Local and General.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 1413, 6 September 1872, Page 2

Local and General.

" Lyttblton Winter Readings. — The ninth off- these successful entertainments takes place this evening, in. the Colonist Hall. In addition .....to an excellent programme, there will bo a ' ' competition for recitations for youths over the ages of 14. /*•■■ A>*OTHEC iNTEBCOLOXrAL CONFEEEIf CE. Frojn our Melbourne exchanges we learn that tlie Government of New South Wales has invited a conference of delegates from the other Australian colonies and from New Zealand, the conference to meet in Sydney aboufc • the middle of next month. It was not; known what replies had been forwarded by the other oolohies, but the Government of Victoria has * been obliged to decline the invitation, because Parliament will be in session at the timo referred to, and no Ministers of the Crown could be spared fco attend the meeting. Amongst the questions proposed to be considered at the conference are — the Border duties, supposing no satisfactory arrangement fco have been previously arrived afc; the postal service between tho Australian colonies and America j . Lord Kimberloy's despatch with regard to intercolonial free trade ; and submarine telegraphic communication with India and Europe. Wifch regard to postal communication between the Australian colonies and America, it appeal's thafc the agent-general of Now South Wales has been instructed to oall i'or tenders in London for tho service, and fchat fche other Australian colonies will be invited to participate in any arrangement that ; may be arrived at. pBKSENTATioi*. — A f ew of the friends of Captain Thomas Wycherly mot at Sinclair's jlotel, Rangiora, on Wednesday, ior the purpose of presenting him with a purse of sovereigns as a mark of the esteem and respect in which he has been held during his resi- ■ donee in that town. Mr W. H. Percival was . requested by those who. met, to make tho presentation, and addressing Captain Wycherly j. said he was sorry thafc the honour had not fallen into better hands ; but as the presentation was taking place without ostentation he thought that perhaps a few . heartfelt re- .-. marks'' would explain the reason of their ; meeting together that night, and be more acceptable than if he made an elaborate speech. _. . He thou presented fcho purse of sovereigns to *he Captain, saying fchat he hoped : papfc^in Wycherly might; bo successful in any . ..<s_£ his futuro undertakings... Captain Wy.;.chorly.said that he was very much surprised i:/_when ho was first informed that ifc was fche . iu.fcon.tion of a fow of his friends to make him ■ a presentation. He felt deeply the honour of the position in which he was placed, and would carry to the grave the memory of the present moment. During hia lifo ho had received many flattering testimonials, etc., but he oould: say with truth that never in his life had bo felt so highly flattered as afc fche present . moment, surrounded as he now was by his mosfc intimate and kind friends. The Domain. — Somewhat extensive works *ro now boing carried out in the domain. In . addition to the usual spring cleaning up of - the bods and attention to the shrubs, many minor improvements are being carried out. The trees on the banks of the river have also boeu thinned, thereby giving a much better • view- of the stream) which certainly adds to fcho ':• -attractions of a stroll in thafc part of the domain. Since the erection of the additions to. the Museum, tho ring fence forming the small enclosure near the gates has been removed so as to give . a wider area of open ground in front of the building. Tho large ' central mound previously forming part of tho enclosure is being rennrrod4«i_f_rcler to give a -hotter view of the western Alps from the door <o£ iho Museum, and to at the samo time fill ?up'fche shallow gully which existed iv ono part of tho enclosure. When tho levelling has been completed, the ground will be sown with grass, and when thia is grown, there will .j. bo a ilno level piece of open greensward for the uso of tho public. Whilst fche present , levelling may have been advisable, ifc is fco bo hoped, however, that the Domain Board - will riot carry tho matter too far, and mako tho Domain uninterestingly fiat. Ifc is iv short desirable fchafc no more lovolling should be carried out, for if it is, this fi favourite placo of public resort will bo made p. much leas attractive. The cottage recently .erected for fcho head gardener, Mr Armstrong, is now finished, and Mr Armstrong is certainly to bo envied for the very pleasant surroundings of his residence. The walk in this part of the domain has been so altered as to keep tho residence reasonably private, and a large number of now shrubs have been planted in the vicinity. Before leaving the subject of the domain it would be well to direct the attention of the authorities to fche stone from the new Museum building, which haa been spread on the walk in tho vicinity. The pieces are very much too largo, and uncomfortable to the tread, indeed it might almost be said dangerous, and if | allowed to remain at all thoy should certainly j be broken much smaller than now. I

