Loca and General.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 134, 16 October 1868, Page 2

Loca and General.

— * — Overland Route Dissolving Views. — I he weather last night was so bad as to deter many from attending this exhibition in Lyttelton. Not to disappoint those who had come, a large number of the views were shown, and it was announced that the entertainment would be given on a future occasion. _^,Kaiafoi. — Our correspondent, writing tins morning, says: — It blew a gale here yesterday, and rained from N.W. most of the night. The river has not risen yet to any great extent, but it is expected to be very high at high water this evening. Some few buildings are damaged. The Ashley is impassable. The Telegraph. — From various sources we learn that the lines of telegraph — north, south, and west — have been very considerably damaged by the gale of yesterday. Between Christchurch and Kaiapoi, some dozen or more of the poles are down, and frora Kaiapoi to Woodend there are also several broken. We are afraid it will be some time before communication is restored with the priucipal stations. Governor's Bay.— On Wednesday, the 7th inst., Mr Torlesse delivered his lecture on the " Overland Route," in the School-room, at Governor's Bay, to a crowded audience, composed of people from the immediate neighbourhood, and of visitors from a distance. An evening's amusement had long heen promised to the people of Governor's Bay, on the occasion of the opening of the boarding house in connection with the school, but the inclemency of the weather, and other causes, prevented the entertainment from coming off before. The lecture is not new, as it has been delivered on more occasions than one in Christchurch. It was amply illustrated on Wednesday evening by a magic lantern, together with readings and songs, by Mr aud Mrs Digby, the former of whom is the master of the school ; Mrs J. Phillips presiding at the piano. The entertainment was most successful, the audience testifying their approval by frequent applause; and a sum of £7 10s being realised, which will materially help to liquidate the debt on the new school buildings. Oxfokd. — A meeting was held at the Harewood Arms Hotel, Oxford, on Wednesday night, for the purpose of establishing a new Lodge of Odd Fellows in connection with the North Canterbury District Manchester Unity, 1.0. 0. F. There were present D.P G.M. Bro. Robinson in the G.M.s chair; P.P.G.M. Bro. Stephenson in the N.G.s chair ; P.G. Davis in the V.G.s chair ; P.P.G.M. Bro. Morton, acting secretary ; P.G. Wright, P.V. Milson, P.G. Woodfield, and Bros. Davis, Luers, Waring, and Rces. The Lodge havmg been duly opened, and the initiation of candidates over, the brethren proceeded to elect their own officers for the ensuing sitting, which resulted as follows, viz., P. G., Bro. Woodfield, Noble Grand ; Bro. Davics, Vice-Grand ; and Bro. Reas, ! Elective Secretary. They were duly installed with the usual formalities, after which several "new names wee proposed as candidates for initiation on the next Lodge night. After closing of the Lodge a most pleasant evening was spent, enlivened with

some excellent songs and appropriate speeches, the company parting with mutual congratulations. I -"-/-Change of Market Dat. — A requisition is at present in course of signature, asking the Mayor of Christchurch to convene a public meeting at the Town Hall, in order to take into consideration the advisability of altering the market day. The requisition has already 103 signatures of farmers and employers attached to it, and amongst them is the name of his Honor Mr Justice Gresson. Cricket. — A meeting was to have been held in Latimer Square yesterday evening, for the purpose of forming a youths' cricket club, but the inclemency of the weather rendered it impossible, and an adjournment was made to Tuesday next. It is expected that a strong club will be organised, and the requisite bats and wickets being already in band, the expense of membership will not place it beyond the reach of the class of boys it is intended to benefit. "fs,THE Weather. — Yesterday a strong norwester commenced to blow about noon, raising immense clouds of dust in the streets, and increasing to a gale in the evening. Between five and six the wind was at its height, and continued for some time with great violence. Shortly after six it veered round to the north-east, and rain began to fall, which continued at intervals through the night. During the storm a large pane of glass in the window of Mr Hislop's shop, corner of Colombo and Lichfield streets, was forced in and carried to the opposite end of the shop. At Lyttelton, a rapid fall of the barometer in the morning indicated bad weather, and Captain Gibson intimated to the captains of all the vessels in harbour, that such might be expected. The tide was unusually high during the day, and the wind blew in terrific gusts, breaking down the fruit trees in the gardens and doing other damage. Railway Rowing Club. — A general meeting of members was held at Coker's Hotel, Mr Crosbie presiding, and a large number being present. The Rev J. OB. Hoare and Mr Crosbie were appointed to act as commodore andvice-commodorerespectively. The rules, as revised by the committee, were brought up, and, after some trifling alterations, adopted. The chairman introduced a proposition which had been made for the j formation of a branch of the club in Lyttel- ! ton. The committee had affirmed it, and desired the consideration of the gene- | ral body of members. Several gentlemen had already promised to join, and the amount calculated to be received in subscriptions would more than pay the attendant expense. It was not intended to purchase a new boat for the branch, but to hire a suitable whale boat from one of the waterm-.