NEWS OF THE DAY

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2375, 12 November 1881, Page 3

NEWS OF THE DAY

Bbemons.—As will be seen by advertisement elsewhere, the Sunday Bohool anniversary sermons will be preaohed at the Primitive Methodist Church, Cambridge terrace, tomorrow morning and ovening, by the Bev. J. W. Jones and the Bev. J. Ward respectively. Also, at the Phillipßtown Church, missionary sermons will be preaohed morning and evening by the Bevs. W. Layooek and W. Jones. Dangerous Wohe.—The workmen of the telegraph department seem to have seized the opportunity on Saturdays several times lately of hauling about and stretching over the most crowded thoroughfares, during the busiest hours, telegraph wires. It is a most dangerous practice, and if persisted in, will sooner or later result in accident. Thirty-feet ladders, when lugged about the streets, are not good for man or horse, and to find a No. 10 wire curled about one's neck would be the reverse of pleasant. There is plenty of time for work of that kind to be done on mornings before seven o'clock, and that is the time that it

should be done in. INTERCOLONIAL WEATHBB EXCHANGE.— Sydney, Friday evening.—Oloudy weather, with moderate winds, prevails on the Australian coast, It is fine in Tasmania. Wind — West end south in Victoria and north-east from Hobart to Brisbane. Barometer — Albany, 29 9; Portland and Sydney, 30.1; Hobart, 30 0 ; Brisbane, 29.9. Illegal Burial at Rangioba.—lt has transpired that the alleged case of illegal br,r!al in the Church of England Cemetery was the interment of a still-born child, and the matter has been satisfactorily arranged. The body was exhumed to decide that there had baen no foul play. Theatre Royal.—"La Fille de Madame Angot " was repeated laßt night at the Theatre, and, except Mrs Digby as Lange, went but tamely. The society appear again this evening, a r .d on Wednesday a benefit will be tendered to Mrs Digby, who on this, as well as en former occasions, has indeed proved a tower of strength to the society. Cricket.—The Ashburton Club yesterday played the Midland Club, and, although it fared rather better than it had done the day before against Lancaster Park, it failed to secure a victory. But one innings were played on each side. Ashburton made 89, W. B. Denshire scoring 39, rot out. For the Midland, P. Philpot scored 29, L. Easton 26, and H. Page 19, the total being 117. Inquest at Rangioba.—The adjourned inquest upon the late H. Morgan, whose death resulted from his accidentally falling over a horse rail, will take place on Monday, at 3 p.m. The sister of deceased has been found, but was unable to see the body in time before its interment There seems but little doubt that deceased came by his death by breaking his neck in the fall, and that he lived some hour after is due to the fact that no injury was done to the spinal cord. Katapoi Farmers' Club.—The monthly meeting of members was held on Thursday evening, at the Club Chambers. Present— Messrs Coup (chairman), E. Wilson, M. Dixon, T. Pashby, C. Young, J. Wilson, W. Walls, and J. G. Kidd, hon. Bec. In consequence of the limited attendance, which was attributed to the holidays, it was resolved that the meeting stand adjourned till Friday next, when the chairman will deliver his opinions on the question of Freetrade and Protection, as affecting the interests of the farmers. It was also decided to consider the advisableness of changing the regular days of meeting. The club then adjourned. ashburton R.M. Court. Yesterday, before Mr J. Beawlck, R.M., a case of some little electioneering interest was brought on, being that of Alfred Weston Worthington, of South Bakaia, who was charged with having wilfully made a false declaration in regard to a claim for eDr jlment as an elector in Wakanui district, contrary to the 7th section of the Registration of Electors Act, 1879. Sergeant Felton prosecuted. Mr Wilding defended. It was alleged that defendant had not "resided " as required by law. William Kemble (bnilder), W. H. Zouch (proprietor of tin Ashburton " Guardian,") Henry Fowler (grocer), Sergeant Felton and John Curtis (employe of C. P. Cox, registrar for Wakanui district) were examined for the prosecution. The case was adjourned until next Thursday for the evidence of the Registrar as to the district, and for information touchirg the legal meaning of the term " residence."

