NEWS OF THE DAY.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2848, 11 May 1882, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Sir George Grey is in Auckland eu route for Wellington. 1 Five divorce cases from Dunedin, and three from Wellington will be heard in the latter city next week. In Ashburton Borough and Upper Ashburton,’,the local optipn polling (resulted in favor of increase of all sorts of licenses.

There arc seven prisoners a writing trial at the Supreme Court, Timaru, The Court sits on June 10.

Mr J. E. Platt, son of Mr Platt, M.P. for Oldham (England) yesterday married Miss Warren, 1 grand daughter of the Hon • Matthew Holmes, at Saint ,Paulis, Dunedin, The wedding was attended by a very large assemblage. The happy couple will spend the honey-moon at Awamoa, Oamani. "'■ The Parnell Borough Council have received a letter;* from sundry ratepayers, petitioning against the proposed borrowing for drainage and water works, on the ground that an immense majority of the ratepayers are opposed to it, and because the manner of polling was informal, illegal and corrupt. The letter was considered libellous, and the 'Council refused to receive it. ,

The splicing of the Straits cable has been interfered with by bad weather, but it will be resumed as soon as possible.

, Mrs Colo who informed the Auckland police that her purse with £lB had been stolen, has found her purse at the boarding house. It seems she had mislaid it.

An ordinary meeting of the Timaru Intellectual Improvement Society was held last evening. There was a full attendance of members and fresh ones were proposed. It was decided not to admit visitors to the “ Trial by Jury,” to be held next Wednesday.. A large number of persona bad applied to bo admitted, but the Society wisely prefer testing their strength, before making any display in public. The remainder of the evening was spent in recitations, impromptu speakings, &c. A census taken,by the Early Closing Association in Auckland shows that there arc 872 shops, employing 751 persons, kept open after 7 at night' The Superintendent of the Auckland Police, leaves for Australia next Tuesday to bring back the defaulter Hargis. Tie has some Adelaide creditors, however, who arc endeavouring to have him declared a bankrupt so as to be entitled to impound the money found in his possession.

! Savs London Truth of Feb 9 ;— 1

“ I heard !

of a ball the other day in average middleclass ‘society,’ at which less than 200 people were present, and the liquor consumed between 9 p.m. and G arm. amounted to seventeen dozen of champagne, two dozen of sherry, twenty bottles of brandy besides several dozen of claret. The scene at the finale was almost precisely similar to that described at the commencement of the first chapter of ‘ Barry Lorrequer.’ ” Temperance reform could he introduced with advantage into England. The Grand Lodge of Oddfellows of the Nelson district celebrated their anniversary by a dinner at Richmond last night. Brp Kearns referred to the establishment of the Order in Nelson forty years ago, when nine members met on a hillside and afterwards in a tent, their funds amounting to 15s. He pointed out the advances which had since taken place, the funds at the present time amounting to over £IO,OOO.

A fatal accident occurred at Tuapeka Mouth on Monday, to the son of Mr John Hughes, aged 12 years. He was on the top of a dray-load of corn when the' dray wa moved forward- and suddenly stopped) which caused the youth to lose his balance and fall upon a pitchfork, the point of which was protruding upwards, and pierced his temple between the ear and eye. The little fellow expired three hours after, the accident.

An inquest was held at Dunedin yesterday on the boy who died on Tuesday whilst under chloroform. The only witness was Dr Burns, who detailed how he administered the drug, which was in the usual manner. He said he had been ; practising for 26 years, and this was the first time, either in a public institution or elsewhere that an accident had occurred in connection with his having administered chloroform. The Ooronor said if the jury were not satisfied with the explanation of Dr Burns, he would adjourn for the evidence of other experts. The sole question was—Was the doctor negligent; that is, did he take steps to ascertain whether the boy was capable of taking chi oroform ? Dr Burns said there was no way known to medical science to satisfy oneself. A juror asked Dr Burns if he had anticipated the result, and Dr Burns replied “ Certainly not.” The Coroner remarked that it would have been murder if he did. The jury decided to adjourn for a week for the production of the evidence of medical experts.