NEWS OF THE DAY.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 1938, 11 May 1880, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

The Bellringers. —The Lynch family aro afc present at Akaruo, where they played last night to a crowded house.

Fiue at SouTHIiEOOK. —The oatmeal mill Kiln, belonging to Messrs Moir and Co,, was discovered to bo on fire on Sunday evening. A number of willing hands were soon on the spot, and these subdued the flames until the arrival of the Kangiora Fire Brigade, when all danger was soon past. The Joss is estimated at £IOO, which is fully covered by insurances. The value of the property at stake was upwards of £6OOO, the hulk of which was insured with the loading colonial companies. English Politics on the Continent.— The “North (Herman Gazette,” referring* to the English elections, cays that nowhere will they be watched with greater eagerness or unanimity of desire than in Italy. The Italian journals of all shades of opinion, the “ Glazelto ” says, join iu a common wish for the downfall of the present Cabinet, and they have grounds for such a wish ; but oven if the Italians are right in their prejudice in favor of the English Liberals, the Berlin journal thinks that the maintenance of the Tories in power is a pledge of European peace, while a change of Ministry would mean “ a war somewhere—a war from which England would probably imagine, under a mistaken apprehension, that she mould hold aloof.”

“Poaii.”—Tho Rev. J. W. Davies has racontly been delivering a series of “ plain talks ”to the young men of Dunedin. Business “ push ” formed one of his subjects, and in dealing with that question thejrev. gentleman had doubtless many examples before him like {.he following, which wo extract from the local “ Star ” : —Tho conventional loan agent is supposed to bo generally safe from tho ordinary sells of commercial life, but a ee.d case occurred in this city the other day. A gentleman, whom we will call D, was very hard pressed by an enterprising “ commission agent, ” to invest in a few barrels of especially excellent oysters, but not seeing his way to a profitable trade in such commodities he declined to touch tho consignment. “ Well,” said tho disappointed commission agent, “ at all events, old man, come and have some lunch with mo and taste them. I intend to broach a barrel.” D went and thoroughly enjoyed a dozen or two. On the following Monday he received an account, Dr. to his hospitable friend 6s for two dozen oysters ! This may bo considered the very latest invention in the. way of “trying it on,” but it was nob particularly successful.

Tub Hbwbits. —Mr and Mrs Hewett arrived per steamer Eingarooma this morning, after a most successful tour of the North Island, They purpose giving enertainments in the country districts in their operetta “ Grip.”

Sydenham Borough Council. — A special meeting was held to-day at noon to adopt the balance-sheet as published. Present —The Mayor, Crs. Nichols, White, Pavitt, Shiorlaw and Charters. The balance-sheet was read by the clerk, showing the receipts for the year ending 31st March, 1880, to be £7177 and the expenditure £5771 15s sd, leaving a balance to the credit of the borough of £1405 4s 7d. The statement of liabilities and assets showed, liabilities, £584 11s Id ; assets, £2584 16i 3d; balance to credit, £2OOO 5s 2d, exclusive of the following properties, 1200 acres at Chertoey, 200 acres at Ohainoy’s Corner, quarteifacre Colombo street, quarter-acre Fifth street, with buildings, and five acres at Addington, public debt nil. The balance-sheet, as read, was adopted, on the motion of Cr. Charters, seconded by Cr. Pavitt. The next regular meeting of the Council falling on the Queen’s Birthday, it was resolved to hold it on the Tuesday following. The meeting then adj.mrntd.

Economy.—At the usual meeting of the works committee of tho City Council, held yesterday, it was resolved, in view of tho recent decision of tho ratepayers and conformably with tho resolution of tho Council, to suspend entering on any further works at present.

