NEWS OF THE DAY.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2134, 24 January 1880, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Two young fellows were charged at the 11. M. Court this morning with a breach of the peace yesterday, by fighting in the high road. One of the accused remarked that they had only come into town the previous evening and had got a glass too much and this had caused their little difference. As it appeared that they were not known His worship discharged them with a caution. The Presbyterian Synod of Otago concluded its bickerings on Wednesday night. The Bev. J. Christie, of Waikouaiti was elected Moderator for 1881. A Commission was appointed to advertise for and select a suitable (orthodox) person to fill the new Chair of English Literature at the Otago University. A Bible Heading in Schools Committee was appointed, The Bev. Dr Stuart was appointed Commissioner to the Pan-Presbyterian Council, to be held at Philadelphia in July next; the Beves J.B.Y. Ley, A. Greig, and Mr Bennie to represent the Synod at the next meeting of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church at Auckland; and the Bevs. W. Bannerman and W. Will, to attend the Presbyterian Conference at Melbourne in November next.

On Thursday last the children of the Wesleyan Sunday School, together with their teachers and friends were entertained at the residence of Mr and Mrs Woodhead, and and a most enjoyable day was spent by the young people, who after certain prizes had been distributed, indulged in sports and pastimes until evening. The Bev. Mr Barclay and the Bev. W. S. Harper were present on the occasion.

A telegraph station has been opened at Winchester.

A meeting of the Loyal Arowhcnua Lodge, 1.0.0. F., Manchester Unity, was held at the Lodge room, Boyal hotel, Tcmuka, on Wednesday evening. The following officers were installed for the ensusuing term of six months :—Bro. Elliott, N.G.; Bro. Weir, Y.G.; Bro. Louis, Secretary. Hospital servants of the male sex are acquiring a celebrity for abominbable offences. The latest illustration is furnished from Auckland, where an hospital servant named Bergen has been sentenced to three years’ imprisonment, for indecency in the public domain. It is scarcely the thing to turn a severe accident into ridicule, but we cannot help suggesting that “ rats ” should avoid contact with “ greyhounds.” An Auckland telegram states that as Mr W. Bowe, of Thames notoriety, was descending the stairs of the Greyhound Hotel, his foot slipped and he fell to the bottom. The result was a nasty bruise on the temple, and a few minutes insensibility. Dr Hooper was sent for and the ex-memher recovered sufficiently to be able to walk home. The Waikato contract of the WaikatoThatnes railway has been let to Hunt and White, of Auckland, for £0930. Mr Bobert Pollock, an old settler, who was a member of the Nelson Provincial Council, and late Provincial Auditor, and at the time of his death Secretary to the Nelson College, died on Thursday night. Colonel Scratchley has fixed upon positions for batteries on the north shore of Lyttelton harbour.

A programme has been prepared of the Oamaru races on March 17 and 18. The money to be given away amounts to between £4OO and £SOO. The programme includes a steeplechase and hack steeplechase.

The Directors of the Colonial Bank have issued their report. They propose to pay' a dividend of eight per cent., add £IOOO to the reserve fund, and carry forward £2500. In case of deficiencies from accounts in liquidation they propose to transfer £20,000 from the reserve fund to a special suspense account until it is seen how the securities held against these accounts realise, but the directors express their belief that a considerable portion of this fund will find its way back to the reserve fund. General Davidson, a recent arrival at Nelson from the old country, is reported to have received the appointment of Inspector of Volunteers in the Middle Island.

As indicating the importance that, is just now attached to Mr-Gladstone’s utterances, it may be mentioned that When he opened his electioneering campaign in Midlothian in November last, no less than 70 reporters attended his first meeting, every leading paper in the Kingdom being represented. The only awards for the New Zealand wool at the Sydney International Exhibition went to Auckland exhibitors.: Mr M'Nicol was highly commended, and James Wallace got the first, prize for Lincoln wool ; Charles Read, of Auckland, the first prize for Leicester wool, A Dunedin woman named Diana Price, on being bound over to keep the peace towards a neighbor yesterday, alleged that she had been provoked by the complainant calling her a Fenian, and advising her to go to Tirnaru and join the rioters.

The following is reported from Grahamstown :—“ A Benedict, of only a few summers’ happiness, allowed his wife to spend Christmas season in Auckland, The lady and her child reaching Grahamstown, the wife made some inquiry respecting the morrow’s dinner, and on being informed that there was nothing prepared, asked her husband to take charge of the little one, aged 18 months, while she went in search of the necessary viands. She failed to return, and has only since been heard of as eloping with another, who was probably in waiting to escort her back the same evening in the Eterprise, soon after the Kotomahana came down. The deserted husband has taken steps to prevent his faithless wife from returning to her home, by selling off the furniture, and adopting the bachelor mode of live, a sadder, but a wiser man.”

Tho “ Oamaru Mail ” tells a nice little story anent the floating of the Waterworks loan. Mr Steivart, avlio Avas then Mayor, conceived the brilliant idea of sending Home a series of photographs, probably in order to convince the English moneylenders that some progress had been made with the construction of the waterworks. The result Avas unexpected. The members of the Stock Exchange, while admiring the beauty of the scenery, the excellence of the photographs, and the brilliance of the idea which prompted their transmission Home, coolly remarked, “We do not want photographs. Where arc your securities ?” Severe as the cut undoubtedly Avas, it was not the only unfortunate circumstance connected with the photographic business. At the last meeting of the Council, Councillor Otterson mentioned that the photographers had not yet been paid, and was greeted with a volley of enquiries as to upon whose authority they were ordered, Ac. No one seemed to be able to answer the queries, and Avith a determination Avell in keeping Avith the importance of the subject, several councillors declared that they would have the matter inquired into.

There are some specimens of first-rate manhood in the Borough of Sydenham, which is a suburb of Christchurch, Avith a population of seven or eight thousand persons. The local Council recently appointed a street-naming committee whose members are evidently men avlio appreciate literary genius, and love to honor it. At anyrate we learn from the “ Lyttelton Times” that in accordance with this committee's recommendations Sydenham will soon boast of such thoroughfares as Wilkie Collins street, OliA’er Goldsmith street, Tom Hood street, Charles Lamb street, Douglas Jerrold-street, Bulwer Lytton street, Stuart Mill street, Dean SAvift Street, and Victor Hugo street.

The Timam Borough School will re-open on Monday at *J a.m. Messrs Jonas, Hart and Wildie will sell at their rooms, on Monday, a lot of Househould furniture together with saddles, bridles, guns, Ac. By advertisement in another colnmn, it will be seen that the Rev W. Tinsley of Port Chalmers, will preach to-morrow at the Wesleyan Church, The public support which Messrs Peacock and Geaney now receive is a sufficient guarantee that the quality of their meat is superior to that of any other firm in town. Throughout every branch of their business it is their constant endeavor to provide the best of everything, and that their efforts arc appreciated is evidenced by the very large trade they are now doing. Indeed, since the New Year their business has increased so enormously that they have been compelled to give an order for the enlargement of their West End shop, which, when completed, will be the finest in town and will place further facilities at their disposal for attending to the wants of their customers. [Anvx.]