Local and General.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 701, 22 August 1870, Page 2

Local and General.

" Coming Events," &c. — We are informed that extraordinary electrical disturbances have been observed at the Telegraph offices throughout this island, during the last few days, more especially yesterday, the 21st. Does this forbode a storm, or possibly an earthquake. Boat Race. — On Saturday afternoon last a boat race came off about 2 o'clock, at Heathcote, between the Whisky and Swallow. The former, which belongs to Captain Buxton, was manned by Messrs Clark and Davis, with Mr H . A. Bamford as coxswain The Swallow, belonging to Mr Roberts, was manned by Messrs Hill and Ashwin, with Mr J. Amery for coxswain. The Whisky was totally defeated. Being a fine afternoon, there was a goodly number of spectators, who seemed to enjoy the sport. Total Abstinence Society. — An entertainment is announced for this evening, in connection with the above, in the Hall, Gloucester street. Postal. — In the House of Representatives, in Committee of Supply, Messrs Tancred and Rolleston pointed out that it would shortly be necessary to make the postal service between Rangiora and Oxford a tri-weekly instead of a bi-weekly one, as at present. Theatre Royal. — " After Dark " was repeated to a good house on Saturday evening. To-night, the company will perform at Kaiapoi, and to-morrow evening's performances, for which a very gootf bill is announced, will conclude the present season in Christchurch. Wesleyan Foueign Mission Society.— It is announced that the annual public meeting of the above Society will be held in the Church, Durham street, this evening, commencing at seven o'clock. Mr J. H. Twentyman will preside, and addresses will be delivered by the Revs. L. Moore, W. J. Habens, Kirk, Reed, and others. The choir, under the direction of Mr Spensley, will give musical selections. Immigration and PcnLic Works Bill. — A Wellington contemporary of Aug. 18 says thia Bill passed through committee on Tuesday evening amid the cheere of hon. members. The new clause providing for the appointment of a Minister of Public Works and a Board was incorporated in the Bill, and also some formal amendments, those proposed by Mr Richmond and other hon. members being rejected on the voices. Mb Webb and the Nebraska. — An Auckland paper says: — From a passenger by the City of Melbourne, yesterday, we learn that it is the in'ention of Mr Webb to send down the Nebraska next month to Melbourne, on an experimental trip. The Nebraska was to proceed to Wellington, in consequence of the Governor being at that place, at the session of Assembly, and it was believed that the vessel could perform the trip through in twenty days. Marine Engineer. — Mr Stafford, in Committee of Supply, asked the Government whether they contemplated making any provision for the appointment of a competent marine engineer for the colony. He was informed that the subject had been under the consideration of the Government. No conclusion had yet been arrived at with regard to a permanent appointment. For the present, the Government availed themselves of the best engineering skill they could find at the several places. Inquest.— An inquest was held at the house of Mr William Salt, Mount Grey Downs, on Thursday, 18th inst., before Matthew Morris, Esq., Coroner, touching the death of a female child, aged 2J years. From the evidence, it appeared that the mother of the child was by herself at about one o'clock, and saw the child in the doorway ; missing her about five minutes afterWards, she went out to look for her, arid eventually found the body in a well nine feet deep, into which the child must have fallen. A verdict of " Accidentally drowned " was returned, the Coroner ordering that the well ■g should at once be properly fenced in. * A Daring Feat. — An Auckland contem- " porary of a recent. date has the. following :— While the Argyleshire was in the tropics, the hat of one of the apprentices was blown . overboard. The owner, a lad of about fifteen years of age, without the slightest hesitation, leapt from the rigging, overboard after his lost property, notwithstanding that the vessel was going at the rate of four or five knots. The steersman immediately threw overboard one of the life buoys hangiDg over the stern, and the ship was broughtto as soon aspossible, but not before she was fully three-quarters of a mile from the boy in the water. A boat was then got out, and the lad was picked up, when he was found to be thoroughly exhausted. The hat which had blown overboard he held between bis teeth. On getting on board, and on oeirig reprimanded for so foolhardy an action, aa jumping overboard and risking his life after a mere hat, the lad said, with much feeling that it was given to him by his father as a parting gift, and that he would not part with it on any account.

