Local and General.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 62, 25 July 1868, Page 2

Local and General.

+ , A, Tun SiMimowfl.— Wo learn that between twenty and thirty of tho npnrrowrt recently introduced by tho Acclimatization Society have settled near the Chrl«tohuroh Hallway Station, Natiym AiTAins, — Wo understand that a requisition In in course of signature addressed to Dig Mayor of ChrlstcJuireh requesting him to call a public mooting for tho purpose of, considering the present very serious aspect oi! native affairs, Bankuuptoy, — Samuel Paul Andrews, plasterer, Ohrlslehurch, has filed a declaration In pursuance of! tho Bankruptcy Act, 1807, that ho Is unable to moot his engagements with his creditors. Mr Bnmford Is solicitor for tho bankrupt. Waimakakiki at Kaiapoi. — Notwithstanding tho Into nor'-we.it winds, and that tv Inrgo aniounfc of snow has disappeared from tho ranges, this vlvcr has prove* l Itself quite equal to carry ofl! tho largo body of water nocassarlty draining into It. We have not hoard that it has ovcrilowcd anywhere In Kaiapoi or its vicinity j the river there ban been very full, but has shewn no Hlgna of overflowing in the town, Anothiw Maohi Wail— A requisition is now In course- of! signature calling upon the Mayor of Chrlstchurch to conveno a public meeting to (llhcu.hh tho position of native affairs In tho North Island, Tho document has already been signed by several Influential ollJzwirt, nntl will bo handed round tho City on Monday,- It happens (hat tho Town Hall has boon bespoken for ovory evening during tho entitling week, ho that tho mooting will not take place, in all likelihood, until Monday, tho i)rd of August, Mkiitino ov Chkditous.—A meeting of creditors in tho estate of Theodore and Augustus Doyle, who carried on business as lithographers In ChrJstchureh, was held at tho Kogislrar's' Chamber, at 11 o'clock this morning. Tho liabilities, as estimated by tho bankrupts, amoiuitcd to /.'IOC 0s Od, and tho assets to X-'WI) 17s Od. Creditors proved to tho amount of xm 18s (3d; deficiency, £76 1)h, Mr .J, K Graham was chosen trustco, and Messrs J, W. Onun, hotel-keeper, GloueoHtor Htrcot, and itobort Boattlo, hotclkeoper, Cashel Htrcot, supervisors. Tub NoitTiir.iiN Jtivi;»«. — Mr Burton took his horses through (ho Ashley yustcrduy, the river being Just crossablcilnd no more; the passengers and mails went across In a boat, and proceeded In another couch to Loithfiold, returning In the sumo manner. Mr SnnHorn's conch proceeded north na usual at <i p.m, Tho river bus stood at about the name level all <hy, The Styx was very high, iifi also tho Mouth branch of tho Wnlmuknrlri. It was noticed that a large body of water wiw hcoh to bo coming across tho protcctivo cutting on tho island, to which may In nil probability, be attributed tho immunity Of! that part of the country from flood. /( DisouAOMKtfr, AM\—on Thursday night soino ])erson or perilous Inillctcd an utter disfiguration on tho carvings of John Wesley and tho llov, Mr Bulloi', on either side of tho main entrance to tho Durham Street Woslcyiut Church, Tho carvings wore at a height of five feet from tho ground, ho that It ia ovldont tho not must; hnvo boon perpetrated by Homo grown-up person, with tho aid cither o(! n chisel or shingling hammer, A more wanton and disgraceful proceeding wo do not remember to havo heard of in this city. Tho Church Committee hnvo offered a reward of! ißfl for such Information as will lend to tho conviction of; tho guilty parly or parties. Wo Hlnooi'oly lnwt that he or they will not Qscapa punishment. Tiim WAiMAKAnini.— Thoro nppenrs to bo a Hllght overflow from this river at or below tJio protective embankments, but It is not of a nature, to' Induce tho- slightest alarm. Mr Lookyer has been dispatched to obtain full |iarllcnlni'ji. and will probably return this evening. Tho Avon and Btyx hnvo both been affected to a very trilling extent, and tho former Is now subsiding, Considerable uncnnlncHs n;>i>onrH to prevail amongst tho fjfoiixtml public I'csneetiiiK tho freshes in tho Walmnkarlrl at this jiorlod of tho yenr, but wo would point out thnt thoy arc rnther a mutter for congratulation than otherwise, Tho Influx of wntor Into the river being duo to tho iiiolMiig of the Know on tho back mugw, It In better that this should bo gradually done than nccumulnto during i he wholo of the winter, and then bo brought down in n body should U>o early spring |>rove hot, Tho erection of! the |>roteclivfl embankments Is iti'Ogi'OHHlng m fast as |icrmlsslblo, and it i.