Local and General.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 290, 19 April 1869, Page 2

Local and General.

— + — Street Bridge.— The piledriving has been completed, and in a few weeks the bridge will be open for traffic. V(The Museum. — The foundations of the neV -building in the Domain have been excavated, and a large quantity of building material is already on the ground. We understand that Prince Alfred will be asked to lay the foundation-stone of this building. The Public Festivai/.— The total quantity of Colonial ale contributed by the Christchurch brewers to the Public Festival Committee, amounts to 270 gallons. Reception Committee. — A meeting of the Reception Committee was held at 9.30 this morning. Several matters of routine were decided, and the honorary secretary was instructed to insert an advertisement, requesting business people to keep the shutters off their windows on the arrival of his Royal Highness. The Prince. — The Sydney correspondent of the leading Melbourne journal says : — A new arrangement has been made in the programme of the Prince's route. The Galatea will leave Auckland for Fiji on the 1 8th May next, and will afterwards visit Tonga, Tahiti, and the Sandwich Islands, leaving the latter on the 18th July. A Friendly Hint.— The Press of this morning contains a shipping paragraph about the Gazelle, which purports to be copied from the Otago Daily Times of April 15. The same paragraph, exactly, appeared in the Lyltelton Times oi April 13. Really, it would be better for the Press to " borrow " direct, and not lose a week by such round about work. Transparencies. — A number of transparencies were offered for sale at Messrs. Wilson and Alport's auctiou rooms, on Saturday, but only a few were disposed of. In the evening, some others were exhibited in the old Town Hall, which was visited by agreat many persons. Some of these transparencies, said to be the work of a Mr Varley, of Dunedin, are very fairly executed. Meetings of Creditors. —Re George Mitchell : A meeting was to have been held at 1 1 o'clock this morning, but no creditors attending, it was postponed until Monday next, at the same hour. Re Charles James Foster : This was an adjourned meeting. Mr J. E. Graham was appointed trustee, and Messrs J. Lewis and J. Jameson, supervisors. Mr Fereday is solicitor to the bankrupt. Re William Dunsford, senr., William Dunsford, junr., and Charles Dunsford, and re T. Cooper and- J. Graham : Adjourned meetings were to have been held in these estates, but lapsed through non-attendance.

