NEWS OF THE DAY.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2145, 5 February 1880, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

From the “ New Zealander ” wc extract the following paragraph which would lead us to infer that some milkman in Wellington has outraged our contemporary’s sense of propriety:—Religion and milk vending are not essentially antagonistic, but the parading of texts of scrjptqre on the sides of a dairyman’s cart is carrying Mlh.C)' religion or advertising zeal just a little too far, and many persons will be much inclined to doubt the unadulterated character of that man’s milk.

A fever patient, named Jane Maclean, escaped from the hospital this morning, at one p.m., and it was some time before the hospital surgeon, assisted by several other officials, could capture the poor woman, who seems to have been in a delirious state.

Pilot James, of Auckland, has resigned in disgust.

Speaking of a curious party who figures in the British army—General Crealock the London “ World ” says “ When he joined the column to take command, he appeared in the camp dressed more artistically than in uniform. A broad wide-awake hat and a feather ; and suspended to his belt by chains and swivels, as is the fashion with officers campaigning now-a-days, knives of all sorts, a compass, a corkscrew, a drinking cup, and other nicknacks. Says one blue jacket to his mate, as they were oiling a Gatling, ‘ Erc’s a ■ rummy-looking bloke, Jack; if we’d only a few wax candles, we’d darned soon turn him into a Christmas tree.’ ”

The Sir Rowland Hill Memorial Fund now amounts to £SIOO. It was stated at a recent meeting of the committee that of this sum £3OOO had been invested in Indian Stock, and it was determined to invest a further sum of £ISOO. The Lord Mayor said he would invite the governors of the British colonics to aid the movement. It was announced that 149 mayors and provosts in the United Kingdom had promised their assistance.

A Licensing Court for the Geraldine and Mount Peel districts will be held at the Courthouse, Geraldine, on March 2.

Mr Holton was elected Rate Collector and Inspector of Nuisances for the Temuka district.on Tuesday. Between £1)0 aud £IOO were collected at the Tcmuka Roman Catholic Chapel on Sunday last for the relief of the sufferers by the Irish Famine. This is an example worthy of imitation. On Suuday evening last the windows of the “ Chitha Leader” ollice were smashed, and the editor’s garden was damaged. The editor, who is a champion of orthodoxy, has consulted the police.

In an article on “ New Zealand and its obligations’” the -‘Australasian” comjnends the Hall Ministry for its determination to economise, and urges that everything that can be done in that direction should he done. And alluding to the “Post’s” doubt wether “any Ministry could insist upon rigid economy and yet live,” it says “ There is more at stake than the life of any Ministry. If the Colony is unable to support a Ministry that will regard the welfare of the State of more importance than its own duration its prospects arc indeed bad.” Republics are not ungratefu The Peruvian Chamber of Deputies has, by unanimous vote, made over to the widow and children of the late Admiral Gran, who commanded the Huascar in the battle of Mcjillones, on Oct. 8, a splendid residence in Lima, Captain Garcia who commanded the corvette Union, is to be tried by courtmartial for deserting the Huascar before the fight. The Chess tournament, Mr Jacobsen, of Christchurch v. five local players—the Rev Mr Gillies being unavoidably absent —came off last night at the Chess Room of the Mechanics’ Institute. Play commenced at 8 p.m., and resulted, at 12 o’clock in the victory of the local players. A return match will probably take place on Saturday afternoon.

The reaping and binding contest, which promises to be a most interesting event, takes place under the auspices of the Tiraaru A. and P. Association in Mr J. D. Rogers’ paddock (oats), Wai-iti road on .Saturday. The following are the entries: — Johnstone's string hinder, Deering’s twine binder, Osborne’s who binder, McCormick's wire binder, and Wood’s wire binder.

Yesterday, at the Auckland Police Court, Berthold Boddishamer, alias Kelly, a foreigner, of respectable appearance, was brought up on a charge of stealing £2B, the property of Eugene Kourge, on board the Arawata. At the request of the police, the accused was remanded, pending the arrival of a witness from Sydney.

The New Plymouth I [arbor Board passed a resolution requesting the Government to enforce penalties against the Titanic Iron and Steel Company for the nonfulfilment of the covenants of their lease. At the recent annual meeting of the Tcmuka Fire Brigade the question of disbanding the Brigade was very fully discussed. Uultimatcly it was resolved that the egrps he carried on as heretofore, and and a committee was appointed to canvass the town for the purpose of obtaining subscriptions and enrolling members. It is to be hoped that a little more support will be accorded to the Brigade during the present year - than has fallen to its share of late. It is a thoroughly useful institution, and deserves the countenance and support of the whole of the Temuka residents any one of whom may have reason to be grateful to the Brigade one of these days.

The ship Louise has arrived at London with a large consignment of frozen salmon from Canada. Samples of these fish have been submitted to Mr Frank Buckland, Inspector of Fisheries, to Messrs Stevenson, and other fish merchants in Billingsgate Market. Unlike the last lot that was seized at Billingsgate Market, these fish from the Louise are in good condition, and were caught in Canada during the open time for nets. Although, by a new process, they are frozen as hard as a board, experiments have proved that when properly thawed and cooked, they are excellent for the table.

