NEWS OF THE DAY.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1410, 22 August 1878, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Mayobal Banquet.—lt is understood that bis Worship the Mayor of Christchurch will give a banquet to the members of the Houses of Assembly, Mayors pf boroughs, and others who will be present in Christchurch on Saturday week. Missing Man.—The man Cross, who with his little daughter was reported on Tuesday to be missing, had not been found up to a late hour last night. The police have received information that a man arid child answering to their description had been seen on Tuesday morning at the Christchurch railway station, and were believed to have gone North. Habitual Deunkaeds' Bill.— The Habitual Drunkards' Bill, introduced by Dr. CflmTon in the Imperial Parliament, has a good chance of becoming law ; indeed, it has already passed the second reading. It would empower the local authorities to establish curative retreats, and any drunkard who voluntarily enters one of these houses may be detained for a year, even against his will, should he change his mind after once submitting himself to the treatment. The dangerous clauses, which would have enabled relatives to place an habitual drunkard in charge, have been wisely dropped, as liable to abuse.

Tub Cibctts.—There was another change of programme at the Circus last evening. Messrs Duvalli, Walhalla, and Lewis, gave a very clever performance on the single bar, and Mdlle. Annereau was successful in her equestrian act. The comic net with the hats by Messrs Benhamo and Walhalla was exceedingly funny, and Mr Hayes's riding elicited loud applause. The feat of the evening, however, was . performed by Mdlle. De Granville who, in aadition to her remarkable performance with the chair, carried Master Willie with her to the roof of the circus, having no other hold on the rope but by her teeth. The other acts in the second part were well perform el, and generally the audience seemed highly pleased with the entertainment. To-night the same bill will be repeated, and on Saturday next another matinee performance will be given, commencing at 2.30. Voluntaby Destitution.—A day or two ago a man named Lehman, more generally known as Schnapps, a wood cutter, who resides alone in a small house on Ohoka road, Kaiopoi, was discovered in a very weak and helpless condition. A passer-by was attracted towards the house by the cries of the old man, and on entering it found the place in a state of great filth, in the midst of which Lehman apparently had lived for some time. He stated that for three days he had been too ill to move, or succeed in attracting attention. He was forthwith removed to better quarters, to be taken care of. His case was also represented to the local authorities for the administration of relief, but as they were aware that Lehman had a sum of about £4OO in the bank, they have properly declined to afford him relief.

The C. K. B. Minstrels.—The second programme of the Minstrels drew a capital house last night at the theatre, despite the unpleasant state of the weather. The first part of the programme comprised songs new here, all of" which were well sung. Mr Drayton sang a very pretty ballad, " Who knows if they will meet again ?" with much taste and feeling, and the same may be said of Mr Roper's " Annie, dear, I'm called away." Mr Campbell sang "Speak to me, speak," nicely, but he was evidently suffering from a severe cold, and was not in such good voice as on previous occasions. Mr Vernon Keid sang " Every home has lost its darling " with a great deal of pathos and sweetness ; Messrs Cheevers and Bent were very funny in their items. The finale to the last part was one in which Mr Bent drilled a defence corps. In the second part Messrs Cheevers and Kennedy gave some new German and Irish delineations, exhibiting the rapidity with which they can change their costumes, and also noticeable for the faithfulness with which the various dialects are rendered. They were loudly applauded and recalled. Mr Campbell sang " Here upon my vessel's deck" capitally, and was warmly applauded. In the sketch, "He would be an actor," Mr Bent kept the house in a roar of laughter, and he was ably seconded by Messrs Cheevers, Campbell, and Drayton. A cornet solo by Mr Thompson, " Alice where art thou," followed, after which Mr Cheevers gave a song and dance, and Mr Yornon Reid sang " Tell me Mary how to woo thee" successfully. A very laughable farce terminated the entertainment. The same programme will be repeated this evening.