TOWN & COUNTRY.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LVIII, Issue 6692, 9 August 1882, Page 4

TOWN & COUNTRY.

VOII OJ WAHT OS COMMDHKCB. • The first regular No-Ounfiden'oe motion of the session was announced—rather unexpectedly —yesterday afternoon. Mr Montgomery has chosen the Loan proposals as hie point of atfcaok, and the challenge has been accepted in regular party form by the Treasurer, the House adjourning until to-day, in order to giro members time to gird up their loins for the fight. Map or EGipxi—With the Lyttelton Times to-day is issued the map of Egypt whioh was published by the Canterbury Time* on Saturday. As events in the Delta of the Nile are thickening fast a guide of this kind to read the daily telegrams by must come in extremely handy, and we therefore have much pleasure in putting our readers on the same footing as thoie of our weekly contemporary.

Bainfall von Juiy.—Mr Stansell's record of the rainfall for July shows a total of 2-99 inohes during the month. X.HHJITBIOJX.—HaII's Byronio Company arrived yesterday by the s.i. Arawata. They ! go on toTimaru to-day, leaving Ohristehuroh out of their route for the present. | Oxfobd.—A number of residents of Oxford I are endeavouring to get the town formed into a Borough, and a meeting ii to be held at the Boad Board office on Thursday evening to i consider the subject. BOABD OV COXOBB7ATOBB.—The South Waimakariri Board of Conservators held au ordinary meeting yesterday, at which a considerable amount of business was transacted. A report appears in another column. Sdpbbkb Coitbt.—The adjourned criminal sittings of the Supreme Court took place yesterday before His Honor Mr Justice Williams. The only case to be disposed of was an indictment for fraudulent bankruptcy against Nathaniel Yale. It resulted in a verdict of guilty on one of the counts of the indictment. As His Honor had reserved a point raised upon this count, the prisoner was admitted to the same bail he had been allowed previously. The oivil sittings begin this morning at 10 o'olook. There is only one case set down for hearing—Argyle v. Oorbett. To-morrow His Honor will sit in Chambers at 10.80 a.m. In another column will be found the list of oases in Banco, whioh are to be taken at the close of the civil sittings. Ashbubtov, Cenrauxa tILUB.—At a meeting held on Monday evening, in Ashburton, it was resolved to form a Coursing Olub, and to write to the Hon John M'Lean asking him to accept the presidency, reserving the offer of the vioe-presidenoy for Mir Cyril Hawdon, of Westerfiefd, who i* expected to arrive in the Colony shortly. Mr Spooner, of Ohristohurch, was to be asked to .become judge, and Mr J. W. M'Bae, of. Ashburton, was appointed slipper. Mr IT. Mainwaring was elected secretary and treasurer. It was decided to hold a meeting at an. early date, at whioh two events would be run—one Puppy Stakes, for dogs under 18 months; and another, Stakes for all-aged dogs, owners to be bond fide residents of the County. A meeting, to fix the date of the meeting, will be held shortly. Fibb.—The fire noticed yesterday morning took plaoe at the Avonhead Flour-mill, the property of Mr Walter Blake, and leased to Mr Andrew Furves, <rhioh was totally destroyed about half-past one o'olook. Mr Purves, who lives in a cottage near (he mill, was awakened by his brother-in-law, John Harris, who is employed at the mill, and who informed him that the building was on fire. It was a wooden structure of four storeys, and flames were then issuing from the upper storey. In a few minutes the whole was a mass of fire, and was burned to the ground before anything oould be done to save the contents. In the mill were some 860 or £7O worth of grain belonging to Mr Purves, and about £2OO worth of flour and gain the property of Mr Hanson, of Bicoarton. Mr Blake looked over the mill about ]0 o'olook on the previous evening, and found 4verything right, and no one seems able to account for the origio of the fire. The building was insured for £4OO, and the for £4OO, both in the New Zealand Insurance office. Masohio.— The annual retaliation of officers of the Malvern Masonic Lodge, No. 1919, K.C., took place on Wednesday. Bro P.M. John Joyce, as acting D.&8., officiated as Installing Master, assisted ty the Past Master of the Lodge. Bro Henrtr Davies, S.W. was installed as W.M. by Bro Joyoe in his usual impressive manner.l The following . brethren were then nominated and installed in their respective offices:—Bro J. T. Foster, S.W. 5 BroN. F. Marley, ,\W.j Bro B. J. Shanks, Treasurer} Bro A. Binnie, Secretary; Bro US. H. Smith, B.D.j Bro M'Beth, J.D.; Bro G-. Marley, I.G-.j Bro Buohanan, Tyler. At the conclusion df the ceremony a banquet was partaken of br the brethren at Host Davies', and after tne removal of the oloth the usual Masonio toasts were duly honoured. A ball was hud in the Lodgeroom in the avehing t» the strains of Schwartz's quadrille band; The brethren all appeared in regalia. To room was most tastefully decorated, and jhe ball, whioh was well attended, was kept «| with great spirit and proved, in every respjot, a thorough success. ■

