NEWS OF THE DAY

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2348, 12 October 1881, Page 3

NEWS OF THE DAY

I 0.0. F, Valley Lodge.—On Thursday evening last the anniversary entertainment in connection with the above lodge took place in the schoolroom, Heathcote Valley. The Black Diamond Minstrels kindly gave their services, and, judging from the frequent applause, thoroughly succeeded in pleasing their audience. The N.G., Bro. Bov. O. J. Merton, took the chair, and briefly explained the objects of tho Society, urging those who had not yet joined, to do so, and so secure themselves from charity. During the year the lodge has doubled the number of its members, has paid £ls in sick pay, with £3O to the credit of the sick and funeral fund, and has started a library, the proceeds of the evening being in aid of the same.

Intercolonial Weather Exchange.— Sydney, Tuesday evening :—The barometer continues falling in Eastern Australia, with cloudy weather and rain on the coast of South Australia and Now South Wales. Barometer —Portland and Sydney, 29 9 ; Hobart, 29.7 J; Gabo, 29.8 ; Brisbane, 30,1. The Mayoral Election.—A requisition is in course of signature to his Worship the Mayor asking him to convene a public meeting to enable the candidates for the mayoralty to declare tbeir opinions.

Thb Lyttelton Constituency.— -Mr Harry Abwright addresses the Lyttelton elector's on Friday night, in the Oddfellows’ Hall, at Port. Lyttelton Magistrate’s Oouet. —Mr Joseph Beawick presided at this Court thia forenoon and disposed of the following business :—Two seamen, J. Johnston and J. Carroll, wore charged, on remand, with deserting from the barque Colleen, The master of the vessel, Captain Barkley, was present, and, in reply to the magistrate, aaid that the men had left the vessel without any cause that he knew of, and had got away to Wellington in a small coaster, where they were arrested. He expressed his surprise at the seaman Johnston leaving, and regretted he had done so, as ho had always been a wellbehaved young fellow, and was the son of a master of a collier belonging to his. Captain Barkley’s, father at Homo, in whose employ he had been for many years. Of the other defendant’s antecedents he knew nothing. The magistrate said he thought both the men should be sent to prison, to be put on board when the Colleen was about to leave, but as the master of the barque hod offered to take them back on the promise that they would not attempt again to desert, he would accept that promise, the costs attending their recent arrest to be paid out of any moneys that might be due to them. In a civil case, Garforth and Lee v Wheeler, claim £7 Bs, judgment was given for the plaintiff by default.

Thb Pbbmibb. —The Hon. John Hall left by the Penguin yesterday. Upper Eanoitata Beibob.—This bridge has been closed for a short time, pending the re-erection of a temporary gangway. Coach Accident.—Yesterday the Longbeach coach came in collision with a bullock in a street in Ashburton. The pole of the vehicle was snapped, but no further damage done. Theatrical.—Playgoers will be glad to learn that arrangements have been concluded between Mr Beatty, Mr Williamson, and Mias Maggie Moore for a season at the Theatre Boyal here, commencing in January next. During the season Mr Williamson intends to produce “ Struck Oil” and other of his specialities. Kaiapoi Borough School Oommittbb.— The monthly meeting of this committee was hold on Monday evening. Present —Messrs Parnham (chairman), Pashby, and Fraser. Leave of absence was granted to Mr Coup and the secretary. Letters were read from Mr Alexander, head master, acknowledging receipt of resolutions passed at last meeting, and forwarding returns. The total scholars on roll were 436, average attendance 239 During the month the attendance had varied from 308 to 162, as there were many children away with measles. In reference to two letters not acknowledged by the Board of Education, it was decided to ask why the committee had received no reply to its letters of 13th and 28th September, relative to filling Miss Monk's place. Mr Pashby re. ported that certain repairs were needed in the school, which it was decided to have done. Accounts, £l3 3s lOd, were passed for payment. The tea and coffee service presented to Miss Monk, upon which had been placed a suitable inscription, were exhibited, and the lame approved of,

“Battle op Lite.” —We have to acknowledge the receipt of a copy of a pamphlet enti led "The Battle of Life, oi X iminiscenctß of a Working Man,” written and published

by a Christchurch resident. Village of Radlbt. —Mr E. J. T. Ford will submit to public auction, at the Canterbury Sale Rooms, at two o’clock to-morrow, 161 very desirable and highly valuable business and residential sites in the village of Radley, pleasantly situated between the Ferry road and Opawa. The Opawa and Hills borough railway stations are close to the property on the south side, thus affording railway communication to all parts of the province, whilst the completion of the bridge over the Heathoote and the continuation

