NEWS OF THE DAY.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2243, 10 June 1881, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Nabeow Escape.—A daughter of Mr John Donaughfy, a farmer residing at Solloston, had a very narrow escape of being gored by a bull on Wednesday last. As Mr Donaughty’s children were driving the cows to the yard the bull rushed at one of the children, aged four years. Fortunately Mrs Donaughty was standing by at the time, and rescued the child, who escaped with a few bruises.

DEPABirEB of Stoce.—The Rotomahana will take to-dav five heifers, purchased from the herd of Mr P. O. Throlkeld, Inglewood farm, Fiaxton, by Mr John Harding, Mount Vernon, Napier. The same steamer takes for Mr Harding’s estate, north of Auckland Mr Threlkold’s well-known bull Oommander-in. Chief and a pure heifer.

XiEcxußß AT St. John’s.—The monthly meeting of members of the Diocesan Sunday School Association was hold last evening in St. John s schoolroom, when the Soy. H W ?°” ds a i®oture on « The Tabernacle in the Wilderness.” Although the evening was so wet there was a good attendance, and the lecture proved highly instructive and entertaining.

Mb Gladstone Threatened by the Fenianb.—Xho 11 European Mail” says :—A statement has been published to the effect that the Fenian “ Skirmishers ” of New

York have consulted together regarding the recent affray between the police and the people at Ballaghadorin, and have decided that the deaths of the victims must be regarded as the outgrowth of the Coercion Act, for which they hold Mr Gladstone responsible. The “ Skirmishers ” have, it is added, sentenced the Premier to death, and are now stating to bo deliberating as to how the sentence shall be carried out. On receipt of this intelligence, which comes from Now York, the authorities at Scotland Yard were al once communicated with, and the police officials of Cheshire and Flintshire will take extra precautions in the district of Hawarden Castle, The above statement has been denied by the " fraternity.”

Accident.—A child of Mr H. H. Fenton, of Baloairn, met with an accident from being struck between the eyes with a ohovol. It appears that the youngster inadvertently got too close to the men engaged in ballasting on the railway line, and was accidentally struck as described. The Harts at Southehidoe,— On Wednesday evening the Harts gave one of their clever performances at the Town Hall, Southbridge. They succeeded in keeping the audience in thorough good humor from start to finish. The hall was well filled. They

appear at Southbridge again on Friday.

Theatrical.—Signor da Vivo, who will bo remembered here »a agent for Mdlle do Murska, will shortly re-visit Christchurch with a very powerful concert company, the •prima donna being Mdlle Boomo, who has achieved a very high reputation in Australia. The company also includes Mdlle Palma and a violinist of repute. Conobbt at Ashburton. —On Wednesday evening several ladies and gentlemen amateurs gave an excellent concert in the Masonic Hall, some of the performers having gone to Ashburton from Christchurch and 'i’iraaru. The proceeds of the entertainment will be devoted in aid of the purchase of an organ for the hall.

Resident Maoistsa.tb’3 Couet, Leeston. —The usual monthly sitting of this Court was held yesterday, before Wm. D. Laurence and T, 0. Dudley, Esq., J.P.’a. The following civil cases were heard : —T. Richardson y J. Kennedy, claim £l3, for one cow purchased ; adjourned to the 16th inst., at Leeston. W. J. Q-. Bluett vW. Aitkon, jun., Mr Izard for defendant. This was a claim far fifty bushels of seed wheat supplied by plaintiff as per defendant’s order by telegram ; but, as defendant swore to never having ordered the wheat, Mr Bluett applied for an adjournment, which was granted to the 16th Inst. Burgess v Williams, claim £7, for work done ; judgment by default. M. Caisby was charged with trespassing on the railway, and fined 10s, and costs 7s. Canterbury Oofesing Club.—ln consequence of the wot weather yesterday a meeting of those interested was held at Roberts’ Junction Hotel, to decide whether the undecided course between Bashful Maid and Lulu for the Puppy Stakes, and the ties in the Publicans' and Puppy Stakes, should be run off or postponed. Several of those present were in favor of finishing the meeting upon some '-other ground, but tho majority favored the postponement of the coursing till to-day, if possible, at Yaldhurst. It was intended to have held the concluding events over farms nearer Pern side, if the owners of dogs would have consented to run. The stony, tuss ooky country gone over on Wednesday seemed to have more to do in the matter of postponement than the weather had, although it would have been most uncomfortable to have been out in the drizzling showers which kept up all day. At a meeting of stewards, held at tho Shades last night, it was finally decided ’to continue the meeting to-day, at Yaldhurst, weather permitting.

A Do a Show.—A movement is on foot to establish a dog show in Christchurch, to be held annually, and the matter has come under the notice of the committee of the Agricultural Association, from whom it will no doubt receive hearty support. Of late years, when we have nothing of the kind in Christchurch at all worthy of the name, many visitors have remarked upon tho absence of a canine exhibition, as something which entitles us to be considered peculiar, if not behind the time. It has been frequently pointed out that the dog show at the metropolitan exhibition is a farce, which might well be done away with ; but it need bo so no longer in the future if the present movement is -carried forward to a successful issue, especially now that there are a largo number of well bred and valuable dogs of all breeds in Canterbury. The A. and 3?. Association, it may bo stated, regard tho movement with favor, and will no doubt accord tho promoters every facility to carry out their ideas.

