LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 3596, 20 October 1879, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Land Spouts, Lyttkltoit. — A meeting of those interested in the land pports in Lyttelton on New Year's Day will be held at tho Empire Holel to-morrow evening. Trout-Fishing Licenses.— Up to this mowjing 72 licenses had been taken out for trout lisliing. This is exactly double the number issued at this dato lest season. * Pickio to Waimakabibi.— About forty invitations has been issued for the Mayor's picnic to the Waimaknriri water supply works, which takes place to-morrow. Traps convoying the visitors will start from the City Council OhambeM to-morrow morning at \balf-past eight. Illegal Bait.— The following letter on this subject has been received by the hon. sec. of the Acclimatisation Society from tho Undersecretary : — " I .am directed to acknowledge receipt of your letter covering resolution passed by the Angling Society, and to state that it is too lute for this season, but that your request in a previous communication ias been gazetted, making fishing with ground hait subject to a heavy penalty." Committees.— At a meeting >f tho Works Committee, held this morning, the Inspector was instructed to see that all projections Dailed to verandahs were removed. Repairs- to Manchester and Colombo streets south wero ordered. The Surveyor was directed to see that the necessary repairs were at once effected to the footpath opposite Mr Reece's establishment in Colombo street. The Finance Committoo also met and passed a of accounts. Theatrical. — Mies Beatrice and Mr Ogden left Christchurch to-day for Invorcargill, whero they play a short engagement ■with Mr Hyde's Company. Jumping Off a Train while in Motion. — On Saturday evening a man, whose name could not be ascertained, narrowly escaped meeting with a sorious accident by jum])ing off the train as it was backing up to the Rangiora platform. From the frequency of the practice it is a wonder that more of these accidents do not occur. f An Escape prom urn Hospital. — A patient at the Hospital named Henry Howell escaped from the institution at 8 o'clock yesterday morning, by scaling the fence dividing tho grounds from tho publio gardens. As the patient is mentally affected, the police were at once communicated with, and at half-past 4 in tho aftornoon Howell was arrestod at Eaiapoi. " Public Buildings at Ltttblton.— Mr Allwright, member for Lyttolton, hag written from Wellington stating that the Government will at an early date erect building3 in, Lyttolton, comprising Municipal Offices, Resident Magistrate's Court and Police Barracks, 'hese improvements aro much needed; and it ! is to be hoped that no time will be lost in pushing forward their completion.

Volttntbeb Ammitnitiok.— Tho annual allowance of ammunition by tho Govornmenfc to thoVolunteer corps arrived on Saturday from Wellington by the s.s. Wanganui. New Zealand Snmisa Company.— The New Zealand Shipping Company have received telegraphic advice of tho arrival of the Waimate previous to Oct. 10. Tho Waimate, left here on July 19. Timabtx Bowing Clttb.— Tho Timaru Rowng Club opened their season to-day on the SVaehdyke lagoon. There wero a good many present from Timaru to witness the proceed*:ings, which commonced by a procession of boats from the shod across the lagoon near the Wnshdyke. Miss Archer presented J» King with a cup won by him in tho sculling match last year. A number of scratoh race*' wero then got up, in which a good many; members of the club joined. Arohdeaooa Harper acted as judge, and Mr BlundeU 4» starter. * ' Abbests.— By tolegram from onr TimOfjt correspondent we learn that Harry Daniel Manning, an hotel keeper at Pleasant Point*, but formerly in busbesß in Christehuroh ass gunsmith, was arreeted yesterday oh a waVrafifc ohargiog him with aiding and abettiDg' the forgery of a deed relating tolOOaeres of lan* in the Timaru district.— At -tho-rome "trmtr* warrant was issued for theirfrYest'of-Albleifc GoJfn>y Baunders of Ohristohuvch, and'tniswas executed yepterday morning, Mr Saundere, however, being Bubßcqumtly roleasod on< bail.— lt is alleged that a man named Edward JameS, who is now in custody in Wellington, was induced to imperfonate on 3 Edward James, an absentee, who is tho re^ietered owner of the seotion of land in question, and that for a_Bti.all consideration tho Wellington prisoner aignod a deed conveying the property to Messrs Saunderß and Manning. James has been remauded from Wellington to Timaru, and Mr Manning is to be brought up before the Timaru Bench this morning. _ jt, ■ BALTATio2r fob Sinnehs!