NEWS OF THE DAY.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1412, 24 August 1878, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

City Kates. —We learn that the rates for the present year are coming in freely. Over a thousand pounds have heen paid during the week now ended. From Christchuhcii to Dunedin.—lt will be seen from our telegranhic columns t\it the la 4 rail connecting Dunedin with Ohristchurch will be laid on Monday afterneon. Thanksgivings fob Peach.—We would remind our readers that there will be thanksgivings offered up,in the English Churches tomorrow for the peace that now so happily prevails between England and Rusaia. Asphalting.—The asphalting of the city goes on apace. At the present time the contractor is concentrating his energies upon that portion of Oxford Terrace between Madras str et and Manoheeter "street, a piece of work that has been required for some time past. Legal.—His Honor Mr Justice Johnston held a sitting in Chambers yesterday, when several formal motions were disposed of. On Tuesday a sitting in banco will be held before their Honors Mr Justice Johnston and Mr Justice Williams. The Sewage op Chbistohuech.—At the meeting of the Drainage Board yesterday the tender of Mr C. W. Turner for the supply of drain pipes for the sewage works contemplated by the Board was accepted. Infectious Diseases. The number of cases of infectious diseases reported to the Board of Health during the past fortnight was ten, comprising typhoid and scarlet fever, low fever, and scarlatina. The Hunt Club.—On Friday the hounds of the C.H.C. threw off at Mullins' Terminus Hotel, and after a smart run in a direction through Oxford proper, returned to L>vo's Hotel, and then back to the starting point. There was a fair attendance of riders. Boabd of Education.—The following gentlemen have been nominated to fill the seat at the Board of Education for North Canterbury, vacant by the resignation of Mr Rolleston: Messrs Q-. Booth, E. C. J. Stevens, A. H. Cunningham, and Rev. J. Mcintosh. The election will be held on Thursday, September sth. The Missing Man. The man Henry Oros?, who left his home at Sydenham on Tuesday last, taking with him hi* little daughter, eventually turned up in Wellington. A. telegram was received yesterday at the police depot from Inspector Atchison, stationed there, that he had forwarded Cross and his child to Lyttelton by the Arawata, which left at 2 p.m., and on his arrival in Lyttelton the local police will see that he returns to his home. 1.0.G-.T.—The anniversary of the Southbrook Lodge of Good Templars was celebrated by a tea and entertainment, in the district schoolroom, on Thursday evening. There was a large attendance at the public meeting, which was presided over by Mr E. R. Good, D.D.G-.W.0.T., when s-mgs were given by Mrs Douglas, Messrs Hammond and Dorn, and ducts by Messrs Hammond and Puschel, readings by Messrs Withers and .las. Thompson, Tecitations by Masters Keir, Ivory, and Sinclair, and addresses by the Rev. H. R. Wilkinson, Mr 8. Wallis, and the chairman. Mrs Oannell presided ably at the piano. Boy Run Oyeb.—At about two o'clock yesterday afternoon an accident occurred in Armagh street, near the crossing of Colombo street. A lad was sitting on a loaded express holding a looking glass in his hands. The express was being turned at a moderatoly quick pace when the lad lost his balance and was thrown off the vehicle, a hind wheel o? which passed over him. He got up and staggered to the footpath. The driver of the express at once got down and carried the lad to Dr. Deamt'r's, and thence in a oab to Dr. Doyle's. He was afterwards taken to his own home in Burbadoes street. No bones were broken, but no doubt the accident must have caused some painful bruises. Opawa Conceht. —The concert given by tie bachelors in aid of the fund for lighting St. Mark's Church with gas took place last evening in the schoolroom, and vjas a complete success throughout. There was a very lnrge attendance, about 250 being present. Mr Tipping occupied the chair and briefly opened the proceedings. The programme ootnmeneed with the glee " The hardy Norseman," which was very nicely sung by Messrs Darby, Snow, Taylor, and Nicholls. Mr Darby then sang " Kitty Tyrrell " wells, a?d was followed by Mr Taylor with " Thy voice is near,'' which was well rendered. The duet " The Sailo?; ejgbl," by Messrs Nicholls and Dayby was enoored, and was responded to by the repetition of the last verso. Mr Snow sang " The Village Blacksmith" well, and then Mr Stewdman gave a humorous reading, "How Mr Butterwick bought a horse," which was loudly applauded." h\v Brewster's song " Come Dorothy " was highly appreciated, us was also the glee which followed by. Messrs Darby, Snow, Taylor, n.nd Nicholls, " Sweet and low." Mr Nicholls then eaug "The Arab's Farewell to his Steed," which was encored, and responded to with " Say, my heart." A duet, " Morning," by Messrs* Taylor and Darby, closed the first part. In the second part the most noticeable items were Mr Geldart's pianoforte solo, Mr Brewster's song, "The Cavalier," encored and responded to with " The good-bye at the door." The songs by Messrs Darby and Nieholls, a glee by the quartette before mentioned, and the " Four Jolly Smiths," by Mr Snow. Mr Nicholls also deserves commendation for his Binging of " Let me like a soldier fall," and the same may be said of the vocal, duet, "Am I not fondly thine bwnr"' by Messrs Taylor and Darby, with violin accompaniment cj Mr Nicholls. The National Anthem concluded a most successful entertainment. Mr Geldart accompanied the various songs in a very satisfactory manner. At the close, Tipping proposed a vote of thanks to the gentlemen who had so thoroughly entered into the work, particularly Mr Nichols, and to whose efforts the suoceei of the entertainment was mainly due,

