TOWN & COUNTRY.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXI, Issue 7226, 28 April 1884, Page 4

TOWN & COUNTRY.

Frozen Meat.— The prices realised by tho British Queen's shipment of frozen mutton appeared incorrectly in our issue o£ Saturday. Tho quotation should have run thus i— ■*' Prom Gd to GJd per lb.” Canterbury Rowing Club.— Tho prizes won by the members of the Canterbury Rowing Club during the pasc boating season will be presented at the Commercial Hotel at 8 o’clock to-morrow evening, when it is hoped there will bo a large muster of members of the Club. Temperance Lecture. —On Friday evening, Mr J. Harding, of Hawke’s Bay, delivered a temperance lecture in the St Stephen’s schoolroom, Ashburton. Mr Isaac Scott occupied the chair. There was a good attendance, and the lecture was very interesting. Votes of thanks to tho lecturer and chairman were passed. Supreme Court. —The hearing of evidence in the case, of Bramley v. Wilson and Mulcock was completed on Saturday, and by consent of the counsel engaged it was arranged that the argument should take place in Banco, after which His Honor will give judgment. The special jury cose of Duncan v. Booth is fixed for to-day, at 11 a.pi. Miss Daegon. —Miss Augusta Dargon is expected in New Zealand this week, Mr W. Bishop, who is acting on her behalf, is now making arrangements for her course of readings. Mr Bishop, we may mention, is also endeavouring to arrange for a visit by Hanlan. He anticipates no difficulty in Auckland and Wellington, and proposes to consult the Boating Clubs here to see what can t be done. Hanlan wants a guarantee of £3OO. Colonists’ Hall, Lyttelton. —At the entertainment in the Colonists’ Hall, Lyttelton, on Friday evening, in aid of the Free Reading-room, there was but a small house, in spite of the good bill published. This is to be regretted, considering the deserving cause for which the entertainment was given, and the trouble undergone by the members of the Lyttelton Mutual Improvement Society, under whose auspices the affair was organised. Theatre Royal. — “ La Mascotte ” was performed to a very good house, both upstairs and downstairs, on Saturday night. The audience, as is generally the case, were lavish in their applause both of the music itself and those who executed it. Mr Vernon and Miss Nellie Stewart were again called on to repeat the ever-popular “ Glou Glou ” duet, and the principal performers were called before the curtain after each act of the opera. This evening is announced as the last performance’of “La Mascotte.”

Excursion to,the South Seas. —Thursday is the last day on which names will be received of intending excursionists by the Wairarapa. The Union Company require a guarantee of 70, and already 50 have signified their intention of being passengers, but the dilatory ones would oblige by forwarding! their names ■ without delay. The Wairarapa is now on her way to Sydney. On her return she will stop at Auckland, and wait there till the connecting steamer arrives. She will leave on the trip about the end of next month. The Premier.—The Hon Major Atkinson received a deputation from various commercial bodies re the railway rates on grain on Saturday afternoon, but he did not give them any hope of a reduction. In the evening he addressed a crowded meeting in the Tuam street Theatre, and received, on the whole, a very noisy reception. At the conclusion of his address, a vote of no confidence in the present Government was carried almost unanimously, Immediately after the meeting. Major Atkinson left by special train for Port, to embark for Wellington on board the Hawea. Canterbury Art Society.—The annual exhibition of pictures which has been held by the Canterbury Art Society in Anderson’s Buildings during the past three weeks, finally closed on Saturday evening. Considering all things, the gallery has been fairly patronised by the public during the time it has been open, as 962 visitors have paid for admission. This number is exclusive of subscribers, so that the total attendance has, of course, been considerably larger. In the drawing for the Art Union which took place at 9 p.m. Mr T. Allen was the fortunate winner of a picture worth £6 ; Mrs H. P. Lance took second prize, one valued at £3 ; and Mr Talbot one valued at £1 16s. Exhibitors and purchasers are, we notice, requested by the Secretary to remove their property from the gallery by 4 o’clock this afternoon. Eangiora Railway Station.—An increase of platform accommodation at the Eangiora Station is very necessary. The majority of trains, and more particularly the evening ones, from Waikari occupy the main line from the south points to the north end of the platform, and thus leave no room for the train from Christchurch, which, being shunted from the main line at the south points, passes the down train and returns to the main line at the north end of the platform, where the passengers have to alight on to the ground, not without incurring great inconvenience and a considerable amount of danger. The train is certainly backed to the platform after the down train has left, but it is quite impossible to induce passengers to keep their seats for some minutes after their arrival at the station. The whole evil could be remedied by extending the platform to the water-tanks j and it is to bo hoped the -railway authorities will have this done at once.

