NEWS OF THE DAY.

Press, Volume XXI, Issue 2399, 14 April 1873, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

We beg to acknowledge the receipt from the director of the Colonial Museum and Survey Department the following works :— "Sixth Annual Report of the Colonial Museum and Laboratory ;" " The Seventh Annual Report of the Colonial Museum and Laboratory ;" '' A Catalogue of the Echinodermata of New Zealand, with diagrams of the species ;" " Reports of the Geological Explorations during 1871-72, with maps and sections." Owing to it being Easter Monday, there will be no meeting of the Lyttelton Borough Council to-night. The ordinary weekly meeting will take place on Wednesday night. The favourite s.s. Halcyon will leave the wharf for Pigeon Bay this day on the arrival of tbe first train from Christchurcb, returning in time for the last train. A cricket match will be played to-day between the Papanui and St. Alban's The Papanui Eleven will be chosen from the following names :—J. T. Matson (captain), D. Maydwell, J. Davis, E. Hack,. Homer, senr., Homer, junr., C. Jennings, R. Triggs, 0. Fantham, S. Hewitt, W. Amos, W. Smith, G. Mayo, and R. Bishop. Wickets to be pitched at eleven a.m. sharp. We observe amongst the Adelaide telegrams in the "Australasian," of April 6th, an announcement of the death of Mr R t Roberts, for many years the popular leading actor of Dunedin ; and who- with his wife Miss Polly Leake, was a great favorite in this city when a member of Mr J. L. Hall's company. Mr Roberts was, comparatively speaking, a young man, and will be lamented by a large circle of private friends and public admirers.

"Time and Tide" still keeps its place in the bills at the Theatre Royal, and from its undiminished popularity the management have wisely made it the chief attraction for this evening, when the city will doubtless be thronged with pleasure-seekers from the country. The drama will be preceded by the excellent farce of <f Little Toddlekins," in which some of the principal members of the company will appear.

The second annual sports under the auspices of the Christchurch Athletic Club will take place this day in the grounds of the Agricultural and Pastoral Association. From the great number of the entries, as well as from the fact that some of our best local athletes intend competing in the various events a most enjoyable day may be anticipated. The only thing wanting to make the sports a complete success will be fine weather, of which there is every probability. The ground committee have taken pains to have the running course in good order, and all the arrangements are -very complete. The first event on the programme will come off punctually at twelve noon.

The Canterbury Music Hall will be reopened this and every evening during the week with Messrs Clifton and Tower's Variety Troupe, and from the programme a very excellent and varied evening's simusement may be looked for. Miss Fanny Sara and Mr F. Clifton have established themselves as public favorites, and the same may be said of Mr Towers. Eugene Beda, announced as the only one-legged trapezian in the world, will perform his daring Niagara leap on the flying trapeze, and the lovers of the sensational -will have their taste gratified by the wire walking of Mr Esaer Carle.

A treat was given to the children ©f Akaroa on Monday, the 7th instant, on the occasion of the opening of the new school. The children met at three o'clock, a when they were- taken to the green - adjoining the Town Hall, where sports of all kinds took place for prizes of toys, kc, given by several of tbe storekeepers. After, enjoying them, selves, as only children can on such occasions, Mr Wiggins, their Schoolmaster, gave tbe word to "fall in," and tbey marched back to the schoolroom, where thp tables had been laid. About 300 sat down to tea. which, thanks to the committee, was a splendid spread. Tea being over, the children went on to the beach, and a grand display of fireworks took place ; while this was going on the school was being prepared for the magic lantern, which was kindly lent and exhibited by Mr C. L, Wiggins, who j has lately had an addition tohis already large stock of slides from England, of some beautiful landscape views. To judge from tbe applause of the children after each slide had been shown they must have enjoyed themselves thoroughly. They broke up about ten o'clock, when three cheers were given for Mr Wiggins and those gentlemen who had been so kind in giving them one of the best treats tbey ever had. The school was beautifully decorated with flags, kc. . Great praise is due to Messrs E.C.v Latter, J. D. Garwood, W. Sims, W. Mccch t J. G. Hughes, gentlemen, who must have worked very hard to make the j treat such a success.

