LOCAL AND GENEEAL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5485, 10 February 1896, Page 3

LOCAL AND GENEEAL.

Naturalisation. — A letter of naturalisation has been issued in favour of Max Hirschbnrg, professor of music, Christchurch. Belfast Freezing Works.— The "Miling " at the Canterbury Frozen Meat Co/s works at Belfast last week consisted of 16,727 sheep and lambs, making a total of 50,056 killed in the last three weeks for freezing purposes. Cycle versus Horse. — An interesting contest has been arranged to come oii< about Feb. 29, between Mr H. J. Pither, the Australasian champion cyclist, and a . horse noininated by Mr V. Harris. The competition will be over three distances, one, three . and five' miles, and 'will be decided on the Lancaster Park track. . School Committees.— A meeting of the Saltwater Creek School Committee was held on • Saturday evening; MessraJ^e > tejherJ^ffi^i«iSd'§anks (chair-••r—-TBsnf). It was decided to vote for Messrs Meredith, Peryman and Weston for the vacancies on the Board of Education.— At a meeting of the Ashley School Gommittee, _ held on Saturday evening, it was decided to vote for Messrs Adams, Meredith and Peryman. . ■ " ' ', WAIMAKARIRI - ASHLEY WATER-SUPPLY Board.— The monthly meeting of this Board was held on Thursday ; presentMr O'Halloran (chairman), and Messrs Dickinson and Dixon. It was resolved that a letter of sympathy be forwarded to Mrs Heywood, expressing regret at the death of her husband. Tenders were opened for Eoad Diversion— Cooper's Creek water-supply, but were not accepted. After accounts to the amount of .£395 12s 9d had been passed, the meeting terminated. ■ Eifle Shooting. — A friendly match was fired on Saturday between the City Guards and the Mounted Rifles, and resulted in a win for the former by 251 points. The following are the scores : — City GuardsPrivate Bentley 95, Adjutant" Sandford 92, Captain Meddings 90, Private Batchelor 87, Private Bradley 85, Sergeant-Major Foster 84, Private Teague 76, Corporal Ward 73, v Sergeant Steere 57, Sergeant Butcher 56 ; total 795. Mounted Eifles— Trooper Ashton 77, Captain Palairet 45, Sergeant-Major Borland 45, Corporal Webber 44, Lieutenant Snow ,36, Trooper Baymond 15, PriVate Sandford 84, Lance-Corporal Thompson 77, Private Hooper 75, Private Allard 49;. t0tal 644. The last four men were lent by the Guards >to make up the team. A Gas-invaded Town. — The TaranaM Herald says: — The natural, gas in Inglewood has worked a new course by appearing in one of the main streets. For months past it has been known that there was a large escape of natural gas on Mr Laing*s property, which is within the township,and the primitive attempts that were made to exploit the discovery proved that there was tremendous power lying under the earth there. The' other day the people of Inglewood were surprised to find that the gas had appeared on the Junction Eoad, near the scKoolhouse, between Mr H. J. Julian's hotel and the Recreation Grounds. The gas has forced an escape in the earth on the part of the road between the metal and the footpath, and youngsters, on their way to school, use many matches in fizzing the escape off. The Inglewood people, after this polite hint on the part of the gas, should go in for lighting up the. town with the means ; with which Nature has provided them. Caledonian Society. — It is stated that Mr C. J. Marshall, the energetic secretary of the Canterbury Caledonian Society, will not, owing to the state of his health, retain office this year. Personal. — Mr C. Wadey, who will be remembered as having been in business as a building contractor in Christclntrch some years ago, is now here on a visit from Melbourne, where he is carrying on a large business in the same line. Obituary. — A cable message was received on Saturday night, announcing the death of Lady Lechmere, daughter of Mr E. Samuels, of Christchurch. The deceased lady married Lord Lechmere when he was in New Zealand a few years ago. A Busy Week. — The Customs duties collected at Christchurch last week amounted to .£10,670. This is probably the largest amount recorded in one week since the opening of the port. The goods discharged from the steamers Tongariro and Mamari contributed the principal part of the revenue, and both the railway * department and Customs department were kept very busy by the exceptional tax upon their resources. The beer dtity collected during the same period amounted to £240. Canterbury Federated Liberal Council. — A meeting of the Canterbury Federated Liberal' Council was held on Saturday evening. The President, Mr J. P. Kissel, was in the chair. The executive reported the steps that had been taken, in conjunction with other Liberal and Labour bodies, to support the candidature of Mr E. M. Taylor for the Christchurch byeelection. An invitation had been sent to the Hon John M'Kenzie to address the electors of Christchurch on land legislation, and a mass meeting had been arranged for Tuesday in the Opera House. The , action of the executive was tinanimously approved, and after further routine business the meeting closed,

