LOCAL AKD GENERAL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7701, 8 July 1903, Page 3

LOCAL AKD GENERAL.

At Invercargill to-day an old age pen- ; iion«r, who had be«n twice before the Court for founkenness within a few days, had ins pension cancelled by the Magistrate. At « special session of the University Seriate of the New Zealand University, held to-day, Sir Robert Stout was elected* Chancellor and the Hon C C. Bowen Vice-chan-cellor. Fifteen competitive designs have been received from various parts of the colony and Australia for a combined town hall and theatre for Invercargill, to cost approximately £15,000. The designs have been referred to a committee for consideration. The sub-committees appointed by the Harbour Board and the Tramway Board in regard to dealing with a piece of land on the Sumner Estuary between Mr Andrews'.*, quarry and the cutting will meet at theoffice of the Harbour Board this afternoon. A sitting of the Lyttelton Police Court was held this morning before Mr S. R. Webb, J.P., and Captain Marciel, J.P. A man named Frank Hastie was «mtenoed to a month's imprisonment for drunkenness, indecent exposure and resisting the police. At the Napier Magistrate's Court to-day Edward Randwill, with several aliases, pleaded guilty to breaking and entering the Ongaonga Post Office and stealing goods to tho value of £43, autfc also to cutting the telephone wire to prevent a message being despatched to Waipftwa. The accused was- committed for trial. In preferring a charge against a cyclist at the Magistrate's Cou-rHhis smorninff Sub-Inspector Dwyer stated that the ponce had been put. to fl« immense amount of trouble through the defendant giving an awujiwd name. . He thought that when th«ae individual* were brought t.o 'book they should be made- to feel that iby giving wrong namm they would incur a larger penalty. The Bench imposed a fine of 20s •nd costs. At Auckland to-day a fine of £100 was imposed on Anthony Lobrovich, a Slavonian, quarter-master of tho Zealandia, for smugglir.g four tins of opium. One tin of opiu'dn was found upon him and three others were discovered in hi* box on. board the Zenlaaidia. Detective Maddern biafad that the next bunk to accused's on the Zealandia. was occupied by a sailor who had been fined £100 for opium smuggling in Dunedui. Lr.'brovicli took the alternative of four months' imprisonment. At "the Clmstchurcti Magnetic Observatory, at 9.30 a.m. to-day, the barometer | itood at 30.108,' and was rising slightly. The maximum and minimum temperatures recorded during . the previous twenty-four hours were 60.1 and 31.6 respectively. The temperature nt 9.30 a.m. was, dry bulb* 87.8, wet bulb 37.5 j humidity 97 per cent. The maximum temperature in the sun was 105.3, and the minimum thermometer on the prnsi recorded 26.0. There had been no. rainfall, and the wind was calm. The depnrture of a bridal party for the louth by this morning's express train was the occasion of a good deal of hilarity at the Christclvirch railway sL.tion. Grooms- , men and bridesmaids, cousins, sifters and aunts wer-a all there, and «uch carried, a bag of rice, with which they proceeded to belabour tho bride and bridegroom, 'the Silwny car and anyone who happened to in the vicinity, including even august tailway officials,, much to the disgust of the people who wero left to clear up the mess. The Secretary of the Tramway Board has written to the General Committee of the Agricultural, and Pastofal Association in regard to the advisableness of improving the present tram transit arrangements at the grounds on Show Pays. The Board was of the opinion that the convenience and : -> safety of the public would be very largely conserved and the interests of the Association arid of tlie Board generally f orwarded if the proposed electric trams were permitted to -deposit and entrain passengers insida the grounds, instead of continuing the traffic under the present dangerous and Unsatisfactory method. In the event of the committee favourably considering the suggestion, he had been directed to ask it to Be good enough to appoint a sub-committee to confer with the Routes Committee of the Board to deal with details. Mr H. P. Murray- Aynsley suggested that tho letter Bhould be referred to the Ground Committee. The suggestion was adopted, and the committee was asked to report at tiie next meeting. ' ' . :J "The voice of the stars" is sometimes curiously silent. The startling revolution in Servia, with the cold-blooded assassination of tie Royal Family and 1 the Ministry, one would think-, whs sufficiently important to deserve some indication in the heavens, considering the trivialties which find their way into the- prophetic calendars. "Old MooTe " is the only one at present accessible to us, but, though he tells us that during June King E:lward must 'beware, as Saturn threatens "his 'health and person," and that " the Emperor of Germany will be unfortunate and in sore trouble," he has nothing to €<ay regarding the present seat of disturbance. In July, certainly, be tells us i to look for freqtfhrt " deeds of blood acid mvv subordination- in the Balkan Peninsula," but is careful to attribute them to impatience tinder the tyrannical rule of the Sultan. In view of the difficulties into which Mr Chamberlain has just brought the British Ministry,.it is comforting to find that during this imonth "the name of Old Enugland will litand well in the councils of Europe, and her prestige will be restored."