NEWS OF THE DAY.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2311, 13 August 1880, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Frequenters of the muling room may bo interested to learn that the “ Quarterly Review,” “ Chambers’s Journal,” the “ Saturday Review,” and the “Publishers’ Circular.” have all been ordered from Home, and will in future be found on the table on the arrival of the ’Frisco mail, A large number of new books will also shortly be added, and Mr Winter, the Librarian, is now engaged in preparing a handy catalogue of the entire contents of the library, in which, of course, the names of the new arrivals will lind a place. This catalogue will comprise the names of subjects arranged in alphabetical order, and the authors names arranged on a similar plan, and will supply a want long felt by subscribers.

The hands at the Breakwater have had a week of splendid weather and they have made the best of it. Bince Thursday week they have laid down 1J blocks, most of which averaged .10 tons, thus extending the structure by an additional length of 10ft. Gin. They are now awaiting' a little rough weather to scour away the sand from the foundations and allow the blocks to settle. 133' a singular freak of nature, wc understand that the shelving reef, which is alleged to have necessitated the cmplo} - - ment of bags of concrete as props, has taken a sudden twist, and, instead of shelving towards the South, it is now found to be shelving northwards. As the heavy seas beat on the south side, this is a friendly shelf for the contractors.

An Auckland Amateur Daub Society has been inaugurated in the interests of children’s paint boxes. It i,-> open to children of all ages

The Maori fencers at Waimate continue to bo arrested four at a time.

Mrs Cole, of Aniseed Valley, Nelson, has been killed by a horse falling on her.

A couple of men goi n 8 fbe Okarito lush on foot lost their way at Malvern, and one of them named Hugh Evans, fell over a precipice -10 feet high. His mate managed to get round to the foot of the cliff, and found him badly injured but alive.

The “ Argus ” says that Corporal Tillotson, of the Victorian Engineers, recently made 100 points out of a possible 105 at ranges of 100, 500, and 600 yards—shooting that has not been equalled in the colonics.

It is alleged that during the recent destruction of a Wellington brothel by fire several persons supposed to members of the Salvage Corps entered the adjoining houses and pilfered a quantity of valuable articles.

The body of a man was discovered yesterday in the Station river bed, about seven miles from Waiau. It was lying in quite shallow water, and a cap and shirt were on the bank at some little distance. There was nothing found to show the identity of the body.

A young lad in Otago is said to have had his face blackened by a brilliant meteor a few evenings ago. There were a number of brilliant meteors at the Timaru theatre the other night for we understand that several eyes are discolored.

The “ North Otago Times” of yesterday has a severely sarcastic article calling on the lion Mr Oliver to resign and suggesting that he should be replaced by Mr Alfred Saunders. Our contemporary was at first very severe on the Public Works Statement but it seems that he was only joking.

The body found on the beach near Blenheim has been buried without being identified. It was that of a man 2d years of age ; height, 5 feet 7 inches; dark brown hair; medium build; and he wore a silver ring made from a two shilling piece on his second finger.

The “I! on all a Standard” is informed that Mr James Eoardon, of Glcnrowan, has made an application to the Government for compensation to the amount of £SOO, for injuries received by his son through being shot by the police during the encounter with the Kelly gang. The Government have issued a second circular, which notifies everybody receiving Government money Jb it the 10 per cent reduction means that a reduction will be made not only on ordinary salaries, pay or wages coming out of the public treasury, but also in all salaries coming under the permanent Acts of Legislature, as well as all pensions and superannuation allowance.

The Dunedin City Councillors are wise in their generation. Tor two months they slept soundly over the gambling that was going on in the city theatres, but at length it occured to them to pass a resolution approving of the Gambling and Lotteries

Pill. The resolution was carried in Dunedin just two hours after the Pill was discharged in Wellington.

The information -for pcrju.xy laid by Murphy the money lender of Christchurch against Hodgson a farmer has been dismissed. The llcsident Magistrate while giving evidence was pressed to say what he knew of the brothers Murphy, and admitted that he would not believe any of them on oath. Tlic charge was dismissed, as no evidence was brought to show that Hodgson had agreed to have certain words inserted in a document. In fact the charge was merely a set-off against the one perferred against .Murphy. The “ Tress' ” "Wellington Correspon. dent telegraphs;— *• There is every prospcct of the session closing at the end of the month. Members are now heartily sick of the unprofitable session, and the general desire is to get homo. The morning sittings, though wearisome, arc more serviceable than the talk by gaslight, and the Tills seem to go off rapidly by daylight. The estimates will soon get through, and then the essential measures will be taken in hand. There arc still a large number of Tills on the order paper, but many will be dropped. The chances are that little more will be heard of the lloyal Commission reports, and the Government seem disinclined to say what will be done regarding them.

