NEWS OF THE DAY.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2206, 22 March 1881, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Accident. —Dr. Burrows mot with an unfortunate accident at 8 o’clock last evening. Returning from Christchurch his horse, in a now buggy, bolted in Perceval street, Rangiora, upsetting ihe vehicle. Dr. Burrows had his ribs on the right side broken. The groom escaped. The horse afterwards broke a hind leg and was shot. The buggy was a complete wreck.

Lyttelton Maghsibate’s Co cut. A man named Biohard Searle was charged at this Court, this morning, with neglecting to contribute to the support of nis three children in the Canterbury Orphanage. Mr Thomas Huddoy, of the Heathoote Valley, identified the defendant, and the master of the Orphanage gave evidence that the children had been under his care for ninety-one weeks, which, at 7s 6i per week for each child, amounted to a claim against the defendant of £lO2 7a 6d, not a penny of which he ha i paid, nor had he as much as visited them. The defendant had been moving about from place to place under different names, but had finally been traced by the police. The mother of the children was dead. There was a sentence of one month’s imprisonment against him on a judgment of £6 odd, and the Court now ordered that he go to gaol for that term or pay the money, and must pay £!2s6i weekly towards the keep of his children. The appearance of the defendant in the Court was not such as to inspire the magistrate with a confidence in his ability to be allowed the custody of his offspring, and the Bench very properly declined to let him have charge of the children until satisfied that he had a proper place to take them to. James Waters, belonging to the Lady Jocelyn, was sentenced to forty-eight hours’ imprisonment for being absent without leave, and Joseph Illingsworth, for a breach of the borough by-laws in keep mg pies within the prescribed limits, was fined 275. Dr. Donald was the magistrate. Police Copbt.—This morning, before F. Q-. Inman, Esq , three boys narneo Clement, Hannan, and Wood were remanded till the 25th inst., on a charge of having stolon three h oltles of lemonade, the property of Thomas Poole. For being drunk, a first offence, a woman was fined ss. Elizabeth A. Andrews, on remand from Monday, having been subjected to medical examination, and pronounced sane, was charged with vagrancy, and sentenced to fourteen days’ hard labor. Her case was dealt with by Messrs Parker and Weetenra.

Football. —At a meeting held in Ashburton last Saturday evening, it was resolved to form a football club. The following officers were elected :—Captain, Mr A. Fooks ; sccrear.v, Mr E. Mayo ; treasurer. Mr St. Q-oorge; committee, Messrs J. Fooks, McLaren, Bran*°n > Brett, Hodder. The Bugby rules were adopted, and the opening day fixed for the second Saturday iu April. Tho meeting then terminated.

Boabd of Health. —Owing to the latenee* of the hour at which then sitting.'of the' Drainage Board concluded'(yesterday; the usual meeting of the Board of Health did not take place, though onS'of the OTehing-'Jour-nals printed two reports, said .to hare' been read thereat. The meeting wilt, bo hold on Monday next, after the Drainage Board.,

Ancient Order —The tirdinary meeting of Court 2309 was" hold' last evening at the Foresters’ . Hall, when tho attendance was but’moderate. The Woodward’s report re sick and distressed was received and confirmed. A hearty reception was accorded to four members of the Kaiapoi Court who paid a visit to the Court. The receipts of the evening amounted to £2O 14j. Thb New Drainage Birr..—The proposed amendments in the Drainage Act, which have been drafted in form of a Bill, were considered yesterday at the meeting of the Drainage Board, and with the exception of one clause, which made the use of water-closets compulsory, adopted. The solicitor was instructed to have the necessary notices issued of the intention of the Board to bring forward the Bill at next session of Parliament. Fah-ttbb of the A kabo a Graph Crop. —The b'ight this year has again made its appearance and almost destroyed the whole of the grapes in Akaroa. Messrs E. Boriaud, B. Malmancho and J. F. Delievre are heavy losers, their crops generally amounting to seven or eight tons, while most of the smaller growers have little or none on their vines. This is the second year that the vines have suffered, and the greatest evil is that it will take some years for them to regain their proper vitality. Baptist Chubch. The usual weekly meeting of the Oxford terrace Mutual Improvement Society was held in the above church last evening. A very large number of members and visitors were present. Mr T. P. Slinn, vice-president, occupied the chair. An excellent programme of readings, recitations, and dialogues was gone through, to the enjoyment of all present. The Chairman intimated that at the next meeting Mr- T. Wagstaff would read an essay. Subject, “ Our Dependence on Christ.” The meeting then closed.

