Local and General.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 1001, 2 May 1871, Page 2

Local and General.

' Discussion Class. — A class has been formed in connection with the Lyttelton Colonists' Society. The first meeting of the members will take place on Friday evening, and the meetings will be continued on every alternate Friday throughout the winter. Mr H. R. Webb has been elected chairman, Mr Joyce secretary, and Mr Packard treasurer. The subject for discussion on Friday evening is, " A proper water supply for Lyttelton." As the subject is an important one, it will no doubt attract a large number of the members. The Superintendent. — His Honor the Superintendent left for Timaru this morning, and we understand that he will be absent from Christchurch for about ten days. The Next Criminal Sittings. — We understand that up to the present time, there has not been a single committal for the next j sittings of the Supreme Court, which will open on the first Monday in June. i City Drainage. — The new by-law of the City Council . is now in force. Amongst other provisions, there is one which prevents brewers from draining any liquid, " not being surface, well, or storm water," into any public drain in the city. The Fire Brigade. — The superintendent's report to the City Council last night states that during the past quarter there have only been four alarms of fire by the bell. Three of these were gorse hedges, and one a cottage. The Brigade had, however, also attended three gorse hedge fires for which no alarm was given by the bell. Gaol Returns. — The chief gaoler's returns for the month ending April 30 show that there are 74 prisoners confined in Lyttelton gaol, all of whom are males. The number discharged during the month was 1 6. In the Christchurch gaol there were 43 prisoners—24 males and 19 females. The discharges during the month amounted to 19 — 1 1 males and 8 females. The Late Accident at Akaroa. — The search for the missing bodies was continued by John Wardle, the survivor of the party, up to Thursday, the 27th ultimo. Sergeant Ramsay and Constable Flannigan resumed the search on Friday, the 28th, but without success in either case. The search is now, we believe, abandoned, as there seems no probability of finding the bodies. Theatre Rotal. — " The Ticket of Leave Man " was reproduced at the Theatre Royal last night with almost the same cast as formerly. Mr Wolfe again sustained the part of Bob Brierly, and Mr Forde that of Hawkshaw. Both characters were very fairly played, and Miss Nye made a capital Willoughby. Altogether, the piece went remarkably well. There will be a change of programme this evening, when Mr A. Bird, the champion pedestrian, is announced to appear as Cousin Joe in '< The Rough Diamond." Street. — Mr Baylee, of the Criterion Hotel, having voluntarily promised to pay the sum required for kerbing the much desired stone channelling from the Shakespeare Hotel to Manchester street, it is now to be done. During the sitting of the Council last night, Councillor Hobbs made a suggestion to the effect that a lamp should be placed at the corner of Gloucester and Manchester streets. In doing so, he remarked that the large number of immoral characters who congregate about this place have long ago rendered such provision a necessity of the greatest importance. South Avon District. — The adjourned meeting of those ratepayers of the present Avon Road district desirous of creating a new Road Board district, will be held this evening at the St. Alban's schoolroom, when the report of the sub-committee appointed at last Tuesday's meeting, to carry out the resolutions of that meeting affirming the desirability of constituting a new district, will be produced. Cricket. — A meeting of the Committee of the Christchurch Cricket Club was held • at White's Hotel last evening ; present— • Messrs G. Turner (in the chair), A. Lee, i treasurer, and C. E. Briggs, secretary. A letter was read from the secretary of the ' U.C C, enclosing one from Mr A. R. Gum 1 ness, of Westland, suggesting the establish- • ment of an annual match between Canter- ) bury and • Westland. The Secretary was , requested to reply, stating that in the • opinion of the Committee of the CC.C. the 3 subject should be considered by a general i meeting of cricketers.

