NEWS OF THE DAY.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2250, 18 June 1881, Page 3

NEWS OF THE DAY.

New Mttnicipacity.— A publio meeting will be held in the St. Albans district schoolroom, at seven o’clock this evening, to consider the question of the proposed municipality for Papanul. One op the DANGEnorrs Class. —This morning, at the Resident Magistrate’s Court, Mark Koarvall was committed for trial on two serious charges. The first was a case in •which he had followed, after dark, a drunken man with whom ho had been drinking, knocked him down, knelt on his chest, and rifled his pockets, The other charge was for an offence committed on the night before. He had waited on another drunken man, and when the latter, who, strange to say, was a Quaker, became involved in a street quarrel, he acted the part of a friend to him by holding his coat and snatching the watch out of his pocket. The prisoner, In a moat nonchalant manner, pleaded guilty in both cases, though that was a matter of little consequence, as the evidence produced was of the most convincing character. Lyttelton Maoistbate’b Court. —At this Court, this morning, John Morrison, an arrival from Newcastle by the Glencoe, and recently employed on the barque Formosa, was charged with stealing an overcoat from Messrs Walker, Smith, and Co.’s shop, in London street, on Friday night. The accused admitted the theft, and pleaded that he was intoxicated at the time and unaware of what he was doing. The value of the garment was £2 15s. Dr. Donald sent the prisoner to gaol for one month. The Mail. —The European and American mails via San Francisco close to-day, to be despatched to night by the Union Steamship Company’s steamer Penguin. The Bangioba Licensing- Bench.—ln Chambers yesterday his Honor Mr Justice Johnston granted a rule niti calling upon the Rangiora Licensing Bench to show oauso whj they should not be required to call an adjourned mooting of the Court, and give notice of objection to the licensee of the Olul Hotel, Rangiora, receiving a renewal of hie license. Nobth Line. —Mr Oalcutt, on behalf ol the Government, was in Amberley yesterdaj arranging with landowners as to the amoun' of compensation in their several claims agains the Government for loss of frontago oausec by the North lino being taken immediately in front of their properties between Amberley and the Waipara, The claims are reportec to be largely in excess of the amounts ao coptod by the parties interested.

A Nice Point. —What legal gentlemen I would call a nice point arose in Chambers I yesterday in connection with the Tararua dioßßter. It was aa to which of the adult I mcmboTß of a family died first, as upon this rested the rights of certain relations. His Honor, however, held with Mr Harper that I tho rule of law laid down at Home in such 1 cases was the correct one, viz., that it must j ho taken that tho strongest survived the longest in case of a wreck. Inquest at Rangioba.— An inquest was held yesterday afternoon at the Red Lion I Hotel, Rangiora, before Dr. Dudley, coroner, touching the death of Ernest Richard I Truman, a little child aged three years, who f had unfortunately swallowed Dome sulphuric* acid from a bottle kept by his father tor diphtheria or sore throat. The jury elected Mr John Anderson as foreman. After hearing tho evidence of witnesses, a verdict was recorded of “ Accidental death, in accordance with the medical testimony.” Floundbbs. —Not long ago the fishermen ■were complaining of tho scarcity of flounders, and these delicious fish were not to bo obtained in the market at anything like a j reasonable price. During the last few days hundreds of flounders have been exhibited in the fishmongers’ shops, but we regret to say that they are nearly all of such a small size that they should never have been taken out of tho water. If this wholesale destruction of young fish goes on, we need not wonder at their being scarce in the future. Seedless Qoesb. —It is not generally known that several holders of largo estates in tho northern districts of Canterbury are at the present time planting seedless gorso for hedges. This now variety of gorae has only recently been introduced, and should it prove as hardy and form as close a hedge as the common sort, its introduction will prova a groat boon to settlers, who are now put to a considerable annual outlay in keeping tho land clear on each side ‘of their fences. The seedless gorso grows readily from small

