NEWS OF THE DAY.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1668, 25 June 1879, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

One op the Unemployed.—A little anecdote has been told in this connection, which, on the principle that half of what one hears is false, may he simple fancy, but it is Touched for as being correct. A person, resident in a suburb of Christchurch, was the possessor of a horse, which in its wanderings would get into a neighbour's section, upon which there was abundauce of good feed. After some argument about this, one day, the owner of the section told the other that he should have the land fenced, so as to effectually prevent disputes, and he offered to find the timber for the purpose if the other would supply the small amount of labour required. To this, the reply was that the gentleman had not sufficient time at his disposal. And he was one of the unemploy«3! A Lamp Wanted. —For some time past, there has been no light in the lamp at the corner of Hereford street west, opposite the bridge, and this has been a source of very considerable inconvenience, as there is no other lamp for a considerable distance aroHnd, and the consequence is that on dull nights all the immediate locality is shrouded in darkness. This is worse when it is considered that a light is more wanted near the bridge. Another and more powerful reason is that there happons to be a considerable amount of fcraffio on this particular bridge at all hours of the day and night. The authoiities would do well to attend to this matter. Sydenham Council Election. Two nominations were received to-day for a member to fill the vacancy in the Sydenham Borough Council, viz., Mr John Webber and John Joyce. The poll will be taken on the 4th of next month.

Hospital Concbbt.—ln consequence of the great success which attended the concert given in the Theatre Royal some months ago, to establish a fund for the re i; .ef of destitute patients at the Hospital, it is in contemplation to give another some time in July or August. As before, Dr. Chilton, whose connection with the institution, it is said, will shortly terminate, is, with a number of sympathising friends, at the head of this fresh attempt to further augment the resources of this very excellent fund.

The Unemployed.—A meeting of the unemployed took place at riae o'clock this morning in Cathedral square. Mr William Young, of Sydenham, acting as chairman. After several speeches had been made, the men, to the number of about 150, marched in procession to the Sydenham Borough Council Chambers, where a deputation from their body held a conference with the Mayor and Cr. Pavitt, who promised that the works committee would take the matter into their consideration at their meeting to-night. The unemployed are to meet again in Cathedral square at nine o'clock to-night. Hat Choppino.—The term "hat chopping" is a vulgarism, signifying the changing of hats, a practice which has become frequent in hotels in this city, much to the annoyance of the persons who do not profit by the transaction. A case illustrative of the subject came before the Resident Magistrate this morning. It appears that hotel-keepers are subjected to great annoyance by persons entering their houses and taking away the good hats of customers, or boarders, which may be hanging up in the hall, substituting, of course, their own hcai-dresses of much inferior quality. This has been reduced to a regular system, and frequent complaints have been made by unforlunate victims; but considerable difficulty is of course experienced in securing a conviction, because detection of tho act is most difficult. Gebman Debating Society.—The members of the Germania held a meeting last night at the German Parsonage. There was a good attendance, and the Rev. P. S. Jacobsen presided. The regulations were re-read and confirmed. The next business was the forming of the programme for the next meeting, for which one of the members promised a lecture on Frederick the Great.

A Model Electobal Addbebs. —For brevity the electoral address of Henry Pukuatua as publiahed in the " Bay of Plenty Times" in English and Maori, may well stand as|a model. It is as follows :—" To tho Electors of th 6 Native East Coast Electoral District. Friends, —I am a candidate to represent your suffrages in the House of Representatives, and will do my best for you if returned.—Henabe TE PtXKTXATUA."

Acknowledgment.—The house surgeon of tho hospital wishes to return his thanks to all those persons who were kind enough to sond him donations of pictures for the completion of the pictorial screan he has been making for the children's ward. Tho screen is nearly finished, and will be a p'easing embellishment to the ward. Two Modes op Civilising the Savage. —An American writes a long letter to tho "New Zaaland Herald," chiefly devoted to a comparison of the Maoris with Indians, and the Pakeha-Maoris with what are known in the States as "Squaw men." He Bays —"I think New Zealand should look to America for a precedent of behaviour towards a dying out race. The Government should take all of the Maori lands over into their possession in trust, giving ample allowance to each tribo in the way of a reservation ; proclaim illegal all land purchases mado by white men of any portion of these reservations. The Government commits a sin in purchasing land from the Nativeß, and giviDg them tho money." The following remarks from tho same letter are also suggestive: —"If thore is a grain of English fair play or consistency in Sir George Grey, why docs not he devote hia heavendirected talents in suppressing the liquor traffic amongst the Natives? Bush Nativea in Now Zialand hold licenses to sell whiskey ! This is what I call civilisation with a vengeance, and means volumes. In the eyes of heaven, what would bo the difference between selling liquor wholesale to aboriginals, or in sending a smallpox patient up to Pariliaka. In America we chastise pretty soveroly aboriginals who murder our surveyors, but we do not sell them liquor. The man who dares to sell liquor to a Native is punished with five years' imprisonment. This fact came under my immediate notice in Dakota, a short time ago. Boasted English fair play will give a poor hush Native whiskey, and have him reeling drunk in Shortland street, as I observed on Saturday. Englishmen havo often praised to me about their method in civilising aboriginals, as against tho method pursued by Americans ; but nlaß ! the more I see of your method, I think tho leas of its humanity, and if I were a Maori, I would take a bullet in preference to going down to that disease and death that aro euro to overtake them by your Pakeha-Maori and whiekey civilisation."

