NEWS OF THE DAY.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2611, 19 August 1882, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

A.O.F.—A meeting of the Court Pride of Richmond was held in the Methodist Chapel, Richmond, last Tuesday evening, the principal business being the purchase of land for the purpose of building a hall. The members wisely chose a section in Vogel street, near Stanmore road. Brothers Howe and Beilly were appointed to collect subscriptions, to enable the members to build as soon as possible. We congratulate this Court upon the rapid progrees they have made, and we feel sure that the parties concerned in the future welfare of the Richmond dis'rict will see their way to subscribe towards sneha useful object, as the erection of such buildings must enhance the value of property in the immediate neighbourhood. I/Tcthitost Bosouox School. —A meeting of the committee of tbis school was held on Friday night, when there were preeent the Rev J. Townsend (in the chair), and Messrs Webb, Neville, and Turner. The Board of Education had promised £5 towards draining part of the school yard, and it was decided to go on at once with the work. Miss Margaret Miisom, of the South Bakaia school, was recommended for appointment to the assistant mistress-ship of this school, vice Miss J. Sinclair, resigned. Be coal, at 33s per ton, it was agreed to order from the two dealers supplies alternately. The night of meeting was changed from the first Friday in each mouth to the first Thursday. It was stated that a better supply of gymnastic apparatus was about to be provided in the playground. The continued nuisance caused by the unprotected back wall of clay in the playground was spoken of as a matter demanding the immediate attention of the Education Board.

TheAtbb Boyai,.—“Near Babylon” was played last night to a capital house, and the piece went excellently from first to last. It will be repeated this evening.

A Good Bsampub.— A little circumstance has occurred in connection with one of our banking institutions which is well worthy of imitation. The Union Bank of Australia has recently declared the very handsome dividend of 16 per cent, per annum on its capital for the half year ending 30th June last. It has been decided, as evincing the appreciation of the services of the staff, whose efforts have in no small degree contributed to this very satisfactory result, to give a bonus to all the officers at the rate of 10 per cent, on their salaries. Wo have many concerns in onr midst paying very handsome dividends, and no doubt, now so excellent an example haa been sot. wo shall have the pleasure of recording many such instances of liberality. Papandt fiponxs Association. —A meeting of the above was held in the Town Hall on Friday evening. There was a very fair attendance of membeis. Oa the motion o£ Mr Thomas, Mr Wm. Norman was voted to chair. It was moved by Mr Thomas, and seconded by Mr Wm. Horner—“ That the Papanui annual sports take place on New Year’s Day, and that they be held on the same ground as last year.” Carried unanimously. The following officers were then appointed for tbe entumg year;—President. Ur Wm. Norman ; vice-president, Messrs Wm. Hornsr, D. Thomas, and J. Taylor; committee, Messrs Peterkin, J. Horner, J. Jackson, W. Jackson, C. Jennings, O, Matcon, A. H. Paul, Hancock, Young, Briggs, Whiting, Barlow, Bljth, Wilkin, and H. Godfrey ; treasurer, Mr O. Matson; hoc. secretary, O. A. Calvert, V.S. It was moved by Mr Thomas, and seconded by Mr Wilkin —“ That Messrs Wm. Norman, Wm. Horner, and James Taylor, bo a ground committee for the purpose of laying off the ground, and planting the same with trees, to the extent of £25, the planting to be commenced on Mr Triggs’ side of the gate/* It was unanimously resolved that any surplus remaining bo handed over to the parish church fund. The meeting then adjourned.

Accident, —A peculiar accident happened, to a man employed on Messrs Qrigg Guild’s railway contract at the Waimakariri. gorge bridge, on Wednesday last. Something had gone wrong with one of the trucks used for_ shifting the material from the cutting, and be used an iron crowbar as a break, when the truck suddenly moved forward, the bar at the sains time striking ths man a heavy blow on the chest, knocking him dawn, and rendering him partially unconscious. Dr. Meadows was soon in attendance, and the. sufferer is now progressing favorably.