Gaiety: Theatbe.—Mr and Mrs Hart gave another of their very amusing entertainments last night to a full house. In the first piece they were excellent, both acting and singing with a greit deal of success. This wa3 followed by an amusing sketch, " Domestic Troubles," introducing a medley of popular Eongs, all of which were capitally rendered. Mr Hart created a great deal of amusement with his dancing Negro, which is really not only exceedingly clever, but funny to a degree. Mrs Hart, whose step-dancing is a treat to see, danced the Highland Pling in such a way as to elicit lond applause. The performance concluded with the Irish sketch of " Molly's Dilemma," in which both Mr and Mrs Hart were very successful. The Irish reel, which ended the piece, afforded both Mr and Mrs Hart an opportunity of displaying their step-dancing, which, especially in the case of Mrs Hart, was taken full advantage of. They appear again tonight. . Cathedral Services. —The services at the Cathedral to-morrow (Sunday, November 13th), will be as follows: —Holy Communion (plain) at 8 a.m.; matins and Holy Communion (choral) at 11 a.m. Tho preacher at this service will be the Eipht Eov. the Bishop of Nelson. At 3.45 p.m. on this and following Sundays there will be a service, consisting of a hymn, tho litany (choral), and a short lecture.the whole service being calculated to occupy not more than an hour. The Very Eev. the Dean proposes to commence to-morrow a course of lectures on the Prayerbook, to be continued regularly at the afternoon service. At 7 p.m. there will be evensong and sermon. The preacher will be the Ven. Archdeacon Harris. I

Kawatt — Yf e (« Observer ") hear that Sir George Gray has been negotiating for the sale of the Kawau, with the intention of investing the purchase money for the joint benefit of certain relatives. The figure was about £19,000, but the negotiations fell through from the following cause—Mr Gilfillan, of Melbourne, from whom Sir George Grey purchased the property, reserved a clause in the deed of transfer, entitling himBelf, his heirs, administrators, and assigns ten per cent, royalty on any copper taken out of the island. In the recent negotiations this clause of the deed was overlooked,but assoon as the intending purohaser discovered it he withdrew his offer.

ITieHT with A Shabk. —An exoiting scene was witnessed at Geelong harbor recently, when three fishermen harpooned a shark nearly fourteen feet long. The shark seized the boat by the cut water, and " shook it like a dog shaking a rat," tearing splinters off. After three hours' work, the creature was got ashore. A number of dogs, cats, and sacks, were found in the stomach._ There were also a number of stones, which had evidently been used in the sacks to sink dead animals. The shark was of the species known as the blue-backed ground shark, which is the well-known terror of sailors and all swimmers in tropical waters, who stand little ohance when onoo in the grip of one of these monsters.

Accepted with Thanks. —The following letter was reoeived a few days ago by a ohemist in Wanganui :—" Wanganui Bifle Volunteers. —Head-quarters, Ootober 13th, 1881. —Sir, —The offer so kindly made by you some months ago to supply "gratis," lint, bandages, medicines, &0., to the Wanganui Volunteers whenever their services might be required in the field, we now willingly accept. Ab the force will march in a few days on Farihaka, it will be necessary to have the articles we require left at the drillhall by Friday at 2 p.m. at thelatest, viz., eplints, about 2 cords ; soraped lint 2£ tons, bandages, say (13) thirteen miles; brandy, 45 gallons ; whisky, 286 gallons—the latter articles to be taken strictly medicinally.—l have the honor to remain, Sir, your moßt obedient servant." The Subvbyb of the Coiont.—A very interesting item of news (says the " New Zealand Herald") is found in one of the tables attached to the annual report of the surveys of New Zealand for the year 1880 81. The table relates to the Crown grants and certificates of title from the Crown prepared. During the year the total number was 5694, and of this number Auokland had no fewer than 2914, fully 50 per cunt, of the whole. This may be taken as a very indication of the direotion in whioh settlement is extending. The long neglected North is beginning now to be op. preoiated, a process whioh will probably go on increasing yearly so long as peace can be maintained. The provinces whioh ranked next to Auckland in this respeet were Otago, with 1504 Crown grants; Canterbury, with 1127; Wellington, with 615; Southland, with 350 ; Hawke's Bay, with 265 ; Taranaki, with 129 ; Nelson, with 68; Westland, with 62 ; and Marlborough, at the bottom of the list, with 60. Eaoh of these granto may be fairly regarded as the foundation, either now or in the immediate future, on whioh one family will build a home,

