Local & General.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5579, 29 March 1886, Page 4

Local & General.

The New Zealand Shipping Company's R.M.S. Bimutaka has made the fastest passage on record between Plymouth and New Zealand, beating the late magnificent run of the B.M.S. Aorangi by one hour twenty-five minutes, and the last passage of the 8.8. Arawa by four hours forty- five minutes. The Rimntaka's time from Plymouth to Port Chalmers was 39 days 12 hours 57 minutes, including all stojipages.

An entertainment advertised to be held on Friday evening, in the district school, Waddington.inaidof the children's treat, was, on account of the weather, postponed to Tuesday. About forty attended, and it was decided to recommend to the Committee, that the children, in care of parents and teachers, be taken to Lyttelton, on Friday. The Chairman, Mr J. Jebson, stated that the Traffic Manager of the railways, had offered to take parents accompanying children and Committee at half first-class return fares.

The A. and P. Association of South Canterbury on Saturday appointed a subcommittee to revise the list of members. Mr Grey suggested that the members should be invited to write papers on suitable subjects, and that they should be read before the Association. It was agreed that the Committee should see to this, and it was resolved to write to Messrs W. Rolleston, A. Burt, W. Ritchie, W. F. Pitt and D. M'Farlane, and invite them to become members. The balance-sheet showed an expenditure for the year of .£l2ll, that the bank overdraft had been reduced to .£75, and outstanding liabilities to .£55, being £570 less than last year.

On Thursday last, as a well-known gardener in Ashburton was engaged in the grounds around the Ashburton gaol, the progress of his work was overlooked by an elderly party, who quietly sidled up to him and furtively slipped a shilling into the gardener's hand, making a whispered remark at the same t'nie that a couple of beers would be available with the " bob," and adding the little crumb of sympathetic comfort that he too had had a turn of the same kind. The gardener's astoaishment was great, as his eye followed the vanishing figure of the donor ; but his amusement was intense when it began to dawn upon him that he had been mistaken for one of the hard labour gang, and had received a " bob " under false pretences.

Mr Crewea had a large attendance yesterday to hear his announced lecture on " Bread and Butter and the Land." After lecturing for three or four weeks on the "Life of Gladstone," the subject of the land laws comes as an easy and fitting sequence to those which have preceded it. The teachings of the Bible, of Cobden, and of Sir George Grey in reference to the land question were considered at some length. Ireland waa referred to as the " frightful example " of a country where the iniquity of the land laws was such as to drive its people to foreign shores, and the proposition was formulated that the principles laid down in the ancient Jewish law affecting land, were principles that ought to dominate the land laws of the present day.

At the meeting of Lodge Somerset, No. 1811, E.C., on Friday evening, the ceremony of installing the officers for the ensuing year was performed by Bro Henry Thompson, R.W.D.G.M., Chrißtchurch. The officers are as follows : — W.M., Bro J. Davidson ; S.W., Bro E. Dimant ; J.W., Bro W. O. Page ; Secretary, Bro E. G. Paul ; Treasurer, Bro J. Canning; S.D., Bro I. Salek; J.D. BroJ. L. Brown; 1.G., Bro A. M. Pearson; D.C., Bro T. Pearce; Organist, Bro W. H. Kneen; Stewards, Bros B. Hughes and Beddek; Tyler, Bro E. Cullen. During the evening a handsomely illuminated address, expressive of the Lodge's appreciation of Past Master Bro Felton's services, was presented to that brother. The impressiveness of the installation ceremony was greatly enhanced by the Masonic choir, whose choral selections were mu»h appreciated.