NEWS OF TEE DAY.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1458, 18 October 1878, Page 2

NEWS OF TEE DAY.

Donation. The Resident Magistrate, Christchurch, desires to acknowledge the receipt of £3 from W. J. G. Bluett, Esq, towards the Christmas treat to the inmates of the Burnham Industrial School. Supeemb Coukt.— The nisi prius sittings of the Supreme Court will coftunpnpe on Monday next, when the special jury cases ee.fi down for trial this session will be taken.

Quarantine Stations.— The report from both stations yesterday was satisfactory, and the patients in hospital are progressing favorably. The health of the people generally is good, and no fresh case of scarlatina has occurred.

Repeievb of Eckius Hoff.— The chief gaoler at Lyttelton yesterday received intimation that his Excellency the Governor has been pleased to act on the recommendation of the jury and his Honor the Judge, and commute the sentence of death passed on Eckins Hoff to imprisonment for life. Muff Ceicebt Matches.— The resumption of those amusing gatherings, knoAvn during last season as Muff Cricket Matches, will be inaugurated on Tuesday next on fche U. 0.0. ground. The sides will be chosen on the ground, and as the responses to the invitation of tho hon. secretary are very numerous, large sides may be anticipated. The Side Channels. —The heavy rain of yesterday afternoon accomplished in a very thorough manner what the sweepers have been unable to do. Half-an-hour after the downpour commenced the side channels, which previously in various streets of the city had been choked pp yjth with dirt and rubbish, were most effectually spoiopd out, but not before they had overflowed in many places. The principal street corners; such as that oi Colombo and Hereford streets, and many othep localities, were miniature lakes, while at that portion of Oxford terrace between the Resident M'agWtete’s Court and the Provincial Buildings, the pvergOWed the footpath Wad.® its way down fc be bank into the river,

The Canterbury AtfEqspjMt'fTSAii and Pastoral Society’s Silver Mpp^p—lt may be .remembered that at the last Agricultural Show, Messrs Ballantyne and Co. were awarded silver medals for their magnificent display of blankets, woollen goods, and flannels. Messrs Coates and Ob, were entrusted with the order of providing these medals, which, yesterday, arrived from Home, and were handed over to the winners. The medals are three in number. On the reverse side they bear the inscription, “ Awarded to J.« Ballantyne and Co, for “blankets,” “woollen goods,” and “flannels” (respectively), BT.Z. manufacture, 1877.” The inscription Js surrounded by a laurel wreath. The obverse side contains a yery pretty design in bas-reliel|frost'ed. In three- centres, placed in a triangle, are the Heads of a horse', an oX, and a sheep. Underneath js a plough, and above and around it, sheaves of corn. Around the rims run the inscription, “Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Association.” The whole is very sharply and clearly cut. The Fiek Brigade Demonstration.— Mr Superintendent Harris has forwarded a letter to the secretary of the Dunedin Fire Brigade, fully explaining the reasons why it wotfld he impossible to entertain the visitors if they pame' up on the 9th November, but giving them a cordial inyltetion to be present and take part in toe torchlight of the 16th December. A picnic has been suegested by the secretary of the Dunedin 1 Brigade, but in all probability th® demonstration will take the form of a dinner, at which, 12 addition to the Christchurch, Kaiapo}, and Lyttelton brigades, it is proposed that the Dunedin, Port Chalmers, and Mormngton brigades shall be present; W the projec is carried out, po pains will be beared to make this dinner a great success, as it will u* top first occasion of th£ meeting together of these brigades. The torchlight procession will fiake place after the dinner, and on the following day a meeting of the whole will bo held for the purpose of appointing delegates to make arrangements for the grand demonstration of 1879.

Dancing in Sciioom.— ln the course of the meeting of the Board of Education yesterday, the question of committees allowing the cchoolhouses to bo let for dancing was brought up ; and it was remarked that such a practice was very objectionable. It was stated by the chairman that as a matter of fact all the furniture of sue); schools was cleared away into the open air and not put back till the morning, often having to stand a pouring rain throughout the night. One of the members considered that the schoolmaster was the proper custodian of school furniture, and that for his own sake ho would not allow it to be damaged if he could help it. Mr Duncan remarked, however, that, as a rule, schoolmasters were more or less the servants of the committees, and did not as a rule care about going against their wishes. The matter then dropped without any formal resolution being rapved on the subject,