BbhbtoliSKt AeßooiAiftoir.—A meeting of the Committoe was held yesterday morning at the offloo of the Assoo&tion, Marketplace, for tho purpose of considering what steps should bo taken to obtain conoerted aotion in the matter of having one Sunday in eaoh year especially devoted for tb collection of funds, to be employed by th> Association in the relief of-distress in Ohriitohuroh and the surrounding distrioti. Tlere were presentMessrs J. P. Jameson (in the chair), W. B. Mitohell, W. M. Maiell, 0. Kiwr, W. Pratt, H. W. Paoker, atd B. P. Orosbie, Secretary. A note of aiology from Mr C. T. lok was reoeived, and several letters from clergymen read. On the motion of Mr Mitohell, seconded bjS Mr Maskell, it was resolved—" That a Gcmmittes consisting of Messrs lok (Chairman/of the Association), J. P. Jameson, W. B, Mitchell, W. M. Maskell, and H. W. Paoker wiit on the Bishop and the heads of other deiorainations with a view to obtain their co-optation in establishing a * Charity Sunday,' bn whioh » colleotion shall be annually (made throughout the ohurob.es towards theffunds of the Benevolent Association." It waj made an instruction to the Committee to tike early steps to carry out the above resobtioD, and a suggestion that a .Suadey in the month of October be appropriated on whiS to make the colleotion, and the meeting adjourned. Later in the day a message was feoeived from the Bight Bev the Primate, tM he would be happy to meet the OommittA on Thursday morning' at eleven o'clock. T

Atxixhh) Swoidb.—Yetkriky a woman of bad ohimtwr, a»m*d Annie Nugent, at. tempted to oommit suioide by throwing herself into the river hear Manchester street bridge. Bhe was inimediatelj reicued by ■one puwri by, and seemed none the wore* for her immersion, .

"Thh WontD."—The lull in the bed weather last night had • marked effect upon the attendance upstairs at the Theatre Boyal. The other parte of the home were, of course, crowded. "The World" ii to be repeated to-night, but its last performance here ii now rapidly approaching. Imdubtbiai Association. The Committee of the Industrial Association held an ordimry meeting last evening. A report will be found elsewhere. It was decided that the annual meeting of the Association shall be held at the Corn Exchange on Tuesday, Augnst 22. Nominations for officers and Committeemen must be left with the Secretary by August 16 next. AMBBBiBT Ploughiko Matoh.—A meeting of the Committee of the Amborley Ploughing Matoh was held in the Bailway Hotel, on Saturday evening, to wind up the affairs in connection with the late matoh. Mr J. Lewton was Toted to the chair. The balance-sheet was presented, which showed a satisfactory state of the flnancos, and the prizes were thereupon paid. It was deoided that the President should have the cups appropriately engraved, and that the balanoe in hand be carried forward to next year. Votes of thanks were passed to all concerned in the matoh, and the prooeedingi terminated.

