LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 24, 10 June 1868, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

<*■""■ ■'■ * * X&vio AMi.NiTii£H.-~Congmtulatlons woro oxohangod to-duy. by tologrnph, botwoon tho Mayors of Ohrislohuroh, Lyttolton, and Kitiapoli , . a . X'Tum CAUANntNJfI.— Thc public will ho glad to hour of tho arrival this morning, hy the Tnrnrun, of Mudamo and tho Mlbboh Carnndinl and Mr fllierwln. Hook and Laddier Company, — A mooting of tho committee was held last night In the OoUiilst coin ml Ueo rooms, when all tho members woro present. It wnH found thnt tho present rules of tho oompany would not j work, thoy boing framed contrary to the now. Ordinance. It was resolved to draw out a fresh sot of rules, and It was decided to call a gonoral mitstor of the members for Friday ovonlng noxt i it was also agreed to divide tho town into wards, ouch of tlio committee taking ono, and soliciting subscriptions in aid of tho lirigado, Wo fed suro that this appeal to the Inhabitants will ho moot liberally responded to. ii v'niß WiJATiinn,*-For sovornl wcolcs past, witli the oxcoption of ono slight brealc of ndnj wo have been favoured with a ooutinuanco of tho bracing and Invigorating weather which Is the great failure of tho winter In thliii part of Now Zoaland, nnd whioh con* tributes so materially to the honlthinoss of the Climate, Tho niglils nnd mornings hare btjCh! characterised by sharp frosts, while the hourii of daylight havo » boon of that bright clear, nature whioh gives a zost to nil outxluor exorcise During! somo of tho nights tho Cold has been more than usually Intense, aud Monday night wm certainly attended by one pf tlitf sharpest frosts that "has boon' e'jfpo-. rjpppod for a very Considerable' time At pno poriod during tho nluht thp thormomotor ( yras, down to 1 8 .degrees • bcliM' freezing point, and last night dt 'cctlld *rict l 'havo'Mii'i!ar froip tho same mark, ■■ i >'-> ) ,il ;

PuiiLio DiNNnn.— Tlio 'friends of \V. IJ. Paull, Ksu,, Resident Magistrate)' ut Kaiapoi, hare mado ■arrangements to*! express their recognition oMils maiiy useful publio acts, by a public dinner, to be held on Friday next, at Basslngthwalto's l lotol , llUnglora. i-ico*. unm. —Wo -would 'remind, our readers that V,r liold'fi popular lcoturo, v Tho influouco of Woiuau oil the World's weal," will bo delivered to-night, in the Colonists' Hall. As this' is the first lcoturo of tho winter season,' and os tho subjoctisa v«ry popular ono, wo havo no doubt thore will bo a crowded house. Tho admission to this locturu will he frco, > Dwaiuoßiror. Puoohhdino.— A most disgraceful attempt to destroy pronorty bolongingto the Hallway Rowing Olub has rcoontly been mado. The door of the boat-house ou tho cast bank of the river Avon, has during tho last day or two been broken upon, somo rowing apparel, and tho koya from tho lookers tukon away, and other wilful damage committed. Traces of a train of gunpowder, which had evidently been exploded with tho in ton tion of sotting tho building on flro, wero found on tho floor of tho dressing-room, whoro chances of causing a conflagration wero naturally greater than iv any other part of tho building, A reward has been Cflbrod by the club for apprehension of the oiTondcrA 1 and wo shull certainly bo glad to hoar of them being brought to account. Tho act is a most malicious aud cowardly one, for tho Rowing Clubs certainly deserve tho goodwill of the public, .Tub. Avon Road Boaiid.— Wo understand that all tho members of this Hoard liavo resigned, lv conscquonoo of «omo mlsuudorstanding or unpleasantness with the Provincial Government. It appears that at tho time whon distress wns so provalont In tho province, tho Hoard oxprossod thoir dcslro to afford employment to men out of work, but had not the funds lv hand to do so, Mr It, If. Rhodes olTorßd to advance thorn jG3OO, on condition of cortnln works being prosecuted. Tho Uoard accoptod this, nnd complied with tho stipulations of Mr Khodca, who subsequently obtained a plot of land from tlio Government In payment of the sum Advanced. When tho succeeding