NEWS OF THE DAY.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 3353, 2 January 1884, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

TH§ Education Board meets to-morrow. The pupils of the Congregational Sunday School had a successful picnic yesterday at Otijjpua Creek. Dur|ng the month of December there were registered in Timaru, 32 births, 9 marriages, and 5 deaths. The] Hon. Mr Whitaker addresses the electors of Auckland on Federation and Annexation on Tuesday next. i' The friends of George Longburst are not satisfied with the Governor’s reply to their petition aoent the release of that convict; and tire again urging His Excellency to consider the matter.

A special meeting of the Harbor Board is to bo held to-morrow. The business, however, is merely to pass accounts in view of the statutory annual meeting on Monday, 21st inst.

The custom of kissing the Bible medical men begin to ascert is not so harmless as was formerly supposed. Cases of lung disease have been traced,* with strong grounds .of probability, to ‘ an origin, in books which bad been used by invalids. The return of patients in the Timaru Hospital for the month • of December shows Patients treated, 23 male and 9 female ; discharged, 7 males and 4 females; remaining, 16 males and 5 females ; outpatients, 14 males and 13 females. John Mapo, a Temuka Maori, who had been missing since Friday last, was found dead on Sunday morning in a swamp paddock near Temuka. He was attached to the fence by a piece of flax with which be bad hanged himself in asitting position. At the inquest at Temuka on Monday a verdict was returned of 11 suicide while of unsound mind.”

The Timaru Hospital authorities beg to tender their best thanks to the ladies and gentlemen who contributed so largely to the enjoyment of the inmates during this festive season, and to Messrs Eiohbaum, Ziesler, andHaggitt, for a good supply of interesting papers, also to the Bev. Father Devoy, for a cheque for £2 2s as a Christmas Box,

The Christchurch Wanderers commenced a match yesterday against an eighteen of Auckland. The visitors held the wickets until late in the afternoon, the last wicket falling for a total of 181. Langdon (86), Secretan (18), Wilding (13), Harman (14), Edser (not out, 19) were the principal contributors. The fielding of the local men was very poor. The eighteen had lost nine wickets for 50 runs when stumps were drawn for the day, DeweS (substitute) 30, not out, being the only double figure scorer. Chapman and Wilding have each secured font wickets.