OAHTBBBtTBT AMATBTTB ATHLBMO CIVM, —A - Committee meeting of this Club wm held at the Oommeroial Hotel last evening, Mr Parker, President, in the chair. It Wm decided that the general meeting be held on Sept. 26, and that the iporU be held on Oct 27 and 28. The Secretary received instructions. to make all necessary arrange* ments with the Lanoaster Park Company for the nee of the ground, and a Ground Committee was appointed, cone isting of Meaars Fergasson,.Lewin, Hale*, Ollivier, Campbell, Partridge, and Pavitt. A coniiderable amount of routine bmineii wai then transacted, after which the meeting adjourned. DHSTBtroTioK o» Pbitatb Pbombtt.— A shameful piece of wanton mischief has been perpetrated during the past few evenings. The frontage of one of the finest buildings in the city—the Kaiapoi clothing factory—has been worked at by larrikins, who. have managed to out away portions of one of the ornamental string courses. Injury of a similar nature, but of less extent, has been done to the frontage of Mr M'Laren's premises. We may suggest that the police authorities can perhaps prevent a repetition of the offenoe, by telling off a plain-clothes constable to visit the neighbourhood occasionally. City Guabds Pababb.—There was a very good muster of the City Guards at their parade on Monday evening, though it was held somewhat under difficulties. Owing to the absence of gas, the men had to go though their drill by candle-light. At the meeting held after parade) it was decided to take steps to prooure some kerosene lamps for the use of the oompany. Three new members were proposed. It was resolved that the short leggings introduced a few years ago into the British army, should be added to the uniform; and the order for their manufacture has been given to Messrs Toomer Brothers. .

Lkootbh.—Mr Henry Z. Taylour gave his lecture on "The Egyptian Crisis'* in the Town Hall, Ashburton, on Monday evening, to a crowded house, between 400 and 500 people being present. The lecture was the same as the one given on Mr Taylour's first appearance at Sydenham, and was very well illustrated by dissolving views admirably worked. Amongst those views was an enlarged one of the map we publish this morning, the most delicate lines of which were shown with perfect distinctness. The lecture and the views in illustration were well received, and at the olose of the entertainment a number of gifts were distributed.

Bangioba Fibb Bbiqadk. The Committee appointed to make arrangements for the demonstration to be held under the auspices of the above brigade met on Monday evening last, Superintendent Gulliver in the chair. It was decided to hold a torchlight procession, Concert and ball, on the evening of Sept. 7, and full detail arrangements were then made to ensure its being successfully carried out. The Secretary was instructed to invite the members of the various Friendly Societies in the place, and the Ohristohurch, Lyttelton, and Kaiapoi Brigades to be present, and also to solicit the patronage of the Borough Council to the entertainment. The meeting then adjourned. Young Mbk's Club.—A meeting of the Committee of the Chriatchuroh Young Men's Club was held at the City Council Chambers last night. Mr Griffiths was appointed Hon Secretary, and the Bev C. Fraser was added to the Committee. The rules were brought up, and discussed seriatim. It was decided that the Committee meet every Tuesday at 7.30 p.m. The Dean then gave notice to move at the next meeting—" That steps be taken to form a Young Men's Olub." The members present individually undertook to make enquiries with, the view of obtaining suitable premises for the use of the Olub. It was resolved that the rules be printed, and oopies be forwarded <to the various Friendly Societies, inviting their co-operation, and after passing a vote of thanks to the Chairman the proceedings terminated.

Oxfokd Fabmbbs' Ciub.— The annual meeting of the Oxford Farmers' Club was held in the Boad Board Office on Monday evening, but owing to the inclemency of the weather there'was only a moderate attendance. In the absenoe of the President and Vioe- President, Mr John Dobson was voted to the ohair. The Secretary then read the statement of aocounts for the past year, whioh showed a balance in hand of, £8 3s 6d. The statement was adopted as read. The eleotion of offioers was then proceeded with as follows : —President, Mr W, F. Pearson, M.H.8.: Yioe-Preiident, Mr H. Horreli; Secretary and Treasurer, Mr John Ingram; Committee, Messrs Sladden, Bridge, Plaskett, Bennett, Bugelbrecht, Wright, Wotherspoon, Keats, and Aldridge; Auditor, Mr Thomas Pearson. A vote of thanks was aocorded to Mr Ingram for the able manner in whioh he had carried out the duties of Secretary and Treasurer for the past year. Mr H. Horreli moved—-'That an annual ploughing matoh be held in connection with the Club." Carried unanimously. It was then deoided to hold the matoh for this year on Thursday, Sept. 7, the Committee of the Club to be the Committee of the ploughing matoh. It was deoided to hold a meeting of the Committee on Friday next. A vote of thanks to the Chairman terminated the proceedings.

