Local and General.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 61, 24 July 1868, Page 2

Local and General.

1. iinni'..,, — Yenlordny morning No, 4 cnglno camo through the Tunnel lo tho Lytlolton cud, and look a number of! trucks of coal through. l/VTTI.r.TON VoMJNTI.I.It AllTlMJ.llY.— Tho battery will parade to-night at tho Drill Blied at 7 o'clocki afterwards, a special mooting of the members will be held at tho Queen's Hotel. Dankiwi'tov.— John Aulsobrook nnd John McmWs, carrying on business as bakers and mlllors, in Ghritttohurnh, hivvo filed a dechvm- , Uon In pursuance, of the Bankruptcy Act, ' 1807, that they aro unable lo meet their engagements with thoir creditors. Mr Wynn Williams ls solicitor for the bankrupts, Tun Bankiuji'TCv Am*,— The piwl, eight or nine months' working of! the new Bank- ' riiploy Act has suflleod to show that It is i most unworkable Por Inslanco, In cases whoro tho first mooting.) of creditors lapse through non-attendance, tbo proceedings to all Intents and purposes conic lo a dead lock so far as tho realisation of. tho estates are , eoneernod, while tho protection afforded lo { bankrupts on filing their declinations still ■ continues. During the prc;.cnfc ncr-slon of tbo General Asncmbly, a number of iwieiid- , ments will bo introduced by Mr Maefarlan, so as to render Iho act iiomowhat loss defective than It Is. Theso amendments havo been ■ pointed out by various mombors of tbo legal , profession, and If thoy arc assented to— as , there Is lllllc doubt they will be— the Act l will ho hotter understood aud Its provisions moro generally applicable

Noiitiikun Roads.— The roads In all parts of tho northorn districts aro In a most frightful state, oven where they havo been formed and metalled. Tho road from Woodend to Rangiora, and the Kyrcton road, arc all but impassable} and repairing the damage done by tho flood has so crlnpled tho finances of tho Road Boards that they aro not In a position lo do a great deal to them, Where Iho roads have not been formed, locomotion Is next to Impossible, On tho track from Rangiora to Moeraki Downs, and thonco to Oxford, tho mud is kneo deep, and although tho track Is in most placos laid out for two chains in width, it is nothing unusual for an empty dray to get stuck. Tho track from Whlto's farm to Eyrelon ls lv an equally unenviable condition, and until spring nothing can be dono to improvo them. Akauoa LiTiiitAiiv Tsmti'l'iith.-- Tho committco of the abovo Institute hold a meeting on Tuesday evening, tho :21st instant, at the library, In tho Town Hall, Akaroa ; the President of tho society, Mr S, Walking boing in ihe chair, It was unanimously resolved that the sum of £20 bo forwarded to England, through Mr E. C. Latter, for tho purchaso of books \ and that the chairman, Mr 0. L, Wiggins, and Iho secretary do act Us a Hub-committee lo decide upon what books should be ordered. The Pres'.dunfwa) authorised to effect an Insuranco of £50 upon tho books in tho library, It was further resolved that the Readings, fco,, In connection with Iho Institute, should ho resumed} the first entertainment to take placo on tho 3rd proximo} and that the President do invito tho co*oporatloii of tho members and others who may bo willing to assist In promoting thoir iisofii'iicif), Bi.t.wv.*? Station, — A great many complaints have been mado concerning the want of propor' accommodation at tlie Selwyn railway station, but tho cause, wo arc glad to say, will shortly bo removed, as lenders aro now Invited for the execution of considerable alterations and additions. Thoro will bo five bedrooms joined to tho present structure, besides a kitchen and private sitting-room, Two of the bedrooms will be ton feot by twelve, and threo of them eleven by ten, and fifteen feet by twelve will bo the dimensions of tho kitchen. A couplo of bedrooms will ho sot apart for tho accommodation of persons overtaken by sickness, and tho private sitting-room will bo placed at the disposal of! families, In round numbers, tho cost of! the additions and alterations will be ili.'JOO. Tho required material will bo conveyed to tho spot free of chargo. Mr J, 0. Ht Qucnlln is tho architect, at whoso establishment In Gloucester street the plans and specifications arc to bo soon. GVwaui.OATroNAi. Cnunaii, l'Y.nnv Road.