NEWS OF THE DAY.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1567, 26 February 1879, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Tkmplary.—The members of the 'Rainbow Lodge, 10 Q-.T., have arranged to give an entertainment at the Wesleyan Schoolroom, Lyttelton, to-morrow night, the proceeds to be devoted to the piano fund.

Poisoning Cass. —Between twelve and one o’clock to-day the wife of Mr T. Q-oodyear, cab proprietor, was preparing dinner, when she was observed by a little girl to throw something into her mouth. Symptoms of poisoning immediately showed themselves, the alarm was given, and she was removed to the Hospital by direction of Dr. Nedwill, who happened to be passing at the time. The symptoms at present are not very dangerous, but it will be late in the afternoon before anything definite will be alfie to be said about her condition by the doctors. Stealing frt m a Vinery.—During last night, some one effected an entrance into the vinery of Mr J. Boot, which is situated at the junction of Kilmore and Manchester streets. The thief got in through a window, and tore off a largo quantity of grapes, doing damage to the extent of £2O. He took some splendid fruit, including some that Mr Boot was saving for the show, and scattered a great deal about, not only in the vinery, but along the road. The police are in possession of a clue as to the perpef rator of the theft. The Immigrant Ship Boyne.—This ship was signalled at 2 p.m. to-day. She is from Plymouth and has 400 immigran's aboard. She has been 99 days out.

Volunteers.—The Volunteers from the South who are about to take partin the meeting at Nelson will arrive by this evening’s express.

The Nelson Volunteer Meeting.—The Union Steamship Company will carry Volunteers’ wives going to Nelson with their husbands, for the rifle competition in March, at excursion rates.

Returning Colonist.—Mr Reader Wood, who it, will be remembered, resigned his seat for Parnell and went Home early last year, is expected to return to the colony shortly. There was at one time some idea of asking him to stand for Auckland City West,

Ashbueton Boeouoh Council—As will be seen by the report of the proceedings of the above Council on Monday night, it has been resolved to proceed with Messrs Foots and Son's water supply scheme, as approved of by Mr Hardy Johnston, at once. At a committee meeting held yesterday, Messrs Foots and Son were instructed to go on with the necessary worting plans and drawings immediately, in order that there may bo no delay. The CeopS at Chhetsey.—The harvest operations in this district are now nearly completed. The whole of the crops are cut and stacked, and, with the number of threshing machines in the district, farmers intending to sell will shortly be delivering. The railway accommodation will then bo taxed to its utmost, unless plenty of trucks can be obtained. The bulk of the grain crops are turning out well. There are some light crops, but the general average will equal that of other districts. Some barley crops are turning out splendidly.

Telbqeaph Efficiency. The recent accident at Kaitangata necessarily involved considerable pressure upon the telegraph department, and especially upon the single wire which connects Kaitangata with Dunedin. Some blame having been thrown upon the department for their inability to make that one wire do the work of three, it is right to state that our long messages in connection with the accident have been sent through in a very satisfactory manner, the main portion of them having been first forwarded to Dunedin, and thence telegraphed, thus preventing the Kaitangata wire being overladen.

Kaiapoi Chubch.—Special harvest thanksgiving services were held in this church on Sunday last, morning and evening, the Rev. D. O. Hampton, curate, officiating. The chancel, desks, lamps, and brackets were decorated with evergreens and flowers, those over the reredos having a very pretty effect. Sheaves of wheat and other grain and also fruit were introduced into the decorations. The Psalms, lessons, and sermons were appropriate to the occasion Mrs HHrdcy presiied at the organ and the singing was very good.

Presbyterian General Assembly —The General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church met again yesterday morning and evening, and got through a good deal of business. In the evening interesting paper# we e read upon “ R ligion,” and “ The Christian Ministry, its Place, and Powers.” It is expected that the sessions will last until Saturday next. The Auckland members have not arrived yet with the exception of the Rev. D. Bruce, but they are expected to be present to-day.

