News of the Day.

THE MONUMENT DESIGNS.

We mentioned in our last issue that the Monument Committee had determined, at a meeting held at the Trafalgar Hotel, on Friday evening, to adopt the design which bore tlje somewhat ungrammnticul motto "Memoriu in ateraA," and which, we believe, was executed by Mr. Theophilus Mabille. We had prepared a critical description of the various designs which were on view at the Library Room of the Nelson Institute, on Thursday and Friday last,

but this was necessarily excluded from our columns by the space required for our Summary of Saturday morning. The publication of that notice is, of course, rendered superfluous by the decision at which the committee have arrived, but we may state in general terms that the design which has been* selected, is probably tho least objectionable. We were prepared to regret that tho exhibitor should have resorted to the meretricious aid of colour in order to embellish his design, since it was not impossible, in case of its adoption, that the choice of the committee would be attributed to that circumstance. We must, however, regret that the cominitteo should have arrived at their decision somewhat hastily, as many think. The opinion of the press and that of the public (who would have been enabled to inspect them in larger numbers had they remained open a day or two longer), would have relieved the committee of much responsibility. The rain fell so heavily on Thursday, that the designs were for the most part quite unvisited on that day, and on the following, the bustle and business incidental to the departure of the mail for England, doubtless prevented very many persons from inspecting them. We are, therefore, constrained to repeat that we think that the committee would have done wisely had they been a little less expeditious in arriving at their decision. They might also have added to their number, as they were empowered to do, and by thus obtaining the advice of men of taste and practical experience in such matters, or by the formation of a subcommittee of taste, would hare arrived at a result which must have been altogether satisfactory to tho subscribers. We have said that the design selected was " the least objectionable," inasmuch as there was not one which, in our opinion, seemed appropriate to the event which they were intended to commemorate. The necessity for making the monument conspicuous from a distance, seemed to have cramped all the inventive faculties of the competitors ; as nothing but broken columns, simply iluted or wreathed with flowers, and lanky obelisks — plain, or garnished with urns, an essentially Pagan form of memorial — niet our view ; for we would not be understood to refer, even remotely, to the extraordinary monstrosity which, as we heard it facetiously observed, was intended to symbolize the Thimble of Justice reposing on the Sleeveboard of [Retribution, with the intensely amusing suggestions in the inscription, " after the manner of the ancients ;" or to the chauiber-candleetick, minus a handle, with its extinguisher, which playfully figured on the wall in company with some other vagaries in architectural details, to wit, corbels representing sculls, and capitals of flax leaves, &c. Everyone knows the legend of the acanthus having suggested the graceful outline of the Corinthian capital. " Parallax," evidently desirous of founding a. new colonial order of architecture, adopted in his design, for a like purpose, the leaves of the phormium tenax, but the effect was necessarily poor. May we recommend to his notice, on a future occasion, the fronds of the nikau palm, as being far more available for the purpose ? Wo looked in vain for any memorial crosses, after the manner of those which once stood in every churchyard in England, and which, combining height, strength, and elegance of form, would have formed a far more striking and original object than the oftrepeated obelisk. Such a memorial would, we think, have found a fitting place in a Christian cemetery, and would have reflected credit on the taste of the community. We trust Mr. Mabille will so far alter his design, which is of graceful and substantial character enough, and remove the wreaths which are placed above the pedestal. An obelisk should be simplex mv.nditiis, and as freo from unnecessary ornament as possible. The next question for the decision of the committee will be the material in in which the design shall be earned out, and this will necessarily require careful consideration, as well as, we opine, some considerable addition to the funds at the disposal of the committee. At all events the thanks of the public are due to the committee for the trouble they have taken in this matter. While we should have rejoiced to record tho adoption of another design, of more original and appropriate character, we are yet persuaded that, all things considered, the committee have by no means erred in the decision at which they have arrived, and, so far, this fact should be satisfactory to those who have subscribed, or intend to subscribe to the fund.

Fatal Accident at Sea. — A lad, an apprentice on board the Countess of Kintore, was unfortunately lost overboard on the 11th instant. The lad was on the forecastle of tho vessel, and was by some means jerked overboard. A boat was promptly lowered, and every effort made to rescue the lad, but without avail.

Mysterious Ciecumstance. — We have received tho particulars of a very suspicious visit paid to the residence of Mr. Robert Lee, at Bishopdale, on Saturday evening. It appears that on the night in question. Mr. Lee was from home, and his housekeeper and three pupils had not loug retired to rest when they heard the souud of footsteps near tho front door. Presently the door was tried, but unsuccessfully, and the visitor then went to the back of the house, which, he immediately entered. During this timeline dog in the yard was barking furiously, showing that the intruder was a stranger: and through the darkness which prevailed it was impossible to distinguish his features, yet one of Mr. Lee's pupils, who happens to bo a member of the Juvenile Cadet Corps, seizing liis carbine, loaded it, and took up his position on the staircase, pluckily threatening to fire upon the mysterious visitor, whilst his two companions rushed to the window and shouted for help to some persons passing in the road. Doubtless, alarmed by these demonstrations, and apprehensive for his safety, the man then absconded. Mr. Lee shortly afterwards returned home, and, on being apprised of the affair, instituted a search on his premises, but only succeeded in discovering footprints on the soil around his house. Nothing had been stolen from the interior of the premises, but on the following morning, Mr. Lee found that his mare, which had been grazing in the adjacent paddock, was missing. Coupling these facts together, there seems to bo strong reason to suspect that the mysterious visitor, not content with appropriating Mr. Lee's mare, was desirous of possessing himself of some of the contents of his residence. A reward of £5 is offered for the detection of tho thief.

