NEWS OF THE DAY

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2446, 7 February 1882, Page 3

NEWS OF THE DAY

Ikqfbst at Pobt.—Dr. Coward this forenoon held an inquest on the body of Daniel Homer, in H.M. Garl, Lyttelton. The following jury were empanelled :—W. A. Wood, J. P. Bteele, T. McDonald, J. Hodgson, J. Brige, W. G. Johnston, J. McQuilkin, S. E. Webb, L. Graham, J. Bennington, aud P. O'Brien, foreman. S. C. Phillip*, gaoler, testified that deceased had been in the Hospital since December last, and he died at 5.45 on Monday. Hubert Ferguson, chief warder, said he had administered food and medicine to deceased according to the doctor's orders sinoa December 15th, and was with him the night before he died and at the time of his death. He was quite cheerful in spirits right up to the time he expired, only saying he felt himself getting gradually weaker. J. T. Bouse, medical officer of the gaol, testified that deceased had been under his charge off and on, and since Maroh 2nd, 1881, he was constantly under hie care, though he was not confined entirely to bed until December. He was suffering from heart disease, from which he said he had suffered before he left England. During the last twelve months his lungs diseased rapidly, and on December 3rd he had a bad attaok of spitting of blood, since which he has gradually sunk. He received every care and diet—anything he wished that was good for him—and from the gaol officials he said he had received every kindness possible and every care and consideration. He died from phthisis on the -6th. In reply to a question from a juryman, the medioal officer said deoeased had never been put to hard work since his first illness. She gaoler said he would call the two prisoners whose duty it had been to wait on deceased, but the jury thought there was no necessity for further evidence, and returned a verdict in accordance with the medical testimony.

Thbatbk Boyal.—There was a fairly good house last night at the theatre, when "Eureka" and "The Fool of the Family" were repeated. In noticing the first production of the former piece, Mr Gordon's exquisite scene of the Sierras escaped mention. It is a really excellent piece of work, and fully sustains the high reputation won by the artist in his profession. The two pieces played last night will be repeated this evening. Police Changes —On the transfer of Sergeant Gilbert from Kaiapoi to Southland Sergeant McDonald, from Oxford, takes his place, and Sergeant Scott, from Hurunui, goes to Oxford. Mounted Constable Johnston, from Kaiapoi, takes oharge at Hurunui. Law Examination. —We understand that the usual half-yearly examination in law for students seeking admission to the bar will be held throughout New Zealand on the third Monday in March. Messrs T. S. Weston, M.H.8., and Allan Holmes, barrister, Dunedin, will conduct it. Thb Lyttblton Gbavinq Dock.—Messrs Ware and Jones, the contractors for the Lyttelton graving dock, finished with the dock itself on Saturday evening, when the last stone was put in and the last deposit of concrete made. The machinery part of the work at the engine house is expeoted to be completed in ten or twelve days. i, —A match between the Lyttelton and Hillsborough Clubs was played last Saturday, and resulted in the former beating their opponents by nine wickets; North, Mitchell, Brown and Willcax batted very well for Lyttelton, and Ford for Hillsborough. Mitohell and Atkinson for Lyttelton bowled well, as did White and Banks for Hillsborough.

Thb Nbw Licensing Act.—The returning officer for the licensing distriot of Lyttelton under the new Licensing Act, Mr John Olivier, gives notice by advertisements elsewhere that the nominations for the new licensing court, to consist of five members, will be received by him at the B.M. Court, Lyttelton, on the 35th inst., and the eleotion will be held at the Lyttelton Council Cham, bers that day week. Thb Stab of Sbmon.—The officers of the Star of Sefton Lodge, 1.0.G.T., were duly installed on February 3rd as follows : W.0.T., Bro. James Barolay; W.V.T., Sister Agnes Barolay ; W.S., Bro. John Baird; W.T.8., Bro. Jamei Fraser; W.T., Bro. i John Anderson; W. 0., Bro. Touts W.M., Bro. Thomas Hannn ; W.1.G., Bro. Harry Ferguson; W.0.G., Bro. Isaac McKey; W.R.H. Supporter Sister Tout; W.L.H. Supporter Bro. Martin Eobertson; W.A.8., Sister Catherine Barolay; W.D.M., Bro. Joseph Baird. There was a keenjoompetition for all the offices, and the ballot was resorted to in nearly every case. Tub Bbstjlt of Betting.—Thomas George Baylis, 34, clerk in the Bevenue Department, at the Post-office at South Kensington, was oharged at Westminster Police Court, on December Ist, with stealing £27, the moneys of the Postmaster-General. Mr Edward Walter Smyth, Post-office Receiver at the South Kensington station offices, deposed that on Friday last while the prisoner was absent in the country witness found that a sum of £27, paid earlier that day as a deposit by a Mrs White, had been appropriated by him (the prisoner). He had been in the office about sixteen months, and when oharged with the robbery, admitted appropriating the money, and said that he had lost it all on horse racing. The prisoner, who ■eemed greatly dejected, was remanded for a week.

