NEWS OF THE DAY.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2252, 21 June 1881, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Justice op the Peace.—To-day Mr T. D, Acland took the necessary oaths as a Justine of the Peace for the colony, before ’ his Honor Mr Justice Johnston. J Lyttelton Magisteate’s Couet.—A 1 prisoner, undergoing four years' penal servi--9 tude in gaol, was committed to Sannyside this I morning, at this Court, on the medical testimony of tho gaol surgeon, Dr, J. X. Bouse, and Dr. H, Macdonald. 3 Licensing.—ln banco to-day the rule n-Ui, i oa'ling upon the Eangiora Licensing Bench to j show cause why they should not grant a j renewal of the license to the Club Hotel, Eangiora, was made absolute. Local Ihdustey.—Messrs Q-. Wiseman * and Co. have just started a new meat pre- * serving factory, and, judging from the samples t prepared, they are likely to command a largo r trade. The articles manufactured by tho firm comprise the usual moats tinned in the fac- * tory, and they certainly possess tho merit of ' being alike excellent in flavor and quality. * New Musical Invention.—M. Gastaldoni, I of Vincocza, Italy, has invented a new pianoforte, which can mate the sound of each key [ last as long as the player wishes, just like a violin. And yet it is not a violin, but a piano- ’ forte. Liszt, Eubinstein, and other great ' pianists says that quite a new era in piano- ’ forte playing begins with this invention. ' Tramway By laws.—The question of tho * proposed now tramway by-law occupied a [ good deal of the time of tho City Council last night. A deputation, consisting of several of ; tho directors of the Tramway Company. waited on tho Council for tho purpose of ; pointing out that tho passing of the by law was quite unnecessary. After some discussion, i Councillor Ouff's motion that the resolution of the 23rd of May last, proposing the new by-law, should bo rescinded was withdrawn, and the matter was referred to a sub-com-mittee for further consideration. City Impeovf.mbntS.—Tho proprietor of tho White Hart finding that the accommodation of the hotel is insufficient, is about to make largo additions. These will include the enlargement of the dining-room to 60ft. x 20ft., and the addition of twenty-three bedrooms to those already in the hotel. When the alterations —which are intended to be carried out at once—are completed the White Hart will be one of the best appointed hotels in the colony. Yankee Notions Appeeciated.—The San Francisco “Post” says : —“lllustrative of the value of tho Now Zealand and Australian markets to American manufacturers, we were informed by tho general agent for the Dcering harvesters and twine binders, who arrived by the Zealandia, that he sold last season fifty odd machines in Sydney and Melbourne, and 186 in Now Zealand. In bis opinion, New Zealand takes hold of an American invention much quicker than Australia does." The Deainage Bill.— Mr White hae given notice of motion to rescind tho motion passed at the recent meeting of the Drainage Board to proceed with the proposed Drainage Bill, and also that the Bill be withdrawn. Tho most uncompromising opposition to the measure is still felt in Sydenham. A resolution was unanimously passed at the Borough Council meeting last evening, to the effect that the members for Christchurch and Healhcote in the General Assembly be written to, asking them to do all in their power to prevent tho Bill passing tho House of Representatives. John Knox the Repoemee. —An interesting ceremony took place at Haddington recently the planting of a tree in memory of the Scottish reformer John Knox, on the spot at Q-ifford Q-ate whore he was born. The dispute between the village of Gifford and the town of Haddington for the honor of Knox’s nativity was conclusively settled by the late Dr. Laing’s inquiries at Geneva, whore the reformer's own statement on being made a burgess, pointed j clearly to Haddington as his birthplace. It was tho wish of Thomas Carlyle to have a tree planted at (ho place of the reformer's birth, and he left instructions to his trustees and relations to give effect to his desire. The piece of grom d belongs to Miss Watson, of Linlithgow, who, on being applied to, handsomely agreed not only to give it free, but to attend tho ceremony and plant the tree, herself. i

Thb Druids. —The half-yearly summoned meeting of the Pioneer Lodge for the nomination of officers was held at their lodge-room, "Wellington Hotel, last evening. There was a large attendance of members and visitors. Tho nominations for tho various offices wore very numerous. One member was initiated, and three were proposed. A long discussion ensued as to the best way to celebrate tho centenary of tho Order, Ultimately it was decided to request the district president# to ask tho various lodges in their districts to attend a general mooting of the order. The receipts of the evening amounted to nearly £6O. Some further business having been transacted, the lodge woe closed in due form. Boaouait Council Ambnitiub. —At the Sydenham Borough Council’s meeting lost night, when tho question of striking tho general rate for the borough woo considered, Cr. Joyce proposed that tho signatures of Crs. Andrew, Langdown, and White bo affixed to the roll. To this Or. White demurred, on the ground that, having at tho previous meeting of tho Council proposed an amendment to the effect that a 9d rate be struck, he could not affix his signature to tho higher impost. A long desultory discussion arose, in which Or. Joyce, waxing warm, refused to be dictated to or led by Or. White, alleging that tho latter had made out no case for the smaller sura. Or. White indignantly denied the imputation of Or. Joyce, and stated that ho had consistently opposed the Is rate from the commencement, and recapitulated his reasons for the smaller sum, appealing to the Mayor, and his fellows on the works committee, as