NEWS OF THE DAY.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2612, 4 August 1881, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

A concert under the auspices of the Wesleyan Sunday School will be held this evening at the school room, Bank street. At a meeting of the Wai-iti School Committee held last night, a letter was read from T. Charters, tendering his resignation as committee man, which was accepted. It was resolved that Mr Ellis be requested to stand for the vacancy. At the inquest on Mr A. H. Heatley, who accidentally shot himself on Saturday last, at Geraldine, a verdict of accidental death was returned. A special train leaves Timaru at 8 a.m, to-morrow for Christchurch to convey visitors to the Hunt Club Steeplechases there. This train returns to-morrow night at 8.45 p.m, The New Zealand and Australian Land Company intend starting a dairy factory on the American system on one of their properties. Sir William Fox has presented a petition to Parliament from certain members of the Law Practitioners Society, Wellington, protesting against the Law Practitioners Bill.

The Detached Squadron is now under orders to proceed direct from Sydney to the Fiji. The Auckland people will no doubt be greatly disappointed at not having an opportunity of viewing the Royal Princes. A storm has been raised in Napier by alleged Ritualistic practices at St John’s Church in that town. The Bishop of Sydney has recently married a third wife, whom he had baptised in her infancy. The cost to the public purse alone of a general election in Victoria ranges from £14,000 to £20,000.

The absence of any clergyman, priest or rabbi at Lord Beaconsfield’s deathbed seems to have seriously disturbed the Irish papers. One of them, the “Nation,” says:—“ Priest or parson, book or prayer, cross or crescent, symbol or sign of faith, there was nothing to tell whether the dying man thought of Moses or '.Mohammed or Christ. Unless the published narrative omits some very important particulars, Lord Beaconsfield died as dies a horse. There is in the Victorian House of Assembly a gentle can named Bowman who follows the profession of bagman, or commercial traveller. A short Lime ago Mr Bowman rose to suggest the importance of the Government immediately proceeding with an Adulteration Bill, in order to stop the importation of worthless teas. The Attorney-General's reply was short and decisive—“• We can’t do that, but I have given instructions to seize and destroy the green teas sold by the hon. member.” Mr Bowman losein anger to explain, but the Speaker ruled him out of order. The Guarantee Society, which has for some time refused to pay Charter’s fidelity bond of £SOO, has now to hand the amount over to the directors of the Sydenham Building Society.

Work on the Weka Pass section of the northern line is being pushed forward, so as to have the line to Waikari open for next grain season. This is a line on which trains are only run when anybody asks for one, and has no stations along it. During the last few years the cultivation of furze, gorse or whin, as an article of food for cattle, has attracted very considerable attention both in England and on the European continent ;and as compared with other green foods, it is stated by the “ European Mail” to rank the highest in flesh forming constituents, What is now a great nuisance in New Zealand may therefore become at some time an article of con_ sidcrablc value. 'The furze has to be pre, pared by machinery before it is suitable for cattle-food.