NEWS OF THE DAY.

Press, Volume LI, Issue 8708, 2 February 1894, Page 4

NEWS OF THE DAY.

The. Governor and Party.—His Excellency the Governor, Lady Glasgow, Lady Augusta Boyle, Miss Wauchope and Mr Clayton returned from their visit to Longbeach last evening. Thoy were driven up to V. inslow, at which station their special carriage was attached to the north express train.

Freezing Lambs. —Nearly 100. trucks filled with crossbred lambs have this week gone forward from the North Railway line to the Freezing Works. The Flax Industry.—The Gazette issued last night contains the conditions on which bonuses of £1750 and £250 are offered for an improved flax dressing machine and a process for utilising the waste product.. The Weather in January.—Observations taken at 9.30 every morning iv January at Methven showed that rain fell on sixteen days, tiie total amount for the month being 6.80' m. The greatest fall was on the 18th, 2.32ih. The average temperature for Januaty was 59deg, the highest being 87deg on the 15th and the lowest on the 3rd, 49deg. Supreme • Court.—His Honour Mr Justice Denniston sat in the Divorce and Matrimonial Causes jurisdiction of the Court yesterday, and heard the case of Kennedy v Kennedy. This was an application by the wife for judicial separation, and after hearing some evidence the parties consented to the order. The question of tho alimony allowance to the wife stands over till February 12th. To-day his Honour will sit iv chambers at 11 a.m. Musical. — A correspondent, writing from Dunedin, says :— "Mr Thomas Bracken's benefit concert was a decided success. There was a crowded house and the success attendant on the concert financially was due to Mr C. Amberß and his committee. The gem of the evening was j * The Miserere' fronj '11 Trovatore,* by Mrs Murphy, aud Mr A. Salvini. The other | items, musical aad otherwise, were excellently given. MrH.Weir saDg 'The Sun was Setting,' from • The Nautch Girl,' and being encoi-ed gave Mr; King's song 'Thou wert the Sunshine of my Life.' In the interval the Hon. T. Fergus thanked those present for their appreciation of Mr T. Bracken." A New Zkalander in California.— Mr Wm. Postlethwaite, of the Rnukapuka estate, near Geraldine, a few years ago left for America to try his hand at fruit growing on a large scale. It will be interesting to know (says'the Temuka Leader) that Mr ] Postlethwaite settled in Waiuui, Saratoga, ! California, and has found fruit growing a successful and profitable industry. We understand that Mr Postlethwaite exports to this col.hy large orders of dried fruits, such as raisins, prunes, apricots, &c. Mr Postlethwaite recently consigned a case of dried raisins to the Rev. Mr Preston, Geraldine, a sample of which wo have beeu showu by the rev. gentleman. The raisins are of a very superior quality and flavour, and appear to be as fresh and mellow as the day they were dried. Binder Trial Abandoned, — Our correspondent writes:—Th. North Otago Agricultural and Pastoral Association .had organised, a reaper and binder trial ou a somewhat extensive scale for gold, silver and bronze medals, and which attracted nine entries, including the Massey Harris, Mercer. Advance Piatt, McCormick, Walter A. Wood, and Buckeye. The trial was to have taken place yosterday in a forty bushel crop of velvet chaff wheat on the Racecourse Reserve. The trial had excited great interest. All the machines with a full staff of representatives and experts put in an appearance and did.some I preliminary work under extreme difficulties on Wednesday afternoon, when the ground was found to be a perfect, quagmire in pilace., tbe horses sinking up to their hocks in soft black '.earth. Still it was decided to go oh with the trial, aud all reassembled on the ground yesterday rooming. It had rained pretty heavily during the night, and a thick Scotch mist having set in continued till noon." The binder meu held a council of war, and unanimously decided lb withdraw their machines, consequently the trial has been abandoned.

Lyons' _übi__sQTJeCompany.—-TheLyons' Operatic Burlesque Company opened their se.son at the _'vain street Hall last night, aud were favoured with a good attendance. The burlesque chosen—entitled " The Isle of Beauty "—served for tho introduction of a number of the latest dances and popular comic songs and melodies. The piece is fairly bright, ia dressed prettily, and the company infused plenty of. life into it. Mr P. C_ifton,__fiss Jessie Leon, and Miss Addie Towers took the principal characters, aud were well supported by Mr yj. Stark, Misses A. Lyons, Violet Bertram, and Blanche Young and Mr 0. Brown. The Company were best in tbe concerted music, the Clic Clas chorus being specially good,' while among the incideutal items Miss Young's rainbow serpentine dance proved, the most attractive of the programme. The up to date songs and dauces by the other members of the troupe were . appreciated, and encores were frequent. The programme will be repeated this even- I ing, when the performance will be under the patronage of the Sydney and Canterbury Cricket teams. v ' A Boon to Gardeners, amateur and professional, is now obtainable m Christchurch, Mr Dombrain, 141, Cashel street, has been appointed Canterbury agent for Brenchleys Insecticide andeFertiliser, which has been so successful hi the North Island. It is death to sluga, worms, and insect pests of every kind. For agricultural purposes it has beeu found invaluable for turnip fly, &0., and some large orders have been received for this purpose. 3280

