Local and General.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 159, 14 November 1868, Page 2

Local and General.

The Lime Light. — As an experiment, sereral streets in the city of Edinburgh are being illuminated at night by means of the lune-light. /^Melbourne Cathedral. — We hear on very good authority that Mr Robert Speechly, late of Christchurch, has been appointed architect of the Melbourne Cathedral. - A Again. — A telegram from Wei* lington, dated yesterday, informs us that this distinguished traveller had attempted to commit suicide by throwing himself off Auckland wharf. We trust his recent love affair among the Maoris was not the cause of this attempt. Fibre. — It has been ascertained that bundles of fibre of equal size of silk and flax gave the following unequal powers of resistance : — Silk supported without breaking a weight of 34 lbs ; New Zealand flax, 23 4-s th lbs ; hemp, 16 J lbs ; ordinary flax, 11$ lbs ; cotton, less than 7 lbs. \£ Red and Grey. — It has been found while Tiring at the "running man " target at Wimbledon, which is scarlet on one side and grey on the other, that the scarlet dazzles the eye, and is hence the most difficult to hit, from leaving a red streak behind it, which unsettles the aim. The grey side was struck seventy-four times, and the red only fortytwo times. It is a curious fact too, that those with grey eyes hit fairer than those with eyes of other colours. The " Times " Minstrels. — These Mm strels will perform at the Colonists' Hall this evening, on behalf of the Lyttelton Benevolent Aid Fund. The programme is the same attractive one that was submitted a fortnight ago to the Christchurch public. We can safely premise that the Minstrels will be highly appreciated by our Lyttelton friends. " The Band of Brothers," as performed by Messrs. Cliff, Murphy, J. S. Dunlop, and D. Dunlop, will, we are sure, keep the audience in a continued roar of laughter. Theatre Royal. — The attendances on the List two or three evenings have scarcely remunerated Mr Wilson for the expense and trouble to which he puts himself, in order to cater satisfactorily for the people's amusement. The management have tried every means to attract the public, but their endeavours, we regret to say, have not been adequately seconded. With only one or two exceptions, the company have played in the best of comedies to thin houses; and the production of "Janet Pride" has not been a whit more successful, so far as public support is concerned. The season will very shortly terminate, and we see that on Tuesday evening next, Mr Bartlett takes a farewell benefit. This gentleman is a really good actor, and we hope that his last appearance will be before a bumper house, which no one will say he is undeserving of. To-night's progrumme, is, as usual, very attractive. The curtain will rise to Planches two act comic drama (never before played here) entitled " Not a Had Judge," and " Our American Cousin" (in which Mr Roberts takes the part of Asa Trenchard), will conclude the performances. Almom Cricket Club. — A general meeting of the members of this club was held at the City Hotel, last evening. Mr Wynn Williams occupied the chair. There was attendance of members. The auditor's .report on treasurer's account was readmit I was moved by Mr Davis, seconded by "Mjr Hobbs, and carried unanimously, that the' secretary •hould write to Mr Bruce, ex-trea-surer, requesting a further explanation with regard tijv th\itein of £27 7s 9d, paid to Bruce andMGpX The amended rules were brought up antP=adop,ted. A letter was read from the Ellesmere Club, proposing, in answer to a challenge, to play a match against the Albion Club on Tuesday, Dec. 8. The secretary stated that he had fixed Thursday next for the playing of a match against the Lincoln Club, on the Prebbleton ground. The following new member* were elected: — Messrs J. Hebden, A. A. Isaacs, and Ailington. On the motion of Mr Lovell, Mr Geo. Turner was elected a member of the committee. The following team was choaen to play against the Lincoln Club: — Messrs Ashbolt, Banks, Dawe, Dickinson, sen., Dickinson, jun., H. Davis, Cres3well, Lawrence, Slee, Souter, and Joseph Wood.

