Local and General.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 49, 10 July 1868, Page 2

Local and General.

BnoAi>iMi«r«i>B,— Tho Wesleyan Chapel horo, whioli a few months ago whs a dlsnml, dlsroputablo looking building, hus, thanks to tho liberality of Mr G. Gould, boon • woll painted. And this Is not iho only Improve moot, for the Interior has Ikoii well lined, and a Sunday .School, numbering between 40 und AO^Boholarfl, established, Tm. Waimakaiiiki.— The money voted by tho Provincial Council, on Wednesday night, for protective works In connection with this river, Is to bo recouped from tho first funds procured by means of the Hill about to bo Introduced Into the General Assembly for sanctioning a rate for conservation purposes. 'I'hc imposition of tho into will bo compulsory, and the expenditure munsgod by a Board of Conservators. Tho Government have not decided upon any work to be curried out, and tho Information now being obtained by them with reference to the best mode of controlling tho river Is only with the view of enabling the Hoard of Conservators to proceed actively lo work as soon as they aro appointed, Finn at Aicauoa.-— A calamity of the abovo nnliiro which resulted in tho total destruction of Iho dwelling-house and store occupied )>y Mr Goorgo Porter, at Duvnuohollo Bay, Akaroa, took place on the evening of tlio 7th inst. From what wo can gather, wo understand that Mr and Mm Porter, with two others, wore sitting at tea at about seven o'clock In tho evening, when they wore startled by a neighbour calling out " Ore." On going out of the room, thoy found tho farthest part of tho honso from ihat in which thoy wero Hitting in llamcu, Plenty of willing hands wero soon on tho spot, but all attempts to save the building wan ■ fruitions j fortunately, however, Mr Porter mioeocdod in saving his books and tho major part of his stock and furniture Wo understand that tho building was insured, • Kaiavoi Bououait Coimcir,,— A Bpccinl meeting of this Council was bold last night, to consider a letter received from the Government In reference to the bridge, It staled that a deputation of gentlemen from Kaiapoi had walled on (hem in support of tho ochomo of having a free brldgo at Black street, and offering to subscribe £1500 towards It, Thoy had, therefore, pending tho receipt of tho opinion of tho ■Borough Council, determined on asking tho Provincial Council lo voto a sum of £000 Jforropiilrsoflho brldgo, and topassaßlU for a brldgo at tlio silo named by tho deputation, The Council (\way up a letter to tbo Government, soiling forth the various objections to the proposed silo, and theli' opinion on tho subject altogether, which thoy considered to bo tho opinion of tho majority of the ratepayers, as evidenced by tho elections which have lakon place within tho past fortnight, of two candidates who avowed themselves opposed to any chango of site for the bridge. Bitiwn. A'i« Kaui'Ol, — Considerable difference of opinion exists with regard to the brldgo at Kaiapoi, and it is yet uncertain what courso will ho adopted. A deputation, consisting of niombors ol! tho Kaiapoi Borough Counoil, walled on Iho' Government a few dayn ago, They slated Ihat at the present limo tlio .Swing bridge was an obstruction to the traffic on the river, and also to tho llow of tho water. The deputation informed tho Government that Iho bridge could bo put Into order Cor iftflOO, and Iho Government informed Ihom thai In case IheV repaired the brldgo, tlio amount of oxpoiujo Incurred must, bo recouped out of the llrst proceeds from tolls. Subsequently, another deputation of residents at Kaiapoi had an Interview with tho Government, and these gentlemen recommended the erection of a free bridge further up the river, slating that they would be proparod to erect it If tho Government would contribute i)i2o<) towards the expense. Here the matter rests,- Tho Provincial Council has voted £000 for "the Kaiapoi bridge," the Government slating Ihat Ilf It is found advisable to ropalrlho Swing brldgo, they will expend tho voto \ but that if not advisable to do so, they will contribute £200 towards Iho erection of a frco brldgo further up the riven Cnow.v Land Sat.ks.