-n for the members to practice in. In conclusion, the chairmau pointed out the advantage that would accrue to the club in having a portion of the members practising in rough water, with a view to contesting the Lyttelton Regatta races. After some explanation from Mr Packard, the originator of the proposal, the establishment of the branch was approved, and the committee were empowered to make the requisite arrangements for carrying it into effect. Messrs W. Montgomery, G. Gould, and E. Jollie were elected trustees of the club, and Messrs H. A. Scott, W. J. Lane, R. W. Gaynor, J. Eaves, F. Fowke, and G. Walker, were admitted as active members. At the suggestion of Mr Valpy, the commodores were requested to select crews for the boats at once, in order that they might go into training without delay. Early Closing Ass iciation. — A meeting was held at the Oddfellow' Hall, last evening, for the purpose (according to advertisement) of forming an Early Closing Association. The weather was very inclement, and most probably this was the reason of the paucity of attendance. Mr Woodford occupied tlie chair. He stated the purposes for which the meeting had been convened, and informed those present that he had had a conversation with Mr Wynn Williams on the subject. This gentleman expressed himself iv favour of the movement, and his willingness to forward it as much as it was in his power to do so. The chairman also added that he had received a cheque from Mr Williams for £2, towards the fund, which it was necessary to raise in order to carry the movement to a successful issue. This announcement was received with applause. \Za gentleman brought forward a resolutionfTo the effect that an association should be formed for the protection of the interests of assistants generally in Christchurch. This resolution gave rise to considerable discussion. Mr Robert Dawson and others strongly opposed the resolution. The former stated his experience of similar associations, and his belief that they would be productive of more injury than benefit to the employed, because they had a tendency to create opposition iv the minds of employers. He believed that much more good would be effected by means of private applications to employers than by the establishment of an association of the nature that was intendedyl Mr James Booth endorsed the views expressed by tbe previous speaker, aud stated to the meeting his experiences trades' associations in Australia. He was jlccidedly in favour of the early closing movement,- but was far from believing that the \establishment of an- association would haw; Uie effect of bringing about this desirable endj. After coming to t. hristchurch he had ccmTinued the half-holiday system for two yem-a and a-half, but no one followed his exampleujnd as he was losing money in consequence, hajwas compelled to do asother employers did£Some further discussion ensued^ and ultiniateTy the resolution was withdrawn^ It was then proposed that the meeting should be adjourned iv consequence of the inclemency ot the weather. Mr Dawson proposed an amendment to the effect that the subject should be postponed until that day twelve months. The amendment was lost on a show of hands being taken, and the resolution for adjournment, iv consequence of tbe weather, agreed to.

Ltttelton Sunday School Union. — A meeting of the members of this society will take place this evening at seven o'clock, in the High School. Papanui. — The third of the winter series of lectures was given in St Paul's Schoolroom on Wednesday evening, by Mr F. J. Garrick, on the life of Captain Hedley Vicars. The memorials of this devoted servant of God and gallant British Soldier, were handled in a masterly and most interesting manner by the lecturer. His early years — the thoughtlessness of youth — the high spirit tempered with gentleness — the touching scene of hia father's dying bed, as he laid his hand upon his boy's head and breathed the prayer, " that he might be a good soldier of Jesus Christ, and so fight manfully under his banner as to glorify his holy name " — his filial affection and devotion to his widowed mother — were all enlarged upon. A sketch was then given of his entering upon military life as an ensign in H.M.s 97th regiment— the ordering of the regiment to Canada, and the remarkable manner