NEWS OF THE DAY.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1649, 3 June 1879, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Borough op Sydenham Estimates. In the estimates for the receipts and expenditure for the year ending March 3rd, 1880, published in yesterday’s issue of the Q-lobf, by a printer’s error the year 1880 was made to read 1879. The estimates are for the year ending March 31st, 1880. Outwitting a Bailiff. —A storekeeper in town found himself, at the latter end of last week, in that position of temporary embarrassment to which the celebrated Mr Wilkins Macawber was so frequently reduced during a long and brilliant career of pecuniary difficulty. In fact the gentleman referred to —say Mr Slumkins —suddenly found an addition to his family circle in the shape of a bailiff, whose appearance was due to a little complication anent house rent, or some other trifling consideration of the kind. Now, he is a very clever bailiff who can so manage as to convince a family, under such circumstances, that he is not “in the way,” and so thought Slumkins, who began to study a means of getting rid of this one. After bustling about the shop window for a time, ho asked the bailiff to step outside with him and look “how tastefully it was dressed,” the art of “ dressing” a window being a feature of his business. The unsuspecting officer wont out with Slumkins, and, whilst they were looking at the show, Mrs Slumkins, by previous arrangement with her better half, locked the front door. The bailiff immediately rushed round to the back, on seeing this, accompanied by Slumkins. Now there was a fierce bulldog at the back door, and the faithful animal, while dutifully allowing his master to pass in thereat, attached himself to the nether portion of the bailiff’s anatomy, and thereby stayed his progress till the back door also was locked against him. Next day, however, Slumkins filed, and then the Supreme Court bailiff managed to got admittance for his his brother of the Lower Court.

Fibf. Brigade Mattkbs. — A meeting of the Fire Brigade committee of the City Council was held this morning, at which the preliminaries were arranged towards the erection of a tower for the new fire bell, to be presented by the Union Insurance Company ; also, it was resolved to advertise for tenders for the new uniform for the brigade.

Finance Committee. —The finance committee met this morning, for the purpose, principally, of passing the ordinary accounts. Their report will bo brought up at the City Council meeting to-night. Municipal Wobks.— At a meeting of the works committee, held this morning, tenders were accepted for channelling the streets (Mr Oarserey’s), cement (Messrs White, and Co.), and for timber (Mr Montgomery’s), to be used in the construction of tho Barbadoes street bridge. Election of Auditors. —Mr Q-. L. Lee, returning officer, declared tho state of the poll for city auditors to-day to be as follows: —Neil Black, 132 ; J. A, Bird, 98 ; M. Henderson, 75. He therefore declared Messrs Black and Bird duly elected to servo as auditors of the city for the ensuing year.

Peoposed New Beancii Railway.—A good deal of preliminary business has to be transacted before actual measures are taken in connection with the now branch railway of the Christchurch and Akaroa Junction Railway Company, It is understood that a meeting of the provisional directors will be held on Saturday next. Kowai Pass Cembteey.— This cemetery has been laid off by Mr Webster, and a considerable portion of practical work has since been done, such as fencing and ploughing. The cemetery, which measures ten chains by three chains, is divided into four blocks, known respectively as tho Presbyterian, Church of England, Wesleyan, and Roman Catholics. In each of tho middle blocks there are 430 sections, the outside blocks — that is tho Presbyterian and Roman Catholic —containing 400 sections each. Tho cemetery is alongside the Tramway reserve, and is to be planted along the borders with trees and flower beds. The Unemployed, been received by Mr March from the Minister for Immigration to place himself in communication with the Engineer in charge of the Middle Island as to the employment of some of those now out of work. In a communication from the Minister of Public Works to the Minister for Immigration, the Hon. Mr Macandrew states that work for some of the unemployed can be found on the railway works at tho Waipara, which tho Engineer-in-Ohief is instructed to put in hand at once. The men will be employed at piece work, based upon a rate of wages not exceeding 6s per day, and a free pas? by railway one way will be also given. Mr March has received instructions to communicate with the Mayors of Christchurch and Sydenham, with a view of taking such steps as may be necessary to secure that none but really destitute persons, or persons who cannot find employment elsewhere, shall be employed on the works. In accordance with those instructions, Mr March has placed himself in communication with Mr Blair, and has also addressed .a letter, conveying the substance of the Ministerial memorandum, to the Mayors of Christchurch and Sydenham.