— A return has boon laid on tho tablo of tho Provincial Council, of tho amount of Crown Lands sold by Iho Canterbury Waste Lands Board from Ihe Ist of April, 1808, to the (lib July, 1808, inclusive This return ls divided into two parts, iho one showing tho quantity sold lo tho north, and the other to the nouth of the Rangllala, The sales to the north of the Uangltala have been— ln April, 10(14 acres, realising £21:28 | in May, 1 7(3/5 acres, realising £0010 i In June, 11)1)7 acres, realising £001)4 I total, 4010 acres, and £ttd,'J2, The sales lo Iho south of the Rangllala havo been —In April, 001 acres, realising £1202; in May, 1251 acres, realising £2fl()2 1 lv June, 1 000 acres j realising £_0()0 ; total, 01/52 acres, realising £0004. (So that the sales north of the llangltata have been 1004 acres more than those to tho south, and have realised £:i:_'_B more. The toiaia of the two portions of country amount to 7008 acres, and £1/5,1)00, Of (his Messrs Holmes and ■ Go, purchased 000 acres at the price of £100(1, A return has also been laid on Iho tabic of the Crown Lands sold by the Waste Liuiilm Board, from Ist, April to Ist July, 1000, distinguishing the land bought by Messrs Holmes and (Jo, Land sold, exclusive of Ibat purchased byllohncH and Co, i April, 1000 acres, realising £3. , ). , 10 { May, 0000 acres, realising £0012 i Juno, 2704 acres, realising £0028 j total, 743(5 acres, realising £14,070. Land purchased by G, Holmes s May, 000 acres,, realising £1000, Grand totals, 7908 ttcrcw, realising filtflM,

Li.OTi_i.t_. — Last night Captain Wilson delivered his second lecture for tho season in tho old Town Hall. There was a vory numerous nttcndan.c, nnd Mr J. Ollivier occupied the chnir. Tho lecturer llrst dwelt upon tho estimation placed upon mcsmcrUm by tho public, who he said, whitot admitting tho facts, say that tluy can all bo explained as tho result of imagination. llu argued at considerable length against this, nnd averred that some external power or physical emanation must bo exerted to produce suoh effects as had been demonstrated by mesmeric power. Ho referred lo several sclcntido experiments wliich it wai impossible to produce by imagination, and coneludod a very attentively listened to address, by inviting persons desirous of personally testing tho power of mesmerism on to tho ita«e This Invitation was responded to by about a dozen youths uud boy*, but only seven of ihcm proved sensitive to tho lecturer's, power, On Ihose ho demonstrated iho dlflurent phase* of tho Rciunco, and tho results were as amusing as thoy wero in many respects astonishing. Gakkttk9.— .Three number** of the New Zealand Gazette havo been received. 'Jth it of July 4, contains tho appointment of Alexander Mills, ns Harbour Master for the port of Timaru, the re-nppointment of W. J, W. Hamilton, F.sq , a* Commls. loner of tho Wante Lauds Board of tho Provinco of Canterbury, and to act as Treasurer thereof ou behalf of tho General Govcrnmint. Number OS, dated July 0, contains a revised Commission of the JVmco, Number o'.), dated July 7, state* that tho following bills* have been laid More -the Governor , who haa uot been advl _od to exercise Ids power of disallowance in respect to them i— 'Tho Diversion of Roads Special Ordinance No. 2, 1008 5 Tho Superintendent* Salary Ordinance Repeal Ordinance, 1008 ; Tlio Hosorvo No. 95a Ordinance \ Tho t'.ducatlon Unto in Aid Ordinance, 1868 •, The Kdueutlonal Rcscrvos Leasing Ordinance, 1808 1 The Appropriation ordinance IBiiß. The Governor liss appointed H. IL O reason, Ksq., and C. 0. Bowon, Idq., to-be visitors of tha Public Lunatic Asylum, at Sunnysidc. ■XSmuif.mi. Court House.