NEWS OF THE DAY.

Globe, Volume II, Issue 100, 25 September 1874, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Theatre Royal.—The bill of tho proceeding evening was repeated at the Theatre Royal last night. This evening the burlesque of " Romulus and Remus," will precede the Loyal s. Sons of Temperance.—A special meeting of the Perseverance division of the Sons of Temperance, will be held at the Temperance Hall this evening, for the election of trustees and revision of bye-laws. Volunteer Inspection. The annual inspection by the officer commanding the district of No 1 C. E.V. will take place this evening at 7 p.m. at the drill shed. Madame Winter's Concert.—The concert given by Madame and Miss Winter and the members of their choral class takes place this evening in the Colonists' Hall. A very good programme has been prepared for the occasion. Hare and Hounds.—The first meet of the season will take place on Saturday, starting from the Canterbury boat sheds at 2.30 p.m. The hare will be chosen from the following gentlemen—viz, Messrs Gain, Kilgour, G. Mathias, and W. Tosswill. East Christchurch District. The opening of the Bingsland school under the auspices of the East (Jhristchurch district will be celebrated this evening by a tea meeting and entertainment. The proceedings will commence at six o'clock. Horse PAPtADE.—The entries for the show of entire horses to be held on Saturday next at the grounds of the Agricultural and Pastoral Association closed last evening at Tattcrsall'a. From the number of valuable and high class horses recently imported, as well as those well-known on former occasions, the parade of 1874 promises to be quite as successful as regards number and quality as those which have preceded it. New Brighton.—The steamer Brighton made her first trip of the season yesterday afternoon, and the affair passed off most successfully. Amongst the passengers were his Worship the Mayor and several of the members of the City Council. On arriving at Mr Hopkins's Hotel a few bottles of the right sort were duly paraded, and success to the enterprising proprietor proposed and done honor to. After spending a short time very pleasantly the party returned to town, the upward trip being accomplished in a little over an hour. Tho ball and supper to celebrate the opening of the season takes place on Mondaj next. Accidents in Lyttelton.—Two accidents occurred in Lyttelton yesterday. One happened to the cook of the Cleopatra. It appears that as that vessel was hauling alongside the barque Mallard, the fish tackle parted and the block came down on the unfortunate man's head, inflicting a severe wound. A man named Oekford was taking timber off a truck to stack it, when two of his ringers got jammed, and one had to be amputaied at the first joint, the other being badly hurt. He is the first member of the Lyttelton Lumpers'Society who has received assi-tance from that body, which he will at the rate of 20s per week. Excelsior Good Templar Lodge The usual weekly session of the above lodge was held on Wednesday evening in the Temperance Hall, Gloucester street, when there were three members admitted by clearance! card, and four new ones initiated. It was resolved to hold the lodge meeting in future in Gee's schoolroom. The election of Grand Lodge representatives then took place, which resulted in returning Bro Hutton, W.C.T.. and Bro Bennetts, VV.M ; also, Sister Amos and Bro Wykes as alternate representatives. It was also resolved to recommend Bru Amos to the Grand Lodge ai lodge deputy, and to form a choir in connection with this lo'lge. East Malvern. —A correspondent says ' —As it. was stated at the recent session of the Provincial Council that the railway would be opened by the first of August, great dissatisfaction is felt at the unnecessary delay in the mailer Ii appears that the daily coach is often too crowded to admit passengers. Coal from Canterbury colliery has been used by the locomotive engines on the Malvern and Ashburlon lines for a considerable time Farming operations have boon interrupted by the unfavorable weather, in the western portion of the dislri t, as we had suow from Sunday to Wednesday morning.

