NEWS OF THE DAY.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1707, 9 August 1879, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Resident Maoibteatb'b Cottbt.—To-day Samuel Dobbinson, charged with larceny ai a bailee of £l2, the property of Antonia Juris, was remanded to 15th August. Christian Messeh, charged with stealing £5, the property of John Hoppeo, and also two pawn tickets, was remanded to 14th August. Pbesentatiow.—A few of the regular passengers of the Avonside omnibus have presented the driver, Mr Harry Fearon, with a handsome bugle as a mark of their estimation of his unvarying civility and attention during the past fire years in his capacity of Jehu. The presentation was made this morning at Morton's Hotel, and was accompanied with the usual festive solemnities. Inquest.—An inquest will be held at four o'clock this afternoon at the bouse of Luigi Damele, Cashel street East, on the body of an infant named Alfred Damele, who was found dead early this morning. Govbbnment SifiiES.—The Government are collecting twenty per cent, of the rifles issued to the various Volunteer corps in Canterbury for use in the North Island.

Colombo Road Wbsleyan Chwboh. Services will be continued to-morrow in aid of the gallery fund. The Bev. W. Bavmber will preach in the morning and the Bev. A. Beid in the evening. A grand entirely by juveniles, wi ll be given in the Church on Thursday, August 14th. Sydenham Boßouan By-laws.—A specif-' meeting of the Sydenham Borough Council was to have been held yesterday for the purpose of considering the provisions of bylaw No. 1., but 01. "ng to an informality in the notices served upon members, the meeting had to be postponed till Tuesday next, at 5.15 p.m. The meeting will then be hold at the office of the Borough Council, Sydenham.,

City By-laws.—A meeting of the By-law Committee of the City Council was held on Thursday at the Council Chambers. The committee went through the various clauses of the by-law dealing with the regulation oE buildings within the city, and several amendments were proposed. It was also resolved to add an appendix to the by-law contairing clauses as to party walls, adapted from the London Act on this subject. A report will be brought up at next meeting of the Council. Volunteering.—A deputation representee members of the disbanded company of Volvnteers, at Kaiapoi, waited upon Captain Hawkes and Lieutenant Wolfe, on Thursday evening, and urged that the disbanded cornpony should be accepted as a contingent to the City Guards. Those wishing to form such contingent number abont twenty members. The deputation were courteously received by Captain Hawkes, who, ofter hearing what they had to Bay on the matter, promised to submit their request to Colonel Packe, the officer commanding the district.

Tub Habbob Woeks. The reclamation of the harbor frontage between the waterman's house and the Gladstone Pier was commenced yesterday. Messrs Hawkins and Martindale, the contractors, put on a gang of men early in the morning, a track leading from the hill litely blasted to tho water front was laid, and the trucks kept steadily running upon it all day. This is tae contract last let by the Hart jr Board, and it may be said now to be fairly started. There was a numerous attendance of the unemployed present in the morning when the work commenced. Some of them were taken on, and a much larger force will be employed shortly. The Hill Benefit. —A meeting of the gene-al committee took place yesterday afternoon for the purpose of winding up the business in connection with the recent benefit to Mr Walter Hill. His Worship the Mayor presided. The treasurer, M- John Ollivier, stated that there were a few more tickets to come in, and that when the amount they would realise was collected, it would, deducting all expenses, leave a total of £K ). It was resolved—" That the chairman, the hon. treasurer, and the hon. secretary (Mr S. D. Nathan) be instructed to wind up the business, and that the money realised be binded to Mrs Hill by the Mayor." Votes of thanks having been passed to the chairman, hon. treasurer, hon. secretary, and the ladies and gentleman who had taken part in the benefit performance, the meeting terminated.

AsHBtrETON Race Club. —A meeting of members of this ciub was held at the Ashburton County Council offices, on Thursday night, Mr B. Eriedlander in the chair. The balance-sheet, which showed a credit balance of £ll lis 9d, was adopted. It being resolved to hold the usual spring meeting, Messrs E. Gh Crisp, O. O. Fooks, J. L. Crawley, M. Eriedlander, and O. W. Ireland were appointed a comnv'ttee to carry out the same, all details being left in their hands. The following officers were appointed : —Hon. sec, Mr J. Wilkie; hon. treasurer, Mr S. Saunders; judge, M? James Campbell 5 handicapper, Mr H. P. Lance ; starter, Mr H". McLean ; clerk of course, Mr E. Saunders; clerk of Bcales, Mr B. E. Wright. The following gentlemen were elected stewards:— Messrs B. Saunders, E. Friedlander, Hay Smith, J. Carter, H. T. Winter, J. Hunt, E. 8. Coster, N. McLean, M. Stitt, and Dr. Boss. After a vote of thanks to the retiring officers, the meeting adjourned.

