NEWS OF THE DAY.

Press, Issue XLI, 25 February 1885, Page 4

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Defence.—The Lyttelton Harbor Board have granted a temporary site near Officers' Point for the mounting of one of "the sixty-four pounder guns. Thb Exhibition.—Those intending to exhibit at the forthcoming Exhibition at Wellington are reminded that the applications for space must be made here with the local Secretary on or before Saturday next. A Fortunate Arrest.—Last night a man was found in the street by the police in a helpless state of intoxication. When searched at the depot a small leather satchel was found on him containing JEIOI, of which £75 was in gold. Ltttblton Habbob Board.—At the first meeting yesterday of the newlyelected Harbor Board Mr E. G.Wright was elected Chairman. A hearty vote of thanks was also recorded tothe Hon. J. T. Peacock, the retiring Chaixman, for the valuable services rendered by him to the Board. L Boyal.— fpva. on the Bristol* went very successfully last night at the Theatre Boyal, the new songs, Ac, introduced into the second'.jst being received with much favor by the v <uidience. The piece will be played again* this,evening, those who have not y«| seen it are reminded that the stay of ti& company m limited to three nightelongir

' General Gordon.—As already notified a lecture will be delivered to-morrow evening in the Drill Shed by the Bey. H. C. M. Watson on General Gordon, when His Worship the Mayor will take the chair. There will be no charge for admission, but a collection will be made in aid of the branch of the Ambulance Society. Chbistchubck Regatta.—Should the weather prove at all favourable to-morrow, the very attractive programme put forth by the Christchurch Regatta Committee ought bo attract a large number of visitors. The majority of the mercantile houses, the banks, Ac, have intimated their intention to close from noon, and with the fact that frequent trams and coaches will be run, no doubt many will be induced to spend an afternoon at the estuary. The Timabu Excursion.—As has been already intimated, the Traffic Manager, Mr Back, intends at no distant date to carry out a cheap excursion from Timaru to Lyttelton. It was anticipated that the use | of the tug would be able to be obtained in order to take excursionists round the hari bor free of charge, as was done at Timaru. The Harbor Board however yesterday, by a majority of one, declined to allow the use of tie tug as requested. Forgery.—George Hamill, commission agent, High street was arrested yesterday morning on a charge of forging the name of Dr. Fleming, of Oamaru, to a cheque for .£l9 12s on the Colonial Bank of New Zealand, and afterwards uttering the cheque. The cheque is dated Oamaru, January 15th, 1835, and purports to be signed by A. A. Fleming, per J. G. Bailey. It is thus a singularly stupid forgery j for Mr Bailey, who at one time managed Dr. Fleming's station in the Bakaia Gorge, left his service nearly two years ago, and left Christchurch not long afterwards. Hamill will appear before the Besident Magistrate's Court to-day. Acclimatisation Society.—An ordinary meeting of the Council of this Society should have been held yesterday afternoon. At the appointed time Dr. Frankish and Messrs Kimbell and Cook were present. These three gentlemen waited until a quarter to five, and during the time | messages were sent to some absent members to make up the quorum, but no one else attended, and the business, which was of an important nature, could not be considered. A meeting of the Council is called for Friday, at the same time and place. St. Matthias* Day.—Special services were held in the Cathedral yesterday at 11 a.m. and 8 p.m. At evensong the Most Bey. the Primate preached the sermon, Canon Cholmondeley and the Very Eev. the Dean read the lessons, and the Bey. W. H. Elton the service. The collection was annouiced to be for the Hospital and Lunatic Asylum Chaplaincy Fund. Owing to the bad weather the Cathedral was only about three-quarters full, and the collection some £6 6s 4d. Sydenham Money Club.—A special general meeting of the above was held last evening at the office, Colombo road, Sydenham. Present—The President (Mr W. Langdown), and about a dozen members. Auditors were appointed to audit accounts, also a committee consisting of five members to revise the existing rules which were proved to be unworkable. A long discussion then ensued on general matters concerning the welfare of the club. It was decided to call a meeting at an early date to consider auditor's report and for the election of officers. Brackenfibxd Hounds.