NEWS OF THE DAY.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1575, 7 March 1879, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Resident Magistrate’s Court.— At today’s sitting Elizabeth Wills, on remand from the 28th of last month, and charg' d with imposing on private individuals, did not appear. The accused had been admitted to bail on one charge, and the bml was estreated. There were three other charges against her, and on these a warrant w. -3 issued for her apprehe- sion. aquatics —A four-oared boat race will take place at Lyttelton on Saturday, March 15th, the crews to consist of members of the composing staffs of the “ Lyttelton Times” and “Press.” The prize is to be a trophy of the value of £lO. The event is looked forward to with great interest by the members of the Fourth Estate. Loth c.cws are in active training, and the race is likely to prove a very exciting one,

! Kaitangata Relief Fund —We are glad to learn that Messrs Bird and Paul have been nv'st successful in their efforts of procuring , subscriptions for this fund. Up to noon to- | day the amount obtained was £202 10s Bd, i besides which they h.avo received promises for j at least another £SO. Much of the time of these gentlemen has been naturally taken up in the exertions consequent on getting together the above sum, and they are consequently anxious to close their list at an as early date as possible. Lyttelton Haruob Bo Ann. —This Board held a long meeting yesterday, when a considerable amount of business was transacted, A report appears elsewhere. Philosophical Institute. The first monthly meeting of the Philosophical Institute of Canterbury was held lasi night at the Public Library. Fifteen new members were elected and three nominated, Mr C. W. Adams read a paper on “A Universal Code of Signals.” Royal Agricultural Society.—A meeting of the committee of the Royal Agricultural Society of New Zealand was hold last evening at the ofliers of the Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Association ; the lion. John Hull in tho chair The Chairman explained the steps which had been taken for giving i fleet to the resolutions of the meeting of delegates at Oamaru. Tho number of gentlemen who had enrolled themselves as members of the society, was reported to ho as follows —Canterbury 00, Oamaru 24, Dunedin 12. Mr Brydono read a letter trom Mr Martin, Invercargill, stating that fifty members had enrolled themselves there. It was then moved by Mr Duncan, seconded by Mr Q-rigg —“ That in consequence of the number of enrolled members being much smaller than that required by the seventh resolution of the meeting of delegates at Oamaru, tho committee is unable to take any steps at present towards the commencement of active operations on the part of the society.” This was carried, and it was then moved by Mr Brydono, seconded by Mr Grigg—“ That the committee do now adjourn sine die, with a request that the chairman do call another meeting of the committee when 400 members are enrolled, or sooner if ho shall think it necessary to do so,” Chebtbet. —A free soiree and entertainment was given on tho opening of this school on Wednesday evening, whicli was well attended by the residents of the district. Mesdames Wilkinson, Fowler, Childs, Brown, and Markham contributed to the supply of food. The chairman, Mr W. A. Brown, in his opening address after having referred to tho commodious building they had now procured, gave a good address on the necessity of education and its great influence both morally and socially. He hoped the public would support the school, and that all the neighborhood would work together for the good of the young, for he believed that education was the safeguard of society. Mr J. W. Wilkinson also spoke of the advantages of education of its necessity and value, and of the advantage of having at last secured a school in that largo district. Mr Borthwiek, the master, also spoke of tho necessity of parents assisting tho pupils with home lessons, and of good and punctual attendance. Ho would study to work with their views regarding education. The concert was then proceeded with. Several good songs were given by Messrs .Fowler and Manghara. Mr J. S. Smith, of Christchurch, and Mr Gates of Ashburton, the latter presiding at tho piano, also sang with their usual success. The concluding part of the programme was an extravaganza, entitled, “ Ho would he an Actor,” by the Ashburton Christy Minstrels, under tho management of Frank Browne, which fairly brought down the house, and it would be difficult to describe the enjoyment of the children. Altogether the arrangements were perfect. Great taste was displayed in the floral and ornamental decorations by Messrs Wilkinson, and the display of flowers with the feast appeared exceedingly pretty. Proposed Ashburton County Hospital. —lt will he remembered that at the February rr eeti' g of the Ashburton County Council it was determined to procure plans for the proposed county hospital, which Mr J. Stanley Bruce was instructed to prepare, and whicli he submitted to the Council for their approval yesterday. The general plan of tho building as proposed by the architect ie very compact. The centre portion is of two stories, and communicates by covered passages with a ward on either side. The entrance is recessed, and seats are placed in the same for out patients receiving relief. Entering the building there is a lobby, on the left of which is the dispensary, and on the right the consultingroom. Doable doors at the end of the lobby lead to the apartment of tho warder and to the kitchen and outbuildings, to which there is also access from the rear. The corridors on either side of this central building are each 50ft long by Bft wide, tho wards being situated at either end. The wards will each contain room for six patients, and when all twelve beds are full, every invalid will have 1584 cubic feet of air. Attached to the wards are a nurse’s