inserted therein shows a mean temperature of 110 degrees, pour a small quantity of oil on the water, stir a little, then pass a lighted match quickly but closely over the surface of the oil once ; if it ignites, do not use the oil, it is unsafe ; if it does not ignite, it can be safely used. Testing Cables. —The Otago "Daily Times" has the following remarks on the position taken by the Marine Department with respect to the testing of cables : —We venture to think that the public are not generally aware that there is never an effort made to test the strength of cables which have been for years in use, and which, according to the change which comes over the tenacity of iron, are liable to become worse than worthless. A great fuss is made over ships' boats and other things that can be tested by the eye, but here we have an article on which ship and all contained may any day be hanging for safety from utter destruction, and this Government officer tells us it is none of his business. This whole affair of the testing, and durability of cable chains and anchors, demands immediate attention. But in our circumstances especially, where chains may have been for a dozen of years in use since they received certificates of whatever value, it is of the utmost importance that some apparatus should bo provided by tv 0 Government at the principal ports. It appears to be an extremely inexpensive affair, by which long used "chains may be proved and certificated or rejected ; so that; the travelling public, to say nothing of valuable merchandise, may not be left at the mercy of unknown risks in being dependent on chains and anchors whose frailty will be only manifested in the dreadful moment when J so much is dependent on their soundness. This is a matter that should be entrusted to no pr vato proof, whether of owners or insurance companies ; but in the interests of the great public who aie exposed to danger through it may be the greed, penuriouenees, or indifference of others, it is the bounden duty of Government to giro as special heed to the condition of chains md anchors as to boilers and boats.

1.0 O.P.—On Monday a summoned meeting of the Loyal Benevolent Lodge will be held, for the purpose of receiving the auditors report, and transacting other business. Eternal Punishment.—The first of a series of three lectures on the doctrine of Eternal Punishment, with especial reference to the sermons of Canon Farrar, will be deliverer! to-morrow evening, at St. Andrew's Church, by the Rev. C. Fraser. British and Foreign Bible Society.— The annual public meeting of the Canterbury auxiliary will be held on Monday evening at the Oddfellows' Hall. Addresses will be delivered by several clergymen, and a collection will be made in aid of the society's funds. 1.0.0.F.M.U.-The anniversary of tho Loyal Perseverance Lodge, Woolston, will be celebrated by a soiree and ball on Thursday next. An excellent programme has been arranged. The music for the ball will be provided by Mr S. Schwartz. Arrangements hive also been made for a coach for the convenience of visitors from town, and also to suit tho late trains.