—A most successful meeting of the Brackenfield Hunt Club was held in Amberley on Monday last. Mr Foster was in the chair, and there was a large attendance, including the Master, Mr Starky. The Treasurer, Mr B. J. Parsons, declared the balance as £QQ 9s 4d, which was considered highly satisfactory. A resolution was carried that the annual subscription be £X Is, and that farmers over whose country the hounds are hunted should be elected honorary members. The meeting, after arranging several matters in connection with the approaching season, then adjourned. East Belt Church.—The anniversary of the Wesley Church, East belt, which was celebrated last Sunday by special services, furnished occasion last night for a tea meeting, a novel feature of which was that the tables were presided over by the young .ladies of the congregation. The number of guests was estimated at 200. After tea addresses were delivered in the Church by the Beys. Morley, Dallastbn and Taylor. Mr N. Martin taking the chair. There was also music by the choir. Christchurch Biflh Volunteers.—A general meeting of the members of the above corps was held at Warner's Hotel on Tuesday evening last. About twentythree members were present. In the absence of the acting Lieutenant (Mr Ward), Mr H. Peake was voted to the chair, and after expressing a hope that the members would work together so that by their united effort the corps might be raised to a greater state of efficiency, he referred to the election of Captain, and hoped that members would sink all personal feelings, and vote for the best man. The following gentlemen were then nominated > —Captain U. V. Bichards, late of H.M. 87thBegiment j Messrs G. J. Smith and, Francis. The election was by ballot, and resulted in the election of Captain Bichards. The members present then signed the necessary form, which requires the signatures of two-thirds of the corps, and it is expected the necessary number will be obtained in the course of the week. Thb Wbatheb,—-Our Ashburton correspondent writes j—Up to Sunday afternoon, we had been favored with a long spell of the moat perfect harvest weather that has been experienced in the Ashburton district for some years past. About four o'clock on Sunday afternoon a dense bank of uglylooking clouds to the south-west betokened an unwelcome change, and a heavy downpour of rain soon put a stop to harvest operations and Sabbath-breaking generally. The rain continued, with slight intermissions, up to a late hour on Tuesday, when the barometer and the appearance of the sky indicated a favorable change. With the exception of wetting the unfinshed stacks and putting a complete stop for a day or so to all harvest operations, the rain, so far, has not done much damage. Indeed, if we should be favored with a further and immediate spell of flue weather, many of the' farmers will have derived much benefit from the recent rain, as it will have the effect of bringing on the turnip crops and the autumn grass feed. The farmers will also have had the benefit of a brief spell and a few hours' extra sleep—a luxury they have not over-in-dulged in for the past month—many of them having been continuously hard at work from early on Sunday morning till late on Saturday night. Socihtt o* Arts.—A meeting of the Council was held yesterday afternoon at 4 p.m. at the Public Library. There were present Messrs Beetham (President, in the chair), Cousins, Captain Hntton, Fereday, Appltby, Gibb, Blair, Mountfort, and Captain Garcia. Nine aew working members and seven new'honorary members were duly proposed and elected. Great regret was expressed that His Excellency would be unable to attend the Exhibition, owing to his unexpected visit to Australia; and it was decided to ask His Honor Mr Justice Johnstone to formally open the Exhibition on Monday evening next at eight o'clock. As several of the leading musicians of the city had kindly offered their services for the opening night and at subsequent intervals during the three weeks' exhibition, the Council expressed its pleasure in accepting such offer, and agreed to a charge of half-a-crown admittance to non-members at the opening ceremany. A discussion arose as to the advisability of admitting honorary members and memters of their families on one ticket, I and it was agreed that the wife and children of honorary members should be bo admitted. It was reported that the Exhibition room—over Mr Simpson's bockshop, High street—would be quite finished by Wednesday afternoon; that all working members' exhibits be delivered by 4 p.m. on Thursday j and that the necessary steps be taken to call on those gentlemen who "«j' endin f Pictures for the loan collection on Thursday morning for their contributions. _ It was also decided to open the Exhibition from 10 ajn until 6 p»m, and from7pjm; until 10 p.m. each evening. The art union will be drawn on the opening

