NEWS OF THE DAY.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2676, 3 November 1882, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Resident Magistrate’s Court.— This morning, beforefMr R, Westenra, two mea for being drunk, their first offences, were fined each ss, or in default to be imprisoned for twenty-four hours. Presbyterian Church Soiree. The annual tea meeting and entertainment in connection with St. John’s Presbyterian Church was held on Thursday night in the Oddfellows’ Hall at Port. The Rev. James Hill, pastor of the Church, presided. The hall was adorned with flowers and flags, and with tables laden with the delicacies of the season. After tea the hall was well filled by an audience who manifested those expressions of approval at the addresses and music which fully justified the belief they enjoyed the entertainment thoroughly. The ladies who took part in the performance of the vocal and instrumental part of the programme deserve to be especiallymentioned, as having contributed the main portion of the entertainment, which afforded so much pleasure to those present. Some good songs were given by one or two of the shipmasters in Port anil a number of local vocalists. Several addresses by clergymen present also aided materially to the success of the meeting. City Guards Band. —The City Guards Band will play to-morrow nightatthe corner of St. Asaph and High streets. They will march by torchlight from the old post office. The committee have to thank Mr W. Wilson and Mr A. J. White for guinea subscriptions.

Eangioea Quoit Club. —lt is expected that* the opening game to bo played by members of the newly formed club here will take place on Saturday afternoon. The names of twenty-five members of the club have been received. Accident neae Ambeelet. —On Tuesday evening a somewhat serious accident happened to Mr Matthew Dalziel, who was returning home. His horse, a spirited animal, shied as it was descending the hill near Bransdean, and capsized the vehicle, throwing Mr Dalziel heavily on the road. He was removed homo in a somewhat critical state. Board op Education. —The North Canterbury Board of Education held a. meeting yesterday, and transacted some routine business. A telegram was read from the Government stating that pending the raising of the loan they could give no assurance whatever as to funds for school buildings.

Deedging. —The return of dredging work done at Lyttelton made to the Board yesterday, showed that in the past two months 315 barge loads of clay had been removed, equal to 5(5,700 cubic yards, or 78,750 tons. The dredge is at present dredging a channel up to the graving dock entrance, and the wort will he completed in time for the opening of the dock.

Oegan Eecital. —Mr H. J. Weeks has just imported a new Connoisseur Smith American organ for the Roman Catholic Church now in course of erection in Ashburton. On Wednesday hist Mr Weeks, gave a public recital on the *ew organ in the Town Hall, when there was a large audience present, and the appearance and tone of the new instrument was the subject of much favorable comment. Habbob Boaed Finances. — At the meeting of the Lyttelton ILrhor Board yesterday, the chairman st;-'- d that during the past month ,£SOIS 12 had been placed to the credit of the Board. A sum of .£11,700 11s lOd wo*ld be at the Board’s credit after payin accounts sent in, and the outstanding labilities of the Board amounted to aljc'l .£SOOO.

West Coaet Railway Convention.— At a meeting 1 c the Lyttelton Borough Council, hold-® eduesday night, Messrs H. Alhvriglv M.H.E., and J. G. Garforth were appoi v °d delegates to the projected conventio’t° he held next Monday. Some discussio t°ok place :is to the merits of the resistive routes—Crs. Eeed, Chalmers and W” favoring the direct West Coast route t'r. Fyfe was averse to any line bein constructed and any loan being floo'd. The Mayor (Mr Allwright) said h ,,tv-as opposed to the East Coast route, b" would not pledge himself to support ie direct West Coast line until he was otter informed of the merits of the third roposed route, the Northern route.

North Canterbury Backs.—The settling up meeting for those races, held at Eangiora on last Thursday, took place at Eoberts J unction Hotel on "Wednesday evening. There was a fair attendance of the commitee; Capt. Parsons, president, in the chair. The amounts paid over were—Mason and Vallance Al2O, H. Lunn •£lO, J. Hicks A 35, F. Busch A3O, W. Stark ■£2o, D. O’Brian Al 5, G. P. Williams AIS, H. Murfit Al 5, E. Cutts AS, W. Jackson iis, H. Cassidy A 3 10s, C. A. Tyler A2 10a. Total, A 306.

Electric Fire Alarms. Before the public trial of the chemical fire engine takes place this evening, as previously announced, Mr W. G. Meddings, Inspector of Telegraphs, will exhibit to the members of the City Council and others the working of the new electric fire alarms constructed ■under his supervision, and which arc to be -used this evening in connection with the trial of the chemical engine. Two recording boxes and four alarm boxes have been placed in the office of the City Council for the purpose. This afternoon Mr Meddings was kind enough to'explain the mechanism and the work Hg of the instruments to representatives of the Press ; Mr Harris, the late Superintendent of the Fire Brigade, being also present. The alarm boxes, which are .made of iron, and about 2ft high and 9in broad, were placed at one end of the room and the recording boxes at the other. The latter are constructed of wood and stand about 6ft high. The alarm is given, and the whole machinery set in motion by pulling a brass knob in the alarm box, the knob being visible through a glass plate, on which is written an instruction to break the glass and pull the the bell. The electric action is then communicated to the recording boxes through the medium of an ingeniously constructed little instrument, technically called a st polarised relay.” Each alarm box is numbered, and as soon as the bell is pulled the number is shown on the face of the recording box, a bell at the same time ringing out the number in times sufficiently loud to wake a sleeper. It is intended .to have four recording stations, one at each of the brigade stations, one at the house of the superintendent of the brigade, and the other at the residence of the superintendent of police. There will be at present IS alarm boxes distributed over the city, but if necessary as many as 90 can bo connected with the recording stations. The whole of the apparatus is exceedingly interesting from a scientific point of view, and its construction reflects the greatest credit upon Mr Meddings, who has devoted an immensity of time and trouble in the work con amore.

Weather Exchange. —Yesterday—New Zealand—Fine all over, with, slight decreasing pressure in South, and S.E. winds; other places northerly. Australia —Depression passed to S.E., and increased pressure generally, with fine weather ; N.E. wind on West Coast; S.W. at Tasmania and South Coast, and Southerly in New South Wales; rough sea on South Coast. Barometer, N.Z. —Russell, 30.1 ; Wellington, 30.0 ; Bluff, 29.8; Albany, Portland, and Sydney, 30.3 ; Hobart, 29.9. Good Templaes. —A meeting under the atispioes of the District Lodge of Good Templars was held in the Presbyterian Church, Ferry road, last evening j Mr Abbott, jun., presided. Addresses on the benefits accruing from total abstinence were delivered by the Revs. E. Best, S. Slocombe, and Messrs J. T. Smith and H. Bennetts. Several musical selections were very creditably rendered by Misses Harris, Carrell, Henderson, and Master Purvey ; Mr Purvey presiding at the American organ. About 100 persons were present.