NEWS OF THE DAY.

Press, Volume XVIII, Issue 2668, 18 November 1871, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

In the Eesident Magistrate's Court, at Christchurch, James O'Brien, for drunkenness, whilst in charge of a horse and trap, was fined 20s. We understand that the Canterbury Museum will be closed for alterations from Monday next to Saturday, December 2nd, both inclusive. The next of the series of services for children will be conducted at S. John the Baptist's, Latimer Square, by the Key. E. Bailey, incumbent of the parish. The subject of the sermon to-morrow will be "The Wheel of Fortune." The special cervices in connection with the Durham street Wesleyan Church came to an end this day, when services will be conducted in the schoolroom. These services have now been conducted for some three weeks. At the Theatre Royal last evening, "Old Phil's Birthday" and "Is She a Woman" were produced to a fair house. This evening the great moral drama of " The Bottle " will be given; and the spectacular drama of "The Sea of Ice " is also in preparation. We have been requested to inform intending exhibitors at the Ellesmere Show, that all sheep are to be shorn, except in the merino class; those are to be shown in the wool; and to inform the members of the association that another meeting will be held on Monday next, at Loe's Hotel, Leeston, at 7 p.m. At a meeting held at Loe's Hotel, on Thursday last, the 16th, the classes for the forthcoming show were arranged, and will, after next meetiug, be published. ■ The Hon. Wm. Robinson and Mr Dilloway-were duly elected members of the Ellesmere Farmers' Club, and of the Ellesmere Agricultural and Pastoral Association,

A meeting of the Heathcote Rowing Club took place at the Christchurch quay, on Thursday eveuing ; ten merttjbers-were present, Mr Simrnonds occupying the chftir. The Secretary read a letter from Mr Craig, the agent for the insurance company, stating that the removal of their boat from the Quay to the Steam Wharf would' not affect the policy. Three new members were elected. The Treasurer "stated that the sum in hand, together wirh,tbe outstanding* subscriptions, amounted to about £20. He was requested to obtain the outstanding subscriptions as soon as possible, in order that the club might be in a position to pay off the balance owing to Messrs Dalgcty aud Co. for their new boat, the Naiad, as that firm had very kindly allowed the liability to remain unliquidated for a considerable period. It was further agreed to get up an entertainment in aid of the funds of the club, and a committee was formed to carry out the necessary preliminary arrangements. We are informed that the members of the club who are practising for the forthcoming regatta, speak in the highest terms of the water at the Steam Wharf, and aTe convinced that a good onemile course could be marked off, at almost any point of which three four-oared boats could row abreast at high water.

With reference to the meeting in connection yvith the Kaiapoi JRegatta, held on Wednesday evening last, the Rev. E. A. Lingard requests us to state that "the Mayor of Kaiapoi must have been misinformed with regard to the conversation that was reported to have taken place between Captain Kose and himself. A conversation did take place, but Mr Lingard did not show Captain-Hose auy letter with reference to Shaw, Saville, and Co.'s cup, for he had not even seen any such letter; the Mayor's name was not mentioned in the conversation ; and no message was given by Captain Rose to Mr Lingard for the Mayer, norhas any communication passed between the Mayor aud Mr Lingard. What really did take place was that the Rev E. A. Lingard having been informed that a letter was in existence at Kaiapoi from Captain Rose himself, stating that the cup was to be rowed for as the clubs should decide, he asked Captain Rose what would be his decision in case such a letter could be produced, and Captain Rose replied that it would be in accordance with the terms of such letter. It remains, therefore, for the Kaiapoi men to settle this matter by producing the letter, if they are in a position to do so.

We have quite a chapter of accidents from Kaiapoi. Oα Wednesday, F. Hill, a boy employed by Mr J. Hurse, was thrown from a horse, and the animal falling on him dislocated his left shoulder. A dog had rushed at the horse, causing it to shy and fall. On Thursday evening, as the crew of the Ku-ku, C.8.C., were out upon the river, the bow oarsman's oar snapped in two, which caused the boat to cant over, and another of the crew missing the water with hie oar caused a capsize. The cox swam ashore, the rest of the crew were supported in the water by the boats Tui and Cure which were in company at the time of the accident, till Mr Murphy arrived with a dingy and conveyed them ashore. The same day at 10 p.m., Crookes' stables narrowly escaped from fire. In an adjoining harness room, where two boys slept, their clothes having been hung too near a naked light, had begun to burn, when two passers-by detected the smell of burning cloth, entered the place, discovered the cause, and promptly put out the fire. On the same evening the curtains over the window of a private house were accidentally set on fire, butsoon extinguished. On Friday morning a fisherman named " George " was capsized in a sail boat opposite Mr Lock's, in mid-stream. A boat from the ketch Volunteer fortunately picked him up before he was quite exhausted.

The Rev. Alexander Reid, chairman of the Southern districts in connection with the Australasian. Wesleyan Methodist Conference, preached his official sermon in the Durham street Weslejan Church, last evening, to a large congregation. The Rev. J. A. Taylor conducted the prayer and read the lesson. The chairman then proceeded to deliver the official sermon, taking his text from Ephesians iii. 16 v. " But speaking the truth in love may grow up into Him in all thiug3 which is the head, even Christ, from whom the whole body fitly joined together, and compacted by that which. every joint snpplietli, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part maketb. increase of the body unto the edif jing of itself in love." The rev gentleman, in the course of an able and earnest discourse, reviewed the state of the church, pointing oat that their motto as a church was progression and aggression, aud that to carry this out the duty of the members of the church was to live so as to show to the world that they were connected with the cause of the Gospel, and thus aid its extension. He also spoke strongly on the influence of the family and Sunday school, and impressed upon his hearers the necessity of looking after the children of the school. At the conclusion of the sermon the Holy Communion was administered. To-morrow evening the annual sermon to the young, instituted by order of conference, will be preached by the Rev. W. Morley, of Lyttelton, in the Durham street church.