NEWS OF THE DAY.

Globe, Volume IX, Issue 1094, 1 January 1878, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Lyttelton Habboe Board. —Nominations for the vacancy, caused by the retirement of Mr John Anderson, as one of the representatives of the Chamber of Commerce at the Harbor Board, will be received by the secretary, at the Chamber, up to noon to-morrow.

Growing Crops.—At an auction of 150 acres of growing crops at Mr Clark's farm, Kaiapoi Island, on Monday, wheat was bid for \ip to £4 per acre, oats £4 ss, and barley £4 10e, but all were withdrawn to the bid of the owner at £5 per acre. Fatal Accident. —The man John Bunny, who was gored by a cow in Aylmer street, Akaroa, last Thursday, died from the injuries lie received on Sunday afternoon. An inquest will be held.

Railway Telegraph.—The Government have during the past few months been opening the railway telegraph offices for public use. The latest one opened has been, at Winslow, hitherto known as Long Beach. 1.0.0. F., Loyal Avon Lodge.—A summoned meeting of this lodge was held last evening for the purpose of electing officers for the next term. The following were elected : —N.G., Bro. H". D. Manning ; V.G., Bro. E. Taylor ; secretary, Bro. J. J. Fryer; treasurer, Bro. P. Patterson ; warden, Bro. H. T. Price ; conductor, Bro. A. Schwartz ; trustees, Bros. Lezard, Meyers, and Faville ; P.G., Bro. C. Lezard ; medical officer, Dr. Doyle. Other business having been satisfactorily disposed of, and the members having congratulated one another upon their success since the lodge opened, the meeting closed.

Presentations to Old Canteebuey Settlkrs. —We notice in the " Hawke's Bay Herald" reports of presentations to former residents of Canterbury, namely, the Rev. J. Campbell, of the Napier Boys' School, and Mr and Mrs f Hunter, of the Papakihana station. Mr Campbell was presented by the boys with a very handsome piece of plate, containing cut gLiss bottles, with a suitable inscription engraved on the silver. Mr Hunter was presented with an address and a hundred sovereigns. Upwards of 300 persons were present, and there was a warm and friendly demonstration, Mrs Hunter (formerly Miss M. A. Monteith) being treated with the greatest respect and affection. Mr Canning, who was one of the speakers on the occasion, joined heartily in the spirit of the testimonial, and regretted, with the employees, the departure of so old a settler and so valued a friend. He had worked as an adjoining neighbor to Mr Hunter for twenty years, when the present district was a wilderness, and it appeared to be hard that at his (Mr Hunter's) time of life he should have to seek for fresh fields and pasture new. He was sorry to find that Mr Hunter intended leaving the district. It was his intention to proceed to Wanganui in search of a home, and it was to be hoped that, with a good heart, a clear conscience, and his thorough principle of rectitude, with the assistance of Mrs Hunter and his numerous family blessings, he would be enabled to start life anew successfully, wherever it would be his lot to settle. G-BASS FIKE AT SOTTTH E.AKAIA. —A fire broke out in the Eakaia river bed on Sunday morning, while the people were in the church. It is supposed to have started near the new slaughter yard of Mr W. Hartnall, which is now being erected. The fire quickly eipread, and soon entered the G-overnment plantation, which extends for nearly two miles from the rear of the township up the river terrace. Fortunately the wind was not from the northwest, for if it had been from that direction a great deal of damage most certainly would have been done to the town, as the tussock extends close up to the homes, and even surrounds the new church, which has not yet been fenced in. It waß soon seen that nothing could be done to stop the fire in the plantation, and all efforts were directed to prevent it from reaching the tussock outside:. The fire did get out at the corner opposite the school plantation, and spread for some distance along the grass, and it was at one time feared that it would reach the school plantation, but. through the untiring efforts of a few individuals, this was fortunately prevented. The wind, which wap from the south, sent the fire up the whole length of the plantation :n the direction of Todtown, where it was extinguished late in the ovening. As a natural consequence the gums in the plantation are very much scorched, but it is thought by some that they will not die, which it is to be hoped will prove to be the case, as in a very few years they would form a splendid breakwind from the north.westers, which sweep down from the gorge with irresistible fury during the greater part of the summer months. Mr Makeig, clerk fcothe Eoad Board, worked very hard in his efforts to have tho fire stopped, iud among others present were Messrs Winter, Clark, Brodrick, and Cox. Constable Smart, too, was untiring in his exert ions, and great praise is due to him for the' way in which he worked, Up to the pmeot time, no clue has bsen obtained as to the wigin of ,tj» fir*

