LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 3595, 18 October 1879, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

/Libkhat. KEFOint Association. —At a meeting of the General Committtce hold during the week a good deal of business corroI Bpondonco relating to the occupation of per* /mancnb offices and other matters was read am V considered. After discussion the uriMiigc / ments made for the occupation of offices ii 1 1 Hereford street, opposite Meaßrs Miles, Has j| sal, and Oo.'s was approved. Arrangomontf j were made with Mr P. Solig to act as pormaJ nenfc executivo Secretary to the Association.* I The Secretary stated that the rules had boen f printed and could be obtained at the office in a few days. The entrance fee for members 1 was fixed at 2s 6d, and tho subscription one \ shilling per quarter. It was stated that a large number of persons had enrolled themselves as members ; also that provision had '■ been made for honorary membership, as i several gontlemen had expressed a desire to become honorary members of tho Association. After transacting some minor business the meeting adjourned. f The TJNBMrtOTKD. — A meeting of the unl/employed was held this morning in Cathedral v square. Thero was not a very large attondI ance. A draft petition to Sir George Grey, asking him to use his influence to have tho Waimate Hams opened for settlement on a system of deferred payments, assisting settlers with supplies and implements, was submitted and adopted. It was resolved that a subscription be raised to have forms of the petition printed, after which they would bo taken round tho different quarters of the city Pfor signature. Improvements at the Snow Grounds. A-Tho committee of tho Agricultural and 1 [Pastoral Association have accepted the tender of Mr H. Uden for the croction of fencing around tho caretaker's cottage, and also for forming a gate opposite Durham street. Tho opening of (his gato.will do away with the necessity of tho horses for exhibition proceeding along tho principal thoroughfare, 1 [which is always crowded with pedestrians on show day. / Piuvatk Prize tor Leicester Ewes. — /in addition to tho privato prizes already catalogued, which havo hcon presented for the ' Metropolitan exhibition next month, thr> ngont for Mr Thoinis Sclby Tuncred lias boon instructed to give a prize of 6ix guineas for tho threo best English Leicester ewes umlor 18 months old in any ono pen bolonging to the samo owner. Tho brooder's name is to bo slated. Colombo Eoad Wkslkyav Church.— The Eev J. S. Smulloy will conduct, services to-morrow, morning and evening. A second* lecture on tho "Signs of the times" will bo given in tho evening, Trout licrnses.— Up to jcslmky morning 64 licenses had been takon out for troutfishing. The totnl numbor taken out during the wholo of last season was 81. / Work tor Unemployed.— Tho Mayor of ■ Ashburton received a tolegram from tho I member for the district yesterday stating Mint j a section of tho Oxford and Sheffield lino would bo open in a fortnight, and tho uuomployed might find work on it. ', Profkshor ok Bioloot.— l)r Hulton Curator of tho Dunedin Museum, is to ho offerod tho Professorship of Biology in the Canterbury Collego at a salary of £700 a your. As it is inlondcd that tho Professor shul'l Iceturo at tho Agricultural School as well as at tho Collcgo, thoso institutions will euch pay half tho talary. SurREMK Court.— His Honor Mr Juetico Johnston sat in Chambers yesterday morning, to disposo of sorno business which had boon postponed to that day from previous sittings. Thero were only two causes, which were, howovcr, further postponod, one till next Friday in Chambors, and tho other till Oct. 28 «» banco. Excursion.— -In consoquenco of Hbo buocess of tho Oddfollovvß* excursion to Littlo Akaloa on Thursday, a proposal is mode to arrange for ono from Kaiupoi by river, tho vosbol to loavo tho wharf in tho morninar, and return at night. It is intended to ask Mr M'Lean, the owner of tho Bis, Akaroa, to undertako the conveyance of the party. Chambers Sittings.— lt will be woll for tho members of tho legal profession to bear in mjnd that it is not customary for tho judges I to tako Chamber business during the adjournment of the Civil Sessions. In casos of pressing necessity, His Honor Mr Justico John* ston breaks through the sustom in order that uo hardship may bo inflicted through too rigid an adherence to it. . • ■ Ashley Eoad, Bancjiora. — Tho road loading to tho Bangiora Bhow Ground having been recently roformed, was in consequence in a very bad state for trafllo, but on an application being mado to tho Municipal authorities they set a gang of men to work on it. By dint of rolling and stone breaking, it may be got into good order, before Show

