THE GLOBE. MONDAY, OCTOBER 30, 1882.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2672, 30 October 1882, Page 2

THE GLOBE. MONDAY, OCTOBER 30, 1882.

Diocesan Synod. —The Synod will resume its sitting at 4 p.m. to-day, and will probably close the business of the session to-night. The Chops. —The generous rain of last Tdesday and also on Saturday, in the Northern district, did much to improve the pastures and the appearance and health of the cereal crops. The wheat now quite covers the ground, and the crop will withstand anything like drought for some time to come. The copious rainfall of Tuesday, in the north, it was to be regretted did not extend to a material extent over the southern district, where rain is [at present greatly required. Accidents. —A serious accident happened to a farmer, at Kimberley, named Hugh McClelland, on Friday morning. He was out riding a young horse, which by some means got him off and kicked him severely on the head and shoulder. Mr Stewart assisted Mr McClelland home, who afterwards became unconscious. Dr. Meadows was sent for, and was soon in attendance, but after examing his patient and giving him some soothing medicine, left him in a slightly improved state, but the full extent of injuries are not yet known. A serious accident happened on Saturday to a young boy, son of Mr J. A. Shaw. It appears that the boy with others was trying to secure a horse in a paddoek, when the animal eluded them, and kicking up his heels hit the little fellow in the side of his face, inflicting a severe wound, but, fortunately missing the eye.

Railway Convention. —The convention appointed at the Sydenham public meeting to further the construction of the West Coast Railway, held a meeting on Saturday evening. There was a fair attendattendance, the Mayor being in the chair. Correspondence was read in reply to the circular issued by the convention. Prom the Hon. W. Rolloston, stating that the matter would have his attention. From Messrs H. Thomson and John Holmes, M.H.R.’s, stating that they were favorable to the construction of the line, and from W. White, jun., M.H.R., stating that, with Sir John Hall and Mr E. G. Wright, M.H.R., be had interviewed the Minister of Public Works, who had undertaken to have a survey of the line made during the ensuing summer. Letters were also read from the various Borough Councils and Road Boards along the route, relative to the holding of public meetings to agitate in favour of the object. Considerable discussion took place on the correspondence, and as to the further action which should be taken ; and resolutions were passed to the following effect; —l. That the Minister of Public Works be requested to take immediate stops to survey the proposed railway route via Cannibal Gorge to Brunnerton. 2. That Messrs J. R. Andrew and Ed. Jones be appointed as delegates to attend the convention to ha held at Christchurch on the question. 3. That it be a recommendation to the convention to consider the advisability of taking by petition the voice of the adult male population of Canterbury on the .question, and to appoint three or more of its members to wait upon the Government, and upon every member of Parliament when in session to urge the construction of the line. The convention then adjourned. Eortheen Railway Extension. —The formation of the Northern railway from Waikari is rapidly advancing in progress along the Horsley Downs to the Hurunui River. The Waitohi bridge, in progress, includes fourteen 40ft spans and two spans of Bft each, giving a total length of 57Cit. This is being erected entirely of timber, the piles of iron bark and the upper portion of black pine and totara. As a vote has been taken for further extension, it is anticipated that after harvest contracts will be let for the same.

Citt Guards. —This corps mustered at the Drill Shed on Saturday night at ten o’clock, and marched out by moonlight to Prebbleton, whore, in a paddock near the church, they pitched their tents and camped for the night. The camp was astir early on Sunday morning, and breakfast being despatched, they fell into marching order, and, preceded by the band of the company, marched to Prebbleton church, where they attended divine service. After dinner the tents were struck, and stowed in the baggage wa ,r °*on, marching to Christchurch, where °they arrived about G p.m. Captain Wolfe was in command.

A Useful Infection. —A new device, the invention of a Canadian named Chasse, which, it is thought, will attract attention in railroad circles, consists in a new mechanical train dispatcher. A common wire is stretched the length of the track, a little to one aide of it, and a short distance above the cab. This wire is swept by a metallic fan while the train is in motion, thus keeping up a communication alongthe lino. In each cab are a gong and a dry battery with a ground wire running to the axles of the locomotive, while at the distance of every mile the rails are grounded with a ground wire. In every depot are two gongs, which automatically ring when a train approaches within three „ miles in either direction. Two trains approaching each other also break the circuit, causing the hells in each cab to ring an alarm. A recent trial of the device at Chillicothe, Ohio, was very successful, and. elicited the favorable verdict of the railway officials present. A practical and reliable mechanism of this character must add very materially to the security of railway travel.

