NEWS OF THE DAY.

Press, Volume XXXI, Issue 4280, 18 April 1879, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Mb Oomsosbiok-B Coktebs.—Mr Conyers, who recently returned from his trip to the South, has resumed the duties of his office. Cokkb's Nhw Hotel.—This elegant and commodious hotel which is being erected for Mr Ooker, well known as a highly popular landlord, will be completed in about six weeks' time. Thb Jubt List. —In consequence of a member of errors existing in the jury list, Sergeant Hughes has been going through the city and suburbs making inquiries with a view to the erasure of the names of persons entitled to exemption. 7 Thb Vomthtkkbs.—The contingent of the Canterbury volunteers who took part in the demonstration at Invercargill on Easter Monday returned by the express on Wednesday evening, and yesterday morning the Kaiapoi portion of them left for their homes. The men generally express themselves as much pleased with their trip South. Sdpsekb Coubt. —The criminal session came to an end yesterday, when the case of Regina v Sohwartz resulted in an acquittal through the prosecution breaking down. Today the Nisi Frius sittings will commence with the special jury case of Parker v Buxton. Abhbttbtoh Bbahch BADTii. — The tender of Mr J. Fraser for the construction of this line of railway has been accepted. His tender amounted to £11,504, which is slightly above the Parliamentary appropriation, and it is understood that it will be reduced to oome within the appropriation. The line of railway, as surveyed, will run eleven miles westwards from Ashburton, that is, towards the hills, and will open a large tract of valuable land. Kaiapoi Voltthtbhb "Eras Bbigadh.—An entertainment in aid of the funds of this brigade was given in the Oddfellows* Hall, Kaiapoi, last evening. There was a good attendance, and the two nieces placed on the stage were well received. It was only to be regretted that a more extended notice of the entertainment was not gives, as the attendance would have been even larger. Rakgioba Musical Fbsttvai.—The usual Easter musical festival given by Mr 0. Merton took place last evening in the Library Institute, Rangiora, when selections from the oratorio of Samson were given in the first part, and in the second part selections of vocal and instrumental music The proceeds, it is understood, were for the benefit of the fund for fee organ of St. John's Episcopalian Church.

St. Stkphsqt's, Kaiapoi. Mr F. de c. Malet has been nominated, as Synodsman for the parish of St Stephen's. Gaibtt __utAT_a_—TJw Diorama of the American War drew a capital house last evening. Basoioba Bailway Stasiob.—On Thras. day Mr Shannon opened a, bookstall at this station for the sale of newspapers and general literature.

Thb T__TTHroHiBTB.—Mr O. Weightman, better knows as Natator, arriTed yesterday to make arrangements for. the opening of the Illusionists at the Theatre Royal on Monday evening next. Abhbttbtok Coxmrs— Oovsosiu — A committee meeting of this Council was held yesterday, at whioh it was decided to draw up a report (to be presented to-the Council at their May meeting) regarding the protective works for the river Ashbnrton. ' u ,COBXfTSO:"—rA committee^' consisting of "tbe'Bev'O. Fraser and'Mr J. Colborne-Veel, secretary to the Board of Education, were yesterday appointed to make enquiries into aeveral alleged cases of " cobbing" that had occurred at the school at Southbridge. Ol>D*___OWß' PtTHBKSX, RjLBGIORA.—A largely attended funeral, that of Bro. G. IPennell, who was connected with the Oddfellows, took place on Thursday tndrnjng. The funeral rites were performed by Mr W. Sansom, senr., and the deceased was interred in the Baptist cemetery. Rakaia. —The meeting which was to have been held at Lavington, the residence of Mr 0. N. Mackie, on the 15th inst., for the pur. pose of electing a gentleman to represent this parish in the Diocesan Synod, was unavoidably postponed. Aa other Chabgb o» Arson. —At the Ashburton Magistrate's Court yesterday George Hamilton, the particulars of whose Ese have already been given, was formally mmitt-ed for trial on a xharge of arson. ail was allowed, prisoner in £300 and two sureties of £150 each. Inquest.—At the inquest held yesterday at the Southern Hotel, before Dr. Coward, coroner, on the body of Frederick Hillyer, who died suddenly ia St. Asaph street on Wednesday list, the jury returned a verdict of "I)ied from Natural Causes." The Stbwabts. —"If "was repeated last evening at the Oddfellows' Hall to a very good house. To-night will he the last appearance of the Stewarts here, and will be for the benefit of the Misses Bocy, Maggie, and Nellie. These young ladies have made themselves such thorough favorites* with playgoers here that a crowded honse should be the result of their appeal. Thbatbb' Boyai*.— " Hamlet " was played again last night to a good house. Mr Creswick was as successful as before in thoroughly satisfying his admirers, and with Miss Ashton waa called before the curtain. The reßt of the characters were sustained by the stock company, who rendered, efficient aid to the star. Run, way Accident.—One of the best goods engines on this section of railway, the Mazeppa, came to grief last evening in the railway yard at Port., The engine was going into the station with the 5 p.m. goods' wagons, and upon passing one of the points on a part of the newly laid line it jumped the track. About fifty yards from the point referred to, the engine sank in the gravel up to the cylinders. Men were at work up to late last night endeavoring to extricate the engine. No injury to life resulted, out the engine is reported to be seriously damaged. ___i_ah_ata Rbi__- Ehud Cabhitai..