NEWS OF THE DAY.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 1961, 7 June 1880, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Licensing! Couet.—Owing to the continued illness of the Resident Magistrate, the Licensing Court will not bo held to-morrow, but is postponed for a week, viz , till Tuesday, June 15th.

Unemployed Meeting. —A meeting of the unemployed was held in Cathedral square this morning at half-past ten o’clock. There were about sixty members present, and several of them spoke at length on the subject of the scarcity of labor and the number of men out of employ in the town. A committee was formed, who was appointed to draw up certain proposals to be submitted to a general meeting of the unemployed at a future date. The draft of a petition to tho United States Government has been drawn up, praying that Government to cause to be conveyed to tho States such persons as are unable to obtain work here. We are specially asked by the committee of tho unemployed to state that they in no way agree with the views enunciated by J. Lee and Palmer, and have no connection with them whatsoever.

Municipal Woeis. —A meeting of the works committee of the City Council was hold this morning, Mr Gapes in the chair, at which a number of small matters of an executive character were dealt with. The committee accepted tenders for the formation of North street and Eyfe street, and it was resolved to discontinue flushing tho side channels, the rainfall now being considered sufficient for tho purpose. Lyttelton R.M. Coubt. —There were but two prisoners for trial at this Court this morning. Mr J. Beswick, R.M., presided. John Sullivan, for being drunk on Norwich Quay, on Saturday, was fined 10s, and James Hogg, for being in a like state on Sunday, in Canterbury street, was fined 10s, each with an alternative of twenty.four hours’ imprisonHeot.

Lyttelton Amateub Ehtestainkbht. — The Albion Amateur Dramatic Club of Lyttelton have issued a circular announcing tho formation of their club and its objects,' which are not for the purpose of money making, but to combine benevolence with amusement, by playing periodically in Lyttelton and elsewhere in aid of Church funds or charities suggested by their patrons. The principle on which the club is based will no doubt, recommend itself to all, and the pcsronnel concerned offer in themselves a sufficient guarantee that entertainments of a first-class order of merit will be given wherever they play. Their first performance will be given at the Oddfellows’. Hall, Lyttelton, on Thursday next, under the patronage of the elite of Lyttelton. The programme embraces the comedietta “ The Count and the Secretary,” and a farce entitled “A Sudden Arrival,” and vocal performances by amateurs, tho whole to conclude with a dince. She club have gone to considerable trouble in getting up the entertainment, and there can be little doubt that, it will prove a great success. Y.M.O.A.—The service at the Academy of Music was well attended last evening. Mr Hudson gave a very earnest address from the words “ There was a man sent from John.” The number who subsequently remained was larger than heretofore. Public Mbebing at Ranoiosa. —lt is intended to hold a public meeting at Bangiorn on Friday evening in referenos to the question of tho property tax. It is expected, as there is a deep interest taken in this question within tho borough, that there will be a large attendance. Dramatic Enteetainment. “Black Eyed Susan,” with Miss Florence Colville in the title role, was played very successfully in the Oddfellows’ Hall, Ashburton, last Friday evening, by tho local Amateur Dramatic Club. Miss Colville on making her appearance received quite an ovation. The piece was very well mounted, and the scenery by Mr O. Bourk, an amateur painter, took the audience by surprise. Tho paintings were executed in such an excellent manner that they would do credit to a professional scenic artist, and Mr Bourk had to appear before the curtain several times during tho performance, in response to rapturous applause from all parts of tho house.

A Wait. —Last evening a lad named Lloyd, from the Burnham Industrial School, called at the bouse of Mr Stevenson, Madras street, Baying he had come by train to Addington, expecting to meet his mother and sister, but they had failed to meet him. His story was that the sister had previously been to the Burnham Industrial School, where the boy had been placed, and made arrangements for him to leave the school and in future live with his mother. Mr Stevenson took the lad to the Police depot, where he repeated his story. Doubts are entertained as to its truth, it being considered very unlikely that the master would allow him to leave in the manner described. The inference is that he has run away.

