NEWS OF THE DAY.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2166, 3 February 1881, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Acknowledgment. —Wo have to acknowledge tho receipt of Messrs Petersen and Oo.’s Diary for the current month, Bncaeed in ornamental leather it forms a very useful vade meoutn.

Local Industby. —Messrs W. Moor and Son are the successful tenderers for the construction of two new tram cars for the Tramway Company, and as it is stated their tender was not the lowest, it may be fairly assumed that the trial tram car made by this firm a ehoifc time since, has given every satisfaction to the directors of the Tramway Company. A Pitiable Cash. —A woman named Ellen Croton was found by the police occupying a cottage near Peacock’s Wharf, belonging to the Lyttelton Harbor Board. The family, of whom there were four, one an infant at the breast, were in a pitiable condition, and the place altogether is described as having worn a woefully neglected appearance. The Cither was stated to be at work at a sawmill at Le Son’s Bay, and this morning, at the Lyttelton Magistrate’s Court, a charge against the mother for illegally occupying the premises and a charge under the Neglected Children’s Act were adjourned for a week, upon the woman promising to leave by the first opportunity for the sawmill at Le Bon’s Bay, The polios stated to the Court that tho husband had informed them that Mrs Croton was in the practice of drinking chlorodyne to the value of from £1 to 22j per week, and that this unfortunate circumstance was the cause of their present destitution.

Precedent Wanted. —Yesterday a bitoh dropped a litter of three pups in the witness’s room at the R.M. Court, and as she has not been seen near the place since, it is supposed she has deserted her offspring. The police having duly collared them are somewhat puzzled as to how the case is to be dealt with. Several lawyers and most of the law books have been investigated, but the only dictum as yet obtained has been that laid down by Barker, O. J., in his Lex Caninem, vol. vi., p. 770, where he comments on the case Saucusnn y Canem, an action in trover for the recovery of certain skins. As the decision of the learned judges who tried the case seems to only slightly bear on the present matter, and is, moreover, in dog Latin, which prevents it being quoted here, a warrant of de dopnatioo inquirendo will not, as was at first intended, be issued for the present. In the meantime the little strangers have been sent to the Home for Destitute Dogs, the honorary treasurer and secretary of that institution being instructed to provide them with a wet nurse, it being understood that be will produce them on habeas puppius when required.

Maoibtbatb’s Court, Oxford.— At this Court on Wednesday, Rudolph Peters, charged with an act of indecency in the presence of a little girl, was sentenced to one month’s imprisonment.

Railway Band. —The following programme will be performed by the Railway Band, in Cathedral square, this evening Quick march, “ Toll me, Mary,” T. H. Wright ; valse, “ True Love,” H. Hound ; fantasia, “ The Azure Lake,” E. Mnllot ; quick march, Lea Huguenots,” Meyerbeer; schottische, ‘ Sweet Briar,” T. Dawson ; lancers, “ Fantastiest,” H. Round ; polka, “ Hassendean,” R. Smith; galop, “ Royal Squadron,” Linter ; National Anthem."

Bank Changes. —lt is understood that Mr Holloway, accountant at the Bank of New Zealand, has been promoted to the management of the Nelson branch of the Bank. He will shortly take his departure for the pretty town of Nelson. The many friends of this gentleman will be pleased to boar of his promotion.

A.0.F., OotTBT Thistle op thh Foebst.—• The usual fortnightly meeting waa held in St. Saviour’* schoolroom, Sydenham, on Tuesday evening last. There was a good attendance of members. Bro. Tsoon was duly installed into the office of S.B. The secretary read the annual report of the District Court, which was received and adopted. A cheque for £5 from the Amalgamated Societies' Fete committee was received. After going through the usual routine business the Court closed in due form.

Noethbbn Baiiwat Extension, A public meeting of persons interested in the question of extending the Northern Railway line to Waikari was held at the Road Board office, Waikari, yesterday. There was an influential attendance. Mr J. D. Lance was voted to the chair. The meeting was addressed by various speakers, after which a memorial to the Government, setting forth the necessity for the extension in the interests of the farmers and residents, was adopted, and the signatures of those present being attached, it was decided to make a canvass for all the names of those affected. The meeting adjourned, with a vote of thanks to the chairman.

Milkmen’s Picnic. —A meeting of milkmen was held at the Golden Age Hotel, at eight o’clock last evening, to decide on the locale of their annual picnic. After considerable discussion, a committee was chosen to visit several places mentioned, and report to a future meeting, when the date of the picnic will be agreed upon and the locality selected, Black Mail —The " Wairarapa Daily’ trusts that his Excellency will, when ho crosses the Manawatu next week, bo bailed up in his buggy by the Native bushrangers, who earn an easy living by the infliction of illegal toll. Should this be done, the Government will no longer be able to wink at this particular black mail.

Thbatbical —Signor de Vivo, who was here as agent of Mdme. lima de Murska, is now in Melbourne, and is engaged in organising a large concert company for a tour of the colonies, including New Zealand. Among the artists whom he has already engaged we may mention Gabriella Boema (the great prima donna), Turner (the English tenor), and Coy (the Italian tenor). Herr Benno Scherek was offered the position of pianist to the company, but had to refuse it on account of his Dunedin engagements.

