NEWS OF THE DAY

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2448, 9 February 1882, Page 3

NEWS OF THE DAY

Resident Magistratb'S Court. The business on the civil lide of thia Court during the two montha last pant has been singularly light. The gross number of oases heard and the amounts involved have beeß far smaller than at the corresponding periods of the previous two years. Thia week there have been only six oontested cases, and yesterday not one came up for disposal. Butchbbb* Picnic. Another picnio—which seem as plentiful in the autumn as the proverbial blackberries —is being held to-day, in Mr Kruse's paddock, Papanui, where the butchers of Ohristchurch and its vioinity are holding high holiday. The procession, which numbered between fifty and sixty vehicles, was marshalled in Cathedral square about nine o'clock, and shortly after a move wbb made northwards. About twenty horsemen, wearing the blue sash, headed the prooession ; next came the Af tilery baDd ; then Lsaob and Lewis's drag-and four followed by several turn-outs Tith pairs, supplemented during tho morning by these whoso business avocations prevented their joining the procession. The display of bunting was very profuse: orie bearing the words " New Zealand Mutton," another inscribed with a multitude of B's, and a heterogeneous collection apportioned amongst the procession. Naw Licensing Bench—A meeting of licensed victuallers and members of the Tarious temperanca societies was held this morning, to.comider what joint action should be taken regarding the nomination of members for the new Licensing Benches for the Ohristchurch diatriots. The Rev. H. O. If. Watson (editor of the "Telegraph" newspaper) presided, and it was unanimously agreed to support the following gentlemen for the Ohristohurch diatriots, viz :—Mesara R. J. S. Harman, R. Westenra, J. E. Parker, P. Cunningham, and Archdeacon Harris.

Lttteitow R.M. Court.—A firat offender for being drunk took twenty-four houra' impriaonmont at thia Court thia morning, Mr John Ollivier, R.M., presiding. A oivil case, Qp.rforth and Lee v M. Morton, claim £4 12a, judgment summons ; ordored to pay £1 per week. Fbuit and Fxowbbb —The Dauntless lodge of Good Templars will give an entertainment in the Templar Hall on Friday night. There ia to be an exhibition of fl >wers, and fruit will be distributed to the audience during the evening. The Rev. J. Orowa is to give an address on Temperance, and an excellent programme of musio has been prepared under the direction of Mr A. A. North. Oonobbt.—A. ooncert in aid of the funds of St. Mary's Church Work Society, Addington, will be given in the ichoolroom tomorrow evening.

Lonqbbach.—Mr John Grigg ha» been unanimously elected ohairman of the Road Board for this district. Thb Dbainasb Pumping Station.—The tiial of the engines and pumps at the station took plaoe yesterday, and paaaed off very satisfactorily. A report appears elsewhere. Thb Wbathbb. — On Thursday afternoon tho storm of rain which pasted over the Horthern district, for a few minutes, about 5 p.m., was at Mandeville accompanied with large hail.

Ashbueton Disthiot Cottbt.—A brief sitting was held in Chambers, before his Honor Judge Ward, yesterday morning, and a few technical applications of no public interest were the only business transacted. Tba Drink (NO. An advertisement in another column announces that one hundred friends of the Liberator Lodge of Good Templars can be supplied with a good cup of tea in the Temperance Hall, Gloucester •treet, at the moderate charge of one shilling per head. Thb Hospital. During the fortnight ending the 4'h inst., twenty-four patients were admitted into the Hospital, and twentythree discharged, leaving sixty-eight patients in the institution. Two deaths occurred during the same period. On the corresponding date last year, there were forty-three patients in the Hospital. Loyal Kaiapoi Lodgb, 1.0.0.F..M.TJ. At the regular meeting of the members of this lodge on Tuesday Bro. Edwin ITeldwiok was appointed a trustee for the society. It was decided that a house for the gasoline maohine be erected away from the hall, in order that the lighting of the building by gas be resumed.

Thbatbb Royal.—" Struck Oil" was reproduced at the Theatre last night, and appears to have lost none of the popularity which attended its first representations. There was a capital house, and the various points in the piece were received with loud applause. To night a new piece, entitled "Dear Joe," is announced, together with " The Chinsse Question," whioh has been so successful here. To-morrow Mies Maggie Moore and Mr Williamson take a benefit, for whioh occasion " Kerry" will be played.