Flax. — In a recent issue, we noted the effect said to have been produced on flax bj the accidental agency of sea spray. Mi Williamson, of Wanganui, by whom the facl was observed, communicated it to the Flai Commissioners, and has received the following letter in reply : — " Dear Sir, — 1 laic your letter of March 23 before Dr Hector He said a similar effect on the Phormiun tenax could he produced by applications oJ heat, as scorching before a fire ; that possiblj in the case of the salt spray it was due tc the partial stoppage of growth, which other plants in the neighbourhood most likely showed in a scorched appearance. I thini there ought to be some experiment made tc ascertain if salt spray has any or what effect.' Woolston. — A special general meeting oi members of the cricket club was held at the Wharf Hotel last night. The treasurer brought up his statement of receipts and expenses foi the year, and although the latter had been necessarily heavy, as including the rent and maintenance of a ground, and the purchase of all materials, yet there was only a debit balance of £3 3s. This was deemed very favourable, and the committee were instructed to rent and form a ground for next season. — A meeting of the committee of the Woolston Mutual Improvement and Recreation Society was then held, aud draft rules prepared for submission to a general meeting of members, to be held at Mr Scott's hall on Thursday evening next. The Incoming San Fhancisco Mail. — The Nevada, first steamer of the WebbHolladay Hae, is due at Auckland to-mor-row. According to a telegram from Mr Gisborne to the Hawke's. Bay Provincial Government, she will remain there for two days, coming down the Kast Coast and call ing at Napier, Wellington, Lyttelton and Port Chalmers. The telegraphic summary of news may reach us via, Tauranga on Thursday or Friday, supposing the steamei to arrive as expected. It will be seen, from a Dunedin telegram, that it is proposed there to give the officers of the Nuvada a banquet in order to commemorate the inauguration of the new service. 'Similar proposals have been mooted in Auckland and Wellington. The Temperance Bazaar. — A meeting of the committee was held last night at the Temperance Hall, Dr Florance presided. It appearing from reports of the stall-keep erfthat a considerable number of articles were still undisposed of, it was decided to continue the bazaar on Wednesday and Thursday week, in some hall to be engaged for the purpose. It was also decided that entertainments should be provided each evening, and that the charge for admission to the bazaar, including the entertainment, should be sixpence. Votes of thanks were unanimously passed to the members of the St. Alban's Drum and Fife Band, Mr Weber's band, the members of the Society of Sfc. Vincent de Paul, for their services in performing the farce, and to the performers at the trial ot Sir John Barleycorn. The arrangements for the continuation of the bazaar were lef I to the Managing Committee. . The Matches Against Tisie. — We under stand that Mr A. E. Bird intends running hi; matches against time at the Plough Inr grounds, Riccarton Road. His chance ol winning either event if he ran on a tur: course would be very small, and the Plougl Inn is the only place available where he car run on the hard, unless he were to try one ol the public roads, which would be open to many objections. The selected ground will oi course be put into the best order, the primary points being to reduce the abruptness of some of the turns and to widen the track in order that Bird may avail himseli of the services of a " coach " to help him on his journey. The course will be made one seventh of a m le in length so that the ptogressive merits of the race may be easily calculated. It may be interesting to know that the best time in England for twenty miles is 1 h. 58 m. 30 s., by a man named Toddy Ray. Many will be glad to learn that Young Austin is fast recovering from the accident to his left knee, and expresses an intention of having a match with Bird so soon as he is all right. Entertainment. — The first of the series of winter entertainments at Woolston was given last night in the schoolroom. The building was crowded with an attentive anc appreciative audience. His Honor the Superintendent, who presided, delivered an inaugural address, in which he dwelt wi'h great force upon the benefits of such entertainments—the influence they must have ii improving the taste for literature and the social advantages that must be gained. The entertainment was opened with an instru mental concerto, in which Miss Ashwin, Mi Spensley, and another gentleman were the instrumentalists. Miss Loughnan then contributed a song, which was given with excellent taste, and Mr Marshman read ai amusing sketch in that quaint, humoroui style so peculiar to him. Mr Pavitt, accom panied on the piano by Miss Ashwin, sung " Pulling hard against the stream" in capita style, and was well rewarded by applause Miss Straker contributed the song " Comi Home, Father," with such feeling and truth fulness as to elicit an encore, which wa: undombtedly well deserved. Mr Taylo: recited " Tarn O'Shanter " with considerable success, whilst Miss Ashwin (piano) and M: , Spensley secured warm acknowledgments fo their rendering of selections by Rossini. M and the Misses Loughnan sang a trio, am narrowly escaped an encore. Mr Ollivier, ii his old, ever- welcome style, read " Innocent , Abroad," a most amusing description of ai American's visit to the Exhibition, and hi subsequent travels on the Continent. Mis Ashwin played the " Last Rose of Summer ' as a solo on the pianoforte, and her style o execution was well worthy of an encore. M ■ Gradwell sung "The Anchor's weighed," ac companied by Mr Boileau, and was encored s An apology was read for the unavoidabli I absence of Mr Martin, who was to hay given a song of his own composition, "Th

