Local and General.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 482, 2 December 1869, Page 2

Local and General.

-v The Murder Case. — The Grand Jury have returned a true bill against Smyth, and the trial will commence at ten o'clock to-morrow morning. Excursion.— The favourite screw steamer Maori is advertised for an excursion to Akaroa on Saturday next, returning on Monday morning. The fare is very moderate, and a large number will no doubt avail themselves of such a favourable opportunity for a pleasant trip. Magisterial. — At the Kaiapoi Resident Magistrate's Court yesterday, William Robin- i son was committed for trial at the present session of the Supreme Court on a charge of forgery. As the trial will take place immediately, it is unnecessary to give the depositions in full. The Telegraph. —We observe, by a notice posted at the Telegraph Office, that the telegraph stations at Cromwell, Clyde, Alexandra, Queenstown, Roxburgh, and Lawrence, in the province of Otago, were handed over by the Government of that province to the General Government yesterday, and that the uniform rate hitherto used by the General Government will in future be charged to those stations. Ga l Returns. — We are in receipt of the mouthly return of prisoners iv the province, and find them to be as follows :— Christchurch, males — 10 at hard labour, 3 imprisonment, and l lunatic ; females— l for trial at the Supreme Court, 1 1 at hard labour, and 1 imprisonment : total of both sexes, 27. Lyttelton, males— 7 for trial at the Supreme Court ; 64 at hard labour ; imprisonment, 2*, and 8 debtors : total 81. The discharges for the month were — Christchurch 1 1 , and Lyttelton 13. 1.0.0. F., M.U.— We are indebted to the Prov. C. S., MrJ. W. Slade, for the following interesting returns regarding the Unity. T. b ?"*v *' re v& to J an - !» 1869. The number of districts was 4M; luug-a; -oood; *ueui*jcis, 425,095. The increase during the year was 2 districts, 28 lodges, and 7673 members. I The receipts during the year were £499,000, and the expenditure £326,000. The net gain , of the society during the year was £172,000. | The valuation of the society's property was £2,600,000. The North Canterbury district j contains 6 lodges and 212 members, there having been an increase of 73 during the year. The funds belonging to the district { are set down at £1600. I CtAqoatics at Kaiapoi. — On Saturday next f_-ther match will take place between the ! Undine and Cure. The boats will be manned as follows.*— Cure (purple) — J. Day (bow), A. Simpson (2), W. Burnip (3), H. Feldwick (stroke), W. Taylor (cox). Undine — J. Feldwick (bow), A. Clark (2), H. Kerr (3), R. 11. Matthews (stroke), C. Oram (cox). It will be seen that the victorious crew on the last occasion have exchanged into the losing boat, and tliat the Undine has one fresh man in lieu of Mr Wearing, who has discontinued pulling for a time in consequence of ill health* An unusually close race is anticipated, 1 out the Cure's crew have a decided advantage in choice of sides and turning. Meetings of Creditors. — An adjourned meeting, in re William Bowden, was to have been held before Mr Richard Davis yesterday. No creditors attended, and the estate was declared vested in the Provisional Trustee. The liabilities are £304 ss, and the assets £58 7s ; deficiency, £245 18s. The estate of William Barnard was also declared vested in the Provisional Trustee. The liabilities are £366 14s 3d, and the assets £212 9s 4d ;. deficiency, £154 4s lid. Re Charles Turner ; a sufficient number of creditors not attending, the meeting was adjourned until Wednesday next, at two o'clock. Liabilities, £262 9s 8d ; assets, £449 7s 9d ; surplus, £186 IBs ld. Mr Slater is solicitor for the first-named, aud Mr Joynt for the last mentioned bankrupts. Kowai Pass.— A well attended meeting was held at Bailey's Accommodation House, on Tuesday, the 30th Nov., for the purpose of preparing a memorial to the Board of Education, praying that the district may be formed into an educational district. Mr J. K. Karslake was called to the chair. After considerable discussion as to whether the boundaries of the proposed district should be co-extensive with those of the Malvern Road Board District, a resolution was finally carried by which the boundaries were confined to the more immediate neighbourhood of the Kowai Pass, as this contains the largest number of children, and has furnished the largest portion of the subscriptions. The memorial is in course of signature. Several fresh subscriptions were obtained, making the amount promised over £80. It is therefore hoped that a s hool may before long be established. Besides the advantage of it for educational purposes, the school-house will be much valued for the services now regularly held by the Rev. F. Pember. The progress of this district is becoming most marked, and by a little exertion on the part of the inhabitants, it may rauk in no long time amongst the most promising of outlying districts.

