Local and General.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 175, 3 December 1868, Page 2

Local and General.

■*»■ \)(The Maori War. — We are glad to learn that a movement is on foot to give an entertainment in the Drill-Shed in aid of the Poverty Bay and other settlers in the North Island, who have suffered so severely through the way We believe that it is intended that the entertainment shall take place during the visit of his Excellency the Governor, and that it should be under the patronage of his Excellency and his Honor the Superintendent. We are sure that the public generally will sympathise in, and heartily aid this most praiseworthy movement. Agricultural and Pastoral Association. — A meeting of the committee will be held at Messrs Wilson and Alport's rooms, at 2. 15 p.m., to-morrow, when the financial statement will be brought up. Prayer Meeting. — The united prayer meeting of the various denominations will be held in St. Andrew's church, this evening at 7 o'clock. The Rev. C. Fraser will conduct the meeting, and the Rev. M. Baxter will deliver an address. As^A-cclioiatization. — A flock ef 14 sparrows have taken up their abode in a garden in the vicinity of Cramner square, and are now busily engaged in building their nests. The garden is sheltered, and its choice speaks well for the sagacity of the birds. No. 2 Company, C.R.V. — The first parade, of this company since the re-election of officers, took place at the drill-shed last night. There was a large attendance, and several recruits were sworn in. Lieut. Papprill was in command. VZJollege Examination. — The examination InModern History took place at the College, last night. There were six competitors in all— four pupils of the College, and two from district schools. — The result will not be known until to-morrow. Volunteers for the Nortk. — A second detachment of volunteers enrolled in Christchurch for service at the Front left Lyttelton en route for Wellington, by the Lord Ashley to-day. They started from Christchurch by the 12.30 train, and number 17 in all. This will close the supply of recruits from Christchurch for a short time, as Col. Packe will be absent for a few days at Timaru. He is called there to a wear in a number of men desirous, of seeing, active service, and immediately on having disposed of these, he will return and the enrolment of men here will be resumed-JHyTudging from the following, which we extract from th\ Wellington Evening Post of Dec. 1, some of the Volunteers who went from Canterbury the other day, have m ot been behaving very well. We regret to hear this : — The last detachment of the Armed Constabulary, which arrived here from the South by the Rob Roy, appear to be incumbered by a bad lot. Since their arrival here, it must be allowed that they have well supported the reputation of rowdyism they acquired else where. A number of them congregated last night, and attacked a constable, who was on duty, in a most cowardly, manner. He defended himself as well as he could till two, of his comrades came to his assistance, and the three of them succeeded in lodging the : ringleaders in the station house. The, chief of these ruffians, named Kelly, was sentenced to six weeks' imprisonment, and the others were variously dealt with. The last exploit of one of the heroic band was to jump off the wharf in a mock attempt to swim after the steamer in which he had missed his passage this afternoon. Sergeant Monaghan and the police deserve great credit for the pluck and firmness they displayed in capturing these rowdies, who had evidently organized themselve^fpr a repetition of their. Christchurch exploitsj / •» Riccarton RoatTßoard. — The ordinary monthly meeting was held on Wednesday. Present : Messrs Shand (chairman), Pavitt, Philpott, and Heknoi*e. The minutes of the last meeting were read and confirmed, after which the. following -. correspondence was read :— Letter from' the Avon Road Board stating that they did not consider themselves justified in spending any portion of their funds on roads not in the district ; a letter from the Provincial Secretary relative to the footpath on the Riccarton Road, to which the Clerk was instructed to reply from J. Collins . requesting the Board to> assist him in making the road passable from the Fendalltown Road to his property, in reference to which it was agreed that on Mr/ Collins contributing £7 towards the work, the Board would spend an equal amount, the work to be done under the supervision of the Surveyor of the Board. It was resolved to apply to the , ppyernment for the balance of ' the grant for main Roads. The Clerk was instructed to recover all outstanding rates. The Surveyor reported, that in accordance with instructions at last meeting, he had ascertained the opinion of the inhabitants of the district relative to the proposed alteration in the market day, t and found that a. majority. of twenty-seven we're 'in favour of Saturday. The agricultural statistics of the quantity of grain grown in the district was handed in, and ordered to be forwarded to the Provincial secretary. The surveyor's report was read, it gave an estimate of the cost of -if' " f f,l»ar- J.hMMIfJ s*j,i rj;?

