LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5839, 5 April 1897, Page 3

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Saturday's Papers. — Pour thousand seven hundred copies of the Star were sold on Saturday evening. That morning's issue of the Lyttelton Times numbered 9150, mating the total publication from this office for the day no less than 13,850. " Facts are chiels that winna ding." Naturalisation. — Mr Hermann Arnsf-, farmer, Ladbrooks, has become a natural ised subject. Cyclists' Alliance. — The special meeting of the New Zealand Cyclists' Alliance, •which was to have been heid at the Pioneer Bicycle Club's rooms to-night, has been postponed till Friday night. Women's Political Association. — The meeting of the Women's Political Association this week will be held to-morrow (Tuesday) evening, at 7.30, in the coffee, room of the Women's Christian Temperance Union, which is located in Messrs ToneycliiTe and Carey's premises, Gloucester Street entrance. Picnic— Those. connected with the fishmongers' trade are holding a picnic at Stewart's Gully to-day. About eleven o'clock a procession was formed, consisting of eight four-in-hand drags and about twenty traps, several of which wore tastefully decorated. The party was headed by the Sydenham Erass Band under Mr M'Lean. Patents.— Notice of the acceptance of complete specifications is gazetted in the following cases : —J. S. Woodhouse, Papanui, an instantaneous costfinder ; T. C. Heinent, Christchurch, an improved washing board. Provisional specifications : — E. R. Standfield and T. de Ronzy Harman, Christchurch, improvements in bicycle supports. Manual Training Classes. — Themanual training classes established by the North Canterbury Board of Education were begun this afternoon at the Normal School, where a portion of the gymnasium has been fitted up as a workshop. The classes are superintended by Mr F. W. Sandford, instructor in manual training at Christ's College. Accommodation is provided for twenty-two pupils, and arrangements have been made for six classes during the week. Altogether one hundred and thirty-two boys, of the sixth and seventh standards from various schools, will receive instruction in the classes. Hockey. — At the annual meeting" of the Hinemoa Club, Kaiapoi, Mrs H. C. Parsons occupied the chair. The balance-sheet showed a credit in hand. The election of officers resulted as follows : — President Mrs H. C. Parsons, vice-president Miss Evans, treasurer Miss Legge, secretary Miss Estelle Wilson; Selection CommitteeMisses Hiatt, Baker, Black well, Mathews and E. Wilson. The opening match was played on Saturday afternoon between teams chosen from east and west sides, and after an enjoyable game the east were victorious by three goals to two. For the winners— Rev H.H.Mathias 2, and Hiatt 1, were the scorers. Hardware Athletic Club. — A committee meeting of the Hardware Athletic Club was held at the Clarendon Hotel on Saturday night. Mr W. Styche was in the chair. Final arrangements for holding the annual meeting at the Clarendon Hotel this evening, were made. It was decided to present the prizes won at the sports, as well as the cricket and tennis trophies, at the meeting. A sub-committee •was appointed to make arrangements in connection with the expected visit of the Wellington Wednesday football team. A vote of thanks to the Chairman closed the meeting 1 . He was trying to tell them the story ; it was broken by cough and by spits, and the points of it came very slowly by starts, as it were, and by fits. And they said " You should take something for it, something that is wholesome and pure," and he said " I'll be all right to-morrow, for I'm taking Wood's Peppermint Cure." 2011

Art Exhibition. — The exhibition at the Art Gallery was fairly patronised on Saturday. In the evening there was a good attendance, and a musical programme was rendered by Miss Hilda Meadows and Messrs Adley and Rayner. Mr S. Hurst Seager delivered an interesting lecture on " The Arts of Venice." This evening Miss and Mr Allen and Mr WagstafE will provide the music. Hockey.