I PoMCB'—AU the constables,, bath r■ I Christchurch,orlpttelton, U W J CL? I have resumed their respective duties. ' H Land Settlement.-General diiti.* I fciou, writes pur VVaimate correeSSk R appears to be felt with re R ard taffi W» 1 lot the sections in. the K&pua Seti\«« > H near Waimate. Id aDcordanceT , v M«' I declaration on the back of the apnlfoL- * § \ the applicants were not n ! M\ the firat WSW, teat th« *g' I tion, and very lew sent tho money can M qnently the Land Board did not £ V their applications, and they w et o tw pt E out. It is understood a fresh ballot 3?. 11 take place for some of the sections H ■ Missing.-Airs Mary Ann UiieseU 1 ported to Constable Draka on Wed***' S day evening that her husband «.?' H is of weak intellect, l mt i 'l "° jf missing for some time. He waa j Iff Been going down the Lincoln road car**!** H a bucketful of potatoes and a spade, jfe m sixty-five years of age, stout, &bo a f ( sft Jj §§ in height, grey hair and beard, and at \U it time of his disappearance waa dressed in B r short blue jacket, brown vest, bl ueief '* §§ pants, and grey flannel cap. , The 101 l H police are making enquiries. * || ! West Curistchurch School.—Aepeoia! R meeting of the Committee of thie scboolwu' H held on Wedneeday eveniug. I'reeeat—M H J. Munnings Mesare ft Httv H : Fisher,'G. Tombe, J. Isbister, H.CurWt 1 and G. T. Gfaianall. To fill the vacaS I caused by four fourth year pupil Uaohert H leaving lor the Normal Training Co\le w k M ' was resolved to recommend the Board u> B appoint Master G. K. Jupp, and the If Misses Rose M. (Smith, Sarah McGor. fi i man, aud Eanuy Schneider as pvHnl H i teachers. Miss B. Jack sent in her f& • resignation, having accepted a position ia if i the Girls' High School, Otago. It waa re. P , solved to accept her resignation, adding thai H i whilst the Committee regretted losing her n ' valuable services, they congratulated her ffi i upon her proiv.otiou. It was resolved to' H • recommend the Board to promote tho follow. B s ing teachers in tho order mimed, and to H > advertise for an assistant to till the vacancy m viz., Misses Margaret Menziea, Rose M land, E. McGregor, and C. U. Edkius. fo || was decided to nominate Mr Joseph Mun- M nings for election on the Board of Educa- m tion. The meeting then ad jouracd. wt ; A CYCLING RECORD. I At Masterton yesterday VV. Pcaree M ■ Captaiu of the Wairarapa Athletic anil P > Cycling Club, put up a record iv a five nuls B ' road race, his time being lltnin 45aoe, fl Half & mile of the diatauce was in hit i. , favour down bill. .. 1 ; IMPORTS AND EXPORTS. jf According to a Press Association telegram lf| 1 the imports for the December quarter were §§ 1 valued at £1,721,356, as against M : for the same quarter last year. For Uk« §§ year the figures are £6,911.515, agaiaiS m £6,143,056 iv 1893. The exports iv the M ' Decembei , quarter are put at £1,702,006. • ra 1 against £2,016,676 ; for the year £8,984,290, R \ against £9,534,852 in 1892. ~ if \ THE HUMBLE BEE. I t This insect, says our Ellesmere com». m i pondent, is now making its appearance fa m much larger numbers. A verf large nwnbef M *. of young beea are seen on the sunny aide M of fences, and nests have been found within m . this last week full of larvae. A farmer m x on going to a tub for some binder extrtn Wi I found quite a colony of tho youug betas, io • p . several stages of growth, amongst the ins If 3 goods. h J A VICTIM OF MINING SPECULATION, 1 At the inquest at Dunedin yesterday oa W 1 William Mclldowie, who committed uuicide n ? by making an opening in hie arm in a bath, g j a verdict of "Suicide while temporarily || b insane" waa returned. From his vrito'i ■, m \ evidence it appears he had never been quite |1 3 righc since be had lost his and come of her " S 9 money in mining shares. '.. W UNEMPLOYED AND ALIENS.. . I 2 The Wellington Trades and Labour § a . Council passed a resolution viewing iriW* S c alarm the influx of unemployed from Aui« jj| J tralia ; and/that the true state of trade ia |1 ' New Zealand may be known there, ni a letter to be addressed to the Ya>tlout< 1 " Trades Councils, asking them to give pub* ' 1 • licity to it; also, that tho attention at I fc Government be drawn to tho mutter. Th?";; I ■ Council thought the poll tax on Chinamen , I ? ought to be doubled, and that a similar tax I v ehould be pluoed on Asiatic hawkers. %«, ' I > Labour Paper Committee reported that Kifi ' | a prospectus would be issued iv a fortnight,' .. ■ 1 8 AUCKLAND SCHOOL OF MUSIC. , 1 l, t At a meeting of the Auckland University. I ,f College Council the committee appointed to ■ 1 i, consider the question of continuing tb# ' 1 a. School of Music, reported that gtf® § 8 publicity should bo given to the I > and if in 1894 the attendance was nob l&rgt?