NEWS OF THE DAY.

Press, Volume LVI, Issue 10263, 4 February 1899, Page 7

NEWS OF THE DAY.

At a meeting of the Waimate Hospital Trustees, it was reported that differences existed between members of the nursing staff, and a committee was appointed to investigate the matter. The new Leeston Court was opened yesterday. r J The police require owners for a bicycle and a key. The latter was found at Sumner on Thursday night. The Corinna, with Mr Wason's private excursionists, was to leave Dunedin yesterday to meet the remainder of the party at Milford Sound. J The Christchurch Meat Company yesterday decided to increase its capital to £160,000, and declared a dividend of 4_ per cent., being equal to 9 per cent, for the year. In acknowledging a vote ot thanks from the shareholders, Mr Gilbert Anderson said that all concerned recognised that the business of the Christchurch Meat Company was succeeding, and that its possibilitios had not been fully attained yet. A Wellington telegram states that the Rev. Dr. Watters, Rector of Sb. Patrick's College, will, owing to ill-health, temporarily relinquish the active control of the college, and will seek a complete rest. In consequence of a want of funds in an up-country church in 1871, at 'a meeting of tho trustees, it was resolved "that the quarterly collection'be in future'taken up on every alternate Sunday." This accomplished the object in view. An employee of the New Zealand Farmers' Co-operative Association is receiving by each Home mail a newspaper addressed as follows :—" Mr , c/o N. Z.Cooper, Esq., Cashott street, Christchurch, .Canterbury, New Zealand." The Hon. J. M'Kenzie and Mr Mewhinney, his private secretary, arrived from the south by the express yesterday. The Minister for Lands will be at the Terminus Hotel to-day. In the evening he leaves for Wellington. The Government is experimenting with burnt papa rock for road metalling in the Wangamomona. The papa is considerably harder than brick, and it is said to answer the purpose almost if not quite as well as broken metal. There, has not been much traffic as yet on the portion of the road metalled, but so far it has (says the " Wairarapa Observer") given every satisfaction. Twenty-seven years ago, it is state d that, in a leading church in this province, the singing was led from the back of the congregation, the precentor being too shy to face the audience, though he was bold enough to tackle the music. In same church, within half a century, resolutions were passed at half a dozen intervals locating the "kisto' whustles" in different portions of | the building. At length a chamber in the [ south was made for the organ. At the Leeston Court, yesterd»v, before ;Mrßeetham, S.M., eleven applications for old age pensions were considered. Six full pensions were granted, and five cases were adjourned for proofs of age and term of residence within the colony. The oldest applicant was seventy-nine years of age, and has been for thirty years in New Zealand. Mr Jos. Stalker, Woodend, has lost his stud Clydesdale horse Bothwell from inflammation, tie applied sheep dip to clear insects trom tho animal's legs, and it is supposed that the dip poisoned a cracked heel, as in two days, in spite of unremitting attention, the horse was dead. Bothwell was purchased by Mr Stalker about six months since from the Springfield district. N At a meeting of the committee of the Progressive Liberal Association on Monday evenins, the Local Government Committee recommended that cjauses should be added to the municipal programme so as to provide for (a) open spaces and playgrounds for the children ; (b) public libraries and reading rooms ; (c) a medical officer of health. The recommendations were adopted. The programme is to at a future meeting. Two recent-sentences in connection with the administration of justice shows the inequality of the law as'interpreted in different portions of the colony. At Gisborne the other day Charles Smith, bookmaker, was fined £20, or'three 'months' imprisonment, for laying totalisator odds, whilst a resident of Collingwoocf '(Nelson), named Seymour, was fined £10, or three months' imprisonment, for brutally kicking and beating his thirteen-year-old daughter. • The ' of registration under the Homing Pigeons Protection Act is* to place the pigeons so registered at the disposal of the Government of the colony, and of every officer thereof in carrying messages when th* exigencies of the pul lie service may require the tame. The registration fee is Is for each bird. Anyone killing or maiming a homing pigeon on railway, coach or otherwise, will be liable to a penalty of £20, and for negligently shooting, disabling or ensnaring a pigeon*a penalty of £10, and also to pay to the owner damages for thd injury.