^i understood* that somo new works arc to bo undertaken nt tho now point of overflow near M. 4 Lenn'tj homcfilend, JiYax .l)ui',BrtiNo,— Wo have received a sample- of flax prepared l>y tho machinery for whl<jh Mr K. \V. Tvanl Urn applied for v millciil, and tho.Mu who uro interested in thin oriuieh of. native- Industry can Inspect it by o/iI]J»K nt our oflloo, It is tho production of six blades of fla.v, from five to six Feet long, cut green from (ho bush, and put through tho process without any previous preparation. As compared with other sumplcs 6f Phormiuin tenaj! which have been submitted as the result of other modes of preparation it docs not proHcnt v very fnvoumblo appearance, but the object of Mr Trent is to produce an exportable commodity capable of receiving tho finishing touch by tho more elaborate mndilnoryuHcdln Unglandnnd elsewhere, and thereby make a very material difference in Its eoHt. Tho machinery ho has constructed Inut nothing pertnluiHg to tho beating or pcrcii!wloj] nrinclplo attached In it ( and by tliis means the- natural strength of the fibre 1h said to be boltor preserved, Tho tuiinplo we have received is said to hnvo been prepnrcd —drying oxeepted — In less limn thirty seconds, and tho cost of tho flax and tow together Is estimated nt about £15 per ton, or tow alono M, M per ton being allowed for culling tho.mntorlal, Tho machinery is ho constructed as to produco fine long flax and tow, or tho latter Hoparatcly. „».,-■, ' .;■.'•■ ' ; ■■■■,••■■•• • •'■ ■ ) ,

Mv Wkld.— Tho Prince of Wales held n loveo at St. James's rnlucoon Saturday, May 30, on behalf of her Mnjcaty, Among the presentations was that of- Mr Frederick A. Weld, Into Prime Minister of Now Zealand, by tho Secretary of State for tho Colonies, the Duke of Buckingham and Clmndos. Nawiow Esoai*k mo.M 3?mn, — Last night, ivboul hnlf-piwt 1 1 o'clock, the shop window of- Mi* T. Mcroon, of London street, was discovered to be on fire, T)io discovery was mndo by Mr W. Walker, who, living opposite, notlccil the blaze, linvl givvo the alarm, It is fortunate the discovery was made when it was or tlio whole of tho promises must have boon burnt down. It cannot bo ascertained how tho lire originated, but it is supposed that one of tho lamps in the window was not thoroughly put out and that the wick .smouldered down to the koroslno in the lamp and emitted an explosion. Thk Tklkoimi'ii.— About a year or so ago, tho Kaiapol Municipal Council made an application to the Government requesting them to cause reports of! tho stato of tho Wulmnknriri at the Henley to be posted at the telegraph ollicc, Kaiapoi. Until latsly this was done regularly, Yesterday, however, tho river being somewhat high, and anxiety felt) several persons, uud our agent among the number, made inquiry at tho Kaiapoi .station, and were informed that the usual reports had not been sent from Chrlstchurch. Wo hope the telegraph authorities will remedy this, as it is of very great importance to tho town to have, correct reports of the .state of tho head waters o£ this troublesome river. Lyttbi.to\ S.unuTii School Usios.— Tho Sunday School Teachers of Lyttelton have agreed to form an Association for mutual conference, prayer, and help in their work, Monthly meetings for these purposes have been resolved on, and are to be held on tho Hceond Friday in each month, at each of the Hcvcral school-rooms in rotation. In addition to this, a short course of lectures is to be delivered during tho present winter, primarily for the bcnctlt of Sunday School teachers, but offering freo admission to all who feel interested in the subjects, The first lecture will bo delivered by the Key. F. Knowlcs, on " The Literary History of the Bible i " nt the Church of Kngland Schoolroom, on Monday 27th inst., at half-past 7 p.m. VVcctDKNT.