TOWN AND COUNTRY.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 1969, 11 April 1867, Page 2

TOWN AND COUNTRY.

—♦ —: ■' Buje-books.—We have to acknowledge the receipt of the Journals of the House of Representatives for 1866, with the usual Appendix, Christian Knowledge Sooiett. A general meeting of the 'members of this society, has been summoned for this day, at 4 p.m. in the City Council office; when the removal of the depot to a new position will, we are informed, be submitted. Church Property Trustees.—A special meeting of the members of this body will be held this day at the College Library at 3 | p.m., when some businesi of importance will be submitted. • Monster Cabbage.—A very large cabbage was recently brought from the Bealey. It weighed 21 lbs, and was totally free from

blight. . i • . . Horticultural Society.—A meeting of I the committee of this society was to have been held last evening, but ,was adjourned in consequence of there not being a sufficient number present to form a quorum. The annual meeting for the election of office-bearers for the ensuing year will be held at the Town Hall, on Friday next, at 7.30 p.m. West Coast Mail.—The coach arrived in Christchurch yesterday, after a very fine journey, at about 5 p.m., bringing four through passengers. The rivers were low, and the road in very good condition. His Honor the Superintendent was at the Bruce, engaged with the Mining Commission. Lyttelton Christy Minstrels.—We hear that this locally renowned troupe intend paying Akaroaavisit shortly, and giving two ctf their_. clever _ entertainments for the benefit of the Akaroa Literary Institute. We can promise our Akaroa friends that they will have a great musical treat. New Zealand Gazette.—The New Zealand Gazette, No. 21, dated April 8, notifies that the Appropriation Ordinance, 1867, passed by the Provincial Council of Canterbury, and assented to by his Honor the Superintendent, having been laid before th< Governor, he has been pleased to leave the ' same to its operation.

Phrenologt.—On Tuesday evening last Mr Cronquist repeated his lecture on this subject at the Eaiapoi Mechanics' Institute. There was but a small attendance, the residents evidently not being sufficiently interested in the subject. Mr Hamilton also intends lecturing on the same topic at Kaiapoi in the course of the present week. ELECTORAL.-The nomination of a member to serve in the Provincial Council for the district of Oxford, will take place at the Survey Office, on Thursday, April 18, the poll, if necessary, to be taken on the following day. A requisition to Mr Travers to allow himself to be nominated for the seat vacated by Mr Maude is in course of signature ; and we notice that the electors of Timarualso think of asking Mr Travers to become their member. Suicide.—From our Timaru contemporary of Wednesday, April 10, we learn that a man named Rowley, formerly a butcher in Christchurch, committed suicide by cutting his throat with a razor, on, Monday last, at the Commercial Hotel, Timaru. The unfortunate man had it eeemed been drinking for some days previous, and in a fit of delirium tremens committed the rash act. Dr M'Lean was sent for to attend the man, and the doctor recommended him to keep perfectly quiet, and as far as possible, keep his mind 1 free from strange fancies, at the same time administering a powder, which the man took i Soon after, however, the doctor was again ! called in, but only to behold a lifeless corpse. An inquest was held on the body on Tuesday, and the jury, after hearing the evidence, returned a verdict of" temporary insanity." , Careless Driving.—Yesterday, soon after noon, a dray laden with sacks was being 1 driven along the Ferry road so carelessly ■ that the near wheel came in contact ', with the lamp-post opposite the shop door of Mr Hopkinson, butcher, situate at ' the junction of Lichfield and Manchester streets. Ihe post and the gas supply-pipe 1 were broken off at the ground, and the lamp I was smashed.

