TOWN AND COUNTRY.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XCIII, Issue 10566, 28 January 1895, Page 4

TOWN AND COUNTRY.

Contents.— Ths death is announced of M. de Giers, the Eussian statesman, Japan continues to be successful in the war,the Chinese forces having been further defeated. In Prance M. Bibot has bean called upon to form a now Ministry, The Hon J. G. Ward was entertained at a social gathering at' Dunedin on Saturday, and : a precis of his speech appears in this issue; In the yacht race at Wellington on Saturday, a man fell overboard from the Mascotte, the delay thus occasioned throwing her out of the contest. Saturday’s cricket matches are reported, and the ' utual hows headings will be rfound. ,

"Hiitings.—-Tb o following meetings taka J>iac;e f to-day;—Canterbury College Board of Governors, 3 p.m.; Sydenham Borough. Council, 7 p.tQ.; City Council, 7.30 p.m. Political.— Mr W. W. Tanner, member of Parliament for the Avon District, .will address his constituents at the- Phillipatown schoolroom at eight o’clock this evening. Police Changes Cona table T. Drako, who has been stationed at Addington for some time, has been transferred to Danavirke, and Constabler Pv rM’Gifewili take his place at Addington. Queen’s Cadets. —Tbera are vacancies for a few more members in the Queen a Cadet Corps, and a bugler is also required. Lada wiahing to join should attend au the diillahed on Wednesday evening next. Labour at Lyttelton. —lt is stated that the Government has resolved to establish a branch of the Labour Bureau at Lyttelton, and that all casual labour required by the Kill way Department will m future be obtained through that office. Fires— On Saturday morning s fire broke out in the railway.-plaatalioa.aear the Ashburton Bridge. ; ; Tho sto fire- ‘ engine extinguished the flames, but not before a good deal of damage bad been done.—A fire broke out on the lartn ot Mr J. Smith, Newlandn, on Saturday afternoon. The house and outbuildings were destroyed. Cathedral Choirboys. There are several vacancies in the Cathedral Caoir for boya who have good voices. Boys wishing to join the choir must come up for trial at'the Cathedral on Thursday morning, at 10 o’clock. Full scholars will receive a free education and probationers half their fees a.t Christs ' College.;'; h ;■; l( ; ; ScH6x,ißghiF Examination.—At therecent scholarship examination Mia )T >•_ o Board of Education, Miss Winifred Opie, of the Glentunnel School, won a scholarship of the annual value of £1 o, for two years at tho Girls’ High School, Christchurch. As she is only twelve years of age, she had atill nearly two years before she reached tho prescribed age (tourteen years) for this scholarship. Excursionists' Hand-book. We bavo to -acknowledge -the- reoeipt-from MessrsKinsey ;and“.Oovof,^rV.erS : •• Excursions':.. PifltbrtaJ published by Messrs Huddart, Parker and Co. Tho work, which is a book of nearly 150 pages, gives information whica will be oFgfeat service to those contemplating ho-lu&aHai;the various:routes; which can ho undertaken - being fully ' described. • The - illustrations include many places of interest, and are extremely, well got up. Valedictory. —On Friday afternoon hK F Pegler, for some years a pupil teacher in tho Woodend school, was presented with a purse of sovereigns on tho occasion of his departure for the Normal bohool. Themaßtef,:Mr W: C. Afmitage,-made the presentation on befialf of the scholars, in the evening Mr J. Hudson, captain ,of the Woodend Cricket ’ Club, ; presented Mr Pegler with a portmanteau as a recognition of his services for the last three years in connection with the club, of v/hich he has been honorary secretary. Good Templary.— On Friday evening the weekly meeting of the Star of the East Lodge was held in the Templar Hall, Ashburton. There was a very good attendance. The election, oi officers for the ensuing quarter resulted as,followsr— C.T., Bro S. E. Dowle; P.C.T., Bro W. Pearson; V.S., Sister Pearson; secretary, Bro Hunter; chaplain. Sister M. Andrews; F S., Bro S. Crooks; treasurer, Bro G. W. MM.vßfo:.;Cbtfa; m/.Bro Lynch; 0.G., Bro W. Sando; Sister Ciephane-

