LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 2366, 19 October 1875, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Found Dbownbd,— This morning, Mr Mazey, portor at tho Lyttelton Railway Station, whilo gathering mussels ou the rooks boyond tho Gladstone Pier, came upon the body of a man. The corpse was taken to tbe oasual ward, whoro it was identified as the remains of Mr David Evans, sailmaker on board tho Waikato. Further particulars we are unable to give, aa our express left before inquirioa oould bo made. 1.0.G.T. — An entertainment will be given this evoning in S. Androw's schoolroom. — The election oi delegates from tho Excelsior Lodgo will take plaoo to-morrow evening. Mabink Boabd op Inqcibt.— An inquiry, boforo a Commission appointed by his Excollonoy tho Governor, commenoed yesterday at tho Resident Magistrate's Court, Lyttelton, respecting certain allegations against Mr Williams, seoond offioer of the ship Waikato. Soibee, — The inhabitants of Lyttelton are) invitod to attond a soirSe to meet the Rev — / Lloyd, tho now incumbent of Holy Trinity] Churoh, this evening, at the Colonists' Halli Tea will take plaoo at 7 p.m., and the prot gramme will comprise glees, songs, and ad* dresses. '

Hebefobd stbebt Bbidge.- To tho Oity Oounoil yostorday, the City Surveyor sub-, mittod plans of the proposed bridgo across the' Avon in a line with Hereford street, whioh he estimates to cosfc £2200. The consideration of the matter was deferred until Monday, noxt. ..^~>

Education Bill.— The Hon E. W. Stafford telegraphed to tho Timaru Herald on Saturday as follows : — " Montgomery's Bill has passed tho House of Representatives. South Canter* bury will have a member on tbe Board. Next yoar the Government will introduce a measure establishing looal Boards." A Hint to Contbaotobs.— ln the Bankruptcy Court, yesterday, his Honor the Judge said it was neither an honest or reputable modo of business for persons without oapital to contract for work whioh they were unable to oarry out, and competent oontraotors were shut out in consequence of the low figuro at whioh porsons without capital usually tendered.

Mauiile.— Tho Timaru Herald says :— lt is not generally known that thero exists in South Canterbury an unlimited quantity of the finest marblo. Our attontion has beon drawn lo two splendid eamplos procured from the Kakahu, and polished by Mr George Munro, sculptor, of Dunodin. Ono specimen is green, and the othor of a dovo colour, a handsome grain running through eaoh. Our informant states that the marble, of whioh there are sovoral shades, is equal to the best Sicilian and Frenoh sorts, and that it is by far tbe best discovered in the Southorn Hemisphere. Mr Munro has taken a leaso of a piece of oountry on the Kakahu, and intends to convey the marblo to Dunodin, and polish it there. If tho marblo is as good as it is described to be it cannot fail to become an important article of export from South Canterbury,

Nominatbd Immigbation.— The Timaru Herald states tbat tho nominations of persons as immigrants received by tbe Immigration Officer at Timaru up to Friday last, when the list for transmission by the next San Francisco mail closed, numbered twenty-seven souls, equal to twenty-four nnd a-half adults. Of the twenty-seven souls, twenty-five are Irish and two Knglish. Aquatic— -Preparations are already Jieing made for boating contests on the Avon. One of the first prizes to be competed for, will be tbat given by the President of the 0.R.0. last year. The orew who won it first bas broken up, owing to some of the men being away from Ooristohuroh ; but sufficient entries are oxpeotod to ensure a good contest for the prize. The Bankers' crew, to whose lot so many prizos fell last season, are going to work together again, and Mr J. W. Davie ia gettiog up another one. It is also probable tbat other prizes wili be forthcoming, and the general opinion seems to be tbat there will be many Saturday afternoon's amusement on the Avon during the next three months. Opening of thb Timabu and Tbmcka Railway.—- The Timaru Serald of Oot. 18 says .—The publio will be glad to learn that the Government have at loat decided to open tbe railway botween Timaru and Temuka. The date of the opening is Tuesday, Oot. 26, and trains will run regularly every day after this between the two towns. The time table is not yet issued hore, but we are informed tbat tbe train will leave here eaoh morning at 9.30, and reach Temuka at about 10.10, thus occupying forty minutes on tbe journey. The Herald's Temuka correspondent writes: — A telegram having been forwarded to the hon Mr Richardson, requesting him to open tbe Timaru and Temuka Railway, before tbe Agricultural Bhow at Timaru, the following reply was received by Dr Rayner, on Friday, Oot. 15 : — " Provincial Authorities have agreed to. open the line to Temuka on Oct. 26. A meeting will be held on Monday even iog next, at Mr Arenas', when an arrangement will be made as to the proceedinge of the townspeople on the occasion of the opening.