Ashbitbton Eibk Brigade. The anniversary dinner held in connection with this body took place in Quill's Hotel, on Tuesday evening. ' The choir was occupied by Mr D. Williamson (the Mayor), supported on his right by Mr Djlmaa (the captain of the brigade), and on the left by Mr A. Harrison. An enjoyable evening was spent, and the usual toasts were loyally honored, the Mayor proposing that of the Brigade, and Captain Dolman responding. Magietbatb's Court, Kaiapoi.—At this Court on Thursday, before J. O. Porter and J. Ollivier, E.iqs., B.M.'s, andO. Smith, Esq., Mayor, P. Kearney, licensee Sneyd's Arms Hotel, was charged with selling liquor during prohibited hours. Case dismiased. John Driaooll was oharged with the larceny of wool, the property of James Kerr, Ohoka, value £3 19s. Evidence was given that a runaway horse and dray, laden with wool, had been found, the dray was claimed by accused, ■who was traced to have been with it. Mr Kerr said he identified the wool bb similar to that he bad missed. The Bench dismissed the case. East ahd West Coast Baii/way.—At a meeting of the proposed provisional directors, held at Mr Weston's rooms, yesterday afternoon, it was decided to wtite to Sir Julius "Vogel, in London, and forward to him copies of all documents, with a list of the names of those who have consented to act as provisional directors, and ask him to cable on receipt to what extent, in his opinion, he could ir lluenco the subscription of British capital in the event of the colony subscribing, say, 20,000 ■bares in the proposed company. It was also resolved to write to General Fielding in Australia, giving him all the information the committee possesses re the Bast and West Coast Bail way, and point out that it is competent for a syndicate to undertake the construction of the lice under the Bail ways Construction and Land Act, 1881, and also to state that, if he should consider the matter sufficiently important, to pay New Zealand a visit, one of the promoters would accompany him over the country through which the line is to paaa.

Annual Ckicxbt Match.—The annual cricket match Oavulry y Artillery wag played on the Association ground yesterday. The cavalry were captained by Captain Slater, whilst the artillery were oaptained by Lieut. Hill. The cavalry were the first to handle the willow, and put together a score of 100 in their first innings, of which Wheatley contributed 60. The artillery followed, and made a score of 93, Washer making 40. In the seoond innings the cavalry scored 130 ; of these Grant, of Timaru, got 60 runs. The artillery then wont in, with 138 runs to be obtained if they wore to be hailed victors, but when timo was called at seven o'clock they had only made 61 for the loss of one wioket, and the match was consequently drawn. Wheatley, Dunbar and Grant trundled well for the oavalry, whilst Washer, D. Lu»k and Stubbs did the like for the artillery. Washer and Taylor also batted well for the latter company, the former having put together 23 in the second innings, and not out at the call of time. The attendance was good, and the artillery band was on the ground, and played at intervals during the afternoon. A Pbobaio View of Cbicxet.—The Melbourne correspondent of the " Sydney Morning Herald" is evidently not a orioketer, or he would not refer to that game in the following terms:—"There is a good deal of interest in orioket just now, and I believe several thousand persons have been to see the match now playirg. lam sure I trust they have enjoyed themselves. As for me, 1 confes. honestly that I never can discover any enjoyment in a cricket match. I very seldom go to one, and when I do I am weary beyond description. I think it is what they call the «overs ' that chiefly cause the weariness. I do not know what they do when they over, but"they seem to do little el.e than to over. If they would play right on, and be always hitting or running, I should not mind but they do not, and so I marvel greatly at the enthusiasm some people show over a erioket match."

