NEWS OF THE DAY.

Press, Volume LVI, Issue 10273, 16 February 1899, Page 4

NEWS OF THE DAY.

As showing the broken nature of the weather, it may be stated that it took ten weeks this season to complete shearing of the Dalethorpo ran, as against the ordinary six to seven weeks. The old Maori cemetery at Kaiapoi has been securely fenced, and the rough growth trimmed. Mr George Chirnside, a member of the Royal Agricultural Society of Victoria, is in Christchurch just now. Yesterday he wat shown round by Mr M. Murpby/F.L.S. A small coterie of interested spectatorr assembled at the railway station last nigh* around the automatic weighing machine* on which a renowned dirine was trying hit weight. The apparatus stood the test. The members of the Board of Advice paid a visit to the Bumham Industrial School yesterday. Eight hundred and four factories have been registered. Twentv-flve have not, and of these several owners are to be invited to show cause to the Magistrate why the Act has not been complied with. The epecial meeting of the creditors at Professor Haslam was adjourned until the Ist of March, for the furi-er consideration of the offer his solicitor made to meet his liabib'ties. According to Mr Justice Denniaton, "strong language is no justification for i blow." His Honour laid down this axiom on Tuesday in the course of bis summing up in an assault case. ' By the Rakaia there was brought from London for the Canterbury , Frozen Meat Company's Works, Fairfield, a large boiler,, weighing twenty tons. This was lifted by means of two* special derricks, under the direction of Mr Put man, the New Zealand Shipping Company's stevedore. The telephone line from Springfield has been extended to Patterson's Creek for the convenience of the officials engaged on the. Midland railway. Atrain/the firstcarrv-, ing goods, went through to the creek, with*a load of bricks laet Monday. Our Malvern correspondent writes:—The weather, although now fine and apparently settled, is not altogether favourable for harvesting as a heavy fog sets in nightly and hangs about until midday. Since Monday a large quantity of grain has been stacked, and owners are working until late at night getting it in and cutting. With the exception of a slight discolouration ot some pat crops the train has suffered but little from the long spell of wet weather.

At the Elmwood camp, during tlie vbrit fcf the Bishop, a late breakfast and an early dinner somewhat upset the cooking arrangements, and the meat and potatoes were served up nearly raw, so that the hungry officers content to satisfy themselves-on bread and butter and jam.- An apology was tendered for this extravagant menu, and ample amends were made at tea time for t_« limited condition of the midday meal.

That passage in the Bible which refers < to the giving of a atone when bread was: asked for, received some elucidation from Mra Bevan in her lecture on Tuesday evening. While she and Dr. Bevan were in Jerusalem they saw piles of bread whioh ao resembled,, the rock of the country that it would be quit* easy, she said, for a stone to be given ia place of bread, and the difference not 1 noticed until the object was touched. : -

The entries for the Christ-hutch Regatta next Thursday include crews from all the Canterbury Clubs, and from Dunedin and Wellington. So for the numbers areYouth. Sculls, 7: Senior Pair Oar, Maiden Double Sculls, Maiden Four Oar ~ Junior Four Oar, and Senior Double Sculls, 4 each; Ladies' Plate and Senior Pairs, 3 each; \

Youths' Pair, 6; and Junior Double Sculls, 5. '

At Lyttelton yesterday, Mr Beetham ' dealt with thirty applications for old age , pensions. The fuil amount was granted except in four cases, in which the pension was fixed at £9, £9, £9, and £13. The average age of the applicants was,seventy-two war*, and the average duration of their residence in New Zealand thirty-nine years. Thirteen . of the applicants were men.

On Tuesday evening Mrs Bevan euggesfced to the ladies a way of reducing their • maker's account. One of her exhibits at • her lecture waa the true form of Eastern < trousers. "Talk about the divided tkixt," said Mrs Bevan, "it would be more convenient'to wear these," pointing to the «!• ■ larged bloomer like coverings "If we were > to adoj-it the Eastern fa_hion, she continued, "we should reduce our dressmaker's bill con* siderably.". She did not.say what the drMimaker's view of the suggestion would ba. j_ut one can imagine. *

"It seems to mc that there is some misunderstanding as to the "powers and right* of a judge by counsel in this court," aaid Mr Justice Dennrston, with somq warmth, on Tuesday, in reply to counsel who was disputing his Honours remarks, "and there seems to be a considerable desire to argua and question the powers of the judge. The judge is not to be subjected to the lnterruption and dictation of counsel." The counsel in question attempted to explain, but bis Honour declined to hear a word. "Thera is an end of it," he said; "I am not going to hear any more. I must ask you not to continue to speak, and not to tell mc in future what I am to do or not to do."