Important to Mobtoaobks. —His Honor Judge Ward, in delivering judgment yesterday, in Bray v. Hutchinson and another, drew attention to a point of importance to holders of bills of sale and mortgaged. He said : “ It may he as well for holders of bills of sale to know that they are only entitled to the expenses actually paid by them on a sale, and that if a mortgagee agree with an auctioneer that five per cent commission bo charged on sale of the mortgaged estate or chattels with a private stipulation that one-half or any portion of such commission be returned, the proceeding is termed a fraud in law, unless the portion of the commission returned be accounted for to the mortgagor.” Gaiety Theatre.— Dr Ferrari repeated his performance last evening at the Gaiety Theatre to a good house. He will appear again to-night. Colombo Road School.— Miss M. Taylor, of the Lower Heathcote school, and Mr L. Kastou, late of Hokitika, have been appointed as secotid mistress and second master of the Colombo road school There are now 1100 children on the roll of this school.

Local Industry.— The Kaiapoi Woollen Manufactory Company have recently turned out some very superior manufactures in the shape of blankets, which are now on view at Messrs J. Ballantyne and Co.’s. The blankets are of puao lambswool, Bft. 4in. long and 7ft. Sin. wide, weighing lOlbs. per pair. The finish is exceedingly good and altogether highly creditable to the company.

Proposed New Hotel at Sydenham.— A new hotel is übout to be erected by Air 8. Lawrence, at the corner of Third street and Colombo road, Sydenham, which, when completed, will form a very handsome addition to the buildings in that neighbourhood. It is to bo built of brick on a concrete foundation, and will consist of three storeys. In the basement there will be bar and rending room, dining-room, and several large sitting-rooms. On the first floor, in addition to twelve bedrooms, there will be two sitting-rooms, and on the upper floor there will be nine bedrooms. The entire building will be 80ft. long by 55ft. 6iu. in depth. It is stated by Mr Lawrence that a numerously signed petition is being got up in favour of a license being granted at the next meeting of the Licensing Court. Action Against a Borough. —lt is stated by a Northern contemporary that a writ for £4OOO, at the instance of Mrs Hair, has been served on the Borough Council of Wanganui for alleged damages sustained by interference with Virginia Lake. The Council have determined to defend the action.

History op Australasia. —A capital and instructive work, by David Blair, of Melbourne, bearing this title has been recently issued from the Edinburgh Press. This book, which is of an exhaustive character, has evidently been carefully compiled from all available data, and includes descriptions of all . the most important of the discoveries in Australasia from the time of Marco Polo and Vasco de Gama to the explorations of Burke and Wills. Separate accounts of the_ colonization of New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, West Australia, Tasmania, New Zealand, New Guinea, and Fiji, form a large portion of this work, and very useful and accurate maps of each colony are given. The , illustrations are numerous and good, and comprise portraits of eminent explorers and pioneers of coloniiation —Captain Cook, Dampier, Burke and Wills, Stuart, Forrest, Grey, and several others of note. Views of forest scenery in Tasmania, Australia, and New Zealand, are also worthy of mention, together with a spirited sketch of an incident of the Maori war. A supplementary chapter gives a number of interesting Australian anecdotes, and several Maori fables and legends. The general excellence of the work, which is well printed in large clear type and handsomely bound, fit the volume for a.ny household, and the care and diligence which have been used in compilation make this work what its author claims for it in his preface, “an Australasian library in a single volume.” This book has been imported by Messrs Thompson and McNiven. Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Association. - The usual monthly meeting of this association will take place on Thursday afternoon next at 2 30. St. Augustine Lodge, No. CO9.—A lodge of instruction will be held this evening at 7.30. Philosophical Institute.—A meeting of this institute will be held at the Public Library at 7.30 on Thursday evening.

At a funeral in the country, an undertaker was directing the ceremonial, when he noticed a little man giving orders, and, as he thought, encroaching upon the privileges of his own office. Ho asked him, ‘An’ wha are ye, mi maun, that tak’ sae muckleonye?’ ‘Oh, dinra ye ken?’ said the man, under an evident sense of his own importance, ‘I am the corpse’s brither!’ At a fancy dress ball in Paris recently, a lady was seen in a low-bodied dress of green gauze. She was politely asked by a gentleman what she personated. “The sea, Monsieur.” “At low tide then, madame.” The lady blushed and the gentleman smiled. Property in Hokitika is by no means so valuable as it used to be, or ought to be. From Greymouth we hear of a (startling sale. Mr J. Jones’s hotel there changed hands recently, the consideration being one shilling. Greymouth must be a paradise. With twenty feet of water on the bar, and hotels to be picked up for twelve pence each, who would not live in that charming town ?