NEWS OF THE DAY.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2233, 14 May 1880, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Mr Watt, the famous Dunedin Magistrate distinguished himself again on Wednesday by refusing an application for the maintenance of two illegitimate children, made by a woman named Amelia Savage, against a publican named Dan White, with whom she had been cohabiting for the past four years. White having been relieved of his young Savages, the State, wc presume, will have to support them. The famous Longwood reefs which the Southland newspapers have been persistently cracking up for the last twelve months arc evidently on the decline. The “ Southland Times ” reports that on Tuesday Mr Todd sold 500 shares in Printz’s claim. Tho first lot submitted comprised 100, which realised Gs Gd each. Tho balance (400) sold at Gs 3d. The auctioneer explained that 12s 2d per share had been paid up. London “ Truth ” tells a very characteristic story of.Mr Spurgeon’s political sympathies and his notion of tho electoral duties of Liberals. During the recent contest in Lambeth the Conservative candidate called on Mr Spurgeon and asked his vote on tho ground of religious affinity. The answer ho received was:—“lf the Liberal candidate were the Devil in person I should vote for him against you, for the functions to which you and ho aspire arc political, and not religious, and on political matters I think with him.”

The Supreme Court at Wellington, on the petition of James Mills of Dunedin lias ordered the compulsory winding up of the West-Wanganui Coal Company. The "Argus” of May flrd thus records the untimely end of a well-known Victorian cricketer: —"Yesterday afternoon Mr Thos, W. Wills, well known in cricketing circles, committed suicide at his residence at Heidelberg, by stabbing himself with a pair of scissors. It appears that for some time past the deceased had been drinking heavily, but on April 28 ho was placed under restraint, and a person was appointed to watch him. This man, shortly, after one o’clock yesterday, left him to get his dinner, and in the interim deceased possessed himself of a pair of scissors, and, despite the exertions of his wife, who endeavored to, prevent him, stabbed himself three times in the region of the heart. The external heemorrhage was very slight, but the wounds were fatal, death taking place in a very short Lime.” " Tommy” Wills was a household word in the early days of Australian cricket, and there arc many in this colony who will read with sorrow the lives above.

Although the Protestant Episcopal Church in England is a part of the State and is endowed with princely revenues, the pockets of its ministers arc not always overflowing with silver and gold To wit the following item, which appears in a rural English paper; “At the fortnightly meeting of the Axminstcr Board of Guardians, the Bov. E. Matson, late curate of Mcrabury, applied for an order to enter the workhouse as a pauper. He had been curate for thirty years, had never been offered a living, and had now nothing to depend on. The guardians thought it a very hard ease, and as there was no alternative, granted the order. Where is the Archbishop of Canterbury with his tens of thousands a year? Has he read this paragraph? If not, the sooner it is brought under his notice the better.”

“ Kosmos” of horscwipping and totalisator celebrity is about to appear in a new capacity. A placard in Dunedin announces that he is about to lecture in the Temperance Hall, on “Hudson’s Self-raising Flour.” It is to be hoped that he will not again utilise a combined bachelor of arts, schoolmaster, and journalist by raising the dust out of his garments.

The monthly meeting of the Timaru Mechanics’ Institute was held on Tuesday. An order for new books and periodicals to the extent of nearly £IOO was approved of, and the secretary was instructed to forward it to England by the outgoing mail. It was also resolved that the “ Quarterly llcvicw ” and “ Chamber’s Journal ” be added to the periodical literature of the reading room It was further resolved that the first of a series of entertainments in aid of the funds of the Institute be arranged for at an early date. Some accounts were passed for payment and the meeting adjourned. Palmer’s Hotel, at Waimea West, was burned down yesterday. The fire is an honest one, for the landlord, Mr Carridge, loses everything, while the owner’s insurance was only £4OO, or half the value of the building. Sir George Grey is expected to address the electors of Christchurch on Tuesday next.

By a majority of 70 the ratepayers of Lyttelton have decided that a free library and reading room would be objectionable. Alfred Shicls, aged 18, the son of a settler in the Clutha district, was killed on Wednesday by being struck on the chest by a horse which ho was breaking in. dominations for the sports meeting of the Timaru Athletic Club to be held on the Queen’s Birthday, must bo made with the secretary, at the Club Hotel, this evening. The usual privileges will be sold by Auction to-morrow, at jl p.m., by Messrs Jonas, Hart and Wildio,

One of the wooden lodginghouscs of Wclllington known as Alexander’s Board ing-housc in Murphy street, was burned down last evening, A carpenters workshop adjoining was also gutted. As usual the insurances were ample and the water supply was insufficient.

