NEWS OF THE DAY.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2698, 30 November 1882, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

L.T.M.M.I.S.—The last meeting this year _of the above society was held last evening in the Wesleyan Schoolroom, the president, the Rev. J. Hill, in the chair. The business of the evening—namely, the election of officers for the ensuing year, was proceeded with President, Sir J. B. Slilsom ; vice-president. Sir Brown ; secretary. Sir B. J. SlcWilliams ; treasurer. Sir J. Malcomson ; librarian. Sir W. Riley (re-elected). A new committee was also elected, and it was instructed to take into consideration during the recess the alteration of the name of the society as well as its by-laws. Arrest op a Teamp.— On Wednesday evening Constable Leahy arrested a man named George Ellis, formerly an inmate of the Old Men’s Home, at Ashburton, who was lying on a bundle of rags in a filthy condition in a straw stack on Mr Parnham’s farm, Ohoka road. This old man, who has reached seventy-one years, gave the home a very bad character, and said he preferred tramping the country for what little he required to keep up the spark of life. It occupied an hour for him to walk a mile to the lock-up, where he received every attention. His begging about has annoyed several of the residents, and it was said he had threatened to cut the throats or some children with a large gardener’s knife, but as the parents refuse to prosecute on their statements, the authorities will deal with him as a “ vag.” Accident. —An-accident occurred this morning at Mr C. W. Turner’s store on the South Town Belt. Mr Robert Wilson was removing coils of American barbed wire, when he accidentally fell with one, which lacerated his leg, rupturing an artery and breaking the side bone. He was conveyed to the Hospital and treated by Dr. Guthrie. Though the injuries are awkward ones, it is trusted that Mr Wilson will ere long be able to resume his ordinary avocations. Attwood v. Drainage Board. —ln this case a claim for compensation for land taken and for damages done by the Board in their drainage operations, the arbitrators this morning awarded Mr Attwood .£ll2, the Board to pay also J£2G 1-ls expenses

Licensing Committees. —The next quarterly meetings of these bodies in this district will take place as follows :—Christchurch North at the Resident Magistrate’s Court, on Friday, December Ist; Christchurch South, at John’s schoolroom, on Monday, December 4th; Christchurch Bast, at the Orange Hall, Worcester street, on Tuesday, December sth ; Christchurch West, St. Michael’s schoolroom, on Wednesday, December Cth ; Sydenham, at the Sydenham Borough Council Chambers, on Thursday, December 7th; St. Albans, at St. Albans Borough Council Chamber, on Friday, December Sth; and Avon, at the Avon Road Board office, on Saturday, December 9th. A Nice Fisu.—Mr E. Thornton caught a trout in the lower Avon the other day. Its dimensions were as follows : Length, 24in; depth. Sin; girth, IS Jin; weight, 101 b.

Brands Registration Act. —ln terms of the Brands Registration Act all persons who require to use cattle or sheep brands, in order to obtain the exclusive right to their trade mark, must register the same anew on and after January Ist. In connection with such an important matter, farmers and stock owners may justly complain that they have not received notice from the cattle and sheep inspection departments of the requirements of the law.

Hospital and Charitable Aid Board. —There was a somewhat lengthy meeting of the above Board yesterday afternoon, considerable discussion taking place with reference to a letter from the Grovernment. The letter brought under the notice of the Board the desirahlenesss of devising a phm whereby funds might be collected froiii the public for charitable purposes to supplement the vote passed by Parliament. Resolutions were carried with reference to the matter, which appear elsewhere ll

Kaiapoi Thadesmo’ Picnic and Illieeealitt of the Railway Authoeities. The picnic promoters having arranged for a special train in the ordinary way, have been at the last moment informed by the railway manager that, as on anniversary day all the railway carriages can be profitably employed, and as the time between the morning and evening trip is so long, he must charge special train rates both ways, which really means doubling the fares. The picnic committee seriously •contemplate hiring a number •f waggons and coaches, by which meant 1 the fares will be materially reduced. It is well known that between Kaiapoi and Christchurch the ordinary railway fares are double the coach fares of eight years ago, and there is room for grievous complaint against the action of the manager. Ceicket- —To-day a match was played between the Bank of New Zealand and the Union Bank, which nude a good deal of excitement in banko-cri-. keting circles. A considerable number of monied luminaries looked on at the game, retailing to themselves the time when neither their mom-y bags or their waistcoats were so well filled. The good things of this life wee not wanting on the ground, an ample lum h. and liquid “fixings” being provided by the aforesaid luminaries. At the- time when our reporter staggered from the field of combat the Kew Ze danders were knocking their adversaries all over the place, and firmly establishing their claim of being the premier Bank of the colony. ! The Feeey Hoad Teamway. —An ex- ; perimental trip was run yesterday on thenew line of the Tramway Company to the Ferry Bridge most successfully. The tram ran over the line as smoothly as though it had been in existence for a lengthened period, and great credit is due to Mr M. Davie, the engineer of the company, for the admirable manner in which the work has been carried |out. It is intended, so soon as the Tramway Company have completed and opened their j lines to the Ferry bridge, which will ho in j the course of a week, to run a steam i launch between the Ferry bridge and | Sumner in connection with the trams. 1 Passengers will thereby escape the dust on | the road, and also be enabled to vary the i monotony of the journey. 1 Kaiapoi Chuech Sunday School.—A i successful entertainment in aid of the j funds of this school was held in the sehool--1 room on Tuesday evening, which building | was crowded in every part. The Eev. E. j Long presided. Songs and musical selecj tions were given by Mr H. Reeve, junr., j Messrs Monk, Oldham, Winterbourne, j Dippenheitn and by several of the scholars.

