NEWS OF THE DAY.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1709, 12 August 1879, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Boaed o* Consbbvatobs.—The usual monthly meeting of the Board of Conservators for the South Waimakariri took place to-day. The principal business was the consideration of the encroachment of the Waimakariri at Chaney's corner. After hearing the report of the overseer on the subject, the following resolution wbh passed—" That the Board, having heard the report of Mr Potts on the river at Chuney'a corner, is of opinion that the cutting across the island is the chief cause of the damage to the North road; and, farther, that any protective works would be of such a costly nature as to be entirely beyond the means at the command of the Board. The Board is also of opinion that the Selwyn County Council should be asked to take steps to purchase a new line of road, and use the most inexpensive plan that can be adopted under the circumstances." The resolution was ordered to be forwarded to the Selwyn County Council and to the Avon Bead Board, Ehsidbnt Maghstbatb's Coubt.—There was but little business before the Court today. 3T. W. Eorder was convicted of stealing a chisel, valued at 2s, and as there were four previous convictions against him, he was sentenced to sixmonths' imprisonment with hard labor.

Sale of Richmond's Estate.—The sale of articles in the estate of Mr Bichmond was held to-day, in their mart, by Messrs Matson and Co. Amongst the goods sold were articles of jewellery, and some splendid diamonds were offered. A set of gold ornaments set with diamonds, which wore valued at £l5O, wore sold for £55 to Mr Wilson, and a single diamond ring, which cost £l5O, was sold to Mr Carl (of the Empire) for £6O. Other lots were sold equally cheap. A Cubiotts Case.—lt will be remembered, says the Auckland " Evening Star," that a few months ago a woman named Thompson, with three children, was forsaken in the South by her husband—that she was sent on to Auckland, and was found with her little ones sitting on the wharf watching the mail I steamer Bail for Amerioa, whence she had hoped to secure a passage to her friends. Mr Ewington was instrumental in raising about £52 for her in a few days, amongst the charitable public of Auckland, and the family was enabled to return to America. By the last mail this gentleman received a letter from Mrs Thompson, asking him to thank all those persons who had befriended her, and saying that for some time after her arrival in California she got no tidings of her husband; but one day he called at the house of a relative, where she was staying, and was astonished to find her and the cnildren back home. He then told her how that he had gone on board a vessel bound for San Francisco, and, being a little the worse for drink, the captain had put to sea with him, and then made him work as an engineer on boa-d. He brought the matter before tho Oonsu l , and recovered wages from the captain, and then made for her friends. It gave him such a shock that ho has signed the pledge, and is now doing well with a sawmill of bis own, and hopes to repay the great kindness which was shown to his family by the Ladies' Benevolent Society, through Mr J. B. Bussell, as secretary to the society. I/AND Tax Appeals, County of Ashley. —As will be seen by advertisement, in another column, a sitting of the Assessment Court for the West Eyreton District will be held at the 8.-sident Magistrate Court House, Bangiora, on TuPßday, August 26th, at 10 a.m. A.O.F. —A meeting of Court Queen of the Isles, No. 2703, A.O.fc\, will be held to-morrow night, at the Society's Hall, Lyttelton. Land Tax Appeals.—The Court, after it had disposed, yesterday, of the appeals brought before it, adjourned till Thursday next. A Court for appeals against the valuations for the Selwyn County will sit in the Sel»/n County Council office on Thursday at 10 a.m., before Mr G. L. Lee. The Courts for Sydenham and Avon will sit at the Besident Magistrate's Court, Christchurch, on the 22nd and 29th inst. '

