NEWS OF THE DAY.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1426, 10 September 1878, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Oddfellows’ Hall, Lyttelton— The Riley and Allen’s Minstrel Troupe did not perform last nigh as advertised, in consequence of the inclement state ot the weather, but they will appear this evening, and if the weather is fine no doubt will draw a large house.

Death of Mlle, Annekeau. —It will be learned with regret that Mrs Wallace, whose professional name was Mdlle. Annereau, died early this morning from the effects of a fall sustained by her in the circus about a week ago. She was enacting “ The Four Seasons,” when the horse she was riding stopped suddenly, causing her to fall. Her arm was fractured in throe places, and the shock to her system brought on lock jaw. _ She lingered until lust night when convulsive fits set in, and she expired, gs already mentioned, shortly after midnight. The deceased lady had won much esteem, from all who knew her by her amiability, and great sympathy is expressed by fellow professionals for her husbaiid, U.r Wallace.

The Recent Case of Destitution From inquires made at the Hospital, it appears that the girl, Kate .O’Malley, was not refused admission. Mr Pridgeon, tho acting housesurgeon, was perfectly willing to admit heron the recommendation of a medical man, but tho girl herself refused to get out of the police van, saying there was nothing the matter with her, and it was tho Lunatic Asylum she wished to be admitted into and not tho Hospital. The statement as to her recent recovery from typhoid fever was also incorrect, as the books of tho hospital showed that she was an inmate as far back as January, and was discharged cured at tho latter end of the ao£t mouth,

City Council.—A. formal meeting of the City Council was adjourned last night till tomorrow evening.

St. Andrew's Entertainment.—Owing to the inclemency of the weather, the entertainment advertised for last night was postponed until Thursday, the 19th instant. Incursion Trains. —Since the magnates have corno and gone over the line to Dunedin, it has been suggested that the railway authorities ought to grant excursion tickets to the public, extending over a fortnight, which would have the effect of bringing many of the Dunedin people into Christchurch.

East Christchurch School —The householders of the East Christchurch school district last night elected a committee in place of that -which lately resigned. There was a large attendance on the occasion, and after the election had ended the new committee held its first meeting, at which the Rev. H. C. M. Watson was appointed chairman.

Christchurch Poultry Association. —A committee meeting of this association was held last night at the Shades, Mr T. Stapleton in the chair. It was decided to send home to eminent fanciers for some choice varieties of canaries, pigeons, and poultry, for which purpose the first remittance of £IOO was to be forwarded at once. A vote of thanks to the chairman terminated the proceedings. Theatre Royal. —The company, who arrived on Sunday afternoon from Wellington, made their re-appearance last night in “Leah the Forsaken.” A persistently rainy night and “ Leah ” indifferently east, are not a cheerful combination of circumstances, and under these conditions the play was produced last night. The result was depression on the part of those who patronised the stalls and pit, which might have communicated itself to those in the dress circle, only it wss—empty. To-night “ The Daughter of the Regiment” will be produced, with Miss Daley in the leading character.

Hokitika Road. —On Saturday last the Hokitika and Christchurch coach for the first time during the last twelve weeks managed to make the through journey in two days, arriving in Christchurch at 3 p.m. Mr Thomas Power left Hokitika at 6 a.m. on the previous day, and some idea of the difficulty of the road may be imagined when it is stated the track through which the coach had to pass in the Otira Gorge had to be cut through a solid mass of snow, leaving a compact wall on either side many feet higher than the roof of the coach. Men were employed until six o’clock on Friday night removing the snow ahead of the coach, and a greit deal of credit is due to both Canterbury and Westland men for the energy they displayed in clearing the track.

Eire. Between three and four o’clock yesterday afternoon, a sod cottage, the property of Mr Harrap, residing opposite the Asylum, on the Lincoln road, was discovered to be on fire. It appears that a laborer, named O’Callaghan, living in the house, had just quitted it. When distant only a few yards he looked back, and saw that the house was in flames. He at once returned, and fortunately was in time to save the principal furniture and effects. There was no insurance on the house, which was completely destroyed. It is supposed that the cause was a spark from the fire, which communicated it to the lath and plaster chimney. Mrs O’Callaghan was lying down asleep at the time, but managed to escape from the burning house without injury. Abusing a Pbisoner. —The Visiting Just'ers of the Wellington Gaol (says the " Post ” of September 4th) at length have come to a decision in reference to the case of the convict Hawkins, who was alleged to have been maltreated by the warders on his recapture, after an attempted escape. The Justices consider that the evidence conclusively proves the prisoner to have received ill-treatment from one of the warders, who has received a severe reprimand, together with a warning that any repetition of such misconduct will be followed by instant dismissal. The Visiting Justices also thought it advisable to caution the warders generally that they must keep strictly within the prescribed rules in their dealings with the prisoners, and that exceeding of their duty will be punished with summary dismissal. Promotion of Canterbury Teachers. — Canterbury teachers seem to meet with considerable success in their applications for appointments outside of the province. Only lately Messrs Hill, Loughrey, and Edge have moved to superior appointments elsewhere. The “ Nelson Mail” of Sept. 6th says : —We understand that Mr J. J. Patterson, one of the masters of the Christchurch Normal School, has been appointed to the mastership of the first division of the town schools. Mr Patterson, besides producing very good certificates and testimonials from Victoria, was warmly recommended by his superior, Mr Howard, Principal of the Christchurch Normal School, an institution that has won a colonial reputation. There were twenty-four applicants, whose testimonials were submitted fo the town committee at their request. The committee signified their entire approval of the appointment of Mr Patterson.

