TOWN & COUNTRY.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LVI, Issue 6496, 22 December 1881, Page 4

TOWN & COUNTRY.

Loweb Hbathcotb Rack*.—The Mode was inadvertently omitted from the list of acceptance* in the Trotting Handicap published yesterdsy. Tan Waimakajhbi.—Yesterday afternoon a telfgram was received by the Mayor of Kaiapoi, from the Bealey, to the effect that the Waimakariri was in flood, and wae still rising. Aktesias Wants.—Oomplainte are made in mord than one quarter of the town that arterian well* hare stopped flowing, or been checked in their supply. This, it is supposed, is one molt of the recent earthquakes. Uhiok lebcbaecb Comyamy.—At a meeting of the Directors of the Union Fire and Marino Insurance Company a dividend was declared at the rate of ten per cent per annum, which will be payable on and after Jan. 3,1882. Sitpssub Cora*.—His Honor Mr dost ice Johnston sat in Chambers yesterday morning and disposed of the cases set down. The Banco sitting will take place to-day, at 11 a-m. A report of yesterday’s proceedings will be found elsewhere. Thb Qasuko an© Lottcsuess Act.— The first case under the Gaming sod Lotteries Act wae heard yesterday, in the Ashburton Beeident Magistrale’e Court, when E. Lancaster, local baiter, «u lined 20s for raffling some broad, on the occasion of opening a new shop. Akaeoa IvncoTßun Eihibitioy.— The following awards for plain writing were accidentally omitted in the prise-Ust of the Aksroa Industrial Exhibition ;—Under 12, Charles Grey, 2 j William Jennings, commended j under 10, U. Mansoo, Ij under 15, Elisabeth Miiburn, coramended j under 13, Hanriet Kali, I j Charles Gray, commended.

iKTSBOOIOSUI WftATUBB BXCMJtoOB,— The following inUlUgenea hm been rwkcd s —"Sydney, Wednesday s tkmtMe<»t and south-wett vied*, will* rain over Tbmmusl* and the Australian Cowt, The barometer U n»icjf, and the, weather k moderating. The barometer register* at Portland, 29 9 1 Hobart and Sydney, 29 6." Bai'uioba CBics.tr Ctce.—A meeting of the Cammitteo of thie Club vu held io the Janetba Hotel, Bwfiorn, ©ft Tueedey even* lag, Mr W. A. Burt, ia lb* chair. It w*B donded to aetwpt the challenge to play the Midland Club ©a New Tear’* way. Several member* of the Club reported baring been a*k*d to play in the Oariabnok match, which they had accepted, and It. «u agreed to accept the Schoolmater#’ challenge, I© play a match early in January. A Ptccxr Biscca.—Yesterday forenoon m a Milk boy about aoreo y«*» of aga wu playing oc the railing of Barbadeea etrcH bridge, be lost hi* Imams® and fell into the wcr. Hi# brother, who vu with Min at U» time, raked no alarm by ecreatning. and a young man who - vu puiiag ran to the bank of the mar, and plunging in swaas down the riftr until ho overtook the drowning boy M he route above the .water for the eecond lime, •cettred hold of him and brought him **Wy to land- About iltota minute* niter, lb# boy vu playing a* usual apparently none the worn for Ma involunfauy bath.