Hqsws Eecoveeed.—Our KAiapoi correspondent writes supposed ' to have " been tebou away from Bowling's, farm at Flastdn last week was found atandiilg upright in a deop ditch on Saturday' afternoon by. Mr Bowling, apparently very little the worse. The general opinion, ia. that; T?hoeyer took the horse away placed the animal in the dram t'Piot feir 'of the ' police. Who were making ’ strict inquiry* There was some, little depthW* water in the drain. Mr Bowling, by cutting in the side, released the animal.

Tsmpebancs- Mbetihg._—A vary large crowd gathered in Cathedral Square on Saturday evening when Mr K. Crabb; temperance lecturer, delivered an address. On the- waggon supporting the lecturer vrexp the' Bevs L. M. and F. W. Isitt and Mr/J. J, Tartar. Mr Crabb, was somewhat porsonal in bia replies to ejaculations from the crowd, and the proceedings were almost brought to an abrupt termination by one of the men attacked jumping on the cart and demanding an apology, which, alter some demur,' Mr- Crabb gave. After this theie was great-excitement, and Mr Crabb waif- finally escorted to hie lodgings by a largfyand demonstrative mob. ' Sxxiiafßß.-r.Oft' Friday evening an entertainment was given in the Sumner Town Hall by' Mr P. ■ Kingsford Cooper. The tjtory of the ascent of Mount Cook was illustrated by a number of limelight pictures photographs that had been taiga by; Mr. Cooper. The audience was delighted* and it is hoped that the lecture will be-repeated atan early date.—A tennis match was played on : Friday ; between Sumner and Linwood. It was late before play began, but a majority of the completed nets were-in-favour of the visitors. MesFull©*; «ftd Macfarlana provided refreshments. —A cricket match was played on Saturday, at Mr J. S. Mpnck’s, between tho Sumher and Tramway elevens, the scores being-—Sumner 66, Tramway 44. Sunday School Treat.— The children attending St James’s Sunday School, Southbridge, held their annual .treat and. prize-giving on Thursday afternoon. At two o’clock the children, teachers and friends assembled at the church,: where aft address was delivered by the Eev H. A. Watson, of Leeston. At the close of the service the children marched to the parsonage grounds, where the usual: games were indulged jft till four o’clock; justice was. then donei to jtT&v/tea, lAfterwards the prizes were distributed by the Eev E. Whitehouse, amongst the books being some beautifully-bound prayer-books and Bibles. Hearty cheers were given-for the donors of prizes and provisions, also for the Eav E. Whitehouse. The treat was one of the most successful held in connection with the school. • ~.. Obangeisjt.—The monthly meeting of Purple Star Lodge, Up. 2, 1i.0.L., was held in the Orange Hall on Tuesday evening last, the W.M. Bro C. Cooper presiding. On the dais were E.D.M.’s Brorj ■ Dilfin and Caygill, F.M.Bro H, Simpson, No. 3, Bro J. Ballinfcyne, W.M. No. 33. There was a fair attendance of members and visitors. One candidate was proposed for membership. After the cones pond once had been dealt with the W.M. gave his report of the proceedings at the lat.e Grand Lodge sessions held at Gore. A hearty vote of thanks was passed to him for-his services. It was resolved that the Secretfiry’s and D.M. reports should stand over till next meeting.' Votes of thanks were passed to the visitors and responded to. The Lodge adjourned at 9.30 to the refectory, where a pleasant tithe was spent. Lawn Tenijis.—A return match between the Uangiora aftd Amberley Lawn Tennis Clubs was played at tho former place on Saturday.: .The . result was a victory, for the Eangiora players by 77 games to 63. Details of the play are as’ follows:—Dr Volckmaa.and Mr F. J. Cumber worth (E.) beat Messrs Morton and Greenwood (A.), 9-8; Dr Fitzheary and Miss Courage (A.) beat, Mr W- Gower and Miss Boyd (E.), 9-6; Dr Volckman’and Mr G. Fisher (E.) beat Mr Mot ton and Dr Fitzhenry (A.j, 96; the Misses Courage (A.) heat Misses Scott and Boyd (B.), 9-3; Messrs Cumber worth and Gower (B.) beat Messrs Greemvood and P. Courage (A.), 9-3; Mr G. Fisher (E.) bent Mr Horton (A.), 9-4; Mias M. Courage (A.) beat -Miss Scott (E.), 9-8; Messrs Gower and CvimberwortH (Xt.) beat KasSis Fitzhenry end Courage (A.), 9-1; Mr Mortoa and Miss SA. Courage'(A.) heat Dr Yolckraan and Miss Scott 9-6; Mr Gower and Mi"-; Martin (H.) bent MV Groearvood and Mir>.; Covrege (A.). A-5. - The previous match was. won by Amberley. ‘ -