— An accident fortunately unattended by serious consequences) occurred yesterday afternoon, at the works now in progress for the erection of n bridge across tho Avon, in Manchester street. About five o'clock tho men wero engaged shifting tho pile-driving apparatus, in order to commence a new row of plies further Iv stream when the platform gave way, and tho nmchlno together with two of tho men wero precipitated into tho river. The guy ropes fastened to uprights on the bank luckily prevented the apparatus from falling wltli the rapidity which otherwise would have been the case, and the only results of the mishap were a cold bath for tho men, and some little damage to tho machinery. Whilst speaking of tho bridge, it may be mentioned that the work of erection is progressing very satisfactorily, and that the whole structure will bo completed In about a fortnight. This will exceed tho contract time, by about six days, but tho delay in completion is the result of tho late wet weather rendering it dltllcult to procure the necessary timber. )<JTuk Strbmbch asks.— But little desire to speculate upon any of these events is yet apparent in sporting circles, and few more than uuAltilcnt bets have been made to enable the relative positions occupied by tho horses In public opinion to bo ascertained. AH the preliminary arrangements are progressing satisfactorily, and tho handicapping appears to hnvo met with general approval. His Worship tho Mayor has been requested to ofllclato as judge; and Mr Ilesketh will fullil the duties of clerk of tho course. Up to the present time, tho following is tho state of tho betting, together with the weights Imposed, and tho expected jockeys:— Mcrriniae, 12 st., (Splnks), !) to 2. taken; the Native, list 101 b., (Morris), fl to 4, taken; Trump, lost 7ibs., (Prince; 2 to 1; Don Pedro, list 7ll», (K. Hay), 2 to ] j Okair, lOst., (W, Chamberlain), fi to 1, offered j the Nob, lo*t,, G to 1, offered, By these quotations, it will bo seen that Merrlmne and the Native occupy tho leading positions, and, ho far as wo can learn, preference for either ia Homcwhnt doubtful, Kviuw was to have ridden the Nob, but «w he cannot ride the weight the mount is uncertain. It Is notified that all horses going over the course, previous to the dny fixed, will be disqualified. LYTTKI.TON VoiiUNTBKn AUTII.MiUY, — A full dress parade of the nlx>vo hMavy was held at the drill shed last evening by Captain Commandant W. H. liargreaves. About -15 members were present. The battery wna flr«t drilled for ono hour in pin-toon and manual exercise, nnd artillery foot drill, after which an adjournment took place to tho Queen's hotel, to attend a special general meeting of tho Battery. Captnin iinrgrcuvc* wan iv the chair. The minutes of tlu> former meeting having been read and confirmed, tho Buttery proceeded to fill up the vacancies among the non-commissioned ofllcera and members of committee, with thu following results :— First, Corporal Cummins to be third sergeant ; second, Corporal Tucker to bo first corporal ; Bombardier Owen to bo second corporal ; Gunner F. 11. Tnylor to be second bombardier. Gunners C. Hlch and l.\ Cameron were elected members of Commtttco, and Gunner Atkinson wiw appointed bugler to the Battery. Tho new muster roll and rules wero brought forward for tho first tlmo since the amalgamation of tho Batteries, and were signed by about thirty-five members, We understand that Captain Commandant liargreaves has signified his intention of presenting a very handnome prize, in the shape of a badge to be competed for by all members of tho Batlory as a commencement of tho shooting season. Wo believe that other prizes are talked offtJi likely to bo offered by other members, ' ./.i :■:' f : \-> ■.. •■ ■ ■

Lkcturk. — A lecture will lxs delivered iv tho Cliurch of England schools, J,ytteUon, on Monday next, by the Rev. F, Knowles. Tho subject; "The Literary Ilistory of tho Bible." GRNKiur. Camkron. — General Sir Duncan Ctuncron has accented the post of Governor of the Military College at Sandhurst. Tho post has been going a-begging since the death of the la.it holder, having been offered to some half-dozen officers, PiEuno Psebmoxia.— Daring tho last few days cattle have died, or it has been found necessary.to destroy them at the rate of about two daily on tho Maori Run. This is doubtloss owing to the return of warmer, weather. With reference to the beast which died recently on the Drain lload, it is thought that it* death was not the result of tho disease, but of general debility. \\ Ruiiß roit Talkbus.