cuttings* Mias liOcnSK Pojibhot.— Once more the rumor is going abroad that Miaa Louise Pomeroy, who has boon without doubt the most successful American star visiting the colonies, will shortly take a tour through New Zealand with a strong company. The enterprising theatrical firm who will have charge of tho venture are Messrs Theo. Hamilton and J. 8. Willis. Amongst the members of the company said to bo engaged ia Mr W. Hoskins. Should the rumor prove true, no doubt Miss Pomeroy’s success in Now Zealand will be fully equal to that in Australia. Cits’ Impkovemenxs. —The now warehouse for Messrs R. Wilkin and Co. is now finished, and is certainly one of the most complete yet erected in the city. It is built in stone and brick, and forms another addition to tho already largo block of buildings in Hereford and Worcester streets, known as tho Canterbury Wool Stores- The warehouse is in three floors, and the cellarage underneath is both spacious and well-venti-lated. Gas engines will be used for hoisting purposes throughout the building, and there ia also a patent apparatus for lifting, invented by Mr J, Wilkin, whioh appears to bo wellsuited to tho work. Altogether, the appointments of the warehouse are of the best, and the building itself most substantially erected,

Chinese Immigration.— The Chinese Immigration Bill was considered in committee in the House yesterday afternoon. An attempt was made to raise the amountof b he poll tax from £lO to £SO, but, on a division, tho smaller sum was adopted. Midwinter Show of Meat. —Messrs Pox and 00., of Colombo street, made an excellent show of meat yesterday, prominent amongst which was a fine half-bred sheep of the L’n-coln-Leicester strain, which, although only eighteen months old, weighed 1601 be., and measured more than two feet across its back. A similar sheep, a half-bred merino, weighing 1201b5., was very noticeable. They were both fed by Mr H, Ellmers, of Tai Tapu. The bovine part of the show comprised three grand shorthorn heifers, fed by Mr John Ferguson, averaging 8J owt. Some prime pigs were also displayed, and the small goods department was very tastefully arranged. Pap an hi Ploughing Match.— A meeting of the ploughing match committee was held last night, at tho Sawyer’s Arms Hotel, Pananui. The balance-sheet and report of tho last match were read and considered satisfactory. Mr J. W. Wright was appointed to act as secretary pro. ton. It was resolved to hold the match this year in July, tho place to be fixed at a future meeting. The follow-

ing gentlemen were elected as a committee:— Messrs J. Wild, O. Amyes, J. Wright, J. Jackson, J. W. Wright, W. Smith, F. O. R nok, G. Frame, W. Strahan, J. Olaridge P. Elder, H. Woldridgo, B. J. Hawkins, J. Taylor, A, Hawkins, J. W. Ellen, O. _E. Briggs, M. Hawkins, W. Munroe, W. Highum, J. Patterson, H. Nunwiok, J. Frame The meeting then adjourned till 7.30 p.m. on Friday next. The Mbbthy Cash.— ln Chambers yesterday Mr Harper made application tor a mis ■nisi calling upon the gaoler to produce John Murphy, so that he might apply to be released. The case is a peculiar one. After sentence proceedings were instituted in error in the Court of Appeal on the ground that some of the counts of the indictment were bad. On appeal after argument the Court held that two of the counts of the indictments were bad, and reversed it on the whole on this ground, but remitted the case back to the Court below to sentence the prisoner on the remaining counts, which are good. The contention for the prisoner is that the judgment under which he was sentenced having been reversed as a whole ho is entitled to be released. The case will now be argued on the first day of the criminal session of the Supreme Court next mont)i.

