NEWS OF THE DAY.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2653, 21 September 1881, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

The contractors for the Breakwater were filling in another monolith to-day, and wore also giving the crane an overhaul. They have but little more heavy lifting to do in connection with their contract.

A cable message from Washington states that President Garfield died on Monday evening from the effects of the pistol shot fired by the assassin Guiteau on the Ist July last. We remind our readers that Mr Mills, secretary to the New Guinea Expedition, delivers his lecture on the “ North East coast of New Guinea” in the Theatre this evening. The subject is an interesting one, as so little is known about that vast island, and as Mr Mills has spent some time _,there his lecture ought to be instructive, and will probably also be amusing. A synopsis of the lecture is given in Mr Mills’ advertisement.

Among the Bills passed during the present session to which the acting Governor’s assent have been given are the Waimate and Temuka Public School Sites Bill, Timaru Harbor Act Amendment Bill, and Timaru Water race Reserves Bill.

The “ Special Powers and Contracts Bill ” empowers the Governor to change the purpose of reserve the No. 278, containing five acres, in the town of Timaru. This reserve was made for the purpose of erecting buildings for the use of the Provincial Government, but not being required for tt at purpose the Governor is authorised to give it as an extension of the Timaru Pubilc Park. As far as we can make out from the boundaries given, the land is within the boundaries of the Park as now laid out. The same Bill authorises the sale of five reserved sections and part of a sixth in the township of Geraldine.

It would be a little odd if, while Great Britain still boasts of her supremacy as a maritime nation, and especially as the possessor of great steam fleets, the first direct steam service between the Mother Country and her most distant colony should belong to a French Company, and yet this appears more than possible, for while we hear little or nothing of British Companies extending their lines to our coasts, theMessageries Mari times Comp my of France have the matter under consideration, and hare been in communication with people in different parts of the colony on the subject. Scarlet fever is reported to be prevalent in Dunedin.

A number of men went to the Public Works office at Dunedin yesterday to ask for employment, but were informed that no instructions had been received that such a request should be complied with. Messrs Kempthorne and Prosser’s sulphuric acid factory at Dunedin was opened yesterday. A bonus of £SOO a year is offered for three years for the production each year of not less than 50 tons of good marketable acid.

The San Francisco mails arrived in Timaru about ten o’clock last night by special train from Ashburton, to which station they were brought by the ordinary evening train from Christchurch. The special ran on to Oamaru and Dunedin after dropping the Timaru portion of the mail. Henry Edward Stebr, manager of the New Zealand Timber Company at Whangarei, has been committed for trial on a charge of embezzlement. What could a small sawmilling company assuming such a grandiloquent name expect but that their employees would assume grander airs than their pay would allow them to maintain honestly ?

The Kaitangata Railway and Coal Company have declared a dividend of ten per cent for the past year, together with a bonus of five shillings per £lO share, besides placing £6OOO to the reserve fund.

The Waimate Borough Council wrote to the Railway Department some time ago praying that the name of the railway station "Studholma Junction” should be changed back to “ Waimate Junction.” A reply has just been received that the Department sees no sufficient reason to comply with the request. The Council resolved to make fresh representations about the matter. Similar requests have been granted elsewhere, and they hope to succeed in carrying their point. A land shark of unusually large proportions is said to be cruising about the Southern States of America. This is Mr Hamilton Desson, a Philadelphian, who it is reported has secured the freehold of four million acres in the State of Florida, on which he purposes to work out a grand colonizing scheme, As far as our information goes, the most important “ staples” of Florida are snakes, fevers, agues, and malaria of all kinds, and the most striking natural features, dismal swamps.

The average yield of gold from the quartz crushed at the Coromandel mines last year was 7 oz per ton. A man named Lynn recently had an ugly cancer removed from his upper lip at the Whangarei Hospital. It is supposed to have originated from the effects of a severe blow on the nose which be received several years ago, but did not develop itself until lately.

Sixteen settlers, near Cambridge, Auckland, have promised to grow 303 acres of beet and deliver the produce at the site of the proposed mill (Narrons Bridge) for 14s a ton if a mill is started.

A return of mortgages under the Land Transfer Act, laid before Parliament, shows that the total amount of these mortgages is £15,837,823,0f which £11,340,784,0r nearly three-fourths, is owing in Canterbury and Otago.

A man named Walter Long, described as'.a draper now in Christchurch, has been ordered by the Auckland Bench to pay three shillings a week towards the support of his daughter in the Industrial Home up there. With a sense of paternal duty so refined as to be imperceptible Long wrote that he could not afford much as he had a wife and other children to keep.

Lawers are generally keen enough in looking after their fees, but the Bruce “Herald ” gives an instance in which one of them was sadly taken in. A man whose pecuniary circumstances were seriously involved obtained the lawyer’s advice, and asked what was to pay. The lawyer modestly offered his services at half a guinea. He then favored his client with a little hit of advice. Said he, “ If you were as anxious not to pay your debts as you have been to pay them you would be a great deal better off.” The man mused for a moment, and said, “ Well, I never looked at the thing in that light before. I think there is something in it, and I will begin at once to act upon your advice. I owe you half a guinea. Good morning." He disappeared, A Dunedinite named Cottrell tried to frighten his family last week by pretending to attempt suicide. He first banged himself about the head with an empty bucket, but hurting himself too much, he then got a knife, carefully calling attention to what he was doing, however. Of course he was prevented from carrying his threat into execution, even if he had intended it. What has the wretched man gained by his stratagem ? Won’t the torments of his life be justly increased upon him now that he has shown such weakness.

H. Coxhead, photographer, has taken those premises lately occupied by the Americans, in George Street, near Railway Station, and having made extensive alterations, can now take photos instantaneously. A trial respectfully solicited. Photographic albums and views on sale, and can he seen in the window. — fADVx].