NEWS OF THE DAY.

Press, Volume XL, Issue 5754, 27 February 1884, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

I Picnic—At yesterday's meeting of the j, (Harbor Board it was decided to allow a i Say's holiday to the employes for a picnic, ( Ind the steam tug Lyttelton was also , ■paced at their disposal for the purpose of , Sxo txix)* ... « I Yoima Men's Club.—There wdl be a , Leeting at the Young Men's Club, sGloucester street, at eight o'clock to-night. __l which_.Mr Hogben will give^ajfoort mTnx Public Library.—The statement* . afeceipts and expenditure on account of thC ißrtilic Library for the past year, and tbj| Estimates of receipts and expenditure fop te current year, have been handed to u| r publication. Pressure on our space, prevents their publication in this issue. ;^ tbord, Esq., R.M., A. McMillan, for forgery If an acceptance of £26, was committed for jtrialat tiie next session of the Supreme , Licensing _E__3-ti-n.—"Hre: ; _ast of the series of elections for the city* ; ward Licensing Committees takes place to-;-, This is for Christchurch j l£he polling will take place at St. Michael's? Schoolroom. The candidates are Messrs tnderson, Bennetts, Booth, Bowden, : lephane, Jameson, Macpherson, Struthers/ was a capital louse last night at the Theatre, when *f The Lights o' London" was repeated very successfully. As already stated, the s&son closes on Friday night. This evening tiie same biU will be presented, and tomorrow arrangements have been made for a_4ate train for Lyttelton, leaving the Christchurch station at 11.30 p.m. OHAshburton Assessment Court. —The c&hual sitting of this Court was held on tiday, under the presidency of Mr deley, R.M. Thirteen objections to valuation of property in the borough bjf the Valuator were considered, and eight were sustained, the total reduction in. .he rating amounting to about JEIS7. The name of Mr Alpheus Hayes was the only one added to the roll, but several changes of ownership were registered. Board Chairmanship.—The HdnTj. T. Peacock was yesterday elected of the Lyttelton Harbor Board for the ensuing year. Mr Robt. AWui waa nominated, but declined, owing td'fcressure of private business. A resolutSjfi expressive of the high appreciation entertained by the members of the Board of &he efficient manner in which the retiring Chairman, Mr C. W. Turner, had carried out the duties of the office during the'past year, was carried unanimously. 4'bbtdon. —A meeting was held on last day evening at Spreydon in order to talae ste_ s to form a brass band for the diswiot. A good many were present, and a number gave in their names as willing to joihi A ballot was taken to select twelve ' of these to form the proposed band, and a few householders volunteered to collect the necessary funds and to act as trustees for the present. CONGREGATIONAL ChUKCH TEMPERANCE ' Sclciett.—The usual meeting of the i Trinity Congregational Church Total Abstinence Society and Band of Hope was ' held in the schoolroom on Monday evening. 1 Tjjle chair was occupied by the Vice-Presi--1 dent, Mr Malcolm. The prizes offered by • Mx Malcolm for the best recitation _ by mfembers over sixteen years was received by Mr Alexander Owen. The Rev. H. Williams gave a very interesting speech. 1 There was a good Attendance. 1 I|B_. Luke's' Sunday School.—The ' t#cbers and pupils of St. Luke's Sunday l s«|ool held their annual treat yesterday. . TJ&_ spot selected., was the Heathcote ': Valley, whither the children proceeded by ' t*»in. On arriving there the usual games ' were indulged in until dinner time, when h children were regaled with all kinds of ; .eatables, kindly provided by the incumbent , and several parishioners. After spending i very happy day the party returned to St. 1 Luke's parsonage shortly after five o'clock where tea was provided by Mrs Lingard. I |. —We have received a copy of r a publication by Messrs De Veaux and Co. >' entitled the "Digest." It contains a I fiigest of all bills "of sale, liens on wool, Mortgages of stock, agricultural liens, and > declarations of insolvency filed throughout • -Mbe colony of New Zealand from January i Mst to December 31st, 1883. The book > Should be of value to commercial men. It m neatly printed, and is arranged in three 1 parts. The first deals with mortgages, ' mens, and bills of sale, the second with deIterations of insolvency, and the third with ; Seeds of arrangement, assignment, and composition. | Poultry, &c, Association.—A Comf' itmittee meeting of the Sydenham Poultry Pigeon and Canary Society was held in Mr J. J. Parker's rooms, Armagh street, . ion Monday evening last. Present—Messre I J. J. Parker, G. B. Muschamp, G. Ritchie, W. C. Williams, J. Scott, T. Reese, A. John- § stone, J. Iteshke, and tiie Secretary. Mr J. J. Parker was voted to the chair. The schedule for the forthcoming -how having been revised, it was decided to hold the -annual show in the first week in August next. After a vote of thanks to the ChairijUan the meeting adjourned. jj: School Committee.—A meeting of the [Sefton School Committee waa held on jMonday night. All the members present. After the usual preliminary business was done, the Chairman read correspondence . 'from the Board of Education in reference ■; to the steps that had been taken towards : : putting the new buildings in hand, and :' explaining the delay. The Chairman then . submitted a list of names of candidates '. nominated to fill the vacancies on the . Board of Education caused by the annual • retirement of one-third of its members, : . and the following gentlemen were then - duly elected to fill the vacancies, viz.:— . Messrs John Inglis, William Chrystall, = Henry William Perymau; and for the : extraordinary vacancy,Mr Alfred Saunders. Kaiapoi Institute.—The monthly meeti ing of the Committee was held on Monday J evening. Present—Messrs Wilson (Presii E. Revell, H. ReveU, J. Goldthorpe, F , and R. H. Mathews. The credit balance I was reported to be £14 4s Id. Sundry I accounts were passed. The librarian rel ported that the book-cases had been ref moved to the late reading room, and the j hew reading room gave increased accom- ■ Ijnodation. A vote of thanks was passed ; Mr E. Revell for the time given by him as assisting to re-arrange the library. It was decided to obtain linoleum for the floor of the reading room. And after passing some routine business, Mr Goldthorpe gave notice to move that a new catalogue of the books be compiled. .Fobgxbt.—At the Kaiapoi R.M. Court yesterday, before C. Whitefoord, Esq., R.M., A. McMillan was charged with forging the name of Jno. Davies to a bill of exchange for £26. The evidence showed 'that accused had, by representing the bill to be genuine, discounted it with H. Marks, and received the proceeds. On the bill being presented at the Bank of New Zealand, Kaiapoi, the imitation was dis- ' covered, and the genuineness of the document disowned by prosecutor. Accused was committed for trial at the next sessions of the Supreme Court. Some amusement was created in Court by the prose--cutor, who appeared to be somewhat doubtful about his signature, marking his and the bill with his ear mark tin order that he might know them again, ij The Bible in Schools.—Some interest Is at present being taken in the question of Bible reading in the Rangiora schools. It has been maintained by a parent that certain children are detained for the Bible , /lesson whose parents protest against the ■a&me. The Chairman of the Committee ' tfias stated that tiie teachers do not compel ; | he attendance of the children at this - . esson. For some time the Bible lesson ' - fas given in the Rangiora schools from 9 io 9.30 am., and as the children fell off in ' attendance thereat, it has been for some {time the practice to give this lesson from i _1.30 am. to 12 noon. The question is ] %cpected to be warmly debated at the next .meeting of the Committee, and it is to be ' /regretted that the representatives of the I' i'Press are excluded from the meetings of ] 1 ' this Committee. . «

