NEWS OF THE DAY.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2456, 1 February 1881, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

In Napier the 21b loaf at present is being sold at the low price of 2§d. The Auckland Gas Company have declared a dividend of 15 per cent. A quartz mania has set in, in the Nelson district. The reefs between Mount Arthur and Wangarapa are about to be prospected. By a proclamation in the “Gazette” 3000 acres of land west of Waingongoro rher, on the West Coast, are set apart on the deferred payment system.

At the annual meeting of the Accident Insurance Company, after paying all costs of establishing branches in New Zealand and Australia, a dividend of ten per cent was declared, and £1630 carried forward.

The Government have accepted the tender of the Wesport Colliery Company for the supply of coal for delivery at Wanganui, Waitara, Foxton, Wellington, Napier, Lyttelton, and the Bluff till the 31st of December, 1881.

A singular tramway accident occurred lately at Sydney. An old lady on one side and an old gentleman on the other side endeavored to enter a car whi.e in motion. Both fell under the wheels and were seriously injured. The old gentleman has since died.

The names of 351 medical practitioners are entered in the medical register of New Zealand, but of this number 45 are reported to have left the colony, leaving 306 to battle with the diseases of 450,000 persons. At present only one dentist has been registered under the Dentists Act of last session.

A sad accident happened at the Kaiapoi Borough School yesterday morning to George Kinley’s daughter, aged 11 years. She was swinging others in a boat swing when it came in contact with her, breaking her left thigh and dislocating the right. Dr Ovenden and Mr Pinching succeeded in setting the broken limb and reducing the dislocation, At latest accounts she was progressing favorably. The export of coal from Newcastle in one week in January was 20,000 tons. At the current price of 11s per ton, this means a revenue from the mines of £II,OOO per week, or £728,000 per annum. The demand for coal in the Australian colonies is constantly increasing, and it is to be hoped the day is not far distant when the coal fields of New Zealand will be able to assist those of New South Wales in keeping up a abundant supply, A trade that produces about a million annually is worth bidding for.

The Wellington “ Post” of Friday says : —lf a local inventor is not over sanguine, the days of concrete flagging are numbered, and we shall no longer be compelled to import cement, at a heavy cost for the purpose. At a meeting of the City Council last night, a letter was read from Dr Munro in which he stated that he had succeeded in making concrete equal, at least, to that now made from cement, but with the enormous advantage that the cost of the materials he used only come to about as much as the freight of the cement from England. The mixture would set in six hours under water. The communication was referred to the city engineer. The Rockhampton “ Daily Northern Argus ” speaks thus of the prospects of trade between New Zealand and Queensland:—“ We have on several occasions lately drawn attention to the advisability of opening a trade between Central Queensland and New Zealand. The latter would gladly take from us our sugar, instead of imnorting it from the Mauritius, while we on our part could obtain in return very much of that produce we now procure second hand from the south. The matter is worthy of consideration, and if our merchants and shippers were a little more energetic and pushing, we are of opinion that an active and lucrative trade might be set on foot and flourish. We notice by a late issue of the “ Otago Daily Times ” that the barque Gabrielle Alice had arrived at Otago from Mauritius, having on board 350 tons of sugar. Surely it must be worth our while to make a dash for supplying at least a portion of the sugar shipped to New Zealand.”

Albert White (of White Bros, Mercury Bay) publishes a challenge, offering to row an outrigger sculling match for £IOO or £2OO and the Championship of the colony against any resident in the colony. Place and terms to be mutually agreed on.

, A juvenile who was making a plaj thing of a box of matches improved the shining hour shortly after five o’clock last evening by setting the native, grass ablaze on the section partially occupied by the South Canterbury sale yards. The flames were at one time within a few feet of Mr Walker’s dwelling house, but thanks to the timely assistance of some persons passing, all danger was quickly averted.

An excellent and much needed reform has been produced in Dunedin by the infliction of fines, varying from one to five shillings on Sunday trading publicans. A delighted contemporary say ;—“ The last two Sundays have been marked by an entire absence of drunkenness in the city, as the police charge-sheets will testify. Many of the publicans seem inclined to lend all assistance to the keeping of the law, and are pleased at the opportunity afforded them of keeping the day as one of rest. We believe the law is defied to a remarkably small extent, and at any rate no drinking goes on so glaringly and openly as previously.” In explanation of the concluding paragraph, which is very suggestive, it may be stated that the single bottle license is in full operation in Otago, and that but for the profits arising from the enormous consumption of bottled grog, a considerable number of reputable citizens would be unable to wear sack-cloth on Sunday and meet their bills on the day following. By closing the public houses on Sunday the Dunedin police have, no doubt, done an eminent service to the retailers of capsuled ruin.

It will be seen from an announcement in another column that Mr Joseph Clayton of the concrete store, Elizabeth street, has just opened the commodious room over his store for the uso of the public where anyone may agreeably while away a spare half hour or longer if he chooses. The tables will be found well supplied with the morning, evening, and weekly papers, chess and draught boards, while temperance drinks of the best quality can always be obtained. Nor must we forget to mention a line harmonium in a corner of the room, also at the service of visitors. A skittle-alley is in course of formation at the rear of the premises, and should sufficient inducement offer Mr Clayton intends to supply his patrons with a library. The Wai-iti coach stops three times a day at the store, and it was the having so many people, standing about waiting for the coach that first suggested the idea to Mr Clayton of opening the room. The premises are conveniently situated for Sandietownites and are within easy walk of Timaru. The room has been already let to the Alexandra Lodge, 1.0.G,T., and Mr Clayton’s terms are so moderate that his engagement book will probably fill up rapidly. The Mayor and Borough Council last evening jumped with the avidity of a codfish at a baited hook at the liberal offer of the Postmaster-General, to supply a clock for the tower above the new Post Office, provided £IOO is contributed towards the cost. That the bargain is a good one may be judged from the fact that the Dunedin Corporation who have a reputation for never trying their hand at anything without putting their foot in it are at present in the doleful dumps over accounts amounting to nearly £2OOO for the supply and erection of their new clock. While the offer was being discussed last night one of the councillors asked “ But has the clock been purchased, your Worship ?” “ Yes,” replied the Mayor, “ I believe it has, but I am not at liberty to furnish any particulars.” “ Ah, then,” was the naive rejoinder, “ perhaps it is one of those old clocks that they can’t get rid of anywhere else.”

The following somewhat amusing telegram re the Wesleyan Conference at Nelson appears in the Auckland Star of January 24th There were four candidates for ordination—Messrs Grifßn, Lawry, Feet, and Neilson—who were put through a severe examination. All were accepted. ■ Some had to be pulled through by friends at Court. The examination papers were terribly defective. Sympathy won them their position. It is reported one of the candidates sported flowers and white vest at examination. A new batch of Nelson ladies daily preside at the Conference dinners, and are very fascinating. It is reported that an elderly preacher is going to be comforted by marrying. It is thought that she is rich. The Rev. Fee and Miss Ellis, late of Auckland, arc going to be married. Business generally is dull. Land and city property hard to sell,”