NEWS OF TEE DAY.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2432, 4 January 1881, Page 2

NEWS OF TEE DAY.

The Tiraaru portion of the Suez mail arrived by the Express from South this afternoon. The s s. Piako struck a sunken rock in Wangarei harbor on Saturday night and sank. The Lady Jocelyn, 5)2 days from London, with Yesey Stewart’s settlers, has arrived at Tauranga. Kerrison,who was shot a few days ago at Christchurch died to-day. We learn that a new City Band is in process of formation in Timaru, under the band-mastership of Mr W. Knight.

The Rev. George Brown of New Ireland, writes hopefully concerning the prospects of the Marquis de Ray’s new settlement. Mr Pope Cooper of Queensland is to be appointed Attorney-General via; Mr Boer, who committed suicide.

A sitting of the District Court will be held on January II for the disposal of the cases Regina v O'Driscoll and others. A youth hooked a baby shark, something over two feet long, while fishing off the Breakwater on Sunday morning.

A telegraph office is to be established at Pleasant Point. The work of extending the telegraph line as far as Albury will be prosecuted at once. The Victorian Government offer a free pardon to any accomplices in the Tararua gold robbery who may bring forward evidence leading to the conviction of the chief offender.

The people of Invercargill propose to present Captain liaymond, discoverer of the phospliorised-oats rabbit poison, with a testimonial.

The Christchurch “ Press ” ascribes the efforts made to re-irapose school fees to the desire of sectarians to break up the present national system of education and resuscitate denominationalism.

The men employed by Messrs Jones and Peters at the Breakwater were busily engaged, when the tide permitted, today, in placing the casing at the southern side of the Breakwater, for the purpose of filling in the damaged portion with a continuous wall of concrete.

At a meeting of the Cemetery Committee held at i p.m. yesterday, competitive designs for a mortuary chapel were considered. It was resolved to accept the plan marked “ Merit' 1 (which proved to be that of Mr Duval) subject to the building being completed for the sum estimated. Tenders are to be called for at once.

The trustees in the bankrupt estate of T. S. Wymond, not being satisfied with the decision given in the Magistrate’s Court in the charges preferred against Wymond and his wife and nephew for alleged fraudulent removal and concealment of goods belonging to the estate, and acting under legal advice, have decided to indict Wymond before the Grand Jury, and also to apply to the Judge of the Bankruptcy Court to prosecute him for fraudulent insolvency issuing a false balance-sheet, and concealment of goods belonging to the estate.

The two red lights, which have been received by the Timaru Harbor Board to their order, having been duly gazetted according to the Act, were exhibited at the end of the Breakwater for the first time last night. The lanterns are erected on a strong iron frame at a sufficient height to be observed some distance out at sen.

A large skate was captured this morning off the end of the Breakwater. For some time past fish of all kinds, with the exception of crayfish, have been very scarce, hardly a bite being obtained by' the lovers of the piscatorial art, who patiently await day after day for something substantial to be booked on their lines.

A man named Long has been arrested at Napier on suspicion of having set fire to the Albion Hotel, which was burned a few days ago. Long being refused drink by the landlord of the Albion, Ihreatoncdtliat it would be the hist time a man would be denied drink in that house, and after the fire he threatened lo burn another house as he had done the Albion.

The “ Kaikoura Star ” is responsible for the ' following “ A new departure in shccpfaiming in this district is about to be tried by the Messrs Parsons Brothers, Ashwick, who purpose going in extensively for cabbage growing ns feed for sheep. Several acres of the vegetable name I will be sown, notmeroly as an experiment, but because they have found it by personal experience at Home, to be attended with excellent results. The area to he planted is said to be over twelve acres.

At. Hie monthly meeting of the Tinvirn School Committee held last evening, there being present, Messrs Walcot (Chairman), Machin, Jones and Hall, the sum of Ss Id balance of prize fund, was ordered to be paid to credit of the fund i.i the L’ost Ollicc Savings Bank, Messrs H. Bellicld and R. B. Walcot were nominated for vacant scats on the Board of Education. A lengthy protest against the resolution passed by the Board on 17th March, 1880, to the effect that the Timaiu High School be considered to be included in the interpretation of “Public Schojls” in the Scholarships Regulations, was passe!. Mrs Creamer was appointed caretaker to the Timaru Side School. The Chairman, and Messrs Jones and Hamilton were appointed to draw up the annual report. A hearty vote of thanks was accorded to Mr Walcot, Chairman, for the able manner in which he had conducted the business of the Committee. Accounts were passed amounting to £!» 12s. The meeting then adjourned for a fortnight. Owing to the unfavorable weather there were only about 4000 present at the Dunedin sports yesterday. The principal events were well contested. In the Caledonian Handicap, of 100yds, 250yds, and 440yds, ,Duncan of Otago was lirst, Booth of Christchurch second, and Hill third. Hutton, the Christchurch champion, was nowhere. The three mile walking handicap was won by R. McDonald, D. Me Ewan ’second, and W. Clayton third. Wrestling, Border style— Tiffin, 1 ; McCarry, 2. Robertson dislocated his shoulder. In the mile race Allan was lirst and W. Burke second. The time lor the races was generally slow. The day was observe I as a general holiday, and the town was full of visitors.