— One of a scries of entertainments consisting ol! readings and musical selections, came oil' In tho abovo church last evening. Nearly 100 persons were present, Mr 8. C. Parr occupied the chair. 110 expressed the pleasure ho felt In presiding on tfils occasion, moro particularly a'j tho entertainments had bcon fuMlitiilcd for the laudable object of liquidating tho debt on tho Church. 110 triiHtcd that all the future entertainments would bo co well attended, and that tho congregation would bo ablo shortly to freo iticll! froiii Us liabilities, The programme was so arranged that readings and musical selections woro given alternately, The musical portion was sustained by somo lady and goiitlomon aniatoiu's from ChrlHtchurch, and comprised tho following!--" Sco our Oars," " Will You Como to tlio Woods," " Homo Sweet Home," « Patriotic Song," and " Breathe Soft yo Winds," Mr Jford rend "Secrets in all Trades}" Mr Appleby, "Poor Llttlo Jim >" Mr Iford, " The Song of the Shirt}" Mr Pord, "Dr Marigold}" Mr Appleby, "The Irish Emigrant}" and Mr Ford recited the " Battle of Waterloo," The Chairman announced that a stranger In Christchurch had promised to read selections from Tennyson at tho next ontortainment, which will take placo on Thui.iday, August fl. The singing of the National Anthem brought the proceedings to a close. There Is a debt of about £I.*. on tho Church, which It ls proposed to wlpo off by tho proceeds of these entertainment-;, No ! chargo Is made for admission, and donations aro therefore voluntary. Lust night's collection amounted to M ss, "Si/hi'KNhion oi' DisoirAnoi:.— Considerable misapprehension prevails as to tho oft'oct of tho suspension ol! orders of discharge, in bankruptcy cases, aud the matter requires iv little explanation. In eases where tho Judge suspends relief, say for six or twclvo months, or for any othor period whioh the Act admits of, tho protection which the bankrupt, rccolvcd from the lime at which. ho filed his declaration Is withdrawn, and judgment creditors can issue execution during tho period sneclflcd in the order suspending discharge Tho distinction between judgment and proof creditors Is this, If A, being miscc-ural, elects lo prove under the Act of Bankruptcy at the meeting of creditors, ho Is a proof creditor, and is entitled to a rateable Hliiirc of tho dividend which Iho estate realises ) but ho is debarred from taking out judgment iiKiibiHt ibe bankrupt If his j.roteeUon should bo withdrawn. If Jl does not choose to prove at tho meeting of creditors, he disentitle:) himself from sharing in the assets, but ho reserves to himself tho right of Issuing execution against the bankrupt lv the event of his protection being withdrawn. Consequently, In oases where all tho creditors havo proved, the suspension of relief has the effect of marking the Court's disapproval of the conduct of bankrupts) and besides this, should thoy resume business within the time over which Iho suspension extends, their proof creditors cun obtain an order from tho Court for their examination as to what proporty thoy arc possessed of, aud the creditors can tako tho wholo of lt up to 20s in the pound, From tho moment the order of discharge comes Into effect, tho proof creditors can call upon tbo bankrupts to surrender all after acquired property until ton ..hillings in tho pound is paid.