to the correctness of bis remarks, in which ho was fully borne out by those gentlemen. At this juncture Or. Andrew stepped in the broach, ouggesting an amendment omitting the name of Cr. White and the substitution of that of Or. Hall. His Worship pointed out that a bare amendment, if negatived, would prevent the resolution being put, aod thus shelve the question, but would advioo that before tho amendment was put that gentlemen should give notice of another amendment, embodying tho gist of the resolution. This course was adopted, and, the first amendment being negatived, a second was proposed and carried. Tho same little Pedlington tactics ensued on the Waimakariri rate being submitted, which was got over in a similar manner, which being done, the “storm in a teacup” blow over, and the “ lion and lamb ” laid down together. The motto of the Council, “ Deeds, not words,” was ingloriously reversed on this occasion. The Ricoarton Hotel. —At the adjourned meeting of tho Licensing Court this morning, an arrangement was sanctioned by which the licence for tho above hotel will, if the order of the Court is carried out, bo allowed to go on without interruption. Thb Waimakariri. —This river was in Rood yesterday, os a result of the nor’-wester on Saturday. Upper Ashburton. —A motion to strike a rate of Is in the £ will bo proposed at the next meeting of the local Road Board. North Goods Train. —Tho goods train on the North line yesterday did not run beyond Haiapoi, as the passenger trains bring in all the goods waggons beyond that station.] Sharks. — On Monday a number of sharks caught off the bar of the Waimakariri were brought in by tho Falcon, ketch, and excited a considerable amount of attention when the vessel came up to the wharf. Concbbt at Kiliinciiy. —An entertainment, in aid of the funds of the Killinchy Library, waa held in the schoolroom on Friday evening last, and was a great success. The chair waa occupied by Mr Tollerton. Thb Railways. —We have been requested to state that a new regulation will shortly be gazetted, wherein an extra charge will be levied for tho carriage of grain in bags containing more than four bushels. This has been found necessary owing to the difficulty experienced in handling heavy bags during the past season. Registration or Votes —With a view of affording increased facilities for eligible residents of the Borough of Sydenham to enrol themselves on the registration rolls, Messrs Andrew, Hall, and Joyce have arranged to attend at tho Sydenham Council Chambers every Wednesday evening to receive and attest claims to vote by residents in Sydenham. Court Stab or Oantbebuby, AO.F.— Tho ordinary Court meeting wae held at the Forester’s Hall last evening. There was a fair attendance, and several important pointe were discussed at length. Tho Woodwards’ report re sick and distressed members was read and adopted. The nominations of officers for tho ensuing term was continued, and the scrutineers were elected. One clearance member was admitted, and two new members wore initiated. Accident. —Thomas Ooutts, carter for Mr Withers, contractor, Southbrook, mot with an accident yesterday afternoon whilst carting coals to Mr Hill’s brick kilns. The road leading to the kilns is somewhat heavy, and the dray falling into a rut, caused the horse to plunge, which threw Coutts off his feet, and the dray passed over both legs, breaking one and considerably bruising tho other. Coutts was at once taken to Dr. Downs, and was subsequently conveyed home. Weights and Meahubbs — A notice was posted yesterday at the Lyttelton Police Station to the effect that the Inspector of weights and measures purposes visiting the Fort on Thursday and Friday next, to afford the tradespeople an opportunity of having their weights tested or compared. The inspector has been requisitioned by tho proper number of business people to make this visit. His lost call at the port was an unexpected one, and resulted in a number of fines being imposed. Very general complaint was then made by the defendants that no convenient means for getting their weights adjusted wore provided by the authorities. Sydenham Tramway. —Complaints have frequently been made that the tram cars to and from Sydenham are detained by the shunting operations on the railway—so much so that residents near the terminus have alighted from the oar and reached their homes before the arrival of the tram train. It appears that this often arises from a train being left standing across the roedway, whilst perhaps the loading or unloading of a truok is in progress. At the Sydenham Borough Council’s meeting last night it was decided to write to the traffic manager asking if the existing state of affairs in this respect cannot be altered. A Lucky Escape. —A further instance of ucky escape from the Tararua disaster has cropped up. The Bairnsdale (Victoria) paper publishes a letter written by Mr George Barnes, of Christchurch, to his father, in the course of which ho says “My luck in not going by the Tararua is something wonderful. I went from Christchurch to go in her, and waited all day to sail in her until twenty minutes to six in tho evening, when one of my mates hero asked me to pay his fare to Melbourne and he would come with me, I put my hand in my pocket, saying that 1 had but £6, thinking I had £ls, viz., a £lO and a £5noto, —but to my surprise I had paid away the £lO note for £1 note at tho bank for the draft I was taking home with me, and as I had not paid for my passage 1 intended coming to the Bank, seeing after the cash, and going by tho next train to catch tho steamer. But 1 waa delayed so long that I missed her, lost the £lO note, and saved my life. That was the beat spent money 1 over parted with since I was born. Had she gone anywhere near the time advertised, I assuredly should have been in her. Two of my mates said she would sink as soon os I told them of the loss of the money.”