NEWS OF THE DAY.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1780, 4 November 1879, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Canterbury Building Society. —Snb scriptiona and repayments are dne to-day. United Methodist Free Ohuech. —The anniversary tea and public meeting of the above Church will be held this evening in the schoolroom, St. Asaph street. Addresses will be delivered in the course of the evening by ministers of the denomination, the chair being taken by the Rev. G. Maofarlane. Canterbury Chess Club. —A special general meeting of the Canterbury Chess Club will be held this evening at half-past seven o’clock at Oookson’s Commercial Hotel. Sitting in Chambers. —His Honor Mr Justice Johnston held a sitting in Chambers this morning, when a number of applications for order of discharge by debtor and other cases were heard. Flower Stealers. —lt is to be regretted that those who take the trouble to cultivate the plots of ground attached to their dwellings should be so frequently plundered of the floral treasures placed therein by the occupiers—whose spare time is spent in following what is thus a source of recreation. Last night the garden of Mr C. T. Cooke, in Worcester street east, was despoiled of several valuable plants—one of which in particular cannot be replaced. It is to hoped the police will discover these petty depredators. Horizontal Silent Gas Engine.— ln the face of the probability of the artesian supply failing, it may be useful to know that a new system for supplying public buildings, hotels, and dwellings is about to be tried by Mr Oookson, of the Commercial Hotel, which, if it succeeds, will be of the greatest value, not only for ordinary supply, but for extraordinary occasions, such as the outbreak of Are, &c. The system is by means of a silent horizontal gas engine of one-horse power, which is capable of pumping from the artesian a supply of 1600 gallons per hour. The bath-rooms of the hotel are supplied with two lengths of hose pipe sufficiently long to go to any part of the house, and connected with the engine, so that a powerful stream could bo turned on at a moment’s notice, sufficient to extinguish a fire before there would be any chance of its spreading. The chief value of the system is, that when the flow of water is not sufficiently strong to rise of its own accord, the engine can raise an indefinite quantity, which is practically inexhaustible. The engine is imported from England, by the Dunedin firm of Burt and Co., from whom Mr Oookson obtained it, and is fitted by Mr Thomas Pye, of this city. Works Committee. —The works committee of the City Council met this marning. Thty decided upon the purchase of a horse on the recommendation of the veterinary surgeon. Instructions were given to have the PostOffice and Whateley road wells cleared out, and several other matters of a minor character were referred to the engineer to deal with. The Unemployed. —A mass meeting of the unemployed will be held at eight o’clock this evening in Cathedral square, where, the advertisement states, important information will bo forthcoming, and it is intended by the promoters of the movement to form a demonstration. Entertainment. —An entertainment, consisting of glees, songs, &c., will take place this evening in the Congregational Schoolroom, Manchester street. A collection will bo made in aid of the Sunday school library. The Maoris and their Horse. —Allude ing to the loss of the Maori horse Tawera at the recent Hawke’s Bay steeplechases, a Napier contemporary says : —“ The grief of the Maoris at the death of their horse Tawera was not the least touching feature of this sad accident. The Natives surrounded the body and held a genuine tangi over it, for they were proud of their horse quite apart from any feeling of the pecuniary loss they had sustained by his death. Tawera was owned by the chief Benata, who had purchased him I from Mr Donnelly for £600.” ’

Divinity and Law in tub Bush.—According to “ ASgles,” they have pleasant free-and-easy ways in some of the bush townships. Last Good Friday, at Oookerstown, the Church of England parson dipensed with the usual service, as there was an interesting cricket match in which his skilled assistance as a champion bowler was required. In the game there also played the local constable, and he brought with him to stand umpire a prisoner charged with embezzlement, for whom the EM. had refused bail. The Presbyterian minister, on his arrival in the township, found it deserted in favor of the cricketfield, and also joined the sport. This was indeed a match which had the sanction both of law and gospel. The Bits of the Skunk. —ln the “ Forest and Stream,” of recent date, is a contribution to the question whether the bite of the skunk is poisonous and will produce rabies. In the west and south-west of the Mississipi Valley this seems generally believed. A writer from Colorado quotes several instances. Dr. Cushing, of Trinidad, Colorado, who has, no doubt, seen several oases, gives it as his opinion that the natural bite of the skunk produces hydrophobia —that it dees not need to be suffering from rabies itself. He says its bite will kill the victim sooner or later, without fail. Dr. W. L South, who has had great experience in Texas and New Mexico, says “the bite will fetch the victim some time,” saying that it will sooner or later result in death.

Omental Exhibition. —There was again a large attendance of visitors to the Oriental Exhibition yesterday and last evening. City Council. —The usual weekly meeting of the City Council last night only occupied about an hour, though a good deal of business was done. The Council adjourned over the holidays until next Monday week. Cemeteey Boabd. —The usual monthly meeting of the Cemetery Board, whicu should have been held yesterday, did not take place, as up to twenty minutes past the hour appointed for the meeting, none of the members had put in an appearance. Boabd op Health. —The Local Board of Health held its usual meeting yesterday afternoon at the adjournment of the Drainage Board. The only items for consideration, except payment of accounts, &0., were the reports of the acting health officer and of the inspector of nuisances. Ambebley Races.— A meeting of the ground committee was hold at Gaynor’s Hotel on Saturday night. There was a very good attendance, and all the preliminaries are being very satisfactorily arranged. The secretary was in attendance and presented a very flourishing report. Fibb at Eavbnswood. —About six o’clock on Sunday evening, a fire took place in a cottage the property of Mr J. Bowie, Ravens - wood. There were four persons in the house when the fire originated from sparks on the roof. The damage is estimated at £l5O. It is said to be insured. A high wind was blowing at the time. The City Wateb Supply. —The City Surveyor, in his report to the Council last night, called attention to the fact that the supply of the artesian wells in the city tanks is failing. It was resolved to have one of the wells cleaned out to see if the process would have a beneficial effect. The “ Pbess ” Almanac. —The Christchurch PbeßS Almanac and Diary for 1880 is just published. It is a handy little volume, exceedingly well printed and bound, and contains more than an ordinary amount of useful information. It will be found a useful guide for merchants and business men generally, and offers special advantages as a guide to travellers.

Fieb. —Yesterday afternoon, between three and four o’clock, a fire broke out in the back premises of of Parsons’ (late Scott's) Family Hotel. Members of the Fire Brigade, with Mr Superintendent Harris, were quickly on the spot, and extinguished the fire before any damage of consequence was done. The fire bells gave no alarm, and in a very short period all danger had ceased. Sydenham Mayoral ELECTION. —In compliance with a requisition signed by 346 burgesses of Sydenham, Mr J. T. Brown has consented to be nominated for the office of Mayor for the ensuing year. Church Peopbety Tbttst Loan. —The Union Bank of Australia has succeeded in floating the Canterbury Church Loan in London at an average of £lO5 8s for each debenture of £IOO. Cricket Fixtures. —A match between the Bakers’ and St. Albans’ Clubs will be played on "Wednesday, on the St. Albans ground. Calcutta Sweeps. —Calcutta Sweeps on the principal events of the Metropolitan will be drawn at tie Kink, Gloucester street, next Friday, at 8 p.m. Canterbury Philosophical Institute. —The annual meeting of the Phil osophical Institute will take place next Thursday evening. Bible Association. —The opening day of the Canterbury Bifle Association is fixed for Tuesday, November 11th.