LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 1911, 20 April 1874, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Loyal City oj Chbistchubch Lodge.— A meeting of the Lodge takes place thie evening. EnxJeish Opeea Company. — These artistes arrived this morning in the b.b. Maori. Lyttelton Pebmanent Land, Building, and Investment Society. — The third annual meeting of this society will be held in the Colonists' Hall Committee Room, on Tuesday evening, April 28tb, at 7 o'clock. Jouenalistic. — It will interest many in Canterbury to learn that the special correspondent sent by The Times to St. Petersburg, to describe the festivities connected with the Duke of Edinburgh's marriage, was Mr Frederick Napier Broome, formerly a settler in this province. TnE Museum. — Among the recent additions to the Museum is a very fine skeleton of a, female elephant obtained from India. The skeleton stands nine feet six inches in height, and the vast power of these animals is perhaps better illustrated in this manner than by seeing one of them alive. Owing to the want of space being now severely felt in the Museum, the skeleton has been crowded into a corner where it certainly is not seen to advantage. BIETHS, MAEBIAGEB, AND DEATHS. — In a Provincial Gazette, dated April 14, the following return of births, marriages, and deaths in the Christchurch district, for the month ending March 31, is published for general information: — Births — City of Christchurch, 22 males, 18 females, total 40; Christohurch district, 43 males, 22 females, total 65. Deaths — City of Christchurch, 8 males, 15 females, total, 23; Chri tchurch district, 11 males, 14 females, total 25. Marriages — City of Christchurch, 35 ; Christchurch district, 4. Corresponding month, 1873 : — Births — City of Christchurch, 23 males, 16 females, total, 39 ; Christchurch district, 28 males, 24 females, total 52. Deaths — City of Christchurch, 14 males, 16 females, total 30 ; Chriatchurch district, 9 males, 11 females, total 20. Marriages- — City of Christchurch, 17 ; Christchurch district, 6. The New Police Depot. — The police have removed into the new dep6t near the Public Library, Hereford street West. In the most most westerly building are the Commissioner's accountant's, and storekeeper's offices, and the record room. In the Commissioner's office all : matters connected with the Depdt, and the general management, and supervision of the several districts throughout the province, receive attention. In the eastern building nearest the river, upon the right-hand ground floor is the office of the chief detective for the province, and opposite is the office where matters connected with the Christchurch district are attended to. The room immediately over thi3 office upstairs is one set apart for the inspector of the Christchurch, district and the opposite one is occupied by the clerk in the inspector's office. The range of buildings in rear of the western front is divided into the general store for the department, dormitories for the constables employed on day and night duty, drying-room, and bathroom ; while the range in rear of the eastern front is divided into rooms for the accommodation of the sergeants doing duty in the Christchurch district and others . visiting headquarters, library, inessroom, kitchen, and pantry. At the back, or south side of the yard, are the granary, stable, forage stores and shed, and in the centre is the watch-house, where prisoners awaiting trial by the Bench are confined. The accommodation in every department is of a superior character, and very complete. ' Billiabd Match. — A very interesting match at billiards was played on the Mitre Hotel table, Lytfcelton, on Thursday evening last between Mr W. Buckingham and Mr — Pierce, the stakes being £20 aside, and the last-named player receiving 50 points in 1000. The betting was 5 to 4 on Buckingham, at which Pierce was well supported. The table was a very difficult one to play on. The game commenced at a quarter to eight o'clock, at which time there was only a moderate attendance. After the usual misses on both sides and a few unimportant breaks, game was called — Pierce 69, Buckingham 34. The latter then ran up a good break of 20, and two to one was laid on him. Pierce entered his second hundred when Buckingham was 70, and shortly afterwards scored 16, following it up with several small but useful breaks. When the game stood — Pierce 171, Buckingham 133, the latter put together 29 in very good style. On commencing the third hundred Pierce was only 8 points ahead, and 5 to 2 on his opponent was freely offered. Shortly after this the game became very one-sided, as with the help of breaks of 23, 13, 17, and one or two smaller ones, Buckingham passed his opponent at 225, and was never afterwards caught. He passed the 300 34 points ahead, and with contributions of 28, 29, 33 as his best efforts, aided by numerous ones of ten and a dozen each, he reached 501, while Pierce stood at 377. The time occupied by Buckingham in compiling the 500 was one hour and fifty minutes, which is a highly creditable achievement. After a short interval the game was resumed, and Buckingham increased his lead almost every break, making a 33, 29, and 35, which, when the difficulty of the table is taken into consideration, were very creditable. The game had now lost all interest, bo far as the match itself was concerned, but several essayed a little speculation by betting upon the number of points which Buckingham would be in advance when game was called. Three to two was laid several times that ho would win by 300, but this he failed to do, the game being called at 11.45 p.m., when Pierce stood at 730. The latter was completely out-matched, and the play as a whole was disappointing, but this is in a great measure accounted for by the difficult nature of the table. Buckingham played with great judgment, but Pierce played i great deal too much for cannonß, and did not manipulate a break by any means so well is his opponent. Mr Savage, the proprietor of the hotel, made excellent fprovißJon for the