Magisterial.—Yesterday, at the Magistrate's Court, Christchurch, before Alexander Lean, Esq., J.P., Thomas Green was charged with having deserted from the ship Matoaka, lyiDginthe port of Lyttelton. He was remanded to Lyttelton. The civil case 9, Pratt v. Cookson, and Eeece t. Martin, were adjourned for a week. At the Resident Magistrate's Court, Kaiapoi, on Tuesday, before W. B. Pauli, Esq., K.M., C. M'Grath and C. Fairweather were fined Ss each for allowing horses to wander at large. In the following instances judgments were given for the plaintiffs, with costs:—Newnham andßu 'die t. Bowen, 7s; Same y. Alexander, 14s; Same t. L. Brown, £6 9s 9d; Kerr v. Humpage, £1 lis 3d; Carr v. Campbell, 3s 6d ; Edwards v. Campbell, 8s 6d; Caton v. Homersham, £ls 148. The folfollowing plaintiffs were non-suited:— Soung r. Campbell, £1 3s 4d ; Hewlings v. Haine and Shaw, £5 ; Caton v. Stevenson, £2B 1 Is.

Akaboa and Wainui , Road Board.—A meeting of members of the above Board was held at the Survey office, Akaroa, on Monday evening, the Bth inst. Mr Waeckerle, the chairman presiding. The' tender of Mr Stephens for work to be done on the German Bay Road was accepted. The Engineer read his report relative to forming and making a road from the Head of the ißay to Barry's Bay, to connect the road from Akaroa with Little River road. It was resolved that tenders be invited for such work, in accordance with the Engineer's report, Tenders were also ordered to be invited for clearing out Le Bon's Bay track. The attention of the Board having been drawn to the fact that persons are in the habit of putting slip panels of posts and rails across public roads; it was resolved that notices be posted, ordering the removal of the same, and that swing gates be substituted in accordance with the Engineer's plan. The next meeting of the Board will take place on the 17th inst.

Pbesbytery op Canterbury.—The Presbytery met yesterday in the vestry of St, Andrew's Church, Christchurch, at noon. The following were present: The Rev. J. Campbell (Moderator), W. Hogg, W. Kirton, G. Grant, and C. Fraser (Clerk) j Mr Grubb (Elder). The proceedings of the meeting having been opened by prayer, the singing of a psalm, and the reading of a portion of Scripture, the minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. The comj mission of Mr William Stewart, as elder for Bank's Peninsula, was read and sustained. The Rev. C. Fraser introduced the Rev J. Hall to the Court, and moved that his name be added to the sederunt on this occasion. Mr J. Hall was well-known in Auckland, where he had been labouring for some time. The motion was agreed to. The Rev. W. McHutchinson was also introduced, and his name added to the sederunt. It was announced that the charge of St John's Church, Lyttelton, had been preached and proclaimed vacant by the resignation of the Rev J. Gow, who had accepted the call to the church at Hokitika. A testimonial was read from the presbytery of Bathurst, Canada, in favour of the Rev. W. McHutchinson, on the occasion of his resignation of his charge in that place. The testimonial spoke in high terms of Mr McHutchinson, and of his ability as a minister. Mr Stewart asked for some explanation as to the length of time for which Mr Dixon had been engaged to labour on the Peninsula, as the Kirk session were under some misapprehension on the subject. The Rev C. Eraser entered into an explanation on the matter. Mr Grubb remarked that great evils had resulted from the intermission of Divine service at Lyttelton. He Jhad no instructions from the congregation'there with reference to the appointment of any particular minister; all they wished was that the charge should be supplied in order to keep the church door open. Nothing was so detrimental to the true interests of a church as even a temporary cessation of the administration of the ordinances of religion. Whenever this was the case, the congregations were sure to fall off, and there was a great difficulty in re-collecting them. The Rev J. Hall stated that he was willing to minister either in Lyttelton or the Peninsula. He was perfectly willing to labour in any place, at a very slight 1 remuneration, rather than the ministrations of divine ordinances

should be interrupted. The moved « That the Rev J. Hallbi K < labour for three J the understanding that he shall be .mi* 1 * by exchanges to Tisit the Peninwi. be % districts of Oxford and motion having been seconded ~, T to The Rev W.Kirton suggested' ter should be appointed for Grevm n „ ( i. ln " li! ' an advantageous field of labour He lTr n 8 that the place was in a very proanerni dition, and that its prosperity would | manent. It was decided that the R eT w Hutchinson should be appointed fn,V c months to the charge of Greymouth S e Presbytery adjourned until July l2 A ne