NEWS OF THE DAY.

_We ndderstand that the important qtjgg, tion of the irrigation of the plains is Mceiv. ing the immediate attention of the Govern merit, but thai in order to guard against sa unprofitable expendiiure of'the public fuash the case his been left to the decision of ea eminent engineer. This gentleman haa bsea provided with all the information at present in the hands of the Government ou tho sub« ject, so that with him' rests the recommendation to commence the work, or to reject the idea as impracticable, as the oasa may be, and for, the benefit of a largo portion of the province we trust that the former result may eventuate.

A proclamation in the " Gazette'" fixea the 21st of February, at twelve o'clock, for;tfe* first meeting of the Central Board of Health for Canterbury ~ .

The Bast Mai vera Boad District has beoa proclaimed an agricultural district within the meaning of the " Canterbury Cattle Tres* pass Ordinance, 1873." ; '

Mr F. LeCren has _ been appointed Admi« nistr&ta? of Charitable Aid for the Southern district of the province.

; Mr William Henry Kiddey has bs&s gazetted Fire Inspector for the borough of Lyttelton.

Mr Foster, the schoolmaafcer a,t Courtenay, gave hie usual annual, treat to the children attending his echool on Friday, last, upon tiia grounds attached to the establishment. The.ro were present about forty scholars, exclusive of a number of parents and friends. I'ho programme consisted of a number of gameu, pto which one and all entered with gre&ft Bpirit. An adjournment was then made toths tea table, at which every one appeared ia enjoy thoroughly the good things provided is profusion. After tea was over, they returned to the play ground, and sports were cgaia the order of the day. The entertainmcaf wound up with a dance, and taken all in all, the whole affair was a great success. ,

Tbo traffic returns on the Canterbury rao». ways for January appear in the " Gsaetto" % —On the Lyttelton and Chrietchurch line the receipts were £2915 lie 2d, ao compared; with £4005 Hβ 5d for the same month cf, 1872. The principal items on which there is a falling off are coal, timber, storage, rwfatif* age, &c. The receipts for the carriage of coal and iron in 1872 were £656 2a 3d, a?, compared with £63 Iβ for the same moath iv present year. The receipts for the carriage the of timber were in 1872, £580 17s 9d, aad lis 1873 £289 6s 3d. The receipts for storey andwharage in 1872 wei© £635 16s 10d, si compared with £403 14e 4d for January-#: 1873. On the Great South Line the receipts for 1873 were £997 18e 7d, as compared with £1320 4a 4d for the same month in 1872s Oα the Great North Line the receipts were £764 Hβ Bd, as compared with £70 6s 3d Iα? January of 1872, which, however, waaonl| for sundry freights.

The/following telegrams from their epeddt correspondent appear in the " Asgm ■'*;■'witjbP. reference to the Inter-colonlal Oonlerence:«? February 3—The Intercolonial ConfereaeS: eat until four o'clock to-day, and adjourned until' to-morrow. The postal queatioa it Btiii under discussion, and no decision feel J yet been arrived at. A telegram was received here to-day from New York, dated Fab* mary 1, which states' that a subsidy of BOO.OOOdoIs for Webb'ie Californian und Australian , mail line had passed the gsleafe committees of both Houses, and was ftlaeE being discussed in the Senate, and was certain to pass during the week. The telegram also etated that the Government o! United States was not disposed to subsidise anpther line. February 4—The pogtal question engaged the attention of the Ihtercolc-sif *"' Conference all day. The subject wss dis« cussed at great length, but no decision h&s yet been arrived at. February s—The Cos* ference resumed the postal debate this morsand concluded it during the siHicfi? The question of coast lights and inter* colonial free trade are now being cou* sidered.

The new Governor of South Australia fe Mr Anthony Musgjravei late Lieuteaaa* Gorernorof NataL i

The "Southland News" cays—"Prepay" tions are being made at Stewart's Islau^-fe-; 1 the reception of the first batch cf epcdsJ. settlers from the Shetland and Islands. A large building is Iα course CX erection, and as the newcomers vrillbßsep" plied with food, tools, and boats, on defer?®! payments, they will have time to leo* around and select the most suitable spoU whereon to settle, and follow their favor&S calling of fishing and fish-curing." The special session of the Diocesan Sysefor the purpose of considering the quesfcjcß of the sale of the Cathedral site will ?*.. opened on Tuesday next at 1 p.m., in th* & Augustine Masonic Hall.

