NEWS OF THE DAY.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2787, 28 February 1882, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

A branch of the Irish Land League is to formed at Napier, The Auckland Lunatic Asylum is now lighted with gasoline. Two cottages were burned down at Woolston yesterday. Two hundred of the A.C. are about io be removed from Opunake to the Waikato. Mr Johns, the late Liberal candidate for ' Waipa, has been fined Jtfi 11s, with costa at 'the Te Awamutu Police Court for using "threatening and abusive language. The camps of Mr Brodkill, engineer, and ’Mr Hackett, contractor,on the Agricultural Association’s land at Waikato, have been burned. The men lost all their tools and •clothes.

Mr Proudfoot is advertising for 500 navvies for his railway contracts in New South Wales/ ■ The lessee of the White Hart Hotel at Christchurch, was fined £2 yesterday for having an overflowing cesspool on his premises. The evidence showed a very disgusting state of things. A man named Robinson, while entering the bedroom window of a female domestic of Goughey’s, at Newton, at midnight, was seized by Goughey and badly injured. At the Court Goughey did not prosecute, considering the prisoner had been sufficiently punished already. Councillor Driver has given notice to move that the Wellington Corporation advertise in the London “ Times,” and other papers, for tenders for .lighting the city by electricity for a term of five years.

Over £55,000 has been already paid for property tax. The second instalment is due to-morrow. The first instalment was due on the 15th inst., and notice is, given that a penalty of 2s in the £ will be chargeable upon all amounts of the first instalment not paid by to-morrow. This should cause a rush to the Post Offices. The Williamson’s Opera Company pro duced “Patience ” in Dunedin last night to one of the biggest houaes’ever seen there. The performance was an immense success.

The people of Napier are frightened at the cost of the harbor works that have been planned for them, £300,000, and are subscribing to a fund to pay Mr'Goodall, Engineer to the Timaru Harbor Board, to prepare a modified scheme of less cost.

At a meeting of the expressmen, carriers, and cabmen, held at the Old Bank Hotel lalst night, it was decided to hold a combined pic-nic on Thursday March 9, at the Willows, Pareora. A committee, consisting of Messrs Pringle, McDonald, Davidson, Bertie, and Lukey, was appointed to make the necessary arrangements. Mr Renshaw was elected treasurer, and Mr Watson secretary.

, Mr Wason is reconsidering his former decision to withdraw from politics, his Hakaia and Ashburton committees having written to him stating they unanimously decline to support Mr Alfred Saunders, whom Mr Wason had asked to come forward. Mr Wason replied thathe would consult Mr Saunders on the matter.

If is - reported that ho less than six cases of garrotting occurred at Christchurch on Saturday night, one of which at least was serious. They have been kept quiet, but leaked out yesterday. No particulars are as yet available. Another case of assault occurred one night last week, but the man assailed happened to be a rather strong fellow, and left his antagonist senseless, not troubling himself further in the matter.

A Maori named Ngamatu committed suicide at Parihaka on Friday. He found his wife in company with a paramour, and he at once went and hanged himself in a whare, where his|body was discovered two hours after. There was great excitement amongst the natives, and had the offender not levanted previously, summary vengeance would have been taken. A great tangi was held over the deceased.

A few days Ago we published a short article from the Auckland “ Herald ”lon “ Liens for Railway Charges,” in which the circumstances were detailed of a consignment of wheat being detained by the railway department, for charges due on other goods by the consignor (who was merely an agent as regards this wheat), and the department refused to give up the grain even to the owner. The grain being destroyed by exposure, the owner brought an action for damages in the District Court, and yesterday got judgment with costs. The usual weekly session of the English Lodge A’ictory, No. 42, 1.0.G.T,, was held last evening at the Foresters’ Hall, Bro. A. Mills W.C.T. presided. Two candidates were proposed for membership and one initiated. The anniversary entertainment Committee reported .that, they had engaged the Foresters’ Hair for -Wednesday and Thursday evenings, the former evening for rehearsal, and the latter for the entertainment, The Wesleyan choir, and several well-known lady and gentleman amateurs, had kindly promised their services, and an excellent programme had been prepared, which would be advertised on Wednesday. A few select songs and readings were then given, the accompaniments being played by Sister Jane, Jpnes. The Lodge closed at 9,30 p.m.