Obituaby. The "South Canterbury Times " reports the death of Mr Thomas Paterson, an old and well-respected resident of Temuka. A Nuisance.—The inhabitants of Colombo street north have some cause for complaint arising asto the growth of grass over the side channel, thereby impeding the flow of water, A yery little trouble on the part of the City Council men would remove the obstruction complained of. 1.0.0. F., M.U.—The half-yearly meeting of the Loyal City of Christchurch Lodge was held at the hall, Lichfield street, laßt evening. A large amount of business was transacted. Drs. Symes and Campbell were elected as medical officers for the next twelve months. The election of hall-keeper was postponed till Monday, January 7th. The following were elected to the respective chairs : -.M., H. A. Davis ; N.G., V.Gr. H. Davis ; V.G., Bro. Winter ; 8.5., Bro. Boarland ; auditors, P.G. Clephane and Thin, and Bro. Farrow. The total amount received was £169 10s 4d. The installation of officers was adjourned till Monday next. Reaping and Binding Contest.—The time for receiving entries for the prize offered by the Agricultural and Pastoral Association, expired yesterday. Five machines were entered, as under : —R. Wilkin, manufactured by Messrs C. H. and L. J. McCormick; R. Wilkin, manufactured by D. M. Osborne and Co.; Morrow, Basset and Co., manufactured by C. H. and L. J. McCormick; Wood, Shand and Co., manufactured by W. D. Wood, Hossick Falls, N.Y.; J. Anderson, Wood's reaper and Lock's binder. At the last meeting of the committee of the association a sub-committee was appointed to select a crop whereon to try the competing machines, and also to fix the date of the trial.

Boaed of Education.—Notices have been issued to the various school committees throughout the North and South Canterbury districts, drawing their attention to the sections 13, 14, 20, and 21 of the Education Act, 1877, in reference to the election of the new Boards to be held in March. One board of nine members is to be elected for the district being the counties of Kaikoura, Amuri, Cheviot, Ashley, Akaroa, Selwyn, and Ashburton ; and the South Canterbury Board for the district, including the counties of Geraldine and Waimate, including all boroughs therein as described in the Counties Act, 1876. Nominations of two candidates may be made by each committee if they are so disposed, between January Ist and 31st, and in case of a greater number than nine candidates being nominated, a poll will be taken, each committee to be furnished with a list of the nominations, and being entitled to vote for the number of members of the Board required to be elected. Provision is made that the election shall still proceed, if even any committee fails to send in its list. The new Boards are to take office on March 31st.