-^-In accordance with a resolution of the Kaitangata fete committee, the chairman, Mr C. T. Ick, and the treasurer, Mr W. Pratt, yesterday forwarded to the central committee the net proceeds of the late fete in Christchurch in aid of the Kaitangata sufferers, amounting* to £710 13s 3d. It should be stated that the manager of the Bank of New Zealand made no charge for the exohange, whioh would amount to about £4, and the Bank may therefore be regarded as having contributed so much in addition. FooTßAli.—A meeting of the Sydenham Youths' Cricket Club was held last evening, to discuss the desirability of forming a, football olub in connection therewith. After some discussion it was resolved to form a club, to be called the Sydenham Youths' Football ! Club. An election of officers then took place, and resulted in W. H. Bmith being elected captain,, and A. Webber, secretary and treasurer. The opening game will be played on the Waltham ground next Saturday. Play to commence at 2.30 pan. Thb Abdihotoh Wohxbhopb.**—The third contract for the erection of railway workshops at Addington has just been accepted. The two former contracts were for a fitting and repairing shop for the engines and for a shop for the carriages and trucks. The first* named of these is very far advanced towards completion, and will be finished in a day or two, while the second will be completed in the course of about a fortnight, both being within tbe contract time. The contract just accepted is for the smiths' shop, and the amount, as in the case of the other two shops, is about £2000. A New Township.—A new township, to be called Derby, is now being laid out on the north side of the river Waipara, at the terminus of the northern extension of the railway. The block consists of about forty acres, which will be cut up into 150 building allotments, the remainder of the bleck being set apart as reserves. The land is in a very rising portion of tbe country, and is in a very favorable situation. It is at the junction of the Weßt Coast road and the Greta Valley, where even at the present time there ia a considerable amount of traffic. Stealing Fowls.—lt is evident that there must be a number of persons in town carrying on the robbing of hen roofts as a business. A great many complaints have been received recently of suoh thefts, and only one detection has been effected. The Queen's Hotel has suffered considerably on more than one occasion, and the landlord has devised sundry ways of making it hot for the marauders. The thieves quite lately came down heavily on a member of the fourth estate in this town. At one fell swoop they carried off all his chickens, likewise several hens and fatted ducks, nay, even a cherished drake, which was the pride of his domestic existence. .Chbistchukoh Pototbt Sooibtt.—The Christchuroh Poultry, Pigeon, and Canary Society have received advices from Mr J. W. Ludlow, of Birmingham, of the shipment per Red Gauntlet on February 4th, for several members of the society, of the following stock:—Pigeons —Owls, pair blue, pair silver; dragoons, pair blue, pair silver, and one white hen ; carriers, one pair and a half ; fantails, pair white; tarbits, red and yellow, pair, each; baldheads, pair red and pair yellow, and a pair of nuns. Poultry—Dark brahmas, cock and two hens ; light brahmas, cock and two hens; Dorkings, cockerel and two pullets; Polish, white crested black, two cocks and four hens; one white Cochin cock, and'one buff Cochin cock. New Zbaiaitd Alt-iahob.—A publio meeting was held last night, in the Provincial Council Chamber for the purpose of inaugurating the Christchurch branch of the Mew Zealand Alliance for tha reformation of the liquor law. His Lordship the Primate ocoupied the chair, and addressed the meeting. The principal speakers were the Hon. Wm. Fox, the Dean of Christchurch, Archdeacon Dudley, and the Bey. 0. Fraser. Resolutions were passed, having for their objeot the concession of the power to render operative the principle of local option admitted in the existing law. An influential conusittee was formed, for the purpose of co-operating with the interim committee at Dunedin in furthering the objects of the Alliance. At the close of the meeting a number of persons enrolled their names as members of the Alliance. A report of the proceedings is unavoidably held over. Attbmptb_. Abson.—A most dclibera'e attempt to set fire to the business premises of Mr IL Fuhrmann was made during Wednesday night. At the rear of Mr Fuhrmann's furniture warehouse is a small lean-to opening out into a yard, to which access is gained by a gate in Cathedral Square. This gate was forced open, and a small window in the leanto smashed in. Immediately below this window in the lean-to was stored a quantity of iron bedsteads, covered with paper wrappings, together with chairs and furniture. The person or persons attempting to set fire to the premises had broken a bottle containing varnish, kerosene, Ac., over the papfer wrappings, and had also placed a full bottle containing the same liquid on the bedsteads. The paper wrappings had then been set on fire, whioh had entirely consumed them, and had also burnt up the wall of the lean-to, but strange to say had then died ont. Had the fire thus started once got firm hold it is im. possible to say what damage would have been ■ done, as Mr Fuhrmaim's warehouse is snr> rounded by wooden buildings, many of them of long standing, notably lie prewntTelegraph Office, whioh is next door. Up t» the. present no due has been obtained to the perpetrator of the offence.

