NEWS OF THE DAY

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2330, 21 September 1881, Page 3

NEWS OF THE DAY

Death of Psbbidbnt Gabfibld.—By reference to our cablegrams, it will be seen tbat the serious illness from which the President of the United States has be >n suffering since the 2nd of July last, when he was fired at and dangerously wounded in two places by a man named Charles Jules Gitteu, has at last terminated fatally, President Garfield dying, in the presence of Mrs 0-j.riield, on the evening of the 19th inst., at Long Branob, having been recently removed from Washington* General Chester Arthur, the Vice-President, has been summoned by the Cabinet to fill the office of President for the unexpired term of nearly three and a half years.

Scandinavian Meeting.—A meeting will be held to-morrow night at the Oddfellows' Hall, Lyttelton, at 8 p.m., re the advisability of holding monthly Scandinavian services at Port.

iNTBHCOtONIAI WEATHER KxOHANOK. Sydney, Tuesday evening—A steep depression B.E. of Tasmania, and still deepening, and a second moderate depression between Portland and King George's Bound. Prevailing westerly winds with rain ;at Sydney, fine. Barometer —Portland, 29.6 ; Hobart, 29 3 ; Gabo, 29.7 ; Sydney, 29.8. A.O.F. —The quarterly summoned meeting of the Hope of St. Albans Lodge was held in the lodge room, St. Albans, on Tuesday evening, September 20th, Bro. ,H. Winchester, AD., presiding. There was a large attendance of brethren, including D.P. Bro. Samuels and visitors from sister lodges. Considerable discussion was indulged in on several mutters before the lodge, and after a protracted debate re amalgamated fete, it was eventually resolved that this lodge take part in the forthcoming fete, and delegates to represent the lodge were appointed. The usual routine of business was then gone through, and after passing a hearty vote of thanks to visiting brethren the lodge was closed in due form by the A.D.

Pbofkbbob Simon.—The second lecture on phrenology by Professor Simon in the Gaiety Theatre was delivered last evening. There was a good attendance, and the lecture proved both entertaining and instructive. To-night the professor will give his final lecture, and those who desire to bear this eminent phrenologist portray the characters of their friends and acquaintances should not miss the opportunity thus afforded. Thb Pibates at Pobt.—Mr Carey's company performed at Port last night, giving the " Pirates of PeDzance" in the Oddfellows' Hall. The attendance was good, taking into consideration the fact that a great many of the playgoing section of the community had previously seen the "Pirates" here.

Acknowledgment.—Mr John Stinson, of Lyttelton, desires to acknowledge with thanks the receipt of £1 from Mr Geo. Plummer towards the subscriptions in aid of Mrs Green, who lost her husband and three sons in the schooner Bee.

Masonic —The first meeting of the General Lodge of Instruction under the English 'Jon■titution was held last night at the Canterbury Masonic Hall. It was decided to name the lodge the Emulation Lodge of Instruction. After doing a considerable amount of work, and appointing the officers for the next night, the lodge was duly closed. Lbctttbb. —The Rev. C. J. Byng delivered a lecture in St. John's Church lust evening in aid of the choir and organ fund. The subject of his lecture was " The Becognition of Friends in Heaven." The Eev. H. C. M. Watson occupied the chair, There was a numerous attendance of ladies and gentlemen.

San Ebanoisco Mail.—The s.s. Hawea arrived yesterday afternoon with the mail, having made an exceptionally smart run down the Coast. The mail was landed at Lyttelton fifty-six hours after the Zealandia arrived in Auckland. The time occupied from London was just forty days, the mail having been dispatched at 4 o'clock in the afternoon on August 11th, and received in the Ohristchurch Pest Office at five minutes to four. This is, we believe, the quickest time on record.

