NEWS OF THE DAY.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2542, 14 May 1881, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY .

Messrs Lovewell Wing and Co., Photographers, near the railway station are still driving a large business here. Their exhibition window attracts the notice of thousands of passers by, daily, and the interior of the building is constantly filled in the afternoon with visitors from both town and country desirous of speculating. The prices charged are so extremely reasonable that to resist temptation would be impossible. Dr. Wild of Canada predicts 53 years of war after 1832, and announces the millennium to begin in 1935.

In 30 years the public schools of New South Wales have increased sixfold to an increase in the population of three and ahalf times.

About 9 o’clock on the night of Feb. 12, Deputy-Sheriff J. A. Berry, at Los Angelos, attempted to arrest William Utter, a deserter from the United States Army at Fort Yuma. Utter drew a pistol on the officer, when the latter fired killing Utter instantly. Deceased was from Bast Sagipew, Mich. During 1879 no less than 128,000,0001bs of wool was imported into the United States from foreign countries. At four pounds to the fleece, this represents 32,000,000 shearing sheep. An lowa farmer says, “We raise fou r hundred bushels of potatoes to the acre, which would be a big thing if we didn’t also raise insects enough to eat ’em all up.” The 11 Wanganui Chronicle” says that amongst the passengers by the Tararua who met with a watery grave were Mr and Mrs E. W. M. Downes. It will be remembered that Mr Downes was acquitted at the recent sittings of the Supreme Court in Wellington of the charge of stamp robbery. The most expensive building in America, when completed will be the Mormon Temple at Salt Lake City, the cost of which is estimated at £27,000,000.

A Taranaki paper records that a gentleman named Tewthwhaito displayed remarkable courage and presence of mind on being charged by an infuriated bull. Instead of endeavoring to run away, he stood his ground, and delivered a blow with his walking-stick between the horns of the animal, which stunned it, and it fell at his feet.

The following pawn ticket, showing the smallness of loans and the largeness of interest, has been picked up:—“ Mrs Ann Finn,Chancery street, drawers and shimmy, amount lent, 4d ; rate of interest, 2£d per month.— Bat.”

The Duke of Devonshire intends closing Chattsworth’s beautiful grounds to the public, except on payment of a small fee, which will be given to a local charity. The reason for this is said to be vexation because a hydropathic establishment has been built close to the park gates, and he does not care to make his beautiful gardens an adjunct to the new sanatorium. The Wurtembergers claim that their kingdom contains 365 square miles of territory, which ’s a square mile for every day in the year; but the neighboring duchies, which are jealous of the kingdom which makes their own titles so insignificant, say that 305 miles is a gross exaggeration of its real size, and that a good pedestrian will walk around it in 2i hours. The kingdom has about 1,800,000 inhabitants. Among the new lamp-shades are some of a delicate silvery color, which have the effect of water when the light is burning, and upon them are little fish and sea anemones that seem to move as the light flickers.

Another lucky escape of four Auckland passengers by the Tararua has come to light. Mrs Brennan, with her three children, left Tauranga for Hobart Town in the steerage, and her name has appeared among the list of drowned. But it turns out that when she got to Dunedin her sister-in-law pursuaded her to leave the vessel and stay with her for a month till the steamer should come round again. Mr Errington, C.E. on behalf of the “Patent Iron Floating Graving Dock, London,” has made an offer to the Wellington Harbjr Board to construct in 18 months a dock 450 ft long, by 46ft beam, capable of lifting vessels of 5000 tons. The Board resolved that they were not in a position to entertain the proposal. The “ Auckland Observer is responsible for this One of the most beautifnl traits in the colonial working man is the unquestioned faith with which he receives the verdict of the British jury. At a quarter past ten on Friday morning no one would have spoken to Procoffy, who was charged with the murder of a Maori at Grahamstown, or touched his hand much less have ‘shouted’ for him. At half-past, hundreds were vieing with

each other for the honor, and doing their level best to celebrate the wretched man’s release from prison by making him blind drunk.”

Some people profess to know a great deal certainly more than they ought t° know. A correspondent of a contemporary noting the numerous applications for the position of Wellington Asylum, intimates that a Dunedin applicant showed the best chance. Even Asia has not escaped an exceptionally severe winter. In Japan there has been severe snowstorms the like of which are not remembered to have occurred in 40 j ears. The snow is ten feet deep in the fields and 15 feet on the hills.

