NEWS OF THE DAY.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 1919, 19 April 1880, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

The Lynch Company of Bbllbinsbes.— The Lynch Pamily of Bellringers and Vocalists and English Combination Troupe opened at the Town Hall, Ashburton, on Saturday evening, and were well received by a full house. They appear again in the same Hall this evening. The company will arrive in Ohrißtchurch towards the close of the week. Pull particulars will appear in tomorrow's issue.

Masistbatb's Cottbt, Lyttblton.— Hoctor Atkinson, charged with stealing a coat belonging to the manager of the British Hotel, was remanded until Wednesday. District Cottbt Oasbb.—The following is the list of cases set down for hearing at the District Court, Ohristchurch, on the 20th inst.: —J. Wild v W. Marcroft—Mr Harper for plaintiff, Mr Joynt for defendant; Friedlander Bros, v Roberts—Mr Joynt and Mr McConnel; Cox and Another v Sandrey and Blackler—Mr Joynt and Mr Harper; J. Joseph v Eobt. Belgrave—Mr Cowlishaw and Mr Bruges.

Supreme Cottbt.—His Honor Mr Justice Johnston held a sitting in banco this morning. There were a number of cases on the list, consisting of applications under the Deeds Registration Act, Public Works Act, and one under the Divorce and Matrimonial Causes Act, namely Munro v. Munro, in which his Honor made order that the issues of connivance and combination should be tried before the full Court at Wellington. A number of applications were made under the Debtors and Creditors Act, and several debtors were granted orders of disoharge. Theateb Royal.—" Jonathan Bradford," which was well put on the stage, formed the first piece at the Theatre on Saturday night. The various parts were well sustained, and Mr Williams deserves credit for his clever bit of effect in the fourfold scene. The last piece was the farce of "High Life Below Stairs," iu which Miss Florence Oolville, Mr Hoskins, and the other members of the company, were very successful. The audience were kept in roars of laughter by Messrs Hoskins and Hydes in the respective parts of the Duke and Sir Harry. The compuny appear again this evening.

ASHBTTBTON AGBICTTIiTTTBAI, AND PASTOBAL Association.—A committee meeting of the above body was held on Saturday, in the Somerset Hotel, at wbich Mr C. P. Cox presided. On the motion of Mr J. Hunt it was resolved to hold a general meeting on the 4th of May, to elect a committee and appoint officers for the ensuing year. A vote of thanks to Dr. Irving for his excellent lecture on bees was carried, on the motion of Mr J. Carter. The meeting terminated with tho usual compliment to the chairman. A Noblb ExampliK.—An important firm's handing over on their retirement from business to their staff of assistants tho business which they have spent a lifetime in building up is an act of quite astonishing generosity. Yet this has actually been performed by the old established firm of Messrs William Lawrence and Son, builders, of London. In retiring from business they handed over to their managers and chief clerks, nine in number, a loan of £30,000, with which tho new firm will purchase the stock and continue the trade. Nor did tho beneficence of the principals stop here, for a considerable sum of money was divided by Mr Alderman W. Lawrence, M.P., amongst the largo staff of workmen, tho gratuities being proportioned to tho length of service of the men, some of the older servants having sufficient to retire from labor. Such an example of unparalled nobility may have its effect upon great labor employers, who may be led to think of tho claims of those whose lives are spent in their service.

Masonic.—The ball which was held in honor of the opening of the new Masonic Hall in Ashburton last Friday night was the most successful of anything of the kind ever held in that town. All elements necessary to success wore present. Tho hall was in capital order for dancing, the music of Mr Gardner's band was excellent, and tho attendance was very large, there being over 200 persons present. Dancing commenced at 9 30, and was kept up until about 5 o'clock the following morning. Mr Quill's catering gave great satisfaction, and waß the subject of many encomiums during the night. Academy of Music.—" Romeo and Juliet," asmowhat curtailed, was repeated on Saturday at the Academy of Mueio. Mrs Walter Hill's Romeo was a very finished piece of acting, and Miss Arethusa May received loud plaudits fo* her rendering of Juliet. The other part 3 were fairly filled. A lady and gentleman appeared at the close of the play in a doubla song and dance. The company left on Saturday evening for Wellington, where they open to-night for a short season. City Council.— The weekly meeting of the City Council takes place this evening at seven o'clock.

