Local & General.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5174, 2 December 1884, Page 3

Local & General.

' •* During Advent there will be special services, with addresses, in the Cathedral on Tuesdays and Fridays, at 8 p.m. A special meeting of the Christchurch City Council will be held on Monday next, in order to consider 'a report prepared by the combined Works and Finance Committees, re proposals for raising a loan for permanent works. The details of the scheme are not yet made public, but it is understood that no special rate will be required to provide for the charges. A concert by local amateurs was given on Friday evening in the large schoolroom, Upper Riccarton, in aid of the children's prize fund. The room was well filled with an attentive audience. A well arranged programme was capitally rendered, and the Committee have reason to congratulate themselves, as the concert was, both musically and financially, a great success. Dancing was kept up afterwardsjwith spirit for several hours. The usual fortnightly meeting of St John's Temperance Society was held in the school-room last evening. There was a large attendance. In the absence of the Rev H. C. M. Watson, Dr Russell to:>k the chair. Mr Widdowson, who has recently arrived from England, delivered an address, giving an account of his travels among temperance workers in the Old Country. Mr Buckland also briefly addressed the meeting. The Chairman announced that the next meeting would be held about the latter end of January. A deputation of the promoters cf ! a tramway to New Brighton, had an ! interview with the City Council last ■ evening. Mr W. Wilson, who was the ! principal speaker, was most eloquent in ! pointing out the advantages possessed 1 by New Brighton as a watering place. His Worship the Mayor informed the deputation that a scheme of works was under consideration, for which a loan would have to be obtained by the Council, and that if the loan were sanctioned by the j citizens, he had little doubt the wishes of the deputation would be given effect to. A meeting of the promoters of the line is to be held this evening, at New Brighton,, To people specially interested in the welfare of the temperance cause, the large audience which assembled at the meeting of the St Paul's Church Temperance Society, held last evening, must have been highly gratifying. The usual address was delivered by the Rev B. Butchers — a delegate to the late Wesleyan Conference, and without a doubt it was well worthy of the close attention it received from those present. The rev gentleman spoke with much effect of the experience he obtained of the vice and degradation consequent upon the " drink " traffic whilst ministering in the district of Hobart Town. Two appropriate readings were given by Messrs D. M. Adams and W. J. Ferguson. In short, the increased audience, together with the quality of the entertainment, speaks well for the progress of the temperance cause in general, and that of the above Society in particular. A meeting of the Ashburton Racing Club was held at the Crown Hotel on Saturday evening. There was a large attendance, -md Mr Courage presided. The nominations (which appear elsewhere) j were received for the four open events, and j were considered very satisfactory. It was j resolved to sell the privileges in connection i with the mooting, the entrance gates to be 1 retained by the Club. Messrs M'Naught ( and R. Parsons were appointed to see that ; the stand on the course was safe. The Secretary was instructed to arrange for a , special ti-ain. Mes&rs Hobbs and Goodwin's : tender to work their totalisators was ac- j ceptcd. The Ground Committee were \ authorised to procure what was necessary ; for the course in the shape of flag poles, • as the course having been altered a larger I number would be required. It was proposed by Mr M'Naught, seconded by Mr j Rutherford — " That subscribers to the fund of £1 be allowed a family ticket for admission to the course, such subscribers to produce their tickets at the gate previous to admission." Several of those present undertook to endeavour to make arrangements io;- •nic.e.. A.«.-., to meet the special and ordinary trains to convey visitors to the course. Several small matters having been discussed and arranged, the meeting adjourned till Dec. 13, the date of acceptances aud general entries.

: A meeting of tliose-interested in holding the annual athletic sports at Rangiora, will be held in the Borough Council Chambers on Thui-r-day, at 8 p.m. Mr William Oldfield, of Brenchley Farm, Lyttelton, whose death was recorded yesterday in our obituary column, was another oi' the very oldest of the Canterbury settlers. He arrived here in the barque Cresay, the last of the famous ; " first four ships " to cast anchor in Port f Cooper, as it was called three and thirty years j ago. Mr Oldfield came out as an assisted immigrant, and soon after the progressive i Pilgrims had made their way over | the hill, came to Christchurch too, and J found employment as a day labourer. In ; a short time, being a hard-working and industrious man, he placed himself in a position to get a few cattle together, and buy land of his own. His freehold lay well up under Mount Pleasant, and for many years ho followed the lucrative calling of a dairy farmer, supplying a large number of the inhabitants of the Port with their daily milk. In this way, he must have acquired considerable wealth. Unlike many, or rather most,j>f the early Colonists, Mr Oldfield took but little part in municipal or general political affairs, though, if we are not misinformed, those whose memories can carry them back to 1853, may remember him as one of the radical, or " blue Bhirt," element who constituted a small, but vigorous, party in the politics of the day. He leaves, we believe, a wife and three children, a married daughter and two sons, who are farming in other parts of the Colony.