Local & General.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5312, 16 May 1885, Page 3

Local & General.

♦ A general meeting of the Christchurch Sinking Club will be held at the Commercial Hotel this evening at 7.30. Nominations of two persons to serve as City Auditors for the ensuing year will be received by the Returning-Officer at the Council's office, before noon on May 25. The election will be held on Monday, June 1. The Canterbury Caledonian Society offer two scholarships, of the annual value of £20, tenable for two years ; one for children of Scotch parents, and the other for children of any nationality. Nominations of two persons to act as Auditors for the Borough of St Albans must be sent to the Town Clerk's office, Papanui road, by noon on Saturday, May 23. The election will take place on Monday, June 1, at the Borough Council Chambers. A supposed attempt at incendiarism which was, happily, frustrated, occurred this week on the Oakleigh Estate, the property of Mr Hurst, situated about two miles and a half from Southbridge. One of the men, who happened to be up very early in the morning, noticed a glare among the wheat stacks. Calling the shepherd, they managed to stop the progress of the flames, but they had hard work to do so, as one of the stacks had got a good hold. Eventually, with the assistance of a few of the neighbours, they succeeded in putting it out. It is only a few nights since Mr Levits, who lives about a mile and a half from Oakleigh, had his stacks destroyed, and it is supposed that incendiarism was the cause. At the meeting of St John Ambulance Association, held yesterday afternoon, it was announced that a ' course of six lectures will be delivered in connection with the Society. It will be seen by advertisement elsewhere, that the first lecture is to be given on Friday next. Members should apply to the Hon Secretary for their tickets as soon as possible, as but a limited number can attend. An evening class for ladies, and a men's class, will be arranged for as soon as possible. The syllabus of the lectures has already appeared in our columns. Dr Chapman, of Lyttelton, has. been appointed as Hon Medical Examiner, and it is hoped that aB many as possible of those attending the lecture will go in for examination. Yesterday, Mrs Leavitt accomplished one of the principal objects of her mission by forming a branch of the Women's Temperance Union in Christchurch. This latest addition to the ranks of the Temperance workers already comprises 44 members. Mrs Packe has been elected President, and Mrs Wroughton Treasurer. Mrs Shephard has been nominated to the office of Secretary. The vice-Preeidents will be the wives of all ministers of religion who are willing to act as such. The branch has already commenced operations, by adopting and circulating a petition to the Legislature against the employment of barmaids, which was numerously signed at the meeting held in the Durham Street Wesleyan Church last night. Thompson's diorama of the Soudan war was exhibited atthe Theatre Royal last nightto a fairly good audience. A novelty in the gift distribution was the offer of a prize for the best conundrum composed by a lady on the Soudan War. There were 22 competitors for the prize — a tea and coffee service. A Committee, consisting of Messrs W. Griffiths, Macassey, Cuff, Toppin, Williams and Jabez Rhodes, was selected by the audience, and, after weighing the merits of the various conundrums, they awarded the prize to Misß Alice M. Ashton for the following conundrum: — "Why does the Soudan war resemble a game of draughts ? Answer : " Because it is a contest between blacks and whites." An afternoon performance for children (the last in Christchurch) will be given to-day, at 2.30 o'clock, when each child attending will receive a gift, and there will be the usual performance this evening. On Monday night four additional pictures, painted by Mr Fodor, of Dunedin, will be exhibited for the first time. They will add considerably to the attractiveness of the diorama, and represent the departure of the Sydney contingent (with a view of Sydney by night and by day), the first engagement of the New South Wales troops in the Soudan on the line of march to Handoub, and portraits of Colonel Burnaby and General Sir H. Stewart. The manager invited the Industrial School children to attend the diorama, with their band, but the invitation was declined because the band at present lacks a bandmaster. The children of the Orphanage will be invited to attend the tnatine'e this