Local & General.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 4747, 18 July 1883, Page 2

Local & General.

The Fapanui ploughing matoh takes place on Thursday, July 26.

Tne works of fiotion from the Police Library, to the number of about 500 Tolumes, were sent to Wellington yesterday.

She annual meeting of the Cathedral Guild will be hold at Christ's College Library, to* morrow, at 8 p.m. Mr Pilliet, the member for Stanmore, our Wellington correspondent infoi-ms us, is deoidedly ill ; and there is a possibility that within a short time the seat may have to be declared vaoant. i Messrs Beauchamp and Bell announce on , auction sale of an extensive assortment of i stationery, ko., in the assigned estate of J. Lindesay. The sale is fixed for one o'olock t-Mrorroir. Ihe following items will be found on the fourth page of this i«sue:— Tale, "Love at the Goldfield s " (concluded); Parliamentary News ; Parliamentary Notes ; Inquest ; The Domain ; Acoident to the Steamship Australia ; The Annexation Question. The following item of oable news appeared in our Becond Edition of yesterday : — ln con* sequence of the state of affairs in Madagascar. H.M.S. Euryalus, of 16 guns, 4140 tonß, the \ fUgahip of Admiral Uir William Hewitt, on the East Indian station, and H.M.S. Tourmaline, 12 gum, 2120 tons, now on partioular L service, have been ordered to proceed forth- : with to Mauritius. The ball to be given in the drillehed tomorrow night by the Chriatchurch Bifles, ' promises to be a very brilliant affair. The deooration and furnishing of (he room hae been entrusted to Mr A. J. White, whose 1 name is a guarantee that thb work will be carriod out in first-rate style. Musio will be supplied by Mr Schwartz's excellent quadrille band, while the supper is to be provided by Mr Messenger, of His Lordship's Larder* The Interprovinoial Football Matoh Fifteen met last night, and ohose Mr W. Y. Millton captain. They wUI play a matoh on Cranmer square to-day against all comers, at 4 p.m. AU players who oan are requested to attend, in order to give the team at least one praotioe together, [ihe Dunedin men will be up on Friday evening, ahd will be weloomed at the station by the members of tho Union en masse. There will be a lunoheon at the Commercial Hotel at 12.45 on Saturday, the usual dinner having to be dispensed with, as the players all leave for Wellington in the evening. The tournament team will be slightly different from that whioh plays against Otago, and the final selection will probably be announced to-morrow. The Lytlelton Naval Artillery Compa"-? paraded for inrpeotion on Monday night. Colonel Lean, together with the Adjutant of the Distriot, inspected the men, who were then put through oompany drill by the Adjutant (Captain Newall). The men, who are not well up in tbis drill, were soon, however, pnt in shape by the Bmart manoeuvring of the Adjutant. At the olose of the drill, Captain M'Lellan took oocasion to present Chief Officer Arnold, on behalf of the corps, with the handsome cup reoently won by the bayonet team, considering that through hii energies the team was brought to its state of efficiency in the bayonet exercise. The Company was then dismissed. Mr Nalder, solioitor, at the sitting of the Lyttelton Besident Magistrate's Oourt this morning, drew the attention of the Court to the fact that a civil summons had been issued at Lyttelton for a client of his on July 9, and returned on July 12, although the defendant's address was well known, with tho answer "Defendant not found." Tho plaintiff, a residont at Malvern, had boen to the troublo and expense of attending the Court on last Friday, and waa praent ag»in to-day, when the case was again adjourned to July 25. He thought thia ought to be enquired into. His Worship profiled that enquiries should bo made ac requested, as to whether thero hnd been any dilatoriness in the Besident Magistrate's Oourt bailiffs' department at Ohristchuroh. From late news we learn that the Frenoh Minietor of Fino Arts lias been asked to abolish tho oußtom whioh prevails in provincial opera houses and theatres of submitting debutants to the verdiot of the publio, inasmuch as clique*-, oabale, prejudice, ond partiality frequently force a verdict that ia most unjust. An instance of this kind occurred at Toulouse, where a now tenor waa driven off tho stage in a most huniiliatiog manner. The opera was " Favourite,*- 1 and he had just began "Un Ange, une femme inconnue," when the audience arote and shouted the name of. a favourite amateur, deolaiing that ho must sing the part. He arose in his seat and explained that he was. not in costume, but the audience answered that the costume did not matter, and insisted that ho should show the man on the stßge how to play his r4le. Objections by the manager and leader of the orohestra were overruled, and the amateur aotually sang tha opening scone, aooompanied by tho band, and sat down amid thunders of applause. Thereupon the manager oame forward and announced that he had oanoelled the engagement with the offending textr, who was then allowed to prooeed with his part without aay farther marks of di*»pprobrtio*fi-.