■ A a«*«T.—The boy, Alfred BumelMer, who «««M from the liumhatu Industrial Sebool on Monday last, *«# re-knrested on Tuesday evening in it Amt»h street by Ooutiabto Cbles. Dhaikaob Ki.bctiow.-U is Haled that Mr W. ‘Whit#, junr., b*s wnsentod to nlliiw bitnielf to be nomibkled for re elrrtion to rr)>re»(rat Sydenham on the Drainage .Hoard. AcsukMT op Must®.—Lyons* Tourist*, who wens here some little It me ago will open at this place of Bmuicwcfit to-night in " Struck Oil," which will bo followed by a musical olio by the company. CitkSTSXY.—The welcome rain which fell on Monday night hai altered the aspect of things greatly in the LUeruey and surrounding districts, the fanners' hopes of a plentiful crop being mush sirengibenod by tho timely showers. Bhtmi Hatch.—A maleh has been arranged between the Christchurch Oily Guards and the Lyttelton Naval Brigade. The terms are 15 men a side, seven shot* each at 200, 800, and 400 yard*. The match will be fired at Lyttelton early in January. The City Guards arc tho challengers. Bx Ann Aits’ Bottoi’OH Council.—A poll will be held at tho Avon Ro*d Board Office to-d ijr, between 8 a.tn. and 6 p.m., lor tbe election of nine Councillors to act on tho Council. Tho poll fur tho election of auditors will he held to-morrow. There ore 18 candidates nominated for Councillors and seven for auditors.

Faoxgf Miai.- A meeting of gentlemen interested in the establishment of a Company for the export of froxen weal and dairy produce, was held at the office of tbe Agricultural and Pastoral Association yesterday. Tho prospectus of a Joint Block Company, with a capital of £20,000, in 2000 shares of £lO each, woo adopted, and provisional directors elected. A report of tbe meeting appears elsewhere. Hkßß in tub Stsbiit.—Considerable excitement was created in Victoria street yesterday by a large swarm of bees, which appeared at the junction of that street with Kilmore street. A considerable number of persons assembled to watch the swarm, which finally settled oa the leye of a lad •tending by, who bad the presence of mind not to move. The bees were safely hived by an apiarian, who was present at the time, BAKOIGRA fJOBTiOPtXPKAI. dOOIBTV.— The Committee of this Bociety met at the Institute, Bangiont, oa Tuesday evening last, Mr T. Robson in the chair. The business done was chiefly of a financial character. Tbe Treasurer was instructed to pay the cpecia! prists won at the recent show, and toe special prise sheet for the autumn show was opened, several prises having been promised. The meeting then adjourned. HAXOVTBi.iI AMD BPHETCOH SVOBTB.—At a meeting held at the Junction Hotel, on Monday evening, in connection with the annual Holswell and Spreydon sports, to be held in Messrs Henderson and M'Beatb's paddock, the Committee were enabled to allot £26 to back races, and £53 to athletic sports, two races being open to all comers with liberal price. A hit of prises contributed was then read, after which the meeting terminated. Fibb IN Ash ocbton.—Yesterday afternoon a fire was discovered t o have broken oat in » cottage occupied by Mr C. Burk, scene painter, Ashburton, and in a very short time it wu burnt to tbe ground along with an occupied one adjoining. The bouses were tho property of Mr G. J. Martin and Mr Joseph Blade, and were insured for £IOO and £BO respectively in the Couth British, and another office not yet known. The Firs Brigade attended promptly, bat all their efforts could not save the cottages, though they were able to prevent tbe farther spread of the Homes.

Chbisvciicbch Mcsicax Socibtv.—This evening the Booiety whose name heads this paragraph intend to give *' The Messiah ” at the Oddfellows' Bril. Great preparations have been mode for its production, and for eome time post rehearsals have been busily going on. Ibe chores is a very strong one, and tho soloists comprise our best-known amateurs, while tho orchestra is quite commeasurate with the scale on which the oratorio will be produced. We can say without exaggeration that the members of the Society Dave left no effort undone to make this the finest production of Handel’s masterpiece ever witnessed in Christchurch, aad those who attend the Hsll to-night may expect to hear a musical trcit of the highest order.

