NEWS OF THE DAY.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2164, 1 February 1881, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Police Couet. This morning, before Messrs B, Westenra and G. L. Lee, Francis Coyne, and a man for a first offence of tho kind, were fined each 5s and cab hire, Is, for drunkenness.

Thk Obabteeb Cash. Tho adjourned case against draco Crabtree, for fraud in bankruptcy, will be hoard before Mr Caleb Whitefoord, 8.M., at . the Eesident Magistrate’s Court on Friday next at 11 a.m. Atjboea Aubtbalis. —A magnificent aurora was visible this morning between midnight and 3 a.m. It bore about S.S.W. from Christchurch, and was at times very brilliant. It general color was of a rosier hue than is generally seen in such phenomena, and the tints of its shifting beams were gorgeous in the extreme. Bbsidknt Maoistbatb’s Ooubt. —Before d. L. Lee and B, Westenra, Ejqs., J.P.’s, this morning, the following cases were disposed of :—ln Williamson v Fenton, a claim for £6 8s 6d, for damages done to a house during the tenancy of defendant, Mr Joyce appeared for tho plaintiff, Mr Button for defendant. After some evidence, it appeared that the house belonged to and had been let by the wife of the plaintiff. The case was adjourned for a week. Judgment was given for plaintiff in Thackwell v Jurcs, £1 10s. Judgment went by default in Oily Council v Schwarlz, 12s 6d ; Dunning v Palmer, £6 12s 6J ; and Smith v doodey, £6 10s. Tins Wonderful Country. —Three gentlemen, says the “Hawora Star,” who have lately psssed through tho Taupo country to Wanganui, report having discovered several oaves, contained in which are large quantities of alum. Other oaves were also explored, in which sulphur was abundant. The explorers' attention was also attracted by a lagoon, the surface of which was covered with a greenish substance. The substance may be oxide of copper, but owing to the volcanic stratum little or no signs of tho ore could be disoernable on the surface of the ground in the vicinity. Two of tho gentlemen, whose principal object is that of prospecting for gold, purpose renewing their researches, as there appears to be traces of the existence of that metal in the country to the south of Tanpo.

St. Mabv'b, Mkbivalh. —To-morrow is to be quite a gala day for the parishioners of Merivale. For the first time, the dedication day will be duly observed by a celebration of the Holy Communion, at 7.30 a.m.; choral evensong at 7.30, at which tho Bishop will give the address. The school children are to bo taken by special train to Papanui, for their tea, games, &c., and the conversazione will take place in the schoolroom in the e v< > • ing. Some interesting curiosities, models, and photographs, &c., together with mueio and refreshments, ought to make the evening a most enjoyable one. Nobth Kowai Side Bonoon. — This newlyerected school will be opened to day. The master (Mr A. Everies), who has been appointed, having arrived sooner than was anticipated by the committee.

