NEWS OF THE DAY.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2606, 28 July 1881, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

A grand Carnival and Masquerade takes place this evening at the Oddfellows’ Hall Barnard Street. The affair will be in connection with the Timaru Quadrille Assemly, and the Artillery Brass Band will open the Carnival. Any costume will be admitted but all masks must be lifted to the doorkeeper. The hall has been tastefully decorated with flags and evergreens, «Sx> and the floor beautifully waxed, presenting a decidedly pretty appearance.

Tho conversazione advertised to take place under the auspices of the English Lodge Victory, 1.0.Gr.T., is postponed for a short time. The Committee have deemed it advisable to adopt this course in consequence of counter attractions taking place on or about the date intended, and not wishing to clash with them. At the R.M. Court this morning one inebriate was dealt with in the usual way.

The steam crane was engaged this morning in shifting the iron monolith casing from the end of the breakwater in order to see what damage it has sustained by the late heavy seas. Mr Aiuob has been besieged with people to-day anxious to secure seats for “The Pirates of Penzance.” The first representatatiou of the famous comic opera takes place on Tuesday evening at the Theatre Royal, and there is every prospect of a bumper house. The Company will probably give one performance of “Pinafore” while here.

Sergeant Major D. McOuinness, C.Y.C, has just received the silver cup (presented, by Captain Strouts, C.Y.C.,) won by him at the general review of the Canterbury Yeomanry Cavalry, held at Christchurch last year. We have inspected the cup which is of plain massive silver, and bears the following inscription ; —“ Presented to Sergeant Major MeGuinuess C.Y.C., for being the best mounted and equipped dragoon, and for general srirartness, 1880.” Wo understand that die next C.Y.C. review will be held in Tioiaru. A cablegram from Sydney states that Admiral Earl Clanwilliam is now out of danger, and that instructions have been received by leieg aph from the Admiralty for the detached Squadron to wait farther orders before proceeding on its voyage,

Mr Eceves has given notice that he will ask Government if they were aware that Charles Ryland Tylden, of Auckland, who had been bound over to keep the peace for 12 months, and that when only 2 months of the term had expired, he was appointed to the Commission of the Peace.

The correspondent of the ‘‘ Press” wired last night as follows : —lt was f r some time expected that the division would take place to-night, and there was unwonted an- 1 ominous activity on the part of the whips on botli sides, but at ten o’clock it became generally known that an agreement had been ertne to for the division not to be taken until Thursday (this) evening. The Government whips now count on a majority of four, and the Opposition about a minority of two or three. During the eight years m which the St Petersburg School of Medicine has been open to women, TOG students matriculated. The course of study occupies five years, so that only t’ c first thri.e clashes have had graduates. These number 111. During 18711, 2~> per cent abandoned their studies, this large percentage being due to the fact that the majority of the students while studying have to earn their living 'by literary work, teaching, etc. The London “Times'’ says:—Godly discipline is not so wholly forgotten in this country but that once a year, in the season of Lent, the Piritish nation is put to open penance for the most notorious of its many sins. This wholesome ceremony is the casting up and publication of the national drink bill. The total expenditure under all heads of strong drink for the. whole population in 1880 is £122,•2711,272, which is less by £8, 8(54,088 or 4.(5 per cent., than it was in the previous year 187 P.

Another, although a deplorable, circumstance in high life happened here a few days ago in Paris, through, which the Countess of Fersen, a most handsome and accomplished young lady of twenty years of ago, met her untimely death. Countess Person was dressing for a ball, and unfortunately coming too near the open chimney fire ignited her dress, which was made of light material, and was in a few minutes enveloped in ilames. Help not being directly at hand she was so much injured that she only lingered a few hours before death ended her suffering. The strangest part of this accident is the fact that the mother of this young lady found her death in an exactly similar manner. From a contemporary wc learn that | — “ Work on the Welland Canal (Canada) is rapidly nearing completion, and it is expected that the canal will bo ready for busimssby May 12, with a draught of 12 feet. Much is expected of these improvements, upon which the Dominion Government is spending some 80,000,000 dols. Large vessels will soon be able to go through from Chicago to Europe without breaking bulk cin the Welland Canal and the St Lawrence.”

Tenders for formation and bridges on the Albn y Downs contract of the Opawa Branch Railway, must be sent in to the Public Works Office, Dunedin, by noon on Saturday next. Commodore Vanderbilt, the railway king of the United States, is having a house (or rather palace) built for him which is to cost only £300,000. Sir George Grey intends to move—- “ That the proceedings of the Christchurch Election Committee of 1870 be expunged from the records of Parliament.” The unseating of i?ir George Grey for Christchurch City was a proceeding which reflected disgrace upon the Parliament of New Zealand. The House will consult its own reputation by expunging everything from the records in connection with the grossly unfair decision of the Election Committee.

At the District Court, Wellington, yesterday, the case of Maher v. the Corporation, was heard. This was an action to recover the sum of £2OO, being damages in consideration of a coach accident,caused through the alleged negligence of the defendants. This evening the jury returned a verdict for the amount claimed. The following Bills were introduced and read a Jirst time in the House yesterday : The Waimatc ami Temuka School Site, the Geraldine Racecourse (Mr Wakefield) ; to Enable persons elected to be Members of the House of Representatives to make, befoic taking their seats, an affirmation in lieu of an oatli (Sir George Grey.) A Harbor Board Committee meeting was held this morning to discuss the working of the Board’s staff and the best means for its reorganisation. The proceedings being of a private nature we are unable to state what transpired. Mr Moss Jonas held a property sale at his rooms yesterday, when he submitted nine sections of a little over a quarter acre each in the Attenburrow Township extension. The prices realised ran from £3l to £ll each. Four sections in Attenburrow Township, of about the same she, brought for two £2(30 each, and for the other two £2(35 each. An acre section at Wai-iti (freehold), with a two-roomed lean-to thereon, brought £IOO. A 10(3 acre farm (bankrupt estate Michael Seyb) near the Levels’ sold for £IOB2. The mother of the talented authoress “ George Elliot ” is still alive in Hobart Tasmania, and has reached the ripe age of 90. Sq says a contemporary. A telegram in a Sydney paper from Newcastle (N.S.W.) says : —“ A recent arrival from Wellington (N.Z-) states the streets there are almost deserted, in consequence of the heavy emigration from the place lately. Among the panegyrics on Lord Beaconslield, none is more touching (or ingenious), than that of a party who was summoned for keeping a publichouse open after legal hours. The}’ pleaded guilty, hut said they had got on the merits of Lord Beaconsfidd, and so hadn’t noticed the time.” Mr F, J. Wilson, Architect, invites tenders for erection of a dwelling house. We notice Mr K. Mitchell ha- taken the premises Intoly occupied by Mr G Cliff, next Messrs Cowan and Fosters’, Main South road, and has commenced business as a grecn-groeer, Ac. A refreshment room forms part of tiro establishment. Messrs Davies and Murphy, the cash drapers, notify that their dressmaking department is under the personal supervision of Miss Xunes, and they arc prepared io execute all orders entrusted to them in first-class style.