Local and General.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 438, 9 October 1869, Page 2

Local and General.

; .. ~- •" Chairman of Committees. — Mr J. S. Williams has resigned this office. The appointment of a successor will take place on Tuesday uext. Acclimatisation. — The trout ora from Tasmania have arrived in Dunedin, and have already commenced to hatch out. The Canterbury portion of 538 good ova will, consequently, have to remain in Dunedin till the fish are in a fit state for transport. The delay, and consequent loss, was caused by the impossibility of obtaining a vessel direct frpui Hobart Town at an earlier date. . Art Exhibition. — It is proposed to hold a Provincial Art Exhibition in Christchurch at an early date. The attendance of all interested in the proposed exhibition is requested at a preliminary meeting to be held on Thursday, Oct. 14, in the Refreshment Room, at the Provincial Council Chambers. His Honor the Superintendent has kiudly consented to preside at the meeting. Volunteer Artillery. — The members of the Christchurch Volunteer Artillery intend to give a concert in aid of the battery funds,, on Tuesday next, Oct. 12, in the Town Hall. This is the first occasion on which the corps has appealed to the public, and they will, no doubt, receive a large measure of support. A very choice and I varied programme will be presented, and the hall will be tastefully decorated for the occasion. . ■^Prebbleton. — Some of th« farmers in mis neighbourhood have recently attached small windmills to their pumps, for the purpose of raising water. They answer admirably, and are not costly. They can be made and erected for about £12. One mill has kept about 30 head of stock supplied with water since its erection, aud another kept a steam thrashing machine going. They are exceedingly useful, labour - saving, and economical The first to set the example in this matter were the Messrs Marchant, from whose pattern the others. have .been more or less copied. Akaroa Literary Institute. — A meeting of the committee of £he above institute was held iv the reading room, Akaroa Town Hall, on the 7th instant. The treasurer, Mr J. D. Garwood, stated the financial position of the institute, from which it appeared that the entertainmeuts given in connection with the institute, had been a source of profit to its funds. The President was requested to write and thank Mr C. L. Wiggins, for his kindness in gratuitously lending his piano, and also to thank Mr W. McDonald for services rendered. It was resolved that the sum of ten pounds be remitted to England for. the purchase of books. Lincoln Road Board.-— The usual monthly meeting of the Board was held at the office on Tuesday, the members present being Messrs Tosswill (cliairman), Knight, Craighead, and Marchant. The minutes of the last meeting haviug been read and confirmed, the Surveyor's report was read. It stated that the cutting of Creyke's drain had been completed, also the clearing of Dawson's creek and Tramway drain, and the repairs of Osborne's road. The subscriptions towards Creyke's drain amounted to £34, and to the Tramway drain £18. The last instalment of the Government grant had been paid into the bafck, viz., £150 ; and £175 of the rate had been collected. The creek from Osborne's to the Halswell wanted widening, aud would cost about 7s 6d per chain. Tenders were opened for re-forming Knight's road. The tenders of T. Partridge for metnlling at Is 5Jd per cubic yard, and that of Love and Wells for forming at 11s 6d per chain were accepted. A letter was read from Messrs Loughnan and Co., asking upon what terms the Board would sell the flax on the road and river reserves. The clerk was instructed to reply that the Board would sell it for £40 ; the whole to be removed within twelve months. It was resolved to widen Osborne's Creek; to allow the Messrs Townsend timber ,for a culvert across, their road ; and to summon all persons whose rates were not paid within the month. It was also decided to advertise the clause in the new Roads Ordinance', with reference to the clearing of gorse from the public roads. After passing sundry accounts for. payment, the Board adjourned till the first Tuesday in Noreuaber, at 2 p,ou , , r . -,

SciENTiPic.-r-"We " tiuid&rstana that Professor Von Hochstetter, ; :wh6s'e work on New Zealand is so well known, has been invited to become consulting geologist in laying put a network of railways -in , the Ottoman Empire. DrHoctistetterwilfstiir retain his professorship in Vienna," having .received leave of absenceironr the Emperor, ''* Philosophical 'Institute. — The -annual dinner was heli : last 'evening, at; -Morton's Hotel, Dr Haast, JF.RiS:, President of the Institute, in the~ chair.- On the right and left of the President respectively were'his Honor the Superintendent and his Honor Mr Justice Gresson. Mr Morton, it is hardly necessary to say, supplied a very choice dinner. After the removal of the cloth, and the usual patriotic toasts having been disposed of, JDr ; Haast delivered a most able and interesting address, which, we regret to say, is too long for insertion in our columns. The Rev C. Eraser, secretary of the Institute, delivered an excellent address on Captain Cook, yesterday being the anniversary of his first official i landing on the shores of New Zealand. Other ! addresses were also delivered. j Theatre Royal.