Local and General.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 1479, 23 November 1872, Page 2

Local and General.

The Governor. — It is expected that Sir George and Lady Bowen will arrive in Christchurch on or about December 12. They will be guests of Mr J. Studholme. Theatre Royal. — There was an improved attendance at the Theatre last night, and the Woman in Red, which was again submitted, went very smoothly. . Tercentenary op John Knox. — Tomorrow being the tercentenary of the death of John fCnox,' the great and good Scottish Reformer, a special sorvice will be held in St. Andrew's Church. Dueham Street Wesleyan Church. — Tho Rev W. F. Isitt, of Balclutha, will conduct the morning service in this church tomorrow, and the Rev W. Kirk in the evening. Boating Clubs' Bazaar. — A meeting of delegates was held at Coker's Hotel last night, when several arrangements were made in connection with the contemplated bazaar for the benefit of the funds of the Christchurch and Heathcote Clubs. Presbyterian Church Extension Association. — An adjourned meeting of the committee was held yesterday. Present : The Rev. C. Fraser, president, in the chair, Revs. W. S. M'Gowan, A. F. Douglas., W. M'Gregor, Messrs Anderson, Watt, Craig, Miln, Duucan (hon, sec.) The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. A letter was read from Mr Dymock, apologising for his inability to attend the meeting. The Rev. A. F. Douglas asked the indulgence of tho committee before the ordinary business was proceeded with, to move the following resolution, " That this committee express their deep sympathy with their friend, Mr R. Black, under tho sevore affliction and bereavement with which it has pleased Divine Providence to visit him ; their anxious desire for tho speedy recovery of his health ; and their earnest hope that he may soon be able to take the prominent part he has hitherto done in the work of the committee ; and that the Secretary remit a copy of the resolution to him." Tho motion was seconded and unanimously agreed to. Letters were read from the Rev. W. H. Homer, lately arrived from the Irish Presbyterian Church, requesting to know if an appointment could bo obtained uuder the Canterbury Presbyterian Association. The secretary was instructed to reply that if Mr Homer is disposed to come to Canterbury the Association will be glad for him to labour for three months, subject to him wailing upon tho Moderator and having his credentials approved by tho Presbytery — the seoretary to give tho requisite instructions as to tho field ho is to occupy. Tho secretary stated that he had sent a telegram to the Rev H. M. Tait, recently arrived in Auckland from Canada, and commissioned to Canterbury, but had not yet received an answer. The Rev H. Murray's report was received with much satisfaction, and the Association were glad to hear that the cordial support of the people in his district was extended to him. The sub-committee's report on the rules was brought forward and the proposed alterations adopted. The secretary submitted a draft of the annual report, which was approved, and one thousand copies ordered to be printed. It was resolved that the question of arranging for special trains on the , night of the annual meeting should be left in ' the hands of tho committee of management The committee then adjourned. _^a^^_^

