South Canterbury Times, SATURDAY, MAY 22, 1880. NEWS OF THE DAY.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2240, 22 May 1880, Page 2

South Canterbury Times, SATURDAY, MAY 22, 1880. NEWS OF THE DAY.

A good deal of surprise has been oc casioned at the announcement of Mr G. F. Clulee, of the firm of Woollcombo and Clulee, having been appointed assessor under the Property Tax Act for tho Levels district. The astonishment is due to the circumstance that Mr John Thompson was duly appointed and gazetted to tho same office a few weeks ago, and no notification has appeared cancelling the original appointment. From what we can learn, Mr Thompson, on receiving his appointment, presented himself in accordance with his instructions before the Deputy Commissioner Mr Howley, for the purpose of being duly sworn in, but that gentleman, for reasons at the time unexplained, refused to administer the oath. Mr Thompson has since then been kept on what is called, in the unrefined language of the modern classics, “tho string,” awaiting the final operation of swearing-in before commencing his arduous duties. Now, to his infinite astonishment, he learns, at the last moment, that the preferred cup has been dashed from his lips—that his appointment has been cancelled in favor of Mr G. F, Clulee. The latter may be quite as eligible as Mr Thompson for the assessorship, but Mr Thompson a right to know why an appointment for which he has been Gazetted, and for which, we are informed, ho threw up a permanent situation, has been conferred on another. The only reply he has been able to obtain to his natural queries as to why he has been deposed is “public opinion,” but Mr Thompson, having rallied some influential friends around him, intends probing the investigation a little further.

The Drawing of Bell’s Consultaton on the Christchurch Steeplechase Cuj), takes place this evening at the Grosvenor Buildings, at 8.30 As will be seen from our Theatrical Gossip in this evening’s issue, the “ Froliques ” will open this evening for a short season at the Theatre Eoyal.

The Timaru Post Office will be closed on Monday next, the Queen’s Birthday, and Monday’s mails will close to-night, at 8 o’clock. Letters will be delivered at the Chief Post Office, from 8 to 9 o’clock this evening.

The usual weekly meeting of the Lifeboat Lodge, No. 101, 1.0.G.T., was held in the Oddfellows’ Hall last evening. Bro Thomas E. Lyle presided. After the customary preliminaries, two candidates were initiated. The Lodge was then opened for harmony, in which Bros South, Lyle, and McLaren took part. Bro Moore distinguished himself by giving a recitation on rain, which brought thunders of applause. The proceedings closed at 9.30.

The local volunteer and cadet corps were inspected yesterday evening by MajorGeneral Davidson, Inspector of Volunteers for the Middle Island. There was a very fair muster. The C Battery, N.Z.A., under Captain Hamersley, paraded 39 of all ranks; the G Battery Cadets, under Captain Jackson, 34 ; and the Artillery Band, 14; total, 87. The Major-General arrived a few minutes before 8 p.m,, and was received with the customary salute. He expressed his satisfaction with the efficient manner in which the various movements and exercises were performed. The Temuka men will be inspected this evening, and the Ashburton corps on Monday next.

A large number of the friends of our victorious ped J. O’Connor, assembled on the railway platform to-day to greet him on his return from Christchurch. He failed, however, to put in an appearance, having as we understand,' remained in Christchurch to arrange the preliminaries for the contemplated ten mile running match with Hulston of that city. It is probable that this event (for £IOO a-side) which is already causing a good deal of excitement in sporting circles, will be arranged for at an early date.

The work of haying the new line of crotc blocks at the breakwater is being actively proceeded with. The last of the series of Sunday evening lectures on the Pilgrims Progress, will be delivered to-morrow evening in the Primitive Methodist Church Timaru.

A seam of coal ten feet thick has been discovered in one of the Nelson City reserves.

The express train from the South to-day was literally crammed with people on its arrival at Timaru, and here the platform was crowded with passengers for the Christchurch races. People were running from carriage to carriage unable to find even standing room on the platforms. Finally a couple more carriages were put on, and the pleasure seekers were accommodated.

Frank Fowler, a Chinaman, was arrested yesterday at Temuka on a charge of committing a rape on a girl of weak intellect, sixteen years of age, named Mary Kant. It appears that on May 18 the accused visited Kant’s house for the purpose, as he afterwards alleged, of borrowing a hammer. The parents of the girl were absent at the time, and the father returning sometime afterwards observed certain suspicious circumstances which have since been sufficiently confirmed to induce him to give the Chinaman into custody. The accused was brought before the Timaru bench this morning, and on jthc application of the police was remanded to appear at Temuka on Wednesday next.

Residents of Timaru, who for years have suffered the excruciating agonies of corns, warts, and bunions, will bo interested to learn that a deadly foe to these tormenting acquaintances has taken up Ins abode in the Grosvenor Hotel. Wo have seen the credentials of Mr Charles Basstian, and we have also perused letters from grateful patients which place his qualifications as a skilful chiropodist beyond dispute. As a proof of what ho has achieved Mr Basstian is ablo to exhibit a phial of corns, varing from the size of a shilling to a halfcrown all extracted from one individual —a cousin to His Excellency the Governor, residing in the North Island. In Christchurch he has enjoyed a successful practice for four months, and all along his line of route, at Ashburton, Eakaia, and elsewhere, he has been teaching the lame to walk, and accomplishing a social reformation, by revolutionising the irritable dispositions of those who through lifo have been doing penance to bad shoemakers. For the comfort of sufferers we may state that Mr Basstian’s method of treatment involves neither pain nor danger. He uses neither knife nor lancet but applies a simple stimulant which coaxes in a few days the most reluctant corn, wart, or bunion from its resting place. If the cause is avoided—and patients will receive plain and straghtforward directions how to avoid corns, Ac., for the future —the cure is bound to be permanent, for Mr Basstian extracts the excrcscuccs, root and and crop. The afflicted have only to pay him a visit, and they will speedily bo satisfied ns to his skill.