NEWS OF THE DAY.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 1831, 5 January 1880, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Lyttelton Regatta. —Tho prizes won at tho late regatta are to be distributed tomorrow night at tho Canterbury Hotel, Lyttelton. Accounts against the committee should bo sent in to the secretary by tomorrow. The members of the regatta committee aro requested to meet at the hotel at 7 p.m. The Lecture in Aid of the Convent Building Fund.— ln this morning’s “Press” an eiror appeared in tha report of the laying the foundation stone of the new Convent. It was stated that the Rbv. Father O'Malloy would deliver a lecture on “ Tho Catacombs” to-morrow. The lecture, as will be seen by advertisement, will bo delivered this evening, at eight o’clock. The Outward Mail. —Tho outward mail via San Francisco was dispatched for the North by tho s.s. Penguin on Saturday at 7.35 p.m. The Constabulary Contingent. —The contingent of Armed Constabulary, numbering fifty, under Sergeant-Major C leman, who were sent on to Timaru last wet-k, relumed on Saturday, and left by tho s.s. Penguin for Wellington. Kaiapoi Presbyterian Sunday School. —On Friday the annual treat to the scholars attending this school was hold in a paddock kindly lent by Mr C Oram. There wore upwards of 100 children present, who spent a very enjoyable day, and were well provided for by their teachers and friends. Biovcle Riding. —As persons have lately contracted a habit of riding on the footpaths with bicycles, which has been found a great nuisance by the public, the police have determined to put a stop to the nuisance, and summonses have been issued against several persons who have been caught so offending. Lyttelton Land Sports. The final meeting of tho committee in connection with these sports was held at tho Empire Hotel, Lyttelton, on Friday night. A statement of the receipts and expenses was submitted, showing a balance of 5s 4i to the credit of the sports fund. A list of unpaid subscriptions was submitted, several of which were considered to be good, and would be paid on application. After passing one or two accounts the meeting adjourned. Circus. —The final performances of the Circus took place on Saturday afternoon and evening, when there wore good houses. Both performances went excellently throughout. At the close of tho performances the tents were struck with a celerity which astonished the lookers-on, and in a very short time the whole of tho luggage, &c. was shipped on the train en route for tha South. Prior to his departure Mr Chiarini purchased the wellknown colt Wrangler, by Traducer—Tantrums, and a pony. The Lyttelton Orphanage.— Pending the completion of the alterations in progress at this institution, the children, numbering 102, aro still quartered on Quail Island. The change has been a most beneficial one for them, as their ruddy faces abundantly testify. Tho diphtheria had entirely disappeared some days since, and at last accounts the manager had a clean bill of health. It will likely be another work before the institution will be ready for occupation. Trotting Match.—A trotting match for £lO a side took place on tho Ellesmere racecourse on Friday morning, between Mr D. Mitchell’s bay mare Minnie, and Mr Happer’s chesnut ma.ro Qaeeny, three miles, 12st up, Quceny led from the start, and being excellently ridden by Bob Phillips, won easily. Over £IOO changed hands over the event.

Kaxkouba Tows Schooi,. — -This school was inspected by Mr J. P. Rsstell some time ago, with tho following result, viz.: —On roll, 90 ; present, 76 ; average last quarter, 67. Staff—Master, Mr H. H. Knowles ; pupil teacher, O. H. Knowles. Porty-two children were presented in standards, of which there were passed—ln Standard IY., 25 per coat.; Standard 111., 50 per coat.; Standard 11., 47 per cent.; Standard I, 33 per cent. General remarks—The school was in a low state of efficiency when the present master commenced duty about eleven months ago. A very marked improvement has been made, giving fair promise of satisfactory results at next annual examination. A trained mistress is essential to the efficiency. The present building is inadequate to the increasing attendance. A dwelling-house for the master is urgently required. Additional rooms for an assistant mistress might prove advantageous. This was considered a satisfactory report by the school committee under all the circumstances. The school has had six masters in about as many years. Tho now standards wore only commenced on Ist August last. There has not been sufficient teaching power during the past year, and the room has been overcrowded, as many as eighty-five children being present at times in a room 37ft. by 20ft. Kaikoixea SxjbxtebanSchool.—This school was examined lately by Mr J. P. Rested. The following is the report:—On roll, 69 ; present, 60; average last quarter, 46; last week, 52. Staff and distribution—The master, Mr Sayers, toaohes the elder and younger boys in one room ; the mistress, Mrs Sayers, the girls and infants in the other. Results—Presented in standards, 27 ; passed, 15 ; per centage, 50 ; standard IV., passed none; ditto 111,, passed, 60 percent.; ditto 11., passed, 40 per cent. ; ditto 1., passed, 90 per cent. General remarks—Above the infant’s class, the sexes are taught separately. This arrangement is suited to the room, specially built and sub-divided for tho purpose. Thera is some waste of the teaching power, the classes being too small for their separate instruction. This would of itself bo enough to account for less progress than otherwise, oven if the school had always been under efficient instruction. Very commendable improvement has been made underthe present teachers. The committee take gr> at interest in the school. The chairman and several members attended the examination. The buildings require painting, in order to keep them in good preservation. Two sheds have been built as a very mceesary shelter for tho scholars when out of school at dinner and play time, but the committee are indebted £25 on this account, and they desire to be relieved from the expense incurred Tim Guinea Goldfield.—The "Liverpool Post ” stales on good information that tho enormous richness of tho old goldfields on tho Guinea coast has not been exaggerated in tho reports received during the lust ten months. To one of our African merchants, who has had a mining engineer at work for upwards of twelve months, a prize has fallen of probably untold value. Sir John Glover’s statement that, he had travelled over districts where one might dig gold like potatoes is all but literally realised in these recent discoveries, which give the enormous yield of £l2O per ton of quartz, at a depth of fifty , feet, and £3 ou tho surface, while their extent | is practically unlimited.

Licensed Victuallers’ association.— A general meeting of the members of the above association will be held next Thursday, at Morton’s Hotel. Kaiapoi Insi'itute. —ln consequence of Mrs Hardey’s concert taking place this evening, the monthly meeting of the institute committee stands adjourned till Tuesday evening. Extension of Railway Lines.— Notice is given by advertisement that on and after today the station at Springfield will be open for traffic, and trains will run as per advertisement. Habewood Road School. —The children’s annual treat in connection with the Harewood Hoad School will be held next Thursday. I don’t take any foolish chances. If I wuz called upon to mourn over a dead mule, I would siand in front ov him acd do my weepin.’—Josh Billings. The "Grass Valley Union ” prints as an item of news a paragraph headed :— 11 A newspaper msn in trouble.” A newspaper in n not in trouble would be rarer. This has been a very diversified year for clo'.vn circuses. One has been killed, four overhauled by deaeited wives, two fallen heir to heaps of money, and one left on the bottom of the Ohio River. A great many people resemble Louis XI. in their religion. He made to the Virgin Mary a present of the whole county of Boulogne, but retained tho revenues thereof for himseif. In this equivocal way we are willing to give oar lives to the Lord,