TOWN AND COUNTRY.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XXIII, Issue 1398, 11 May 1865, Page 4

TOWN AND COUNTRY.

The City Roli. —A meeting of ratepayers of Christcliurch, privately but not secretly convened, was held yesterday evening at the Lyttelton Hotel. About twenty gentlemen attended, and Mr. G. Allen took the chair. Mr. Wynn Williams, solicitor, attended, and laid before the meeting the law of the ease, which, lie said was, in many particulars, adverse to the validity of the roll as it stands. lie undertook to watch the proceedings in the Magistrates' Court on Monday next, on behalf of the ratepayers. Resolutions were passed, agreeing to the proposition that the ratepayers should club together to prosecute or defend an action in the Supreme Court, if necessary, to test the validity of the roll, should it be carried into effect in its present shape. There will, we believe, be another meeting next Wednesday.

Thb Burnt Bit.—A very ludicrous Incident has been going the rounds of the houses for the last twenty-four hours,which is really too good to be lost. It would appear that on Tuesday night, or, perhaps, towards the small hours of Wednesday morning, a well-known citizen, who had probably been devoting a few moments at the shrine of Bacchus, started , homewards with a friend, who acted as a guide to steer him clear of all those pitfalls and mantrap* that do undoubtedly exist in some parts of the city. Following quietly the even tenor of their way, they were suddenly accosted by a myrmidon of the law in blue, who at once, and in tones of inebriated sternness, laid hands on the cheerful party on a charge, of being drunk and disorderly. Mutual recriminations followed, but the majesty of law was by no means outraged, as the whole party, under escort of the faithful peeler, pursued a steady course to the lock-up. Arrived there, the assistance of the sergeant on duty and the übiquitous Inspector was sought, who carefully considered the question pro and con 5 but instead of hanging his prisoner over to the tender mercies of watchhouse-keeper Tiiums, the overcome policeman found himself lodged in durance vile. Alas for retributive justice! We have also heard the serious part of the affair, which is that the erring constable was summarily dismissed, and he also made his appearance before the Bench yesterday. Fbrrt Road School.—Mrs. Dixon, who has lately resigned her appointment of mistress of the Ferry Road School, gave the children a farewell entertainment on Friday afternoon. The Rev. G. J. Cholmondeley and several of the neighbours were present. The school children took this opportunity of presenting Mrs. Dixon with a testimonial, in grateful recognition of her faithful services to them. An appropriate address wa9 read by one of the elder boys, and " Kitto's Daily Bible Illustrations," 8 vols., octavo, handsomely bound, were presented to Mrs. Dixon, amid the applause of the little ones. This school was established by, and has been in connection with, the Church of England until quite lately, when the Committee appointed by resolution of the Synod j resigned in ifavour of a Committee appointed under the Education Ordinance. The new Committee have, we understand, purchased a suitable site, and are raising the funds required to enable them to secure Government aid for the erection of a commodious school-room. Mrs. Dixon arrived in Canterbury with the first body of colonists; she has laboured long and diligently in the cause of education, and she leaves the Ferry, road followed by the affectionate recollections of all her pupils and neighbours. Kaiapoi Municipality.—The usual fortnightly meeting of the Municipal Council was to have been held in the New Council Chamber at the Toll House, on Tuesday evening. A quorum of the members did not, however, make their appearance; the business was therefore adjourned until the 23rd instant. The Weather and the Country.—The rain of the past few days has tended to cause great inconvenience to the residents of the country districts. The rivers have all more or less been strongly affected; and many of the smaller ones show plainly the severe floods. The Selwyn and Arowenua, on the South road, and the Ashley, on the north, perhaps, have felt the rains more severely than others. The latter has been impassable for traffic f»r three or four days, and yesterday afternoon a horse was drowned in attempting to cross it. The drayman in charge of the team was crossing, contrary to the advice of the ferryman, when the horse fell, and becoming entangled in the harness, was drowned, in spite of all endeavours on the part of the bystanders, who worked hard to save him. The roads throughout the country have been very heavy, and where they have been handled by the Road Boards, are a good deal cut up. New Zealand Gazette.—We have received No. 15, May 4. Several Districts and Hundreds under the Native Districts Regulation Act, and the Native Circuits Court Act, are notified, and the notification of others revoked. The rules of the Warden's Courts on the Canterbury goldfields are issued. G. A. E. Ross, Esq., is appointed Receiver of Land Revenue for Canterbury. Two subordinate appointments in the Colonial Treasury are made; and a number of appointments, exchanges and resignations in the Militia and Volunteers are gazetted. Notice is given of the

