NEWS OF THE DAY.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2568, 14 June 1881, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

A meeting of the Borough Council was to have been held at three o’clock yesterday afternoon for tl e purpose of receiving objections to street levels. The meeting was ad journed, however, until next Monday evening.

Better late than never 1 The Borough Council at its meeting of last night resolved to ascertain the cost of a horse scraper and brush with a view to rendering the streets passable after rain. Miss Lydia Howarde’a benefit at the Theatre Royal last night attracted as we anticipated, a crowded house. “Aladdin or the Wonderful Scamp,” in which Miss Howarde appeared as Aladdin, and Mr Harry Power as the widow TwanVey, and " Robinson Crusoe,” made up a capital programme.

We have received a copy of the Rules and Bye-lawa of the New Zealand Institute of Surveyors, an association recently established. It is proposed to give legislative sanction to the Institute, and a Bill will be introduced daring the present Parliament for that purpose. It is also intended to issue fortnightly in the interests of tbe profession a fortnightly publication entitled “The New Zealand Civil Engineers, Surveyors, and Architects Journal.” A young woman named Lily Thompson was charged before Mr Beetham, this morning with trying to pass a counterfeit sovereign at the Melville Hotel last night. The coin is what is known as an *• Exhibition medal ” and is brass. It had been polished very bright, and might pass muster perhaps on a dark night for a genuine sov. The girl was remanded until to-morrow.

A meeting of the unemployed was held at the Breakwater this morning. After several speakers had spoken, the men proceeded to the Council Chambers, where an interview was held with the Mayor and Mr Turnbull, M.H.R. A list of signatures of the unemployed was given to the latter gentleman, which he intends taking to Wellington, where he proceeds this afternoon to attend his Parliamentary duties. A reply is expected on Thursday. A copy of the list was also handed to tbe Mayor. From the document it appears that the number of mouths depending on the married men for food is over 500, and that the average time the men have been out of employment is between nine and ten weeks. His Worship the Mayor stated that Mr March would arrive in Timaru by the train this evening, and that Mr Calcott was expected by the express to-day. This was received with satisfaction by the men. The Mayor impressed upon them the necessity of keeping orderly, as he was doing everything in his power for them. It has been stated that several of the unemployed contemplated making a raid on the bakers this morning, and that they only desisted from the exceedingly foolish step by the Mayor and Mr Turnbull promising to use the utmost ex-.-rtions on their behalf. Tbe annual meeting of the Timaru Floral and Horticultural Society, will be held in the Town Hall to-morrow evening at eight o'clock.

The brig Pakeha which went ashore on Saturday morning had sprung a leak, and was seeking shelter under Bank's Peninsula when she was driven ashore by the fury of the gale. The brig became unmanageable with the sea breaking over her, and Captain Bower was forced to beach. All the hands were swept overboard, and only one of eight managed to reach the shore. He clung to a floating spar.

The usual weekly session of the English Lodge Victory No. 42 1.0.G.T., was held last evening at the Foresters’ Hall. There was a numerous attendance of members, and the chair taken by Bro, J. Blackmore, W.C.T. Two candidates were proposed for membership, and being in the ante-room, were introduced and initiated. After a short recess the lodge discussed come very important questions, and half an hour was spent in harmony. The odes and accompaniments on the organ were played by sister Jane and E. E. Jones. The subordinate lodge closed at 9 o’clock, and a degree lodge formed, when Bro. W. C. Silverton, Lodge Deputy, conferred the degree of fidelity upon three candidates. Ths proceedings finally closed as 9.30 p.m.

Some very interesting particulars concerning the Sydney tramways were elicited from the Commissioner of Railways, a few days back, on the occasion of a banquet to Mr W. J. Trickett, M.L.A., ex-mayor of Woollahra. We have now 12 miles of tramways in operation, the cost of construction of construction of which has been at the rate of £8333 per mile ; the working expenses are £3057 per mile; the next revenue £1177 per mile ; the net earnings exceed 17 per cent, on the capital invested. The number of passengers who have travelled on our tram lines during 12 months is 7,540,000, while the number who have travelled over 1000 miles of our railways in the same time is 4,403,00. On the Waverley and Woollahra line alone, 52,965 passengers travel weekly.