i Hospital sam-rThe annual hospital feto takes placa on. Match 7, not Feb, 7, as previously announced. The Hospital.— Dr Decmor is the honorary physician, and Dr Nedwill the honorary -Burgeon in attendance at the Christchurch Hospital-this week. The Public Library.—An advertisement in this issue requests that all books taken out of the Public Library previous to Jan, 7 may be returned at once.

Christchurch Musical Union.— The annual general meeting of members of the Christchurch' Musical Union will be held in the Wesleyan Schoolroom, Durham Street, at eight o’clock to-morrow evening.

The Governor. —Lord Glasgow and party arrived from Wellington yesterday by tho steamer Te Anau, and will proceed south to-day to join the Hinemoa at the Bluff. From there they will proceed round the Sounds, afterwards visiting tho Auckland Islands.

Tisiaru Harbour Board.— Tho Timaru Harbour Board election will take place early next month*.;, Nominations ar c to be m on dates from Jan. 31 to Fob. 5. So far as is known there will bo no contests. Ine personnel of tho new Board will differ considerably from that of the present one, several members declining on various grounds to come forward again. Mining.— The following are the Eoefton gold-mining returns for last week :—-G-obs, 1660 z of amalgam from 120 tons; Keep-it-Dark, l?4cz of amalgam from 153 tons, clean up; Alpine, 3480 zof amalgam from 200 tons; Progress, 3720z0f amalgam from 220 tons; Big River, 3410 z of amalgam from 170 tons'; Cocksparrpw dredge, 330 z of amalgam, for 103. iiours; Fuller dredge, 30cz of gold for 116' hours. The amount of coal exported from Greymouth last week was 3798 tone, and from Westport 4331 tons.

Eubton’s Cieous.— The Tasmanian Mail announces the re-opening of Mr Henry Burton’s National Circus at Launceston, after fourteen years’ retirement on the part of the proprietor, who was one ct too most celebrated and popular of showmen for nearly thirty years m Australia; -and-wo-kave-ao-doabt-he will bo warmly, welcomed again, in the- business. It may ha mentioned that -these ;uro four or, Mr Burton’s old performers with Messrs .Fitzgerald, viz., Messrs W. Joues, A, Bing, S. Harris and Captain Graham, me circus will open at Hobart in race week, and then, tour Australia, afterwards coming bn to New Zealand. : Fo sestet.-—Tho.Ancient Order of Foresters has decided to extend the Order in Christchurch by the formation of a women's court, and a meeting will be he id in tie Foresters’Hall, Oxford Terrace, on Tuesday evening next, for the purpose of arranging'- the preliminaries. Very successful Lodges have already been instituted in Dunedin, Wellington, Nelson, Camaru and Invercargill hi this colony, and over thirty mere in England, so that it is anticipated there will be a largo number of candidates in .attendance on Tuesday nest, at 7.30 p.m., when the committee will be glad to give every information that may be required. . .Piqhon Feting.— -The Christchurch Pigeon Flying. Club flew off a raee from ■Hinde, on Saturday. Twenty-four birds competed. Mr M’Laren’a Ritnu was the Winner, with a velocity of 933 - 2yd3 per minute. Owing, to the excessive heat the velocity was slow. The club desires to thank the statiomhaster for liberating the birds. The following is a list of some that competed -Mr M’Laren’a Rime 923'2yds per minute, Mr XingsPotcl’s Snovr Glen 923yds per minute, Mr Rowe’s Royal Rose 923yds per minute, Mr Cooke’s Son o’ Mine 9lSyds per minute, Mr Unwin’s Magician ,9 18'lyda per minute, Mr Butterfield’s Progress' 916yds per minute, Mr Gerard’s Diomed 915yds per minute, Mr Clarke’s Red Jacket 910yds per minute/ Mr Watson’s Victoria 906yds par minute, and Mr Thompson’s Zulu 897yds per minute. .

