Latest Locals.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5220, 28 January 1885, Page 3

Latest Locals.

— ♦ By reference to our advertising columns it will be seen that the time for receiving tenders for the Quail Eange Bection of the Waiau-Kaikoura road has been extended. The Hon the Premier inadp no stay in Christchurch, but at once went on to Wellington last night. It is understood that from Wellington he leaves immediately for the West Coast. The sufferers by the terrible railway accident near Cootamundra, New South I Wales, are progressing favourably. As ' yet the number of the killed does not appear to be quite accurately known, but it Becms that, at least thirty are still to be accounted for. At Timaru, according to our latest Advices, there is some anxiety experienced j for the fate of tho crops. The weather has ' fceen very stormy there, with heavy rain, I And is likely to work them great damage ! if it continues but a short while longer. ' All the great Sydney scullers are in I active preparation training hard on the ' Parramatta river for the coming championship races. Beach and Clifford are in full work, though a critic, who has been watch- • ing the latter row, declares it is " a pound | to a postage stamp on Hanlan." The great Canadian oarsman has settled down to hard

training, and will be in a very different condition when his race comes off to what he waa when Beach beat him. At the monthly meeting of the Juvenile Foresters' Lodge last evening a visit was received from some 50 mombefs of tho Kaiapoi Juvenile Lodge, who were under the charge of Messrs Simpson, Barden, Denloy and Morley. When the business of the Lodge had been closed, a number of songs and a recitation were given by various members, after which the party partook of an excellent supper provided by Mr Searle. The first big trade picnic of the season eft town this morniug, when the bakers of th* City went for their annual outing to Mr Stanley's paddock on the Harewood road. The picnickers were taken to their destination in about 50 vehicles, which, decorated with flagß, evergreens, and flowers, formed a gay procession as they Sassed through the Btreets, headed by a rag containing tho Garrison Band. As the weather, which had been very gloomy before the start, cleared up immediately after, it is to bo presuuiod that a very pleasant day was spent by the party, which mustered some 300 persons. The annual meeting of tho St Patrick's Branch, No. 82, H.A.C.8.5., was held on Thursday, Jan. 8. Correspondence from the C.S:, Melbourne, and D.S., Christchurch, was received and dealt with. Two candidates for membership were proposed. It was decided to establish a Benevolent j Fund ir connection with the Branch, and i also to recognise in a suitable manner [ the brother nominating the greatest num- i ber of candidates for the ensuing twelve j months. The balance-sheet for the quarter j ending Dec. 25 was read, received, and j adopted. The election of officers for the i ensuing term was then proceeded with, and resulted as follows: — President, J. J. Reilly ; vice- President, W. Cassim j Secretary, G. J. Sellars (re-elected) ; Treasurei*, P. M'Donnell (re-elected) ; Warden, J. Hannah; Guardian, J. Glacken. The in- . stallation ceremony was then proceeded j with, and the officers elect briefly returned j thanks. Delegates to the district meeting ' were appointed. A vote of thanks to the ', retiring officers brought the meeting to a ; close. j A meeting of the S t Albans and Stanmore • Political Association was held in St j Matthew's schoolroom last night, when , there was a very fair attendance, considering the inclemency of the weather. In the absence of the Secretary, Mr G. Barker, Mr Gretton was appointed to act pro tern. . Mr Allen, tsenr., was unanimously elected . a' member of the Association. After amicably disposing of a small grievance on the part of one of the members, municipal matters were dealt with and deferred for further consideration. It was resolved, on the motion of Mr Brown, and seconded by Mr Little— "That the Secretary be instructed to write to the Parliamentary Debating Society recently formed in Sydenham and Addington, heartily congratulating its promoters on the favourable auspices under which it has been : brought into existence ; and, further, that the members of this Association would be very glad at all times to receive suggestions from, members of the Sydenham Society, and act in unison with them for the purpose of securing the general welfare of the people." Carried unanimously. MrProwse read a paper on f The annexation of Samoa, and the recent action of the New Zealand Government in reference thereto," which proved highly interesting and elicited a hearty discussion. Owing to the lateness of the hour, further discussion of the subject was postponed until next meeting, by which time more definite information would probably be available. A vote of thanks waa unanimously passed to Mr Prowse for the large amount of information he had laid before the meeting and 1 elicited, and the meeting then adjourned. The extraordinary violin-playing of Remenyi at Mb second concert, given last night at the Oddfellows' Hall, under the patronage of His Excellency the Governor, excited the same tremendous enthusiasm as on the occasion of his first performance here on Monday last. He is certainly a genius among violinists, and quite captivates his hearers, making them at one moment silent as mice, at another rousing them to a wild tumult of applause— always creating astonishment and delight by his wondrous technical skill and power over his instrument. In his hands there is something approaching to magic in the violin, from which he draws the tenderest, clearest, most pathetic, or most rousing strain?, according to the necessity or impulse of the moment. He is equally great whether he plays a fantasia by Ernst, or sentimental melting melodies like " Auld Robin Gray " and the " Last Rose of Summer," or works himself and his hearers into a state of frenzy with the "Marseillaise," played with tho grandeur and volume of sound he alone, of all violinists, can produce. Such a performance as the last must be heard to be believed possible. Nothing like it has ever been heard here before, and if apparently impossible feats of fingering, double stopping, and intricate variations of every kind are asked for, Remenyi'B digital ' gymnastics are as far before those of other wonderful performers as Sims Reeves' delivery of one of his most famous solos is before that of the ordinary amateur tenor. The other members of the Company are very good performers — Mr Luckstone on the piano, Mr Himmer with his tenor solos, ! and Miss Downing the soprano. j