|; Waimakabem Habbob Boabd. — The ilection of a member of the Waijbiakariri Harbor Board for the Eyreton took place on Monday. It was (conducted by Mr E. Revell, Returning -Officer to the Board. The polling places were Ohoka, Clarkville, Swannanoa and Eyreton. The numbers polled were for Mr R. Hopkins, 75 ; Mr E. Smethurst, 38; and the former was declared elected. Inquest:—An inquest was held on Moni day atthe Junction Hotel, .before Dr. Coward and a jury, whereof Mr Gapes was foreman, on the body of Harriet Gray, aged twelve months. It was shown that the child was delicate from birth. She was taken ill on Friday last, and died on Saturday. A verdict of " Death from natural causes " was returned, in accordance with the evidence of Dr. Thomas, who had made the post-mortem examination. Ashbubton R.M. Co tot. —At the above Court yesterday, before Mr Baddeley, R.M., Frank D. Sayle was brought up charged with stealing a horse, the property of John Hampton, a laborer, living at Chertsey. Mr PurneU, for the defence, asked for a remand on account of the absence of a material witness, and his Worship granted the request, but decided to hear the evidence for the prosecution yesterday, the case to be continued a week hence. Witnesses were called to prove that the prisoner had sold a horse to Hampton, and had subsequently, in the fitter's absence, taken it to the Hinds, ./where he was arrested After hearing the evidence the case was adjourned fer a week. The only other business before the Court was dealing with two first offenders for drunkenness and some trifling by-law infringements. | Pleasant Point. — A correspondent writes —The harvest in this district is just in full swing. The crops are generally above the average, though in many cases rust has slightly affected the wheat, and in several cases has rendered the sample anything but first class. Friday was a fine harvest day and closed without a cloud. Saturday opened very drizzly, and shortly after noon a heavy easterly downpour commenced, which lasted until Sunday night. Monday morning rose bright and warm, and about 1 p.m. a fine westerly breeze sprang up that largely neutralised the effects of the storm on the saturated stooks. Last year's experience in this district has made farmers exceedingly sensitive to the changes of the barometer, and its movements during the next fortnight will be eagerly noted by producers and their creditors.