Aooidbnts.—About half-past four, o'olook yesterday afternoon a lad named Charles Hoggan, employed by Xudball and Co., butcher*, was riding along Colombo street, when his horse shied in front of Messrs Ooates and Go.'s shop, and threw him to the ground, His foot became entangled in the stirrup in his fall, and the' animal bolted towards Cathedral equaro, dragging the lad by the leg. When opposite the Cathedral hit foot came out of the boot, and he was lifted up by some passers-by. Constable Daly conveyed the lad to the Hospital, where it was found he had rooeived some severe outs on the head, and was badly bruised on various Eortions of bis body. No bones appeared to ave boon broken; nor, so far as could be discovered, had he sustained any internal in> juries. He is now progressing as favourably aa oan be expected.—Yesterday afternoon a man named John Kerr, employed by Messrs Hopkins and Co., butohers, was cutting a joint of meat on the blook, when his knife slipped and inilioted a punctured wound on the right thigh. He was removed to the i Hospital and duly attended to.—Passengers to town by the Avonside 'but yesterday morning had a remarkably narrow esoape from serious injury, or possibly drowning. When opposite the Church, the horses shied, charging across to the river side j and that the vehicle was not precipitated into the water was due solely to the safeguard provided by the pollard trunks of the willows. The coaoh was ao effectually jammed in between the trunks, that the horses had to be unharnessed, and the vehicle extricated by the jctot exertion of the passengers.

MsiHHlic Popxtbt flaw.—The annul exhibition in connection with the Sydenham Poultry, Pigeoa, and Canary Association will be opened at two o'clock this afternoon, in the Oddfellows' Hall, Sydenham. Coraeisa,—The third meeting of the Oanterbury Conning Club this season will be oommenced thie morning at Bangor.' , The entries and draw were published yesterday. There are three events:—The Canterbury Oup, the Parse, and St Leger. Abhbubtok Oouhtt Cotnram—At an adjourned meeting of the Ashburton County Council held, yesterday, tenders were considered (in Committee) for leasing the County Selejards. Afterwards, it was resolved that the Chairman and Mr Jackson be appointed a Committee with full powers to deal with the tialeyards Company. Amongst other matters the Clerk was instructed to take steps to procure authority to prosecute trespassers on the Council's plantation reserve. < Authority was given to the polio* to destroy all stray dogs found without collars. Asblit Fabhbbb' Cito.—A meeting of this Club was held in theßosd Board Office, Loburn, on Monday evening, at which there was a good attendance. Mr C. A. Cunningham was in the chair. After settling up the affairs of the late dinner, three new members were proposed, viz, Messrs Myles Campbell, D. Hay Barolay, and Max Whutmam Mr D. Dick's paper on "Farming in Hew Zealand" was promised for next meeting. Mr D. Carr reported that he had tried two hundred-weight of bone dust to the acre on his land, and, he was able to see the result. already. The question of holding a ploughing match in the district was discussed, but it was decided that it was too late to entertain the matter this Mason. The railway tarif auestion was brought up, and the members decided to attend the meeting on Friday en force. The meeting then adjourned. I Luatm.— Professor Fraier delivered the first of his second course of physiological leotures, in the Congregational School, last evening. There was a fairly numerous attendance. The lecturer pointed out that care should be taken of tne body of man. The human frame and its laws were a subject which was too much neglected by our present system of education. Many people transgressed those laws, and of course suffered punishment for so doing.' Life was shortened in many ways by these people, by the use of alcohol, tobacco, and other deleterious things. A knowledge of the human frame, and its laws was the most useful of all sciences, for what was tho use of a man knowing all about geology and astronomy if he did not know about his own body, and how to take care of it. His present leoture would be devoted to the forces that broke down the human frame, and their antidotes. One of these was the waste whieh went on in our bodies continually. This was repaired by food, but many people, by the abuse of that important organ the stomach, actually killed themselves. Cwbonio acid gas, to which the antidote was pure air, was another enemy to the human frame. The importance of cleanliness, fresh air, and general attention to the laws of health, was ably urged by the lecturer. The discourse was illustrated by a number of charts, and some diagrams shown by means of a lsntern. The second lecture, on Tuesday night, will be devoted to the subject of "food." Sportsmen are reminded, by advertisement else. where, that the season for taking and killing game closed on July 31, except for oouiaing hares, whioh has been extended to August 31. a meeting of the ratepayers in the Cost district will be held on Saturday next, to oonsider the present railway tariff. A meeting of the Papanai Sports Association wilt be held.- this evening at the Tewn Hall, Papanni. ■■