The Late Bishop Luck.— There -will be a solemn requiem mass for the late Bishop Luck at the Catholic Pro-cathedral, Barbadoes Street, at 10 a.m. on Wednesday next. Pastoral Licekses. — A considerable number of runs in the Canterbury district ■will be submitted at auction on the pastoral lease system, at the Christchurch Lands and Survey Office, on Friday, Feb. 28. Orange Society. — The monthly meeting of the Loyal Orange Lodge, No. 14, was held in the Prebbleton Town Hall on Friday evening, theW.M.,Bro J. Gallagher, presiding, with Bro J. Hodgen in the deputy chair. The E.W.G. Master, Bro Mathers, G. Treasurer, Bro Diffin, Grand Secretary, Bro Caygill, and Assistant-Grand Secretary, Bro Kinninmouth, were present, with a large number of visiting brethren. Five brothers were initiated in the second degree. After the Lodge was closed, the brethren sat down to an excellent repast and a pleasant hour was spent. Vital Statistics. — The EegistrarGeneral's return for last year shows, with regard to the death rate in the four cities, that it was highest in Auckland and lowest in Dunedin, Wellington and Christchurch taking second and third places respectively. The figures are as follow, the rate being per thousand of the population :—Auckland city, 14*87; five suburban boroughs, 13-30. Wellington city, 13-07 ; three suburban boroughs, 12-50. Christchurch city, 10-83 5 four suburban boroughs, 10-54. Dunedin city, 10-21; eight suburban boroughs, 9-15. If the deaths of infants under one year were to be excluded, Christchurch would hold the most favourable position, the proportion per thousand ranging from 7 - 98 in Christchurch to 9-77 at Auckland, the suburbs being included. Bishop Gbimes.— The Eight Eev Bishop Grimes returned from Auckland by. the s.s. Manapouri on Saturday. The Minister of Lands. — The Hon | John M'Kenzie will deliver an address on "Land Legislation" at the Opera House to-morrow evening. Christchtjrch Ebgatta. —It is announced that the holiday in honour of the Chrißtchurch regatta, which was to have been held on Thursday, Feb. 13, will take place on Feb. 20. ' Archdeacon Lingard.— The friends of the Yen. Archdeacon Lingard will be pleased to learn that he .continues to improve in health, the operation he underwent a few weeks ago. having proved quite successful. A Dispute Settled. — The case Kaiapoi Borough Council v. Rangiora and Mandeville Eoad Board, which was to have been heard at the Kaiapoi Magistrate's Court this morning, has been settled, the Eoad Board agreeing to pay all costs. The Lyceum.— Mr W. W. Collins, in the Lyceum last night, gave an address under the title of " Science, its Promises and its fulfilments; a Eeply. to its Detractors." Musical selections by a full orchestra were given previous to the lecture. The Wellington Exhibition. — The names of Mr E. C. Bishop and Mr H. B. Kirk, president and ex-president of the Canterbury Industrial Association, appear on the list of vice-presidents of the Wellington Industrial Exhibition. Stubbing v Eelief Fund. — A meeting of the committee of the fund raised for the benefit of, the widow and family of the late Mr F. Stubbing . was held at the White Hart Hotel on Saturday^ Mr W. W v Collins, M.H.E.> presided. Accounts fpjfc furniture purchased for a cottage foi^Mrs 1 Stubbing were passed for pajjjneJKiC" ' Water SupPLY.-r-s?nfe J 3pecial Committee of the Citjr J<fßtfffcii appointed to consider' tZ&Bj^HSttfer supply question has examined a large quantity of information obtained from various sources, and intends to pay a visit to the Waimakariri in order to ascertain the character of the place whence it has been proposed that a supply shall be obtained. . Sydenham Poultry Society. — At a meeting of the committee, held on Wednesday eveninglast, Mr Andrews oocupied the chair, and there was a full attendance of members. The schedule of the next show was discussed and considered satisfactory. Several new classes were added. Messrs Orr and Bennett offered special prizes, and were accorded a vote of thanks for their donations. An Australian Visitor. — Mr James Duncan, of Adelaide, who has been a member of the Committee of the Chamber of Manufactures of that city since its founda^ tioh twenty-six years • ago, ' arrived here on a visit last week. He expressed • considerable interest in the working of our Industrial Association, which is the nearest approach in Christchurch to the body with which he has so long been connected. Morris-tube Shooting. — - On Friday evening the members of the Christchurch Working Men's Club Eifle Class fired off another competition at the 200 yds range for prizes presented by Messrs Vincent and Co., Mason, Struthers and Co., T. Gapes, W. W. Collins, M;H.E., and the Saxon Tea Company. The following were the highest scorers :— A. Cowan (1) 35, H. Thomas (4) 35, G.Allen (scr) 34, E. C. Wells (scr) 34, J. Hastie (scr) 34, J. A. Lummis (1) 34, W. A.Caldwell (1) 33, D. Ashton (2) 33, W. Garrard (scr) 32, A. Allan (scr) 32. On Saturday evening the competition was for a class prize at 200 yds. The following were the highest scorers :— J.'Hastie (scr) 35, T. TiUntan (2) 34, A. Cowan (scr) 33, W. Garrard (scr) 33, E. C. Wells (scr) 33, W. A. Caldwell (1) 33, and J. A. Lummis (1) 33. School Committee. — The monthly meeting of the S"b Albans School Committee was held on Wednesday evening ; present — Messrs A'Court (chairman), Glass, Capper, Allen, Palmer, Brooker, Simpson and Willjams. An apology was received for the absence of Mr Wake. It was reported that very successful results had attended Mr Garrard's instruction to the girls in the art of swimming, and it was unanimously resolved that a letter should be sent to him conveying the thanks of the committee for his services rendered during the holidays. The committee decided to vote for Messrs T. S. Weston, T. W. Adams and B. M. Moorhouse to fill the vacancies on the Education Board. The following were Appointed Visiting Committee : — Messrs Allen, Brooker and Palmer. After passing sundry accounts the meeting closed.