NEWS OF THE DAY.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2553, 27 May 1881, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY .

The ship Remington, which arrived from London at Lyttelton, on Wednesday brought a pack of harriers, numbering twelve, for Mr Thomas Hamlyn, of Kingsborough, near Timaru.

The comet, which it was recently telegraphed had been seen in various parts of the colony, was first caught, a glimpse of last night in Timaru. The stranger was first discerned about seven o’clock a short distance above the horizon, in a S.W. direction. The Premier addressed his constituents at Lceston last night. At the conclusion of the speech, Mr Hall received a vote of thanks and confidence. We will refrain from commenting on the Premier’s utterances, until we are in possession of a full report of the speech. A football match will take place tomorrow afternoon between a selected twelve and the remainder of the club. The following are the names of the twelve: —Messrs Burnett, Chapman, Eichbaum, Haylock, King, Lough, Melton, Mackay, Shepherd, Shirtcliffe, Turner, and Wilson. The match will be played on Mr Woollcomhe’s ground, and will commence at B o’clock.

Mr Douglas met with an accident on Wednesday last. It appears that whilst proceeding home from the Waimate the horses bolted, and on swerving suddenly Mr Douglas was thrown out of the buggy; He was badly hurt about the head, and the small bone, of one of his arms was broken. He is now at Waimate under Dr. Stacpoole’s care.

Attention is directed in another column to the advertisement of Messrs Patterson and Burke, Venetian blind manufacturers, Dunedin. On a recent trip to that city our reporter visited their establishment, and was surprised at the amount of work daily turned out. The firm has got a splendid reputation for the quality of workmanship, and is largely patronised by the architects and builders of the province of Otago. The excellence of the Venetian blinds° is, no doubt, owing in-, a large measure to all the processes- in their manufacture being under the personal supervision of the principals of the firm. In conclusion we desire to say that Messrs Patterson and Burke have established a colonial industry well worthy of support. There was no business transacted at the Resident Magistrates Court, to-day.

The Harts again made their appearance at the Royal last night. There was certainly no falling off in the amusement provided. The programme was a varied one, comprising “ Double Dealings,” “ Domestic Troubles,” and ” Fair Rosamond Bower.” The audience testified their approbation by frequent rounds of applause, and encores. To-night the performance will consist of three pieces, in which will be included for the first time in Timaru, the sparkling operetta -of Woman’s a Mystery, or the Masquerade.” The Dunedin Benevolent Institution is affording out-door relief - to 48 men, 149 women, aud 399 : children ; tot'd, 596.

The Oamaru papers stated Mrs Dunne and four children were believed to have gone by the Tararua, but it is now found they went in the Rotorua to Sydney. This reduces the total number of passengers to 146.

For cruelly ill-treating a horse, at Lave’ rence on Monday last, one Fitzgerald was fined by Mr Carew, R.M., £2O or six weeks imprisonment in -Dunedin Gaol on one charge, and £5 on a second, whilst a third was dismissed. Mr Garew remarked that it would be a mercy to keep horses from the defendant, because lie was a cruel, hard hearted man. Two previous convictions were proved against him. The purchasers of land on the Waimate Plains (says a correspondent to the “Auckland He aid”) are not allowing the land to remain long idle. The new district is already dotted with small cottages, whilst in several instances large and commodious .farmhouses have and arc being built. Manaia, the new township boasts of its public-house, two general stores, and a blacksmith's shop.

Mr G. G. Fitzgera’d addressed the electors at Greymouth last night. There was a crowded attendance, and he met With a very favorable reception. He said he would give the present Government a general support. He went a considerable length into the principal questions of political interest, and answere ‘ a number of questions, giving general satisfaction. A resolution was unanimously carried that he was a fit and proper person to represent the constituency in Parliament.

The Resident Magistrate gave judgment at Dunedin yesterday in the case Fish v. Members of St. Leonard’s School Committee for assault. He characterised it as a little episode discreditable to all parties concerned, particularly as it took place in the interest of education, and affords such a fine example to the youth whose interests the Committee were supposed to be considering at the time. Damages were given against the two defendants for £25 and costs.

Butler, who narrowly escaped the gallows in Dunedin, is now in Lyttelton Gaol. On Wednesday he made a murderous attack on a fellow prisoner with the leg of a stool inflicting a severe wound on his head. They had some words yesterday, and Butler threatened the other. He tried to get possession of a knife, and failing used the leg of a stool. He was severely punished and put in irons. At the Palice Court, Auckland, in the case against Thomson, a Maori, for pushing Rogers from the railway carriage when coming from the Papakura races, the evidence showed that Rogers, when pushed, fell over the shoulder of a man sitting on the edge of the carriage platform, thus falling clear of the track, otherwise he would doubtless have been killed. The prisoner, who protested he had no intention of pushing the man over, was fined £5, or one month’s imprisonment. The following resolution was passed by the Christchurch Chamber of Commerce :—“ That Government be strongly urged to introduce a Bill next session assimilating the procedure of the Supreme Court to the District Court, in cases to an amount of £2OOO, or otherwise to increase the jurisdiction of the District Court to the above amount.”