Oazkttk. — The New Zealand Gaselle of July 20 contains tho appointment*) of Mr T. W, Maude as Registrar of Deeds at Christchurch, to lake effect on Aug. 1, ami of Mr W. J. W. Hamilton as Returning and Registration Ofllccr for the Electoral Districts of Kalanol, Avon, City of Christchurch, and Ileathcote, for the election of members of the House of Representatives. The accounts of the colony for tho March quarter are also given. St, Andiikw's Church. — The annual meeting of tho congregation w«w held on Wednesday evening last. The statement of accounts by tho treasurer, Mr Oonrlav, wo*, received, mid nn abstract of it ordered to be printed for circulation among the church I members, A cordial vote of thanks was passed to Mr Edward Recce for the liberal terms on which ho had provided antl set up tho gas fittings for the church. Tho former financial committco was reappointed, with the addition of Me**.trs R, Dlack and Irvine. Rakoioiia,— At the Roddcnt Magistrate's Court, Rangiora, on tho 23rd instant, before 0. li. Mellish, Esq., R.M., John Miles was charged with being drunk and disorderly, and wai fined 20s and costs, The same offender was charged with using obscene language, and was fined 00s and eo3ts, or 14 dayh' imprisonment.. George Todd, of White Rock, nnd James Smith, of the tame place, were each lined 20s and costs for unregistered dogs, A slaughtering license was granted to Edwin Poarcc, of Rangiora, Only one civil caso was heard. I'oi'i/r.Aii ENTKnTAi.XMKXTB.—Tho man* nging committee of these entertainment*, held a meeting at Wilson and Alport's ollice, High street, yesterday afternoon, when all the members, except Mr St. Quentlu, wero prosent. Tho honorary secretary reported that the gross receipts of the entertainment given In tho Town Hall, on Tuesday evening, was .til) 1 ls, shewing that 704 had paid for admission, The expenditure for printing, rent of hall, &c., bad boon iltl, thus leaving a clear balanco of iL6 lis to the credit of the com* mlttco, The following report was then drawn up and adopted, "The managing committee have cause for congratulation at the success of the first entertainment, and Intend making arrangements, before Tuesday next, for carrying out tho programme In its integrity, besides endeavouring to make better provision for the accommodation of the public. The thanks of tho committee are tendered to thoso who volunteered their services in,, the programme, and in rendering assistance In the body of the halt during the cnlcilaltiiiicnl." A programme was then prepared for the next entertainment—Tuosthe 28th Inst— and It comprises an opening address by the Very Rev. the Dean of Cliristchurch, two vocal choruses, a llute solo by Mr Rowley, readings by the Rev, W. if, I [aliens, Dr Turnbull, and Mr R, P. Crosbie, a song by Mr C. Rutland, and the National Anthem. Tmo Lath Ciiaklkji Kban.— Performing at Glangow in 1 -28, while hid father was rusticating in a favourite cottngo which he hud built for himself ncnr Rothesay, in the beautiful Isle of llute, lie sought for a reconciliation with him, and found not reconciliation alone, but encouragement to persevere In the dramatic career— encouragement which, coming not alono from a father, but from t'le first actor of tho day, and given, it U to he presumed, with all the sincerity of the fullest conviction, mado amends for much previous disparagement which ho had sullered nt the tongues and pens of men, who had a theory that genius was never hereditary, and that the son of a great actor could never ho half so great as his father. The elder ICcau on thii oconslon consented to appear at tho Glasgow Theatre for his son's benefit, Tho play chosen wns Howard Payne's tragedy of Brutus, in which Mr ICean took the part of Brutus and Mr Charles Kean that of Titus. The house was filled to overflowing, and tho recolpts nmountcd to nearly #100 j results that fUtUrcd the vanity of the father, and helped to replenish the pockets of the son. Mr Cole relates that " the strong Interest of the play, combined with the naturul acting of the father and son, corn, pletoly subdued . the audience. They sat suffused in tears during tho last puthotic Interview, until Druun*, overpowore 1 by his emotions, falls on tho neck of Titus, exclaiming in a burst of agony, • Kmbraco thy wretched futher 1' when they broke forth Into loud and prolonged peals of approbation. Edmund Kcin then whispered into ids son's car, ' Charlie, we aro doing the trick I' " PnoTKcrioN im Fuancb.