Local and General.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 1478, 22 November 1872, Page 2

Local and General.

Legal. — In the case of Leo v. Brown and another, fche jury returned a verdict for the plaintiff on all the issues — damages £850. Cathedral Square Tank. — Yesterday the tank on the south side of Cathedral Square was emptied, thoroughly cleaned out, and several places where leakage had occurred repaired. Volunteer Inspection. — Colonel Packe's customary monthly inspection of the headquarter volunteers, which was to havo been held last night was postponed in consequence of the Wesleyan Tea Meeting until Thursday next. The Tramway. — The requisition to the City Council in favour of a tramway through the city has been very numerously signed, and will bo transmitted to his Worship tho Mayor to-morrow. The whole subject is to be discussed at the meeting of the Council on Monday next. Gas Company. — At an extraordinary general meeting of shareholders held last evening, it was resolved to increase tho capital by tho sum of £20,000, for tho extension of mains to various parts of the city afc present unprovided with gas. Latest from Europe and America. — The next steamer from Melbourne will be the Albion, advertised to leave for New Zealand ports, viA. Hokitika, yesterday. She is duo there on Tuesday next, and besides the latest English and European telegrams, will bring the New Zealand portion of the Suez mail, with detailed advices to Oct. 4 — 15 days later than those by lasfc Californian Bteamer. Damaging Street Lamps. — Yesterday a man named Gafney, under tho influence of liquor, was arrested whilst in the act of amusing himself by doing a little carving with a tomahawk on tho wooden lamp-post at the corner of Gloucester aud Manchester streets. On enquiry it was found that he had operated upon several other lamp-posts in the same manner, and thafc some of the indentations were more deep than ornamental. The Agricultural Association Ground. — A meeting of the committee appointed to devise a plan for raising money to pay off the mortgage on the Agricultural grounds in connection with Mr Gould's offer was held at Coker's Hotel yesterday afternoon. Present .- —Messrs E. B. Bishop (chairman), J. T. Pord (hon. sec), R. Wilkin, W. Norman, W. Henderson, J. Miln, and — M'llwraifch. The subject was very exhaustively discussed, and ultimately Messrs Bishop, Wilkin, aud Norman were appointed to make a systematic canvass for subscriptions. The committee then adjourned,

