NEWS OF THE DAY.

Press, Volume XLV, Issue 7242, 31 December 1888, Page 5

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Supreme Court.—The criminal session of the Supreme Court will open, before his Honor Mr Justice Ward, on Monday, January 7th. The calendar comprises the usual offences.

Bowling.—The match Scotch v English, between members of the Christchurch Bowling Club took place on Saturday afternoon, and resulted in a victory for the .English by twenty points. A report appears elsewhere.

Early Harvest.—A prime sample of new oats was shown in Ashburtou on Saturday. The aeed was sown in the autumn, and notwithstanding the cold spring the straw has grown to over 3ft in length,.and the heads have filled out well with good, plump grain. The crop can now be seen in stook at Dromore.

The Direct Mail.—The E.M.S. Ruapehu arrived at Port Chalmers yesterday with the direct English mail. The northern portion was pat on board the s.s. Ohau, which left Port Chalmers at 3 p.m., and should arrive at Lytteiton early this morning. The steamer brings the first consignment under the parcels post system —30 cases in all.

Pleasant Point.—The Presbyterian Sunday school treat was held on Wednes day at McKay's paddock, close to the township. There was a very large attendance of children and friends. The usual games and races were indulged in, and a most pleasant day was passed in a nice shady spot.

New Brighton.—The new "Wesleyan church in this pleasant sea-side resort will be opened on New Year's Day. A dedication service will be conducted in the afternoon by the President of the Conference. A public tea will then take place, after which addresses will be given by ministers and others. Such an interesting ceremony will doubtless draw together a large number of friends and-sympathieers.

Inquest.—An inquest was held at the ■Rush Hotel, Geraldine, on Saturday last, b> 'ore Mr C. A. Wray, E.M., coroner, and a jury of six, of which Mr W. Coltman was chosen foreman, touching the death of Hridget ( <rophy, the child that had died the previous day from being burnt. The evidence was in accordance with the facts published by us on. Saturday, with the exception that the child was four years of age, and that it stated before its death that its nightdress caught fire through its lighting some matches, a box of which it had picked up near where the fire had been lit under the copper. A verdict; of "Acci dental death," no blame being attachable to any one, was returned.

The Fatality at Poster's Pass.—Mr C. Whitefoord held an inquest last Saturday at Springfield on tho body of Henry Carson. Several witnesses were examined, but the only important point elicited, other than what was known previously, was the statement by Henry Farrow that deceased would persist in inducing his horses to canter, although he (Farrow) endeavored to persuade him otherwise, the accident occurring immediately afterwards. The jury, in accordance with the medical testimony, returned a verdict " That deceased died from concussion of the brain, derived from injuries received by a fall from a horse."

Theatbi Eotal.—The Crawford-Hunter Company gave another performance on Saturday evening, ■when there was a good attendance. The programme was a very good one, the songs by Mis 3 Hunter, Miss Macgregor and Mr Crawford, all receiving from the audience great appreciation. Tonight being Hogmanay, the concert will be uader the patronage of the Scottish Rifles. The Company will parade at their Orderly Boom, at 7.30 pan., in full dress, with pipo and drum band. A large inusteris expected on the occasion, and no doubt many of the friends of this -well-known corps will turn out to enjoy a " Xicht o' Scottish humor."

TEMPEKAXes Seemoh.—ln accordance ■with the injunction of the Presbyterian Assembly, the Key. Eobert Erwin, of the North Belt Presbyterian Church, preached a sermon yesterday morning on the subject pf Temperance. There was a large congregation. The preacher took his text from the first chapter of the Second Epistle of Peter, wherein it is laid down that temperance is one of the graces without which a Christian's character is not complete. He first showed that the true interpretation appeared to him to be that temperance .was the Christian law, but that as a matter of expediency total abstinence was necessary for the benefit of the .weaker brethren. The preacher made an earnest appeal to his bearers to abstain from in toxieating drint for the benefit of others as well as for themselves. He concluded a practical and instructive address by pointing out the duty of citizens in regard to the carrying out the present law regulating the liquor traffic, at the same time expressing the opinion that a good Local Ontion Bill was neoesaary. -

Sailing Back at Kaiapoi. — The race on Saturday for boats of the Xaiapoi Sailing Club was won by the White Arrow (Parnham), Sarah Ann (Marshall) second. The Lotus was .out of the race at the finish. Eangiora Spobt3.—Two teams from the Christchurch Volunteer Fire Brigade compete for prizes at Bangiora on Tuesday. They leave town in a drag early on New Year's Day.