— lt is stated that a proposal lias been made at Homo to form a religious.guild for persons connected with the Press, •' from the editor to the stoker's boyat the engine." The rules suggested are that members should pledge themselves to go to some plaoe of worship at leasfc once on. Sundays, and, if poseible, once on weekdays ; to spend five minules a day in private prayer ; to bo temperate in dross, speech, and food ; to bo friendly with those with whom they work; and, if possible, to induce them to join the guild. Bohomiane, it iB wellknown, newspaper men aw, but that they are so deeply imbued with heathenism as this proposal would imply, has been loft for its prompters to make manifest. CHINBBB TbADB "\VITH THE MeDlTßEbankan js the Heuoio Ages.— Tho Chinese ambassador at Berlin, Li Fangpao, wellknown in his own country as a groat scholar, hag lately read as Chinese the inscription on» vase found by Dr Schliemann in the lowest stratum of. his excavations at HissarliV and fitfured on p. 60 of the introduction .to his Trpu and its Remains. Li Fangpao is, quite confident that tho unknown characters, wnioh recur again and- again on the Trojan antiquitids, especially on' the- terra-ootta wliorlg, are those of his native tongue, and gire» aa the purport of tho inscription, that about 8.0. 1200 three pioces of linon gauze were packed in the vase for inspection. This vase seems consequently to furnish' a freeh proof of the active commercial intercourse which the people of the " Hyperboreans," tho Chinese," carried on with Greece and Asia Minor. A Veritable Aboadian.— Truth is stronger than fiction. Would anyone imagino that in these days of usury and koen competition for the " bawboos," a nun would allow a cool thousand to remain in a Bank for thirty years or so without making any use of it, and, moreover, without getting any interest ? Buoh a case has jußt come to light in Hobart Town, aud curiously enough too. The circumstances detailed by the Tiismanian Mail m-c thes» :~ An old man, whose appearance betokened anything but aflluenco, bid for a number of Bhares at a recent sale, and offered tho knight of the hammer his cheque for £800 in payment. Vory doubtfully the paper was prosonted at the Bank upon which it was drawU, when it was explained that the Bank had a largo sum of monoy to the credit of the name of tho drawer, but as the depositor had not been heard of for the last twonty-seven years, the presentation of tho cheque caused no little surpriso. Enquiries wero, howover, instituted, and the buyer of the shares duly proved. his identity and socured the transfer of tho cash, THB LIQUOB TbAFFIC iJr SwiTZEEIANb. —From a paragraph in the Full Mall Gxizette we learn that a public-house law juet passed by tho Great Council of tho canton of Berne, contains somo clauses which show that publicans do Jnot enjoy much greater liberty in Switzerland than elso where. Every public-house must, tho new law provides, be closed by 11 p.m. (oertain classes of taverns not being allowed to serve custoniora nftor 9 p.m.), but tho owner may if heploaßes close his house eai'lior. No publican may allow dancing on his premises without the special permission of tho authorities ; but six days in the year aro named on whioa snob, permission may be obtained on payment of sf. on each occasion. Two extraordinary pormiesions to allow dancing may also be granted in each year to each publio-houso on payment of 20f. eash time. Dancing, evon after the necessary permission has been obtained, may only tako placo between 8 p.m. and 11 p.m. ; and on tho great festivals of tho Churoh, and also during tho preceding woek, no danciog liconscs may bo granted. Clubs and societies may, howover, rocoive permission to have a dance on their anniversaries, but no public announcement of the event may be made ; and in bathing establishments aud in boarding houses, frequented by foreigners or strangers, Bmall dances may bo given, provided again that they aro not advertised in any way. Children, not yet exempted from attendance at school, are strictly prohibited* from being present at any publio danoing. Finally, no musical or theatrical performance may take place at any public-house without the permission of tho local police authorities. Fines arc prescribed for tho punishment of offences against the now law, and in the ewe of a public-bo uso being kept open after the proper hour tho customers found in it as well as the owner aro fined.