Boasd of Education. —The ordinary meeting of the Board of Education was held at the Normal School yesterday afternoon, all the members being present. A good deal of business af the usual character* was transacted, a report of which appears elsewhere. Law Cotrar Staxpb.—As is known, no business in connection with the Court of law can he carried on hy cash payments, in consequence of law Court stamps being introduced. It appears, however, that at Ashbnrton the supply must be very limited, ss business is occasionally completely stopped through solicitors not being able to procure them either from the Post-office or any other place in the town. CAirTBBBUBy. Saibxabds Company (Li. MITBd). —At a meeting of, the directors held yesterday, Mr W. Henderson gave notice that at the next meeting of direotors he should move-"That the yard fees on sheep be reduced from Is to lOd per score, and paddocking at the same rate, and that the charge for pigs be reduced from. 3d to 2d per head, and that a sow with litter of pigs be charged Is only, and that the charge for cattle twelve months old and under be reduced to 3d per head." ,-'.-

Mb Aifbed Dampibb.—After playing a twelve nights' engagement at the Theatre Royal in Melbourne—during which "Hamlet," "The Lyons Mail," and "All for Gold," were represented—Mr Alfred Dampier, the popular actor, who recently returned from England, has proceeded to Sydney to fulfil an engagement ia that city. He afterwards returns to the Theatre Royal to assume the reins as stage manager and leading man for a lengthened term. ENGIKBB BT THB PlAZO.—TheiO tWO engines have now been removed to the railway workshops, and are being put together. They are not nearly so muoh damaged as was expected.. The principal injury is the thick rust, the consequence of water being pumped upon them when the Piako was on fire.' In all probability, the total cost of the labour required to scrape them aud make them fit for service will not exceed £200. This amount will be paid by the insurance companies. They will be fib for work in a few days, and will come in in very good time to aid in the immense traffic at present going on. Rbtibing Allowances. —Two more applications were yesterday made to the Boara of Education from schoolmasters who, being about to retire from their active profession through ill health, are desirous of obtaining retiring allowances. Hitherto the Government have declined to make suoh allowances, and yesterday a special resolution was passed, to be forwarded to the Minister of Education, asking whether there were any, and what, regulations under whioh schoolmasters who retire through age or sickness were entitled to suoh allowances as those referred to. Benefit oi Mb Cbhswiok.—Mr William Creswick will take his farewell benefit tonight at the Theatre' Royal, on which occasion he will appear in two characters. A most attractive programme has been provided, namely, Sheridan Knowles' fine play William Tell, in which Mr Creswick will sustain the role of the Swiss patriot, and Shakspere's splendid comedy " Katherine and Petruchio." Mr Creswick will sustain the character of Petruchio, and Miss Helen Ashton Catherine. On this special occasion a crowded house may be anticipated, from the host of admirers and friends Mr Oreswiok has acquired in Christchurch. Proposed Nbw Railway.—lt is proposed to construct by private [enterprise a railway from Christchurch to Tai Tapu, and thenoe round by the hills to join the Akaroa and Lincoln railway. The line starting from Christchurch will run through Sydenham, thence to Cashmere, and up the Railway reserve, thence by way of Halswell and up White's Tramway reserve, and so on to Tai Tapu as above. Some of the promoters of the line wish to call it the Christchurch and Akaroa Railway, but nothing definite has yet been decided upon, though the special object of the work is to connect Akaroa with this city. The promoters wish to bring the line straight into Christchurch without going round by a circuitous route. The country through which the line will pass is at present entirely without railway communication. Independently of the large -population in this part of the province, the land is for the most part of a very rich character. It is proposed that the line shall be taken over the same course as that advooated at the time of the Government laying out the Akaroa railway. It is now thought that, with the capital wbich it is proposed to raise, the promoters will succeed in carrying out the soheme as originally proposed. An active canvass