A Methodist minister, at a meeting where he followed other speakers who had been alluding to the tippling habits of the early days, informed his auditors that he- should never forget in.the eatly times, when he was pulling chain on the survey on 6s a day, how when the party arrived at the Rakaia in the sweltering sun he, at the hotel, drank a large glass of shandy gaft, which tasted like pure nectar. Of course he did not hold with the pernicious drinking customs, nor the slavish desire possessed by some persons for liquor, but on the other hand he did not think that the time was ripe for the drastic condition for membership to the Primitive Methodist Church, that Jail candidates must be total abstainers.

The Christchuroh Tramway Company carried 6000 passengers on their Sumner line on Thursday on the occasion of the gala. As a retaliatory step to the low price charged for bread by some of the grocery firms in Dunedin (says the "Star") the bakers threaten to sell tea at cost price. Owing to great pressure of advertisements we are compelled to hold over a number of letters to the Editor, our usual weekly column of "Gossip and Notes,' and other matter. The new Catholic Churches at Hornby and Halswell will be opened by his Lordship Bishop Grimes to-morrow. The former ceremony will be in the morning, and the latter in the afternoon. Miss M. Hewson, who has been with the Pollard Opera Company for some time past, has severed her connection with the stage, and taken up the profession of music teaching in Auckland. She has recently been Bulging very successfully at the Exhibition consuls in that city. " \ Worship the Mayor has received several letters, besides interviews, on the subject of imposing the extra charge of 10 per cent on the rates. His Worship wishes the ratepayers to understand that the charge is made compulsory under an Aot of Parliament, and therefore it ds impossible for either himself or the Council to relieve the ratepayers of the charge. To-day the usual eight-page editions of "Truth" will be published at 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. Among the contents will be found the continuing chapters of "The Man and his Kingdom," short tales and sketches, up-to-date articles on all branches of sport, matters of interest to the ladies, and on general subjects. In addition the latest local and telegraphic news will also be given, and a cartoon having reference to the Australian cricket torn 1 by the New Zealand eleven will also be issued with the paper. The annual picnic of the children attending the Belfast State School was held yesterday at Simmer, whither the pleasure-seekers were conveyed from Papanui by the Cliristehureh Tramway Company about 10 a. m. The employees of the Produce and Provision Company and the Kapitone Wool Works were associated by representation witu the School Committee for the purposes of the gathering, which as a result was a large one. The weather was beautiful, and everyone spent a jolly time. Special prizes given by Messrs Ashby, Bei'gh and Co., Mason, tstruthers, Recce and Son, N. Nioholls, N.Z. Provision Company, Chrvstall and Co., and A. Uren, were competed for during the day. The sports were under the supervision of Mr A. W. Owles. Messrs Nelson Bros., of Hawke's Bay, having decided to start a flock of stud English-Leicesters, sent their manager, Mr Little, to Canterbury -to select the best foundation he could to work upon, and the shipment of sheep that he* took north in the Westralia are nob only a credit to their breeders, but should prove highly satisfactory to the purchasers. The sheep were obtained through the New Zealand Farmers' Co-operative Association, and comprised 10 stud English-Leicester _wes and 1 ram from the flock of Mr Jas. Little, Allandale, Waikari, 11 ewes and 1 ram from Mr*P. 0. Threlkeld, Inglewood, Flaxton, and 12 ewes and 1 ram from Mr F. C. Murray, Walsingham, Lincoln. The names of the breeders are guarantees that the sheep are of the highest class, and tho future of the newstud flock will be an object of interest to Canterbury sheep farmers. At the Police Court yesterday, a man charged with drunkenness and assault, pleaded guilty to drunkenness, but did not admit the assault. Before the second charge was gone into, the Clerk of the Court handed to the Bench a list of his previous