Suicide. —On Saturday afternoon it was ascertained that Mr Joseph Henry Greener, a gunsmith, who lives in Springfield road, and keeps a shop in Colombo street, opposite Messrs E. Reece and Co., ironmongers, had apparently committed suicide. His wife called at the shop at 3 p.m., and found it locked up. On going to the back and looking in at a window, she saw her husband lying on the floor, and blood flowing from his head. She called Mr Nicholas Oates, machinist, who works in an adjoining shop. He burst open the back door, and found Mr Greener lying on his right side, with two bullet wounds in hie head, just above the temple, and breathing heavily. By his left side was a five chamber revolver, two chambers of which had been discharged. From the appearance of the wounds they might have been caused by a bullet passing through the head. Dr Frankish was immediately sent tor, and at once saw that the case was hopeless. Ho gave orders that the dying man should not bo moved. The police wore communicated with, and Sergeants Prntt find. Wilson, went to the shop; the latter remained with Mr Greener till ho died, at 9.15 p. m . Subsequently the body was removed to tho morgue at the Hospital, pending an inquest. Deceased was seen by Mr James Whitton, storeman at E. Reece and Co.’s, about half-past two o clock on Saturday afternoon. He had left his home between 8 and 9 a.m., and during the past month had been drinking heavily. He leaves a widow and three children.

The Member for Akaroa. —Wo understand that Mr Montgomery intends to address a public meeting in Christchurch on tho political questions of the day. Linsekd Company.— At a meeting of tho shareholders of tho Canterbury Linseed Oil and Fibre Company, hold at the A. and P. Association’s rooms on Saturday morning, it was decided to wind up tho Company.

Football. —The results of tho principal matches played on Saturday wore :—East Christchurch boat Sydenham by a goal to nothing; Christchurch beat Canterbury College by 8 goals and G tries to nothing; Mcrivalo beat Lincoln College by 3 goals and 1 try to nothing.

The Hon the Minister of Lands—Wc understand that tho Hon W, Rolloston will bo at the Public Offices to-day, and may bo seen there by persons who have public business with him. It is his intention to return to Wellington by way of tho Hamner Plaids (where the Lands Department are making provision for the proper use of the Hot Springs) the Awatere and Blenheim.

Holy Trinity Church, Lyttelton.— Tho annual parish meeting in connection with Holy Trinity Church, Lyttelton, took place on Friday night, when accounts were presented, showing a deficit on the general fund of £6B 5s Gd. Some ordinary business was transacted, and churchwardens and vestrymen for the ensuing year were elected. There was only a moderate attendance.

Kaiapoi Parish Church. —The adjourned annual meeting of the parish will bo held this evening, when the auditors will report as to the financial position of the vestry, and steps will be taken in reference to the liquidation of the debt now existing upon the church. To-morrow, a reunion will be held in the Oddfellows’ Hall, in connection with tho ladies’ “ sewing bee.” There will be tea at 6 p.m., and a promenade concert at 7.30 p.m. Police News. —On Saturday afternoon a man named George Hammil was arrested by Detective Jones on a charge of vagrancy and attempting to obtain money by false pretences. A further charge of forging the name of Henry Groth as an endorsement has also been preferred against him. On the same evening a ma,n named Hans Hansen was arrested by Detective O’Connor, on a charge of stealing a watch and chain, value .£lO, from the dwelling of Mrs Woodroff, Both the accused will bo brought before the Resident Magistrate’s Court this morning. There are also eighteen information cases set down for hearing, including six charges of breaches of the Licensing Act, and a charge of cruelty to animals. Oddfellows’ Hall. —The pupils attending the various dancing classes conducted by Miss Lowe assembled in the Oddfellows’ Hall on Saturday afternoon, to the number of nearly one hundred. There was also a large attendance of their friends and parents, so that the hall was fairly filled, as well as the stage and gallery. Miss Lowe makes use of this annual gathering of her pupils for the purpose of exhibiting their proficiency in many quaint and curious “ country dances,” and figures quite unknown to those acquainted only with the conventionalities of the ordinary ball-room. For about an hour-and-a-half the young ladies were “put through their facings ” in the most admirable way, the effect of some of the evolutions and exercises, in which all the pupils took part, being very pretty, and creditable alike to the skill of the teacher and the attention of her fair young learners, some of whom were of exceedingly tender years. A meeting of the Cathedral Union will he held this evening, at 7.30. The annual meeting of members of the Papanui Public Library will he held to-day, at 7.30 p.m. A meeting of the Christchurch Law Debating Society will he held at the Supreme Courthouse on Monday, May 5. The Canterbury Caledonian Society’s annual general meeting is convened for 8 o’clock this evening. The business to he brought forward is stated in an advertisement.