SNbw Supreme Coukt.— We havfi bee informed that the building of the newSupreme Court will not be proceeded with for two years, for what reason we are not in a position to say. Outlying Settlements in the Nokth. — A telegram from Wellington, dated yesterday evening, informs us that a meeting of some of the leading settlers was held in that city in the afternoon, relative to the condition of the outlying districts. The representatives of the Press were informed that the meeting was a private one. Hokticcltpral Societt. — A meeting of the committee was held last night, Mr Angus in the chair, and Messrs Briscoe. Milne, Davidson, Dutton, Spicer, Stewart, and the Secretary present. The tender of Mr Hale for supplying a covering for the tent when required, was accepted, and it was decided that a meeting of the committee should be called for the 20th instant, to make arrangements for the forthcoming exhibition. The Thames Goldfields. — Two sketches have been shewn to us, the one denoting the relative positions of the claims between the VJanakau andMersenger claims, and the other the relative positions of the claims at Tapu. The former is by Captain Armstrong, R.N., and was lithographed by Hutchinson and Co., of Auckland. Armstrong and Cos. claim is in the district recently opened up, and we are informed that the yield is most satisfactory to those who hold shares in it. The second sketch was lithographed at the New Zealand Hera'd office. To those proceeding to the diggings, these sketches will prove very useful and interesting. The Primacy of New Zealand.— ln the late session of the General Synod, it was decided that henceforth the Primacy of New Zealand shall be elective. The title of Metropolitan has been abolished, so that notwithstanding Wellington being the seat of Government, the Bishop of that city cannot be Primate ex qffiaio. Our readers are already aware that Bishop Harper has been elected Primate by a large majority. This high position is a life one, but in case of its being .yacated by death or resignation, a successior tbe elected by the votes of the General tE Governor. — His Excellency the Goff is expected to arrive at Christchurch cc. 21, if the state of affairs in the North does not prevent his departure from Wellington to make a tour of the South Island. We hear that it is the expressed wish of his Excellency that the people of Canterbury should not go into any extravagant expenditure in connection with his visit. He will be most happy to meet the public at a ball. n the other hand, we are informed that it is the intention of the Provincial and City authorities to give the Governor such a reception as is due to her Majesty's representative, and one also in which the public can take part. Town Hall. — A meeting of shareholders, to consider the question of enlarging the hall by the addition of a room, was held this afternoon, Mr Packer, sen., presiding. A proposition was submitted by Mr St Quentin, for the raising of the roof of the old hall to the height of the new one, and so providing another room of the length and width of the old hall, at an entire cost of £300. Some diversity of opinion was expressed as to whether this amount would be sufficient, and ultimately the following resolution was moved by Mr Inglis, seconded by Mr Hadfield, and agreed to — "That the question of enlargement be referred back to the directors, to find plans and estimate of cost, and that the shareholders be again convened on Thursday next, for the purpose of taking their opinion thereon." The Chlamyder.— M Ponchet, director of the Rouen Museum of Natural History, in his new work thus describes the habits of this curious bird : — " The speckled Chlamyder is a bird resembling our partridge, but is distinguished by its deep colour, relieved by clear spots, and by its neck, which is adorned with a red colour. For the location of their nest the couple choose an open spot, exposed to the sun. Their first care is to make a path of round pebbles ; when they deem it sufficiently tliick, they plant in it a little avenue of branches. They are seen, for this purpose, to bring from the country slender shoots of trees, of about the same size, which they thrust solidly by the thick end into the interstices of the stones. The branches are disposed in two parallel rows, converging a little in such a manner that they form a miniature shrubbery. The plantation is a yard in length, and is sufficiently wide to allow the two birds' to walk along side of each other in the interior. This grove being finished, they devote themselves to embellishing. Each starts out foraging in the fields, and brings back all the sparkling objects it can pick vp — pearl shells, birds' feathers, all that can charm the eye. These trophies are suspended at the entrance to the grove, which soon begin to shine in the sun like a palace of the Arabian Nights. In the places frequented by the chlamyders, if a traveller loses his watch, his knife, his seal, he does not spend his time looking for it on the ground he knows were to find it."