of his conversion to God there — then the trials he had to undergo at first on account of religion— and, in the face of all difficulties— his consistent, earnest christian walk. Various touching incidents were related, and a very interesting and instructive lecture was concluded by a brief account of the Crimean campaign, the courage, energy and zeal of Hedley Vicars as a British officer, his untiring and successful efforts for good amongst liis fellow soldiers — and, his last moments as he fell, leading on his men to victory. St Paul's schoolroom has just been enlarged at a cost of nearly £50, raised by subscription through the exertions of the excellent master and mistress. The room was completely filled by an audience who listened with unflagging interest to the memorials of Hedley Vicars, and the valuable and eloquent remarks of the lecturer. •^Samoa.— The Fijian Weekly News has the following :— By the cutter Lapwing we are informed that on the 1 5th August, a tidal wave, twelve feet high, swept inshore at Apia, wathing away two bridges over the creeks in the town, wiih several trees, and other slight damage. The day was perfectly fine. The tide at high wa'.er rose a little higher than usual, but nt low water, without any earthquake shock or previous warning, the tide suddenly ro9e in one immense wave, overwhelming the town, and entering the houses, while for six hours after, the sea continued advancing and receding in lesser waves. It whs- reported that at Fangalon, the house of Mr Macfarlane was washed away, and that further to the eastward much greater damage was cnusedj It is worthy of note that the night or early morning tide nt Vewa, Fiji, rose to an unusual height at the same time. We have not heard of it having been observed elsewhere. English Sparrows. — The following ig from an American paper : — ln the spring of 1566, four pairs of English sparrows came to the Union square Park, N_w York, and there built. Three pairs occupied the trees ; one ejected a wren from her little house, the only brick-house then in the square, and took possession ; a fifth built in.the ivy of Dr Cheever's Church, facing the square. The industry of theso little lellows in devouring the measuring worm (so great a nuisance that most persons avoided passing through the park preferring to go round during their occupancy, and so numerous were they that they did not leave a leaf on any tree except the alianthus)was such that boxes were provided on almost all the trees for them. In one year they increased fron five pairs to a flock of 70, and they are now estimated a*. 600. Last summer a reward of one dollar a head was offered for worms, but the birds had eat the last one ; they also eat moths, grasshoppers, aud many other insects. These birds have extended about 40 miles in every direction. Tlie estimate that they destroy in Europe one-half million bushels of grain was probably correct ; but how much would ihe insects they devour destroy ? The question is, which is the greatest evil, worm or bird, and which most readily controlled? The Victorian Labour Market. — The following letter appears in the Argus of Sept, 26: — I am painfully compelled to state tliat the depressed and overstocked state of the labour market at present betokens serious suffering to be impending for the labouring classes in Melbourne. It .«eems next to impossible to obtain employment either in town orcountry.no matter how eligible or experienced a man may be. I have myself, (a married man) daily attended the labour agency offices the last six weeks, and all other places that were likely to yield employment, still lam unable to obtain work,notwithstanding I am well experienced in farm and station w~>rk, vineyard work, and several descriptions of town work. I am a medium scholar possessed of flrst-class testimonials, still all my efforts for employment are fruitless Where one man, or a man and wife are advertised for in your paper, the places are crowded with applicants by the score before your paper is an hour on tho board, and all those congregated about the doors, and even on the foot-walks into the streets of the places bespoken, assume a really pitiful and needy appearance, from the scores of applicants where one only is wanted. Yesterday, a gentleman advertised for a married man to take charge of a paddock. By eight o'clock a.m. twenty-one married men (myself one of them) were jammed u;> in the passage to his office, each bent on having the first word with tlie gentleman ; but as he did not arrive at the office until eleven o'clock, the applicants increased to about thirty-five, and on his arrival he was beset by those outside the pathway and the street ; and it appeared that the gentleman, through pity, iti order not to have bis feelings harrowed up by •he multitude of applicants, hired tbe second or third man who got word with him on the footpath ; and as he endeavoured to push his way through the disappointed to his office he .-cry feelingly remarked. " I could not have imagined that times were quite so bad as this."