-' 16 than heretofore then the diecoutinu&nw «> the school' should be considered. Ihtf ■ ' recommend that something in the 'nlboit-- '. ° o! a degree should he obtainable add tM, l " the question should be considered wbWhtt. ;A r music should not be included as ono at tie ,;■• '5 subjeota to be taken at the time of tl».' , matriculation examinatione. Conßideratkti i.l ' c of the report was deferred till nexfrmwl* . !.' ias ' " J' PIG-EAISING. d Mr Vechfc, pf the,,lntra-marine Soj>|J/ is Company, in the course, of au interview »| d InvercargiU, s%id tbafc fcinca he had befjaa ie operations ia New Zealand, the number m i pige from the aorfch down to Oa.mexnhA9', LU been doubled. Iv the abaenoe of a, buyW t8 thia would have meant coU&p&e, but vows 1 0 present circumstances p'gs had acbu&uf ■„ become 10s per head dearer, thus aaouf kd about £100,000 to the national we&lw. 1( j Southland was better suited for pig'grcwJSjj ~ ,j than even Canterbury. In tbe case oi aim } £ harveet the secoride could be profitably taw w in feeding pige, and the potatooe might yfr 18 be used. The Company would pay w pw, lb at railway B';atioae. ' ' ' J DESERTED WiyiT AND (;HILDBBS» , t> < Mr Beetham, R.M., atruok » sympathetic : e'. chord yesterday, when he expressed a«j» - lo reluctance to vend to gaol husbands W ' of fathers, who, after being ordered by ; : ' Court to provide for the maintenance «•' ie their wives or offepriag, failed to do " 6. The Magistrate gave it as his opinion thtf it was more desirable, where possible, w» a the defaulters should have opportunity w k* carry out the injunctions of the Court, tn»» , ,d to be put for a time out of the way oi,«w»* D . ing money. Such leniency, however, w I sd added, could not be tc» large, and wfle», , Iγ repeated chances were abused the'dewe* m tlaute would have to auifer as tbe J** : , cc directed. , . .' }„% , eg THE CALIFORnTaN TEIBTLB."-t^' ) : "" re The report that Mr J. F. CtanphfH Wl ?'■ 5 x ' Owake, has eucceeded in destroying «&. ;j °* dreaded Californian thistle by tbe «•»;: >r . sulphur, has caueed some interest *"&*•' ,\ fttrmere in Canterbury. In the 1(l * 6 , j o- years several small patches of the WO ?"J*^h, been discovered both in North and o*^, en Canterbary, and no time should, tbewiwg re be lost in effecting ita eradication '7v , ) so understand that a, farmer in the Gw* - th district, who has discovered a few"« .J^, ry thistles on hia land, is going to at o" 0 ■ eu .Mr Campbell's cure, and the result w»J ad watched with interest. M the mattes »j "or auch vital importance would °,* J. : 80 advisable for the Canterbary. 1 ly and Pastoral Aeaooiation to W , t ] os quantity of sulphur and test ilr OwjlW" method of getting rid of the weed. Beucd^ *? ful, the co»o of clewing Canterbury of»J Sv- peat would be a mere trifle, if the worK w» - * id taken in hand at once. or A STRAY SHOT. : /. , cd' The barque Van Galen, which '/ JJ Lyttelton from Bio de Janeiro oaWJgf, In was detained at that port during tfte_ to bardment of the forts by the rebel o lU f "*?!; tO ~ and had a narrow escape from «**JJJ.* by serious damage. Oα October ,he lying on tho lie ride of ono j (W , ielanda that stud the harbour of K»» • ' ahot came across the island an d o f. u6 !:.tel - Jor clean througli the wheel bo*, j ; , se, tbb veasel had a most narrow 1 bra ' waa etanding by the wheel at tot) *rr«k|i ■fe-; I the baU paeawl between hie ann ( aod ow rf-^

tad struck the box. Had the ball struck aa inch or two lower down it would have shuttered the vessel's steering gear. It appears to have been a shot from a quick firing gun, aw the hole, which still remains in the wheel box, is some three or four niches in diameter. The captain says the vessels lying at Rio are exposed to considerable danger from the shot and shell flying about, and it ia not by „ny means safe for the officers and crews to be about. One man, a labourer ou board one of the vessels, spas struck by a stray shot and killed jßStantly.