grants wero distributed to tho Road Boards, tho Government deduotod tlio valuo of tho land griintod to Mr Rhodes, Irom tho sum duo to tlio /Won Hoard, Tlio Bp»rd communicated with the Government, remonstrating against such a proceeding, and in tho roply something was said at which the membors took offence, 1 and tho wholo of thorn tlion resigned, Tho district is now, thero* foro without, a Board, and what will be next dono ln tho matter is uot yet known, Wool Sooumno,— Tho company formed at Kaiapoi somo time ago for scouring wool, nnd enrrying on other buslnoss in connection with tho preparation of thnt staplo for tho English market, have vacated tlio promises formerly occupied hy Messrs Haluo and Hhaw, and ' aro about to erect the buildings necessary for thoir pUrposo somowhat noaror tho coritro of tho town, A plot of ground near Hos wick Btreet, 'and having frontages on Charles and Hevrtor streets, has been purchased, and wo- understand that plans aro in preparation for a shod and other nccossary buildings, Tlio company havo also applied for a flection of tho ,rivor reserves immediately In front of this ground, on which in the courso of timo it is proposed to orect warehouses and storage accommodation. Immediately sufficient buildings aro completed, uotivo oporatioiis will bo ut onco commoncod, a portion of tho necessary plant having boon already procured, Amongst this is a machine for scouring purposes, on the latest and most Improved principle, Steam will' bo the motive powor used in working tlio machinery. A largo quantity of wool is, wo aro Informed, already on hand waiting 10 bo aoourod, nnd thero can bo but littlo doubt but that the company will, If properly conducted, meet with every auaeaaa. Financial Itiwonu Association. »- A meoilng of tho oommiitco of this Association wus hold ln White's Commorclnl rooms, at 7.30 last oYouing, Prosent— Mcssru Stevens (president), Inglls, Hooves, St Quontln, Uutlor, Gould, A. Duncan, Jameson, llurmnn, and Hawlces. Mr Gould was moved to tho chair, in order thnt Mr Htevons might introduce tho following resolutions s— • "That It Is expedient— l, That all tho Provincial loans of tho colony shall he made an Immediate oliargo upon tho consolidated fund. 2. That the keoping of accounts botwoen the provinces and tho Colonial Treasury shall bo discontinued from the end of tlio current fhiunclal year j and that tho accounts now kept shall ho finally ' closed. 3, That the Provincial ' Governments should coaso to rccolvo ns provincial rcvenuo nny portion of tho consolidated fund/ Mr Stevens referred at ccnsidorablo length to the, reasons which forced the adoption of such a chango in tho financial systom as his resolutions lnrlioiitorl, nnd said ho did not Intend to put tho subject to a voto, as Mr Montgomery (md others wero unavoidably absent, Thero was if fourth resolution on tho ■ notice paper, which proposed to deal with tho departments which should bo assinned by tho Gonoral Govern inent an colonial departments,' inoluding gaols, harbours, and police, From tho discussion that ensued, thu tone of the meeting appeared to be In favour of tho adoption of the llrst three resolutions, and with regard lo tho fourth, thnt tbo police departmciHHhould continue to bo undor ihocontrolof tlio Provincial Government, Worofraln from giving a longer report of the proceedings ' at present, as tbo questions whioh Mr rttovuns' resolutions involvb will bo moro fully discussed and considered at 'tho next meet* Ing of the committee, which will tako place in the course oi! a few days, We tii«tyudd, that Mr iStovons laid boforo tho ' mooting a rovlsod nlnti'inont of tho inoomo and expend!* turo,j&o,, of all the provinces in Now Zealand,) with tho exception o£ Otago, whoso estimates havo not yet b<scn parsed by the Provincial Council. . Ho.hooii as thoso como tojinhd/.a -'report will lio prepared, and together with the stntomont of inoomo ahd cxfiCiidlluro, bo circulated amongst tho _>UWIW iU! ' ■' ,: !"" : ,* 1; ' ■' ' ' *■'■'■ r,,AA a ■

