LOCAL & GENERAL.

Otago Witness, Issue 2237, 14 January 1897, Page 19

LOCAL & GENERAL.

' Late on the 7th inst. the Eastern Extensicu Telegraph Company received the following message from Port Darwin, via Western Australia :: — •• Hurrio&ce here *t 4- a.m. ; lines and station buildings damaged, also considerable damago fco other buildings iv the township. Everything possible will bo done to rostorecommunication quickly." A Inter mes*Age uay.j :—: — '•Lives all broken; nearly evvry building in lewn wreoked. Slill blowing very hard." The Minister for Lands left for Shag Point; by the train for Oatnaru ou Thursday afternoon. Up to the time of leaving he wax kept busily employed by departmental wovk or interviewers. The Hon. Mr M'Kerzie will lea^e So? Canterbury in the course oi" a few, days, and thence goes ovorlftud to Blonheira. Ho expects to reach Wellington in the qgutmj of eight or 10 day*, and intends returning to Duoediu some timo in February. On making up (or the Education Board fcbe official lints of the scholarships examinations the inspectors find that the name of Tom D. Adams, of the George street School, was inadvertently omitted. It should have appeared in the sixth place in the junior list recently published. Major F. Nelson George, of Wapiti, referring \o the statement by the Hon. J. M'Kerjz : o that "if the Bank of Naw Zealand people were going to dabble in politics ihe sank might have to £0 into liquidation very soon," says in a hitter to tha New Zealand Herald : — "Thin appears to me Co ba a distinct threat, and as one who has a considerable interest in this bank, ns I do all tny business with it, and hare at times considerable sums in their care, I should like to know whether Mr M'Kenziu, or the GoveruMens of which he is a member, have the power to carry out Jineh a threat? if he cr JJiey have, then I will mnsb certainly take my business away from a bank the control of which is in the hands of r. gentleman of such temper as the Hon.'J, JH'Ktuzie. I thought that the Government had cori?e forward to assist the bank to tide over *ts difficulties. It appears, however, as if they had got it into their power for tho purpose of destroying »t." While on business at Somerset Housa recantlj , a correspondent of the Wautaainster Gazette was taken down to the vaults, where arc kept the registers of births, marriages, and deaths of the nation, and was much struck by the w*y in which the word "condition" in the printed form is interpreted by the ;*ural clerics. One eutry describes the bridegroom's condition 55 "very fsvt,"' "bachelor" beicg written in »s a correction by a later curate, »nd thn bride R3 "vary lean," " spinster " being also supplied. Another entry signed by the vicar is bridegrooir* "very tall," bride "rather short." A third pair is described as " respectable," with "bachelor" aud "spiusfcer" clumsily added. A fourth couple aro said to be "poor but rospsctable." In one entry the man ia "a gentiaoaan," and the wom»,a " a lady." In anoth?r tho roan's condition is " about 23," and the woman's " about 18." Clearly in this cnuneotiou some of Ihe rural olerio, at ail events, have still something to learn. A rash bet often lands a man in an awkward predicament, bnt nothing conld be more ridiculous than tba terms of an election bfet which a you»g rcan of Brooklyn has to fulfil. lit wagered that h« v»ou)d rida fiotn New Yoik to San Fninciaco on a donkey, and to make ths position more trying, the following conditions were laid down : — (1) He must wear a frook coat and a silk hat, while (2) both his uteed aud himself must wear spectacles. A. further condition ia that he must (3) start within a month after election day and pay a visit both fco the victorious and ths defeated candidate. According to the Now York Tribiuo • ho. unfortunate man has purchased bin donkey a>.id made his will, and although he is extremely disgusted ut the rare .amusement he will afford be intends to carry out his bet. Meanwhile, the hardest cut of all is that " his mother has disowned him aud his father declares that it serves him right." To leave hia parental home under theso conditions and to ride slowly through a jeoriug world is trying, bub our greatest sympathy goes out to the other donkey. The Very Rev. Father Lynoh leaves for Europe on a 12 months' leave of absence on the 29th inst. A man named John Smith, a shepherd employed ou the Kawaeau Falls Nation, was drowned in the Kawarau River on Wednesday evening, 6th. An