An Impobtob — At the Police Court yes- n terday an elderly man of respectable appear- a anco, named Charles Dalton, was sentenced to y two months’ imprisonment, with bard labor, 0 on a charge of vagrancy. It appeared that he a , bad been in the habit of getting small sums of money from the charitably-disposed by j means of false representations. The same q man was recently sentenced by the Duned’n j Bench to a term of six weeks’ imprisonment, for an offence of a similar nature. There he _ attained notoriety as “ the man in the blue * serge suit,” and by his plausible address j managed to extract numberless shillings and ¥ half-crowns from the pockets of those who were too careless to make inquiries as to his y character. As he probably intend* to “do ” g the colony, our friends in the North had . better be on the look-out for bim when his n term of incarceration bos expired. y A Nabbow Escape. —A rather distressing n occurrence in connection with the late storm v took place on the property of Mr A. 0. w Knight, Tikau Bay, Akaroa. An employe of w Mr Knight was living with his wife in a small h house near the creek, which it seems had fl been blocked up with a landslip, thereby : causing a stoppage and allowing a large pool of water to get together. The heavy rain of j Friday night swelled the creek into a raging ',j torrent, and, the dam giving way, carried the 1 . house down the gully, breaking it to pieces with all its contents, the occupants barely „ escaping with their lives. The poor man not only lost all his clothes and furniture, (but £lB in money, which was in his purse. While searching amongst the debris for his money he discovered his watch, which he bad left on .. a nail in the house, hanging on the branch of „ otree, and,(strange to say, the watch was going. , Parish Meeting. The annual parish ° meeting of the Tikao, French Farm, and . Barry’s Bay districts was held in the school- i room, French Farm, on Wednesday evening J, last. The Rev. H. Stocker occupied the chair. The treasurer, Mr A. O. Knight, read a statement of the receipts and expenditure for the , past year, which- showed that the snm of £29 18s Dd received as contributions had been paid to the clergy stipend fund, Akaroa, and „ that after paying some small accounts, there remained a credit balance of £lllss 6d from ® the offertories account. It was resolved that ® ~-the balance-sheet as read be adopted. The j* chairman was requested to obtain some neoes- - sary books required for Church service. It , was also agreed to pay the sum of £2 for . cleaning the schoolroom at French Farm for . tho past year. The following gentlemen were J elected a committee for the ensuing year :• * Messrs A. O. Knight, T. S. Baker, O. Bates, f and B. 8. Latter, of 'which Mr Knight was ■ re elected treasurer. Some discussion then = ensued os to how the balance of the offertory 1 account should be appropriated, the general j feeling of the meeting being that if a better t musical instrument could be it J moat probably draw a larger congregation, c It was ultimately agreed to leave the matter < In the hands of the committee to obtain an ] American organ on the deferred payment < system. A vote of thanks to the schoolmaster, I Mr Husey, for his services in having the « schoolroom ready for Ohnrch, and a similar t vote to the chairman terminated the meeting. < Kaiapoi Ploughing Match. —On ThnrsI day evening a meeting of persons interested J in holding this annual match was held at the 1 Farmers’ Club chamber, Mr T. Pashby in tho * I chair. The Chairman said they had met to 1 decide whether or nob to keep up what was ‘ once the fashion of holding the ploughing ■ I match. For his part, ho was in favor of * 1 keeping up the match, because, in the first j I place, the matches had tended to bring about * I all the improvements that had ever been made j in ploughing. It was only at the match J ground that tho implements were at all tested. - Prizes given at shows to plonghs were a farce, I from the fact that all the judges could go by j I was paint, polish, and general appearances. ‘ Tho matches had improved the style of 1 ploughing of late years. Who would now say < I that to teach teach their boys to make an f even feering was not a good thing ? end the advantage of a neat fiinish was a great saving in the wear and tear of the reaper when going ■ across the land. In the next match he hoped some one would offer a special prize for the boy who could make the straightest line with only one stiok, as there was a loss of time when men had to I set up a forest of sticks and take se many peepers.” [Laughter.] In the home I country only one sight stiok was allowed. Mr I Walls considered that the match ought to be I held without any second thoughts. As one I who had been connected with them from the - j first, ho moved—“ That tho annual ploughing i I match be held as usual.” Mr Parnham ob- ; 1 served that he had heard numbers express i I their wish that the match should take place, ; Mr Ross seconded the motion, which was 1 carried. Messrs Stevenson, Walls, Pashby, r I Ross, Young, Coup, Parnham, and|E. Wilson, were elected members of the working oomi mittee. A discussion took place on the ques- - I tion of the date, and it was agreed to arrange, j as far as possible, to have the match about j I the time of the next full moon. It was do--9 I oided to invite offers of land, to be sent in, i I as advertised, before Thursday evening next, i A special prize was offered for the best 0 ploughed line set out with one sight. Judges e were nominated, and it was agreed to hold 1 the annual dinner, the secretary undertaking Ito arrange for tho same. The working come mittee will meet on Thursday evening, e Btbangb ip Tbuh. —A remarkable oolnoio I donee (says tho “Bay of Plenty Times”) e occurred in connection with the fire, the truth ir of which several persons are prepared to ■- vouch for. A gentleman in town dreamt, a ;e 1 few nights before the fire, that he was one of d an immense and excited crowd on the Strand. >o In his dream he had no thought of fire. The s. most conspicuous person of tho picture was is I Mr G. M. Morris, manager of the National 10 Bank, with a bottle of brandy in his hand I giving out drinks to men who were working )- hard. The dream cassed, and little was w thought of it after tho gentlemon had menit tioned it to some of his most intimate friends. It On tho night of the fire, when he oamo to tho n Strand, among the moat active workers, he in observed Mr Morris, who was at the corner of ib Hamilton street and tho Strand, working a- energetically himself, and carrying a brandy >0 bottle in his hand, supplying drinks to others i- who were becoming exhausted from beat and ig toil. Tho dream, we are told, was a truthful re representation of tho events which occurred ad afterwards, and the singular coincidence has 11- I resulted in drawing forth from several who it- were informed of tho circumstance the reid mark:—“ Well, I think there must be somed, thing in dreams, after all.”

