NEWS OF THE DAY.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2436, 8 January 1881, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

The native’prisoners remain at Opua,near Opunake, and will not return to Parihaka till all are released, when they go in a body. They are dissatisfied with the partiality shown to some men like Naheri, who was sentenced to two years’ hard labor, and released before the ploughmen.

The following ' were the principal recipients at the settling up of the Auckland Ilacing Club:—John Smith, £291; Farmer, £109; Walters, £920; Gallagher, £OB ; Butler, £150; Lance, £332; Hunt, £190; I.unn, £66; Allan McDonald, £184; Walmslcy, £lO4,

At a crowded meeting held at Christchurch last evening in reference to the West Coast railway, resolutions were passed urging Government to assist any company which may be formed, and according votes of thanks to the movers in the matter and to the engineers.

Some extensive sales of property have lately taken place in this district. We understand that the farm of the late Mr Landsborough,a few miles from Timaru, comprising 290 acres, has been sold to Mr Raynor, chemist, Temuka, for £l3 per acre. Mr Bailey’s farm, seven miles from town, on the Timaru Downs, has been sold to Mr Youdale for £l3, possession to be given in four months.

A meeting of the Committee of the South Canterbury Jockey Club took place last evening at the Grosvcnor Hotel. I’rcsent —Messrs D. Maclean, R. Stansell, J. B. Stansel!, J. Hall, J. Mcikle, D. McGuinness. and E. G. Kerr. It was decided to hold the next race meeting on April 28 and 29, A sub-committce was appointed to prepare a draft programme, and submit the same to an adjourned meeting of the committee to be held on Friday next.

At a sale of racehorses which has just taken place at Auckland the following prices were realised ;—Mr Farmer’s E’lorence, 37 guineas; Major George’s Rewi, 120 guineas; Mr Joseph Banks’ Paramena, 101 guineas. Mr Joseph Ellis’ Lara, offered 95 guineas, withdrawn at reserve (125 guineas) ; Hilda, offered 88, guineas, withdrawn for 150 guineas; Sportsman, offered 180 guineas, withdrawn for 250 guineas : Lone Hand, offered 150 guineas, withdrawn for 350 guineas.

One of the Oamaru papers has the following :—“ The other day as a train was proceeding from Oamaru to Dunedin a passenger, against the warning of the guard, took his scat on the carriage platform, with his feet dangling over the side. On the train passing a station platform, the man’s foot caught, and bo was jerked from bis seat on to the platform, and fortunately foyhimself clear of the rails. It is supposed that he suffered very slight injury from his misadventure.” Lately a child was brought before the Stockton Borough Magistrates for begging in the streets. Its father was a “ commissioned officer” in the Salvation Arm}”, and neglected his family and work in order to go round the town “singing (_!» and praying.” Praying and, what is politely termed by the Salvation Array, singing, does not seem very nourishing for little children, not for these particular little ones anyhow. They wanted bread ; the mother had none and sent them out to beg for it. The magistrates discharged the child, and advised the father in future to work as well

as praj r . A very successful trial of the Osborne reaper took place yesterday afternoon at the farm of Mr W. Evans, Saltwater Creek. This machine has been so constructed that it will bind with strinn or wire, either attachment being easily allixed at the pleasure of the operator. Yesterday the grain was cut with the cleanness and efficiency for which the Osborne reaper is well known, while the sheaves were in nearly every case well and securely bound, and both reaping and binding met with the approbation of all present. Quite a chapter of casualties is telegraphed from Auckland, A gum digger named Nicholson committed suicide, owing to his hut having been burnt down, destroying a sura of money, and a quantity of gum. Robert Hale, broker, died from the effects of an accident received while jumping recently from the deck of the Rotorua on to the Queen street wharf. Thos. Briggs advertising agent, was found dead in the fore-cabin of the Waitara. At the inquest a verdict of congestion of the brain was returned. The body of a man greatly decomposed has been found on the beach at the South Head, Kaipara. It is believed to be the remains of one of the crew of the wrecked brigantine James A. Stewart. The Auckland newsvendors ought to feel thankful.

Sandie who brought up the Willandra ewes, has Scotchman not only written all over him, but sticking out twelve inches. He came to Smith’s, at the Dry Lake, and went in. “ I'll hae a nobbier.” He tasted the whiskey and said, “ It’s naebad—come in, my lads, and hae a drink.” Three came in and refreshed themselves, and Sandie, putting down half-a-crown, said, “ I’ll take saxpence oot o’ that.” “No says Smith; “I want eighteen pence more, Nobblcrs are a shilling here.” Is that so, —weel, I dinna grudge it—the whisky’s nae sae bad. By the way, I hae gotten a handfu, o’ sheep coming—can you gic me a drink for them ?” How many ?” asks Smith. “ Oh —just a handfu’—about five thousan’.” “ But,” remonstrated Smith “ you had seven thousand odd at the punt where’s the rest 2” “ Oh, it’s only a handfu, I've got—just a handfu’ I hae got,” urged Sandie. *' Then you can have a drink for them,” says Smith, “ for 80s a thousand.” “ Hey, inon,” sarcastically remonstrated Sandie, “ it’s not whiskey I’m wanting for ’em I” If anyone entertains doubts about the existence of sharks in the Timaru Koadstead, let them set them at rest, This morning an angler while fishing for cod off the Breakwater, just opposite to where the George Noble is moored, discovered by the strain on his line that he had hooked something considerably heavier than usual. With the assistance of some other anglers ho commenced to haul away at his capture, and presently a big shark of perhaps eight feet in length, and of proportionate thickness, began to make his appearance above the water, and it was plain by fhe way he wriggled about that he didn’t half like the position of affairs. There’s many a slip ’twixt the cup and the lip however, and just as the fishers made sure of landing their prize, the stout line snapped and away went Master shark, carrying away with him the cod-hook as a memento of his visit to the Breakwater.

The Hon. Thomas Dick proceeds to Sydney to represent New Zealand, at the Intercolonial Conference.

A convocation of the Royal Arch Purple Chapter of the Tiniarn Loyal Oan-e Lodge will meet at 7.30 p.m. on Monday next, at the Oddfellows’ Hall, 'Sophia street. Candidates for raising must be in attendance not later than 8 p.m.

Another popular benefactor has made his appearance, introducing to limaru an industry that should be alike profitable to the public and himself. We refer to Mr P. Thomson whose advertisement appears elsewhere. Mr Thomson is prepared to make barrel churns, butter kegs and tubs, cheese rats, beer and spirit kegs, and all other articles indispensable to farmer, brewer, and housewife. A clever cooper is as essential to a well ordered community as a butcher baker or shoemaker, and we have no doubt Mr Thomson’s enterprise will be rewarded.

Among the enthusiastic patrons of art in Timaru no one has displayed more energy of late than Mr James Strachan, the well-known draper. Since the day that he brought about a sort of siege of his establishment by introducing bargains that made the public’s hair curl and stand on an end, he has been steadily distributing gifts among his patrons. Another of his Art Unions is announced to be distributed in a few weeks, and as the gifts are really valuable we have no doubt it will draw forth plenty of competitors. The great attraction of Mr Strachan’s Art Unions is that the articles are really gifts, purchasers at his establishment realising the highest possible value for their money besides running the risk of becoming the recipients of a variety of valuable prizes.