LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Magisterial. — There were no criminal cases at the Christohurch Magistrate's Court, I this morning. Passing. Sentence. — George Hendley and Charles Weed, found guilty of the charge of soliciting and inciting to commit; a felony, have been sentenced to two years' imprisonment. Lyttelton Borough. School. — A committee meeting waß held after the annual ""general meeting of ratepayers, when Mr H. R. Webb was 'elected chairman for the ensuing year. Sib 'James- Fergusson. — His Excellency arrived this morning in the s.s. Taranaki, and left for Christchurch by special train. His Excellency's stay in Canterbury will be short, ;; as he will leave for North to-morrow in tho Luna steamer. The Telegraph. — Communication with the north and Westland was interrupted yesterday. Riccabton.— Mr J. H. Twentyman will deliver a lecture in the schoolroom on Oct. 14, at 7 p.m. The subject is " Tho present religious movement at Home." Nisi Pruts.— ln the Supreme Court, on Monday nexfc, afc 11 a.m., before Mr Justice Gresson and a special jury, the case Roys.., Stead and Co. v. Murray will be proceeded wifch.

Sppreme Court. — In the Supreme Court, ye-tercluy, Frederick Peiper was acquitted on a charge of l.rceny. George Doig, against whom there was no evidence to go to tho jury, was released from custody. Victobia Bridob.— ln a few days, the work v/ill be commenced for the erection of tho footbrirlge3 across Uie river on either side of Victoria bridge. The present watering place for horses will be closed up in consequence. Theatre Boy Aii— Owing to the tempestuous weather, there was no performance at the Theatre last evening. Mrs Hill's .benefit is announced. for Friday- evening next, and as she is a great favourite with playgoers, there will doubtless be a good house. Criminai/ Sittings. — The criminal sittings of the Supreme Court were brought to a close yesterday. ' 1.0.G.T. — Juvenile Temple. — A meeting of the Young Crusader Juvenile Temple was held at the Temperance Hall last evening, under the presidency of Mr W. H. Delamare, and there was a good attendance. Songs were given by Mr Robinson and Miss Mary Farrell, also an address by Mr Jacques. Tai Tapu. — A meeting of the library committee was held in the schoolroom on Oct. 8. Present — Messrs Barrett (chairman), Forbes, .Nutt, Mangles, Dunford, Kimber, Wheeler, and Watkins. The canvassers of the district for subscriptions* handed in £45 l3s 6d, the amount collected up to date. It was resolved that Mr Forbes (treasurer) should place it in the Bank of New Zealand, to the credit of the library. Raoe Houses. — The barque Natal Queen brought two horses — one an entire colt two years old, the other a chesnut gelding. They are full brothers by Architect by Peter Wilkin's imported, dam Blaok Bess by Mr Rose's Phantom, the grand dam by Plenipo, bred by Mr Field, by Little John out of Pet by Bolivar ; granddam Whizgig, by Whalebone j gg granddam by Peter Finn. The Dibectob op the Oantebbuby Museum — The following is from The Times of August 22 :— The Emperor of Austria has conferred the decoration of Knight of the Order of the Iron Crown, with a patent of hereditary nobility, on Dr Julius von Haast, Director of the Museum of Canterbury, New Zealand, in recognition of his eminent scientific merits and attainments. Inquests. — An inquest was held at the Waltham Hotel, at 5 p.m. yesterday, before Dr Coward and a jury, of whom Mr John Carpenter was foreman, on the body of Jonathan Lilly, who was found drowned in the Heathcote on the previous day. After hearing the evidence, the jury returned aii open verdiot. — An inquest was held at the Royal Hotel, Southbridge, on Oct. 10, before W. B. C. Christie, Esq., district coroner, upon the body of F. W. Fagan. Mr Alex. Webster was chosen foreman of the jury. On the names of the jurymen being called over, the Coroner drew attention to the fact that some persons made a practice of avoiding attendance when summoned. In the present case there was one absentee, and he would, in future, impose a fine for non-attendance. From the evidence adduced.it would appear that the deceased, who was about 16 years of age, in company with a youth named J. Miles, left home on the morning of Oct. 7 with a dray and two horses, to ' obtain <v load of firewood frora the Rakaia Island They succeeded in loading, and were returning across the stream when the shaft horse stumbled into a hole and fell. Thej' freed it from the dray, and seizet. the leader, which they mounted, but, shortly afterwards, it went into a hole, and deceased was washed off and drowned ; Miles managed to hold on and was conveyed to shore. The father of deceased deposed to seeing the horse coming home alone, and, on proceeding to the river Ue met Miles, who informed him of the accident. Search was made for the body, which was found about four hours afterwards on a spit about one and a half miles below the place where the accident happened. A verdict of " Accidentally drowned in the Rakaia river " was returned. iNTBODUdioN OF SALMON TBOUT TO Auokland.— Of the salmon trout ova taken from Hobart Town to Auckland iy Captain Macarthur, of the barque Bella Mt»ry, only one per cent was lost. Eight hundred reached port in a condition to be at once turned out into the streams. They have since been distributed over the province. A Good Chinaman. — All Chinamen are not of the " heathen " type. Messrs M'Dougall and Smith, auctioneers, kc, have had a Chinaman in full charge of their store at Matatapu for above a year past. They have found him to be a young man of excellent oharacter, truo to his trust, and very correct in accounts. He is studying hard to master tho English language," and he writes a legible hand. " Chbistian Chabity." — The Otago Daily Times says : — It is stated in the Northern paperß that the Rev. B. T. Dudley refused Christian burial to an unfortunate woman who lived a disreputable life, and died through excessive , drinking, and that she was lowered into the grave by a policeman, the provincial undertaker, and the sexton. It is to be hoped that this is not true. These are the things that call forth many a sneering remark about " Christian charity." Maobi Land Impbovebs. — The Waikanae correspondent of the Wanganui Chronicle writes :— The Hon Wi Parata aad Tamihana Te Rauparaha are energetic in the improvement of their estates, the former having lately built and furnished a handsome residence in tho settlement known as " the town." Both go in extensively for wool growing, but the culture of crops on anything like a large scale is by them considered tob laborious, and also too uncertain. Theatbical. — An Auckland journal states that Mr DeLias, the lessee of the Prince of Waleß Theatre, has succeeded in securing the services ol Mr F. M. Bates, an actor of considerable merit, and having an English and colonial reputation, for three nights only of next week. Mr Bates, with his talented wife and company, have just finished a successful tour of the Australian colonies, and he is now, we believe, on a visifc to New Zealand with the view of spying out the capabilities of this colony to support a good company for a season in each province. Railway Wobks in Hawke's Bay.- — It is anticipated that the railway between Napier and Paki Paki will be completed and trains running before the end of the year. The station works in Napier are now well advanced. A new road is being opened up at the expense of the province to connect the central business portions of the city and the stati n. Encoubagement to Whaling. — It is stated afc Ihe Bluff that the firsfc moiety (£250) of the bonus for the encouragement of whaling in New Zealand has been paid by the Provincial Government to Messrs Nichol and Tucker, the owners of the whaling barque Chance, which they lately sent to sen. The balance will be paid when she returns to port with oil. The Chance is fche first whaler owned in Otago.