The nominations for the South Canterbury Steeplechase, are as follows :—Merrimac, Sir Tattoo, Honest John, Medora, and Tambourini.

Considerable preparations have been made for the Kaiapoi Wesleyan School anniversary tea meeting this evening. At the public meeting, in addition to a large array of speakers, the school choir will give some selections of sacred music which they have been assiduously practising for tbe occasion. After the meeting there will be a late train to Rangiora and Christchurch.

The meeting of the Kaiapoi School Com - mittee, at which offers of sites will be received and considered, will be held to-morrow (Tuesday) evening,

The General Government invite tenders for the purchase of the whole or any portion of the £250,000 New Zealand Government Debentures. For particulars we refer our readers to the advertisement appearing in our advertising columns.

With reference to the telegraph extension the " Timaru Herald " the other day said :— A gang of men are busily employed in j stretching a third line northward from Dunedin, and are now, at our" present writing, but a very few miles south of Timaru, and expect to join on with the Timaru station in the course of two or three days. From Timaru to just beyond the Washdyke, the local linesman has put up a third wire. On the southern gang completing the connection with the Timaru station, they will then commence at the Washdyke, and work north to the Rangitata, joining there the third wire which is being rapidly carried forward between that river and the Selwyn. In a fortnight or three weeks at the furthest, the additional wire will be complete between Christchurch and Dunedin, thereby giving the extra facility much desired to meet the demands of the continually increasing wire business. During the last few days an extra operator has been added to the staff of the Timaru office. This recognition by the Department of the increase of work in Timaru should be followed by making Timaru a twelve-hour office, from 8 a.m, tp 8 p.m t , that an additional operator is provided- the-GoTern-ment should not withhold" from Ha~e public this v further privilege; granted to offices where the business done. jus_nea the- small additional expense of keeping the telegraphoffice open four hours extra each day.

On Good Friday the Mandeville Wesleyan Chapel anniversary was held, there being public tea meeting and afterwards addresses delivered. The day was remarkably fine, and there was a large gathering ot people to the j tea. Tables were provided by 1 "Mesdames F. Young, Clist, Fisher, and Smith.- •■ The Rev R. Bavin was, voted, to the chair at the public meeting. . Mr F. Young, read tbe report for the year, which stated that there was no debt, but~several repairs were needed. There were fifty scholars on the Sunday school register, being an Advance of twentynine during the year, and a library connected with "the school now contained 110\ vols. The succeeding speakers were Mr Thompson, senior, who urged the importance of regular attendance at Divine Worship, Mr Wake, Mr Joseph Thompson, Mr James Thompson of Mandeville Plains, and £he Rev R. Bavin who gave an address on Christian Work. Tbe meeting was well attended and closed at, 8 p.m, with the usual vote ot thanks. The amount realised at this anniversary was £5 10s.

The annual Sunday school treat in con* nection with the Wesleyan Chapel"at Broadflelds, was held on Good Friday. Anniversary sermons had been preached on - the previous Sunday; that in the morning by the Rev F. Dewsbury, and that in the evening by Mr Sylvester. The. Rev Mr Dewsbury ( took for his text, " Jeßus called a little child," from the second verse of the 12th chapter of St and preached an eloquent sermon. On Good Friday, at one o'clock, the school children assembled in the grounds, and all sorts of fun. races, kc, took place till three, when; an intirodncSory address Was delivered "by Mr S* C. president of the, Canterbury Sunday school union, He bad established the first Sunday school in Canterbury at Akaroa in June-,, 1850, before the settlement* He commenced with only five children, but the Almighty had blessed the work, and they bad now 2881 children attending the schools, and 361 teachersThere were 27 schools, in the union, most in Canterbury, but aome in Otago and some in Westland, and air were- doing their best to .train children : in! ■'the riglit'_iatb'; ' The children then' adjourned,"and bad' more games till four p.m., when they; bad tea in the chapel, which was tastefully decorated with chrysanthemums 'arid evergreens. . Mor,e than sixty children sat down. The tables , were , pTjOyided • r by, . M,esdames Aiken, Mills, Early, and. three the two Mr Dodges and Mr Grainger. The bachelors' table was presided over by Mrs Gkainger. The; • provisions . Supplied were excellent. At five.o'clock the grpwn-UR people took- tea,-and the tables were filled three times-by fresh occupants before everybody had partaken, so that between, two and three hundred must have been present. Tea over, the room' was cleared, a platform erected, and the Rev Mr Eeall took the chair. rAn opening hymn having been sung by the children,. ''And .the.happy golden year," the Rev' <3e6rge_Jßond* engaged in prayer. Mr Garr, the «überinte_dent ot the sohool, then gave an account of their dpring the past year, ~frdm which it appeared that the total number of attendants had been 45 during tbe year, -and the teachers 11. The balance in hand £8 12s lid. The meeting "was then addressed by the following gentlemen :—Rev Mr Harper, Mr Perryman, Mr S. G. Farr, aud the,Bev Mr Bond. A vote of thanks to the ladies, pro* posed by Mr Broughton, end seconded by Mr Cotton, brought a very euccesaful meeting to a close. During the evening several hymns were excellently sung. ■by the children. ~ , . ;>,.„:

The services at St John the Baptist, Latimer square, yesterday were full choral; and Mr Landergan, the organist and choir master, deserves every credit for the manner in which the music" was rendered, showing evidence of great care in preparation. Tbe music sung during the day was as follows :-— Processional hymn, -~" Onward Christian Soldiers," during the singing of which the choir, entering sit "the souths door marched

to their stalls ; Easter anthem, and proper psalms chanted to single chants from Mercer's Psalter ; Te Deum, Benedictus and Credo to Dyke's service inF. The anthem " Christ our passover," was composed by Sir John Goss, and the hymns were selected principally from the appendix of " Hymns,. Ancient and Modern." The responses were intoned to Tallis' festival service, and the offertory sentences to Barnby. The church, we may add, was also prettily decorated with arches of evergreens, kc This evening and to-morrow being Easter Monday and Tuesday Divine service will be held, and on Wednesday evening a parish meeting will be held for the purpose of receiving the accounts and the election of officers for the ensuing year. The election of two synodsmen to represent the parish at tbe annual meeting of the Diocesan Synod will also take place at this meeting, for which three gentlemen have already been nominated. At the other city churches choral and semi-choral services were given, and at the Catholic church, Barbadoes street, the choir sang special music at Mass,

To-day, being Easter Monday and morrow, Easter Tuesday, divine Be'rvico J?i be held at St. Michael's at eleven o'chxk

The beautiful Capo lily, the B e ]_ ado!l lily, with its petals of French white . stained with bright pink, may now he in flower at Mr Swale's, Market-pl RCe

Wemay remind parishioners of St Michael' and All Angels that ,to-day i 3 thc'l day for sending in nominations of caadt dates for the office of synodsmen for th' ensuing two years to represent the pariah i° the Diocesan Synod. There are to bo t elected, and nominations are to be sent ° writing to the Very Rev tho Dean not UmJJ than to-day. Any duly registered member ,of tho church resident in tho nominate not more than two eandiaVt/ who must be trommunicants of full R „' resident in the diocese, and to k' nominated. The election will take pl ace at the annual meeting of pariahioneru Tuesday, the 22nd instant, at 7.80 & m t the schoolroom.

The usual weekly meeting of tbo Cit Council will be held on Tuesday ovenicl to-day being a public holiday. •-,'

We remind our readers that the concert on behalf of St; Michael's Organ takes pln Cc al the Odd Fellow's Hall on Thursday aext when a most attractive programme vil\\ b_ presented. ....-,.'. ,- .

In the Supreme Court on Saturday 'tha case of Retina-r George Burgess 1 f6r'ao!f W . fully wounding was proceeded i n which the jury returned a verdict of " Not Guilty."" The Court will re-open at" tea' a.m. this day, wheb the case of Regtna v F Berg, fire to stacks will taken.' The prisoner being an alien will be tried by a mixed jury.

