LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 3425, 2 April 1879, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Fire at Ambbblet— A destructive firo took place this morning at the homestead of Mr Innes, near Mount Brown, by which a combine machine and elevator, tho property of Mr John Dalzell, was consumed. Two largo stacks of wheat, tho property of the Mcsara Innes, also a lot of grain thnt had just been threshed were destroyed. Mr Dalzell's property destroyed was insured in tho South British for £200, but Mr Innos' loss, wo learn, is not covered by any insurance.

Conversazione. — The annual conversaziono of the Canterbury Philosophical Institute takes place to-morrow evening in the old Provincial Council Chamber. The hall ia being suitably decorated, and tho numerous interesting attractions which are being prepared for the visitors will no doubt render this year's reunion tho most onjoyablo yet held. Professor Bickerton, president, will deliver tho imial annual address.

/ Shooting in the Domain. — Two young fmon, well known as successful trout fishers, iwere caught this morning shooting ducks in the Domain with an air gun. They were brought to tho Police Depot by Mr Armstrong, Curator of tho gardens, where their names were taken, and will be duly transferred to a summons.

Siiooting Season.— A large number of sportsmen enjoyed themselves vosterday at Lake Elleamere. Tho birds are "said to be plentiful, but very wild, and flying high. Several good bags were obtained. Among the rest, one party of five counted as their day's work 118 birds, consisting of grey, Paradise, and spoonbill ducks, and one swan.

Drainage Board. — A special meeting of the Drainage Board was convened for this morning to consider tho principle upon which a rate should bo struck in the various districts, but as the legal opinion of the Board's solicitor was not ready, the meeting was adjourned to a future day. The members present were Messrs J. E. Brown, A. Duncan, Ross and Harmon.

. Grain on Christohuroh Seoiion. — Last evening there had accumulated at the various stations 31,801 bags grain. Nearly 26,000 bags were carried yesterday into Christchurch and Timaru.

Transfer of License. — The license of the Bolleaton Hotel was this morning transferred from Charles Williams to William Taylor Smythe.

The Mailb.— The Suez mail arrived by the express last night from Dunedin. The Australia, with the outward San Francisco mail, left. Auckland laat night.

AsHBtTBTON.— The Hon W. Fox has made arrangements to give a lecture at Ashburton at an early date. The object of forming a National Temperance Alliance will also be explained by the lecturer. Thb Late Fibb. — Messrs J. and T. Goodman yesterday forwarded a cheque for £5 to Mr W. Harris, in recognition of the services rendered by the Fire Brigade at the recent fire, adjoining Messrs Goodman's premises in High street. 1 East Belt Bbidgb.— The footbridge at the AEast Belt is rapidly approaching completion. The main piles are all driven and the beams and joists all laid. Very little more than the laying down of the floor now remains to be ,done.

/TEleotobai, Rolls.— The Registrar for the County of Selwyn has received no fewer than four hundred and fifty -four fresh claims from persons desirous of having their names placed on the electoral rolls. They are classified as folio *B :— Christchurch, 179 ; Coleridge, 157 ; Selwyn, 29 ; Heathcote, 60 ; and Avon, 29.

4 Criminal Sessions of thh Sitpbeme Coubt — The April sitting of the Supreme Court will commence on Monday next, when the criminal sessions will be opened by his Honor Mr Justice Johnston. The calendar, as far as it is at present known, appears m the usual place in this issne.

Magisterial — There will be a very long sitting of the Resident Magistrate's Court to-morrow, when Isidor Schwartz will be brought up on a charge of arson. A very large number of witnesses will be examined, and. both, police and prisoner will be represented by counsel. Several other criminal cases will also be heard during the day. A MoNTBOSiTr.— A cow, belonging to Mr Henry Meyers, of Oxford, gave birth to a calf on Friday last which had two noses, two mouths, and four eyes. Two of the eyes were in their proper position in the head, and the two extra ones a little above and between the others. The noses and mouths were on both sides of its head.

