Local and General.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 732, 27 September 1870, Page 2

Local and General.

Lecture. — The third of the series of lectures on " Egypt and the Books of Moses " ■will be delivered in St James's church, Montreal street, to morrow evening. Ms Heller. — This gentleman gave a performance last night in the Colonist Hall, Lyttelton. The building was crowded to excess, and he was heartily applauded. This evening he will give his last entertainment in port. Rangitata Bridge. — We learn from our Timaru files that the contractors for the above work, Messrs Bush and Smith, intended to commence operations on Monday \last. X JJ/HE Eakaia Bridge. — Mr White informs T-*s that the work of pile-driving progresses Vijery satisfactorily. A short time ago we noticed the completion of the second row of piles; at the end of last week sixty- nine piles of the third and last row had been driven. Total Abstinence Society. — A meeting in connection with this society took place last evening, in the Temperance Hall. Mr Norriss occupied .the .chair, and Dr Allen, Messrs Morrison, and De La Mare addressed trie meeting, after which several signed the 1 ledge.

Ecclesiastical. — Dr-Woran^late Bishop in the Eastern Province of the Cape of Good Hope, has been appointed Bishop of Dunedin by His Holiness Pius IX. He is expected in his new diocese shortly. No. 4 Compant, C.R.V. - On Sunday evening last the members of this company, under the command ot Lieut. Dudding, mustered at the Drillshed, Rangiora, from whence they marched to St. John's Church, where the Rev. Canon Dudley delivered a very impressive sermon from Matt, vi., 24. Mr Heller in the West. — Mr R. Smythe, the business manager of Heller's Wonders, went by the coach for Hokitika this morning with the view of ascertaining whether the West Coast would be likely to yield such a succession of crowded audiences as the celebrated entertainer attracted in Christchurch during the last three weeks. The Can terburt Museum is to be opened on Saturday next. We are sure the public will be of opinion that they have every reason to be proud of such a valuable institution. It is probable that his Honor the Superintendent, accompanied by the members of the Provincial Council, will visit the Museum on Friday next after the ceremony of opening the session of the Council is over. Amative News. — By way of Wellington, ire learn that the great Native meeting at Pariaka has passed off satisfactorily. Titokowaru appeared, but took no prominent part. He said he was tired of fighting, and that if the Government let him alone he would not begin again — he would return quietly to where he came from, Upper Waitotea, and live at peace. All the talk was friendly, and there were no bad signs any•where in the North Island. ,— Maori Civilization. — The correspondent of an Auckland contemporary, writing from the Alexandra settlement in the Waikato says: — The Hau-haus at Te Kuiti have taken to theatricals, in a very large house called " The Theatre of the King's Son." The performance takes place twice a week, and draws large audiences ; admission free. The acting is first rate, and the Star Company would draw crowded houses should they make their appearance on the Auckland boards. The Alleged Legislative Blunders. — By a private telegram from Wellington, we learn that the blunders in legislation about which there has been a considerable amount of surprise, and in some cases alarm, are not so very serious after all. The errors in the Land Transfer Act are quite trivial, and will not delay its operation. The only error in the Representation Act is in the case of the Cheviot district, and that, it is considered, can be got over by the operation of other parts of the Act. The error in the Goldfields Act is slight, and can be easily got over. In no case is there anything of moment. Gold at Taranaki. — A Wellington contemporary has the following : — A private letter has been received by Mr Octavius Carrington, from Taranaki, dated Sept. 15, informing him that gold had been found on Bob Erangi'B land, between Omata and the Tapuae river, about six miles south of New Plymouth. The land is leased by the natives to Antonio Rodriquez de Sardina, who is the person that has discovered the gold, and now makes a claim for the £1000 reward. Mr Carrington is informed that the quartz is very good, and the people are sanguine that it will turn out a payable goldfield. The settlers were anxious for the return of the Superintendent to proclaim it a goldfield. I/YTTELTON I/AND, BUILDING, AND INVESTMENT Society. — A meeting of the members of this society was held in the Colonists' Hall on Saturday evening last, when the unrealised shareholders received their full amount of £100 per share. Notwithstanding the depreciation of the value of property in the province during the last five years, by which the society sustained considerable losses, it has remunerated the investing shareholders at the rate of nearly thirteen per cent, compound interest on their investments received by small instalments. This is the second society that has come to a satisfactory conclusion in Lyttelton. A permanent one is now established with every prospect of success. Saltwater Creek School Committee. — The chairman having been sued in the -Resident Magistrate's Court, on Tuesday last, at Kaiapoi, by the master, for arrears of salary left unpaid since 1866, called a public meeting of the ratepayers of the district on Thursday evening, 22nd inst., to consider what steps should be taken. The meeting was well attended, and it was decided by a large majority that to save further expense in litigation, the claim should be paid. Mr Donald Cameron, and Mr A. S. J. White, the chairman for the time being, were deputed to meet the master for that purpose, but as his claim would absorb the whole amount of rate which could be collected in one year, Mr Lough was asked to allow half the amount to stand over till April, 1872, the first half to be paid in April 1871, to which he consented, on condition that the balance of rate be applied to the building of a house for the master. A New Road Steamer.— For the following, which appears to have been taken from some Scotch paper, we are indebted to a Wellington contemporary : — A new patent road steamer by Mr Nairn, engineer, Leith, was recently practically tried under steam. The main features in this engine are its neat, compact form, and the tires of the driving wheels, which are formed of an iron rim, covered with a thick layer of flat rope, which gives great traction power. These t'res flatten on the ground, and so enable the engine to ascend gradients and draw heavy loads, and they have the additional advantage of being very inexpensive. By an ingenious arrangement, which is self-acting, it is unnecessary in turning corners to throw the wheels out of gear, so that no delay is caused, and inexperienced workmen can manage the engine. The engine started from Leith-walk with a load of upwards of ten tons, which it conveyed to Carberry Mains, a distance of nine mile 3, without <he slightest accident