Fibbb r» Tebatbbs. — Apropos of the Vienna fire, a writer in "Truth " of December 15lh says:—"There are four ways of i hindering loss of Ufa when a fire in a theatre ? takes plaoe :—l. An iron curtain, which r ought to fall at once, and out off the stage t from the auditorium. In the Vienna theatre r there was such a curtain, but it was not let > down. Had it been, the audience would i have regained confidence, whilst they would • have had plenty of time to get out without being suffocated by the smoke. 2. The Lord Chamberlain should insist upon a number of oil lamps being always alight in the auditorium, and especially in the paissages leading to it. This was the rule at Vienna, but it had been disobeyed, so when tho gas exploded, there was total darkness in tho passages. 3. Ne ohairs should be allowed in tho gangways. This the Lord Chamberlain has ordered, but his mandates are not always carried out. 4. Under no circumstances should tho exits from one part of a theatre rnn into those from another part. Thia ia tho caae at many theatres, and it cauaes a jam oven when there is no fire. What it would be when there is a fire may thereforo be estimated. Were these regulations rigidly enforced, and were it known that, owing to their being enforoed, those inside _ a burning theatre would have plenty of time to get safely out of it, I hardly think that there would be any danger of a panio jam." Pbaisewobthy Pbbbbtbbancb. —What a record of enduring fortitude and gallant heroism is that given of the oonduct of Mr Brockman, the well-known frontier settler of West Australia, in regard to the death of his unfortunate companion, W. Lowe. It seems that the two men were beset with drought in a very arid part of tho country, and while in that condition Lowe became delirious from want of water, and forcibly took his horse and rode away into the wilderness. Brook, man, who was left without a horse, his own having strayed, made, the account informs us, "in the opposite direction, and found a clay pool, nearly dry. He remained at this all night, then travelled until done up, and lay down, not expeoting to got any further. He had a pistol and one barrel charged. An emu came close to him, he fired ' and fortunately killed it. After eating what he could he made for a station —travelled ninety miles in four days without a drop of water—and when within two miles he fell, not to rise again.- Fortunately, he had been seen from the station by a man looking for sheep. He was completely exhausted, and the orows were hovering about him." A search party (says the " Australasian '') was ' speedily collected to start to look for Lowe, and Brockman, who was weary and exhausted after his narrow esoapo from death, insisted, after only a half day's rest, on going with the search party to look for his friend. The j conduot of the brave bushman excited, we ■ are told, great admiration in West Australia, , and those who know the terrible effect of , physical exhaustion in taking the energy and oourage out of a man, will be most disposed , to admire the bravery and dogged pluck which he displayed. < Mtstbbious Death op a Studbnt.—The " European Mail " gives the following sum- j mary of a case now attracting much interest '■ in England :—A student at Blenheim House School, Wimbledon, has died there under ' somewhat mysterious circumstances. His name was Percy Malcolm John, nineteen, and I he was heir to considerable property. Ho ! was also a cripple, and had to move himself ' about in a wheel chair. He waa visited the '. other day by hia brother-in-law, Mr Q-. F. Lambson, a surgeon, who formerly practised ' at Bournemouth, and the two, in company j with Mr Bedrook, principal of the establish- i mont, partook of sherry together. While engaged in conversation Mr Lambson asked for some ground sugar, in order to, as he said, take away tho alcoholic, effeot of what they i were drinking. The ground sugar having been [ brought, Mr Lambion is alleged to have produced some capsules, and, addressing his ] brother-in-law, said, " Peroy, thia is the way J we used to take it in America to destroy the , effects of the alcohol." Then he put some of the ground sugar into the empty capsule, and handed it to Mr Malcolm John, who swallowed it. Mr Bedrook was handed one of the cap- ' sules before Mr Malcolm John took his, but [ did not experience any unpleasant effeot. The : visit did not last altogether twenty minutes, ' and soon after Mr Lambson left the deceased j begin to feel ill. He said at first that he suffered somewhat in the way he did when ' he took the qainine pill in the Isle of J Wight. He gradually grew worse, and