Local & General.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 4581, 1 March 1893, Page 3

Local & General.

'. Railway Servants' Socibtt. — The annual general meeting of members of the Canterbury branch of the Railway Servants' Society will be held to-morrow evening at the hall of the Sydenhatn Working Men's Club.

Chbisoichubch Amatettb Swimming Club. — TThe annual races under the auspices of the Chriatchurch Amateur Swimming Club will be held in the West Christchurch school bath on Saturday afternoon. A large number of entries have been received for the various events.

Thb Volunteers. — Major TJ.V. '.Richards has been transferred, at his own request, from the active unattached list of Volunteer officers to the honorary unattached list. The Rev F. P. Fendall has been appointed honorary chaplain to the Eangiora Eiflea. The resignation of Lieutenant Adams, of the Waimate Eifles, has been accepted. Lieutenant Thomas, of the Timaru Naval Artillery, bas passed his examination and received his commission.

Vital Statistics.— The following are the rital statistics for the city of Christoharoh and district for the month of February :— Births — City : Males 15, females 15. District: Males 43, females 35— total 108. Marriages— City 16, district 9. Deaths— City: Males 9, females 6. District: Males 16, females 7— total 38. For the corresponding month of last year the figures were :— Births — City 25, district ; 94. .- Marriages— City 11, district 7. Deaths— City 29, district 37. : • A Dream that Cams Tbttb.— The Wellington Times relates the following :— A curious incident happened in Wellington in connection with the unexpected victory of Mr Stephenson'e mate Tempest in the Dunedin Cup. A farmer residing some miles out of town called upon one of our best known bookmakers and said he wanted to invest £2 10s on Tempest for the race in question. As that mare was thought to j have no show, the bookmaker asked his ; client what on earth made him select such an outsider to put his money on. The man, after some hesitation, replied that he was led to make the investment because his wife had dreamt the night before that Tempest had won the race. The bookmaker laid him starting price, confident that he had made a clear profit of the £2 10s. He is now of a different opinion. We can vouch for this little story being perfectly true. Victobia House. — Business during the past year has been of such a satisfactory nature that Messrs W. Strange and Co. are now making very extensive alterations, improvements and enlargements to their already large and commodious premises known as Victoria Houee. The shops formerly occupied by Messrs H. Wilkinson and H. Lake have been taken into the establishment, and are now being thoroughly re-built, and will make a most valuable addition to the High street frontage. In rebuilding them the firm has introduced the largest sheets of plate glass that have ever been imported into this Colony, and it has imported sufficient of- these squares to make all the windows facing High street uniform in this respect. ' The cases containing the glass were of such a size that they coufd not be brought through the Lyttelton tunnel in the ordinary way, so had ' to be laid on a low trolly and Bent through by hand during the night. The panes of glass are twelve feet square, and were specially imported for this work. They will be put in position, as soon as possible, and one window will be fitted at a time, so that customers will . not be inconvenienced during the progress of the work. The builders are working till late each night to expedite the completion of the work. Besides these additions, the firm has secured the premises lately occupied by Messrs S. Stewart and Spencer and Co. in Lichfield street, and now ownß a frontage on that Btreet of 115 feet. \ It will proceed to demolish the old buildings at once, and plans are now being prepared for a handsome edifioe, covering the whole of the Lichfield street frontage, in which the furnishing and carpet departments will be located. There w\ll be a handsome portico at the entrance, which will lead to the show rooms, and all parts of the j building, and customers driving to Victoria I House will thus be able to a*ail themselves of the quieter Btreet in' preference to leaving their, carriages standing in High street.