NEWS OF THE DAY.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2340, 16 September 1880, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Owing to a dispute about rent between the Good Templars of Ashburton and the Government, the Good Templars Hall, in which the R.M. Court has hitherto been held, is now occupied by bailiffs, and the property of the Courthouse has been distrained upon. Tidings of the whereabouts of Johnson, the Oamaru telegraphist, who disappeared ten days ago, have been received from his father.

Mr J. W. llain lias again divided half of Ins honorarium between the Invercargill Hospital and benevolent Institution. The “ Hawke’s 13 ay Herald” states on the authority of a sergeant of police that a boy named Walter has been sold by the Maoris by a Scandinavian for a kit of potatoes about iive years ago. The boy is to be sent to an Industrial School. At Oamaru on Monday fifteen jmblicans were proceeded against for selling adulterated brandy. It was proved that the brandy was diluted with water, the dilution ranging from 13 per cent to 38 per cent. Mr Parker, H.M., accepted Id per cent as the standard of dilution. A number of the defendants were lined, and in some eases the charge was dismissed on account of the publican admitting to the constable who purchased the liquor that it was diluted. The Merchant Shipping and Underwriters’ Association report the arrival at London of the Norval, from Lyttelton, left June 2, and the S. It. Lyman, from Timaru, left May 2d, Professor Proctor leaves for New Zealand on Monday next. A locomotive on the Pennsylvania railroad has made the fastest run on record. It was ordered from the roundhouse to the scene of an accident, and ram GO miles in •Id minutes and 8 seconds. This is at the rate of a trille under 80 miles an hour, and is a very remarkable performance. The attendants at the Dunedin Hospital arc now required to appear in uniform when on duty. The uniforms adopted are very much like those worn by the Gaol warders, but the material is not so good. "Why cloth caps with large and heavy leathern peaks should bo a part of the uniform of indoor attendants it is difficult to understand, but it may be that the Committee arc desirous of learning by experiment what amount rf pressure will produce brain fever, or whether headaches can in any way interfere with the duties of hospital attendants. —“ Times.”

Acceptances and general entries for the Geraldine llaces close at 'J p.m. on Saturday.

llachcldor’s Pantascope Entertainment opens this evening at the Theatre lloyal. The old post and telegraph oflices, together with the ground on which they stand, are to he put up to auction shortly. The programme for the "Wellington annual races, to be held on February '6 and 4, shows that over £l,lOO will be given in stakes. The principal events arc the Wellington Cup, of 400 sovs, two miles; and the ICC. Handicap, of 200 sovs, one mile and three-quarters.

A few months ago a dealer in Edinburgh bought at a sale two eggs of a great auk for 02s. A few days afterwards the same dealer sent the eggs to London to be sold, when the one fetched £IOO and the other 102 guineas, which, with one exception, is the highest price ever known to have been paid for one egg. This exceptional case was a moa’s egg, sold some years ago at the same place for £lba.

The Otago University Council have forwarded to the Chancellor of the New Zca land University a copy of a resolution passed by the Professorial Hoard, to the el't'cet that the persons appointed by the Chancellor of the New Zealand University at the last examination to examine in political economy, human anatomy, and physiology were neither experts in, nor hud ever been engaged in teaching the subjects in which they examined. Abundant evidence that the orange season has fairly set in is furnished by the quantity of peel to be seen lying about the pavements. This careless and selfish practice of throwing the slippery skin about the footpaths, cannot be too strongly condemned and will certainly cause accidents if not checked. A native of llussell has been fined TO for cutting down a telegraph post. At a meeting of the Canterbury flowing Club last evening, at which GO or 70 members were present, a bitter discussion took place on the action of some members who had blackballed a number of ladies for a ball proposed to be held shortly. It was proposed to eject them, but ultimately it was decided to give them an opportunity to apologise.

There was a clean sheet at the R.M. Court this morning, not even an inebriate” putting in an appearance. There has been a marked decrease in the number of these cases lately.

The Otago Land Board has granted to George W atson a license for one year to prospect for copper over six square miles at Dusky Bay, at a fee of one penny per acre. The body has been found in Wellington harbor of Daniel Sullivan, a laborer, aged 25, and a native of Ireland. He was last seen on Saturday, September 4, when he was in low spirits through inability to obtain employment, and it is said that he expressed his intention of drowning himself.

The Auckland Clothing Factory is the scene of a strange scigc at present. The original proprietor got his tweeds on credit from Australia and converted them into cash, and having transferred his business quietly to one Bell, took leave of absence from Now Zealand. An application being made to one of the Supreme Court Judges the estate was declared bankrupt, and forthwith the bailiffs descended on Bell. The first bailiff was expelled, and is now in bed from his injuries, and Bell’s premises arc closed pending law proceedings. There is a notice on the shutters, “ Stocktaking,” Meanwhile the premises are carefully watched front and rear by bailiffs.