NEWS OF THE DAY.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2721, 8 December 1881, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Captain Sutter had a good meeting at at Albury last night, there being a large attendance. After listening to his statement of his views the meeting passed a vote of thanks and confidence in him.

The pea pic of Temuka can now boast of a town clock, a large and good one, made by Dent and Co. of London, having been erected in the tower of the Catholic church within the past week. It strikes the quarters as well as the hours, and can be heard over a wide area. The four dials arc 4ft 3in in diameter and are rather small for the time to be easily read from them at the main portion of the town, and are also small in proportion to the tower. The church stands out so prominently and is visible from so large a district that the clock in the tower will no doubt be the “ test” object of scores of telescopes, A J uvenile Lodge in connection with the LoyalTimaruLodge of Odd Fellows’ M.U. was successfully opened on Wednesday evening in the Odd Fellows’ Hall, Barnard Street. Fifteen candidates were iniated, and the meeting adjourned until Friday, It may be seated that there were seventeen juveniles in attendance who could not be admitted owing to their not having been examined by the doctor. The initiation ceremony was conducted by Bro. Wm. Leggott, 8.P.G.M,, assisted by the officers and some of the members of the parent lodge. The eleetion of officers for the Juveniles will take place on Friday evening. The following members of the Adult Lodge will have the supervision of the Juveniles :—P.G.M., Wm. Butterworth; J.J.G.’s, E. Goldsmith, and Wm. Leggott.

One of Oamaru’s oldest settlers died yesteulay morning. This was Mrs Harriet Bentley, the mother of Mrs Wm. Collins of this town. Mrs Bentley came out in the John Wiclitf in 1848, and had spent the greater part of her life in the colony at Oamaru. She was therefore well known in the neighborhood, and was as widely respected for her estimable qualities.

The annual meeting of the Timaru Boating Club was held at the Royal Hotel yesterday afternoon. Fifteen monbers were present and Mr Mackay was voted to the chair. The report and balance sheet were read and approved. The latter showed receipts for the year, £122 4s fid ; expenditure, £llß 14s sd; credit balance, £3 10a fid. Four new members were elected. The following officers and committee were elected for the ensuing year.— President, Mr Fulbert Archer ; Vice-Presi-dents, His Honor Judge Ward, and Mr P. B, Luxmore; Captain, Mr R. Mackay; Deputy-Captain, Mr W. Stcricker ; Trea. surer, Mr G. Shirtcliffc ; Secretary, Mr E. S, Black ; Committee—Messrs Hawkins, Holthouse, Hall, Hibbard, and Mitchell. Instructions were given to have the whaleboatrepainted, and the meeting terminated.

The Mayor of Dunedin was asked by several city candidates to proclaim a holiday after 4 p.m. on polling day, but replied that he had no authority, and could only request employers to consider the matter favorably.

The Premier and Colonial Treasurer are

expected to return to Wellington on Sunday, Twenty-five thousand trout have been liberated by the Christchurch Acclimatisation Society this season.

It appears that the Constabulary who are to leave Wellington for Parihaki on Friday, will be employed on military roads to be constructed through the Parihaka block.

Fifteen tenders have been received by Government for the construction of the Ncrnon contract of the Picton-Hurunui railway. The lowest, O’Malley and Easted, Christchurch, was- £4270. The Christchurch Fire Brigade have determined to hold a grand demonstration on Dec 16, the anniversary of the foundation of the province, and to invite the country brigades to join them. The Auckland Acclimatisation Society have engaged the services of a practical tea grower to make experiments as to whether the tea plant can be profitably grown the colony.

Mrs Hellish, wife of the Christchurch Resident Magistrate, has received a threatening letter stating that if her “ old man ” does not stop sentencing offenders to floggings, he will get his head smashed in one of these dark nights. The letter was interlined with oaths and strong language. Mr Mellish read the letter in Court yesterday. C. Fooks, engineer on the train from Ashburton to Christchurch, whilst passing a spot near Dromore, and being out on the outer portion of the engine, was struck on the head by a platelayer’s “ disc,” which was projecting over the line. He was severely wounded in the head, and but for the presence of mind of the stoker, who seized hold of him and prevented his falling, he would probably have fallen under the train and been killed.

With regard to those whose names were taken at the Hutt racecourse as being engaged in sweepstakes the whole of the evidence has been submitted by the Inspector of Police to the Law Officer of the Crown, who will advise whether the case should be taken before a magistrate. Is this the way the Government administer the law? It is convenient to prevent informations from being laid before the elections are over, but why were not the informations against the Chinese for playing fan-tan treated in a similar manner? The Chinese were brought before the Magistrates and fined, but the public must remember that Chinese have no votes.

Yesterday while a portion of the old engine shed at Ashburton was being removed, the rope used at the hoist broke, and the whole weight of timber being lifted came down. Two men were struck by the falling debris, but their injuries were not so serious as might have been expected, though their escape was a narrow one.

The Invercargill Magistrate gave a judgment some days ago of importance to newspaper subscribers, in an action to recover subscriptions duo. Defendant pleaded that he did not owe the monay, having stopped the paper on paying his account in July 1877. The paper bad been delivered pretty regularly since he stopped it; the boys threw them down at the door. He did not know who picked them up, or what became of them. In reply to his Worship he said he had stopped the paper once, and thought that was suflicient. It was their own look out if they sent it after that. His Worship said there could be no doubt he was liable. He ought to have again informed the plaintiff that he did not want the paper, when bo saw it laid regularly at his door. Judgment would be given for the amount claimed with costs.