intention to bring in a Bill for the Prevention of Accidents and Punishment of Offences on the Lyttelton and Christchurch Railway. Readings from Shakspeare and Dickjens.—Mr. and Mrs. Charles Dillon, and Mr. G. Faweett will give readings at the New Assembly Rooms, Lyttelton, on Monday next, for the benefit of the Colonists' Society Fund. Full particulars will be found in our advertising columns. Bonnington's Hall.—This building had a narrow escape from being burnt down on Tuesday night. There are two fire-places in it, connected with those in the lower storey. Every night the fires ere damped, but it appears that underneath the upper fire-places, some timber joists are laid. Mr. Marley, on going to the Hall in the morning, detected the smell of fire, and discovered that the beams in question were smouldering, the flooring between the storeys being burnt through. Mr. Marley acquainted the Lord Bishop of Christchurch of the fact. He promptly arrived on the spot, and the fire was extinguished without any serious damage being done. Precautions have since been taken to prevent a recurrence of a similar disaster; brick arches being placed between the two storeys of the building. Provincial Gazette.—No. 25, dated yesterday, has reached us. The Provincial Council is summoned by his Honor to meet on Tuesday, the 30th instant, at the Council Chamber, ihe district of Timaru is proclaimed a Municipal District under the Ordinance, with the following boundaries "On the north and east by the sea ; on the south % the north boundary of section No. 1702, the north side of a road lying to the north of section No. 2367, the cemetery reserve, and the north boundaries of sections 1706 and 1607 j an the west by the east boundary of section No. 1606, the east and north boundary of section No. 707, the eaSt boundary of section 1652, till it meets Whale's Creek to the sea." The proclamation is dated the 9th instant. The resignation by Mr. E l . C. J. Stevens of his 6eat in the Executive is announced, bearing date 27th April; and Mr. P. E. Elliot, of is declared to be qualified as an auctioneer. Princess' Theatre. — Last night Mr. George Faweett took his benefit, and We were very sorry to see so small a house on the occasion. Not that the attendance was bad ; on the contrary, it was better than we have seen for some while since; but Mr. Faweett, in our opinion, might have expected a crowded house. The curtain rose with the " Artist's Wife," a piece written, it is stated, for Mr. and Mrs. Dillon, who played with even more than their usual care. As we have before mentioned the piece at length, we need refer to it no further than stating it went off well, arid that the performers received a call on the fall of the curtain. The piece de resistance of the evening, however, was "No Name," dramatised from Mr. Wilkie Collins' novel by Mr. George faweett. To bring down into the short space of a three act drama a novel containing so much matter is no easy task, and Mr. Faweett must not be blamed for any shortcomings observable; His rendering of Captain Wragge, the unprincipled adventurer, was all that could be desired, and his make-up admirable. Mrs. Dillon, as Magdalen Vaustone,onwhom the burden of the piece is thrown, played with care,Jand was ably assisted by Miss Rosa Cooper, as Mrs. Le Count. If Mr. Harding could get rid of his mannerism, he would vastly improve his position with an audience. The smaller parts were carefully played, and Mr. Dale made a great hit in his get-up as Mrs. Wragge; but we hope that this gentleman will not be offended at our suggesting j that a somewhat less amount of broadness in word I and gesture would be in better taste. Owing to the late hour at which the performances closed, we cannot give the plot of the piece, but would mention that the new scenery was very good ; the one by Mr. Willis, of the departure of the Calais steamer from North Shingles being particularly well executed.