NEWS OF THE DAY.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2349, 27 September 1880, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

An ordinary meeting of the Tituaru Borough Council will be held this evening. It is stated that the telegraph poles in front of the new Government buildings which, in their present position, have been justly objected to as eyesores, arc to be removed to the rear of the premises. There is also some talk of the long-promised clock for the tower being provided.

A poetic correspondent sends us a contribution in rhyme in reference to the subject matter of the Tnnaru School Committee’s meeting this evening. The lines though humorous arc somewhat personal, and as we would sooner attack the united Governments and potentates of the universe than offend a Tiinaru schoolmistress, our correspondent will cxcn.se us for refraining from publishing more than the following sample—■ Important matters I can see Have got to be discussed, A teacher says, the Committee To-night must bite the dust.

Male teachers arc in great request in otiigo just now. The Premier arrived per Taiaroa at Lyttelton on Saturday. Tiie yacht being built at the North Shore Auckland to compete at the Melbourne 11cgatta will cost £I,OOB without cabin fittings.

The New Zealand Shipping, Company's Waitangi and Messrs Shaw, Savillc’s Crusader arc racing to Lyttelton. Both vessels passed Deal on July fj. It is long odds on the Crusader.

Edward Kearns, mate of the ketch Sarah and Maiy, has been arrested at Christchurch on charges arising out of the loss of that vessel. Some property sworn to have been lost in her was found in his possession. A Californian has invented a torpedo in the shape of a kernel of corn, which is designed for the hegu'ilement of festive crows. As soon as the offensive crow takes hold of it it explodes and blows the top of his head off. A compositor named Souncss has been sentenced by the Dunedin ilJench to seven days imprisonment and a fine of JOs for stealing blankets, and assaulting his employer, Mr James Mackny. Souncss justifies his conduct by stating that he could get no wages. Mr Munro, a farmer living on the Parcora, tied up his horse outside the Saltwater Creek Hotel on Wednesday night about 10 o’clock. When he came out flic animal was gone. Enquiries arc being made into the cause of the disappearance.

The glory of the famous winner of the Canterbury Cup and one of the most famous sires in this part of New Zealand has departed if the following from an Auckland paper is reliable :— Knottinglcy was put up for auction on Friday, but there were no offers above 1.120, and the horse had, in consequence, to be withdrawn. The price paid to the Stud Company was £75. An Auckland sportsman will, of his own free will and pleasure, stand up to his middle in water for hours while duck shooting, and will walk for days over the ranges while pheasant shooting till he is nearly killed with fatigue ; but he thinks it is running an unnecessary risk of catching cold to fetch his wife home in the rain, and too hard work to dig up ground enough to plant a bushel of potatoes, or a few cabbage plants for family use. So says the Auckland “ Star ” and it ought to know. A sporting writer in the the “ Auckland Advertiser” says:—One result of the last English Derby will be a sensational libel suite, the plaintiff being a well-known veterinary surgeon, and the defendants the proprietors of the “ Morning Post.” It arises, I believe, from a statement in the journal named, which was to the effect that the steel pills found to contain poison which were sent to Ilobcrt Peek for Dead Or a few days before the race, came from this particular veterinary surgeon. Luckily Peck found out there was something wrong by the smell of the pills, otherwise the backers of the Duke of Westminister’s colt would have fared badly.

Most probably Messrs CuJ'f ami Graham’s boat the Hero will be the one decided upon for the excursion to Melbourne and Sydney in December next. She is a line boat of about the same tonnage as the Wakatipu, and will accomodate IbO excursionists. The steamer, it is proposed, will start from Lyttelton in the beginning of December, calling at Wellington ; {rom Wellington she will go to Sydney, stopping there three days, then on to Melbourne, where she will stay a week, then back via Sydney to Auckland, staying there one or two days, and from Auckland back to Lyttelton. The fare for the entire trip, including board and lodging on the steamer all the time, will be eleven guineas. It will be recollected that a few days ago a man named Seuft was arrested at Auckland and severely punished for smuggling jewellery. In connection with the arrest, the “ Star” says that Sub-Inspector I’ardy did a smart thing. The first suspicion with respect to the jewellery was that it formed part of a robbery in Melbourne. Uut on questioning Seuft the police were pretty well satisfied that they were off the track. The Sub-Inspector then said blandly—- “ Well, you know, we shouldn’t have nabbed you if you had paid the duty on the goods.” “ Oh,” responded Seuft, “ they never asked me.” It was a chance shot, but it fetched the bird. The police managed to pay themselves the TIOU line out of a canister containing JbdOO concealed among Scuffs belongings.

At a special meeting of the Levels Hoad Board on Saturday live applications Wore received for the office of valuer for the ensuing year, the amounts required ranging from £l2O to £2lO. Mr K. W. Stubbs was appointed valuer at a sataiy of £2lO. It was resolved to enforce the provisions of the Public Works Act relative to the clearing of gorse from the district roads by ratepayers.