At a meeting of the Norwich Town Council, it was decided recently to make experiments for lighting the streets of that city with the electric light, an offer having been made to do this for thirteen weeks, from sunset to sunrise, for £B3. (The cost to the ratepayers, for the same period, for gas in Timaru, is more.) St. Andrew’s Hall, the largest building in Norwich, is also to be lighted up on the new system, and several of the large firms are about to adopt the electric light at their establishments.

“JEgles,” in the ‘•Australasian, says : The enterprising spirit of the colonists is admirably illustrated by the gradual disappearance of wooden buildings and their replacement by substantial edifices of brick. The fact is undeniable. But Hosepipe, of the Blazer Fire Office, says may he be consumed but he doesn’t see why the job should be invariably at the cost of the insurance companies. He thinks owners might make the change at their own expense—sometimes.

The '* Central Australian,” published at Bourke, is responsible for the following story;—” It is reported that on the day the telegraph office was opened at Cobar the editor of the local paper and some of the leading military men sent a telegram t o Queen Victoria, congratulating all parties on the event. In reply the following telegram was received ”Am delighted to find telegraph wire extended so far into the interior of Africa, and ;i that the Native chief and his officers understand the English language.' ”

Alluding to tho re ent dispute at Adelaide over the solitary backing of D.O.D. for the Goodwood Handicap, the Adelaide correspondent of the “ Argus” writes :—" The ring have entered their protest against the machine by threatening to withdraw their elevating presence and patronage at the meetings of the clubs if thoydonot discard its use. The Adelaide Racing Club, apparently frightened at this contingency, has agreed to abolish the instrument from their grounds. This decision would seem to indicate that the intesests of racing must be made subservient to the interests of betting-mongers, and under their impression people are beginning to feci that the noble sport even in South Australia is not quite so clean as it might be.” The following is from the “ Dunedin Herald”: —Mr Almao informs us that ho has already exported 9000 rabbit skins to America, and he has 30,000 on hand for export. The manager of a large bat manufactory doing business in London and New York has forwarded several thousand pounds to Mr Almoa for the purpose of buying rabbit skins in Dunedin.

There was only one case down for hearing at the civil sittings of the Supreme Court this morning, that of Iram Rawstron y. Wm. Evans. It was an action for £250 for alleged encroachment on plaintiff’s property. The case was to have been tried by a special jury. On the case being called, Mr Harper, who appeared for the plaintiff, applied that the record be withdrawn as, owing to the illness of a most important witness on his side, he was unable to proceed with tho case. He had only become acquainted with the circumstance at four o’clock yesterday afternoon. Mr Stout, on behalf of the defendant, said he had no objection. His Honor then ordered the record to be withdrawn, and made an order on tho plaintiff for costs. Tho jury were then discharged, His Honor regretting that there had not been time to give notice so as to obviate their attendance in Court. The following are the counsel engaged in the caseMr Harper (instructed by Mr Austin) for the plaintiff, and Mr Stout (instructed by Mr Perry) for the defendant.

Mr Price, Fi.-hraoncer, has signified his willingness to give away on Saturday night a supply o' fi-h and rabbits to those of the unemployed who are recommended as deserving b/ the Committee. The act will be timely and generous, and the example might be followed by those who have enough of this world’s goods and to spare. On the application of Mr Hara*rsley in Chambers this morning, an injunction was granted restraining the Lydia Howarde troupe from playing “ H.M.S. Pinafore” in New Zealand. Mr Hamersley was instructed by the agent for (he Authors’ Association.

The “ Bathnrst Free Press” says :—ln several parts of this district tobacco culture is carried on by the Chinese, who appear to pursue it as a profitable industry. On Friday a drayload of the leaf, dressed and packed, passed through Bathurst to the railway station en route to market in Sydney. The grower, a Chinaman, whose name we cannot spell, raised a crop of seven tons upon a small area of land at Kellosbiel. With his whip in hand beside three well-conditioned horses drawing a load of this “ colonial” John looked the picture of a well-to-do industrious farmeV