[ Kni&htstown. — A public meeting was Tield at Knightstown last night to consider the action of the Avon Road Board in levying a general rate of Is in the £. It was decided that a fid rate was sufficient, and a deputation was appointed to wait upon the Road Board to inform that body of the resolution come to. The deputation will meet the members

,of the Board on Monday next. /■'Timabtt Bbbakwateb. — The contractors fror the breakwater are now pushing on rapidly with the work. A layer of concrete blocks has been deposited by the steam crane, and nearly half of a large 300 ton block, which is being built on the top of small ones, was constructed yesterday. The sea was beautifully calm, and did not interfere with the .work.

Lytteltok Bohough Council. — The election of a Councillor to fill the seat in

this Council, left vacant through the resignation of Mr P. Cunningham, took place yesterday. The event appeared to excite but little interest. The candidates were Messrs W. Reed and W. Holmes. The choice of the electors fell on Mr W. Eeed, 114 votes having been recorded in his favour, while Mr Holmes polled 86. The Beturnine Officer, Mr F. Fielder, declared Mr Heed duly elected. FootbaiOj. — Some well known Victorian footballers have successfully started a club in Wellington, and play under the rules of the Victorian Association. The club musters 52 members, and played its first scratch matoh on Saturday. Sides were picked by the Captain and Vice-Captain, the former winning by two goals to one. The rules of the Victorian game seemed rather strange at first, but in the second half every man picked them up as if he had played them all his life. The spectators were much pleased with the game. Picnic. — A few days ago the employees of Mr Thomas Wilson, -tanner, Heathcote, had a picnic, in which between 40 and 60 took part. The rendezvous was Lansdown, where Mr Moffett kindly gave them the use of Mb grounds. The usual games and sports for youths, maidens, and adults, as also toys, lollies, &c, for children were liberally supplied, and Mrs Moffet was very kind to all. Before leaving for home, the party gave three hearty cheers for Mr and Mrs Moffet, and the like number for Mr and Mrs Wilson. It is intended that the picnic shall become an annual celebration. > '

FlBE.— Mr Traves, of Kussell's Flat, had his house burned down on Friday last. It was built of sods and thatched with straw. The fire, which occurred in the middle of the day, is supposed to have been caused by a spark from tlio chimney. It was blowing pretty strong from the sou- west at the time, and a few moments sufficed to destroy the house. Mr Traves was away from home at the time, but his wife and son and two daughters by great energy managed to save most of their bedding and clothes, but all their furniture, cooking utensils, &c, were hurned. /Something mobe than Bobbowing. — Within the last few days a volume of " The Builder," which was in the reference department of the Public Library, has been seriously mutilated, by having one of its plates cut out md removed. f Jhe plate in question is an slevation of the Hull Town Hall, and possibly ts abstraction may in some way be connected vith the forthcoming competition for designs or the Chrißtohurch Municipal Buildings. &.B no doubt the borrower of the plate intends to return it, ho should lose no time in carrying out his intention, its absence materially dimishing the value of the work to which it belongs. Accident. — A man named Dennis Murphy was received into the Hospital yesterday afternoon suffering from a ecalp wound on the back of his head, and a number of contusions on his body. Murphy, who is working for Mr W. Hall, who lives near Cashmere, states that about 2 o'clock in the afternoon ho was driving a two-horso team bolonging to his employer on the Lincoln road, walking alongside the horses, and when near the Black Horse Hotel he hoard a trap coming along at a furious pace behind him. He looked round and before ho had time to stop on one side, the off wheel of the trap caught him on the left hip, throwing him violently to the ground. Ho was rendered unconscious, and the next thing he remembered was being conveyed to the Hospital in the Asylum cart. Murphy does not know the namo of the man who was driving the trap. Found Dhowned. — While Eichard Ban-

bridge was out duck-shooting yesterday, at Washdyko Lagoon, ho discovered tho body of a man in a deep portion of tho creek, near tho boatshed. A telegram was at once sent to Inspector Ponder, Timaru, who proceeded out by train. The body was floating in an upright position, and when taken out of the creek

was identified as that of Michael Martin, a cooper, who had been employed occasionally at the Meat Preserving Works. He was last soon about eight days ago, and the body has the appearance of having been in the water for a week. It is supposed that deceased was walking from the railway to the Meat Works at night, and walked into the creek. The body was taken to the Washdyke Hotel, where an inquest will be held to-morrow. It is stated that deceased, who was a widower, has sovoral children in Otago, and that his life was insured for £100. The Consecration of a Masonic Lodge, E.C., will tnko place at the Eakaia Town Hall, this ovenine. at 7.30.