Music at the P ro -C at redeil .— Yesterday members of the Royal Comic Opera Company again assisted at the musical services in the Pro-Cathedral, Barbadoes Street. Gounod’s “ Messe Solennelie” was produced in its entirety, the many beautiful though difficult solos being moat effectively rendered by Mrs W. Neilson (soprano), Mr W. Neilson (tenor), and Mr J. Briggs (bass). The choruses throughout went extremely well. At the offertory MrNoilsoa sang Bellini’a “ VeniteEanreator Spiritus,” and Mrs Neilson Masoheroni’s “ Ave Maria” with violin obligato by Miss Freda Marsden. At the conclusion of the Mass, Messrs Behan and Briggs Bang a duet, Bontichi’s “Boata Nobis Gandia.” In the evening, after the sermon preached by the Bishop, during which ho thanked the ladies and gentlemen who had so generously given their services on tbat and the preceding Sunday, Mr Neilson sang “ Tho Holy City,” (Stephen Adams.) At Benediction Messrs Neilson, Briggs and Behan sang Mercadante’s “ O Salutaria,” and Miss Campion a “ Tantum Ergo ” by Paolo Bodoira. MissFunston, the organist, presided at the instrument at all the servicer.

“ Lyttelton Times ” Sick Fund So-ciety.—-The annual meetin g of' members of the Lyttelton Times Sick Fund Society was held on Saturday evening. There were eighty /members: present, and considerable interest Vas taken, in the proceedings. The chair was occupied by Mr T. H. Davoy, one of the vice-presidents. Tho annual report showed that there were 106 members; the receipts from contributions during the year had been JSI23 3s, .£96 15a had been expended in sick allowances, and tho Society’s financial position was extremely satisfactory. The following officers were elected for the. ensuing year:—Patron, Hon W. P. Serves; president, Mr T. H. Davey; vice-presidents, Messrs F. E. Hyman, J. E. ‘Till ley and F. C. East; treasurer, Mr F.--E. Hyman (re-elected); seoxietary, Mr J. Jackman; librarian,Miss Amy ; committee, Messrs E. J= Pauli, E. Sahdford, E. Harris,. D., Lumaden, G. Jones, T. Bobson, A. T. Washer, B. Barlow, G. Edgar, W. G. Atack, C. Newnham, G. Atdley, J. E. Davidson and J. H. McMillan. In moving a hearty vote of thanks to tho retiring President (Mr J. C. Wilkin) tho Chairman referred to the valuable service s rendered byMrWilkin .during the long term of years ho had occupied the ; position, and expressed regret that circumstances had induced him to resign. The motion was carried by acclamation, and a vote of thanks was also passed to the retiring Secretary. A similar-vote to the Chairman brought the proceedings to a close.