Miss Emanuel's and Mr Anderson's con. cert on.Saturday evening was; only poorly attended, but this did not in any way affect the manner in which the, various items pf a very capital programme were rendered. Ia the first- part Miss Emanuel sang the rcci« tative and sccna, " Ernani Invokim," " Robert toi que j'aime-," and tho duct idft Mr Winter from Sonnambula, " Take cow thisring..": The whole of these v?m e%l. lently sang, more particularly the caVatici I'Robert toi que 'j'aime," which tp_ _ great musical • treat. The scena bm, " Ernani'* was alsd capitally rendered, In the duet "with Mr Winter Miss Emanuel's fine rich , cohtraltp notes were .displayed to great advantage. In the second partMi_ Emanuel gave a selection from " which was' very ! enjoyamfe,' and' a (sparkling solo by Farmer,- -'-'riOoUow ?bee," which affords scope for Mi«B Emanuel's really bril* liant execution," "-wis loudly applauded. In response to encores, during the evening Misi Emanuel Bang," The last Rose of, Sunjiper,' 1 and -"fhe fiarb that once," both of whicb were received With loud applause. Mr Anderson's contributions to the programme iucluded a fantasia on airs from "Maritana" a Polonaise ; by • Chopin, selections artaugctl

by himself from "Un'Ballo in Maschcra," and a fantasia by Rosellen on themes from '« Le Prophete.'? of these by far the best te the Marit Ana eelectiona,*vrhi'ch were magnificently played. We must confess to a Sense of disappointment at the Polonaise ; there seemed a want of appreciation of the' ccim. poser, or - a~wah£br rehearsal,which detracted spme\v_a£ trbta the __ect. The 1 fanfe from "Le Prophete >f -was capitally plajed, and deserved the appTauie bestowed up it. Mr Anderson played sonio seleotta from "Norma" on the concertina at tia close of the concert, but we cannot coaiMi, ment him, . As we beffra observed, the lady who baa bo often: fe ligbted Christchurch .audiences with her brilliant playing upon this instrument,; haa spoiled us for anything but first-class escaution. Mr Winter sang, tbe romanza "Di Pessatore,". very, well indeed, and he was also successful in •'*' The' Village Black' smith," exegpti that he took the piano passages In the transition movement too piano, being-scareely-audibler- We did not like his rendering^of.," My ..pretty Jane;" it ws3 too prnate, and he: introduced some fioariebes into the ooflclisding portion of the siclody, which in our opinion' spoilt it, la & "Death of Nelson" lie Sang capitally, k? .better indeed *baH* wtf havß ever h6~& &' sung here, This, gentleman, is far jnow si home, from bis. operatic training, in sosgsof this class-requiring dramatic effect, thaa _■ those of - more simple: character.' The «__• programme will "be repeated this eteniogt and we, notice that the price to the frost seats J_as ; been Tedafifsd from this evening.

There are thirty applicatiooa for publicnua' licamsesl forj the. consideratiori atl f_e annual frcennng meeting. To-day the Loyal Rangiora Lodge c£ Odd Fellows expect the presence of a large _ua< ber of vtsfl^_tat r the fj pTocekdingn in constction with the opening of the new hall. ?'■ are requested!*) state that a "special train b> been' put OA: lor the convenience ef vTsiten from Christchurch and intermediate stations leaving Rangiora at ,11.30 p.m.

Welearn.from the:" Guardian" th* *ig Pere Eyacinthe, as he still continues to™ called, opened, his mouth in publio on 3m> 5 for the first time in Paris since -b& change alike of ecclesiastical and .social position. The occasion ot his doing 1 co was tbe decisidn of therlrencb .Evangelical Protestant Communion to hold a week of intere* sory 1 prayer 'for < lfcc restoration, ol Cans* tian unity ; and the locality was M. de FW* sense's; Chapelle- Taitbout, in the Bue «. Provence. -The Pere Hyaeinfcbe wa3«olie«s td address thjvmeeting,;, do so. The'positron'was not," perhaps, tn» which he would have voluntarily chosen tor A ' re-appearance 1 *before a French public a»» quitting the pulpit oJ. Notre Dame. Q .!!! seemed scarcely probable that any ota<* would be open to him. for some thne-w come in Paris. An authorisation ftonx ttw • authorities' isn&jeSsary for him to speak is public anywhere else except in a V^ z f, worship; and the present Ministre ** Cultes, who recently struck the army ca*V' lams out of his budget to pleaseihe Eifes® Left, and then allowed their placed by Jesuit chaplains, serving gratis, to pie* the Extreme Right, is not likely to iB the responsibility of granting a iiW public speaking to the Pere HysfflflJJ The latter, therefore, has broken e »p™zL above intimated. The curiosity ana in&ww to hear bim again seemed to be very &®t' for the chapel was filled to overflowing an hour before tbe timo annoonced. congregation, though mainly proteß of a mixed character, and many*-a* n |_ ffi were present, as well as Episcopalians. English and American. Tbe f rQC^ t D o f opened with the announcement by a P from the pnlpit, of the Week of Interc; s»- tf followed by a prayenmd ps alm ,f which the Pore Hyacintlie was »"™i th c and spoke, not from,tbe pwlpi*> _d*«« raised platform in front of it. *»° was chiefly of a general character upon object of the -)s&_s•

