NEWS OF THE DAY.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2366, 16 October 1880, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

While moving a sack of grain on a dray in George street yesterday, Mr Simmonds met with a serious accident. The dray had backed into the gu tier, and Simmonds commenced to unload it. While hauling at one of the sacks his foot slipped clean through a rotten plank in the floor of the dray, and he sustained a compound fracture of the left leg in consequence. He was attended by Dr Williams, and afterwards was removed to his home.

An annoying accident happened to a working carpenter this morning. He was walking along the parapet at Mr James Bcckingham’s upholstery and cabinet making establishment, when he suddenly slipped and descending through a calico verandah, finally tumbled through two panes of glass, before recovering his footing in the shop beneath. Several nasty scratches besides the damage to property was the result.

Mr Conyers makes room for his successor Mr Hannay, on Monday.

The largest audience that has ever assembled in Dunedin, Trent to hear Mr Proctor on the Moon last evening. Pelt hats are being manufactured from rabbit fur in Dunedin at a cheaper rate than the imported article. At a recent meeting of creditors in Wellington a local tradesman is reported to have said that he had been a creditor in between fifty and sixty bankruptcies and had only got a dividend, and that of 2s 6d in the £ in one estate.

Telegraphic communication north of Napier, was interrupted last evening,through some unknown cause. The steamer Hero arrived at Auckland bringing Australian news yesterday, but only a very few items could be wired before the interruption occurred.

Sir Julius Vogel is on the war path. Having been compelled to resign his rosy billet as Agent-General he threatens to return to the colony for the purpose of reentering the political arena. If an opponent is wanted Mr J. G. S. Grant, of Dunedin, is still to the fore. The Dunedin *• Star” hears “ that Mr J. H. Lowe’s services as Engineer of Permanent Way have been dispensed with. It is believed that the duties hitherto performed by that gentlemrn will be undertaken in future by the deputy of the En-gineer-in-Charge of this island.” What will become of the Timaru foreshore and Mr Blackett? Has “ the steady process o nature” set in against them ?

We are credibly informed that although the Cathedral Commissioners of Christchurch ordered 800 chairs from Home, some of the furniture depots there are literally stuffed with imported trash which the superior quality of the colonial made article has rendered unsaleable. The worst feature is that some of the best subscribers to the Cathedral arc furniture dealers,whose subscriptions are consequently travelling to foreign workshops.

A legal game of shuttlecock and battledore is going on at Ashburton. Mr J. Ivess tried in the local Resident Magistrate’s Court to recover £6 IBs, alleges to be due him by an ex-collector. This amount, however, was part of a larger sum, Mr Ivess having received the balance; and Mr Guinness,R.M. nonsuited him on the ground of non-juris-diction. Mr Ivess then sought his remedy in the District Court, but Judge Ward told him that the amount was below his jurisdiction, and that he could see no reason why the lower Court declined to adjudicate. On Tuesday last the case was again heard before Mr Guinness at Ashburton, and met the same fate as on the first occasion. Mr Ivess has stated a case for the Court of Appeal.

Cruelty to animals is receiving attention at Ashburton. Yesterday a man named Hill was fined £5 for leaving his horse for twelve hours without food or drink, and tethered up so that it could not reach for a bite of grass.

A London letter to the Melbourne “Argus” in the last mail news says:—“The appointment of Sir Hercules Robinson as the successor of Sir Bartle Frere is highly approved. He is known as a successful ruler, exceedingly popular, and withal thoroughly independant, and not to be made a tool of.”

A child of eighteen months named Isabella Guthrie, daughter of a school teacher at Palmerston North and grand-daughter of the Hon Mr Bryce has died from phosphorous poisoning. The evidence at the inquest showed that the child last week ate some phosphorous from matches, and was taken very ill. A doctor was called in, and she got apparently quite well, but relapsed on Tuesday, and died yesterday. The verdict was that death was the result of poisoning from phosphorous.

A singular case of shooting has occurred at Christchurch. Some days ago a man named Pearce was shot in the knee whilst walking on the hanks of the Avon. His position has now become so precarious that yesterday his depositions were taken by the Resident Magistrate. Three lads, supposed to have been concerned in this miscellaneous shooting have been arrested, and charged with intent to do grevious bodily hurra.

At the Invercargill R.M. Court yesterday a cabman sued Mr Dalrymple, President of the Liberal Reform Association, for thirty shillings for carriage hire in connection with the last visit of Sir George Grey to Invercargill. The plaintiff’s case was that he had driven Sir George, always in company with Mr Dalrymple, on several trips during his stay, and had taken his orders in all cases but one from defendant, who had prevented Sir George Grey from paying. Defendant denied the accuracy of plaintiff’s assertions, and charged plaintiff with having annoyed him by importunity in trying to recover his fare, Mr McCulloch decided that the hiring had not been proved against defendant and nonsuited plaintiff, at the same time commenting strongly on the paltriness of the affair, which should never have come into Court.

An advertisement in another column notifies that entries of sheep, cattle, and pigs for the A. and P. Association’s annual show must be made by Tuesday evening, and all other entries on or before Thursday next. Mr W. Makepeace Howe, member of the Horological Institute, London, has re-com-menced business as a watchmaker and jeweller, in Main South Road, The owners of faulty time-pieces will find in Mr Howe a true Samaritan. The Camera Obscura, on the rising ground at LeGren’s Terrace, will be exhibited on the present site for the last time between two and five to-morrow afternoon. The lens, an unusually large one, was manufactured by the proprietor in Christchurch, and its efficiency is demonstrated by the clear and vivid representation of the surrounding scenery which it throws on the canvas.