Cottbbing Geound Oompany.—A movement ii on foot amongst coursing men in Ohriatohurob to form a company for the purpose of procuring a suitable section of land of not less than 500 acres, on the model of the English Plumpton grounds. The ground placed at the disposal of coursing men hitherto has boon of such a distance from town that practically the general public, except the enthusiasts in the sport, have been debarred from attending the meetings. When we remember the very largo attendance of the public when the stakes were run off in Hagley park, and looking at the advances coursing has made here both in the quality of the dogs engaged and tho number of runners, it is anticipated that the general public will duly appreciate any effort made to place within their reach an opportunity of witnessing a good doy’s coursing. A meeting of the Canterbury Club was hold at the Shades on Monday last, when the project of establishing a company was discussed, and a number of shares provisionally taken np. There is no doubt that if such a company were to be floated a largo amount of support would bo accorded to it.

Wholesale Poisoning. — A shocking case of wholesale poisoning has occurred at Binbrook, a village on the Lincolnshire Wolds. Mrs Gibson, tho wife of a shepherd, made a number of cheesecakes. After eating one of them she suddenly became unwell, and the neighbors who visited her, and who had oaten some of tho cakes, were also taken ill. Upon testing some of the cates, it was discovered that the woman had mistaken a tin of arsenio for ground rice, and had mixed tho poison in her pastry. The arsenio, which was used by her husband in dressing the sheep, was kept in a cupboard in a tin canister precisely similar to that which contained the ground rice. The woman died a few hours after she she had oaten tho cake, before medical aid could bo obtained, and eight or nine of the neighbors remain seriously ill from the effects of tho poison. The Debt ob Queensland. —Tho people of Queensland are piling up their State debt at a rate which proves them to bo exceedingly sanguine, and they have attained a pre-emi-nence in this doubtful career second only to this colony. In 1861, with a population of about 35,000, their debt was only £70,000, or £2 per head. In 1871 the population had grown to 125,000, and the debt to £4,000,000, or above £32 per head. In 1830, with about 225,000 people, the debt amounted to £12,000,000, or £54 per head. Most of this money has been obtained from England at about 4g per cent., so that, including English investments in Queensland Banks and land companies, tho colony has to remit above £600,000 a year in tho shape of dividends and interest, Tho revenue proper is about £1,000,000, and about £500,000 more is derived from land sales.

BeeioioxtliTTTßb, —Here is something {writes “Anglo-Australian”) on the subject of silk culture which will interest, if it has not been soon before. “ Bombyx queroicus ” is the name of the now silkworm in Nevada. It lives on oak instead of mulberry, and produces a fibre made stronger by the strength of its diet. It docs not eat its way out of the cocoon as the mulberry silkworm does, thus destroying the continuity of its thread, but forces its course between the fibres without breaking them. Its physical condition is also stronger than the mulberry species, and its capacity to bear the extremes of weather much greater. '• Back from tub Gbatb.” —An odd incident is reported from the Transvaal. A private of the 97th who had poisoned himself with native grog, a villainous sort of brandy, was brought in as dead, and an inquest was held upon him. Ho was found to have died by over-drinking bod alcoholic liquor, and was in the course of the morning taken away for burial. While being borne to the grave the shaking up in the coffin awoke him, and ho shouted lustily to be lot out, causing a general scare among the men carrying him. The man was released, and is still alive, and his narrow escape will doubtless make him more cautious as to the quality of his liquor in future.

[Borough of Papanui.—A meeting of gentleman interested in the formation of a portion of the Avon district into a borough vaj held at 2 o’clock this’afternoon, at the Corn Exchange, but the proceedings being of a private nature the reporters were not admitted. . . , Amateur Opera. The Christchurch Amateur Opera Class, under the direction of Mr H. E. Towle, is announced to open a season at the Theatre Royal to-morrow evening, the piece selected being the “ Chimes of Normanby,” which has been played with the greatest success for upwards of three years in Europe. Mrs E. H. Digby (Mdlle. Solango Navoro) will sustain the characterof Serpolette, and the remainder of the cast will be supported by amiteurs of aeknowled merit. Evasion Board op Health.—At the ordinary meeting on Monday, the inspector of nuisances reported on the condition of the district. Dr. Ovenden reported that ten cases of disease from infection, out of which four patients had died, had occurred, traceable to the introduction of a fever patient from Christchurch. He offered to act as medical officer for £SO a year. The offer was accepted. It was decided to meet the Kaiapoi Board in reference to proposed amendments in the Health Act.

Ellesmere Licensing Meeting. The quarterly meeting of the Licensing Commissioners will be held at Leeston on the 16th inst., at tea o’clock, having been postponed from the 7th inst.

A Munificent Bequest —The trustees of the late E. B. Harris, lata prothonotary of Lancashire, who have the disposal of a bequest of over £200,000 for certain charitable purposes generally indicated in the will, have just approved of a scheme submitted by a deputation from the Library Committee of the Preston Corporation for the erection and endowment of a new free library, subject to the sanction of the Master of the Rolls. £60,000 is granted to the building, £7500 for a reference library, the same sum for works of art, and £15,000 for endowment. An application has been made for a grant towards the endowment of the Preston and County of Lancaster Royal Infirmary. It is reported that the trustees are making grants of a sum of between £25,000 and £40,000 towards the endowment of technical education in connection with the Institution for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge, Preston.