NEWS OF THE DAY.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1821, 22 December 1879, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Daemonic Society. —-The final rehearsal will take place this evening at 7.30, at St. John’s schoolroom. Committee Meetings.—Tho by law committee met on Friday last to further consider the city by-laws, with the object of ascertaining whore amendments (if any) are required, and making provision for the same. This morning the works and finance committee met, but the business was of a purely routine character. Pigeon Bay.—The s.s. Akaroa is to make an excursion trip to this Bay next Fridny, leaving Lyttelton at 9.30 a.m, and Pigeon Bay at 3 p.m. Cab Licenses.—A number of cab-owners have neglected to enter their applications for renewal of their licenses, although all applications should have been in by the 14th of the present month. Unless such are made at once, the owners of oabs may find themselves in difficulty and their occupation gone.

District Court. —The District Oourt eat this morning, when the adjourned cate of Regina v. Cameron was further heard, and again adjourned for the production of a witness. There were several other ensos on the list of no special interest. Friendly Societies' Fete. —lntending competitors are reminded that acceptances for the One and Three Miles Walking races, Grand Open Handicap, and One Mile Flat race, close this evening at eight o’clock, at the Foresters’ Hall, Oxford Terrace. Burnham Industrial School.—A further donation of £lO 10s has been received by Mr Mellish, from some inhabitants of Svdenham, towards the fund of the Burnham Industrial School Christmas treat. Resident Magistrates’ Court. —A large amount of business was disposed of to-day in the Court. The only case of any special interest had reference to the defacing of a date on a railway ticket, and was adjourned for a week. A full report of the business done I'ppears elsewhere. Afghan Names. —The pass, the attempted occupation of which by the British occasioned such desperate fighting, as narrated in this morning’s telegrams, is described in the message es “Jagdalak.” In Collins’ Allas the name is given as “Jugduluk.” Keith Johnston gives it as “ Jigdilik.” The word affords a pleasant subject for conjecture, but Afghan names generally are far' behind those of Turkey in this respect. Catholic School Excursion. —An excursion of the children attending the Catholic school and their friends has been arranged to take place to the Racecourse on Boxing Day. The Jockey Club have granted the use of the stands, and the committee have arranged sports, &c., for which prizes to the amount of £SO will be given. The Hibernian Society’s brass band will bo in attendance, and a special train, to accommodate 2000, has boon arranged for. The start will be made from the Catholic Church at 10.15 a.m., returning at 5 p.m. Heathcote Races.—A meeting of residents of the Heathcote district was held on Saturday at the Heathcote Arms, to consider the question of arranging a programme for some horse racing on the 26th inst., when it wes decided that a race meeting should bo held in Mr Fenton’s paddock near the swing bridge, on the above date; that four races should bo for district horses only, and one open to all comers. The district races to be, a hurdle race, one flat race, one trotting race, and a hack race, and the open race to be a flat race of about two miles. Considerable interest wei shown by those present, and it is expected that a very pleasant little meeting will result, as subscriptions are coming in freely for the various events. A course of about one mile is laid off, and the ground is in very fair order, so that should the weather be fine some fair sport may be expected from this first meeting, of which it is proposed to make an annual fixtnre. A Whale in Lyttelton Harbor.—A sperm whale was reported yesterday morr’ng to have been seen inside the breakwater, and to have made its exit through the gap in the western breakwater.

The Land Tax. —The attention of persons liable to payment of the land tax is directed to an advertisement by the Commissioner for the district, intimating that the tax is payable on or before December 31st. Acclimatisation. —On Saturday afternoon Mr Farr, the secretary of the Acoflmatisation Society, liberated the first pair of robin redbreasts set loose here. The birds mode their way quickly to cover. Ashburton Licensing Court. —The apnlication of Robt. Patton, for an hotel license at Methven, which was adjourned fcom lest licensing meeting, was granted on Saturday, on the understanding that the hotel should be erected to the satisfaction of the Bench. South African Diamonds. —A 942-carat diamond, found recently at Mekerk’s Bush, in the South African diamond fields, was sold on the spot for £7COO. The same “digger” to whose lot this rare find fell unearthed about the same time a fine stone of 26 carats, and another of 10Jd carats, besides several smal’er gemsIntehprovincial Rifle Match. The Otago Association would not accecde to the request of the Canterbury Association for each team to fire on its own range this season, but propose in turn that the match take place at Ohrietchurch at Easter, when the Otago Volunteers will be here for the review. This will wl’l add one more to the many attractions provided for our volunteers at that season. Boat Accident at Port. —On Saturday night two of the quarrymen emnloyed at Mr Haydon’s quarry in Church Aay, opposite Lyttelton, and respectively named John Burgess and John Laurence, narrowly escaped being drowned in the harbor. The men left Lyttelton between eleven and twelve o’clock for the quarry, and when they were near the reef a puff of wind coming up suddenly capsized their boat. They hung on to the craft, and were carried down by the ebb tide off the entrance to the inner harbor, where their cries for help were beard on board the schooner Wave o" Life, bound in. Captain Herbert and two of hie crew put off and rescued them. The men were both numbed and exhausted, having been in the water close upon an hour. They were taken to-the Railway Hotel, where every kindness was shown them. Cttt CouNCtL. — The usup' weekly meeting of the City Council wi’l be he.d this evening at seven o’clock.