Resident Magistrate's Coubt. — " Yesterday morning, Thomas Chainpney, William Brock, William Price, and Edward Murphy, were brought before J. Poyuter, Esq., R-.M., charged with stealing forty fathoms rope, of the value of £2, the property of Joseph Gilbertson. It appeared from the evidence, that the topsail schooner Bonnie Lass, in charge of the prosecutor, had been moored to tho beach, Tho prisoners had, on Wednesday last, cut her adrift, and curried oil' the rope by which she was moored. On Sunday morning, the police, acting on information received by them, boarded a boat lying in the harbour, where they found the rope in qupstion. They immediately arrested the four prisoners, aiid, another man, named Henry Oswald, all of whom they found on board. On landing at the wharf, however, the prisoner Oswald made his escape through the assembled crowd, and has not since been taken. The other four prisoners were, as we have already stated, brought up yesterday, and remanded until this morning, in order to give time for the recovery of Oswald. The hearing of several debt cases was adjourned. '

Mb. Hamilton's Lectcbe. — We understand that, at a meeting of the Monumental Committee, held on Friday evening, at the Trafalgar Hotel, a vpte of thanks to A. S. Hamilton, Esq , for his " very able and interesting lecture, and generous contribution to the Monument Fund," was unanimously carried. Dr. Williams, the chairman, was also requested, on behalf of the committee, to convey to Mr. Hamilton (he assurance of their grateful sense of his disin? tcrcstcd kindness on the occasion.

SODDX2T PEATH OF CaFTAUT RaSDALL, OF THE P. and N. Z. Company's Stea jiee Otago. — The following telegram was received in Wellington, on Thursday evening last, dated Port Chalmers, 522, p.m. : — " The btuamship Otugo arrived in Port Chalmers this morning. She brings the sad intelligence that Captain Randall died on the previous evening, on the pussage from Lyttelton to thi» port. He was

married the samo morning, at Cliristrhurch, to Mrs. Laing, a widow lady, who was a pi^engcr from Mflhotirno to Dnnediu. Previous to tho marriage, Captain Randall hud a slight fit, from which, howover, ho recovered no rapidly, that no (ears were entertained. On arriving on board, after his mnrriige, ho retired to hi* cabin, and remuined there till tho afternoon. About seven o'clock, Mrs. Ruudnll pave an alarm that something wus the matter with Cuptain Randall. Lights were immediately brought, an I the unfortunate gentleman wus found lying on his fnee in his berth. Dr. Buchanan immediately attended, and applied most powerful restoratives, but without success. The doctor believes he wus dead when the alarm was given. Mrs. Randall had been asleep in tho opposite berth. It is said that the captain was subjoct to fits. The cabin was quite dark.

L'Extikctkttb.— Wo take tho following from the Lyttelton Times, October 6 : — " This apparatus for extiuguishing fira wns tested lost night in the open •paco near Montreal-street bridge. It consists externally of a black japanned cylinder about two feet six inches long, «nd ten inches in diameter. This cylinder contains five gallons of water, and a smaller cylinder holding a preparation which, by pressing a cap on the head of the outer cylindor, is discharged into the water ; and near tho bottom of the cylinder, and in communication with tho water thus discharged with tho first antidote, is a flexible tube about four feet long, supplied with a tape. The building whew ■ conflagration this invention was to extinguish wti a lean-to, about fivo feet in diameter and sevon feot high, filled with dry wood. When the fire wtu about to be lighted, Mr. Thomas Anderson took the opparatus on his back, having the mouth of the floxible tube in front of him in his hand j and when tho flamos had made a little progress the fluid from tho apparatus was ejected upon them, whifch Jcqaibly checked the fire, but it was easily rekindled. Two or three times the fire was extinguished when the building was but partially ignited. Blit presently tho whole mass was on fire, and against that forco of conflagration tho antagoniim of tho little jot of whitish fluid brought to bear on it was ludicrously inefficient, and was very soon exhausted. A jet of pure water of about five times its voluni^would probably have had as much effect ; and this was to small as to be quite inappreciable But for the presence of No. 2 firo-engine, the extemporised building would have been burned to ashes, tor after tiro apparatus had done its worst tho whole ra<><l of combustiblo material was in flames. Tho flre tsgino was then brought to bear on it, and in a verX few minutes the flro was extinguished."