School Pic.vio.~A pictie in connection with Ohertsey school was huld on Anniversary Day, when about 10 persons (including parents and children) assenbled at Ohertsey and drove to Mr Lambie'i, Kyle, near the sea beach, about twelve mike from Ohertsey. The Chairman and Commitiee deserve great credit for the manner in wlich the arrangements were carried out.! Mr Todd, the ecboolmaeter, wae also at hi post helping the children to enjoy thomselvis, After partaking of an excellent luncheon, and going through the usual games in such occasions, a number of school prised were awarded to each child, according to their merits, and the whole party started for tome, which they reached about 7 p m., everiono appearing to be well pleased with their lay’s outing. Accidskto. A very painful accident happened last evening to shrousg man named Joim Biordan, about fit {years of age, em« ployed to the fitting sheet at the railway, residing near Opawa. He las returning from Lyttelton by the 6.16 p.a. train, and when between Hillsborough stodOpawa, either fell or jumped off the plaiforri of the carriage and got under the wheels The occurrence was seen by a person who pad just alighted from the down train at Opiwa, who shouted to the driver of the trim, which was immediately stopped and Bitrdan was picked up. It was found that loth his legs had been cut off at the knce.l He was at once conveyed to the Christchurch Hospital, where be received every attention.! Late last night he wae alive, but in a v«rj|preoarious state. —A w.«w named John CheMl was received into the Hospital last eveaul, suffering from a compound fracture of to* right thigh, caused by the kick of a Howl. Ms injuries were promptly attended to. \ Masonic,—The initallatito of the W.M, and investiture of the officers] of the Canterbury Lodge, took place on Sonday evening at the St Augustine Hall, wbsn the following officers were duly inetwediby p.D.Q,M. Bro H- Thomson, assisted by H.M. Bro W. D<»mer, via.!—Bro M. Saeßetein,, W.M. j W, X. 0. Mills, B.W. } j. i Bev JS> 0- WW&HI* Ctiftplftio i A* Hu jCifkg PsM» } Treasurer (re-elected) t B. Secretory t J. 0. Cooper, 8.D.» W. H. Mwenger, J.D. i Q. Humphries* LG. i wdT* 8. Lambert, 0.0. Previous to the Jl»toll*tion the W.M.. Bro W. H, Ford, oa|ri»ftlf of the Lodge, presented I.P.M. & William* with a very handsome i ®*e jewel wae manufactured by Sro feadetoto. and bow* « suitable inscripUM. "‘tor the installation the Brethren and visitors adjourned to the Canterbury p*J|» *hero refreshment* were provided If Bro Messenger, when the usual •? , Masonic toasts were honoured «d respondw to. Cotovao Boat* Wtstarat' Ohukcu, A assembled at the invitation of the »*v d* 8. Skhwortb, and partook of a alter which the Bev J. 8- B j a behalf of the trust**#, pr«fanwd Mr G, Dolby, choirmaster, with an diuminsted addnas end a purs* of sof*»lgo*|M • token of their appreciation of *"• services rendered by him tor in church work. Mr »dby the present in sttiuMs terfW,*nd bis willingness stiU to do «hM h*' promoto good congregational of the trustee* bar* the Of m choir *** . aU f ,’.tuoUne raarjvssf sSsraJSS; to to* number of m were oon«;jd from »«leito*«,to Ikipsooi by »^ c i re 2“n they pwoesded to to* 01Z*1amusegMHmfk wh«w the mmol »pf r * # Dftr tv mmU mm l»art% eagatfd io- JJg rsiavtstd to live t ««ir.gßsnng r»jJ