excursionist to Pelorus Sound by the Rotomahana on New Year's Day had the misfortune to lose his pocketbook, whioh contained money in the shape cf notes, a draft for £200, and several papers of no value but to the owner. Tha manager of the Union Steam Ship Company at Napier received a telegram abont the loss from Wellington, and made inquiries on the arrival of the Rotomahana on Saturday, with the result that the pocketbook was duly handed over by the purser. The chief officer found the lost article lying in the scuppers, and, though soaking with wet, the contents were intaob. It is rather remarkable that the pocketbook should hare been recovered, seeing that the Rotomahana had close upon 900 excursionists on board. j ' Prior to his departure for Marlborough Mr C. ; W. Adams, late chief surveyor of Ot»go, was presented on Monday, 4th inst., with'a purae of sovereigns as a substantial indication of the goodwill and esteem in whioh he is held by the department. Mr J. P. Maitland, in making the presentation on behalf of the contributors, bore tsstimony to Mr Adams's professional ability, and, whilst expressing regret at his 1 removal from Dunedin. said that it was at least

{ eatiflfscfr'iry to know thi*- h~ ■ i^ing iono n ri.sj trioi) wht-Te, a« wi— o r Crown Javids ! and ohi»'** ?ii-<- <> •• w uid have greater soipa for .* n ,i - -ii oiilenis. He asked Mr Adx.:ii.>: ?<> .'-•. it*K Mm tok<>n of gcod <eelitig displaced iv the presentation, noG for iti intrinsic value, but as an assurance of tho expression of goodwill it was intended to convoy. Mr Adams, ; in accepting ; the gift, suitably replied, nnd j thanked hU fellow-officers and the members of I the Land Board, stating that be was quite ! unaware tbat they had intended to so favour i him. He should ever look back on his connecI lion with the Ot-tgo office with feelings of kindly j interest and gratiilcs.tion. j Bishop ami Mrs Nevill took their departure ! frrn) Dunediu by, the ManapourV on Tnur«day j afternoon for Australia, en route for England. : In an interview with the New Zealand Timen reporter Mr Conriney, who brought oufc 93 emigrants by tha Ku&pebu, staled thnt they w<sre par>iciul&r]y suited, as aotrlers. as all &ra possessed of «or'»v>lesa'ok meant", and :nan.7 of 1 r-ije young rasa have c 'ma as pioneers 'if rbeir : fAmilio^. Leaving Plymouth tho p*rby nnuii Tjered 100, huh at tha C*pe pevo'Ri, on hearing ■ good reports there, wers icduecd to stay. Tho j emigrants will shortly be settled iv Taranaki. ! The death is announced of Mr William i Bibbald, of Sswdou statiou, Maok6nz<e> j country. Mr Sibb&hl vra» iv native o? Duudoe^ j Scot/land, ar>d emigrated to Victoria. Ho wan j attracted t<^ Otago by the gold ru«h iv 186 M. i Vive ypara lat?r hH took ap a run in South j Canterbury. He was a well-known breeder of | light horses, j The rninfa.ll at Eokonga (in Maniototo) for ! 1896 was 16 inches 18 points. Thifiii the lowest ' record for the tiistriot since 1891, tbo avtsrage. , yearly fall beiug. aboufj 20 iaoue*. Wo under- ! stand the ovops there tills year are aimost a comj plate failure, o^iwg <o T.b« drought. Oats «re j ripening pjsmaturely, aud harvest has already j begun on tha farm of Mv R. W. Gleudiniug, and will be general in tho district in a few week*. Ou the Biibject of tho cropi generally iv Obogo ] and Southland, a tarmac who haa travelled j rhfough aeverftl dintriots writes that the crops j t>xe anything but uncouragiug, and iroai prosend i appearances the yield will ba poor. The turnip crop asa is not too euoouraging, which Trill probably mean that sheep will hava to be fed on chaff/ Our correspondent thinks that farmers who have oats and chaff will act'wisel v if they hold it, na he belieres the price will j advance. ! Ia an interview with a renrasentative of J Reufcer'/i agency. M. do Ge."3aohe, the IBelgian caval lientbnant, who is tha orgamner snd leader cf tne projected Belgian Antarctic expedition, gave the following particulars regarding his enterprise : — " The expedition is to start from Antwerp on or about* 15th July next in the steamer L* Belgica, which at present ia lying at Sande Fiord, in Norway. The organisers { cf the Belgian expedition havo had many diffi- ! pulttes to contend with, l^irsfc of all, beoauso j Belgidtß is not; a maritime oouutvy — that is, it | is not so well provided with nautical instruI ments, &0., as other countries, and they have had to provide their own vessel. The La Bolgica, will carry a three years' food