Volttntebb Ammunition.— The annual allowance of ammunition by the Government to the Volunteer corpß arrived to-day from Wellington by the s.s. Wanganui. Sunnysidb. — Mr and Mrs Lingard and Company intend giving an entertainment at Sunnyside Asylum on Tuesday afternoon. This little act of thoughtful kindness will tw doubt, be thoroughly appreciated by the officials and others conneoted with the Asylum, whoso duties give them little leisure for rcoreaf ion of tho kind. " fI.M.S. Pinafore" will probably bp the pieco chosen. TiiBATRB Koyal. — Last night "Pint Dominos" and "Pluto" were performed by tho Lingard company for tho third tinio. Tlie attendance of the public was by no means numerous. The applause, however, was hearty enough, and tho pas de quatre in the extravaganza had to be repeated. Tonight the company appear in "H.M.S. Pinafore," with new scenery and properties prepared in Melbourne expressly for them. The extravaganza of "Pluto" will accompany the operetta. Pbebbleton Ceickbt Club.— The opening match of the above Club took place yesterday in a paddock lent by Mr E. Prebble for the season. There was a fair attendance of members present. It was arranged to play . Married v. Single, but owing to some of the I single men not turning out, a scratch match was arranged. Some very good batting waß exhibited by Meßsrs W. Prebble, sen., B. Prebble, jun., Hastings, and Buckridge. The play on the whole was very creditable. Canterbury Angling Society. — A meeting of the Provisional Committee of the above Society was held last evening j present — Dr Campbell (in the chair), Dr Chilton, Mes.rs Cooke, Cogan, and M'William (Hon Sec.) A list of draft rules and recommendations was drawn up for submission to the general meeting to be held at Cookson's Commercial Hotel, on Friday evening next, at eight o'clock. Amongst the rest it was decided to recommend that the amount o subscription be 10a 6d per annum. Easily Ahranged. — A slight difficulty was raised yesterday at the meeting of the Canterbury College Board of Governors, in consequence of an agreement containing a covenant that a salary Bhould be paid quarterly, one of the members objecting that there were no quarter days in New Zealand. The difficulty was got over by the Acting Chairman explaining that the salary would be paid monthly, as othor salaries of the kind were paid, an arrangement to which he believed no opposition would be offered by the recipient. A Funny Bait fob Tbout. — In a recent telegram forwarded to contemporaries of tho formation of the Canterbury Angling Society, the list of baits which the Society desired to be made legal was given as follows : — "Natural and artificial minnows, ditto flies (written to save two words), grasshoppers, and beetles." After leaving the telegraphist's hands it appears in our Southern pontomporariej us follows : — " Natural and artificial winnow, dibbs, flies, grasshoppers and beetles." Trout, unlike poor humanity, are scarcely tempted to their destruction by " dibbs." Acclimatisation Society. — A meeting of the Acclimatisation Society was held in the Commercial Hotel yesterday afternoon, the business being to consider the question of disposing of the trout still remaining in the Society's possession. Tho Secretary (Mr Farr) reported that 15,125 trout had already been distributed, and 15,000 still remained on hand. A number of applications for the fish were received and agreed to, and it was decided to forward a number of trout to various parts of tho district favourable to their progress. A letter was received from the Colonial Secretary's Department, stating that Mr Johnßon had Hot received tho permission of the Government to take trout ova from the Avon or any other river in Canterbury. Tho meeting then adjourned.