is being made, the plans are all prepared, and the prospectus will probably he out in the course of a few days. Kaiapoi Bobouqh School—The monthly meeting of the committee of this school was held on Wednesday evening for despatch of ordinary business. Present —Messrs Johnston (chairman) Parnham, Pashby, Young, and Coup. Leave of absence was granted to Mr Bevell. Letters were read from the secretary of the Intercolonial Juvenile Industrial Exhibition. From the Board of Education (1), appointing Mr James Grant as second master ; (2), agreeing to purchase Mr Hall's acre for £150 for master's residence; (3), acknowledging receipt of letter agreeing to the new scale for payment of teachers; (4), quarterly returns of schools for term ending December 31st; (5), stating that the conveyance for the land of the master's house would be prooeeded with ; (6), forming regulations for penny savings banks; (7), enclosing agreement to be signed by Miss TJnwin as pupil teacher. It was resolved to defer consideration of the question of the savings bank till next meeting. From head master, forwarding claim for stationery, and asking for supply of ink. From four applicants for the position of assistant mistress. On the motion of Mr Parnham, seconded by Mr Pashby, Miss E. Monk was unanimously recommended for appointment to the Board. The return of attendance showed the number on register to be 368; average attendance, 278-5. The chairman presented a number of accounts which there were no funds to meet, and it was decided that the Board be asked to grant an advance from the incidental fund for June quarter. The committee then adjourned. Oddpbilowbhip.—The half-yearly meeting of the North Canterbury District was held yesterday in the District Chambers, Montreal street north. Bro. W. Fraser, P.G.M. (in the chair), Bro. A. Liddle, Deputy G.M., and Bro. B. M. Wright, P. 0.8., being the Distriot officers. The following lodges were represented by the number or deputies allowed by the rules of the Order, viz.:—City of Christchurch, Volunteer and Benevolent of Christohuroh, Perseverance (Woolston), Bangiora, Nil Desperandnm (West Oxford), Ashburton, Leitofield Doyleston, Star of Waltham (Sydenham), Oxford (East), Amberley, Ohoka, and Sefton. The meeting being j declared open for the transaction of business, correspondence was read from the G.M. and Board of Directors re the division of the district, which it is supposed will be carried: into effect at the next annual meeting. On the balance sheet and auditors' report being read, the delegates were pleased to find the district in such a flourishing condition, having a balance to the oredit of nearly £500. A j series of accounts were passed for payment, I including one for £10, being subscriptions from the various lodges, to erect a. memorial to the late Bro. Abrahams, P.P.0.8. After an adjournment of fifteen minutes, the chairman called on P.G. Thin to read the book examiners' report for the southern portion of the district, and on P.D G.M. Robinson (of Bangiora) for the northern. The reports were very exhaustive, and contained many useful hints to secretaries of lodges. There were five nominations for P.G.M. and twelve for D.P.G.M., and Past Grands Leahy and Richardson were nominated for P. 0.5., the present P.C.B. standing his poll (by virtue of his office) without being nominated. The meeting was brought to a close by the chairman presenting P.P.GJUE. Cameron with a beautiful inlaid, brass bound -writing desk and a family Bible, The recipient returned thanks in a neat speeoh. At 7 p.m., the G.M. oonferred degrees on all members holding proper certificates, after whioh a lodge of purple officers was held, and three members were initiated in that degree. N.Z. Rifle Association. —As will be seen by advertisement elsewhere, all claims against the N.Z. Rifle Association and the C.R.A. most be sent in to the secretary, Mr A. Appleby, on or before to-morrow. SO_THBR_D__ BACOK CcBINS COKPANT. —A special general meeting of the shareholders of this company will be held on Monday, 28th instant, at half-past seven o'clock in tbe evening, at the Royal Hotel, Southbridge. FooTBAL-.—The match on Saturday for the Eastern Club wiU be tha following Fifteen v the Club:—Messrs Bell, Boulton, Campbell, Cooper, Dobson, Hawkins, Joynt, W., Keith, Kenvig, Lambert, Parker (Capt.), Stringer, H., Twining, Whitcomhe, Wachsman, J. Play to commence at 2.30 p.m. sharp. Any of the above who are unable to play will please communicate with the secretary. Colors of Fifteen zed aud black.