Land Tax Appbals.—The first of the Courts for hearing appeals against the valuations for the land tax was held yesterday, in the Eesident Magistrate's Court. Mr G-. L. Mellish presided, and the first quarter of the city taken was the north-west. Mr E. C. Latter, the Deputy Commissioner of Land Tax for Canterbury, was present. Mr H. E. Alport, the valuer for the north-weit quarter, appeared in support of his valuations. Some '-"ttle doubt appeared to prevail as to the exact mode of procedure, and for some time the proceedings took the form ot conversational discussions between the Court, the valuer, and the expert brought forward by the counsel for some of the objectors. Mr Mellish stated that the course he proposed taking with regard to the basis upon which valuations should be made, was that he should take the value of land as in January last, when the valuations under the Act were made. A point was raised as to the way in which objections should be made in cases where, since the valuation, the freeholder had parted with a portion of the property. It was urged by counsel representing an owner in a case of this kind, that it was not fair for him to be taxed upon land which he had ceased to hare an interest in. Mr Mellish pointed out that it would be equally unfair to the purchaser, who would be precluded from objecting to the valuation. The fairest way he thought was for the original owner to give notice to the Deputy Commissioner under olause 39 of the Act, accompanied by a statutory declaration, that he had parted with his interest in so much of his land as he had sold, and mentioning the name of the purchaser. This was ultimately given as the decision of the Court. About seventy objections had been lodged against the valuations of this quarter, some of which were allowed. The Court will sit again to hear appeals for Christchurch on Monday, at 10 a.m.

Peosx Bitten.—A man named George Ed wards, returning from the Grey to Hanmer Plains, was frost bitten -when coming down the Clarenco Valley. He was brought to the Waiau and attended by Dr. Wardale, who amputated one of his toes.

Thbatbb Eotae.—The Hudson Surprise Party repeated their programme last night with much success. To-night they will give another change of programme, introducing many items new here. On Wednesday, as already announced, Mr Charles Wallace will take his benefit. Mr Wallace is so well and favorably known here as scarcely to require mora than the mention of his benefit to ensure what it is to be hoped he will receive—a crowded house.

Ashbubton Pabtbh.—At a meeting of the vestry, held on Wednesday evening, the members resolved to resign, owing to the unsatisfactory state of the parish finances. Grave charges made by a member of the vestry will, it is believed, lead to a request to the Bishop to hold an inquiry. Another parish meeting will probably be held shortly. Political. —ln response to a circular issued on behalf of the Liberal interest, a arge number of citizens of Ohristchurch and suburbs met last evening at the Oddfellows' Hall. Dr. Turnbull was voted to the chair, and a provisional committee elected. Those present formed themselves into an association, to be styled the Canterbury Liberal Association, the object being to secure the teturn to Parliament of representatives holding Liberal principals throughout the electoral dißtrictß of Canterbury. Tesipiabt.—A meeting of the Clearbrook Lodge, No. 193, was held on Thursday night at Waterton, many visitors being present from the Ashburton Lodge. Three members were initiated, and the new officers were then installed by the District Deputy Bro. Sando, Bro. Henry, of the Star of the East Lodge, acting as Grand Marshal, and Bro. Poyntz, of the Dawn of Peace, as Grand Secretary. The questions of instituting a Degree temple and establishing a district temperance library, were raised by a deputation from the Dawn of Peace Lodge, and, the members of the Clearbrook beiDg favorable, a committee was appointed to meet the committees of Bister lodges in the district on the same night as the convention sits.

Saltwateb Cbeee.—On Wednesday evening last the Saltwater Creek School Committee gave the last but one of their popular entertainments. The former entertainments had been most successful, and this was no exception. The schoolhouee, which was tastefully decorated, was crowded in every part with a most appreciative audience. A very lengthy programme, consisting of vocal and instrumental music, was gone through by the following ladies and gentlemen :—Misses Matthias, Pinching, Scott and Smellie (3) ; Messrs McDonald, M. H. Smith, A. Fraser, Cunningham, Barclay, Thomas, "Wilson, Weston, Peat, Robinson, Simpson, Brock, and Master Smellie. Encores were demanded from the Misses Smellie, and Messrs McDonald, A. _ Fraser, Cunningham, Barclay, Wilson, Smith, and Thomas, the two last of whom sang and acted their songs in excellent style.

Lecture.—The !ast of the series «f lectures in connection with the Young Men's Christian Association, wi'l be delivered in the Congregational school-room, on Tuesday next, by the Rev. E.Walker.

Waimatb Plains Subvby.—The Normanby correspondent of the " New Zealand Times" telegraphed on July 31st: —The surveyors resume their labors on the Waimate Plains to-morrow. Some excitement is expected here, and should the Armed Constabulary force be required to protect them, the volunteers are ready and willing to hold the Waihi and Normanby redoubts. United Methodist Fbbb Chubch.—Some little time back Mr Oorrick and his juvenile band gave a concert on behalf of the trust funds of the abovo church which, after paving expenses, resulted in a balance of £l9. Leeston Mutual Improvement Absocia - TION.—A paper will be read by Mr W. F. Ford on Monday evening, at 7.30 p.m , in tho Public Library. The subject chosen is entitled " A Forecast of the Weather."

Juvenile Troubadours.—A tronpo under the above title, which has been very successful in Melbourne, open on Thursday evening, for a short season, in the Theatre Royal. They are said to have a very larga repertoire of pieces, many of them new here.