NEWS OF THE DAY.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1532, 15 January 1879, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Lyttelton Copet-Hopse. —Attention has been before called to the untidy state in which the R.M. Court of Lyttelton is usually found. This morning, in addition to the saturated state of the matting, resulting from a leaky roof, the floor and walls and furniture of the Court-room were literally smothered in dust, making the duties of the justices particularly unenviable, and a seat upon the bench about as uninviting as a seat on the floor of the auditorium. The Kelly and Leon Minsteels. — These clever artistes, who are at present in Dunedin, will, in all probability, give one or two farewell performances in Christchurch prior to their departure for Melbourne. They leave for Australia about the 2nd of February. Sppebmb Copet. —The civil sittings of the Supreme Court were resumed yesterday, when the case of Cleve v King and another was taken. In this case the plaintiff sought to recover the sum of £2OOO, as damages for the sale by the defendant to the plaintiff of a quantity of turnip seed, which it was alleged was not merchantable. The plaintiff is a seedsman in Invercargill, {and he sold the seed so purchased to numerous customers, to whom he afterwards had to pay compensation, amounting in the whole to £I4OO. The case was only partly heard yesterday, and will be resumed to-day, at 10.15 a m. Appointment. —Mr James Fraser has been appointed registrar of dogs for the county of Ashburton.

Thk Late Fibe. —Ah Ting, the Chinese merchant, in whose premises the recent fire in Colombo street originated, was insured in the South British for £3OO.

Acoidknt NBAS Kaiapoi—On Tuesday a mare in a buggy ran away, and upsetting the vehicle throw out Mr W. A. Orooke, who was severely cut about the head, and narrowly escaped being killed.

Sheds at Country Stations. —Mr P. Back, the General Manager of the Canterbury railways, is now paying a visit of inspection to the various southern stations, with the special object of making the shed accommodation as complete as possible, in view of the forthcoming grain season.

Cashiers’ Pic-nic. —An adjourned meeting of carriers was held last evening at the Templar Hall, Gloucester street, to make arrangements for their forthcoming pic-nic to take place on the 21st inst. It was resolved that the party should meet at the Normal school at nine o’clock on the morning of that date, to proceed to Sumner by vehicle. There was a very good attendance of the parties principally interested, and the chair was occupied by Mr J. Forbes.

A CoBFOBAXiON Constable. —It is not improbable that at the next meeting of the City Council a motion will be tabled, having for its object the appointment of a Corporation officer, whose duty shall be to look after oily property, take charge of the registration of dogs and the impounding of cattle department, and otherwise make himself generally useful. During the last six months the amount of money expended in the repair of lamps, most of them supposed to have been wilfully broken, was over £l3. A considerable portion of this amount it is thought would have been saved, had the city had an official of its own. It was suggested at the last meeting of the Council that if such an appointment were made the officer in question should be called the “City Ranger.”

The South Belt.— The steam road roller was yesterday taken down to the south town belt in front of the railway station, and performed the very necessary work of rolling down the rough roadway which has for some months past been a source of much inconvenience to pedestrians. The footpath across ths belt and across Manchester street, the construction of which has been sanctioned by the Council, and half the cost of which is to be paid by the residents, will ho coujjawod imw&ototy'

The Heavy Rains. —The heavy rainfall of yesterday had the effect of thoroughly flushing the side channels, and rendering them less offensive than they have been for many weeks. Some of the channels being choked with vegetable debris and other rubbish, the effect at first was to create miniature lakes at the junction of many of the principal streets, more especially on the East and South sides of the city, though on many previous occasions less rain has caused far greater accumulations of water in the thoroughfares.

The Resident Magistrate's Oottet. — The necessity for a new Magistrate’s Court was never more apparent than yesterday. Fortunately there were only two cases on the charge sheet, and they were heard under the moistening influence of a steady shower of rain that came through the roof, and fell alike on Bench, prisoners, lawyers, reporters, and the public. A legal gentleman asked permission of the Bench to keep his hat on. The privilege was promptly conceded, with the additional favor of being allowed to unfurl his umbrella if he wished it.

Escaped Lunatic.—The lunatic, Morgan Harper, who escaped from the Sunnyside Asylum on December the 19th, was arrested yesterday at Timaru and forwarded to Christchurch The Supreme Court House.—The discomfort of the Supreme Court was most apparent yesterday, when the temperature was not only one degree removed from that of a vault, but there were few spots that were sheltered from the rain. The consequence was that counsel had to shift their seats several times to avoid the rain drops.

Thb Union Stbam Shipping Companx.— Mr James Mills, the managing director of the Union Shipping Company, whose head* quarters are in Dunedin, is now in Christchurch, making arrangements for the transfer of the Lyttelton agent. Mr David Mills, who has been for some time in charge of the Lyttelton branch, is to be removed to Wellington as manager there, while Mr E. Fuflett, at present in charge of the Napier business, will come down to take the management of the Christchurch branch.