NEWS OF THE DAY.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2431, 20 January 1882, Page 3

NEWS OF THE DAY.

EsaiDEKT MACiiSTEATa's Coubt.—There was a olean sheet at the above Court this morning. Intebcolonial Wbathbb Exohangb.— Sydney, Thursday.—There was a heavy gale and hot wind at Adelaide at 6 a.m., and there is a depression now off Portland with a S.E. wind at Borda, and N.E. in Tasmania and Eastern Australia. Barometer—Borda, 29.6 ; Portland, 29.5 ; Hobart, 29 8. Thb Ail England Match.—Owing to the extremely wet weather of to-day, the All England mutch was not commenced. The match will begin to-morrow at 11.30 a.m., and will be continued on Monday and Tuesday. Thbatbb Boyal.—" Struck Oil " was re. peated last night by Mr and Mrs Williamson and their company, and went excellently throughout. To-night the performance will be under the patronage of the English and Canterbury Elevens, who will be present to witness the performance.

Union B.S. Co.—When the San Francisco mail left London, Mr Mills, manager of the Union Shipping Co., had arrived there, and, with Mr Darling, the company's superintending engineer, who went to Venice to meet him, Mr Mills was occupying himself in London making inquiries about a direct line of steamers to New Zealand, and it is understood, says the " Auokland Star," that Denny and Co. will submit plans to the London directors while Mr Mills is at home. Mr Darling has gone back to Glasgow. The Manipouri will not leave till the end of February. Mb EobSOK. —This gentleman gave his final performance at the Oddfellows' Hall last night, when a very exosllent programme of recitations and musical selections was gone through very successfully by Mr Eobson, ably assisted by M. Loronz. In taking leave of Mr Eobson as an entertainer, it is with rogrot that bo talented an entertainer as he un doubtedly is should not have been more liberally patronised by the publio of Christchurch. The entertainment was under the patronage of his Lordship the Primate and party. To-night Mr Eobson gives a recital in the Oddfellows' Hall, Lyttelton. Butchbbs' Annual Picnic. A large meeting of employes was held on Wednesday night, at the Empire Hotel. A committee was appointed, of whioh Mr W. H. Cooper was elected chairman, and it was decided that the pionio be held early in February. The meeting was then adjourned till Tuesday next.

BtFlB Matoh.—The following will represent the Ohristohurch City Guards in their matoh with the Lyttelton Naval Brigado on Saturday afternoon next: —Captain Wolfe, Lieutenant Franois, Sergeants Parker and King, Corporals Oahill and Fraser, Privates Niren, Cox, Aulaebrook, Davidson, Parker, Summerfleld, Wells, Jewell, Allard. Emergencies—Dearsley, Gobs, Bakor. Good Tbmflaby.—A now lodge of the Independent Order of Good Templars, named the " Advance," of Papanui, was opened by the Grand Worthy Obief Templar (Mr J. T. Smith) on Tuesday evening last, at the Papanui Town Hall. There was a large attendanoe of members of the Order, and the officers of the New Victory Lodge assisted in the opening ceremonies. Mr R. M. Cresiwell was elected W.0.T., and the Rev. F. G. Brittan, M.A., Worthy Chaplain of the new lodge. Thanks were voted to the officers of the New Victory, the visiting members, and to the G.W.C.T.

