CHRISTCHURCH.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3566, 13 December 1882, Page 3

CHRISTCHURCH.

December 13

Mr W. D. Meares, President of tbe Chamber of Commerce, received a letter to-day from the Government stating that, "if the present Commission cannot report on the line from Christchurch to Reefton, another Commission will be appointed to do so, in order that full information on all the routes may be laid before Parliament." The receipts of the Wairaakariri Board

of Conservators for the past year were £10,176. and the expenditure £9985. The Grand Lodge of Good Templars met at Rangiora at 10 o'clock yesterday morning, Brother J. T. Smith, G.W.C.T., presiding. Representatives were present from Dunedin, Port Chalmers, Tuapeka, Alexandra, Clinton, Gore, Christchurch, Akaroa, Ashburton, Geraldine, Hokitika, Greymouth, Nelson, Blenheim, Wellington, and Wanganui. The reports of the officers were considered, and a long discussion took place on the working of the Licensing Act. Eveutually it was referred to a committee consisting of Bros. Adam, Roseby, Allworth, and Jago, to consider the powers placed in the hands of licensing committees by the present Licensing Act and the relations in which Good Templars should stand to the Act and to the committees elected thereunder. The reports showed decreases in the numbers and in the funds of the Order.

In the District Court yesterday a man named M'Lennan sued the Tramway Company for £31, the value of a horse killed by slipping on a tram rail. There was no contention of improper laying or negligence on the part of the company. The defense was that no action could be brought against the company unless negligence could be proved. His Honor thought the defence was not made out, but it was evident that the loss of the animal was a pure accident, and he reserved judgment in order to look into the case thoroughly. A boy about ten years old named David Ran: say, while bathing in the north branch of the Waimakariri at Kaiapoi yesterday, got out of his depth end was drowned.