b Christchurch Fire Brigade." Mr fcßoileau i* sung "Sunny Days," and the warm apr plause conferred showed that his efforts were fc appreciated. Mr Taylor sung " Prince i Charlie " with considerable success, and - thus terminated the programme. The chair--1 man then said the committee had desired . him to thank the ladies and gentlemen who '■ had so kindly contributed to the evening's f amusement, and no doubt the audience 7 would join in the acknowledgment. A hearty 3 round of applause testified to this, and the : entertainment was closed with the singinw of 7 the National Anthem. £ A Kind Attention. — A correspondent ) sends us the folio wing paragraph from a copy ' of the Musical Times received by last mail, f and dated Feb. 1. The public and the " local a papers" are certainly much indebted to their *; unknown friend :— " The following extract . received from the Canterbury colony in New Zealand, and forwarded to us for insertion, . may prove of interest to some of our readers. ( We are authorised to say that any enquiry ' on the subject addressed to S. G. Lyttelton, f Esq., Hagley Hall, Stourbridge, Worcester,' will receive prompt attention:—' Should you j. happen to drop across Novello, or any of the > great musicians at home, you might mention ' that there is room here for a really fair j average singing master (say with a good f tenor voice) who can teach piano and har- ' raonium, and if he can play on violin tant ' mieux. There is room for two organists: I mean old trained organists, who could train a choir and teach a Hullah class. Any one - with fair ability and manners, who can write - notices of musical performances fit for the * local columns of a paper, and is up in har--1 mony and thorough bass, ought to do well ) here in a few years.' " School Entertainment at Prebbleton. I — The friends of the day school at Prebbler ton, finding the funds of the institution to i be in a languishing condition, very kindly r came forward to help it out of the difficulty, i and provided on Thursday last a very good * tea and entertainment. The tables were well t filled, and after tea the room was closely 1 picked, several having to stand. Mr J. N. i Tosswill, Chairman of the School Committee, called upon the Rev W. E. Paige to deliver r the prizes gained by the scholars during the ; past year. The first-class prizes fell to ' Andrew Dawson and Mary Dawson ; second class, Janet Morton and David Craighead j s third class, Alfred Alsopp and John '_ McMekiu. Three hearty cheers were given for the master, Mr Morton, and then a gen- ~ tleman, who might have been Heller but is [ not, did a variety of conjuring tricks in a ', very neat and pleasant manner, receiving the repeated applause of the audience. We have ' seen this gentleman at Prebbleton before, ' and feel sure that the people are exceedingly grateful to him for his kindness in placing _ such excellent services at the disposal of the _ school committee. 2 Agricultural.-- -The Otago Daily Times f of April 2' has the following: — Double fur--3 row ploughs having answered exceedingly _ well in the Oamaru district, one farmer, who has a large area of land to plough np, decided on trying a treble furrow plough manufac- " tured by Mr J. Ogilviei of Oamaru. After some experience, he pronounced it a decided . success, and has since employed several. He „ considers that it does better work than the double furrow plough, and with one man and a team of four horses, he can plough „ over four acres a day, with 5_ inch furrow and well laid. The same gentleman has T . adopted a new plan instead of harrowing in his seed. Being impressed with the iraper- * feet result produced by the usual process, I he has this year tried a Crosskill's P Clod Crusher, which he finds produces a fine surface, and has the additional advantage s with wheat of pressing it well into the ' ground. It would almost appear that such a ' r heavy implemeut would injure some of the p seed, but he is quite convinced thac this is r not the case to any appreciable extent. In . the Waiareka Valley district there will thia . year be 3000 acres more wheat than last, and , as the farmers are everywhere throughout ' the district making strong efforts to get their crop in early this year, and the weather is favourable, there is every prospect not only of a largely increased area, but of better 3 crops next year, as late sowing is always J found to be disadvantageous. Some few late i sown crops in the Oamaru districts have 1 turned out exceedingly light — one only four ■ bushels of wheat to the acre. " Australian Winks. — The Food Journal for February has an article on " Australian " Wines," by Mr Phillips Bevan, FJR.G.S., in which he states : — "I am quite sure that, if _ the Australian growers in general would " bestow more care in their selection of the " soil, mode of cultivation, cellarage, and proper keeping, they have the materials for a c commerce in wine in this country which it will take time oniy to develope." _ The Home op the Dbama. — Mr Walter B Montgomery has written a long letter to the . Era in praise of the colonies, being a reply y to a a article that appeared in the columns of \ that paper headed " Arrived in Australia," 5 and bearing on the experience of Charles _ Mhthews in Victoria. Mr Montgomery conL . eludes his communication by the observation s — " Australia is the only home for the legitir mate drama, and I say this after, a large _ American and English experience." r Bio Guns.— The Delhi Gazette says : — r " Neither the Krupp nor the new England 35 r ton gun comes up in dimensions to the brass d gun still to be seen at Beejapoor, in the q Deccan. Ths Jubbulpore journal says it waa s cist by Aurungzebe in 1689 to commemorate a the fall of Bejapoor. It measures 4ft. 10£ in. s diameter at the breech, and 4ft. Bin at the s muzzle, the diameter of the bore being 2ft. " 4in., and the length 14ft. It is held on ks f centre by an immense iron fixed in the r ground, and grasping its trunnions in the manner of a swivel, the rreach resting on a I. block of wood supported by a thick wall, so c that it cannot recoil. For the calibre of this c gun an iron ball 26461 b. would \» c required.