bedroom, a large linen room (in which is a small fireplace for preparing light diet for pa'ients) a lavatory, a bath-room with boiler for hot water and closets. There is further attached to one ward six extra bed-rooms for patients able to pay. A fever ward detached from the main building is also a part of the plan. A small padded room, an operating room, and a morgue, all of which arc lighted from above, are detached from the main building. In the rear of the centre building will be a commodious laundry. Both ventilation and lighting have received much attention. All the floors are on concrete walls, three feet above the ground level. The height of the walls in the wards between tho floors and spring of roof is thirteen feet, and to the collar nineteen feet. The style of architecture adopted is the Elizabethan, which requires little expense for ornamentation, but at tho same time affords room for bold outlines and proportions. Kaitangata Relief Concert. The double attraction of an excellent concert, and the charitable object for which it was got up, had tho effect of drawing a fair attendance at the Oddfellows’ hall last night, (Rough the back seats might have been more numerously patronised. The entertainment was under tho auspices of the Mayor of Christchurch and the City Council, who occupied the front reserved seats. The concert was both instrumental and vocal. An excellent soatette hand, comprising tho names of Mr. H. Towle (pianoforte), Messrs J. Coomhos and Button (violins), C Coombes (cornet), Knox (bass), and J. Mohr (clarionet), under the leadership of Mr Towle, opened the concert with a sparkling overture capitally played. Tho vocal portion of the concert was sus tained by the Misses Mackett and Hurrell, and Messrs. H. Towle, Hobbs and Funston. Miss Hurrell was particularly happy in her rendering of the pretty song “ The Blind Girl to her Harp,” and “ Guardian Angels ” in the second par Miss Mackett’s best effort was the fine song, “The Fisherman’s Daughter,” for which, being encored, she substituted “ The Wishing Gate.” Mr, Hobbs contributed two songs, “ Oh, Hear tho Wild Winds Blow,” which Signora Yenosta has rendered so popular, and “No Friend, No Foe.” Mr Towle sang in his best style “Eily Mavourneen ” and Arthur Sullivan’s “Sweethearts.” Mr Funston selected “She is Mine ” and “Tho Wanderer,” both of which were applauded. The chief feature of tho evening however was tho brilliant solos on tho pianoforte by Miss Marion Robinson, who has never appeared in Christchurch to hotter advantage. Her selections wore of a popular character, but affording the artiste full scope for the display of her brilliant execution, and fine tone, especially noticeable in her first encore piece, “Los Cloches do Monastere,” which she substituted for “ Hibernia.” In the latter, which embraced the “ Last Rose of Summer” and “The Minstrel Boy,” Miss Robinson delighted the audience, who were scarcely prepared for such a thoroughly enjoyable performance. Her other solos, Alice, where art thou,” and “ Home, Sweet Home,” were as enthusiastically received The band opened the second part of tho concert with selections from “ Ernani,” with cornet solos for Mr Coombes, which were exquisitely played. Mbs Robinson played the accompaniments to the songs with great taste Altogether tiio concert was of a very attractive character, and will add a considerable sum to Hie fund for tho benefit' of which it was given.

lb quest. —Am inquest was held at Mr | Scott's hotel, Tin wall!, on Iho b; d.v of a child named C. 11. Houston, two years old, who, as before recorded in these columns, died through bring suffocated in a small hole of water at the Toi Toi paddock, Long Beach. Mr J. Beswick prodded, and after hearing evidence, the jury returned a verdict of accidental death. City Guards. —The inspection of this corps by M ■ jor Withers, inspecting officer of the colony, took place last night at the drill-shr-d. The company was under Captain Ha wires and Lieutenant Wolfe, and mustered fifty-one, all told. The company was put through marching drill by the lieutenant. Major Withers expressed himself as being very well pleased with the resii t, and said that he would be able to report very favorably. , . ~ Want or Bain.— Slight showers fell on Wednesday and Thursday evenings in the northern district, bub rain to be of any service to graziers or farmers will have to be of at least a week’s duration. Owners of stock are nearly at their wits’ ends how_ to provide for them, while farmers find it impossible to enter the plough into some of the lauds, which are baked so hard as to put a stop to preparations for next seed time. “Gaiety Theater. —There was a good house last night at the Gaiety Theatre, when the panorama of the Arctic World was repeated. This evening the lessees of the theatre will devote half the proceeds to the benefit of the Kaitangata relief fund. The performance is announced under the patronage of the Mayor and City Council, Superintendent Harris and the members of the fire brigade, Captain Alport and the members of the fire police, and the officers and members of the City ,Guards, Artillery, and Engineers. Oxford. — The annual treat to the children attending St. Andrew’s Church Sunday School was held on last Tuesday week, when the scholars, in consequence of the unfavorable weather, were feasted in the East Oxford Town Hall, Credit was due to Mr and the Misses Heston for the manner in which the affair was carried out. About seventy children were present. The treat to the St, Mary’s scholars at West Oxford was held on Thursday, when about 120 were entertained in the West Oxford Town Hall, the weather being again threatening. Mr. W. Cooper, superintendent, and Master F. Lewis did most of the work hero in entertaining the company. Both treats were a decided success, and it may be noted that these schools, under the Rev. F. T. Opie’s supervision, are flourishing. Roads in the North.