NEWS OF THE DAY.

Hegabty_ Coubt Minstrels. — This, company open this evening for a short season at the Theatre Royal. ' Oxford. —It is proposed to get up a CivU Service invitation dance here during next month, to be held in the Town HaU.

Concert. —A concert in aid of the organ fund of Trinity Congregational Church wiU be given on Monday next in the schoolroom. The programme is a very attractive one, comprising vocal and instrumental items. A young lady pupU of Mr Corrick wUI play a violin solo, and, altogether, the concert promises to be a great success. Freezing Machinery. — The Triumph (says the "Hobart Mercury") possesses a large refrigerator—one of the best now in use. It is constructed by the weU-known firm of Haslem and Co. (Limited), Union Iron Foundry, Derby, and is replete with aU the latest improvements. Ice chambers for the reception of the meat are also provided, they being capable of holding a very large number of carcases. -Teds National League.—The "Tablet" states that at the last meeting of the Canterbury Catholic Literary Society Dr. BakeweU proposed a resolution censuring the CouncU of the Society because they let the rooms to a non-Catholic body—the j National League—his contention being [that the League was condemned by the Holy See, in support of which statement he read numerous extracts from English papers and from the Dublin " MaU " and "Express." An animated discussion then ensued, in which Messrs Corr, SuUivan, O'Connor, and Leahy took part, the result of which was that the motion was lost on the voices, the mover being the only one in support of it. Immediately afterwards Dr. BakeweU handed in his resignation as a member of the Society. Musical Soc__ty.—The Committee of this Society has just received from England a large stock of music for practise and pubUc rehearsal during the coining year. The works ordered, and received, are " The Bride of Dnnkerron " (Smart), "The Crusader*'' (Gade), Mendelssohn's " Walpurgis Night," Schubert's " Song of Miriam," and Handel's " Theodora." The Committee being determined to try and and establish a reaUy good and sufficient Übr_ry, the present shipment includes six dozen score copies of each work. Members of tbe society will therefore be weU served in that direction. Gounod's last great work, "Redemption," was included in tiie order, and came duly to hand, bnt, as the publishers retained the right of production, and, consequently,' a heavy fee, that fine work must remain xnrehcarsed by the Society for some time to come. The forthcoming; public rehearsal of the " Messiah promises a great success.

R_tf.CotmT.—Yesterday morning, at the Resident Magistrate's Court, Henry Ferris was committed for trial on a thud charge of obtaining goods by means _f forged orders... ._.... ~ * -„ CAB_*-?N_w_-*-__e overland* oabfe .between Adelaide and Port interrupted, so we have received no news from beyond A__r_lia since tf*_s p.m. on Thuraday. -•._-.,. • - .v.Vjtai.'.Statistics.—-The following are the»-statistics for Chrißtchurch city and district forthe month ending Nov, 30th :- Births, -IS-; marriages^ 40.j deaths, 42. The___bera-fiei. the- -c«_fesp«i_ing-month. last year were—Births, 167; marriages, 29; deaths, __. Fibb.—At about five a._u. yesterday an alarm of fire was given at box No. 12. The Fire Brigade at once turned out, but, to the astonishment of the men, no fire could be seen, neither was the person who gave the alarm visible. It is supposed that a peculiar glare in the north-western horizon , had been erroneously taken for a fire by somebody, who, after ringing the beU, had discovered his mistake and made himself scarce. Aeeest.—On the arrival of the 2 p.m. train from the South yesterday Detective Neil arrested a man named Arch. McMillan for larceny at Oamaru. It appears that the accused had eloped from that place with another man's wife, taking with him a quantity of goods. The husband immediately caused a warrant to issue for the arrest of the male offender on a charge of larceny, which was executed a3 before mentioned. Fine Abts.—The opening of the portrait parlours of Messrs Walton and George, in Colombo street, marks quite an era in the history of photography here. The rooms, which have been specially planned and fitted on the most modern model suited for the production of first-class work, are furnished exceUently, and afford every convenience for visitors. Downstairs, in what may be caUed the hall, are displayed a coUection of pictures, which are weU worthy inspection, including amongst them those of many local celebrities, the Primate, the Dean, &c. On the upstairs floor, the reception room is very elegantly furnished, and here also are displayed pictures which are proofs of the excellent work of the firm. The ladies' room has been made a perfect bower, and all the accessories are exceedingly good. The photographs taken by the firm since their establishment here are remarkable for their completeness and artistic finish, and no doubt they will make an excellent show at the forthcoming Industrial Exhibition. Inquest at Aeaboa.—An inquest on the body of Mons. Joseph Libeau, aged 76, was held at the Akaroa Hospital on Friday, the 29th November, before Mr W. B. TosswUl, J.P. Mr H. Billens was chosen foreman of the jury. From the evidence of deceased's relatives, it appears that the deceased was on his way to see the bees swarm, and had to climb a steep bank to get to the bees in the back garden, and must have slipped, falling on to some bricks that were on the path below the bank. A post mortem examination was made by Dr. Singleton, who certified that the cause of death was a fracture of the the spinal column, caused by deceased falUugon his head. A verdict of "Accidental death" was recorded. Although the deceased was 76 years of age. he was very healthy, and in the habit of coming into town nearly every day. His kindly face wUi be missed by young and old, as he was universally respected for his strict

