NEWS OF THE DAY.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2670, 11 October 1881, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

The Timaru Agricultural and Pastoral Association’s annual Bhow is advertised to take place on October 25 and 26. Entries of sheep, cattle, and pigs close on Saturday, October 15. All other entries close on Tuesday, October 18.

A special meeting of tbe members of St. John’s Lodge will be held at the Masonic Hall this evening, The business is important.

Messrs Bent and Bachelder’s Black Pinafore Company will open at the Theatre Royal on Saturday night. The people of Timaru were delighted with the opera of Pinafore as performed by white artists, but judging by the reports from other parts of the Colony, they will be even more delighted with tbc burlesque on it, in black. Mr W. H. Bent is a host in himself, and is without doubt the best representative of the burnt cork fraternity that has ever played in the colony. Industrial Exhibitions are “the rage” now. Nelson is going in for one. Dr Donald has, owing to ill health, resigned his position as Resident Magistrate at Lyttelton. In a chess match, Christchurch v. Country, eleven players a-side, Christchurch won by eighteen games to six. A man named George Lee was found lying dead near his tent in the Waimate bush on Sunday last. Mr W. Binley caught a trout in the Temuka river on Friday, which weighed 13Jlbs. At the London wool sales which terminated on Oct 6, 330,000 bales were sold, and 115,000 were held over for the next scries. A fellow “ three sheets in the wind’ went to the Dunedin Police Station on Saturday night and asked for a glass of beer. The oflicer in charge misunderstood him and gave him a rug instead of a mug. The people of Dunedin are talking of erecting a statute of Robert Burns in their city. “ Civis ” thinks a bust in one of the public buildings would do. “ Robbie was always ready for a bust,” A largely attended meeting was held at Christchurch last night, at which it was resolved to push on the construction of the railway to the West Coast, 8,000 shares have been taken uo.

Mr Thcophilus Daniel, a candidate for Wallace, will support Sir George Grey or any other Liberal leader if returned. Mr Cowen, out for Hokonui, will not pledge himself to support any party in particular.

An organisation, called the Wairarapa Political Association, has been formed at Masterton, and branches are to be established in every part of the district. The originators have erected a broad national and patriotic platform, their object being not only to watch the present election, but to maintain a strict surveillance over the future actions of Parliament. Candidates for election —bear this in mind a The Wairarapa Political Association will “ ’ave a hi on yes,” so mind your p’s and q’s if you are elected. The fishermen prosecuted for taking flounders of less than a certain size from Lake Ellismcrc have found a defence in the fact that the waters of the lake are not tidal waters, such as are contemplated by the Fisheries Act.

A lady in Auckland lost two £IOO notes and one £SO note in the streets of that city, and has not recovered them. Probably they are not lost, however, some one may have picked them up. Maoris have grown bananas successfully on Mayer Island, Bay of Plenty. If they could grow them on the mainland the race might have a new lease of life, for the banana is the most prolific of food plants and one that requires very little care. At a meeting of famers held at Ashburton last night, it was definitely decided to form an alliance with the Timaru Cooperative Association, in consideration of a branch being started there. In addition to the £1075 which the Roslyn Tramway Company were adjudged to pay Liggins as damages, they have to pay Garratt (whose son died), £175; and Thomson, draper, which case was settled by arbitration, £BSO. The “ privileges ” in connection with the Agricultural Show arc to be sold by Messrs Maclean and Stewart at two o’clock on Saturday next. They comprise two general license and two refreshment booths.

The regular monthly meeting oE the Caledonian Lodge, S.C., will be held at 8 o’clock this evening. Tram cars were run on the lino between Christchurch and Papanui on Sunday last, and were well patronised. Ic is reported that the oponents of Sunday running arc about to institute legal proceedings against the Company.

The “Lyttelton Times” correspondent at Wellington telegraphed the day before yesterday Mr Ilolleston’s resignation is anticipated. Two reasons arc assigned—, inability to deal with the Native difficulty, and difference with Mj Hall re the desire of the latter to appoint Mr Wakefield to the vacant portfolio. The conference of Messrs Hall, Atkinson, and Kolleston at Opunake the other day lasted several hours. It isrurao' cd that it was of rather a discordant character, and I have reason to believe the rumour is correct.

A Mrs Manning, ■ of Christchurch, who had been desponding for some days on account of her house being burned down, tried commit suicide yesterday, but did not succeed. Another woman tried to leave this vale of tears by jumping into the waters of the Avon, but was prevented from going the whole journey.

The Wellington correspondent of the “Lyttelton Times” says On Tuesday next the Hon Major Atkinson will appear as a defendant in the Resident Magistrate s Court:, on a charge of allowing his chimney to take fire some two months ago. He could not, legally be served with a summons till three weeks after the prorogation of Parliament, but the police kept him well in mind, and took the first opportunity of serving the summons. Perhaps they have good reason not to forget a member of the present economic Government.