then be commenced to vomit, complaining ' all the time of a burning Bonsation J at the heart, while his lower limbs were ] paralysed. Mr Berry, surgeon, was at Blenheim House school at the time, and he was ' called upstairs. At the same time Dr Little j was seut for, and both gentlemen remained with Mr Malcolm John until he died, in ' great agony, at half-past eleven o'clook the ' same night. Before his death the deceased ' said, " That brother of mine has done for me J this time," and other remarks to the same , effeot. The medical gentlemen directed that ' a portion of the vomit should be preserved, ' and it is now in possession of the police. In ' the event of Mr Malcolm John's death it I appears his property was to go to his sister, ' wife of Mr Lambson. Lambion has been ' arrested, and the magistrate has rtfuied to allow him out on bail, observing that it was ' *« murder or nothing." J Mining Speculation.—Referring to the scrip exoitement now apparent in the Reefton ' district, a correspondent of the "Nelson Mail" | writes thus : —Anyone acquainted with the symptoms of mining speculative fever oan ' foresee that, following upon the present ] restless excitement, will supervene a period • of exhaustion and weakness. This time will most likely arrive after tho patients have ' swallowed two or three doses of "calls." Those who have taken the disease in a ' healthy form and have resolutely stuck to ' shares in well proved mines will not only ' survive, but be better than ever they were ; ' but those who, in their wild longing for scrip, partake freely of " speculative bubbles," will ] have to seek that refuge for the financially weak and weary provided for them by a J humane Legislature, under the provisions of the Debtors and Creditors Aot. Speaking generally, there is every promise of a bright future for the Inangahua district. So muoh is already proved that there seoms to be nothing wanting but patient work and prudent expenditure of money to open resouroes of lasting wealth. Good Tbmplaby.—The Rainbow Lodge, No. 13, Lyttelton, working under the R.W.G Lodge of the World, held its weekly session on Tuesday evening, the 7th instant. There was a good attendance, and the following officers were installed for the ensuing three months by the S.D., Bro. Reei—P.W.O.T., Bro. A. Tavlor; W.0.T., Bro. R. E. Morgan; W.V.T., Siß. C. Bradley ; W.S., Bro. W. Warren; W.T., Bro. W. Reed; W.F.S., Bro. E. Olarkson ; W. 0., Sis. F. Ockford ; W.M., Bro. E. Blackler; W.1.G., Bro. W. Graham ; W.0.G., Bro. O. Warren ; W.A.8., Bro. T. Hay; W.D.M., Sis. E. Blackler. The reports of the retiring cffioers were accepted and uuanimoußly adopted, showing the lodge to be in a good sound condition, both numerically and financially. Bro. Hay, who lately visited New Plymouth as representative to the Grand Lodge, gave a resume of the session and tho efficient working thereof. He also spoke of the kindness received from the officers and members of the Grand Lodge and the unanimity that seemed ts pervade the whole session. The executive, he states, are haid working, energetic temperance men, especially the G.W.C. Templar, Bro. Jenkins (Auckland), who is an untiring advocate in the cause. It is just possible that Bro. Jenkins may be induoed to visit the South Island ore long, and we feel confident his visit would be followed by much good. A HorEFUL DiSTßicr.—Speaking at Hokitika the Hon. Mr Rolleston said he had no idea that between Nelson and the Buller and between the Buller and Reefton there was a country which compared with the best in the colony. At Westport and Greymouth there were elements of future prosperity which few could realise. He had been down the coal mines at home, but those of Greymouth aui Westport eclipsed them. Csora at Waimatb.—A. correspondent of the " Timaru Herald" writes that the harvest work is being pushed on rapidly, marly every available hand being employed in the district. Some crops of wheat which presented a I splendid appearance before cutting, do not fulfil the expectations whioh their appearance oauaod, the sheaf being light and the grain small. There is no doubt the nor'-westerly weather that prevailed two or three weeka ago caused the crops to appear more mature than i they really woro, and when cut the grain in many cases beoame shrivelled. It is feared I , the unwise advioe of outting grain before being i ripe has been followed thisyear too muoh.There > is no doubt great danger of loss from shaking , in nor'-westerly weather, but farmers need t not expeot either good flour or good seed for x their future crops from grain that is out in an unduly immature state.