T the HHev > __->-_fe_ta&r will 55* in the following extract from ' » &**? John's Parish Magazine " (Manpjfce have been requested to -e&gtej)» ..The Preacher, the Organ, tho : Sr*_7___ the Bells.— Sunday, 12thoJanu- ; tSoP».,fve a memorable day at St. John's oft *? u o ne who ia well qualified to speak ** : A that the services of this day mark baa **"; BO table event that has occurred in since its consecration. And in*!j fwsis hardly too much to say ; for on I-firet Sunday after Epiphany we shall have * iVted ft thorough repair and beaufafylngcell1 h church, together with the renovation rf H+Lse "appliances and means to boot" "'*fiiS_«n__y though* nedessafy to the * «ta«rvance of public worship in the -** \7f Eneland : aad-as if to make this ■ ffSdest of red-letter days, Providence | ?! *Tordained. that the special preacher, - b^S£*hb,/ when, erewhile''curate of Km's. endeared himself to all around by ?V___es_us* of purposexonstantty-worked «ith might has.since, A girdle"round' the earth," inst long at the Antipodes,to make, himself a £X other hearts at" another St John's; a now re-visits our ark with the message of peace, gp&FftS»?»PP n «*!F «fte Princes of Orleans," says the Paris Jroondent of the "Pall Mall Gazette," - f£re _bfpmed) fan claiming their J* ted estates directly they returned to ISL, instead of waiting for the country to iffWitselfi wd 'Sow brought HLrd by the Princesses will not add Scon lU., powerful representations totoea of the Princesses of the younger %&_.*£'Ste* B s*® lt * JstotgAtitt tbef the Empire. Now, however, the s: JJSn ww 1855? Tbe Be P nblio feels nitionT« its purity, and nonesty. sic bd***_^ oCr *^ c ß_orJftl ? P"?o f of car§ ; fpr ti«!& rfwrste interest which he. always "family. M Frawasque us of his July Majesty oa the flight of Charles before -gjjtanng to the PalaiFßoyal, stepping in to «cc Ze&MiL so that it might not be confounded Ibß _-*l e (says tbe " Age ") is without tbe «olony_ if®B as'been said against it'df late, thereftwitis only fair to give tbe following bit cf en'dencpbomeirei*-fasten by s fimeaton eon-pondent of the " Creswick Advertf *A i V^_ ,, « n-sts-mridea torjobj, thiitles, at least, ' that's' tm toncldston I partly arrived at after visiting a neighbor's farm a dajT-pjriiHK ago. I had ieard that sheep would eat them, and flishirg for more information on the sub? __ ? 4ft«69at^i :? rr6i_ ! Ifcbe lessesMjfcMwafe its heights, and sbeep feeding en the flowers'"orthe* tfrilStles, in which there must be considerable nutriment, for they were what any-baicber would call in prime condition. It was not because there was nothing else to.fees on. for the pasture was good for the but it was evideotiyrr*!tttaWM«fe dkoihe Mth-tbemy afi_ on proceeding over the ground where the sheep had travelled] were nearly all denuded of their flowers, and so thoroughly impressed was„Mr Fawcett of their fattening properties, that he was induced to knock off his men from cutting any more." We giv#'ihWfbK£olng _U tfie i Sbre4?eadlly, as offering an inducement to farmers for the adoptfen that can be introduced .to ih«i farm.

