NEWS OF THE DAY.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2094, 8 December 1879, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

A monster groper was caught on the beach this morning, measuring Bft Sin from snout to tail.

The man Chamberlain arrested on Saturday by detective Kirby was this morning remanded till Monday next.

The “worst-disgusted” man in New Zealand at the present time resides in the Poverty Bay district. He entered for a sweep on the Melbourne Cup at Gisborne and on being told he had drawn Darriwell refused to pay for his ticket. The ticket accordingly reverted to the hotel-keeper who arranged the lottery, Mr Page, and he of course wins the money. The “ Dunedin Herald ” learns upon good authority that £BOO,OOO forwarded to Canterbury for investment will be withdrawn should the Property Tax be imposed. A gentleman now in Dunedin, with £50,000 hesitates investing £86,000 in an estate, until he sees how matters will turn out. £IOO,OOO sent from Melbourne for investment here will be returned to the place from whence it came, should the Property Tax Bill become law. This is not a very encouraging state of affairs.

The revolver which was missing at the time of the supposed robbery took place at the Bank of New South Wales, Kumara, and which was never found, came to light last week in the garden of MrW. S. Hanna, who in digging round a stump unearthed the lost weapon, which was loaded and capped in all the barrels.

Our attention has been dawn to the fact of the postal authorities charging an extra fee of 6d, to. those who are inexperienced enough to pay it, on late mail letters when there is a supplementary mail made up the following morning. If letters arc posted too late for the first mail, they should undoubtedly be taken in and made up with the supplementary mail without the extortional fee.—Dunedin “ Star,”

It is said that the Bank of England has undertaken to float the whole of the five million loan at £97 10s, with interest at five per cent. It is reported on good authority that Rcwi has declined to hold any further communication with the Government, and has rejoined Tawhaio at Teku. Also, that Hiroki has left Parihaka and has been offered refuge in the King Country, He is now at Ngatimarau. Mr Wallace, the commedian like Keats of old does’t like adverse criticism. In a speech at the Theatre Royal, Christchurch, on Friday evening he complained of the unkind and ungenerous treatment he had received from th Christchurch Press. Had he known of the existence of such brilliant geniuses as his Christchurch critics, he would have first taken instructions from them in the art of acting. Wellington possesses an unenviable notoriety for stabbing affrays and domestic tragedies. The latest illustration of the unhappy condition of society there was given on Friday night—Two married women neighbors, had a dispute, during which serious threats were made. On the return of their husbands a row between the men ensued, and one named James Flanigan was rather seriously stabbed. His wife also received several bruses. Dennis McCormack, the other man, has been arrested. The doctor states that Flanigan and his wife are not out of danger. About ten o’clock on Friday night a man named David Hineman, working at the dock works in Lyttelton, was found by his brother lying near the works in a state of insensibility, with a large wound right across the forehead. The man was at once taken to the hospital and it was found that he had sustained serious injury, the skull being fractured. The man’s brother says that the injured man went out with one of the horses about 8 p.m., and he is of opinion that the unfortunate man must have been thrown, and so met with the injuries. The man is now lying in a very precarious condition.

The cricket match between the Press and the Washdyke Cricket Clubs, played on Saturday last, resulted in a win for the Press men, on the first innings, by 28 runs. The scores were—Press 80, Washdyke 52. Press, second innings, for 2 wickets, 10.

In the match in connection with the Timaru Club, played on Saturday last, viz., Lawyers v. the World, the Lawyers first innings terminated for 101; and their opponents being dismissed for a total of 128. This should leave the legal gentlemen an easy victory. The walking match on Saturday between J. O’Connor and Glecson terminated in favor of O’Connor by 37 secs. Glecson’s walking on the present occasion was not equal to his late exhibition. O’Connor deserves praise for his out-and-out good walking, which earned for him several rounds of applause. A match between O’Connor and Scott, the champion, is, we learn, on the tapis. It is feared that a large quantity of ryegrass hay which was in process of being harvested round about Timaru will be ruined. For twenty-four hours, beginning at sundown on .Saturday, it rained incessantly, falling at times in torrents. The farmers in the district have lately been sighing for fine weather, and their crops are not likely to be improved by the inclemency of the season. A man named Williams, while working at the foundry in Wellington on Saturday last received a splinter of iron in his eye. It is believed he will lose his sight. At a meeting of the Committee of the Auckland Working Men’s Political Association it was decided to support the proposal of the Wellington Local Industrial Association to have a New Zealand Exhibition.

The Oamaru “ Mail disapproves of the prohibition of football among telegraph operatives. It says:—Our experience teaches us that there are more civil servants incapaciated from performing their duties through disordered systems occasioned by indulging in cheese, beer, and tobacco, than engaging in football or any other exercise. There is a County Council down south called Taieri which has a curious staff of laborers. One surfaceman who has a wooden leg is supposed to look after nine miles of road, while another was observed the other day by one of the Councillors lying drunk in a ditch by the roadside, or as he expressed it “ in a state of coma,” at a time when he should have been attending to his work.

Mr H. S. Fish, the newly-elected mayor of Dunedin, is finding his scat something else than a bed of roses. Tire “ Star ”in a most sarcastic way, comments on Mr Fish’s proposal to refer the question whether the mayor should be elected by the citzen or the City Council, first to a “plcbiscitnm ” consisting of the ratepayers exclusively, and then to a Finance Committee to carry it into law. Our contemporary points out that a plcbiscitum is scarcly the proper word for the general vote of a body of rate, payers, and the Finance Committee of the Dunedin City Council will have some difficulty in repealing an act of Parliament. “ When ignorance is bliss ’tis folly to be wise!”

The only occupant of the lock-up this afternoon was the man Chamberlain.

Mr Zeisler notifies that all accounts due to Mr E. Ball, must be paid on or before Friday next.

In another column Mr C. F. Hallam intimates that he has made every preparation at the Yale of Health Baths for the confirm season. A boarding establishment in connection with the baths has also bceg instituted nad visitors will have free use of the latter.

A telegram JjwasJ received in town tins afternoon by Mr LeCren immigration agent, apprising him of the arrival of the Lady Josyleyan at Lyttertonwith immigrants all well.

A rumor gained currency in town this afternoon to the effect that a fatal accident had occurred at the Saltwater Creek to-day. We can, however, authoritatively contradict the same.