Sunday Observance.—A meeting of the Canterbury Sunday Observance League was held in the rooms of the Young Men's Christian Association, Colombo street, last evening, the Rev. W. Morley in the chair. The secretary stated the object of the meeting to be the question of the railway and wharf employees being called upon to labor on Sundays. A resolution was passed, a copy of which was requested to be forwarded to the Minister of Public Works, and which was as follows—" That the Canterbury Sunday Observance League has heard with great regret that the men employed on the Government railways and wharves have been called upon to sign an agreement to work on Siradays when required. That the League is of opinion that it is unwise to make such a demand of men who conscientiously believe that Sunday ought to be observed as a day of rest, and desires fully and strongly to endorse the views expressed in the resolution of the Chamber of Commerce, and to inform the Minister of Public Works —as hereunto annexed —that the public of this district would doubtless support this remonstrance." The resolution of the Chamber of Commerce referred to, was as follows : —" That the committee of the Chamber of Commerce regrets to learn from the local newspapers that the railway authorities have demanded that the men in their employ at Lyttelton shall, under pain of dismissal, sign an agreement to work on Sundays when required; and as the committee largely represents the commerce of Lyttelton, and the provincial district of which Lyttelton is the shipping port, expresses its opinion that Sunday work is not required on the wharves or stores, and ought not be permitted excepting in an extraordinary emergency." It was also moved —"That a petition be prepared at once, put into circulation for signature, and forwarded to the Government ; " after which two gentlemen wore proposed as members. The meeting was then adjourned until a reply was received from the Government. The Late Mxsteeious Death at Auckland. —The result of the inquest at Auckland on the body of the unfortunate girl Isabella Fraser, is considered by the "Herald" to have been of a most unsatisfactory character. The evidence set up was intended to prove that the deceased had been the victim of insanity or mania, but in this respect there was a want of substantiality which must at once be apparent. The conversation carried on with the girl Bates, of which only a sentence is given, failed to show anything like a depression which would lead to the conclusion that the girl contemplated suicide. Such a remark might be made by any weary woman on Saturday night, before her work terminated, and may have been made without thought. Her last employer, Mrs Quick, never noticed any change in her conduct, and she was more in her company on the day preceding her death than was Matilda Bates. Both medical gentlemen who gave evidence were agreed as to the improbability of any violence having been offered to her. Other indications were essentially different from those of a person who premeditated suicide. There was no salt water in the stomaph, sucji as might naturally have been expected in that of a drowned person, especially one deliberately committing suicide. D*. 'Jackson suggested the probability of her having fainted, and Dr. Goldsbro' went further, and said that the water must have come to the woman and insidiously suffocated her, not that the woman had gone to the water. These facts do not indicate suicide. Then the question arises, how did the deceased get to where she was found ? The theory of religious mania is exploded by the evidence produced. Mrs Quick, in whose service deceased had been for two month? prior to her death, did not know whether she attended any church 5 and Mr Upton, who testified that when in his service deceased waß a pious, good girl, had never seen her at any of the churches which he attended. The. theory of religious mania must, the "Harald" thinks, be abandoned. The niyste'ry is still' a? deep us erer.

Magisterial.—At the Resident Magistrate's Court, Christchurch, today, Hill, arrested at Bacecourse hill on a charge of having sold a horse and buggy procured from Mr E. W. Millet, was remanded until Thursday. One inebriate was fined os.

Fungus.—Recent advices from Sydney and elsewhere, state that the demand for fungus is falling off, and that stocks are tolerably heavy, which has caused a decrease in price of id to %d per lb. Auckland province exports a considerable quantity, and many settlers' children have earned considerable sums of money by the collection thereof. '

Pabliamentaet Honoes.—A special telegram to the Dunedin " Star," dated Queenstown, December 28th, says : —" Mr Manders arrived last evening, and was met at the jetty with groans from a large number of persons, besides receiving the cold shoulder from his old friends. His effigy was burnt after being paraded through the town."

Reefton.—News reached Hokitika on Saturday that the reef had been met with in the lower levels in two of the principal claims in Reefton, the Hopeful and the Golden Fleece. There was quite a joyous commotion amongst the speculators in scrip, in consequence of the favorable news. One or two small parcels of scrip changed hands at improved prices, and the feeling appears to be setting in at Reefton that many of the shares have seen their lowest quotations. For several months past shares in several of the mines had been much depressed.

Local Statistics.—The Registrar, Mr Parkerson, records that in the last month of the year, 44 children were born in the city of Christchurch, and 75 in the district, as against 48 in the district, and 106 in the district during the same month last year. The marriages were 34 against 30 in the city, and 11 against 9in the district. The deaths were 24 against 23 in the city, and 30 against 24 in the district.

.Destitution in Bydney.—Notwithstanding the general prosperity of New South Wales, there must be a good deal of destitution in Sydney. The " Herald," of a recent date, says : —The manager of the night refuge and soup kitchen in Kent street reports : During the month of November 4622 meals W6re given, and shelter afforded in 2100 instances. Situations were obtained for thirty persons. Average number daily to dinner, ninety-four; average number to sleep, seventyone. Outdoor and indoor orders for the infirmary were obtained for the sick. Free passes by railway to the country for many of the unemployed. Several going up ths country on foot in search of work were supplied with rations. Many women with families were assisted. All who came were helped in one way or other.

Skeleton Found on Marewbenua Eun. —The "North Otago Times" relates that Sub-Inspector Smith received a letter from Mr James Black, one of the shepherds employed on the Maerewhenua station, stating that on Thursday he found the skeleton of a man on the run, and distant about six miles from the home station. He further stated that the man appeared as if he had been a long time dead. Sub-Inspector Smith despatched a constable to Maerewhenua, to take the skeleton to Duntroon, where an inquest will be held. The remains may possibly be identified by the clolhing, fragments of which are still adhering to the skeleton.

