NEWS OF THE DAY.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2303, 4 August 1880, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

John Murphy of Christchurch, brother of Michael Murphy the bill-broker, is charged with forgery and pejury, for altering a document after it had been signed. Michael was fined yesterday for creating a disturbance in the City Hotel. He was ejected by the landlord, and broke a window in revenge. The latest official information about the Lake Mapourika diggings, near Okarito, is that about sixty miners are in the locality, and live parties on gold. The statements of the miners vary as to the value of the claims, and nothing appears to be trustworthy upon this head. It is believed a fairly payable gold field will be developed.

A branch of the New Zealand Temperance Alliance is being organised in Auckland. The Coroner at Auckland having disposed of the body of the late A. S. Grant, auctioneer, whose sudden death was recorded a few days ago, his creditors are now examining the carcase. The provisonal trustee reports, liabilities £2IBO, assets £Bll. The example of Mr Steven of the Bank of New South Wales at Auckland is deserving of all emulation. Yesterday between his residence and the bank he lost £270 in notes. The roll has not rolled up. It would be interesting to know the number of complaints that our Courthouse has called forth. Bench, Bar, and ITess have long been unanimous in condemning the building as far as its accoustics are concerned. It is astonishing to think, considering the amount of important business transacted at the Timaru Courthouse, and the number of people whose business necessitates their almost daily attendance there, that nothing is done to remedy the one glaring defect of the building. Perhaps the reporters suffer as much inconvenience from the cause indicated as any of the frequenters of the court. Bench and bar can order a witness to “ speak up” when his replies are inaudible, or even get him to repeat his answers, but the reporters must be like the typical good little boyseen but not heard. And now to make matters worse, they have shifted the reporter’s table from its old position under the clerk's desk to the side of the building, and if it was difficult for the unfortunate pressman to hear before, it is next to impossible, without very great straining to hear anything now. There is really no reason why the reporters should have been thus unceremoniously shifted from the position they have occupied for so long. Their work certainly entitles them to some consideration.

As will be seen by an advertisement in another column a Sacred Service of Song entitled “Elijah ” is to be given in the Primitive Methodist Church to-morrow evening. Wo would advice those who are fond of good sacred music to hear this peformance. The work is a very popularone, and has been well rehearsed, something like a period of three months having been occapied'in its preparation.