— Noono who wUhes that conversation should be jiletvtant to his ; neighbours as well as himself should speak | more than two* or three soatenca at once. However much ho may have to say, it will be all the more agreeably a.iid for giving other* the opportunity of a**crtlog, illustrating, qualifying, or tvon contradicting. The ball need* to ha returned by tho opposite player to make a lively game. Pmzk Firino. — Tho first com|)etition for prizes, under tho auspices of tho newly formed Engineer Corps Kitle Club, took place at Hillslwrough yesterday afternoon. The object of the club helug more particularly to eticourngo and stimulate young beginners, short ranges wore chosen for tho first match, with the intention of increasing the distances, as tho competitors progress in marksmanship, Tho day wiw very favourable for rifle shooting, being perfectly calm, with a tolerably clear atmosphere. The Hythe position and targets were adhered to throughout, and five shots were allowed at each range as will be seen by the detailed scores ; the competition was very close, and the scoring as a whole, remarkably good. Tho winner of tho first nrizo, Sapper Alien, is comparatively speak* ing a novico in shooting, and tlte club can therefore be congratulated on having attained success in its primary object. There were three prizes offered, and the following are the respective scores of tho competitors :—

The prizes wcro distributed by Cupt. Lean at the usual company parade, at the Drill Shed last night, Lecture.— Tho Rev Matthew Baxter delivered the first of two lectures on •' Sain the Major, and Sum the Minor," at the Town Hall lost evening, in aid of the funds of tho Benevolent {Society. We are glad to say that there was a good attendance. Mr William Montgomery, Deputy Superintendent, occupied the chair, nud introduced the lecturer by a few appropriate remarks. The lecturer referred to tho conjectures which had been hazarded as to the subjects of the lecture. Samuel Johnson was one of the Sams alwut whom he meant to talk, and Samuel Parr, one of the most distinguished linguist.'! and eminent men in Johnson's time, was the other. Samuel Parr was the son of a surgeon, about whom little was known, Parr was .sent to narrow Grammar School, and when he nod become tho foremost, scholar in that institution, ho was taken away by his father to be initiated In all tho mysteries of the healing art. Lite father found that his son w:w more disposed to criticise his proscriptions than to compound his medicines ; and after a little time he was sent to Kmanuel College, Cambridge, where ho distinguished himself as a most apt scholar, At the close of a year, his father died, and Parr was thrown upon tho world, but fortunately at tltat time Dr Simmer, head master of Harrow Grammar School, fixed upon him as hia assistant. On tho "death of Dr Simmer, Van endeavoured to obtain the head mastership, but in this ho won unsuccessful ; and the consequence was that ho set up a rival establishment at Hanmore, which shortly collapsed. Parr was then glad to accept the head-mastership of the Colchester Grammar School, and afterwards that of Norwich, Tho lecturer adverted to Parr's writings and character at considerable length. In many things, Sam the major and Sam the minor 'resembled each other, and they Juul been treated as historical parallels. Their collegiate courses wore- both cut short for want of means ; they wcro both ushers in board* ing school* ; both took to themselves wives as the sole condition of getting on in tho world} they both established sohools on tholr own behalf, which were utter failures ; they could compose rapidly, and much of tho independence of spirit in the one was apparent in the other. As an instance of Johnson's independent spirit, the lecturer read the critic's letter to Lord Chesterfield, when that nobleman pretended to bo patron of the dictionary which Johnson was about to publish. The lecturer also read Burns 1 famous " For a 1 that, an' a' that," which was loudly applauded. He announced that in tho next lecture (to take place on tho 3 1st) there would be more of moral excitation than had characterised the present one, and trusted to .see as large an attendance on that occasion. Votes of thanks to the lecturer and the chairman terminated the proceedings.

C<\\\U LcftU ... ... 15 15 15 45 SeuL.Mnjor Urnuhart ... 18 10 13 47 Sorgt. Woodford 18 15 13 40 Corpl. Innoi 18 15 U 17 „ Lookvrood ... 15 15 Id 44 Sapper htnnm ,„ ... 17 13 3 S3 „ Allen 18 13 17 48 „ "SVociforf ... 11 0 8 2d