TnE Agbiculturat, Snow. — No efforts no being spared to maintain tho prestige of the igricultural and I'astornl Association's animal Exhibition, and to make this year's gatherng more than ordinarily successful. On Wednesday, the second day of the show, it has been determined to admib tho public from 10 o'clock, at tho uniform chargo of one shilling ; and on the first day catalogues will this year bo obtainable so soon as the judging has been commenced. Both thoso concessions are certain to be highly appreciated, and to conduce to a larger attendance of visitors As wns the case last year, a nurnbor' of seals will be provided for the use of ladies, tho erection of a grand stand, however, remaining for next season's Committee to deal with. The Spectrescoi'E.— Professor Jonas had reason to bo satisfied both with tho attendanco at the Oddfellows' Hall last evening, and with the hearty applause bestowed upon tho entcrlainmenfc. Tho Company having become accustomed to the building, the spectral effects are perfectly produced, and they aye as amusing as they are clover. This after- ' noon, at half-past 2 o'clock, there is to bo a special performance for children, and a crowded house is anticipated. The entertainment this evening thould also produce a large audience, since tho programme may fairly be described as a double bill. It includes "Faust and Marguerite," " A Great Mystery Unravelled," a Christy Minstrel entertainment, with ghostly assistants, " Tho Enchanted Chair," and " The Ghosts' Revels in tho Haunted House." Political Meeting at Akakoa.— A meeting was held at Akaroa on Wednesday evening to consider the position taken up' by Mr Montgomery in tho House of Heprenental ives. An attompt was made-to censure that gentleman for his opposition to the Hall GovernI ment, but it received a crushing negative. Only about ten hands out of a hundrod were hold up for tho motion adverse to the membor for Akaroa. A vote of approval was readily passed, and being forwarded iho next day to Mr Montgomery received tho following reply : — " Wellington, Oct. 16.— T0 tho Editor of tho Akaroa Mail, Akaroa, — I am exceedingly grateful to tho electors of the Akaroa district lor tho vote of conGdtmco passod at the meeting last night. Tho electors nobly protected iin absent man, and set an example to other districts. — W. Montgomery." Accident.— An unfortunato accident occurred on Thursday evening to Mr James Taylor, of the Native Reserve, Kniapoi. He was returning home from Rangier* nith a load of firewood in a drny drawn by two horses, lind when near tho Cam mill tho horees shied. Taylor was thrown heavily fidm tho top of the load, and fell in tho way of tho wheel, which passod over his right 1 g, breaking the small bone of ib near tho ancle, and injuring his face and jaw, several of his teeth being knocked out, and his jaw be'ng broken. News of Iho aooidont came to hand at Rurigiora just as the train for Christchurch was leaving, and the Hon H. B. Greeson, who wng waiting at tho station, took Constable Mahor in his carriage and*drovo to the sceno of tho accident promptly. Taylor was lifted into tho carriage and carriod home, | whorb Dr Downes attended to his sufferings. Yesterday, ho was progressing favourably. Mn TritNEHEUT.— Probably there is no ono in England who has afforded more amusement lately to tho oomio and personal papors than Mr Tracy Turnorolli. 1 his is Ilio gentleman -who was unfortunate enough to get a gold wroath purchased by subscription for Lord Beaoonsfiold, which that nobleman refused to accopt, Fiffaro is particularly jocose and sarcastic on tho subject, and Mayfair tolls Borne poreonal anecdolea, wlrqh are probably more amusing to its readers than soothing to Iho feelings of tho unfortunate notoriety-hunter. It is as follows :r-Many pooplo havo puzzled themselves in those latter days about the origin of tho name Turnerolh. It is yory 'simple. .".' Traby'e fathor was Mr Georgo Turner, a gentleman who. travelled muoh in Italy, and who gained thoreby a good knowlcdgo of Italian. In playful moments, tho Italian diminutive was applied to Trnoy, and co etuck to him that ho kept it. Tracy Turnorclli is therefore none other than little Tracy Turner. Tracy ia an indefatigable corrwpondent of newspapers. When ho takes an outing at the seaside or elsowhero ho begins to look about him, and if he detects a weakness in tho village pump, or a malodorous smoll from a drain, ho very soon makes the fact known through tho columns of , , tho , }°cal paper. There ib a, good story told of Traoy, whioh lms a not Tory remote bearing on tho now historio wreath. Once, when travelling in. Russia, bo made some sketches, whioh, found their way to tho Czar, by what, channol I am unable to say. His Majesty liked the skotohes, and Tracy received tho "oourteous recognition" of a diamond ring. Tracyhaa the sketches engraved, and Imperial oondeeoension again was manifest ma diamond ring. Last of all, tho indomitable Tracy published a book, -very clevor. no doubt, and. at any rat^ery flattering to Russia, and the inevitable diamond reappeared for tho tb&d jiiiae, . '■■ „