Speedy Bidets and Speedy Machines. —Latest' successes from scratch : Oaemilo Championship and Half-mile Handicap (the latter record Imin 7§sec), the Three-mile Championship and Tv/o-mila -First-class, at Invercargill, by W. J. S. Hayward. “ Eapids ” for' good value. Waller, Myhra and Co.— [Advt,]

Chance yob the BcJrs. Juvenile “Stars” fitted with cushion tyres, ball bearings to ail parts. Price dllO 10s cash. ■4—Adams, Cur ties and Co., 70, Manchester Street, Christchurch.— [Advt.l Oates’s Zeadandia Cycles always load The works going day and night tokeep pace with orders. Best machine ,£2O, easy terms. N. Gates, Zeaiandia Cycle Works, Christchurch and Napier.— [Advt.]

Hew Hygienic Treatment Booms are being erected by Health Supplies Co., 245, Cashel Street. The separata suites of ’apartments for treating ladies and gentleman will be opened; and ladies’ Scbussler pamphlet also ready shortly.— Advt.] Stahdish akd PBEECE.photograpners by special appointment to bis Excellency tho Governor and the Countess of Glasgow, Studio, High Street.— LA DVT. :

Time Payments—2s Gil per week, 2s fld per -week. 107 Sections, quarter and half-acres, the favourite place for picnics at Now Brighton North. Trams nine times daily. To be sold cheap. Small deposit, balance 2s Gel weekly; no interest'charged. Elan to >v wen and all information at W. Thomson’s, 132, (,’olvnh> Slit -iVU.-l ,

Emnbßtically Ko ’ ' am .not to*bo persuaded, to pave mv it-r ; hv^.nycuebut C.H. Manning, whose work is ■■..nu.Jy i. perfection of tbo.art. -His lit. nna'iiii f .;.|n f photos arc only 35s per dozen, nPd'ls r i.2 <'r>ai i'inlargements 20s each. 350, Colombo blrceC X 1216

Temperance Lecture.—Mr 35. Crabb is announced to deliver a temperance lecture in tho Wesleyan schoolroom at Sydenham, this evening. Thanks.— The Mayor of Christchurch wishes to thank Messrs Fitzgerald Bros, for their kindness in providing-free passes to the circus for those who ware not in a position to pay for them. Sunday Lecture.— Mr W. W. Collins, in-tho Lyceum last night, lectured on “A Hundred Years of Intellectual Progress, and ib being the nearest Sunday to Jan. 29, paid a tribute to tho memory of Thomas Paine, who, ho said, had been misrepresented and maligned but whose work was now recognised even by his former detractors. ■

Circus.— Oa Saturday afternoon _ the large tent of Fitzgerald Brother’s circus was uncomfortably and at the final performance in the evening there was another crowded houoo, the various items and especially Captain Graham’s lion bein'*’ loudly applauded, Messrs Fitzgerald Brothers have no reason to complain of the patronage upon übom during the past week, for their season has certainly been a record one. Within an hour of the conclusion of the performance the huge tent had been taken down and packed away, and before morning the paraphernalia had left by special train tor Lincoln, where an entertainment will be given this evening, after which; the circus will proceed overland to Dunedin.

CRAFT ASHOEB AT THE KAIAPOI BAE.

On Saturday when Mr J. Sims’s craft Huon Belle was on the bar making to sea, tho wind suddenly dropped and the boat stuck. All attempts-to get her off were in vain until at high tide on Sunday morning, when aha floated off and proceeded to eea apparently without any damage. The Keck Lily, owned by cho same .-'gentleman, got out a little before the Huon Belle stuck.

-. . A NARROW ESCAPE.. Aa the tram which left town at half* past eight on Saturday evening for Now Brighton was proceeding along the rosa leaning pant tho Public Cemetery a young man riding a bicycle came up alongside, and began talking to the passengers oa tho car. On being advised by the driver not to jide too close to the tram, for icar of an accident, he returned a saucy answer and immediately shot ahead and tried to cross tho lino right in front of tho horses, with the result that be hud a spill. Fortunately for him, in falling he was thrown clear of the tram, but tho horses went over the bicycle, and the machine gob under tho car and was considerably damaged. As more than one fatal accident has occurred in this way riders would do well to be careful not to cross the line in front of a moving tram car. BOUGH ON SMUGGLERS.