Dinner, and Pbesentation. — A dinner and presentation to Mr James Grey took place at the Criterion Hotel on Saturday evening last. The chair was occupied by Mr 3. P. Craig, who -was supported on his right by Mr D. Fitz Patrick, and on his left by Mr F. W. Thiel. The vice-elixir was filled by Mr Bajlee, who was supported on hi 9 right by Mr J. Quinlan, and on his left by Mr John Green. After ai:i;>'u' justice was done to a really capital spruiu!, provided by mine host of the Criterion, tho t\i;urman rose for the purpose of proposi.-n: lire loasfc of the evening — the health of Mr J;unes Grey. In doing so, the chairman remarked that through Mr Grey's exertions the first assemblage of Irishmen of all shades of religious and political opinions that had ever taken place in the colonies was held on the 17th of March last, with a degree of success which exceeded the most sanguine anticipations. He had therefore great pleasure in proposing Mr Grey's health, and begged bis acceptance of a solid silver cigar case, as a mark of the dinner committee's esteem, and in recognition of the services rendered by Mr Grey on the occasion referred to. The toast was drunk amid cheers. Mr Grey returned thanks for the handsome testimonial with which he had been presented, and for the very kind terms in which tho chairman had spoken of him, and ' remarked that but for the excellent and enthusiastic committee who had worked with him, the success of the banquet on St. Patrick's Day would have fallen very far short of what it actually was. The testimonial was manufactured at the establishment of Mesars B. Peteracn and Co., jewellers, High street, and on the lid of the case the following inscription was engraved — " Presented to Mr James Grey, from J. Green, S. P. Craig, J. Quinlan, and D. FitzPutrick, in commemoration of the 17th of March, 187-i." The reverse side bore the crest of a stag, with the motto underneath — " Foi, honneur et Patrie." Tho toast of the Dinner Committee was proposed and duly hononred. The health of the Decoration Committee was also drunk mo3t enthusiastically, and Mr F. Thiel, with whoso name the toast was coupled, replied in suitable terms. The toast of the Press was responded to by Mr G. R. Hart, and Mr Baylee replied in appropriate terms to the toast of the " Host and Hostess." Several good song 3 were sung, and in the course of tho evening Mr Grey intimated that the preliminary steps for the establishment of a St. Patrick's Society were progressing most satisfactorily.

New Zealand Spirits. — Spirits distilled in New Zealand appears to have entered largely into consumption during the past year, as compared with that which preceded it. In 1872 the number of gallons of spirits taken out of the bonded ■warehouses for Home consumption amounted to 34,606 gallons, while for 1872 it reached 60,478 gallons, or nearly double the quantity. The distilleries issuing this large quantity of spirits are two .in number ; the Crown Distillery, Auckland, and the New Zealand Distillery, Dunedin. The spirits sent out of each of these distilleries is said to be very good in quality, and is largely employed for " amalgamating " with the imported article. Time only is aaked to admit of the local manufacture being sent out quite equal in quality to the imported. Lottie's Husband. — The following telegram respecting the recovery of the body of Victor Angell, the trapeze performer who recently performed in Christchurch, appears in the Melbourne Argus of March 26, dated Benalla, March 25 : — The body of Victor Angell was recovered this afternoon about half-past 4 o'clock, after a search of two hours, by George Eskdale, a professional diver engaged at the Benalla bridge, who generously placed his services gratuitously at Lottie's disposal. The body was discovered at a depth of 25ft. in a spot known as dead man's hole. It was embedded in Bnags. An inquest will bo held to-morrow at the Vineyard Hotel. Considerable sympathy is felt for the widow throughout the entire province. The Argus of March 28 says : — The remains of the unfortunate Victor Angell, husband of the ladygymnast, Lottie, were brought down and interred yesterday in the Melbourne Cemetery. Victor and Lottie were married only four months since, and the sudden widowhood of the poor lady has occasioned a great deal of sympathy, for besides the sorrow of the bereavement itself, it will prove a serious loss to her in a professional sense. A number of musical people, therefore, have at once kindly volunteered their services in organising a concert for her benefit, and the movement being now made known will, we are sure, evoke offers of assistance from all quarters. Fkoji Christchurcii. — The Otago Daily Times of April 14 says : — A very unwelcome addition has been made to the Dunedin community, in the person of Jane Glass — three weeks out from Christchureh — who was I acquitted the other day by the jury at the Supreme Court, who, luckily for her, were ignorant of facts which have since coino out relative to a caso of theft. She was yesterday sued for the stolen property, and conducted herself in a bouncing, devil-may-care manner, refusing to be sworn, and being extremely saucj'. Judgment was given plaintiff for the full amount, but; he stands a verj poor chance of getting it. The circumstances leading to the above case are thus detailed in the Otago Daily Times of April 10: — A singular instance of audacity was displayed by a woman, named Jane Glass, at Port Chalmers, yesterday. On the previous day she was indicted at the Supreme Court with the robbery of £70 or £80 from a gardener, and as the case rested on circumstantial evidence, through the money not being found, she was acquitted. No sooner, however, was she at liberty, than Bhe took a passage to the Port, where an unsuccessful attempt to change a £20 note was made by her, and she was subsequently taken into custody for drunkerinesß. On being searched, the bank note was taken from her, and found by tho number to be a part of the property she had been chargtd with stealing.