Local & General.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7179, 2 June 1891, Page 3

Local & General.

* The Te Aboha Election. — Some of th friends of Mr W. S. Allen intend to petitio Parliament to remove the disqutlifioafcioi imposed on him by the Judges in the lat election petition case. Sergeant Moller. — We regret to lenii that Sergeant Moller, of Ashburton, win for some time has been suffering froa typhoid fever, is in a very critical state. Police Transfer. — Constable Morgan who is in charge of the Methven station has been granted leave of absence for aboui a month, and his position will teinporarilj be filled by Constable Cleary of Christ church. A Short Sitting. — The criminal sitting of the Supreme Court this quarter was one of the shortest on record. The business, consisting of twelve charges against sis prisoners, was got through, in fire hours. The Court sat without an adjournment from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Defence Minister. — The time of the meeting between Volunteer officers and the Minister for Defence has been altered to 9.15 p.m. to-morrow (Wednesday), in the orderly-room of the Christ's College Rifles. Melbourne Cup. — In another column we publish the nominations for the Melbourne Cup, to be run at the Spring Meeting of the Victoria Racing Club. The nominations number 161, or twelve more than the total of last year, and only four less than the record of 1885. M'Donald v. Abhcroft. —Mr R. Beetham, E.M., has been appointed as Royal Commissioner to inquire into the charges made by Mr J. M'Donald against the Official Assignee in Bankruptcy iv Dunedin. Mutual Improvement Society. — The St Asaph street Mutual Improvement Association held ita usual meeting on Friday evening, the Rev J. Hosking presiding. The subject for the evening was an eesay by Mr J. Hanan, on "Selfculture," which was attentively listened to, and afterwards well discussed. Presrntation. — Mr Richard Gooch, of the Canterbury Farmers' Co-operative Association, who has been appointed manager of the Hawke's Bay Farmers' Co-operative Association, and who leaves Timaru od Wednesday, was presented yesterday with a beautifully illuminated address and a very handsome Albert gold chain. Harvest Thanksgiving. — Harvest thanksgiving services were held in the Bible Christian Church, Kaiapoi, on Tuesday. The sermon in the morning: was preached by Mr Craig, and in the evening by the Rev B. H. Ginger. The church was very tastefully decorated, and both. Bervices were well attended. Prohibition Meeting. — A well-at-tended meeting in connection with the Prohibition movement was held in the Oddfellowa' Hall, Kaiapoi, on Sunday evening. The meeting was addressed by the Revs B. H. Ginger and G. Bond. A good deal of interest is felt concerning the result of the election, which takes place to-day. Both sides claim to have a majority, and the voting will almost certainly be very close. New Steamship Company.— The Lyttelton and Peninsula Steamship Company, Limited, was registered yesterday with a capital of £10,000. As will be seen by advertisement, the Company has purchased the steamers Akaroa and Jane Douglas, which will trade to the Bayß and Akaroa as heretofore. The Directors of the new Company are Messrs J. S. Cameron, A. Cuff, C. Cuff, F. Graham, James Hay, George G. Holmes, J. J. Kinaey and G. Talbot. The Haast Memorial. — Some months ago inquiry was made in Germany with regard to the cost of procuring a suitable pedestal for the memorial bust of the late Sir Julius von Haast, which is now in the museum. An answer has been received, from which it appears that the cost of procuring a marble or granite pedestal from that country would greatly exceed the surplus of the subscription fund. It has, therefore, been deemed advisable to allow the bust to remain on the present w ooden stand until a pedestal of New Zealand stone can be procured. Coal Mining. — The Mokau Coal Company — the title brings vividly to mind the long-contested claim of Joshua Jones " of that ilk " — is being pushed forward vigorously. It is understood that trucks are now in course of construction by Messrs Luke and Sons. A drum and gear, by which an engine will be dispensed with, are being turned out by Messrs Robertson and Co., and the rails for the tramway, besides a considerable amount of hardware shipped a day or two ago by Messrs E. W. Mills, will shortly be on the ground. The shares, too, are reported as being steadily taken up. Altogether things look well for the undertaking. Durham street Church. — Yesterday evening, Mr W. H. Whitehead, lecturer and evangelist, delivered an address in the Durham street Wealeyan Church, the title of which was, " Three Beautiful Words : Home, Mother and Heaven." The Rev W. Morley occupied the chair, and there waa j an appreciative and fairly numerous audience. To-night, Mr Whitehead will give a special temperance address on the subject of " Illustrious Abstainers," when the chair will be taken by the Mayor of Christchurch. The Electric Light. — At lasfc night's meeting of the City Council, the electric light question was again gone into. Although a legal opinion was read to the effect that the present contract with the Gas Company did not preclude the Council adopting the electric light system at once, the Council postponed consideration of the subject, the majority of the members being of opinion that the spirit of the contract with the Gas Company should be carried out, and that no fresh arrangements should bo entered into until the expiry of the contract. Bank Deposits. — Amongst the proposals put, forward for equalising taxation, the following appears in the columns of a Wellington contemporary: — One form of investment which absorbs a large amount of Colonial capital in a comparatively unproductive and undesirable manner might also be subjected to a higher rate of stamp duty than ifc now is. We allude to fixed deposits on interest in the Banks. The amount so deposited is between eight and nine millions, and only a penny stamp is required on the document acknowledging the receipt of each depoait, however large. A special rate of stamp duty, graduated according to amount, might very fairly be levied, and, indeed, we do not see why a graduated rate of stamp duty should not be applied to receipts generally, according to amount, as is now the case in regard to promissory notes and bills of exchange. An ordinary scale ranging from the present penny up to, say, a shilling would bring in a large amount cf revenue, and not be felt severely by anybody, a higher scale applying to deposit receipts in Bunks and Loan Companies. The Prohibition Movement. — The Churches are by no means unanimous on the subject of the " wave of prohibition " which is now making itself felt. Church News, for instance, says: — "The evils of intemperance are everywhere plain enough, and any legitimate effort to bring about a better condition of the people in this . respect is deserving of practical sympathy. i But in every endeavour for the ameliora- ■ tion of the ills of life the first consideration : is one of sound judgment." After a refer- > ence to the movement in Sjdenhamand i the declared aims of the prohibition , leaders, the News asta : — "ls* there not : possibly a more excellent way ?Ie it utterly ) impracticable to amend the present li- ; censed system P There is more to be said i than we now have Bpace to say it in in L favour of a thorough revision of the I Licensing Act, whereby provision might be r made for granting licenses to really trust--3 worthy applicants with really suitable ■ premises, and for an actual inspection of 3 licensed houses by a body of inspectors ' who shall give their whole time and atten--1 tion to this work. The present licensing t system is responsible for more of the evil fc drinking of the time than the Prohibition- ; ists are wont to think. To bring about i reform in this way might be to cleanse the s fountain, and bo to purify to some extent 8 the stream of human tendency towards intemperance."

