NEWS OF THE DAY.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2422, 21 December 1880, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Mrs Hampson, a female evangelist, is drawing crowded houses in Auckland. The Turf has suffered another loss. Sinking Fund, owing to an accident at Auckland has had to be shot. Tareha, an old Hawke’s Bay chief and a staunch friend of the European, has joined the majority of his tribe. Mr Walter Ecynoldswith Herr Bandman and a number of Australian artistes has arrived at Invercargill, and will make a tour of the colony. As various statements have been made with regard to the strength of the Armed Constabulary force in the North Island, it has been ascertained from official sources that they number in all 782, of whom 583 are serving on the west coast of the North Island. The danger of handling explosives incautiously has been exemplified at Christchurch. A woman was opening a bottle of ginger beer, when the cork struck her eye, turning the ball completely over in the socket. Loss of sight will probably result. In the course of Tulri’s trial the following evidence was given by Mr. Eyes, formerly Superintendent of Marlborough; —“ It is not thought anything for Maoris to be seen in liquor there. They can get drunk as often as they like, the law notwithstanding. The law is a dead letter.” The electors of Richmond,Nelson suburbs, had an out-and-out Liberal speech from Mr Alfred Harley, on Saturday night. Mr Harley’s programme was secular education, abolition of the Upper House, and an elective Governor. He was against selling the Crown lands, and looked on the institution of a Colonial Bank of issue as a means of liquidating the colonial debt. At the Supreme Court, Invercargill, yesterday, Donald McKay, who was convicted last sessions, but remanded in custody for sentence, pending the decision of the Court of Appeal on a point His Honor reserved, was discharged, the higher Court having squashed the conviction. His Honor said that as McKay had escaped punishment, Cameron, who was but a tool in the matter, would probably be pardoned, and Whiddon, the actual tiro raiser, would also be liberated. Robert Leitzcns, found guilty of an unnatural offence, was sentenced to two years’ hard labor. The remaining case, in which Dr Molfat is charged with manslaughter, was to be heard to-day.

At an interview at Kumara on Saturday between Messrs Thornton and Browning, the promoters of the East and West Coast railway and the Kumara Eailway Committee, the following resolution was passed:.. “ That the committee approve of the scheme laid before them, and will cooperate to ths best of their power to promote the formation of the railway proposed between the East and West Coast, via the the Hurunui Gorge, Keefton, Ahaura and old Kumara, and Kumara and Hokitika.” Since the celebrated boar Bertie Saverna was blackleaded in Auckland, the same game has been tried on a horse. On November 2G (says the Auckland ‘ Herald ’), a gentleman bought at Messrs Hunter and Nolan’s sale a horse with a fine shining black coat, and took it home to a considerable distance from Auckland. Next day he discovered that the animal had been blackleaded, and on removing this coloring matter he was of an ugly rustybrown color. This should be a caution to auctioneers and purchasers to put them on their guard against swindlers.

The strike of.-Compositors in the “ Lyttelton Times” oflice,.continues. The proprietors are gradually; filling f up the frames with fresh hands; A._

Eeacock and Geaney, West End Butchery Church street, while thanking their patrons for-''-pftß{>fisvors' wish to;- intimate that in accordance.-with ttieir-'nhminl custom, they have arranged for a Grand Christmas Show of meat. No expense has on this occasion been spared in securing the very cream of the stock of; South Canterbury, and the .exhibition of beef, veal, mutton, Jamb, porkers, sucking pigs, small goods and other delicacies, will be one that has never yet been approached in Tiniaru or surpassed in the colony. .The proprietors encouraged by the result of .their previous efforts to tickle the palates and suitably furnish the tables of the meat consuming public during the Christmas festival, have resolved to make the forthcoming exhibition something worthy of the richest agricultural and pastoral district in New 1 Zealand. The show will be ready for inspection at 1 p.m., on Thursday, Dec 2d. “No Gas.”—[Aim’.]