A MnnaTAL Custom Bhvitjkd.—The old Good Friday custom of flogging an effigy of Judas Iscariot was, after a lapeeof two years, duly celebrated in the London docks on April 7 by the crews of three Portuguese and Maltese vessels. She effigy of the traitor, hewn ont of a block of timber, wai carried by ehoaen members of the crews round the quarterdeck and hanged from the yardarm, and each man ohanted his reoperation as he lashed the figure with knotted ropes. (The scourging over, Judas was out down, thrown upon the deck, spat upon, oursed, and kioked to the galley fire, where he was burned into a charred mass and then hurled into the water, aitaj which the sailors went in procession to ohurch. Fight with a Taskaxiax Ht*ka.— The Devon Herald, Tasmania, says:—"A gentleman from Kentishbury has received a letter from Waratah, in whioh the writer says that whilst Messrs Hall Brothers and Bxel were at work on the Bisohoff and Oorina. track, a large hyena, either from hunger or ferocity, attacked the party, and a very exciting fight took place, those engaged in the defence only having sticks to keep the animal off. After two or three attempts by the hyena to seize hold of one of the Messrs Hall, that gentleman struck the brute a severe blow on the nose, which bled profusely. The animal then made off into the scrub, but after a time crept back again to the attack, and the .battle was renewed fiercely, but this time the hyena was despatched, and on measurement his length was found to be sft exclusive of tail."

Shooxiko Aooidbnt.—A Mr Alexander, storekeeper, of Otakeho, in the Hawera district, wii riding home from a dance one night last week when lomeone challenged him to race". Off they went, till they reached a hul leading to the Otakeho bridge, where Alexander "was shouted to to pull up.' This he would not or could not do, and his hone slipping on tbe wet planks dashed him against the bridge. Death was instantaneous. But the most terrible thiag was the appearance on the scene of his daughter, who had been coming along in a trap. There lay her father, with whom she had been merrily ohatting but a few minutes before, dead under the midnight sky, and the poor girl's anguish could scarce be kept within bounds. Medical assistance was obtained, but it was of no avail as the skull had been fractured at the base.

Thh Kkbfit-Djjbk Mik«.—The Inangahua Timet says:—" She rioh find in the Keep-it-Dark, Beefton, whioh ran up the Company's stock to 955, raised publio excitement to the highest pitch. She hands on Tuesday reaohed the rioh run of gold, and the appearance of the stone as it was broken down in the presence of the Directors, is said to have been a sight worth beholding. No suoh stone, it is said, has ever been seen in the Inangahua; indeed, it is a misnomer to call it stone at all, as very little quartz oan be seen in it The news has quite dwarfed all other topics in town, and has formed the subject of all conversation. 1 here were no sellers locally, and £4 was freely offered to outside holders, but with little response. A greaS flutter was, however, occasioned amongst ad* Joining interests, and transactions were very risk up to the latest hour." The Herald states:—" An eye-witness informed us that it was broken out by the Directors, in the presenoe of the Mine Manager and a few others, and consisted of fire Dags of quarts ! weighing about 7 owt, estimated to contain ; between 300 and 400 o«. The shot of gold J from where the above quantity was broken I out shows fully as well as it did before. Another lot ot stone, supposed to contain a similar quantity of gold, was got out on Thursday, and if this prove to be the case, the month's return will not be less than 1500a5." Cost ov Dbtbnos in Pbopobtion to BbVBNUB.—The South Australian Advertiter makes the following comparison in regard to the oost of the defenoe foroes of Australia and the armies sustained by other countries, whose revenues are considerably under those of the Colonies s—A* so many people grudge the expense of military defences, it is well to oompare our expenditure for suoh purposes with that of tbe smaller European States. New South Wales and Victoria have eaoha rerenue of over £4,000,000, and a defence

