NEWS OF THE DAY.

Press, Volume XIX, Issue 2812, 7 May 1872, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

• Special thanksgiving services are to be held in the various places of worship at Kaiapoi, on Thursday next.

We would remind the public that the annual meeting of Justices for considering applications for public-house licenses will be held this day at eleven o'clock.

We understand that the residents in the Waikuka district, near Woodend, intend petitioning the Board of Education to proclaim it an educational district, and allow them to erect a school.

During the recent flooded state of the rivers, the Hurunui has returned to its former river bed. It now flows in its old course, under the bridge, and nothing remains but to mend up the approach or approaches, when it will be no to ford this dangerous river. We trust steps will be taken to carry out the work referred to.

In consequence of Thursday being appointed for a day of thanksgiving, the meeting of the Kaiapoi Institute Committee is adjourned till next evening, when the tenders for the additional room will be received. From all we can learn, there is at last a prospect of this necessary room being built before the winter quite sets in.

The church of St. John the Baptist, Rangiora, had a narrow escape from fire on Thursday last. A workman had been engaged in repairing the gutters of the church and on leaving his work for dinner thoughtlessly put the hot soldering bolt on to a ba™ , of chips and shavings, which was lying against the wall of the building. After smouldering for a short time the bag burst into a flame, and would soon have set fire to the boards, had not a passer-by noticed the danger, and with commendable promptitude ran in and extinguished the flame. There will be a thanksgiving service for the recovery of H.R.H. the Prince of Wales in this church on Thursday next, when the offertory will be appropriated to insure the church, as &t present it is uninsured. -

The Horticultural Society's show of Chrysanthemums will take place this evening at Coker's Hotel, between 5 and 7.30 p.m. Exhibits will be received at four o'clock, and from what we hear there is every probability of a good show taking place.

We remind ticket-holders in Mr Firth's Art Union that the drawing will take place this evening. Amongst the prizes are some really excellent pictures of great value, and all of them are well worthy the risk of ob-

taining a prize,

Although only so recently opened, the trains on the Northern line are crowded with passengers' every trip. On Saturday last particularly, the number of persons travelling was markedly great. There is one point, however, which needs altejation, and that is the fixing of the arrival and departure of the North train so as to allow of passengers going to or returning from Lyttelton to exchange trains at the Christchurch station in order to avoid, as ia new the case, a long wait. As the time table now stands the North train comes in just after the Port train has left, and vice versa. It -would be a very great convenience to the travelling public if this defect could be remedied in some way. Batepayers who are wont to insinuate that the public works of Kaiapoi are not attended to should now be willing to give some praise to the Works Committee, and particularly to Mr Wearing, for the way in which they have during the past fortnight been improving the appearance of the roads. The North road is being well metalled from end to end, which it has urgently required. The committee, we also learn will, in addition to putting the footpaths and water tanks in proper order for the winter, probably carry out the formation of a footpath from the railway terminus to the swing bridge past the pound. A great assistance would be rendered to the town authorities if persons would be careful not to damage the paths by taking vehicles across them, and also prevent others doing so.

A meeting of the Committee for the arrangement of the details in connection with the concert to be given by the Canterbury Boating Club on the 16th instant was held last evening at Coker's hotel. Present—The Rev. E. A. Lingard (in the chair), Messrs Mounier (hon. sec), Balfour, Thomson, Mills, and Landergan. A letter was read from the Orchestral Society, offering their services upon certain terms, and the Secretary was instructed to reply that as the programme was rilled up, and the state of the funds would not admit of any expense being incurred, the offer could not be acaccepted. The draft programme was then brought up and considered, and it was reported that the following ladies and gentlemen had consented to assist, viz.—Miss Loughnan, Misses A. S. and L. Taylor, Mrs Digby, Mrs G» Harper, and Mrs Innes ; Rev E. [A. Lingard, Messrs Harley, Carrick, A. Oilivier, Cook, Simms, Thomson, Woledge, and Landergan. It was also decided that the prices be fixed at 2s 6d for the body of the hall, and Is for the gallery. The meeting then adjourned.