Agbicultubal Ohemibtby.—TheWelhngton " Times" states that Mr W. B. Maclvor, F.8.A.0., agricultural ohemißt and author, who recently reported on the sulphur deposits at White Island, has arrived at the Bluff, per Rotomahana, from Australia. It is his intention to make a trip through the colony, and deliver lectures on agrioulture in a number of places. The practical views which he is likely to present to audiences should be highly interesting and instructive. Newgate Gaol Doomed.—The Commismissioners of Prisons have reported against the retention of Newgate, and it now only remains with the Home Seoretary to endorse their decision. It is probable that before Christmas the fate of Newgate as a prison will bo sealed. There was a prison of Newgate long before the present building wa3 erected from the designs of George Dance, E.A. The foundation stone was laid by Lord Mayor Beckford, in May, 1770, and was, we believe, his last public aot. In 1780, before the building was finished, it was attacked by the Lord George Gordon J rioters, who liberated 300 prisoners and set fire to the edifice. It was repaired and oompleted in 1782. The Fbozbn Meat Tbadb.—lt would seem that {the sale of the frozen meat sent Home from Australia has been interfered with by the English butchers. A gentleman writing to the London "Times" says:—"l and several of my friends have thoroughly

tested the meat, and can emphatically pronounce it to bo equal to the very best English mutton. I tried to induce my butohor to make a trial of a few carcases, but ho said the I very poorest .'"borer would refute to buy it. Not content with his assurance, however, I resolved to test this matter myself, and ordered down two carcases, which I asked my cowman to offer, in the first place to my own meD, and, if they did not care for it, j to any of the villagers. The result was that not only was the whole eagerly bought up, but that he said he could easily have disposed of double the quantity. It is clear, therefore, that the laboring classes are not so blindly prejudiced as the butchers would have people believe. I may here add I havo kept the meat in a not specially good larder for four or five days after the receipt of the carcasces, and have found it as good, or indeed better, and more tender at the end of the time than when first received. It is a nice dark mutton, eats short, with a flavour more like Welsh or mountain sheep than anything else, and the gravy is remarkably dark and rich."

A Nabbow Railway.—A Bombay correspondent of a contemporary writes : —" We have had, if I am not mistaken, for a long time in this Presidency the narrowest railway in India, a little toy of the Gaekwar of Baroda's, on a 2ft 6in gauge, which, however, I believe, has paid remarkably well. Now a M. Ceauville has arrived from France and laid down, at the Colaba end of the Esplanade here, two that are narrower still, the gauges being twenty and sixteen inches. Their small size is apparently only beaten by the ease and simplicity with which they are laid down in frames constructed for the purpose, which only require locking together, ard among other things, can never get out of gauge. This gentleman is only layiDg down 1200 ft of his railway, just to show us what he can do, but I shall not be surprised to hear of many miles being eventually laid to act as feeders to main lines."

Sergeant John Frederick McCrea, who, although severely wounded in the breast in the engagement last January with the Basutoe at Trefontein, South Africa, remained all day at his post, knowing there was no other medical officer at hand, has received, as he deserved, the Yictoria Cross, The harvest prospects throughout Southern Russia are so brilliant that if they should be realised the farmers think they will be able to dispense with any harvests during the next four years. A drunken man at Buffalo fooled with two of the " brushes " in an electric light generator, and was picked up dead. Fully a dozen men have been killed about eleotric lights in the past year. New Hall, Sutton, the oldest inhabited house in England, built in 1200, in whioh Charles 11. was concealed during the civil war, was recently sold by auction. A fisherman has found a plaok in Lake Eric where he sounded with a line two miles long and could find no bottom.

The Thugs, a murderous and fariatioal sect of ;lndia, accomplish their work with great celerity and secrecy. One of them confessed to have been ooncerned in the murder of 719 persona. Germany boasts of a considerable number of newspapers, their bsing no less than 4413 in circulation at the end of last year. Of these ninety.eight were started before the present century. In cutting away a bog at Pemorenty, county Sligo, recently, at a depth of six feet from the surface, a Druidical edifice, twenty-one yards in circumference, and other interesting relics were discovered. Whether owing to the filthy streets or to the unusual weather conditions, the deathrate in New York has been 20 per cent, greater during the past six months than it was in the corresponding period last year.