NEWS OF THE DAY.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1807, 5 December 1879, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Thb Dbtjids.—An adjourned meeting in connection with the new Lodge, the Oak of Sydenham, was held at the Waltham Arms Hotel last evening. The managing committee reported that they had engaged St. Saviour's schoolroom for a lodge-room. It was deeided to have a banquet on the opening night December 17th. There are already on the books fifty-four candidates for initiation. The meeting then adjourned to Wednesday, December 10th.

Thh Gdm Tbadh.—Those men who left Hamilton and neighborhood lately through want_ of work for the gum-field between Hamilton and Johnson's Lake, have no cause to regret the venture (sayg the "Waikato Times"). Gum is high in price at the present moment, realising, we are informed, SB3 per cwt. at the Hamilton stores, and there have been instacces amongst those who have lately left Hamilton of a man and boy averaging a pound a day on the gum-field, as th» gum is not only plentiful, but requires little scraping. There has been a new find of gum within tho last few days near Blackman's Bush, between Hamilton and Whatawhata, and we are likely to have established amongst us a new and profitable industry. An Extbaobdinaby Lbap. —A contemporary is responsible for the following : *' The greatest jump ever taken by a racehorse was recently taken at Birmingham, England. During the jumping contest at the horse show, Robert I/eman's hunter Surrey, ridden by Henry Grayson, made euoh a splendid jump over the mimic brook as to set the great audience applauding franticallv. Tho horse, wild with excitement, went right on down the ring, and, risisg at the barrier of the amphitheatre, with one tremendous bound lit orally sailed over the bars and five rows of spectators, alighting in safety and injuring nobody. The distance was measured, and proved to be 37ft. B. M. Coubt.—The time of the Court today was mostly taken up with tho cas» brought against Richard Davis, Rfgistrar of the Supreme Court, in that he " did without lawful excuse, file in the Supreme Court of New. Zealand, at Ohristohurch, declarations under the Debtors* and Creditors' Act, 1876, the documents not being stamped, as required by the Stamp Fee Act, 1875, and the regulaqions of tb« Governor in Council published in the New Zealand Government « Gazette,' No. 74, on the 24th of December, 1874." A full report of tho proceeding will be found in •ther ooliunni.

Miss Beatbicb's Benefit.—The "Sorcerer " was repeated last night at the Gaiety Theatre. The alterations to the building will be proceeded with next week, and on ro-oponing on the 20th instant, it is intended to change the name to the Acadomy of Music. The alterations will be of such a nature as to entirely change the appearance of the Theatre, and render it both elegant and comfortable. The present gallory will be converted into a dress circle with several boxe*, and retiring rooms will also be attached. To-night Miss Beatrice will receive a well-merited benefit. The piece chosen is "H.M.B. Pinafore," in which the fair benrjiciairc takes the character of Buttercup. The part of the Captain will bo taken by a lady. The performance is under the patronage of the city magnates, and botween the first ai:d second acts Mies Beatrice will be presented by His Worship the Mayor with a valuablo diamond ring, in token of the appreciation in which she is held by the lovers o£ the drama in Ohristchurch. The ring is from the atelier of Mr Urquhart, and can bo Been at his establishment. A bumper house to-night is a certainty, and certainly the merits of the ]ndv who takes her benefit dc«erve one. Lihcbny Case—Tho case of T. Evans, remanded from November 26th, charged with stealing a cheque of £36 3s on tho Union Bank of Australia, and six one pound notes, the properly of S. Manson, was brought up in the Resident Magistrate's Court to-day. The prosoculor gave evidence, but it was evident from his extraordinary behaviour that ho was unfit to give evidence, and the case was adjourned till tho next day, and the detention of tho witness was ordered that he might recover Die use of his faculties.