Captain Thomson, the Otago Harbor Master, after contending for years that the bar at the Otago Heads was no impediment to the shipping, is now of opinion that a central prison should be formed at Hayward Point with a view of running out a breakwater which would scour the bar.

A man named Aspin is wanted badly at Auckland. In consequence of a letter that he wrote, his wife and four young children have arrived at that part by the Te Anau from Brisbane and they are totally destitute.

A number of years have elapsed since fish wore known to be so plentiful at this port as they have been during the past fortnight. The captures from the sides of the breakwater and by boatmen off the beach have been something enormous. The coast has been visited by a succession of shoals of cod of a peculiar species, marked with red spots almost like salmon, and quite different to the kind of fish usually caught at the Bluff, and in the sounds of the West Coast. Their weight ranges from 21bs to as much as 201 b, but the average is from 31bs to Mbs. The shoals must have embraced many millions of [ fish, for the water all around the shipping, and as far as the small boats have sailed, appeared to be literally alive with them. Besides the cod some fine large skate have been captured, and so well has the market been supplied that the demand for butcher’s meat has been appreciably diminished. Wo understand that a similar invasion of the same species of cod-fish occurred at Tiraaru about seven years ago.

No defalcations have been discovered in the accounts of Mr J. S. Webb, of Dunedin and it is now beginning to be supposed that the alarm about his absence was somewhat premature. Mr Webb was a member of the Dunedin City Council, universally respected by the citizens, and among those who knew him best, the suspicions entertained concerning his business transactions, have created profound astonishment. It appears that his departure from Dunedin, on the eve of the annual meeting of the Building Society, afforded some, pretext for the apprehensions excited, but otherwise, so far as has been acccrtaincd the unpleasant reflections have been quite uncalled for. We have heard that Mr Webb proceeded on a visit to some of his relatives and that he left the other evening for Dunedin, with the view of being present at the meeting in question.

It is not generally known that every well regulated police station in the colonics has its portrait gallery, in which the photos of notorious offenders and persons wanted are suspended. Recently a decent-looking young man named Pound was wanted to provide for his illegitimate offspring in Timaru, and it will be recollected ho was caught at Auckland en route for San Francisco. Had Pound visited the police station here on his return he would have had the mortification of observing his innocent looking features] and velvet collar in the centre of a group comprising Steve Hart, the Kellys, and other blood-stained despera. does. The knowledge that absconders — oven the authors of illegitimate babes—arc liable to exhibition in such company, ought to have a salutary influence on immoral recklessness.

Instructions have been received from the Government that the new electoral rolls are not to be printed for four months. This will create some confusion, as tenders have been accepted by the electoral registrars, and in some instances a commencement with the printing of the rolls has been made.

Residents desirous of being placed on the electoral roll should continue to leave their claims, addressed to Mr Howlcy, at the Court House.

A Wellington special, in to-day’s “Press,” sa y g -.—The Premier has been ill during the last day or two, and is confined to his residence. His medical attendant will not allow him to go out, and Cabinet Councils are being held at his house. He is better today, and it is hoped he will be all right again by the opening of Parliament.

Railway meetings were held on Wednesday evening at Nelson and East Clutha. At the former a telegram was read from the Colonial Treasurer, which in effect, stated that the cause of the action of the Government was the financial condition of the colony, and they felt bound, before accepting further contracts, to see their way to meet the deficiency on the 31st March last, which he stated to be over a million. The Nclsonites strongly expressed their disapprobation of the action of the Government in not proceeding with the trunk line, as they were pledged to do. The Clutha meeting expressed deep regret at the sudden and unexpected stoppage of the Gatlin’s river line.

We understand that the final deposit of £SO in connection with the pedestrian event between O’Connor and Bowlcy has been paid, and the championship match will therefore come off at Hagley Park on Thursday next.

Mr Croft announces that ho has commenced business, as a tailor, opposite I’arsons and Henderson’s foundry.

A cargo of white pine, from Auckland, now on view at Evans’ yards, is offered on advantageous terms. An extensive sale of tin and enamelled ware, farm produce, comprising potatoes, onions, barley, and other varieties of grain; also, tea, groceries, and fancy goods, will take place at the rooms of Macklcy, Priest and Co., to-morrow. The sale commences at 12.30.