Local and General.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 94, 1 September 1868, Page 2

Local and General.

— - — • <\y» Kaiapoi Building Society. — This society meets to-morrow, at ths lustitute, for the transact iou of their ordinary business. Thk Waimakarihi. — This river iscarrying a considerable fresh, but at 9 a.m. there did not seem any probability of an overflow. The Ashley wns still impassable this morning. The Weataiier. — Rain commenced to fall in Christchurch and Kaiapoi between 3 and 4 o'clock this morning. At. the latter place it had fallen heavily up to the time our express left." Kaiapoi Borough Council. — The nomination of new Councillors took place this afternoon, at the Council Chamber. We understand there is every prospect of a sharp contest, as more than the number required wcro probably nominated, and recent events in regard to the bridge site have caused party feeling to run rather high. Soiree.— To-morrow evening a soiree in connection with St. John's Presbyterian Church will be held in the Colonists' Hall. Tea will be on the table at six o'clock, after which a public meeting will be held, when the Revs. J. Mcintosh. C. Fraser, F. Knowles, A. Reid and G. Grant, and Mr D. Thomson will deliver addresses. The proceedings will be enlivened by a selection of music by the choir. Acclimatization. — The rill in which the first solitary trout was turned out has been recently emptied, in order to set at rest the misgi rings with respect to the existence of the fish. The result was most satisfactory. Tito trout is alive aud well, and is now enjoying the society of its lately captured and long-lost mate. Some hen pheasants have been received from Auckland in exchange for some of the valuable poultry at tlie gar-icr.3 of the Society. 'Seeds of the sugar beet, buck wheat, chicory, &c, have been obtained, and will be sold to members at the cost price.

Albion' Cricket Club. — The annual general meeting of members was held last night at the City Hotel. Mr Turner presided, and there was a large attendance of both active and honorary members. A letter from the treasurer, stating his inability to attend and submit the financial statement, was read, and the business of the evening beiug thus obstructed, it was decided to adjourn until Wednesday, the Oth instant. Before breaking up several matters bearing upon the future operations of the club were discussed, and there was an evident determination to enter upon the coming season with energy aud spirit. Mr Bowlky's Concert. — The concert recently given by Mr Rowley and family in aid of the Orphan Asylum, has resulted in that institution being credited with the handsome sum of £25 Os 6d. A cheque for the sum netted has been duly handed to Mr Giraud, the Superintendent of the Asylum. In addition to his services in this respect, Mr Rowley, assisted by Messrs jCaj-gill, Baggett, and Mrs Pope, has interested himself in collecting pictorial papers for amusing the children in the asylum. So far a considerable number has been obtained ; and we must also mention that the children of Mr C. J. Reader have prepared a large scrap book of illustrations for the same purpose. Seeing the isolated condition of the inmates of the Asylum, and the slight amusement they get, together with the inability of its promoters from shortness of funds to supply these little wants, the general public would confer a great boon by contributing papers containing pictures of any kind. Mr Rowley will be glad to receive them, and forward them to their destination. Avon Road Board. — The usual fortnightly meeting was held yesterday morning, at the Board office, Ferry road. Present — Messrs Peacock (chairman), Lame, Abbot, and Joyce. The minutes of last meeting were read and confirmed. The C'erk reported the credit balance at the bauk to be £202. The chairman stated that he had received the sum of £100 from the Government, as part of the grant for main roads, and that he had placed the same in the bank. The Clerk's report Was read and discussed. The estimated cost of forming a permanent roadway across No. 2 outfall drain, near the Horseshoe Lake was given at £40, but being in excess of the sum at disposal for the work, the surveyor was instructed to consider whether a cheaper plan could not he devised. Tenders were ordered to be invited for forming and metalling the lower St Albans road, Dickenson's to Mahar's corner, and for about 58 chains of the North Avon road from Dudley Creek to the Sandhills. Mr Joyce, on behalf of residents in the vicinity applied for the sum of £1 towards the expenses of lowering a culvert on the New Brighton road, which was granted. The following correspondence was read and discussed -. — A letter from Mr C. It. Blakiston and otiier residents on the Springfield road complaining of Mr Joynt obstructing the watercourse on the north side of the roadway. The surveyor was requested to report at next meeting on tb- best means for draining tliat part of the road. Letter from Mr Salter, and residents in St Albans, asking for a culvert to be placed across the head of a private road. The application was refused, as not referring to public property. Letter from W. Davison and others residing on section 1048 iv St Albans, complaining of a drain overflowing on to their land, and requesting that steps should be taken for preventing its recurrence. Referred to the surveyor, with instructions to attend to it at once. Accounts amounting to £45 17s 8d were passed and ordered to be paid. Christchdrcii Land, Building, and Investment Society, No. 2. — A general meeting of shareholders was held at the Town Hall, last evening, Mr W. D. Barnard, presiding. The Chairman announced that the number of shares taken up amounted to 530. The meeting had now to proceed to the election of six trustees, a treasurer, a secretary, and a committee, and to adopt rules for the guidance of the society. After considerable desultory discussion, it was moved by Dr Turnbull and seconded by Mr J. L. Coster, " That the rules of No. 1 Society, with the exception of clause 4 in rule 10, be adopted." The Secretary, pro tern, drew attention to a recommendation which had been made at a preliminary meeting to reduce the rate of interest ou the redemption of shares from Gs to 5s per month. Dr Turnbull strongly supported the reduction, as a higher rate would not be in keeping with the times, and would prevent working men from availing themselves of the benefits which it was the primary object of the society to afford. Mr Coster also supported the recommendation for a reduction of the rate of interest. He did not think that working men could pay six shillings a month. v r Nathan opposed the reduction. No. 1 Society had taken eight and a-half years to work out, and if the rate of interest were lowered to ss, in all likelihood the new society would take ten years tb work out, unless some very extraordinary circumstances occurred. Mr Ness remiuded the meetiug that the working expenses of the new society would not be so great as those of the old one. The reduction was agreed to. The Chairman said that the preliminary meeting had also recommended the adoption of the following clause — "That there shall he a compulsory ballot among the holders of unrealised shares, should any accumulation occur.'"' Discussion on the subject was postponed until a future meeting. It was moved by Dr Turnbull, seconded by Mr Ness, and agreed to: — " That the rules as amended be adopted." The meeting then proceeded to the election of officers, and the result was as follows : — Trustees -. Messrs Wm Wilson, Major Packe, John Anderson, William Reeves, J. Ollivier, and H. E. Alport; Treasurer, Mr W. G. Brittan ; Secretary, Mr Charles Allison ; Committee : — Messrs. Cartman, Dale, '1 homson, J. Atkinson, Money, Barnard, Briggs, J. C. Atkinson, Ness, Pearce, Pratt, and McDougall.