Ecclesiastical. — It is rumoured th the Rev Walter Harper, of St Michwsl'e, has been requested to allow himself to be ie nominated to the Bishopric of Nelson aa ,n successor to Bishop Suter. n Lyttelton Natal Artillery. — This ;o company mustered labt night to receive the first instruction for the year in a physical and aiming drill. There was a 0 large attendance. Q A Question of Vanity. — The man Floyd, charged with the murder of Veitch at Wairoa South, is to be examined as to '' his sanity. This examination is to be '' undertaken on behalf of the defence. Canterbury Bowling Cltjb. — Mr W. ? Thomson, President of the Canterbury Bowling Club, purposes marking his year of office by entertaining the members at a dance and social, at the Lichfield street 3 Oddfellows* Hall, on Wednesday evening, f June 10. L A iltsTAKw. — Some amusement was ' occasioned in Lyttelton yesterday, in con--1 sequence of an error made in the signals, c by which it appeared that a foreign inauL . of-war was entering the port. A number of residents went out in a launch to meet ' the vessel, which, to their disgust, proved ' to be merely a freezing hulk. j Inquest. — An inquest was held at 23, J • Gloucester street, yesterday, touching the j ' death of Jane Alice Peurson Parry, who • expired suddenly on Saturday. Mr Alfred : tice was chosen Foreman of the Jury, and, after hearing the evidence of Dr Ovenden and the girl's mother, the Jury unanimously returned a verdict of " Death from ; natural causes." ; An Old Identity. — The four-mastec ship Hinemoa, which arrived at Lytteltor '■ yeaterday, is commanded by Captair : Becknell, who had charge of the barque ; Ofcago, one of the first vessels, if not the : first, that loaded cargo alongside the : Gladstone pier. This is not the Otagc ' that formerly belonged to the Shaw, Savill i and Albion Company's fleet, but a vesEcl ; owned at Adelaide. Oxford Terrace Baptist Church. — Yesterday evening Mr J. Hanningtoc delivered a lecture in the Baptist Church, Oxford terrace, on Palestine. Some fifty excellent photographic views, the majority of them coloured, were shown by Mi Crook's lantern, and were lucidly explained |by the lecturer. A collection was made in : aid of the foreign missions fund. To-night Mr Hannington will give a lecture in the same church on " A Walking Tour Through the Holy Land." It will be illustrated by limelight views and an exhibition of curios. With Masonic Honours.— The remains of the late Captain John Veal, who died from injuries received at Wellington, were interred with Masonic honours in the new cemetery, Port Chalmers, on Sunday afternoon. The cortege left the deceased's late residence, Grey street, at 3.15 p.m., and the procession was one of the largest yet seen in Port Chalmers. About 200 persons went down from Dunedin in the tug Plucky, and amongst those present were several members of the Harbour Board, of which deceased was a member, the Mayor and other prominent citizens, also the members of the Marine Lodge 942, E.C., and several members of Bister Lodges. The service at the grave was read by the Rev Mr Jory. The burial service of the Masons was also gone through. North Belt Literary Association. — The weekly meeting of this Association was held on Tuesday evening. There was a good attendance, and Mr H. Wilson (Vice-President) occupied the chair. The evening was principally devoted to business matters in connection with two interSociety debates^ viz., with the Durham street Wesleyan Society and with the T.M.C.A. Literary Society. Arrangements were also made in connection with the ladies' evening, for the essay and elocution competitions at the end of the session, and other matters in connection with the Society. A prepared speech on the great advantages of careful readippr was given by Mr Torrance, and was briefly criticised by those present. Ashburton Hounds. — These hounds met at Winchinore on Saturday, and showed their followers some good sport. Mr and Mrs Hart treated all comers in a thoroughly hospitable manner, making the visit to Winchmore most enjoyable to all. The day was like summer. Hares were too plentiful, but the first gave the field a nice run of thirty minutes over some pretty hunting country, including a good deal of ploughed land, before she was run into. After one or two more runs, which were somewhat spoiled by changing hares, the field returned to the homestead, and those who were present expressed their appreciation of Mr and Mrs Hart's kindness by giving them three hsarty cheers. All were glad to see Mr Stitfc, the late master of these hounds, out for the first time this season. It is now many years since the first meet at Mr Joseph Hunt's farm, when, out of a field of eighty, only three could boast at the end of the day that they had not had a spill, one of the three being Mr Stitt. There were a good many croppers on Saturday, but the initial meet at Hunt's is a record that will take some beating.