Local & General.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 4128, 14 July 1881, Page 2

Local & General.

♦ Thb DsuiDS.—The half-yearly summoned meeting of the Star of Anglesea Lodge wa_ held at their Lodge-room, Lincoln, on Tuesday evening. There was a large attendance of members. The officers for tin* ensuing term were then elected and duly installed by D.P. Bro Willsteed. A hearty vote of thanks was passed to the retiring officers. The Lodge was then closed. — The half-yearly summoned meeting of the Hope of St Albanß Lodge was held at the Knightstown Library on Tuesday evening. Tho auditors' report and balancesheet were read and adopted. The officers for the ensuing term wero elected and duly installed by D.P. Bro Samuels. A hearty vote of thanks was passed to the retiring officers. The Lodge was thon closed. — The half-yearly summoned meeting of the Oak of Sydonham Lodge was held at St Saviour. Bchoolroom last evening. The auditors' report and balance-sheet were read and adopted. The following officers were elected and duly installed by D.P. Bro Willsteed :— A.D., Bro Barnett ; V.A., Bro Hill • Sec, Bro J. Hadfield ; Treas., Bro 8. Day ; 1.G., Bro Brown ; A.D.B.'s, Bros Turner and E. Webber; V.A.B.'s, Bros Quick and Witham; O.Gr., Bro Hei-on; Auditor, Bro Kerr; Lodge Surgeons, Drs Bubsoll and Anderson. A hearty vote of thanks was passed t3 the retiring officers. The Lodge was then closed. Hobsb Stealing. — This morning a young man named John Gleeson was arrested in Lyttelton by Constable Maher, on a oharge of stealing a horse, the property of F. Sohmidt, ABhley. He was further charged with stealing another horse, tho property of W. Wilson, of ABhley. The accused was remand Bangiora. Thb Bingabooma.— This vos3el will not be ready for sea until the end of the present month. There will therefore be no steamer for Melbourne next week. The Hero will leave Lyttelton about Saturday next for Melbourne vi_ Greymouth and Hokitika. Besident Magistbatbb' Coubt, Lttte--ton. — A young fellow named Gleeson, was remanded to Bangiora for trial, on a charge of stealing two horses,. one, the property of W. Wihon, and the other that of J. Gallagher. Dr J. T. Bouse, J.P., on the Bench. The Ashbubton Hunt Club.— The intended hunt with Mr Archer's hounds over an Ashburton course, which should have come off yesterday, was postponed for a few days. Annua. Education Bbpobt. --Elsewhere will be found a synopsis of tho annual report of the Minister for Eduoation, telegraphed by our special correspondent at Wellington. Pbboaution against Small-pox.—Gov-ernment has issued instructions to quarantine all vessels coming from Sydney until twelve days shall have elapsed since their departure from that port. Even the Detached Squadron is not to be exempted. Accident. — Yesterday afternoon a man named George Bennetts was admitted into the Hospital, suffering from a comminuted fracture of tho right leg, caused, according to his own statement, by a fall he sustained on being ejected from a boarding house. Intebcolonial Weather Exchange.— The following telegram was received from Wellington yesterday :— " Sydnoy : A strong southerly gale, with rain, eet in yesterday on the eaßt coast of Australia. Tho weather is now clearing. High r. ressure is etill general; Perth, 30*3; Echuca, 30-4; Adelaide, 30*4; Sydney, 30*2." Tub Bailways.— Mr Oliver brought forward a motion in the Houbo yesterday for the appointment of a Select Committee to enquire into the manogement of the railways, but the House waß clearly of opinion that the work could not be done proporly in the time at the disposal of such a Committee, and the proposition was withdrawn. Coubsing. — The Cantorbury Coursing Club'B meeting commencod yesterday, on the Westwood estate, with tho running for the Cup. The weather was fine, and there were about 60 porsons present. When the evening set in the first round had not been completed, but the result of the courses so far run, will be found in another column. A start was made this morning on the Bucecourse Hill estate. ' Quick Tba veiling. — The following itinerary has been handed to us, with the remark that it was "not bad work" :— Left Christohurch on Friday morning by train to Amberley, thence by coach to HurunuL Stayed there half an hour, returned by coach, and ran to Chriatehurch, and started for Dunedin by excursion train that night. Saturday and Sunday spent in Dunodin, and on Monday returned to Chrißtchureh, and repeated trip to Hurunui, and back to Chrißtchuich on Tuesday. Alfobd Fobbst Cemetkbt Boabd. — A meeting of this Board was held on Saturday last ; prosent — Messrs C. Grieve, William Brown, and W. T. Chapman (Chairman). Six tenders were roceived for fencing the Cemetery Eoservo, and that of Messrs Boss and Porter was accepted for the sum of 15s per chain. It was resolved that tenders he called for skim ploughing about two and a half acres, subsoiling the remainder, and planting about 500 trees, after which the meeting adjourned. PArANui Ploughing Match.