Local and General.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 111, 21 September 1868, Page 2

Local and General.

Legal. — Mr Duncan will apply to-morrow for a rule nisi for a new trial in the case Miles and others v. Waitt and otherH. The Mayor's Cur. — The following are the scoree : — Artillery, 271; Engineers, 254; No. 2 Company Riflets, 271; and No. 6 Company, 272. Wkslkyan Missionary Socikty. — The annual meeting of the Lyttelton Anxilliary, will be held in the Wesleyan Chapel this evening The chair will be taken by Mr J. G. Fyfe, M.P.C. X, Poems. — We have to acknowledge the receipt of a small, and very neatly got up volume, entitled " Poems, by Chas. W Purnell." We shall take occasion to notice them at length in a future issue.

Cosfirmatios.— The Lord Bishop of Christchurch administered the rite of confirmation to about thirty persons, in St Luke's Church yesterday afternoon. The Church was crowded. The services commenced at 3 o'clock. The Rev E. A. Liugard, the incumbent, said prayers and read the lessons ; the psalms of the day were chanted by the choir. At the termination of the evening prayers, the 127 th hymn was sung, after which the Bishop commenced the Confirmation service. When the rite was administered, his Lordship delivered an address to the 3">ung people. There were three things ueces -ary, he said, to enable them to lead a Christian life — firstly, diligence in reading the Bible ; secondly, prayer ; and thirdly, going often to Holy Communion, and partaking of it devoutly. He concluded his address by making an appeal to the congregation on behalf of the Maori Mission. LYTTELTON HonTICULTUUAL SOCIETY. A meeting of the inhabitants was held on Saturday afternoon ia the Colonists' Hall. Dr Rouse took the chair, and briefly stated the reasons for calling the meeting. Lyttelton years ago, took the lead in horticultural matters, and he felt sure the Bays would assist them. It was resolved, " That a society, to be called the ' Lyttelton and Port Victoria Horticultural Society,' bo formed." A discussion ensued, respecting the show in November next. Mr Chalmers said he hoped it would be open for all kinds of garden produce. The chairman agreed with MrChalmers that the show would be thrown open for all kinds of local produce. The following gentlemen were elected .as a committee pro tern. to draw up rules, and report at a future general meeting: — Dr House, Chairman; Messrs. W. Donald, T. Person, 11 . R, Webb, C. H. Woledge, J. S. Wilcox, E. S. Ellisdon, A. Chalmers, J. Carder, W. Webb. Mr "Woledge was elected treasurer, and Mr J. Carder, hon. secretary. Mr Wilcox said he hoped that at the first show they would be able not only to exhibit flowers, &c, but also the natural products of the Canterbury settlement ; there were many things that might be exhibited — flax, for instance, in ;i,ll its stages of preparation, the different woods grown in New Zealand, wool, coal, &c, and numerous other things the produce of the province; nor would he confine it to Canterbury alone, but throw it open to all New Zealand. He was certain it would do great good; and although the first show might not be a great success, yet the move-rent would increase in importance year by year. it was resolved that the committee meet on Wednesday evening next, at the Colonists' Hall, wheu they will be glad to receive any suggestions in reference to the object in view. A vote of thanks to the chairman terminated the meeting. Smart Wohk. —We congratulate the Evening Mail on having done the "smartest" thing yet on record, even in the history of our contemporary's career, which can shew a very liberal sprinkling of queer transactions. The Star of Saturday happened to be published with even greater punctuality than we iu variably strive to attain, and for the simple reason that we had received all the news likely to come in Among the latest telegrams was one received from Wellington on Saturday morning, giving the result of the division on Mr Fox's " No confidence " motion — rather au important piece of news by the way. About an hour after the Star was pretty well over the town the Evening Mail made its appearance with the identical telegram of which we have spoken, word for word, except a few unimportant omissions. That telegram was stolen from the columns of the Slur, aud we believe the public will agree with us in thinking that the Evening Mail has now surpassed all its former performances in the way of literary larceny. To " convey " from the morning papers is a mere everyday or cverynigtit occurrence with our contemporary. But, to wait till another evening paper i:s published, and then to /transfer the latest telegraphic news from its columns is a feat which deserves to be recorded. As we said before, it is decidedly the " smartest " piece of work we remember to have met with. We have no, intention of indulging in a controversy oiy this matter, and we may as well prove al once that the Star telegram was stolen bf the Evening Vail. We have two pieces or evidence, each conclusive. In the first place, we know for a certainty that our Wellington correspondent would not send a telegram to Ihe Evening Mail ; therefore, if our contemporary did receive a telegram, it must ha,ve been from another source. Yet the story is told by the Evening Mail in exactly the words used in the Star. Strange that two distinct correspondents should hit upon the same style and words in which to tell a tale ; so strange, indeed, tlint " we don't believe they did no sich thing." iut there is even .stronger evidence of the theft. All telegrams, at least all our telegrams, are scut in a sort of cipher ; that is, only the leading words of a sentence are given. These have to be translated, as it were, filled up in fact, by the person who receives the telegram. From long practice in his work, our Wellington correspondent contrives to send a lot of news in very small compass, and from constantly working witl; him, we have no difficulty in knowing exactly what he means, or even in constructing the sentences from a speech word for word as intended. Now, we may just say, in conclusion, as the old Scotchwoman said to Sir Walter Scott when she challenged him with being the author of the Waverley novels on the strength of having noticed several stories which she had herself told him reproduced in her own words — " Do you think 1 dinna ken my am groats amang ither folks' kail." \\ c know our own words when we see them again. Our contemporary might, when he was about it, have taken the precaution not to adopt our punctuation. For his own sake, that is. Of course avc value the compliment , which is implied by such very slavish' imitation, although we don't admire the (hicving.

Lytteltos Boatzsg Club. — On Saturday the members of this club commenced practising for the forthcoming regatta. The crewselected were mostly new members. Ca^terbuuy Rowing Club. — A general meeting was held at the boat shed on Saturday afternoon. Mr C. B. Grierson presided, and twelve others were present. A ballot was taken for new members, and resulted in Messrs J. Palmer, ,T. A. Bird, D. Craig, A. Straohey, W. B. Buller, W. L. Miller, M. Macpherson, R. Waitt, and C. A. Nalder being elected. J. 11. Ilerdson was next appointed captain of the club, and the committee were authorised to have the four-oar Avon, and pair-oar Nameless put in thorough repair. A vote of thanks to the Chairman terminated the proceedings.