Well-bepeesented. —The N.Z. Farmers’ Co-operative Association should be well represented at the forthcoming meeting to consider the advisableness of constituting a West Coast Eailway League, judging from the difficulty experienced in appointing delegates at their directors’ meeting held on Saturday afternoon. It appeared, that all the directors, with two exceptions, were expecting to attend as representing the county councils, agricultural and pastoral association, road boards, or some local body. Messrs T. Bruce and J. RJohnston were ultimately persuaded to be the ambassadors extraordinary.

St. Asaph Street Chuech. —The anniversary of the St. Asaph street church was celebrated yesterday. The Rev. S. Macfarlane preached both morning and evening to good congregations. The morning’s subject was the transforming power of prayer, from Luke ix., 29. The evening subject'was, “ Christianity neither a dream nor a lie,” 2 Peter i., 16. The reverend gentleman showed that he had lost none of his power in presenting truth from the pulpit, as both discourses were powerful and instructive, and no doubt many of his old friends will be present at the tea and public meeting on Tuesday, as he intimated that in all probability it will be the best opportunity he will have to address them for some years, as he removes at the endjof the year to Auckland. To-morrowfthe tea and public meeting will take place. At the latter addresses will he delivered, by the Eevs. Crewes, Dallaston, Macfarlane, Taylor, Peters, and Penney, the chair will he taken by the Mayor of Sydenham. The Australian Trade.— Among the other evidence of a disposition in Australian trade, says a home paper, to be independent of the mother country’s sole apron string may be cited the following passage in the report of the General Steam Navigation Company : —The very severe competition between the British and other ocean lines for Continental goods traffic destined for Australia and the East has lately much developed, and the transit trade by the company’s ships has suffered in consequence. Some time since the directors foresaw this, and endeavored to meet it by establishing at all their agencies a system, of through booking. This system, though, to a certain extent successful, has not been sufficient to prevent the owners of some of the most important British Ocean lines running their vessels direct to the Continental ports. How far this experiment on their part may be successful remains to be seen, but in the meantime the directors have not lost sight of the necessity for replacing such trade as may be diverted from this company’s vessels. Resignation of Pbofessdb Blackee.— Having accomplished the great dream of his life in securing the endowment of a. Celtic Chair in the University of Edinburgh, and feeling the weight of years and the effects of recent illness. Professor BlacMe has intimated his resignation of his Chair of Greek. He entered on the duties of the office in 1852, and as he had before that date been for eleven years Professor of Humanity in Aberdeen University, it will be conceded that be is now fully entitled to retire upon his honours. Already literary circles in London are hoping to entice him. to spend the evening of his days among them, hut Professor Blackie will sadly belie his most frequent and most characteristically slashing utterances if he leaves Scotland to settle among the Cockneys,

for whom he has always expressed the utmost contempt. Already the Council of the Gaelic Society in Inverness is taking steps to raise a testimonial to the man who has done so much for the Highlands in a variety of ways. It is not yet determined what form the testimonial shall take, but it is likely to consist of an oil portrait of the Professor. As his Chair will require to be filled by November, speculation is already rife as to his successor. As yet the name which seems to find most favor in academic coteries is that of Dr. Donaldson, who was lately translated from the rectorship of the Edinburgh Royal High School to the Chair of Humanity in the U niversity of Aberdeen, but has not yet been called upon to undertake the active duties of the latter post. The Greek Chair at Edinburgh is a veryimportant one in various ways, and it is therefore to be hoped that a careful selection will be made, and a man be appointed whose force of character will not be less than his classical attainments. The “ Academy ” says that the richness of the indirect endowment of the Chair of Greek in Edinburgh University, which Professor Blackie has just resigned, is attracting some of the most eminent Hellenists in the kingdom as candidates.

