NEWS OF THE DAY.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2243, 26 May 1880, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Tliero was no business at the 11. M. Court this morning, with the that one inebriate was dealt with in the usual manner.

The “ Fr cliques made their final appearance last night to a very thin house. Sir George Grey wifi address the public of Timarn, at the Queen’s Hall, this evening at 8 oclock. His Worship the Mayor wifi preside. A movement is on foot in Timaru to present Mr J. O’Connor, the champion ped of New Zealand, with a belt, in commemoration of his victory the other day at Christchurch. Properly spealdng the champion belt should have been presented by the people.of . Christchurch, and wc are informed that before the match with Bowley came off such an understanding existed. It is just possible, however, that the defeat of the local man operated adversely on the admirers Of pedestrianism in that part of the colony, and prevented the original intention being carried out. As it happens Mr O’Connor has returned from the Cathedral City crowned with invisible laurels. His friends in Timaru have now resolved that the Championship of New Zealand shall not be simply an empty honor, and steps, we are glad to learn, have been taken to present Mr O’Connor with a suitable trophy in recognition of the proud position he has gained, and of his eminent services as a promoter of athletic sports generally. The handicap tournament of the Timaru Chess Club is arranged to commence on June 1. Each player wifi play two games with every other competitor, the whole to be completed by the end of J une. A young man named Bland, residing at Ashburton, was accidental shot in the calf of the right leg on Sunday last by a companion with whom he had started cn a shooting expedition. The wounded man was brought into the township and died the same night. At the police Court Wellington, yesterday Captain Hoyle of the steamer Manawatu, was fined 20s for proceeding to sea without a full complement of men, and Purser H, W nite for fortifying the articles was fined £5. Captain Patterson of the schooner Maggie Patterson, has been fined £lO by the Lyttelton bench for anchoring his vessel on the night of Slay 18, in the fairway and obstructing the approach to the wharf.

Two men unknown in the Wairarapa lake on Saturday./ They were endeavoring to drive a mob jof cattle over the mouth of the lake, when'the boat which they were in capsized. The. body of one was washed up on the beach, but the other has not yet been discovered. The special general meeting of the South Canterbury Jockey Club which was announced to beheld this evening at theGrosvcnor Hotel, to consider the advisability of holding a steeplechase meeting near Timaru this season, is postponed till tomorrow evening

We are informed that the running contest which was partly arranged to take place between O’Connor, the champion uf New Zealand, and Burke of Dunedin, for £IOO a side, has been; broken off, the Dunedin man having declined to compete with our local ped. Sir George Grey arrived! by the express train from the South to-day. There was no extraordinary crowd at the station to witness his arrival, which apparently excited but little interest, except perhaps in the case of two working men, one of whom exclaimed to the other, as , the ex-Premier alighted from his carriage, ‘‘Why, Bill, his a old manl” to which his companion superciliously replied, “ He was a old man before you was born.”

Owners of pianofortes, harmoniums, and organs, will be glad to hear that Mr Symons, a tuner of considerable repute, has arrived hr Timaru, and is now prepared to undertake both the tuning and repairing of the above instruments. Mr Symons is well known throughout the colony, and brings with him the highest credentials. Persons requiring the services of a thoroughly qualified professional tuner cannot therefore do better than consult him during his visit to Timaru. Orders left with Messrs Small and Clcmancc, booksellers, will receive prompt attention.