NEWS OF THE DAY.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1640, 23 May 1879, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Coursing.— The Canterbury Coursing Club meeting commenced this morning in Hagley Park. Tho morning we.s fine, though towards noon the weather become dull and threatening, but subsequently it cleared up, and, considered throughout, tho weather was by no means unfavorable for sport. There was a good attendance on (he ground, and considerable enthusiasm was displayed by tho spectators. In the Birthday stakes, No. 1, the first course was run about twelve o’clock, each event resulting in favor of the dogs under the rod flags. The only exception from tho programme was that Mr Deacon’s Flycatcher being absent, Mr J. Beard’s Bother ’em ran a bye. Mr Laird’s Chandcs also ran a bye. In the Birthday Stakes, No. 2, the red Hag was also to the fore, Mr Judge’s Papanui beating Mr Cassidy’s Becky Sharp; and there was a splendid contest between Mr Simpson’s Aunt Sally and Mr Walker’s Reflection. The latter little slut not being in the best condition, and this being her first course, shaped remarkably well. At first Aunt Sally was, from her appearance, tho favourite, but when the contest took place tho tables were completely turned, Reflection having it ail her own way. During the morning tho hares were more plentiful than had been anticipated, and ran very strong, so that there were some excellent courses. A Nut to Chick.— A most extraordinary freak of nature (says tho “ Moruya Liberal ”) was related by Dr. King to several gentlemen, which forms quite a study for naturalists. Some short time since Mrs King lost her wedding ring whilst mixing up some food for the fowls, and had given up all hopes of finding it. Yesterday morning, whilst partaking of an egg, she felt .something hard Inside, and upon examination found her ring embedded in the white of the egg. This circumstance is really wonderful, and appears almost incredible, but as Dr. King vouches for its accuracy, we believe it to be true. It is certainly a “ nut ” we cannot crack, and will forma problem for the scientific to crack. Oddfellowship. —At a special district meeting, held at the district chambers, Montreal etreet north, on Thursday, the 22nd inst., it was decided to open a new lodge, to be called tho Loyal Phillipstown Lodge, to bo held at Mr G. Collier’s Royal George Hotel, corner of St, Asaph street and East Belt. The gentlemen forming the now lodge will meet this evening to elect a medical officer for the lodge, and to decide when it will bo opened. ®?A Happy Thought.— When Longfellow, the poet, completed his seventy-second year, lately, the children of Cambridge celebrated the occasion by a gift of an elaborately carved arm-chair, made from tho chesnut tree, whose perfections are chanted in tho “Tillage Blacksmith.” (J.F.C. — The match on Saturday will be East v. West, Colombo street being taken as the dividing lino. The easterly residents will play in rod and black. As many footballers will probably take advantage of the whole holiday, the members of the Eastern Club have been asked to join in the game. Those of the Eastern Club who live to the eastward of Colombo street are requested to turn out in yellow and black. A Scholastic Shindy. —ln the Tnonui district (Wellington) affairs scholastic have been rather lively. This is what a contemtemporary says—Tho schoolmaster, who had resigned, having been persuaded to withdraw his resignation, sent in a letter to that effect, and several of the committee requested him to wait outside while his letter was considered. Immedia ely on tho letter being read, the committee cheered, and the chairman began to talk loudly at them, called one of them a villain, and then rushed out of the school with tho minute-book in his hand in a very excited state. Some of tho committee followed, ond a gentleman ran after him, and, touching him on the back, earnestly begged him, for his own credit’s sake, not to let the thing go any further. The chairman not paying any attention, tho teacher called out, “ Who has got the minute-book ? ” Some one called out, “You ought to have it.” Two of them then pursued the chairman, and when he saw that they would take the book from him, he threw it down in the road. After this, the committee left him, and a chairman pro. tern, was appointed, Rumor hath it, adds the “ Chronicle,” that the row was occasioned through some ill-feeling caused by the committee’s objection to the chairman’s son as teacher, on the score of inexperience, and that the irate chairman is going to proceed against