— A complimentary benefit was given to Miss Herberte at the Theatre Royal last night, and the result of her enI deavours on the Christchurch stage during the many years she has been connected with it, was demonstrated by a large attendance in all parts of the house. The Licensed Victuallers and brethren of the A.O.F. had extended their patronage and supplied many of the performers from amongst their ranks. The bill comprised "Incompatibility of Temper," " Which shall I Marry," and " The Double Bedded Room," together with vocal and instrumental interludes. The proceedings passed off with much success, and frequent applause was bestowed upon the performers. Court. — During the sitting of Che. Bankruptcy Court on Thursday, his Honor Mr Justice Gresson complained of the delay which he observed in the filing of reports in bankruptcy "cases. On the previous evening, he saw the chief clerk in the office waiting for some reports that had not been.sentin. Mr Davis, if lie pleased, could turn the key in the dbor at four o'clock, and it was only through 'good nature that he remained beyond that hour. He knew that the clerks in the Supreme Court office here were hard worked during office hours, and it was hardly fair to expect them'to remain beyond the time specified in the regulations, in order to receive reports that should have been delivered earlier in the day\ Mr Graham reminded his Honor that there were 27-cases on the list, and it was' Scarcely his fault that the reports had not been delivered in proper time. Bankrupts, in general, were in the habit of keeping away until the last moment, and it was impossible for him to draw up reports until he was furnished with all particulars concerning estates. In consequence of this dilatoriness on the part of bankrupts, his reports had to be delayed until the last moment. His Honor said it it was of course impossible for Mr Graham, under these circumstances, to prepare his reports in proper time, if all the. work came upon him in a rush. On a previous sitting day, he expressed an opinion that bankrupts should furnish Mr Graham with every in • formation at the very earliest opportunity, and he trusted that this course would be more generally adhered to in future. Canterbury Rowing Club. — A general meeting of members was held at White's Hotel, last night, Mr J. H. Herdson presiding. Mr Churton intimated the necessity of resigning the office of treasurer, a3 he was about to leave the province, and a vote of thanks having been accorded, him. for the efficient manner in which he had always discharged his duties, Mr E. Denham was appointed to the vacancy. The desirability of purchasing, a new pair-oar racing boat was discussed at length, and it -w-as ultimately agreed that one should be ordered from Mr Harrison, Lyttelton, the length to be 31 feet. A letter was read inviting the club, to take part in the procession of boats at Lytteltonj but the time being very inconvenient, the Secretary was directed to forward a negative reply. Mr Balfour' w'aaf electedto- a vacancy in the committee. The Rev. E. A. Lingard tendered his resignation of captaincy of the club, on the ground that his school duties would not permit his attending properly to'it, but the meeting urgently pressed , its. withdrawal, and the committee ■: promising to relieve Mr Lingard of a certain portion of his official work, this was complied Avith. Mr W. Vigera was elected a member, and the meeting adjourned. _. "•". . : " Gold Prospecting Company. — An extraordinary general meeting of shareholders was held at Boot's Assembly Rooms last night, but being illegally convened, its object — the election of a new directory — could not be proceeded with.: A ■ long discussion, how- | ever, took place under the presidency of Mr G. D. Lockhart, and Mr Ollivier as chairman of the present ,board of directors, explained that himself and his colleagues had refused to resign because the resolution asking them to do so, gave no reason for it," and because the whole proceeding was conducted in such a despotic manner, the shareholders asking for no explanation on the points of difference, or to meet them in discussion upon them. He recommended, as the best means for settling the matter, that the meeting should either ask the directors to convene a proper meeting to set matters right, or recommend three of their number to fill the vacant seats, he. pledging his word to use every effort to induce the existing Board to elect them. After a desultory, conversation as to winding up the company, and further explanations had been given by Messrs Hart, Craig, Wilson, and Calvert, it was resolved to adopt the second course suggested by Mr Ollivier, and Messrs Lockhart, Sexton, and J. Anderson were nominated for the vacancies in the directory. It was also agreed to by resolution that there was no necessity for another general meeting being convened for discussing the position of the company.