The sale of Messrs Kennode's station p^ , perties—probably the largest sale held & Christchurch—takes place on Wednesday next, at Messrs Miles and Co'e iwtas. $&' etrms, as will be seen by the tf wrttaemej* are exceedingly liberal. The Waikari lw freehold have been withdrawn tomtrf** ,.

-__.___-j*«w>affh-^f-_-iriaßci-^ril--^

<^T O TIEr& weref S T T_, but we believe that nbnominations were made X will,. thertfqre, ; rest with the Mayor to appoint these officers. Thursday last being the aayis-lected by the committee for the children's .treat, in connection'vHth the Leithfield school, atan early hour groups of •youngsters in holiday emits &W***#**™Ft° ##■- schooL*, Sere they asSed in and having taken their lent for- ihepurMr J H. Moorewcbairman of the com%L*i*A!£&S&i Scade "was soon on its way to the seabeach. in good time, various --&& were entered 1 into till" lunch Jime, May did' his ntmost to supply the wants This over, there was more fun, and more games till six p.m, whenthepartj .numbering-about ?50(in all \o^'i^ i&eld - Before separating, for Mr-Morrison the Moore and'the ladies, °ho4*ftkincßy g*- ve >thsir-fme-_fid:att_aation d-thb little ! bne«;- «■ We smjJiformed thftttha applications for ,gfel_ : t_e National Bank ofcNew Zealead «non_t to-.-ffiOOßito. Ohrfi*c!h««.-$ and _p'tp the 12th. instant 9OJ&O foJAuclgand. ; received"last" night'states that shave-;_ei». applied for inAuckland. T~~ r 2_jwill be seen by advertisement Captain ■ Baldwin, the ; lecturer on Life Assurance, a lecture on assuranbe" oiv MOBday" next, at the C^oaists^H-llrl-yt-* l * o - 15 AccordingSo a Timaru contemporary the is expected to-arrive in that place in about twelve days, when he will address hss constituents. Mr Stafford is at present i-fohlrirt«hiirch. The committee of the Rangiora Literary Instituteh«w.*r-cei"ed a grant of i.50 from the Provincial Government. r k ,- - , ' TJjs harvest heme dinner at Mr -Wild's has been fixed for Thursday tfsctf ' •>' r Mr A, Barnes, the manager of the Rational Banl; of New Zealand, and a portion of the iaMM the Bank, arrived by the Ciss** from london on Saturday last. 'On Thursday last the picnifc of the North Kowai schpo^cMd-*__l^dth_i_i____nds,num-all took place at the leithfield sea beach. .-X_&.pa^74-*_£.a- , i-t the beach'joined- Mth-tho__ __bbH_e-_#eith-_el_ _choo-,*and during the day thoroughly enjoyed themselves, under the care of Mr Ward, chairman of the committee, several of the committee -and the teacher.' It is' in*

tended that the-distribution of prizes shall take place at this .school,.when the Government Inspector holds his examination. iJk fcpficial adjdurn e& ! meeting; bf the cord__BKse of the Kaiapoi Institute was held "btr Friday, evening last, the president, Jj Beswick, chair. TheiSwere also present:— Messrs Ellis, Smith, Hewlings, Funston, r Bean, Clark, Marsden, Dr .Trevor, , and Wilson, Jhon. sec. The ttdopf 61 a grant" of "£56 from theproyindal government grant tolhst_tutes knd ptrblic Übi_i_»vlas r -«nnOuhced. L •ItPvra_'-%_blved on the motion of Dr Trevor, __r the guarantors, to: reading-room be rep_id."fCar_ied„ Accbunta to Messrs White and Co, and to the secretary for payment. It was resolved-that the president, treast|rbry aria that . new room be giice. , It mm proposed arido;ca*Tied-thati £20- worth -of new books be ordered-' frb__ ; Eh£mu_- I,; 0n the mofcio-_._f by Mr a unanimous 'vote of thanks was passed to the president of the institute for his efforts in obtaining the grant of £50. The pfesiTrevor, and the. secietary_ were... appointed a sub-committee, ; to- select the books to be ordered from' England by the first mail leaving after the 21st instant.,, Mr B_ui-'__oved, Mr Ellis seconded—" s __iat steps be taken to get a catalogue of the books printed, which will be sold to, members." Curled. Volumes i n ii., and iii. of the Ap-pea-joes to the Journals of the House of Bcps^-m^veaj. were reported ss having "be_Sst«i_T«d.. - '* J - *'' - ST_s_fe_-» of the committee p% the WoolSon -in*_latuig library was held on Friday