supply. The scientific staff will consist of M. Archowsky, a Belgian i Kuologicul chemist, who is attached fco th« j General Institute of Chemistry at Liege; M. ! Danco, a. Bslgi&n MrbUlery lieutenanc, to whom tho magnetic s>ud raetfioroio^ical observations will be entrnsbed ; M. Rarovitza, a native of Rontnaui*, who has studied coienoe »t Parid, and already conducted dredging, operations in deep water ; and Dr Taquin, a Belgian, who, in addition .to his duties as doctor to the expedij tion, will aosist the other scientific members in j their work. M. de Gerlaohe will he assisted in I comm»nd of the vessel by two lieutenant!, and ! the crew will consist of a boatswain, a oari pouter, eight seamen, -two engineers, a cook, and a steward. Tho expoditiou will probably be absent about two years. During th« first > year we shall go to the e%st ov Graham Lsud, to George IV Ssa, and then winter in JLvisj vr»)io.. Tho n*cond ye«.r we n'tir.ii probably go i'j the direcoiou of Victoria Land. Wo intend more especially tv devote imthnlven tn geological | and zoological vesoarou, t^lciug for the purpose specimens from tbe various sea drifts »ad the submarine deposits. W>j shftll also estimate the se» temppraturo nt differexib depths, end, iv J short, make researou cimilu to tho^s made by ! ths Challenger and other A>itat'ctiu uxpediI tions." M. ds Gei'lathL-, m eouclusion, expressed confidence that hij expedition would be a sueJ cessful one. The Gimmerburn School Committee have voted for Mr W. D. Milno for the vacancy on the Education Board. The Hamilhons and Dunback Committeen voted for Mr P. B. j I'raser. J Dr John Hopkinson, presirjfnt of the In«tii tution of Electrical Engineers, speaking at tho aunual dinner of his society recently, said England owed her prominent position to the fact tbat she was the firsc tn use coal on a large scale. If the employment of that material as a basis of power were to cease, British supremacy, would go with it. The Fall* of Niagara waited more power every day than could be derived from all the coal raised in the wholo world, and in the future it would be th? work of electrica engineers to utilise it and other waterfalls for the transmission of power for the purposes of traction and industrial undertakings. When that work was fully realised, there would only be two courses open to Englishmen-: they would either have to live on their accumulated savings, or flit to countries having greater water power than their own. Iv ritcer event, the supremacy of Britain would go. Mr W. J. Bryan, the defeated Democratic candidate for the Presidency, was, it seems, an unconscious plagiarist when he employed the now famous rhetorical simile that oarried the convention by storm and secured him the nomination to the chief magistracy of the Republic. •>An Amttricitn author-^ctor of an antiquarian turn of mind, Mr Durcsn B Harrison, h%a traced the geuesis of Mr Bryan's remarkably effectively simile to an old play, entitled "Jack Cade, tbe Bondman of Kent," in which the hero excitedly exclaims : " Upon tha brow of toil thou sbalt not press tbe crown of thorn? ; and the bondmen of tbe soil ohall not be crucified upoii Mammon's cross." Mr Bryan exactly j reproduced tho first clause of this dramati •- I declaration, and the second be simply brought I up to date and adapted to the local conditions of the United States. Tnero are many excelI lent things in the old and unknown dramatists, I whioh latter day playwrights would do well to 1 rediscover, brighten up, and apply fco tha proj blems of the present age. j There has bean discovered in the Taieri ?. { recipient of charitable aid who hastily let it U>j ■ known tb/it hft had been granted more rations ' than he could consumo, and in leisure repented him of his unselfishness. It was explained by the couuty chairman that the community had been too good to the man, so that he could not eat up his 7s 6d a week, and he inquired if he might not be allowed to draw from tbe contractor the balance in money of what he did not take in goods. With this object iv view , the man had proposed to interview Mr Gourley, i chairman of the Benevolent Trust. He wm