" r.'v*'*.. forming and shingling Recce's Boad,*.which'was ordered to be tendered for ; it" also stated that the contracts entered into for gravelling the Bush Inn Road, and also the Sawyers Arms Road had been satisfactorily completed, and the additions to the bridge at Stokes', on the Harewood Road, and several other minor works which had been ordered were reported to have been carried out. The Surveyor in replying to the circular from the Secretary of Public Works respecting gravel Reserves, was desired to give the information contained in the report. The Board, after having passed accounts for work done, adjourned. ' ZPhilosophical Societt. — A general meet-T---ing of members was held in the society's newroom, near the Government Buildings, last night, Dr Haast occupied the chair, and tliere j were also present.*— J. S. Turnbull, J. W. s. Coward. L. L. Powell, W. D. Carruthers, T. Nottidge, C. C. Bowen, P.. W. Fereday, Rev j C. Bowen, J. H. Ward, J. V. Koss, R. Main- 1 waring, E. Dobson, Rev C. Fraser (Hon. Sec), J. C. Boys, E.P. Seely, C. Davie, J.F.i Armstrong, W. Packe, and J. D. Frankish. The minutes of last meeting were read and confirmed, and the following gentlemen were elected members of the society:— J. Anderson, F. E. Wright, F. T. Adams, W. Deamer, J. E. Graham, J. S. Guthrie, G. L. Mellish,R. Townsend, and F. Lockyear. The report of the committee appointed to draw up a list of works for purchase was brought up and read. After some conversation it was approved and referred to the Council, with instructions to complete and carry it out. The chairman laid a number of Col. Sir Henry James' maps of the earth and stars upon the table. He said they had been presented by Mr W. Packe, and were a valuable acquisition to the possessions of the society. The thanks of the meeting were voted, in acknowledgement of the gift, and the Council were requested to have the maps suitably bound. The secretary adverted to the necessity of having a suggestion book for the society, and he moved that one should be purchased and left on the table for members to record the names of books -which they recommended to be purchased. The motion was seconded by Mr Carruthers, and carried unanimously. The secretary then called attention to a number of scientific works which had been deposited on the shelves by Mr Powell, for the use of members, and on his motion a vote of thanks was accorded to the donor. The names of two gentlemen desirous of becoming hon. members of the Society, were submitted and approved. Mr Powell then ,read a paper bearing upon the origin of whitebait. In connectiou with it, he exhibited four drawings of the fish, commonly known as the bidl head, the silver fish, the smelt, and the whitebait, each in two stages of its growth. The purport of the paper was to show that the latter was identical with the scaleless smelt in its earlier development. A very interesting discussion ensued, and resulted in Messrs Davie, Fereday, and Nottidge being appointed a committee to investigate the whole question more fully, and report at a future meeting. The Secretary next submitted a paper on a new species of seal, which he identified with the genus Stenorhyncus leptonyx, but suspected that it might ultimately be established as a distinct species. Some conversation ensued upon it, Nid Mr Fereday said that he had intended exhibiting the skull of one of the seals, but it had been stolen from the boxes in Lyttelton. Dr Haast next, read a few remarks on the geographical distribution of plants in New Zealand as introductory to a paper, afterwards read by Mr J. F. Armstrong on the vegetation: of the neighbourhood of Christchurch, including Riccarton, . Dry Bush, and Hoon Hay bush. In connection with the paper, Mr Armstrong exhibited 300 specimens of plants, to be found within a radius of ten miles of the city, and described several of the more rare and interesting. He presented the.society with the valuable collection, and in recognition, the society tendered their thanks. On the motion of Mr Fraser, the collection and paper were afterwards referred to the council, with a request to consider the propriety of arranging with Mr Armstrong for the publication of a small work on the botany of the Christchurch district. The hour being now late, the reading of Dr Turnbull's paper was postponed until nest meeting, and the members adjourned. I■ " ■ i|imi||P— enana— — l—— — o— — — — .