FiBEWOKKS Display. — Among the attractions for New Year's Eve is to bo a display of fireworks ia the evening by several of the residents of Suianer. The Tramway Company propose running a special train on the occasion, leaving the tfe Square at 7.15 p.m. Papandt Horticultural SocrETT.—The Summer Show of the above Society is to be held,in the Papanui Town Hall on New Year's Day. A promenade concert takes place at eight o'clock. All exhibits are to be ready for staging at 10 a.na. Papanot Sports.—The annual sports under the auspices of the Papanui Sports Association will take place to-morrow. A liberal programme has been prepared for

j the occasion, r Palace Kink.—There was a good attendance of skaters at the Palace Eink on 1 Saturday night. This evening there will 1 be a children's carnival. The giand 3 march at 9 p.m. PiSK Jubilee Sinoep-s. —The plan of the dres3 circle for the Pick Jubilee Singers' ' season is now open at Messrs Milner and ' Thompson's music warehouse. The season ' opens on Monday, January 7th. i Caledonian Sociktt.—At a meeting of , Directors of the Canterbury Caledonian I Society held on Friday afternoon, it was decided to award the Hillcoat trophy for • the greatest number of first prizes - awarded during the gathering to J. Banks, [ he having taken three first prizes, viz., seauntreus, Highland fling, and sword dance. J Haggis Supper.—The annual haggis ■ supper in celebration of New Year's Eve — j or as it is known to Scotchmen Hogmanay— j will take place at the Shades Hotel this evening. The " chiel'ta.in of a' the pudding 1 race" will form the staple dish at the i gathering, and as will be seen a distiui guished gentleman will occupy the chair. Thk Earthquake.—A farmer residing up the Waipara Gorge says that the earthquake was felt very severely on Thursday ■ night, upsetting milkpans, and knocking ■ articles off the piece. The shock in ( September Sid not shift anything. He , also informs us that between Auiberley ' and his farm there is a fissure about a ■ chain long on the solid road. The shake ■ was also felt very severely on farms und«r i Mount Grey. , Theatrical.—Mr George Darrell and , company opened their New Zealand tour at Wellington on Boxing NLjht. The per- ' formance took place in the New Opera i House, and it was crowded, no less than i 1712 persons having paid for admission. The opening piece was a dramatised version, by Mr George Darrell, of "The • Mystery of a Hansom Cab." The company ■ open at the Theatre IJoyal here on January I 23th. ■ Watch Night Services.—The nsual , vigil services will be held at St. John's, commencing at eleven o'clock, the ad- '■ dress being delivered by the Rev. J. i Holland. There will also be an administra- : tion of the Holy Communion at midnight. • There will be also services at the V.M.C.A. roonw at 11.15 p.m., and at the Baptist Church, Oxford Terrace, at 10.45.

