LOCAL AND GENERAL,

Star (Christchurch), Issue 2039, 19 September 1874, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL,

Race Hoeses. — By the s.s. Phoebe, three fillies belonging to' Mr R3dwood arrived. Their names are Titoko, Roro, and Nangaroa Justice of the Peace. — Yesterday, Mr. Hewlings, Chief Surveyor of the province, was J sworn in as a Justice of the Peace, before bis Honor Mr Justice Gresson. RANGIOEA AND SOUTHBBOOK WESIiKYAN Chuech. — A fancy sale and gift auction, in aid of the funds of. this Church, wilj. be held at Southbrook on Monday next, commencing at 10 a.m., and a public circuit tea meeting will take place in the afternoon at 5.30 o'clock ; on the conclusion of which, addresses will be delivered by several ministers and others. . Theatbe Royal. — " Lucretia Borgia " was produced at the theatre last night to a moderate house. The piece was very creditably placed on tbe stage, and the two leading parts were well sustained by Mrs Hill and Mr Steeln, who were honoured with an enthusiastic call before the curtain. The other characters were fairly filled, and the piece, as a wholej went well throughout. To-night the curtain will" rise to the " Woman in Red." Opening of the Boating Season. — A joint committee meeting of the Canterbury and Union Rowing Clubs was held at Warner's Hotel on Thursday last. It was resolved that the boating season commence on Saturday, October 10, with a procession of boats on the Avon, starting from the boat-houses opposite Ward's Brewery, and that, immediately afterwards, scratch races for four-oared boats be pulled. It was also arranged that a braes band be provided, and that the Heathcote and Eaiapoi clubs be invited to attend. Entehtaijtment. — Last night an entertainment, under the joint auspices of the parishes of S. Luke's and Avonside, was given at the Oddfellows' Hall with a most successful result. In order to meet the demand for accommodation seats had to be placed down the centre of the ball, and not only these, but every inch of standing room in the vicinity of the door was occupied. This liberalty of patronage was in a great measure due to the fact that the celebrated trial scene from Pickwick was to be given in character — a proceeding quite new in entertainments of this kind, but which may be adopted with advantage. The first part of the programme comprised a pianoforte duet by the. Misses Marshman, songs by Misses Ada Taylor and Armstrong, Messrs Feldwick, Merton, Appleby, and Price ; a vocal duet by Mrs Bell and Miss Straker ; a trio, by Mrs Bell, Miss Straker, and Mr A. C. Bell ; and a quartette by the Misses 'Marshman, Messrs Price and Sims. The trial scene constituted the whole of the second part of the entertain-\ ment. Those who personated the various characters were thoroughly up in their parts, and the peculiarities of each, character were brought out very well. The judge, counsel, and officials of the court were attired era regie, and the forms observed in courts of justice were strictly adhered to.. The trial went smoothly from beginning to end, not a single hitch or mistake occurring, while the audience frequently testified to its general success by hearty laughter and applause. . . .-;.-. Chbistchttbch East School Committee. — The committee n?et at 4 p.m. on Sept. 16. Present : — Mr Williams (chairman), Rev. W. J. '-Habeas, and Messrs Thomas and Cuff. ..The minutes of previous meeting were read and confirmed. Leave of absence was granted .by_ request to Mr Pratt. Mr S. O. Farr, architect, attended with tenders for the fending for the Bingsland and South town belt school sites ; also, to recommend an alteration to the wall at Bingsland. It was resolved to recomme .id the Board of Education to accept Mr George Rankin's tender for the fencing of the" South town belt site, subject to a modification ; also to authorise the chairman and architect to confer with Mr Rankin as to his tender for the Bingsland fencing, it being considered too high. It was also resolved to carry out Mr Farr'a recommendation in reference to the wall at Bingsland. A circular from the. Board of Education, in reference to quarterly imprests for teachers' salaries, was read. Letters from the Board of Education were read, enclosing the inspector's report on the ventilation, &c, of the new Bingsland schoolroom, and the overcrowding of S.John's school. It was resolved that a copy of Mr RestelPs ° remarks on the Bingsland school-building be handed to Mr Farr, the architect, and he be requested to report on the same at the next meeting of the committee. It was resolved to fit up the. South town belt school building and an infant school at once, and that Mr Restell be requested to report at en early date, on the best mothod of furnishing the same ; also that Mr Farr be requested to report upon the best means of carrying off the surface drainage. A circular from the Provincial Auditor was read, stating that if convenient to the chairman, he would audit tbe accounts and vouchers of the school committee m Sept. 28. It was resolved to call Mr Ollivier'e attention to the 46th clause of the Education Ordinance, and to request him to defer his audit till after the date therein specified. A letter was read from Mr Mountforfc, requesting the appointment of a clerk of works at the new Bchool building in Gloucester street, and stating that he had a suitable person to recommend. It wp.3 resolved to request the sanction of the Board to the appointment; A letter was read from Mr Slater, giving a list of articles missing from, and repairs required at, the Avonside school. It was resolved to request Mr Pratt to confer with Messrs Hill and Woodford, and report the result of his inquiries to the committee. A letter was read from Mr Beatty, requesting remuneration for the use of his vacant section ad j Dining the Music Hall, as it was used as a drill and playground by the school children. The chairman was requested to see Mr Esatiy on the matter. A letter from Mr Hill, ma:ter of Bingsland, was read, asking for a lavatory, &c. Consideration deferred. Another from tho same, enclosing a programme for au opening tea-party and entertainment at Bingßland, for the committee's approval, stating that the same had been arranged to take place on Friday evening, Sept. 28. The committee approved of the proposal, and requested the chairman to arrange matters with Mr Hill. A letter was read from Alexander Duncan, declining his appointment as pupil teacher. A letter wbb road from Mr Woodford, proposing to organise a drum and fife band, and enclosing an estimate of the cost. Consideration deferred. The secretary reported the result of Mr Pratt's inquiries in reference to the employment of French and drawing masters " in the district schools. It was resolved to defer any arrangements for the present. On the question of a teaching staff for the proposed infant school on the South town belt, it was resolved to request the Rev W. J. Habens to report on the same. After paying an account, the committee djourned.