Killed by a Shell. —An accident of an extraordinary character has occurred at Okohampton, Devon. In accordance with custom, several batteries of Royal Artillery recently encamped in the park for gnn practice. A day or two ago (says a home paper) a man named Hodge went into the park in search of exploded shells, fuses, Ac., and it is supposed that while in the act of digging he came across an nnexploded shell, which must hare burst and blown him to pieces. An Ancient Custom, —Yesterday (says the “Times "of December Bth), in accordance with a very ancient civic custom, presents of black livery cloth of the finest material, each 4J yards long, were forwarded on the part of the Corporation of London to the Lord Chancellor, the Lord Chief Justice, the Master of the Rolls, the Lord Chamberlain, the Vice-Chamberlain, the Lord Steward, the Treasurer and Comptroller of the Household, the Homo Secretary, the Foreign Secretary, the Attorney-General, the Solicitor-Gene-ral, the Recorder, the Town Clerk, and the Common Serjeant. The origin of the custom is thus explained:—ln the early periods of our history the retainers of great lords wearing their liveries were so numerous as to be dangerous both to the King and the laws. The disorders arising from them required all the vigor of the King and the Legislature to restrain, and many statutes extending from 1377 to 1604 were passed for that purpose. An exception was introduced in the prohibition in favor of guilds and fraternities and men of the mysteries of cities and boroughs. This probably gave rise to the “ liverymen " of the various companies, and is supposed to be the origin of this gift of “livery cloth," as it is called.

Oeebal Haevestb of the Woeld.— The volume published annually respecting the crops of the various corn-growing countries of the world has recently been issued by M. Bruy Estenne. It contains reports on all the different countries, and gives a map showing the state of the wheat crops in France. The reports concerning this country are, on the whole, good, as indeed are the cereal reports of the other countries mentioned, with the exception of Russia, where “ the crops are so bad that the deficit is estimated in Central Russia at 40 per cent, below average." Barley appears to have been in France the best crop this year. In Upper Italy the yield is reported at 30 per cent, above the average. In Southern Italy it is 15 per cent, over average. In Roumelia, Upper and Lower Bavaria, 25 per cent, over average ; in Fodolia and Swabia. 20 per cent.; in Bessarabia, 10 per cent,; in Hungary, Poland, Belgium, and the Uni'ed States, 5 par cent, over average. Average crops ere reported in Prussia, the Palatinate, Baden, Switzerland, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Central Italy, Holland, Servia. North of Russia, and Egypt. In Saxony, Ireland, and Great Britain, deficiencies of 5 per cent, are reported, while in Courland the deficiency is as much as 20 per cent.; in Gothland, 25 per cent.; and ia Central Russia, as before stated, 40 per cent, under average.

SOUTHBRIDOH TELEGRAPH OFFICE. —The now post and telegraph offices, adjoining the Southbridge railway station, are now completed, and were formally taken over by Mr Moddiags, inspector of telegraphs, on Monday. The offices are roomy and well fitted up, and certainly improve the appearance of the station. Wo are informed that the postal department will authorise a post box to be erected in the township.

The South Americas Was.— The “ Pall Mall Budget” says that not only have the negotiations for bringing about an armistice between Chili and Peru fall through, but there seems some danger of the area of disturbance being widened. The point upon which the negotiations were broken off was the same that has proved a stumbling-block before. The Chilian Government demanded the absolute cession of the province of Tarapaca, in which is situated the port of Iquique, as a preliminary condition of peace. The plenipotentiaries of Peru and Bolivia, though not unwilling to allow the occupation of the province by Chili as a guarantee for the payment of a war indemnity, declined to recognise the possibility of its cession. The conference thereupon terminated, and the conflict must, it would seem, be prolonged. Meanwhile the supporters of the existing Government of the Argentine Bepublic are urging that the present would be a favorable time for settling their differences with Chili. The only argument against such a course lies in the fact that Brazil would probably have something to say in the quarrel, and that that something would be in favor of Chili.

10.0.F.,M.U. —The City of Christchurch Lodge held a special summoned meeting on Monday evening, for receiving the auditor’s report and balance sheet for the year 1880. Both from a financial and numerical point of view, the lodge has made considerable progress ; and the manner in which the boohs have been kept was specially mentioned. The sum to the credit of the Lodge Sick and Funeral Fund is £5985 Is lid, being an increase per member upon the year of £2 4s Bd, and showing a clear profit of ICO per cent, upon the yearly contributions. Chickkt.— The following members will represent Sydenham C.C. in their match against Second Eleven Midland C.C., to be played on the ground of the latter, on Saturday, at 2 p.m. :—Messrs W. H. Smith, Bound, G. Fisher, F. H. Eapenett, Gordon, Shierlaw, Laurence, Chambers, Butler, Forsythe, and Purdou. Emergency—Hall, George, and Pavitt.