Obossing to thb Steamers. —It is frequently remarked that it is a wonder more accidents do not occur to persons crossing the railway yard at the Port, going to or from the steamer’s jetty, and those who know the perplexity into which passengers find themselves at times when they are “ moving heaven and earth,” as the saying goes, to catch the departing train or the boat, as the case may be, and keep an eye on their luggage at the same time, will be disposed to admit that it is a wonder. That accidents are of very rare occurrence is complimentary to the look-out that is kept. Although people are not actually killed outright, nor perhaps does the injury which now and then befalls them amount to an accident in the ordinary meaning of the word, those to whose lot it falls to have to catch a steamer or a train from a steamer upon a dark wet night, often get more knocks by stumbling over the rails at that crossing than they consider they deserve. A sprained ankle or a “ barked ” shin, for instance, are heavy penalties to incur for merely trying to catch a train or get to a boat. The steamer’s jetty has certainly been improved a little in this connection lately by the erection by the Harbor Board of a large lamp midway upon it, and another one might be placed still nearer the entrance to the jetty, without involving any risk that its rays would trespass upon the territory illumined by the one directly at the entrance. A couple, at least, of good lamps should also be erected in the yard, right in line with the railway gates and the jetty, and a solid concrete path might very well be formed between the wharf and the gates. These needed improvements would involve no great outlay of money, and would answer all the requirements of the place for some years to come. Agbiohltdbb in Yiotobia. —In Victoria, the total extent of land under tillage in 1579 80 was 1,687.400 acres, or 78,122 acres more than in 1878 9. In all grain crops excepting rye the areas under tillage in 1879-80 exceeded those in 1878 9. Oats show the largest increase, viz., 33,293 acres ; then comes barley, to the growth of which 20,377 acres were devoted last year more than in 1878-9. The increased area under wheat in 1879-80 was 16,116 acres. The total area under wheat in 1879 80 was 707,738 acres, yielding 9,407,503 bushels, or an average of 13.3 bushels per acre, as against 691,622 acres in 1878 9, yielding 6,060,737 bushels, or an average of 8 8 bushels to the acre. The area under oats last year was 167,721 acres, yielding 4,024,962 bushels, or an average of 24 bushels per acre. In the preceding year the average was 17.6 bushels of oats per acre. Potatoes likewise show not only an increase in 1879 80 over 1878-9 as regards area under cultivation, but also a largely increased average produce. Thus, 41,600 acres were under potatoes last year, yielding an average produce per acre of four tons, as against 36,527 acres in 1879, yielding an average of 2.7 tons. Sudden Death. Mr James Blair, a farmer, of Lincoln, fell down whilst walking along the Prebbleton road on Saturday last, and died immediately. The body was taken to Hr Anderson’s, Prebbleton Hotel, where an inquest will be held to day. Marble w Japan.—Signor Q-agliardi, an Italian Professor at the Polytechnic Institute in Tokio, who was lately commissioned by the Japanese Government to explore the Ibaraki mountain range, reports that he has found several veins of marble or different colors. One mountain, Suvoyama, seemed to him to be a mass of white statuary marble, and he also declares that he came upon some black marble equal to the finest in Europe. He anticipates that if care bo taken in quarrying and facilities of transport be provided, Japan will become the great marble market for the world. Marble has been known in Japan for centuries, but it was not much prized, being considered too difficult to polish. A New Use bob the Electric Light.— Dr. O. W. Siemens has directed attention to a now use for the electric light. In his gardens at Sherwood he has been experimenting with the light as an aid for vegetation. The results are remarkable. Ho planted in pots quick-growing seeds and plants, like mustard, carrots, beans, and melons. He arranged the pots in four groups. One group was kept in darkness, one was exposed to the electric light only, one to daylight only, and one to daylight and the electric light in succession. The plants kept in the dark soon died. Those exposed to the electric light only and to daylight only throve about equally ; but those exposed to the daylight and to the electric light by night throve far better than either. Dr. Siemens claims to have established the following among other conclusions : That electric light is efficacious in producing chlorophyll in the leaves of plants and in promoting growth ; that an electric centre of light equal to 1400 candles, placed at a distance of two metres from growing plants, appears to be equal in effect to average daylight at this season of the year; and that the radiation of heat from powerful electric arcs can bo made available to counteract the effect of night frost, and is likely to promote the setting and ripening of fruit in the open air. A Plague of Dogs.—Cyprus is afflicted with a plague of dogs which, it is statsd, are even more numerous and useless than they are in Constantinople. They infest the various towns and their outskirts, and are at the present time a source not only of annoyance but of danger ; for the cittle disease which, although diminishing, still prevails in the island, is said to be propagated from village to village by them. They scratch np and feast upon the buried carcasses of the animals that have died of the disease or have been slaughtered on account of it, and afterwards drink at the troughs where the cattle are watered. Dr. Heidenstam, the district medical officer of Larnaca, who has lately been appointed chief inspector of cattle disease for the island, in an elaborate report on the subject which he has issued, alludes to this "dog difficulty.” The dogs, ho says, should be carefully excluded from any stable in which cattle affected by the disease have been standing, and the carcasses of the animals should be buried in quicklime. All dogs in the country should be kept at home and tied up.

Waizato Coal —All the Union Company’s steamers plying to the Manubau are supplied with coal there from the Waikato Company's mines. It is a ligneous coal, giving off very ,little smoke, and burns to a fine white ash. As compared with Newcastle for steam purposes, it is said to be much inferior, between thirty and forty per cent, more of it being required to produce a given quantity of steam. There is, however, a considerable difference in price between the two, in favor of the Waikato article.

City Council.— The usual weekly meeting of the City Council will take place at seven o’clock this evening. Sydenham Borough Council. —The ordinary meeting of the above will be held at seven o’clock this evening. Licensed Victuallers.—A meeting of the licensed victuallers will be beld at Morton’s Hotel at seven o’clock this evening, to consider matters of importance to the trade. Licensing Meeting.—The licensing meeting for the Christchurch district will be held at the Resident Magistrate’s Court to morrow, Board op Conservators.—A meeting of the Board of Conservators of the South Waimakariri district will be held at the office, Hereford street, at noon to-morrow. Municipal Election.—The palling for the vacant seat in the City Council caused by the resignation of Mr Wyatt, will take place at the Orange Hall on Thursday next. Kaiapoi Farmers’ Club —The monthly meeting of this club is announced to bo held on Thursday evening, when the paper on cattle breeding, prepared by Mr J. A. Williams, will be read, and the club will discuss the question of holding the annual ploughing match and fixing a date for the same. 'J be club will also take into consideration the question of the small birds nuisance and the organisation to ba formed for distributing poisoned grain.