NEWS OF THE DAY.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2594, 14 July 1881, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

The Service of Song entitled" The Scotch Covenanters,” takes place this evening at the Trinity Presbyterian Church.

Over three thousand shares have been applied for at Dunedin, in the New Zealand Refrigerating Company. A telegram has been sent to London for freezing machinery. In the Legislative Council yesterday afternoon Mr Whitaker said Government in filling up vacancies in the Civil Service gave preference to those suffering from the reductions.

Mr Dick stated yesterday in the House that the Government had not the power to prevent juvenile theatrical performances, and they knew of no good reason why such a power should be sought. The Coroner’s inquiry touching the death of William Ross, a groom in the employ of Dr Garland, of Oamaru, revealed the fact that death resulted from a weakness of the action of the heart, and not from the fumes of a coal stove, as was reported by telegram. Deceased was 30 years of age, a native of Manchester, and without relatives in this Colony.

Mrs Webster, a patient in the Auckland Lunatic Asylum, who had persistently refused food since last December, or to speak or open her eyes, died of exhaustion The verdict at the inquest was “ Death from natural causes.”

There was a small-pox scare in Dunedin at the beginning of the week. The “OtagoTiraes” ofWednesday saysA silly rumor was going about town yesterday that there were two cases of small-pox at Port Chalmers. We believe the foundation for it was that some person paying a visit to the Port on Sunday was hoaxed into believing that a couple of houses from which flags were displayed bore these as signs that they were “unclean,” a yellow flag being the emblem of quarantine. In view of , the telegram (says the “ Dunedin Times") which was received from Christchurch regarding the breaking out of typhoid fever there in consequence of the existence of an unclean dairy, Cr Gilchrist, at yesterday’s meeting of the City Council, asked the Mayor whether he had power to authorise the Inspector here to examine all the dairies in town. His Worship promised to see that the official mentioned attended to the matter.

At the hearing of a libel case in Dunedin the other day, Dr Stuart was called as a witne-s, and in answer to a question said: —“ I lived for 10 years on the British border and ought to know the meaning of it. * Elope ’ generally means that people get away by moonlight.” Sir James Prendergast, commenting on this part.of the evidence when summing up, hinted that in his opinion the doctor was wrong in his last mentioned remark, as people who wanted to elope naturally preferred a night when there was no moonlight. The libel case arose out of a statement in the Bruce “ Herald” that the Rev Mr Seaborn, who was on a lecturing tour, had “eloped without paying his bill.’ The paper had to pay £25 and costs. It is rumoured in Oamaru. according to the “Mail” that Mr I. N. Watt, R.M., is shortly to be removed and that Mr Robinson, of Mount Ida, is to be his successor, The Wellington correspondent of the “Morning Herald” says that “the unemployed sent by the Government to Patea have left the Government employ, being absorbed by the demand for farm and other labor in the district. Applications are now being made by another batch to be sent to Patea. ”

The rabbit pest is spreading in districts which have hitherto been free from it in the North Island. The local paper reports the appearance in the vicinity of Napier of the advance guard of the Wairarapa army of rabbits. The settlers on the north side of the Forty Mile. Bush are likely to have a warm time of it repelling the invasion, for the Wairarapa supply of the rodent is simply inexhaustible. The contents of New Hall, Sutton Coldfield, which has the reputation of being the oldest inhabited house in England, have fallp.n under the auctioneer’s hammer. It is the ancient family mansion of the Chodwicks, was originally built in 1200, and was enlarged in 13G0, from which date it has borne its present name. Mr John de Heley Cadwick is the twenty-sixth lineal descendent of the founder, Charles 11. was concealed at New Hall when a fugitive during the Civil war.

The running' for the Canterbury Coursing Club’s Cup was commenced yesterday, on the Westwood estate, Sheffield. The weather was fine, and hares pretty plentiful The early courses were very trying as the hares ran very strong, but towards evening some dodging trials resulted.

Reef prospecting generally round about Wellington is being carried on with considerable vigour at present, and with the display of a little more enterprise and liberality on the part of business people in the direction of attempting to develop our known auriferous resources, the “ New Zealand Times ” thinks there is reasonable ground for entertaining the belief that a season of permanent prosperity is in store, not only for the metropolis, but also for the Island generally.

A sitting of the District Court was held this afternoon before His Honor Judge Ward. On the application of Mr Jameson the case of Young and Chapman v. O’Callaghan which had been argued before, was reserved, Mr Perry consenting, for further argument till August 3. At the Magistrate’s Court this morning the third mate of the barque Portland was charged with desertion, and expressing no objection to return to duty, the case was dismissed. This is the fourth case of the kind that has occurred in connection with this vessel, and desiring to check the practice, Captain Moir offered in this instance a reward of £lO for the apprehension of his third mate. Detective Kirby made the arrest yesterday at Temuka.

At a committee meeting of the Working Man’s Labor League and Political Union, held last evening, it was decided that a public meeting should be held under the auspices of the League on Friday evening nest, and that the public of Timaru should be invited by advertisement in the South Canterbury Times, and that the subjects to be put before the meeting should be Co-operation, Political strength, Union, Labor, and the present state of affairs. It was decided to send the Secretary to Temuka to make all ne ce-sary arrangements for opening the League there. There will be lectures and readings given by the League, free, at the Oddfellows’ Hall, Barnard street, at periods fixed by the Committee, the lectures to be on the principal political questions of the day.

The usual fortnightly meeting of the members of the Victoria Lodge, No. 57, Protestant Alliance Friendly Society, took place last evening in the Sophia Street Hall, theW.M., Bro. Kent, presiding. Four new candidates were initiated, amongst whom was a respected member of the Orange Lodge, who was warmly received. Several other persons were nominated for admission. The auditors’ report was brought up and adopted. It was decided that the first anniversary of the formation of the Lodge should be celebrated by a soiree, and a committee was appointed to make necessary arrangements. The Lodge was then closed in prescribed form by the W.M.

The following conversation is reported by the “ Bruce Herald” :—“ ‘ Where the devil are the horses ?’ said a newly-arrived Irish immigrant to his wife as he, with intent interest, watched the motions of the Roslyn tramway. * And sure there isn’t the laste taste of shmoke,’ said his wife, ‘ The power is underground,’ said a spectator to the bewildered new chums. ‘ Thrue for ye, sor, ! said the woman ; ‘ faix I know’d well enough it is under ground the power is.’— ‘Ye don’t mean to say it’s the diril ?’ said the man. ‘ Troth an’ I do,’ said his wife.”

The New Caledonia correspondent of the “ Sydney Morning Herald” says:—“ A surprising instance of tenacity of life is afforded by the singular North Caledonian land snail, whose shell is an almost exact resemblance of the human ear, This creature I have known to be alive, and apparently as well as when first placed there, after lying 18 months upon a table. This rivals the fact of the revival of certain shell-snails which had lain for years in the British Museum gummed to cards,