Gcn Accidbnt in thb Nobth. —David Monison, of Foxhil l , Nelson, employed shooting wild cattle on the Lyndon run, Amuri, had a narrow escape of being killed. He was drawing his loaded gun by the muzzle towards him, when the trigger caught in the eoruli The gun went off and the ball passed through his right side. He is considered out of danger. Steeet Improvements.—A great deal of work is at present going on in the northwestern quarter of the city. The drainage works, which are being pushed rapidly on up Durham street south, has temporarily suspended the traffic in that street, and up Victoria street, as far as the Junction Hotel, portions of tho roadway are similarly blocked by tho leveling and reforming of the thoroughfare by a large band of the Council's laborers. These last operations will be a great benefit to the locality, and keep a considerable number of men in employment. SmrriNG.— The Nov Zealand Shipping Company, Limited, has received advices of fie arrival at London, prior to June 21st, of the following vessels —Hurunui, from the Bluff; Lochfleet, from Auckland ; Times, from Lyttelton. Thb Baldwins.—Professor and Mrs Clara Baldwin repeated their performance last evening, at the Theatre, very successfully. Tonight and to-morrow will be the last of their stay in Christchurch, and for these special programmes will be presented, including a number of new items.

Lipb Absttbance. — Last evening Mr Moritz Bowron, the canvassing agent for the Australian Mutual Provident Association, re-delivered his lecture on " Life ABSuranoe" at the Oddfellows' Hall, Lichfield street. There was a very small attendance, not more than twenty persons being present, but the lecture was listened to with great attention throughout. Chaesb op Embezzlement.-On Monday Prootor Bros., farmers on the plains, were paying Mr G. Kidd a cheque for £5 15s. In drawing the cheque made a mistake, making it for £ls 15s. He therefore threw the cheque on one side, and drew another for £5 15s. Yesterday morning a man named Alfred Moray, lately from Lyttelton, and who has been employed cooking at the Ashburton Hotel, presented the fifteen guinea cheque at the Union Bask, Ashburton. Payment was refused, the manager suspecting something was wrong. The police were then communicated with, and the man taken into custody. Ifc appears accused had previously endeavoured to cash the cheque at two business places. He was brought up at the Eesident Magistrate's Court, Ashburton, yesterday, and was remanded till Friday.