Ventilation. —In ill-ventilated workrooms men strip to the skin to enable them to bear the heat, which is intense and almost stifling. Continuous breathing of polluted air both in rooms and in workshops causes lassitude of mind and body, and a resort to stimulants, resulting in habits of intemperance. Badly-ventilated houses produce virulent diseases, which raise the death-rate ; yet hundreds of houses are built yearly without any provision for ventilation. The lowest death-rate is 11 per 1000 and the highest 45 per 1000. The lowest is inevitable, and arises from inherent natural diseases ; but death-rates from 11 per 1000 to 45 per 1000 are referable to zymotic diseases caused by defective sanitary arrangements. The death-rate of the metropolis is 24 per 1000 ; but if houses, drains, and sewers were properly ventilated, the drains and sewers trapped, and the sewers made self-deansing. the people would become more healthy, hardy, and happy, and the deathrate would be reduced probably to 18 per 1000. How to do it ii known, and it would be done if the Metropolitan Board of Works and the local boards and vestries were to take it in hand, not piecemeal, but upon a wellorgtnized system for the whole of the metropolis. Until it is done the poor will become poorer, the parish rates will be made higher, and the death rate will be increased. White Heat and Black Coats.— The Lancet of a recent date says :— Why do not the members of our profession set a good example by clothing themselves in a rational manner duriug the present weather? We learnt from Franklin a century ago that the solar heat is absorbed with greater or less facility according to the colour of the object exposed to the rays. Every one remembers how he put pieces of cloth, similar in texture and size, but different in colour, upon fresh fallen snow, in the sunlight, and how he found the snow melted under the pieces of cloth quickest when the cloth was black, less quickly under the blue, green, purple, red, yellow, in the order enumerated, and very slowly indeed under the white. Each day's experience shows us that we do not need to be made of snow in order to molt rapidly under a black coat. What we require for comfort is of course a white material, in order that the heat rays may be reflected as much and absorbed as little as possible. The material should be porous— should imprison, that is, large quantities of air in its texture, and serve, therefore, as a very bad conductor of heat, while at the same time facilitating evaperation of the moisture from the surface of the body. These qualities are possessed in the highest degree by white flannel, and there is no reason that we can find why this material should not be adopted generally in place of the atrocious costume which fashion inflicts upon suffering mankind. Exciting Scene at a 801 l Fight.— The Gibraltar Chronicle of June 30 contains the following.-—" We hear that the bull fights on Sunday last at Cadiz were so excessively bad that an cmeute ol rather terrifying dimensions occurred in the bull ring. As far as the cuadrilla was concerned the audience had no cause for complaint. Gordito and Lagartijo were both there, and the torreros were all above the average. Unfortunately the bulla were considerably below par. The first two were indifferent, and the third was so chicken-hearted that he was driven out of the ring by the execrations of the spectators, the Autoridad being compelled to give way before the vehement cries of " fuera " which resounded from every bench. Although the fourth bull required " fuego," it was eventually killed, but on the entrance of the fifth bui almost instantaneously the whole of the vast ma.s rose as one man, and shouting " fuera, fuera," with stentorian lungs, tore in ribands the whole of the woodwork of the Plaza. Everything gave way before their rage. Heats, barricades, and pillars were rent asunder to supply the infuriated populace weapons. Armed with these logs, and planks and splinters, they descended into the ring, aud for the space of ten minutes or more proceeded themselves to bait the bull in amateur fashion, raining on him a torrent of blows, and stupifying him with their repeated assaults. Not that he sur/endered at discretion. Several times he charged, but always without effect, and at last stood at bay, cowed and terrified. It was now high time for the intervention of the authorities. The assembly sounded, and a large body of Guardia Civil marching into the arena resolutely proceeded to clear it. Although brave enough before El Toro, the rioters did not Jare to face the guardians of the peace. They turned and fled without striking a blow, leaving the ring empty, and the bull to be dispatched by the new comers ; for it is almost needless to state that the torreros — escapadas, picadoris, banderilleros, one and all — had disappeared at the first symptoms of the disturbance. The media luna was produced, aud several unskilled and futile effort* were made to hamstring the enemy by this most barbarous of weapons. It was eventually necessary to call in the assistance of some of the mozos of the company, who disabled the bull ; jet, with tendons cut and limping painfully, he managed to hobble out of the ring. Long before this the house itself had been deserted by the most respectable of the audience, who had feared the most serious consequences. A further order was issued to complete the clearance of the plaza, which was effected vi et armis. Outside the doors a strong force of infantry was formed in readiness to take an active part in quelling the disturbance. Nor had the fire engiues, as coercive weapons, been forgotten by the authorities, who seemed to be well aware of the potency of cold water to allay the effervescence of rioters. However, the affair passed off quietly, and without further breach of the peace. Jt was generally expected that the events of Sunday would lead to a prohibition of the second day's bull flght, which had been announced for Monday.

