NEWS THE OF DAY.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1384, 23 July 1878, Page 2

NEWS THE OF DAY.

The Missing Child. —Edward Wallis Borland, the little boy who was yesterday reported at the Police Depot as missing, and about whoso fate considerable anxiety was felt, was last night found by Constable Brooks wandering in Sydenham. Northern Railway. —As the train from Eangiora was approaching Southbrook this morning it ran into a mob of cattle crossing the line. Two of the cattle were killed and one injured. A stoppage of about live minutes occurred in consequence of the accident. Sydenham Council. —The usual meeting of the Sydenham Borough Council was held last night. The Dredge Erskine. —Two of the spur wheels of the dredge Erskine flew to pieces yesterday afternoon. The damage will take about a month to repair. Municipal Conference. —At the special meeting of the City Council last evening Mr W. S. Moorhouse was appointed as the representative of the City Council at the Municipal Conference.

The Land Fund. —Since the initiation of legal proceedings by the Selwyn County Council to compel restitution of the impounded land fund, Mr J. L. Wilson has received from the various Councils and Road Boards a steady stream of promises to support by similar steps the action taken by the Selwyn Council. Collection of Rates. —At the special meeting of the City Council last night the report of the finance committee, recommending that an additional collector should be employed to collect the city rates, was adopted, in the course of his remarks on the subject the Mayor stated that only about £3O remained outstanding of the 1877 rates. Cattle Market Reserve. —The Mayor of Sydenham last night stated that there is a probability of the five-acre (cattle market) reserve, of which the Sydenham Council at present have charge, being utilised as a site upon which to erect buildings for the accommodation of .aged persons, invalids, and perhaps destitute children. Presentation.— lt is intended by Mr Hoskins’ numerous friends to mark the completion of his forty-first year on the stage by presenting him with a testimonial and a complimentary benefit. The benefit will take place on the' 13th August, that being the anniversary of the date of his first appearance. The presentation will bo made on the occasion. Improvements at the Railway Station. —The new platform at the Christchurch Railway station, opposite that now in use, is all but completed, and will no doubt be found very convenient when brought into use. The only fault to be found with it is that it appears somewhat small to carry the growing traffic. The bridge over the line is now completed, and will be used as soon as the work connected with the new platform is finished. Fatal Accident. —On Friday last a man named William Fairbairn, while working in the grain store of Messrs King and Co., Cashel street, met with an accident which has since terminated fatally. The injuries he sustained were caused by some sacks of grain falling upon him. On being extricated it was found necessary to convey him to the Hospital, where he died yesterday morning. At the inquest this afternoon evidence showed that the death was accidental, and a verdict in accordance with the facts was returned.

Collision'. —Yesterday morning, between eight and nine o’clock, a collision occurred in Colombo street between two carts, one driven by a lad named Ernest Eord, in the employ of Mr Mein, and the other by a milkman named Levenston, residing on the North town belt. Ford, in endeavoring to pass the cart in front of him, took the centre of the road, but his horse shying, caused the shaft of the vehicle ho was in to come into violent contact with the other cart, breaking one of the spokes of a wheel and doing other damage. Theatrical. —Mr Martin Simoneen with the Bent and Cheevcr Minstrels has arrived at the Bluff from Melbourne perArawata. They will play a short season in Dunedin, and then come on here. Mr Gtoorge Lingard, the general agent of the U.S. Minstrels is acting as the advance courier of the new company. We are about to have a series of dramas by a colonial author, Mr J. J. Utting, at the Theatre Royal here. The first of these, “ Redemption,” will be played on August 25th. A circus which has recently been performing in Tasmania has reached Dunedin, and opens this evening. The company will make th.eir way northwards shortly. Messrs Notter and Webb, with their Marionette show', intend doing Wellington, the up-country towns, and Napier, before coming here. Mr J. Gardiner is acting as agent and manager. Mr Hooper and Miss Bessie Vivian, after being some time out of regular engagements, proceed to Wellington to play a short season at the Wellington Theatre Royal. Inteebeovincial Football Match.— The following North Canterbury men have been chosen by the selection committee to go in for training for (ho Interprovincial match against Otago, viz.:—T. P. Baker, G. Bolton, E. Chapman, F. Cotterill, J. R. Evans’, J. S. Field, W. Hart] and, W. E. Leach, M. Lewin, H. H. Loughnan, W. Million, A. M, Ollivier, L. M. Ollivier, G. 11. Parker, M. S. Smith, and J. Wilkin. The above will meet at Eadcliffe’s Hotel at 5.15 p.m. ' r sharp to day, when arrangements will be made for going into regular training. Of the Otago team, the Dunedin “Star” says : —'The following are the probable name's of the players from winch the Interprovinoial team will be chosen : —Rose, Murray, Dixon, Mills, A. Cargill, Turton, MTunnon, A. Y. Smith, Nicole, M‘Lean, Svu ere, Thomson, Austin, Woodhouse, Sleigh, Westenra, Kennedy, W. Cargill, Dmler, Wynks, James, M'Pherson, and Crawshaw. The eleven first-named are nearly all certain to be in the fifteen, and were all in the team that went North last year. Of the remaining men, Thomson, Westsnra, Duder, and Wynks arc the last forwards, while Crawshaw, James, and Austin are good half and throc-quartor backs.