Ancibht Obdbb OV FOBBSTBBS.—The ordinary fortnightly meeting of Court Star of Canterbury was held in the Foresters' Hall last ovemng, when there was a moderate attendance. Tho Woodward's report re sick and distressed members was read, received, and adopted. The portraits of Drs. Campbell and Iliff having been nicely framed in New Zealand honeysuokle, were hung in the hall. A case of distress being reported to the Court, the usual grant was unanimously voted. The remainder of the business waß principally of a routine oharacter. Db. Dudley's Fpnebai.—There was an unusually large attendance at the funeral of the late Dr. Dudley yeßtorday afternoon. The oortege included about 150 persons on foot and in carriages. The pall-bearers were O. Whitefoord, il'sq., 8.M., J. 0. Boys and K. L. Hig(fin», Esqs., J.P.'s, and G. H. Blaokwell, Esq , Mayor. There was a large attendance of farmers from the district, as well as all the tradespeople in town, who had olosed their respective places of business for the afternoon. At the English Churoh the remains were met by the Very Bev. the Dean of Christchurch and the Ven. Archdeacon Dudley, who conduoted the service in the ohureh. A funeral requiem was played on the organ. The oortege passed along Case, Cookson, Baven, and Peraki streets. At the cemetery there was a very large ooncourse of persons assembled, and at the grave the service appeared to be most solemn and impressive. On the flagstaffs in town, as well as on the eraft in the river, the flags were hoisted at half-mast.

Lecttjbb. —The Rev. O. J. Byng, o£ Dunedin, will deliver a lecture in St. John's ■ ihoolroom to-morrow evening, in aid of the oioir and organ fund. The subject will be "Matrimony." M UNiCIPAI. The nomination for the North-West Ward closed to-day, at noon, when Messrs Garrard and Lambert were nominated for the vao»nt seat. The polling will take place on October 4th. St. Mart's, Addington.—A sale of_ the g)od a left over from the recent bazaar in aid of this parish, is announced to be held in the parish school-room on the 4th and sth of next month. M.U.1.0.0F. —The quarterly summoned meeting; of the Loyal Rangiora Lodge, 1.0.0. F.. M.U., was held on Monday, September 19th. There was a large attendance of tho brethren. Dr. Ovenden attended, and explained to the Lodge the arrangements he had mude for his partner to permanently reside in Rangiora, and other matters in connection with medical attendance. The explanation was considered very satisfactory, and a vote of thanks was unanimously pasted to Dr. Ovenden for his attendance. The anniversary committee reported to the Lodge the arrangements made for the trip to Sumner, which were approved. The receipts of the evening amounted to £65 15s 3d. The expenditure had been £39 9s lid. ASHBUBTON BOBOfOH COTJNOIX. On Monday cveniDg the fortnightly meeting was held. Present—The Mayor, and Ors. Roberts, Bullook, Ivess, St. Hill, Williamson, R. Friedlander, Orr, Parkin, and Harrison. Tho debit balance at the Bank was stated to be £1583 19s 7d ; total amount collected, £lO2l 9a 6d ; amount of rates due, £ll7 18j 9d. Or. Orr's name was placed on tho works oommittee in lion of Or. Robinson's. On Or. St. Hill's motion, seconded by Or. Friedlander, it was agreed—" That for the future the water shall be turned on as far as is consistent with the safety of the town ; and it shall oontinne running from 6 p.m. until 6 a.m." On Or. Friedlander's motion,) it was agreed to request the engineer to prepare plans showing where sumps are required for the prevention of fire. Accounts amounting to £162 15s were passed for payment. Meeting at Gbxbih'b Vaiibi.—A meeting was held at Gebbie's Valley school-room on Monday, September 19th, Rev. A. P. O'Oallaghan in the chair, to consider the advisableness of communicating with the Government regarding railway sidings on the Little River line. It was proposed by Mr Radford, and seconded by Mr Butler— ", That the best sites for sidings on the Little River line for the convenience of this district are one at Rabbit Island, and one at the northwestern side of Kaituna Yalley, near the point." Proposed by Mr D. Gebbie, seconded by Mr Reeves—" That a copy of the above resolution be forwarded to the District Engineer, with a request that the work be carried out while the present contractor is engaged on the line, whereby considerable expense may be avoided." Proposed by Mr Leney, seoonded by Mr Wheeler—" That a deputation, consisting of Messrs O'Oallaghan, J. Gebbie, T. H. Parkinson, J. Radford, G. Edmonds, and Dr. Doyle, be appointed to wait on the District. Engineer and further express the views of this meeting." The foregoing resolutions wero carried unanimously, and Friday next, at 12 noon, was agreed on as the time for waiting on the District Engineer. A Wealthy Gammkb.—Madame Marie Blanc, the owner of the gambling establishment at Monaco, has just died, worth four millions sterling. Besides Monaco, which she has administered since the death of her husband, Madame Blano owned a large hotel in the little principality, and one ef the fashionable inland watering places in France, that of Bridea-les-Bains, where she ereoted a church, a school, and a casino. At Monaco she established a porcelain and a perfume manufactory, in order to find occupation for some of the many women who applied to her for assistance. Madame Blano is said never to have entered the gambling saloons whence her enormous fortune was derived, and that to be a frequenter of those saloons was not a recommendation for admission to her circle of friends. Nevertheless, she was so far attached to the institution she would not countenance that the movement recently oommenced in this country for the abolition of an establishment which is doing infinite mischief gave her great annoyance. Madame Blanc was only forty-eight yoaro of age. She hrs left three ctr'dren, who inherit her great fortune—one son, and the Princesses Badziwill and Roland Bonaparte. Teb Town o* Tatiit.—This town, the destination of the banished Pashas, is one of the most interesting plaoes in Arab history. It is surrounded by vineyards and orchards, whilst Mecca is surrounded by rook and gravel ; and it has supplied Mecca pilgrims with grapes, peaches, pomegranates, figs, and apples, from a remote period down to the present day. In ancient times a great deal of wine was made and drank at Tayif ; but when Mahomed the Prophet prohibited tho use of wine, the people of Tayif, like the Arabs in general, became total abstainers. It is remarkable, however, that the former held out against the prophet more obstinately than those of any other locality in A-abi*. On one occasion they drove Mahomed out of their town with stones, and when at last they were compelled by force of arms to become Mussalmans, they begged the Prophet to allow their women to continue the worship of the local idol. But Mahomed sternly refused to permit idolatory under any pretence whatever, and the idol was hewed down, amidst tho cries and lamentations of the whole female population.