*, .Adulteration of Food.— lt is notorious hat the Adulteration of Food Act is pracically a dead letter in tbe Colony. Superntendenfc Sherman, in his report on the forth Island police, points out that the Act an only be enforced in places where there are inspectors of Nimauces, or Inspectors of Alights and Measures. He states that Wellington and Auckland are the only jlaces in the Island where there are legally appointed analysts, and adds : " I respectfully beg to submit that the Act be amended, and similar powctsto those held by Inspectors of Nuisances and Weights and Measures be extended f> the police; that pewons selling or exhibiting for sale bo compelled on demand to sell at the current rates any article of consumption j and that an analyst bo appointed for each of the largo towns, principally to check that notorious and growing evil of adulterating liquors, thus tending to reduce tho number of inmates in lunatic asylums and preventing the revenue from fraud." American Fbbbdo3l .or Impudencr ?— The Duke of Argjle and his two daughters have returned from their swift tour through Canada and the States, improved in health and greatly interested with what they saw. Lady Mary Campbell has a little telo of travel which she tells with great vivacity. Just before, they left New York they went to visit the museum of Cypriote antiquities, which General di Cosnola had collected. The party consisted of the Duke, Lady Mary, her sisttr, and the General. When they entered tho museum there was an American there, who was regarding the Cypriote "fixings" with undisguised contempt. Observing the difference with which tho new arrivals were received, he asked one of tho attendants who was " the little gentleman with the yallar I hair?" "That's the Duke of Argyle," the 1 man whispered deferentially. « The doose," said the American, taking a steady siare. Then, without further hesitation, he walked up to the party, and holding out. his hand, said, " The Dook of Argyle, I believe ? My name's Lawrence; glad to see you." The Duke cautiously met the proffered handj which embraced his in a painful squeeze. Then Mr Lawrence patted His Grace on the shoulder approvingly, but emphatically, and, with a friendly nod to the young ladies, walked off. — London Correspondent. A Puzzle.— The New Zealand Times cays : — A real true Irishman has forwarded a letter to us which we give to our readers. We are quite sure that though it may be difficult for our correspondent to identify himself, other people ought to have no difficulty at all in identifying him. The letter oontains almost as many "bulls" in a few lineß as it is possible to conoeive. But for tho fact that the writer encloses a two-penny stamp to cover cost of reply, we should be inclined to believe that he was hoaxing vs :— " Gore, Oct. 3, 1879.— T0 the Editor of the New Zealand Times, Wellington. Dear Sir, — I have been informed that from somewhere about two years to date I have been advertised for in your paper, and now transmitted to Australia. Should it have been in the paper with which you aro connected, would you kindly send me a copy that I may identify myself. — Yours respectfully, Patrick Lyons." We are unable to furnish the required information. Perhaps some of our readers cm do so.

A Troublesome Likeness.— The correspondent of the -A T eto Zcalander thus records an incident of Lord Normanby's visit to tho Sydney Exhibition:— "As every Wellington resident knows, Lord Normanby is a thorough Yorkshireman, and, like most Yorkshiremen, is a very comfortaMo, hoinelylooking individual; that i» in his undress.' Those who know him when ho was in New Zealand will not, therefore, ba much B?.rpriaod at the following : It was inside the Exhibition Building, and Jonos, who had been looking everywhere for his friend Smith, at last saw him walking in a slow, sauntering fashion up tho transept. Jones hurried aftor him, and, slapping his friend heartily on tho back, expressed his great pleasure at finding him at last. Tho supposed friend proved to he Lord Normanby, who good humoredly enough oxplaincd that it was a case of mistaken identity. Jones, as may be supposed, was for Bomo minutes rather crestfallen, but soon recovering his naturally exuberant spirits, and this time seeing his roal friend disappearing round the corner of tho Italian court, rushed up precipitately and, giving Smith a very pointed dig in the ribs, burst, into a loud laugh and commenced hurriedly <o give an acaount of the mistake he had made before. To his surprise and horror it again proved to be Lord Normanby, and tin's time tho Victorian Govornor, with torao asperity, begging his prosecutor to desist from these practical jokes, walked away quickly to get as far as possible out of Jones' way. Jones, as the phrase ie, is a gontlcman well known in Sydney in commercial circles."

Smaht Work.— As wo have ofton had occasion to grumble at the shortcomings of the Telegraph Departmont it is only fair to give it credit when it does its work more than well, and we therefore quote the following paragraph from the New Zealand Times of Thursday with pleasure :— "There was some rather quick work performed by the telegraph operators on the duplex cable betwoon .Blenheim and Wellington on Tuesday. The number of mesßnges transmitted up to 3 p.m. averaged 90 from both ends, the spcod during that timo being at the rate of fully 38 words per minute. From 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. tho average number of messages inoronscd to 130, and tho speed rose to 43 words per minute. Notwithstanding such very quiok timo tho work was exceedingly well done, and reflects great oredit on the operators. Those who worked from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. wero Messrs Clayton and Kirkor at the Wellington end, and Messrs Wilson and Williams at Blenheim.