The usual fortnightly meeting of the Ellesmere Mutual Improvement Association was held on Saturday, the 4th instant, Mr R. Lockhead presiding. Mr John Lambie read an essay on "The International Association." The essayist stated that the International was regarded and spoken of by many persons as something diabolical. He wished to dispel that idea. He then gave a eketch of the ends and aims of the International Association, from the work of Karl Marx, entitled Das Kayital. Although some of its aims appeared suicidal and retrogressive, many were quite legitimate, and even necessary. The necessity of universal education ; the system of " planting out" already tried in Switzerland; the establishing of banks of credit by extending the principle of co-operation in production and consumption, and other machinery devised for improving the condition of the lower classes could not be called Utopian or extravagant in any degree. In fact society would be forced sooner or later to adopt some improvedmethod of dealing with the vast accumulation of vice, crime, and pauperism in the thickly populated district of the old country, and if the people in these colonies wished to escape the evils which had overtaken older communities, the social system must be entirely reconstructed.. It was impossible to arrive at a just decision as to what extent the Internationalists were responsible for the infamous events in Paris during the reign of the Commune, for it seems that both in France and Germany there are two International organisations in existence, one of which is a spurions one, subsidised by the Government, and promulgating theories subversive of all society and all authority, with a view to alarm the Conservative classes, and moderate people generally, and so to counteract the other; this has been a favorite device in France for many years. The essayist argued that there was no reason to suppose that the present system of society waa the permanent and inevitable lot of man. We had passed from a state of savagery and through various states till we had arrived at our present condition, in which the accumulation of wealth is evidently considered to be the chief end of man, notwithstanding all the efforts of our spiritual teachers to the contrary, and the doctrines taught by the founder of Christianity were practically ignored by society at the present day, but it was to be hoped this state of things would not always continue. With reference to the enormous discoveries of science and the multiplication of labour-saving machinery, the essayist argued that the Creator had surely conferred the inventive faculty on man for a higher purpose than the accumulation of wealth by a few. Several authors were quoted, and extracts read in support of the views advanced. An excellent criticism afterwards took place on several points raised by the essayist, the majority being of a favorable character. Mr D. Buchanan then gave a recitation " The Combat," in a very superior manner, and received n. complimentary criticism from members. It was intimated that at next meeting the following discussion should take place, viz., " Should railways be managed by the State or by private companies," Messrs J. Reunie and A. Simpson being the principals, the former supporting State management, and the latter that of company. Mr James Brown to give a reading on the same occasion. A code of rules framed for the guidance of the Association Library were read and adopted. Messrs O'Boyle, Lockhead, and Lambie were also authorised to purchase books for the association to the amount of £15. The meeting then adjourned.

His Honor the Superintendent, accompanied by Mr Thornton, the Provincial Engineer, paid a visit yesterday to the Asblcj bridge, for the purpose of inspecting it.

A meeting of the ratepayers of the Heathcote district will be held on Friday evening next at the school-room, Ferry Road, at 7.30 p.m., to consider the question of diverting the Heathcote river road from the quay to Opawa. A meeting of the Popular Entertainments Committee will take place to-day at four o'clock in the City Council Chambers to arrange details as to the programme for the next entertainment. We understand that special services will be conducted at the Jewish Synagogue by the Rabbi, the Rev. M. Zachariah, on Thursday next, at eleven o'clock, when special forms of prayer and thanksgiving for the recovery of the Prince of Wales will be read.

Those of the ratepayers of the city who have not as yet found it convenient to pay their rates for the past year had better take warning. Cγ. Hart has declared war a V out ranee against them, and no quarter is to be given. We have little doubt that rather than enter the lists with such a doughty champion, those who are challenged will see that discretion is the better part of valor.

His Honor the Superintendent, and Mr G. Thornton, Provincial Engineer, proceeded last week to inspect the Ashley bridge on the North road. It is remarkable that this river is hardly ever left without a bridge but some unfortunate gets drowned. We hope the bridge communication will however be restored before this happens in this instance. The ford at present used will not be a very safe one in case of fresh.

We were pleased to see at the weekly parade of No. 5 C.R.V., Kaiapoi, on Friday, that there was an improvement in the ranks. Lieutenant Craig was in command. The corps have determined to keep up the Queen's Birthday Ball, which every year has gone off with so much success. A sub-com-mittee will be appointed at a general meeting after drill, on Friday next, to carry out the arrangements this year. The ball will be held at the Kaikainui Concert room.

The capital fields for the two handicaps on the Queen's Birthday, nominations for which closed last evening, give promise of a good day's sport. Amongst those entered, we note Black Eagle, who brirjgs a good reputation for pace from the Metropolis of the Western goldfields, and Slander, whose performances have been a complete round of triumphs since the last meeting. In addition to these, several youngsters vvho have not yet achieved distinction, will put in an appearance.

The Timaru Herald says :—On Friday night last, between 11 and 12 o'clock, five stacks of grain, the property of Mr Patrick Grealish, farmer, were destroyed by fire ; there were three stacks of wheat and two of oats, containing in all about 800 bushels, which, unfortunately for the owner, were uninsured. Suspicion points to another incendiary fire, which appear to be on the increase in these parts. About eighteen months Bince a fire took place on the adjoining farm, occupied by Mr C. Burke, when several stacks were destroyed.