NEWS OF THE DAY.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 3362, 12 January 1884, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

The San Francisco mail is due at Auckland to-day. The lightening of the Triumph is proceeding. New Zealand frozen meat can be purchased in London cheaper than meat can be bought in Hobart.

Stephen Wilson, a workman on the railway near Patea, was yesterday killed in a ballast pit: Captain Fisher, formerly of the barque Loongana, has been appointed Deputy Harbormaster at Auckland.

On Tuesday morning next, the police will commence proceedings (against the owners of unregistered dogs.

Three engineers and the purser of the Triumph,will join the Victory at Lyttelton The Victory belongs to the same owners.

The racehorses Tim Whiffler, Fusilier, Ugly Buck, Trenton, and Sir Bedevere have been shipped from Auckland by the Rotomahana for the South.

Captain Brotherton, considering the chief officer was not to blame for the recent catastrophe, has paid Mr Owen’s share of the costs imposed by the Court.

The Auckland Education Board estimate their expenditure for the ensuing year at £BB,OOO, of which £30,000 is the cost of proposed new buildings for Schools and residences.

The newly elected officers of the Primitive Methodist Conference now sitting at Dunedin, consist of Bev. C. Ward, Dunedin, President; Mr J, Froggatt, Invercargill, Vice-President; Bev. E. O. Bayley, Thames Secretary.

At Leeston, yesterday, Messrs Wakefield and Bichardson had a long interview, and the result is stated to be that the former will "contest” the Selwyn seat, Does this really mean that Mr Wakefield is to have a " walk-over ?”

On Thursday evening the annual 'soiree of the Temuka Presbyterian Church, wasi held in the Volunteer Hall, over 250 persons being present. The Bev. Mr Gordon presided at the subsequent public meeting, and a concert which followed, was highly successful.

Major Oautley was expected to arrive in Dunedin last night, and the Governor will go down the harbor to make an inspection in connection with the defences to-day His Excellency was at the Blueskin Show, having been on a visit to the Hon G. McLean, in the neighborhood,

Messrs Edgecombe and Spencer, sur. veyors, have started to survey the King Country, and have reached the settlement of Hanarara (who was the principal objector to the survey), where they were hospitably treated. They proceed to Te Kuiti, where some opposition is anticipated.

The Hon. Mr Mitchelson has left Auckland for the North. He intends starting for a trip through the Waikato country on Monday next. After visiting Hamilton and Cambridge, it is his intention to return to Auckland vifi. Te Aroha and the Thames.

Nothing has yet been decided as to the fate of Catherine Hoyle, convicted at Wellington for infanticide. The question of her disposal will he duly considered by the Government,on a report being received from the learned Judge who tried the case, but so far no report has been received from His Honor.

A Bitting of the Supreme Court in divorce and matrimonial causes jurisdiction is fixed at Wellington for the 14th inst. The following is a list of cases for hearing Edwards v. Edwards and Remington (rule nisi ); Blwell v. Blwell and Phillips (rule absolute), Pizzy v. Pizzy (rule absolute.)

On Thursday evening, at Pleasant Point, a very pleasant gathering was held in the Assembly Rooms, for the purpose of bidding farewell to the Rev. J, Ohaffers-Welch, and welcoming his successor, the Rev. T. Jasper Smyth, as Anglican clergymen. There was a large attendance, and the Rev. Mr McLennan, Presbyterian Minister, (with whom the retiring pastor had always worked most cordially), with the Rev, Mr Hamilton, of Temuka, was present. The proceedings which were lengthy were very successful. Archdeacon Harper presided,

The Hon. Mr Rolleston will visit Otago shortly. It is to be proposed to him to sanction the drainage of Lake Kaitangata. The cost would probably be £IO,OOO.

A four-roomed bouse and furniture at Balolutha, the property of a carpenter named Mcßride, was accidentally destroyed by fire yesterday afternoon. It was insured for £IOO in the Victoria Office.

Messrs Black and Smith, dyers and cleaners, advertise that they have commenced business in Timaru. The industry is one that is required in this district and doubtless the new firm will meet with a large share of support. A regular meeting of the Geraldine County Council was called for to-day, hut it lapsed for want of a quorum. Messrs MoKerrow (Chairman), Talbot and McKay, after waiting till nearly 12 o’clock adjourned the meeting for ten days. The Hon. J. E, Mason, of Tainui, Fiji* an extensive tea planter iu that colony, is at present in Auckland. He arrived by the Penguin and brought some samples of his tea with him for the purpose of bringing it before the attention of the Auckland tea merchants. At present .Mr Mason has a market at good prices in Fiji equal to what he produces, but as the more reeently planted portions of his garden, 60 acres in extent, come into bearing, the time will soon come when he will have to obtain a larger market than that which Fiji affords. During next week he intends to have a public liquoring of the tea so as to draw the attention of the trade more fully to what Fiji can furnish. An application was made by the creditors of Charles White, Dunedin, yesterday, to the Judge of the Supreme Court to transfer the estate to the Official Assignee. The filing had been done on the last day of the year, the offices having to be specially opened. His Honor said that alone seemed sufficient to cause him to make the order, as it-seemed the debtor had something to gain or fear. His Honor said it also appeared to him to be the policy of the Aot that all debtors who had filed so close up to the expiry of the old Aot should be handed over to the Official Assignee.

Some extraordinary disclosures were made at the hearing of an alleged marine insurance conspiracy case at Bow street, London. It was stated that the cargo of the Denia, worth only £4230, was insured for £43,200. £l5O worth of feathers were insured for £1 100; £BO worth of pigs hair described as bristles, was insured for £24,560; and clover seed, not on board for £7OOO. This is only another proof (says a Home paper) of the necessity which has long been admitted for legislation on the subject of marine insurance. It is a matter which should not be held over any longer.

It is feared at Greymouth that James Kerr, second engineer of the Mahinapua, has been drowned. It is supposed that when coming on board on Wednesday night, there being no gangway from the vessel to the wharf, he slipped on going on board and fell in the river. Someone on board heard a splash, and came on deck to ascertain the cause. He looked about and sbouted, but nothing unusual was seen. There has been no trace of him since the previous evening. His wife and family reside in Scotland. In the course of the afternoon Kerr’s hat was found under the wharf where the Mahinapua was lying. The crown was broken, as if he had struck on his head.