What has Otago school Inspector Petrie done to the Dunedin “Herald?” Our contemporary concludes a criticism of that gentleman’s report as follows: —-‘In conclusion vve mp 4 «ay it is many a long day since wc have seen so much ignorance, conciet, and pedantry crammed into such g narrow space ; and we should certainly not have bothered our head about Mr Petrie had wc not wished to show what sort of qualifications arc considered necessary in a New Zealand Inspector of Schools, as well as to give an example of what many excellent and industrious schoolmasters have to suffer from the insolence qf presumptu"

ous ignorance,”

Dennis Barrett will be brought up on remand to-morrow, at the R. M. Court, charged with obtaining money under false pretences from Mr Gibson, of the Sportsman’s Arms, Saltwater Creek.

At the R. M. Court this morning, William Thompson was charged with being drunk and disorderly. As the accused had been cautioned by the Court on a previous occasion, he was now sentenced to four days imprisonment.

From Napier the sale is reported of Mr John White’s Manawatunganga leasehold, 12,000 acres, 17 years to run, at a rent of £250 per annum, with 7000 cross-bred sheep and 100 cattle, to Mr Mussen, for £6OOO.

The Rev Mr Mcßae has been appointed Moderator of the Auckland Presbytery. At a meeting of that body the Rev Mr Muroe remarked that in answer to one of the usual enquiries, he had received from certain ministers very frivolous and indeed insulting answers. The question was as to whether any particular index of spiritual life had been discerned during the year, and one of the answers which might be given as a sample was “nothing extraordinary. Much linking and dancing.” This was evidently intended as a reflection upon the congregation of St Janies’. The Rev Mr McKall took occasion to deny the authorship of the answer, and the Rev Mr McCarrick thought they disclosed very bad taste on the part of the writers. While this was going on in the Presbytery a lively scene took place at St John’s Church. A resolution was carried that dancing and linking bo allowed in the Sunday School hall. A fresh meeting was convened last evening, the anti-dancing and linking fraternity mustered in full force, and after a warm debate reversed the former decision. Two sisters, on a visit to a large house near Wanganui, were sleeping in a room together upstairs. During the night (says a correspondent of the Marton paper) one of them had toothache, and descended to the kitchen cn dishabille to procure something to alleviate the pain. She returned to the bedroom, and exclaiming “ Oh, it’s so cold,” jumped into bed. The exclamation aroused the occupant, who proved to bo, not her sister, but a male sleeper. She had got into the wrong room. He turned over, and thinking a burglar was in the room, caught hold of her. She managed to escape, but not before his rough handling had scratched her face. She related the circumstance to her sister, and to hide from the gentleman which of the two had been his unwilling guest, both ladies ap, peared with a strip of sticking-plaster on her cheek.

Mr J. B. Thallon, 8.A., of the Sydney University, is the successful candidate for the post of Master at the Girls’ High School, Dunedin.

Some men (says the “ Herald ”) arc said to be too big for their boots, and others are too sharp for their trade. On Monday, Manama, the well - known Native chcif, came into Napier and of course wanted his boots polished. He grunted out a something to the boot-black in the vicinity of the Masonic Hotel, and putting his foot on the box, operations at once commenced. One boot having been polished, the proprietor of the industry demanded cash before proceeding with the other, foot. “ Nature’s nobleman ” resented the idea of his credit being insufficient to meet the liability of a (kl, and sternly commanded the weilder of the brushes to go on with his job. The order was met by a refusal unless the utu was forthcoming. A Native chief is not proud where money is to bo saved or made. Manaena walked off to another “ black’’ with one boot polished for nothing, and then paid the opposition man i3d for brightening up the other foot, thus saving uO per cent, by not paying cash on the half completion of a contract. A- depressed farmer writing in “ Mayfair’’ gives the following intelligent reasons why he has resolved to emigrate to New Zealand; —“Much as I love my country, it will be a relief to me, as a farmer, to get free from the intolerable annoyances, hindrances, and injustice which arc almost invariably incidental to farming in England. As a man I shall deeply feel the parting from old friends ; but I look forward with a sense of joyous relief to the time when I shall really be my own master for the first time in my life, free to farm to the best of my judgment, and to secure the fruits of industry and enterprise, whether they be great or small. In England, I have farmed the land of another man, under his direction, liable to losses from the ravages of his game, insulted by his attempted control as to the vote which I gave and the church which I attended, and, worst of all, subject to his legal right to confiscate the value of my improvements. In New Zealand I shall cultivate my own land, be at liberty to keep down wild animals at my pleasure, bo as free to assert my political manhood, and to follow my religious bent, as any landlord in England, and the owner of an increment which, by the investment of capital jmd labor, I may add to the value of my farm. 1 shall ofteu think of the friends I have left behind me, and look with interest to see if, as time goes on they get relief from the abominable wrongs and hindrances which I, like them, have cxpejdencfcd.” Messrs Jonas Hart and Wilclie will cell to-mororw '2i> bales wool, skins, hides and fat. Sale at 1 o'clock.