Inquisitive Cobbespondents A St Petersburg correspondent Btates that, early in February, three representatives of English papers, wishing to inspect the premises whore the Nihilist secret press was discovered, repaired thither, rang the bell, and were politely invited to enter. Onco inside, the police rushed upon thom, searohed them to see whethor thoy were not armed, and propped to take thom to the polica.station. They energetically protested, demanding to be taken to the English Embassy. They were at length taken before the police commissary, and after fresh protests and explanations were sent to General Zourof, chief of police, who showed them the utmost courtesy, and immediately released them.

Nabbow Escape.—The " Chicago Railway Review," of January 17th, says that a terrible bridge disaster was barely averted on Sunday at Boston by the alertness of the engineer of a New York and New England train and the Weatinghouse air brake. The large iron steamer Lancaster had crashed into the railway bridge beyond the Congress-street draw because a broken bell-wire had failed to give tho steamer's engineer the signal to stop, badly twisting tho bridge timbers, breaking the draw lock, and deviating tho rails 18in. out of line. No one was on the bridge or in the vicinity to warn the inward-bound train, whose engineer saw the trouble when but a train's length from the bridga. He reversed and applied the brake, stopping the five cars 15ft. from the bridge abutment. But for this the train would have gone into the river, and, as the tide was high, the loss of life would have been great. Pbepabing toe Death.—A man of eccentric habits, named Lyne (says the " Bolton Evening Guardian "), recently died atWigan. Peeling some time ago that his dissolution was not far distant, he walked into an undertaker's shop and had himself measured for his wooden suit. The coffin was prepared and embellished accoidiig to his own instructions, and paid for down on the nail, Lyne declining to be buried on creditor by the parish authorities. This piece of furniture having been constructed according to the directions of its yet living tenant, Lyne wrote out hi» funeral cards, intimating the day and date of his demiso, and requesting the attendance of his friends. Everything being in readiness for his death, the man quietly laid himself down and died. How he managed to die it is difficult to say, although it is certain the man laid no violent hands on himself. ExTBAOBDINABY REVELATIONS ABOUT THE Tay Bkidgb.—One of the most interesting items of intelligence by the San Pranciaco mail is that in regard to the famous Tay Bridge, the terrible collapse of which, on the 28th December, horrified the whole civilised world. It is now proved in evidence that the wonderful bridge, in appearanco a triumph of engineering and mechanical skill, was really a sham, a delusion, and a snare —a gigantic death-trap, and that so far from its being at all surprising that the bridge gave way when it did, the only wonder is that it did not go long before. It is proved that one of the immense columns whioh supported the high girders was actually cracked from top to bottom, and held together by four iron hoops ; that thero were flaws in the castings ; defects in the iron filled with putty and painted over ; that some of the hollow iron piers were filled with loose sand instead of solid concrete; that there were rivets without heads, nut,B unscrewed, empty bolt holes, loose bars, &c. There must have been scandalous rascality somewhere, and it will be a national disgrace if the whole affair be not thoroughly exposed and the guilty persons visited with condign punishment.

The ScabJoitz of Monet.—The " Manawatu Herald" remarks : —The cry is often heard that money is scarce, but those who look back to the early days, and regard with envy the successes of the old identities, would do well to remember that those same old identities have gained their fortunes and built up their prosperity only by the exercise of the most scrupulous frugality, combined with the most persistent industry. A fact bearing on this occurred a few evenings ago. Captain Sharpe, of Wellington, a very old settler, was spending the evening at Foiton, and in course of conversation the all-absorbing subject cf the scarcity of money turned up, especially the amount of " paper" that is flying about. Captain Sharpe remarked to the effect that paper currency was a very old institution in New Zaaland. This statement he verified by producing from his pocket-book a piece of paper some thirty-five years old, and which turned out to be a Now Zealand Company order for a whole two pence. This was the ordinary medium of exchange, and there was an endorsement to the effect that any one one taking to the Treasury thirty of theße orders would reoeive, not, as might be expected, a " cartwheel," but a Government debenture of the value cf five shillings ! That was paper currency with a vengeance. It would appear that the scarcity of money has been a complaint of New Zealand since its foundation.