A first-class carriage was employed yesterday to convey to Dunedin the Fire Brigade reparesentatives who are' on their way to Queenstown. The " representatives included Secretary Gilberd of the Association, Secretary ,' Gray, Napier; Fireman Lynch, Spit; Engineer Leipst, Hastings; ex-President Cummings, Wanganui; Vice-President Powell, _ Wanganui; Captain Kivell, Hawera; Captain Tingey, Palmers-ton; Secretary Neild, Gisborne ; Secretary Nash, Palmerston; Secretary Walton, Greymouth ; Fireman Latter, .Greymouth; Captain Lichfield, Blenheim;

Foreman Church, Maaterton (Volunteer); Captain Pickering, Master-ton (Municipal); Lieutenant Harley, Nelson; Foreman Hall, Palmer-ton; Branchman Ealam, Lyttelton; Fireman Richardson (East Town), Wanganui; Lieutenant Fisher, Greytown; Fireman Briasco, Napier Fire Police, and Lieutenant France, Picton. The Auckland and Christchurch representatives leave by to* day's train. - Ex-President W. Haxrii will also viait tha Conference..

Tha annual report for presentation to the mmibers of the Canterbury Caledonian SoHeTrTa satisfactory one. The credit Kjiv» on general account n* the Bank is £30 8s 3d. » ntl t,,e various f« ntls connected <' with the Society are in a good state. The «.oorte received each term from the Girls ffU School regarding Gladys Cullen, the present holder of the Society s scholarship, Lre etated as having been invariably satisfictorr—the position she maintains in her antral classes, the results she gains in the ordinary school examinations, and her ~o«r&l 'progress in all her studies, being most gratifying. There ww a attic scene between counsel and hi* Honour at ihe Supreme Court on Tuesday. Counsel for the defence imputed conspiracy :i £ ai,lst a prisoner in a robbery case His Honour laU-r directed the jury to take no notice of the remarks, saying that it waa unfair and wrong of any counsel to impute anything of the sort. Counsel ut once jumped up. denying that he had made jny remarks of the kind. His Honour said counsel had made use of the words. Hβ fhi» Honour) had takrn them down, arid he had never heard n counsel co commit himself. He thoufr-t it very wrong for any counsel to impute a conspiracy on the part of the witnesses for the prosecution. Counitl eventually apologised, and the matter ended. \fr Justice Denniston holds strong views regarding the application of the Probation Act. views whh-h «.tlier Judges in the colony bavtj acted upmi. On Tuesday, an application was made to his Honour for probation on behalf of a Maori who hud been convicted of theft, and who«e defence had been in untrue story. His Honour replied that in caws where ft man made a false defence be did not extend the Probation Act, because the Act assumed that it was an indulgence to a man by the Court, and one of the first principles was that the man was not a crikntnnl cliwnctor. but a proper subject for tlw indulgence. He never considered that a man who in his defence practically committed perjury was ii proper subject for the Probation Act. If a man wished to obtain the benefit of the Probation Act he did not say tiiat he was bound to plead" guilty. On the contrary, lie was entitled to every legitimate defence, but his defence must be an honest defence. In the Invercargill Wheel Race Poole was first and Jordan second, both on Sterlings. 9996 A. W. Humphreys, on his world-renowned Waverley, attempted the N.Z. half-mile record, held by A. R. Barker, and tied the Kune by covering the distance twice in sueCMsion. Time. 59 3-sec. Waverley Cycle Depot, Colombo Street, Christchurch. 2396 At 10 o'clock to-morrow morning we •hall commence a special sale of drapery and clothing, being a large consignment from Wellington, bousrht at ten shillings in the pound. The goods we all this season's import*, are quite new and fresh, no old or out-of-date stock. Full particulars by circular in Friday's "Times' and Tuesday's "Press." Shaw, Robinson and Co., Cashel street. ' 9989 "Swift" Cycles are like the current of swift waters, they carry everything before them. Just landed, the Austral "Swift," with '99 improvements. Weight 271b. price £22. Write to the Austral Cycle Agency, Limited, Colombo street, for an Illustrated Art Catalogue, sent post free on application. 