NEWS OF THE DAY.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2741, 5 January 1882, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Bush fires near Akaroa have done a good deal ol damage. Mr Ivess Intends to petition against Mr Wason’s election for Wakanui.

Mr Nicol, of Goodwood, Otago, has a gooseberry bush 57 feet in circumference in his garden. Can anyone beat that 1

A stone quarrying machine, to do the work of a dozen men, has been made in Dunedin to the order of an Oatnaru firm.

An elderly man named Murray died suddenly at Coromandel. The deceased is said to be a near relative of a Scotch baronet. The total customs revenue oolleoted in the colony for the nine months ended Dec 31, amounted to £1,074,749, being about £66,000 over the estimate.

0. Coombs and Son, tanners, of Dunedin, have called a meeting of their creditors. Their liabilities are £48,000, partly secured, and their assets £26,000.

H.M.S. Emerald was expected to leave Sydney on December 31 for Wellington, reaching there about the 10th. It is understood she will take His Excellency to either Fiji or Sydney. The Harbormaster at Oamaru urges the Board to procure a quarantine lazaret, and appoint a Boarding Health Officer, as vessels arriving from Britain and elsewhere might have infectious diseases on hoard, and it would be as well to arrange such matters beforehand.

A new stone-cutting machine was tried yesterday by the Oamaru Stone Company at one of their quarries. The machine is driven by steam, and saws the stone through with a straight face to it. The is a very ingenious one, and is capable of doing as much work in a day as it previously took twelve or fifteen men to do.

Comment is made of a stowaway on the s.s. Australia, from Sydney, being quarantined at Auckland, while the Hon. Mr Whittaker hoarded the mail steamer to see Sir Henry Parkes, and returned to town* The Auckland people apparently see no difference between being several days cooped up in a vessel, and being only a short time on deck.

The Waimate Horticultural Society have resolved to invite the farmers of the district to co-operate with the Society in the holding, in autumn, under the auspices of the Society, of a combined show of grain, seeds, roots, vegetables, fruit &c. The Society voted £5 to he made up to £9 by subscriptions among the Committee, to present their energetic Secretary, ,Mr Collins, with a watch, in recognition of his services. The annual meeting of the South Canterbury Coursing Club was held at the Grosvenor Hotel last evening. There was not a large attendance. Mr A. J. Parsons occupied the chair. The balance-sheet for 1881 was read and adopted. For the current year Dr Maciutyre was elected President, and Messrs 5. Thomson and A Turnbull Vice-presidents. The next meeting was fixed for the 25 th inst.

A heavy storm, which occurred in the vicinity of Melbourne on December 28, caused considerable damage to property. The pavilion where a go-as-you-please tournament was proceeding, was blown down, A boat was capsized in the harbor. The Cotopaxi was detained in cosequence of stress of weather. A tent at Queenscliff, where a religious-camp meeting was taking place, was blown down. The wind lulled at sunset.

The Titnaru Hospital returns for the month ending December, arc as follows : 1 Patients under treatment at date of .last return —males, 20 ; females, 4 ; total, 24. Admitted during month males, 12; females, 5 ; total, 17. Total under treatment, 41, Discharged during month, cured —males, 13 ; females, 3. Relieved—males, 5; females, 1. Incurable—males, 1; females, 1. Died—male, 1. Total discharges, 25, Remaining under treatment on Jan. I—males, 12 ; females, 4 ; total, 16.

On Saturday last a wooden culvert on the Main South road a mile or two north of the Otaio river was completely burned out. The hie spread to it from some gorse cuttings which were 'being burned alongside the road.

The Rev. Charles Coates, of Waimate, is of opinion that the Bible cannot be properly taught by teachers in Government schools, because they are of conflicting creeds, some of no creed at all, and that the Bible must be given up unless we fall back upon denominalionalism. He says that “ Read as some propose to read it without note or comment, it would be unintelligible, if not misleading, to most youthful minds.

The man Beattie, who stabbed another man at Ettrick a few months ago, is still at large. He was last seen at Waikaka, a few miles from Gore,

At the Resident Magistrate’s Court this morning, before E. G. Kerr, Esq*., - Dunoan Emmerson charged with having being drunk and disorderly was dismissed with a caution.

The Dunedin “ Star ” of Tuesday describes the three mile walking race at the Dunedin Caledonian Sports of Monday which was won by P. Bradley of Timaru, as follows :—The Three mile walking race had the fine number of eleven starters, and there was none of the " cut and 'dried ” business about it. Bradley, M'Ewan, and Brooks made the pace a cracker from the mark, and one by one half-a-dozenof the starters cut it. Bradley, who hails from Timaru, made very good use of his start, and after once getting the lead was never dispossessed of it. Some of those who finished behind him averred that he’.'mixed it,” but this is a not unusual complaint against a winner. Brookes was in good nick and walked fairly, but the veteran could not catch Bradley, who certainly skimmed over the ground in an astonishing manner.

Christmas Holidays.—H. Coxhead, having secured the services for the Xmas holidays, of Mr Gamble, for many years head operator with Mr Cherrill, Photographer, Christchurch, is now perpared to execute with despatch, first-class photographs at from 12s 6d per doz, A large assortment on hand of Photographic Views and Frames suitable for Christmas presents.—[Advt.]