the committee for assault and battery. Copyright in England and America. —The agitation for a copyright law between England and the United States seems to bo experiencing a lull. The truth is, says the “ Echo,” English authors are getting “ smart” enough to devise expedients whereby the absence of any law is compensated for by ingenious devices. “Advanced sheets” are supplied to American publishers, and tho best American publishers have an understanding among them that whoever first gets an English book is understood to have a monopoly in so far as the States go. Hence these publishers can afford to pay well for early proofs. But an eminent novelist has struck on a still more brilliant plan to outwit literary pirates. He publishes his novel simultaneously in America and England. In New York, for instance, the book is entered in the “ Office of the Librarian of Congress at Washington” as the work of the British subject and John Smith (any name will do), “an American citizen.” Jn reality the latter may bo a clerk in tho publisher’s printing house, and all ho supplies to the novel are a few sentences here aud there of no moment whatever. However, this is enough to give him in the eyes of tho law a claim to be joint author. Accordingly, as the American jpubliahers know this well, they avoid the trap laid for them ; for if one of them printed the book ho could not do so without printing these passages by tho “American citizen,” and would accordingly bo proceeded against by tho favored publisher who had paid the author for advanced sheets. By this trick a novel which in England will bring the author £IOOO will in America net him another £6 OO. Train up a Child, Ac,-Says the Auckland “ Herald” : - One of the English School Boards—that of Hull—has taken a step which might well be imitated with public her efit by the Provincial District Education Boards of tin’s colony. It has resolved to request the teachers !** tho jß’lU'Ci fphooD to include the evils of intemperance in the mono instruction of children under thoir care, a text-book to be supplied as soon ~s one satisfactory to the Board can be obtained. That tho Board has ample ample justification for the course it has taken, can scarcely be doubted in the face of the fact that last year, out of a wages fund of £150,000,000, the working classes spent £IOO,OOO 000 in beer and tobacco. To eonipaie little things with great, it is not creditable to our colony, tlmt in the same period the labouring classes should have expended over a million sterling in the consumption of the same articles, and therefore, as above stated, our Education Board yroold be performing a useful work in pressing upon the young, through the medium of the State schools, the necessity of practising the virtues of temperance, self-restraint, and self-denial.

How to do it. —At a private meeting of creditors in a small estate yesterday, says a northern contemporary, the following colloquy took place Chairman to Bankrupt: “ What are your liabilities ?” Bankrupt • “ God only knows.” Chairman : “ What are /our assets?” Bankrupt: “Nothing.” Chairman ; “ What proposal have you to make ?” Bankrupt: “None,” Chairman: “What did you call us hero for ?” Bankrupt; “ Jusb to see what yon would suggest.” The creditors set up a laugh, and tlio bankrupt joined in it; and the company adjourned to the Commercial Hotel, where the chairman shouted “ phiz.” Artillery Volunteers.— The E, Battery of the Now Zealand Artillery will muster at the Prill Shed at 8 o’ dock mj Monday morning, for the purpose of proceeding to Byttelton for shot and, shqil practise.

How Everything Ended Happily.-—A curious case of “ lost and found ” is narrated by the “ Manuwatu Herald.” The other morning a pass* ngcr in the down coach found <0 his disgust, when some distance down the beach, that he had lost a half sovereign, and cop.cluded that in the dark he must have given it in mistake to the ferryman for 6d when paying the ferry charge. He had put his loss down to “ expenses,” when, as he was relating it at Otaki, his next neighbor in the coach, just about to pay for his breakfast, found that he had half a sovereign he could not account for. After thinking some time ho found that ho had paid the ferryman a shilling, and that ho (the ferryman) must have given him the half sovereign he had just received in mistake from the other passenger who was sif ting next to him as change. So it came out all right, with this exception, that the man who gave the half sovereign up had to less 6d for his friendship, as he thus paid a shilling for his fare across in the punt.

