TOWN & COUNTRY.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXI, Issue 7274, 23 June 1884, Page 4

TOWN & COUNTRY.

E.M. Court. —The charge-sheet for the E.M. Court this morning contains the names of four “ drunks,” one man charged with stealing from the person, and one accused' of indecency. The information cases number about 40. Theatrical. —A letter received in town on Saturday states that there is a probability of Miss Genevieve Ward visiting Christchurch-about November or December next. She will probably appear at the Theatre Royal in “ Forget-me r.ot ” and “ The Queen’s Favourite.” Addington Musical Society. The above Society held its usual practice on Thursday evening. There was a very large attendance of members. A draft copy of the rules was presented, but consideration of the same was deferred to another meeting. It was resolved that an Elementary Class be formed in connection with the Society, to begin at the next practice of the Society. St John’s Church. —At St John’s Church yesterday the services, which were full choral, were conducted by the Eev J. O’Brien Hoare, who preached in the morning from Timothy, ii., 12 —“ For I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day and in the evening from Matthew, xxii., 41 —** While the Pharisees were gathered together Jesus asked, saying. What think ye of David ?” There- were very large congregations at both services. In the afternoon the same rev gentleman conducted a children’s service.

Wife Desertion. —Mr C. Whitefoord, E.M., sat at the Christchurch Resident Magistrate’s Court on Saturday. The only business brought before him was the adjourned case against W. G. Thompson, who had been accused of wife desertion. Inspector Pender said that the enquiries he had made had substantiated the man’s statement made the day before. The' wife had telegraphed from Dunedin that she was willing to accept an order of 25s or 30s per week. His Worship considered that 20s was as much per week as the man could afford at present, and made an order to that effect.

The New Fibebell. — The new firebell for the Lichfield street Brigade Station was cast on Saturday at the foundry of Mr R. Buchanan, in St Asaph street. The metal had been previously smelted and cast into pigs, and on Saturday was placed once again in the furnace. Shortly before twelve o’clock Councillors Kiver and Crooks, members of the Fire Brigade Committee, and Councillor Lambert with Mr Green, of tho Fire Brigade, attended at the Foundry, and about a quarter past twelve a trial was made of the state of the metal as to heat. This was pronounced to be scarcely satisfactory, and a delay of a few minutes took place. Another trial then took place, and, proving satisfactory, a huge receptacle—not upliko the cauldron in Macbeth —was rapidly more than half filled with the molten metal. This was then shifted by moans of a travelling crane over the mould, into which the liquid mass was speedily Soured without the slightest accident or itch of any kind. The superfluous metal was poured into a long mould to take the shape once more of a “pig.” The proceedings were of the most unpretending and matter-of-fact kind, and after Mr Buchanan had expressed his opinion that the casting was a success, those present separated. The bell is to weigh Gfcwt or 7001 b, and tho contract price for it is £sl 10s. Of course no opinion can be formed as to the tone it will possess.

New Zealand Juvenile Blondins. — On Saturday, at tho Oddfellows’ Hall, five children of the " famous Madame Blondin ” gave an exhibition of their powers, which were certainly deserving of tho applause they received. The children are of varying age, from the oldest, who is about 11, to tho youngest, who is little more than four years old. They all vindicate their right to tho name Blondin, which seems to be tho recognised generic name for rope walkers, for they appear to bo as much at their ease when in tho air as their groat prototype himself. Tho baby Blondin, whose balancing polo must bo almost as heavy as himself, stands on his head, sits in a chair, and generally comports himself as a Blondin of such tender years may bo supposed to do. Tho oldest, Fanny, who wears tho blue ribbon, in addition to walking in baskets, wheeling a barrow, &e., on tho rope, also accomplished no moan exploit on tho floor of tho hall,, by walking, within twelve hours, more than fifty miles. She started at ton minutes past 9 on Saturday morning, covered her first and second miles in ten and eleven minutes respectively, and continued her long walk, with but two breaks, during tho day, finishing it at half-past 8 in tho evening, amid loud cheers from those present. She appeared in no way distressed by her prolonged effort, but at once mounted tho tight-rope and showed her proficiency as a funambulist, her performance on tho rope being apparently a rest for her after her walk. Though this clover family may not succeed in attracting largo audiences by their unassisted efforts, they should form a very desirable addition to any circus company, whore they would contribute very considerably to tho entertainment, and would rapidly become popular. They appear again to-night.

The Kink.— -Eirtking appears to have regained its popularity in Christchurch, and a largo number of persons aro practising tho art of running ou wheels at the Queen’s Theatre. Tho attendance at this place of amusement on Saturday night was fully equal to that on any previous occasion.