Finn Polios.*— Tho ordinary quarterly , meeting ot tlio mom bori of thlaforco was hold 1 In the reading-room of tlio Eire Bcigade Station last night at?, .o'clock. M^W. Hlslop, tho senior officer prosent, occoplcjl tho chair, and thero woro also . about twenty other i membors in uttendnhco. Tho minuted ol last mooting wero read nnd -confirmed.' The Secretary called attention to the fact of the ncrlnd of service for which number, had joined terminating in August, and na tho noxt quarterly meeting would not tuku placo until .September, it would bo dcslrublo to take ■top* at onoo for continuing the forco under tho now Municipal Act. Atter somo convcrHation Mr Alport niorcd, and it was seconded by Mr Ross, and carried, that tho Standing oommltteo be requested to ascertain what measures will be necessary to organise the force undor tlio now Act, uud to report at a meeting of tho members to ba held on i Tuesday tho '2 lot of July, A discussion then ensu-ud respecting the desirability of forming , a salvago corps, but it was generally consl- ! dered that this had better be deferred until i uftor tho members had been sworn in for v now period of service, and tho subject therefore dropped, The meeting then terminated. liKCTonu,— A lcoturo was delivered last evening by Mr J. 8. Williams, at the room of tho St Albans Mutual Improvement Association, on tlio subject of Democracy. Tho ohuir wns taken by his Honor tho Superintendent, Thero was a fair attendance but some of the leading member* of the association woro unavoidably absent. The lecturer described tlio democracies of anoient tinies, and explained tho differenco botweon thoso democracies nnd tho constitutional and democratic governments of modern times, 110 then wont on to trace tho gradual dbvolopmont of democratic ideas from tho middlo ngos to tho present timo, showing that tho tendency of modern sooiety wns strongly in the direction of democracy, ond arguing that the truo policy of our legislators would be to recognise this tendency, and emloavour to countoraot tho ovil influences, nnd to mako tho most of tho advantages that ml* lit bo expected to ensue from it. The lecturer then dwelt upon tlio various characteristic!! of democracy, especially on tho tendency to equality, political and sooia), thnt provnils every day with greater force. Ho also dwelt upon tho various dan* gvrs of democraoy, partlcijlftrlyon the danger , of democraoy drifting into despotism under certain conditions. Tho lecturer propounded various remedies for tlio dangers tliat society incurs undor tho influonee of democracy, but dwolt especially upon tho importanco of cduoutlon in tho widest sense of tho word, He concluded by expressing a hopo that the time would come whon tho various questions nnd jealousies that now exist between olass ' nrid ulnss would no longer exist— whon tho Inequalities of for u no would not bo -30 great as at present, nnd when all clashes ', would he raised to a high level by cultivation < and od nod tion. Tho lecturo was listened to with marked attention throughout. At tho ' cloaca vote of thanks wns proposed to Mr Williams,who, in replylng,liopod that other people would como forward to givo lectures. The proceedings terminated with a voto of thanks to the chairman, who observed that ho was glad to nttond such n meeting, becauso ho thought it right to encourago such societies, and becauso, whllo tho people took an interest In public Affairs, tho danger of their drifting ' into political slavery, of which ho saw some ' prospoct in this country, would be averted. 1 Pour/mr Show.