TTv-timj taihmbht. —An entertainment, con- , ical and instrumental music, recitations &J' will be K' ven in theConsrega. Uonal ’sthoolr. Manchester street, on Monday evening. BIM- _ We observe that . Tna Liobhbibo , -gin in the House of in committee on tb*. h claim 28j restrictRepresentatives last nig. * under a pelican's ing the sale of hquor of 6 F a , m . S nd license to between the nou JUBS j on 10 p.m., was passed without Sk _ Thio ’ veß do Robbing a Coitbt Housb.- . ~ fear to not, remarks the Dunedin “ Herrov ’-, om fcbl e break through and steal even V. , r( ._ hallowed precincts of the Supreme €ov - over short distance from the Bench, and_ just _ O 0 the jury-box, stood the venerable time-pit- ' 1 which has recorded the time in Court fm many years past. Recently it was miased, and an investigation showed that the thief coolly placed the Court steps against the wall, and then removed the clock, and probably walked out at the public entrance with it. It is supposed that the robbery was committed in daylight. | Stbong Advick.—Those who heard Mr Varley, the Evangelist, preach when on a tour through the colonies, do not require to be told that his stylo is vigorous. Ho lately, according to the writer of “Town Talk” in the “ Argus,” preached a’ sermon in Mr Spurgeon’s Tabernacle on the occasion of the London butchers’ fiftieth jubilee. Apparently recognising that the little weakness of butchers is gambling, he grappled vigorously with the matter. Of the bookmakers who j infest the meat-market, it appears, like bluebottle flies, he is reported to have said, “If you would knock half-a-dozen of them over, my beloved brethren, I will gladly pay any fine that may be imposed npon you for that virtuous action.” This advice seems to mo a