A gradient of -OTp^iriVj^eltejwaa ;ascended with the greatest ease, %nd . the Bpeed obtained wasflt.efe-sixihilesanhbur. The absence of noise,^Kich is the great ;desideratum, was very noticeable. The engine was constructed by. Messrs Tod and Son, Leithwalk, under the -direction of Mr Nairn. A new omnibus drawn by this engine is now running between -Edinburgh and Leith. It is large and commodious, being seated for about one hundred persons. On the top of the omnibus is an awning for the protection of the passengers in inclement weather. The vehicle is well patronised, and attracts much attention as it passes along the streets. Pedestrianism. — A large concourse of people assembled in the vicinity of the Plough Inn, Riccarton Road, yesterday afternoon, to witness the 200 yards' race between W. Pentecost and J. Shell. There must have been quite four hundred persons, and the excitement was very great. A large amount of money was speculated upon the event at odds of 5 to 3, and 3 to 2 on Shell who was to give his opponent five yards' start. Both, men were reported to have made good time in trial spins, and Pentecost had a large number of backers. A little before four o'clock the distance was marked out on the road in front of the hotel, and Messrs A. Reese and J. Bennett respectively, appointed to officiate as starter and referee. On the men stripping, but little alteration was visible in Pentecost's condition as compared with what he displayed in his Friday's match, and he was certainly far from being in proper trim fora sprint race against a professional. Shell, however, also appeared somewhat off, so there was not much difference in the fitness of the two. A good start was effected, but Shell, as could only be expected, was the smartest away, and recovered nearly two yards of the start he had given. Pentecost, however, cut out the running at such a pace that Shell could not lessen the gap any more, but as near as could be judged, was three yards astern when the tape was breasted. Pentecost, on termination of the race, was greeted with a most boisterous ovation, and was cheered nearly all the way to the hotel. So far as could be seen for the heavy clouds of dust which impeded a view of the start or finish, according as the time-keepers stood, the race was run in about 23 sees., and Pentecost ran in exceedingly good style. During a subsequent period in the afternoon, articles of agreement were signed for a match between Young Austin and Charles Porter, another local amateur of some note. The distance to be run is 2000 yards, Austin giving his opponent 100 yards start, and staking £25 to £20. The race will come off on a grouad to be afterwards selected, on Monday, the 10th of October, between 3 and 4 p.m. War. — The Australasian of Sept. 3 has the following : — The talk in all places of public resort, and in most private circles, during the past week has been exclusively of the war ; and it is interesting to observe how men's sympathies are governed, not by considerations of reason and justice, but by the instincts of race. People of Teutonic origin hope for, predict, and believe in the triumph of Prussia. The Latins swear by France. Even those who hate the Emperor of the French with an implacable hatred are confident of the ultimate success of his army, and prognosticate a complete revision of the map of Europe under his direction. Comparatively little attention, however, is bestowed upon the bloodshed and misery, at the cost of which the victory of either nation will be purchased. When the Prussians entered Austria in 1866, and took possession of a village named Gitchin, they found that the whole of the inhabitants had deserted it. Some treacherous peasant revealed the whereabouts of the fugitives, and a lieutenant, in command of 40 soldiers, was detached in pursuit of them. He found them encamped in a forest about three miles off, to the number of about two hundred. They had taken with them the few oxen, sheep, and goats which constituted the chief part of their worldly possessions, and such household utensils as were absolutely necessary far their use. When surprised by the soldiery, the poor Tcheks were panic-stricken, and dumb with terror. Their wives clasped their infants to their breasts and gathered the older children to their sides, and besought for compassionate treatment with streaming eyes. The young officer demanded that the burgomaster should be brought before him. "He is not here," replied an aged peasant ; "he and the cure have both abandoned us, after advising us to forsake the village and to take refuge in the woods. Be merciful to us. Our death would do no good to His Majesty the King of Prussia, whom God preserve. We did not bring about this war, and we have always lived upon the best of terms with our worthy neighbours the Prussians." The lives of the suppliants were spared, but the lieutenant caused a dozen of their cows to be driven off, and 60 loaves of bread and several sacks of potatoes to be taken from the scanty store of provisions which the terrified fugitives had carried with them into the forest, where they had sought a precarious safety. Such an episode as this in the history of a war is only a sample of hundreds of others still more repulsive in their details, but which are entirely overlooked in the presence of the great events of a campaign. Tens of thousands of households are plunged into anguish, and many of them into poverty, by a single battle ; but who bestow* a thought upon these when the bells are ringing, and the cannon are being fired, and " Te Deum " is chaunted in the Cathedral of a capital city, to celebrate the slaughter of countless human beings, and the military genius of the commaDder who directed it, and who will be immortalised in the annals of mankind for having done bo ?