A New Fibhe.—Tho "Nelson Colonist" draws the attention of hop growers to a paragraph in tho last number of tho " European Mail." It is as follows : —" Tho stems of tho .hop plant have so far been considered worthless, being at most only used as manure, but considering tho large quantity of tho plant cultivated—in England alone G0,C30 acres —it is not without interest to learn that a useful textile fibre may bo obtained from theso itoms, and it will only bo a question of prico as to tho extent to which it may be worth while to produco it. Bavaria being one of tho principal hop growing countries on the Continent, it is not surprising to learn that eoiious attempts are being made thore to utilise the stems for tho acquisition of a useful fibro. Tho atoms are boiled in a close boiler for about three-quarters of an hour with a littlo soda and soap. They aro then washed in clean water. Tho fibres can now be drawn off, and aro then boiled for throaquarters of an hour in water with vinegar (acetic acid). After this thoy aro washed in clean water and dried. Tho fibre thus obtained, it is assented, has a great similarity to llax, boing long, fin;,', soft, and elastic. The stems aro hackled ar.d otherwise treated like (lax, and also blerchcd. The tow obtained from them makes excellent material for stuffing furniture." Brj-BNnAM Indubtbial School. This morning Mr Inspector Hickson handed to Mr W. O. Walker, clerk to tho Bench, the gum of £4 Is as a donation to the bhildren's annual treat, from tho members of tho Constabulary stationed in Christchurch. A Yoraa Hebo.—The boy who, at tho Nile, "stood on the burning deck whence all but ho had fled," has been justly immortalised in |song tni story, and now another bor, under very different circumstances (says the "Daily Telegraph ") mutely claims a liko reward. No son of a warrior siro he—no inheritor of a proud name which the youngest bearer is constrained to preserve untarnished, but only a mechanic's child, who worked in a factory by the side of his father. Nobody, we may bo sure, thought him a hero, as in cap and apron he trudged to and from his daily labor through tho streets of Birmingham, but at that time tho opportunity had not come without which the greatest is, in the world's eye, even as the least. It came at last, at the very laßt, poor lad ; for when passing noar one of the iron monsters amid whose ruthlees shafts and wheels he worked, his apron was caught, and ho himself was drawn through the machinery to certain death. Help quickly arrived, and the poor lad was disentangled from the horrible embrace into which he had fallen. To the surprise of all it was found that he still lived and retained his consciousness. And of what does the pitying reader suppose he thought ? Of his own young life so suddenly and mercilessly cut short ? Of his lacerated frame and horrible anguish ? No ,- rather of the pain it would give his father to see him rent and torn, for as gentle hands lifted and bore him away he was head to murmur, " Don't let my father see mo." If it be heroic to consider others before self even in the direst strait, then was this Birmingham factory lad a hero indeed. The Caledonian.—The once famous mine on the Thames goldfield, tho Caledonian, was closed on the 3rd instant, and all hands were discharged, says the "Hawke's Bay Herald " of the 26th ult. The shares iu this mine stood once at £2lO, and the tailings from the battery, during tho period of the richest crushings, used to bring from £5 to £6 per ton at auction; one parcel of several hundred tons reached to somewhere about £7. The fabulous amount of gold which came from this mine in its most flourishing days could nover be correctly ascertained on account of the wholesale plunder which was carried on almost indiscriminately by the workmen. The ICellxs.—Tho "Benella Standard" says :—" Rumors are becoming so frequent in this neighborhood regarding the Kellys that no trust can be placed in the statement that they have left the colony. It is very singular, though, that the police know nothing of the news. The latest information to hand is that there are certain trees in the remotest part of the Wombat Ranges which are from time ta time marked with significant letters and sentences, such as 'X Benolla,' 'Euroa R,' 'Beware traps,'and 'Safe at home.' There is a party of civilians out somewhere in the above direction in search of the Kellys, and we aro informed that they have noticed marks such as the above that have been recently cut. It is believed they are Bignal marks of the Kolly friends, and the recognised means of communication. An informant assures us that the Kellys were positively seen within lea miles of Benella less than two months ago." Pooh Things .'—An Ohio man was so angry when he was presented with twins that he refused to give them two names, and so he called them both "John."