9257 Dunlop tyres reduced. Oates, Lowry and Co. are now supplying genuine Dunlop covers, best quality, twelve months' guarantee, for 27s 6d each; inner tubes, with valves, 9s.—(Advt.) Crown Brand Tea Prize Competitions.— Next competition closes on last day of this month (February), and will be followed by others every alternate month. Prizes— Ladies' silver and other watches, albums, jewel cases, work boxes, &c. Hubbard, Sail and Co.—(Advt.). Morris, photographer, from Dunedjn, personally takes all the portrait! in Colombo street. Call and see new specimens.—[Advt.] If you require a ty)nic take the best— Syrup of Hjpophosph&tet. Burnett, Chemist, lib bottle, 4s 6d ;.. 41b, 2t 6d. 16 Cyclists, who require their machines well md carefully repaired, should send them to the "Premiers" of the cycling trade—Boyd and Son, Gloucester street. Telephone, 658 9539 Gould and Co.'a Quinine Wine restores exhausted vitality. Sufferers from 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. Hocden and Cole, next Ballantyne.—(Advt.) PROPERTY IN WELLINGTON. The rateable value of the city of Wellington for the year (says a Pres* Association message) is £416,000, being an increase of £19,880 over that of last year. GRAIN FOR THJThOME MARKET. A Press Association telegram from Dun•din has the following:—The Hon. J. M'Kenxie states with reference to the report that the Government intend chartering steamers to carry the surplus grain to the Home market, that the matter is not ripe yet, but he hopes in a few days to be able to make an announcement. civil servicFexamination. According to a Wellington telegram, fortyfour candidates passed the Senior Civil Service examination, those from Christchurch bting Wm. Alexander, Hugh Cordery, and Edith Standisb. THE SYLLABUS IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS. The Otago Education Board has agreed to take steps to obtain a conference of Education Boards to discuss the subject of •Iterations and amendments to the present •ylkbus. THE LATE MrIEaBENS'S POST. Currency lias been given in Christchurch during the past two or three days to a statement to the effect that Mr C. E. BevanSrown, headmaster of the Boys' High School, is to succeed the late Rev. W. J. Hftbens as Secretary to the Education Department and Inspector-General of Schools. We are able to say, on the authority of Mr J jjmn-Brown himself, that tliis is erroneous. He was offered the position by the Minister . oot did not see his way to accept it —a cirewnstance which all well-wishers to the Boys' High School will agree is matter for congratulation. MEN AS SCANDALMONGERS. There is at least ot\e gentleman who hat the temerity to assert that women are not greater goesipers than men. Speaking yestwdey on the Order of the Daughters of the Court, Dr. Bevan said that a similar order JjJHMiggt men would be an admirable thine. Sjßite as unsavoury things were said at men s wubs about others as amongst women. Few ■**rd the stories about one another told in «* ante-rooms of Parliamentary assemblies, •ed if one broke into the beautiful mysteries of a gathering of clergymen one might discover that membership iii such an order as |**t under consideration, would possibly "••en the piquancy and otherwise improve w conversation of a good many men. He Wieved women could set the moral standard of any age, and if they could be got to acf*pt the principle* of the Order of the **«ighters of the Court the result would •Wntually be beneficial to man. ACCIDENT TO~MR ROLLESTON. The Hon. W. Rolleston met with an accident on Monday last, which occasioned his friends some anxiety. He was riding a pony through liis harvest paddocks at Rangitata, *oen his mount plunged and threw him. It *»• thought tliat he had sustained a fracture •* » rib, but on the arrival of Dr. Hayes, fro was at once sent for, it was found that ■* bones were broken, but that some of the ■Jck muscles had been severely strained. * Rolleston, although suffering some pain, 'Ha fair wav to recovery. ! . *• *