. tt is understood that Mr Warden Prioe, the Besident Magistrate reoently appointed for Ashburton, has resigned the appointment owing to weak health, and that v successor will be at onoe appointed. A noted oharaoter, known as Sir Biohard "Oarkoek Coulson, Bart., or "Dr" Coulson, released from gaol at Auokland, yoiterday, -after a term of twelve months' imprisonment -for smashing windows and soliciting alms with 'threat, was again sentenced to a similar term "to-day for a similar offence. He formerly ■lived among the Kingites, but they got tired -Of him. At the meeting of the Ashburton Western 'Hire Brigade, the gentleman who managed -the ooncert given some time ago by that body -stated that he was in communication with the members of the Lyttelton Times Dramatio | 1 Company, and that he was sanguine of being : table to introduoe the amateurs to the Ashburton publio about the middle of August, .. their performance being given for the benefit -of the Fire Brigade. The very small amount of ground •available as playground for the children at -the -Orphanage was the remark of . several of the persons who had occasion to attend an inquest at that institution yesterday. Could not the Government eithor acquire more ground for the purpoße, or remove the -whole Orphanage to a district where there is • more rodiny site than the steep hillsides of lyttelton*? Ihe regulation that dogs are not to be taken into Hagley Park unless thoy are led seems to have been recently much . disregarded, and, as a consequence, several ■of the sheep depastured there have been -worried. Only a short time ago no less than -16 cheep were killed in this manner. . Perhaps all porsons are not aware that any dog oaught worrying a flook may be at once shot, and heavy damages are recoverable if the ownership of the dog oan be trace i. Last ni»ht "Colonel Markoe," assisted by Misa Aiarkoe, Mr E. Alexander, and others, give, at the Theatre Boyal, an entertuin-r-tn'; of legerdemain, danoing, and recitation. *' Colonel Markoe " is not a stranger to Ohristohurch, as he gave a somewhat similar exhibition hero a few months ago. He has not lost any of his cunning in tho interval, and amused and astonished bis fairly numerous andienco by tho exoellence of his feats. The Oompany again appear Ibis evenisg. Owing to the Ohristohuroh Insurance Assoc iation haviog given instructions to the companies to ohnrge SOs per cent on grain fer ship Rangitiki, now loading inside the reakwa er at Timaru, merchants and others are comb niog to guarantee the risk themselves, and not insure the cargo at all in the insurance offices. £4000 has alretdy been guaranteed by ten persons, and the balance is expeoted to be made up to-day. A meeting of the Harbour Board, Chamber of Commeroo, 4c, was to be held to-day, to oonsider the mattor. On Saturday next the Theatre Boyal will be opened for a short season by a oompany whioh includes Miss Gwynne Herrick, Miss B. Thompson, Miss Fisher, and several gentlomen who are not altosether5 ether strangers to |the stage, for the pro* notion of that admirable coikody, "Baby and Betsy." They have been steadily rehearsing for seme time, so that tbey will be able to play np to one another, and as they have already proved themselves to poßsesß considerable histrionic ability, they no doubt -will give auoh a representation of the piece as -will seenre for them a fair sharo of publio patronage. The public inauguration of tho Trinity Congregational Ohuroh Total Abstinence Sooiety took place in the schoolroom, Manohester street, last evening. At halfpast six o'clock a capital tea was served, of whioh about 250 persons partook. After tea, a publio meeting was held, tbe ohair being occupied by the Bar H. Williama, The Seoretary, Mr Marriatt, read the rules of tbe Boeiety, and addresses were delivered by the Bey H. C. M. Watson, Dr Bussell, and Mr H. J. Boss. A number of songs and recitations were givon by Mrs Corrick, Misses Adams, Pellett, Simpson, Messrß Martin, Owen, and MarrUtt. A considerable number of those present were enrolled as members of the Society. The steamer Oreli, a New Plymouth telegram informs ns, is at present in Kawhia harbour in distress. She left Wellington for Wanganui ; bnt not being able to enter that river, went sn to Opunake. She was not able to land her oargo, and made for Waitara, but oould not enter that river owing to the dangerous Btate of tho bar ; so she bore away for Kawhia, in ordor to obtain shelter. In attempting to enter the harbour ehe bumped on the b»r, and as it was afterwards found ehe had made a hole in her bottom, she has to remain there until relief ia afforded her. The Hannah Mokau has been despatched with a band-pump, appliances and five tons of coal to have repairs executed. Ihe first of a series of four leotures was delivered by the Bey 8. Slocombe in the Town Hall, Amberley, on Monday evening, and considering tbat so little publicity was given to the affair, it was very well attended. Mr W. 8. Smith occupied the ohair, and briefly introduced the rev lecturer. The subject, was ,! Crooked Sticks," and for about an hour Mr Slocombe waa listened to Tery attentively, and at the conclusion, a vote of thanks was passed. During the evening, the Misses M'H aught played soveral pieces on the piano, and were, as nsual, loudly applauded. The next lecture will be given in a month's time, by the Bey J. W. Cree, the snbject being " Happy Homes, and How to Make Them." The proceeds of the leotures goes towards the Presbyterian Ohurch building fund. Ihe first anniversary of the opening of the new Baptist Ohuroh on Cambridge terrace wes oelebrated last evening by a tea and public meeting. At the first upwards of SCO persons partook of a capital tea, served in tho schoolroom, and provided by the lidiea of the congregation. Alter tea the publio meeting took place in tho church, and was largely attended. The ohair was occupied by the Bey 0. Dallaston, who, in the course of his opening remarks, referred briefly to tha progress the congregation had made since worship had been begun in the -sew building, and mentioned the faot that tbe attendance- at the Sunday ovening services had increased by about 200 porsons. Addresses were also delivered by the Beys Spenser, Bray, Standricg, and Mr Sawla. Daring the evening a number of anthems wero rendered by the choir, Mr H. Corrick presiding at tho organ. Tho ohari' able aid workmen are now employ ed in effecting further improvements in Hagley Park. A walk eight feet in width is being laid ont from the north-west entrance to the Park, near Fendaltown bridge, across tho Park to the College bridge. Ibis work has anticipated the wishes of many residents of Fendaltown, who wero on the eve of petitioning the Domain Board to have such a pathway formed when the work was commenced. The ride, whioh it iB intended co extend all round the Pork close to the belt of trees on its borders, has been laid out from tho Collsge bridge to the north entrance near the Carlton Hotel, and this portion will shortly ba sown down in English grasses. The ride has already been taken advantage of considerably, but come horsemen have been guilty of the offenoe of riding oa the P-vk footpaths, a practice whioh it is the Domain Beard's intention to pnt a stop to. Tho Conrt Star of Canterbury, No. 2309, A.0.F., hold their hai '-yearly meoting for the installation of the officers on Monday night. She Woodwards having reported the siok membors as progressing favourably, Bro Gh E. Triggs proceeded to install the following offioers :— O.K., Bro B. H. T. Wood ; 5.0.8., Bro W. H. Howard ; P.S., Bro W. Buokley j A.8., Bro W. Jacques ; M.S., Bro E. Watts ; Hallkeeper and Treasurer, Bro H. Crooks ; "Woodwards, Bros 0. Samuels and o*. Wade j Beadles, Bros . W. Harris and J. Davison ; members of the M C, Bros J. Gapes, junr., W. Buckley, B. Watts, 0. Samuels, H. Wade. .Drs Deamer, Gufhrie, and Thomas were eleoted medical officers. It was resolved to present Bro G. E. Triggs with a P. 0.8. certificate and neck ribbon. The Distriot Seoretary forwarded notice of alteration of D.L. One member was admitted by the . olearance. Four candidates were initiated, and two proponed for membership. It was resolved to ascertain from the City Surveyor j what alterations were required to the hall before a license would be obtained. Ihe "Foresters' Directory and Miscellany " was l reoeived from the High Oourt, England. After a vote of thanks to the retiring officers, . the 0.8. closed the Oourt in the usual form. Tbe receipts for the two evenings amounted to £300 10 j.