Canterbury Plumpton Ground Company.—A meeting of the director* of th. 9 above company was held at its offices yesterday afternoon, Mr E. B. Deacon presiding. The business transacted was principally routine. It was stated that several shares had been applied for since last meeting, and that the company have every reason to be satisfied with its recently acquired property fLtTempleton,w>vlch is land of excellent quality, and is generally considered by competent judges to bo a wise selection, alike as price and close proximity to Okrietohuioh^

Yaittabm Gift.—lt i» abated that Sir G» Grey haa aignified hia intention of preaenting til valuable library to the of Ano land,- the Mayor and Corpjr&bion bei g trnitaes for the time being. , LOL.-A meeting of members ot tne above order will be held on Monday evening next at the Orange Hall, Worcester street, the business being to either reorganise the band or dispose of the instruments.

Licbksbd Yictuaiikbb’ Association— A special general meeting of the members of the Licensed Victuallers' Association was held last evening at the A 1 Hotel, to consider the question of recouping to Mr Qodso the expenses and fine incurred by him in the case recently heard at the B.M. Court, which has been previously reported. Mrß. Richardson, president of the association, presided. Sixteen persons were present. After a long discussion, during which the chairman contended that Mr Stevenson simply carried out bis duty, and the fault, if any, rested with the seller, it was agreed, by nine to five—“ That Mr G-odso was not guilty of neglect as_ regarded putting the notice ‘That all spirits sold in his hotel were reduced ’ in a prominent position.” Consequently the expenses incurred by Mr Godso will be recouped by the association.

Nsw Side School. —Groat satisfaction is expressed by the people resident around and near Malvern at the decision arrived at _by the Hoard of Education to open a side school at Annat. The school will be a great boon to a considerable number of children Banging from five to ten years of age.

Thb Shebip of Mecca — A recent telegram from Egypt refers to the Sherif of Mecca as having deposed the Sultan as Head of the Mussulman Hierarchy. The title “ Sherif,’’ which is very commonly held throughout Arabia, Egypt, and Barbary, indicates that the holders of it are direct descendants of the Prophet, In Turkey they are called “amirs,” i.e., princes, and enjoy great privileges, such as nob being subject to tho payment of taxes ; not being obliged to appear before a judge, unless he be one of that •lass; wearing a green turban and slippers j cccnpjing a superior place at the Mosque, &o It is one of the privileges of Meooa to be governed by a Sherif of the House of Hasan, son of Ali Tbn Abi Talib, which family enjoys the sole right to the throne. Hie dominions comprehend besides the capital (Mecca), Medina Jambo, Tayif, Sadie, Ghunfude, Ilali, and thirteen other smaller districts, all situated in the Hejar. His principal revenue consists of a tax imposed upon every pilgrim and the presents made by Mahometan princes. The lost Sherif was murdered a short time back—at the instigation of the Porte, it has been stated.

