NEWS OF THE DAY.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 3140, 26 April 1883, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Dr Hector is visiting the Kawa Kawa coal mines.

The South Dunedin munioi al loan of £6OOO has been floated at 6 per cent.

The N.Z. Shipping Co.’s direct steamer lonic is appointed to make Port Chalmers her port of departure for London. The "Evening Post” speaks in highly laudatory terms of Dr Hammond’s management of the Wellington Hospital. Dr Keating of Patca was fined £5 and costs yesterday at Hawera for giving an unstamped „receipt., Who was informer ?

The railway line will be laid forthwith right up to Fairlie Creek township. The Library of the Mechanics’ Institute remains closed until to-morrow for stocktaking.

Mr Frederic M: c. ah*. intends fulfilling his promise lo aie Timam public, and will open at the Oddfellows Hall, Barnard street on Tuesday, May Ist. The proceedings at the Supreme Court, Invercargill, in the Massey oases, wete of little interest or importance. The case for the prosecution will probably conclude to-night. The West Coast Railway League are working with enthusiasm, and have turned the public mind of Canterbury almost unanimously against the East Coast line, and in favor of the West Coast.

Dr Vaughan, 8.0, Archbishop of Sydney, who is a passenger to Rome by the ’Frisco mail, touched at Auckland yesterday and was viated on board by a number of the clergy. Over £SOOO was put through the totalisator at Auckland at the Autumn racejmeeting, and £IO,OOO changed hands at the settling up between the ring and the public,

The Caswell Sound Marble and Portland Cement Mining Company’s machinery will soon be in full swing. Very extensive and numerous orders for the marble have been received from Australia.

MrM. W. Green, M.H.R., lectures tonight in the Barnard street Hall, on “ The Demon Drink and how to Fight it.” The lecture is under the auspices of the Union Total Abstinence Society.

Ellesmere district residents refuse to sanction the erection of a £20,000 bridge over the Eakaia, at Dobbin’s Ford. The bridge would connect the Ashburton and Selwyn Counties.

The Colonial Treasurer’s projected stumping tour in the North Island is postponed indefinitely in consequence of his having to look after his department. It is almost time ha did pay attention to his department and suspend “ lecturing.”

The following persons having passed the necessary pharmacy examinations are duly registered as pharmaceutical chemists ; Messrs Gateuby (Dunedin) Mr Farron (Wellington) Anaiead (Oamaru) iiall (Auckland) Johnston (Hastings).

The Dunedin “ Star ” states that in the case of ill-treatment, of a child at Foibury, to which it referred a night two ago—the child has been handed over to the care of more humane peisons. Our contemporary did a good action in calling attention to the matter, and its remarks have had the desired effect.

A Launceston telegram in a recent "Hobart Mercury” runs as follows:—A girl about 14 years of age is now, 10 p.m., lying in the lowest stage of intoxication on the footpath at the angle of Charles and Patterson streets. Juvenile female depravity is greatly on the increase here.

According to the "Telegraph,” a speaker at the meeting of the Working Men’s Political Assofeiation the other evening in Christchurch made a very funny lapsus lingua. He was denouncing Major Atkinson’s National Insurance scheme in no measured terms. He said it was a poll tax, and quoted from a book on English history to show that the poll tax imposed by Richard 11, caused an insurrection which was headed by Wat Tyler and Jack Straw. “And, gentlemen,” he added, "if this National Insurance scheme is introduced in New Zealand, it will cause a resurrection too,” The roars of laughter which followed this oracular deliverance convinced the speaker that he had made an error, and he quickly corrected himself.

At Bourk’s panorama last night there was a moderate attendance. The performance consistedof several views of incidents of the Egyptian campaign, a descriptive lecture, read, not spoken, a recitation of "Shamns O’Brien” and an American poetical story,—and a distribution of gifts. The diorama was not shown (in consequence of a break-down in the gear it was explained) and the gift distribution brought the performance to a close. To-night, a gold watch is to be given away. Mr Bourk informs us that the diorama will be on view this evening and that it constitutes the main part of, the exhibition. A very fine selection of gifts will be distributed, and among them some valuable articles. The breakdown of the diorama occurred in the transit from Asburtou, but everything has now been set right.

When addressing a public meeting at Greymouth, Mr Edward Wakefield referred to the extreme courtesy with which he had been treated wherever he had spoken on the coast, and commenting upon this the “ Argus” says:—" If Mr Wakefield had had a larger acquaintance with miners and mining communities,, such as are found on this coast, he would have known that the average goldminer who has followed up the great rushes, and also those who follow him to minister to his wants, are much-travelled men, whose sphere of observation and knowledge of men and things have been wider by far than any other class who move less about the world ; and by those means the miner gradually acquires that wide tolerance of feeling towards all men that make of him such a fine citizen of the world.”

The “N.O. Times” has the following which is of interest to grain growers : Frequent reference has been made both by Home and colonial writers to the apparent want of classification and condition in the wheat sent from New Zealand. This, of course, couldjnot apply to every cargo of wheat sent from New Zealand, but the many bad cargoes have injured the reputation of the good, and, in consequence, New Zealand wheat generally is not quoted as high on the London market as it should be. " Jan Christison,” writing to the “ Daily Times” says o \ the subject—" As I have tome knowledge of the European and colonial grain trade, I beg to warn farmers and exporters against he • suicidal policy of exporting the grain unclassified, and would impress on those interested the necessity of examining the grain more closely, and by competent grain viewers or examiners. I am greatly mistaken if there is not more mischief already done this season through shipping mixed and unfit grain than can be remedied for several years to come. My advice is, examine closely all farmers’ parels, and for examiners employ competent men—men of undeniable trustworthiness, otherwise you will find our Otairo grain distrusted in the markets of the world. Being a Dane, I am not able to express myself freely in English, but those interested ought to watch closely what is being done.”

The Railway Commission is now sitting in Christchurch, taking evidence. Messrs Chrysta), Inglis, and Dobson, 0.E., have been examined by the Commissioners.