Auckland Journalism:. The Auckland "Weekly News" is published in a greatly improved form, and appears with a new illustrated heading—and a most creditable work of art it is. In the centre, below the letters of the title, appears an excellent view of the harbor and city of Auckland, executed with great care and precision. A picture of the Thames gold field, with its batteries in the foreground, is given in a festoon on the right, and a sketch of the lake country, with a moa and Maori carvings, appears on the left. These are thoroughly characteristic and illustrative of New Zealand, and the contents of the paper are in keeping with its improved appearance in a merely picturesque point of view.

Domestic Union.—The Auckland correspondent of the "Otago Times" quotes a curious story : —A Mrs Brown has been living at Waiheke—an island in the Gulf, about 15 miles from Auckland—for the last 20 years. For 18 years of that time her daughter has been living in Auckland, the wife of a respectable citizen, and the mother of a large family, and Mrs Brown only found it out by accident a few days ago. The explanation is that the old lady was a widow 40 years ago, and on marrying a second time then, before leaving England, left her two children in charge of a friend, lost sight of them in the difficult communication of those days, and all letters on both sides miscarried in subsequent attempts to find each other. A mutual friend heard the story from each by a curious coincidence a few days ago, and brought about the reunion for which both had bo long and vainly striven.

Dispersing a Picnic Party.—The " Otago Daily Times" understands that legal proceedings are to be commenced against th« owner of a bullock which gored a boy named Fuller at the Sunday school picnic in the Woodhaugh Valley. Four bullocks were being driven along the road by three men, when one of the animals rushed in amongst the children, who had not long arrived upon the ground. The boy Fuller, who is only seven years old, was severely gored about the head by the infuriated beast, another child had its face cut, and two others were knocked over, but happily escaped with nothing more serious than a severe fright. Of course the youngsters and their teachers were very much terrified, their pleasure for the day being completely spoiled. The boy Fuller was conveyed to the Hospital insensible, and suffering from concussion of the brain.

Bay op Islands Coal. —The decision of the Union Steam Shipping Company to, obtain a large pprtipn of t}ie coal for thej? steamers from the Bay of Islands Company's mine at Kawakawa (says the " New Zealand Herald"), is likely to prove not only beneficial to the coal company, but to effect a saving of several thousands per annum to the Shipping Company. At present they are taking from the Bay of Islands about 600 tons per month, with every probability of the quantity being increased. The price of the Hay of Islands coal is 12s per ton, while Newcastle is 335, a ton of the latter being equal to 25c ret. from the Bay. The total cost of the Newcastle coal at the above rates is £9504, and of the Bay £4320, or a difference of £5184 for the twelve months, in favor ex the Bay of Islands ooal'j against which, however, is the cost of the steamers running t© ()hp Bay and b&?&

Sad Accident.—The N.Z. " Herald " relates the particulars of a terrible accident which occurred at Tairuato a bushman named Patrick Holland, who was killed by falling over a bank on to a tea-tree stump, which perforated his abdomen, tearing him open about twelve inches, so that his bowels protruded. The deceased was twenty-two years of age, a native of Auckland, where his parents reside.

Drowned in Waihola Lake.—By telegram the occurrence of a fatal accident on Waihola Lake was recently reported. The following fuller particulars "are given by the " Otago Times " :—At about half-past eight o'clock on Wednesday night six men were proceeding homeward in a boat across Waihola Lake, and had not gone more than 800 yards on their way when a man named Fergus fell overboard. One of the other men, named Cross, who sat immediately behind him, made a grasp at his disappearing companion, but only secured his hat. Fergus never roae to the surface again, and the other men in the boat, after marking with a stake the place where he had fallen overboard, returned to Waihola to lodge information with the police. Early yesterday morning Constable Haokett, assisted by other parties from Waihola, dragged for the body, which was brought to the surface at about 3 p.m., at about five yards from the place marked by the stake, and in about 7ft. of water. The body was then conveyed to Patereon's Lake Hotel, where an inquest will be held to-day. The deceased was in the employ of Mr John White, contractor, Henley Estate, as cook. He was a native of London, and about 26 years of age.

