NEWS OF THE DAY.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2180, 13 March 1880, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY .

A petition, largely and influentially signed, praying for a remission of the sentence of F. A. Sims, who was sentenced at the late criminal sittings of the District Court to three months’ imprisonment, was forwarded to His Excellency the Governor, last night. The petition alludes to the high character hitherto borne by the accused, and also to the fact that the jmy twice returned a verdict to the effect that he had no fraudulent intention in selling die goods, with the larceny of which he *vas charged.

A general meeting of the Timaru Athletic Club, was held last evening. It was resolved to write to Mr Rhodes, asking on what terms he would lease the old Show Grounds to the Club for recreation purposes. It was also decided to hold sports on the Queen’s Birthday, May 24.

A resident of Sandietowu has written to the Levels Road Board, protesting against his dam being drained, on the ground, that the water in it though deemed objectionable by the Health authorities, afforils sustenance to his cattle.

One, Margaret Inch, who was staying at the Servants’ Home, Lonsdale street, Melbourne, attempted to commit suicide the other night in a most extraordinary manner. Having obtained a knife, she secreted herself in the bathroom, and endeavored to drown herself in the bath, while at the same time she tried to cut her throat. The knife was fortunately a very blunt one, and before she could accomplish her object in either direction she was detected by others in the Home, and given into custody. On being examined she was found to be insane, and was committed to the Lunatic Asylum. We recently published a little story about the late Mr J. S. Macfarlane making a considerable wager with a bosom friend (Mr Swanson, M.H.R.) about the career of a then rising politician,a native of the.soil, viz. that the latter would in twelve months “ be in Mount Eden,” or in other words in gaol. Of course it is easy to guess the subject of the wager. Mr Swanson, a warm friend of the slandered M.H.8., at once offered to bet that he would be a Minister within twelve months. The member for Newton turned out correct, and received a cheque from Mr Macfarlane for £OO. This cheque (says the “ Hawke’s Bay Herald ”) he never cashed, but keeps it his pocket-book and shows it when he tells the tale.

An extraordinary specimen of the “ stingaree,” or skate, was caught in a fisherman’s net at the mouth of the Rangitikei a day or two ago. The fish was about 4ft wide and 6ft long, and weighed fully 3001 b, The Auckland telegraph operators, none of whom went out on strike, complain that while the Southern good boys have received a bonus of three guineas each, they have neither received a bonus nor even a corteous acknowledgment of services rendered at that critical juncture. One Saturday last month Bishop Moorhouse, of Victoria, walked from Toongabhie to Walhalla, twenty-one miles over the mountains, preached twice the following day, lectured the day after, walked back over the same road on Tuesday, and preached the same evening at Bayfield, to whicli he drove from the foot of the mountains at Toongabhie. A correspondent, “J.H.,” inquires whether the borough of Napier has any coat of arms. The “ Hawke’s Bay Herald” replies: “We are not aware of any, but it is about time wc had one. We suggest as appropriate the figure of a judge in wig and gown, seated under a canopy, “In bankruptcy” on a scroll underneath. The judge might be blindfolded, with a pair of scales in his hand, with ‘ liabilities ’ on the lower scale, and 1 assets ’ (very shadowy) on the one kicking the beam.”

The following remarks of the RegistrarGeneral on the excessive infant morality from diarrhoea and dystentry during the month of January are instructive :—“ Of the whole 35 deaths, 25 were of children under one year, or at an age when they would not readily have had access to cold water, and, to whom cold water is not usually given. The fact is noticed as the increase in this class of deaths is often popularly attributed to the character of the drinking water, and thus causes are overlooked arising from improper diet and the neglect of the observance of strict cleanliness, not only in the use of infants’ feeding vessels, but also in the domestic and outside arrangements of the house, so as to preserve the milk used by infants from contact with impure air, which it readily absorbs.”