A new light is thrown on the controversy at home on the subject of the deceased wife’s sister by certain proceedings which took place recently in the Biggleswade (Leeds) Police Court. A local tailor was charged with being drunk and abusive towards the village policeman. He, however, obstinately refused to admit the soft impeachment, assorting that he could bring evidence—chiefly that of his wife —to prove that he was neither drunk nor abusive. The clerk to the magistrates informed him that the testimony of his spouse would not be admissible, as she couldnot give evidence on behalf of her husband ; whereupon the defendant rejoined —“ Oh ! but mine can •, because I married my deceased wife’s sister” —a statement which, the reporter adds, “ is finite correct,” Me are told, and can finite believe, that the Court was convulsed with laughter.

The remarks made by Mr Levin in the House that Sir William Fox, though now a strong opponent of horse-racing, has in his time not only kept racehorses but donned the silk, has raised a question as to its absolute correctness. Mr Levin, however (remarks the “ Few Zealand Times ), spoke strictly by the card, as will be seen from the following particulars furnished us by a correspondent: The last time Sir William performed as a jockey on Burnham Water llacecourse, was on February 14, 1850, when a bye-day’s racing was got up by the Wellington Jockey Club in compliment to Captain Stokes, of H.M.S. Acheron, who was then visiting this port with two racehorses on board. Mr Fox rode a horse called The Saddler, belonging, we believe to the late Mr Armstrong. Mr Bromley, now of H.M. Customs, rode a mare called Lady Eleanor, belonging to Captain Stokes, in the same race, which was over hurdles. The race was won by Air St. Hill’s Harribogcnc, ridden by Lieut. Gordon, of the 05th Regiment, then quartered in Wellington,

Constable Rouse, with his newly made bride, having arrived at Rakaia by the last train from Christchurch on Tuesday, the larrikins of the place, about twenty in number, assembled about half-past ten o’clock in front of his house in Mackic street, and serenaded the happy pair with the music usually obtained by beating empty tins, accompanying the music with songs and choruses. Failing to induce the constable to make his appearance the band adjourned thinking that he might not be at home. But theyjreturned after some little time and re-commenced their serenading. Ultimately the happy man came out and gave the musicians a sovereign to drink the health of himself and wife, when the band disappeared to the nearest hotel singing, “For he’s ajollygood fellow.”—“ Guardian,”

The Byronic Company produced “ Lady Audley’s Secret ” at Camara last evening The “ Times says:—“ In the earlier portion of the drama Miss Clara Stephenson was a little disappointing, but the latter part of the impersonation of Lady Audley’s character was pourtrayed with considerable power. The central figure was poorly and somewhat vulgarly supported. It would be fulsome flattery to say the piece was a success, unfortunately, the meagre accommodation on the stage, the lack of scenery, and the general unsuitability of the hall for theatrical purposes, combined to emphasise the mediocrity of the acting. The comedy, “His Last Legs,” followed, and put the audience in good humor.”

At a recent meeting of the Board of Governors of the Wellington College it was remarked that £205 2s (id was due to the treasurer on [account of fees. Mr Levin, M.H.E., said that in King’s College, London it was customary when lie was a boy for each student to present a ticket of admission at the commencement of the term. This ticket was virtually an acknowledgment of the receipt of the required fee, and without it no boy could be admitted. He suggested that in future no student should be admitted who failed to produce his receipt, and the proposition appeared to meet with favor.

The Government buildings will be ready for occupation at the beginning of next mouth. The levelling and formation of the approaches by prison labor has been commenced, and to-day Sophia street, at its intersection with Church street, was fenced off, preparatory to cutting down the hill. John Blair, clerk, formerly employed in the receiving office, at the Timaru railway station, was this morning charged with embezzling five pounds odd, the monies of the Government. The accused was remanded. It is stated that there will probably be several other charges of a similar nature preferred against him, his defalcations amounting altogether to close on £IOO. The B.M. Court presented quite a lively appearance this morning, for in addition to the other business there wore six unregistered dog cases to be disposed of, and the unlicensed canines in question, some of them, were in attendance as well as their masters, and scampered about the Court as if deeply interested in the issue of their respective cases. Tour individuals contributed 20s a-piecc to the public exchequer, and two other cases were dismissed, his Worship remarking, amidst some laughter, with reference to one of them, that he was not very sure from the evidence that the dog complained of had not followed Mr Lough himself. Mr D. MeGuinness, of the Ship Hotel, has resolved to eater for the speculative and sporting public, and over our leader he announces a £SOOO consultation on the Christchurch Jockey Club Handicap* This is the biggest event of the kind that has yet been promoted in South Canterbury, hut Mr MeGuinness’ popularity all over the province will no doubt ensure him a flood of subscribers.