Bailwat Excursion. — The railway 11 excursion from Bangiora to the Waima- < kariri Gorge takes place to-day, and tomorrow that to Ashburton will come off. 1 At the latter place great preparations i have been made to receive the visitors. ' Oddfkllowl* Ham,. — There was a : moderate attendance to witness the second ' exhibition of boxing and Indian club swinging by the Pettengell Bros. During ; the evening several good sets-to between Mr J. Pettengell and local amateurs took place. The last exhibition will be given this evening. SPOHTTN3. — The drawing of Bobin Hood's consultation on the Dunedin Cup took place yesterday, and as usual passed off most successfully, the shareholders present expressing the utmost satisfaction with the arrangements. There were 7125 subscribers, being 5125 more than last year. The result appears elsewhere. Poisoning Greyhounds.— Mr B. J. Kerr, of Bingsland, who has had no less than four valuable greyhounds poisoned at different times, has again been the victim of this sort of malignity. On Saturday a Crichope Linn slut and a Banner man Bapling belonging to him were deliberately poisoned by some person who cut slits in some pieces of meat, and, after filling them with some strychnine, gave the meat to the dogs, both of which died almost directly. It will be some satisfaction to dog owners to learn that there is every probability of the perpetrator of the outrage being made an example of, as Mr Kerr has got a clue to the individual who did it. Masonic Beunion. —An exceedingly pleasant reunion took place last night at the Canterbury Masonic Hall under the auspices of the Bobert Barns Lodge, No. 604, S.C., the occasion being the anniversary of tiie Lodge. The chair was occuby Bro. E. Buchanan, 8.W.M., and "about 200 ladies and gentlemen were present. Several vocal and instrumental pieces were given during the evening with much success, all the items on the programme being loudly applauded. At the conclusion of the programme dancing commenced to the strains of Mr Fleming's band, and was kept up till an early hour. Everybody thoroughly enjoyed themselves, and the greatest credit is due to the committee for the admirable manner in which the whole affair was managed. Hunt Club—A general meeting of the above club will be held at 5.15 p.m. on Friday next, at the Commercial Hotel. Masomc. —The ordinary monthly meeting of the St. Augustine Lodge, No. 609, E.C., will be held this evening at the Hall, Manchester street. Board of Education. —A special meeting of the above will be held this evening, to consider matters with reference to the management of the Ashburton and Bangiora schools. Digest of Securities.—We have received from Messrs DeVeaux and Co., of Christchurch, a " digest" of all bills of sale, &c., filed throughout the colony from January Ist to December 31st, 1884. St. Paul's Temperance Society.—A meeting of the above will be held this evening, when addresses will be delivered by several representatives attending the Presbyterian Assembly. Coughs, Colds, Bronchitis, Ac., are quickly cured by using Baxter's " Lung Preserver." This old-established medicine ia pleasant to the palate, and highly extolled by members of the medical and clerical professions. Can be recommended. For testimonials see fourth page.—[Advt.J 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 1 am seventytwo, fmd I have no doubt it will do as well for others of my age. It is worth the trial." —(Father). Notice. —[Advt.] Not a Beverage. — 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.—"Bochester Evening Express" on Hop Bitters. Bead. —[Advt.J

Simple English. — "Archdeacon Farrar," writes a correspondent signing himself " Ignoramus," " is a popular writer. Doubtless the thousands who read his works understand every word of his plain, simple English.'* I cull a,, few of these simple words and phrases from his last ' work. Surely the English middle classes are better educated than we think :— Synthetic, tallith, pallium, didactic, eschatological, pseudonymous, hypostasis, "anthropomorphic and anthropopathic," cryptograph, iggeroth, obsolescence, "tor-pedo-touch of his avarice," "sacerdotal microlegy," "a sharp paronomasia," "galatising," "prized nomocracy," "the Pleroma," "mystoe," "dynasts," "a fusile apostle," " eternal Noumena,'* " pseudepigraphy," "the plectrum," *'the isopsephia, "alatent paronomasia," "paronasia," "the orgiastic character," "compaginated," "deracinated." Ababi w in Ceylon.