NEWS OF THE DAY.

Ashburton Races.—The arrangements for trains for the race days at Ashburton will be found in another c»lumn. Horticultural Society.—The annual general meeting of this society will be held in the Congregational schoolroom, Manchester street, at 8 o'clock on Thursday evening. Theatre Royal.—Playgoers will be glad to learn that arrangements have been made to open the Theatre for a short season, commencing on Thursday evening, under the management of Miss Florence Colville and Mr Hoskins. The Royal Marionettes.—There was a

very good house last evening, at the Theatre, when the Royal Marionettes gave another of their performances. To-night will be the last appearance of the troupe. Concert. —A complimentary benefit concert, tendered to Mr Skinner, will take place at the Colonists' Hall, Lyttelton, this evening. A very good programme has been prepared, and amongst other ladies Mi9s Rosina Carandini will sing several solos, &c. The Drainage Board. —In accordance with the resolution passed at the last meeting of the Board the next meeting will take Diuce, or.'. Mouday next, at the new officesof the Board in Hereford street. In future it will meet fortnightly, instead of weekly as heretofore. Our Roads —At the City Council yesterday, several petitions were read from residents of various parts of the city, praying the Council to put certain roads, footpaths, and channels in repair before the winter comes on. As the weather promises to be fine for some little time longer, there is no doubt the Council will do what it can to satisfy the ratepayers. Caution to Jurors. —Yesterday, at the sitting of the Supreme Court, after the adjournment for luncheon, two jurors failed to araswer to their names, and were fined 40s. in default of cause shewn. At the close of the sitting they appeared, and after his

Honor had pointed out to them the great waste of public time caused by the want of punctuality on the part of jurors, the fine was remitted. The late Mb Ot. Oram.—The many friends of Mr George Oram will regret to learn the fact of his death, which took place yesterday moroing, at New Brighton. Mr Oram for many years conducted the Clarendon Hotel, and was also president of the Licensed Victuallers' Association. He was also one of the original promoters of the formation of the Canterbnry Yeomanry Cavalry Corps As a member of that body, he will be buried with military honors. Tea Meeting.—A tea meeting in aid of the funds of the St Albans Wesleyan Sunday school will be held in the school this evening. After the tea a public meeting will be held in the church, when addresses will be delivered by the Revs A. R. Fitchett, J. Berry, and other ministers and gentlemen. The choir during the evening will render a good programme of sacred music. Mr R. will preside at the organ. Proposed Flower Show at Kaiapoi.— A meeting of persons interested in the formation of an horticultural association was recently held, at which however the attendance was only very limited, when in consequence of the lateness of the season it was thought a flower show could not be held at present. A proposal was made to amalgamate an horticultural show with the forthcomine foal, grain, and root exhibition, and probably a stand might be erected for the display of such flowers and fruits as might be brought. Rangiora Presbyterian Sundayschool. —The annual distribution of prizes to the scholars attending this school was made by the Rev W. McGregor, at the Literary Institute, Rangiora, when there was a large attendance of the children and parents. The awards comprised a variety of handsomely bonnd books. At present the number of children attending the school was reported to be over 200, and the statement of accounts showed a credit balance in the hand of the treasurer (\fr Good). The meeting was addressed by Mr W. Johnston and others. Mount Grey Brewery.—An adjourned meeting of the promoters of the Mount Grey Brewery Company (Limited), was held at Flynn's Ashley Hotel on Tuesday evening ; Mr C. Ff. Pemberton in the chair. A number of congratulatory letters were read from intending shareholders, and one from Mr Brown, recommending the starting of cheese-making company on the co-operative system. After considering a number of matters aiming at the furtherance of the object of the company, the meeting terminated. Common Jury Panel.—Yesterday, at the Supreme Court sitting, owing to the number of excuses and summonses not served, the jury panel, instead of consisting of thirty-six, as ought to be the case, only numbered twenty-five, or two jurits sni one over. His Honor remarking on this, said that it was very inconvenient to have so so short a namber, and stated that the Sheriff shonld be empowered, in cases where persons on the jury list had rfmnvpd, or were not to be found, to "fill their places by issuing fresh summonses. Eyreton Wesleyan Chapel.—On Frt« day evening a meeting of the managing committee of the Eyreton Wesleyan Chapel was h_ld at Mr Chilton's, Mr J. Moffatt in the ; chair, when the question of holding the J anniversary was considered. After some ! discussion it was resolved to postpone the j holding of the tea met ting till a date to be i fixed in November, but that the sermons be j preached within a few weeks. It is gratifying to be able to state that through the ex- ! ertions of the committee the chape! is free! from debt, and there is a balance in hand, Silver on the Wbbt Coast.—Mention has been made of mineral containing silver having been found near Charleston: A correspondent of the local paper writes :—' I am informed by one who is well np in such matters, that he has had a piece of silver ore tested and that it gave a very large percent age of the real stuff. The great mistake has been that everyone here leoks for cold. Not a thought is given to any other of many valuable metals known to exist on this Coast. Miners genera ly overlook the fact that wherever silver is discovered it is foun 1 in large quantities, as for instance in the Corn stock mice in California, which baa made the fortunes of hundreds. Digger — When tbou art out prospecting think that there are other metals which will repay thee j for any trcnble and labour cqially as well, if j no; better, than gold."