Northern Rivers.—On Thursday the flooded state of the rivers had sensibly decreased, and Sansom and Lee's coaches resumed running to Leithfield. The Hurunui coach was also able to reach Leithfield, but the mail from Hawkeswood to the Waiau had not arrived. Possibly it will come in to-day. The Palmer River Rush.—The adjourned meeting of intending passengers to these diggings, was held last night at the Boro' Hotel. The meeting was very largely attended, about 140 persons being present. Mr J. C. Stott occupied the chair, and stated that he had been to Lyttelton that day, and received offers from the agents of two vessels, and had also received telegrams from Wellington and Auckland. He had telegraphed that morning to Dunedin, to the Agents of the steamer Easby, and had received a reply that that vessel had sailed full, the agents having to refuse fifty applications for passages. After some discussion, a committee of three was appointed, to consider the offers made, and report to a meeting to be held at the same place on to-morrow evening. Sixty-five persons entered theii names on the list of intending passengers. A vote of thanks to the chairman for the trouble he had taken, brought the meeting to a close. Christchurch Artillery.—The annual inspection of the Christchurch Artillery was held last evening when there was a good muster. Colonel Packe having inspected the arms and accoutrements, &c, the men were tolled off for gun drill which they did very satisfactorily. After the inspection a special general meeting of the battery was held for the election of a captain. Lieut. Stansell was requested to take the captaincy, but had to decline on account of not being able to devote the time requisite for such an office. Lieut. Craig was then proposed, seconded and unanimously elected. It was resolved that a a picnic should be held on the cattle show day, and a committee was appointed to arrange the necessary details and report at a future meeting, when full particulars will be given of the arrangements made. Ashburton. —An entertainment on a grand scale, in aid of the Church building fund, came off on Wednesday evening, at the Library Hall. It opened with an overture by the band, entitled " The Caliph of Bagdad," the instrumentalists being Mr Schwartz (piano),Mr S. Schwartz (violin),and Mr Tancred (cornet) ; a readiug, " The Loss of H.M.S. Captain," by Mr Cambridge; song, "Clear and cool," by Mr Nixon ; recitation, "Bridge of Sighs," Rev J. H. Wills; song, "You and I," M. Daily; piano solo, " Lucrezia Borgia," Mr Schwartz ; duet, " M y Pretty Page," Messrs Schwartz ; reading, " Winifred Price," Mr J. Ward; and " The Venice Quadrilles," by the band. This concluded the first part. After an interval of ten minutes, the second part commenced, with selections from " II Trovatore," by the band ; a piano and violin duet, by Messrs Schwartz ; a duet, by Mr and Mrs Nixon ; song (serio comic), by Mr Schwartz; reading, "The Soul's Errand," by Rev J. H. Wills; song, " Forsaken," by Mrs Nixon; Express,'quadrilles, by the band; reading, "Sprout's Opinion on the Beautiful," Mr Poyntz; a song, by Mr Schwartz, in German; grand valse, by the band; song, " Ring out wild bells," Mr Daily and a galop, by the band. Several encores were demanded and given. The whole entertainment was far above the ordinary sort of country entertainments, and drew forth high encomiums from the audience, who seemed both pleased and astonished at the great amount of versatile talent brought together. After singing in unison''God save the Queen," one of the most recherche entertainments ever given in the Ashburton was brought to a successful close. It is in contemplation to give another in the course of about three weeks, and the Amateur Dramatic Company have also made up their minds to again take the boards during the summer months, so that the Ashburton promises to be foremost of all country districts in providing rational amusement for its inhabitants. Rangiora Swamp.—The large body of water collected in the swamp for the past two or three days was greatly in excess of any recent floods, besides considerably added to by the overflow of the creeks from the gullies on the Downs. At Fernside the country, it was expected, would be in a state of general flood, but nothing serious came of it, except temporary inundation of one or two farms, and damage to the Oxford railway, which is inefficiently provided with culverts to let the water escape that the railway embankment, forming a dam, collects. The Mandeville and Rangiora drainage works were put to a severe test, but were reported by the assistant engineer to have proved almost equal to the requirements, except at the top of the main drive, and at the point referred to yesterday at the Flaxton bridge. The volume of rainfall brought down was very great, but the only damage to these works was to the north approach of the small bridge, near the Braxton school, and to the embankment near the principal bridge lower down. Here the soil of the banks is loose and shingly, and a row of strong willows growing on it having, on-the enlargement, of the drain, been removed, the current soon found its way on to the road, thence across 400 or 500 acres of enclosed swamp land to the northern railway line, crossing it between the fifteenth and sixteenth mile posts. The water topped the embankment upon which the line runs and blowing up the ballast from the sleepers at half a dozen places for distances of from a quarter to half a chain in each, and the worst breach about three quarters of a chain, left rails as well as sleepers hanging. The line embankment, acting as a dam, holds the water and necessitates other channels being made to relieve the flood as rapidly,'as convenient to permit of the restoration of the permanent way. Workmen were therefore engaged at this work yesterday, with the intention also of repairing the damages on the subsidence of the Hood. The line will probably be reopened during to-day. It was evident much of the mischief resulting iu the serious delay of the railway traffic might have been obviated. Three or four large culverts and j drains of increased width would have rendered the line on this occasion perfectly secure. It would be requisite to have other ! culverts put in towards the Flaxton platform. | for on the occasion of the last flood it was the latter portion of the way which was damaged. The mails and passengers were forwarded to Rangiora by a trolly, but when the danger was apprehended a locomotive should have been sent to remain at Rangiora, so that communication might have been kept up by the trains; passengers and mails requiiiug to be trullied only over about four , chains of the damaged line, |

We (Atliencßum) have recorded the fact of Mr Ruskin having declined to accept the gold medal of the Institute of British Architects, awarded him by that body, and to have been bestowed by the Queen. Though Mr Buskin's letter was not formally read at the meeting of the Institute, its contents are no secret; the gist being that, in the present condition of architecture and art generally, and of public taste, Mr Ruskin cannot imagine how any person, or body of persons, could have the right of conferring a gold medal, or ;'any one the right of receiving a gold medal. Had the Institute of British Architects proposed to Mr Ruskin to join them in sitting together in sackcloth and ashes, he would at once have assented.