Lectuhe.-— A lecture in connection with Young Men’s Christian Association was delivered lust night by the Rev. R. Waddell, in the Congregational schoolroom, Manchester street. The subject chosen by the lecturer was “Sceptics,” which he treated in a masterly and original manner. Departing from the ordinary theological definition of the term, the lecturer explained his reading of the title to be rather that of the man of onp idea, who only cultivated one faculty and wished to reduce all things to his own standard. He illustrated this by a division of scepticism into four classes; the business sceptic, the vain sceptic, the cynical sceptic, and the religious sceptic. In eloquent language the lecturer pointed out that, by a slavish devotion to one belief to the exclusion ot all sympathy with others, the moral nature of a man was deteriorated. Science looked outuide to one class of facts, and religion looked inside to another class of facts, and each was equally sceptical in all matters that were not reduced to its own standard of proof. A vote of thanks to the lecturer terminated the proceedings. One of Russia’s Q-ains.— Hobart Pasha writes to the London “ Times ” :- I remark that Russia always insists that, however much she may curtail he? demands territorially speaking, her new territory must include the Kilia mouth of the Danube. Of course it must —that is, if she is to have anything of great value commercially and strategically, for the following reasons \ —At the Kilia, or northernmost outlet, or, as it is called, branch, of the Danube, the sand-banks are growing so fast to seaward that already a harbor fairly protected from all winds has been formed between the point of sand at the entrance of the branch and the main land, a distance of about two miles ; in fact, during the late war I was anchored there with several ships in perfect safety. In a few years a capital harbor will be formed. Admiral Sprett, R.N., who has surveyed that coast, can corroborate what I state. In addition to this, there is another point of still greater importance connected with the Kilia branch ot the Danube which should be generally known. It is this —that whoever commands the Kilia branch of the Danube commands all trade in that river ; at all events, so far as the entrance and some ten miles upward is concerned ; because by deepening the channel in that branch he would invito (it must be remembered that the Kilia branch is the first outlet the water in the great river finds in its downward course) the great rush of water into its channels. Ibis rush would of course lessen the depth of water in the two other or lower branches, and this little game might bo carried on so as to render Sulina and St. George’s mouths mere mud pools. It may bo all very well to talk of retribution for the manes of the Emperor Nicholas, but I strongly aspect that the great champions of the cause of humanity and religion think more of possessing a snug little port in the Black Sea, with the power of any day stopping the commerce of the Danube, or at ail evento commanding it, than of the dear departed. If Russia is to have Kilia branch of the Danube, the waters, works, A c., must bo in the bands of the European commission of the Danube, or else we shall live to regret it. Yes, and to the very mouth of the branch, and no means must be at hand which would admit of her suddenly taking possession. She is very fond of sudden action j explanations afterward,

Last Week's Customs Duties. — The total Customs duties collected at the Port of Lyttelton during the week ending September 7th (exclusive of beer tax), amounted to £8969 12s 3d.

Maitai Valley Copper Mine. The owners of this mine (says the “ Colonist ”) have now received advices from the proprietors of the smelting works, to which the three tons of ore from the outcrop of the lode was sent for the purpose of testing its value, and the report cannot be otherwise tlian liighly satisfactory to them. It appears that the undressed ore yielded at the rate of 15% per cent., and that the value of this ore in Nelson was £6 6s, but the advisability of dressing the stone was urged. With dressed stone, we are informed the yield would be about 25 to 30 per cent., and there would also be the material advantage to the owners, of the saving of carriage and other charges upon the larger bulk. Mr Newport has handed us samples of both ore and the metal obtained from it, both of which can be seen at this office. Australasian Governors.— His Excellency Sir George Bow r en (says the Melbourne ‘ Telegraph ”) has accepted the Governorship of the island of Mauritius, and will, wo understand, leave Victoria by the November mail, or at latest by that of December. His Excellency’s commission as Governor of Victoria is dated from Osborne, the Isle of *Wight, 23rd May, 1873. His installation, however, did not take place until the Ist of April following, so that the term of six years, for which colonial viceregal appointments generally run, does not expire until April of next year. Though the information of the premature close of Sir George Bowen’s term of office hero will probably surprise the public, it has been known for some time to a limited circle that his Excellency was some time ago advised that he would have the choice of assuming the Governorship of some other colonial possession before the end of the year. We believe that the next Governor of Victoria will bo either Sir Hercules Robinson or the Marquis of Normanby. It has, however, been stated on good authority that Sir Hercules has already declined the honor of coming to Victoria, The present statesmanlike Governor of New Zealand is therefore likely to he Sir George Bowen’s successor.

1.0.G.T. —The members of the Sea Nympho lodge will meet this evening from 7t< 8. After the latter Lour the meeting will be thrown open to the public.

Meeting of Ratepayers. A public meeting, to afford candidates for the City Council an opportunity of meeting the burgesses, will be held to-morrow evening in the Oddfellows’ Hall, at half-past seven.