NEWS OF THE DAY.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2202, 17 March 1881, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Police Couht.—This morning, before Mr F. E. Wright, J.P., Juhama QalLgher, for big drunk and disorderly, was fined 40s. For first effenefs of a similar kind two men were fined 5s each. Sydenham Hobticulttteal Society.— The provisional committee appointed by the public meeting on Fiiday, the 11th inst., met last evening, when rules and regulations were drafted for working the society, and preliminary matters were arranged to be submitted to a meeting of members to be held at an early date, of which due notice will be given. Pheasant Shooting,— At the special meeting of the council of the Acclimatisation Society yesterday it was resolved to still adhere to the resolution as to a close season for pheasants.

Grapes.—His Excellency the Governor, fo whom a basket of grapes was sent by Mr W. E. Ivory, or Oishel street, has in a note through his secretary expressed to Mr Ivory his surprise and admiration of the size and beauty of the fruit.

Open Aib Concert.—Tho Rdlway Band gave one of their charming open air concerts in Cathedral square yesterday evening, when a large audience gathered there. The band played a lengthy programme in first-class stvle.

Builders all Engaged —Tho building trade in Kutsp <i nppeuts to bo so active and employment abundant that the Borough Council on Tuesday evening foiled to got n single tender for reshingl/ng a cottage, and had to resolve on doing the same by day labor.

Eilvbmkbb Jockey Club. —At a meeting of stewards held on Saturday, at Doyleston, it wag decided to hold the roceg on the 14th of April, and not the 12tb, as it was found that the Kowai Poos race* were to bo run on that date.

Oxpobd Licensing Cotjbt. —The Court met yesterday, the Commissioners present being Messrs. R. L. Higgins (chairman), J. B. Gorton, and Wilson Fisher. The polios report for the previous quarter was road and considered satisfactory. Extensions of licenses were granted to John Fisher, Terminus Hotel, for a booth at the Oxford races, and to Wm. Pagett in his hotel from 11 p.m, to 1 a.m. Akaboa Besidbkt Magustbatb’s Court. —At the above Court, on Tuesday, beforo J. Aylmer, Esq,, 8.M., James Truman, for furious riding, was fined £3 and costs. Thos. Murray was brought up on remand charged with stealing a £lO-note. He pleaded “Not guilty,” and the Bench, after hearing the evidence, dismissed the charge, as they did not consider that there was sufficient evidence to warrant a committal.

Abbbbt. —A man named William Shipton, who has been employed as barman at Methyen, was arrested yesterday by constable Neil at Bakaia. About ton days ago Shipton reported to the police that some person entered his room in the hotel and took £56 out of his box, leaving him without d penny. Two or three persons have since been arrested on suspicion, but no trace of the money having been found on them, they wero liberated. Something made the police doubt Shipton’a statement, and the result was that he was arrested, and the sum of £42 found in his possession. He will be brought up before the B.M. Court.

Assessment Coru. The Assessment Court for the District of Heathoote, was held yesterday before Mr O. Whitefoord. There were eleven appeals against the assessment. Only three persons, however, attended. The result of the Court was as follows :—Messrs Morten and White, £1360 to £1100; J. R. Joh'.ston, £lO9 to £96, and £5 to £4 ; G. Collier £6O to £SO. The reductions made showed a total of £275 from a valuation of £60,443. Daring the last four years the valuation has increased £20,000, this year showing an increase of £5396. The assessor, Mr W. T. O. Mills, was highly complimented by the Judge of the Court on the excellent manner in which the roll was compiled, and the care that was bestowed upon the assessment. .

