SPORTING.

Timaru Herald, Volume XXVII, Issue 1919, 24 December 1877, Page 3

SPORTING.

[Br T.BLEGBAFH.] Wellington, Dec. 22. The following are the acceptances for the Wellington Cup received last night : — Ariel, syrs, 9st 91bs ; Kakapo, aged, 93t 31bs ; Opawa, aged, Bst 121bs ; Danebury, 4yrs, Bst Gibs ; Hippocampus, 4yra, Bst Gibs ; Trump Card, 3yrs, 7st 131bs ; Songster, 4>rs, 7st lOlbs ; Nectar, aged, 7st 91bs ; Otapui, syrs, 7st 81bs ; Lara, syrs, 7sfc 21bs ; Tamatea, syrs, 7st ; Lady of the Lake, 4yrs, 7st ; Ouida, syrs, 7st ; Jangler, 3yrs, 7st ; Venus Transit, 3yrs, 6st 13lbs ; Standard-bearer (late Parthenopoeus), 3yrs, Gat lOlbs ; Orange Lightning, 4yrs, Gst lOlbs ; Mireille, 3yrs, Gst Gibs ; Glenary, aged, Gst 71bs ; Haphazard, syrs, Gst 71bs ; Maid of the Mountain, Gyrs, Gst 71bs ; Strong Bow, Gyrs, Gst 61bs ; Tanweri, 4yrs, 6st 21bs ; Rosalie, 3yrs, Gst ; Ratcatcher, 3yrs, sst 131ba ; Sky Blue, 3yrs, sst lOlbs ; Luna, syrs, Gat 131bs ; Doncaster, 4yrs, Gst 91bs.

Athletic. — A meeting of tbe South Canterbury Athletic Club was called for last Saturday, but owing to an insufficient number of members being present to transact business, the meeting lapsed. School Committee. — A special meeting of the Timaru School Committee was held last Saturday afternoon, m Messrs Tate and Hall's office, but the business transacted was of no public interest. Chbistmas Day.— To-morrow being Christmas Day, the Timaru. Herald will not be published. Caledonian Society. — Tho third grand annual gathering of tho South Canterbury Caledonian Society will be held next New Year's Day on the Agricultural and Pastoral Association Show ground. The sports will bo open to all comers, and prizes to tho amount of £125 will be given. Episcopalian Chithcit. — To-night being Christmas Eve, there will be service m this church at 11 o'clock, when a number . of Christmas carols will be sung. To-morrow the usual morning services will be held, at 8 30 and It. There will be no evening service. Mount Cook Road Boabd. — The election of a member to represent this Bonrd on tho Titnnru Harbor Board will lako place on Monday, Jan. 7. Gebaldine School Committee. — A meeting of householders to elect a member of the above Committee will be held m the schoolroom, Gera!dine, on .Friday next. A poll (if necessary) will be taken on the 31st. Phimitive Methodist Chubch, G-ebal-sing. — The annual Sunday School picnic will be held on Boxing Day. Bank Holiday. — The branches of the Bank of New Zealand at Temuka, G-eraldine, and Pleasant Point will be closed on Boxing Day., Mount Peel Road Boabd. — The annual meeting of " ratepayers will be held m the Board office on Wednesday, January 2. An election of two mombera of the Board, m place of two -who retire according to the Ordinance, will be held on the 7th. The Ratepayers were without doubt studying their interests on Saturday last, the opening day of the great Drapery Sale at Messrs J. Q. Cowan and Co.'s. Such were the crowds of people and the pressure of trade that Messrs Cowan and Co. find it impossible to open their doors for business till 10 a.m. to-day.— [Advt] Resident Magistrate's Coubt, Timabu. — At this Court on Saturday, before B. Woollcombe, Esq., R.M., Peter McCue was brought up charged with being drunk and disorderly, and was fined 10s, or 48 hours' imprisonment. The Levy Company. — The Levy concert company mado their second appear»nco m Timaru m the Theatre Boyal last j Saturday night to rather a thin house, considering the world-wide fame of tha principal of the company. The emallness of the audience, however, did not seem to damp Mr Levy's spirits m the least, and his willingness to oblige and respond to an encore was only second to the excellence of bis performance. We have already referred pretty ' fully to Mr Levy's wondrous powers as a cornet soloist, and consequently it is not necessary that we should. do so again, further than to state that he'' seems only to improve with acquaintance, and that the audience was fully as appreciative as on the former occasions on which he appeared. The rest of the company ore certainty no drawback to Mr Levy, as they all are singers of the first order, and acquited themselves last Saturday night to the entire satisfaction of all present. Mystbbious Disaffeabasob. — A rumor is current that a man m a good position m this town left his house last Thursday evening — telling his wife that he was going to a Lodge meeting — and has not b«en heard of rise*. On inbiequenfc inquiry, it was found