i-utd by the county chairman that the onlj( effect of that course would be that the allowance 1 would be docked, and that was what aotnally happened, whereupon, the ', charitableness of his neighbours having been .somewhat cheoked, he desired the original amount restored. Whether he is still living up to bis allowance Booms doubtful. "He is evidently not eating id all yet," oaustioally remarked Or Douglas when the oaae was under consideration afc Friday's meeting of the County Council, •' fo« he is drinking some of it." Tha same councillor expressed the opinion that tha expenditure in outdoor relief in the Taieri County oould be j redooed without the infliction of a hardship on I s.nyono. but rather than th*t the .Taieri County \ Ooaacil should be severe on its poor people i while the other districts were liberal with theira ! he would, ho Raid, not reduce the allowances • that were made to any of them. I The inoome tax ia payable in one sum on th« ; £9th insb. '-V A few weeks more will sco »ll the earthwork of the Ot&go Cantral vttiJway ompletad to , Kolsonga (Ryan'a Janctioui, and sousider*bl« , headway has already been made with the layi log of the permanent way. The sleepers «ra feo I ba laid and lightly btdded with ballast from . Middlam&rob, but the main ballast will corao • *rom X ikonga, where thera is a very plentiful supply. The whistle cf tho ballast engiaa should ba heard ou ihe Maniototo Plain in another four mouths, and •averything should be HctL'lf camnleted to Kokonga within tho ysat, • whilst* very •fiort time longer should' enabla j the Public Works department to open it right j through to Eweburn, to whioh poiat most of I fche earthwork is iv course of construction, , At the meeting of ihe Tawi County Council on Friday, letters were read from the Dunediu ?3eab and Export Company &\x& Meaors Charles Simeon and Sous askirig for iaipeotiou of their abattoirs. The uoontu, waile granting a reiib»val of the 'Slaughtering licenses bold by the applicants, deterred for a month consideration, of the question of the appointment of au inspector. ' Afc a mooting of the Oiago Kaighrs of L*bon.\ No. 1271, held on Friday, it? was unanimcuiiy tvgroad to aead.a congratulatory address to *<ii:j ilou. the Premier oa the Balmfacf.ory result of the reoent eleoiion of members for the Hou^i; of UApresentatives ; also to the Hon. J. G. , Ward on his re-election for Awarua dißtriot, , and on tha confirmation by the Imperial . authorities of his title as honourable, both rosultß being considered public testimony to nnd proof of confidence in his integrity »nd , rectitude cf conduct ' and action an Colonial [ Tretsurur. Our Ophir correspondenf; telegraphs : — "J. W. M'lntoeh, licensee of tie Blanks Hotel, a very old resident, and well known throughout Central Ofiago, died on Thursday night." At a well-attended and representative meeting of Mr D. Pinketton, «x-M.H.R. for the City, a resolution was unanimously oarried in favour of promoting a testimonial to Me PinkertoE. Mr A. H. Shelcon was appointed permanent chairman of the committee, and Mr Gourley treasurer. A subaiantial sum was I subscribed in the room. i During the quarter ended December 31, 1856, there were 34 sittings of the Dunadiu Magistrate's Ccui't for oivil busiuess ; Mr Oarew, stipendiary magistirate, occupyiug the bench oa 33 of such occasions. The totftl number of I cases heard was . 304-, in three of whioh the amounts sued for were over £100. The aggregate amount sued for was £5820 8s 6d, whilst | the aggregate amount recovered was £3247 17s ■ 2d. The summouseß and other processes served by the bailiff and his assiotr.nts within two miles of the courthouse were 299, and the number cezved over two miles from the courU houss was 53. In all 26 distress warrant* and two warrants of committal were eiroutsd. Tho numbsr of plaints entered was 474. Seven applications were heard in oourt or chambers, nnd seven or deib were made (other thttn those on judgment summons). The number of disirkßs warrants issued was 74 ; judgment summonses, 48; orders made .on judgment I summons, 15 ; warrants of committal issued, 1 ; and writs of arr* sb issued, 2. The amount of oivil fees paid to the oourt in stamps was £321 15s. and the licensing fees arising from appli- | cations paid iv stamps amounted to £3 23. [ Let the rejoicings of aha cyclists, as they { spin on their whirling wheels round ths O»le- .' doni&n ground this afternoon (says Serturday's Daily Times,) be tempered with melaucholy, for the Taieri County Council see ia their pneumatics a probable source of revenue in recompense for the wear and tear to which the county road* are subjected in road races and iv touring excursions ; but who will nay that the carelessness which some riders have shown when pedalling along the Taieri roads would