•raring last. Prefcht-^Me-_rt' : _&-_ford, Hayward, aad Saaflbns. A letter was read iron*. ,&.&, Bey J, Cholmondeley, informing tee ttbform.r st Mr"Ma-_bn'B, and were ready to be handed. -Te_T*The M-retary~was instructed to con-; tS-ftfj Cholmondeley?- A communication was re- J thftlmsteeaof, h-g-t-b u.eb|j^ : free of charge, -net "the 'committee agreed to <-*-*J--tfB1&-]d£-g_*' I t_^_»u-W I that he had jasewsd; s 1 *lt> grfcht from the ti_at,the 7_. 4 *The con_- . ofssr*d of books *to';thil "ao-ttt of £m. -;_ierlib-x_3o-_»_i»p*3-j-sd: prosperous -£>>%:•£ -aj The bazaar 'at Spensley's ,Hall in aid of *--« organ fund of the r St. 1 Alhan's Wesleyan <-*•-&&; -rjtticontinufed oh :-_fcf___-ty,*a__ : attended, more partic-toi*-- ii_ .We. understand.■>s*s thej two days amount to £205, the J-'* stock sol, by r Mr I-reece realising £13. luaddi_i/m * i».. . i h »«* ****** t * ie comnuttee ihf-vb < 09 *™-l ahoaf £©_ worth of goods, whiofcrwiU f!Lj«--BSS2_S- J 1^6 tb. o their thanks to Mr Spensley, wha hall at their disposal, free « char-je; aided personally during the j r ee t d&y_. o f -the preparation and progress « .*he feisaar; also, to Mr Walton for his S«fenb-ua services in disposing by auction of * --age quantity of goods. *he aid-day performance at the circus *>a Sftturday, attracted a large audience, prin- ' Wj* little folks, who enjoyed the per- ' rar-oance 'lroge-y, more particularly the janag feat of La Petite Emily, in riding o*tt0 * tt S-ftS-back ponies. Amongst the an«ese»were a number of Maoris, who applauded -the vario-s feats to the echo. In c evening the performance was again very ° eß ** l --»l- To-night the company will pre- ****** exceptionally programme, and bethelast appearance of the' *-oinpan» r>^"i*-*" ***—*-»**- •- .« ~ -- -»>«-«- _«*^ wiU deUver his lecture __+_? jf"-*"** ai **» CcOo_i-t» .mil, iyt.

The fo Uowin in the] ,«U^ily..Tiinea^-o£lFebcaary-13-;— Tie-ii-In-' dependent" .tG/dayiidocumenting on Mr .MjorrijsQa's__tfimporarily_ —discharging _ the Agent-General's duties, sayp the Government some time ago politely intimated that it was desirable,that;Mr ■Morrison's services should be dispensed -with, in consequence of his largely interested in. commercial lindertakings, which opened the suspicion that he could not act impartially. The Government forwarded a telegram to Or Featherston, expressing regret at his indispoeitten/and recognising to the fullest extent | the 1 arduous nature of his duties. Should his indisposition continue, Mr Julyan, of the ■firm of Julyan and Saunders, Crown Agents, will act for him; The "Independent , ' then proceeds to advocate the appointment.of a Council of Advice, consisting of old colonists) to advise and assist the Agent-General in London. It thinks the cost of such a Board would not exceed'the honorariums which the

