NEWS OF THE DAY.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 3299, 29 October 1883, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

The Geraldine School Committee intend insuring the school building ior £4OO.

The Dunedin tramways are to be extended to the southern end of the Ocean Beach.

Taiaroa has been scratched for the New Zealand Cup, and Hyacinth for the Now Zealand and Canterbury Cups. The first two oases brought by the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to animals at Auckland were dismissed without costs.

The sub-collectors of rates for Geraldine County just appointed are Messrs 0. E. Sherratt, R, W. Uprioharcl, and R, Irvine. An advertisement on the subject of Messrs Reid and Gray’s exhibits at the Agricultural Show appears in another column.

The annual meeting of the N.Z. Grand National Steeplechase Club will be held at the Grosvenor Hotel on Wednesday next at 8 p.m.

An amateur photographic society is being started in Auckland.

It is expected that Captain R. S. Owen will be superintendent of the Lyttelton Sailors’ Home, which is to be opened on Thursday.

The Secretary of the A, and P. Association requests members to produce their tickets on the Show days, otherwise the usual fee will be charged. The barque Ganymede now on her way to Auckland, is bringing a collection of old armour to the Museum. This is the gift of Mr J. T. McEloie.

As will be seen in another column Edwards has partly regained his laurels by beating Scott by more than a mile in the 48-hours walking match. The Governor was very enthusiastically received at New Plymouth, and expressed himself much delighted -and surprised at the progress of the breakwater. The 400th anniversary of Luther’s birthday is to be celerated in Christchurch by a tea and public meeting on Nov. 13, under the auspices of the Protestant Alliance Society.

The Pakuranga Hunt Club races at Auckland on Saturday were well-attended. The results were—Hurdle Race, Harkaway 1, Greyhound 2; Steeplechase, Handle 1 Sir Garnet 2, King Don 3, There is at present a large stock of splendid pianofortes, harmoniums &c. at Messrs Milner and Thompson’s Music warehouse next the Theatre Royal. Mr H. A. Temperton. bookseller, is agent for the firm in Timaru.

A meeting of the Timaru Racecourse Reserve Trustees was to have been held on Saturday afternoon at the Ship Hotel, but owing to the unavoidable absence of three members it has been postponed to a date, to be fixed hereafter.

At the usual meeting of the Lifeboat Lodge 1.0.G.T., on Friday night, Bros. R. B. Walcot and R. Proctor were appointed to attend the Temperance Conference on November 9 in Timaru, as lodge delegates.

In addressing the jury in the libel case at Dunedin, Denniston v. “ O. D. Times,” Mr Stout ridiculed a comparison that has been made between “ Punch,’ and the Parsing Notes of the Dunedin journal. He said it was “ Hyperion to a Satyr.”

Messrs Stanfield and Dark’s clever company will open at the Theatre Royal this evening, when they will present a sparkling comedy entitled “ Once Bitten Twice Shy,” and the capital amusing play of “Quits.” The entertainment wits much appreciated when it was given b.fore some weeks ago.

The scratch races with which the season was opened on Saturday afternoon by the Timaru Boating Club were rowed with 4-oared boats and consisted of three heats, won by the following boats ; —lst, Otipua, 2nd, Otaio, 3rd, Otaio. The sea being somewhat rough, no more races could be carried out.

The ordinance of Believers’Baptism was administered at the Baths, Beach Road, yesterday afternoon. The building was crowded, fully 400 persons being present. Seven candidates (five male and two female) submitted to the rite, and the Rev. Mr Dolamore, who officiated, delivered a short ( telling address appropriate to the occasion. Captain Mayne Reid, the distinguished novelist who has just died, was an Irish American. He was educated for the Church, but in 1838 he went to Mexico, and for years after he led the life of a backwoodsmad in various parts of the United States. He distinguished himself greatly in the war between the Union and Mexico, and afterwards devoted himself entirely to literature, producing those capital tales with which everyone is familiar,

Professor Weston will repeat his clever performances of Legerdemaine &o, in the Barnard street hall to-night, when a number of valuable presents will be distributed. The audience was not large on Saturday evening, but Saturday night is seldom a successful one from the point of view of a caterer for the amusement of the public, and as the Show is attracting numbers of visitors to town probably many will patronise Mr Westen.

A passenger from San Francisco to Sydney by the mail steamer, was “ run in ” at Auckland, through yielding to the social p'easures of the city. At nightfall he was bailed out, and by dint of hard driving was enabled to reach the end of the wharf in time to see the City of New York swung in the stream. Cal'ing for a rope, one was thrown to him from the vessel, and fastening it around his waist, he jumped into the sea, and was hauled on board, amidst the cheers of the spectators on the wharf.

The barquentine Jasper on her passage to Port Chalmers from Mauritius, passed through large quantities ol! ice, and sighted one berg 600 ft high on July 22nd, when in laitude 47.30 S, longtitude 37 W. Captain Stannard reports that he sighted a complete field of ice, and as he had twice formerly ran into the same field, he is of opinion that it is land covered with ice and snow, and this has also been seen by the barque Elizabeth, and the brig Rio Loge, both vessels being owned by Mr Turner, the owner of the Jasper.

The question of the use of the school buildings for religious instruction was further discussed at the Auckland Education Board, upon a resolution tabled by Mr Theophilus Cooper. The discussion terminated by an unanimous acceptance of the principle that the use of public school buildings for religious instruction within hours provided by Statute should be encouraged rather than opposed. Amotion of Mr W. F. Buckland to the effect that school committees have a right to be consulted in the removal of a teacher, as well as appointments or dismissals, was also carried.

At the Theatre Eoyal on Saturday night, Mr Wilmott’a Combination Company played to a good downstairs house. The programme comprised a comedy entitled, “ Withered Loaves,” and a burlesque called “East Lynne (rather mixed),” The comedy was excellent, sparkling, natural, and truly pleasing. The burlesque had some merits, but it was wanting in point, and the “ hits ” were not £very telling. On the whole it was not a great success. In the course of the evening, Mr J. Hesford came before the curtain and thanked the audience on behalf of Mr Wilmott for their attendance, announced the proposed return of the Company to Timaiu three weeks hence, and paid a very generous tribute to the merits of Messrs Stanfield and Dark’s entertainment, which opens to-night, Mr Wilmott’s excellent Company will probably meet with better success at their next visit, when their coming and the contents of their repertoire have been duly announced.

The first prosecution at Auckland under the “Prisons Act 1883,” resulted in a prisoner named James Gofirey for refusing to work, being sentenced to seven days’ close confinement and to forfeit fourteen marks-

At the ordinary monthly meeting of the Belfield School Committee on Friday evening last, it was decided to strongly urge the Education Board to settle the long-pending question of site. Mr Gunn, Chairman, having intimated that he was about to leave the district, the Committee placed on record their hearty thanks to that gentleman for his zeal in the interests of the school. Mr G. Palmer was elected to fill the vacancy caused by Mr Gunn’s retirement from the Committee, and Mr B. Griffiths was elected Chairman. The proceedings then terminated, They have a nice way of putting things in Auckland. Mr J. McClarke has been Mayor of that city for three successive years, and it is quite time he cleared out of office and gave place to some brisker man. That is what the “ Star” mean*, and this is how it says so :—“ Besides, Mr Clark has borne the heat and burden of public work for three years, and on that account he should not be pressed to a further sacrifice of time and energy, more especially as there are other gentlemen equally in the enjoyment of the confidence of the burgesses who are willing and eager to clothe themselves with the harness of office.”