, Aw Unconsidbbbd Actiok.—A gentleman , who invested £1 on Hilda for the Wellington I Cup in the outside totalisator is probably , repenting |at leisure a hasty aotion. He had a number of old tiokets in his pooket, and thinking they were useless he destroyed them. When he found that £2l stood to his credit through the performance of his favorite he discovered that among the papers whioh he had torn up was the one which he received on account of the Oup race. Piako Swamp.—Bpeaking of the draining operations at the Piako bwamp, tho Waikato "Times" says—"No one knew, no one possibly could know whether the land when drained would be worth anything at all ; and up to the present there are 20,000 or 30,000 acres of the estate which would not " feed a sparrow to the acre," and this after an expenditure up to date of over £140,000, against which the company can only place a sum of £IB,OOO for land sold." Lost Tbbasubb.—The Fjrtisne correspondent of the "Southland Times" writee: "A gang of divers have commenced operations on the wreok of tho ill-fated Tnrarna, but with what success I cannot say. I hear that the position of the hull is the same as whon they went down some months ago. It ia lying on a shingle bottom surrounded by boulders. The hull, though opened out, still holds firmly together. Tbo labors of the divers are very uncertain, as anything like a swell prevents operations, and that is a common occurrence, smooth water being the exception." Agbaeiak Outrages in* Ireland. —In November 620 agrarian crimes were reported from Ireland, whioh the authorities classify under tho following heads :—Muriera, 2i ; firing at persons, 17; assault on police, 1 ; grievous assault?, 7; assaults endangering life, 6 ; assaults on bailiffs and process servers, 21; incendiary fires and arsons, 46 ; firing into dwellings, 23; injuries to property, 38; injuries to railway trains or highways. 2; resisting legal process, 1 ; attacks on houses, 3 ; intimidations, 320; administering unlawful oaths, 4 ; robbery of arms, 7 ; wounding or maiming cattle, 15. The total of 520 is distributed over the four Irish provinces as fol- . lows :—Ulster, 44 ; Leinster, 129 ; Connaught, 115 ; Munster, 237. Unsatisfactory though the total is (says the " Age " correspondent) it must not be forgotten that many of the so-called outrages wero of a very insignificant kind, and the appropriation of the crimes over the four provinces is not altogether without a reasoning influence. Acknowledgment.—The master of the Orphanage at Lyttelton wishes to acknowledge ' with thanks a donation of £1 from Mr Papps for the children. Diocesan Sunday School Association. —There will be a general meeting of the above association in St. John's schoolroom thia I (Thursday) evening, at 8 p.m., to ciscuss the best means of increasing the usefulness of the association, as well as of determining its a; here ■ of work for the ensuing year. Cricket.—The following will be the Lancaster Park toam for the match against the U.C.C. first eleven on Saturday next, at Lancaster Park: —Stevens, Reeve 9, McDonnell, ' Wilding, Taylor, McDowall, H. Loughnan, F. j Loughnan, Longden, Millton, Sale -—The following will play for the Addington Club in their match with the Lancaster Park on the 11th and 18th inst:—First eleven: J. Hopper, R. H. Turner, W. Ogier, H. Ogier, D. Lnsk, J. Wheatley, E. Turner, C. Taylor, J. Kiddle, Smith, A. Johnson. Second eleven: H. R. Simpson, Bayman, White, Aulsbrook, Ashby (captain), Wright, Parker, J. Lusk, A. Napier. —The return match between the United Canterbury C C. and Lancaster Park C.C. will be commenced on Saturday next at Lancaster Park. The following will represent the United C.C.C.:—Messrs Ashby, Castelli, Chapman, Corfe, E. J. Cotterill, W. J. Cotterill, Kaston, , F. Fenwick, T. D. Harman, T. Horwood, and E. J. Ross; emergency, R. D. Harman, G. ( Helmore, and H. S. Fenwick. Players are i requested to ba on the ground at 2 o'clock.— The following have been chosen to play for the U.O.C.C. in a match against the Midland, on the ground of the former, play to begin at 2 30:— Baker, Harman, Fenwick, McFarlane, Griffiths, Cox, Pixley, Helmore, Paul, Wilkinson, Beswick ; emergencies, Harvey, Potts. A Doomed Man—The last attempt upon the life of Alexander 111. of Russia was made 1 a few days ago. It was frustrated by the > Emperor himself, who in this case owes his life to the susceptibility of his olfactory nerves. The Emperor found a suspiciouslooking bottle upon his table, labelled " Old ' Sledge," whioh emitted a pungent odor. He at once summoned his guards and hishoußebold. " Who placed this bottle here?" sternly demanded