A publio entertainment in oonneotion witb the Young Men's Olub is announced elsewher-t in this issue. Sir William Fox ia expeoted in Ohristohurch to-morrow from Wellington, in order to be present at the Y. M.C. A. demonstration on Friday evening, at whioh he has been invited to deliver a speeoh. Tbe Beys J. Elmslie, H. 0. M. Watson, E. Best, W. Diniwiddie, andO. Dallaston are also among the speakers fer the occasion. In aocordance with a resolution passed at a meeting of the Oommittee of the Knightstown Library, a considerable number of new and popular works by the best authors have been added this week to the number already on hand. The Oommittee are strenuously striving to make the library deserving of patronage, and trust that by periodical additions thereto, their efforts will succeed. More subscribers are needed, and as the subscription is merely nominal (Is 3d per quarter) it is hoped many inhabitants of this suburb acd its vicinity will be induced to " improve the shining hours " by joining. Mr W. I. Weaver, an Amerioan gentleman of large experience in oil-boring, who has been scoured by the Southern Cross Petroleum Company to conduct operations at their works at Gisborne, is now in Ohristchuroh, and will Btart for the north to-morrow. He expresses himself as highly satisfied with the samples of oil that have been already obtained from the mine, and pronounces them superior to what is found in Pennsylvania. The question of whether tho petroleum exists in sufficient quantities to pay for procuring, can, of course, only be settled by boring, and this oruciat test Mr Weaver, who has sunk nearly 300 wells in the United States, is about to apply. The depth whioh the hole has to be made varies — in America— frem 1100 ft to 2700 ft, the general rule being the deeper the well the larger the supply of oil. The time necessary to sink the bore is, under favourable oircumstanoes, upwards of a month, but at Gisborne, where the oonvenienoes to be obtained with ease in America, are not to be got without considerable trouble and delay, the work must 1 neoessarily oocupy a muoh longer time. A Madras contemporary (observes a Calcutta paper) tells us tbe following : — " The Bangalore garrison has a fair olaim to the honour of having the oldest soldier on the ' effeotive ' list of the British Army. Key Sergeant J. Patten, of the Bangalore Fort, who i« about to ' take his pension,' is olose upon 90 years of age, and has had some 70 years' service. We fancy that Sergeant Patten's retention in the servioe at suoh an advanoed age is almost a unique case. He has been for at least a quarter of a century key-sergeant of the fort, the duties of whioh are now merely nominal."