NEWS OF THE DAY.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 3158, 17 May 1883, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

The death of Mr J. Rutherford, M.H.B. for Bruce, is announced. Tawhiao, with one hundred mounted followers has left Alexandra for Tauranga* Mr Shaw, the new member for Inangabna is to be banquetted to-night by his supporters.

Mr Wakefield was banqueted on Tuesday evening at Reefton, Mr W. S. James, solicitor, presided, and Mr F. J. Caples occupied the vice chair. Mr Mooney and Miss Hayes fell overboard yesterday from the Glenelg, at Wangaroa, but were, saved from drowning by Captain Stephenson. South, late stationmaster at Tapanui (erroneously mentioned last evening as Louth Latterly) has been committed for trial on three charges of embezzlement.

The performance of “ Ohilperic ” takes places this evening in the Theatre Royal, There is every prospect of a crowded house and the piece has been most diligently rehearsed.

The anniversary services in connection with the Primitive Methodist Church, Geraldine, were conducted on Sunday last by the Rev. J. Sharp, who was formerly pastor at Geraldine. A boy yesterday had his hand taken off by a saw at Ross’ sawmill, Onehunga. Arthur Harman, engine driver, at the same place, was severely scalded by an escape of steam.

A five-roomed house at Kaiapoi was burned down yesterday. It was insured in the South British office for £225, and in the Australian Mercantile for £SO. The cottage was owned and occupied by Mr R. Pickering.

The fifth annual meeting of the Colonial Insurance Company was held at Wellington yesterday, the report and balance sheet was adopted and a dividend declared. Tbe retiring directors and auditors were re-elected.

A buggy was yesterday run into by the train at Kensington. The lad driving was seriously injured, and the horse had to be killed. No one is to blame, for the accident occurred through the horse being frightened and becoming unmanageable.

The body of a man has been found in a creek near Teviot District, Otago. It was covered with stones and the head had been chopped off and placed near the feet. Tbe clothes had been burned and it is believed an attempt was made to burn the body. The police have gone to tbe spot. The Auckland City Council propose building a new Town Hall. They have decided to purchase the Army and Navy Hotel and the adjoining allotments for a site. Councillor Devore, a solicitor, has protested that the Council is exceeding its power.

The gift of Mr J; T. Mcßlvie to the citizens of Auckland, the arrival of which was recently notified, is a very fine statue from Pompeii, of a noble Roman lady. The local “ Herald ’’ describes it at great length, and it is evidently a work of art of very considerable merit.

At a “ Holiness Council ” of the Salvation Army in Dunedin last night, two or three of the officers fervently declared their belief that “ millions of sinners would be converted in New Zealand this year.” There is a trifling difficulty in the way—the population of the colony is under a million.

Mr Fish is in Wellington, and he has submitted the plans for the proposed works on the Otago bar- Mr Blackett the marine engineer for the Colony, recommends reference being made to Sir John Coode. Mr Fish concurs, and if authorised by telegraph from the Board in Dunedin, lie will send Home the plans by the mail leaving on Saturday. The directors of the Temuka Butter, Cheese and Bacon factory met on Monday evening at the Wallingford hotel, and passed accounts, chiefly in connection with their building, to the amount of £2Ol 4s 2d. They find it necessary also to proceed against several shareholders by law, to compel payment of overdue amounts, They do this with regret, but the building and machinery must be paid for. One shareholder asked leave to withdraw his name from the list, but the Directors were unable to comply with the request.

It is not everybody who knows perhaps how much it costs to grant a pardon to a State prisoner. Of course everybody knows that the release of an arrested person costs the Home Secretary a great deal of mental worry, but only very few people can realise how much money it costs. After the conclusion of the enquiry by the Eoyal Commissioners into the corrupt practices which prevailed at Macclesfield, in England, at the last general election, pardons by patent were granted to 76 persons who gave evidence. The stamps on these pardons cost tbe State no le*s than £l9 10s each, so that the nation has bad to pay £1462 10s to the witnesses who saved themselves from prosecution by giving evidence before the commissioners. Pardons granted to persons in Boston, Macclesfield, and Sandwich involved the country in a further expense of £2886.

Fresh converts in large numbers are joining the Blue Ribbon Army in Christchurch.

The general meeting of the South Canterbury Industrial Association has teen postponed till to-morrow evening, in consequence of the Chilperio entertainment taking place to-night. The “ Bruce Herald ” quotes as follows from a letter received from a former Milton resident, who has had about a year’s experience in the Old Country;—“ I do not care much for England, although 1 have got on very well. It is too poverty-stricken for my liking. What would Toko, people 1 say if they were charged Is Id per lb for mutton, and Is for beef, which were the prices here last week. I generally take a stroll through the market on Saturday afternoon, and to see some of the poorer classes striking bargains with the butcher is a pitiable sight. After viewing the contents of the stall for some time they will ask for so many pounds of pluck, or to weigh them a cow’s heart, These are facts I would not have believed if I had not witnessed them. It is a very hard thing for a poor man to live, for what with rates, taxes, and the high price for provisions, he is al* most eaten away Fancy a working man getting only 18s to 22s per week, and out of that having to pay rent and taxes." Decent Irish-Americans, says the *• New York Herald” will give head to the dangersigns of the times, and abstain from supply mg money to an agitation which . has become nothing but a cloak for outrage. They are causing Ireland to be viewed by the universe as the haven of cowardly ruffians, who shoot behind hedges and assault women in disguises. They are postponing for a century their country’s chance of freedom, and bringing their countrymen within a measurable distance of a calamity more appalling than any since the Huguenots were bounded to death in the streets of Paris.”