NEWS OF THE DAY.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2194, 8 March 1881, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Cathbdeal Squabs Fountain. This drinking fountain, which it will be remembered was erected a few years since by Mr John Anderson, in commemoration of his Mayoralty, has been receiving hard usage lately at tho hands of loafers or larrikins, which calls for some action. Three of the drinking oups have been wrenched from the chains to which they were snspended, and are lost. The fourth has on more than one occasion been plastered with filth. Perhaps if the police keep a sharper look out, or a reward be offered for the conviction of the offender, a repetition of this wanton damage will be prevented. Committal. -Daniel James Phillips was committed for trial at the next sessions of the Supreme Court to be held at Christohuroh for pawning a gold chain which had been given him by his mistress to carry to a jeweller for repairs.

Engineer Cadets.—lt is notified by advertisement in another column that the annual general meeting of the Engineer Cadets will be held to-morrow evening in the Drill-shed, at half-past seven o'clock.

Opening op the Libbaby on Sundays.— The Chairman of the Board of Governors at yesterday's meeting ruled that the count out which took place over tho above question necessitated the matter being gone into de novo. Mr Beeves has accordingly given notice of motion for next meeting that it is desirable that the reference library and reading room be open on Sundays during certain hours.

Dbainagb Boabd.—The committee appointed to consider and report upon possible saving in the expenses connected with the engineering department, and wages of men engaged on the drainage works, submitted a report to the Board yesterday. The recommendations contained therein excited some discussion, and eventually the consideration of the mattor was postponed till thj next meeting.

Baptist Chuboh.—The usual weekly meeting of the Oxford Terraee Mutual Improvement Society was held in the above church last evening. Mr T. P. Slynn, vice-president, ooenpied the chair. A very large number of members and visitors were present. The subject of debate was " Was the Commonwealth under Oliver Cromwell beneficial to the Country ?" A very animated debate uetween Messrs Bensly and Maitland and the members of the class ensued, resulting, by an overwhelming majority, that the Commonwealth and the works of Oliver Cromwell were greatly beneficial to the country. The chairman intimated that Mr J. B. Ing old would read a paper. Subject—" Sanctification." The meeting then closed.

Thb Watbb Supply Question.—Mr Superintendent Harris has written to the Oity Oounoil pointing out the necessity of providing additional tanks in different parts of the town for purposes of fire prevention. As an instance of tho urgenoy of this question, he referred to the late fire in Tuam street, when, as is known, certain property was lost which might have been saved from destruction had there been a pressure of water available at the time of the disaster. There can be but one opinion as to the want of a tank in that locality—it has on many occasions formed the subjeot of oomment, and the practical lesson furnished by the recent fire will no doubt be taken to heart by the city authorities. But Mr Harris has made a suggestion in connection with this matter which giveß it a somewhat different, if not altogether novel charaeter. He points out that many additional tanks are required to give a sufficient quantity ef water for use in cttees of emergency, and thot the cost of providing these would be as great as the cost of furnishing a permanent water supply for fire prevention for the whole city. The matter has been referred to the water supply committee of the Oity Council for consideration.

Hhathcotb Bbgatta. The Traflio Manager has agreed to convey, free of oharge, by rail boats taking part in this regatta on the 12th inst.

Inpkctious Diseases. The following cases of infections diseases have boon reported during the months of January and February :—Typhoid fever, 38 j diphtheria, 10 ; scarlet fover, 4 ; measleß, 1. Total, 53. .Lunacy.—Peter Lawson, who had been arrested by Sergeant Scott at Hurunui, was brought up at Amberley yesterday before Messrs Courage and Douglae, JP.'e, and on the evidence of Dre. Morris and Preston, committed to Sunnyside. E.M. Court, Ashbdeton.—At the above Court yesterday, before E. G. Kerr, Esq., J.P., a man named Eobinson Euddock was oharged with threatening to tako the Hfo of his wife. On the application of the police, he was remanded till next Friday, bail being ollowed, himself in £SO, and two sureties of £35 each.

Lost Chud.—A little boy, nuned Francis D r iter, aged four years, son of Mr Bet ater, of Lichfield street (next Irvine's, dentist), it reported at the Polioe Depot as lost. He is described as being of fair complexion, dressed in plaid jaoket trimmed with scarlet, grey trousers, and white straw hat. The child was misted at nine o'clook this morning.

