NEWS OF THE DAY.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2563, 8 June 1881, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

A mail bag and ,50- casks of lime juice came askore at Walkawa last week, from the wreck of the Tararua.

The Hokitika Licensing Bench granted renewals of old' licenses, but refused four new applications.

An inquest was held yesterday morning on the body of a woman who died at Addington, near Christchurch, in childbirth from excessive hemorrhage. In returning this verdict the jury added a rider censuring the nurse for not calling in medical aid soon enough.

A warm discussion took place at a meeting of the Wellington City Council over the Te Aro reclamation, and one set of Councillors challenged the others to resign and test the question* at issue by a general election. . .

The “ Oamafu Mail ” has been shown a private letter from Wellington, in which it is stated that eggs are 4s a dozen in that City. Cannot our farmers; export their eggs to such a magnificent market ? Mrs M’dahey, whose husband was murdered at Eeefton, and who recently gave herself up to the police stating that she set fire to his house, has been pronounced to be insane.

Good Templary, according to the latest reports, is now making rapid progress in New South Wales. There are now 174 working lodges, with a total roll of 9176 mcmbcis —an increase of 22 per cent for the year. The,juvenile lodges have been greatly augmented, and a very successful lodge was funned on the Blairgowrie immigrant ship while ni vnntc to New South Wales.

Mr Dan Lea, a woll-buown ox-member of the London P.H., has an announcement in another column which should prove of interest to amateurs. Since Mr Lea opened the Grosveuor Boxing Saloon he has been exceedingly well supported, and that he has been patronised by the Shah of Persis. and the Prince of Wales, is perfeclly true, as he gave an exhibition with

The Wanganui agent (says a contemporary) of the Press Association is a smart fnan, if not a; brilliant newspaper correspondent. Sir William Fox addressed the Kangitikei electors at Turakina, on May 30, but the correspondent was silent. He made amends however, when Sir William spoke two days later at Mar Son, by telegraphing the “Wanganui Herald’s” report of his speech at Turakina, with the simple alteration that it was called a report of Sir William’s Marton meeting.

Spelling reformers in Germany propose to hold an International Congress in September at Berlin, siraultaneouly with the Congress of Orientalists. The objects for consideration are the formation of a common alphabet for the East, and, finally, a universal alphabet. This is-a sufficiently ambitious project; but the scheme is approved by some of (he most eminent philologists, and presumably competent scholars avow their confidence in its practicability.

A recent number of the “ Sydney Bulletin ” stales that so many murderers have got off lately in New Zealand through the disinclination of juries to convict of capital offences,. that a strong section of the Press argues in favor of the abolition of the death penalty—in fact, advocates the substitution of certain for eevere punishment.

It was an incident in the recent debate on Candahar, that among the speakers was a son of the late Chancellor of the Exchequer, as also a son of the present holder of that office. - Mr Henry Stafford Northcote, 0.8., the member for Exeter, followed Mr Buxton, and was himself followed by Mr Herbert Gladstone, the junior member for Leeds, and fourth son of the Premier. Sir Stafford Northcote and Mr Gladstone were both in tho House when their sons addressed it.

A telegram from Napier states that Detective Grace has been watching some time to capture men engaged smuggling tobacco. At length on Monday evening he 'succeeded in arresting Joseph Scull, stewart of the Silver Cloud, trading between here and Newcastle, and a baker named Krause carrying on business in White road. They had about HOlbs to. bacco between them in their possession, and 43 lbs more were found on board the ‘Silver Cloud belonging to Schull. At the R.M. Court this morning Schull was fined £SO and Krause’ £25, and the tobacco forfeited.

The cutter Hannah landed n party on the islands to the westward of Stewart’s Island, about two months ago, and sailed immediately on he return journey in charge of Roger Newton (a half-caste) and Edward Clark. Since then nothing has. been seen of her, and it is feared that the cutter, which was not in good condition, had been lost with her crew. In reply to the police the Government sent instructions that the Stella should go round and search the west side of the island, but the steamer had left the Bluff on her usual work before the message arrived.

A capital story is told, says the ' Gundagai Times,’ of a recently-created magistrate, or rather, of his wife. It was in an up-country town on the Western road, and the J.P. had gone for the first time to sit on the “ Binch,” His better half, who understood little about his elevation, except that it was something too awful to contemplate, called out to the cook : “ Bridget, put on the pratees at wonst; his majesty will be at home to dinner, at one to the minyute 1” As showing the astuteness of the Nihilists remarks a London paper, it may be mentioned that the Austrian police recently informed the Bussian Government that a considerable quantity of dynamite had been landed at Fiume, and forwarded to Eussia. The Russian authorities, in reply requested that the dynamite should be allowed to pass as far as the frontier. On its arrival there it was received by persons in the uniform of Russian police officials, but subsequently another body of officials came to sequestrate the packages, and it was then discovered that the first comers were Nihilists disguised as police, and that they had succeeded in smuggling the dynamite into the interior.

Intending visitors to the Oamaru Races are referred to the special railway arrangements notified in another column.