NEWS OF THE DAY.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2425, 24 December 1880, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Wc have much pleasure in presenting our readers this evening with an illustrated Christmas Supplement, The tales have tlie advantage of being the productions of colonists ; they are as true as Cluistmas tales usually are, and they have the n.ciii of entire originality. Without rendering o irsclves liable to the charge of boasting, we think our- Supplement will he found to compare, at least favorably, with any similar production circulated in the colony. Should its stories contribute to the harmony and pleasures of the season, and as-ist the most trying festival of the year, we shall feel that our labors have been amply rewarded.

Father Bezant, an o’d Catholic priest died at Wellington yesterday. The Auckland Waste Lands Hoard have passed a resolution in favor of a duty of 20s on kauri gum.

Senglcman, who had his leg torn off at the wool-scouring works at Christchurch yesterday, died last evening. Mr Peter McCaughan M.11.U. for Riverton is said to be about to resign his scat, with the view of joining the noble army of New Zealand, absentee proprietors in England.

At the inguest on Edward Johnstone yesterday, who was killed in the Orari river bed on Wednesday, by a fall from a dray, a verdict of accidental death was returned

A member of the Fire Brigade met with a painful accident yesterday. Mr James Knight while practising in the engine shed with other firemen, got one of hie fingers jammed so badly that Dr Hogg was obliged to amputate it.

A Northern gum digger,named O’Connor, having bartered some gum for £l2, got on the spree and has been found in his whate burned to death.

Christchurch is shortly (o have a Society journal, the venture being undertaken by Mr J. Ivess. The paper will be called the i; Bulletin.”

The Wellington Compensation Court has awarded the Wesleyan body £IOSO with costs, and Fell Brothers £750, for land taken for railway purposes. The Government offers were much below these amounts.

There were no criminal or civil cases set down for hearing at the llesidcntMagistrate's Court this morning. . Owing to the Christmas vacation all civil busincs is suspended till 4th January next. Baron Mollwo, who has been giving lectures on various subjects at Christchurch lately, was arrcsted'on a charge of vagrancy in Lyttelton last evening. A number of charges are pending against him. Three years ago a man named Brooks and his two sons started from Picton for Wellington, in a yacht, and were never again heard of. Mrs Brooks, having heard that they were working at the Kaipara timber mills, under an assumed name, is now in Auckland searching for them. The judging of the Timaru Meat Show took place last evening. The streets were moderately thronged,for the butchers’ shops were all ablaze with decorations, snd the fruit shops presented a variety of attractions. An appropriate transparency in the shape of a well painted frigate, shone from the front of the Ship hotel and Mr Wafigh, fruiterer, drew scores to his window with a model “ Old Bather Christmas.” The judging of the meat took place at 10 o’clock, the judges being Messrs A. Waugh, Blackmore, C. Moore, Stewart, and A. McDonald, The first prize of twelve guineas was awarded to Mos-rs Peacock A Gcancy, the second of live guineas to Messrs Edmiuson Ki I well, and Messrs Green and Thomson divided the third honors equally. At Peacock Jc Geaney’s the Timvru Artillery Baud performed at intervals and a va-t crowd was collected, up to a late hour. The butchers and iheir staff of hands deserve a word of special praise for the way in which they exerted themselves in enabling the public and particularly the lady visitors to obtain a fair inspection of their exhibits. The progress of ei'dliz ition in the South Sea Islands is illustrated by an account of a riot which has just reached Auckland by the schooner from Lcvuka The scene of th efrara* was Vagadan, and the row originated with an Oba and a Sodom man, fellow servants in the same household. About twelve hundred foreign laborers, representing the tribes of the belligerents, fought the matter out with stones and sticks on the public cyicket ground. A number of wounded scalps and broken jaws rcsultel, an I the injure I were conveyed to the hospital, while their vanquishers were placed in durance vile.

W. Ricketts’ grand Christmas Art Union of watches and jewellery will be drawn this evening.

A carol service will take place at St Mary’s Church this evening, commencingat 10.30. To-morrow morning (Christmas Day) holy communion will be celebrated at 8 a.rn. and at 11 a.m., matins and holy communion.

Mr William Collins’ £SOO Consultation on the Champion llace will be drawn at the rooms of W. Collins and Co , auctioneers, on Friday, Hist December, at 8 p.m. Early application iff necessary to obtain tickets. The race will be run in Melbourne on New Year’s Day, 1881, at 2 p.m, Consultors only, on production of their tickets, will be admitted to the drawing.—Amr,