NEWS OF THE DAY.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2162, 29 January 1881, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Fiee. —This morning, at 1.40, the Chester street fire bell rung an alarm. The brigade sharply turned out, and found that the cause of the alarm was in the Papanui road, at a store in the roar of the residence of Mr T. B. Whitfield, baker. A plentiful supply of water being on the spot, the fire was extinguished before tho arrival of the brigade. A small portion of the roof and side was on fire and some slight damage was done. R.M. CotTßT. —There was a clean sheet at the R. M. Court this morning.

Lyttelton Building Society. —An ordinary meeting and a special meeting of the Lyttelton Permanent, Land, Building and Investment Society, are to be held on Tuesday night next, in the Colonists’ Hall.

Sxeameb Excubsion To-Moebow. —The steam launch Lyttelton is to make two excursion trips to-morrow to Governor’s Bay. Muff Obioket. —A match between the Lyttelton and Christchurch Muffs will take place on the cricket ground on Friday next, commencing at 10 30 a.m. As this is tho first time this season that the Christchurch team have met opponents outside of their own members, a good day’s enjoyment may be looked forward to. The Christchurch competing team will be selected on the ground, so that those wishing to take part in the match are requested to he punctual. It is expected the Lyttelton team will be represented by sixteen or eighteen in number. Avon Egad Dibteict. —Tho election of a member for Ho. 3 subdivision of the Avon district took place yesterday, when Mr W. Flesher was returned. Racing Stock fob the Noetii. —The following well-known racehorses went by the steamer Te Anau ycstord ay;for Wellington : Mischief, Governor, Randwick, Virginia Water, Clarence, Bads worth, Agent, Luna. Supeemb Coubt. Their Honors Mr Justice Johnston and Mr Justice Williams sat in banco yesterday, and disposed'.of several cases. His Honor Mr Justice Williams returns to Dunedin to-day, and on Monday his Honor Mr Justice Johnston will also proceed thither to attend the banco sittings. Fine Aet Exhibition. —This exhibition was opened last night and Thursday night, in the evening as well as in tho daytime, with a view of giving those who cannot go during daylight a chance of seeing tho pictures. The large room in tho new boys’ school was found to light up admirably, and the pictures looked at their best. The exhibition will also bo on view to night, when our country friends who have come to Christchurch to see the Australian match will have an opportunity of criticising the present development of art in this city. The Bank of New Zealand.—A. pleasing ceremony took place in the publio hall of the Bank on Wednesday afternoon, ani one that must have bean particularly gratifying to the late manager, Mr Coster. On the occasion of his retirement from the management, the members of the staff, together with a number of the present and past officers of the district, decided on presenting him with an address expressive of regret at the severance of the long-standing connection that has existed between them and of good wishes for tho future. The address, which was beautifully illuminated on vellum, was accompanied by a casket containing a parse of sovereigns, with which Mr Coster was requested to purchase a piece of plate as a memento of the occasion. The health of the guest was given and responded to in a most hearty manner, as wag also that of the new manager, Mr Law.

Sunday Oonobbts at thb Theatbh.— His Worship the Mayor, after consulting with the members of the City Council, has declined to give a permit to Mr Simonson to perform sacred music at the Theatre Royal on Sunday. The artistes of the company are desolated in consequence. Thb Dbuids. —A meeting of the Lyttelton Hearts of Oak was held in the Foresters' Hall, Lyttelton, on Thursday night. The balance-sheet and auditor’s report were submitted, showing the lodge to be in a very prosperous condition. No sick benefits had been required since the establishment of the lodge. Bro. W. Raven, A.D. of the Oak of Sydenham, was received with the honors of the order, after which an adjournment took place for refreshments. A.D , Bro. Gillies, gave the toast, “ Our retiring P.A, Bro. T. J. Ryan,” which was duly honored and responded to. Bro. Ryan was also presented with a framed P.A. diploma, as a mark of the brethren’s esteem for him as founder of the lodge, and the promoter of Druidism in Lyttelton. Upon the lodge resuming business, it was resolved to give during the winter nights a serious of penny readings. Home foe Destitute Dogs. — A meeting will be held at the Commercial Hotel on Wednesday next at eight o'clock to consider the advisableness of the formation of an association to establish a homo for destitute dogs, to be carried on upon the same principles as the Holloway institution, where the public and police take stray dogs, which are taken in and cared for for about thirty days, after which they are advertised for sale by auction, and if not sold may bo disposed of by the committee as they may think most desirable in the interests of the association. The institution will be supported by voluntary contributions. No dog will be given up unless it is duly registered and the receipt handed to the kennel man in charge. Every claimant will be fined a nominal sum for maintenance when he takes his dog away, to go to the funds of the society. The object is to save indiscriminate slaughter of valuable dogs, many of which have been brought to this colony at great expense. Photogbaph of a Buestxng Shell, —The Boyal Engineer photographers have recently performed a clever feat. It was determined lately by the military authorities to endeavor to “ stalk ” a balloon in the air, with a view to discover how far an enemy’s fire would be dangerous to the aeronaut. With this view one of the war balloons was sent up near Dungeness some weeks ago, of course with no occupant in the oar, and a military photographer was instructed to depict the result of the experiment in his camera. The latter was so far successful that he at any rate managed to get an impression of the bursting shell and collapsing balloon upon his plate. The balloon was permitted to rise to a height of 800 ft, and the photographer was stationed with the cannon—or, rather, howitzer—at a range of no less than 2000 yards. A shell was burst so cleverly in front of the balloon that it sank, as grievously wounded almost as Osesar, with twenty-five wounds in its body. The photograph shows the wounded balloon still in mid-air, and the shell burst about 200 yards on its left.

A Chief’s Shabb.— The purchase of Native lands (says the “ Bangitikei Advocate ”) has always been so mysterious a business that few, except the initiated, have been able to fathom it. The Government had for some time been negotiating for a large block of land on the Coast, and at last all things seamed to be put right. Not long ago the Land Purchase Commissioner had an interview with the Native Minister, and, producing the plan, said nothing remained but to complete a bargain which promised to be highly advantageous to the Government. Mr Bryce scanned the map carefully, and was astounded to discover a reserve of 10,000 acres marked off—the very pick of the whole block. “Mr ,” said he, “ what is the moaning of this reserve?” “Oh,” repli°d the Commissioner, “ that is a reserve for the chief ” Mr Bryce at once intimated that he w->uld have nothing to do with the block if the Maoris reserved for themselves 10,000 acres of the very best of it. The grasping Maori had to relinquish his prize, and the careless Commissioner—well, he got an ugly rap over the knuckles. An English Team op Ceickktebs. —Mr John Conway, the well-known cricketer, in a letter to a Sydney paper, states that the visit of a professional team of English cricketers this year is determined on. He says:— " Alfred Shaw and Lillywbite’s team purpose starting from England in the autumn of IS3I, play four or five matches in the United States, leaving San Francisco for New Zealand by the October mail. Their first match will be played in Auckland at the end of November, after which they will journey South, and play Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin."