NEWS OF THE DAY.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2140, 30 January 1880, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Dunedin has subscribed £BOO, or three times the amount collected for Mr H. S. Fish, for the Irish Relief Fund. In reply to a deputation from the Education Board of Otago, the Hon. Mr Rolleston states that out of the £176,000 voted for school buildings, £50,000 remained, and this will be expended when the wants are urgent. The question of retiring allowances to superannuated teachers is to receive consideration.

The “ lambing down ” season has opened in Oamaru with the robbery of £4O from a shearer named Alexander Smith, and the committal for trial of a lambing artist named Connell.

About 450 persons attended the inaugural meeting of the Sunday-school Association at Christchurch last evening. The next meeting of the Board of Governors of the Timaru High School will be held on Feb. 10, being postponed for one week beyond the ordinary day of meeting. Chess players will be interested to learn that a match of more than ordinary interest is on ths lapis. Next week Mr Jacobson, of Christchurch, will compete single-handed against six chess players of Timaru, viz : The Rev W. Gillies, and Messrs Byrne, Gordon, Ziesler, Stringer, and Taylor. The match will be played at the chess clubroom of the Mechanics’ Institute, and the ])ublic will be admitted on the occasion. A new lime-kiln has just been erected at the Kakahu Gorge by Messrs McDougall and Walker, the well-known lime burners. The new kiln is capable of burning 120 bags at one time, and being built close to the quarry whence the stone is obtained, thus obviating the necessity of carting away the material for burning as has been heretofore done, promises to be a decided success. The lime produced at this kiln is very highly spoken of. Auckland celebrated its 40th anniversary yesterday by a Friendly Societies demonstration in which 000 took part, a regatta, and other sports.

.Subscribers in the habit of visiting the library and reading-room of the Timaru Mechanics’ Institute in search of mental food can scarcely fail to have observed the great change for the better that has lately come over these places of public resort. Only a few months ago, both library and reading-room presented an appearance, to put it as mildly as possible, that was the reverse of orderly ; while, if a particular volume was wanted by the “ bookish” man, it was a thousand chances to one that he was not told that it was “ out,” or “missing,” whereas it was, in very many cases at least, lying away on one of the shelves, or upon the floor. This vexatious state of things has now happily passed away; method and order prevail where “chaos reigned.” A great many new subscribers have been enrolled during the past few weeks, and the committee, to enhance the attractions of the collection, are about to send to England for £SO worth of new literature. Subscribers are invited to aid in suggesting suitable works, a “ suggestion book ” being kept for this purpose on the library table.

In reference to imprisonment for drunkenness, Sub-Inspector Pardy, of Auckland, seems to think it is the best thing that could happen to a confirmed drunkard. At a recent trial, he said seclusion in the gaols proved a blessing rather than a punishment to such gentry. They got regular meals, and moderate exercise ; which together with enforced tenqaerancc, completely set up their dissipated frames and made them robust again. In fact some of them were so much improved physically by their stay that when they came out at the expiry of their sentences, their friends hardly knew them.

In an article on the Bankruptcy laws of New Zealand the “Ashburton Mail ” illustrates the position it takes up by quoting the following as part of a letter lately addressed by a colonist to a friend in Great Britain:—“ Dear William, —This is one of the freest countries in the whole of Her Majesty’s dominions. A man who has no money and less reputation can do better hero than in any other part of the world. Nothing is easier than to get credit to almost any extent, and then by going through ‘ the mill,’ the liabilities are winnowed from the hard cash, the latter being left in the pockets of the bankrupt, while the former are thrown upon the hands of the creditors. When a man in your country becomes insolvent his ruin is complete. He comes out of the whitewashing process penniless —a social and moral bankrupt, probably to die in a workhouse ; but how different is the case here. The Insolvency Court of New Zealand is frequently the path which leads to fortune —the high road by which many people have passed on to affluence and—‘ respectability.’ ” In reference to the fire at Oamaru, the local “ Times ” says :—When the alarm was given, Mrs Markham and her sister went upstairs for the purpose of saving some of their personal property, but on attempting to return they could not find the stair. Fortunately a male member of the household got to their assistance, and the ladies ware lowered to the sidewalk through one of the front windows in the Queen’s hotel. A great many of the rough-and-ready onlookers got intoxicated during and after the fire on liquor supplied and appropriated without having been supplied, some of those who fell into this disgusting state being mere boys One boy who picked up a bottle of ale had the bottle, which was sticking hot, burst in his hands, which were dreadfully lacerated by the explosion. It is feared thSt a man named Charlie (surname unknown) has lost his life in the fire. A few minutes before the outbreak of the flames, he was talking to some men in the bakehouse, at the rear of Messrs Bailie and Humphrey’s store. Thence he was seen entering the hotel, and since the fire he has in no way been heard of. It is surmised by some that he may have been suffocated by the smoke in the interior of the building, and the remains entirely consumed by the flames. On the other hand he may have left the hotel uninjured, and may be still knocking about the town, or he may have gone into the country. We merely state the incidents as it has been reported to us.

A few volunteers assembled at the railway station to-day, just before the arrival of the express train from Dunedin, but as Colonel Seratchley did not arrive no inspection was held.

Messrs Miles Archer and Go., advertise a public trial of the Deering twine binder on Monday next in a crop near town. We believe this is the same machine which has been so satisfactorily tried in Christchurch and which won the gold meadal in the Ashburton 'competition a few days ago. Parliament is further prorogued till April 22nd with the view of getting All-Fools’-Day over in peace. The X. 0. “ Times ” says that if there is iu Oamaru an Institution which is a 'once a real credit and a thorough disgrace to the community it is the Fire Brigade. It is creditable that there are in the town many men with sufficient hardihood and selfsacrifice to induce them to join a body which is subject at any moment to be called iqion to perform the difficult and dangerous duties of a Fire Brigade, and it is disgraceful that such a ‘body of men should, through the parsimony of insurance offices, and the apathy of the citizens, be left to do their work without proper tools.

Win. Howe, ex-member for the Thames, has gone into business as a mining speculator, and is floating a mine called the Caledonian. Politically William proved “ a bad egg,” but in mining ventures he is said to be “ a plum.”

The profits of the Napier Gas Co. for the past year amount to 20 per cent. A dividend of £1 per share, equal to 18 per cent, on the capital, has been declared.

The Timaru High School will be opened on Monday, which day will be devoted to the classification of pupils. A full attendance of pupils is requested, in order that the regular school work may commence on Monday. Messrs Jonas, Hart and Wildic will sell, to-morrow, at their yards, at 11 a.m., a fine lot of staunch draught marcs and geldings ; also, first-class hacks, harness horses, fillies, &c. Messrs Maclean and Stewart will sell at the Timaru Horse Bazaar, to-morrow, at 11 a.m., a pair of well matched buggy horses and 12 draught horses; also, Ayrshire bull and cow, and 5 first-class Berkshire sows, Ac. Messrs W. Collins and Co. will sell at their rooms, to-morrow, at 1 o’clock, a litter of pure bred bull terriers ; also, farm produce, furniture, boots, Ac. Messrs Cliff and Co. will sell, at their rooms, to-morrow, harness, furniture, groceries, timber, Ac.

The attention of sporting men is directed to Geo. Dodson’s announcement in another column.