TOWN AND COUNTRY.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 2217, 29 January 1868, Page 2

TOWN AND COUNTRY.

4 _ Financial Hefoeii.-A meeting of the enmiii ttte was held last night at their rooms In Wilson's buildings, High street, when some rouilno business was transacted. Ltttbwon Choual Hooibtt.-Tlilb society having secured the services of Mr Waddington as conductor, will hold its first meeting f or practice on Tuesday evening, Fob 4, at 7, in tho Hull of the Colonist's ooolcty, Tim Lath Cask of Incendiarism.—The adjoiiriiel itii|ut-st Into the causes of the lute "re in London .street, Lyttelton, was held on Monday evening H t the Albion Hotel. No new foots were elicited, and the jury returned a verdict of wilful fire-raising against some pi'Mon or persons unknown. A.O.R—The first quarterly meeting of the members of tho Widows' «nd Orphans' fund was held on Monday evening at the Korcsters' Hall. Several of the brethren enrolled thornselves as memb-rs. It is to be hoped that the brethren will largely avail themselves of the undoubted benefits of such an institution.

MioiBTERiAL,-At Aknroa on the 25th Inst,, before K 0. Latter and B, Townsend, hsq»., J.l'.'a. John Miller whs charged with indecently assaulting Catherine Whelch, a child of thirteen years old, Sdrgeant Ba.sham prosecuting. The prisoner was committed to take his trial at the next Bitting of the Supreme Court, Concert-Last evening Mr Rowley and his family gave a concert at the Town Hall. A long and varied programme had been proTided, and some really excellent music was executed. The hall was tolerably well attended, and the audience testified their appreciation of the entertainuieut by their enthusiastic applause. Society for Promoting Christian Know-Usdgk,-A meeting of the members of this Mioiety will be held this -lay at 4 p.m., at the City Council office. The objects of the meeting are, a proposed alteration in one of the rules, and the election of office-bearers to fill some vacancies which have occurred diring the past year. Fire.-a bout 2 p.m. yesterday, the inhabitants of Lyttelton werj alarmed by the violent ringing of the fire bell. It appeared that a gorse hedge near to dipt. Sproul's residence had become united. The police and a large number of townspeople were soon on the ground, and by their exertions the fire was extinguished without doing any material damage. Tub Malvern Huxs.-In connection with this subject we understand that Mr W. Woofe, the agent of the celebrated firm of J. and F. Howard, agricultural implement manufacturers, Britannia Iron Works, Bedford, intends to take to England with him specimens of the minerals from the Malvern Hills, which have been exhibited by Mr M. B Hart, at the White Hart Hotel. Mr Woofe also offers to make one of a further prospecting party for eight or ten days previous to his departure. The Htjronui Bridoe.—We hear that this bridge is advancing rapidly towards completion, The iron piles in six of the piers are driven, and the walings, traces, and girders are mostly fixed, the staging being run out to commence the seventh pier. The greater portion of the material is on the ground, and with ordinary weather the brilge will be completed in two months. The testing of the piles has ended very satisfactorily, a pressureof thirty-one tons having caused no deflection. Colonial Frizes,—The Timaru contingent of the Canterbury Volunteers fired at their range on the 23rd nit., for the 'election of a man to represent the province in the forthcoming competition for colonial prizes at Wellington. Thirteen members of the company were present, but three retired after the first range and two others might also have done so for any chance they possessed of beng successful. The scoring of the remaining eight was, however, remarkably good, shewing that considerable attention must Lave been p«id to practice. The average for these was within a shade of forty-four points per man, the highest score being Ensign Beswick with 62. So far (his is the greatest number of points yet made in the province, and there can be no doubt but that Mr Beswick will have the honour of tnking part in the Wellington competition. The next highest score is Corporal Frew, of No. 6 (Chiistchurch) Company, who has made 61 points. These two scores will scarcely be surpassed throughout the colony, and do infinite credit to the province. New Map op Canterbury.—The first sheet of a new map of the province, compiled, drawn, and published under authority of the Government, has just been issued. The m ip, we understand, is to be completed in four sheets, each measuring 40in. by 27in., and costing 2s 6d. The complete map will thus measure 80in. by 54in,,and will cost 10s. The new map contains the whole of the corrected surveys up to date, including the run boundaries, all numbered. This is a special and very useful feature, as anyone possessing a copy of the Gazette of June 10, 1867, will have a complete key to the occupancy of pastoral country in the province. The map is drawn to a large scale—four miles to the inch—and we have no hesitation in saying that it is by far the best and cheapest map of the province yet published. The second sheet, which will comprise all the eastern part of the province to the Waitangi, will be published in about a month. Messrs Ward and Keeves are the lithographers of the new map, and it is not too much to say that this specimen of their workmanship reflects the greatest credit on an establishment which hat already earned a high reputation for accuracy and artistic finish. Public Kntertainment to Lord Lyttelton and Mr "elfe. —We understand that the committee appointed to arrange the nature and details of the entertainment to be given to Lord Lyttelton and Mr Selfe, have decided upon a public dinner, to be held in the Town Hall on the sth prox., and a hall on tht 7th. Where the hall is to be held has not yet been finally decided. The first object has been, as far as p issible, to remove every obstacle to a large public attendance on both occasions. The committee wish it to be understood that all colonists, without distinction, are invited and expected to attend,' and hope that a complete section of the community may be gathered together to give a hearty welc me to visitors who have, from the earliest history of the Province, done so much, and so persistently, tor its interests, And it is hoped that the pubho will respond to the endeavours of the committee and attend from all parts of the Province to do honour to their guests. As some misunderstanding may arise from the faot that a breakfast of a semiprivato nature is to be given by the earlier cilonißts, we now recapitulate the programme, i )u the sth Feb there will be a public dinner In the Town Hal j on the 6th, » breakfast will be given in tlie same place by the first arrivals in tin- Province) and on the 7th a grand public ball will take place, probably in the Drill Shed. To-morrow, we shall be able to publish further details, stating where and when the tickets for the dinner and ball can he obtained, Lko.vl,— n Banco, yesterday, Mr Slater, on behalf of Mr Duncan, applied to have the pleadings amended in the eas ■ l.ongbottom v. Ilawkes and another, by titling it '• The Canterbury District " instead of " The Westlattd District," so as to enable His Honor to settle the issues. His Honor made a rule accordingly, Mr Garr ok, for defendants, moved for a special jury, and His Honor granted the application, Biimmtyne v Biirtrum, In this case, Mr Gatrick for defendant, had sorveil a sunim us on the other side, calling on tli«- plaintiff to shew cause why judgment and execution should not be set aside on the ground of in egularity. Mr D'i lyly asked for a postponement, as he had only received the summons on tho evening before, and requ rod time to look into the affidavits filed He also desire I to file affidavits in reply. His Honor granted a postponement of the case until Friday next.—Mr l) 1 ! tyly to furnish copies of affidavits to Mr (Jarriek. The ca-e Barnard v, Mundy and another, was adjourned until Friday next. Tooth v. Chapman-1 ir Foster, on Tuesday lust, applied for a rule to >ettlc the hues or dismiss the cause for want of prosecution, but now informed the Court that an order had been agreed on between his friend Mr Gurriok and himself, and that the only question was as to costs. His Honor, after hear-