the Czar of all the Bussiaa. More ( than one face blanched to a deathly paleness, j but there was no reply to the interrogatory. t " Come hither, my faithful Powlowmonski," ( said the Emperor to his head oook, " and tell me, if thou canst, what this bottle contains P" The head cook approached, placed the bottle to his nose, and, taking a sniff, beoame as pale 1 as death. "By the piper ef Sobastopol and i the lantern man of Moscow," exolaimed the i oook, "it is New Jeraey whisky! " "Heavens!" wailed the Emperor, bursting into tears and linking into a seat; " row, I see, they are resolved to kill me. As long as ' they confined themselves to dynamite, nitro [ glycerine and bombs I was comparatively safe ; but Now Jersey whisky ! Oh, this is the ' last straw I lam a doomed man !" - In the days gone by a Detroit sheriff, who had made a olose shave of being elected, had the ill luck to lose a prisoner from the gaol. The fellow made good his e scape to the country, but the sheriff overhauled him about J eight miles out and drove him under a barn. The prisoner was captured, and yofc he was I not. If he could not get out tho sheriff could ' not get in, and threats had no effeot on him. ' In this emergency the officer called out — ' " Say, Jim." " Yes." " You know I had < a mighty close shave getting this offiue ?" ' " You did that." " Well, I'm laying my pipes ' for a second term. If I lose you I might as * well hang up. The opposition will hold it up in letters four feet high, and hundreds of men in my own party will slip my name. Do you hear me ?" "I do." " Well, I ask you to oome out, not exactly as a prisoner going back to gaol, but moro as a patriot bound to ! stand by his party. Come, Jim." " I'm hanged if I don't," replied the prisoner. " The judge was agin me, my sentence was ' unjust, and I hate your gaol, but if it's going to help the party and crush the hydra-headod opposition out I come." Counterfeit Tripe.—Another thing that is , being largely counterfeited in New Yoik is tripe. Parties who buy tripe cannot be too careful. There is a manufactory that can make tripe so natural that no person on earth can deteot the deoeption. They take a large sheet of rubber about a sixteenth of an inch thick for a background, and by a process known only to themselves veneer it with a Turkish towel and put it in tho btino to soak. It is cut with tinsmith's shears, and occasionally a boarder gnaws off some of the towel, and it has to be re-veneered, but generally one pieoo will last six mrnths with fair usage.—" Philadelphia Grocer." "Deacon," said the widow, as she gently stroked in a feline manner tho Maltose tabby that evidently lay in her lap for that purpose, "don't you long for spring, with its balmy breath, its warm sunshine, and its gentle showers, which awakens nature, and puts life into everything that has laid cold and dead during the long winter, and brings everything out of the cold, cold ground into light and life?" "Well, hardly, widow," responded the old deacon; " you know I buried my second wife last fall." A sohoolrnaeter had two pupils, to one of whom he was partial, and to the other severe Ono morning it happened that these Iwj boys were late and were called up to aooount for it. " You must have heard the bell, boys ; why did you not come?" "Please, sir," said the favorite, " I waa dreamin' that I was goin' to Margate, and I thought the sohool bell was the steamboat bell, as I was goin'on board." "Very well," answered the master, glad of any pretext to excuse his favorite. "And cow, sir," tuvnicg to the other, "what have you to say?" " Pleaoe, sir," said the puzzled boy, " I—l was awaiting to see Tom oif!" It does not always do to credit people with over-sensitivenees. The other day one of our "rising yourg pianists," says a Ban Francisco paper, was giving his opinion of the vulgarity and meanness displayed by our goldfish oriatooracy. " Why," he said, " tor instance, not long ago I was invited to attend a musioale ot the house of old Fullbaga, on Nobb Hill. Of course I played a good deal to entertain the company ; and, when I left, old 8., as he shook hands, slipped into my hand a gold piece." " Why the thiok-skinned old humbug!" said one of his auditors indignantly. " What did you do!" " Why, you just bet I got even with him! I haughtily threw the money on the floor and left, after first exchanging the coin i for a counterfeit twenty I happened to have > in my pooket just then; don't you see ?" " Capital idea that! Served the detestable : old vulgarian right!" " Yes ;it was a huge l idea; but the trouble was that his twenty turned out to be a counterfeit too !"