The Utility of the Tricycle.— Atlas” remarks that a peep into a medical journal is not a bad way of spending an idle quart d’heure. It takes you behind the scenes and into the secrets of the business. I find that not only are sledges used during the winter in some parts of the Highlands by medical men in pursuit of their vocation, but carrier-pigeons are being successfully employed to carry prescriptions to the surgery, and to bring later tidings of the case. Upon the announcement of the carriage tax, country doctors took active measures for its evasion by adopting tricycles, with a view to dispensing with the gig. One practitioner says ho has traversed 5000 miles on his tricycle in a hilly country with the greatest ease, only it takes “ a hard month’s practice.” All are agreed that for night work the tricycle has advantages, for it is always ready, and. they can be miles on their journey by the time a horse and trap can be prepared in the sleepy hours of night. During the daytime, however, it is apt to fall a prey to the curiosity of village boys while standing outside the patient’s door. It is clear that the calm and spotless M.D. is “ going out,” and a dusty, soiled, and knickerbockered doctor is rapidly coming in to feel aur pulse with one hand, while wiping his dewy forehead with the other. Sun Spots and Floating Jcs. — Piofessor Fritz, of Zurich, who has studied the years when floating ice was most abundant in the lower latitudes of the Atlantic, declares that sun spots and an abundance cf detached icebergs are synchronous. From 1783 to 1870, epochs of maximum sun spots, and there have been ten such periods, have been pretty nearly the years cf greatest frequency of floating ice. The masters of the North German line of steamers, who, have kept detailed accounts of ice met with every month inthe Atlantic, show that from 1800 to ISG9 verysimilar weather, with pretty nearly the same temperatures, was found, and that during these years the greatest amount of floating ice was found. Now, going back to the cause, the present temperature is not caused by a t old Arctic winter, but rather by a warmer one, "which has prevailed, pretty uniformly over the north Atlantic and northwestern Europe, and which has detached a larger proportion than usual of Arctic ice Sells. Sun spots may be made to explain innumerable things other than met-, o rological ones,for a great manyperioda of human strife show some coincidence with these solar outbursts, commencing with. 1788 and ending with 1883. Bazaar. —The bazaar in aid of the funds of the Primitive Methodist Church came to a close on Saturday evening. The reoeijits during the three days have been very good, the attendance being large on Saturday evening, and business brisk at the various atolls.

Fikk at Otawa. —A fire occurred last -night in Bufl'on street, "Wilson’s road, Opawa, resulting in the destruction of an empty four roomed house, the property of - Charles O’Malley, -which -was uninsured. It had lately been removed from Christchurch, and as it was the rendevous of a lot of larrikins, this may perhaps account for the origin of the fire. Bicycle Eon. The captain of the Christchurch Club (Mr T. May) telegraphed the secretary from Hurunui this morning, stating that he arrived at that , place at 12.30; his companion being knocked up at Waikari. The gentlemen started at 5.30 this morning. Band of Hope. —The anniversary of the Oxford terrace Band of Hope will be celebrated on Tuesday evening by a public tea and service of song entitled “ Bart’s Joy,” which has been in practice for some time. Should it be a fine evening a good ■attendance is expected. Sis 6ap.net Wolseley. — A most dis-

tinguishcd representation met the abovenamecl hero in London on Saturday, and through the principal streets he was cheered.Toeiferously by an admiring crowd Katapoi Amalgamated Fete. —At the winding-up meeting of the joint committee of the Oddfellows’ and Foresters’ Societies, held on Wednesday evening last, there was a good attendance, Mr A. T. Clark, chairman of the committee, presiding. Mr Allen, lion, sec., brought up a statement of receipts and liabilities, which showed that, after disbursing the latter, a balance of JEI2 would remain in hand. This sum was ordered to be divided between the two societies. A small sum was voted for the purchase of a present to the hon. secretary for his efforts in promoting the success of the picnic. Votes of thanks were accorded to Mr Parkinson, of Waikari, for his kindness in allowing the use of his land, and to the chairman, when the meeting terminated.

An Unexpected Result.—A Wellington paper of October 21st says : —A curious mishap occurred to a Government official yesterday evening. It appears that about 8 o’clock he was dozing on the sofa in his drawing-room when a member of the feline species jumped on his head. Considerably annoyed by the intrusion of the animal, the gentleman knocked her on the floor, and then made a kick at her with his left foot. She was too smart for him, however, and the consequence was that he knocked his big toe against the opposite wall, dislocating it. The injured member was attended to by a medical man, and the official was able to move about to-day with the assistance of a stick.

City Council. —The ordinary meeting of the City Council will take place at 7 p.m. to-night. . St.. Albans Bokouoh Council. —This body will hold its usual fortnightly meeting his e vening.