LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Kaiafoi Steam Fibe Engine. — This engine, which waa unshipped on Friday last, was conveyed by rail to Kaiapoi yesterday. CiiEiSTCHUKCH Election. — The polling \esterday resulted in the return of Messrs Andrews, Taicred, and Dr Turnbull. as members for the city of Christchurch in the Pro vincial Council. Akaboa Election. — From a return in another column it will be seen that Mr W. Montgomery was elected yesterday as member for Akaroa in the General Assembly by a majority of 92. Bbidge at TnE Waitaki Gobge. — Tho Otago Guardian says : — Bridging the Waitaki, a much-desired and much-needed work, is about to engage the attention of the Provincial Engineer of each province. It is proposed to er-cfc a bridge over the Waitaki river, at tho Waitaki Gorge, and the gentlemen above-named are to meet shortly for the purpose of agreeing as to a site. A Cow at Labge.— The following incident occurred at St. Albans on Sunday morning last : — A cow had been wandering at large in the district, and by some means got into Mr Taylor's garden, where it was attacked by a dog. To escape from this the cow jumped a fence at the back of Mr Pine's house, and the impetus thus gained, caused it to rush against the back door which gave way, and let Ihe cow into the kitchen. Several persons being at breakfast, the cow turned off into a bedroom which, unfortunately, was occupied by Mrs Pine, who has been confined to bed as an invalid for two or three yeara, and wasquite incapable either of protecting herself or seeking safety in flight. Tho ow walked along one side of tho bed, and then scrambled over it, during which Mrs Pine was knocked on to the floor and trampled upon. Mr Pine — who is also not in good health — had before this entered the room, but before he could render his wife any assistance, sho was trampled upon a second time. Ultimately ho succeeded in getting the cow into another room, where it was fastened up until a rope could be obtained, and several neighbours having assembled, it was eventually removed, and afterwards handed over to the police. Medical attendance was, of course, at once called in to Mra Pine, and on examination it was found, that in addition to one leg being

broken, her face, hands, and body, w;ere^ng§fi fully cut and bruised. Dif Ttiinbuff^JTj&lat'? tended, set the fractured limb, and^btherwise. ministered to the comfort of his patient,, who seemed to do very well until yesterday morning, and during the day she was in a somewhat precarious condition. Nothing ib yet known as to the ownership of the cow. Cantebbubt Railways.— The following is the text of a circular issued from the Public Works Office. It is signed by the Secretary for Public Works, and dated April 20 : — " I have the honour, by direction of his Honor the Superintendent, to inform you that- the Customs authorities are ready_to transact business at the railway from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., and. that the Provincial Government has given instructions to keep the sheds open to receive and deliver goods during these hours. I have, therefore, to request thafc you will, in order to assist the Government in meeting the present pressure of business upon the railway, arrange to extend your hours of working to 6 p.m. whenever there may be goods ready at the Railway station to be delivered to you." Burglaby. — Sometime between Saturday afternoon and Monday morning the cupboard, in which money was kept at the offices of the Board of Education, was broken open and £35 abstracted therefrom. The thief appears first to have tried a cupboard in which cash was formerly kept, and then to have tried the one underneath, which has only been in use for a short timo as a receptacle of the cash taken in the book depot. Considerable force must have been used to break open the cupboard for tho woodwork in the vicinity of "the lock is greatly damaged. About £17 of the money stolen wag the amount received in the Depot during Saturday, and the whole of the circumstances connected with the case lead to the inference that the guilty person or persons were quite familiar with the practice of the Board in respect to money matters. It is somewhat strange, however, that the Board should havo trusted to a common cupboard instead of obtaining a safe. West Chbistchubc** Educational Distbict. — The committee met on the evening of Wednesday, the 15th inst, at 7 o'clock. Present— Messrs Thornton (in the" chair), Bird, Craig, Harris, Hawkes, Thompson, and McNie. Leave of absence was granted to Mr j Tancred during his absence in Wellington. An apology for non-attendance was received from Mr J. T. Brown, as he had to leave the province for a short time on business. A letter was read from tho Board of Education, forwarding an application from a person wishing to bo excused from paying the rate on account of poverty, and tho secretary, was directed to reply that the 1 case would ,be considered along with other applications 'of the same nature. A letter was read from Mr J. A. Ashton, on behalf of the Loyal Volunteer Lodge of Oddfellows, requesting the use of the hall rented from the lodge by the committee for Thuraday, April 16, on account of their annual dinner. Tho request was granted. Mr J. Wilkinson was appointed assistant master of the High School, and Mr J. E. Smith was transferred to the Durham slreet school The Secretary reported that ho had paid the teachers in tho district the amount of their salaries exclusive of extra allowances. The quarterly returns for the different schools were submitted to- tho committee, and signed by tho chairman. The following is the total number of children on the books, and the average attendance at each school : — Total •on books: Durham street,. 34 ? i ; High School (boys), 202; do (girls), 111; Addington (boys), 98; do (girls) , 122 ; Montreal street, 83; total, 962. Average attendance : Durhamstreet, 214.60; High School (boys), 151.00; High school (gir15), 5450; Addington (b0y5), 70.16; do (drls), 72.5 ; Montreal street, 51.39; total, 613.70. It was decided that the committee should meet in the High School grounds at 4 o'clock on the afternoon of Friday, the 17th inst., for the purpose of inspecting the works in progress, and to decide upon other matterrequiring attention. The committee then adouvned. ; Education ik Auckland. — The Auckland Herald, of April 3, states : — So far as we can learn, the present roturn of . children ' attending the common schools of tho province will be a satisfactory one, at least by cpm parison with that of any former year. We are informed that nearly 8000 children now attend these' schools, which is, wo understand, fully four times as many as were in attendance when tho Education Acfc of 1872 came into force, • A Reitabkablh Opeka Troupe. — The following is from the Sioiss Times : — An extraordinary public entertainment has been produced in Lima, Peru, by an Italian named Contarini, who proposes to bring his exhibition to Europe. Ho has taught and trained,*' by dint of groat patienco and perseverance, an opera company, mado up 30 parrots and paroquets, who perform two of Bellini's operas, " Norma " and " Sonnambula," on a miniature stage, with full chorus and recitative. >The director and manager accompanies the artists on a piano harmonium, and tho perfection with which each bird sings his part and the excellence of the chorus are prodigious. The debut of his lyrico-ornithological company in "Norma" waß attonded by the wealth and fashion of Lima. When the parroquet that sang tho con tralto had fin ished the allegro to th e "Salutation to tho Moon," such was the enthusiasm, the shouting, and the applaiiße at hearing a bird sing tho "Casta Diva", that the bird company, affrighted, took Hight, and sought refuge .among the sido scenes. This interrupted the performance for fully a quarter of an hour, and Signor Contarini had to :tranquillise the " ariists " by giving fchem bread soaked in wine. Thenceforth the expressions of approbation wore moderated, in order not to spoil the play. It appears thafc the bird artistes havo now become accustomed to the applause. The correctness and propriety with which they give certain parts of the opera are wonderful. The primo tenoro possesses all the airs and graces of the school of Mario, and the- ladies of Libia have> sawed the prima. donrukPatti. ; \