The Colobado Beetle.—Some little commotion was lately caused and curiosity inYoked, in Auckland, amongst the country people who had come into town to dispose of their produce, by the appearance outside a shop of a cage bearing a placard with the words, " Colorado Beetle, lately introduced. Price, five guineas." The cage (says the "Herald," was occupied by a somnolent and imperturbable "flying fox," which hung suspended by its leg "from a roost, while immediately in front of it was a large potato. A crowd of women, youths, and a few men kept close to the window, and in wonderment watched the supposed ferocious monster who had desolated the potato fields of America, and for whose advent people of all climes were waiting in terrified "suspense. To many of those who stopped to view the cage and its contents, the matter of surprise was not the offensive animal, but the refreshing gullibility of the not few individuals of either sex who crowded the window, firmly believing that a living specimen of the rapacious beetle was before their eyes. It was most amusing to hear some expressing in the fullness of their simplicity their wonder at its size, and regaling each other with accounts of the nature and extent of its destructive power. During the whole day there was a large crowd at the window.

An Oid Soidieb. —A recent issue of the " Thameß Advertiser" has the following respecting the funeral of an old soldier:— "The funeral of the late Mr John Sheard took place yesterday afternoon. The deceased had been in receiptjof a pension ;from Her Majesty for upwards of forty years, having enlisted in the army at an early age. He was not present at Waterloo, but was one of a detachment of recruits sent to fill up the gaps in the 19th Eegiment after that ever memorable day, and the deceased remained in France during the occupation of that country by the allied armies, and afterwards served with his regiment in different parts of the British Empire. Slaving completed his twenty-two years' service, he was pensioned off, and subsequently emigrated to New Zealand. He was one of the pioneers of the Thames goldfields. The deceased having, when near his end, expressed a wish to receive the last honors of a British Boldier, his son (Vol. John Sheard, of No. 2 H.E.V.), b deference thereto, saw Major Cooper on tnc subject, who instructed the officer commanding No. 2 to parade a private's funeral guard and procession. The funeral cortege left the dwelling of Vol. J. Sheard, Earaka Creek, about 2.30 yesterday. The band of No. 2 Haurakis took the lead, playing a funeral hymn. The bearers were old pensioners of the district, and four privates of the 2nd Haurakis acted as pall-bearers. The Bev. V. Lush officiated at the Shortland Cemetery, where the deceased was buried, with the usual three volleys, given as a last mark of respect by New Zealand Volunteers to the memory of an old Queen's soldier."

Deaths of Peojainent Colonists.—Referring to recent deaths among the population of Victoria,the Melbourne correspondent of the " Otago Daily Times " writes :—" Ido not remember a time when so many prominent well-known man have been struck down by death within a few days as have been lately. Taking them in the order of their deaths, the first was his Honor Judge Pohlman, who has presided at the Melbourne County Court for many years, and has several times, in the absence of one of the judges of the Supreme Court, taken his seat on that Bench. Mr Pohlman came to the colony thirty-seven years ago, and had been nearly the whole of that time in the public service. On the following day Mr G. P. Smith, the member of the Assembly for Boroondara, died after having been a sufferer from disease for two or three years. The energy Mr Smith showed in combating the disease which ultimately carried him off, and in donig so far as possible his work in Bpite of it, excited the wonder of all who knew him. He was Attorney-General in one of the earlier M'Culloch Administrations, and had previously held the post of editor of the "Age " for some years. He was a ratm of great mental power, and a speaker of great force and fluency. Mr J. H. Dunne, barrister, who died a few days afterwards, was a man of a different kind. Mr Dunne started life as a Repeal agitator in the school of O'Connell, and coming to this colony like Mr Smith, made his first mark in connection with the Press. He was subsequently appointed Crown Prosecutor, and subsequently a Judge of the County Court, but had to be removed from this position owing to his too great indulgence in chlorodyne. His death, which took place very suddenly, was the result of alcoholic poisoning. The next name I have to mention in this obituary is one that vdll be better known to many Dunedin people. I allude to the Eev. Dr. Cameron, who Eaid you a visit some years ago, and, I elievo, received an. invitation to remain, which he, however, declined to accept. Dr. Cameron wa» a divine of the old school of thought, and of rather bellicose tendencies, shown, by the ardour and keenness of his controversial warfare. He has suffered from illness for a couple of years, and has, I believe, for a long time been unable to appear in the pulpit."