A recitation was given by Mr Blundell and a lively dialogue, “ Honesty is the Best Policy,” by Masters A. Mftthews, W. Pearce and C. Wood was highly appreciated. A vote of thanks to the performers was carried by acclamation. Lyttelton Eeoatta. —Two yachts from Dunedin—the Spray and another yacht—will, it is said, be competitors in the race for vessels of their class at the Lyttelton Regatta. No word has yet been received from Dunedin with reference to a crew to represent Otago in the big event in the regatta—the four-oared outrigger race—in which it is necessary that three provinces shall be represented. It was hoped that Wanganui club would see their way to also send a crew for that' race. The local manager for the Union Steamship Company, Mr Puflett thinks it probable that the company’s fine steamer Wakatipu will be in port on New Year’s Day, in which event the company might be induced to permit her to be the flagship for the regatta. The Electeoscope. —During the course

of a lecture at Phillipetown last evening, the Eev. H. J. C. Gilbert said that sim.e the day when Galileo adapted the telescope to scientific purposes very marvellous had

been the advancement made in that direction. They had probably heard of the man who, on first looking through a telescope at a distant church, exclaimed, “ Wonderful ! I can even hear the organ playing ! ” That was, of course, imagination on the man’s part. But since then it had been discovered how, by the use of a simple instrument and an electric current, te convey vibrations of sound from place to place.The telephone enabled us to speak with a friend at a distance. Would they bo astonished if he were to tell them that it was now proved to be possible to convey in a similar manner vibrations of light—tonot only speak with your distant friend, but actually to see him. The electroscope —the name of the instrument which enabled us to do this—was the very latest scientific discovery, and to Dr. Gnidrah, of Victoria, belonged the proud distinction.. The trial of this wonderful instrument took place at Melbourne on the 31st ■ October last in the presence of some forty scientific and public men, and was a greats' access. Sitting in a dark room, they saw projected on a large disc of white burnished metal, the racecourse at Flemington, with its myriad hosts of living active beingsEach minute detail stood out with perfect fidelity to the original, and as they sat looking at the wonderful picture through binocular glasses it was difficult to imagine that they were not actually upon the course itself and moving amongst those whose actions they could so completely scan. Accident. A man named James

Bennett was admitted into the hospital yesterday afternoon, suffering from severe

bruises and contusions received on Monday last, when he was employed in erecting some appurtenances for dissolving views in the Baptist Chapel, Sydenham. His injuries are fortunately not serious,, and received prompt attention.

Popular Sports Association. —A meeting of the committee of the above association was held yesterday afternoon in the City Council Chamber. Present—Mr WE. Mitchell (in the cha’r), Messrs Crooks, Waltden, Hobbs, Drewitt, Gapes, and’ Searell, and Haskins (secretary.) Mr Haskins reported that he had written to the Colonial Secretary, asking that the Anniversary Day might be declared a Government holiday in Canterbury, but had not yet received a reply. It was decided togive Mr Alport authority to sell the right, to erect booths on the ground on the usual terms. The programme of sports, printed for circulation, was submitted by the committee and approved. Mr E. T. A. Fullerwas elected a member of the general committee. Mr Haskins stated that all the drapers in the city, with the exception of Messrs Walsh and O’Connell, had promised to close their houses of business on the day of the sports. This concluded the business.

Valedictory. —A farewell dinner was. given last night at the Royal Hotel to Mr A. E. Kirk, who is proceeding to Temuka to enter upon possession of the Crown Hotel. The chair was occupied hy Mr !’ H. W. Ford, the vice chair being filled by Sir M. Sandstein. After ample justice had boon done to a very excellent spread pro—i vided by Messrs Oram Bros., the chairman j gave the “ Queen and the Royal Family.” S Mr J. W. Oram then proposed the toast of j the evening, “Mr A. E. Kirk,” in very complimentary terms. He spoke of the ! connection of the guest that evening with | many organizations in which he had taken ! a leading part, and expressed the hope of !* those present that his new career would prove a profitable one, and that ere long he would return to Christchurch once more toresume amongst the large circle of friends ! he had made the position which during his- ■ long residence he had so worthily carried I out. The toast was drunk enthusiasti- ; cally. Mr Kirk in responding, thanked the- ! gentlemen preseut,all of whom he was proud to call his friends, for the kindness they had evinced towards him during the many year’s ho had been in Christchurch. Their appreciation of him made the eve of parting a sorrowful one, but he looked forward to the time when he should once more be amongst .them, with, ho trusted, au increased power of usefulness. During the evening the following toasts wore given and duly honored—“ Local industries,” coupled with the name of Mr SanJstien - “ Our host,” coupled with name of Mr J. W. Oram ; “ The Tramway Company,” coupled with the names of Messrs Peterkin and M. Davie; “ The legal profession.” coupled with the name of Mr Loughrey; “The Press,” coupled with the names of Messrs Briggs and Hart; “ The ladies,” coupled with the name of Mr Adams, and “ The chairman.” Some excellent songs were sung during the evening, and generally a very pleasant evening was spent by those present.

Borough of Sydenham. — A meeting of the burgesses of Sydenham will be held at the Oddfellows’Hall, Colombo street south, to-night, with reference to the acquiring of land«to connect Gordon street with Colombo street. §t. Mary’s, Addington. —The concert announced to he given in St. Mary’s schoolroom, Addington, to-morrow evening is unavoidably postponed till Friday, December Bth.