Nbw CntJBOH at Philipstown.— The new Congregational Church at Philipstown was oponed on Sunday last, and, judging from tbe attendance at each service, there can be no doubt tbat the ohuroh was much required in the locality. The morning service wa* conducted by the Rev — Tout, who haa recently arrived to assist the Rev W. J. Habens in Canterbury. Tbe churoh was full during the service. In tbe afternoon a Sunday-school was inaugurated by Mr Parker, when no less than seventy children attended. The Rev W. J. Habens conducted tbe evening service, and tbe attendance was so great that many were unable to obtain admission. The collections at the two services realised £6. The ohuroh is very pretty, and reflects great credit on the taste of Mr Widdowson, who, it may be said, prepared plans and superintended the work of erection without charge, As already stated, Messrs Thompson and Davies are the contractors, and the promoters of the church are very muoh gratified with the manner in whioh their work has been carried out. Tbe church, quarter-acre of land on whioh it stands, and the internal fittings cost in aU about £350. Part of this ha* been collected by subscriptions, but tbe greater portion remains as a debt on the building.

Thb Mcsbum — The Museum wa* reopened yesterday, after tie usual recess for cleaning and the addition of new specimens. The result is highly satisfactory, a considerable improvement being noticeable in all parts of the Institution. The entrance hall ha* received the addition of three trophies of aboriginal implements and vessels. On the left-hand wall there i* a large trophy of implement* and vessels, obtained from the inhabitant* of tbe Tonga and Fiji Islands. These were mostly collected by the late Mr Sherbrook Walker, and bave been presented to the Museum by the firm of Walker and Clogstoun. The trophy contains a large and very fine collection of articles, whioh bave also the advantage of being weil arranged. On tbe opposite wall there is a smaller trophy of artioles, obtained from the aborigine* of Australia. A comparison of the two trophies is not devoid of interest. It ia easily made, and is decidedly favourable to the Natives of tbe Polynesian Islands, whose implement* and vessels betoken a superior amount of ingenuity and workmanship. Over the room where the elephant skeletons are kept, there is another trophy, which is oomposed of implement* from New Guinea. On entering the room, a great accession to the mammal* in the centre *how caees will be observed. Among the new specimens there are several monkeys, including an Ourang-Outang, and the Tasmanian mammals now include a fine Tasmanian tiger. There are also many other novelties, whioh it is impossible to notice in detail. In a glass case, by itself, tbe skeleton of an Egyptian mummy is displayed, and though over two thousand years old it is m a good •tate of preservation. The smallnes* of the hands and feet show the skeleton to be tbat of a lady of quality. In the room where the crocodiles are located, a large number of new specimens will be found. Among them there is a well articulated skeleton of an Indian orooodile, several Indian tortoises and turtles, together t with numerous fishes and reptile*. In a case against the wall, a large number of human skulls are exhibited. They are arranged in the order of races, and thus give an insight into the peculiar formation of their heads. The collection includes Romano-British and Aqglo- Saxon skeletons from an ancient cemetery at Trilford, in England. There are also iv this case, several oremation urns of our Anglo-Saxon ancestors, and some skulls from a Roman cemetery at York. All these specimens were obtained during excavations undertaken by Professor Qeo. Rolleston, Oxford, and were presented by him to the Museum. Among the other remarkable skulls, thero are several from the Flat Hoad Indians of North America. The deformity in these skulls, it may be said, is due to a oustom among the mothers in tbe Flat Head tribes, of tying bandage* on the heads of their ohildren to produce flitnees, as a mark of beauty. In the moa skeleton room, a number of large mammals have been added, as well as a great many birds. In the passage leading to the Maori house, a number of Frenoh engravings, forming part of the extensive collection representing the work of tbe best engravers of the last century, is exhibited for the first time. In the gallery, somo exquisite glass sponges, obtained during tbe deep sea explorations, will be found. They were presented by Dr Buller, C. M G. Many other new specimens worthy of notice havo* been added during the recess, but spaae will not permit of them being referred to in detail. The glass oases throughout the Museum are crowded, and to such an extent as to interfere somewhat with an inspection of the exhibits. It is gratifying to observe, tbat considerable progress has been made with tbe foundations for the new building.