A New Lighting Expeeimekt —The new incandescent gas light which is about to bo tried in Olerkenwell, in eotne of the thoroughfares between the Green and the Angel, is a novel experiment, with modifications of old principles. It is an application of what is known to scientists as Herapath’s blow-pipe, and there is no question as to its merits as an improved gaslight. The question is, Can it be carried out efficiently in practice? lot it involves the laying of a separate system of pipes, through which compressed air, or air at a pressure of Sin. or 7in., can be forced. The air-pipe enters the gas supply in the form of a tapered cone, and near its embouchure is the pipe supplying the supplementary air, a current of which is induced by the force of the compressed air. The mixture of gas and air thus produced is carried into the burner, which is really a cage of platinum wire, abont three times as long as it is wide. When the gas is first lighted it is a roaring, flickering flame, with no appreciable illuminating power j but very soon the platinum gauze becomes hot, and in a tew seconds the burner presents the appearance of a glowing pillar of solid light, possessing intense brilliancy. The combustion of the gas itself in this case actually yields no illuminating power worth speaking of, the brilliancy of the new light being due to the high temperature of the platinum gauze, which becomes incandescent just as the carbon threads in the electric lamps glow with the heat engendered in them by the current. An ordinary Lewis burner of this kind gives a light of over fifty candles for every 10ft of gas per hour—a high degree of economy; but by increasing the pressure and the consumption of gas a much higher economy can be obtained—so much as 180 candles for 20ft of gas, it is said. MISS PAENELL AND THE LOBD LIKUTBNANT.—A strange incident occurred on June 15th ns the Lord Lieutenant was riding from the Viceregal Lodge to the Castle. When passing up Westmoreland street. Miss Parnell ran forward and caught his Excellency’s horse by the reins, saying that she wanted to ask him a question. His Excellency told her that he oonld not speak to her there, and that she must come to tfae Oaatle. Miss Parnell then released the horse, and returned to the footpath, escorted by the aide-de-camp, who had dismounted from his horse. Neither the Lord-Lieutenant nor the aidede- camp knew who the lady was. Mils Parnell did not go to the Castle as requested, but she addressed the following letter to the Dublin evening papers:— “Dear Sir, —I wa§ shocked to see to-day in the 1 Freeman ’ that the erection of shelter for the 500 persons evicted in Limerick, who have been forcibly and unlawfully deprived of it for the last two months by Lord Spencer and his predecessors, has been again stopped. I met Lord Spencer on bis way to the Castle subsequently, and asked him whether this statement was true. He answered that be could not hear what I was saying, but he could hear perfectly well, and I told him so, to which ho replied, * I cannot,’ and refused steadfastly to say anything else. From this I came to the conclusion that Lord Spencer is really ashamed of himself, and would be glad to escape from the odious position he has placed himself in ; and I would therefore take this opportunity to urge on all who are connected with the building of these houses to persevere in erecting them, and if prevented in one place to go to another; if one man is arrested, to let another take his place, and thus to leave no shadow of decent cover for a continuation of this outrage on humanity. I hope that all other tenant farmers will in this emergency come to the assistance of their class, and give, wherever it is required, their ground for these houses. If the people do not join, and show a little determination on this question, I cm afraid wo shall have, before long, repetitions of the Rhode child murder in many parts of Ireland,—l remain, yours, A. Paenkll.”

Peasant Pbopbibtobship in Italy.— Another testimony to the superiority of fair sized holdings over minute subdivisions of land is contained in the interesting report on Italian agriculture drawn up by Mr Beauolerk and now published as a Consular report. The Consul declares in the first place that the peasant proprietor, in all parts of Italy. “is often found to be worse fed, clothed, and lodged than the hired laborer.” He gives a terrible picture of the house in which this class of peasant lives, andjdeolares that, having BO landlord to help him, it is generally impossible to get any improvement in the matter of farm buildings. But the poverty of the farmers, even when they are above the class of absolute peasant proprietors, is almost equally remarkable and abject. The Italian Government is busying itse f in promoting education in agricultural subjects, and urging on the proprietors to introduce improvements; but it is, as the British Consul says, impossible for them to fiud either the time for study or the money for ameliorations as long as they are struggling hand to hand against the perpetual danger of starvation or ruin. Italy is the land of small proprietors, and the laws are such aa to necessitate the same subdivision of property which has proved so disastrous in many parts of France. The implements are inferior, and the whole system of working the farm is old-fashioned and poor. There is plenty of disposition to do bettor, but an intense ignorance, combined with a physical impossibility of carrying out good intentions. Heavy taxation adds to the difficulties of the situation, but this would be of less significance if it wore not for the other more special disadvantage. ABHBUBTON Oechbbtbal SOCIETY. —There was a good muster at the weekly practice of this society on Thursday evening, when some musical selections were gone threugh with a considerable amount of success. The names of several additional active members have recently been added to the roll, and a number of gentlemen have expreassd their willingneu to become honorary members. The society now find themselves in so satisfactory a position, both numerically and financially, that at a general meeting held on Thursday evening it was decided to expend the sum of £25 in the purchase of new music and a double-bass, the latter item being the only instrument now wanting to complete the orchestral band.

Ponca Charges. —Sergeant Moore, of Dunedin, who has been appointod to fill the vacancy in the Ohrietohuroh police force, consequent upon the promotion of Sergeant Hnghes to the Detective staff, arrived in Christchurch by last night’s express tram from Dunedin.