—Whatever Arabi may have done in Egypt, in Ceylon it seems clear that he has brought peace and not a sword. He has betaken himself in the land of his exile to that familiar refuge of disappointed politicians, the cause of education, and has been playing a prominent part in the foundation of a Mahommedan boys' school in Colombo. The foundation of this school, besides supplying, no doubt, - a long felt want," has had the excellent effect—so we learn from the "Weekly Ceylon Obeerver"— of reconciling the three factions into whioh the Mahommedan community at Colombo has hitherto been divided. Representatives of these factions were for the first time brought toteether at a public meeting in connection Wth the new school, and Arabi waa put up to act as peacemaker. So powerful was the effect of the " very touching speech" which he delivered on the occasion that immediately he sat down the leaders of the rival factions arose and saluted each other in the presence of he meeting. What thb March to Khaetckjh Costs. —The Nile campaign, it appears, is to coat fifteen millions sterling, so says an estimate which comes f ram Alexandria, where the materials for judging are fairly complete. This (says the " Home News ") is a consoling item of news for the British taxpayer during his Christmas holidays. Considering the depression in trade, and the widespread distress in England, it must be to him a matter of pleasure to face this formidable Bum at the present time. But even fifteen - millions is only the most favorable estimate. It will not cover the expenses of any heavy fighting, if it should occur. It will only cover the cost of Lord Wolseley's march to Khartoum and back, together with whatever loss may be entailed by an occasional light brush with the enemy. When this interesting fact is brought home to the mind of the British workman he must assuredly think that statesmanship is a most wise and excellent institution. Here it has contrived to spend fifteen millions of the country's money in sending an army into the heart of Africa to rescue a man. despatched there by its own folly, while at the same time it contemplates with serene countenance the spectacle of thousands of working men in the direst straits of distress at home without even thinking of lifting a hand to help them. General Gordon on the Chinese.—A writer in the " Pall Mall Budget" reports that in a conversation about twelve months ago with General Gordon, the latter made the following remarks concerning the prospects of a Franco-Chinese war:—The Chinese will not go to war. As for their ability to annoy the French, in case war should break out, you will remember that I gave them advice which I still think is good. Let them not fight the French in open field, but harass them by night attacks, trusting to the sun, the climate, and the exhaustion of the campaign to weaken their adversary. That advice is as good now as when I wrote it, although some people took it as a joke. France could not do China much harm. The Chinese care little unless the French take Pekin with much more expense «"»n they care to incur. The Chinese, moreover, would equip privateers, any number of which would be furnished them by America, torpedo boats, Ac, Ac, with which they can do a great deal of mischief Ab for the Chinese, I believe they are

the coming race. They are destined to overcome the world and to occupy it. It is written, " In those latter days people shall be without faith." This will be fulfilled in {thai domination of the earth by the Chinese, who are strictly without faith. It is difficult for mc to believe. that any Christian nation can so far fall away from j belief as to "become entirely without \ faith." It is to be accomplished by the j Chinese overrunning the world. They are \ upright and industrious, and will establish T hongs in London instead of exporting their , tea by deputy—by agents, and before long j they will gradually absorb the commerce ; and wealth or the world. Li used to tell \ mc, when talking about the railways and j telegraphs, *' We will have telegraphs, be- - cause they are the ear, and it is well to J hear; but we will not have railways yet." , "You push us now; but. you will find, ; perhaps, that we will go too sharp for you j some day." And so they will! Could you , see the Chinese merchants established in the great European warehouse the rest of the world would pass into the hands of China. "It is a bad look-out for us," I said. "Yea," said he, "but there it is;| and it is coming." I