Local and General.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 1477, 21 November 1872, Page 2

Local and General.

Samples op Flax Fibee. — Two splendid samples of fibre, prepared from common swamp flax, by Mr James M'HafHc's process, Auckland, may be seen afc the rooms of the Flax Association, Cashel street. They are very soft, free from gum, and ajiparontly unimpaired in strength. The leaves from whicli the fibre has been produced were first steeped in a hot chemical solution, then beaten with mallets, bleached for four days, and scutched. The samples are well worthy of examination. Sttjinkh. — Consequent upon the greatly increasing traffic between Christchurch and Sumner, itis intended to start; another coach to run between the two places twice a day, and Mr Horneman, who has recently succeeded to the business at Day's Hotel, Sumner, also contemplates establishing a punt on the Estuary, with a view to connecting Sumner with New Brighton. Tho tolls will be very light, and uo doubt the ferry will be largely taken advantage of, especially asgoodhorseaccommodation 'will be provided on the Brighton side. The Governor. — A Wellington exchange believes that ifc is correct in stating that his Excellency and Lady Bowen will start about the 10th of December next for Cliristehurch, where the Governor has been asked fco open the exhibition. Afterwards they wil! proceed to Dunedin, whence they will visit Lake Wakatip and the other lakes, as also the goldfields in Otago, and finally the glaciers of Mount Cook ; and will return to Wellington about the end of Fobruary. Next week the Governor intends to visit; Manuwatu and Rangitikei, and the European and native settlements there ; thence he will ride throughtho Manawatu Gorge and the Soventymile Bush.to Masterton, coming baok to Wellington by way of tho Wairarapa. I Lyttelton Bohougu Schools.— Co:' « siderable dissatisfaction having been expressed afc the delay of the architect in completing the plans and specifications for tho Lyttelton Borough schools, a meeting of the committee was held in the Colonists' Hall on Tuesday evening, when the following resolution wa< unanimously passed : — " That dissatisfaction having been expressed by the Board of Education, and is felt by tlio committee, at the delay of the architect in completing the plans and specifications for tho projected borough school buildings, that an official letter be written to the architect, calling upon him to supply the plans and specifications on 01 before the 29fch November, failing which, the committee will consider all negotiations with him at au end, and that he bo requested k state at once whether ho will bo able to comply with the committee's request." The school? ayo well attended, and more room is required, therefore it is to be hoped, that the plans will bo forthcoming without any more delay. The gymnasium and drill are evidently great favourites with the ohildren.

WEBLBYAN SUNDAY SCHOOLS, DUBHAM Street. — The anniversary services ef the Wesleyan Sunday Schools, Durham street, will be held on December 22. Special Hymns will be sung by the children. Waste Lands. — The following notice appears in a Provincial Gazette issued yesterday : — His Honor the Superintendent directs it to be notified that all communications, by telegraph or otherwise, referring to the purchase of Waste Lands in the district south of tho Rangitata, not made personally at the Waste Lands Office, must be addressed to the Timaru agent, Mr John Williams, at the Government Buildings, Christchurch. Colonial Prize Firing. — A Nelson exchange of November 15 says : — We were glad to receive the intelligence, yesterday, that Nelson had been definitely fixed upon as the place where the next colonial prize firing will take place. Something in this direction is wanted in order to remove an appearance of stagnation amongst us, and as we shall only be enjoying in turn what the other .provinces have already experienced, let us hope that the visit will prove mutually agreeable to our coming visitors and the residents of this province. I Wesleyan Home Missions Lyttelton. — I A tea meeting in aid of the home missions in connection with the church took place in the Wesleyan Schoolroom, Lyttelton, on ! Tuesday evening last. It was expected that a ' large number of Christchurch friends would j have been present, but at the last minute it I was found that a train could not be obtained ! although the committee offered double the I usual amount charged. This put a damper on the proceedings, as