Has* HottoAvs.—The ban It la Hsw Zealand will be closed on Monday and Tuesday, Decetabor S 3 and 117, and oa Monday, lanuayy 1! nest. The of Uta Aebbtittoa Itosae wlibse If *ckt»owieO*« with tiiank* the f«e*tpt of *«, iowwnfa a Cbrlatmae treat for the la«*at*», from Mr 11, Wilkin, CbrwtofttiTeb, ,_ . , The Matter . » «»» Btirttbam lodnstrial Bcbflol wtabo# to aaknowWeo witti It alike the iliroatb Mr Mnnli, of £), giraa by Mr B, Wilkin toward* Ute Cbrlaimaa treat. . . Ttwateamer Akaroa will r«n as ewmwloa trip to UtUa dkaloaeti Unndty oert, „ , . . Tba Santfe Caledoabui e aeretttb annaal r*ib«nnr will tobeht oa Moaday, Jm t 2, at Ibe im»v A«rknll«ria Show Oronwfa, Tltwerti. The epeite are often Ut All aeiaere. Mofflioallooa lor ibo band leap races moat fc« neat to to lb* Stoewury by 0 p ra cm Ow. *4. Dm iwurter of th« urphinaro dealt** to »«*no*l#d#e the re««lpto( £1 from Mr U. Wilkin, A 3 *• ftom " Bjd,” and two cake* from Mr* P«**, lortM childita. _ „ In flaw of a raornnlmUeii of Ha JSlatane by tb* Selection Comm»>t-o of tbe tancaator Park tl«b, a tnalcb will l>* placed on llao. 14 aid II betwem teams tinder and oratii I, for which the foljowtcg hare hern eboeea to olay j—Oeer ft—*#*•«* Donald, (lay, *irast, llartwy (Captain), llacoo, H. I.mirhnan, F, Donsbnafl, M'DoWoll, llßßlhoo, WDoanalt, Mar#b.aH,So«tor, II OoUotK Mjtisatar, Dye*. Coder 'il—Messr» lioeh, Clark, Dunlop, W. Ha««#l,lf. Jlaetal, C. Imngbnaa, L. Massbr, J. Taylor (Captain), Jtobleon, Uleh, Wood, Done. Ormond, Cooper. A pood wlclat will ba prwrMad for oHior member* of t&o Club to engafe in* eoratoh match on Ibo aamo days. Tnoaday next (Oa*. 37» and tho Monday followinn (Jan. 2) will be obaertad as spacml Dank holiday* at tho rations Banka la New Xaalsnd. Tho annuel meotinr of the Blooarton Hoad Board will bo hold on dm 7 for olootton of two uoiDbom. Nominations mnat ho mado before noon on Wednesday, Doo. 28. . _ . Tho fonndotion stone of tho now f fnoolo Prerbytorlau Church will bo laid by Dr Sntbin to-morrow afternoon, at hal(>pnsl thro#. An excursion trlp.to Pi««on Bay will he made hr tbs rarrabero of the AtheDtan hoago, U A.O D, on Itoslog Day, atortiny from Lyiujiton at haU-paat nimt and returning about half.p&ft ai*. 4 „ 4 Tho annual mooting of niop*y*ro in tho Pori Victoria Boad Board dlstriot wilt he hold at tho •oboolbenee, CloeertioPo Bay oooth. at noon, on Timiday Jan. 3. Nominations low the election of two member* mast b« made tho earns day, JEntriaa for a nnmbar of the orento at the Panastti ■porta wilt oloao to-monow, at Tilteraalro or Par-anol Hotel. The thirteenth anneal gathering under the auspice* of tbe Oamara Caledonian uootely will b* held on the Agricultural Association's rtserre on Jan. 3 and 8. when shoot A 375 will be glten in prises. Further particular* will be obtained on reference to advertisement. „ A meeting of persose Interested to tbe Port Victoria races will be held this erentog, at the Wheatsheaf Hotel, Hoad ot the Bay. . _ . On Saturday, Deo. 34 and 31, tho Midland Club will play two matches a«aln<it the Addington Clan, between second and third elsaas*. The following wilt compose the second eleven of the M.C.C.C. : —Messrs Polatret, Whiting, (Xhen, Boilay. 8011. Pantt. Hunt, W. H. Uargraars*, Homer, Bow, and Smith. Third eieven-Mesen Tnrnrr (Cantala), B. P. Hill, T. J. BUI, Maeem, Jndgo. Sbaad. Dlgby. Dunbar, Bareev, Gee, H. Humane, Morris, and EiweL Th* second eleven will play on the Midland ground j the others on tbe Addington grannd (oppoaito the Boepital).