A Warning to Bachelors. —The“ Patea Mail,” reporting an entertainment, says:— “The Prisoner of Chillon,” a reading by a gentleman, was faithfully executed, but the solemnity of the scene was broken when the reader came to a part where the prisoner hears a bird singing outside his cell, and exclaims, “the bird is in want of a mate —like me.” The audience fairly roared ; the joke was too good. Upside Down. —A good deal of amusement has been created recently in English art circles by an account that a picture of Mr Whistler’s was publicly produced, and neither judge nor jury could toll which was the top and which the bottom. It is a curious coincidence that at the Winter Exhibition of the Society of Painters in Water Colours, 1873-4, a lovely and elaborate architectural drawing by Mr Buskin was placed upside down, not by a porter of a court of law, but by persons employed by an eminent artistic body. Thus it remained for a time until some sharp-sighted visitor discovered the fact. City Council. —A special meeting of the City Council will be held this evening to consider what steps can bo taken in conjunction with the Sydenham Borough Council to improve the condition of tho south belt, and at tho same time afford work to those who are at present unemployed. Ashley Assessment Cottet. —At this Court, on Wednesday, Mr Whitefoord, the judge, waited some time before any on© connected with the Road Board appeared. Mr A. 11. Cunningham, the valuer, was in attendance, bub the Chairman and the surveyor of the Board were engaged in conducting an election, which could not be adjourned. Scavenging Rate. A test case, City Council v. Wyatt, was tried yesterday before the Resident Magistrate, to obtain a decision as to whether tho owners of property are liable for scavenging rate. After hearing argument on both sides, the Magistrate gave judgment in favour of the City Council. 1.0.0. F., M.U. —The members of the Loyal Benevolent Lodge of Oddfellows’ will celebrate their anniversary by a ball this evening in their Hall, Montreal street north. The Benevolent is one of the most prosperous lodges in the district, and during the past year has made several additions to the hall, rendered necessary by the increase of its members. Geain at Stations. The following are the quantities of grain in bag lodged at, the undermentioned stations on the night of Wednesday last: —Amberley, 16 ; Ashburton, 60 ; Chertsey, 71 ; Oust, 20 ; Hinds, 60 ; Hornby, 50; Kaiapoi, 600 j Makikiki, 80 ; Obaio, 1677; Pleasant Point, 176; Prebbleton, 184 ; St. Andrew, 98; Styx, 298; Temuka, 50 ; Tinwald, 79; Waihao, 825; Waimate, 50; Waimate Junction, 37; total, 4431. Northern Football Club. —A meeting of members was held at Roberts’ Club hotel, Rangiora, on Tuesday. Mr W. E. Leach occupied tho chair. The officers elected were, W. E. Leach, captain ; G. Buckland, secretary and treasurer : J. Fulton, R. Chapman, E. D. Auvergne, F. Dorrington, J. Hossack, and E. Chapman, members of the managing committee. The opening game was fixed to bo played on Saturday week, A vote of thanks was passed to Mr Buckland for his services as honorary secretary and treasurer last year. Fire at Burnham, — A fire occurred at Burnham lust week, when a four-roomed cottage belonging to T. F. Partridge was burnt to the ground. The house was unoccupied at the time and contained no furniture. It was insured in the Standard Company for £l4O, but that amount does not, it is said by tho owner, represent the value of tho building, which cost £IBO. Theatre Royal. —“ Ten Nights in a Barroom” was repeated last night. To-night “East Lynne” will be produced for the benefit of Mies Beatrice. Street Obstruction. —Seeing that there is considerable difficulty in traversing the side walks of the principal streets of the city in comfort, it is to be wondered at that the City Council should permit a very serious obstruction such as now exists in High street. In the very busiest part of this street the hoarding round the new building in course of erection for Mr P. Hobbs monopolises the gpeater part of tho footway for some distance. The consequence is that many people have to step out into the road, which is a somewhat risky proceeding. In other cities when buildings are in course of erection, and it is necessary to take up part of the of tho footpath, the contractor has to construct a timber footway, making tho whole sidewalk tho legal width. This has bren omitted in the case spoken of, and the result is a serious inconvenience to the public.