not juitify the County Counoil in keeping them off the Queen's highway in the particular portion of her Majesty's dominions that the council controls ? J.t seems, according to the chairman (Cr Samson), that the oyolists ''take too much rule of the' road" j while out on thsir excursions. One Sunday j forenoon the chairman, haying laid aside > for the time bmug the dignities as well as tho | cares of his office, was driving a cow and a calf I from the Ka'.korai Junotion to his own house, ' when he espied ooming towards him, riding to J the kiss of the morning breeze, a cloud oi cyclists— about 40 he judges. To give thrm ; all the room, ha oonoiderately drove the cow I to the left side of the zoad. bnt with the per- ! versaness of her sex she road© to go across the J road. " I jaat took one step out to stop her," I the chairman informed the expectant county ! councillors yesterday afternoon, " when I was | knocked down; I didn't hear the blooming thing ooming." The chairman, though thus rudely thrown off the perpendicular, had the presence of mind to look behind him and to remember that in his hand he carried a stick. Behind him on th 6 road were a bicycle and a. man, and to tho latter he introduced bis stick with, as he triumphantly declared, "such a Lit." All the name it was nob Cr Samson, but one of his "boys" — the chairman takes a paternul interest iv the county couuoillors — who first mooted making revenue out of the hioj clists^ , The annual session of the Court of the Con- • vocation of the New Zealand University was held at Auckland on Friday. Eighteen graduates were present, including several teachers here Attending the Educational Institute meeting. Several resolutions were brought forward, but were all rejected. Tbat which oaused most discussion was one in favonr of allowing outside students to prooeed with the degree in arts without keeping a term. ' The eviction, *t th« instance of the church authorities, of the Rev. Richard Henry Cotter, for 20 years Protestant incumbent of the parish of Ardcanny, Limerick, took place on the 17th November. Mr Cotter had- the house barricaded on all sides, and extraordinary documents were displayed in the windows, one of them bearing the words, " No parley with the agents of Turks and heathens, land-harpies, and scorpions." On the roof a pole was fixed, j and from ifc was suspended the Union Jaok, Being refused admittance, the bailiffs hod to

ascend to the roof of an adjoining house and break into the glebe house through a window. A brief colloquy ensued between them and Mr Cotter, tbe sole Qccupant, as his family left a week ago, since which time he has remained constantly within doors on watch for the sheriff. He accused tho sheriff of acting illegally, and, after excited protest, be Bc-ized a handbag and an umbiclla aud left the house, driving across to the nearest fetation for Limerick ; meantime the bailiffs cleared oat all the furniture and banded over possession to an official of the church body. A sensational affair engrosses public attention at Buda Pest. A highly-respected decide has confessed thf>t he took from the dead body of a lady who had been under his cars the keys of A safe, and abstracted therefrom all he could lay hands upon — valuable jewellery, a savings bank book with a large sum deposited, and other papers of valae. He gave the servant 500 florins and a cheque for 1000 "more to keep silence, bnt when he was arreßted on suspicion ■he betrayed him. He at St6b denied everything, bub on being told that a jeweller had recognised the dece»sed lady's trinkets he confessed. It is surprising to learc (says the Vienna correspondent of the Daily News) that he is not under arrest, bub is being watched by the polioe. W ehave to acknowledge receipt of a cheque for £2 for the Tombs fund from "G. 8.,' Waikoikoi. On the recommendation of the English Comptroller of Prison Industries, it has been decided, as an experiment, to purchase dolls and h&ve them dressed by female prisoners, with a view to profitable employment, to take the place of oakum-picking, which is to be wholly discontinued as a task for women. Regarding the Plimmertou mystery, the Now Zealand Times sajs :—": — " We have now ascertained that Braybrooke is related to Lord Braybrooke, whose family surname is Neville. Lord Braybrooke is High Steward of Wokingham. We also learned last night that Mrs Braybrooke, the missing man's wife, is r>t present living in Weiliogton. The youug woman who was at