— Tho tenth annual ploughing match in connection with tho Papanui Farmers' Club takes place to-day, in Mr J. Taylor's paddock, Bligh's road. Ploughing will commenco at ten o'clock, and as there are a numbor of good prizos offerod, no doubt a keen competition will result. Tho scene of operation is within five minutes* walk of the tramway, so tliat a larger number of visitors than usual will probably pay a visit to the ground. Tho annual dinner will be held in tho evening at Mr Wild's Hotel. Lectueb. — A lecturo was delivered on tho revised New Testament, in Lincoln Presbyterian Church on Tuesday nvening, by tho Hey A. Blako. Tbo ul tendance wns (rood, md the closo attention given by thoio present Bhowcd that a considerable amount of intorost had beon elicited, Ho spoko on th» necessity for the revision of tho authorised rewions, tho character nnd extent of tho •hanges expected to appear, giving an iccount of tho labours of tho Revising Com>any and of previous revision!*, and the uarvollous preservation of tbo substance of tho nspired volume. Mr Rainey occupied tho shair. At tho close of iho lectin-*, » voto of hanks was passed to tho Rev M r Blako on ho motion of Mr Pavitt, seconded by Mr rVille, und a collection was n flo, to bo .■-plied to or.o of tlio funds ol' tho Ohurch. Cho lecturo will be given at Prebbleton in tho i-resbytcriau Ohurch, to-morrow ev.-i.i_g.

Shipping. — About half-past one o'clock this afternoon, a square-rigged vessel was reported from the Heals as being away to the eastward, making for Lyttelton harbour. Hospital Boabd. — No meeting of the Hospital Board took place yesterday afternoon, Mr J. G. Hawkes being the only member in attendance. The Secretary had receivod a letter of explanation from the Chairman, the Mayor of Chri»tchurch was engaged at the Bupreme Oourt, and the Mayor of Lyttelton and Mr Montgomery are in Wellington. Effects of Jot. Intense joy manifests itself in peculiar ways, a striking instance of which may be seen in Christchuroh at the present moment. A man occupying a not very exalted position in society received information on Tuesday that a legacy of £2000 had been left him. He immediately chartered a four-wheeler, and attired in a Crimean shirt, with his coat on his arm, seemed to have no fnrther object in life, unless it were to get bis beard dyed. When this is accomplished, to all appearances he irill have reached the summum bonum of his existence. A curious calculation would be how long his legaoy will last out the expense of a cab for say twelve hours per day. There will be some competition among the Jehus. Tai Tapu Spabhow Olub. — A meeting of this Club waa held in the schoolroom on Monday evening. There were only six members present. The Ohairman (Mr Bainey) stated that a lot of correspondence had been received from various persons, and had been duly attended to. Mr Forbes thought it desirable that each member be furnished with a copy of the recipe for preparing the wheat. In answer to enquiry, most of the members expressed themeolves entirely satified with the results of the last recipe, the birds eating the wheat freely and dying in large numbers. Accounts for £1 2s 6d were j passed for payment. Considerable discussion en sued relating to correspondence from the Brookside Club, and *-the Ohairman was requested to reply that this Club sympathises witn that of Brookside in its efforts, and begs to be acquainted with any further action Hhey may take ; that this Olub cannot decide as to the mode of levying a rate; that all Sparrow Clubs should move the Agricultural and Pastoral Association to secure legislation on the subject of abating the number of small birds, and that they oonsider it would bo difficult to levy a rate in a distriot not