NEWS OF THE DAY.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2530, 30 April 1881, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY .

Frank Quick of Auckland has bought Mata for £2OO.

It is said that the Government propose going into the parcels delivery business. Anything to earn an honest shilling.

Mr Ormond has discovered that the Bush settlers are starving for railways. It is to be feared they will have to starve. The Chicago Minstrels had another good house for their final appearance at the Theatre Royal last night. At the inquest yesterday on the body of the Chinaman who was found dead in the Park the other day, held before R. Beetham Esq, coroner, and a jury, at the Saltwater Creek Hotel, a verdict of death from natural causes was returned.

New Zealand Railway servants have been placed on ths same footing as Her Majesty’s prisoners—subjected to rules and regulations which have been duly gazetted. Some of the Dunedin papers suggest that the Oamaru unemployed would spend the winter more comfortably if they spent less of their leisure time in the Oamaru shanties.

The Consolation Handicap, of 30 novs, was run off after our reporter left the course yesterday, and concluded the days racing, It was won by Mr G, Bates’ “ The Poet.” In the hurry of getting in our report of the races yesterday we omitted to tender our thanks to the indefatigable and obliging bon secretary of the Club, Mr E. G. Kerr, who is always ready and willing to afford any information in his power to the representatives of the press.

ATimaru resident informed us this morning that the Census Sub-enumerator neglected to call for his Census paper and that it is still awaiting the pleasure of the Govrnment, This omision of a family of five or six people from the official returns will probably make but little difference in arriving at an idea of the popution of Timaru, but was this a solitary instance, or arc there anymore uncalled, for Census papers 1 An amusing scene occuix-I on the Wellington wharf on Saturday afternoon. A horse was landed from one of the steamers and apparently objected to waiting till he could reach a stable in the ordinary cource, look a “ header” off the wharf and started for shore, steering in the direction of the New Zealander Hotel stables. He swam like a fish, and although a boat was at once put off after him, he succeeded in reaching terra firma first. A great deal of fun was created over the futile attempts of the boatmen to overtake the animal in the water.

Mr Pyke is likely to extend his agitation to Oamaru. The “ North Otago Times ” hears that a number of gentlemen, who are impressed with the necessity for introducing the hill-farm system, intend to invite Mr Pyke to come to Oamaru to deliver a speech on the subject. The “North Otage’Times” does not think Mr Strodc’s appointment as Magistrate for the Hawkesbury division of the Oamaru district a permanent arrangement, as that gentleman contemplates an early visit to England.

•- Mr Richard Anthony Proctor, the eminent astronomer, who while here made an impression on more than one sweet creature, is about to give the world a flat contradiction of the adage (Baconian, we believe), “Love enters not in the brain where learning dwells.” At Auckland Mr Proctor met Mrs Crowley, a charming widow, who, like himself, was a pr ienger by the American mail. Before the steamer reached Honolulu the pair had become engaged, and had arranged to get married at San Francisco. As Mr Proctor already has six children, and his fair charmer two, it cannot be denied that the happy couple begin l ; 'e auspiciously.— Sydney “ Bulletin.” ; In the Dunedin partnership ca,:e Mackay v. Proudfoot, it has been agreed that the money in dispute shall be paid into the Bank of New Zealand to a -jo.'ut account, which is not to be touched by either partner without the consent of the other. The amount is about £20,000. A little girl, aged one and a half years, a daughter of Reid, a rabbiter, was run over by the train at Dipton last evening and killed.

A boat’s crew, comprising four men, have been left in an awkward plight on a small island off the mouth of the Taieri, through their boat drifting away. They signalled by fires, and a steamer is going from Dunedin to their assistance. They have been on the island since Tuesday.

When performing at the Theatre F.oyr. 1 , Invercargill, last evening, ‘‘Zela,” a gymnast, formerly with Chiarini’s ciicus’ fell from a ring trapeze a distance of fifteen feet, landing on the seats in the pit. She was severely shaken but was able to appear on the stage, after which she was taken to her lodgings. She was out of practice and had been adil. jd not to appear An extraordinary attempt has been made to destroy a church at Madrid by throwing a bombshell into it while the congregation were assembled for public worship.

The quarterly meeting of the English Lodge Victory No 42 1.0.G.T. takes place on Monday evening at the Foresters Ha:!. 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 Boad,