Smallpox in Victobia Our cable message from Melbourne today reports that what is believed to be a case of smallpox has been reported at Yuoindandah, a town about 95 miles to the north-east of Melbourne.

Elowebs in thb Ballboom.—Some idea of the extent to which the employment of natural flowers at the balls and banquets of the higher classes io carried at the present moment is formed by the sum lately paid by a lady of fashion for the garniture of her greenhouse, reception rooms, dinner table, hall, and staircase on a certain evening the other week. The whole adornment was executed in exotic flowers, save the dinner table, which was decorated from one end to the other with tbe little wreath glasses, of flat oircular shape, made to preserve the beautiful] little wreaths of forget-me-nots in all their freshness during the whole time of the repaßt. The middle of the table was adorned with growing plants, torn root and all from the soil, and maintained fresh and blooming in china troughs running the whole length of the board. The house wherein one of the most splendid fetes of the season was given is situated at Queen's Gate, and the whole frontage seemed buried in flowers, over which the lights from within threw a radiance equal to that of the sun. The oost of the whole was not less than £4OOO, exactly the amount allotted by the Minister of Public Works for the flowers required to decorate the interior of Notre Dame on the occasion of the coronation of the great Napoleon.—" European Mail."

Thb Value op Agbioultubal Land in England.—A considerable number of estates have been put up to auction recently, chiefly by order of the mortgagees, but very few sales have been effeoted, the biddings not even reaching the amount of the mortgage. Thus, for the Tiptree Hall property, the farm of the late Mr Mechi, £3700 was the utmost that was offered, though a a mortgage of £4500 existed. In another case, where £SOOO had been advanced on an estate, £3OOO was the extent of the bidding. This shows how land has fallen in value, whether permanently or not no one can Bay.

The meanest man on record ie in New York. He invited a night watchman to take a drink, and slyly put in it a powerful stimulant that would keep the man awake all night. A Yankee 'bicycle dealer has ntilized the hippy thought of presenting a pair of crutches and a box of court-plaster to eaoh purchaser of a bioycle. He is monopolizing the trade.— " Norristown Herald."

The saloon-keepers of Topeka, Ki., are licensed to sell "mineral and other waters." and are thus enabled to sell even the meanest brands of whisky by putting in a little water.