Accident at Pobt. —Yesterday afternoon stationmaster Thos. Bradley met with an unfortunate accident. It appears that while in the act of stepping down from one of tho tip waggons, used for carrying the ballast rocks for Messrs. Hawkins and Co.'s wharf works, the side of the waggon to which ho was holding, and which fastens with a catch when closed, fell open and Mr Bradley wag precipitated backwards. He fell upon the open girders and down upon tho jagged rocks, which shortly before had been emptied from the waggon. The distance is quite 20ft., and it is a miracle that he was not fatally injured. One of the whsrJ foremen, Mr TatneJ, and the foreman on the works were standing at hand at the time, and at once picked Mr Bradley up and conveyed him to the railway depot. Thence he was taken home, where Dr. Macdonald attended him. His injuries are reported to be severe bruises on the back and a slight cut on the scalp, not serious, and it is hoped that a week's reßt will quite restore him. The accident occurred at the breastwork now in course of construction to the westward of No. 3 intermediate jetty. Acclimatisation Societv.—The ordinary monthly meeting of the Council was held at the Commercial Hotel yesterday afternoon at half-past three o'clock. There were present—Sir J. 0. Wilson (in the chair), Messrs Whitefoord, Boys, Acland, and Farr. Accounts, amounting to £5 13s lOd were passed for paymont. The correspondence was then laid before the Council. A letter was read from the Colonial Secretary in reference to the Government granting a permit to Mr A. M. Johnson to catch salmon and trout in the rivers of the Middle Island. Tho letter was ordered to be handed to the representatives of the Press. A letter was also read from Mr Fitzroy, of Napier, inquiring about tho rules of the society, and requesting to know whether the Napier Society could join that of Canterbury in procuring birds from England or America. It was resolved that the gamekeeper should report his movements and transactions to each monthly meeting through the secretary. The Council decided to consider at its next meeting an amendment to the Protection of Animals Act, in reference to shooting game. The Council then adjourned. YALTJABLE MWiBAL DISCOVEBIHS.—At the meeting of the Philosophical Society, on Saturday evening (says the " New Zealand Times "), Dr. Hector exhibited several very interesting ores, two of which he considered worthy of special mention in connection with efforts that the Government is at present making to encourage the manufacture of iron in the colony. Both the ores were discovered by Mr A. McKay, of the Geological Department, during the progress of the survey in the past year. One is a brown hematite containing 54 per cent, of metallic iron, which occurs in a bed 50ft. thick, but is reported to expand in places to several hundred feet. It is associated with crystalline limestone at the base of the carboniferous formation, and extends for many miles through the western ranges, towards the source of the Takaka River. The specimens obtained were from the surface, and deeper down it most probably passes into red hematite, a much richer oro that contains 70 per cent, of metal, This is, no doubt, the continuation of the same band of iron ore that reaches the sea at Para-Para. The other form of ore was discovered at Jenkins' coal mine, close to the town of Nelson, and is spathic ore or carbonate of iron containing 40 per cent, of metal in a form of combination that is very favourable for smelting, being in consequence one of the most valuable description of iron ores known. It was not found in situ as the workings are abandoned, but it has been thrown out with the delr is from the coal pit in considerable quantity, its valuable qualities having hitherto escaped notice.

Labor AaENCY.—A meeting of the committee of the unemployed was held at the Temperance Hall, Gloucester street, last evening ; Mr Kent in the chair. It was resolved that as tho Oddfellows' Hall committee has kindly granted the ÜBe of the Hall free of charge (inclusive of gas and clearing), a publio meeting be held in the Oddfellows' Hall at 7.30 p.m. on June 27fch, to consider the advisability of establishing a labor agency, and also to submit the balance-sheet to the public of the subscriptions collected in aid of the unemployed. Tiie West Coast Councils.—A conference of the Grey, Weetland, and Inangahua County Councils, to take into consideration various matters affecting their districts, was held at Greymouth laßt week. A resolution was psg3ed "that no part of a county should be formed into a borough unless the petition for that purpose was signed by at least 300 residents in the proposed municipality. It appears that tho recent formation of some boroughs, by withdrawing tho most popidous districts from the counties, has materially diminished the revenue of the latter. Kaiapoi Populab Entertainments.—At the next of the series of entertainments, in addition to the usual songs and readings, it ib intended to put on the stage the farce of the " Female Bluebeard." Ashbueton District Court. —The Bitings of this Court were to havo beon held yesterday at the Town Hall, Asbburton, but owing to the indisposition of Judge Ward thoy were adjourned till the Ist July. Municipal Corporations Act.—Circulars have been issued calling a special meeting of the City Council for Friday evening next, to tako into consideration suggested amendments of the Municipal Corporations Act. Mr Chables Wallace.—The friends of thia clever comedian will be glad to learn that he will shortly reappear here in connection with " The Surprise Party," an entertainment which opens at Invercargill on July Ist. The Habe in Tasmania.—The hare (remarks tho " Cornwall Chronicle") in becoming in some districts as great a peat ae the rabbit, and denunciations, both loud and deep, are called down daily on the heads of the patriotic (?) acclimatisors of these " small deer," so carefully protected in tho mother country. When the Game Protection Bill was under consideration in the House of Assembly on Thursday, a general wish was expressed that hares should be excluded from protection, and tho Bill was amend'.d accordingly. ___^^_

Diocesan Sunday School Association. —The next general meeting of members ef this association ha 3 been postponed to Thursday, July 3rd, when members are invited to meet at the College Library at eight o'clock, to take part in a discussion on " Children's Sei (rices."

Early Closing.—An advertisement in our columns state that certain business plnce3 wi!l be closed in Kaiapoi at 6 p.m. daily, and on Saturdays at 9.30 p.m. Railway Benefit Society. A (meeting of the members of this society will be held in the accountant's office, at the railway station, to-morrow evening. Sklwyn County Council. The usual monthly meeting of the County Council will be held to morrow, at 10.30 a.m.