that he had given a neighbor of his a power oi attorney to transact his business -during hie absence. A young lady of questionable fame has also been niissing, and the prevuiling opinion is that both have gone m the same direction. The wife of the delinquent husband has taken out a warrant for his appre hension, and m all probability be will soon be brought back to pay the penalty of his profligacy. Winchester School Committee. — The usual monthly meeting was held on the Gth December, at which were present Messrs R. Smith (m the chair), Tuylor, and Klee. It was resolved to apply to the Board for authority for the collector to cue defaulting ratepayers, every third name on the list, to bitahen. It was also resolved to recommend the Board to allow the collector 7£ instead of 5 per. cent. The annual school treat was fixed for Ist January, to be held m Mr Be Renzy's paddock, subject to that gentleman's permission, and a sub-committee was appointed to arrange details. It was decided that the Christmas holidays should commence on 21st December and terminate on 7th January, the school to be closed during harvest ns usual. After passing various accounts ths Committee adjourned. Church of Enolasd, Winchester— The members of the Church of England, resident at Winchester, have for a considerable time had m contemplation the erection of a church m Winchester. A liberal subscription of £100 was promised by a gentleman interested m the district, on condition ot a similar grant being made by the Church Property Trustees. That body, however, were unable to grant any assistance until the la>t session of tho Provincial Synod, when various conditional grants, not to exceed £100 m any one caso, were made, Winchester being included m the list of places to rcceivo assistance. That information haviug been ! conveyed to the Building Committee, a meeting was held on Tuesday last, the Rev. the Incumbent being m the chair, when it was resolved to commence proceedings as soon as possible. Subscription lists having been handed m, it was found that £300 was already m hand or promised, including grants, and a free site had also been promised. Arrangements -were made for procuring plans for the cuurch, not to exceed £400 m cost, and to contain, if possible, 130 sittings. The meeting then adjourned until a reply shall be received m reference to plans. A Thick Skull. — A charge against Thompson, tho mate of the barque Saico, for shootiug a negro sailor named Smith, has been instituted at the Sydney Police Court. The bullet, flattened by contact with tho prosecutor's skull, was exhibited m CourtEvangelist.— Dr Somerville, the noted evangelist, is expected to reach Auckland from Sydney, m January, when he will commence his mission services m the colony. A Tribute to the County System. — Tho inhabitants of Tuapeka County (says the local paper) have great reason to rejoice over the change of administration from the Provincial Conncil to the County Council. Tho latter body proposes to do more during the first few months of its existence than wat performed by the Provincial Council m as many years. Billiakds. — A cloaely-confcested billiard match (says on exchange) came off recently m the Ancient Concert Booms, Dublin, between J. Roberta and W. Cook. The game was 1000 up. Roberts led off with a miss m baulk. Cook followed with a losing hazard, and ran his score up to 47. A succession of small breaks followed, till Cook stood at 85 and Roberts at 25 ; then Roberts got away with a run of 111, m which thirty-six spot strokes were included. By a few small breaks Cook's score crept up to 112 ; from this he went' up to 266 m a single break of 144, m which there were twelve spot strokes. The next big break emanated from Roberts, who, from 269, to -which his figure had been gradually brought up by small contributions, ran up to 420, there being forty-nine spot strokes m his magnificent break of 151. Cook went from 543 to G22 m one break, and went on steadily m smaller breaks till he had attained a lead of nearly 200, while the Champion, on the other hand, though rather unfortunate m the breaking of the balls, exhibited Borne very fine play. Cook had got to 718 when Roberts' score stood at 572. Then Roberts made some brilliant play from 584 to 634 (nine spotBtrokne), and from 664 to 772 (twenty -one spot-strobes) ; then from 770 to 950, the highest break m the match. Meanwhile Cook had not been idle, and ultimately the Bcoro stood — Cook (player) 970, Roberts 95C. There being nothing on the bails, Cook gave his opponent a miss m baulk, and Roberts succeeded m making a splendid winning hazard off the r«d m the comer pocket, and then ran out, winning by 30. The Late Osman Pasha. — A correspondent of the Whitehall Review, supplies the following succinct description of Osman Pasha : — " Osman Pasha is no ' dark horse.' He is not, as you lave known all nlong, Bazaino. He only speaks eight words of very indifferent French ; Turkish and Arabic fluently. A most simple-hearted but clearheaded soldier, and a great general ; moreover, a capital engineer and artillerist. His age, about 48 ; his stature, medium ; he is stoutly built." JL'he same correspondent, referring to Dr Charles Ryan, son of a resident of Melbourne, says : — " Among the most energetic fighters at Plevna is a young IrishAustralian surgeon, m the. pay of the Turks, who invariably goes into "the trenches with the men, and gives any Turk he catches straggling a beating with a heavy stick which ho carries. 