NEWS OF THE DAY.

Press, Volume XXXIV, Issue 4754, 28 October 1880, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Actaibs ts Afghanistan.— It will be eeen from cur cable message this morning that a report boa reached Calcutta that the city of Cabul is in a state of anarchy, and that the new Ameer, Abdur Rahman, has been murdered. Mbdioai. —Wβ understand that Dr. Gbilton, late of Ohristohurch, but who has just returned from a trip to England, has received the appointment of eurgeon to the Timaru hospital, gaol and constabulary. Pouch Cottbt.— The greater part of yesterday was taken up in the hearing of the casee of perjury against Michael Murphy and Jas, Watt. They were both sent for trial at the next session of the Supreme Court. Bail was refused in both cases. There was no other business. Alleged FoBGEBY. —A man named William Hewiteon was arrested yesterday, on a charge of forging the name of Mr A. M. 0 arke, manager of St. Helen's station, Hammer Plains, to a cheque on the Bank of New Zealand, and attempting to utter the same. The " Unemployed."—A number of the men engaged on the Weka Paes section and elsewhere have recently left for other employ* mant. It is estimated that about three hundred still remain at the various stations. Theatbe Royal.—" Arrah-na-Pogue " wae placed on the stage by the Theatre Royal company last evening, and the attendance was very fair considering the counter attractions elsewhere, although the house was by no means adequate to the merits of the performance, which was really excellent throughout. Last night's programme will be repeated this evening. Ohoka School —A picnio of the Ohoka school children, accompanied by their teachers and friende, took place on Wedneeday at the Kaiaooi beach. There was a large attendance, and the weather was sufficiently mild to render the picnic a moet enjoyeble one. The juveniles and the party were conveyed to the locale of the picnic in vehioles kindly lent for the oocasion. Cabhejq Stbhbt Bbidgb.—The work of 1 repairing or reconstructing this bridge is being rapidly prooeeded with. The flooring of the old thoroughfare is completed, and the bridge was open for foot traffic yesterday. In accordance with instructions from the Council the City Surveyor is having a footway added to the old bridge, and this will add considerably to this accommodation for general traffic, and will be found of very great convenience, Yotoq- Mkk's Cbcbibtiait Association.— The members of this association met last evening in tbeir rooms to receive the annual report, &o. The president stated that owing to the serious illness of their late secretary, the board bad been unable to have their report sufficiently advanced to snbmit, and cravedjthe indulgence of the members under ciroumstanoes. On the motion of Mr W. Jameson, seoonded by Mr Maloolm, it was resolved to adjourn to Thursday evening, the 4th November. IhQUEST.—An inqueet was held before F. Q-uinesr, Esq., coroner, at Tinwald, last Tuesday afternoon, on the body of John MoLaughlin, a laborer, who died from the effects of a wound inflicted accidentally by himself ion his leg while cutting wood. After hearing madioal and other evidence, which occupied the most part of two hours, the jury returned [ a verdict of death from the effects of a wound on the leg accidentally inflicted by himself, but there was no evidence to show that there has been any neglect or unskilful treatment either surgically or otherwise. Ramgioba Fibk Bbigadh.—At the fortnightly meeting of this brigade, held on Monday evening after practice, ;t was decided to accept an offer from Fireman Siddons to attend to the plant of the brigade for twelve months at a salary of £20. It was further agreed that the Borough Council be written to in reference to the question of the pur* chase of a steam fire engine, and to ascertain if the Insurance Companies holding risks in the town would contribute. The challenge f .'cm the Xaiapoi Brigade to play a match at orioket on Boxing Day was accepted. NOBTHEBN AGBIOULTUBAI AND PASTOBAL Association. —A special meeting of the committee of this association was held on Monday evening at Roberts' Junction Hotel, Sangiora. There was a good attendance. Mr Q. Cone oooupied the chair. Mr W. Buss, hon. sec, reported that a fair number of the subscriptions had been paid, and the entries had come in as well as could be expected. He stated that a special prize had been offered by Mr Urcjuhart since the special prize list was published. Entries for the private prizes, it was determined, should close on Wedneeday evening. It is expected that the show on November 4th will be in no way inferior to the preceedicg ones. Police Changes.—Upon a very brief notice of about at. hour or so that Mr Inspector Buckley would leave the northern distriot on Wednesday, a few gentlemen invited him to meet them at Bnrnip's Hotel, Kaiapoi, on Tuesday ovening, when the opportunity was taken to express towards that officer the feelings of regret which the public felt on hie leaving the disknet, and the satisfaction he had given in t"Ht? di* charge of his onerous public duties. It was stated that arrangements were being made to give a public dinner, at which many of the principal gentlemen of the district were expected to attend, but Mr Buckley had decided to leave aevaral daya sooner than was expected ; thus it had been impossible to coll them together upon the short notice given. Inspector Buckley proceeds to Invorcargill by the South express to-day. Ohttboh Euthbtaikjieht, Bixmhbs.