wholly agricultural. The meeting then adjourned. Those members of the Pilgrims' Football Clnb who are not play— vg in the match against the Col- ' lege, on Saturday, are requested to meet o» tlleiiground at 2.30 p.m., for the purpose of holding a paper hunt. The foot oall mitch arranged to be played by the C.F.C. on Saturday la Merivale v. the Club. Toe former will wear bine and white and the latter red and black. Flay will common* a sharp at 2.45. Members are roquostfld to be punctual. The follow— 15 fifteen vH I represent the Pilgrims ia their matca against the second fifteen of the College, on Siiurdayuext :— Messrs Hinge, Winter, £. Woledge, Bi— ichard, De Castro (Captain), Blaak, Field, Fuller, J. _U la, Manning, -loole, A. Mater, Sic—, Shand, B_ _ ely; emerfjenciea— Jao— son, Edgar, Slater. The matoh to be played on the College Ground ; play to commeno- as 3 p.m. - Colours, sold and black. The f-iUo-ffi-if trill represent the Sand, ridge FootbVil Clnb in a match with the Southern, on Satcrday, on the ground of the latter:— J. Shiarlaw. d. Jones, J. Taylor, Smith, Newman, Peroival, Braithwaite, £. Evans, J. 3£'Le— i, _. Mason. W. George, T. Beare, A. __ isell, H.L owiie, A. Lawrence. Emergencies: _ llardyce. Fog?, Bruce, and Pleasance. The following- team will represent the Soothbridge Football Club in tho match to he played against the Christchurch Pilgrims Clnb on Saturday next. Messrs K. Donald, H. Enn is, Leadstone, H. lalley. Little, H. M'Coimick, D. M'Cormick, C. Soott. F. Scott, C. Scott, J. Taiaroa. T. Willis, C. wm_, G. W. Willis, and C. H. Willis. Emergencies: G. Taiaroa and — . T. Ewards. Tbo match will be played on the school-ground. Southbridge. The Duncboon Linb. — The Duntroon_uir_w branch line was formally opened for traffic ou Monday. The North Otago Times in forma us that the extension was commenced _y Messrs Allan and Stumble 3, the contractors, of Timaru, abont two years ago, and has been completed at a cost of about £44,600. The line,' which ia nearly sixteen miles in length, leaving Duntroon, runs up the valley of the Waitaki, passing the Hon E. Campbell's station along by the Kurow deferredpayment blocks as far, at present, as 2-urow, just on the Oamaru side of the Upper Waitaki bridge. The line worked perfectly smoothly. Thb Attractions of a Baeitaid Show. — In a recent case of collision in Bugsby'a Beach, on the Biver Ihames, the pleasure yacht Lily was run over and sank by a bargo which was in tow of the tug Aid. The owners of the Lily brought a suit for damages -gainst the Union Lighterage Company, and from the summing up of the judge it appears that counsel for defendant seriously suggested that the Aid had a perfect right to presume that the Lily, which lay becalmed at the time, and was known to be bound for the Barmaid Show at North Woolwich, was in a great hurry to get there, and would want a friendly tow. The judge did not concur in this view, and decided against the Aid. Mobe Assassination Contemplatbp. — The following eitract from a private letter, dated Heme, May 8, has been sent to the Daily News. The writer is said to be a gentleman in every way likely to bo well-in-formed : — " A grave piece of intelligence has just come to my knowledge. The police have discovered a plot to assassinate the Sing. The suspected mandatory is an Italian who came here some time since, accompanied by a fellow-countryman known to the police as a member of the International. Both put np at the Hotel — -, but soon after separated, the one charged with the execution of their design removing to another hotel. The latter is now under the close surveillance of the police, a number of whom have been detailed to dog his footsteps constantly. Simultaneously with the appearance here of these suspicions characters, a number of boxes containing explosive materials for the tunnelling of the St Gothard have been stolen from tho Italo-Swisß Society. Models of these boxes have been sent to all the police stations in the kingdom." Smuggling in Auckland. — Becent disclosures in tho Auckland Police Court seem to indicate that there is an extensive and well organised system of smuggling going on on the northern coast, the numerous islands in tbe li • «r_ki Gulf offering remarkable faeflities 1.-r such a trade. The police, says the i: .