Tbagio OcctTBBBNCB. —A terrible affair has happened at Woosung, a few miles from Shanghai. Mr A. O. Owen, the second officer of the steamer Patroclus, and Dr. Yate, of the same vessel, were in a small boat, and the former was amusing himself by shooting at some birds with a revolver. The doctor was sitting just in front of him, and Mr Owen held the weapon close to the doctor's head. Just as ho fired, the doctor turned, apparently to see what effect the shot might take. The bullet entored the doctor's head. Mr Owen endeavored to extract it by the help of a knife, but failing to do so, he got into a state of terrible excitement, and before the seamen in the boat could see what he was about, he fired into his own forehead. The sailors were about an hour before reaching their vessel (which was about to sail for Europe), when the captain had both the wounded men taken to the hospital at Shanghai. The doctor died the same evening, and the second officer the next day. The jury found that the doctor was accidentally killed, and that the second officer destroyed himself in a fit of temporary insanity. Dr. Yate was the son of a well-known medical practitioner at the West End of London, and the officer was also the son of a doctor. The deceased had been groat friends. Kibwbb.—The Eev. F. W. Smyth has resigned the pastorate of the Baptist Churches at Q-reendale and Eirwee. His ministerial duties terminate in July, whea he intends to visit America. Mr Smyth will also resign his officoß of editor and secretary to the Canterbury Baptist Association at the same date. What Might Happen.—The Berlin correspondent of the " Times," writing on February 16fch, states :—" A strange little pamphlet has just made its appearance here, written in the ingeniously prophetic style of the historian who described the Battle of Dorking. The author, who evidently combines the special information of the soldier with the culture of the man of letters, entitles his sketch, ' The Campaign of Germany against Russia and France in the years 1880-1, written in 1931, on the 50th anniversary of the Battle of Warsaw.' In June of the year 1880, begins the chronicler, political complications had gone so far that on the 10th of that month declarations of war on the part of Russia and France were delivered at the Courts of Vienna and Berlin. With inimitable appearance of reality and mastery of geographical and strategical details, the writer then describes the course of hostilities on the Ruaso-German frontier, the intervention of Italy in favor of the FrancoRussian alliance, the campaign on AlsaceLorraine, the espousal by England of the cause of Germany and Austria, the fighting, the counter-marching, and the final overthrow of the triple offensive coalition, causing in France the deposition of the dictator, Ganibetta, and the election of Prince Napoleon as President of tho Republic. The latter, with the consent of the Chambers, enters into peace negotiations with Germany, Franca declares herself again willing to sanction the cession of Alsace-Lorraine, and promises to pay an indemnity of twelve milliards, as well as agree to a general European dis- i armament."

Juvenile Oddfellows', Lyttelton.— Tho usual meeting of the juvenile branch of Loyal City ot Norwich Lodge, 1.0.0. F., was held on Friday night in the Society's Hall, at which three candidates wore initiated and several nsw ones proposed for membership. Bro. H. Wales was awarded the first prize, and Bro. Goo. Joes second prize, for tho best recitations of the evening. A number of othor prizes were offered by adult membars of tho order, and addresses were delivered by P.G.S. J. Sowden andjW. H. Turner. The committoe decided to order regaliaß and n banner from England for the now branch, towards tho cost of which a sun of £lO wn3 subscribed by the members of the aiult lodge.

Some idea of the magnitude of tho rabbit nuisance in South Australia may bo imagined when it is stated that thirty-two Government parties are at present engnged in their destruction.