—On , Tuesday evening a musical entertainment was given in the public schoolroom at Sumner by some gentlemen amateurs, the proceeds of which were handed over towards meeting the expenses of the annual church festival, to be held on All Saints Day. The chair was occupied by the Rev. 0. J. Merton, who contributed some of the items on the programme, aa did also come of the ladies of Sumner, one of wh.om presided at the piano. The audience was large and appreciative, and the programme well chosen and carefully rendered. Amongst the songs which elicited loudest applause may be mentioned " The Lighthouse," " Nil Desperaadum," " What to us is Bilver Hair?" "Time may steal away the Roses," together with two clarionet solo 3 and a eolo by a gentleman who played the cornet. Lyttkltoh Chobal 80CIBTT.—The third concert given by this society took place on Taeeday night in the Lyttelton Colonists' I Hall, and in point of merit excelled either of the two previous entertainments. It is to be regretted that the efforts of the society were not encouraged by a more liberal patronage j than wae accorded on Tuesday evening, there being bat sixty or seventy persons is the hall. The following programme was performed, Mr j J. T. Madeod Smith officiating as musical director:—Duets and trios on the piano and American organ, by Misses Reid and Stout j and Mr Smith, who were repeatedly encored ; ! songs and choruses by Miss Kissel, Mrs Amos, and Means Barnes, L&ing, Parker, Smith and Brownsll, each of trhom recsived a well- i merited encore. The society has in prepare- ! tionthe"Me«ftfl," :

LOCAL IWDCSTBIBS COKUIXXKB AT RAH gobia.—A Proposal has been been made to hold an exhibition of local industries in the northern district* at Ringiora, and a meeting of persons interested is expected to-be held at an early date, to consider the matter with a view of taking action. # Mb Pboctob's Lbctubes. —The immense, audience that assembled in the Oddfellows' Hall last night to hear Mr Proctor repeat the lecture with which he opened hie oourse, was a still more convincing proof of the impression the eminent astronomer has made in the city than either of his previous audiences. None of the 600 coarse tickets were admitted, and yet some time before eight o'clock a placard announcing " standing room only" was hung up over the ticket-seller's office. The lecture went even better than on Monday, and the lecturer was meet heartily applauded. Tonight Mr Proctor will discourse on " The Sun: Euler, Fire, Light and Life of the Soar System " ; and to-morrow the series of lectures will be brought to a close with the " The Star-Depths, or the | Glories of the Heavens." It is specially i notified that both classes of tickets may be purohased beforehand. The Eftcct or LiSHnoua —A strange effect of lightning is vouched for by a French provincial journal. A young man was walk* ing, a few days since, along the country roud to Richelandiere during a violent thunderstorm. In bis hand he carried an unlit carriage lamp. Suddenly he felt what seemed to him to be a violent blow on his right arm. He supposed that the thunder had either struck him, or something very near him. What was his wonder and surprise may be imagined when he peroeived, on lookingdown, that the lamp which he held had been lighted. This carious phenomenon was witnessed and testified to by many persons who were proceeding along the same road to market. Ax iNTBBHSTnrG Ebuo.—Recently an interesting relic of stirring times was recovered from the sea on the east coast of Aberdeen■hire. This is no lees than one of the guns of the Spanish Armada, which has been lying these three centuries in a creek at Slams, a little south of Pefcrhead. The Be. Catherine was wrecked here in her night northward. Two guns were fished out of the same pool in 1840, a third in 1855, and two more guns and an anchor in 1876. The present find is reported to be the largest and most complete of all. " The gun is of malleable iron," writes a correspondent to the "Aberdeen Free Press," "'is complete in every respect, and not even corroded. The extreme length of it is Bft., from the muzzle to the touch-hole 7ft. 3in., and the diameter of the bore is 4in. The ball and wadding, still there, take up the space of 13in." The gun is mounted on an embankment in the neighborhood. The news of its recovery has probably not stirred a single pulse with the slightest wave of the emotions that agitated the whole country at the time when the gun went to. the bottom. Ahothbb Yankee Notion , .—Yet another point has been scored by tbe Americans in the matter of invention, the ingenuity of which cannot fail to reflect credit on the brain that originated the idea: It is a photographic apparatus, by means of which no less than nine portraits can be produced in an instant, that number being repeated over and over again as often aa the operator chooses, by merely turning a pair of screws. The machine, at first sight, seems somewhat complicated, but this idea ie instantly dispelled by a cursory examination. To prod nee the above results the modus operandi ie as follows : — The instrument having been fixed to a proper focus in front of the object to be photographed, which, by the way, is also adjusted by turning a handle, and a slide having been inserted containing a sheet of very thin tin prepared with chemicals, by merely touching a projecting pin nine lenses are revealed through which the light is admitted as in the ordinary camera; another touch of the projecting. pin and the light is obscured, completing the operation. Then, if it is intended to produce nine more, all that is necessary is to change the position of the slide by turning a screw, the exaot extent being indicated by a brass scale, so that the precise size of the portrait may be guaged. In this way (says the " New Zealand Times " of Friday) no leee than forty portraits in six different attitudes were yesterday produced within the space of one minute. . Tbb Habboe or Dutcigno.