'That is my beat doctor,' said Osuian Pasha the other day — ' he cures the men before they are wounded;' and he patted Ryan on the back and bade him go on and prosper." Stbahng a. Name.— The trick of trading on Bret Harte'a name was recently tried, so he sends a letter to the Nation, of Washington, m which he says sweetly and gently : — " It is a smull matter, but as I observe that the careless practice of signing other people's names to cheques and drawing the money therefrom appears to be steadily growing into disfavor m commercial circles, it seems to me that the placing,of an author's name, without his consent, to an article not written by him, should be practiced under some sort of restraint, and only with the greatest delicacy. I should, if I were you, proceed cautiously m any comments you might make; attribuiing my disinclination to part with my name to that universal weakness which extends to a desirable control of one's wardrobe 'and toilet articles, and even cast-off clothing." A Oomteet to Testplabism— O ur Good Templar friends will be pleased to learn writes the Wellington Argus, that Captair Wheeler, of thaHawea, has joined the noble Order. The jovial skipper is not a bit ashamed of the course he has taken, and m proof of this he wears on his watch chain a silver medal from the Temperance Society. Captain Wheeler has set an example which no doubt many more of the commanders on our const will Tollow. In many instances persons join the Good Templars because they are unable to withstand temptation, but m Captain Wheeler's case it is quite different, as he has all through been a most abstemious man, and has merely signed the pledge as an example to those who follow a. similar vocation to his own. Thb Late Peivilege Question. — The following is what the Australasian had to say on the recent privilege question : — "Perusal of the published correspondence which took place between the £ew Zealand Ministry and the Marquis of Normanby, relative %o the late question of privilege, shows conclusively that, though his Exce - leney was placed at a disadvantage owing lo what he may reasonably consider the sharp practice v.f his advisers, he was quite able to hold his own m the consequent discussion. As to the merits of the privilege question, there can be but one opinion m impartial minds. The fussy debate and decisions of the House of Representatives are simply an absurd waste of time and energy about a j trifle. It i» iheer nonsense to pretend

that the reference by tho Governor i. a confidential communication addressed to his Ministers to an impending debate m the House formed a breach of the privileges of that body, and an interference witii its freedom of discussion. If tho gravamen of the complaint is transferred from the writing of the paper to its publication, then the whole bearing of the question is shifted, and the responsibility for the action complained of is laid, without chance of evasion, on thr shoulders of the Ministry. It is not. pleasant to see a colonial Ministry virtimlly charged by the ioroe of facts with something like v conspiracy against her Majesty's representative, whom it is their province to advise. The unpleasantness is increased when the head of the Ministry is a gentleman who has himself held the office of the representative of the Queen, and the correspondence between Lord Normanby and Sir George Grey places the latter gentleman m rather an unenviable position." Narrow Escape from a Siiahk.— The Evening Post (Wellington), of NoTeoibor 24th, cays : — A remarkably narrow escape from loss of limb occurred ye-tfrdiy afternoon. A young man named Bain, who some time ago injured his foot and had been under surgical treatment, was directed to frequen'ly bathe it m salt water. Yesterday afternoon ho went down to Mr Meech's slip, where there is a culvert which projects some distance into the water of the harbor. He seated himself on tho culvert with his foot and leg m the water, and commenced bathing and rubbing thorn — bending down as he did 80. All at once, a large shark fully twelve feet m length, swooped down upon him unprrceived, and turning on its back, made a dart at the poor fellow's lc. It was touch and go ! Bain did not notice the approach of the shark until it was actually upon him, and m the act of turning on its back to bite. Just than he saw the glint of