Fires. —An alarm was given on Saturday night, but it proved to bo false.—A fire occurred iu the house of Mr C. C. Foobes, civil engineer, Ashburton, on Friday night. It originated in a bedroom, and is supposed to have been caused by a candle Setting fire to some drapery. The inmates were able to subdue tho fire with some buckets of water without giving tin alarm. Not much damage was done. N.Z. Farmers’ Co-operative Association, Limited. —At the Directors’ meeting held on Saturday the balance-sheet for tho year ending May 31 last was adopted, and the report to bo laid before the shareholders at the annual meeting to bo held on July 5, considered. Tho report recommends a dividend of seven por cent on tho paid up capital. Tho number of shareholders on tho registry is 1212, holding 5010 shares, value £5 each. Metropolitan Show.— Two important additions have been made to tho list of special prizes for the next Metropolitan Agricultural Show. llis Worship tho Mayor, Mr C. P. llulbcrt, has given a prize of five guineas, to bo presented to tho person taking the largest number of prizes in tho Dairy Produce classes, and Mr Acton Adams has presented n prize, also value five guineas, for the best frozen sheep, suitable for the export trade. U.A.O.D.—The Lyttelton Hearts of Oak Lodge held their half-yearly meeting on Thursday evening, at the Presbyterian schoolroom, A. D. Bro Wright in tho chair. There was a largo attendance of brethren and several visitors. A good deal of business was gone through, and the accounts for tho quarter passed. The nomination of officers then took place, the various chairs being well contested. Receipts for the evening, ,£4.5 19s. The meeting of tho Pioneer Lodge reported on Saturday was tho fortnightly, not the annual gathering. The Australian Cricketers. —lt is rather disappointing to find the Australians so easily beaten as soon a« they again meet a representative team. The North of England eleven, mainly composed of well-known professionals, has defeated tho Colonials in one innings, the batting of the latter being even more abroad than their bowling. Their chance of winning any of the great matches now approaching, against the Players, the Gentlemen, and, above all, England, seems very remote. Their chief hope lies in catching their opponents on a bad or wet wicket, when, as of old, Australian bowling will probably prove too deadly for English batting. Out of twelve matches, they have, so far, won seven, lost four, and drawn one. The last team only lost four during the whole tour.

A Prohibitee Before the Bench.— At the Eangio|p> Police Court on Saturday, a member of the “ Prohibition ” Order, who had not before appeared before the Court on a specific charge of drunkenness, was charged by the police with having been drunk and incapable in High street the previous night. Sergeant Barlow stated that he saw the, accused wandering about from one public-house •to another, and, on asking him what he was after, he replied that he was looking for his horse, to go home. He bad language towards witness, who then took him in charge and locked him up. In answer to the Bench, :ho Sergeant said that he made every inquiry as to who supplied the drink, but could not find out. The Bench, after pointing out to accused the gravity of a charge of drunkenness against a prohibited person, fined him £1 and costs. Accused: “ As for that order, your Worship, I never recognised it; nor shall Ido so.”

Young Men’s Club. —On Saturday evening the members of the dramatic class connected with the Young Men’s Club made a presentation to Mr G. Hogben, in token of their appreciation of the efforts of that gentleman in forming and training the class. All the members! were present, with the exception of two, for whom apologies were made. Mr Mason was voted to the chair, and called upon Mr Gamble to make the presentation, which consisted of a very handsome writing-desk (bearing a plate suitably inscribed), and accompanied with an address, signed by the members of the class. Mr Hogben, who was somewhat taken by surprise at this unexpected manifestation of good-will, briefly replied, thanking the members of the class for their handsome present, and for the kindly feeling which had prompted them in giving it. He referred feelingly to the pleasant, and, he trusted, profitable intercourse that had passed between the members and himself, and spoke of the benefitlikely to accrue to all from such kindly communion. He also expressed his willingness to continue to assist them in any way he could, as he hoped that even if the Young Men’s Club were to be broken up, which, he feared, there was some danger of, the dramatic class could still be kept together. The Chairman having thanked Mr Hogben for his remarks and kind wishes, called for throe cheers for him, which were given very heartily. The proceedings then closed.

The Vea AroUdeacon Harper will read a paper “On some Statistics of Church Work in England," at the meeting of the Cathedral Union this evening. A meeting of persons interested in tho Lincoln Ploughing Match, ltßi, will be held nt the Lincoln Hotel on Thursday, at 7.30 p.m.

