NEWS OF TEE DAY.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2104, 19 December 1879, Page 2

NEWS OF TEE DAY .

A shocking accident occurred at Emerald Hill (Victoria) quite recently. A man carried his little son to the top of a scaffolding at the tower of the local Town Hall, and becoming giddy dropped the child nearly 200 ft also fa l fing himse lf . The boy was killed and the man seriously injured. A London cablegram to the “Argus’’ states that the Admiralty have, at the instance of the New Zealand Government, despatched H.M. corvette Comus to the Crozet Islands in search of the wreck of the ship Knowlsley Hall, which left London for Lyttelton in June last and has not since been heard of.

A northern telegram states that it is feaicd that a young man named Seagcr has been ,/ drowned, while crossing the Aohanga river. He had been employed at the Glencoe Station, and was crossing the river when he was swept from his horse. Nothing has been seen of his body.

A singular suicide has occurred at Collingwood, in the Nelson district. A man named W. C. Smith, who recently lost his wife, was on his way to give evidence in a case against a medical man. Smith called at the house of Mr Boggis and complained of being iff Boggis thereupon went to Court to explain Smith’s absence, and on his return found him dead with a piece cut out of his throat with a pocket knife. At the inquest a verdict of temporary insanity was returned.

The volunteers have been burlesqued at the Maori gathering just concluded at Pa rill aka. The natives arc now returning home wearing broad flax leaves round their waists, in imitation of belts, and have flax sticks hanging from them like swords, in ridicule of our citizen soldiers. It is alleged that the faith in Tc Whiti is as strong as ever. The injustice to other friendly societies af compelling railway operatives to join the Railway Employes Society has been represented to Commissioner Conyers and steps will be taken to remove the cause of complaint. The Wai-iti school broke up for the Christmas holidays to-day. The prizes were distributed this afternoon.

The successful competitors for the “Saturday Advertiser ” prize tale, are understood to be Miss Chceseman, of Auckland, and Mr R. C. Ferguson, of Dlined’n, between whom the £2O is to be divided.

A conference of newspaper managers was opened in Timaru yesterday, and extended over to-day, the business being to consider matters of importance to the press generally. Representativees were present from Dunedin, Christchurch, Auckland and Wellington. The business discussed related chiefly to the amalgamation of the Press Agency and Association, the death of Captain Holt and other circumstances having rendered a change in the arrangements expedient. We understand it has been decided to merge the Agency in the Association which will be placed under an extended management. This will do away with the necessity of having two special wires and it will be the means of placing all papers, as regards Press telegrams on a tolerably equal footing. Newspapers, however, which do not belong to the association will be charged a substantial entrance fee for enrolment.

Mr Samuel Durham, M.R.C.Y.S.L., was yesterday appointed Inspector of Slaughterhouses for the County of Geraldine. Detective Kirby arrested a man named Daniel O’Brien alias John Foley, at Orari yesterday on a charge of forgery. At the Geraldine Magistrates Court,yesterday, Charles Armstrong, was fined 40s and costs for inciting a prisonsr while in process of being arrested during a drunken row, to resist the police. J. Watt, J. Barrett, D. Denoon, and J. Dawson, charged with refusing to assist the police, were discharged. A Committee meeting of the Timaru Floral and Horticultural Society was held last night. Present —Messrs Harney, Langdon, Lewis, Mair, Whitaker, Kearns, Morgan, and Knowles. Mr Harney was voted to the chair in the absence of Mr Knowles. The Secretary’, Mr E. H. Lough was instructed to hand over the prises at the late show at once. Messrs Perry and White were awarded the prise for the highest number of points gained in Class A, in flowers and vegetables respectively ; and Messrs Minttaker and Blanchett for the highest number of points in class B. It was reported that subscriptions amounting to £SO had been collected. The Secretary was instructed to thank Messrs Maclean and Stewart on behalf of the Committee for the use of their premises. Sundry accounts were passed for payment and the meeting adjourned. From the tables appended to the Public Works Statement we find that the New Zealand railways at the present time have 180 locomotives at work. Of these 60 belong to the North and 120 to the South Island. The variety of type is very remarkable, there being no fewer than 21 classes, of which as many as 19 are in use on the Christchurch-Tnvercargill section. On this line 111 engines are employed, 20 of them being goods’ engines of great size and enormous powe, in addition to fourteen Fairlie’s.

Mathew Allen, a builder aged 70, residing in Christchurch, died yesterday evening at half-past seven, in consequence of taking some liquid ammonia instead of the medice prescribed for him by Dr Townend. Deceased had been ailing for some time, and had been under treatment by Dr Townend for the last four months. On learning the mistake that had been made, Dr Townend had a consultation with Dr Prins, but the efforts of these gentlemen were unavailing to counteract the effects of the ammonia.

The match, Lawyers v. the World, will bo continued to-morrow. After the completion of the Lawyers innings, a return match between the same sides, will be commenced.

Dec. 27 has been declared a Bank holiday throughout New Zealand.

A novel exhibition will be opened in Messrs Jonas Hart and Wildie’s sale yards, to-morrow evening, the attraction being nothing more or less than a wild beast show. Referring to the collection, the “ Otago Daily Times” says: —The animals exhibited arc not numerous’ but they are such as are seldom shown in the coloriy, and are particularly fine specimens. The lion is probably, the finest ever shown •in the Colony ; the Cheetah tiger is also a grand beast; and the baby bear is what Artemus Ward would call an “ amusing cuss.” An Indian snake-killer is in the collection, and is a greater curiosity than either the lion or the tiger, but it is not likely to attract so much attention. The exhibition is well worth the moderate prices charged for admittance.

Messrs .7. T. Ford and Co. submitted the Eskbank estate to auction this afternoon. There was a large attendance but nothing like bids could be elicited from the audience. The property was consequently withdrawn, but we understand that several offers have been made privately to the auctioneers, and a large portion of the line land will probably change hands on favorable terms. Messrs Ford and Co. arc open to receive offers for tho sections. Our readers will sec by advertisement that Mr J.W. Jago P.G.W.C.T., will attend the Life Boat Lodge this evening. A” members of the Order arc invited. Mrs Mason notifies that she is prepared to receive gentleman boarders at her new house, Sophia street., A special meeting of the High School Board of Governors will take place this evening, at 7.30. We remind our readers that a meeting of the Timaru Orange Lodge will be held this evening, at 7.30.