Local & General.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5581, 31 March 1886, Page 3

Local & General.

« Eignold and Allison will open their season at the Theatre Royal on Tuesday evening, with Derrick's splendid comedy of "Confusion," instead of "In the Banks," as first intended. The Eev S. Macfarlane, a missionary who has just returned from New Guinea, is to lecture on Friday evening next, in the T.M.C.A. rooms, on his experience of that country. Great preparations are being made in the Northern district to inaugurate the commencement of the shooting season. Good | sport is anticipated, as game is very plentiful. A report of the unveiling of the memorial tablets at the Durham Btreet Wesleyan Church, and the anniversary meeting in connection with that church will be found in another column. A deputation of Sydenham electors waited last night on Mr J. Crowley, and asked him to allow himself to be nominated for the seat. Mr Crowley consented to do bo, provided a requisition were presented to him, promising a sufficient amount of support. This the deputation agreed to do. An adjourned meeting of persons favourable to the formation of a Salvage Corps in Ashburton was held on Monday evening. The attendance was small, but a good list of gentlemen willing to serve in the corps was handed in, and Mr W. B. Moss was elected captain, and entrusted with the organisation. The contractors for the formation of the causeway round the Latimer Square Rotunda have been unable, owing to the changeable weather prevailing of late, to put down the first layer of cement, and they do not expect to complete the work until next week. A white lark has been observed of late on the Canal Reserve, and the bird has become quite tame. Probably, conscious of hiß singularity, he has abandoned the diffidence of his species. At any rate, he flits about with the utmost nonchalance, and is daily observed by residents in the vicinity, to whom he has become a sort of sacred bird. A very enthusiastic and numerous meeting was held last night at the Colonißtß' Hall, Lytteltcn, where resolutions condemnatory of the Board's action in dismissing Mr and Mrs Ritchey, and expressive of the desirability of the Orphanage being made a separate institution, were carried. A report of the proceedings will be found elsewhere. Mr G. R. Hart, the author of the essay on local industries, which was awarded the third prize at the recent competition in connection with the Industrial Exhibition, has received an intimation from the Government that, as the first two prize-takers were adjudged equal, it had been decided to give him a silver medal, instead of a bronze one. A meeting of the Sydenham branch of the Railway League was held last evening at the Council Chambers, Bowen street ; Mr R. M. Baylor in the Chair. A considerable discussion ensued on the desirability of making sW^-^xertions to «•»• — «"* for contributions to the general fund, and also of taking united action re placing all unregistered electors on the roll at once. Seeing the importance of the matter, specially with respect to this Borough, under the present circumstances it was decided to take steps in the matter at once The meeting was adjourned until Thursday evening, at same time and place. At St Paul's Church, Flaxton, on Sunday last, Mr E. T. Mulcock was, on the occasion of his leaving the place, presented with six handsomelybound volumes, subscribed for by the parishioners of the district, in token of their esteem and their appreciation of the many services rendered by him to the Church and Sunday School connected with it. The presentation was made by the Rev F. R. Inwood, who spoke in high terms of the zeal Mr Mulcock had shown in church and Sunday school work. The recipient heartily thanked the parishioners for their present, which, he said, had quite taken him by surprise. Mr H. Clapcott, lecturer for the Government Life Insurance Association, favoured the residents of Kaiapoi on Monday evening with one of his interesting lectures on "Life Insurance." A very good and appreciative audience assembled, and marked their approval of the lecturer's sentiments with frequent applause. After explaining the Government Insurance sclieme, its origin, the value of absolute security, &c, the lecturer introduced, with considerable elocutionary power, the different objectors he had encountered, and with many racy anecdotes kept his audience in high good humour . There died on Wednesday last at the Hospital, of consumption, an old identity of the coursing world, in the shape of Edward Smith, better known as " Old Harry." He has been closely identified with coursing since the commencement of that sport in this Colony, and was for some time trainer to Mr Boyd Thomson, having 1 trained Bonnie Scotland for the Waterloo Cup, which she won. The deceased was 64 years of age, and was in active employment to within a short time of his death. He was recognised as a master of the art among greyhound trainers, having been among them almost from his infancy. Before he came to this Colony, he acted as trainer for some of the largest coursers in England, and was always very successful. A large number of coursers and others followed his remains to their long resting place. The working of the telegraph wires all over the Colony was temporarily interrupted last night by severe and unusual earth currents of electricity. The phenomenon was observed at the Telegraph office here about 7.53 p.m., and for a few minutes affected the wires in all directions, and also interfered with the working of the Cook Strait cable. The disturbance was more serious towards the West Coast, and in order to keep up telegraphic communication with Hokitika and Greymouth, it wad found necessary to " cut out the earth," as telegraphists term it. By which is meant that instead of using the earth for the return current, as is usually done in telegraphing, the circuit had to be completed by working with two wires, the connections with the earth being cut off. No similar electric disturbance of such violence has occurred during the past 10 or 17 yews. The anniversaiy of the Sunday School in connection with the United Methodist Free Church was celebrated by special j services in the Church on Sunday last, and by a tea and public meeting yesterday evening. All these gatherings were largely attended. The meeting which took place last night was presided over by Mr W. Bowron, and addresses were delivered by the Revs H. B. Redstone and J. Parkyn, i and Messrs Armstrong and W. Mesher. { The report on the school, which was read j by Mr 3. Bowron, the Secretary, was of a ; satisfactory nature, showing that there had ! been a considerable increase in the number Jof scholars during the year. A number of ! hymns were sung by the choir and children j under the direction of Mr Corrick, who ! presided at the harmonium. At the conclusion of the meeting a hearty vote of thanks wai passed to all who had assisted in the anniversary services and meetings.

