NEWS OF THE DAY.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2956, 15 September 1882, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Alarge area of Crown land will be thrown open under the new Act. Nominations for the Dunedin Cup close tomorrow night at Dunedin.

Tenders are invited for the erection of St. Mary’s Church, Geraldine. The Cement and Patent Stone Company, Dunedin, will wind up forthwith. The lowest depth ofjwater on the bar at Dunedin Harbor ie now officially stated to be 19feet.

Moses Ackerman Price, has been committed for trial at Dunedin, for embezzlement from the Droids.

The Equitable. Insurance Company has added four names to its, Dunedin directory, which now comprises 22 perrons, J. M. Watson’s tender (£1197), for forma new training course at Forbury Park, Dunedin, has been accepted, A store and dwelling at Shag Point have been horned down in the absence of the owner; Incendiarism is suspected, 3 One of the two men drowned in Auckland harbor the other night, Woods by name, leaves a large family. ■ v

.. It will be seen that the British force* have inflicted a great defeat upon the Egyptian forces. The case of Connor y ..Mackey came jup again yesterday. Judge Williams was asked to grant a new trial, but refused to do so.

Three cottages have been burned down at Sydenham, O’Connell, in whose house the fire originated loses everything except a sewing machine, A special train freighted with M.H.B.s, passed through Timaru yesterday, on its way to Dunedin. This might be termed the Parliamentary train.

The Union Steamship Company will issue return tickets at single fare* daring the rifle competition at Dunedin, to members of the Rifle Association.

Very' little interest was taken in the municipal election at Wellington yesterday, Dr Newman, Mr Danks and Mr Brown were all returned. A human skull has been found buried at Evans Bay, Wellington. It is believed to have belonged to a female, and to have been, buried some years.

It is proposed to get up a benefit for Mrs Thomson (the armless lady) in Christchurch, who has suffered so much by the late fire In High street, and the loss of her learned pig. J. Bird, a coal-carter at Auckland, has been run over by his - loaded dray, and is not expected to recover from the injuries he has sustained.

Robert Wilson, an elderly resident of Dunedin, was found drowned iu the Harbor yesterday. He has been unwell of late and it is supposed: he fell oyer the embankment.

The three Commissioners appointed to prorogue Parliament to-day are Sit Wffi, Fitzherbort (Speaker of the Legislative Counoil), the Hon. F. Whitaker (Premier), and Sir G. 8. Whitmore.

In the vexed question of marriage with a deceased wife’s sister, t><e Oamaru Presbyter/ have decided against countenancing these unions) One Presbyter remarked that such a custom was fit only for a colony Of rabbits. Archdeacon Harper’s address on Evolution, stands postponed to Thursday next. Owing to the inclemency of the weather and counter-attractions, a small muster of members and visitors attended the Debating Society’s meeting last night, and it was rightly considered that a thoroughly good audience sbonld bear so interesting an address as this will be.

The formal commencement of the sewage pumping in connection with the Christchurch drainage schema, took place yesterday in the presence of the past and present members’ of the Drainage ' Board and a few visitors. At the pumping station the sewer is raised from low level sewers to pipes, which convey it to the sand hills a considerable distance beyond the city, in the direction of the sea. The original estimate of cost of the sewage system was £168,886; the cost of the works to date is About £120,150, anti £IB,OOO i> required to finish the scheme. The total cost will then be about £138,150, showing a saving over estimate of £30,705. The storm water sewer system was estimated to cost £21,011, but consequent upon larger sewers being built, and other alterations made, the cost will be £36,580.

At the B.M, Court Auckland, a number of claims in respect of the Property tax came up forbearing, but as the majority of the cases wore defended, the Court, in pursuance of an arrangement, adjourned them for a week. Two of these bad been previously withdrawn by the Property Tax Commissioner, Mr J. Sperry, but notwithstanding that fact Mr Thoo. Cooper asked for cost on behalf of the defendants, inasmuch as they had been wrongfully sued. The Commissioner, he said, had actually, in ignorance of the law, sued one of his clients, B, Anderson, as agent for someone else, and then, after the discovery of his blunder, telegraphed the withdrawal ef proceedings, but not before Anderson had incurred some expense in getting legal advice. Throughout the matter the Government had exhibited the greatest laxity and ignorance of the law. Mr Hudson Williamson, who appeared for the Commissioner, remarked the suing of an a;;ont was not the only mistake that had been made, as in several instances summonses had actually been issued against dead men. One guinea costs was allowed $9 B. Anderson.

A burglar was captured yesterday afternoon in the Rev. Mr Guy’s house, Franklyn road, Auckland, while plundering it doting the absence of its inmates. Bewas detected by a woman living near,/who saw him entering by a back window. She informed neighbors living near including, Messrs Knox and .’ Hill, officers of the Customs, lately from Christchurch. They proceeded to the premises, when the burglar'bolted, bat after a sharp chase he was'captured and taken to the police station. He proved to be one .Robert Marshy, aged 35; lately from Christchurch. At his residence was found nearly the whole of the booty of the late burglaries, a quantity of keys of all descriptions, a and a woman’s f*lse hair plaits.