NEWS OF THE DAY.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2269, 25 June 1880, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

The Dunedin Football Club has accepted the challenge of the Timaru Club, and a match will probably take take place towards the end of next month,' the Dunedin men visiting Timaru for the purpose.

Wc have been shown a veritable caligraphic curiosity in the shape of a tiny disc of paper—the exact size of a threepennybit—within the space of which the Lord’s Prayers has been written no less than six times. Astonishing as this feat may appear, it has not only been successfully accomplished, but the characters are so legible that they may be almost deciphered without the aid of glasses. The idea of attempting the feat was suggested to the writer, a young gentleman resident in Timaru, by reading a paragraph in the “Australasian,” in which it was stated that a Victorian had succeeded in accomplishing the feat. Determined that Timaru should not be behind Victoria, the gentleman above alluded,to set to work, and at the first trial, and without the aid of glasses, successfully imitated the feat, to accomplish which occupied him exactly one hour and ten minutes.

At the Tcmuka Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday, the case of Bradley v. George Cliff terminated in the plaintiff accepting a non-suit. The claim was for £l7 19s for wages and the action was brought as a test case. Bradley and some others had been engaged by C. Oldfield to work a thrashing machine and Oldfield becoming bankrupt Cliff purchased the estate and paid some of the men. The defendant now stated that the thrashing machine was hired by Oldfk 11 who was responsible to the men.

According to the “ Times ” a great deal of unnecessary indignation has been expressed in Germany in reference to an unfounded rumor that the British Government was negotiating with the Government of Greece for the purchase of all the relics discovered at Olympia, It is pointed out that these priceless monuments of Greek antiquity have been brought to light entirely by German so ran Is, and that the German Empire, which has expended about a million marks, or £50,000, upon the work, has voluntarily resigned everything into the hands of the Hellenic Government. Germany, therefore, would have the right to claim the first refusal of purchasing the relics if they are to leave Greece at all. If the rumor should prove true, the Cologne “ Gazette ” says there would be some consolation in the fact that the collection would in London he much more accessible to the cultivated nations of Europe than if it were retained at Athens or in a special museum at Olympia itself. It seems that the £GOO a year and travelling expenses offered by Sir Julius Vogel for an inspector of Prisons in New Zealand proved an appetising morsel. Hundreds of persons —from broken-down noblemen to Billingsgate hawkers—applied for the billet, and offered to become very docile white elephants if promoted. The “Home News” remarks: —“ For a well-paid jiost in a popular colony the competition was certain to be great. Although numbers were kept down by the announcement that the applications of only those with previous experience in the management of prisons would be entertained, a crowd of candidates offered themselves. With infinite pains the Agent-General sifted and reduced the list till four or five candidates remained. These he saw personally, and then having made a further selection, took the advice of the chief prison authority in this country, Sir Edmund du Cane. The new inspector, whoever he may be, ought to be able to take out with him to New Zealand, all the latest improvements and the newest ideas on the whole subject.” Can the colony afford to pay for these u,ew ideas ? That is the question.

“Editorsare usually wealthy,” the man. with the sample-ease remarked. “Yes,” I said, “they are familiar with all the slang and business phrases of the money market ; they write about millions as ordinary men talk of dollars ; they build railroads; they organise mining and magnificent transportation companies with fabulous capital ; They declare war without consulting the Rothschilds, and if all the banks in America were to fail to-morrow the editors wouldn’t be a cent poorer than they are to-day. Yes, they are rich. They associate with the monied classes; they sit down at table with kings—and sometimes in happier, luckier moments, with aces ; if you want to borrow money go to the editor, he will turn to his advertising columns and tell you where you can borrow it. If you have money to loan, rather than see you suffer he will borrow it of you himself.”

Mr John Sheehan, M.H.R., who has not been able to figure in Parliament, will probably require another leave of absence, as he has just been presiding at the marriage of a half-caste at Cambridge.

By a Majority of 519 over 427 the burgesses of Invercargill have decided against borrowing £120,000 for water supply, street improvement, and gas work extension.

Messrs Kaurt and All’s Oriental Exhibition opened this afternoon at the Queen’s Hall. The Hall has been prettily decorated ■with flags, Ac., and the benches having been removed, with the exception of a line of single seats placed end to end and extending the entire length of the hall, there is plenty of room to promenade, and scrutinize the pretty things on the long counters and tables, consisting of fancy articles, chiefly in wood, in endless variety. The charge for admission is a very low one, and each visitor is presented with a souvenir before he leaves.

The Dunedin Amateur Dramatic Club have been fined £8 and costs by the Wellington Bench for the Contravention of Copyright Act. The landlord of the Exchange Hotel, Auckland has been fined £lO and costs for permitting gambling. The luxury of the dicebox will soon be confined to bazaars. A young man named George Ellis was found dead yesteday on the floor of a cottage in Oamaru.

Our readers arc reminded of the amateur entertainment of songs and reading which takes place this evening, at the Wai-iti school room.

Professor Walsh, of hair-cutting fame, announces that he has opened a Labor Exchange, which will be ■worked for the benefit of employers, and peopte out of employment, in connection with his crown apartments. The professor’s head quarters ar- nearly opposite the Post and Telegraph offices.