Thb Exhibition.—As will be seen elsowhere, the site of the Exhibition has been virtually settled to be in Hagley Park, almost immediately opposite the Hospital, one whioh will bo not only exceedingly convenient to the general publio, but also for the promoters, as affording them plenty of soope for their building. Odotbixowb" FUNBBAIr, Kaiafoi.—On Thursday there was a large attendance of members of the Loyal Oddfellows* Order at the funeral of Bro. P.O. Edwin Bate, whose remains were interred in the Woodend Wesleyan Cemetery, the Bev. J. H. Simmonds officiating in the oonduot of the servioe tov burial. The deoeased, who had been suffering from ill-health for some time, was when in good health a most aotive and enthusiastic member and officer of the society in Kaiapoi. Fieb —About 7.30 last evening a threestall stable, a ooaoh-house and harness-room, the property of Mr Peter Cunningham, and situated at Merivole, were destroyed by fire. The stables were looked at about 5.30, and about an hour and a half afterwards one of Air Cunningham's servants noticed smoke issuing from the loft of the stable, where about a half-a-ton of hay was kept. Some adjacent stables were injured to a small degree by the fire, but were saved, as also was the harness. The horses were away at the time. The stables were insured in the South British for £250. The origin of the fire is unknown. HaBVKBT IN THB EIiBSMEBB DIBTBICT. —Harvesting in this district may be said to be fairly underway, and the threshing mil hin 3 have already started work. The or< pg taking them all round, are going to turn out better than expected. Taking the dry and heavy land together the average this year will be:— Wheat about 25 to 30 bushels, oats 20 bushels, barley 25 bushels to the aore. The area under crop this year is considerably in excess of last season. Wheat is the first favourite this year, oats next, and then barley, and of the latter there is a very small quantity grown. Hbathootb Re(JAtta. The adjourned meotirg in oonneotion with the above was held at the Commercial Hotel last evening. Mr J. Hay occupied the ohair, and there was a good attendance. A letter was read from Mr W. H. Wyrm Williams, accepting the office of patron to the regatta. It was reported that the subscriptions promised amounted to £lOl Is 6d, of whioh fifty guineas were collected by Mr Kesteven. That gentleman reported that he had been asked to request the meeting to alter the day of the regatta from a Thursday to a Saturday. Some disoussion ensued, but it was ultimately decided to adhere to the original date, viz., Saturday, February Bth. The programme of last year was adopted so far as the events were concerned, the amount of prize money being left over till next meeting. It was resolved to have a swimming race in boating costume, the details to be left to the committee. The meeting then adjourned, after passing a hearty vote of thanks, to January 30th, at the same place and time.

KiiiLiNOHY Sohooii Tbbat. —A treat in connection with the Killiachy school was held in the school ground on Thursday, January 12th, previous to breaking up for harvest holidays. There was a very good attendance, over 150 children and adults being present. The usual games and sports were indulged in. The sports having been gone through, all present were abundantly supplied with refreshments. After tea an adjournment was made to the schoolroom, for the purpose of distributing the prizes. The chairman, Mr Jones, in a few well ohosen words, explained the objeot of the meeting, and trusted that the next committee would follow in their footsteps as far as the treat was concerned, and then called upon the master, Mr Watson, to distribute the prires, which having been done, jMr Worner proposed a hearty vote of thanks to the committee for their efforts in getting up the treat, which was oarried by aoclamation, and being suitably replied to by Mr Joues, the meeting dispersed, all seeming thoroughly satisfied with the day's amusement. Aquatic—Bobert Watson Boyd has, in answer to the proposition of the Australian rowing men, offered to go to Australia if any one will find him the funds necessary for travelling expenses and stake money. Some people say Boyd is a better man than either Laycock or Bush, or any other rowing man among the Australians, and a match between him and the colonial scullers would be interesting enough in their way. It is, however, a great mistake to attempt, as do some Northern sporting men, to invest the mooted matches with an air of any importance. So long as Hanlan remains undefeated, and does not retire witb his wellearned title of champion sculler, trials between home and colonial scullers oan possess only secondary importance. A circumstance that will detract also from the importance of Boyd's visit to Australia is—should it be made—that, while he had opportunity of arranging meetings with Hanlan, Boss, Triokett, and Laycock, he persistently declined reasonable terms offered him, and,while professing to be willing to make matches with his challengers, always raised insurmountable difficulties.

