NEWS OF THE DAY.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2413, 10 December 1880, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

A man was arrested at the Oamaru races yesterday for passing a spurious sovereign. Dr Charles Felthara of Riverton, died suddenly at 1 o’clock, yesterday. Charles H. Taylor has joined the “ Stray Leaves ” who are to figure in a Victorian Court on a charge of child-murder.

The enquiry respecting the fire that destroyed David Proudfoots’ tram sheds at Dunedin, has resulted in an open verdict. At the Waimate Court yesterday, George Sannaway, charged with sly-grog selling, was fined £2O and costs on each of the two charges. Major Atkinson, and the Hons. Bryce, and Rollcston, take charge of the seat of Government during Christmas. The other Ministers spend their holidays at their respective constituences. During the month of November last the excess of immigration over emigration throughout the colony was 1119, of whom 10.52 came from the United Kingdom,

The Co-operation stone breakers of Auckland have been transferred to the Waikato settlers. Homo of them contemplated sharebroking at To Aroha,

A fiat race for £SO a-side—distances 100 120 and 150 yards has been arranged between,E. J. Hatton of Auckland, and C, Hulston of Christchurch. The event comes off on January 12,1881 on the Christchurch cricket ground. For trying the cleansing and cooking effects of boiling water on a resident of Akaroa named William H. Eossitcr, two well-known and respectably connected young ladies have been committed for trial. If they are ably defended poor Eossiter will probably undergo another scalding in the witness box.

The Private Secretary of Te Whiti reports that the old chief has expressed himself respecting Tuhi, in the following sensible stylel am in no way responsible. He must bear • his own punishment since he followed his own ways. I have always preached against bloodshed; my song is the song of peace. The Maori has bitten like a cur ; let him die like a cur.” An Aucklander named Andy Kelly, is anxious to get a small patch of 50,000 acres at Mukau, for which he offers £5 per week. The Land Board is anxious that this member of the aspiring Kelly family should have his cabbage garden and they intend to communicate with the Government to see whether the land cannot be occupied in defiance of native claims.

A mile boat race on the Avon tetween W. H. Lingard, of “ Our Boys” and Mr Searell of musical renown attracted a large concourse of Theatrical "stocksand stars ” on Wednesday. The "Press” gives the following account of the event:—A very good start was made, but the representative of music was soon in difficulties, he having suceeded in landing a well-developed specimen of the crustacean and losing his sculls. Soon after this the Thespian ran into the bank, and was also in difficulties. Mr Searell having recovered one of his sculls, proceeded to paddle, and then a series of fouls took place. The referee decided, under the circumstances, that the race should be rowed again. The race will be probably rowed in Auckland, and the lovers of aquatics will look for the result with great interest.

At the Christchurch District Court yesterday, before His Honor Judge Ward, a cabman named Crew sued Police-Sergeant Pratt for £SO damages for lalsc imprisonment. Crew was arrested on Aug 28, for obstructing the tramcars, and the question to be decided was whether the rails encroached on the cab stand or not. The evidence disclosed that the cabstand was nine feet too far south, and the same distance too far west, and that if placed in its true position as defined by the city by-law, the tram would have passed clear of it by two feet. His Honor gave judgment for defendant, but refused to give costs against the plaintiff, who had been asserting bona fide what ho believed to be his right to occupy the cabstand. The case was watched with great interest by a number of cabmen and others.

About 10.20 p.m. last evening the fire bells rang out an alarm, and soon the quiet streets were busy with people making their way to the scene of the occurrence, a wooden building in the occupation of Messrs Mcßride and McKay, plumbers, <fec., and Mr Newell, bootmaker. Detective Kirby was quickly on the spot, and was the first to enter the premises. He found the scrim and paper lining the walls and ceiling of one division of the front of the building in a blaze, but thanks to the exertions of the detective and others the flames were quickiy got under, and all danger was prevented. It ia stated that no one connected with the premises was in the building after 8 p.m. The alarm was first given by Mr McDonald, expressman. The lire is said to have originated in consequence of a lighted candle being left on a shelf, the flame of which caught the scrim lining of the walls. The insurances were as follows: £SOO on the buildings in the Victoria office; £7O on stock-in-trade; £3O ditto fittings ; £SO ditto furniture and effects in the Union office. The proprietors estimate that had the building been destroyed, they would have lost £SO over and above the insurance money.

, Mr W. H. Hales, Government Resident Engineer of the Public Works Department, Wellington, succeeds Mr J. Stewart, District Engineer at Auckland. Mr J. K. Warburton, the accountant of the General Post-oihce,‘ will hold the amalgamated accountants’ offices of the Postal and Telegraphic Offices.

A jury in the Tuapeka district has just returned a verdict of /‘ death by the visitation of God from natural causes ” in the case of a man who died from convulsions, resulting from a severe drunk. A contemporary remarks that “ in the face of all the facts this verdict is surely neither more nor less than a revolting piece of blasphemy.”

It is the intention of the Government shortly to offer bonuses for the production of various articles in marketable quantities and at reasonable prices. Among the articles which have been mentioned as likely to be included are beet sugar, linseed oil, sulphuric acid, and starch. The offer of a bonus for cement manufacture has already been published, and silk would be included if there appeared any prospects of that industry being successfully carried ;on. But the previous efforts in the direction of sericulture have proved such total failures as to discourage the idea of its accomplishment. Some official announcements on this subject will appear shortly. Mr Martin Kennedy, proprietor of the Greymoutii coal mine, intends starting a wholesale depot for the sale of Greymoutii coal in Tiinarn. A section of land has been secured for the purpose in Barnard street, and the proprietor is confident that when the qualities of the Greymoutii coal once become known it will meet with an active demand in this district.

For disturbing the proceedings of a suburban town council at Invercargill the other evening, by scraping bis feet on the floor and uttering several exclamatory ejaculations, a ratepayer was fined £l, with £d 7s costs, by the local Resident Magistrate. When calling the intruder to order the worthy mayor addressed him as “ councillor!” and in court afterwards the defendant ingeniously said that if he had been called “ Mr” he would have been “ ordered," but to be called a “ councillor ” was a •' real insult.”

The Tuapeka County Council, under the impression that they are a duly constituted Land Board, have- lately been leasing Crown lands in various parts of the county', Attention having been called to these operations, the chairman of the Otago Land Board has been instructed to proceed against the so-called lessees for unlawful occupation. The doings of this County Council are on a par with the proceedings of the Timaru Cemetery Board in leasing the Northern Cemetery reserve as a cowwalk, and the doings of the South Canterbury Education Board in giving a monopoly of their printing and advertising to their chairman. Something will shortly have to be done to make local bodies respect the laws of the colony.

The annual exhibition of the Timaru Floral and Horticultural Society will take place on December 16 (Anniversary Day) at Messrs Maclean and Stewart’s auction rooms. For particulars see advertisement. Special train arrangements are announced for Anniversary Day in our advertising columns.

The attention of builders and contractors is directed to an advertisement in this issue re tenders for alterations to the old Post Office buildings.