Mr Booth’s Suspension.— A Royal Commission, consisting of Messrs M'Kellar and Woodward, are now enquiring into the charges against Mr Booth, Land Purchase Commissioner. It is observable that a great many of the Government journals have condemned Mr Booth and belauded the Government in anticipation of the enquiry, and while Mr Booth was simply under suspension.

Centralising towards Dunedin.— The “ Westport Times ” is informed that orders have been given by the Government that all survey maps, plans of public worxs, and land records, referring to the South Island, shall be taken to Dunedin, and that one-half of the staff of the department are under orders to move to Dunedin, where, under the control of Mr Blair, a distinct branch of the service will be organised. Commenting on the above, the “ West Coast Times ” says:—Assuming that this information is correct, this looks like the insertion of the thin end of the wedge to win, what Mr Macandrew has long set his heart on, the restitution to Dunedin of some of her so-called rights. I his may be an excellent idea from a Dunedin point of view, but how about the central and northern portion of the South Island ? Dancy the trouble, the inconvenience, and delay if the West Coast communities, for instance have to refer to Dunedin in all matters concerning public works.

Auckland Children’s Home —The following evidence was given by Mr Swanson to a committee appointed to enquire why children ran away from the Home. Mr Stickley, it should be stated, is the master. Mr Swanson said—ln passing along lie saw one child nursing his finger. There was a piece of rag on it, but it was loose. “ Oh,” said the master, “ a little kerosene will cure him.” The child had lost the tip of one of his fingers in the pinion of the mangle. Mr Stickley said that several of them had done that, that no doubt several would again, but that particular boy would not do it again. Mr Swanson suggested that the pinion should be protected or covered, and Mr Stickley said it could not be done. On going outside, they saw a child who looked much older and more worn than his years appeared to account for. His countenance seemed older than nature. When inquiry was made about that child, the master said, “ Oh, he will not trouble us long! he is off to kingdom come!” The child seemed otherwise well clothed, and one or two of the other children seemed to be told off to look after him. He objected principally to the tone and manner in which Mr Stickley spoke. Ho saw some pieces of scantling lying against the house, which were evidently used as rammers. They were roughly pointed at the top, and the handle of each consisted of a spike nail. They were wholly unfit for such a purpose. If it was desired to teach a boy to hate work, that was the kind of tool to give him.

Winter in the Ranges. —Mr Thos. Power, the driver of the Hokitika coach, gives a very graphic description of the difficulties which beset travellers from the West Coast owing to the recent heavy fall of snow and the severe weather experienced on the ranges lately. So far as his post as driver of the coach is concerned, that portion of his duty has been a sinecure lately, as the coach has been unable to come through for the past few weeks. The mails and passengers have had to be packed over, in many cases the latter undergoing great hardships, and some narrow* escapes from frost bites have occurred. The track through the ranges has been through a wall of snow, a narrow road having been cut through it, and the snow being some distance above the horses. The Lakes present a very pretty appearance, being entirely frozen over, and some very good skating has been obtained on them. Last week in coming over Mr Power found a man lying on the snow, who had been out all night, and who had a very narrow escape of his life. So far gone was ho, that he had to be strapped on to the pack-horse and brought to the Gass, where he was rubbed with snow, and other means adopted to restore the circulation. Some idea may bo formed of the cold at the Cass, when it is mentioned that at the hotel all the bottled beer was frozen, and to enable the landlord (o procure supplies from the casks of draught beer, a pan of live coals w r as placed under the tap. At last even this expedient failed, as the beer became frozen in the casks. Yesterday the milder weather had the effect of melting the snow somewhat, and it is anticipated that the coach will be able to get through a portion of the way n*xt tr ip.

Riccaeton Eoad Disteict. — A meeting of the ratepayers of this district was held in the Eoad Board office, Upper Sicoarton, for the purpose of considering the resolution of the Eoad Board re the widening of the Fendaltown road which was passed at the last meeting of the Board. The resolution of the Board was as follows—“ That in the opinion of this Board it is desirable to widen to 50ft. that portion of the Fendaltown road extending from the boundary line between the properties of Messrs Colehan and Oookson to the road intersecting rural section No. 199 (150 chains more or lees) ; that the strip of land required he taken off the southwest side of the road, and that a footpath be made on the same side 10ft. in width ; that the cost of fencing and formation be borne by the Board; that the land required bo g’vcn free of cost by the owners thereof ; and that in the event of the work costing more than the ordinary price of footpaths, viz., £2 17s 6d per chain, Mr Boag pay the balance.” The meeting last night was largely attended. The chair was taken by Mr H. .1. Hall, who read the above resolution, and gave an estimate of the cost of the proposed, work, which had been prepared by the surveyor, amounting to £536 10s, or £3 13s lid per chain. After a long and animated discussion a resolution was carried endorsing the resolution of the Board in all points except the fencing, it being the opinion of a majority of the meeting that, the owners of land benefited by the proposed change should pay for the fencing of their own land. A vote of thanks to the chairman terminated the proceedings.

Charitable Aid Boaed. — A meeting of the Charitable Aid Board will bo held at the Hospital this evening at seven o'clock, to take into consideration matters relative to the removal of the Old Men’s Home at Selwyn.