Leithfield-jiBftABY —A meeting of the committee war held on Thursday evening, Mr J. H. Moore in the chair. It was decided that an order for books be rescinded, and that the president be authorised to purchase £55 worth to meet the requirements of the library for the winter. Messrs J. Barclay and C. J. Norton were elected members of the committee, in room of Messrs C. J. Harper and W. C. Fendall. It was resolved that Mr Smellie's application for the use of ooe of the rooms belonging to the committee, to be used by the chess club, be agreed to. The meeting then adjourned. Compensation Wanted.—Messrs Vincent and Co yesterday notified.to.the_CLty_CjaunciL by letter that they intended to ask the Corporation for compensation for injuries done

to a horse of theirs, ridden by their traveller,- Mrißrien, through the falling in of a culvert in Oxford terrace. It was stated by the city surveyor that the culvert in question was perfectly sound, and that the accident was caused through the subsoil giving way. It appeared to be the opinion of Councillors generally that;the Council could not be held liable for such an accident, but no definite motion was passed on the subject. His Worship the Mayor.—His Worship yesterday read a statement in the Council of what had passed between himself, Sir Julius Yogel, and the Hon Mr Bowen, in Wellington, and a special vote of thanks was accorded to him for his action on behalf of the citizens of Christchurch, as well as a

vote of twenty guineas to defray his personal expenses during his absence. As .will be seen from a report in another place, the General Government intend to bring in an amended Municipal Act next session, and a committee was yesterday empowered to draw up a code of suggestions, to be afterwaids forwarded to the General Government for its guidance when framing the new Act. The Normal School—Yesterday the Normal School, under the immediate charge of the Minister of Education, was opened. About four hundred children assembled during the morning. A list of the teachers appointed to the school has already been published. Yesterday all the pupil teaqhers were at their posts, but only four of the teachers, the others being unable to leave their present duties. It is expected h6wever that by next Monday everything will be in full working, order, and that all the teachers Will be present. ' Lecture.—Last evening, Mr F. M.Lester gave the first of a series of two lectures at the Oddfellows' Hall, Lichfield street, under the general heading of " Truth v. Tradition." The special subject of the first lecture was — " Does the Bible Teach the Doctrine of the Immortality of the Soul ?" The lecturer contended that it did not, and quoted numerous passages from Scripture to prove his assertion. He likewise advanced the statement that in no part of the Bible was it promised that man should ever enter into the Kingdom of Heaven as occupied by the Lord. About a hundred and twenty persons were present, and the lecturer was listened to xery attentively throughout. The subject of to-night's lecture will be— " The Gospel Preached by Jesus and His Apostles Not the Gospel Preached in the Present Day." Gaol Returns.—The following was the state of her Majesty's gaols in Canterbury for the month of March : — Lyttelton — For trial at the Supreme Court, 9 ; hard labor, 115 ; imprisonment, 11 ; medical treatment, 2; debtors, 6 ; total, 143. Discharges —Tried before the magistrates, 33 ; medical treatment, 2, one being removed to Christchurch Hospital; debtors, 5 ; total, 40. Addington—Hard labor, 82 ; imprisonment, 7 ; for trial at the Supreme Court, 1 ; m'dical treatment, 6 ; total 93. Discharges —Tried before the magistrates, 54 ; medical treatment, 4 ; total, 58, Timaru—For trial at the Supreme Court. 7 ; for trial at the district court, 4 ; hard labor, 43 ; imprisonment, 8 ; lunatics, 1 ; debtors, 1; total, 64. Discharges—Tried at the Supreme Court, 5 ; at the district Court, 2; at the Magistrate's Court 21; lunatics, 1; debtors, 1; total, 30. Scarlet Fever.—The question of scarlet fever was yesterday discussed at the meeting of the City Council. From letters laid before the Council, it appeared that there were at the present time some seven patients suffering from this disease, and Dr Deamer, in a report upon the subject, commented on the fact of medical men not at once reporting to the Board of Health on 6uch cases when calied in, and giving it as his opinion that any steps that might be taken by himself or the Board would be nugatory unless this were done. The Council then resolved itself into a Board of Health, and it was resolved that in future the Act should be carried out in its entirety, and that the penalty of £10 should be enforced in all cases where medical men neglected to comply with the strict letter of the law. It was stated by one of the Councillors that, to his

