NEWS OF THE DAY.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2695, 8 November 1881, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

The Timaru Borough Council held a special meeting last night to adopt the waterworks by-law, and the adoptiou will be confirmed at a special meeting next Monday evening. Mr Gr. G. Stead, who is now in England, has -purchased nine thoroughbred marea and one yearling colt, and shipped them for Lyttelton. Two more burglaries have been com* mitted at Auckland*

To-morrow, the Prince of Wales’Birthday, being a post-office holiday, no mails will be made up for despatch. Mails which, in the ordinary course would be despatched to-morrow, will be made up at eight o’clock this evening. To-morrow is also a telegraph and Custom-house holiday.

An inspector of works to the Russell County Council having passed a work which was not done according to specifications, was refused his fees, and a law suit left him in the same pecuniary position, less expenses. There are 87 candidates for the University examinations which commence at Christchurch next Monday, and 70 names have already been received for the matriculation examination next month.

The remarkable find of stone made in the Golden Point mine, at Reefton, on Thursday, is now believed to be of a permanent character, and shares have advanced from 12s to 20s.

The New Zealand Pottery and Glass Company, Dunedin, have received from Government the bonus of £250 for the first £IOOO worth of household pottery manufactured in New Zealand. The Victorian Education Commission is not a happy family, and the Government are being severely criticised for having brought it into existence. Its business is to enquire into the practical working of the Education Act, one point to which its at tention is to he directed being the Catholic objections to the system. A case of cannibalism is reported from Queensland. The report runs that blacks attacked the Chinese camp at Norman by diggings, 45 miles from Cooktown, and killed and ate one Chinaman, whose bones were picked clean. Four thousand young trout were successfully liberated on Saturday in the Opuha and Pareora rivers and Clayton and Cannington Creeks. The Christchurch races and show promise to bo well attended. The Express yesterday consisted of eight carriages, everyone of which was crowded, and the special night train carried up a considerable number of passengers, including several from Timaru. We believe it would pay the Department well to run a night train from Timaru—if no further—to take visitors to the Show, returning the next night. Many who cannot spare time to stay away fora day or two, would take advantage of such an arrangement, as the Show day is a general holiday, and so no time would be lost. It might be hard work to travel one night, work hard all day at sight-seeing, travel next night, and then go to business next day, bub a great number could and would do it.

The quarterly meeting of the English Lodge Victory, No 42, 1.0.G.T., under the RAY. Grand Lodge of the World took place last evening at the Foresters’ Hall. Bro. Thomas Tichbon W.O.T. presided. Three candidates were proposed foxmembership, and being in attendance were introduced and initiated. The report of the various officers for the past term were read and adopted. A vote of thanks was accorded them for their services which was duly acknowledged. The following officers elected at last meeting were duly installed: —W.O.T. Bro. Edward Jones; W.V.T., Sister Jane Jones ; W.S., Bro. W. H. Kay : W.T., Bro. J. Eeid ; W.C., Bro. T, L. Mills ; W.M., Bro. F. Jones ; W.1.G., Bro. McDonald ; W.0.G., Bro. J, Wheeler ; W.H.R.S., Sister Alice Harn ; W.H.L.S, Bro. Earn ; W.D.M., Sister Adelaide Silverton. The sum of £1 15s 6d was collected and ordered to be transmitted to a sister in distress. The Lodge Deputy notified that a second degree meeting would be held next meeting. The Lodge closed at 10 p.m. Several messages have passed along th e cable from Australia respecting vessels supposed to have been lost in a heavy gale on Oct. 20, the steamer Balclutha, from Melbourne to Sydney, and the sh'p Omba being specially mentioned. Further reports of casualties have been received. The brig Wild Wave, bound from Newcastle to Auckland, returned to the former port disabled. When 150 miles from land a terrific gale and dangerous sea were experienced and as there were three and a half inches of water in the well the vessel was kept before the wind as the only means of keeping her afloat. Her decks were swept fore and aft. Charles Kennedy, a seaman, was swept oyerboard while working at the pumps, and no more was seen of him. The pumps were going 56 hours. Captain Jones was swept overboard by a huge wave, but the second one swept him aboard again ; this occurred a second time. The chief mate was also cai-ried ovei’board, but seized a rope from the bulwarks and was dragged aboard again. The ship Omba was insured for £30,000. She is supposed to be lost with all hands.

There is a hitch in the negotiations with the English cricketers for the Christchurch visit. They demand two-thirds of the receipts after all expenses are paid, and the Lancaster Park Company demand the rest, except ten per cent, for the use of their ground. The Association have refused this and require five per cent of the gross receipts, leaving the Company and the cricketers to settle their own terms for the use of the grounds. This is said to be a final offer on both sides, and as Mr Conway may refuse it it is very likely the team will not visit New Zealand at all. They have definitely stated that their visit to this colony depends on the terms they get at Christchurch.

We pride ourselves very often on living in an age of progress. We think of those who lived a generation before us as being wonderfully behind. Some of our public speakers revel in rhetoric about our national greatness, and point with adulation to our triumphs and achievements. But, whether our Ministers make mention of it in pur next session of Parliament or not, it is a well-kuown fact, here in South Canterbury, that the best value for ready money in all lines of men’s and boys’ ready made clothing, men’s, women’s and children’s boots and shoes, is to be had at J. Strachan’s. (Adtx.)