NEWS OF THE DAY.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2587, 6 July 1881, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY .

Mr Maguire of the Timaru High School, has been appointed to the second mastership of the Invercargill Boys’ High School. A Timaru Sparrow Club for the suppression of the small birds nuisance, is in course of formation.

The libel cases Wildie, Allan, and Stumbles v. George Green, has been adjourned by consent of the parlies until Friday nest. The Timaru Harbor Board Bill, introduced by Mr Turnbull, and which provides an endowment of 100,000 acres of land for harbor improvement purposes, was read a first time in the House of Representatives yesterday afternoon. Mr Dawson, rector of the High School is endeavoring to establish a museum in connection with (the school. Such a step is certainly one in the right direction, and Mr Dawson is deserving of all support from the public in the carrying out of such an object.

The members of jthc Wesleyan Tonic Sol-fa class purpose giving a concert tomorrow evening, at the Wesleyan School room, Bank street. The programme, which’ is a really attractive one, will be found in another column.

A member of the Licensing Bench at Invercargill has been fined £5 for drunkenness in a railway carriage. About the end of December last Mr B. Brann, of 83 King Street Sydney, forwarded an order for a Eodanow watch, addressed to the “ company ” in Boston, and accompanied by a sum of money. By the last mail Mr Brann had the satisfaction of receiving from the dead letter office the letter he had forwarded, together with its contents. His letter was returned by the postal authorities in America, marked “fraudulent.” We have not heard if any of those in New Zealand, who may have been duped by the advertisements, have been similarly successful.

Messrs Gibson and Cockroft are ap pointed ag nts in Mr Theodore Brown’s consultation of £IO,OOO on the Melbourne Cup.

The Parliamentary correspondent of the “ Lyttelton Times" states that he hears it is not all unlikely that amongst the financial proposals will be one to increase the beer tax, probably to 6d. His Worship the Mayor received yesterday afternoon a telegram from Mr Turnbull stating that tenders for the Albury extension line would be advertised for on Friday next.

It will be seen by our report of the Board of Education meeting to-day that Messrs Steward and Slack have been elected to the vacant seats for the Board of Education.

It will be seen by our cable news that President Garfield now lies in a dangerous state.

A Bill has been introduced in the French Legislature providing that any citizen who loses his life while saving property at a fire, any physician who loses his life while laboring in the hospitals in time of epidemic, and anyone who dies while endeavoring to save a fellow-being, shall be regarded as a soldier slain on the battlefield, and insure a double pension to his family. The Sydney “ Bulletin ” has the following:—Mr F. B. Spofforth, the “demon bowler,” did a plucky thing the other day. A horse attached to a waggonnette, with a young lady in it, bolted furiously. “ Spoff” caught the trap, got in at the back, and pulled the horse up just in time to save the occupant from a smash. The fair one is a Sydney lady, and that she is beautiful m snn.l dire. Wc trust soon to be supplied with further information, so that we may be enabled to wind up the story in the orthodox manner.

Mr R. J. Creighton, formerly a wellknown New Zealand journalist, but now' of San Francisco, has written a review of the life of the late Earl of Beaconsfield. The review concludes as follows:—“He was not a great man, for he lacked conscientiousness ; he was not a noble man, for he lacked sincerity. But he was an original and a successful man, who, born out of his natural element, an alien and a foreigner by race and sentiment, had the genius to mould English thought and sentiment to his will, and to lead captive the most conservative and exclusive social and political elements in European society. With Benjamin Disraeli dies the last and greatest of British statesmen who sought to strengthen Prerogative by weakening the Constitution.”

A boy named Buckley was shot in a rifle gallery at the Thames a few dajs ago. The boy died yesterday morning. The proprietor of the saloon, a colored man named Clements, in.a “joke,” pointed the gun at the boy when it went off. The coroner’s jury were stupid enough to return a verdict of accidental death. Public opinion at the Thames is much excited at the verdict, and it is probable something more will be heard of the affair.

A Government notification re sale of Crowns Lands, appears in another column

PRESIDENT GARFIELD’S STATE.

[By Cable.]

Washington, July 4.

A Bulletin issued this morning reports that President Garfield has not passed so good a night, having only dosed at intervals; Pie has complained of pains in the abdomen which the doctors pronounce to be symptoms of tympanites, or distension of the abdomen.

Latest,

This evening’s Bulletin reports that the President’s condition is fluctuating. The symptoms of tympanites continue. Further enquiries into the antecedents of Gentean,the would be assassin, prove that ho has long been insane. London, July 4.

The attempt on the life of the President of America has caused a profound sensation throughout Europe. Uni* versal sympathy is expressed at his precarious condition.