Masnifiobnt Aloh. —Mr H. W. Packer, of gomerfield, has a very large aloe-tree in his grounds, which, although only of eighteen years' growth, has attained the height of 30 feet, and is of corresponding bulk cf foliage. It is now in full bloom, an-l those who are curious in suoh matters oan see what is not an overjday occurrence, the Old World tradition being that the aloe-tree flowers but once in a hundred years.

Sthebt I/AMP3.—Complaints have frequently been made as to the management of the street lamps in Ghristchuroh, and the subject was again referred to at the City Council last evening, when Or. Hulbert and others remarked upon the seeming eccentricity or absence of method which prevailed in lighting and extinguishing the lamps in the streets. It was pointed out that certain publio thoroughfares where lights are most necessary were frequently in total darkness at early hours of the night, although tho lamps are there for use. This is a fact, and one to which the lighting committee's attention might be directed with advantage to the citizens.

Anchjnt OnnnnoF Fobkbtbbs. —The ordinary meeting of Court Star of Canterbury took place yesterday. The O.K. presented P. 0.8. J. Swindell with a P.O.R. neck ribbon and certificate, for which he returned thankt in suitable terms. Bros. Weakley and Woodard were elected to fill tho vacancies in the management committee, and P.D.O.R. Bro. Ness was elected to the arbitration committee. A letter was read from P.D.O.R. Bro. H. Allwright, enclosing subscription list for the proposed monument over the grave of the late P.D.C.B. Bro. J. S. Wilcox. Tho printed copies of the annual balance-sheet were distributed amongst those present. The receipts of the evening were £26 3s 6d. Accident.—An acoident took place at Akaroa on Friday last. Mr T. Oheckley of Akaroa was driving a buggy containing the three Miss Oheckleys to the fire brigade pionio at Pigeon Bay, and on reaching the top of German Bay by some means the buggy was overturned, and all tho occupants thrown into the road. Fortunately they were not sufficiently hurt to prevent them continuing on their journey, but aftor proceeding a little further down the hill the buggy was again overturned down a steep bank. The small bone of Miss Oheckley's arm whs broken, and the rest were considerably shaken. Tho cause of the accident was owing to the want of a brake on the buggy, and the horse not being well broken in to harness.

Shocking Ikbevbbenoh.—On the Sunday before last two men, named John Henshaw and Arthur Hudson, got up a fight in Peterborough street, near the residence of the Mayor, who, hearing the disturbance, ran out to see what was the matter, and found Henshaw going away from the field of battle, leaving Hudson in a rather battered condition ; but still, like the young man immortalised by Dickens, willing to have a round or two with any one wishing for that amusement. Mr Gapes, in a most proper manner, pointed out that neither the day nor the hour wore propitious for the carrying out of such a design, whereupon Hudson, in the choicest Billingsgate, actually proposed to " take it out " of His Worship himself there and then. That gentleman, however, most probably, not considering the operation named included in his numerous duties as Ohief Magistrate of the oity, refused to have "it" taken out of him, and, indeed, as he himself said, when telling the story at the B.M. Court yesterday, he incontinently beat a retreat. As for Hudson, he duly made his appearance in the proper place, at the request of Her Majesty, and they fined him forty shillings and took him away.

Thb Gotbbnob's Visit.—At the meeting of the Oity Council yesterday evening His Worship the Mayor reforred to the approaching visit of the Governor, and stated that he had that afternoon received a telegram inform, ing him that His Excellency would arrive in Ohristchurch on Friday during the forenoon, and remain here till Monrlay. His Excellency will then proceed on his tour South. Grain Tbapfic.—The following is a statement of the traffic of grain on the Christ-ehuroh-Amberley section of railway for the week ending March sth—f. standing for " forwarded," and h. for " on hand " —vix : Monday, 11,240 f., 6005 h.; Tuesday, 13,822 f., 8071 h.; Wednesday, 15,252 f., 9076 h.; Thursday, 13,094, f., 10,736 h.; Friday, 12,957 f., 11,972 h.; Saturday, 16,114 f., 11,463 h. Nbw Bailway Begulation.—ln compliance with an order issued to locomotive engine-drivers, the whittles of the engines were blown most vigorously on the railway on Saturday whenever the engines came up to a crossing. The late fatal accident at Kensing ton, Dunedin, has, no doubt, mado it necessary that this precautionary regulation shonld be more strictly enforced. In the railway yard at Lyttelton, where, in connection with the wharf work, the shunting engines have to be constantly running over the numerous crossings used for foot traffic by the public, the shrieks of the " iron horse " caused no littlo consternation daring Saturday, until a satisfactory explanation was given respecting them. Since the inauguration of the competition for the Pigeon Bay trade, and it became the praotice of the rival steamers to blow prolonged blasts of their steam bugles simultaneously on the arrival at Fort of the 9 a.m. train, the publio ear has been educated gradually co devote a few minutes at that hour of the day in attentively listening to an instrumental ohorns and concord (?) of sweet sounds. The shock, in an auricular sense, which the now railway regulation would otherwise have produced, may be said to thus have been broken in respect to the Port. Tho introduction of bells in the place of steam whistles, were it not out of a sort of traditionary belief in the efficacy of the latter, and an aversion to be thought " American," would be advocated as being a great improvement. The bells where they have to be kept almost constantly goirg, have been found to be all sufficient as a means of warning and free from that deafening shrillness which is characteristic of the whistle.