—The harbor of Old Dulcigno is one of the oldest on the Adriatic, and the best that exists on that harborless coast between the southern point, of Dilmatia and the mouth of the Drin. The haven is a cure safeguard from the south wind—the fierce sirocco, but ie exposed on its northern side. There are about a dozen huts now on the beach, making a little settlement, exclusively Albanian, and called Limani. In the beginning of the sixteenth century the appearance of the harbor was very different. The town fell into Turkish hands very late in 1571, and the Turkish Governor of Scutari, who was responsible for the distriot, proved incompetent or unwilling to oheck the piracy whioh gave Dulcigno an evil, name in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. The light Dulcignote barques descended on the Italian, Albanian, even Greek coasts. The Porte undertook to put them down, but the Governor of Scutari, himsslf always chosen from a particular North Albanian family, waa not inaccessible, and moreover the Porte had no particular objection to seeing the Austrian and Italian commerce damaged. An unmanageable pasha at last made his apperrance in the person of Suleiman, and the whole Dulcigno te fleet, numbering no fewer thaa 500 vessels, was burned to the water's edge in its own harbor. This blow ruined Old Duloigno, and the preeent town was planted a little further inland to take its place. In 1722 the town was ocoupied by the Venetians, but only for a brief period] Iα 1878 the Montenegrins took it by storm, most of tbe Turkish garrison having previously got away by sea. Austria, however, at the Berlin Congress objected to its retention by Montenegro, and Gusinje and Plava were substituted. Pbbskbvihg Potatoes.—The San Francisco correspondent of the "Daily Times" writes:—lf New Zealand cannot compete with the United States |in many of its products, there are some things in whioh it can ar.d should compete. The following extract from the " San Francisco Commercial News" is to the point. It tell* its own tale. Why not go. in for an export of preserved potatoes to England as California has done? Your labour is quite as cheap, and you can grow equally good potatoes. Let some of your enterprising capitalists try. The machinery may be bought, I have no doubt. The '' Commercial News" say:—"Recently an important industry has sprung up in this State in the way of preserving potatoes for a foreign market. A machine has been invented for pressing and preserving potatoes in such a manner that they may be dried and kept for a number of years in any climate. No oxidisation or fermentation takes place in the process, and after the potatoes go through the entire process they retain to a great extent their natural taste and original freshness. Shipments made to England during the past year by Falkner Bell and Co. have attracted attention, and the demand for California preserved potatoeein that country already exceeds the supply. Tbe first shipment to Liverpool brought the sum of 160dol. per ton over all I expense of shipment. Last year about twenty tons were shipped from San Francisco, which brought 45 Eoglish shillings per hundredweight, or at the rate of 3dol. per saok for green potatoes. At Areata, Hum boldt County, a strong company has been organised to preserve potatoes by this new process. Ventura has an apparatus in working order, and will handle a large quantity of potatoes this fall. San Francisco merchants and capitalists evince a lively interest in the enterprise, and are watching results closely. The testimony of English merchants is to the effect that the producte are superior, and in active demand." Tea. Meeting.— &. tea and public meeting in connection with the St. Asaph street United ■■ Methodist Free Church, will take place on Tuesday next, in celebration of the chapel onniver- i eary. Special sermons will be preached on | Sunday, and a service of song given in the after- : noon. AeBiccLTXTBAi. Show.—The sale of pnblicaas* booths, confectioners' booths, borse yards, right of sports, &c., will take place at the Commercial Hotel at three o'clock this afternoon. Khtebtaikmest.—An entertainment will be given by Mr Corrick and his pupils, assisted by other ladies and gentlemen, ia the Free Methodist schoolroom, Selwya street, AdoW ton, to-morrow (Friday) evening, exeeUeßt I programme las been prepared. , .f?*™?***?*-!* is announced that a ball will be given in the New Hall, TJoDer Mecarton, on Thursday, the 4th proximo LkCTTTBB OS THB MADS! WAR A l'fvtnre on Personal Benmiiscences of the Maori War wilt be delivered , by the Bey. Mr BishwnU* £f tbe Wedeyan schoolroom, EastTombelt* \& 1 QYeninf?»

Lowaa Hbathcoth Backs.— The pro gramme of thes» races, to take place on the 127 th of December, appears in another column. Pbomknadk Concebt. —The following is the programme to be performed by the Bailway Band is Cathedral square this evening:—Quick march, "Darling I shall ever love thee." K. Newton; fantasia, "The esnre lake," E. Multat; quick march, "In paradise." K. Newton ; grand selection, " Zampa and Pre aux Clercs." Herold; polka, -" Baseendeau," K. Smith; fantasia, "La vallee dcs roses." F. DamianjValee," Leila," EHling; quadrille (by request).* , Flowere of Edinburgh," j≤. Kewton; Natioßal Anthem. *