— The Protectionist party am decidedly ''organising a earn* pnlgn," as tho French any, against tlio treaty of oommcrco with Ungiandj this is, somo Chambers of Commerce ere trying to got up agitation about It in tho manufacturing towns, whilst Protectionist deputies arc preparing to denounce in the Corps Lcgislatif the suffer* ings which thoy say it occasions to French industry, The Chamber of Commerce of Roubnix has junt published a corrvstxmdcnco it has had on the matter with the Minister of Commerce. The Ministry, iv reply to the complaints of tho Chamber, snows that whereas In 1862 the imports of tho sorts of fitbrks Houbalx produces (A (pug**, mixed cotton and wool, too,) was .10,000,000/., It /ell to between 20,000,000. and 20,0u0.000f. from 180.') to 1865, and in 1806 was __ 9,000,000. j but that, on tho other hand, the export of Koubidx, which was 115,919,0001. in 16*1, rono to 212,172,0001, hi IBGQ, uud was IGI,-U(),000f. iv 1800. lio adds tbat the apparent deulino In tho last*mcntioncd year, compare J with 1862, wns owing to a lowering in the value adopted by the Customs, He concludes, therefore, tlmt the complaints of RoMlmlx are unfounded, and he advises the Chamber to abstain from agitation, lost it should como into opposition with tho Chnm* hers of tho towns that aro /arournblo to tho treaty, In refuting the Roubalx Chamber a*> he bus done, the Minister, no doubt, docs well; but, as a rule, it would perhaps be better to rely rather on the general advantngo tho treaty produces to France, than on its effect on any ono trade in particular.

Seriods Attkntions. — A maiden friend of mine who ha*) been woed eleven times, and knows a good deal about It, assures me tliat the only intentions to be taken notice of, and relied upon, are those that touch tho pocket. '.♦When your Platonic friend," she says, " begins to offer gifts, coatly according to his means, depend upon it tho afF>dr has become a business with him, as well as with you." The American missionary, Judson, possessed i a valuable watch, which ho bestowed in succession before nwriago upon each of hh threa wives •, when he offered It to the third abject of hf*) uffoellous he stated that it bad tbe desirable property of always returning to him, bringing tho beloved wearer with it. Bo sura the wise and prudent man would never have parted with his watch unless he bad been firmly persuaded that be was makiug a gond investment, safe to bring him in largo and clear returns. When a costly offeting is laid upon the shrine, tho offerer means worship. How P.u-Bn ia Mai>b ix China. — of the paper used in China is made from Uie bark of various troes and plants, and from the bamboo. The manufacture of bamboo paper ia carried on extensively in the southern part of the country, In selecting *H*x*k from tin. bamboo plantations ou tbe mountains, preference is given to tbe stems wbich are übout to put out branches and leaves. Early in the month of Juno the vanes arc cut to nieces, from Aye to seven feet long, and placed in a pit which is supplied with water. After soaking for several weeks, tbo canes aro beaten with mallets, in order to remove tbo thick bark nnd green skin. Tho remaining filaments, resembling a flno sort of hemp, arc treated with lime and water, raised to a certain temperature. After remaining in tbis bath for about a week, the filaments, are removed, washed with cold water, pasjed through a ley mado of wood and ashes, and then placed in a boiler. This process is repeated until the material begin*) to grow putrid, when it ia transferred to a mortar and pounded into a pulp by means of water power, after which tho mass is treated with bleaching powder. The palp, thus prepared, is made by hand Into sheets of various thickness by means of a web of silk tissue within a light frame, on to which the workman places tho required quantity of pulp. When the water has run off from tho corners of tho frame, ho turn-) tho aheet over on to h large table, when it is pressed, Esch sheet is afterwards raised and dried separately in a kiln built for the purpose. Writing-paper is made from the finest part of tho bamboo material, Anotlior kind is made by mixing rice straw with the bamboo fibre, A very strong paper, used for window