Sib H. Robinson's Chaplain. The World contains the following paragraph, which, it is understood, refers to the Rev Charles Meysey Thompson, who woe private chaplain to Sir Hercules Robinson in Hew Zealand: " Sir Henry Meysey Thompson has just sustained a severe domestic loss in the death of his brother, Mr Charles Meysey Thompson, who left England some months ago for his health, and aisd somewhat suddenly abroad last week,” It is perhaps not generally known (saye tho Chroniclt), that the deceased gentleman suffered ostracism from Government House for reproving a lady of tbe household for leaving the ohurch in the midst of tho administration of tbe sacrament.

Old Ehoxibh Faib at Mbxdoubnb.—An old English fair was opened at the Melbourne Town Hall last week by the Bishop of Melbourne, His Excellency tbe Governor also being preeent. There woe a very large attendance of the public. The interior of the Town Hall was arranged as an exact fm timile of on old English street at Fair Time t and the illusion was heightened by a large number of ladies and gentlemen, who were interested in the primaiy object of ths Fair—raising a fund to baud a new Anglican Church at Balaclava—appearing in the costumes of the period. The scene woe ft peculiarly novel one, and the idea it bound to result in an enormous pecuniary snccese. The Hall was crowded in the afternoon arid evening, to that getting from one stall to the other was a matter of eome difficulty i and ft very large sum of money wu collected.

Tbafpic vs ComristßATX Bow©*.—The continued activity in the Confederate bond ■peculation excites the curiosity of the united States Treasury officials, who are trying to find oat what it is based on. One of theeo officials think* that the Government at the doee of the rebellion had information showing that the Confederate Government had deposited secretly in Europe property amounting to ten millions of dollar*. It ts believed that the present value of that property is forty millions. It is known that at least ten large fine Confederate steamere were in foreign ports when the war closed. Apart from the large amount of money said to have ’been deposited in the London Banks by the Confederate authorities, it is believed that private Southern individuals placed money' there secretly. The Treasury has made several attempts to obtain a clue to this property. Agents have been sent to England, but they never succeeded in finding a single dollar. Mr Sherman made a contract with one agent, agreeing to pay him £0 per cent of all the money recovered, but be accomplished nothing. The Treasury officials look with suspicion on Mr Jefferson Davis' frequent trim to Europe as in some way connected with the supposed funds.

Axothbb Abti.uk Hwqciit Wahtxd.— The Sunbury Asylum in Victoria seems to be as much in need of a searching inspection as was the Wellington institution. The Argus says i— The staff of the Sunbury Asylum for the insane must he in a deplorable condition of disorganisation if the proceeding! at the inquiry recently are to be accepted as an indication of the relatione which exist between the officers. There doe* not appear to be any system of subordination worthy of the name, and the attendants seemed to be pitted one against the other, and to cherish the hope that something may transpire upon which to base an accusation, no matter now trivial the circumstance may be. Some men are believed to be favourites of the Superintendent, and to receive advantages is consequence, while others are overlooked t and, in the female division also, the officers appear to be acting in opposition to each other. In a great measure toss lack of unity is to bo attributed to toe non-attend-anoo (excepting at long intervals) of the visitors appointed to inspect the institution. There would appear to be some Inmates who, if not in possession of all their faculties, are at least in such a condition of mind as to render their detention unnecessary. The head laundress, for example, said that a female patient who had been removed from Kew had not shown any eymptoms of unsoundness of intellect in the twelve months she bod known heri and a man who is ostensibly a patient, and employed as a Erooro, was also declared to be mo*. Indeed, e appears to enjoy more liberty than some of the officers, and to be as well known in the township os at toe asylum. Assscom Lioht.—One of the finest lights on the Atlantia tea-board of the United States is that at Ahseooin, near Atlantic City, which has a Fresnel lens of the first order, giving a moss of light six feet wide and ten feet nigh, visible at sea to distances of twenty miles. A carious history attache# to this light, which illustrates in a remarkable manner the mistakes and delays incidental to a customs system which levies duty on everything. About twenty-fire years ago a huge package was left at New York, addressed to a person who never claimed it, and at an auction, in which rummage goods were sold to recover the unpaid duties, this pocket was nut up and bought for two hundred dollars. When opened a Urge Fresnel lens was discovered, and on inquiry it was found that the United States Government bod paid nearly eleven thousand dollars for it, and bad given it up as lost, the changes occurring In the personnet of the departments on the accession of each now President, having doubtless contributed to the mistake. The lent having been recovered, was erected at Abteoom on the top of a tower 167 feet high, and is now one of the best light* on the Atlantic coast. The keeper of the lighthouse Is a bit of a bird fancier, and could probably give some information on a subject which has recently attracted the attention of the British Association. For the last few years statistic* have