one time with Braybrooke in Wellington was not related to him. Mr and Mrs Bcajbrooke, it is stated, had been divorced, but lived together again. The young woman who was with Braybrooke in Wellington is said to have originally come from Wanganui, where she at one time was in tbe service of a Bolioitor." An instance of how a very innocent ciroumitance may be made to bear a very sinister aspect ytna illustrated in the Magistrate's Court, WolliDgton, the other day. A wife was applying for judicial separation, and the defendant (says the Post) endeavoured to cover his own shortcomings by throwing into relief those of bis better bnlf. With this object he called a witness to show that the wife had one night during her husband's absence gone out in her husband's clothes. The witness who gave this evidence went ns far as to cay that he saw the woman put the clothes on, but ou the j bench expressing a«tonishmenb at this, he admitted that he was confused, and that he did not see her dressing, but afterwards. The whole story put a nasty aspect on the woman's conduct, bub this was quite cleared away when she explained the reason of the masquerade. She was always up to playing joke*, she said, and one bright moonlight eight she thought she would have a lark with Charlie (the husband). He was always thinking someone was stealing his fowls, so she determined to dress up in his clothes, take a pup under one arm and a j rootter under the other, and go out to meet ! him as he came borne, and make him think he had caught the thief. When pressed the ' witness before mentioned admitted that tha facts were as stated by the woman, though he did not explain why he had attempted to pat to ! different a complexion upon the affair. j The Arthur street J School Committee on Friday decided to vote for Mr John White for the vacancy on the Education Board. The Cambrians Committee voted for Mr P. B. Fraser. It is understood that Messrs Ramsay, Simpson, and Vigers, the liquidators of the Colonial Bank, have lodged their first report on the liquidation in the Supreme Court offices. It is addressed to Mr Justice Williams, and as his Honor is at present out of town the report is not available, nor is ib likely to be mads public until tbe end of the vacation. With a view of assisting to remove an erro- | neons impression which undoubtedly exists ab j the present time as to the condition of matters ak the Hermitage, a Dunedin professional gentleman who has just returned from Mount Cook requests us to state that Mr and Mrs Ron*, j who are now in charge of tbe institution, are most attentive, and not only do their best but have made the place quite a comfortable touring establishment. Ladies who were there at the same time as our informant expressed themselves as being completely satisfied. The addition's to the house, however, are not quite completed, this being due to the fact that the carpenter had gone away for his holidays. A great deal of misapprehension exists as to the effect of tbe fire which occurred some time ago. It nndoubtedly destroyed one of the local beauties — the bush on the old moraine, — and in that way swept away a very delightful shelter, but in other respects it has nob interfered with the attractiveness of the place, which may be regarded as ft going concern, creditably managed, and offering the usual comforts to tourists. All who have been there this season, comprising up to date about a dczpu people, bear unanimous testimony to the efficiency of Sirs Rost's management and to the comforb of the establishment. An ndjuuot to the place is the Ball Hub at the Ball Glacier, about 15 miles from tbe Hermitage, in the immediate vicinity of the Taemaa Glaoler. That hut is intended to give a base for operations in exploring the glaciers and high peaks. The hut is comfortable, but its furniture and provisioning are still open to improvement. Such things as tin pannikins and plates might well be superseded by enamelled furniture, and the tinned provisions are not the best brands of the kind that can be jecured in the colony, but in other, respects all ihe arrangements are such as should satisfy reasonable requirements. The guide (Fyfe) is a man who is thoroughly Buited to the class of work. He undertakes the cooking and looks after the hut in every way, and is most efficient in managing for the tourists who go up to the nut. Those who have the time are strongly recommended to make an excursion to the hut, and to spend a day or two on the ice in the vicinity. The Minister for Public Works intends to make a thorough inspection of tha Midland failway before he returns to Wellington. In connection with the appeal which, according to our cablegrams, Is to be made to the colonies for assistance to the Indian famine relief fund, the following summary (writes the Allahabad correspondent of The Timss on the 23rd November) gives an acourate view of the position in tbe north-west provinces and Oudh. The first area, where the greatest failure of crops has occurred, covers 25,000 square miles,