,(. Ohabqb of Attbmftbd Eapb.— A man named Charles James Bmmett wai arrested • by Constable Whittie a little before noon this a day on a charge of attempt3d rape on a little r girl aged ten years, in the North Park. He e will make his appearance at the B.M. Court , to-morrow morning. 1 City Council.—At an ordinary meeting 9 of the City Council, held last evening, a ooni, siderable amount of business was transacted, 3 particulars of which appear elsewhere. The finance committee were asked to report whe- ; ther funds are available for the construction 1 of oart bridges to replace the present foot- ) bridges aorois the river in Antigua and t Gloucester streets. Accident. —A man named John Williams ' had his right hip dislocated, and his right 1 forearm broken, while working in the briokfields at Opawa, yesterday. He was attended by Dr. Miokle, who reduced the dislocation and set the broken arm. The Intbbpbovinoial Cbickbt Matcii. —The annual match between Otago and Canterbury elevens was concluded yesterday, and ended in favor of the former by 77 runs. This is the first defeat the Canterbury men have sustained at the hands of the Otagons sinoe 1874. Maeket.—At the ordinary meeting of the City Counoil last night a design for a market (building to consist of eighty-seven shops, and to oost £6BOO, was submitted by Mr Searell, the architect. The proposal was not discussed at any length, it being decided to acknowledge the reoeipt of Mr Searell's letter with thanks. Mb D. H. Habxinß. —This gentleman has made arrangements to introduce Burnand's sjsthetio comedy " The Colonel " to Christohuroh playgoers at an earlier period than he first contemplated. He will open here on Monday next, and as he will be supported by many old favorites, suoh as Miss Jenny WattTanner, Miss Maggie Knight, Miss Ethel Adelle and others, no doubt his season will be a success. Kaiapoi United Obioxet Club.—A meeting of the committee, at which were present Messrs Moore (chairman), Bate, Hurse, Burnip, Pearcn, Hayman and Bradley, was held last evening at Burnip's Hotel. Five . new members were balloted for. An offer j was made by a friend of the game of a prize , bat for either the highest aggregate soorer of the season or the player making the highest ( score in any public match. A committee appointed to draw up rules presented a report, and Messrs Bate, Burnip and Moore were elected a ooxnmittee to select a ground and report thereon at next meeting. Ashbubtow Kaoino Club.—A meeting was held on Saturday evening at Shearman's Hotel, Mr E. G. Crisp in the chair. The programme for the two days' Autumnal ( Meeting in April will include a Handioap < Race of 50 save (2 miles) ; Maiden Plate of ( 30 sovs (1J miles), woight for age ; Publicans' , Parse Handicap of 60 sovs (2 miles) ; Ladies' ] Purse of 25 sovs (gentlemen riders); Hack , Baoe of 10 sovs (oatoh weights) ; District ( Hurdle Baoe of 25 sovs (1£ miles) ; Ash- , burton Cup Handioap of 100 sovs (2 miles), ( added to sweep of 5 sovs ; and several other ] races. 1.0.0. F., M.TT.—An adjourned summoned , meeting of the Loyal Benevolent Lodge was ( held at their hall last night, to consider , alterations made in the by-laws by the district , officers, and to appoint a delegate to serve on ] the committee re medical dispensary, to which , D.P.G.M. Foster was unanimously elected. ] The alterations made in the by-laws were , approved of by the lodge, and it was resolved . that steps be taken to have the same printed j for registrati in. A lengthy discussion took ( place upon the appointment of medical j officer, when it was resolved that the matter ( should stand over until next quarterly meet- j ing, and the lodge adjourned. r Pionbbb Biotolb Club. The usual j monthly meeting ef this club was held last T Thursday at headquarters. There was a fair , attendance of members, and the name of Mr j B. Pinckney was added to the list. The fol- , lowing runs were fixed for February : —4th, j Kaiapoi; 11th, Sumner ; 18th, Tai Tapu ; 25th, Harewood. The following were elected officers for the annual race meeting :—Handioappers, Messrs Hubbard, Lowry, and Douglas; starter, S. P. Andrews; judge, A. M. Ollivier. A few unimportant business matters were settled, and the meeting closed. Acoidbnt AT Southbbidob —On Sunday afternoon as Mr James Frame, station master at Southbridge, was returning with his wife and ohildred from a drive to the beach, his horse shied at some cement casks on the now i bridge, and on being pulled in, started kicking, oausing the rail of the splashboard to ( strike his little girl on the mouth, completely ( severing the lip from the nose to the far , corner of the mouth. Mr Frame seeing that . the horse was about to bolt, wisely turned ( his head into the gorse fenoe, thus avoiding j further acoident to the inmates. Both shafts | were broken and the buggy otherwise - damaged. ] Stjicidb nbab Kaiajtoi.