Painful Occubeencs. — A little girl’named Alice Munro, aged three years, the daughter of a farmer of that name, who lives near Waterton, while passing along the road near her father’s house lait Sunday afternoon, was struck in the eye by part of a charge of shot fired from a gun by some person behind the hedge. She was brought into town, and attended by Dr. Stewart, who is at present unable to offer an opinion as to the extent of her injuries. A lad named Norrish has been arrested on the charge of having fired the gun-

Stack Fibb at Rangioba. —An alarm of fire was sounded from the brigade station on Saturday evening last, at about eleven o’clock. On reaching the seat of fire it was found to be stacks belonging to Mr James Shaw, the largest portion of the fire being threshed seed, which had been sold and bagged. Early on Monday morning the residue of the stacks, peas and oats, was unfortunately burnt, owing to the north-west wind springing up and re-kindling the embers. The stock was uninsured, and the loss to Mr Shaw could not be less than £l5O. Public Libkabv Opaninq. —The. usual weekly meeting of the Durham street Wesleyan Mutual Improvement Society was held last night, the subject for debate being the Sunday opening of the Library. The debate was opened in the negative by Mr Ross, Mr H, Black replying in the affirmative. An extremely interesting discussion followed, most of the speakers being well up in the subject. After a few concluding remarks by the Chairman, the Rov. A* Reid, a vote was taken, when a large majority decided in favor of keeping the library closed on Sunday, as at present, Pabbbngeeb fob Newcastle. Though the circumstance of two colliers clearing at the same time at the Customs here in ballast for Newcastle is of no particular interest, yet when they leave full of passengers, as is the case with the barques Palace and Island City, both of which cleared yesterday, the novelty is one worth of notice. An exodus of thirty or forty people from this port for Australia by sailing vessel is a rare occurrence indeed, and indicates that the attractions of a goldfield rush on “the other side,” though the field is not reported to bo by any means an El Dorado, are sufficient to draw soma away even from the prosperous province of Canterbury during the busiest time of the year. Oxpoed Resident Magibtbatb’s Ooubt, —At this Court on Wednesday, before D. Sladden, R. L. Higgins, J. R. Gorton, and W. Fisher, Eaqs., Charles Harvey, charged with jumping off a train while in motion at West Oxford, was fined 10s and costs. Patrick Colreny was charged by Sergt. McDonald with using abusive and insulting language towards him. Fined 20s and costs. John Fisher v J. Thompson, claim £3 19j, was a judgment summons. Ordered to pay 15s per week or one month’s imprisonment in default. Judgment in default was given in the following oases: —Robert Fisher v W. Hayes, claim £5 lls 6i ; P. Reideriok v Zimmerman, claim £2 13s 6d ; F. A Waterman v H. Nelson, claim £119sl0d; A, Mitohinson v B. Terry, claim £7 7s, judgment for £5 17s and costs j Thomas Smith v A. Gibbs, oltim £2, set off 21s ; judgment for balance, with costs. Ashbueton County Council. —A special meeting of the Ashburton County Council was held yesterday. Present—Messrs Walter (chairman), Wright, Jackson, Bullock, D. Cameron, and Coster, The meeting was called principally to arrange for the reception of the Governor. On the motion of Mr Bullock, the Chairman, Mr Wright, and Mr Coster were appointed a committee to prepare and present an address to his Excellency the Governor. The Chairman gave notice that at next meeting of the Council he would move that a certain sum of money be voted to the industrial committee. Hie Worship the Mayor of Ashburton waited on the Council with a memorial addressed to the Minister for Public Works, praying that the new engine shed should not bo built on the site selected, but that it should be shifted out of the town. Mr Bullock said that the Borough Council had asked the Government to remove the engine shed from Baring square, and that the Government had promised to remove it beyond the Domain, but he was afterwards told the vote for doing so had not been passed. The members approved of the memorial and signed it. Mr Bullock said the railway station was a disgrace, and ho trusted the Council would pass a resolution urging on the Government that during the next session they would pass a vote to improve it. Mr Wright said that possibly Mr Bullock had forgotten that very strong representations had already been made to the Government on the subject, and that a promise had been given that a sum of money would be placed on the estimates for that purpose.

Oknambntaii Tiswabb fob Ashbueton. —Messrs Dean Bros., tinsmiths, of Lichfield street, have prepared a variety of manufactures in tinplate for the Ashburton Exhibition, which are invested with more than ordinary interest on account of their being the first of the kind manufactured in this city. A bath Bid water can, painted by hand with liliums and foliage, and a set of flower pots, crystalized in imitation of pearl, also painted with choice flowers, are very superior to a vast proportion of imparted ware of a like kind. The same style of workmanship is carried out in a set of waiters, whilst a further specimen of orystalized work in imitation of pearl is shown in a cash box, which is a novelty. They also show trousers’ buttons in black, white, and brass colour, which are all worked in tin. A combined tea and coffee urn is another specimen of their skill, whilst a minor branch of their productions is to bo seen in the hinges of tinplate goods, such as teapots and other similar vessels. They also show a tin for fruits, jams, &0., the lid of which, when once shut, is permanently fixed. Bound this runs a groove, which, being filled with plaster of Paris or hot fat, is perfectly air-tight, and i? to all appearance, admirably adapted for exportation. A very pretty bird-cage, in imitation of a T cottage with balcony, windows, and a dome-surmounted roof, has only to be seen to be admired. Messrs Dean Bros claim that all these articles can be sold as cheaply, and some of them cheaper, than similar goods imported from outside Now Zealand. They are certainly very pretty specimens of ornamental work, reflecting credit on the makers, and, doubtless, will attract considerable attention at the forthcoming exhibition.