Theatre Royal. — Ifc is to be regretted that the, best endeavours of the company tocater for the amusement of the play-going public are not more adequately rewarded than they have hitherto been. The manner in which the interesting drama of " The Woman in Red " has been placed on the stage and acted deserved better support than has been accorded to it. The piece was repeated last nighfc, and deservedly drew forth the applause of the scanty audience that patronised the performances. Scholastic. — Within a short time an association entitled " Tho Schoolmaster's Mutual Burial Association " will be brought before those interested. The promoters are engaged in working out details of the affair, tho leading idea of which appears to be that all members on the death of a schoolmaster agree to pay to his widow or representative £1, so that supposing 50 members join, on the death of one £49 would be received. No other expenses are at present contemplated. And should the Board cf Education allow the monies to be paid through the Education Offico, no expense would be incurred in collection. The idea originated with Mr W. Morton, of Prebbleton, who, with the few schoolmasters in his immediate neighbourhood, is determined to spare no pains to float the association. Christchurch Artillery. — The first J competition for Lieut. Craig's cup has ■ been appointed by the firing committee to ! take place on Wednesday next, and somewhat j novel conditions have been decided upon in ■ order to better equalise tho chances of fche , respective members of the battery. It is in the form of a handicap, and will no doubt have the effect of inducing many more members to compete than would hate been the case under the ordinary conditions. Tho cup is to be won twice before ifc becomes private property, and the ranges are to be 300, 400, 500, and 600 : yards. Any position will be allowed throughout with large targets, and a trial shot afc each range. Tho members of the battery will bo divided into five classes according to their previous shooting, and the handicap will be made as follows : — Tho first class members to have five shots at each range, tho second class five shots at each of the first two ranges, and six shots at each of the remaining ones ; tho third class six shots at each of the four ranges ; the fourth class six shots afc each of fche first two ranges, and seven shots at each of tho others ; the fifth class soven shots at each of the four ranges. The division of the members into the five classes will be made by the officers of the battery, so that it will bo an impartial one. As already stated, Lieut. Craig's cup becomes the property of fche member who wins ifc twice, but hi addition to this Sergeant Roberts' silver inkstand will be given to the member who makes the highest aggregate score in tho various competitions that talce place before any one succeeds in winning the cup. The match is not only a novel but very interesting one, and decidedly fair fco all members of the battery. New Drainage. — The- absence of drainage for surface and other water, on the land immediately south of tho city, has for many years been a groat cause of complaint, and fche rapid increase of houses during the past twelve months — an increase unprecedented in the province — made the subject of still more serious moment, indeed, it has become evident of late that without some provision for carrying off surplus water, very great evil must accrue. The recent combination of the Heathcote and Spreydon Road- Boards, to mutually decide upon a system of drainage, was hailed with considerable pleasure, and it now only remains to be hoped that the work so begun will be expeditiously carried out. So far as the Boards are concerned, they have lost no time since their conference on the subject, in pushing matters forward, but ifc will require greater resources than they can command to do what is absolutely necessary, and their only recourse is in the Provincial Council, which body, it is hoped, will give that assistance which in a matter of such vital importance, not only to the locality in question, but to the public health, which must be affected to a consider- j able extent if neglect is exercised. With a view to laying the subject; before fcho Council in a practical form, the joint Boards advertised for competitive plans for supplying tho necessary drainage, and from those sent in have selected ono proposed by Mr F. Pavitt, civil engineer, Cashel street. This plan secures the complete drainago of tho land lying between Windmill road on tho west and the Waltham road on tho east — a distance of nearly one milo. In a southerly direction the influence of fcho drainage will be effectual for three quarters of a mile from the City belt towards tho Port Hills ; thus the block of land drained is one mile by three-quarters of a mile in extent, and those who are acquainted with the thickly populated localities of Waltham, Colombo road south, Montreal street south, and Windmill road, will at once recognise tho immense benefits that must follow by the scheme being carried out. Mr Pavitfc's plan is to commence a drain on the south side of the railway line at Montreal street south, carry ifc in a lino parallel with tho railway to the Gasworks road, and thence at a right angle down tho latter road through Waltham to Wilson's Bridge, afc which point ifc will empty itself into the river Heathcote. The fall for tho whole distance is very good, and will bo effectual in carrying off the drainage at a rapid rate. Tho drain* is to be constructed of stone, and covered in with slabs from fche Halswell quarry, and from Montreal street fco the Gas Works road will be 2ffc x 2ffc clear in tho insido, whilst from the latter point to Wilson's bridge ifc will be 3f fc x 2ffc clear inside. Tho cosfc of fche work will not exceed £2000, and it Bbould bo stated that it is to be connected with all the thoroughfares within the block of land mentioned, by a system of aide channels. The Road Boards are now only waiting to see what assistance will bo given by the Provincial Council, when they will at once proceed fco invite tenders for th* I construction of the drain,

The^ Armagh Street Bridge. — The cutting in the road for fche approach afc the west end of the Armagh street bridge, has from the very first been not only an unsightly feature in the locality, but; also a most unpleasant place to cross for persons walking from the Victoria bridge to the Government buildings, and ifc is very gratifying to learn that measures aro in progress for doing away with it altogether. Overtures have been made by the Works Committee of the City Council to the Provincial Government, with a view to arriving afc a mutual arrangement for lowering the height of tho river bank between the Armagh street and Victoria bridges, to the extent necessary to make tho thoroughfare level between the two points. This levelling, when carried back from the river towards fche Supreme Court buildings, would have the effect of creating a low terrace in front of fchem, which would rather improve their appearance than otherwise. When to this is added the fact that the proposed plan is the only one by which the thoroughfare could be properly levelled, ifc is hoped that the arrangements will be carried to a successful issue.