-respondent of a Dunedin paper, accidentlj dropped on the trail at the Wade th ■•- other day, while tracking up another matter, nnd three offenders have been heavily fined. One c*£ the members of the detective force has been on a visit to some of the above islands with a view to discovering tho " plant " popularly believed to exist there, but although several such were discovered in previous missions, in years gon*-» by, his trip proved a bootless one. The police have a theory that the clandestine trade is dove by the is land vessels on their outward voyage, while othera who profess to know the mysteries of this perilous but exciting truing olloge that the vesseb clearing from -ie" Ciledonia and entering inwards at Auckland could throw a floor! of light on " the underground railway traffic." When publicani are sohcited for orders, and aro offered to b? supplied with spirituous liquors at the price of the duty simple, it is time the nef_r. uj smuggling trade was promptly suppressed. A BCEX_ IN THB VICTOBIAN ASSEMBLY. — On the ove of tho defeat of the Berry Ministry there was a Bcane in the Assembly, which the Argun describes as one of the most extraorr.ir._ry and sensational ever witnessed in the Legislature. It took place between the Government and what is known as the Corner •j-u-ly. Mr Mirams, a member of the latter, repudiated the Government as traitors, bnt said he would vote with them, and he, in turn, was repudiated by the Government. Mr Longi-ore was as wari_ in his denunciation of Mr Berry and his colleagues aa was the member for Colling rrood. "I feel almost mean in my vote," said the hon member in conclusion, : but I cannot vote against the Liberalism which in ' being destroyed by the Chief S.cr.-t-.-r. If Ministers only were concerned, 1 would vote against them, but they have the Liberal following at present, bad as they are." Tiio Ministers present rose aa one msn to denounce Mr Longmore. " You have not tho courage to vote as you wish," said Hr A. T. Clark. "We don't want him," called out several Opposition members. and Mr Patterson snd Mr Biohardson ejacn lated together : "Wo don't either ;" while Mi Vale's feelings were expressed in the epigram matic word '* Coward." "It is not yon I an thinking of," said ?-Ir Longmore, shaking hii fist at Ministers. " No," said Mr Vale, " i is yourself." Soon afterwards, when Mr Berr was on hia legs, ho declared that the nietioi was being carried by such votes as those o Mr Longra ro and ?_•■ Mirams. " Why, the; are voting f r you," >vas tho cry. "ido no thank the**", for their votes, " said Mr Berrj " If I felt; one-half of what they hay expressed, not all the money in tho world and no*, ill the seats in Viotoria would indue me to do wh?t they aro doing to save thei

political livofc The hypocrites!" continued Mr Berry, amid a roar of applause from both sides ; " they know the motion is carried ag-i nst the Government, and they voto for us iv order that they may save their *eats and take portfolios in the new Government. They are the most contemptible section of the House." Btanl__ IN Apbioa. — The Belgian Colonel Vandenbogaert, who recently returned from Africa to Brussels, gives a good account of tbe Stanley expedition, which he came across at Visi, on tbe uppor waters of the Congo. With Stanley there were his two lieutenants, the sub-lieutenant, the engineer Neef, and a body of 70 men. Everyone was in good health, and sufficiently employed in establishing stores of food further in the interior, in preparation for the forward movement of the expedition ; M. Neef was strengthening the cr*mp, and M. Valcke was blasting his way along the river bank, with the idea of clearing away the rocks sufficiently to make a practicable road. Visi is on the part of the Congo which is not at present navigable, and probably never will be. The course of the stream is a succession of rapids and waterfalls, and could only be rendered navigable by the erection of -113 locks at the very least. The Natives are described as treating the expedition with great respect ; but aB they are only armed with flint-locks, whereas the expedition is supplied with the best modern rifles, this is not perhaps to be wondered at. Meanwhile, our knowledge of the Oongo is being rapidly increased, and a French expedition has just started to reach the river from the Gaboon. The next year or two will probably see a great addition made to our knowledge of thia part of Afrioa. — Fall Mall Gazette.