NEWS OF THE DAY.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2240, 3 May 1881, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Buhobaby. —Some person, or persons, at present unknown, entered the shop of Mr Geo. Hooper, jeweller, Cashel street, between Monday night and this morning, and took therefrom a large quantity of jewellery, comprising valuable rings, gold and silver watches, chains, &0., the whole being valued at over £IOOO. Information was conveyed to the police by Mr Hooper this morning. The robbery was effected between 6.30 on the evening of Monday and five o’clock on the following morning.

Missing, —Mr Ohas. Tribe, of Harper street, Sydenham, reports to the police that his son Charles left home at 2 o’clock yesterday afternoon, and has not since returned. As he is subject to epileptic fits, and is of regular habits, the father is naturally anxious about him. He is described as dressed in n dark tweed suit and soft felt black hat, is 23 years of age, sft. lOin. in height, thin face, blue eyes, and of slight build. Deakb t Hobbs and Goodwin. —This case, adjourned from April 25ch, was heard yesterday at the R.M. Court. Judgment was reserved till Wednesday next. The points to be decided are:—l. Is the totalisator an instrument used for gambling ? and, 2, is the racecourse an “open or public place,” as meant by the Vagrant Act in force in New Zealand P The Bench was occupied by a Resident Magistrate and four Justices of the Peace, and the Court was crowded by gentlemen interested in racing matters. The prosecutor was conspicuous by hie absence, at anjrate be was not called, and the proceedings were confined nearly to the driest of legal arguments. Aubebbby. —The hon. secretary of the local Racing Club has received a summons to appear at the Amberley Court on Thursday, sth May, to show cause why he should not pay the Pony Stakes run for at the December meeting to Mr Dynskey, junr., whoso pony was disqualified as being too high. Prbbbl'bton Presbyterian Church.—

At the ordinary meeting of Bible and Psalmody classes on Friday evening last, the proceedings were varied by an incident of a more than usually agreeable kind. The Rev. A. Blake, on behalf of a few friends in the congregation, presented a handsome silver watch and chain to Master John Prebble, in recognition of his gratuitous services at the harmonium, and thus assisting in loading the praise of the congregation. The gift was suitably acknowledged. Magistrate's Court, Kaiaboi.—At this

Court, on Monday, before G. H. Blackwell, Esq., Mayor, an offender for being drunk on Sunday was cautioned and discharged. W. Wilson, a swagsmun, wai charged with creating a disturbance on Sunday, and attempting to rob. The case was remanded till to-day. The prosecutor,{J. Turner, in the latter case, who appeared in Court the worse for liquor, was ordered to be detained twenty, four hours in custody. In consequence of the absence of the Resident Magistrate, the civil business was postponed till next week. Baptist Ohuech —The usual weekly meeting of the Oxford Terrace Mntnal Improvement Society was held in the above church last evening. The Rev. O. Dallaston, president, occupied the chair. There was a fair attendance of both members and visitors. Mr W. Glanville read a very able and interesting essay; subject, "The Sun,” which was afterwards duly discussed by members. The Chairman intimated that Mr E. Rostra would, at the next meeting, read an essay. Subject, “Peter’s Pall and Repentance.” The meeting was then closed. Ancient Obder or Fobbbtebs.—The ordinary fortnightly meeting of Court Star of Canterbury wag held last evening at the Foresters’ Hall, A case of distress through sickness having been brought before the Court, the usual vote was unanimously granted to the distressed member. The attention of the members was called to the Juvenile Foresters’ Concert, which takes place on Thursday next, May slh. The death of Bro, Dr. Campbell was spoken of in very feeling terms, and it was resolved that as a token of respect to his memory the mourning regalia be worn by the officers next Court night, and that letters of condolence be sent to the late brother’s relatives. The Foresters’ lifeboat subscription list (England) was handed in, and it was unanimously resolved that this Court become an annual subscriber to the fund. The propositions of new members having been read, the O.R. closed the Court. Long-winded Solicitors. Prom his place on the Bench at the Resident Magistrate’s Court yesterday, Mr Whitefoord took occasion to comment sharply on a custom that has grown into an intolerable nuisance at that establishment. He said that in every twopenny-halfpenny case that they brought into Court many of the counsel employed took every opportunity they could force to speak. They spoke on introducing their cases ; they spoke on concluding their oases ; they spoke, if they got a chance, on every law point that could be rakednp during the conduct of their oases, ssiiuatoij one claimed a right of replying else, until at last the Court had Comtek# be little bettor than a debating club for the idisoussion of frivolous questions and the waste of time. Gentlemen knew perfectly well that the liberty they thus took was a license not allowed them by the Act which regulated proceedings there. He hoped that whenever be occupied the Bench gentlemen would strictly conform their practice to the rules laid down i in the Act. ,

