NEWS OF THE DAY.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1770, 22 October 1879, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

St. Maet’s, Addington.—An entertainment, in aid of the Sunday school funds, will be given in this parish to-morrow evening, the 23rd inst., when a good programme will be submitted to the audience. Foeestbeb’ Meeting. The adjourned quarterly meeting of Court Star of Canterbury, No. 2509, was held in the Foresters’ Hall, on Monday last. The hall was well filled. Three members were admitted by clearance—one from Lyttelton and two from England. One new member was initiated and two honorary members. The rules of the Juvenile Forester’s court were read and adopted, and it was decided to open the Court on Tuesday, October 28th, at 7.30 p.m. The Court is open to any respectable boy between the ages of 10 and 17, entrance fee, Is, It is anticipated there will be upwards of 40 candidates. The attention of the Brethren was drawn to Mrs Walter Hill’s benefit, which takes place on Monday next. Bro. Crooks’ remarks on the same were received with cheers. The Court granted permission to open a new Court at Sydenham. The receipts for the quarter are £2BO Is 2d. The meeting then closed. Bastes’ Oeicket Club.—A match will bo played to-morrow, Thursday, at 3 p.m. sharp, between married and single. All members are requested to attend. Midnight Alaem.—One night this week the inmates of a hotel, very well known from its central position in Christchurch, were cast into a state of the wildest consternation by an alarm of fire, which alarm, though almost everybody was in bed, sped from room to room with the speed of electricity. Also, the effect of the intelligence was little less than electrical in its effect, and something slightly more than comical. In far lees time than it takes to relate, the inmates of that hotel were scampering about (mostly in deshabille ) like so many agitated mustangs on the stampede, and the appearance of things for a time was pretty lively. One old lady, whose decorum remained with her under the trying circumstances, emerged from her room, and went down stairs in grande tenue, but with her stockings in her hand ; a young gentleman, whose reputation for attention to his toilet had always been great, wanted to curl his hair, and then met the situation by flying down stairs with nothing on to speak of but an umbrella. Another gentleman, one of the last to hoar the alarm, made a frantic grasp at his watch and chain before leaving the room, and when he got outside discovered that he had clutched a paper collar by mistake. Finally the excitement ended in what had caused it to begin—namely, smoke—and the lodgers retired to rest. Bathing in Auckland.—Bather an exciting episode, says an Auckland contemporary, occurred at the North Shore a few days ago, through which a young man nearly lost his life. It appears that the gentleman in question went on to the long beach for the purpose of having a swim. Having gone a considerable distance from the shore, he was on the point of turning back, when ho observed a slight rippling in the water. On closer examination he saw a shark about twenty feet long making for him. Being a long distance from shore, he thought it advisable to make for an adjacent rock, on to which he hastily scrambled. Evidently the fish was not to be duped of a meal in this way, for he made several attempts to capture the occupant of the rock. It being high water at the time, the only safe plan was for the gentleman to wait until low tide, before which the shark would have to withdraw. He was quite right, for the fish, evidently tired at his non-success, beat a retreat, and the swimmer made the best of his way home, having been on the rock fully four hours. The Holy Land.—lt has not perhaps been generally known that of late years there has been an indescribable yearning amongst many sections of the Jewish people to return to the cradle of their race, and such a stream of emigration has set in that some of the Jews were proposing to arrest it by assisting the pauper immigrants to return to their own countries. The “Jewish Chronicle,” while lamenting the influx, said that they might as well attempt to turn the course of the Atlantic as to stem this irresistible tide. In the total population of 36,000, the Jews in Jerusalem were reckoned two years ago to have increosed to 13,000, and now they were numbered at 18,000, and the contributions for their support from the Jews of other countries were estimated at £60,000 a year. A very remarkable statement was recently made by one of the Jewish organs, namely : “If it is in the goodwill of Providence that there should arise out of the accumulated ashes of desolation which cover Palestine an era of glory which shall unite the Jews in the cradle of their race and their religion, that consummation could not take place under happier auspices than those of England.” A South German paper affirms “ that the Holy Land has fallen out of the hands of the Turk into those of the Jew! It says that the great banking house of the Rothschilds has lent Turkey the sum of two thousand million francs, and has received in return a deed of mortgage upon the entire land of Palestine. It observes further that, as it is quite impossible for a bankrupt and declining State like Turkey to pay back the money, the Israelites may now count upon their return to the Land of Promise as a certainty.”

Italian Consul-General. Wo learn (says the “New Zealand Times”) that official intimation has been received from he Italian Government at Rome that Chevalier Ferdinando de Goyzaetta (dei Marches! di Jovereno), late Italian Consul at Tripoli, has been appointed Italian Consul-General for New Zealand, Australia, Tasmania, and Fiji. The gentleman is shortly expected to arrive in Melbourne.