Melbourne Exhibition. —At the weekly meeting of the local committee held yesterday a number of applications for space for various exhibits wore made. It is intended to call the attention of Dr. Hector to the fact that New Zealand exhibitors of hams, bacon, and other perishable articles were placed at a disadvantage as compared with Melbourne and Sydney exhibitors, inasmuch as no extension of time beyond the general entry day was granted to these exhibits from a distance. A telegram will be seat to the commissioners of tho Sydney Exhibition, asking them to return the exhibits of jewellery, &c., from New Zealand, so as to enable them to be re-arranged prior to being sent to Melbourne. Theatrical. —Mr J. B. Steele, with whom are Miss Mario Wilton and Mr Haygarth, and others well known to Christchurch playgoers, is playing]in Auckland to fair business. Despite the changes of bill the Arethusa Dramatic Company do not appear to be largely patronised in Wellington. They leave shortly for a northern tour, probably by way of Nelson. Mr Simonson and his company of Proliques arc doing so well in Dunedin that there is no sign of their coming this way yet awhile. A new show, of which report speaks highly, has arrived at tho Bluff from Melbourne by the Rotorua. It is named the Confederate Diorama Company.

D bain age Rate toe Sydenham. A public meeting of th« ratepayers of Sydenham will be held on Thursday evening, at 7.30, at the district schoolroom, Colombo road, to consider the injustice of the nineponny rate sought to be imposed on that borough by the Drainage Board. City Council..—The City Council hold its ordinary meeting last evening. A deputation waited on the Council in reference to Sunday trading, and presented a memorial on the subject, framed in accordance with the resolution of a meeting of citizens held to consider the question, and urging the suppression of Sunday trading by legislative enactment. Mr i’weur.yman, who acted as spokesman, pointed out the necessity of compelling the observance of Sunday as a day of rest for the moral and physical well-being of the people. Some discussion arose, indirectly, as to the financial position of tho Council, the question being raised in view of certain municipal works proponed, but the question generally was not entered upon, the Council having called a special meeting for this evening with that object.

The Topophone. —A now instrument, called by this name, has boon experimented upon and described by Professor Morton in hia report to the Lighthouse Board of the United States, by which the exact direction of sound given by fog-horns or fog-bells may be ascertained. The machinery is very simple, and consists of a vortical rod passing through the roof of tho deck cabin, to the upper end of which are attached two adjustable resonators. Below those is a pointer, sot at right angles to the bar, while rubber tubes pass through the cabin roof and are connected with a pair of ear tubes. Tho whole apparatus can be turned towards any direction, and the result is that any person sitting in the cabin, by turning round until the least sound was perceptible, would bring the pointer to within ton degrees, or loss than one point, of the direction. The experiments proved that it was easy to ascertain whence tho sound eamo from a distance of four to six miles. A Deserted City. —According to the “New York Sun” the United States now boasts tho finest ruin in tho world, an American Baalbek in fact. It is the erewhile city of Pithole, Pennsylvania; once a place containing 20,000 inhabitants, and now owning but three families. Its history is a peculiar and sad one. In 1861 ‘‘oil was struck” accidentally, and immediately all the population of tho adjacent districts flocked to tho scone. Houses were erected, lots apportioned, streets marked out and built, Q-o----vornment offices, establishments, churches, chapels, theatres, drinking saloons, all grew apace. In a very short time Pithole bid fair ts become one of tho most flourishing townships of tho Union. Two years passed by. All was going merrily forward, when suddenly tho oil ceased flowing. Then a stamnsda ensued for places where petroleum was to be found Away went the populace, and, following tham, the officials, until three families only remained to plough up the streets and grow wheat where once the citizens had disported themselves. In the eyes of the American paper that records this, but, one satisfaction remains, and it is that happily all the great classes of political thought in tho States are still represented at Pithole, for while one of tho remaining residents is a Gkeenbackcr, the second is a Democrat, and the third a Republican. City Council. —A special meeting of the City Council will bo held at the ordinary hour this evening, to consider several matters of importance. Avon District. —The ratepayers of the Avon district will meet this _ evening in tho schoolroom, Bingsland, to receive the reply of the Drainage Board to the resolutions recently passed relative to the lid rato in the district. C.R.C.—-A special meeting of tho Canterbury Rowing Club will be held this evening at the Commercial Hotel at eight o’clock. Buildino Society. —Tho usual monthly meeting of tho No. 3 Building and Land Society for payment of subscriptions, &e., will be held at the offices of tho society, Worcester street, to-day.