NEWS OF THE DAY.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 3338, 13 December 1883, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

The Timaru Boating Club last evening had several more scratch races.

The Artillery Band has been engaged to play at the Timaru Tradesmen’s races on Monday.

Hugh Flanagan, a patient in the Christchurch hospital, cut his throat last night about ten o’clock end is not expected to recover,

The amount of property-tax collected up to date amounts to £IOO,OOO.

West Coast farmers are complaining that if boisterous weather continues it will be useless to cut the crops.

Attention is drawn to a new advertisement of Messrs A, J. Queloh and Co., before leader.

The Auckland Harbor Board have decided not to employ Port Chalmers stone for the Calliope dock, the engineer having disapproved of it as hitherto insufficiently tested by use and experience.

A correspondent of the “ North Otago Times,” who, from the general tone of his communication, is no admirer of Mr fihrimski, relates an incident about Mr Mitchelson's visit to the “white” city, in which the member for Oamaru, notwithstanding his usual smartness, appears to have come off second best. It is as follows:

— ll While the Ministerial party was at the Post Office a noteworthy incident occurred. Mr Shrimski was buzzing about Mr Mitchelson, and whiffing very industriously and extravagantly at a very ordinary cigar, when he was heard to observe, ‘Pretty building this 1 Call this a public building 1 Ugh 1’ Whereupon Mr Mitchelson unhandy replied: Surely Mr Shrimski, the place is big enough for you, and you seem to be big enough for Oamaru.’ Could Mark Twain have said more 1 And if Mr Mitchelson did not say this, should he not have said it ?"

Mr Wood, Head Master of the Temuka School, declines to graduate at the University of New Zealand (as required by the Education Board on the school being made a District High School) and the local Committee have testified their approval of his action, At the meeting of the Committee it appeared that after the prizes had been paid for a balance of £l3 14s 3d remained in hand, and this was ordered to be invested for 12 months. It was decided to forward a letter of condolence to the family of the late Mrs Bowe,

An English gentleman, named Mr Pemberton Carter, made a weeping appeal for the victims of the St. Leonard’s disaster and started a subscription. Out of the proceeds £25 was divided amongst the poor emigrants, the balance, £IOO 13s 6d, being handed over to “ a widow lady, her boy, and maid servant,” personal friends of Mr Carter. The benevolent Carter might have gone the whole distance at once and put the subscriptions in his own pocket also, adds a contemporary.

Tbo desperate efforts that are being made in London to prejudice colonial meat in the estimation of the poorer classes may be judged from the fact that recently a paragraph went round the English Press to the effect that “ the medical officer for the Port of London the other day condemned 3388 carcases of mutton from New Zealand as unfit for human food.” No ship’s name was given and no explanation volunteered. On the same day a case was reported of a tradesman suing a merchant for selling him fifty-seven oases of “stinking” tinned meat from Sydney.

The " Taranaki Herald ” says " Had it not been for the practical success of the shipments of frozen meat to London relieving the market in the Colony, it would have been difficult to realise the depression which would have fallen on the grazing industry. Even with this relief, the prices of cattle are at ruinously low rates; so low, in fact, that small farmers have the greatest difficulty to make both ends meet, The gradual fall in the price of wool in the London market has added to the depression, and finally the low price of butter is about the very last straw laid on to bring the farmer to hie knees.

The firing by the C Battery, N.Z.A., for the small-arm prizes will take place tomorrow at the Otipua range at 6 in the morning. The ordnance prize will be fired for on Monday at 8 a.m.

The Temuka Linseed Oil, Cake, and Fibre Company, like the rest of commercial people, find it difficult to get in money. At a meeting of directors on Tuesday evening the Secretary was requested to “put the screw ” on for the recovery of unpaid calls. A meeting of the local Committee re the visit of the Oamaru Opera Company, was held last evening in the Mechanics’ Institute, at which all the arrangements for the reception of the visitors, and for the performance, were made. A very liberal offer was received from Mr Jacob Levien and thankfully accepted, viz., to convey the company’s luggage to and from the railway station, gratis. The following appointments were made in regard to ticket selling &c,Dress Circle—Ticket seller, Mr Mourant; check taker, Mr Tennent; ushers, Messrs Whitcombe and Duval. Stalls Ticket seller, Mr Macpherson ; check taker, Mr West. Pit—Ticket seller, Mr Filmer; check taker, Mr Macdonald.

One of the first fruits of MartiniHenry’s splendid performances on the Victorian turf is the purchase of two Musket fillies from the New Zealand Stud Company at Auckland, for export to England. They weie purchased by Mr Ashbury, late M.P. for Brighton, who is well-known for his love of sport, and who was owner of the celebrated yacht Cambria, that won the international race, beating James Gordon Bennett’s Vesta. Mr Ashbury witnessed the running of Martini-Henry in the Victorian Derby and Gup, and being much enamored of the animal, came to Auckland to see bis dam and sire. While being shown over the stock at Sylvia Park by Major Walmesley, Mr Ashbury greatly admired two fillies, one by Musket-Moonlight and the other by Musket-All Steel, and these he resolved upon purchasing as carriage horses for himself. They are fine looking animals. They will be sent to England by the steamer Doric. In replying to the Chamber of Commerce at Christchurch, re the missing crew of the Sarah W. Hunt, the Government state that the Stella cannot be spared, as it would seriously delay the work in connection with the lighthouse at Waipapa Point, which is to be ready by January 1. They are also of opinion that if the crew reached either Campbell or Auckland Islands, they would suffer no privations, as a supply of provisions and clothing is stored on each of the islands. If the crew did not reach either of these islands a search would be perfectly useless, as there is no land to which they might be blown, and the chance of finding them alive would be small indeed, It is thought that if the men are on the island, the captain of the Sarah W. Hunt should reman his vessel and go himself in search of the missing seamen. Mr Rolleston is, however, awaiting a full report from Christchurch, and it is probable that on the return of the schooner Kekeno from the Auckland Islands, she may be ordered to return and make a strict search.