The three first wranglers at Cambridge this year are stated to be all practical abstainers from alcohol and tobacco.

Mr Brush, the young inventor, is in receipt of an income of £IBO per day from royalties upon his patented lights. .A Christchurch firm, in connection with an Australian one, intend to take up the manufacture of reaper and binder twine on an extensive scale, and have ordered the necessary plant. They propose to use New Zealand flax and Manilla Hemp.

According to a despatch from Paris, the famine which prevails in some sections of Russia is terrible in its effects. In the villages people die of starvation every day, and men rob and pillage for the sole object of being imprisoned, where, at least, they rre fed at the expense of the State. A Union of Prayer has recently been formed in France for the “purpose of obtaining from our Lord, through the intercession of the immaculate Virgin, the return of the religious congregation to France, the liberty of worship and of Catholic education, the triumph of the Church, and the conversion of her enemies.”

The Auckland “ Star” of the 19th inst; contains the following A lady residing at Karangahapc Road, Newton, who is known to have a penchant for tinned sardine?, was taken suddenly ill a few days ago. It appears she had partaken rather freely of her favorite dish. A short time afterwards she was seized with violent pains which became so acut® that, after she had managed with the greatest difficulty to get to the house of a neighbor for relief, her life was almost despaired of. When asked by a friend what she thought was the cause of the illness she affirmed that on opening the tin she observed what appeared to he small streaks in the oil, which apparently came from the lumps of solder that were subsequently found in the tin after the sb had been taken out.

A lady writing upon the customs of the Salt Lake community say“ One thing that struck me as strange was that all Brigham’s daughters are lovely and most pronounced blondes, with golden-tinted hair, heavenly blue eyes, and cream and rose comnlexions, all tall, well built girls, while their various mothers were of all shapes, all sizes and complexions, and had every shade of hair and eyes.

Mr J. T. Fisher addressed the electors of Heathcote last night, and received a vote of thanks and confidence.

“ jEgles ” in the 1 Australasian ” writes —" A friend just arrived from Bombay, who last month. Visited the Towers of Silence—the Parsee burying place—gave me so vivid a description that I was recounting it at second- and to Steelblade,who “ does ” in shares. He listened with exemplary patience while I described the grating on -which the dead " body is placed, the vultures, gorged after their horrible repast, pluming themselves with bloody beaks. So numerous, said-1, that they “ pick a man clean in an hour.” And Steelblade said, with a regretful air, “ By George, what brokers they would make 1”

A writer in the *• Leader ” says “ The mail which left here last Tuesday had on. board a member of one of our oldest shipping agencies, who is proceeding to London to make final arrangements with one of the largest English shipping firms for the establishment of a first-class direct service, which will have its terminus in Melbourne. Eleven large steamers, fitted up in the best style, and with capacious freezing-chambers, will be laid on at once to initiate a fortnightly service, steaming at the rate oJ 11 knots ah hour. The P.and O* Company is now out of the running because of its roundabout course and the Orient line, with their three-port trips, are being monopolised by our neighbours, so that the field is clear for this new venture.’

A lady and gentleman with considerable means and ho occupation (says “ Angles ” in the ** Australasian”) found a short time ago (or rather the lady did) that their house did not suit them. So they resolved to sell it, and purchase one better adapted to their wants. ,As a first step an auctioneer was called in, and the sale of their house was entrusted to him. A few days afterwards Mrs R., looking over the paper, exclaimed,- with delight that here was an advertisement of a house for sale, the very thing she wanted. So a visit was at once paid to the advertiser, in order to obtain a card to view, and particulars of price and terms. Mrs R, was for the moment taken aback to find that the advertisement related to her own mansion, skilfully elaborated as a Melbourne auctioneer can!

The Sydney police made a successful raid upon a Chinese gambling den in Goulburn street, and arrested twenty-nine persons who were taking part in a game called “pakapu.” It seems that the game has bean recently introduced there. It is in reality a Chinese lottery which is carried on in a very ingenious way, and proves infinitely more advantageous to the managers or bankers than it does to those who take tickets in the concern. In order to fully understand the mischevious effects of this kind i f lottery, it is necessary to realisethatit is prohibited in China, and that those who are' found practising it in that country are punished most severely, generally by the imposition of a heavy fine.

It is notified that on and after June Ist next the railway station now called Woodbridge will bo altered to Rangitata. The post-office and telegraph attached thereto will also bear the same name from that date.