Latest Locals.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5616, 12 May 1886, Page 3

Latest Locals.

A quantity of to-day's news will be found on our fourth page. The return season of St Leon's circus and menagerie will open on Saturday, as advertised in this issue. An entertainment will be given tomorrow evening, in the hall of the Christchurch Working Men's Club, by the Variety Troupe. The annual meeting of the Blue Ribbon Gospel Temperance Union lakes place tomorrow evening at 7.30, in the V.M.C.A. Lecture Hall. At the Police-court this morning, before D. Caro and F. W. Trent, Esqs., a man who had not been before the Court previously, was fined 5s for drunkenness, and ordered to pay ls cab hire. Ellen Tait, an old offender, was fined J63, or in default fourteen days' imprisonment, for a similar offence. U^The privileges in connection with the trotting meeting to be held at Lancaster Park an Saturday, were sold by auction to-day. Mr F. Cotton, on behalf of Acland, Barns and Co., wielded the hammer. The following were the results — Bar and luncheon-room in pavilion, Mr Fuchs, 4 guineas ; publican's booth in saddling paddock, Mr _cane, 6 guineas ; confectioner's booth, Mr Bobinson, £2. Total, _12 10s. The usual weekly meeting of the Sea SheU Lodge, No. 105, 1.0. G.T., was held in the Presbyterian schoolroom, Lyttelton, on Monday evening. The Lodge was opened by the W.C.T. Bro H. Mead. Three new members were initiated, after which a most hearty vote of thanka was accorded to Bro W. P. Tubbs for a handsome gift which he presented to the Lodge. Another hearty vote was accorded to Mr Chalmers, the Mayor of Lyttelton, for the handsome drinking fountain which he presented to the people of the Borough, and which is highly appreciated as a public boon. A pleasant social gathering was held on Monday evening in the large Oddfellows' Hall, Sydenham, by the members and friends of Court Thistle of the Forest, A.0.F., the accommodation of the hall being taxed to its utmost. The chair was taken by P.C.E. Bro F. E. Bowen, Bros D. Eound and J. Savage acting as M.C.'s. Dancing commenced shortly after 8 o'clock, and was kept up with great spirit till shortly after midnight. In the intervals, several ladies and gentlemen contributed songs, &c. During the evening, fruit and lollfes were given to the children. The chairman, on behalf of the members, at the close thanked those friends who had so kindly assisted to make the affair such a success, and stated that it was tho intention of the Sydenham Foresters to hold these ! gatherings monthly throughout the winter. Mr Brockett acted as pianist and accom- ' panyifft.

( Mrs J. P. Hydes, who is, of course, wellknown to every theatre-goer, haa reverted to her old notn de pluvse, Miss Madge i Herrick. She is now in Ballarat, taking part in " Our Boys," &c. "We remind our readers that the first of 1 Professor Bickerton's course of twelve lectures on " Electricity and Magnetism " will be delivered at 8 o'clock this evening ' in the Science Lecture Theatre, Canteri bury College. From the popular stand- ( point the lectures ought to prove immensely attractive, for they will he profusely illustrated throughout by means of experiments; and some of these, it need scarcely be said, will be of a brilliant description. But apart from this, the absorbing interest of the subject, now so intimately connected with our everyday life, should ensure large audienceß. Por general information, it may be added that the fee for the entire course is only 6s. Fivepence per lecture is nofc such an amount as can keep anybody away. From some statistics published by the Electrician, it appears that the number of telephones in use in the United States is now 325,574, while in Great Britain there 13,000. In other words, there are over twenty-five telephones in the United States for every one in Great Britain. There is no country which pretends to be in the front rank of civilisation where telephonic facilities are so limited as in England and ; Scotland. The present Lord Aberdeen is the only survivor of three sons. The two elder were evidently impregnated with their father's views. They were both deeply conscientious. The elder was particularly impatient of the conventionalities of his position, and it was whilst mate of a vessel — j a rank to which he had worked his way i before the mast—that he lost his life at sea, falling overboard unobserved. Strange to say, his brother James died at Gambridge by the accidental discharge of a weapon in his own hand. He was a firstrate shot. Both brothers were characterised by a reckless disregard of danger. When the late Lord (the one lost) was laid up by an accident in 1864, one of their amusements was for James to stand at the farther end of the room, holding out a small book, while George fired at it with a pistol. On beiag remonstrated with, James' answer was, " Oh, George couldn't miss."