A.0.F., Kaiapoi.—The quarterly meeting of Court Woodford, A.0.1 , ., was held in the Orange Hall, Kaiapoi, on Monday evening. There was a good attendance of members. The half-yearly election of officers took place.' The following memVers were elected to the various offices: —C.E., J. Cragg; S.C.R., J. Hayman; Treasurer, T. Heney; Senior Woodward, P.C:E. T.G. Black well; Junior Woodward, P.C.B. H. Barden; Senior Beadle, A. Stocking; Junior Beadle, L. J. Cpx; medical officers, Drs. Parson 3 and Murray. Receipts, £73 7s 3d. ChRISTCHURCH WORKING Hleiz'b ChTTB. —On Saturday evening last the fourth competition for the Gould Trophy was tired ' off by the members of the rifle class of the above club. Thirty-one competed, and. the scoring was very good. The highest scorers were:—Messrs W. B. Scott, 1-27----i'S; W. Scull, scr, 27 ; E. Dennis, scr, 27; G. McAnally, scr, 27; J. Lukey, 2-25-27; D, Leslie, 1-25-26; J. Gent, 3-23-26; J. Stonebridge, 4-22-26; T. He sworth, 2--23-25; J. Glanviile, 2 23-25; W. Parker, 3--22-25. This evening the members of the club and lady friends will celebrate the conclusion of the year's amusements by a social in the hall. The annual treat for the children connected with the members will take place early in January. A Dangerous Bkidge.—The attention of the authorities ought to be drawn to the unprotected state of -the approaches to the Kaiapoi footbridge now undergoing repairs. A day or two since a child being allowed to get on the bridge, stepping on a loose< plank, was tilted into the river, and but for assistance would have been drowned. Last evening, it is said, a similar accident happened to a man who was attempting to cross • and not aware that the traffic was stopped. It is perhaps hardly necessary to say that a reckless disregard of precautions in preventing persons getting on to the bridge in its present state, if attended with fatal conse iuences, might be a serious matter for those having charge of the work and the Town Council also. Ltttjelton Harbor Board.—The dates fixed by law for eelings, &c., are as follows: —Annual meeting re accounts, Monday, 21st January, 1889, to be adjourned to Wednesday, the 6th February; the general election of members of the Lyttelton Harbor Board takes place on 11th February 1869. Present members — Selwyn county, K. Westenra and H. W. Peryman; city of Christchurch* P. Cunningham and P. Graham ; borough of Lyttelton, J. Stinson; borough of St. Albans, C. JR. Blakiston borough of Sydenham, W: White, jtuir. > county of Akaroa, W. B. Toeswill; Chamber of Commerce, ;Hon. J. T. Peacock and C. W. Turner; Ashburton county, E. G. Wright; Ashley county, A. Parsons; nominated by Government, Hon. E. Hi -hardson; Mayor of Lyttelton, ex pffie, : o, S. E. Webb. The annual meeting for election of Chairman will take place on Tuesday, 26th February, 1889. Scottish Bzfxes.— As will be seen by Captain Campbell's order, which appears in another column, the members of this Corps parade at their orderly room, to-night at 7.30, and then inarch, headed by their pipers, to the " Hogmanay " entertainment to be given at the heatre Royal by the Crawfo d-Hunter vocalists. This mark of respect on the part of the Scottish to their "am fowk" who have come all the way from "Auld Reekie "and "Saint Mungo" to delight us with their excellent music and genuine Scottish "wut," is, on this particular evening especially, a very appropriate one; and will no doubt appeal strongly to both honorary and active mem bers of the Company to turnout in force, as well as to " ilka leal" and true Scotchmen in Canterbury who appreciate the "ftuld,sangs" of Scotland sung to perfection in the".braid auld Scottish tongue." Drowning Case at Taylor's Mistake.— Yesterday, abont noon, a boy named Chas. O'Malley, aged ten, son of Mr I O'Malley, contractor of Sumner, was drowned in the sea near Taylor's Mistake. It appears that the deceased, four other boys named Bamford, and a youth named Percy, son of Mr Percy, grocer, Colombo street, were fishing on the rocks at a point on the Sumner side of Tavlor'a Mistake. The tide wa3 making and there was a considerable swell on, and O'jdalley was washed off the rock on which he vras sitting. Percy jumped iv with his clothes on and swam to the deceased's assistance. He held out the deceaseds fishing rod, and the latter got hold of it, but Percy then let go as the line got fouled rcund his leg. The deceased then sank and did not rise again. The alarm was given at Sumner by two of the boys and.a telephone message was sent to the Chrietchuroh Police Depot, and Constables Johnstone, of Woolston, and Koeter and Breen, from Christchurch, together with others, searched the beach but found no trace of the body. The water was very deep where the accident took place, and the sea was too mngh to take a boat out. The deceased's hat and fishing rod .were picked up on the beach about a quarter of a mile icvm the Point. The search, for the body; will be continued to day. ;