tho monster's white belly, and with a yell of terror suddenly pulled out his leg from the water, just saving it by an inch or so. Then, a number of people being attracted to tho I scene, noises were made and stones thrown, which caused tho shark to make off. .Dozens i of young children are m the habit of wading about m the sea m that locality, and if they continue to do so, we shall probably have to record that one of them has been mutilated or killed by a shark. The shark m question insde his attempted bite close to the shore, and m shallow water. Children wading, beware ! Gathering of GOVERNORS. — There was quite a gathering of Governors recently m Melbourne, and m a speech at the Mayor's dinner, m alluding to the great Victorian races meeting, Sir George Bow«n said : — I have always endeavored to bring together m Melbourne at this time of the year tho Governors and other eminent personages of the neighboring colonies, for I am sure you will ngrce with me that such meetings do much good m various ways. (Cheers.) During the last twelve mouths I have entertained the Governors of all the Australian colonies, and this year I invited tho Governor of Madias, the Duke of Buckingham, and tho Governor oi New Zealand (the Marquis of Normanby.) (Cheers.) I regret very much that both were prevented from accepting the invitation by the exigencies of their respective governments. In the case of Madras, by that lamentable famine — one of those famines of such frequent occurrence m India, and which Australia has recently contributed so nobly to alleviate— (cheers)— and m the case of New Zealand by one of these Ministerial' crises — (laughter)— even m these cooicr and, one misht. suppose, less excitable latitude*. Fraudulent Creditor.— The Otago Times has the following :— There arc tricks m all trades, and even those terribly correct people, accountants m bankruptcy, have, it seems, at times to push business m a peculiar way. An excellent example of the mode m which this is sometimes done comes to us from a certain windy place m the neighborhood of Cook's Strait. A certain accountant, let us term him Oily Gammon, met a builder, say Smith Jones, and found he was about to file his schedule. Gammon was not a creditor, and was profuse m his sympathy and offer of assistance. At last a happy thought suggested iteelf, " Ah, you asked me to sell some land for you, I think, a year or two ago, didn't you, Jones ! " " Yes ; but you did not sell it," was the reply. " Well, I never charged you anything, of course, but now it will miike no difference to you if you put me down for a couple of guineas m your schedule, and then, you sec, being a creditor, I may be nble to i give you a hand through." Jones thought this not a bad idea, and so down went the two guineas m the schedule. Tho Oily Gammon attended the meeting of creditors, and, being a fellow-sufferer, who so proper to bo trustee. So far everything was right as possible, even though the slight ceremony of taking an affidavit as to the claim being a just and lawful one had to be gone through. Soon, however, the trustee became dissatisfied with the couduet of the debtor, and ventured to s-.iy something about fraudulout bankruptcy, but had to subsido when the insolvent, laying his finger on tho two guinea item m the schedule, quietly nslscd the trustee's opinion whether a irauduleat debtor was worso than a fraudulent creditor. We wonder whether creditors are often manufactured m this way ! Erratum.— The Otago Daily Times has tho following correcting an error : — " Very undecipherable manuscript must bo credited with an awkward error which appeared m Mr Thatcher's letter under tho heading of ' Levy, the Cornet Soloist.' The writer appeared to have said that Mr Levy's business was ruined by 'inability to pay debts,' whereas, what he did say, being deciphered, was ' inability to keep dates.' " The Sea Serpent m the Clyde. — Recently those on board Lord Glasgow's Bteom yacht Valetta, on the Clyde, observed a stian»e sea monster about half a mile distant. The Valetta was steered for the monster, and ran close alongside of it, whereupon it dived, but about 16 or 18 feet of the tail end was afterwards distinctly Been, being only two or three feet below the surface. The body was of a greenish color. The fish was again seen, about an hour and a half afterwards near the same spot, just off the Sannox Eock, on the north-east side of Arran. This is the fourth time this fish has been observed m the same neighborhood by persons on board tho Valetta. Bees. — A curious incident, says an exchange, is reported from Ellerslie. The race-course station, as nearly everybody knows, is seldom used except when the Auckland Racing Club hold their periodical reunions on the course. During the lengthy intervals, the ticket office, which is only a kind of sentry box close to the gate, is tkut up. To the astonishment of some gentlemen who happened to be on the platform yesterday, it was discovered that a swarm of bees had domiciliated themselves inside the office, making the pigeon hole their means of ingress and egress. On opening the office a perfectly-formed honey-comb was found inside, and traces of honey were apparent, showing that the bees had intended making it their winter storehouse. Unfortunately, the proximity of tho summer race meeting will render their disturbance inevitable. Egyptian Troops.