Local & General.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5078, 12 August 1884, Page 3

Local & General.

•» A branch of the Bank of New South Wales will be opened at Blenheim in a few days. Subscription lists for the Wilson fund were out on Saturday night Messrs W. Hoddinott and A. Howard have been appointed collectors. The matron of the Armagh street Depot desires to acknowledge with thanks the receipt of a large quantity of buns and scones from Mrs Slade, Oxford terrace, for the inmates. At the meeting of the City Council last night, a resolution was passed agreeing to the Finance Committee's recommendation that the citizens should be pressed to pay their rates for this year. The night-soil rate of lid in the £ was also agreed to. Yesterday afternoon the body of a new born male infant was found in a room of Mr T. Maindonald's house, Hazeldean road, Sydenham. It was the child of a young woman in the house, and as it is not certain that it was still-born, an inquest will be held this afternoon. The Sydenham Borough Council held a lengthy meeting last evening, when the estimates for the present year were discussed, and it was decided to levy a rate of $d in the £ on the capital value of all properties in the Borough. A report appears on our fourth page. A meeting of the Committee in connection with the late fancy dress ball, was held at Davies' Junction Hotel, Springfield, on Saturday evening. When all expenses are paid, there will be a suti of close on J>2o to augment the building fund of the church, a result which is considered highly satisfactory. The usual practice of the Musical Society will take place at 7.45 this evening. It was intended to postpone the rehearsal until Thursday evening, but as several prominent members could not attend on that evening, no postponement will be made. The concert will take place on Thursday week. The last of a series of three concerts in aid of St Mary's Anglican Sunday Schools, Timaru, last night, was attended by a very large audience, and was exceedingly successful from a musical point of view. An alarm of fire caused a few minutes' interruption, but it being discovered that merely a chimney in the Government Buildings was aflame order was soon restored. The usual bi-monthly inspection parade of this corps took place at the Drillshed last evening. There were 34 officers and men on parade, the bad weather having something to do with the rather small attendance. Lieutenant Francis was in command, and the company was inspected by Captain and Adjutant Newall. The Garrison Band was also present, 22 strong, under Bandmaster M'Lean, and played several selections. After the inspection, the City Guards were put through aiming and position drill by the Adjutant, who expressed himself pleased therewith, and said he would report favourably to the Colonel. The Courtenay School Committee held their monthly meeting on Thursday j present—Messrs J. Robertson, Bedford, M'Nae, Grant, Tweedie, and the Chairman. The following correspondence was read : — From the Board of Education, letter re new regulation with regard to the presentation of children in standards. Letter informing the Committee of the extraordinary vacancy having occurred through the retirement of Mr J. Inglis, and requesting nomination of a person qualified to fill such vacancy. The master's report was read and considered satisfactory. The master was requested to see that the person acting as caretaker performed his duties efficiently. The Committee nominated Mr T. H. Anson for the extraordinary vacancy. Messrs Whitcombe and Tombs' account was passed for payment. The meeting then adjourned to the firsy?riday in June. TheEevJ. Hoatson, whose abilities as a lecturer and slocutionist are of a high order, lectured in Trinity Hall (the Congregational schoolroom) last evening on " The Works of Tennyson." The attendance, owing to the unpleasantness of the weather, was not large, and it is to be feared that the Trinity Church school renovation fund, in aid of which the lecture was given, will not be much augmented thereby. As the entertainment afforded was excellent, the lecture being good, and rendered more enjoyable by the musical selections of Miss Taylor and Mr Izard, who sang several of the laureate's songs which have been set to music, to the accompaniment of Miss Inglis, and the readings from Tennyson's works by the Eev Mr Hoatson. well worth hearing, there is nothing but the weather to blame for the small attendance. If the programme were repeated on some finer evening its merits should certainly attract a large audience. Our Sefton correspondent writes : — Last week the Salvation Army paid their first visit to the district. The hall was well crowded and the services, under the charge of Captain Patrick, were listened to by a very orderly attendance. Next evening, at the Tovn Hall, a very successful entertainment, in aid of the Church funds (Episcopalian), was held. A number of friends came from Kaiapoi — viz., Mrs Brooke, Miss Mulcock, Miss Jackson, of Papanui, Messrs Foster, Milsom, Brooke and Champion. Mrs Vaughan and Miss Prebble, residents here, also contributed, and a reading was given by Mr Husband. The management of the local Church must be congratulated on the success obtained, some .£ll net being cleared. The timber for the local school is now being rapidly placed on the ground, and the erection of the building will be immediately started by Mr Salkeld, the contractor, of Woodend. The steeplechases at Amberley are causing a few horses known in this vicinity to doexercise.