lIHB AT MOKItAKI.— The North Ofaqo Times gives the following particulars o f the Gro at Mr John Idinonstono's etore nt Mooraki, which was destroyed nt about half-past mno o'clock on Monday night At that time Mr Edmonstone, while in the stable about thirty yards from tlio sloro, heard a noiso somewhat like the report of a gun. Ilaving looked out without hearing any further noi^o op Beeing anything unusual, the thought struok him tliafc a suspension kerosonp lamp which he had left burning in the store might have exploded. He accordingly hurried from the stablo to the store, and while crossing the intermediate space he hoard a sound as of shrinking burning timbers in the store. On entering the kitchen he proceeded to open the. door in (lie partition betvrcen the store and tho kitohen, but ho was driven back by the smoke and flames Bealmng that he could do nothing to Bave tho promises or the stock, ho with some difficulty sucoeedod in getting out his perao-i nftl effects in the kitchen and his bedroom/ In about throe quarters of an hour from thi first indication of fire the promises werl completely burned down. There wa9 nfc assistance at hand, and it was impossible fot Mr Jttdmonßtone to overcomo the flre. Thl presumption is that the- firo was caused through the explosion, of the kerosene lamp in the sbro. Mr Edmonstone's stock was insnrod in the Standard office for £200, tlio storo itself m the snmo ofllco for £100. Ho climates ' his total loss at about £130 in excess of the insurance. Tv K l'oi'E— A correspondent of the Jientsvhe Moßlagi-Blatf, writing from the Vatican, says that during the last few-months the Pope has become very suspicion of nil about him. No one, except his brother Cardinal Pocci and his own throe, secretaries, i B allowed to enter his prirato apartments. Frequent ly the Pope works -m his own bedroom, the door of which he always looks himself when ho leaves it His frugality, the writor continues, border* on avarice,' The amount of Poter's penoo renoivod has largely increased lately, but nevertheless the incomes of cardinals and tho officials of the l^pal household havo been systematically cut down, while at tlio samo timo all aro expected and are obliged to do nioro work than fonnorly. Only the other day the Pope struck out of tho calondar 80 feast days on which in, tho days of Pius IX. none of the officials at tho Vatican porformod any duties Tho highor officials, also, who have always boon in the habit of using tho carriages of the Vatican as though they were their own are now obliged to walk to and from the Papal palace, sinoo the Pope has sold all the unneoessftry horses and vehicles which formerly filled tho stables and coaebhouses, reserving for his own use a modeet landau, in whioh, by order of his dootors, he drivos for an hour daily in tho gardens of the Vatican. Nobody howover,.now ventures to protest againßt tho system of rigid economy whioh has boon established— fearing, probably, that worothey to do co they would bo punished as MonsignoV Tavani was a short time ago. Monsignor Tavan.i, on his pay being reduced from £20 to £13 a month, wrote a letter of remonstrance to the Pope, and in answer was at ohoe ordered to join the monastery of the Pessimists of San Giovanm-Paolo. and there to live with (to brother* of the order for two roonthe*

CONBtJLABI<JKOBANOE.-LordloftUßplaoed the consuls in Sydney in rather an awkward position at the opening of the Exhibition. At the levee Le each representative in ™l a T ag °^ f th S «>tt^fw which he foT. f ' aD f \ md t0 hwe met with such S2» P6r ? eXlty hafc aßßured Wmhii kindne s was not appreciated, only one of the consuls present being up to the occasion. His £Sf I w Bttld to have exclaimed with Uominie Sampson, " Prodigious !" An old diplomatist, to whom one language is as free as anothor, he could not understand how the representative of a Foreign Power should be ignorant of its language. Ho evidently has yet much to learn.

it?"! 113 . Ex - Ejrp BKss' Income. — Napoleon 111. 8 widow derives her revenues from three Bottrces-tbo product of savings which have been made einco elie went to Ohiselhurbt, speculations, the insurance on the limperors life, and the real estate which mo impress bought in her own name when she was on the throve, and which 18 approximately valued at £1,080,000. Jiugeme disposed of a great sum of the money m the Rue d' Alba and of the wf m 7n Ch M " Bou^« ™ d to live f *iT/™ the corner of the Rue de l'Elysee for £12 000 The purchaser of the estate was BaionHirech, whilom •• The Turkish Bailway it'ng. There ore, besides, estates in Spain, m Switzerland, and in Hungary. The Hungarian one was acquired within, the present year, and is adjacent to the favourite domain of Count Ziohy. Under the will of her ill-starred oon, the Empress cornea in for the Baccioohi properties near Trieste and in lujcany, as well as house and groundi in loulouse and its environs. The Toulouse property ie considerable, and was left to the fnnce by a general who had been his equerry ™a j ? b^ hood - Eugenic, whose woe must indeed have been unutterable, cried when the tidings of her son'a death were brought to her, lout cst r u u • (out estfini ; je ne suis plus

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