Tho opening- meeting of tho Christhurch Mutual Improvement Association has been postponed till April 9.

Tho Anniversary tea meeting of the Kirwoo Baptist Church mill be hold ou Tuesday next. A mooting of Ratepayers in the Halswoll Eoad Board District will be held on Monday, at twelvo noon, to elect a member in tho place of Mr Gardiner resigned.

A leoturo on "A Bide through Palestine" will bo delivered in tho Old St Paul's Church, Liobfiold Btroot, to-morrow evening, at 7.30

A Change of Cieoumstanobs. — Without laying ourselves open to the imputation of advocating on moral grounds tho holding of sweeps and " consultations," we may venture to tell a little story that reached us a few days ago. Just before one of our principal race meetings two hard-working colonists, hailing from the " Land o' Cakes," found thenway down country, and proceeded to enjoy themselves after a too common fashion. One day, after they had swallowed rather more than their usual " six inohes " of a liquor popularly known as "Long-John," they were induced to become^ partners in the purchase of a guinea ticket in a "consultation." Next morning headaches and empty pockets made them repent of their rash expenditure, and they wished to get their money baok, but the seller of the ticket would not hear of such a thing. In due course the race took place, and these two men were the winners of several hundred pounds apiece. It was fondly hoped, by one or two or their acquaintances at all events, that the pajing over of their winnings would be tho prelude to a " big spree ; " but, strange to relate, our canny friends immediately proceeded to take bhe pledge of total abstinence, and a few days after invested their easily earned money in land. We must deoline to point any moral to this fcala. — Otago Daily Times.

/ Complaisant. — A Dunedin paper says :— ffhe Borough Council of Caverakam " has no Objection" to Parliament sitting in Christchurch ! So the Council, at the instance of their rather facetious Mayor, agreed last evening to reply to the telegram of the Mayor of Ohristchurch.

"■■ Expensive Law.— Resort to the law should be the last thing thought of by the New South Welshmen if the following is true : —An attorney in a country town, having need of high professional assistance in conducting an important civil case, instructed his Sydney agent to retain leadieg counsel, at the same time inquiring what the fee would be. The agent wrote back stating that Mr E. Butler, Q,.C, required 1000 guineas and Mr P. M. Darky 750 guineas. The attorney, however, did not see his way clear to enter into such a large engagement, and the services of a less celebrated barrister were retained.

Veba Zassotjlitch. — My readers, says "Atticua" in the Leader, will no doubt remember Vera Zassoulitch, the female Nihilist, whose escape from the Russian police caused some Btir in Europe a few months ago. She found her way to Switzerland, was made much of by the Communist Rocheforfc, and was exalted into a heroine by the inhabitants of the model republic. Vera has found that notoriety has its inconveniences, and that a comfortable home in the present is preferable to a prison in perspective. She has, therefore, I see, married and settled in London, her husband being the owner of a Leicester Square restaurant. She is places it is true, but it sounds something like bathos, after plotting against the power of the Romanoffs, to pass one's days in taking orders for boiled beef and greens.

The Mining Difficulty in New South Wales. — A Newcastle telegram of March 14 says : — A monster meeting of miners of the Hunter Eiver district was held at the Crystal Palace (hardens, Waratah, to-day, in reference to the standing out of the Lambton miners against the vend scheme. Upwards of 3000 persons were in attendance, and after a lengthy discussion exceeding four hours, resolutions were passed, approving of the vend scheme, and deploring the action of the Lambton men in refusing to accept it. After a discussion an adjournment took place to allow the Lambton men to talk the matter over, the result of which was that out of 130 men only 11 still held out. The meeting then decided to allow the Lambton Colliery the amount of coal they have already exceeded under the vend table, namely, 14,000 tons, provided the miners support the vend ; but if they refuse, then Lambton is to be struck from all the benefits of the Miners' Association.