There is a story told in the Customs Department (says the Melbourne Argus) of how an officer was once urged by a storekeeper to take a cheap lot of goods which wore represented to have bean smuggled ? “ Are you quite sure that they have been smuggled ?” inquired the officer, and the storekeeper expressed his willingness to prove the fact if necessary. “Very well,” said the officer, “then I shall take the lot,” and he did under the powers vested in him by Section 219 of the Customs Act. This section reads, “If any person shall offer for sale any goods under pretence that the same are prohibited, or have been unshipped and .run on shore without paymeafc.of duties, all such goods (although not liable to any duties or prohibited) shall be forfeited, and every person so selling or offering for sale such goods shall forfeit treble the value thereof.” An unsophisticated shopkeeper in Fitzroy has now had a quantity of cigars seized under the section, he having displayed in his window this ticket, “ Smuggled Oavitas, splendid quality, sis a Ib.” He asserts that duty has been paid on the cigars, and that he foolishly exhibited the ticket as a “ draw,” but this excuse will not avail him in view of the provision of tho Act. CHINA AND JAPAN. ; The New York Tribune says The CHinaJapaneso war will tell certainly upon the commerce of China and Japan with European and American countries. The total of that commerce amounted in 1892 to a little more than 400,000,000d01. In that year the gqods imported into China reached a value of 137,428,000 taels, or about 150,000,000d01. The exportations of silk, tea, china, paper aud other articles from t.hat country amounted to 102,584,000 taels, or 115,000,000d01. In the same year, 1893, Japan imported 61,000,000 yens, or dollars, of foreign goods, and exported about 80,000,000 yens of her own products. This is a traffic relatively more considerable than that of China, whoso population is so much larger than that of tho Rising Sun Empire. GRASS WIDOWS. Once more a familiar expression is before the reading public, and a contemporary says The phrase, “grass widow,” or rather “ grace widow,” for the first has no foundation in fact, is simply a barbarism, or fungus, which has attached itself to the English language. “ Gmco widow ”is a term for one who becomes a widow by grace or favour, not of necessity, as by death, and originated in tho earlier ages of European civilisation, when divorces were granted but seldom,And wholly by authority of the Catholic Church. When such a decree was granted to n woman, the Papal rescript stated, Viduca, do gra.tia, which interpreted is “widowof grace.” In tho law of the French it would read, Veuve do grace , which in England gives “ widow of grace,” or “ grace widow.’ In this novel and exceedingly interesting paper, Judge Turpie also makes again public two important historical facts: That the whole system of law in relation to marriage and divorce originated in the Roman Church, and that French was the official language and court vernacular, not only m England, but of Western Europe, daring this period of ecclesiastical ascendancy.

THE COFFEE -PLANT. The introduction of the coffee plant into our Central African territory by Mr Buchanan, by slips of a plant in the Botanic Garden of Edinburgh, calls to mind the “ generous Frenchman ” who bore it to Martinique. There are soma curious cases of shipwreck having naturalised foreign plants. The Amaryllis lily of the Channel Islands was (a Globe correspondent reminds us) sown on the island of Jersey by a ship bringing the bulbs in boxes from Japan. The Xanthium also found its way to Cape Colony through a ahinwrack. An asolepiad from Tahiti was planted in New Caledonia by a gendarme, who carried soma of the seeds in a pellet of cotton inside his ear, and threw the pellet away on landing in New Caledonia. A butterfly, which feeds on it, was also introduced into these islands by an accident, and both plant and insect are now rather a plague to the colony. The rhinoceros plane, which was formerly limited to the western parts of tho Capo, now infests all the pastures of that region, owing, it is said, to the Boer traders using it to pack their “Hollands” and throwing it away on the roads.