As the result of a enquiry re the striking of the barque Sophia R. Luhrs, on a sunken rock, off Wellington Heads, the Court decided that Captain Ratton had acted imprudently in sailing so near shore, but that inasmuch as the rock in question was not marked on any chart, no blame could he attached to him. The Dunedin Ordnance Corps visit the Christchurch review, at Easter. The Naval Brigade take their own tents, and provide their own commissiarat. A Wellington man named James Wilson has received three months for stealing a crucifix from the Catholic Church.

We are authorised by the postal authorities to state that the English and American mails via San Francisco will arrive at Timaru on Tuesday by the express. The district school, Pleasant Point, will be resumed on Monday.

The Arethusa Star Dramatic Company announce that in consequence of their success in Dunedin, their visit to Timaru will be postponed for - a week beyond the time originally fixed.

A French statist has come to the conclusion, after a very laborious examination of the number of deaths from railway accidents in all parts of the world, that if a person were to live continually in a railway carriage, and spend all his time in travelling, the chances in favor of his dying from railway accident would not occur until he was 960 years old. The criminal libel action, G. G. Stead v. “ Otago Witness ” Company, will be heard at the Christchurch Resident Magistrate’s Court, on Friday next. A strong north east gale has been blowing all day, and the sea has been rushing over the end of the breakwater. The steamer and Kakanui left during the forenoon and there is no shipping in the harbor. About 1 p.m. the brigantine Young Dick j from Lyttelton hove in sight, but she was warned off and stood out to sea.

Mr Chester, a settler in Tc Kore, Waikato, has been killed by a fall from a horse. The Civil Service Commission commences its sittings in Dunedin next week.

A special train will leave Timaru on Wednesday next at 11.20 a.ra. for Pleasant Point, for the convenience of visitors to the races. Passengers may return by the ordinary evening train, leaving the Point at 6.50 p.m.

On Wednesday and Thursday next, the days of the Oamaru races, the evening trains between Oamaru and Timaru (both ways) will be delayed 50 minutes, and the Waimatc branch evening train will be one hour later both going and returning. The north and south evening trains passing Oamaru will stop opposite the course to deposit and pick up passengers. Ordinary single fare tickets issued from Dunedin and Timaru and intermediate stations on March 17 and 18, and from Christchurch and stations north of Timaru, on March 16 and 17 to Oamaru, will be available for return up to and including March ID.

The ordinary monthly mooting of the Timaru Mechanics’ Institute Committee was held last evening. There were 18 applications for the appointment of Secretary and Librarian, rendered vacant by the resignation of Mr Henry Read. Mr Winter, of Christchurch, was elected by ballot to the vacancy. It was then resolved that an honorarium of five guineas should be presented to Mr Read for his efficient services in connection with the Institution. Some small accounts were passed for payment and the meeting adjourned. A law suit in the Supreme Court of Hungary has just been decided after 111 years of trial. The lawyers’ fees used up what was left to the defendant.

It has been estimated that in England and Wales one person! in every 118 is arrested for drunkenness ; in Scotland one in every 131; in Ireland one in every 17.

Alderman Tathani, the new Mayor of Leeds, felt some hesitation in accepting the post, and his misgivings arose regarding the social duties which he should have to perform. Hut, he said, if the people of Leeds wanted for their Mayor a Quaker, and a teetotaller of strong convictions, who would lead them for the next twelve months in the line of self-denial, sobriety, and economy with efficiency, he dared not and could not refuse the office.

The “ Hawke’s Bay Courier,” has the following:—‘“Property, lad, property get it honestly if you can, but get property,’ was an old Yorkshire farmer’s dying injunction to his son. But men’s ideas as to what is ‘ property’ vary. The other day a man was summoned for debt at a Fielding court. The magistrate asked him whether he had any saleable property. ‘ Yes, I’ve got a wife and family at Cheltenham,’ responded the man of debts. ‘ These are hard times,’ commented his Worship, ‘ and I’m afraid you won’t be able to realise much on them now.’ ”