NEWS OF THE DAY.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2672, 12 October 1881, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

The Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Association’s annual exhibition takes place on the November 8 and 9. Entries close on the 31st of the present month.

The Timaru Boating Club are arranging to remove their boat shed from the Waahdyke to a site near the Landing Service. Tney will not run the risk of being stick in the mud in their new waters.

New Zealand will earn for itself an unenviable notoriety for indecent assault cases. Scarcely a week passes but one or more are chronicled by the Press. A case is reported from Christchurch yesterday wherein a lad of lb was committed for trial for this offence.

Two women and a child wre nearly drowned in the Avon yesterday by the capsizing of a boat.

A proposal to construct a railway from the Thames to Kotorua is said to be progressing satisfactorily.

A man named James Black was killed on a Southland station last week by being dragged in the stirrup after being thrown from his horse’s back.

The Rev J,, Upton Davis, who has resigned the charge of his church in Dunedin has been asked to stand for one of the City seats and consents to stand.

Yesterday the Longbeach coach came in collision with a bullock in a street in Ashburton. The pole of the vehicle was snapped, but no further damage done. Mr J. C. Williamson, the original “ John Stofel,” in “ Struck Oil,” and his wife, Miss Maggie Moore, are under engagement to visit Christchurch in January.

Mr G. Vesey Stewart, the special settlement promoter, will be largely supported as a candidate for Tauranga at next election, Mr Hursthouse, at Nelson, promises his constituents to oppose the present Ministry if again returned. The “ Wellington Post ” says that steps have been taken to ensure absolutely the compilation of the new rolls by October 15, and their printing and issue by the 24th, The writs will be issued about the end of the month, returnable within 40 days, and the date of the elections—all of which are required by law to take place on one daywill be fixed for some day daring the first week in December.

A. man named Alexander appeared before the Dunedin Bench a few clays ago charged with attempted suicide, attempt being the result of excessive drinking. The new Licensing law gives the magistrates authority to command licensees not to give confirmed drunkards liquor and the order was made in the case of Alexander. The publicans want to know how they are to recognise this Alexander among all the Sandys in the town.

It is not generally known that the Chinese have hitherto been unable to profit by the invention of the electric telegraph, owing to the unfortunate circumstance that each word in their language must be represented by its own particular sign. But they have indemnified themselves with the telephone, the wonderful instrument that talks Chinese as fluently as English itself. They are laying down wires in all directions.

A meeting was held in Dunedin on Monday, at which was affirmed the desirability of prospecting the “ unknown country” west of LakeManipori. One of the speakers in favor of the scheme mentioned all sorts of valuable and wonderful things as possible to be found there, precieus stones and gold and strange birds,including the moa, of course. The country to be explored is only some 30 miles by 20, but being unknown it may be credited with the possession of all that is known or unknown under the sun, until it is proved by examination to be a very ordinary slice of south-western New Zealand, a lough scrubby country, where a wekacan "only get a living by presevering industry and strict attention to economy.

A Wesleyan Minister named Luxford visited Parihaka a few days ago, and had a chat with Tohu. Tohu had three evils to complain of: that the Constabulary molested the ' innocent Maoris while fencing; that the Maori land was taken away ; and that the Constabulary led their women astray and caused great trouble. Mr Luxford says the reports about Parihaka being dirty are untrue, there are about 600 wharea and all are clean and tidy. The visitors were treated (!) to a dinner of potatoes and sow thistles before leaving.

“ A perfect cure for thistles is simply to cut down the thislcs and put common table salt (about a teasponful) on the stem left in the ground. It will entirely rot away the plant.”—(“Southland Times.”) “The writer of the above forgot to mention that the same quantity of salt applied to the tails of sparrows and green linnets which infest the colony would also prove serviceable. As a means of removing both nuisances salt is simply invaluable, and no sensible farmer should go out into his fields without carrying some in his waistcoat pockets for the purpose.”—“ North Otago Times.”

The provisions under the New Zealand Licensing Act for drunkenness are that for the first offence a fine of not less than ss, nor more than 20s, with an alternative of not more than forty-eight hours’ imprisonment, shall be imposed. A second offence committed within six months of the first shall be punishable by a fine not exceeding 60s, with an alternative of not more than seven days imprisonment; whilst an offender for a third offence within the same period will subject himself to a penalty of fourteen days’ imprisonment, with or without the option of a fine not exceeding £5, at the discretion of the Magisiratc. The above refers to eases of simple drunkenness. If disorderly conduct in a public place is added tojthe offence or if a person is found drunk while in charge of any carriage, horse, cattle, or steam engine, or in possesssion of loaded fire arms, the penalty is to not less than £l, nor more than £3, with the alternative of a term of imprisonment with or without hard labor.

The “ Glasgow News” of 24th August has the following “ Messrs P. Henderson and Co.’s fine ship Dunedin left the river yesterday with a full cargo, and after taking her passengers, about 50 in number, on Board at the Tail of the Bank to-day, will proceed on her voyage to Otago, New Zealand, The Dunedin goes on an inieresting voyage. She has just been fitted with Messrs Bell and Coleman’s patent re. frigerating apparatus, for the purpose of bringing fresh meat Home from the Colonies. She is the first sailing ship which has been so fitted, and the experiment of carrying fresh meat in a sailing shin will shortly have its first trial. The result, if successful, will have a most powerful influence on this trade, and will be watched with close intere-t. The New Zealand and Australian Land Company (Limited) have made arrangements to bring the first cargo.” Gardeners, lookout! a " scale insect,” described as of “ truly enormous 1 ’ proportions, is reported to be working its passage southward fron Auckland, and has already reached Christchurch- It attacks the wattle tree, ami is said to bo very de* etructivc. It kills the wattle; What‘ll kill itf

Colonel Reader has given’offence to the Wellington Artillery Corps. The Corps offered their services to go to the front if necessary, and Colonel Reader, in a conversation with Lieut. McEadie, said their services could only be accepted if they went as a rifle corps. The Lieutenant took exception to this, whereupon Colonel Reader twitted the Battery with having offered its services for action, but was willing to offer any excuse not to go. This of course riled the Lieutenant, and he brought the remarks of the Colonel under the notice of the Battery, and they resolved to report the matter to the Defence Minister.