The OuTWAJaD-SSEZ Mail.— By out latest files from Melbourne, we notice that the Alhambra was expected there in time to catch the P. and 0/mail steamer outwards. The Alhambra left the Bluff yesterday at 12.30 p.m. for Melbourne, The Prince ajjd Westland. — It appears that the inhabitants of Hokitika and Westland generally are greatly disappointed at the announcement that the Prince will not visit them. A public meeting has been held in Hokitika on the subject, at which a deputation was appointed to wait on the Prince, at Christchurch, with a view to inducing him to include Westland in his tour of the colony. Philharmonic Society. — It is not generally known that a society of this description has been formed in Christchurch, or that some considerable progress has already been made in practice. The chief object of the society is to promote the study of classical music, and also to give concerts solely in aid of the benevolent institutions of the city. His Honor the Superintendent is patron, Mr Rowley, president •, Mr Zeesler, treasurer ; and Mr Weber, conductor. VWaxwobks. — Signor Ghilioni^ and Co.'s waxwork exhibition was opened ~at the Old Wesleyan Chapel on Saturday last, and during the afternoon and evening attracted a large number of visitors. Since the period of their last visit to Christchurch, Ghilioni and Co. have made considerable additions to their group of figures, which now numbers fifty. The new ones comprise tableaux of the Poverty Bay and White Cliffs Massacres, the death of Major Von Tempsky, 6j£3 The exhibition is well deserving of patronage, not alone on account of its interesting character, but of the very reasonable charge of admission. The Goitrlays. — There was a very large attendance at the Town Hall on Saturday evening, and the performances were as successful as ever, and drew forth, thunders of applause. Master John and Miss Minnie received their usual share of favours ; and the song " Come home Father," illustrated by appropriate tableaux, was a complete success. The sketch entitled "My Little Wifie," was highly amusing. To-night, these artistes will give their last performances in Christchurch, and the occasion will be the benefit of Master John and Miss Minnie, who, by desire, will sing the duet, " Huntingtower." Master John will also favour his patrons with Mrs Jones' Musical Party ; and Mrs Gourlay will repeat her song " Come home, Father," which was so vociferously applauded on Saturday. An hour at Mrs McGregor's Levee will terminate the performances. The Royal Visit. — A meeting of the ironf ounders and machinists of Christchurch was held at the Prince of Wales Hotel on Saturday evening; Mr W. H. Barnes was voted to the chair. The sub-committee reported the selection of blue rosettes, with a silk banner of the same colour, bearing the inscription "The Iron Trade" in white letters, and recommending that the commemorative dinner should take place on the night of the demonstration. After some discussion, the first two clauses were adopted, but the third was negatived in favour of the resolution that the dinner should be held on the second night of the visit. It was resolved that the views of the employes of the Canterbury foundry should be ascertained, and the meeting adjourned until Tuesday evening, in order to afford them an opportunity of joining in the proceedings if desirous of so doing. VA meeting of Lancashire and Cheshiremen, was held at the Mechanics' Hotel, on Saturday evening, Mr J. Brunt presiding. After a lengthened explanatory address from the chairs it was resolved to invite all natives of ; the- counties named to cooperate, and the dresses of the Morris dancers in attendance upon the" rush cart,?' were determined up 337 A meeting «>f the Lyttelton school ofncial§"was held on Friday evening, to further discuss the proposed treat for the scholars'. It was resolved to abandon the project, the sum of money voted being insufficient, and the time for preparation too short. Another meeting will be held this evening, in the Wesleyan schools, to make preparations for- the children's treat. Mr Holmes has kindly given £10 towards the treat, making the full amount of £15. A platform will be erected near the Government triumphal arch, on the reclaimed ground, and for the children to sing the National Anthem. Aquatics. — The weekly attraction of scratch races on the Avon was considerably supplemented- on Saturday last by a private pair-oar race match, between members of the C.R.C. The origin of it 1 was a challenge from Mr E; ; J. Dudley, who named Mr Murray to row with him; to Mr Herdson, who was permitted his choice of any other member of the club. The distance to be rowed was one mile, and the stakes two silver cups. Mr Herdson selected Mr G. Stead to row with him, and was allotted the whilst the Swan fell to his opponent?}. Mr De Troy officiated as starter, and Mr Thomas as judge, the boats being sent away ' on very even terms, at 40 minutes past 3 o'clock. As expected, it was a well contested race throughout, the boats keeping, almost neck and neck for three parts of the course. A foul occurred at thei Stanmore Road Bridge by the Swan refusing to give way to the Cygnet, then leading by three quarters of a length. When again clear, the Cygnet had still a slight advantage, and although a magnificent struggle was made by the Swan, Messrs Herdson and Stead proved equal to the emergency, winning the : most plucky race we have seen for some time, by a little over a length— time, 8 mm. 55 sees. H. M'Car'dell steered the Cygnet, and W. Dudley the Swan. For the scratch pairs whichsucceeded, only. six members entered, Mr Herdson acting as starter, and Mr. Thomas as umpire. The first . heat was between; the Cygnet, W. H. Churton 1, E. J. Dudley stroke; and the Swan, C. A. Nalder 1, A. BlaMstou stroke. A good race ensued $o

Cowlishaw's corner, where the, Svrato* tried; to cross before the prescribed length ahead, and fouled her-'."- opponent, the umpire, however, decided that the heat should be rowed again, and it then resulted in favour of the Cygnet. For the second and final heat-r-Measrs W. T. Miller 1, and D. A. Murray, stroke, opposed the winners of the former with the Swan, and pulled very prettily. Unfortunately, one of the crew lost his stretcher, and the Cygnet came in winner by several lengths. Callender steered the Cygnet, and Pearce the Swan, throughout. A general meeting of the Club was also held during the afternoon, Mr Blakiston presiding, when Messrs Gresson and Griffiths were elected members.