Raiiway Fibe Beioabb. —The serYioes of ; the Railway Fire Brigade, which were tendered by letter last evening to the City ' Council, have been accepted by that body. The arrangements for the practice, <tc, cor. jointly with the Chrintchurch "Volunteer Fiio Brigade, have been remitted to the fire brigade committee. Thb Coming Stbuggle.—Speaking of the question to be settled at the approaching election, the " New Zealand Times " says : " The general election will be merely on the question of Grey versus Free Government. No policy, no ' liberalism,' will enter into it at all. The plain issue to be put to the electors everywhere will be, 'Do you wish Sir George Grey to rule New Zealand, or do you wish a Ministry responsible to Parliament to rule it?' Can there bo a doubt what the answer will be in four constituencies out of five ? Certainly not. The Grey cry is without exception the weakest that any party could possibly go to the country with just now. They might have done something with ' Liberalism,' they might have done something with Protection, they might have done something with education—they might have done something with communism ; but to go to the electors with nothing in the world but Grey to offer them is really too preposterous. Grey means land tax, Grey means low wages, Grey means depression, Grey means bankruptcy, Grey means unemployed, Grey means panic, Grey means Native war, Grey means jobbery and corruption, Grey means tyranny and personal government, Groy means dismissal of old and faithful officers, Grey means sinecures to parasites, Groy means elective Governors, Grey means mob meetings, Grey moans a quarrel with the mother country,—Grey, in short, means everything that people are either suffering from or living in dread of. Yet this unfortunate Ministry have nothing to say to the electors, in face o£ an adverse majority of fourteen votes and of that damning memorandum by the Governor, but only Grey, Grey, Grey !" Rbtobm: Association. —A meeting of th* Canterbury Reform Association was held in the Oddfellows' Hall last evening. There were about 100 present, Mr J. S. Turnbull, president of the association, in the chair. The minutes of the previous meeting having been read and confirmed, the report of the provisional committee was laid before the meeting, recommending that the executive of the association comprise six vice-presidents, twelve members for central committee, and that the entrance be free, expenses to be paid by voluntary rontributions. The recommendations of the committee were carried, and the following form of adherence to the association, was adopted : —"I hereby enter myself as a member, understanding that the test of the principles of the association is the liberal policy placed before the country by the present Government; and that the aim and object of the association is. the return of members to Parliament to support that policy. And I hereby agree to be bound by the rules, and to work iu unison and harmony with the association for the purposes stated." It was also agreed that no member who voted against the Government should be recognised or have the support of the association. Mr Izett wbb elected a vice-president, and Mr H.E. Alport treasurer of the association. The meeting then adjourned. ' Hobsb Run Oveb. —A horse, trespassing • on the railway near Temuka, was run over by the train on Friday and killed. Labcbnt. —Yesterday afternoon a man i named Francis James Forder was arreßted on a charge of larceny from a dwelling. The prisoner was well known to the police, being an old offender.

Wateb Supply.—At the meeting of the City Council last evening the city surveyor reported that the cylinder had beon successfully sunk in the Waimakariri, ana that he had been promised the loan of a centrifugal pump, which would enable him to test the quantity of the supply. Christchubch Dbaikage Boaed. The fortnightly meeting of the Board was held yesterday. An interesting report on subjects of local interest was submitted by the engineer and duly considered, and a good deal of correspondence was also dealt with, St. Michael's Ohobal Society.—Sir M. Costa's oratorio of "Naaman," which was recently given successfully by the members of the above society, was repeated last evening, when considering the unpleasant weather there was a very good attendance. Theateb Royal.—The Hudson Surprise Party appeared again at the Theatre last evening in the programme of Saturday night. The various items were well rendered. Tonight there will be a change of programme, and to-morrow, which will be the last appearance ofjthe company here, Mr C. "Wallace will take a benefit. New Zealand Rifle Association.—A meeting of volunteers is called for this evening at the Dri". Hall, after battalion parade, to consider some of the rr'es of the association, and to elect an officer on the Council. Masonic —A lodge (Robert Burns) of instruction will be held this evening at 7.30. Good Templab Entertainment. A public tea and entertainment will be held in the Templar Hall, Wore :3ter stre.it, on Thursday next, the 14th. PHIL9SOPHICAL INSTITUTE. A Special meeting of the Council of the Canterbury Philosophical Institute will take place on Thursday evening in the Public Library. The business before the meeting will be the formation of a list of books, to bo eont for from England for the institute. There are now some hundreds of pounds to the credit of the institute, and those members who desire to have books should communicate with the secretary before the date mentioned. Sunnyside Asylum.—The members of the Hudson Surprise Party have tendered their services to give an afternoon performance to-day to the inmates of the Sunnyside Asylum. N.Z. Shipping Company. The annual general meeting of the shareholders of the New Zealand Shipping Company will be held tomorrow, at noon, at the head offices, to receive the report of the directors, elect three directors and two auditors, and other business. Saleyabds Company. Ths half-yearly general meeting of the Canterbury Saleyards Company will be held this evening at Messrs E. W lkin and Co.'s stores, Hereford street, to receive the report of the directors and to declare a dividend for the half-year.

Kaiapoi Popular Entertainments. — At a meeting of the managing committee of these enteifciinments, held on Monday, it was resolved that the next of the series be held on Wednesday, 27th, when the comedy of the " Serious Faop'y" will be produced, the leading characters being taken by Messrs Hewlings, Thompson, Smith, Bernays, and Mathews, Misses HiJl, Kanffman, Pinching, and others. Bangioba Horticultural Association. —The annual general meeting of this association will be held in the Bead Board Office, Smgiora, to-morrow evening.