The Melbourne "Argus" publishes the following extract fromTa' letter written by < a gentleman at Mauritius, relative to the 1 prospects of Fiji as-jUSag&Kgrowing coun- i ! willing to buy my s l«id.rii_ Faj. lam not in I a hurry to sell those lands, out if he would make mc a good offer, I will consider what I ■< shall do. Before longr+be Fijis are sure to 1 make more sugar than the Mauritius, and < _\_i proximity tQ~tbe.-=A-»stralian colonies i planters are afraid o'fstibnTesults, and they talk of sending their sons to Fiji to grow sngar. Such a thing would have been already done if England and the Australian colonies had annexed Fiji;.and as,Bpqn.as this is done, 4 Yiti Leva,' which I 'the'planters here talk of as their place. ,qf predilection, ryrif Lswafm ■with I_auritius i yb'ut_B and Mauritius money. Then my land will be worth £30 to £40 an acre. Good sugar land-here in the Mauritius is very often sold at £100 an acre, and I fiotts. myseltihatt_e4apd,whi<& f X .picked r : ifßjiife very*- for iag. Indeed, I if to-morrow tbe news reaches us that Fiji has been annexed to the Australian colonies, planters ' here are sore to buy my land at something like £30 an acre. Write-fcome, or rather tell Mi to write to mc. about what he offers fcr my land. Tell him that if he intends growing, sugar, my land is tbe very best; if he intefi_§atf __K___»ary, to grow ttsfcton there, then it is useless to. buy it, for for eottan growing. _•_!&&£ ifeye_>;_be Polynesia Company has to" exchange my land warrant _* & conveyance of ""tire said land. I will *riteto—-—T»r toeet i|f«mei/ v askiim to K»bout ltT A rather curious contribution to the incideiit6.<ofthe.lata.Bostob'£teih4asuffi:/idfee to light. In one of the stores in the burnt district, the porter wrtfcthe keys of the safe won hand and perceived that the fire was toanarro in "the counting-room, and at last eaagat np the plated~4ce-pitcher full of »atffi locked it in the safe and departed from ttet^i_^i^ scionsaess that he had Acc° m plished' some•jaog to save his property, when, however, the safe-was taken from the fains, it was found that the books were unbared. ThsP fieal which woui¥otherwise .destroyed on ly Averted the water into steamY safes are cow under advertisement as the last ■Boston M notion." -— that a txsin been, sapped bye boatof locusts will seehi (says' a contemporary), to most persons to be one ~fikH?i__g_f__&V_. *_«1 that such is the fact on the line besod r 6a»dfit^fc r b_s Saturday night. As tbe forty-five minutes past Strain did not-arrive.toJtime, the sta-, communicated with Castlemaine and was informed that it had usual _bax_■'. :!I_v?nglw-tSe& *® tone time be ordered a special engine «be got ready to proceed down the v 1 8?! but before it could start, tbe train being half an hour behind time. *** guard reported that wlien near Harcourt raetjajn was suddenly brought to a stand*~^jiandon inspection it was found that an swtruction had been caused by an immense n *aulation of locusts on the line, covering taeground to a depth of four inches. As the were crashed under t_e four wheels of 7J* el °coinotive, the line became so slippeiy ««the driving wheels would not grip. The «ai!i were sanded to no purpose, and at last J®*"PeeWes,wereused, and even..then four «Wsb had tb be left behind. The trains jaich arrived later reported that they had not such difficulty, the locuata;: Probably having cleared off the line. How ~fl got there in such numbers it is not very I-7-T *° .It was, raining at the.time the -encountered -them, and it is most _®f* heavy flight of them had been driven by a strong gust ot wind, and been I^S!i4s?fa pjjtl-e -rain-.-.-- -From-tbis strange «v*P?? cc ' pDrsons"who have seen nothing of ™edensev_igfctß of locusts with which —_nf lifll^ P* 0 ** 1 ** shave5 have been infested;bf late to gain some idea of the immense which tbey pass over