Westeb Excubsion.—The Union Company proposes to send the Wairarapa on a month's cruise to the islands of the South Pacific. She will leave Auckland on June 4th, and will visit Fiji, Samoa and Tonga, returning by July 2nd. Six days will be spent among the islands of the Fiji group, and four each at Samoa c>nd Tonga. Thus half the time will be spent in voyaging, and half in visiting and exploring the islands. The fare is £30 from Auckland, and the number of excursionists is limited to 100, though the excursion will be made if seventy people book and pay deposit by the Ist of May. No effort to make the passengers happy will be spared by the Company, who even guarantee for the voyage cool temperature and pleasant weather, from which all hurricanes will be eliminated. •

Linwood Town Boabd.—An ordinary meeting of the above Board was held on Monday evening last at V p.m. PresentMessrs Clephane, Hale, Collier, Glen, Goodman and H. Toomer. Mr Goodman apologised for the absence of Mr E. Toomer. Correspondence was read from— The Avon Road Board, re Stanmore bridge. From Colonial Secretary, stating that Mr Geo. L. Lee had been appointed Judge of the Assessment Court for Linweod. From F. H. Brittan, re new formation in Gloucester street. Resolved that the consideration of Mr Britten's letter be postponed until there is a full Board. The tender of D. D. McGill for re-flooring the Stanmore bridge was accepted. Sundry accounts were passed for payment, and the meeting dosed. Fendalton. —At a meeting of parishioners at Fendalton on Monday I evening, the 25th inst., convened for the I purpose of considering the vestry's recommendation that the Church should be enlarged, it was resolved unanimously that the }plan submitted by the ohurchwardens for increasing the accommodation to 240 sittings at an estimated cost of .£4OO should be carried out; provided that no steps be taken which shall commit the parish to such expenditure until the necessary means be procured. Further, that a Building Committee, comprising the incumbent, churchwardens, vestrymen, and Messrs Maling, Spackman, StruthersWilliams, and Stewart be appointed to carry out the above resolution. The meeting also pledged itself to render every assistance towards raising -the necessary funds for opening the enlarged church free from debt, and towards that purpose scribed in the room .£lo6los, besides which it was announced that a further gift of £50 was promised if the remainder of tiie required sum can be raised.

! Lsctube. —A lecture will be delivered to-morrow evening, at the Queen's Theatre, under tiie auspices of the Young Men's Christian Association, by Mr Marsh, on "London After Dark." Chamber op Commerce.—The quarterly meeting of the Chamber of Commerce wiß be held at three o'clock to-day. Sunday School Union.—The annual tea meeting of the Canterbury Sunday School Union will be held to-morrow evening, in the Baptist Schoolroom, Oxford terrace, when addresses will be delivered by the Revs. Garland, Gilmore, Erwin, Worboys, and Elm-lie. ' Alteration op Trains.—The trains now leaving Christchurch for Lyttelton at 5.25 g.m. and 6.10 p.m., and Lyttelton for hristchurch at 5.55 p.m., -mil run five minutes later after March Ist.

I Salvage Sale of Drapery and Clothing ! saved from the High street fire is now on. Goods damaged by fiie and water almost given away. C. R. Church, Cashel street, next Bank Australasia.—[Ajdvt.] It is Wobth a Trial—"l was troubled for many years with kidney complaint, gravel, Ac, my blood became thin, I was dull and inactive, could hardly crawl about, and was an old worn-out man all over, and could get nothing to help mc until I got Hop Bitters, and now my blood and kidneys are all right, and I am as active as a man of thirty, although I am seventy-two, and I have no doubt it will do as well for others of my age. It is worth the trial."— (Father.) Notice.—[Advt.] Not a Bsvebagb.—"They are not a beverage, but a medicine, with curative properties of the highest degree, containing no poisonous drugs. They do not tear down an already debilitated system, but build it up. One bottle contains more real hop strength than a barrel of ordinary beer. Physicians prescribe them." —"Rochester Evening Express "on Hop Bitters. Read. —[Advt..