A strange bill just introduced into the Ohio Legislature proposes to inflict lOdol. fine and ten days’ imprisonment on any landlord or boarding-house keeper who does not inform his patrons of the composition of the butter set before them. From the Palmer Goldfield, which was after its ‘golden days ’ capable of paying handsome wages for many years to two thonsand white men, the Chinese have almost completely driven white labor. Dr. Irvine, of Glasgow, has invented a new safety lamp, which is so constructed as to emit a loud sound when an explosive mixture of gas and air enters it; by this means the existence of fire damp in collieries is easily indicated.

Thomas Simms was committed for trial at Auckland yesterday on the charge of attempting to murder Minnie Carline at Eiverhead.

A first offender was fined os by Mr Beetham this morning at the R. M. Court for being drunk. We regret to learn that there are still a few bad cases of typhoid fever in the town, The late outbreak of fever has desolated several houses in Timaru ; and it should have at least one powerful effect —tbat of arousing the authorities from their apathy in the supervision of the sanitary arrangements of the place. Until these are more perfect than at present we can hardly expect to be altogether free from disease ; something should at any rate be done before another summer arrives. We are aware that the subject is an unwelcome one, and the suggestion that Timaru is in need of sanitary reform will probably be pooh-poohed in certain quarters ; but the knowledge of this does not deter us from drawing attention once more to what we consider a matter of paramount importance. Messrs Ross Sims and Co. have several large sums of money to lendatcurrent rates, At Mr William Evans’s Atlas Timber Yards, there is on view and for sale a few Anglo-American Patent Econom cal Drills with all the latest improvments. Also a fine lot of Kauri and Red Pine, just landed ex Kate McGregor rnd Dunedin.

Mr Mathiewson who exhibited at Stone’s Hotel last evening, photos of scenes at the wreck of the Tararua, did a fair business and has left en route for Christchurch this morning. Owing to numerous enquiries for these mementos, he has appointed Messrs P. W. Hutton and Co., agents for the sale of them,

The “ Gazetteissued at Wellington yesterday contains a proclamation withdrawing a large number of sections of land in Otago from the operation of the deferred payment system. These are all alio 1 ments sold on deferred payments, and partia'ly improved, but for which the tenants are unable to keep up their payments. Another notice advertises the same sections for cash sale on certain dates next month, and fixed valuation is to be paid for improvements in each case.

A Christchurch paper states that one of the builders in that city, and an employer who is favourably regarded by those who work for him, has found himself in a somewhat unlooked-for predicament. He wanted one t r two bricklayers in connection with a rather large building contract he had undertaken ; but after advertising for more than a week in the evening papers, he has been unable to secure the needed assistance. We are given to understand that other employers have of late been similarly circumstanced, and that at the present time in the city the services of a good bricklayer are not obtainable.

Mr Federli, who was sent down by Government from Wellington to interview the Christchurch Industrial Association relative to the establishment of the silk industry, has visited Akaroa and induced a number of residents at Akaroa to take up the subject and put sufficient land in cultivation to give it a fair trial. Mr Fredrick thinks the valleys and bays of the peninsula are just the place to rear the silkworm. An Auckland paper says that it is said to have been a picture to see the twinkle in Sir George Grey’s left eye when he solemnly complimented the Thames people upon their forbearance in ‘‘Never thinking of themselves at all.” The Thames people have earned among the members of the House of Representatives a reputation of the champion cadgers of New Zealand, and it was too bad of their member, who knows it very well to poke “borax” at them in that unfeeling way, The following are the particulars of a fatal accident which occured in the neighborhood of Christchurch a few days ago. It appears that as Mr Henry Cros' y was passing a gravel pit worked by the Springs Road Board, near Sprirgston, he noticed a horse and a dray half filled with gravel, and as there was no one to be seen in charge he thought there was something wrong. On going into the pit, he noticed a man’s coat and a whip, and that a large quantity of gravel had fallen. Mr Crosby at o ce procured the assistance of Mr James Gammack and Mr Townseund, and digging into ti e gravel, they found the body of a man, named Henry Foley, who had been in the Koad Board’s employ. The body was removed to the Springston Hotel, and Dr Guthrie sent for. He pronouned life to be extinct. “ What about these black mares,” said Mr Gordon Allan a few days ago to his client, an old lady in Wellington who was defendant in a civil suit. “Why,” she replied, “ they were nothatched at the time.” Perhaps she considered that the other side had “ found a mare’s nest,” and resolved that the Court should have a laugh at the young ones.

We direct attention to an advertisement in another column announcing that Mr J. S. Whitley, Main North Road, has opened a private oyster room upstairs.

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.— [Anvi-l