some of the speakers ' could not attend in consequence. About 130 ' persons sat down to a sumptuous tea, pro- 1 vided by the ladies of the congregation, and ; which was dono excellent justice to. An' adjournment was then made to the church, ! which was well filled. Hymn 584 was sung, i and Psalm 85 was read by the Rev W. j Morley, and prayer was offered up by the Rev W. M'Gowan. Mr Thompson, of Rangiora, was : voted to the chair, and delivered an address on the importance of mission work on the • Canterbury plains. The Rev W. Morley then read the report. The Revs W. Lee, I — Isitt, J. T. Shaw, A. Reid, and M'Gowan! delivered addresses,, jmd hymns were sung, j Mr Robinson moved, and it was carried by ■ acclamation, that a voto of thanks be tendered to the speakers. Mr J. S. Oliver moved a vote of thanks to the ladies who had so! generously provided the tables, which was ; also carried by acclamation, and the proceedings, which were throughout of a most interesting nature, concluded with the benediction. Theaiee Royal. — " The Woman in Red," a drama of great interest adapted from the Fench of "La Tireuse des Cartes," by Stirling Coyne, was produced at the Theatre Royal last night with a degree of success much greater than is generally attained at first representations of new plays. Notwithstanding that the drama is full of strong situations, and requires a somewhat numerous company, it was veiy creditably played throughout, evoking frequent applause. For this a great deal j is unquestionably due to the fact that the great j weight of the piece rests upon Miriam, or tho Woman in Red, which character was sustained by Miss Bowring. The whole plot of the piece, it may be said, turns upon the stealing of Miriam s child, and the self-sacrificing search for it — a search to which Miriam devotes her wholo thought, time, and energy, and in which she is ultimately successful. The character calls into play some of the finest phases of feeling, and is peculiarly well adapted to Miss Bowring, who from the first identified herself with her part and its varying emotions in a truly artistic manner. She received many appreciative acknowledgments from the audience, which, by the way, was uot so large as the piece deserved, and it ia but just to say that she fully earned them. Mr, Steele, Mr and Mrs Howard, and Mrs Keogh also sustained their respective parts wifch good effect, and the remaining characters WGre all fairly supported. Tho scenic and mechanical cffectß displayed careful preparation, and aided materially in tho success of the piece, which we may freely recommend to the patronage of Christohuroh playgoers. Wesleyan Church District Meeting. — Tho session was opened yesterday by singing tho 324 th hymn, after whioh tho secretary read tho 48th Psalm, and Revs. W. H. Beck and Te Kote offered prayer. The Roy. Te Koto presented the report of his labours for the past year, Mr Kirk interpreting at regular intervals. Ho preaches at six or seven native settlements, and over 220 peraons attend his ministrations. Tho report was well received by the meeting, aud it was resolved — « That the statistics of the Maori Misaion, as now submitted, bo printed in the Miuutes of Conference, and in the list of stations for next year, the following entry be made : — Raupaki — Te Kote, who shall itinerate among the Maoris of tho Canterbury and Otago provinces, under the direction of tho ohairman of tho district. Tho statistics of the district were read by the Rev. W. Leo, explanations being given where necessary. It wa3 found that in eight Circuits there had been an increase of eightytwo church members, while from six othors was reported a decrease of eighty, so that the net addition is only two. The present number of church mombers is 1404, with 137 on trial for membership. Thero are over | 3100 Sabbath soholars, 9560 attendants on j public worship. The compendium of ministerial duty known as " The Liverpool Minutes," was read by tho Rev. R. Bavin, and an interesting conversation. upon the pre- J sent state of tho church ensued, in which the majority of the ministers present took part Afternoon Session. — Prayer was offered by the Rev. W. B. Marten. Tho examination oi the probationers being completed, the reports were considered and the book lists for th< year read. It was agreed that Buitable enfcrie.be inscribed in the minutes. The Rev. A. R Fitchett received permission to attend' thi Sydney Conference in January next. Thi meeting was closed at 5 p.m. by the chairmai. pronouncing the benediction.