The Five Million Loan. On Friday night one of our Wellington correspondents telegraphed that the Government had received advices of the Crown Agents having placed £BOO,OOO of the new loan. As there was no reason for doubting the accuracy of this statement, it was published in due course. It appears, however, that our correspondent had been misinformed, and his statement has been authoritatively contradicted. The error was a serious one, and we regret that it should have occurred. No portion of the loan has yet been placed on tho market, although arrangements have been made with the Crown Agents for an advance on the security of tho loan.

Runaway. —Yesterday afternoon a licensed cabman named Frederick Schroeder took a fare to the North town bolt, and after setting him down remained a short time for the purpose of bringing him back to town. His attention being attracted from his cab, the horse by some means rubbed the blinkers off, and started back at a rapid pace. He was first seen by a policeman on duty crossing Victoria bridge. The runaway dashed through the cab rank, scattering the vehicles, and pursued his career up Colombo street, turning into Cashel street. Thence it galloped along Oxford Terrace, passed the Hospital, and continued its course up the Biccarton road,turning off near the Biccarton Hotel, in the direction of Wood’s mill. The horse was eventually headed near the Carlton Hotel by a horseman, who brought him and the cab into town. Strange to say the animal contrived to avoid any collision, and neither he nor the vehicle sustained any damage. Papanui. —An entertainment will be given in the Papanui schoolroom to-morrow evening, comprising glees, songs, piano solos, &c.

Relics op tub Past.—The workmen engaged in clearing out Jackson’s creek, during their excavation operations, came upon the remains of a totara forest, and subsequently discovered a Maori canoe, just outside the section of Mr W. W. Charters. The canoe, which is beautifally carved, is to bo presented to the Museum. The Babbit-skin Teadb.—No fewer than 3,966,409 rabbit skins were exported last year from New Zealand, the estimated value being £33,000. Coachmakebs’ Petitiow. Yesterday, Mr Charters received a telegram from Sir George Grey to the effect that he had presented the petition of the ooachmakers of Christchurch relative to the duty on certain articles. St. Luke’s Entertainments.—A very successful entertainment in connection with the parish of St. Luke’s took place last evening in the schoolroom. There was a very good attendance, and after some songs and recitations had been given a number of dissolving views were exhibited, interspersed with instrumental music. Distsibutxon op Teout,— Seven thousand three hundred young trout last week forwarded to Wanganui and Hawera from Mr Johnson’s fish-breed-ing establishment at Opawa. This is the largest number that have been sent to the North Island at one trip, and occupied a considerable space on the deck of the steamer. Intelligence has been received that the fish arrived in Wellington in splendid order, and with very trifling loss. Wharp Extension at Poet.—The contractors finished the extension to No. 2 Jetty yesterday, that is the further extension or extra piece, put on to round off the end of the jetty. This extra piece was an after consideration, and is regarded, now that it is finished, as being a very great improvement, and a great convenience in turning steamers at the wharf. The triangular lamps, as formerly, are on the end of this wharf for the guidance of steamers arriving at night. One or two more lights for the guidance of passengers are much needed. Oaptube op a Whale.—The appearance of a whale in Pigeon Bay last Friday afternoon caused some excitement, though the settlers seem to have made the most of the opportunity as far as profit is concerned. The whale, which proved to be of that species known as the finback, went close in shore, and was shot in the eyes first by Mr Thomas Hay. This mode of attack caused it to make still further on to the beach, and several other shots having taken effect it was ultimately landed, or rather stranded, the tide receding and leaving it on the beach. Boiling operations were at once started, with a result of from 50 to 60 gallons of oil. The fish measured 16ft. in length.

The Ghost. —Professor Jonas’ entertainment at the Oddfellows’ Hall attracted a capital house last evening, when the bill of the preceding night was repeated. The company appear again this evening. Ashbueton Council Chamber. The Ashburton Councillors met in the new Council Chamber in Tancred street on Monday night. The Chamber is large and convenient, though very plain, and is a great improvement on the old temporary offices. There is plenty of room, not only for the municipal authorities but for the audience also.

Chbistchttbch Female Rei'uqe. —The committee of the Female Refuge have issued an appeal to the public of Christchurch on behalf of the institution under their care. They are greatly in need of funds to defray a portion of the cost of recent additions and alterations to the buildings, and also to provide furniture for the new wing. It is scarcely necessary to point out that an institution such as the Female Refuge deserves, and will no doubt obtain, the hearty support of right-thinking people in the community, nothing |more, therefore, need be said, beyond directing attention to the advertisement issued by the committee which appears in another portion of our issue. Spobts Committee. —The meeting of the sports committee, which should have taken place yesterday afternoon, lapsed in consequence of several of the members being away at the City Councillors’ picnic at the Waimakariri.

Chess Club.— A special general meeting of the Christchurch Chess Club will be held tomorrow evening at Warner’s Hotel, to consider the advisability of rescinding certain resolutions passed at a recent meeting, and also to consider a resolution for winding up the club and the disposal of the property.