public companies - annually vote to their directors. The ** Post" of to-night says that such a; Board consist of gentlemen who have mabaged to scrape enough together in the colony to enable them to leave it, and who now V-getate.afc home-ttltbat obscurity for which r their, nature best. fits them,. It also'suggests that the 'appointment of such a up a. newiffeld for patronage. • ; '-"* ! " 5 -*'•—' We are HoW that in the northern district desire to see a late train running onjthe:; railway on :.j_hurs:daya; or some other, evening during the week. r lt is urged r.tlwtNaajthe brdinaryl.traffic, and that by any special trains is prettycoUsiderable one late train a week would be well patronised. Probably Saturday evening would svril/asweil as dp away with any excuse for a-Sunday train. — Duiingi the mbht-J of 38 births were registered,in. the Christchurch district, 43 being male and 45 female. There were 55 deaths, 32 being 1 in the city of Christ- : church, and ; 23' 'in the country district, of these -27 were- males and > 28; females. The marriages registered were 14. During.the corresponding month of 1871, 103 births 39 deaths, andt 32 marriages were registered. An lnvercargill paper;atates thafe>ithas : beefi __fO-__ed ; on vefy'gobd authority that ,during,a,recent trip of the f froinjthe ; Bluff "to Melbonrbe,, no Jesff-tnanioo whales 'were counted within 180i__i_esaf the 1 New Zealand boast. j The buildingrer.ectedTat. Heidelberg, says the "Australasian," about three years ago, -iof i.he purpose has "-at-

3ength rfceen fra It sold to MrF/Jjlapp, whoifijgradually getting it. into-work... Cheese is made both-of the 'North , Wilts ; and; Double, Glourestej -kujds. The capacity of the—factory is equal to 120-_hHof d-ieese _-aily,*l>ut at present -a fullsupply of milk cannot be obtained, owing to mo_. f bf ! the farmers being bnder contract for the season. ' • Fijian papers of the lltlr January haye reached us (" Argus ")~i;uj Sydney. With reference to the Bank of Fiji, of which we had previously heard by telegraph, Welsee by the; prospectus which has been published thatr-the'capital is £lOO,000;ih ; 10,000: shares pf'£lo .to be paid up during the months, and the residae only as and when; the- bank shall bb r authorised to increase its capital, it being intended for the present Wkeep half the capital uncalled up. Itf__l proposed that one-tenth of the shares shall be _übßeribed for in Fiji," Bix-tentE_~ln Australia and _*fbw"2ealand, and the remaining three-tenths,held -in reserve for future allotment. A petition , for annexation to Great Britain from the white settlers of Tai Levu had, according-to-the "Fiji Times," bee_£ forwarded to Levhka. -It had been;' signed by all but three' settlers of that district. Mr' March; H.BJM.J consul,' had suc-ce-dbft in reboverihg the __ate,\who vvas abducted' sbine' time bacl. frbm'the British - and 'to "whom special reference was made in. Mr t .March's recent letter to the., Rev -Mr SunderW-.,; It is stated that she has some, important information with reference to the, Carl. -.. .; , \ The nomination of candidates'for > the vacant seat on the Avon Road Board, caused v by the retireme-trof Mr'C. :i W. { will ; take place office at noon I to-day. The are*-»-Me_--8 ; W

Norman and T. Gobper V Messrs „31iaki_ton, "and Money having retired' /from "theT contestj The poll will be taken to*mo*rro**r, ■..., v ; A meeting of the sharebold-rs.of-the South I British Insurance Company, { will be held at Mr Walton's offices at 3 p!m, to>day, tocpn. aider matters relative to the issue of new shares. '\-''./'' : :As will be seen by a notice of election 'issued by His Worship the Mayor, Mr H. Say-tell has resigned-Ins seat in the City :tl_is gentle- \ man" the ratepayers' lose fthe ; services rof an effecient and zealous representative, i one who "has always done his ntmost to-advance-the -interests of the cittjseps can iU,affbi*d,to juncture. "Dpffngthe period of his Mayoralty. Mr Sawtell won the respect _6d esteem cf all clal-fes IJ_y his able discharge of the devolving upon him, and we regret that ; pressure ? pf private business. Js|ionld have necessitated ihis Retirement. It is alsO'said 1&at : His Worship J;he Mayor, Mr E. B:'Buihop>:- jtet&di "to resign his seat, On account of preventing: the:discharge; of; his We -eel sure all the caiisb bad; also the loss .of .'a ; sblpin^'and . ' *