CHRISTCHURCH.

Saturday Advertiser, Volume III, Issue 112, 1 September 1877, Page 7

CHRISTCHURCH.

feom our own correspondent.

August 26th. At the meeting of the Drainage Board on Monday morning last, a little billet deux was read from Mr John Carruthers, late consulting engineer of the Board, enclosing a « little bill ” for the balance of his account, ran as follows:—Salary as Consulting Engineer at £SOO per annum, for seven months £291 13s. 4d.; balance of premium £250; per centage of £1 per cent on £50,000, £600; total £lO4l 13s. 4d. This (when paid) will make a total paid to Mr Carruthers of £1750 —rather a nice little sum, considering that the whole of his plans, so far, have been utterly useless, and are not likely to be worth the paper they are written and drawn upon. One of the members of the Board thought Mr Carruthers was coming it rather strong on the question of the “ per centage,” and the chairman was requested to write to him and express the opinion of the Board that the £SOO on that score should be reduced to £2OO. But it is hardly likely that Mr Carruthers will consent to this, and in all probability the Board will have to stump up the entire figure. Mr Clarke, the consulting engineer, is expected over from Sydney before long to 3ee what he can do, and no doubt he also will have a nice little finger in the pie; and perhaps the ratepayers will serve his plans as they have those of Mr Carruthers, and throw them overboard. Beally this Drainage body is very costly. On Thursday, the Eev. H. C. M. Watson (author of “ Adventures in New Guinea,”) delivered a lecture on the Eastern Question, in which he took a very different view to that taken by the Eev. Mr Smalley, who lectured on the same subject a few weeks before. The chair was occupied by Sir Cracroft Wilson, who was decked out for the occasion with his various war medals and other -decorations, and who, before Mr Watson addressed himself to the question of the evening, proceeded to deliver a lecture on his own account, in the course of which, speaking of Eussia and Turkey, he expressed it as his opmion that there were six of one and half a dozen of the other. He enlivened the proceedings with anecdotes of certain things that took place “ when he was in the East ” —it may be remembered that this is the gentleman who, during the native disturbance, wanted permission from the Government to bring down a body of Goorkas from India “to settle the whole question.” The lecture of Mr Watson’s was a very telling one, and in bringing it to a close the lecturer denied the statement made by Mr Gladstone, that the colonies were strongly pro-Eussian in feeling; and added that he was quite sure if the Australias were polled to-morrow, that nine men out of ten would stand up and say that Turkey should not be blotted out of existence by ambitious Eussia. He maintained that it was England’s duty, not only as a Christian, but as an interested power, to fight for and save Turkey at any cost should occasion require it, and not allow it to be beaten and swallowed up by the great hulking power in question. And I cannot here help putting in a remark made by Mr Watson not reported in the papers, and which I imagine at once betrays that gentleman’s nationality. Speaking of the bravery of the Turks when well led and opposed to superior numbers, he remarked that “like Irishmen, when they were once roused they would fight like very devilsfrom which it may be inferred that Mr Watson is a very bellicose minister —but as I remarked in a former issue he is very broad and liberal in his views and secures far more respect than any of our peace-at-any-prica gentlemen. I enclose you a brief report of his lecture cut from the Lyttelton Times, from which you may yourself, to some extent, judge of the character of the man. There was a very large attendance, and it was evident throughout that he had the feeling of the audience with him.

Some time ago, a large concrete swimmingbath was built in connection with one of our large public schools —the East Christchurch —but it has been a source of constant trouble. In the first place, the concrete walls gave way before any water was put into the bath at all, and now that it is full, it is constantly leaking somewhere and flooding the adjoining premises. A number of people living in the district have determined to take legal proceedings to put a stop to the nuisance, and have called upon the Drainage Board to lake steps in the matter. The Drainage Board has written to the Board of Education and the East Christchurch School Committee. The only difficulty is that, when the bath is aniptied to find out the leak, the sides will in all probability collapse as they did before. A sad accident occurred at the Railway tyation the other day, by which a young man named Alfred Poulton, a railway employd, tost his life. He received a violent blow in the back from a piece of timber projecting trom one of the moving trucks, and died very shortly afterwards. Of course the verdict of the jury was “ accidental death,” but equally m, Cou rse there must be blame somewhere, hese repeated railway accidents could not a Ppen if due care were exercised. And another sort of railway accident is ? nsta utly occurring—l mean the destruction cattle on our lines. Hardly a week passes , .if 01 ? 6 unfortunate animal meets its death da t 6 * lan^8 .the engines running in the * ness> As is well known, in very many

places the lines are entirely nnfenced, and one of these days there will be a much more serious accident to report than the destruction of a cow, unless some change is made on this state of things. Mr Conyers, the Superintending Engineer, lias written to the Government, urging them to fence in the line from Amberly to 4he Bluff —the entire length of line in the South Island, in fact. But I suppose the powers that be are so busy counting heads and striving for majorities that they won’t have time to attend to such a trivial matter as this.