with a population of 13,000,000. Here the famine may be acute. The second area, where there has been severe failure, covers 30,000 square miles, with a population of 14,000,000 ; the third area, where there has been considerable failure, oovera 25 000 square miles, ; with a population of 12,600,000. Ab to I Ihe distress already prevailing, over 100,003 j persons are receiving relief. The policy of advancing 18 lakhs for the construction or «uri face wells has had the best results. Returns 1 received from five divisions show that 300,000 I wells will be made. This will add 500,000 j acres to the rabi area, whioh will yield crop?, I rain or no rain. Tho suspension of one orore j ai revenue enablea the people to buy used grain j and sink wells on their own acennnt. 'Shy. I Jandlords, in response to the wishes of ib<n i Government, are helping their tenaut*, and | the people are showing the greatest industry in extending the area which the wells can ! serve. j The hospital returns for the past week are as I follow: — Uetnfiiniug froai ihe previous week, i 105; admitted cum»g the week, 19; djachanteti. 24 ; oeathfl (Duucaa Shaw aiid John Goodbody), ]i ; total remaining, 98. The Southland Times learns that the Rev. T. C. Guy, who h*s resided in Southland for nine year/, has received a call to a congregation in j connection with the Presbyter inn Church in the : United States at- a salary of £1200 per annum. [ Mr Guy visited fha cburcb. in 1891, when a ! leofure he gave tffduded name of the members, | but that opposition has now been withdrawn. | Mr Guy haw replied that if his health con- ! tinues to improve and the congregation adhere ■ to the call a year hence he will accept it. In recording the sudden death, at the age of : 34, of Mr G. S. Nimmo, of Ngapara, the Oiniaru Mail abates that in ruuning aft3r a cow early oa Friday morning Mr Nimmo gob overheated, and on reaching home took a copious ( drink of cold milk. Alarming symptoms of ! inflammation of the bowels ensued, and though . medical aid wai procured it proved of no i nvail. The deceased leaves a widow and two I children. j The Lawrence Distriob High School Committee, having voted for Mr W. D. Milne for tho vtcauoy on the Education Board, passed a re*o'ution declining to make any nomination for tha annual election, as they totally disapprove of the present method of nomination aud election. The Sboueburn School Committee vot^d for Mr P. B. Frasor. Tho reporfc of the Building Committee prcsanted to the Primitive Methodist Conferences | showed the following ( totals : — Churches, 52 ; other preaching places, 67 ; parsonages and houses, 15 ; increase, 1. Value of church property, £31,849 17« Id ; increase. £574 13s 3d. Paid off the debt this year, £532 3a 6d ; present debt, £6000 3s. The District Treasurer presented the missionary report, which showed a total income of £360 isi l£d. The t-x^end'-tare was £345 Os 3d, leaving a balance in hand of £15 14s s^d He aleo presented tho report of tho Loau Fund Committee. Tbore had been money lest since the commencement of the fund to the value of £1209. Lent during last year, £IB0 ; income /or last year, £272 ; balance in savings bank, £179 lie Id. A man named Charles Earp has died at Wellington under rather peculiar circumstances. He was an r.rcbztecb, and a tecetit arrival from Home. He bad been staying ia one of the city hotels, and had gone aboard an ocean steamer with the view of getting employment, so as to work his passage Home. He sbated that the firemen asked ' him to pay his footing, and on his decliuing they knocked him down and kicked him. Deceased was bruised all over the body, and badly marked about the face The assault is belicvod to have been committed on Wednesday, and on returning to his hotel Earp snid he had fallen down the hold of Ihe Rakaia. On tbis statement beiDg doubted, he said : "Well, I fell against the hatohway." Barp, with his wife and child, Jived