NEWS OF THE DAY.

Press, Volume XVIII, Issue 2704, 30 December 1871, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

The usual watch night services will be held to-morrow evening at the variqusWesleyan and divine service wDI also be celebrated at St. Luke's at midnight.

The criminal sittings of the Supreme J Court will open on Tuesday, at 11 a.m., before his Honor Mr Justice Gresson.

The ball advertised to take place on the Ith January to open the New Hall of the Benevolent Lodge LOCO.F., M.U., has been postponed until Thursday January 18.

The pantomime was again repeated last evening to a fair house at the Theatre Royal. On Monday a change will take place in the opening.

We are informed that there will be service at St. Luke's Church at eleven o'clock on New Year's Eve, consisting of Litany (choral), sermon, jmd celebration of the Holy Eucharist.

The various Banks in Christchurch will be closed on Monday aajL-Tuesday, January Ist and 2nd, being general holidays. The offices of the Provincial Government and the City Council will also be closed.

The Woolston committee appointed to get up sports to. celebrate the first Thursday half-holiday, have issued a very tempting program me,-and in addition there will be an exhibition of fruit,and flowers. :

According to the Argus, the s.s. Rangitoto was to leave Melbourne on Saturday last at two o'clock for Hokitika, via Milford Sound. Unless a short stay was intended to be made at the Sound, she is now due, and is almost sure to bring, the English news via Suez.

A correspondent offers a suggestion that in the boat races at the regattas, the crews would assist the spectators in watching their relative positions in the race, by wearing shirts.as well as caps of a distinguishing color, the caps are so small, and in some of the clubs so nearly alike, that they cannot be discerned in the distance.

We are glad to learn that Constable Smith's accident is not so serious as was at first apprehended. He was quite stunned by his fall, and lay for some time insensible, but no bones are broken, and with the exception of a severe contusion on the right shoulder, and a very swollen and disfigured face, he is not very much the worse of his f aIL He is at present at the Depot, where he will remain until he is able to return to his duty.

A performance will be given on New Year's night at the Colonists' Hall, by a company comprising Mrs C. F. Searle, Miss Amy Thornton, and Messrs Thornton, and C. O'Brien. A very attractive programme has been prepared, and as the entertainment is under the patronage of His Worship the Mayor of Lyttelton aud the various rOwiug clubs, there will doubtless be a full attendance.

A meeting of the committee of the Lyttelton Regatta was held yesterday evening. Six entries were received for the race for Shaw Savillc's cup, and six for the cup given by the Mayor of Lyttelton. For the yacht race no entries were made. As regards the time of tho race on Monday morning, for outriggers, we understand that the committee will meet the representatives of the various crews at 7 a.m., a train leaving Christchurch at 6.30 a.m. The meeting will take place iv Mr Packard's office, kindly placed at the disposal of the committee. Messrs Wood and Cunningham have also kindly placed their large store at the disposal of the boating men for the safe custody of their outrigger boats. Captain Gibson and Mr. Crosbie were appointed to lay off the course and see the buoys were in their proper places.

The arrangements made by the railway authorities, for the running of trains tomorrow and Monday, are as follows :—Sunday, December 31. South line—From Christchurch to Selwyn, stopping at Addington only, at 8.30 a.m. From Addington, stopping at intermediate stations, at 8.45 a.m. From Selwyn at 3 p.m. and! 7 p.m. "New Year's Day -.—From Christchurch, stopping at intermediate stations, at 8 a.m.and 5.30 p.m. From Christchurch, stopping at Addington only, at 11 a.m. From Selwyn for Christchurch and Addington only, at 6.30 p.m. From Selwyn, stopping at intermediate stations, 9.30 a.m. and 6.45 p.m. Lyttelton line—New Year's Day: From Christchurch at 6.30 a.m., returning at 7 a.m. Special trains for Lyttelton at short intervals, from 8.30 a.m. to 2.30 p.m., and from Lyttelton for Christchurch from 4.30 p.m. to 7,30 p.m. The 3.30 train will not run. Single fares for. the double journey. On Tuesday the ordinary trains will run.

On Thursday evening, a meeting of the members Of the Kaiapoi Boating Club was held at Burnir/s hotel. There were present, Dr Dudley, the vice president in the chair. Messrs Beswick, Burnip, Belcher, Dudley, Craig, McNicol, Jameson, Hassall, Balch, Eckersley, and Shaw. In reference to the Lyttelton Regatta, it was decided not to enter the Pere for the Shaw, Saville and Co.'s cupi but it will be entered for the Mayor's cup, whether the crew will be able to put in appearance at the regatta or not. The captain was. requested to endeavor to get together a second crew to row in the Sweepstakes Race, at the Kaiapoi Regatta, on Saturday week. On the- motion of Mr Beswick, it was decided that the Rev. W. W. Willock and Mr Geo. Jameson be appointed a sub-committee to confer with a committee of the Cure Club, in reference to sending one crew from the clubs in Kaiapoi to the interprovincial regatta. Last evening the Rev. Charles Fraser delivered a lecture in St. Andrews Church in aid of the Sunday schools. There was a good attendance. The chair was occupied by.Mr Wilkin. The rev. lecturer commenced by defining what Darwinianism was, and spent some time in explaining what the theory of natural selection was, distinguishing it from the more comprehensive hypothesis of evolution. He then stated some of the'objections which had been raised against the theory, and the answer to those objections. The lecturer was of opinion that natural selection was a statement of a set of circumstances, which no one could doubt, but was not an expression of a power in nature. It was the truth, but not the whole truth, and even Darwin himself seemed to have admitted in one of his recent works that additional hypotheses were necessary. The second part of the lecture was devoted to the bearing of natural selection and the theory of evolution upon the physical history of man. The lecturer, pointed out that those theories were, not necessarily-opposed to the doctrine of immortality or a revelation. In an incomplete state, they would no doubt be used against religion, but the ultimate beai> ing of a well ascertained truth was never to be dreaded. ;The lecturer urgedthe duty of not only studying the evidences; of revealed religion, but also that of testing every scientific theoiy, -however appareatly hostile

to religion, solely by the evidences of facts. A vote of thanks to the lecturer terminated the meeting.