School Committees Elections, — The. annual meetings for the election' of school committees are fixed to take place on Oct. 16. San Fbancisco . Mail.—^-The mail, coni sisting of 35^ bags, arrived ye . terday at 00.30 .p.m., by the- s.b. Phcebe, and received quick ..despatch — a special train with the mail and 'passengers leaving Ly ttelton at 1.5 p.m., for Ghristchurch. Oantebbttby Music Hall. — Messrs Loyal and M'Lean's company, including., -Mdlle. Zuila (gymnast), Miss Lizzie Shapter (danseuse), Mr E. M'Lean (pantomimist, characteristic dancer and ballet artiste), Jean. Verletti (flying gymnast and trapezian), Mr George Turner (comic vocalist) > Mr George Loyal (the celebrated gymnast), arrived from the North by the Pheebe yesterday and will commence a short season at the Canterbury Music Hall, on Monday evening next. Political. — The^New Zealand Times — or as it is now styled, Mr Vogel!* Moniteurr- .'. of Sept. 16, commences a leading artiole as follows : — " The support which Mr Stafford lent to the Premier in carrying the resolutions which declared that provincialism ought to be abolished in the North Island was hardlyless effective than that he afforded when' the State Forests Bill was under discussion."- The article concludes in the following terms:— " Mr Stafford rendered the Government signs) * service. In fact, his support of the Govern* ment thrdughont the session was so real and effective that no one could have felt surprise if he had joined the Ministry." Different Alphabets. — The Sandwich Island alphabet has 12 letters, the Burmese, 19 ; the, Italian, 20 ; the Bengaleae, 21 j the Hebrewj Syriac, ' Ghaldee, Samaritan,-, and Latin, 21 each; the 25; thej Greek, 24 ; the German, Dutch, and English, 26; the Irish, IV; the Spanish and Sclavonic, 27 •■ each; the Ar&bic, 28 ; the Persian end' Coptic, 32 ; the Georgian, 35 ; the Armehi«m/ 38; the Eusßian, 41 ; the Muscovite, 43 ; the Sanscrit and Japanese, 50; and the Tartafien, 202. • The Great Cathedrals of Ettbobb,— The following are the principal European churches, and the number they can contain, allowing four persona to every square yard :— St. Peter's, at Rome, 54,003 ; Milan Cathedral, 37,000; St. Paul's, at Borne, 32,000; St. Paul's, London, 25,600; SUPetronia, at Bologna, 24,400; Florence Cathedral, 24,£00; Antwerp Cathedral, -24,603; St. Sophia's Constantinople, 23,000 <; v.St. John Lateran; 22,900; Notre Dame, at Paris, 21,000 ; in addition to which there is the Cathedral .at i'isa, St. Dominic's, at Bologna, St. Stephen's,: at Vienna, ,St. Peter's, 'at Bologna; Cathedral at Vie in a, aud St. Mark's at Venice, ranging^ from the iirst at 13,000 to the latter at 7C03; Bologna, with a population of 69.0C3, possesses three churches capable of -seating three-fourths of the entire inhabitants. ■