— Some of the Egyptian troops do not like the smell of powder, and 244 of them are m tho hospital at Adrianople with the tops of their right thumbs missing. This self-mutilation will prevent them handling easily the breech-loading guns. Mehemet Ali, the founder of the present Egyptian dynasty, once had a similar experience m conscripting an army m Egypt. Hundreds of conscripts were found to have only one eye, and to be without the right forefinger — the trigger finger. Mehemet Ali at once ordered a certain number of regiments to be raised of one-eyed and nine-fingered men — and there were no more mutilations. A Serious Mistaxe. — An amusing story conies from Milan. A young girl about to be married received from an acquaintance, as a wedding present, a little package, which, when she opened it, she found to contain bank notes for several hundred francß. Full of gratitude, she hastened to pay a visit to so

generous a friend, and overpowered he» with thanks. The friend, amazed at so much gratitude for a present she knew to be only a little book, began to suspect something, and going to the drawer from which she had taken the gift, found that she had made a great mistake, and had given the young bride a large sum of money, which, from its being made up m a similar manner, she had mistaken for the package containing the little book. She hastened to exp'ain, and the poor bride was obliged to return the notes, and with, them all the air-castles she had been doubtless building. The Hon. W. Fox. — The Wellington Evening Post is responsible for the following: — It is rumored that the Hon. Mr Fox and several other enthusiasts m the cause of teetotalism purpose holding a lodge of Good Templars on the summit of Mount Egmont during the ensuing summer. We earnestly hope that the cause of temperance may be promoted greatly by this step— or series of steps, Mount Egmont being a mountain of respectable height. Still, we feel bound to wurn Bro. Fox tliat, however sober he and bis friends may be when they start from the foot of the mountain, they are certain to be "elevated" by tho time they reach the top. Parliamentary Language. — The Wagga Advertiser says : — The use of unparliamentary language m legislative assemblies m the colonies is as common as the display of ability or gentlemanly feeling is wanting, and yet we find that mon who altogether ignore the usages of society and bring their severat constituencies into contempt are received with open arms by the electors, and ropluccd m tho very positions which they have abused and degraded. In private life a person can select his associates, and mingle with those whoßo tastes can assimilate with his own, but m Parliaments where no qualification exists, a person of culture and refinement has to place himself on a level with some inflated windbag, whose vulgar vanity is flattered by the adulation of moboeracy. Defrauding the Customs.— An ingenious attempt to defraud the Customs department m Melbourne was brought to light ax*d frustrated on the 11th instant. The authorities, it appears, received information recently whicL caused them to exercise special vigilance over persons arriving by steamer from Sydney. The s.s. Wotonj^- ,mved early m the morning, and, on bcin~£ cleared, the passengers landed at Simdridge Railway Pier. Major Sprent, Mr Macfarlane, and several other Customs officers were present on the pier and scrutinised the passengers as thoy walked towards the railway station; whilst Constable Keane was m attendance, lest police assistance should bo required. A tall gentleman having tho appearance of a commercial traveller, and carrying a box about a foot square, was eventuully recognised as the person looked for, and was called into the Cv»« toms office by Major Sprent and Mr Macfarlauc. His box was opened, and inside was found a plaster of Paris bust of the Queen, which, on being opened, was found to contain a quantity of diamond rings and jewellery, the value of which is estimated at about £600. The suspicion that a plan had been laid to defraud the Customs department was thus confirmed, and the property was seized. Mr Macfarlane, the officer mentioned, is at present on a visit to Christchurch.