A curious kissing case is about to come up before the courts of Hungary. At a recent election at Gross Kanit/.a, a young lady of great beauty worked actively for the election of a deputy named Jokia. He was successful. But his opponent is endeavoring to have the election annulled on the grounds of bribery and corruption, instancing among other things the fact of the lady having given a kiss for a vote. The kiss was given in the presence of witnesses, and unfortunately for the giver, the recipient declared be valued it at more than a thousand florins. This will bring it within the law, and it is considered that the lady will be heavily fined, if not imprisoned.

At the inquest at Blenheim yesterday on the body of Mrs Daike, found amongst the ruins of the house destroyed by lire on Now Year's morning, the principal evidence was given by Daike, who stated that he and his wife were intoxicated when they went to bed. When awoke by the noise of fire in the back room he got up, and took his wife to the front door, and told her to open the door and run out, as the lire was increasing. He did not open it, as she had plenty of time herself. He returned to the bedroom to throw out all he could get at, believing his wife had escaped. He got through the window, and did not know his wife was missing until the house was so far burnt that no more could be saved. Other evidence went to show the Daikes lived on good terms. The jury gave a verdict that there was no evidence to show how the lire originated.

The story of a terrible “sell” comes from Wagga, New South Wales. On December IB a man named Thompson was charged before the local Dench with stealing 11 gallons of ginger beer. Thompson, who, according to the testimony of his mates, certainly loved a drop of good beer, and probably had no objection to a drop of something stronger as well, saw a cask standing in a convenient spot at Crawley’s public-house, at Junee. As it was pay night with the navvies at work on the railway, the landlord was of course busy. Thompson, oblivious of the chances of teetotal beverage contingencies, with visions no doubt of a good {solid spree, at little cost coursing through his brain, took advantage of the fact, and quietly rolled the cask away till he rolled himself almost directly into the arms of a policeman. His state of mind at the discovery next morning that he had been exerting himself for such a mild luxury as gingerbeer may bo imagined, and the Bench marked their sense of his newly found love of teetotal indulgence by prescribing for him three months of cold water and Goulburn gaol. The South Australian Civil servants have got their working hours extended from 1 to o p.m.

On Wednesday morning (says the “Ellesmere Guardian,”) this township was visited by the heaviest hailstorm ever known, even to the oldest inhabitants. The early morning was beautifully fine and’ warm, but shortly after eight o’clock an ominously dark cloud came up from the south-west, accompanied by a roar as of a rushing mighty wind. Immediately there came a down-pour of hail and pieces of ice, which sorety tried the roofs of the older buildings, very few of which have since proved quite watertight. The storm seemed to follow the course of the river thence to the Lake and the Port hills. It extended but a few yards beyond the township, and did much injury to the crops on its line of march. AVe have heard of several crops of oats and barley that have been so threshed out as to be hardly worth reaping. The gardens in one part of Southbriclge suffered severely, while those at the other end of the township escaped the stoim altogether. In one case a large quantity of peaches—what would not have been far short of half a ton —has been completely destroyed, the fruit being battered as though children had been playing at blacksmiths on them.

The “ Norman by Star ” says :—“ AVe have had forwarded to our office by Mr AV. H. M'Gonaglc a sample of pens made out of common fern stalk, which are quite equal to quill pens and far more lasting) besides not having the propensity to splutter. Mr M'Gonagle informs us by letter that a pen of the description he sends was in use and stood the test of the Sentry Hill Goods Sheds work a period of six months; and they are the only pens in use there at the present time. Having written this paragraph with one of them, we must admit that for quick rough writing they arc better than cither steel or quill pens, and for persons in the bush should be in" valuable, because they have any amount of wear in them.

The Hospital returns for the month of December, are as follows :—Patients under treatment at date of last returns ; Males, 21, females, 8. Admitted during the month, males, 20 ; females 5. Total number treated, 54. Discharged during the month, cured, males, 1!); females 5. Believed, males, 2 Dead, males, 1; females 2. Total number discharged 29. Remaining under treatment, males and females, 25. Out door patients relieved, 9.