— Tho intentions of tho Government in respect to this building were fully explained by tho I'rovlnolal Sucre tnry on Wednesday night when nuking for tho sum of £2/500 for Us erection. The building is to bo of stono and attached to the 0110 now used ns iho judge's chambers. It will, in addition to tho court-room, co tain eight or nine smaller ones for the convenience of tho odlclals, jurymen, prisoners, &c, nnd somo of the rooms iv the old building will also bo connected with It, In order to bo availablo for uso should they be rcquirciTJ In answer to the suggestions of using tho COuncil Chamber for tbo purposes of tlic Court, Mr Jolllo pointed out tho ma y objections to their adoption. lie said tho limo required for tlio transaction of civil nnd criminal business would only leave tho Chamber nbout six months out of tho twelve nt tho di«p m\\ of the Government, and it would bo a dlfllcull mailer to arrange tho sessions so as not to clash with tho Court business. The oxpenso that would bo periodically incurred in fixing tho ncecscary lUtlngs for tho Court wns also adverted to and the Council acknowledged the Importance of these contention:-) and tho necessity of the building by granting tho voto without a singlo voico being raisod in opposition. VLhotu nr, at Pi.iiNsim.. —On Tuesday evening the Rev. James Stack, from Woodend, delivered a lecture on the Maoris at the district school, FornxidO The attendance was largo, and tho clear explanations of iho rev, lecturer wero most attentively listened to, A series of dlugraniH served to make tho lecture understood, and also added to lis interesting and instructive character, Mr Stack stated that the Maoris arc a combination of tho Mongolian, Malay, and Papuan races, and ho gave several of their legend* relative to their settling in the islands of New Zealand, Ho then psissod on lo tbeir religion, showing that they were not Image worshippers. Thoy had no knowledge of the Supreme Being, but believed In 11 variety of spirits having to do with all the matters of life. He then gave a description of the characteristics of the Maoris, their useful qualities, aud powers of mind, anil the missionary labours amongst thcni.J^le dwelt much on tho ruinousand pcrnlelouseff eels the vicesofKnropcain had over the natives, the mortality among.-.t them which caused them so rapidly to disappear, \gThc lecturer expressed bis belief that In 50 years few, if any, of tho Maoris will be alive. A voto of thanks wiw unanimously accorded lo (ho lecturer, after which a collection was made In aid of the funds of the library',/ NoilTlimiN AoUKMH.TtMUI. ASSOCIATION. —The second annual general meeting of tho members was held yesterday, at the Pier Hotel, K.ilapol. Th« Hon, G, L, Lee, President of the society, occupied Ihe chair. The minutes of hist annual meeting were read and continued. The secretary then read the annual report, and the Treasurer, the annual balance sheet, From the latter, It appeared there was 11 balanco of £4 7s against tho society. Both wero adopted, Tho following ofllcors were then elected :— President Mr Marmaduke Dixon, M.P.C. 1 Vlcc-Prcsl-dents, Messrs Billiard, M.I.C. $ Geo. Rowron, and Geo, Douglass \ Council, Messra Thos. PoMhby, J. 8. Whito, Jos. Morrison, J. F, Brown, M.l'.C.i Dr. Dudley, 11. J. Wood, W. M. Maskell, M.P.C. 1 Geo. Weston, Chns. Young, G, L. Lee, M.P.C, ; Jiw, Walls, John Macfai'lane, Joseph Clark, Captain Parsons, Joseph Keelloy, C. Ff. Pomborton, IL Chapman, and G. 11. Davis. Mr W. D. Buddie was appointed lion, treasurer, nnd Mr C. K. Dudley,* secretary, Mr Wyldo declining to act any longer, In consequence of not living In tho district. A veto of thanks wiw passed to Mr Wyldo for his valuable Borvloes, and jhc was also elected nn honorary life member. It was agreed to hold tho next show at Rfagloro, • v a '