Earthquakes.— The Rev William Kirton will deliver a lecture on this subject in the Presbyterian Church, Kaiapoi, to-morrow evening. S<The Immigrants. — The ship Light Brigade brought out six families, eleven single men, and eighty-seven single women. To show the rapidity with which this batch of immigrants has been absorbed, we may state that within eight hours after the barracks were opened to employers, there remained the following : — 1 family. 6 single men, and 8 single "women. As is generally the case, several immigrants have gone to their friends residing in the province, who procure situations for them. Kaiapoi Dramatic Society. — Last evening this talented society gave another of their excellent performances. Owing to the threatening aspect of the weather the attendance was not so large as usual. The pieces selected were " A Desperate Game," and " The Terrible Secret." Both were performed in a manner which would have done credit to a professional company. The sooiety were fortunate in securing the services of Miss Herberte in both pieces; her easy, natural style of acting Mrs Summerton in the former, and Lilly in the latter piece left nothing to be desired. On this occasion the society had provided an excellent orchestra, which most agreeably filled up the intervals, and also played at the ball which, as usual concluded the entertainment. Diseased Cattle Acts. — By an order in Council, published in the New Zealand Gazette, it is notified that the following alterations have been made by the Governor in the regulations already published with reference to the infected district in the province, proclaimed on June 12 :— lnstead of the penalty of fifty pounds in the third, seventh, ninth, tenth, eleventh, thirteenth, and sixteenth of the said regulations respectively mentioned, any person offending against the provisions of the said regulations in any of the cases therein respectively mentioned, and for offence agidnst which a a penalty of fifty pounds is by the said regulations declared to be imposed, shall, for every such offence, be liable to a penalty not exceeding fifty pounds and not being less than five pounds. The ninth of the said regulations shall be read as if there had been omitted therefrom the words "may be taken before two Justices of the Peace and." The following refers to infected districts out of the province, proclaimed on June 9: — Instead of the penalty of fifty pounds in the first and third of the said regulations respectively mentioned, any person offending against the said regulations in any of the cases therein respectively mentioned, shall for every such offence be liable to a penalty of any sum not being less than five pounds and not exceeding fifty pounds. The third of the said regulations shall be read as if there had been omitted therefrom the words " may be taken before two Justices of the Peace and."