Thu YoLUKTBEGa. —After the parade of tho City Guards last evening, Sub-Lieutenant P. W. Francis, in tho absence of Captain Hawkes, presented Lieut. Wolfe, on behalf of the company, with a sword, in recognition of his long services in connection with the City Guards. In making tho presentation it was stated that Lieut. Wolfe had been a volunteer for upwards of twenty-one years, fifteen of which be has held a commission in the City Guards. Lieut. Wolfe thanked them very much for their valuable present. He hoped to be of more service to the company now that the Government had withdrawn the capitation grant. Tho sword, which was purchased from Messrs Hobson and Son, of London, is a very handsome one, tho blade being beautifully chased, and boars the following inscription :—“ Presented to Lieut. N. Wolfe by tho Christchurch City Guards, January 31st, 1881.” Kiewbe.—A meeting of householders was held at the Kirwoe Hotel, on Monday evening, January 24th, Mr Shepperd in the chair. There was a good attendance. Twelve candidates for the school committee were duly proposed, and the following elected :—Messrs Simpson, Shepperd, Andereon, Clarke, Fairbairn, Drummond, and Hackett. Mr Sheppord was unanimously re-elected chairman, and Mr Anderson secretary. At the meeting of the new committee a resolution was passed to urge the claim for a school on the Board of Education. It was stated that Kirwee was almost the only proclaimed district without a school, there being about forty children in the township of school ages, and no school within 3i miles. A vote of thanks to the chairman for the pains he had taken to see different members of tho Board of Education terminated the proceedings. Pebsbntation.—A pleasant meeting took place at the offices of the A. and F. Association, in Hereford street, on Saturday afternoon last, the object of those present being to testify to the esteem in which they held Mr O. A. C. Cunningham, who, after a residence of a quarter of a century in this city, is about to re-visit Ireland. The chair was occupied by Mr Murphy, secretary to tho A. and P. Association. The chairman, addressing Mr Cunningham, said that a few of bis friends having board of his contemplated visit to the Old Country, seemed it a fitting opportuniiy to express their admiration and appreciation of the many high and sterling qualities possessed by him, and that those present in conjunction with other friends who were unavoidably absent, had determined to present him with a small token of their friendship. The chairman then handed Mr Cunningham a beautiful gold albert with pendant, and said that he trusted that as ho (Mr Cunningham) wandered in other parts of the world that small memento would cause him to remember with kindly feelings the many friends he had left behind in this Britain of the South, and wished him a pleasant voyage and a safe return. Mr Cunningham, in replying, said that he was altogether incompetent to express the feelings of pleasure and gratitude which then animated him—feelings of pleasure at being the recipient of such a valuable present, and feelings of gratitude for the kindly sentiments of which it was the outcome. He considered that the many links which composed the chain were only figurative of the many links of friendship which bound him to Christchurch—the city in which ho had spent bis childhood’s and his boyhood’s days ; the city in which most of his friends were, and where his interests lay, and the city in which, on his return, he hoped to spend the remainder of bis days. After wishing Mr Cunningham a hearty good-bye, the party separated. The Bibs Nuisance. —A correspondent writing to the “ Daily Times ” says that a simple preventive of the ravages of linnets and sparrows “is to sow the portions of a paddock nearest the fences, say about a chain, with bearded or horned wheat. The spikes act as fixed bayonets, and not a bird, of the smaller kinds at any rate, will venture to touch them, and, as your agricultural readers are aware, it is around the edges where the mischief is done. I had no idea until yesterday that boarded wheat was grown in the colony, or I would have made the suggestion earlier; but a gentleman with whom I was travelling informs me that he is this year growing it, and so it is no doubt easily to be procured. By adopting this plan, by keeping the fences properly trimmed, and attending to the eaves of the buildings, these birds may be prevented from becoming a nuisance, and perform in diminished numbers those {auctions which Nature assigns to them—keeping in check the insect tribes, which in many of the unhappy Western States of America play such irremediable havoc.” Wanted a Ditobob. — A somewhot novel application was recently made at a wellknown registry office in Wellington, A horny handed son of toil, wearied of connubial trouble, knocked at the door of the premises long after usual business hours, and tendered the proprietress £3 as the price of a divorce from bis wife, which he said he wanted immediately. Some little explanation and patience were needed before he could be convinced that he had come to the wrong shop, and that a divorce could not be obtained in the off-hand fashion his unsophisticated innocence had led him to suppose.

New Plymouth Haeboe Plant.— The “ European Mail ” states that the contract for harbor plant and machinery which Messrs A, Shanks and Sons, of the Dens Iron Works, Arbroath, have for a number of months been engaged in executing for the Government of New Zealand, is now completed, and the last of it shipped. The contract consists of two locomotive engines, a 40-ton steam “ Titan ” crane, a 40-ton hydraulic “ Goliath ” crane, numerous smaller cranes of various descriptions, a complete concrete “ plant,” a large number of the firm’s patent “ Caledonian ” engines and boilers, and an iron steam punt, about 70ft long; The steam “Titan” crane is an immense piece of machinery, and weighs when in working order about 120 tons. It is to be used for laying the concrete blocks forming the breakwater outside the harbor of New Plymouth, New Zealand. It is mounted on heavy travelling wheels, and is ;propellcd by the steam engines which work the other parts of the machinery. The whole of the machinery has been constructed under the inspection of an Edinburgh engineer, and it is gratifying to know that it was completed to his entire satisfaction. Otago Central Railway.—At the last meeting of the Yincent County Council Mr Fyke’s proposal that the counties of Vincent, Maniototo, and Trieri, should elect a commission of three independent gentlemen to examine and report on the Otago Central line, was agreed to, with the addition “ that the borough of Dunedin be asked to cooperate.” The chairman also intimated his intention of writing to the Dunedin Chamber of Commerce on the subjjot, which body, he said, might throw cut some suggestions. Accident at Kaiapoi.—During Monday forenoon, whilst the girls were at play in the Borough School ground, a boat swing in full motion, freighted with some of the scholars, stru;k Emily Kinley, daughter of Mr George Kinloy, who was assisting to push it. She was removed home, and Dr. Ovenden sent for. An examination showed that her left thigh was broken in the upper third, and her right hip joint was dislocated. The fractures wore carefully reduced, and the child, whose age is about ten or twelve years, is doing as well as can be expected. St. Andbew's Ohcech. The annual meeting of the congregation was held in the Church last evening. The Rev. O. Fraser, who presided, opened the meeting with prayer. There was not a large attendance. Mr Wm. Reed read the statement of accounts, which, on the motion of Mr Craig, was approved, and ordered to be printed for distribution. Mr M'Haffie read a general statement of the Sabbath school accounts, and Mr Paxton moved that they be printed as an appendage to the general statement. The meeting then proceeded to the election of the new committee. The total of the Church accounts was £759, and of the Sunday school ■icoounts £B2. Tho meeting was closed with the benediction.