ing observation, on either side, decided that ™Z apm T an W L M enlilled to th « costa of the mo o„. i n Chambera( lettflrß . of;il(lmin(B . ville, son of Thomas Glanvllle. deceased, on the application of Mr Slater. He Srles Elf ?AW a Joy J' ' plied fo he debtor's release from covenants In a certain agreement. His Honor followed the precedent laid down in the matter of John James King, and made an order as prayed. In Bankruptcy: Mr|Slater,on behalf In if? M l' T? under the mi. section of the Act, to have a d(iy fixed for the bankrupt's last examination and discharge. A m eting of creditors had been called, but none attended. His Honor did not see how it could be called a meeting when none of the creditors met, and the Act required that there should be ft meeting before a day was fixed upon for final examination and discharge. Mr Slater remarked that the petitioner had been adjudicated a bankrupt and had his protection. It was no fault of the bankrupt's that there had been no meeting. The fault lay with the creditors them-elves. His Honor said it seemed to him that the Act was unworkable unless a bankrupt " worked up" so as to get a meeting of creditors. The Registrar observed that he believed this had been done in a certain matter on the previous 'lay. Mr Slater said that in this case therr was no estate. His Honor said that as no meeting of creditors had taken place, he could not see hi. way to making the order as prayed Mr Joynt applied for an order of adjudication in bankruptcy, in the matter of William Kentish McLean. His Honor made the order and appointed the first meeting of creditors to be held at the Registrar's Chamber, at 11 o'clock, on Thursday, the 6th February. Fiftß.—At five minutes past one o'clock this morning, the old fire hell gave the alarm A blight glare towards the south-west portion of the city, from which quarter a strong breeze was blowing at the time, indicated in what quarter the fire was; and when the scene was reached, it was fmnd that a detached house, in the Windmill road, standing on a half-acre section, surrounded by trees, not far from the Shearers' Arms, and almost opposite Mr Hislop's nursery, was one mass of flames. The house, we believe, has been uninhabited for some time; it was formerly in the occupation of Mr D. M. Mackay Assistant Immigration Officer, and is the property of Mr Ferguson, who resides in its Close vicinity. Captain Wilson, conveyed by Hansom cab No. 14, was on the ground within a few_ moments after the first alarm, but by this time the building was beyond any possibility of being saved, and attention was therefore turned to the adjoining properties. The high wind prevailing at the time would have placed these in considerable danger had it not been for the friendly protection of a large number of willows on each side. Sparks and flakes of fire were blown about iu great masses, but the only building in danger-a lean-to belonging to Mr Bone, was kept well saturated with water by means of buckets from the Provincial Brewery on the opposite side of the road. The hand engine No 2 was the first to arrive, at 22 minutes past one, and it was quite five minutes beyond this before they were ready to throw water on to the building. The Steam Fire Engine arrived at Montreal street bridge shortly after, but its services not being required, the hose was not connected with the river. The water for the hand engine was obtained from a creek which runs down the right-hand side of Windmill road towards the river. A »ery few minutes sufficed to reduce the fire to safe bounds, and at half-past one any chance of further danger was entirely removed. There was not a very large number of persons present, but the Fire Police and Volunteers shewed in good force. Under the supervision of Captain Wilson the Fire Brigade worked very quietly and efficiently, whilst a number of constables, under Inspector Pender, maintained order, and a clear space for action No correct information has been gained as to the first discoverer of the fire, nor is its origin known, for no one i had resided in the house for several weeks

A drunken man was reported to have been knocking at one of the houses just previous to the alarm being given. The building is, we understand, insured in the Northern Office, for £3OO. It was a seven-roomed building with two chimneys. We hare remarked that the steam fire engine was not brought into use, but some surprise was expressed that it was stationed at Montreal street bridge, instead of being taken to the Hospital, where it would not only have been considerably nearer, but the hose could have been conveyed in a straight line to the fire. We must also call attention to the manner in which flakes of bum ing wood and sparks were allowed to escape from the steam-engine during its journey down Oxford terrace. The wind carried these in all directions, and great danger to wooden buildiuga was incurred.