Resident Magistrate's Court, Oxford —At this Court yesterday, before D. Sladden, R. L. Higgins, Wilson Fisher, and J. B. Horton, Esq., Charles Harney, charged with jumping off the train when in motion, was fined 10s and costs. Patrick Oolreny, charged with having used abusive and insulting language towards Alexander McDonald in a public place, was fined 20* and costs. John Fisher v O. Thompson, judgment summons, £3 19s ; ordered to pay 15s per week, in default one month’s imprisonment. B. Fisher v W. Hodges, claim £5 11s 6d ; judgment by default. A. Mitchinson v B. Terry, claim £7 7s ; judgment for £5 17§. T. Smith vA. Q-ibb, claim £2 ; judgment for 19s. P. Reidrich and Co. v Zimmerman, claim £2 13a 6d ; judgment by default. F. A. Waterman v H. Nelson, claim £1 19s lOd j judgment by default. Reported Fatal Accident at Post.— Yesterday afternoon, as James Reid, a son of Mr Alexander Reid, harbor pilot at Lyttelton, was playing with some children on the Dampior’s Bay road, at Port, he fell over the cliff close in the vicinity of Cameron’s corner, and met with what is feared to bo fatal

injuries, sustaining an extensive fracture of his skull. Dr. J. T. Bouse and Dr. H. Macdonald gave but faint hope of his recovery last night. The boy, who is but seven years of ago, must have got through the wire fence which bounds that portion of the precipitous declivity, and, his foot slipping, must in this way have fallen over the precipice, which at that point is quite 70ft. high.

Optical Exhibition, Rahqioea. —On Tuesday, Messrs Lockwood and Co. opened a very entertaining exhibition in the ball of the Literary Institute, including zeotropes, magical designers, kaleidoscopes, polemoscopes, stereoscopes, thanmatropes, microphone, telephone, and camera obscura. The show is one well worthy of a visit, the kaleidoscopes, for instance, are on quite a large scale, being three in number, Aft Sin long and 18in in diameter. The camera obscura is one of the best in the colony. Mr Lockwood certainly deserves to be patro ised for his industry in making the several interesting optical instruments which form the collection. Resident Magistrate’s Court.—Yesterday the civil business heard before Mr J. N. Wood was as follows Judgment went for plaintiffs by default in Brine and Ellis v Armstrong, £23 3s ; Armson v Smith, £44 19s 6d; and Orerar v Beeves, £B. Wotton v May, claim £11; Mr Loughnan for plaintiff, Mr Stringer for defendant. This was an action to recaver damages said to bare been sustained in consequence of a horse not being as guaranteed. The evidence went to prove that no guarantee had been given, and that undue delay had occurred before the present claim was brought. Judgment for defendant, with costs, solicitor’s fee, and expenses of one witness.

Last Tbab’s Wbhoks.—The approximate value of vessels of all nationalities, with their cargoes, lost during the year 1880 was no less than £6B 327,000, including British property, £47,495,000. The grand total number of wrecks reported was 1680, which, compared with the total at the end of 1879, showa a decrease of eight. British-owned ships number 913, and those of all flags wrecked on the coasts of the British Isles were 480. The registered tonnage aggregated upwards of 900,000 tons, inclusive of 160 steam vessels, mostly owned in the Unitea Kingdom. About 4000 lives were lost, and about 200 vessels were lost through collision. During the last week of the year 34 British and foreign wrecks, of which 14 were British, were reported, the estimated value being £3,100,000, iocluding British £1,800,000.

Then and Now.—T cies have altered since the passing of the New Zealand Appropriation Act or Ordinance, dated the 6 h Juno, 1844. The details are as follow :—For His Kxcelleney the Governor and establishment,£l4so ; for Colonial Secretary’s department and printing establishment, £1915 ; for Attorney General, £430; the Colonial Treasurer’s establishment, £1135; for council house. £425 ; for superintendent of Southern division and establishment, £560 ; for Cre #n Solicitor, Southern division, £l5O ; for Board of Audit, £325 ; for Customs establishment, £400; for Supreme Court, £2610; for local courts, £1359; for coroners, £3O ; sheriffs and gaols, £1615; for ecclesiastical establishments, £200; for department, £300; for harbor establishments, inclusive of signal stations and powder magazine, £373; for colonial vessel, £1058; for public works, £2710; for postage of letters on public service, £150; for commissioner for titles and claims to land, £2200; for registry of deeds, £200; for magistrate and police, £5102 8s ; for survey, £2500 ; for aborigines, £2100; for general contingencies, £1200; amounting in the whole to the sum of £35,991 Is.