A Social Eviii.—A complaint has been made to the oity authorities by certain residents of Chester street east of the existence of a nuisance in that neighborhood of the most unpleasant character. From the statement of the petitioners, it appears that a landlord in that locality has been in the habit of letting a house to persons of illfame, who make the situation very unpleasant for respectable residents. At the present time, according to tho same statement, the dwelling in question is occupied by four young women—mere girls, rather, whose ages range from about fifteen to eighteen years —belonging to tke most depraved cluss of society. The petition was considered by the Council last evening, aud the Mayor mentioned that the by-law originally framed to deal with such cases was now inoperative, not having been made according to the provisions of the law, and the matter was accordingly referred to the police. As a matter of fact, the police have very little power, their only authority in dealing with this evil being the Vagrant Act. They havs no power over landlords who let their houses to improper characters, and thus their duty is made very difficult to perform. It may be stated that the police have laid informations against the parties referred to in the petition before mentioned, and they were taken before tho Resident Magistrate's Court this morning to answer a charge of having no visible lawful means of support. A report appears else whore.

Lobt ahd Foiwd.—The man J. B. Miller, who was mentioned yesterday as haying mysteriously disappeared on a journey from Silverstream to Mount Cook, has turned up all right. An acoident to his buggy necessitated his making the journoy on toot, hence the delay in his arrival at his destination. Banks' Peninsula.—On Friday afternoon the Bey. William Douglas, who is leaving the district, haying accepted a call from the Mokitika Presbyterian Church, was met by a few friends in the Pigeon Bay sohool-houee to bid him good byo. Mr James Gillespie was called to the chair, and in the name of the subscribers he presented Mr Douglas with a gold poncil case and a purse containing the bshnoe of the sum collected, oyer £35, as n token of respect and affeotion to him as a man and a minister. The Bev. Mr Douglas acknowledged in feeling terms the kindness of his friends. The Ber. W. H. Horner expressed bis pleasure in witnessing the eyidenco of the high value put upon Mr Douglas' ministrations by a people who sincerely loved him, and who saw him leare them with so much regret. Mr Douglas then said farewell, and the meeting separated with many expressions of mutual goodwill.

Cbioxbt.—A match was played yesterday on the ground of the Association, Hagley Park, between two elevens, in uniform, ■elected from the ranki of the 0.Y.0. and the Bl Battery of the Artillery Volunteers, captained respectively by Captain Slater and Lieut. Strange. The toss was won by Captain Slater, who elected to send his team to the wickets, and the innings resulted in a total of 121. The Artillery then handled the willow, ! aud plaoed 88 to their credit. The 0.Y.0. team then resumed offensive operations, and after an innings—daring whioh none of the men made double figures—retired for 44. The Artillery team then went in, and at the close 62 appeared on the board, leaving the 0.Y.0. the victors by 15 runs. The batting of Sherriff for the 0.Y.0. was good, he scoring 84 in the first innings, but retiring for only 4 in the second attempt. The only other man who made double figures for the Cavalry was Trooper Whitley, who contributed 17. The Artillery men making double figures were : Hill, Lusk and Earnshaw, the first of whom scored 51 in the two innings, carrying out his bat.—The return match, Akaroa v Little River, was played at Little River on Saturday, and resulted in another easy win for Little River. The scores were :—Akaroa, 88 for the two innings ; and Little River 105 for one innings.—The Muffs will play a match on Thursday next at eleven o'clock between two sides to be chosen on the ground. It is particularly requested that every member of the club will put in an appearance on the ground at the hour named.