A special meeting o£ the Christ church Hospital Board was held yesterday evening for the purpose of adopting the estimates of receipts and expenditure for the ensuing year. A report of the business appears elsewhere. j I A meeting of the Kowai Domain ' Board was held at the Crown Hotel, Amberley, on Monday afternoon ; present — Messrs Coleinan (Chairman), G. B. Starkey, T. M'Naught, J. ■ Cameron, E. Foster and Kennedy. The Board approved the action of their Chairman and Mr Ensor during their recent visit to Christchurch, and expressed satis- : faction that JEdOO should be allotted to | Amberley and the same amount to Seftou for recreation purposes. Messrs Harper ; and Co., on behalf of the owner, Mr Thomas Douglas, offered to give a title, on receipt ; of J6400, for twenty-eight acres at Ambei- j ley, the balance to be paid off from tccru- { ing rent without interest, and the hind to ! be surveyed free of expense ; in the mean- ] time Mr Douglas to be communicated with as to reducing the price to .£l2 per acre. It was resolved, on the motion of Mr Foster, j seconded by Mr Cameron — " That Messrs ; Harper and Co.'s offer be accepted." It j was proposed by Mr Starkey, and seconded by Mr .Kennedy — "That the section at Sefton, the property of Mr Vaughan, be purchased at .£33 per acre 5 £400 to be paid for the title, and the balance, with, interest at 5 per cent, from the rent accruing." The meeting closed with a vote of thanks to the Chairman. The South Canterbury Hospital and Charitable Aid Board held a special meeting last evening. Mr Marchant was in attendance, and showed plans for the improvement of the Tim&ru Hospital, which were approved of and accepted. The ordinary expenditure for the ensuing 12 months on the hospitals in the district, for Charitable Aid, and for improvements to the Hospital, was estimated at JEBSCO. There was a long discussion about the improvements required to the Timaru Hospital, and although the Board were most unwilling to incur the expense, they found it imperatively necessary to do something. The cost would be JEBOO more to make a really good job of the work, and they decided to carry out the repairs. It was resolved that the amount required for Charitable Aid within the district, .£SOOO, together with for the repairs, should be sanctioned, and sent to Government for approval, the contribution on the above amount required from the contributing bodies to be allocated pro rata, and the respective amounts so required notified to each contributing body as Boon as possible. The Waimate Hospital and Charitable Aid business was then considered, and it wajs resolved that an amount required for maintenance of the Waimate Hospital for the ensuing three months, as based on the estimates furnished by the Trustees, should be forwarded at once, and the Secretary ascertain from i the Government if the incorporation of the Waimate Hospital under trustees includes the administration of Charitable Aid in the Waimate district by the eaid Trustees. The Board then rose. The worst suspicions may justifiably be formed as to the social habits of the male population of Toronto, Ontario. We learn that the women of that town, who have just voted for the first time, have " supported, almost to a unit, the temperance candidate."