blinds, and other articlo which, in this country, are generally constructed of woven substances, is made by mixing 00 per cent, of the bark obtained from a tree called •• tchou," with 40 per cent, of bamboo material. Another variety of strong naper is obtained from the bark of the mulberry tree, and is used in tho breeding and culturo of silk worms. The samo material, mado from thinner pulp, is employed in the manufacture of umbrellas, fans, and firescreens. Bark paper, which is to be painted, is flrst passed through a solution of alum water to destroy tho Anc filaments which arc commonly found on tho upper side of tho sheet as it lies in the silk tissue frame — the lower side in contact with tlie tissue b*lng much more smooth. For many uses, when only one colour is required, tbe colouring is added to the pulp. A General Election in Gbebcb.— The Times correspondent writing from Athens oa April 9 says ;— Greece Is divided iuto large electoral districts, in which the towns are always united with a considerable rural population, and the number of deputies is in the proportion of a deputy to a number of inhabitants not exceeding 10,000, Many districts arc co largo that they return five deputies. Attica returns five, but If tbe last enumeration, stating tho population at more than 60,0 )0 bo correct, it ought to return seven, There were twelve polling places, four in tho city of Athens, which is divided into four wards, one at the Pirtcus, and seven in different villages for the rural population. The voting in Athens was in churches. Thirty ballot-boxes wero ranged in order, each marked with the name of the candidate. Behind the range ot balot-boxes and separated from them by a railing, thirty friends of the candidates were seated on a raise*! platform to watch tho proceeding!*, and, ft necessary, to protest against any irregularity, A committee was nlso appointed in each ward to prevent frauds in the registration and the mechanical process of voting. Tho registers aro prepared and exposed for public inspection in a manner regulated by tlie law, and at Athens 'they were painted. .Each voter ascertained his number In tho register before going to vote. At the church ho gave it to the clerk of the register, who turned to it and called his name, Ills identity having been ascertained by the committee of the ward, he walked to tbe ballot-box in the row. Each box is divided into two compartments with openings at tho top, covered by a tabular screen, into which tho voter inserts his band up to Mra wilst, He is enabled to feel the division of the box that separates the compartments, and drops his ball iuto the nega* live or affirmative Bide without either the friends of tho candidates or the members of tho committco observing, from the movement of his arm, how he gives his vote. Tbe left compartment of each box is painted black and lettered " No;" the right hand compartment is painted whito and lettered "Yes." When tbc voter stood before the flrst ballot-box, a citizen appointed for theduty called tbe name of tbe candidate to whom it was assigned, whicli was placed above it, and at tbe same time be gave ono small ball to the voter, who, putting his hand into the tube, dropped it into tlie negative or affirmative aid*} as be thought fie, This operation was repeated before every ono of tho 30 ballot*boxesI saw tho process performed ia all tbo four churches at Athens with tho greatest order (md an apparent tense of

the responsibility indicntod hy tho formalities required, and I think no one could wltnons tho behaviour of tlio pooplo without feeling tbat thoro oxlsls In Greece a good foundation for free infltltutlonfi, It In difllcult to Imagine ft fly/item moro cfPiCtual for rendering brlbory ÜBCless, or hotter adapted to protect tlie citizen ngainnt Intimidation, /ignlntit patent fraud no nystcm can bo Ihorouuhly ofllcicnt, and collusion In the registrars and tho committoo men, and hi counting the balh*, might falsify an election. But at Athens tho intelligence of tho voters and tho Inspection of tho friends rondcrod the thing impossible, and mado public opinion all-powerful, The election Is admitted by tbo unsuecnAful to havo boon conducted In the fairest munnor, and to havo been nn unhlaaoad, if not, ln their own par** ticular caso, a wino expression of tho popular will. mmmmmimwßmmmmmmmKmmmmmmemmmmmmmmmmmmmm