-- Tho ndjourned meeting ; of porsons desirous of establishing a winter 1 exhibition of poultry undor the ntrol of an , association to ho formed forth* purpose, was , held at White's Hotel, last n nt. Mr W, I Wilson occupiod tho chair and between 1 twenty and thirty other Kontlemen were present, Tho chairman explained tlio object of the meeting, and said that since tho firat ono waa held, no many Assurances of support had . beon received, that thero could bo little * doulit as to the association proving successful. Ho then callod upon'Mr Heudo, who reported that promises of subscriptions to tho amount of £'2S had heen obtained, and that > a draft copy of rules for regulating the proceedings of thoAssoci'ation had beon procured. Tlio rulos woro read seriatim, and, after some trifling alterations, ivloptcd, In addition to iho ordinary working of tho Association, that it shall have (ot Its object tho improve- ' ment of the various breeds of poultry in the 1 provinco, and shall consist of a chairman, 1 und two vice-chairmen, a council of not loss than eighteen, a flecrctury und treasurer, and other members; that Aw shillings shall confltituto membership, and ten shillings eligibility to hold office; uud that an annual exhibition of poultry shall bo held hi Christchurch, between July 7 and August 7. A dis* 1 cession took placo ns to tho advisability of grain and roots being Included in the list of exhibits. Tho chairman considered it would bo most unadvisnblo to do nny thing of tlio kind. The Agricultural and Pastoral Association had 011 ono occasion attempted a similar experiment nt ono of their annual shows but It wan a mostlamcntablc failure. Mr Kendo was opposed to dealing with' anything but poultry. If the Acrlcul--1 tural Association could not succeed In the attempt to establish a root and grain show, surely they who knew nothing whatever about such mutters, could not do so. Mr ■ (''orcday said a precedent conld not bo found in any poultry association for such a proceed* ■ lug, aud he should most certainly oppose it, 1 A resolution was ultimately passed to negatlvo tho proposal. Tho election of officers wan noxt proceeded with, and resulted as I 1 follows I— Chairman, Mr W, Wilson 1 Vice* , chairmen, Q. Q<»**uld, and J, Anderson j . Council, W. D. Lawrence, J. 0. Wilson, R. W. tforeday, 11. ii. Johnstone, J. S. Willihnis, T, 11, Potts, Mr Justice Gresson, L. Harper, 1 R, H, Bishop, Win, Pvralvnl. (J, Turner, C. J. . Poster, T. W.Nslder, J. Williams, W D. Barnard * W. White. W. Williams, T, Nottldg<j, R, Speedily, W. 6. Walko { Secretary, J. E. Dnvio 1 Treasurer, G. A. Hondo. A voto of thanks to tho chairman terminated tbo pro* cccdihga

Entertainment.— The pieces selected for thcrinnu-1 entertainment of the Widow and Orphans' Fund, in connexion with tho ancient, Order of Foresters, are the sterling old jeomedy of " Who wants a Guinea," and tho screaming farco of "The Queer Subject." Mehtino of Cueditors.— A meeting of creditors in tho estate of Samuel- liaird, the younger, of Mount Grey Downs, farm labourer, was to havo been held at the Registrar's Chambers at 11 o'clock, to-day, but lapsed through non-attendance Tho liabilities in this estate amount to £75, and the assets to 450, as estimated by tho bankrupt. Garrlck and CowlWhaw aro tho bankrupt's solicitors The Cabinet.— Wo (Auckland Free Frest) understand that Mr Stafford has been trying his hand in an attempt to strengthen his p -shion us Premier, hy adding to the Executive another Auckland member. Accordingly, Dr Pollen, Government agent here, has been induced to join tho Executive, with a seat in the Upper House. We congratulate Mr Stafford on obtaining the services of the ablest man, we shall say, at present in the Executive, for, however much we may have differed from Dr Pollen, wo bave been ut all times ready to acknowledge his great political Ability and business capacity. Mr Stafford has therefore, imported talent into hia Executive — a commodity in which the Ministry was sadly deficient. 'Iho changes which have led to this reconstruction of the Cabinet would appear to be these ; Mr Harris, owing to tho state of bis private affairs, was forced to resign t Major Richardson claimed exemption und tho Speaker's chair in tho Upper llouso, Mr Stafford having provided for bis near relative by a special pension bill to make things suro beforehand ; and therefore there was no ono to conduct the Government bmincas in tho Legislative Council. Dr Pollen waa, for many reasons, tho best man thoy could get, Of cousc, we now expect to Qnd Mr Carlcton hand-ln-glove with the Doctor* but we can assure Mr Stafford that however well laid hia plans may bo, the end of Auckland is not yet. '