Relief of Gordon. —lt appears from a letter in one of the Australian newspapers that a Volunteer force was actually got ready to relieve Gordon. The correspondent says : —“ Tho British public are getting into a great state of excitement concerning his fate, and the suggestion for a volunteer expedition to march to his relief has met with immediate response. The money was raised and the volunteers, who were all men of good position and undertook to pay their own expenses, were enrolled; but at present tho expedition is at a standstill for want of a leader. A field officer of high rank had undertaken to conduct the expedition, but ho received a very distinct intimation from the War Office that he had better stay at home and attend to his regimental duties. Under those circumstances it seems almost a pity that our gallant friend, General M'lver, loft this country. Had ho remained behind, ho might have found in tho Soudan the opportunity for distinction which ho missed in connection with New Guinea ’’ The New Half-Sovereign— Tho London representative of tho Sydney Morning Herald is evidently in favour of Mr Childers’ proposal to issue new halfsovereigns. He says : Tho supposition that tho trade centre can be seriously threatened by the lowering of the intrinsic value of tho half-sovereign is shown to bo false by tho fact that very few of those coins are used for exportation. Tho sovereign will remain the standard of Engli ih currency as before, with tho very material addition that tho Government will bo enabled, by the profit they derive upon the half-sovereign, to withdraw all tho light gold sovereigns from the market. The idea of any depreciation in tho value of wages is disproved by tho example of Franco and Belgium, where there is a silver currency of about 17 per cent less value than tho gold. Yot wages are invariably paid in five-franc pieces, and tho workmen do not find that they have to pay more for tho articles they purchase because they pay in silver instead of gold. Tho fact is, as any elementary book upon political economy would have told Lord Randolph Ghurchhill, that token coins will always pass for their nominal value provided tho issue of them is kept within duo bounds. Mr Childers’ strong position is that previous to bringing forward his budget lie took tho opinions of all tho loading financiers and bankers in the kingdom upon tho

changes which ha proposed to make, and tlic latter were unanimously favourable to his views. Tho one grave objection to the change ia that foreign coiners may cast tokens from half-sovereigns containing 9s worth of silver, and import them into this country, thereby securing a profit of 10 per cent. But tho fact of such an experiment never having been tried with regard to silver—for a shilling contains only 75 per' cent of precious metal —proves that then; is not mueh to fear in regard to tho future of half-sovereigns. Ji'ipbeu.vateii with Coppkb. — ln a recent contribution to the Comptes Kendwt, of the French Academy of Sciences, it is stated that at tho village of Durfort workmen pass twelve hours daily in tho midst of an atmosphere of copper oxide. Their skins, hair, and beards are coloured with copper, and tho motal is even found in their bones after death. These men do not suffer from any special disease, as might be expected, nor do they enjoy any special immunity from infectious diseases. Gac-t.ioutjno by Electricity. —As this heading sounds, it truthfully describes an operation to ho seen nightly at Milan. The covered street in that city, known aa the Victor Emmanuel Gallery, is roofed with glass, and completed by a large dome, round the interior of which runs a chain of gas lamps. The lighting of these lamps, at a considerable elevation, used to present some difficulties, and was always a source of risk, until an arrangement was made for doing the work by electricity. A miniature railway has been constructed close to the gas-burners, on which runs a little electric locomotive, carrying a wick steeped in spirits of wine. When it ia desired to light the burners, this wick is set on fire, and the locomotive started on its career. It flies round, rapidly kindling the circle, and exciting groat interest among the crowds that assemble nightly to witness the performance. The Freaks op an Earthquake.— Writing on the recent earthquake in England, a correspondent of the Pall Mall Gazette, who knows Colchester and the neighbourhood well, says:—“l was in Essex, and found that in many places whore the shock of earthquake was most severely felt, people within a few hundred yards of one another noticed nothing unusual. Thus, at Coggeshall, a farmer, mentioning what he had seen and felt to a neighbour was laughed at for liis folly in thinking it was an earthquake. At Leigh, a retired village between Chelmsford and Braintree, the shock was distinctly felt, and there w r as a conviction, that nothing could shako, that the Liverpool street station had been blown up by dynamite. At Colchester, where there are large clothes factories, incredible as it may seem, • the women, some 80 in each case, are locked in, and their alarm was terrible, many fainting, and a large number were unable to resume work next day. Perhaps tho account of the experience of a single family in Priory street may he interesting. The master of the house was writing at a table, and the chair gave way under him. A daughter was kneeling before the lire warming her hands, and was thrown back, so as to assume involuntarily a standing posture; a younger child said, ‘ Mother, see, the kitchen is going up and lam going down/ A boy sent home from the infant school, said that one of the teachers was standing up to wind a clock on a table, and seemed suddenly to fly over the forms in the air.