NEWS OF THE DAY.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2091, 4 December 1879, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

The committee of the Timaru llocket Brigade will meet this evening, at the lighthouse, for the consideration of important business.

The annual sports of the South Canterbury Caledonian Society will be held as usual on New Year’s Day at the Agricultural Show Grounds, Prizes amounting to £luO are offered and plenty of competition for the events may be anticipated. It is intended to make special arrangement for visitors by rail and the committees efforts we have no doubt, will be rewarded by a grand gathering.

The following notice from the Sydney “Morning Herald,” in reference to the New Zealand Court at the Sydney Exhibition is commended to the attention of intending shareholders in the Phrenic Brewing and Malting Company: —An examination of the hops and the barley in the New Zealand Court’ suggests the thought that that country is destined to excel in the production of beer, and further acquaintance with the number and nature of the exhibits clearly indicates that the brewing industry lias obtained a prodigious development in New Zealand.

At telegram from Wellington states that the recent collision on the Wellington and Featherston railway appears to be due to the failure of the engine break at a critical time.

New trials have been granted in the following actions by the Judge of the Supreme Court, Wellington, viz., Richardson v. Bank of New South Wales, and Farrell v. O’Malley.

Captain Logan, well-known as the Commander of the s.s. Hero, running between Sydney and Auckland has for eleven years been guilty of a breach of the Marine Laws affecting the Auckland port. During the term mentioned he has landed without a permit, and yesterday he was summoned before the R.M., and lined Is and costs, £2 10s. A telegram from the northern capital informs us that a public shil'ing subscription is being raised to pay the fine. The ill-fated steamer, Hannah Mokau, is in a very precarious position at the Mokau bar, owing to the shifting nature of the sand. All attempts up to the present have been foiled by this almost insurmountable difficulty, as although the vessel has been lifted and placed on the launching ways several times, on the flowing of the tide she sinks down again into the sand taking everything with her. Croat interest is being evinced in the walking match which will take place on Saturday next in the Mechanics’s Institute between O’Connor and Young Glccsou. We learn that the opponents will appear separately on the track, the man doing the fastest time to be declared the winner.

Owing to the pressure of business at the Resident Magistrate’s Court, Oamaru, the hearing of the batch of sly grog selling informations has been further adjourned for a week.

We would remind our readers that the next outward ’Frisco mail will close at the post office on Saturday next. The notice relative to the hour of closing wiH be found in the usual column.

There was a very fair attendance at the Theatre Royal last night, and the exhibition is well worth a visit. The cats especially arc a curiosity in themselves. The exhibition will be open this afternoon and in the evening.

Tne members of the committee of the Floral and Horticultural Society held an ordinary meeting last evening at which there was a full attendance- The following gentlemen were appointed judges of pot plants and flowers : —Messrs McPherson, Hcywood, and Falconer, Ecsoved, that Messrs Harney, C. Green, and Erskine lie requested to act as judges of fruit and vegetables. Other business included the passing of the following resolutions: —That the Hon Secretary, be requested to write to His Honor Mr Justice Johnson re the public holiday on the Kith inst, and ask him to adjourn the sittings of the Supreme Court on that date. That the Secretary write to Mr Ford thanking him for his offer to fit up the show room with gas for the flower show on the Kith inst., and requesting him to be kind enough to have it ready by that date. That the resolution passed on the 4th July, 1879 appointing the show to be held on the Kith of December, 1879, in the Mechanics’ Instituc, be rescinded and that the show be held in Messrs Maclean and Stewart’s Auction Mart, and that Mr Jones be paid £3 the room being engaged by the Secretary for that date. That the Secretary advertise that collectors will call on all subscribers for their subscriptions. The meeting|adjournedjtill Wednesday next. The London correspondent of the “Leeds Mercury” states that Mr Eassam, who is carrying on the work begun by the late Mr George Smith, has just discovered at Babylon an octagonal cylinder, on the sides of which arc engraved a history of the campaign of Sennacherib against King Hezekiah. This important find is to be sent to London for safe-keeping. The Wellington Industrial Association have issued a circular inviting the co-opera-tion of the public bodies in the Colony in holding an International Exhibition in Wellington in 1881. The circular adds:— “The plan upon which the preliminary arrangements arc based is that the Exhibition shall be essentially the people’s Exhibition, and that it is anticipated that by a subscription of Is each from the people of the Colony a large sum of money may be raised, which the Government will be asked to supplement; in fact, taking advantage of the present session of Parliament, this has been anticipated by a request already preferred in the above direction.”

The Government Landing Service during the month of November was working only fourteen days, boisterous weather rendering landing and shipping operations on other days impossible. During this time, however, 911 tons of cargo were landed and shipped, being 82 boatloads, and realising £2ll Hs 7d.

The contractors for the second section of the breakwater have commenced repairing the portion of tire mole which gave way during the late gales, and expect to have the work finished by Saturday next. The concrete flouring at present hr course of formation will be extended after the removal of the blocks now embedded in the shingle. The laying of blocks at the end of the mole will be commenced on Monday, weather permitting. A notification altering the name of the Waihi Bush Post olliec to Woodbury appears in the mail notices published this evening.

There was no business at the Eesident Magistrate’s Court this morning. Hay making is in full swung around Timaru. During the past day or two hundreds of acres of rye grass have been cut and the mowers arc everywhere busily at work. The clip is enormous and good weather is alone needed to ensure Hs being well harvested.