Tub Circus.—The International Circus performance last evening attracted a very good house, and the various items on the programme were gone through with great success. The clever performance of Mdlle. De Granvillo, the funny act of Messrs Benhamo and Walhalla with the hats, and the riding of Mr Hayes, all received a duo share of applause, St. Luke's Pabibh Debt.—The members of St. Luke's Vestry, assisted by an influential committee of ladies, are organising a sale and gift auction on an extensive scale, for the purpose of reducing the debt in connection wi'h the parish, which amounts to upwards of £7OO. The sale will rake place in the Oddfellows' Hull, Lichfield street, on the 4th of September, and the co-operation of the parishbners and friends is eari estly invited. Immigrants from Australia. - Mr C. W. Wood, of Timaru, who has been for a trip to Sydney, arrived at Lyttelton by the Wafcatipu yesterday, bringing with him a collection of Australian birds, &c, viz, fourteen cockatoos of various species, a parrot, six laughing jackasses, nine piebald mice, an opossum and young one, a ferret, three wallabies, six guinea pigs, and a number of splendid gold fish. Buggy Accident. —On Friday Dr. Ovenden, of Kaiapoi, met with a buggy accidei.t. lie had taken the reins, and was leaving a patient's house, when one of the hame straps of the harness gave way. The horse drew forward, and then commenced to disengage itself from the harness and buggy. In doing so it dragged Dr. Orenden out, and the buggy went over his head, the servant man being thrown violently out on the other side. Before the horse freed itself from the buggy the vehicle was a perfect wreck. Dr. Ovenden was cut about his head, and the man was severely bruised. Wharfage Dues.—At the Harbor Board meeting yeslerdnyMr Harman, the actingchairman, called attention to the loss of interest which would be entailed upon the Board if the Government persists in the system which they are adopting of having the portion of the wharfage dues which are paid; through the railway department, forwarded to Wellington and then returned to Lyttelton. Trifling as the loss of time thus necessitated might appear, Mr Harman stated that it wouH cause a loss to the Board of not less than £2O a year. Northern Railway.—Mr D. Leach, subinspector of permanent way on this railway, has received intimation that in consequence of contemplated changes his services will be no longer required. As he had been employed on the line since it was made, and for nearly nine years on the lines in Canterbury, he petitioned to receive similar employment on any other New Zealand line, but has now been informed by the engineer in charge that it is not intended to do away with the office, though it was desirable a change should be made, and his successor has been appointed. Mr Salmon, C.E., is Mr Leach's successor. The C. K. B Minstrels.—There was a very large attendance last night at the theatre, when the Minstrels were again very successful. The various songs in the first part went exceedingly well, and received due appreciation from the audience. Messrs Cheevers and Kennedy, in their sketch, drew forth loud applause, and had to respond to a double encore. Mr Campbell sang "The Village Blacksmith " very nicely, and Mr Reid was successful in " When other Lips." The feature of the evening was, however, Mr Martin Simonsen's violin solo, which was a masterly piec? of instrumentation. It comprised a fantasia on English and Irish airs, which wos played in a manner leaving nothing to be desired, and was certainly a great musical treat. It was enthusiastically encored, and Mr Smionsen responded with " The Lart Rose of Summer," which was given with much taste and delicacy of execution, and was loudly applauded. The farces went capitally, and altogether the entertainment was a most enjoa'ile one throughout. To-night the same programme will bo repeated. Gymnastic Exhibition.—Last night at the Gymnasium attached to the Normal School, Mr Walker and the members of his class g ive an exhibition of gymnastics before a numerous company. Though Mr Walker prefaced the performance with a brief speech to the effect that the performance was but a series of " progress exercises," there was little need for such an announcement, the style in which the various feats of strength and agility were gone through being, for the most part, worthy of experienced gymnasts. The following was the programme for the evening—Free exercises, horizontal bar, vertical poles, trapeze, parallel bars, horizontal ladders, Roman rings, climbing ropes, the beam, incline ladder, incline board, French vaulting. In the foregoing all the members took pirt Besides these, there were boxing, Messrs Walker and Davis, and Indian clubs, Messrs Walker and Gundersen. The programme was divided into three parts, the intervals between which were occupied respect ively by a violin solo played by Mr James 0 and a flute solo played by Mr A. Gunderren. Mr Schwartz presided at the piano during fcl e evening, and all these gen'L - men kinrilv gave their serviees. At the close of the enter bailment, wluVh was frequently applauded, a vole of thanks to Mr Walker ar.d his 'kllow gymnasts was carried by acolamaat ion. Hotel Improvements.—Vory extensive imnrovsments are about to be made in the Wellington Hotel, Tuam street. Indeed the old building will be entirely swept away and in its place a handsome three-storey brick hotel erected. Mr J. S. M. Jacobsen has just completed the plana, and when finished, the new hotel will be »i credit to Christchurch and an ornamont to the city. The accommodation, as will be seen from the following description, will be ample, and the latest improvements in the matter of furnishing, fittings, &3., will be used, so that the new Wellington Hotel will be in no way inferior to any of the already existing hotels. The front elevation is in the Italian style, richly ornamented with pilaster columns, &",., and having an ornamental coping and balustrade at the top on the first floor. There will be a commercial room 24ft. x 20ft. ; entrance hall, Bft. x 6ft. ; two sitting rooms each lift, x 10ft. aud 12ft. x 10ft; bar, 27ft. x 16ft; and bar parlor, 26ft. x 15ft. The dining room is 33ft. x 20ft. and ia divided from the coremercid room by sliding doors, so that these two rooms can, if necessary, be made into one. The kitchens, storerooms, &0., on this floor are very commodious, being well lighted and ventilated. On the second storey, which is reached by a broad and handsome staircase, are three sitting rooms, each 19ft. x 18ft. ; fourteen bedroomg each 12ft. x 12ft., and a bathroom. The third storey comprises twenty-one badrooms, each 12ft. square, and a ballroom, so that the total sleeping accommodation of the hotol will be thirty-five rooms.