South Canterbury Times. THURSDAY, APRIL 14, 1881. NEWS OF THE DAY.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2517, 14 April 1881, Page 2

South Canterbury Times. THURSDAY, APRIL 14, 1881. NEWS OF THE DAY.

To-morrow being Good Friday there will be no publication of this paper in the evening. The New Zealand coal-miners will have to look to their laurels. A cablegram states that Newcastle coal has been reduced to 7s per ton. The freight to New Zealand ports is 19s, making 26s per ton altogether. Rather a low rate for imported coal. The special meeting of the Borough Council called last night to consider Mr 11 bodes’ compensation claim, did not take place. The matter will probably crop up at the next ordinary meeting of the council. We understand that his Worship the Mayor has written to Mr Rhodes asking him to stay action in the matter of his claim for a short time.

An amusing scene occurred on the first landing steps at the wharf last night. Several sailors going off to their ships after a spree ashore, fell out on the steps, and while two of them were “ having it out ” together, their comrades came behind them and pushed them off the steps into the water which had the effect of considerably damping their ardour. Twenty-seven candidates presented themselves at the confirmation service at St. Mary’s Church last evening, which was conducted by His Lordship the Primate, assisted by the Ven. Archdeacon Harper, The Church was attended by a large congregation, and the service (full choral) was most impressive. A man named George Sadler has been committed for trial by the Christchurch Bench under singular circumstances. It seems that one George Sadler, arriving from England with a letter of credit for £l5O, found on arrival that the duplicate, which came by the mail, had been cashed by another George Sadler. The culprit, who is a laboring man, and could neither read nor write, srid he thought it came from his mother in Gloucestershire. This is as bad as an incident in the hfe of an old Freemason residing in Daylesfoid Victoria, one of whose sons in New Zealand contemplating a visit to his father posted a letter of credit for himself, and found on his arrival that the old man “ had been and cashed it.”

At Auckland Captain Wild;;!an of the Thames, has been mulcted in costs for assaulting G, Johnstone, while altempling to cross the masonic procession at the laying of the foundation stone of the Auckland Masonic Hall.

The Industrial Home Committee at Auckland has lately been sampling superintendcnls. Dr Harvey has jnst been paid off, and an ex-lock-up keeper and his wife have been appointed instead.

The angling season has once more commenced at the Breakwater, several enthusiastic votaries of the rod having lately taken to haunt the Breakwater by night and, wrapped up in greatcoats and mufflers devote the hours usually given to repose in hooking ling and cod.

The Education returns for Boulh Canterbury for (ho quarter ending March 31, show an addition of five schools since the beginnig of the year, the to‘al number being 31. These arc the Gapes’ Valley, Geraldine Flat, Orari Bridge, St. Andrews, and Timaim Side schools. Three oat of the five are aided schools, and two have furnished no particulars of attendance. The total average attendance is 2710 as compared with 2616 at the end of the year.

Messrs Gould and Cameron, of the Springfield station, near Bakaia, have met with a serious loss within the last few days. It appears that they recently sent, between eight and nine thousand bushels of wheat to a small wayside station called Cairnbral, on the Ashburton Forks line, about 12 miles from Bakaia, to await removal by train to Lyttelton. The sacks containing the grain were staekcloathe goods platform, and were apparently all right on the afternoon of April 5, but on the following morning both grain and platform had disappeared, and nothing but a heap of ashes and charred wood remained to mark where they had been. The general opinion is that the lire was caused wilfully, and the police arc investigating the affair, which, however, is at present enveloped in mystery. The grain was valued at £ISOO, £BOO of which is covered by insurance.

The watermen at the wharf arc making great complaints about the position of the first flight of landing stops which arc placed so near the shore that at low water or when a heavy swell is on, like that experienced to-day, passengers cannot be lauded without considerable inconvenience, and sometimes danger, as it requires more than ordinary care and skill, to say nothing of muscle, on the part of the waterman to prevent his boat from being swept under the slops and swamped. And then again, boats moored off the steps run- considerable risk of injury from bumping. Last night two boats were smashed in this way, and this morning a third one shared the s'amefate. The steps have been placed in the wrong place ; they should have been erected in the recess below where the wharf juts out and the water is sufficiently deep to obviate the evils complained of. Representations have, we believe, been made to the Harbor Board with respect to the removal of the steps, 'and it is to be hoped that no time will be lost in getting them shifted, as in their present position persons having occasion to use the boats are exposed to coir-idcrable danger.

The Juvenile Pinafore Company gave their second performance last evening to a full house at the Theatre Royal. The entertainment was most enjoyable, particularly to the young people, of whom there was a strong muster. A feature of the performance is the orchestral music, w'hich is certainly very fine and does much to sustain the vocalisation. There were two hearty encores during the evening, Master Willie Pollard securing one with his negro song and dance, and Master J. Sheean, a manly looking little fellow, obtaining the other for the way in which he sang “The Englishman.” Dick Dead Eye (Master Ernest Ormond) is undoubtedly a comedian of remarkable talent for his age, and he kept the audience in the utmost merriment. The comjianj' will give their concluding entertainment this evening, when some special novelties, including a violin solo by Little Buttercup, and the song “ The Little Midshipmite,” by Master Come Ormond, will be introduced.

Special Announcement.—New Winter Drapery—Wood and Smith beg to announce 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. — [Advt.] Mr Price, of the central fish and oyster depot near the railway station, notifies that he has erected private- oyster rooms for ladies and gentlemen. Mr Price has acquired a celebrity for the quality of his bivalves which are invariably as fresh and sweet as they are to be found on the sand banks ah Stewart’s Island. Visitors to this new and convenient establishment can rely on civility and attention. Mr Josiah Amos, baker and confectioner, of the Railway rtation pie-house and restaurant, announces that he will have a full stock of hot cross buns for travellers and others on Good Friday. On Easter Monday special efforts will be made to meet the demands of the travelling public in the way of luncheons and refreshments. Mr Amos’ tea and coffee rooms are only a score of yards away from the Railway Station, so that passengers will have ample time to refresh themselves while the trains are waiting.

Mr Hurcorabe announces a variety of Easter delicacies in the shape of oysters, fish, and poultry. For the benefit of ladies and gentlemen desirous of dining out, Mr Hurcombe has fitted up in his new establishment, corner of Beswick street and Main North road, a number of private oyster rooms. These are not of the ordidinary kind, for the proprietor has gone to considerable expense in endeavoring to render them comfortable and inviting to the general public.

The programme of t' e sports to be held in connection with the temperance fete on Easter Monday will be found in our advertising columns. It comprises twelve events and the prizes ottered should be liberal enough to bring plenty of amateur athletic talent to the front. The fete is the first of the kind that the temperance societies havm held in Timaru, and it will greatly depend upon the way in which it is patronised by the public whether the demonstration will in future become an annual occurrence. Owing to the Timaru Band being engaged for Oamaru, the Temnka Brass Band has had to be secured, but we understand that they are most efficient instrumentalists. In the evening an entertainment of a varied and attractive kind will be given in the Theatre Royal.