Lttielton "Winter REAi>iNGS.--Another of these entertainments was given on Friday evening at the Colonisis' Hall, and proved a great success. The chair vras occupied by Dr Donald, the President of the Colonists' Society. The Customs Department. — Mr Stafford is reported in Hansard to hare made the following remarks in Committee of Supply : — The whole Customs expenditure was wonderfully cheap. They had, he believed, thirtyfour or thirty-five ports, and they collected their Customs for 1 per cent, less than Victoria with only three ports, and where the main business was done at one port. The service was efficient, and was continuing to improve from day to day. There would be nothing more fatal than starving the service. He must again impress upon the Commissioner of Customs that, until it was made a colonial service, it would not be as efficient as it ought to be, and the more attention the hon. member gave to the question the more convinced would he be of that fact. A Slight Difficulty.— The following is from a Wellington paper of Aug. 18:— It will be in the recollection of our readers that at a certain period of the parliamentary history of England, the bluff protector, paying a rather unexpected visit to the House of Commons, electrified the then Sergeant-at Arms, by requesting him to remove the mace from the table in somewhat contemptuous terms, saying "Take away that bauble." When the House was in committee on the Sales for Non-payment of Rates Bill on Toesday evening, Mr Gillies caused considerable amusement by calling attention to the fact that the mace, contrary to usual custom when the Speaker vacates the chair, still remained on the table, and enquired whether the House could proceed while that symbol of authority was in that position. The difficulty was, however, easily solved by the Sergeant at Arms removing it and placing it under the table, when the business proceeded. Evidently the hon. member does not share in the openly expressed contempt of the historical personage above alluded to respecting the time-honoured symbol of Parliamentary authority. Condition of Government Bdildings. — The following is the interim report of the Joint Committee of both Houses on the Government buildings at Wellington : — The Joint Committee appointed to take into consideration the condition of the Government buildings, &c, have the honour to report, — That a bill should be introduced into the Legislature giving power to the Government to purchase a suitable site for the Legislative buildings required. That of the sites considered by the committee available for the purpose, the most desirable is that adjacent to the present Legislative buildings, known as the property of the late Dr Kvans, comprising three acres. That the chairman be authorised to communicate the foregoing resolutions to the Government. That the committee having considered the relative advantages and expenses of repairing the present Government offices or cf erecting new ones, in accordance with the requirements of the public service, are of opinion that it would be most economical and advantageous to erect new buildings. That for the erection of new offices and of the buildings required for the Legislature, and for the purchase of a site and furniture for the latter, the sum of £30,000 would be required. Db Livingstone. — From the first Sir Roderick Murchison expressed his disbelief in the report recently carried to England of the murder of Dr Livingstone. Late news from England stated that the Government had appropriated a sum of money to defray the expenses of an expedition to search for the great African traveller. Pending definite intelligence, the following paragraph from a Cape paper of May 24 encourages the hope of Livingstone's safe although perhaps tardy return : — The Montrose called here in consequence of damage sustained in a gale whilst off the Cape. Had it been known when she left Zanzibar that she would have called here, Dr Kirk would have undoubtedly written to Sir Thomas Maclear, forwarding the news he had received of Dr Livingstone. But it was not known that . the Montrose would put into Table Bay, and we have not, therefore, the information with regard to the great traveller with all the particulars as we should desire to have it. We have, however, the fact — and that settles all doubts as to the rumour from the West Coast— that Dr Livingstone lives. Captain Anderson states that he had had a conversation with Dr Kirk, the political agent at Zanzibar, and he had informed him that he had just received a letter from Dr Livingstone, that the doctor was quite well, and would shortly make his appearance at one of the European settlements. Captain Anderson remembers nothing more than this ; but Dr Kirk had said that he was perfectly assured throughout that the rumours of Dr Livingstone's death were unfounded.