A Sitppbe of Sopt Soap. — Soft soap is sometimes synonymous with "butter," but it has been reserved for our Maori friends to substitute the one for the other materially. The Thames Advertiser is responsible for the following story : — " A gentleman, who has just arrived from the other side of the G-ulf, informs \is of an amusing incident which happened at a native settlement a short time ago. Some of the natives, whilst walking on the beach one morning, found a small keg, full of some heavy substance, and at once conveyed it to the camp, where it was duly opened. The contents resembled salt butter, and as the natives are, as a rule, fond of fatty matter, they proceeded to eat it. The operation was accompanied with sundry grimaces and remarks on the curious taste of the pakohas, but at last the keg was emptied, and immediately afterwards those who had partaken of its contents felt wrong about the lower regions and lay down. The gentleman happening to arrive the following morning, enquired the cause of the general sickness, and was shown the empty vessel, which, he was amazed to find, had contained soft soap." Commercial Contention in London. — The Dunedin Prices Current learns that the Committee of the Chamber of Commerce will have under consideration at its next meeting the proposal of the Dominion Board of Trade of Canada that a convention of the representatives of the Colonial Chambers of Commerce shall be held in London during the current year. For our own part, remarks the Dunedin periodical, we feel somo doubt whether any practical good to the Colonies in this part of the globe will accrue from such a meeting, or from the establishment of an annual conference of a

like character, which appears to be contemplated by the Canadian promoters of this movement. The needs of the various groups of British Colonies and the course of their trade differ bo essentially, that it is hardly likely they will be found prepared for united action upon any one subject. Conferences between representatives of Australasian Chambers might, we think, be held with advantage. The forthcoming International Exhibitions, to be held in Sydney and Melbourne respectively in 1879 and 1880, offer very suitable opportunities for some such arrangement, and we commend the Bubjeot to the consideration of our own and other Chambers. A Patriotic Spoiier. — An ex-M.H.R., who atao held a Government office of some importance for a length of time, took a somewhat odd method of showing his solicitude for fclio public interest the other day. He was a passenger by the express train, and at one of the stopping-places deliberately made his way up to the Yankee engine, scornfully gazed thereupon for a moment or two, and then set to work to pu 1 it to pieces by main force. He had got the length of breaking off one of the copper hand-rails, or " guards," before the railway officials could interfere to stop him. When remonstrated with he took high ground. The engines were toys and gini-crack concerns ; the public money had purchased them, and the body politic had been defrauded ; he had done what he had to expose the rottenness of Yankee workmanship, and to open the eyes of all and sundry regarding the braying abortion the Americans called an

engine. It need hardly be said that the railway authorities failed to see tho point of the joke, but were rather inclined to call it "wilful damage to property," on which charge tho worthy guardian of tho public interest will in all probability shortly have to face tho Dunodin Police Magistrate. — Otago Daily Times.

A Dying Man Fined foe Dbttnkbnnbbs. — At Bolton the magistrates imposed a fine of 5s and costs on John Colman, a labourer, agod 37 years, for being " drunk and incapablo "in tho public streets. Colman was found helpless late on Friday night, and as ho was bleeding from the ears— a sign of a fracture of the base of tho skull — the medical officer of health was callod in to eeo him. That gentleman is represented to have said that the man was in no danger, and Colin an ■was locked up. When brought before tho magistrates ho seemed, says tho report of the case, to bo totally unconscious of everything around him. It was not until tho dying man — for such he was — had been fined that it was discovered that he was " seriously ill." Then tho most handsome reparation was made. Tho fine was remitted, and poor Colman was sent home, where he expired a few hours afterwards. Column's skull was fractured, and in any case ho would probably have died ; but had his true condition been known, ho need not have passed some of tho last hours of his life in a prison cell. Tho caso is one calling imperatively for an inquiry in tho interests of tho police, and their medical adviser especially. There must be some error in tho statement that the medical officer, after finding that Colman exhibited the ordinary signs of a mortal injury, pronounced him to bo in no danger. — Manchester Guardian.