Play-goers will be glad to learn that a strong dramatic company, including many old favourites, will open for a short season at the Theatre Boyal this evening. Mr Walter ileynolds, who has gained very flattering notices in the North Island and more recently in Christchurch, will also make his bow to a Tiinaru audience in a drama from his own pen entitled “Tiied and Tiuc,” which abounds with exciting situations and for which some special scenery has been prepared. Mrs Walter Hill, Miss Bessie Vivian, Miss Lambrette, Miss May, Mr Hooper, Mr Burford, Mr Tyrrell and others, will take part in the drama. The Arethusa company made a decidedly favorable impression during their last visit to Tiinaru, and they now return strengthened in numbers and with a selection of lirst-clas pieces all of which are worth seeing. A sad accident happened on Saturday afternoon at Blenheim. It appears that a little boy aged three and a half years, son of Mr Sinclair, a gentleman who is at present on a short visit to Blenheim, was playing with some children in a shed belonging to the railway authorities. In this shed four heavy railway gates were stored up,one against the other, alongside the wall. The little fellow wished to climb up the gates, against the wishes of the other children who were playing with him, and was climbing on to them when the gate he was on fell over on him and crushed Ills head, scattering his brains about the floor. Assistance was immediately obtained, but it was found the boy was guile dead. Mr Sinclair came to Blenheim only within the last week, for tiro purpose of rc-placiug Mr Nixon at the National Bank during his absence on leave. One of the liveliest dust storms of the season disturbed the streets of Tiinaru just as the town was at its busiest on Saturday evening. The day had been fine, and the pulverised shingle was in excellent condition for taking wing, when between eight and nine o’clock the heavy gusts of a mild nor'-wester made themselves apparent. The scene on the main street was almost indescribable. A drenching thunder shower could not have made a more alarming impression on the crowded footpaths. Shopkeepers busied themselves removing exposed goods, and hanged their doors, ladies holding fast to their headgear disappeared as if they were engaged in a walking match, while the rougher sex sought the shelter of convenient “pubs” and lanes. The clouds of dust were both blinding and suffocating and a more unpleasant night for anyone to be abroad in could scarcely be imagined. It is to be hoped that by the time that the water is introduced, tire Borough Council will be able to devise some chcaj) binding material to counteract the bad effects of the loose shingle, which is proving so injurious to business and disagreeable to pedestrians. Inspector Bender is a forbearing officer, but he had his temper severely tried the other morning. During the “ small hours ” a select party of convivialists, who had arrived in town after midnight, were parading the streets when they alighted on a solitary citizen. Approaching him the foremost of the paity enquired if he was a householder. “ No,” was the reply, “ hut lam a freeholder.” “ Then you’re just the man wo want ; you know W ” (mentioning a well-known limb of the law.) “ Yes I do,” was the rejoinder. “ Well, he has got into a difficulty ; no fault of his, you sec; but he’s got mixed up in a row and been arrested, and a citizen, householder, is wanted to bail him out.” The individual addressed needed no persuasion, but sped to the police station and asked for the inspector. Mr Pender called from his rest at 2 a.m., hastily drcscsed himself, and, on reaching his office was informed that the visitor was ready to bail out W . “ W said the astonished officer. “Why there’s no W here.” “ Then I've been hoaxed,” exclaimed the other coloring up, and hoaxed sure enough he had been. We need hardly say that the interview terminated abruptly. W having heard the story, says he has more friends in Tnnaru than he ever imagined, and he is anxiously on the look-out for his would-be benefactor.

The following are the particulars, as stated to us by -Air J. B. Bogers, of the serious accident which happened at Winslow on Friday, Sept. 17, to a child of his four-and-a-half years of age. A neighbor having a quantity of dry cut gorge on an unoccupied section adjoining the house, which by some means caught lire on the evening previous to the accident, thought it better to burn it all, which he did next clay. Thinking that he had put it out he left it, not throwing water upon it. One of the children, the little girl, who was playing near caught lire by some means. She was seen running from the gor.se all on (ire, and one of the other children quickly gave the alarm. The pom child was severely burnt before her clothes could all be removed. Dr Boss was quickly in attendance, but unfortunately gives very little hope of her recovery. {she still lies in a lingering condition. —■“ Ashburton Mail.”

Drofessor Thorold lingers, of the London University referring to a protection policy for landlords says There is, and ther, can be, no reason beyond illegitimate and selfish power, to In; alleged in favor of keeping certain people’s income up by taking something away from everybody else’s income. It is true that there are people who make the claim, but there are no claims too impudent for some men’s cynicism.” The same authority adds : Irish landowner complained to me that his class had been stigmatised as vermin by some agiarian orator. 1 could only answer that the epithet was very mile, and pro bably very' irritating, but that there seemed no better definition of vermin than that of animals who live on the soil but do not contribute to its fertility and usefulness, and that this had unhickly been very much an accurate definition of an Irish landowner.”