By the way, emboldened no doubt by the success of the agitation for branch lines in Otago, the people of this province are beginning to stir in the matter. A petition, signed by over 500 settlers, has been forwarded to the Government to construct abranch line from Sheffield to Kowai Pass. This line, though a very short one, would pass through a splendid agricultural district, and would no doubt be highly remunerative ; and on Tuesday last a very large meeting was held at Ashburton, when it was resolved to petition Government to make a branch line from that place to Mount Somers. No doubt if the Canterbury members will back it up this will have some effect, and the Mount Somers people will have their desires gratified at an early date. But they are not over sanguine. In the absence of Judge Williams, a very interesting and important judgment was given this week by Judge Johnston, who stated that so far as he had heard of the case he agreed with it. There is a gentleman here named Mr H. E. Alport, who is one of the trustees in bankruptcy. Well, it appears that a short time ago a meeting was called of the creditors of one Thomas Andrew. Mr Alport was not a creditor, but he went to the meeting, armed with a number of proxies from those who were, and he was the only person present. So, in the name of one proxy he gravely proposed, and as gravely seconded, “that Mr Alport do take the chair,” and there being no dissentient voice—l mean proxy—Mr Alport took the chair. Then, I presume, he proceeded to take minutes ©f the proceedings. At all events, in the name of one proxy (say Mr Brown) he proposed to the meeting that Mr Alport be appointed trustee to the estate, with a commission of five per cent. Another proxy (say Mr Jones) through the chairman seconded the motion, and that gentleman, after waiting in vain for any amendment or counter proposition, declared the resolution duly carried, and this concluded the business. We are not told that there was any vote of thanks to the chairman, but surely after the impartiality displayed by him there ought to have been; and I can imagine Mr Alport briefly returning thanks for the honour done him, and putting Messrs Brown, Jones, and Co. (or their proxies) in his breeches pocket, after which he no doubt enjoyed an admirable luncheon. But it appears that some of the creditors objected to this way of doing business, considering that the “meeting” ought to have been adjourned until at least two persons in the flesh were present, and Judge Williams was of the same opinion, for he declared the election of Mr Alport (by himself) to be null and void.

The piano factory to which I referred a week or two ago, has just completed a magnificent piano, and a first-class harmonium. There is to be a “ recital ” with them at the Oddfellows’ Hall in the course of the week, so that the public may be able to judge of the character of the colonial, as compared with the imported article. On Monday, there was an amateur performance at the Theatre Royal, in aid of the Widows’ and Orphans’ fund in connection with the Foresters. The house was crowded in every part. The pieces performed were the farce of “ The Siamese Twins/' and the three-act drama entitled “A Golden Fetter.” The first was very fairly played, but the amateur Club was terribly overweighted in the drama, ai>d it was only the really admirable acting of Mr Ford as Tom Tit (a low comedy part), that pulled it through at all. It seemed to me to be a great mistake to have lady amateurs ; for one scene, in which two of them appeared, lasted' at least twenty minutes, during which time the ladies were so very confidential that not a word they uttered could be heard. However, they served a good cause, and the Foresters have reason to be very thankful to them. Since then, “ After Dark,” by the dramatic company, has been running to crowded houses nightly. It has been highly successful, the chief feature of interest being Mr Hoskins’s admirable acting as “ Old Tom.” On Monday (tomorrow), Signor Majeroni, the Italian actor (who, however, plays in English), will make his first appearance in the three-act comedy of “The Old Corporal.” Signora Majeroni does not appear in this piece. Signor Majeroni has appointed Mr D. Gardner to act as agent on his behalf during his stay in Christchurch. The Rinkists have continued their performances during the week, but have not done a great deal. They concluded their engagement last night.