The arrangements at the Music. Hall for the performance th:s evening are nearly complete, and now that the proscenium h.is been finished, the effect from the body of the hall is exceedingly good. The door for the reserved seats has been cut through the side of the hall nearest the square, and a porch having been placed over it will prevent draughts on the door being opened. Mr Yarley since his arrival has been busily engaged in painting some really excellent scenery for the opening opera, aud altogether the initial performance promises to" be' a great success. The opera will be Verdi's "II Trovatore," Signora Margherita Zenoni sustaining the role of Leonora, Signora Luigia Polli that of Azucena,' and Signora Luigia Tournerie that of Inez. The male characters are distributed as follows; — Manrico, Signor Ferante Rosnati; II Comte di Luna, Signor Filippo Coliva; Ferrando, Signor Enrico Dondi; Ruiz, Signor Francisco Benso. On Monday Rossini's opera buffa of "II Barbiere di Siviglia" will begiyen, with Signora Augusta Cortcsi as Rosina; and on Tuesday, Bellini's "La Sonambula," Amina being allotted to Signora Tamburini Coy. Of this latter performance the Melbourne press speaks very highly. The selection of the operas for. the three first nights is a very good one, affording as it does an opportunity for the display of the peculiar talents of each of the prima donnas. This evening will be the only opportunity of hearing Verdi's favorite and popular opera of '• II Trovatore," as the company do not intend repeating any opera during their season. The members of the company, thirty in number, arrived by the Taranaki yesterday evening, and came through to Christchurch by special train. The seats, having been arranged aud planned, may be secured at Mr ikmnington's during to-day.

The treat to the children attending the Kaiapoi Island Church Sunday school came off under exceptionally favorable circumstances on Thursday, in a field, kindly, lent for the purpose of the picnic, by Mr H. Neeve, the weather being all that coujjd be desired. At an early hour the children with their teachers were assembled, and • daring the day with their elders enjoyed many a merry game, there being two sets of cricket players among the young men, while some of those more advanced in age we were surprised to see kicking the football .with equal vigor with some of their youthful compeers. A lot of toys, nuts, and sweetmeats, were distributed to the juveniles, and each boy received a bran new pocket knife, each girl a pair of scissors, thanks to the subscription of the bachelors which reached the amount of £5. At tea time 100 children were entertained in a tent profusely decorated with foliage and flowers. The adults, numbering about 150, also partook of tea liberally provided by Mesdames Neeve, Giles; Brown, and Wright, arid Misses Giles (2), Clothier, and Wilson. A public meeting was then held in the tent, which accommodated about 250 people. Mr H. Neeve was voted to the chair. During the evening Messrs W. P. Wilson and C. Merton delivered addresses. The children were examined in Scripture history, catechism, and also recited one or two dialogues to the satis faction of those present, A number of handsome reward books were presented. The proceedings was enlivened by singing. At the termination the usual vote of thanks were passed, and at 9.30 all sought their respective homes, well satisfied with the day's enjoyment.

A public meeting for establishing the Woolston Library was held on Thursday evening in the Christian Chapel, Mr E. Bamford in the chair. The chairman explained what had previously been done in the way of establishing. t|le library ,- that in accordance with instructions from the committee he had made application to the Provincial Secretary for a grant from the Government, aud that the object of the meeting was to receive and consider the reply. Mr Bamford here explained that he had had an. interview with the Provincial Secretary, who informed him that a similar application had been sent in by the Mutual Improvement Society, and as the Government could only make one grant to the. same district, the two parties had .better arrange between themselves as to whom the' grant, when payable, should be handed over. It was also stated that as tho Mutual Improvement Society was a private body, the Government would not make any grant towards establishing a library in connection with such society. The Chairman then read the ; reply from the Provincial Secretary, which was to the effect that £10 would be at once available for the purchase of books, and £15 at a future date towards the erection of a library' building. After some remarks between the members of the library and Mutual Improvement Society, it was proposed by Mr J. W. Davis, and seconded by Mr H. Hawkes—" That it is the opinion of this meeting that the Mutual Improvement Society should relinquish in favor of the Woolston circulating library their claim to the proposed grant to be received from the Government, and that Mr Norris be authorised to communicate -with the former society requesting them ; to' do so." On being put to the meeting, ft was carried unanimously. This terminated the meeting as far as the public was concerned. The library committee then met, when, after expressing their satisfaction at the pleasant manner in which the matter of the grant had been .settled, it was proposed by Mr Freeman and seconded by Mr Simmons* " That this committee authorise Mr E. Bamford to obtain from the Provincial Secretary the

proposed Government grant." Carried. The meeting then separated.