Allbgkd Soliciting.—A man named John Kelly, alias Jameson, alias O'Neil, was arrested by Constable deary yesterday on a charge of soliciting <Jm« Shipping.—-The s.s. Arawa arrived at Plymouth on the morning of the 23rd, thirty-eight days from "Wellington. The Tainui left Capetown on the evening of 22nd for Hobart, en route for Auckland, where she is due on the 26th January. liAWM Tjbnnis.—The Canterbury lawn tenuis players have every reason to be satisfied with the result of the Now Zealand Association Meeting. Three wins go to the credit of Canterbury, the fourth (the gentlemen's singles) to that of Hawke's i>»y.

A CtEAu Swkbp.—Messrs Booth and Macdonald, who have been exhibiting at the recent Industrial Exhibition at Waipawa, made what may be called a clean sweep of the prizes. They sent for exhibition a windmill, a wool press, disc harrows, and two ploughs The awards were first prizes for the windmill, wool press, aud disc 'larrows, and first and aocond for the ploughs.

Kaiapoi Rifles.—The final inspection parade for the year of the Kaiapoi Rides was held on Friday evening. There were fortyeight members on parade, under Lieut. "Wilson, who, on dismissing the company, expressed his fullest satisfaction with the manner in which the corps had drilled, passed through, the firing , exercises, had excelled in the night alarm, and had passed the general Commanding Oifioer's inspection. The Commanding Officer was prepared to take in a small number of eligible recruits.

Alleged Hokse Stealing.—-Two boys, named respectively Charles Johnston and Bernhart Webber, aged about twelve, were arrested on Saturday by Constable O'Connor on a charge of .stealing two horses, one the property of E. Godfrey, and the other belonging to Edward Owens. The boys were found by Constable O'Connor in possession of the horses at St. Martin's, Opawa. They were also charged with stealing a bridle, the property of Owens. The boys will be brought up on Wednesday. United Insurance Costi-ant. —"Wo have received from Messrs Jameson and Andor sou, the agents for Canterbury, a copy of the report and baJauce-aheet of the above Company for the year ending , 30th Sep tember,"lßßS. The total receipts (including the balance from previous year) were ~£SS,2:2CJ 03 2d and the expenditure .£60,143 2s sd, leaving a surplus of 17s 9d, which it has been decided to dispose of as follows:—To Reserve Pnnd, JB3500; dividend of tis per share, £3500; balance carried forward, JELi,OB2 17s 9d; total, .£25,082 17s 9d. The reserve and reinsurance funds now stand at j£(k>,soo.

Bajjd ojf B-oes. —The Papaaui Wealeyan Band of Hope held their usual monthly meeting in the lown Hall last Friday evening; Bey. C. H. Sfcmdage in the chair. There was a good attendance. The meeting was opened, a3 usual, with singing and prayer, aad, after a few remarks from the Chairman, the temperance story eong "Barfs Joy" was well rendered by the members, assisted by the choir. Mr A. ,rl. Kinyf gave the oonnective readings, aad Mrs Jiing presided at the organ. >A, cpUection was taken up. Seven new members signed the pledge, and the Doxqlogy closed a very pleasant evening.

AcpNOWIiEDSMBN'r—Mr HerricJc bes;a to j\o* know]eriX'-»> sincere lUai^ka,' the following: —Mr 3 Fisher, quantity of milk; Mf Marks, vegeiables: Friend. Austra.lan paper--; Mr Bovxker, milk: Mrs Martin, meat, «cc.; Mr Kavei, brejvd, Dig fluur and groo<-riee; Anon, mutton; Meesra Kmwaruc, Cooper Harris, me»E; -Mr Praxi, hr.cad ; Montfleuri, Christmas offeriug; cale. dara;Mr WiUiams, m-ai: Mi's Ha,ucoc)c, flowers and plUinpudtliDg; Mrs H«ijghion, iiifauta' clothee; feend, periodicals; Bread Co.i bread.