f, AYOsraiDE.— There" will be early CommuTjion afc eight o'clock on Sunday morning next afc Holy Trinity Church, Avonside. Fibe Police. — Messrs Egbert; Sutherland and Richard Smith were sworn in yesterday by" his Worship the Mayor. The full number is now filled. A general meeting of the body will take place on Tuesday evening next for the election of officers. Athletic— The" sub-committee of the Agricultural Association are" evidently bent upon putting the running course, on the show' grounds, formed last year, into good order for : the coming season. A thick coatings of gas lime is to be laid all round tho course, and afterwards covered with ashes, which" will be thoroughly rolled in. The lime has already been purchased, and the work of laying it will be undertaken as soon aB Mr Stewart is at liberty to do so. Local Industry. — We have inspected two very handsome specimens of carriage building at the premises of Mr A. G. Howland, Cashel street. One is a light family trap, wifch extended top, and the other a single-seated buggy. ..The" former has a hood or top, which by means of movable uprights can be made to cover in both sides of the vehicle on to and over the front seat, or to cover the back seat only, in the style of an ordinary buggy-hood, like which ifc can also be folded back from the seats altogether. The back of that, portion of tho front seat nofc occupied by- the driver is fixed on a movable pivot so that the passenger occupying ifc can sit with his back to the horses ancl facing thoso on the back seat. Tho whole workmanship of this elegant carriage — for such ifc really is — and the buggy ia of a character which, however critically examined, will bear most favourable comparison with that in English traps. The painting displays a brilliancy and beauty of finish which, without any exaggeration, could not be excelled. This part of the work also gives evidence of great taste on the part or the workmen. In.the fore-carriage of the buggy there is an arrangement which enables the buggy to he turned in a space of fifteen feet, and renders it perfectly impossible for a capsize to occur during the process. The traps as a whole do' very great credit to the manufacturer, Mr Howland. Scandinavian Immigeants, — The customary three days from tho timo of landing having expired, the immigration barracks wero thrown open yesterday for the engagement of the recent aiTivals hy the German ship Friedeburg. There was a large attendance of employers, and the barracks wore a vciy busy aspect from the. hour of opening ito the close. The proceedings were also of a somewhat more animated character than usual, owing to the extra talking which had to be done in consequence of all business negotiations being conduoted through interpretei'3. The gentlemen who acted in this capacity for the immigrants were Mr Ruddenklau (German) and Mr Monson (Norwegian and Danish). All fcho immigrants appeared very contented in disposition, and expreesed themselves perfectly satisfied with the treatment fchey . had received since landing, and the rate of wages offered. Of sixty-one single women, 42 met wifch engagements, the wages being— cooks, £30; general servants and housemaids, £20; nursemaids, £12 to £18. Eleven of the 42 were engaged ; to go to Timaru, and it may be stated thafc nearly all tho 42 wero engaged by English employers. Of 33 single men, 23 were engaged, tho wages being — general farm servants, £30 to £40 ; labourers, £25 to £30 ; and one tailor, £52. Thore were 53 families, and four of theso were engaged, the rates of pay being — blacksmith, £45 ; carpenter, £45 ; farm labourers, £40 to £45, with a bonus of £10 in each instance if thoso engaged remained 12 months in their situations. Of eeurse ifc will be understood that in ever}' instance given above fcho wages arc exclusive of board and lodging. It is very probable thut several of fcho immigrants remaining afc the barracks will be engaged in a few days, and ifc should be stated that more of tho singlo women would have been engaged yesterday had time permitted for the negotiations to be completed. — Last night tho German rosidents of Christchurch and its vicinity gave a complimentary dinner at Schmidt's Hotol to their countryman Captain Kopper, of tho ship Friedeburg, in which tho Scandinavian immigrants recently arrived. Tho room was decorated with national flags, conspicuous afnongsfc which waa a German bannor presented by Captain Kopper fco fcho Germans of this province. Plhe dinner was served in very excellent stylo by Mr Schmidt, and the tables were ornamented by a numbor of pot plants (including a Norway spruce), lent for tho occasion by Mr W. Wilson. Notwithstanding that no pnblic notification had been mado of the dinner upwards of fifty Germans asaombled. The chair was occupied by Dr Haast, F.R.S., Ph. D., who was supported on tho right by Captain Kopper, and on his left by Dr Temple, the surgeon superintendent of the Friedoburg on tho passage out. The vicechairs were occupied by Mr Ruddenklau and Mr Fuhrmann. Aftor fcho romoval of the cloth, fcho list of toasts was proceeded with in the conventional manner. The chairman in an eloquent speech proposed " Tho Queen and tho Royal Family, ' referring at length to their connection by blood with Germany, and stating that Germans ever received the most favourable consideration from English rulers. Tho toast was drank with great enthusiasm. " The Emperor of Germany " was next proposed by Dr Haast, who in fche course of his remarks said fchat the unity of Germany had made it one c-? the greatest nations in fche world. The toast was honoured with the most patriotic warmth. " The Goneral and i Provincial Governments of tho colony wero also toasted in a befitting manner, after which , the chairman submitted the toast of the oveni ing— "Capt. Kopper." This toast was drunk , with demonstrative applauso,and Capt. Kopper ; in responding, thanked tho Germans of fche pro- : yincofor the warm reception he had met with ' on all hands since he landed. He commented briefly upon the immigrants he had brought

out in 'fche Friedeburg, and said the most useful of fcJi^i_ofe;were; the married couples of true than whom better labourers were not to be found in the colonies. Dr-f^Haasfc then sung "The Little Tambour,"- and acquitted himself wifch such consummate » skill fchafc an encore wa3 perj sisfcentiy deihanded. In," agreeing to comply withthis wish of the guests, he said, howeyer»;that he must send round a plate fco col-lect-"indney for any necessitous countrymen 'jusfc arrived, and would only sing again on the understanding that the appeal was received in a liberal spirit. Ho complied with the encore, and a plate was then sent round, when the sum of £5 8s 6d was collected. The health of Dr Temple was then drunk, and this gentleman, m replying, also expressed the high opinion he held of the true German married people whom he hoped would find a proper recognition of their worth in the colony. The chairman then proposed '_ Success to the Immigrants," which was responded to for tho Germans by Mr H. Hiller, a passenger by the Friedeburg, who, it may be stated, has been through all three campaigns in which the German army has of late years been engaged, and for tho Scandinavians, by Mr Monson. " The Chairman " was proposed by Mr Ruddenklau, and was drunk with enthusiasm. The chairman then proposed the health of Mr Ruddenklau, as the originator of tho German -Association in Christchurch, and this was also warmly received. " Success to Canterbury," proposed by Dr Temple, was responded to by Mr Ruddenklau, and several other toasts followed, the intervals being filled in with German songs, many of which, espeoially those sung by Dr Haast, were very ably rendered. Mr F. Weber presided at the pianoforte during the evening.