NEWS OF THE DAY.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2159, 19 February 1880, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Waimatc lias determined to establish a Skating Rink. It is somewhat late in the day, but hotter late than never ! Free Trade v. Protection is the subject of this evening's debate by the members of the Timaru Literary and Debating Society. A meeting to consider the formation of a Relief Fund for the sufferers by the Irish Famine, takes place this evening, at the Queen's Hall. Mr Rollcston, Minister for Lands, passed through Timaru yesterday cn route for Dunedin. Availing himself of the few minutes stoppage of tire express train, Mr Rollcston took the opportunity to pay a flying visit to the Breakwater, and expressed himself as both pleased and surprised at the progress of the work.

The authorities of the British Post-office are about to issue a new penny postage stamp, which has been chosen after a great deal of consideration. It is a great improvement upon the present stamp in form ; the coloring is lighter and more cheefrul than the old brick-dust red with which letter writers are familiar, while the Queen’s bust shows much more clearly. The gum will be of much better quality, and the new stamp will thus be pleasanter to deal with than that now in use. A decided advantage over the old stamp is that being printed in a fugitive color the new stamp cannot he cleaned.

The Auckland Volunteers who intended proceeding to the prize-firing at Nelson,are very indignant because the Union s.s. Company has raised their passage money, and it is said that not more than half of the number originally expected will go. The Government have completed the necessary arrangements for bringing into operation the Registration of Electors Act passed last session. The Governments of New Zealand and New South Wales have succeeded in effecting a very satisfactory re-arrangement of the San Francisco Mail Service, by which the time of transit between England and New Zealand will be shortened by at least two clear days. There is a terrible commotion among the bakers of Dunedin. It seems that some time ago Mr B. Hudson, a well-known miller, baker, and confectioner, invented a ’sort of self-raising Hour which has the advantage, without yeast or any other ingredient, of enabling any housewife to manufacture wholesome bread or buns with ease and certainty. The self-raising flour has obtained a wide circulation in Dunedin, and is beginning to he regarded as a household necessity, and the result is a sad falling off in the consumption of yeast-made bread. A few days ago, the master bakers, intent on revenge, convened a meeting for the purpose of considering the prospectus of a joint stock confectionery company and of course Hudson was not invited. He secured one of their circulars, however, and on the following day quite a sensation was created by the appearance in the window of Abraham’s cigar divan, of a sketch of three donkeys in solemn conclave braying at each other, the central head hearing a wonderful resemblance to the convener of the bakers’ meeting, while above all was the legend “ Hudson’s self-raising flour.” There is great indignation among the manufacturers of dough, hut the confectionery plot is not likely to he a success. The proper name of the Sydney Exhibitionist who was recently detained at Auckland cn route for San Francisco, on a charge of larceny turns out to ho Amer Alcate. Yesterday he was brought before the Auckland bench, and warrants were produced charging him with the larceny of £8 the property of Eugene Koine at Sydney on the 21st January ; also with forging and uttering a cheque for £5 with intent to defraud at Sydney on Jan 18. Alcate was remanded to Sydney in custody of Detective Boylund who had been sent to Auckland to escort him back.

The Hon. Richard Oliver has an unceremonious way of dealing with flunkeyism in connection with bis department. The train that conveyed him from Timaru the other day had His Excellency and srrite> Mr Conyers and the railway staff belonging to the Commissioners office at Christchurch on hoard all travelling south. On arriving at the Timaru station Mr Oliver found the solitary first class carriage devoted to the public crowded to suffocation, while three long carriages marked “Reserved ” were comparatively empty. “Who are these reserved carriages for ?” asked the Minister going up to the first in the row “ The Commissioner’s staff,” replied the officer addressed. “ Just remove the label, please then,” retorted the political head adding “the staff will have to compress themselves into a couple of carriages.” The “ Reserved ” ticket was removed, the staff and their paraphernalia werejbundlcd into the carriages ahead and the Minister and the public travelled South in company.

This .morning a horse harnessed to a cart belonging to Mr Shepherd, provision merchant, Timaru, was suddenly seized with a fit while standing in Church street. The horse falling down in the road, dragged the cart with it, which was considerably knocked about in consequence. Fortunately there was no one in the vehicle at the time.

A New Plymouth telegram states that the monthly meeting at Parihaka, on Tuesday was a very tame affair. The gathering did not exceed 4(H), including nine Europeans, and the only novelty was the introduction of apple sauce with eel stew, and a sensible as well as brief address by Te Whiti. It is rumoured that further reductions arc to be made in the railway department.

It is understood that the Government intend taking prompt and decided action regarding the proceedings of the French Government in chartering a schooner to convey a batch of French convicts to Auckland from New Caledonia whose terms of penal servitude had expired. The Fijian, who rs alleged to have committed a criminal assault on a child at Auckland, was captured yesterday by the Auckland police, on board the schooner Transit, loading for Fiji. £2OO had been previously offered as a reward for his capture.

Pending the proceedings for the recovery of Pharo's chariois in the Red >Sea, another Egyptian speculation has been set on foot for picking up the remains of the French vessels sunk at the battle of the Nile, which, besides the Orient, which blew up, were five in number. Aboukir Day, it seems, is favorable for such operations, and portions of two of the wrecks have been visible until quite lately; pieces of them continually come on shore, and flint pistols incrusted with barnacles are always to be bought of fisherman in the locallity. What the company have to get is the copper, eighty tons of which, it is supposed, will be obtained from each ship. The French government have waived their rights to it, but the Khedive, as might be expected, wants thirty-live per cent, of the salvage.