for a short while at Blauheim, and then went to Napier, and only recently returned. It is believed that hi« wife and child are in Dun6din. Ab the inqneßb the evidence showed that the reports as to £11— usage were incorrect. A verdicb was returned that "Death was the result of uremia, or Bright's disease." All the internal organs were in a diseased state, sufficient to acoouut for death, and that the bruises on the body were the result of deceased throwing himself about. ! New regulations under the Sea Fisheries Act | are gazetted. It io provided that no peteoa I shall take, buy, sell, expose for sale, or have in | possession any fish of any of the species enumerated in this regnlabion of a less weight or size than the following: — Hapuku, slb ; kahawai, ; 6oz ; snapper, lib ; tarakibi, 4oz ; trumpeter, I lib ; mold, 8oz ; barracoui"*, Boz ; horse mackerel, 4oz ; trevally, 4oz ; kingfish, 3lb ; warehou, 4oz ; mackerel. 8oz ; blue cod, Boz ; rook coJ, 8oz; r«d cod, 8oz; gurnard, 4oz ; mullet, I | 4iz; butterfish, 4oz ; flounder, 9in; soles, 9in ; I garfish, 9in ; horriug, siu. Archdeacon Robinson, of Sb. Paul's Cathe- j deal, has been appointed commissary of tbe I diocese by Bifhop Nevill during the latter's j ! absence from Duucdin. j A four-rootned cottage was destroyed by fire at Naseby on Saturday night. The building, which wa6 tho property of the local Oddfellows' Lodge, was occupied by Mr David O'Brien and his family. The cottage was valued at £80, and was covered by a policy of insurance in the National. office, but there was no insurance on ! the furniture and effecti, and Mr O'Brien's los 3 ! is estimated at £40. At Masterton on Friday a publican was fined 20s and costs for selling adulterated spirits. I Some rum purchased by the inspector under the Alcoholic Liquors Aot was found to ba 38deg under proof. For the benefit of those interested in the subject (says a contemporary) we may state that a flue stream of spots is now crossing the face of the sun. We are informed that, telescopically observed, the area in disturbance has a rough measurement, from end to end, of about one hundred and sixty thousand miles. Seeing that this is considered the period of minimum disturbance — the variation occurring in about 11 years, and we are now about midway betwixt two maximum ss — it lends this large outbreak additional interest. The darker portion of the larger spot can be seen easily by merely using a pieca of smoked glass to shield the • eye from the too powerful rays of the sun. Seen through the telescope the sight is, we are assured, a very beautiful one. The Mornington School Committee have voted for Mr J. White for the vacancy on the Education Board. A correspondent in the country sends to the Auckland Herald an illustration of how the charitable aid system ia worked. A man found himself in the dock with the knotty question to decide, " Shall I pay a fine of £5 and return to the bosom of my family, or take a month's holiday at Mount Eden Gaol ? " He did what all men should do in difficult crises of life, he consulted with his wife. Her advice was thoroughly practical and businesilike — namely, that he should so to Mount Eden, and mean-

while she would be supported by the Charitable Aid Board. The programme was carried out, the chief sufferers being the unfortunate ratepayers. Tho use of alcoholic beverages as a medicine for oattle Mid horres is common enough in couxo parts of Ibu United Kingdom. A short vthilo ago en sppiicatioii was made before a Welhh licensing ae&niou for the renewal of an off-license for a place bearing the somewhat outlandish name of Bryn-y-BuaL The applicant stated that the house in question was situated in an agricultural district, and was a great convenience for the farmers to git beer lov their cattle iv tide* of siexneo? The Medioil Press f aye : — "Speaking generally tnrre is no apparent reason why alcchol should nob ha just as valuable in tbe treatment of certain morbid conditions in ca'tle as it undoubtedly is in the higher animal, man. The principle of stimulation as au active therapeutic agent applies with equal cogenny to both classes ot mammalia. Ifc is one, however, lhat is likely to r*iv3 a regular whirlwind of oominotion t.tiiuiig the teetotallers, who, as a body, are nob jjiveu bo utUch much importance to purely scientific considerations." Mr F. W. Plabbs, of Porb Chalmers, has received inbimation that he has passed the final examination for the degree of Bachelor of Laws.