— The hockey season of 1897 was very successfully begun on Saturday afternoon in beautiful weather. About twenty-five players took part in the game, and, considering that it was new to many of them, very promising form was shown. Sides were chosen by Messrs Ridley and Hellyer, and the game resulted in a victory for the former by fivo goals to three. The following players scored for their respec~ tive sides :— Ridley, Withers (2), Pearco and Pavitt, and Black, Macbeth and Manson. The season was opened at Kaiapoi on Saturday, in the Park, with a match East Side' of Town v. West Side. The game resulted iv a win for the East by three goals to two. Carl Hertz. — The distinguished conjurer, Carl Hertz, arrived in Christchurch lasb night, and will this evening inaugurate his brief season at i\\Q Theatre Royal. The New Zealand Times, speaking of his performance, says : — " On Saturday evening one of the largest audiences ever seen in the Opera House gathered to witness the opening performance of Carl Hertz, whose name , as an illusionist of the first rank is known all over the world. Long before eight o'clock every square foot in the theatre was packed, and it is no exaggeration to say that hundreds had to be turned away from the doors. Those who were fortunate enough to secure places thoroughly enjoyed themselves, for the performance was not only of unusual excellence, but as varied as it possibly could be." In addition to the presentation of two new illusions, " Vanity Fair " and "After the Flood," the original cinema tographe will present a series of up-to-date pictures, including " The Prince's Derby." Meteor. — Just before midnight on Saturday a brilliant meteor was seen in the sky in a south-easterly direction. In falling it described an arc, and its trail was visible for an unusually long time. A correspondent writes: — About 11.53 on Saturday night I witnessed a meteor of remarkable brilliancy ; in fact it has never been my fortune to witness one so brilliant before. It was in the north east quarter of the heavens, about midway between the Southern Cross and the horizon. It travelled about one-fourth the distance from the starting point to the northern horizon, and the sky was lit up by the brilliant phenomenon. The light resembled that from a' very powerful electric lamp, having a bluish tinge. The most remarkable feature, however, was the long train of light left in the track of the meteor, and which remained for nearly ten minutes aftar, gradually fading away. At the starting point of the meteor there was a cloud of light which resembled the tail of a comet, and almost had the appearance of another " Magellan Cloud." Farewell "Social." — A farewell "social" to the Rew W. J. Elliott was held in the Oddfellows' Hall, Woolston, on Tuesday, March 30. Mr R. B. Ellison occupied the chair. Addresses were given by the Revs Burrows, Porter, Orchard and Mrs Wise, Messrs J. T. Smith, Buttle, Gimlett, Hillary, Thomas and Spensley. Each and all of the speakers referred to Mr Elliott's great abilities as a preacher, and the good work he had done in the circuit. Mr J. Spensley, on behalf of the members and friends of the congregation, presented Mr Elliott with a handsome silver tea and coffee service and a- travelling rug as a memento of their esteem. Mr Elliott suitably replied, and referred to the happy times he had had among his Woolston friends, and the generous manner in which he had been received throughout the circuit. Solos and duets were given during the evening by the following ladies and gentlemen : — Misses Reeves (2), Spensley (2), Moody, Falkner and Mrs Clarkson, Messrs Firth and Bensley, instrumental duets by Mr Spensley and Master H. Spensley and by Miss and Master M'Harg. The Misses Falkner and Spensley, Mrs Prentice and Mr M'Harg played the accompaniments. Prohibition Leagues. — A "social" in connection with the Sydenham Prohibition League will be held in the Wesley an schoolroom, Sydenham, to-night, when music pjid refreshments will be provided, and short addresses will be giveD by the Rev F. W. Isitt and Mr R. H. Turner — The usual weekly meeting of the Christchurch Prohibition League was held on Friday evening in the Congregational Schoolroom, Jtanchester Street. There was a good attendance. The Rev F. W. Isitt presided. Mr J. Robinson wrote resigning his position as treasurer of the League' in consequence of the pressure of private business. The resignation was accepted with very great regret, and a minute was ordered to be recorded expressing the members' appreciation of the energetic and self-sacrificing efforts of Mr Robinson during - the last three years. Several members spoke to the resolution. The committee reported the progress made in connection with the Monro memorial fund concert, and various details were arranged. The League heartily thanked the office-bearers of the St Asaph Street Mission Sunday School for their courtesy in postponing their anniversary meetings in consequence. Several delegates to the South Island Convention, to be held at Dunedin, were* appointed, and a number of new members were elected. 15s Gd, The Trump Waterburt, 15s 6d. — The populat firm of S. Clarke and Co., 148, Colombo Street, now hold.s an agency for the sale of all Waterbury Watches. A twelve months' guai'antee given with each watch. S. Clarke and Co. — [Advt.] Free Novelties for Boys and Girls. — The agents for Suratura Tea, Hubbard, Hall and Co., are giving free to boys and girls puzzles and rulers for drawing. — [Advt.]