Cube Boating Club. —A meeting of supporters of this club was held at Wearing’s Kaiapoi Hotel, on Saturday evening last, at which there wa» a largo attendance. It was decided to hold a number of races on Queen's Birthday, between the boats of the club, which will probably be the last day of the season. The races proposed are double eoulling, J. Winterbourne and A. Winterbourne v Geo. and Ohas. Wright; 2. R. Day and J. Smith v J. Perrin and H. Hayman ; 3. R. Day vJ. Carder ; 4. race between members of the brass band ; single sculling ; 5. J. Perrin v G. Wright; 6. J. Winterbourne vK. Day, This club, at a meeting a few days previously, decided upon ordering from Winsbip and Swaddle a pair oared boat on tho lines of the new one owned by the Canterbury Bowing Club, and a double eculling boat, on tne lines of tho double sculler recently imported by the Union Rowing Club, The Cure Club has a credit balance of over £6O, after paying all expenses and settling for the trophies given to the winning crews at tho late regttta. Election or Stnodsman. Mr H. A. Bamford has been re-eleoted Synodsman for the Parish of Heathcote. Abububton Sparrow Club.—At a meeting of the above club, hold last Saturday evening in the Somerset Hotel, it was resolved to fix the subscription of membership at 6s per annum, and to appoint a commitee to canvass for subscriptions. Mr Jacobson was appointed treasurer. Theatee Royal.—The performance of “ Pinafore ” last night went excellently. The great feature of tho evening was a violin solo by Miss Olivo Pollard (Little Buttercup), which was wonderful for one so young. Tho theme chosen was “ Home, Sweet Home," and difficult and intricate variations on this wore executed with a precision and shill which, for one bo young, were equal to anything we have had here, To-night Captain Corcoran, deservedly a favourite, takes a benefit, when a duet on violins will bo performed by Buttercup and the Captain. This is the last night but one of the company. Tee Canterbury Building Society

Permanent.—The monthly payments are dae this day, when tho office will be open from seven toninep.m.as weT as the usual hours, from ten a m. to four p.m. Australian Swallows.—lt will be of inters!. to many to learn that some Australian swallows have found their way to Otago. The “ Daly Times ” states that about a fortnight since Mr Bills, while engaged in bird-catching saw five Australian swallows at Moeraki, and was near enough to them to be certain that he

was not mistaken. The Pasihaka Block. —In reference to settlement in the Parihaka block, the “ Hawera Star,” of Saturday last, has the following : payment land, and five sections of cash land, have been sold in the Parihaka block within the last day or two. Altogether, about 350 acres of deferred payment land, and 618 of cash land, have been disposed of. It is satisfactory to find that there are at least a few persons who are prepared to uphold the official valuation of the land, and to take it up for settlement at the upset price. It will be seen that the larger portion of the land has been taken up on deferred payment. About 500 acres have been bought by Messrs Stent and Reid, from Bangitiki. They have already commenced burning off the land and sowing it for pasture, and Messrs Nolan and Co., of Hawera, forwarded a large quantity of English grass seed to them on Thursday morning. ... It cannot be doubted that, if settlement at Te Whiti’s doors proceeds unchecked, Te Whiti ism will quickly died a natural death, and wo shall be spared the painful necessity, which has hitherto been forced upon us, of publishing his semi prophetic nothings, knowing that, though they were rubbish, people wanted to know what he had said, and judge for themselves whether it was gospel or gibberish.”