own knowledge, there were six children in one family who were down with the fever, while three others of the same family were absolutely attending the schoola of the city. Supreme Court.—The April quarterly sittiDgs of the Supreme Court commenced yesterday with a caleuiar of twelve cases. The Grand Jury finished the whole of their business doting the day, having returned true bills in all the cases except that of Regina v Thomas Robert Shaw, obtaining money nnder false pretences, in which the bill sentnp by the Crown Prosecutor was vitiated by containing the name of the Bank of New South Wales as the Bank in which the prisoner was alleged to have stited he had money. The evidence of the prosecutor, however, was to the effect that the prisoner stated he had money in "a bank," without special reference to any particular one. On the foreman of the Grand Jury requesting his Honor's direction under these circumstances, they were directed to find no bill. In Regina v A. B. Upjohn, for bigamy, the prisoner was sentenced to six months' imprisonment. In Regina v Janet McKinlay, larceny from a dwelling, the prisoner was sentenced to be imprisoned till the rising of the Court, the prosecutrix, in whose service she had been, expressing her willingness to take her back again. In Regina v Wm. Foote, indecent assault, tbe prisoner was found guilty, and sentenced to _ix months' imprisonment. In Hegina v James Bassingthwaite, the Crown Prosecutor, after proceeding partially with the case, declined to go further, the evidence of a material witnes- for the prosecution being contradicted—or at least animus shown—by a witness called by Mr Joynt for the defence. The defendant was therefore discharged. In Regina v Wm- Allen, larceny from the person, the prisoner was found guilty, and sentenced to twelve months' imprisonment. The Court will re-open at 10 a.m. thiß day.

Acclimatisation in Otago. —The Daily Times says : —" On Tuesday Mr Deans, the Acclimatisation Society's manager, liberated a number of hedge sparrows and green linnets at To<omairiro. He reports that the skylarks turned out 4n that district by the society some yearsago have greatly increased in number, the birds being seen in almost every part of the plain. Mr Deans and Mr Bills proceed to Eaitangata about the end of the week. They take a few hundred trout with them for the district, and while there they will make an attempt to catch some of the Californian quail, which have become very numerous about Inch Clutha. These birds are wanted for distribution by the society in other parts of the province."

North Board op Conservators —A meeting of the Board was held at Southbridge on the Ist instant. Present— Messrs" E. J. Lee (.in the chair), John Rennie, A. Storry, C J. Bridge, and John Lambie. The miuutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. A letter was read Provincial Secretary re reserving the unpurchased port.ons of tbe islands in the Rakaia river bed, and stating that the Government had decided to recommend his Honor tbe superintendent to cairy out the wishes of the Board in this respect, but saying that the Government would be unable to accede to the Board's request with regard to the refunding tbe _30D expended in planting. It was unanimously resolved— '<Tbat the chairman l>e requested to ascer- ■ am from his Honor tbe Superintendent whether it is within the power of the Bo*rri to let the unoccupied reserves. Ihe c'erk

reported that Bince the last freshes trie whole of the water was running on,the r north side of the river bed,, the atrearns having more than ever . left* x the'•„- old qoursea between the islands, but thai any farther overflows hare been prevented: by thri embankments erected by the Board during the last year. The chairman staled that the funds of the Board, as shown by the cash book, were at a very low ebb, and he thought the time had now arrived for making some arrangements for aug|nensing the same. He believed the Government-would supplement any rate levied. He also was of opinion much beneficial work might be done by the Board in the way of planting willows iri the river-bed as well as oh its banks. It was proposed by Mr Rennie, and seconded by Mr Storry—" That tbe opinion of a competent engineer be obtained as to the advisability of incurring any large outlay on works, and of what character, in the bed of the river, and that all action as to levying a rate be deferred until such opinion be received." It was resolved that, the matter of accepting tenders for ploughing and fencing be left in the hands of Mr Storry, and that the secretary be instructed to forward the tenders accepted by the Board to the Provincial Secretary for hia approval. A vote of thanks was then passed to the chairman, and the meeting adjourned sine die.