convictions, whereupon Mr Donnelly, his counsel, protested most energetically. He said it was improper of the clerk to'do it, and improper of the Bench to look at tfie list; if it occurred again he would have to do as he did with success in the case of another official— report the conduct of the clerk to his superiors. The chairman said the Bench were conducting the business. Mr Donnelly replied that was true, but it was incumbent on them to conduct business with some regard to justice, fair play, and well known rides of procedure. He repeated that whether the justices interfered or not, if the same thing took place again, when he was concerned, he should certainly make a formal complaint. When the case was finished, and the accused had been fined in trifling sums, Mr Forrester, the chairman, said the desk did not pass in the list of previous convictions until the accused had pleaded guilty to one offence, -and the clerk was justified in doing as he had. Mr Donnelly said there was another charge arising from the same incident pending, and a perusal of the list would tend to prejudice the mind of the Bench; it was altogether 'wrong. Mr Forrester said tho'Bench did not think it was wrong, and the matter dropped. A Great Success.—We are informed by Messrs W. Strange and Co. that their great end of season sale now proceeding is proving a pronounced success. Thousands of delighted customers have already attended the sale, but owing to the great number of lines to be quitted this year, plenty more bargain lots await first comers. A little ready money will go a very long way at this genuine clearance sale. 9161 Having received a shipment of B.S.A. 1899 bicycle fittings, we can execute orders built of these at £19. Boyd and Son, Gloucester street, Christchurch. Telephone 658. 8851 The famous Elswick cycle bearings, stated by English cycling journals to be perfection. Zealandia bicycles fitted with 1899 pattern Elswick bearings, twin roller chains, and Dunlop tyres, for £21. Oats, Lowry and, Co., makers, Ohristchurch.—(Advt.) If you require a tonic take the best— Syrup of Hypophosphates. Barnett, Chemist, lib bottle, 4s 6d; .lb, 2s 6d. 16 Two Nuts to Crack.—Excelsior and Red Bud Bicycles.—Send for catalogues. Bar-* low Cycle Manufacturing Company, Manchester street. Gould and Co.'s Quinine Wine restores exhausted vitality. Sufferers from general debility, depression, weakness, tired and . languid feeling, poverty of blood, &c, should take our Quinine Wine, prepared from sound Spanish wine and pure quinine. Price, 3s 6d per bottle. Hobden and Cole, next Ballantyne.—(Advt.) Half-mile New Zealand record flying start reduced to 57sec by A. W. Humphreys mounted on a Waverley, at Lancaster Park, on January 13th. Waverley Cycle Depot, 217 Colombo street. 2396 "When you see _ man" walking sedately, his head bowed down, all happiness vanished from him, you can be sure of this. He has either got an overdraft, is the father of a cross baby, or else he wants a course of Loasby'a "Wahoo. A New Departure in the Drapery Business.—We have just completed arrangements with Australasian Free Insurance Association, giving us the sole right to issue policies of insurance in Ohristchurch and suburbs, free of charge or cost of any kind to all buyers of drapery and clothing to the value of seven shillings and sixpence and over. Our £50 policy holds good for seven days from date of issue, and renewed with every purchase of 7s 6d worth of good*. Our £100 policy is good for twenty-eight days from the date of issue. These policies keep all customers dealing regularly with us constantly insured without cost, and all payments are guaranteed by the Scottish Metropolitan Life Assurance Company, of High street, Dunedin. By dealing with us regularly you are always insured against accident without cost to yourself. Send for one of our pocketbooks, giving full particulars, it will pay you. Shaw, Robinson and Co., 213 Cashel street, Christchurch. -

Morris, photographer, from Dunedin, personally takes all the portraits in Colombo street. Call and see new specimens.—[Advt.]

Further Reductions it Groceries :—Oa£meal reduced to 3s per bag, Californiah tinned apricots, peaches and pears reduced to 8d per tin, sharps 4s 9d per sackj kerosene 5* 6d per tin. sugar (sparkling white crystals) 2d per lb with tea.—Hubbard, Hall and Co.