A.0.F., Coubt Thistib of Thb Fobest, No. 6494.—The members of this Court held their usual fortnightly meeting on the 17th inut., when there wu a very fair attendance. The minutes of last meeting having been read and adopted, the installation of officers for the ensuing term took place. The brother who was appointed as delegate in connection with the Friendly Societies' dispensary gave a report of the proceedings of the meeting on Friday last. Last year's balance-sheet having been read, it was resolved that the same be received and adopted. Daring the evening the trustees of the Court were instructed to withdraw £IOO from the Bank and plaoe it in the Post Office Savings' Bank. A cheque for £3 3s lid was handed into the Court as the pro rata share of the profits arising from the Boxing Day fete. Two new members were initiated during the evening. A committee havin? been appointed to revise the by-laws and other important business having been dealt with, the Court closed in the uaual manner.

Masonic— The usual quarterly communication of the Distriot Grand Lodge of Canterbury, E. 0., was held last night in the St. AugUßtine Masonic Hall. The V. W.D.D.G.M. Bro. H. Thomson presided, and there was a goodly attendance of representatives of the various lodges. After the transaction of a considerable amount of business, inoluding the confirmation of the resolutions relative to the establishment of a general fund of benevolence here, the officers of the District Grand Lodge for the ensuing year were announced :—D.G.S.W., Bro. Caleb Smith; D.G.J. W., Bro. F. Pavitt; D.G. Chaplain, Bro. Eev. H. East; D.G. Eegistrar, Bro. F. J. Smith; D.G. Treasurer, Bro. E. O. Bishop; D.G. Secretary, Bro. W. E. Mitohell; D.G.S.D, Bro. 0. A. 0. Hardy ; D.G J.D., Bro. E. Williamß ; D.G. Bupt. of Works, Bro. Hobday; D.G. Direotor of Ceremonies, Bro. W. B. Allwright; D.G. Swordbearer, Bro. Sansom; D.G. Pursuivant, Bro C. P. Hulbert; D.G. Stewards, Bros. 8. O. Philips, A. P. O'Oallaghan, A. Evans, G. B. Hart, Champion, and Venner; standing committee, Bros. Deamer, Jubal Flaming, A. B. Kirk. O. P. Hulbert, 8. 8. Powell, J. Joyce, P. Cunningham, and E. D. Thomas.

Thb Light of the Stabs.—For a number of years the special work carried on at the Harvard Observatory, under the direction of Professor Piokering, has been the measurement of the intensity of the light of the heavenly bodies. Some of the results presented at a recent meeting of the Sooiety of Arts, at the Institute of Technology, Boston, indicate measurements almost incredibly fine. The light which falls upon the earth from the satellites of Mars, for example, is about equivalent to what a man's hand on whioh the sun shone at Washington would reflect to Boston. The labor of measuring the brightness of all the visible stars was begun two years ago. It has since gone on at the rate of about 40,000 a year, and will be completed next autumn. Inxbbkbtino Fobbiib. —ln excavating ground for the new harbor at Bevel, in Russia, in the bay of Bothnia, the hulls of several Bhipa long buried in the earth were discovered. Four Russian men-of-war of considerable dimensions—l2o to 180 feet long —have, it is said, been identified. From the j inscription, " Olonets, 1711," on one of the cannocß found, it seems that the ships were wrecked after that date, and the fact is ourious, as showing how rapidly the water has receded. In old times the sea evidently came up to the walls of the town, whioh must then have presented a singularly picturesque appearance, with its quaint red-tiled houses, perohed high on the rook above. At present there is half a mile of dry land between the walls and tho harbor, and where great ships rode not very long ago the locomotive now runs between rows of wharves and merchants' offices.

1 Educational. There are 3528 ohildren on the rolls of the Dunedin district schools. Tradesmen's Athletic Club.—Mr Wynn Williams has been appointed president and Mr Henry Thomson, M.H.8., vioe-president, of the Tradesmen's Athletic Club. Accidbnt at Lyttblton.—Last evening a girl named Alioe Robinson fell off the watermen's stairs at Lyttelton. By ohanoe she succeeded in clinging to a rope, and was rescued while in that condition. Thb Missing MAN Magneb The inquiry touohing the death of the above presumed suicide was held before Dr. Ooward, at the Clarendon Hotel, yesterday, and resulted in a verdiot of " Pound dead."