Funeral of Ret. W. F. Oldham. —The funeral of the late Bey. W. F. Oldham, incumbent of Kaiapoi, took place on Thursday. The Yen, Archdeacon Dudley conducted the service. The body was carried a mile from the church to the cemetery by relays of bearers. A drenching rain fell during the whole of the proceedings. The West Christchurch School Baths. —The baths of this school were last night pumped out by the steam fire engine Deluge, the operation taking something less than two hours. It may be stated that the work of emptying the public school baths is undertaken by the fire brigade without fee or reward of any kind. City Improvements. —Messrs Hobday and Co., having purchased the lease of the premises lately occupied by Mr Bone, draper, 11* Cashel street, have, in order to connect the two shops—Sandstein’s, the jeweller’s, being between —commenced the erection at the rear in a very extensive show room, which when completed will be a very advantageous addition to their business premises. Cathedral Square.— Some very necessary repairs are being carried out to the asphalted footpath on the east side of Cathedral Square, in front of the Cathedral, which from the constant stream of traffic has been worn away in patches. In this connection it is not superfluous to ask if it is not high time that the promise made to the residents on the west side were fulfilled, and the asphalte laid from the corner opposite the Bank of New Zealand to the premises of Messrs Heywood and Co. Kaiapoi C.O.—A preliminary meeting of intending members of this cricket club was held at Mr Wilson’s office, on Wednesday evening. There was a moderate attendance, and Mr Pinching was voted to the chair. After some discussion, it was decided that the appointment of officers and adoption of rules be deferred till Monday evening. Messrs A’Court, P. Bate, and Pinching were appointed a committee to obtain information in reference to a practice ground, and the number of probable members. The meeting then adjourned. Ranqiora Wesleyan Church.— On Sun.day the anniversary services of this church were preached by Captain Peek. The attendance at morning and evening service was very large. On Tuesday evening a public tea meeting, at which about 250 were present, took place, the trays being provided by lady members of the congregation. After tea a public meeting was held, at which Mr W. Foster occupied the chair. The statement of accounts of the church was read by Mr B. Ellis. Addresses were given by Revs. Armitage, Ellis, Wilkinson, and Canned. Captain Peek was unable to b,e present. The church choir, led by Mrs Canned, contributed a number of selections, _ The usualjvotes of thanks concluded the meeting. Analysis of Bread. —The following is the conclusion of Professor Bickerton’s report on twelve samples of Christchurch bread lately analysed by him “ The general character and make of these samples of bread, taken as a whole, are very satisfactory, and the above analyses point to the fact that, with the exception of 327 and 329, they are unadulterated. There is strong evidence that potatoes have been used in all cases, but in iQOne of them in quantities sufficient to'be considered £,s an adulteration. Those samples 327 and 329 have tegii adulterated with alum, the former to a considerable extent.—A. W. Bickerton, Analyst, Canterbury {College Laboratory. October 17th, 1878. A sample of powder found on the premises of one of the bakers having been submitted to Professor Bickerton, he certifies as follows “ Having examined the powder received from the police, October 17th, 1878, I find it to consist of common ftem” G-as Company. —A meeting of the shareholders of the Christchurch Q-as, Coal, and Coke Company, was held yesterday at the offices, Gloucester street, Mr E. G. Wright, chairman of the directors, occupied the chair. The chairman briefly explained the objects of the meeting, which were to confirm the resolutions passed at the meeting of the company held in September last. He' might pay that an amendment was moved, which had the effect of raising the remuneration of the directors from £2OO to £4OO. The other busineej! transacted was the adoption of the amended articles association, which had been circulated amongst the shareholders, aud the empowering of the directors jto declare an ad interim dividend of 7 per cent. Mr John Lewis moved —“ That the amended articles of association, as per printed copy circulated amongst the shareholder*, apd as amended by the resolution at last meeting, be confirmed by the present meeting..” Mr'’Tipping seconded the motion, which was agreed to. gg Fpßß.—t-A strong glare of light was perceptible in the Borough of Sydenham about nine o’clock last night. A mounted ponstable was at once sent from thp police depot, and on his return he reported that about nine o’clock a man named John Condon was passing a four-roomed weatherboard cottage, situated in Fifth street, Waltham, which for some time past has been occupied by a woman named Bowen, well known ,to the police, and now in Addington Gaol, when he observed flames in one of the rooms. On forcing the door, which was locked, he found a bed in one of the rooms on fire, and in spite of prompt efforts'to extinguish it the house waa soon consumed. ' The 1 hou'se was tenanted by a woman named Thompson, but she was not at home when the firb broke out. The fire bell gave no alarm, and as yet it is not known whether there was any insurance on the building.' No information could be obtained as to tlie origin of the fire, but probably the particulars will be known to-fidy, as the police avp making enquiries. Constable Brooke, stationed Sydenham, was eaply at the fire, and was speedily fouQyrpd by Sergeant Wilson, but no efforts on their part boufd'baye stopped the progress of the fire.