A Hill of Siltee.—While a whaler during the last fishing season was lying in a small bay at the month of one of the rivers which empty into the ocean on the coast of Alaska, a great many of the natives came on board to trade for sea biscuit, of which they are very fond, and finally induced the captain to go np the river and fish for salmon, with wbioh the river was said to be alive. A boat was fitted out, manned by four men and the captain, and they went up the river fifteen miles, where they went ashore at the base of a hill about 600 feet high, up which the captain and chief of the natives climbed, while the crew and natives fished. The summit of the hill was nothing but an extinct crater, in which the captain noticed that the rocks resembled iron after it had beenmeltod. Ho undertook to knock off a piece, bnt conld not do it, as it seemed to bend, not break, under repeated blows with the head of a boat axe, he then struck it with the blade of the axe, and chopped it off and took it in bis hand. The surface where the axe had cleaved its wav through the rock,he saw was as soft nearly as lead, although it did not shine. He thought then that it was a metal of some kind, and kept it. Specimens of similar character were picked up by others of the crew and taken to this city. The piece which tho captain chopped off- the top of the hill with the axe has assayed GOOOdols, per ton in silver, and the loose rocks picked np went as high as 275d01a. silver per ton. A company of Oaklanders, to whom the rocks were submitted, bavo chartered the whaler and the crew to make a trip in the spring to tho scene of this remarkable discovery, and a working party will be left at the location to dig ont a cargo.—“ San Francisco Evening Post.”

In Oliver Oromwell’g time £38,000 was raised for the Waldensians, who wore for bo many generations persecuted to the death. Of this sum £16,000 was left in the hands of the English Government, who to this day pay £257 annually to the Waldensian Church. Matthew Arnold works exceedingly hard as one of the British Inspectors of Schools. The duties of his position occupy most of his time, and it is only at odd minutes that he is able to take up his beloved literary work. “ See Yer in the Morning.”—Sam Waldron the affable clerk of the Steamer Karragansett, and who invariably treats every one with politeness, tells the following good story of a passenger who was genially intoxicated, and as the expression goes, “ off his base. ” One night last summer we had about 700 passengers, and hardly room to pack away any more, when the above individual, neatly dressed, came to the office window and said ; “Give's stateroom; best yer dot, dash the ’spense.” I told him they were all gone, and he as happily said, “ A' right, give’s berth ?” “ I am sorry, my friend, yoa are just the man I would like to accommodate, but they are all gone too.” “A’ right, I’ll take chair.” He left, but a few minutes later was back with the laconic mark, “chairs all gone I” I, expressed sorrow, and suggested that he get a mattrass. “O’rect; write mat’ras on back o’ ticket.” " No, you go up stairs and the waiter will give you one; he will put them down and you can drop on one.” He expressed his thanks, and left as I supposed for good, but he came back after a five minutes’ absence, and broke out, this time quite laughingly, “Say, old boy, mat'ras all gone.” I said I was sorry, &0., and he stood pondering a moment, and then looking in the window, knowingly, said, in his jolly, abrupt way, “ Where’s bar ?” I directed him there, and as he went away, he said, “Have to hurry np, or bar’ll be all gone, too! Night, see yer in mornin’. ”

During the last few weeks of her life Eeorge Eliot had completed the plan of a new novel, which she had resolved should be her last. Xt was to be a w .rk dealing, like “ Adam Bede,” with country scenes and people.

A landslip of an extraordinary character occurred recently at Wharncliffe side, near Oughtibridge, Sheffield. The entire side of a hill slipped down about three feet towards the river, carrying five houses along with it. Three of the houses were unfinished, but the occupants of the other two experienced no inconvenience from their removal.

Lady (paying her Christmas milk bill, complains of the inattention cf the carriers) —And 1 shall bo obliged to withdraw my custom if it continues." Milkman—‘‘l’m really very sorry, ma’am, it’s their ignorance (Confidential!)—“Nowyou and me'sejicated ejicated people won’t carry milk—and so we’ave to employ the lowest sort. Mr Parnell has equalled Sir Boyle Kocho’s celebrated bird, as he is in two places at once, being a prisoner at the bar in Dublin and a member of Parliament at St, Stephen’s. But what is the use of going on with the play of ‘‘Hamlet” -when Hamlet Is left out? Better postpone the performance which tends to become a mere farce.

The Public School Boy.—Mamma—l am dreadfully disappointed with your report this term, George ! Why, at your ago thirteen—dear papa had won two scholarships ; and a few years later he was senior wrangler.—Dear Paper (walking out of stupor)—Yes, my boy, and If I'd been a lazy dance like yon I should have grown to msisure over six feet in height, and fortyeight inches round the chest (as you will) ; and by this lime I should have been Lord Chief Justice at least (as you may, if you only go on) ; whereas [Sighs heavily, and relapses into stupor,]