Sunday Schooe Union. — The annual gathering of the children of the various Sunday schools in Christchurch and its suburbs, in connection with the Sunday School Union, will be held on the afternoon df Sunday, Dec. 29, in Durham street Wesleyan Church. New Lamps. — Two very handsome ornamental lamps have been erected in front of the Scotch Stores Hotel, High street, which are not only the first of the kind seen in this "province, but the glass used in them has been operated upon in a manner quite new to Canterbury. The lampß are of the octagon globe design, similar to those erected on the new Thames embankment, though of a necessity much smaller and less elaborate in detail. The glass used had to be bent to - suit tho globular form of the lamps, and this, together with the process. by which it is. frosted, has been effected by Mr Smith, High street, the maker of the lamps, in a very excellent manner. The lamps are supported on lightwooden posts, which are nicely bronzed, and altogether they have a very elegant appearance. Local Industey. — The demand for chairs of Christchurch manufacture has increased in such a maimer as to make the industry ono of I the most flourishing amongst the many that j have sprung into existence during the past t few years. Those who have beon in the busii ness for some time are constantly busy, and , another candidate who has entered the field of competition during the past month is equally busy. The new venture is by Mr H. j J. Shaw, who has established himself in prej mises erected by him in Lichfield street. Threo hands are now employed, and another is under - engagemont to go on as soon as he is at liberty. Tho motive power required in the business is supplied by a threehorse power horizontal engine with vertical boiler — by Ray, Mead, and Co., London — which is capable of driving six lathes. At present there is only one lathe employed, and this is .a very excellent specimen of local iudustry manufactured by Mr N. Jowett, Tuam street. During a visit there were a number o"f chairs in the earlier stages of manufacture, which gave proof that Mr Shaw and his workmen are well-skilled in their work, and which will no doubt fully maintain the standard of excellence, which has hitherto marked Christchurch manufactures of the same kind. Tnteb-P&OYincial and Vienna Exhibition. — The arrangements for tho inter-pro-vincial exhibition are being rapidly pushed forward, and applications for space aro now coming in, though it must be said not without more personal looking up of probable exhibitors by the secretary than is desirable. Up to the present time, about one hundred persons have sent in applications for space, whicli is independent of what will -be required for the public institutions, Buch as the Christchurch and Wellington Museums. Sinco last notice a telegram has been received from Reef ton, stating that a valuable and interesting collection of exhibits will be sent, whilst information is also to hand from Westport that good contributions will be sent. The Drill-shed, where the exhibition is to be held, is now boing divided into courts, and otherwise put into order according to tho plan officially prepared, and it is very probable that greenery and floral decorations will be carried out on such an extensive scale as to cover up a considerable portion of the present disagreeable appearance of the walls and roof in the interior of the building. O rertures have boen mado to the nurserymen of Christchurch, and tho response is not unlikely to be of a liberal character. But, whatever may bo left uncovered by this kind of decoration will be treated with flags and drapery, the intention being to produco an ornamental effect in ovory way worthy of the occasion. A suggestion is also to be made to the Horticultural Society to add to the afcfcracfciona of the opening day of tho exhibition by holding their usual December show on the enclosed ground in front of the Drill Shed — a proceeding which would certainly result in bringing a considerable amount of money into tho society's treasury more than would bo accomplished under ordinary circumstances. Another matter to whioh attention is beiug turned is the adoption of measures for- preventing the anniversary sports from clashing with the exhibition. Tho latter event wiil most pro? bably take place about noon, and tho Popular Amusements Association would- do well to consider tho adoption of a somewhat later hour for tho commencement of their sports than hitherto, say half-pa«t one o'clock,, which would still allow them timo to got through a good programme. To say the least it would certainly bo advisable tbat a BMb-committeo should be appointed to confer wifch fche Exhibition authorities, in ordw to prevent any clashing of the two matters. A mooting of sub-committees in connection wifch the Exhibition will bo held at 3 o'clook this afternoon, for-the purpose of considering the appoint- | mont of judges,