Popular Amusements. — On Tuesday afternoon a meeting of the permanent committee was held in the City Council Chamber to make further arrangements for the rural sports, intended to be held in Latimer Square on the Anniversary Day. The members present were Messrs Ollivier (chairman), Wynn Williams, Bird, W. R. Mitchell, Crosbie, and G. Gordon, hon. secretary. Messrs Jameson, Cuff, and Crosbie, were appointed to report upon the cost of a grand stand in the same place as last year. Messrs Mitchell and Bird, to prepare an estimate for enclosing with rope or wire an inner circle in the square, for the sports to be held in. The giving of prizes in money or plate was deferred for decision until next meeting. Mr M. B. Hart, senr., was appointed a member of the committee. Tho next meeting was fixed for Friday next at 7 p.m. to arrange a programme. Ecclesiastical.— The Greymouth paper of Nov. 25 has the following:— A meeting of members of the Presbyterian persuasion took place, by invitation, in Johnston's Melbourne Hotel, on Tuesday evening. The Rev J. Gow, of Hokitika, was in the chair, and there was a good attendance. The proceedings were opened with prayer, after which the chairman stated that he had been empowered to moderate in a call to the resident minister for Greymouth, and made explanations. After a conversation the name of tbe Rev J. MTntosh of Lyttelton was inserted in the call, and all who were present attached their signatures thereto. A committee was appointed to obtain the signatures of other Presbyterians in the town and district* Mr Gow congratulated the meeting on being unanimous in their choice of a minister. A conversation took place with regard to a site for the church and manse, bnt the matter was left in the hands of the committee. A vote of thanks was passed to Mr Gow fur his exertions in bringing about the establishment of a Presbyterian church here, and for his assistance in moderating in the call. A " Duffer." — The following, from the Hokitika papar of Nov. 29, appears to ref«_o to a recently reported discovery of fresh allu/ vial ground: — Never, since the duffer rush to Bruce Bay, has there been such a hoax perpetrated as that of the last rush up the Hokitika River. We can scarcely conceive that an) r one possessed of a grain of humanity could have been so base to his fellow man as is shown in the cruel hoax just brought to light. The whole of the circumstances connected with the matter, as far as we have been able to glean, are as follows: — One of the prospectors has been for some time loafing about the neighbourhood of the Kanieri, and, in order to satisfy his appetite for drink, had determined to concoct the tale that he had discovered payable gold, in order that he might get credit from the publicans and storekeepers at that place. In order to make his tale look the more plausible, he induced one or two respectable miners to believe that iro -i.»a oiooowosoi-yoyn bin cold in the quarter he described, and, hy the mc-»»_-©_ tu«ir miners' rights, a grant for a prospecting claim was obtained. On the matter first getting wind among the miners, the prospectors, as they were termed, were closely watched, in order that they might not give the slip to the many men who had determined to proceed to the scene of the alleged find. At last, finding that the prospectors showed no signs of leaving the Kanieri, hundreds of men started up the river for the purpose of endeavouring to find the ground. In tbis they succeeded, and found a man in charge, with a notice paper for a prospecting claim stuck up on the ground. Instead of new ground, it was found that it had been partially worked and abandoned long ago ; indeed so long that the grass was found growing out of the face of the paddocks. The miners who had assembled tried over a hundred dishes of stuff, with the same result — no gold, more than a colour or two, could be got. Finding the state of things, the party returned towards the Kanieri, meeting, on their way back, the author of the mischief, who was coming up with another party of miners, who had induced him (the prospector) to proceed with them in order to discover the ground. Of course, an explanation ensued, and it was determined to march the man back with them to the Kanieri, where he was given in charge, with the hope, as they thought, that the law would deal with him. Unfortunately, the police are powerless in the matter, and the consequence is that the miscreant wa3 yesterday morning sent about his business. We learnt last night that not a single man remains upon the ground, everybody having been apparently so disgusted with the hoax that had been practised on them as to have left the place without any attempt having been made to discover whether or not payable gold existed in the neighbourhood. Concert.— Mr Robert Parker's concert at the Town Hall, last evening, attracted a large and fashionable audience, and was as complete a success as we anticipated. T£ie platform was decorated by a large number of pot plants, kindly lent for the occasion by Mr William Wilson. Both parts of the house were well filled, and the applause was a sufficient testimony of the manner in which the entertainment was appreciated. The programme was unusually lengthy, and embraced a great variety of selections, vocal and instrumental. The concert was opened with the pianoforte duet "The Wedding March," by Messrs R. Parker and G. Palairet, which was applauded. The part song " Remembrance," by Miss Rowley, and Messrs T. Gates, Howell, and Zeesler, was favourably received, as was also the " Cradle Song " by Mr Zeesler. The duet "I would that my Love" was sung by Messrs Howell and R Parker (the latter accompanying on the piano), and evoked the heartiest applause. The quartette "It is decided," by Mrs Bowler, aud Messrs T. Gates, Howell, and Thompson was enthusiastically applauded. The " War March," from " Athalie," by a powerful orchestra, was one of the gems of the evening, and certainly one of the finest pieces of instrumenta ion tliat has been heard '

in Christchurch for some time. The time was admirably maintained, and a word of praise is due to Herr Bunz, who acted as leader. It is needless to say that the march was unanimously re-demanded. The solo and chorus from " Hear my Prayer " (solo by Miss Rowley) was very fairly done ; and the recitative and air, " If all your hearts " (Mr Howell) was encored, as it deserved to be. The solo and chorus " Prayer for raiu " (solo by Mr C. Merton) was received with great favour. Mr Parker apologised for the absence of Mr A. C. Bell, of Kaiapoi, who had missed the coach, and could not possibly attend iv consequence. The overture "La Gazza Ladra," by the full orchestra, was well performed. This was followed by the duet " The Army and Navy " (by Messrs Howell and Parker) which was encored. Mrs Bowler sang " The Merry Flageolet," and sang it so well as to call for an encore, whtGh was universally demanded. Mr Lee's song (with chorus) was well received. Mr Parker's harmonium solo was very much applauded, and the selection given in response to a demand for a repetition was really an exquisite performance. The glee " Queen of tho Valley," by Messrs Merton, T. Gates, Howell, H. Parker, and T. Lee ; and the song " Pretty Mocking Bird," by Miss Rowley, were very well executed. Mr Mertou's song " Speed on my Bark," was encored, and " The White Squall" was given in response. Mr Howell sang " Alice, wbere art thou ? " in good style, and repeated the last verse in answer to an encore. " The Elfin Call," by Mrs Bowler and Miss Rowley, elicited a fair share of applause. Mr John Parker gave the comic song " Put it down to me," (a new song to Christchurch), and was vociferously applauded. In reply to an encore, he sang " I knew that I was Dreaming." The grand march from "Eli " brought to a close one of the best concerts given in Christchurch for a long time past.