I* Popular Ahusements.—Al _-e_ffig_r c Popular Amusements Association was Id in the CouncU Chambers yesterday ternoon. There were present—Messrs.; ldrews, in the chair, Haskins, hon. sec.,-* ooks, B. J. Leahy, C. Money, D. Recce J ■udhoe, Turner, and Samuels. Mia udhoe moved—" That the annual sportafl held on Boxing Day instead of Anni-1 reary Day as heretofore." The mover! [d that he would not be in favour oftf s-ays holding the sports on the y, but, owing to the counter attractions, the 17th, it would be almost impossible . the Association to make the sports, a x_BS. Mr Recce seconded the motion., «-i- Crooks moved as an amendment -£ j." That the sports be held as usual on the j 17th." He was confident that a good day's; f sport could be got up for the children id spite of the other attractions. Mr Turner; in seconding the amendment, said -that, in hiß opinion, the Exhibition would tend tol [ increase the attendance at the sports, as it) would bring a large number of people ihto' i the vicinity of Chrißtchurch. - A jiffoUowed, during which the opinion wasj j generally expressed that it was *to hold the sports on any day but that oft pthe anniversary of the Province. It |ultimately agreed to postpone considera- * .'tion of the motion and amendment until; (Tuesday, 4th inst., at 7 o'clock, when it !was hoped there would be a larger attend-; " Masks and Faces " was chosen by Miss Pomeroy last night alike to make her debut in the part of Peg Woffington and to take her leave of the many friends she has made here. Though not the kind of character which enables her to shine to the greatest advantage. Miss Pomeroy yet gave a very exceUent picture of the Queen of the Stage, whose good-heartedness was her conspicuous quality. - The scenes with Triplet, where she reUeves the necessities of tiie starving f amUy, and that with Mrs Vane, where Peg Woffington renounces the love of Ernest Vane, were given with the true ring of pathos. After Peg Woffington the other lady characters have but Uttle to do. Miss Bronton played Mabel Vane very nicely, though somewhat coldly in the more pathetic scenes, and Miss Blanche Lewis looked weU as Kitty CUve. Miss Florence Lewis made a good Lysander Triplet. Mr EUiot was good as Ernest Vane, and Mr Appleton played Sir Charles Panunder, the heartless rake and man about town very weU. Mr Joyce is to be complimented on his acting in the part of Triplet, which was exceUent throughout. Mr Kennedy was a very bad imitation of Mr HosMns in Cibber. The remainder of the characters were weUfiUed. At the close of the piece, in response to an enthusiastic re-caU, Miss Pomeroy came j before the curtain, and was greeted with a ' perfect shower of bouquets. In a few weUchosen words she thanked the public of Christchurch for the kindly support extended to the Company and herself during the season, and bade them farewell. " His Last Legs," with Mr Kennedy as O'Callaghan, concluded the performance. The Company proceed to WeUington to-night. Thb Museum. — The Museum wUI be closed from Monday next till the 10th December. A.O.F.—A summoned meeting of Court Star of Canterbury, A.0.F., will be held on Monday at 7.30 p.m. : Special Cathedral Services.—Special ■ Mission Services will be held during the • week at the Cathedral, commencing on Monday next. The preachers wUI be the ' Primate, Very Bey. the Dean, Yen. Arch- < deacon Harper, Archdeacon Harris, Canon - Stanford, and the Beys. Chaffers-Welsh, W. H. Elton, H. B. Cocks. H. C. M. • Watson, and R. A. Mortimer. A rehearsal . of the choir in connection with the services , wUI take place at the Cathedral to-night.