A Hazahdous Experiment A. singular though very American experim at (says tho “ Pull Mall Qszstto") has just been tried at Philadelphia, reminding as somewhat of Julee famous expedient of firing his exploring party to the moon by means of a monster projectile. So many accidents have happened through the faulty construction of elevators from the breakage of ropes and other mischances, that an inventor named Ellithorpe has introduced a safety air cushion to break the fall should an accident occur, the cushion consisting of tho elevator shaft being made airtight for a space of 20ft from the bottom. To test the invention it was arranged that the ele»ator of a certain dry goods store should be made to fall from the fourth to the first floor, a height of about 75 r t. So satisfied was Mr Ellithorpe, or rather his son that the cushion would do its work properly, that he consented to be shut up in the cage during the fall, and in this experiment the inevitable reporter wss bold enough to share. A box half filled with nails was pl-cod upon the floor of the chamber and four eggs laid upon the nails, while several tumblers of water, brimful, wore also carefully deposited. The two men then entered tho chamber, the door of which was then closed, completing the air tightness at tho bottom of the shaft, and it was then drawn up to the fourth floor. At a given signal the rope was cut, and the whole thing fell to the bottom like a flash of lightning; but before the lookers on could make up their minds to l°r what they dreaded, the door was opened, and the occupants stepped briskly out, laving never felt the shook in the least. The

ffrgi were not crocked, neither «h • drop of Witer epilt. So eujceeeful woe the expert nent thit wo mey expect thia new kind of “ t boggtng ” to become the letoet form of »ensaLiuntJ amusement.

Volunteer Concert.—The promoter* of the concert to be given on behalf of the Lyttelton Naval Brigade have secured the patronage of hi* Excellency the Governor to the performance, which will bo held on the 24th of the present month. Thb Lath Wise mu Toetoe. The heroes of the war on the side of the Natives, and indeed on our own, are now fast passing away. The correspondent of the “New Zealand Herald ”at Alexandra sends us intimation of the death of Wiremu Tootoe, who first made himself famous by accompanying Dr. Hochstotter to Europe. When tie wbs ashed at Vienna what ho would have as a gift to take back with him to New Zealand, ho replied that ho would prefer a complete printing plant. That ho obtained, and afterwards it was used to print the “Hokioi,” the Kingito newspaper. It was thought when Toctoe returned from Europe that (it being the very crisis of the war) ho would bo the means of persuading his countrymen to remain peaceable. It was thought that his mind would bo so Effected with the strength and resources of England that he would eee at once how futile was any attempt to cope with them, and that his influence would bo exerted to keep his countrymen from taking up arms. Toetoe, however, was not able to stem the tide, if he ever tried very hard, and as it is with Maoris as with Highlanders—that blood is thicker than water —Toetoe cast in his lot with his people. Ho was never, so far as we have heard, accused of having anything to do with any of the murders be fore or after the war. Probably ho never entertained any hope that the Maoris.vrould wip.

A man never realises, remarks a commercial traveller, how plentiful mustard is, and how scarce are bread and meet, until ho tackles a railway refreshment room eandwich.

Blinders were first put upon horses so that the animals might experience less shame at being driven by an inferior animal.— [Boston Transcript.]

“Kentucky mules,” says an American paper, “ are being extensively purchased by British agents for shipment to South Afrioa, to be used in the Zulu campaign. The Kentucky mule, armed cap-a-pie, from tooth to toe.nail, is about as affective a projectile as was over invented for * carrying the war into Africa.’ ”

The story is told of a clergyman, that, after preaching at-i interesting sermon on “ Recognition of Friends in Heaven,” he was accosted by a hearer, who said, " I liked that sermon, and I now wish you would preach another on the recognising of people in this world. I have been attending your church for three years, and not five persons in the congregation have co much as bowed to me in all that time.”