the Tramway down the Ferry road will speedily bring the village of Radley practically within a few minutes’ walk of the centre of Christchurch. The sections to be offered have frontages to the river Heathoote, the Port hills, and upon Clarendon and Oumnor Terrace. The property is under the Land Transfer Act, and the terms upon which it will bo sola are very easy. As this is one of the rare opportunities that are seldom mot with of acquiring really valuable business and pleasantly situated suburban sites for villa residences, and as there is a superabundance of money just now awaiting profitable investment, the various sections to bo submitted to

public competition no doubt will find ready and eager purchasers, ns undoubtedly Radley will shortly become a thickly populated and favourite suburb of the city of Christchurch. Lecture. —On Monday evening last a lecture was given by the Rev. T. Harrington in the Oarleton school on “ The Life and Times of John Bunynn.” There was a largo attendance, and the chair was taken by Mr H. Engelbreoht, chairman of the school committee. The lecturer gave an eloquent address, descriptive of Banyan's life and labors, and was listened to with marked attention. The choir of the Oxford Church gave the selections—“ Open ye the gates,” “ The Path of the Just,” and “ Salvation belongeth unto the Lord.” Miss Woodfield presided at the harmonium. A hearty vote of thanks, on the motion of Mr Moderate, seconded by Mr H. Wright, was accorded the Rev. T. Harrington for his able and eloquent lecture. The meeting then closed by the lecturer pronouncing the benediction. The Edinburgh Review. —Her Majesty, on August 26th, reviewed the Scottish Volunteers in Queen’s Park, Edinburgh. There were present under arms three divisions of 12,901, 14,108, and 13,615, making a total of 40,624, under the command of Major-General Macdonald. The review was greatly marred by the weather. The day was fine until one o’clock, when rain began to fall, and continued without intermission during the rest of the day. The ground was in a wretched state owing to the heavy rains, but the Volunteers generally presented a soldierly appearance, and inarched past very steadily. The Queen, who looked extremely well, had an enthusiastic reception, which she graciously acknowledged. The spectators on the hill numbered nearly 400,000. —“Homo News.”

Fibk on Board the Waimatb. —The “ Home News" reports that by a fire on board the New Zealand Shipping Company’s vessel Waimate, lying in South-West India Dock, the after cabin on main deck and contents were, on August 24th. damaged by fire and water, and the contents of the saloon by smoke and water. The Italian Natv. —The ironclad Duilio having proved a most satisfactory vessel, the Government has resolved that the two new ironclads lately voted by the Italian Parliament shall be of the same model and proper tions, with slight modifications. Thus, in a few years, besides theltalia, Lspanto, and Daudolo, Italy will possess three great ironclads of the power and proportions of the Duilio. This colossal man-of-war arrived at Brindisi from Greece, and met with an enthusiastic demonstration from crowds which had gathered on shore. The men on board the English steamer Bessarabia joined in the demonstration, upon which the people marched to the house of the British Consulate, raising cries of ‘Long live Queen Victoria; long live England.”

PREVENTION OF COAL MINE EXPLOSIONS. —lt i> singular, remarks a London journal, how little advance has been really made, notwithstanding tho industry of our scientific men, in mimimizing tho danger of coal mine explosions, and we welcome two different eSorls in this direction, which both come from the Continent, Tho one is founded on experiments by M. Miohel Rossi, proving that firedamp explosions are preceded by light microseismic disturbances and faint subterranean noises, which tho microphone detects with great reediness. He therefore suggests with much reason that this instrument should be added to the equipment with which most well regulated collieries ore already provided. The other proposal is from Herr Muhlrad, an engineer at Magdeburg, who has invented an apparatus consisting of a large hermetically closed metal drum, suspended from a very sensitive pair of scales, so that these are kept perfectly balanced in the air, which is free from fire damp, by meansof a solid weight. But as soon as any firedamp, which is lighter than atmospheric air, enters the shaft, the equilibrium between the hollow drum and the solid weight is disturbed, and the motion of the beam of tho scales sets an alarm going, which warns the miners to leave the pit. AaHBITETON Co OPERATIVE MOVEMENT. On Monday evening, in the Town Hall, Ashburton, Mr Joseph Ivess a-ldrcssed a number of people interested in the subject of cooperation. Mr James Brown occupied the chair. On Mr Ivess’ motion, seconded by Mr John Gough, it was resolved —“ That as the Christchurch Association have intimated their intention not to open a branch in Ashburton, this meeting is of opinion that it would not be advisable for the farmers of this district to join that association, and that it would be greatly to the interests of tho settlors to take shares in tho Timaru association, the directors of the latter having promised to advance the former’s views in every possible way.” Sunnyside Asylum. —A gratuity of £5 has been granted, by the kind consideration of the Government, to nurses McGill and Knight, they having been recommended aa being deserving of great praise for their untiring efforts during the epidemic of typhoid fever at the Asylum.