foroa of between 3000 and 4000 men; South Australia has a revenue of about £2,000,000, and a defence force of say 1500, inoluding the volunteer riflemen; Yiotoria has two small war vessels, New South Wales one, and South Australia none. Greece, with a revenue of £1,400,000, has an army of 24,000 men and 18 vessels; Portugal, revenue £6,800,000, army 30,000,42 vessels; Denmark, revenue £2,600,000, army 47,000, 88 veweli; Holland, revenue £8 ) «00,000, army 60,000, 85 vessels; Norway and! Sweden, revenue £7,000,000, army 160,000, *M veewli; SwiUerland, msrnu £1,600,000,

'■ ' army 201,000.. Turning from these coontrie* to a British dependency, we find that the Dominion of Canada, with a revenue of £8,660,000, has 10 war vessels and an army of 40,000 men in peace times and 650,000 when on a war footing. How trifling is the expenditure on military .defences in the Australian Colonies when compared with, these figures, and we have as much to defend at soma of these countries, and mora than some of them, and are quite m likely to be attacked.

A ConroiDMOi. —ln 1871, when Chief Beoretary for Ireland, Lord Hartington was mulcted in £25 damages for unlawfully pre* venting a political meeting in Phoenix Park, where his brother was lately assassinated. Widows* Visoisk'novtj—The opinion of a London Police Magistrate on marriage is too important, considering the opportunities he enjoys of forming a just ene, to be disregarded. We note, then, for the benefit of all whom it may concern, that Mr Barstow finis, as the result of bis experience, that widows art constantly falling into the hand* of schemers and adventurers. Mr Barstow has been told that men ought to beware of widows, hut it seems to him that" the boot is on the other leg." Bxisbatios . tbox Ibblahd. The emigration from Ireland was less by 17,198 in 1881 than in 1880. The total number of emigrants, natives of Ireland, who left the Irish porta from May 1, 1851, to Deo. 31, 1881, was 2,716,604, 1,446,682 being males and 1,269,022 females. From 1862 to 1866 the number averaged 148,986 annually {.from 1866 to 1866 the average number was 88,272, and between 1866 and 1876 tho average wae 74,667. The highest total was reached in 1862, with 190,822, and the lowest number 87,687 in 1876. The numbers, of the last few years nave been 38.603 in 1877, 41,124 in 1878, 47,065 in 1879, 96,577 in 1880 and ' 78,719 in 1881. Of those who emigrated last { year, 78'4 per cent went to the United States and 10,628 to Great Britain. About 64 per i cent of. the total were classed as labourers, and only 6 per cent as farmers. I Hotrsi Bbhtb is Kbw Yobx.—London ie not the only city in the world where house I rents are heavy. New York, which is already I about the dearest place in the world to live I in, is having its rental sent up by " leaps and bounds." It is only 12 months since rente 3n J the Empire City went up all round, and now ; they are again taking a jiunp. In some esse* | the advance is really enormous. House* j which a couple of years ago were let at £2OO, i have now been put up to £3OO. 7hsse, of j course, are extreme cases, the average ad- ! vance being something like 10 per cent, j which makes about 20 per cent in two yean. j The reason of these increases is that the deI mand for dwelling houses in New York is at present far beyond the supply. The advance ; in rents is not confined to private houses, for j shops in the best basiness quarters have beat j put up about 20 per cent, and offices about | 15. Both landlords and house agents are driving a "roaring trade."