NEWS OF THE DAY.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2827, 17 April 1882, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Scab has broken out in the northern part of Auckland. Carrie Godfrey had a XIOOO house at her benellfc in Auckland on Friday night. Some persons wish the old Government House at Auckland set apart for a University. A special emergency meeting of the Caledonian Lodge No 534 is announced to take place to-morrow evening at 7.30,

The Volunteer Land Claims Commission have had submitted to them in Auckland no fewer than 150 claims. About lin 75 have been granted. Sergeant Kidd has been dismissed for writing to the papers reflecting on police management. Foolish Kidd I Learn that a newspaper is a two-edged sword. You can not hold a truncheon in one hand and a journalistic pen in the other. The Mastodon Minstrels gave a sacred concert in Dunedin on Good Friday. One of their ditties contained this—“ If you want to make old Satan run, just step behind him with the Gospel gun.”

Up to Friday night £971 bad been realised for St. John’s Church Eoslyn, Dunedin, by the ” Olde Englyshe Fayre.” The Fairlie Creek people are going to hold a race meeting on the Queen’s Birthday,

The football match on Saturday was between sides chosen by Mr Hamersley and Mr Black respectively, the former’s team being victorious. Mr Smith, the well-known athlete received an injury to his ancle, which will probably prove serious.

The Maori, Mikare Te Papapa, who stabbed another at Oxford (Waikato), some time ago, has been sentenced to penal servitude for life. The j ury had recommended him to mercy, but the judge disregarded it. The first poll for local option at the Thames, in the South Ward of the Borough resulted in a small majority against the increase of licenses. The same result ensued in the Parawae Riding, Thames County.

The brigantine Oceola, moored at the further end of the wharf, was found to be touching the bottom on Saturday evening, though drawing only lift 6in. of water. She also touched yesterday morning. On taking soundings, it was found there was barely 12ft of water. Captain Berzer, wo are informed, was given to understand that there was 13ft of water in this spot at low tide. Luckily the vessel was lightened of fity tons of cargo before hauling alongside the wharf.

Some men working at the wreck of the Vindei, at Kaipara, discovered another body close to where the Kona’s boat came ashore. It has on the remains of a white shirt, and bine knitted stockings, and bad been covered with sand. The body was first discovered by a Maori dog scratching.

From Wanganui we learn that the funeral of Mr Frank Parkes, who died very suddenly from heart disease at Ngaure on Friday evening, took place yesterday at three o’clock. There was a very large following, the deceased being very generally respected. He was one of the oldest settlers in this district, his parents having arrived in the colony in 1842, when he was only seven years of age. He leaves a wife and family to mourn his loss. The intelligence of his death when it reached town on Saturday, caused general sorrow and regret. On Saturday afternoon a pleasing episode occurred in connection with the “ Timaru Herald.” The employees’ presented Mr Belfield with an address and a valuable piece o f plate, on the occasion of that gentleman’s retirement from the sole proprietorship of the paper. The utmost good feeling and mutual esteem were manifested on both sides, and a very pleasant hour was spent in retrospective chat.

Professor E. D. Cope, of this city (says a Philadelphia newspaper), has secured the skull of an extinct monkey, which seems to fulfil in a remarkable degree the conditions of the missing link between man and lower animals. It is not larger than the skull of a small ground squirrel, and belongs to a species of marmoset. It was found in the valley of the Big Horn River, Wyoming Territory. The Professor says : —“ The skull is remarkably similar—in miniature, of course—to the human skull. The brain space is remarkably large, and is, in fact, several times larger than the brain space of any of the skeletons of the animals of the same ‘period of time. The characteristics of the formation of the human skull are clearly defined—so clearly as to be remarkable. The teeth are almost the same as human teeth, while the jaw has many strong points of simliarity. I consider this skull as the earliest indication of the existence of man. It is a new species of a familiar class, and has hitherto been unknown to scientists. The connection between man and this animal, it seems to me, must have been very close» although of comae, nine men out of every ten wonld raise a dispute. No animal at that time, except this peculiar species, had a head like that of a human being, and the brain space, contrasted with the brain of other animals, or even of the monkey j of to-day, shows a vast superiority of intelligence.