Musical Society. — A rehearsal of the " Creation," will be held at Spensley's Hall, this evening, at half -past seven o'clock. The final rehearsal will take place on Tuesday evening. MagistebiAL. — At tho Resident Magistrate's Court yesterday, before C. C. Bowen, Esq., R.M., James Gaffrey, for having been drunk and damaged lamp-posts in the city. was fined 40s; and Mary Edwards, for having been drunk and disorderly was fined 20s. Tonic Sol-fa. — A meeting was held at tbe Oddfellows' Hall last night, Mr S. P. Andrews in the chair. It was agreed to form an association for the practice of music on the Tonic Sol-fa system, and the meeting was adjourned to Wednesday next for the election of officers, Ac. The Goyeenobsjiip. — According to an Adelaide telegram in a D unedin contemporary. Sir James Fergusson will assume the Govership of New Zealand in March next, and will visit the old country in the meantime. Sit George Bowen, . according to the same authority, will proceed to Victoria about the same time. Inque3T. — An inquest was held at the Hospital at 4 p.m. yesterday on the body 61 Margaret Harris, who died at Castle Hill on Wednesday last, about a fortnight after confinement. As no medical gentleman wa3 in attendance, it was deemed necessary to hold an inquest. The j> os^ mortem examination groreci that ueceaSCi liad died from natural causes, and the jury returned a verdict to that effect. " pANTEKBUBY Rowing Club. — A committee meeting was held at tho boat shed yesterday morning, at 6.30. Present — Mr Blakiston (in tho chair), Messrs Herdson, Denham, Gordon, and Mounier. The minutes of last meeting were read and confirmed. A letter from Mr Mainwaring was read, resigning as committee-man on account of visiting England. The resignation was aces ipted, and Mr A. Westenra, the next highest i i the list, was elected. Several accounts were passed, and the following gentlemen were elected members of the club: — Messrs Kilgour, O'Connor, Stiffe, and Morgan. A letter was read from the Heathcoto Club, requesting the loan of the " Tamesis," but it being considered that the committee had no power to lend any of the club boats, the Secretary was instructed to call a general meeting to be held at Coker's Hotel, on Tuesday, the 26th inst., at half -past 4 in the afternoon. A letter to his Honor the Superintendent, referring to the state of the Avon, has been signed by eighty members of clubs, and a petition to the Provincial Council is in course of signature by the public on the flime subject. Facts fob Smokers. — M. Gustave Lebon, of Paris, has just published a treatise upon the chemical and physiological effects of tobacco smoke upon the human system, and some of his conclusions are worthy of notice. It is well known that nicotine is an alkaloid soluble in water and in the liquids wliich moisten tho mucous membrane. Tho poisonous power of this subslunce has been illustrated. A drop of it placed on the tongue of small animals kills them at the end of ten, twenty, thirty, or forty minutes, after having produced paralysis of the limbs, retarded tho action of the heart, and caused tetanic contractions in t various muscles. The samp dose administered " v - to" man, or to larger animals produces vertigo, lotfness of spirit, and tendency to drowsiness. The vapours of nicotine do not become dangerous until the substance is heated, and then it is overpowering to man. M. Lebon sums up his advice to smokers as follows : — " Smoke eastern tobacco (tabac d'Oricnt) by which is meant Turkish -tobacco, and others of the class. Smoke it in ,tho open air, in a pipe furnished with a long^ stem, and with a reservoir under tho bowl,, like -the German pipe. Smoke moderately for if there are certain advantages in the use of tobacco, the abuse of. it is fatal to the organism of man, and it has the peculiarity of destroying the mind before killing the body." The Ancient Egyptians. — An Austrian savant has, according to the Builder, dis* covered by means of a microscope, in a brick taken from the Pyramids of Dashom, many interesting particulars connected with the life of the ancient Egyptians. Tho brick itself is made of the mud of the Nile, chopped straw, and sand, thus confirming what the Bible and Herodotus had handed down to us as to the Egyptian method of brickmaking. Besides these materials tho microscope has brought other things to light— the debris of river shells, of fish, and of insects, seeds of wild and cultivated flowers, corn, and barley, the field .pea, and the common flax, cultivated probably both for food and textile purposes, and the radish, with many others known to science. There were also manufactured products, such as fragments of tiles and pottery, and even small pieces of string made of flax and Bheep's wool. "Itisto be hoped," remarks the Observer. " that no savant in future days will thus minutely examine the materials of which houses are composed in our own times. Any such examinations can only reveal ' interesting particulars ' connected with the career of modern builders, over which it were best for the reputation of those concerned to draw a veil, and also to keep it drawn. Posterity would be surprised to find that in many cases not only are our bricks, like those of tho Egyptians, made of Btraw, but that our very building contractors are composed of tho same article. The debris of innumerable insects, and those not of a pleasant description, wiU doubtless also be found in tho remains of our houses. Various layers of papers, one over the other, and each containing an infection peculiarly its own, will be discovered on our walls. Altogether we would warn posterity, for its own Bake as well as ours, not to pry too closely into the habitations of the nineteenth century. The materials of our semi-detached villas are not fitting materials for history, and the less said about them the better. It would add to our sorrows if our great grandchildren ever discovered the impositions, to vrhich their sires were subjected.*:

Immigration. — The Otago Daily Times of Nov. 19 says: — We understand that the General Governmenthave instructed the Agent-General to offer free passages to all suitable emigrants from Great Britain. Between the 25th Oct., and yesterday, 45 persons — equal to 40 £ statute adults — were nominated as immigrants by their friends here through the Otago Immigration office. There were amongst these — - 20 domestic servants, 2 miners, 1 farm labourer, 1 tailor, 1 labourer, 1 female cook, 1 dairymaid, 1 baker, 1 blacksmith, and 1 carpenter. 26 were Irish, 7 Welsh, 7 Scotch, and 5 English. An Historical Parallel. — Tlie Phila.] ! delphia Age gives the following correspon- ■ dence as showing the present condition of a ' loug-staudiug dispute between two neigh- 1 bours : — " Dear Bull,- — Sometime ago your i waggon ran into my buggy .at the turnpike gate aud broke one shaft and knocked four | spokes out of the left wheel. What are you I going to do about it ?— Truly yours, Jonathan • Smith." "Dear Smith; — I don't see that I ! ought to pay the damage done by the waggon, j In fact, I had lent it to a relation of yours. But, as you say I am responsible, I - agree to leave it to Hans Breitman, who f keeps the toll-gate, to say whether I i ought to pay the damage. — -Truly yours, ■ John Bull." " Dear Bull, — I agree to leave it i to Breitman. — Truly yours, Jonathan Smith." I " Dear Smith, — I went to Breitman's this morning, and he showed me the bill sent in by . Mr Shad, your attorney. He says that by the ; ! Injury io your x }% a ? you were stopped from going to town, were you might have mado: • 500,000 dollars 50 cents. I would not object to tho 7 dollars for the repairs to the buggy ■ but the rest of the claim is ridiculous. Your 3, I , John Bull." " Dear Sir, — It don't make any ' difference about the amount of my bill. We have left it to Breitman to say what's right, * Yours, Jonathan Smith." " Dear Sir, — I will not leave any such claim to Breitman. He cannot understand it ; indeed, he hardly understands English, and might give a smashing award against me on your ridiculous claim. — Yours tr.uly, John Bull." " Dear Bull, — Don't let us quarrel about it. My attorney's claim does seem to be ridiculous. All my friends tell me so. Let us both say to Breitman that it is ridiculous, and leave the matter to him. — Yours truly, Jonathan Smith." " Dear Sir, — Since you admit it is ridiculous you had better withdraw it. I will pay anything that Breitman says for repairing the buggy, but will not put it in any fellow's hands to bankrupt me. — Yours, Ac, John Bull." "If I were to withdraw my claim people would laugh at me. I stick to it if it is ridiculous. D the buggy. I will lose the money on it. Not at all yours, Jonathan Smith."