NEWS OF THE DAY.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2088, 1 December 1879, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

At the adjourned inquest on the bodies of the two children who died suddenly at Ashburton a few days ago, the evidence shewed that no traces of poison could be detected .although the post mortem appearances were indicative of poisoning rather than suffocation. The jury found that there was no evidence as to how the children came hy their death. The Education Board of Otago, hitherto supposed to be an intelligent body, has just passed a resolution to the effect that teachers will not be allowed to get sick without the written sanction of the Board’s Secretary, and should their sickness extend over a month stoppage of salary and other penalties will be exacted. Some of the friends of the Board are mentally distressed and it is said that the teachers and School Committees are awaiting anxiously the intervention of Dr Skae.

Mr J. E. Fitzgerald, Commissioner of Audit, visits Waimate to-day, to adjudicate re settlement of accounts between the County and Borough Councils. The “ Illustrated New Zealand Herald ” for this month contains a view of the New Zealand court at the Sydney Exhibition, besides several other representations of the interior of the structure, portraits of the Commissioners, and illustrations of Victorian sporting incidents. Bicycle practice is becoming fashionable in Christchurch. Lately it has been all the rage in Dunedin among the mercantile classes, and stocks of skin plaster are running short. The members of the Westland County Council are an extraordinary lot of men, judging from the following telegram: — The annual election of the County Chairman for Westland took place to-day, with no result. Eight members were present, and all were candidates. • No one was elected, and the meeting adjourned sine die. It is probable that the Govcrnor-in-Council will be asked to proclaim another day for the election of a County Chairman, otherwise the present chairman (Mr. Grimmond) will retain office.

An absconder named Ncibers, belonging to Waimate, has been arrested at tbc Bluff and will appear before the Waimate Bench on Thursday to answer several charges of obtaining money and goods by false pretences.

The Waimate County Cricket Club have resolved to play Oamaru on Dec. G ; Timaru Press, Dec. 13 ; and Chimo C.C., on Dec. IG. The following players were chosen to represent the Waimate Club in the Oamaru match: —Adams, Anderson, Collins, Cooper, Macpherson, North, Eeevc, llyan, Stoven, Whitcombe, Wingfield ; emergency—Cook, Johnstone, and Franklin.

It is expected that Parliament will be prorogued on the Kith. There are rumors of changes in the Ministry accompanying the event, Invercargill is jubliant in anticipation of Mr Bain’s becoming Commisioner of Customs, and the Wellington cabmen are on the tip-toe of expectation over the uncertain health of the present Native Minister Mr Bryce, and the prospect of “ the great Liberal in the hackney line,” Mr John [Sheehan, again coming to the front.

The Oamaru Harbor Board Bill which has just been passed gives the Board power to borrow £IOO,OOO right off and repeals a provision in the original Act limiting the amount to £30,000 in two years. In anticipation of the new Bill the Board sent debentures for the larger sum to London and the agents have now been instructed by cable to float the loan forthwith. Fire Brigade practice is not exactly child’s play. Mr James Fulton the initiator of the Oamaru Brigade has just fallen a victim to one of the risks of the fireman, The “Mail” tells us that at a recent fire he was one of the most energetic workers, and there received a drenching, resulting in a severe cold and inflammation of the lungs, which terminated fatally last (Thursday) evening. The “ Post ” referring to Sir George Grey says: “It is understood that he had a most magnificent oration prepared and all ready for delivery in anticipation of the rcimposition by the Government of the tea and sugar duties ; and, after all, the Government didn’t reimposc them. It was too bad to inflict so cruel a disappointment on that ‘ soi-disant ’ ‘ outcast,’ erstwhile ‘ the great Pro-Consul.’ No wonder that Sir George Grey was so dreadfully cross and captious during the remainder of the evening, when he found all the ground thus ruthlessly cut from under his feet!

The Telegraph Commissioners has notified to the departments under his control that the pay of any officer meeting with an accident while playing at football will cense while absent from duty.

An Auckland paper says that one item in the Native Minister’s account of expenses in Cambridge is very suggestive, viz, “To hire of bedstead, 925.” People don’t sleep on the floor nowadays. Levy, the cornet player, has come to grief. He has been unable to play for some time. The “New York Dramatic News” says The malady which he is suffering from is known as a ‘ frozen lip.’ In fact, it is a species of paralysis, generally incurable. For the sake of myriads of simple-hearted men and women and little children who have delighted to hear Levy, we hope it may not prove so in his case. Whatever his foibles have been, he has been a very wizard of delight to multitudes.”

An exceptionally singular case of sudden death occurred at Melbourne on Nov. 5. Whilst Samuel Keeble, the undertaker of the Melbourne Metropolitan Lunatic Asylum was in the act of coffining a deceased inmate he was observed to stagger and fall as though in a fit. Dr Fishbourne, one of the resident medical officers, was at once sent for, but on his arrival found that Keeble was quite dead.

At the District Court to-day, during the hearing of an action arising out of a title to some land, Mr White intimated that £lO had to be paid to secure the attendance of Mr D’Oyley, District Registrar, from Christchurch. His Honor Judge Ward, on hearing the item, opened his eyes to their widest dimensions and asked how it was made up. Mr D’Oyley replied that his expenses amounted to £lO 11s sd, and the amount had to be made good to the Government under the Civil Service regulations. His Honor said he should like to know when these regulations were made and by whom ? The amount claimed was monstrous. Mr D’Oyley replied that the claim was not a personal one, and that he charged for three days services "on principle.” His Honor acknowledged that he could charge for Saturday, Sunday, and Monday as a witness, but he did not see how he could make a claim for loss of services to the Government on Sunday. Eventually the Civil Service regulations were hunted up, and the amount claimed by the witness was materially reduced.

If we may credit the inscription on a tombstone in the old cemetery, York place (saysthe “Dunedin Star”) the literary and religions worlds are wrong in atributing the authorship of a well-known passage hitherto supposed scriptural to St Paul. After the usual statement that that stone marks the place of interment of certain persons in whose memory it was placed there, the following line and authority are appended:— “It is appointed unto men once to die.” (Signed) Spicku & Mubbay, George street, Dunedin.

Messrs Peacock and Geaney, the wellknown butchers, intend to make considerable reductions in the price of meat from and after Monday Dec. 1. The extraordinary plentiful supply of grass this season, has had the effect of producing an unusual quantity of prime fat meat, and as Messrs Peacock and Geaney are cash buyers in the best market, they are thus enabled to give their customers the benefit of a reduction. In future their prices will bo:—Prime beef, surloin, 7d per lb; roast, from 5d to (id ; boiling beef, from 3d to Id ; corned beef, from 3d to -kl; corned round, 5d ; roast pork, from 5d to (id; corned pork, form Id to (id; veal, from (id to 7d ; prime mutton, sides, 2.)d; hind-quarters, 3d ; forequarters, 2d; shoulders, 3d; loins, 3,)d; legs, -Id. The small goods as usual will continue to meet with their best attention, and they can confidently recommend them to the public.—[Anvr.]