—A meeting was held in Christchurch on Thursday, the 6th March, by a number of the settlers of Kaikoura and Amuri, to take into consideration the state of the roads in those districts; Sir J. Cracrofb Wilson in the chair. It was proposed by Mr G. Ruck Keene, seconded by Mr Wharton and carried unanimously —“ That this meeting desires to bring to the notice of the Government the great hardship under which the inhabitants of Kaikoura —numbering over 8000 —are suffering by their being wholly cut off both from the North and South portions of the colony, by their having no roads ; and that the Government be requested to contribute a sum, roughly estimated at £SOOO, for the purpose of making a road by way of the Greenhills and Mason through, for the most part, public land, which would join the district with the coach road leading from Waiau to Christchurch.” Proposed by Mr Tinlino and seconded by Mr H. Parsons—" That a copy of the above resolution be given to Mr Saunders, the member for Cheviot, now present at this meeting, to bo by him transmitted to the Government.” A vote of thanks was moved by Mr Saunders and seconded by MV S 3. Parsons, to Sir J. Cracroft Wilson, chairman of the meeting. Buggy Accident. - -As a buggy, owned by Mr Fooka, of Ashburton, was be ng driven through East street, Ashburton, yesterday morning, a railway whistle startled the horse, which bolted, and turning (he corner sharp at Messrs Friedlander’s store, upset the huge? and threw the occupants, viz., the driver and Mrs McLaren, into the road. Luckily, the lady escaped unhurt, but the driver was thrown agai ist the wooden kerbing, and had his head much knocked about Railway Benefit Society.— At the accountant’s office at the railway station, Christchurch, last night, there was a very good attendance on the occasion of the special quarterly meeting of the Railway Benefit Boeiety. Mr Back, the General Manager of Railways, took the chair, but on account of his indisposition, very soon vacated it in favor of Mr Hannay, the Secretary for Railways. The Chairman called upon Mr Bain, the secretary of the Society, to read his report, which was done. In that report the secretary called attention to the fact that the members had failed to furnish the clerk, Mr Dowden, with sufficient information in order to enable him to give an accurate account of how the Society’s money matters stood, but it had transpired that there was £516 2s 6d at the present time standing to their credit at the bank. He also thought that having the money taken off the pay-sheets, instead of, as now, having it collected by several parties, would be a boon to the men themselves. Mr Ellis, the treasurer, having read a balance - sheet giving the result of the above amount of money in the bank, it was resolved that the matter of deciding as to whether or not the pay-sheets should be operated upon each month, so as to deduct the monthly subscriptions, should be left an open question until the next quarterly general meeting. When the subject of the appointment of a paid secretary was Ink"n into consideration, it was resolved that Mr Davidson be appointed honorary and Mr Dowden paid secretary to the society, Mr Bain having resigned the appointment of honorary secretary. Mr Hannay stated that he was of opinion that the society was quite capable of taking charge of its money and collecting it, and deprecated the idea of deducting it from the pay-sheet. At the same time he was fully convinced that many men were now on the books of the society who wore not entitled to be, and he therefore hoped that a committee would be appointed to see as to who should or should not be recipients of benefits. This was done, and, after a great deal of discussiot on the merits and demerits of different doctors, the meeting was adjourned, a vote of thanks having been passed to the committee, the late honorary secretary, and the chairman. Ashburton Forks School.— The monthly meeting of this school committee was held in the schoolroom, on Tuesday evening, 4th March. Present —Messrs William Sutherland (chairman), Good, Smith, and Bulger. Correspondence was read from the Board of Education, stating that Mr Allsop’s resignation had been accepted by the Board, and authorising the committee to advertise for another teacher. From the same, forwarding a copy of the regulation standards, to bo hung up in each classroom for the convenience of the teachers. From the same re complaints made of the expense to which parents of children are put by a frequent change of books. The Hoard resolved that the headmaster of any school must obtain the sanction of the committee previous to the introduction of any now school books, and asked that this resolution might be brought under the notice of the teacher. From the same, advising payment of the master’s salary up to February 28th. The secretary was requested to acknowledge receipt. From the same, with a tabular summary of attendance returns for the quarter ending December 31st, 1878. From R. D. Pullar, declining to act as secretary longer than till appointment of Mr Allsop s successor, regretting that his own duties precluded him from acting fora longer term. From the j o .(master, Ashburton, asking the chairman to act as postmaster until the new master is appointed. The secretary to reply, stating Mr Sutherland’s willingness to act for that period From Mr Allsop, advising the committee (ha 1 ho intends closing the school after the 7th instant, and that he will leave on the morning of Tuesday, the lith, and giving the average attendance of children up to the end of February. The applications for muster as advertised, wore then gone into, and out of seven applications, after mature consideration, that of Mr Gideon Scott was unanimously accepted, subject to his passing his examination and the approval of the Hoard. The secretary was requested to write to the Board at once, asking that Mr Scott’s appointment be confirmed. The meeting then adjourned.