little strong, but I daresay it was justifiable. The butchers ought to know what is meet. A Cueiobity. —We (Pioton “Press”) have seen a copper modal or token, now in the possession of Mr J. Duncan, that was dug up in a garden near the sawmill in Polorus Sound, by the Maoris. The front part of the medal bears the head of King George the Third, who is styled the King of Great Britain, France, end Ireland, and the reverse bears a likeness of the two ships Resolution and Endeavour at sea, also stating that the two ships sailed from England in 17 — (the rest is unintelligible), hut it is probable that the date was about 1772, so that the medal is 111 years old. An old book (Cassell’s) states that these medals were given to the Maoris by the distinguished navigator, and as the metal is copper, the letters are as plain, even after the great lapse of time, as they were when first issued. We believe that only one other of these tokens is known of at the present day in New Zealand. Shot by the Bobus. —We (“ Timaru Herald ”) regret to hear of the death of Mr G. B, Hall, second son of Mr T. W. Hall, of Timaru, at the hands of the Boers. The deceased left this colony for the Cape some two years ago, and subsequently joined the staff of the Surveyor-General of the Transvaal Department. When the war broke out he was at Standerton, and with others joined the Volunteer forces. On December 29th, in the very first attack made by the Boers on Standerton, Mr Hall was, with many others, shot dead, and was subsequently buried with military honors. At the time of his death he was only thirty years of age. The_ first intimation hie friends received of his sad fate was contained in a letter from Mrs Neville, wife of the Surveyor-General at Pretoria, which came to hand, and which _ speaks highly of his gallant conduct during the fight.

Thb Feanklin Manhsobipts.— There is rather a curious history attaching to the Franklin manuscripts which were offered to the American Congress for the sum of 25,000 dollars. The manuscripts were originally loft to Benjamin Franklin’s grandson, William Temple Franklin, and contain the secret history of the war, private negotiations, and many political anecdotes of the time, which would now of course be of great value, but which at the period of Franklin’s death it was considered unwise to make public. The manuscripts were taken to England by William Temple Franklin, who, however, suppressed most of them, in consideration, it is said, of a sum paid to bim by the British Government, and only published a portion of that part which consisted of the autobiography of hie grandfather, and even this he greatly mutilated before making it publio. The documents now offered to Congress are said to be the whole of the suppressed manuscripts which belonged to William Temple Franklin. If they have been preserved in their entirety, they are of course most, valuable pieces of history, and should undoubtedly be ia possession of the American Government, But there is some doubt aa to whether they really are in perfect condition. The man who did not hesitate to mutilate the autobiography of Benjamin Franklin- would scarcely be inclined to regard the remaining manuscripts with any great reverence,, and it ia quite possible that ho may have taken liberties with them which greatly deteriorate, if they do not destroy, their historical value.

Immigration to Amebica. —Immigration to the United States this year (the “ St. James’ Budget” says) is expected by the officers of the Emigration Commission at Castle Garden, in New York, to be on an unprecedented scale. This opinion is based chiefly on the number of immigrants who have arrived at New York since the Ist of January in the present year as compared with those landed during the corresponding period of last year. For the month of January, 1880, there were 5677, and last January 8032. In February, 1880, the number of arrivals was 7904, and last February 9753, being an excess for the two months of 4200. But the number arrived since the Ist of March is double that for the same period last year. If, therefore, the tide continues to flow at the same rate, it is anticipated that in the course of the present year nearly 500,000 immigrants will arrive at the port of New York alone, to say nothing of the thousands who may be landed at Boston, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and the Southern ports. The greatest number will probably come from Germany, after which Ireland is likely to supply more than any other country, and, it is believed, of a class in better circumstances than in former years. At one time many of the Irish emigrants who landed at New York were wretchedly poor, and a burden ou the Emigration Commission. Latterly there have not boon so many applications for relief. With regard to this change of conditions, Mr Michael Davitt, it is said, was asked one day by the Castle Garden officials why so few applied for aid, to which ho answered that “he supposed they had brought their rent with them.” An immigration of Irish landlords without their rents in their pockets is not an altogether impossible contingency perhaps.