Wesleyan Confbbenob.—The New Zealand Annual Wesleyan Conference was opened last evening in the Durham street Church. The Bev. J. A. Taylor was elected president, and the Rev. W. Morley secretary. A report of the proceedings appears in another column.

Bankruptcy Pbooedube. —At the Chamber sittings yesterday, his Honor Mr Justice Johnston said that in view of the alterations made in the Bankruptcy Aotit would become necessary for the Judges to eettlo several points of procedure, notably, whether a bankrupt in whose estate the assets were nil, should be entitled to his discharge. Education Boabd.—This body held an ordinary meeting yesterday afternoon. Particulars of the business transacted will be found elsewhere. Mr Bowen intimated that owing to his intended departure for home he would be unable to offer himself as a candidate for re-election on the Board.

Late Mb Joshua Williams.—The London " Guardian" thus speaks of the late Mr Justice Williams, father of Mr Justioe Williams, of Dunedin:—"By the death of Mr Joshua Williams England has lost its most distinguished authority on the law of real property. Mr Williams of late years did not often appear in Court, but when some case of particular importance or complexity called for his presenoe in public he was recognised as both intellectually and physically a giant. His books were the permanent basis of his reputation, and his main work was done in chambers." Q-bbsian Exhibitions in 1881.—Of the four exhibitions whioh were held in various parts of Germany during the last summer, it is known that in two oases at least the financial results are very unsatisfactory. The great Patent and Pattern Protection Exhibition at Frankfort-on-the-Main closes witVi a loss of 800,000 marks, or £40,003. In this oase the guarantors will have to be called upon to pay up the amount they guaranteed in full. The Halle Exhibition of Industry was also a failure, but the defioit is far less serious than at Erankfort, amounting only to about £SOOO. This, too, will have to be made up by the guarantors. The Stuttgart and Breslau Exhibitions of Industry and Art were less unfortunate, but none of the German Exhibitions of the past summer can show the financial success of the Dusseldorf Exhibition of the previous year, which yielded a very handsome surplus.

Storage or Ei,ectbioity. Professor Sylvanus Thomson delivered a leoture before the Society of Arts recently, in which he indioated the advantage that might ultimately be gained from the storage of electricity. All that is needed for its use in most departments of life is a cheap motive power, not derived from coal, and this may be obtained from the tides. They would be useless as motors for many purposes, but an intermittent force can store up eleotrio energy. He believed there were places in England where tidal force could be cheaply utilised, particularly the gorge of the Avon. " A tenth part of the tidal energy in the gorge of the Avon would light Bristol, and a tenth part of the tidal energy in the channel of the Severn would light every city, and turn every loom, spindle, and axle in Great Britain." These may be dreams, but Sir W. Armstrong, it is said,, lights his house by the energy of a little water-fall in his gardens; and out of suoh dreams will emerge some day a practical proposal. Who will be Duke of Bridgewater this time, and spend a fortune, relying solely upon the aoouraoy of scientific calculation P He might live in history as a benefaotor to the human race, or transmit to his descendants wealth beyond the dreams of avarice. Medical Certificates.— An Otago paper says :—" Owing to the remarks reoently made by Judge Johnston concerning medical oer. tificates to jurors, this anecdote may be of interest; it at all events has the merit of truthfulness :—Several gentlemen from a oer* tain portion of the Taieri had been summoned to serve as jurors in Dunedin. One of those who had been summoned did not put in an appearance at the Court, but a medical certificate was produced averring that he was too ill to appear. The certificate was accepted, but imagine the amusement of the rest of the jurors when the document was read, for on their way into Dunedin they had observed the 'sick' juryman ploughing in one of his fields."