—On Monday , evening a farmer named James Whitmore, at j Olarkville, Kaiapoi Island, committed suicide ( by hanging himself in a oart shed. It ap- , peared that he and his wife and all the mem- , bers of his family had been working hard all , day in the harvest field tying up corn. At j 5 p.m. he left cff work, and went home. In j about an hour after the others followed, and , on passing the shed referred to the deceased , was seen hanging from a board which he had plaoed across the rafters, and after adjusting '. the ropes it is thought he must have kioked , away a oase, the drop being sufficient to leave , the body hanging clear. PbbsbntAtion to Sbb&bant McDonald. — On Saturday evening a very pleasant gather- • ing took place at Paget's Hotel, Oxford, to I wish " Good bye " to Sergeant McDonald, who is being removed to take charge of the Kaiapoi distriot. About thirty persons were , present, and Mr Mardon occupied the chair. ( After the health of the Queen and Boyal Family had been drunk, the Chairman ex- < plained the purpose for which they had met, and said it was now bis pleasing duty to propose "The health of Sergeant MoDonald," and to express the regret they all felt at losing him. The. Sergeant had been in charge of the district four years, and he had gained the esteem and regard of all. He would ask the sergeant to carry to Mrs MoDonald the ink stand before him. as a email tangible token of the esteem and respect in which her husband and herself were held, and to remind them of the many friends they were leaving behind them in Oxford. He would conolude by asking them to drink " The health of Sergeant MoDonald." The toast was drunk with musical honors. The Sergeant thanked those preaent for the way they had received the toast of his health, and said it was pleasing to him to know that on leaving Oxford he had the good wishes of the people. He should be pleased to carry the inkstand placed in his hands to Mrs McDonald, and to inform her of the kind wishes of so many friends, and he was sure the present he held in his hands would remind her of the many kind friends she had met in Oxford. The following toasts were also drunk and responded to : —" The Civil Service," coupled with tre name of Mr Kneeshaw; "The Commercial Interests," coupled with the names of Messrs Strangman and Mardon; " The Baoing Interests," coupled with the name of Mr Murfitt; " The Licensed Victuallers," coupled with the names of Messrs Paget and Barker; " The Oddfellows and Druids," ooupled with the names of Messrs B. Fisher and Kneeshaw "The Sawmilling Interests," ooupled with the names of Messrs J. W. Lee and Youngman ; " The Press," responded to by Mr Dobson. Several songs were sung in capital style, and a very pleasant two hours were spent. A vote of thanks to the chairman terminated the proceedings. Outwitted. —A story reaches us (home paper) from Jersey which may oompare with one of the adventures of Bobin Lyth. The preventive officers had, it eeems, information that a certain Binet, a noted smuggler, who had frequently eluded their vigilanoe, was on the point of running a small cargo of brandy from France. He was to bring his boat to one of the Eorehous—some rocky islets five miles away towards the Frenoh coast—and wait there till darkness permitted him to fioiih his voyage in safety: The preventive officers resolved that this time they would be beforehand with him, and accordingly a couple of them, orossing over to the Eorehous, took a careful look round, and there in a secluded nook found the boat of Mr Binet, with seven barrels on board. They at once took possession, and made sail for the island, laughing heartily at Binet, who appeared on the rocks, shouting, and making wild gestures of despair. The boat was taken over to Jersey, . and made fast for the night alongside of her Majesty's ship Dasher, where Commander i Anson underteok the chargo of her next i morning. When the Custom-house officer Icame off to examine the prize the barrels were found to bo filled with water. Binet, it may be presumed, had meantime run his cargo without impertinent interruption from official curiosity.