South Canterbury Times, THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 1881. NEWS OF THE DAY.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2499, 24 March 1881, Page 2

South Canterbury Times, THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 1881. NEWS OF THE DAY.

At a meeting of the Wanganui Benevolent. Society it was decided to give a week’s notice to nearly one half that the assistance would be withdrawn.

Our morning contemporary has the following interesting cablegram : —“ Their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Wholes started to-day on a visit to St Petersburg.” The intelligent comp ’evidently intends that there shall be a good deal of “ spouting ” during the trip. T’m British heir apparent is a big fish and .a oily fish, but that he is the fish that swallowed Jonah is doubtful.

A correspondent writes to the Lyttelton Times As three or four swagmen were approaching Napier’s Hotel, Hororata, last Saturday, another, who had been refused liquor by the landlord—as he had already had more than was good for him—asked them to get him a drink, handing a note to one of them to pay for it, This worthy entered the bar with his mates, and when they had all had drinks and paid for them with the confiding one’s money, they levanted with the change. Shortly after Mr Wills and two other farmers from Greendale made their appearance, to whom the victim confided his grievance. He was requested to get into the trap, and they then proceeded in pursuit of the spoilers. Coming up with them presently they were invited to disgorge the booty, and upon their indignantly scouting the charge made, against them, they were informed that they would be escorted to the nearest police station. Matters were thus brought to a climax, and the swagsmen, not liking the look of things consented to be searched. They accordingly stripped to their shirts, but as only 4s Cd was found upon them, Mr Wills declared his intention to take them to the station, unless the entire sum was given up. This induced one of them to indicate the actual thief, who, in turn, under pressure, pointed out the place wjiere he had dropped the rest of the money when speedy retribution stared him in the face. So the victim went on his way rejoicing, and the would-be spoilers on theirs, pondering, probably, on the vanity of human hopes.

An English paper says:—The trustees of the charity of Peter Latham, once a beggar of Mawdsley, near Preston, have just met. It was reported that the property, which originally cost a few hundreds was now worth about £57,000. One block had recently been sold for L 87,000, the fabulous advance in value being owing to the discovery of coal on the land. Latham left the land for the benefit of tho 13 townships through which he had begged, to keep and apprentice four lads, to further education, and other philanthropic uses.”

The Rev Joseph Merry, Immigration acrent, lias resumed clerical business in Nelson. An Auckland detective has pounced on a lottery drawing, and carrie 1 off the boxes. This seems a daring case of robbery with violence. Miss Moffatt of the Dunedin Female Refuge, has been appointed matron of the Wellington Lunatic Asylum. A full and correct account of- the incidents connected with the visit of His Excellency the Governor to Timaru, will be found elsewhere. It is acknowledged on all hands that the event passed elf rather tamely, but this we may state, was not d'uc ■to any want of loyalty towards Her Majesty’s Representative, but, to the circumstance that, the shortness of his visit, prevented anything like a demonstrative welcome. The absence of the Artillery Band this morning was due to a financial difficulty, the Committee having offered £5 and the band demanding £7. A compromise was attempted, but at the last moment, when'everything was supposed to have been arranged, the band declined the honor. Sir Duval,',who had everything connected with the decorations placed on his own shoulders, assures us, that the absence of the Union Jack rvas-simply an oversight.

■ At the usual meeting of the Tomuka School Committee, on Tuesday the totalattendance on the roll was reported to be 3tiß, and the daily average 111) boys and KG girls. The infant room was reported to be fa.r too crowded. It was resolved to recommend Mrs Rowe as second teacher and Mr Smith as third (cacher, and to apply to the Board for a separate building as an infant department.

Mr Samuel Howard (not vrakn own in New Zealand), of Sydney, has filed his schedule, failing for the sum of £7BO, letting the Opera House Company in for for £240.

Though the circumstance of two colliers clearing at the same time at the Customs herein ballast for Newcastle is of no particular interest, yet,jwhon they leave full of passengers, as is the case with the barques Palace and Island City, both of whom cleared lately, the novelty is one worthy of notice. An exodus of thirty or forty people from this port for Australia by sailing vessel is a rare occurrence indeed, and indicates that the atti actions of a goldfield rush on “ the.other side,” though the field is not reported to be by any means an El Dorado, are sufficient to draw some away even from the prosperous Province of Canterbury during the busiest time of the year.— “Press.”

Special Announcement. New Winter Drapery.—Wood and Smith beg to annouce that they have opened a splendid assortment of Autumn and Winter Drapery, comprising an immense lot of Maids’, Ladies’, and Children’s Jackets and Ulsters, at exceptionally low prices. New Millinery. —Shepherd’s Buildings, Main South Road, Timaru.— lAdvt. !