b««n collected and obmrtalte** mad# at to the migration* of bird#, tad *om« of th# most valwhl® Information mum from lb# depart of ligbthoutee and light#hip#, la the mm» of »f **r many thousand* of bird# «r» jitlicKl by awhiftg them*®!*** *g*init th« framework of tb# light#, probably much for tbt tarns w*oo that moth# *re stag®d in a oaodloj hot at Abwoom they hav® a netting which (MptMt the bird#, ana it i# rioted th»t often m many #• three hundred a» caught in * ?JtrAirra»»ota Pnoroeuntr. —Taking a ufcotograph in a moment ha# been thought o great achievement, bat It U nothing to what Mo»«*ur May bridge i# reported to be doing at Paris. He tale# • fAotograph to the hundredth part of a wcond, and I* *howteg »ttritt of *fs obtained daring the leap of » down. The figure* ere projected on ft *c#*eo, and the down ie aahibttM a* to mutton, with all hi* change# of petition. A hkM ». N*wi pa **'».—At the annual picnic of the Spdmp Moraiej Herald comprising that well-known daily, the Meho and the sfdmty Mail-1 ho following inlet#ri* tog remark* were made in reply to lha tout of the firm, Meim John Fairfax and. Sew Mr Hugh George detired to inform them Ibal more work bad been accomplished in the Herald office daring that week than tod rrer been done to one week before. (Ohe»re). Me bad taken the opportunity that morning to go mot a file of the 2Vawe, from Ost. 10 toOri. 16, and he found from ft' careful toepeetton that the Herald i* not only the large** admitting paper, but it i« the Isrgert paper pub* Itthed to Her Majeety 1 ’• domtotooe througnout the world, not excepting London. (Chew* ) During the week referred to the Timt* tod not bad ft finite dfty’a pftper exceeding 16 page*, end the large** paper onaoy on# day had &2 column* of advertisement*, and daring the week ending oo Oct. 10 there were 270 column* of ndrertiMmeote ineerted. But during laet week the Herald pubtolled 888 column*— (cheer*),— or 63 column* to escete of the Turn*. And the Herald of that day had 91 ootouma of adrertJeemente against 52 of the London Timet. (Obeen.) The Herald had pubtohed during the week one 14-page paper, two 16-page paper*, and one 20-page Vff*** During the lari fortnight ttoy had pubtohed two 20-page pftper*, *ad he thought they would tee tuat the Herald waa the large** paper in Her Uajeri/s dominion*. (Cheer*.) Iha weight of paper eotauased during the week waa .19 too*, and the length of the paper used for the Herald alone me •lens million inehee, or 178 nuiee—enough to atretoh from Sydney to beyond Bathorri or Ooulbura. (Übcera.) Daring the week their compotitora had paeced through their hand* no law than 6,080,660 type letter*. (Cheer*) Thoee figures would ehow the effietonoy of the department# that produced tuch reeulte. (Cheese.)