NEWS OF THE DAY.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 3355, 4 January 1884, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

With this issue we present all the subscribers to the South Canterbubt Times with our sheet almanac and San Francisco mail time table for 1884. The almanac is printed in colors on good stiff paper, and is certainly worth posting up for reference during the year.

A number of shorn sheep in North Canterbury have been killed by the severe weather,

The ss. Takapuna, her repairs being nearly completed, will leave Wellington on Sunday for Manakau. on the Upper Symonds street fire, at Auckland, resulted ,in'a verdict of “incendiarism by person or persons unknown.

The New Year’s Day leading article in the “ Southland Times ” occupied nearly five columns, and may be pronounced the champion leader of the world;

About 30,000 acres of land will be offered for sale at Hawera next month, situated between Pihano and Otakeo; and, later on, 16,000 acres at Opunake will be open for lease.

The promenade concert this evening at Waimataitai, in aid of the funds of the Anglican Sunday school is likely to prove most enjoyable, a number of our best amateur performers having given their services.

The Governor and his A.D.O. left Wellington yesterday in the Hinemoa, for Lyttelton. Lady Jervois will join His Excellency at the Bluff about the 19th inst., whence they will proceed to 'the West Coast Sounds.

The Tichborne Claimant will be liberated from gaol on a ticket-of-leave in October next, as his license will be due on that date in the ordinary course. Preparations are being made at Home by the believers in him to give him a hearty reception when he is liberated.

The Duke of Westminster has decided to make a great experiment on his London property, He will not allow any new public houses to be established on his town estate, and, as the leases of existing houses fall in he will not permit them to be continued as licensed houses. The Duohess of Westminster is a wearer of the Blue Ribbon Army badge, as well as her relative, the Duchess of Sutherland,

The railway line is being fenced in completely in the vicinity of the railway station. A picket fence is being carried along, beyond the ends of the platform,and a suitable gateway will be provided at the crossing from Strathallan street. A new gate has already been erected at the other end, near Mr Evan’s grain siding—so that the railway precincts will soon be completely enclosed. This work was much needed.

On the 23th ult., about 1 a.m., a man named Patrick Crowley was drowned in the Taieri river. The man attempted to ford the river and was washed away. Two men heard him cry for help, but Were unable to afford him any assistance. The river has been dragged where the man was drowned, but the body has not been recovered yet. The deceased was an old pensioner, and had been working on the Mullocky Gully section of the Otago Central Railway.

The railway engine -shed at Gore, narrowly escaped destruction by fire on Moday, says the local paper. Stored about a yard from it was a lot (about 100) of dry old sleepers, to which fire was communicated by a heap of live cinders thrown from a passing engine, the space intervening between the heap of ashes and the sleepers being some three or four yards. Fortunately the fire, which had obtained a good hold, was noticed and the flames were got under. Had the fire remained unnoticed for a few minutes longer, a serious disaster would have been the result.

A feminine telegraphist of Boston tells the “ Globe” “ Women do not make so many mistakes in telegraphing as men do. We've kept an account of that, Men always try to know what the message means j women try to learn what it says. They stick to the text and are oftener on the safe side,”

We are informed by the Telegraph Department that the old Darwin’ cable was again interrupted on December 27, about 440 miles from Baujoewaugi, The steamer Osborne left Singapore on tbe 28th ult. t° effect repairs, The cuble ship Seine is due at Singapore early in February with renew cables for the section between Saigon and Port Darwin.

Edwards’ third competitor, Huckstep, “caved in” at 10.15 p.m. last night, at Auckland, having walked 82 miles 17 laps. There is in the Chinese camp at Maryborough, in Victoria, a most extraordinary specimen of female humanity in tbe person of Mrs Wi Fook, the European wife of a Chinese resident in the camp. This interesting person is about the most obese female in the colony. She turns the scale at 26 stone, or 3owt Iqrs, and the weight is such that no chair can be found in the camp capable of supporting her. A brickwork structure has been erected for Mrs Wi Fook to repose upon. She is a woman of medium height, but extraordinary width.

“ The Chinese are not the soldiers that the French are,” says ex-Congressman Bookwalter, who has just been round the world, “but they have a clear policy. They are the best diplomatists in the world. The Chinese State Office is regarded as the keenest on the globe. The influence of the Chinese among all those Eastern people, is Buttle and perfect. Fancy the accuracy and skill of a Government which, under one system, can control 450,000,000 people.” Mr Cousins’ survey party is busily engaged on the triangulation survey of the King Country. On starting, when they reached Punui river, the first and probably only interference they will meet with was presented. A number of Maoris, men and women, collected on the bank of] the river. The women commenced by getting hold of one or two of the survey party’s swags and throwing them into the river, the men standing by and laughing while the women continued the struggle for a few minutes. The survey party, however, got safely across and recovered the swags first thrown ini and proceeded to Kakapuki, where they camped, and subsequently re-erected the first trig station. Frank Edgmond starts with his survey party for Tuha to-morrow. The annual pio-nic of the members of the Anglican Church at Otaio and the vicinity was held yesterday, near the Otaio railway station. Preparations on the most liberal scale had been made for three hundred visitors, and an unusually good dinner and tea was enjoyed. The rain, which fell pretty frequently, and the inclement wind, did not seem to damp the ardour of the pic-nicers, who made the best of things and had a splendid day’s fun. The incumbent, the Bev. L. O. Brady, with Archdeacon Harper, was present, and materially assisted the efforts of the managers. The Artillery Band were present all day, and of course added greatly to the general enjoyment. The town visitors with the Band returned by the evening train, and were unanimous in pronouncing the affair a success.