Recent Events in Abtssinia. — A cor respondent of the Levant Herald, writing from Massowah on the 23rd of June, said, — " The antagonistic native political forces in Abyssinia having been relieved by the result of our late campaign from the pressure which prevented the marked preponderance of any one of them, are now finding full play in the ambition of each chief to outstrip his rivals on the road to supreme power. Wagshum Gobazie, of Lasta, who excused himself from a personal interview with Sir Robert Napier, probably thiukiug that he might be led into negotiations which would hamper his own policy, and refused the offer of the hill fort of Magdala as isolated, and requiring for its occupation more military force and money than he could spare, has become the leading actor on the scene quitted by us. He seems to have speculated on our success. Besides, our presence created some awe in the country, and for the time left everybody in doubt as to what would be the final issue of affairs. If the Wagshum also was successful in his plans, and we went away, he would figure as the greater hero, from having relied on his own resources only, and more patriotic, from having avoided us. Accordingly, as soon as Theodore advanced from Debra Tabor (off the southeast corner of the Lake Izana) to meet us, the Wagshum stepped in, and secured possession of a stronghold, unassailable by native soldiery, in the most fertile part of Abyssinia, and calculated to confer upon him the prestige of occupying the very seat of the supreme power wielded by the late ftmperor. The occupation of this important point accomplished, the Wagshum next turned his attention to his northern rivals, who were two— Tcsbu Gobazie, his namesake, but no relative, and Kasa-sha Buzbug (Kasa the Destroyer). Tessu Gobazie wa3 brought to an engagement by the Wagshum, and killed in the battle by him, while our troops were on the return march. It was not, however, prudent to attack Kasa while we were in Abyssinia, in consequence of his having entered into relations with us. He had rendered us considerable service in procuring us forage and carriage on our first reaching Senafe. The last news from this part of Abyssinia is that the Wagshum Gobazie has called upon Kasa to submit, and, it is said, has no intention of leaving him in peaceful possession of the warlike stores left to him by Sir Robert Napier. From the Wagshum's character he will most likely prove an overmatch for Kasa, in which case, the Inst killed or not, he will have to give up all his material of war, which may answer our purpose so much the better, since we can only desire to see Abys.dnu independent, and iv the best hands for defending it. The Abyssinian Church is a branch of the Coptic, of wliich the Chief Patriarch resides at Cairo. The head of the Abyssinian Church proper is appointed by this Patriarch. At present there ia no Abyssinian chief entitled, from his superior power, to prefer a request for a new bishop, or, as he is called in Abygsinia, abuna. The abuna would, of course, be a trump card in the hands of either the Wagshum or Kasa if they could get him. Both have written to the Coptic Patriarch at Cairo, Kasa the more persistently, being the more sceptical of his ability to oppose his rival. The Wagshum, in anticipation of obtaining the chief authority, intimates to the Coptic Patriarch at Cairo that he is at issue with Kusa, and begs his Holiness to defer the appointment of an abuna until their difference! are entitled — that is, until he has settled Kasa." Australian Preserved Meat. — The preserved meats of Australia appear to be rapidly advancing in favour in the London market. We extract the following from the Standard of the 4th August: — " We have bad the opportunity of making observations on the effects of the recent hot weather upon the large quantity of Australian beef and mutton brought over about two months ago from Melbourne, by Mr D. Tallerman, of 3 Jeffrey's Square, St. Mary-axe, which we noticed a few weeks ago, as appearing to us to be the cheapest and best process for bringing large quantities of sound meat into our markets which we have yet seen. The meat, after being boned, is, as some of our readers may recollect, placed in a pickle, and having been spiced, is made into rolls, which are corded over like Hambro' beef. Tlie beef rolls comprise the meat of a quarter of an ox, and weigh from forty to seventy pounds. Those made of mutton are of two kinds — legs, and rolls about three feet in length by eight or nine inches in diameter, containing the meat of a sheep and weighing about thirty-five pounds each. These rolls are covered with cloth, and are then packed in tierces which are filled up with melted beef or mutton fat, which completely excludes the air. Not only did this meat cargo arrive in excellent condition, but uncooked pieces of it which we have since inspected at intervals of several days, have been quite unaffected by the heat of the weather. Slices cut off got dry on the surfaces, but there was nothing like a taint of putrefaction, even after they had been exposed for n fortnight. A leg of mutton which we have had cooked gave meat of an excellent quality and flavour, although ie was not so nice as it probably would liave been had we followed our own ideas, instead of the printed directions of Mr Warrier. The meat ought to have been soaked for forty - eight hours instead of twelve, and it should, we think, have been steamed for ten minutes per pound, instead of twenty. The fat, and this is a great poiut. was mellow and sweet, and the nutritious and muscle-making property of the food was greater in proportion to its weight and bulk than that of fresh meat. We had an opportunity of shewing a portion of this leg of mutton to that distinguished physiologist and surgeon, Mr James Paget, who characteristically remarked that if he were hungry he would like to eat a bit himself. Mr Tallerman expects to receive some sugar-cured meat shortly, and also some fresh meat cured in fat at 212 degrees, as suggested by Dr

[ Letheby, whose valuable papers on this subject have been of great assistance to us in our researches. We cannot say that we think that the plan will answer, as the fat at that temperature will half cook the meat, and will also, we are afraid, infiltrate it."