Drainage Boabd Reductions —The consideration of the report of the committee appointed to report upon what reductions, if any, can be made in the salaries, &0., of the engineering staff of the Drainage Board, was further postponed till next Monday,

Eatai. Accident —A boy eight year* of iigo, mamed-,Arthiir James Burd, whose parents lire' in’Sydenham, met with an aocideht yesterday which proved fatal. He was, it is supposed, running by the oide : of the tram, and .falling down, hie head struck againet'tho oari HOi.weßt/hiomo afterwards, i not apparently being, seripusly hurt, and at; 9 o to Fe'lV-fl'his morning the found dead in his bed. rhe cirhutastance 'Jrhr Vefiorted to the police- 1 this inorhfhg. An be he’d

The New Town Hall in Sidney. —The Now South Wales correspondent of a northern contemporary writes:—The incapacity of our city aldermen and their utter unfitness for their position has been amply demonstrated by the exposure of a piece of jobbery, which is quite worthy of the Tweed ring. Some two years ago it was decided to remove the reproach which for so long has been resting on the city from the want of a Town Hall. A commencement was made by the acceptance of tenders for the foundations. When these had been completed, a second contract was let for the erection of the walis of what was intended to be a very handsome and commodious structure. These walls are rapidly assuming an imposing appearance when it began to bo whispered that the work in the found ations was not as good as it should bs, and a committee of architects was appointed to examine and report upon the matter. They came to the conclusion that tho work was defective, and recommended that certain underpinning and other work should be done, in order to make the foundation secure. To carry out this recommendation, it was necessary to remove a quantity of earth from around the foundations, and in the removal of this earth tho most startling discoveries have been made. It turns out that no attempt had been made to lay a secure foundation. The stones had been thrown together without any attempt at proper arrangement; large cavities have boon filled up with loose rubbish, many of the upper stones (some of them weighing several tons) overhang to tho width of two foot those on which they rest, and the whole character of tho work is most disgraceful. It is stated by competent authorities that it is utterly impossible for tho foundations to support the superstructure, and that bad the hall been completed, it would inevitably have fallen down. It is impossible to escape from the conviction that there has been wholesale collusion between architect, contractors, and workmen, and it ie not easy to understand how the work could have been going on for twelve months under the very noses of the aldermen, without attracting notice. Tho end of tho matter is that the portion already constructed is to be pulled down and rebuilt, entailing a loss of about £IO,OOO, while the architect and contractors are bo be proceeded against at law. Of course, as is usual in such oases, each alderman is now asserting that he drew attention to the matter long ago, and could get no one to listen to him. One of the contractors has since threatened to shoot one of the aldermen for his ofiiciousness, and has figured in the Police Court in consequence. >

Acknowledgments, —The master of the Orphanage at Lyttelton desires to acknowlege tbe receipt of a large quantity of pears from a friend at Kaiapoi ; and a largo parcel of illus trated papers from Mr A. Bose, H. M.’s Customs. The house steward of Caristohurch Hospital begs to acknowledge the receipt with thanks of a quantity of flowers, fruit, and vegetables for the use of the patients from the congregations of the Wesleyan Chapel, Colombo road., and the W.’sleyan Chapel, St. Albans. The master of the Ashburton Home desires to acknowledge with thanks the receipt of j£s 5s from the Amalgamated Benefit Friendly Societies’ Fete Committee to the inmates for their individual benefit.

The assassination of the Czar of Russia, long expected, has at last eventuated. Had this stubborn and grim, yet plucky old autocrat only accepted my invitation of a few months’ go to visit me in Christchurch, he would now be in the enjoyment of life and health—in the calm retirement and aristocratic seclusion of my little cottage on the North, South, East, Weet belt—and taking his daily drive or walk to Hay's Free Pine Art Exhibition, near the Victoria bridge, to see the beautiful picture prizes end enjoy the company of the amiable and gifted proprietor, and others of the elite of wit, rank, and fashion, whose daily resort Is Bay’s Free Pine Art Exhibition, for the purpose of purchasing his 2a 6d Art Union Tickets. —[Advt ]