Philharmonic Societt.— A fuirrenearsal of " Sampson" was held in th&Town Hall; last night, and from the general success of both instrumental and vocal parts* the public performance of this _. favourite Oratorio has so far a most promising appearance. Akaroa and Wainui Road Board. — A meeting of the. above Board was held at the Snrvey Office, : Akaroa, on Wednesdayevening, the 6th inst., Mr G. IL Saxton, presiding. The minutes of the previous meeting having been read and confirmed, the chairman read a letter which had been received from his Honor the Superintendent, in which his Honor stated that the Government had handed over the supervision and control of the public pound to the Road Board. The engineer was requested to, see the poundkeeper, and inf orai him as to the purport of the letter read. The engineer stated to the Board that in conformity wiih a resolution passed at a previous meeting, he had, in conjunction with the chairman (Mr Waeckerle), made arrangements with George Breitmeyer, for the delivery of logß in Robinson's Bay at the rate of £4 10s per chain, and also agreed with Thomas Brough to do about 20 chains of work on the Wainui road, Mr Brough to be paid 12s per chain, and to make the road 12 feet wide. The tender of Joseph Vanguni, for work to be done in Robinson's Bay, was accepted, the price being £2 15s per chain. The engineer was instructed to give notice to all parties who had not paid their rates, that if the same were not paid within fourteen days from this date, summary proceedings would be taken for their recovery. The engineer was also instructed to invite tenders for metalling portions of the road leading to the Head of the Bay. The Board then adjourned until Wednesday, the 20th inst. Expedition to Central Africa. — Sir Samuel Baker has addressed a letter to M. le Marquis de Chasseloup-Laubat, President of the Societe.de Geographic of Paris, of which the following is a translation : — •'London, sth May, 1869; Having had the honour to receive from your hands the Grande Medaille dor, for my discovery of the Albert Nyanza, I cannot commence my present enterprise without presenting to the Societe de Gcographie of Paris, a just tribute of gratitude, in laying before it an exposition of my plan for the amelioration of that state in which Central Africa is to be found at this present time. I have accepted the command of the expedition which his Highness the Viceroy of Egypt sends out to destroy the slave trade upon the White Nile. All the region of this river is entirely deprived of laws ; it is inhabited by different savage tribes who are constantly at war with each other, and full of defiance against all strangers. This anarchy and disunion are favourable to the jjlave ; trade, and "". the weaker tribes are pillaged by the stronger, and allied with the expeditions (worthy of pirates) of the Arab traffickers. Without a regular government, it is altogether impossible to arrive at the reform of these abuses, and the country would necessarily remain a field closed to all amelioration, and a territory for the hunting down of slaves. By opposing actual hostilities; and offering a protection to the different tribes, it cannot be doubted that we shall soon see an extended commerce succeed this criminal traffic of human beings. The Viceroy, then, has resolved to exercise his authority in? order to put a stop to this shameful state of things, which has too long been neglected ; he wishes, by the introduction of commerce, to lay the first foundation of a legitimate traffic which will be the pioneer of civilization. As his Highness has confided the command of the expedition to me I propose to launch a small steamer on the Albert ' Nyanza, together with boats constructed in England for the object of the enterprise. After having entirely explored that great lake, I shall establish commercial stations xlong its shores, at convenient intervals, in order to form a chain of communication in a direct line from Gondokoro. Each station will be furnished with wares remitted to an agent, who will exchange European objects for ivory, wax, and skins. Protected by a, sufficient escort. I shall be able to abolish ttie "slave ■ trade, and at the same time I shall be enabled to complete my first discoveries by an extended exploration of the I sources of the Nile. I hope that this expej dition will not only serve the interests of the limited country, of the basin of ,the Nile, but further; that it \till open a route to civilisation which wili ; penetrate . to the heart' of Africa. In the hope of receiving the favourable wishes of thp- Societe de Geographic of Paris, I .am, Monsieur le President, your obedient servant, Samuel Bakeb."