South Canterbury Times. WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 5, 1881. NEWS OF THE DAY.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2665, 5 October 1881, Page 2

South Canterbury Times. WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 5, 1881. NEWS OF THE DAY.

Owing to the pressure of local nows we are compelled to hold over our leading article and other matter. Two lads were fined £1 each at Christ church on Monday, for pelting Chinamen. The Christchurch Tramway Company have decided to run cars on Sundays at once. Miss Pomeroy, as “ Cleopatra,” is draw* ing crowded houses at tbe Theatre Royal, Christchurch. A Chinaman named Quin Fi was killed whilst engaged in gold mining at Maere* whenua yesterday. A fall of earth completely covered him, and an hour was spent in removing the dehrU before his body war reached.

The Roslyn Tramway Company hare now definitely settled the claim for damages by the father of Garrett, the young man who was killed by the recent accident. Thomson, the draper’s claim is being settled by arbitration. The only claim now unsettled is one by Liggins, which will ceme into Court,

At a meeting of the High School Board last evening, the subject of the attendance at the High School of holders of public schools scholarships was discussed, but no decision was arrived at. The Rector’s report showed the attendance to be 131 : 65 boys and (55 girls. It was resolved to offer four scholarships of the value of ten guineas each, to be c mpeted for by attendants at the High School, and four others of the same value, to be open to children attending the public schools of South Canterbury, who hare passed or can pass the Fifth Standard. The examinations for these scholars!! ps will be held io December next. Two gold medals, value H 6 and £5 will be given for competition at the High School.

Some Auckland tobacconists aregoing to attempt the cultivation of the weied for manufacturing purposes. Four hundred gallons of crude petroleum and two tons of paraffin wax have bean shipped Home from Poverty Bay to be tested for quality. A man named Jos Clarke committed suicide by cutting his throat with a razor at Mr Allan Campbell’s farm, Brunswick, Wanganui, last night. The supposed cause is insanity induced bypocaniary embarrasment,

An ngly accident happened te a lad at Tuapeka last week. He was engaged in harrowing, and one of the leaves of the harrows coming adrift he went to fix it. While doing so the horses started and pulled the barrows over him, fracturing his forearm, lacerating his left hip and woundone of the arteries thereby losing a deal of blood. Ho had to be taken to the hospital. All diggers know that if no work is done in a claim for a certain time the ground can be taken by anyone who will “ drive a pick ” into it. It is reported in Greymouth that the Wallsend Colliery Company will lose their mine on account of their neglecting to work it. “Their claim has been jumped.'* Some trouble was caused at the Dunedin Supreme Court on Monday by a witness named Paterson refusing u> take the oath, as ho did aot believe it was binding. He did not believe in a personal God, but did in a Supreme Ruler, though ho did not know why. The Judge got over the difficulty by administering a Scotch form of oath, happening to remember it, and the witness was satisfied. There ate 946 “ runs ” in New Zealand, totaling 12,382,614 acres, all in the Middle Island except 33 runs of a total of 360,215 acres in the North Island. The total rent received is £116,768. In Nelson the rents range from Id to 3d per acre; in Marlborough they are about Id per acre; in Canterbury, IJd ; Otago, 2d to 2Jd; .Southland 3d to 3|d; and in Westland, Is Id per acre.

A trial of blasting powder, manufactured by Mackley, at Gatlin's Rirer, was made at Port Chalmers yesterday. The trial was quite satisfactory. The machinery at the factory is entirely of Dunedin make. Government offer to give a bonns for the establishing of a powder factory, but do not state the amount. There is little news from the North about the Maori difficulty. The Government state they have ascertained from trustworthy sources that Te Whiti disclaims the warlike interpretation put upon his recent speech, but he no doubt continues opposition by encouraging fencing. Seventy men have enrolled in volunteer corps at Opunake, and drill diligently. The Natives are quiet, say they don't mean to fight, but will hold on to the land.

A lecture on “ The Tabe»o aol * 5,1 ll,c Wilderness ’’ will be delivered in the Congregational Church to-morrow evening, by T. S. Mannering, Esq., of Fcrnsido, A A large and beaut ful model, made at Mr Muller's Orphan Home, Bristol, will be used to illustrate the subject. From Mr Mannering’s well-known ability as a lecturer, a most interesting and instructive entertainment may be anticipated. An hour or two spent at Mr Mannering's vivid lectures always affords the audience more solid information than can be gained through days of study. Herr Sohcrek had another very small house last night to heat his second and final concert. It must be his final one. No one could expect him to return after being so ill supported on his first visit. And yet he and his company deserve to be heard. But it is no great wonder that people do not go to the Theatre Royal to listen to concerts. The smudged and ragged scenery make such a cheerless surrounding as to rob the music of all charm, and must take all spirit out of the performers. It is to be regretted, but we may expect Herr cherek to put a staring black mark on his map of New Zealand in the place of the little circle which indicates the geographical position of Timaru, with some vigorous word, “ Beware,” or other, beside it, which will not be taken for tbe name of the town. This must be regretted if it happens, for Herr Scherek is a pianist of no ordinary skill. Application having been made for a remission of the duty on the clock about to be erected in tbe Temuka Roman Catholic Church, which will be a boon to tbe neighborhood, the following telegram was received from the Hon Major Atkinson yesterday by Mr K. Wakefield, M.H.R.;— “ Have received Mr Fauvel’s letter re Temuka clock, and was just about wiring you on the subject when your telegram came. I find we have no authority to remit tbe duty, but under the circumstances will give a subscription equal to the amouut of the duty. Have wired to the Collector to know the amount of duty, and will then remit amount to Mr Fauvel. —(Signed) H. A. Atkinson.” Someone has been hoaxing the “ North Otago Times.” The following paragraph appeared in yesterday’s issue of that journal“ We have frequently compared the relative expenditure in the construction of the Timaru and Oamaru waterworks. As this might be prejudicial in a greater degree than should be to those who had the oversight of the local works, it may be only fair to state that the Timaru works were partly made some time ago; the cost of the portion so made not being included in the amount which we have been under the impression was tbe total cost of the works. Then again, the Oamaru water scheme is capable of supplying over 50,000 souls; while that of Timaru would be taxed to its utmost to supply a population of one fourth this number. The works are altogether on a smaller scale than those of Oamaru, and are evidently not calculated to supply motive power to machinery. In one part of the race the supply runs through a 9-inch pipe, which makes it apparent that the volume of water cannot be an extensive one. The above information has been reliably supplied to us, and we publish it to show that although our water supply scheme has coat us considerably more than it should have dope, the present generation will not be called upon to tap Another source to increase the supply.”