NEWS OF THE DAY.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2554, 28 May 1881, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

It is understood that a further release of Maori prisoners will take plane next week, The population of Vincent County—not electoral district—is 4249, being an increase in three years of 1248. The Christchurch Cathedral tower is now complete, and nearly all the scaffolding has been removed. It is 202 ft in height and can be seen above the fob age that envelops the city for many miles around. At the Auckland Board of education it was stated, in reference, to the Minister’s circular, that there were no children under five years attending the Auckland Board’s schools. The “ Thames S' ar” says it has heard that at a late of the Borough Council £SO was given to Mr Speight to pay his expenses to Wellington on Borough business. Objection is made to the proceeding. Five Auckland rowdies, young men,some belonging to respectable families, were sentenced to two months’ imprisonmnnt for ordering liquors at Mr Moeller’s hotel and refusing to pay for them when consumed. They severely maltreated a man who remonstrated with them. At the Coroner’s inquest which took place at Havelock on Thursday on the body of the man Daniel Lee, who was alleged to have died from the effects ef wounds inflicted on him in February last by a woman with whom he was cohabiting, the jury returned a verdict of death from natural causes. Mr I. N. Watt took his seat on the Oamaru Bench yesterday, as Resident Magistrate, and was welcomed by the Bar, who hoped that the same cordial relationship which had existed between the bar and Mr Parker would continue to exist between themselves and Mr Watt, Mr Watt suitably replied to the expressions of welcome from the Bar. At the Christchurch Police Court on Thursday, Charles Fortescue Browne, who had ill-treated a horse by hard driving and bad usage till it dropped dead, met with the well-merited punishment of two months’ imprisonment with hard labor. It is to be hoped that the infliction of such a severe penalty will act as a deterrent to those who seem to treat dumb animals without any regard to the pain they inflict, and in violation of all the principles of humanity. Between the Rakaia river and Ashburton 100 miles of watercourse are to be constructed, with a view of supplying the Plains with water. Of this extent of channel about 113 miles arc under way, some GO having been completed ; 30 are in progress, and tenders are now called for another 23. It is expected that in a very short time the whole will be completed, and districts that at first refused to be included in the rateable area of the scheme, are now anxious to enjoy its benefits.

At the R.M. Court this morning, before R. Beetham, Esq., R. M., John Quinn (who got three months some time back for personating a detective), was charged with having forged the name of Mr C. N. Orbell (manager of the Levels station,) to a cheque for £44. On the application of the police, accused was remanded to Monday, The Harts appeared in three of their mirth-provoking little pieces last evening, and were as amusing as they always are. They will conclude a very successful season to-night. During their stay Miss Louise Hart has won golden opinions in her overture and accompaniments on the piano, and gives every promise of becoming a leading pianist. For this evening, the most attractive bill of the season is offered, including Mr Hart’s impersonation of the German Bandmaster, Mrs Hart’s hunting song, and impersonation of the Middy, also her celebrated skipping rope dance, and a solo by Mr Hart on “the smallest banjo in the world.”

The “ Southland Times ” learns from Mr Brunton, of Otara Station, that np to yesterday 68 bodies in all had been recovered from the wreck of the Tararua. One body came ashore on Sunday in a good state of preservation, not being disfigured in any way. None of the persons present were able to identify it.

The “ Australasian ” to-day, referring to the Adelaide Birthday Cup, says that Mata’s running for the race fully justifies his disqualification by the Victorian Racing Club after the last Melbourne Cup. Mata was sold on Thursday for 800 guineas shortly before the race. Mr J. F. Herbert, of Ardmore (says an Otago paper) asserts that it is the small landowners who do not keep their holdings free from rabbits. Mr Herbert employs thirteen men and seventy-five dogs, Mr Kitching fifty men, and Mr M'Arthur forty men, besides large packs of dogs, killing rabbits.

The “ Dunedin Times ” of yesterday says:—There are a considerable number of Chinese gardeners in South Dunedin, and a scare was occasioned by the report that smallpox had broken out. The Mayor (Mr M'Bride) secured the service? of Dr Brown, who made a thorough search of the district. The result was that only a case of bronchitis could be discovered, and the fact that the patient had been isolated during his illness probably occasioned the report alluded to. A telegram from Auckland states that Professor Haselmeyer with his wife, after his performance in the Lome, street hall last night, went to the Theatre Royal to see the play, there taking in his hand a small satchel containing his night’s takings (£2O) and his wife’s diamonds, which he put under hia seat, the last in the stalls against the pit barrier. In the hurry to get out he forgot the bag, but had not got down the staircase half way when he remembered it, and rushed back. The satchel was gone. A boy in the pit said he saw a woman reach over the seat and take the satchel and pass it to another woman. He could not identify the parties.

Signor Riccardi has entered the lists against a reporter of one of the Auckland papers, whom he describes as an “ excessively ignorant and wooden-headed individual.”

A journal for idiots has been started at Dresden. There are, says the “ Printers’ Register,” with supreme sarcasm, several journals in London, but they are known as society papers.

Hugh Ross convinced a jury at Coruna, M : ch., that he had lost his wife’s affection though false representations by her father, and got 1,500 dols. Ten million tons of debris are annually washed from the hills by the 1000 miners engaged in hydraulic mining in California, to the ruin of the agricultural lands and valley streams, the owners of which are uniting to stop hydraulic raining altogether.

It is currently rumored in this neighborhood (says the “Mount Benger Mail ”) that Mr Anderson (of Messrs Cargill and Anderson, Teviot Station) has resolved to proceed to one of the Western States of America, with a view to settling there, and that this determination has been brought about partly by glowing accounts of the country sent here by Mr M. Kellar, of Tapanui, who is at present there. If the rumor proves correct, the Teviot will be a great loser, Mr Anderson having both as a large employer of labor and a magistrate, done much useful work, and been a great benefactor to the district.

It is stated by a Wellington contemporary that an attempt will shortly be made in Greymonth to start a cheesf and butter factory ; snd at Masterton a provincial committee has been appointed to take further sseps in the direction of forming a woollen company. It was decided that the capital of the proposed company should be £IO,OOO. “I have not.” says Billings, “got as much rnunny as some folks, but I have got as much impudence as enny of them —and that is the next thing tew munny.” Mr James Bruce has only a few bags left of the damaged wheat, and will bo sold at 2s 6d per bag, worth 6s, but it must be cleared out immediately. Bran at 5s the cart load, also flour, and other pig-feed. —[Advt.]