LOCAL & GENERAL.

Otago Witness, Issue 2722, 16 May 1906, Page 16

LOCAL & GENERAL.

An old-age" pensioner named John Patrick Carlin, who was before the Police Court on Saturday last for drunkenness, was again charged with the esroe offence on Monday morning. Mr Widdowson, S.M., reminded the accused that he had cautioned him in regard to his, drunken habits last December, and told him then that he would cancel his

pension if. be did not reform. " I shall take steps to deprive you of your money for some time to come." continued the Magistrate, " and your June and July instalments will be cancelled. You will have no pocket money for several months."

The evidence of lay witnesses in the Taieri drainage case variously reveals the sxfraordinary facts that Momona. where .ihere is such a marvellous example of close settlement, is a Garden of Eden and a dismal swamp, a paradise of the agriculturist and a terror to the farmer. It is ilso shown that all outside farmers envy /;he Momona settlers, and that all the "■•Moindna settlers mourn in danger of ruin m their ( depreciated holdings. These ipparent contradictions will be readily understood by any worldly-wise person who • has been concerned in such cases.

Dr Ogston, hon. local representative of the Associated Board of the Royal Academy and Royal College of Music. London, has received advice to the effect that the board's examiner for the next practical examinations is coming from London to Auckland direct this year, instead of going to Australia first. The examinations referred to are usually held about November or December, and this alteration will their being held earier this year than formerly. This is in some respects rather unfortunate, as the examinations which should have been held last year were - only - completed a fortnight ago.

It is noted satisfaction that since "the Otago Daily Times called attention to the matter a week or two ago, there has been notable improvement of accommodation on the most frequented Mosgiel trains. Several limes at night there has been ample accommodation for all the first class passengers, and one or two of the, most derelict carriages until recently running as first class -have apparently gone to the scrap heap, or are reserved for holiday traffic.

. - The death of Mr Robert Murray-Menzies. which occurred at Invercargill on the 2nd Inst, has caused much sorrow to the residents in the neighbourhood of Lakes Te Anaa and Manapouri. Captain Menzies — as such he was generally known — arrived 'in Te Anau about eight years ago, and it -■was by Ills means that the present sieamoi —the Tawera — was placed upon the lakf\

I Captain Menzies was known to all and j sundry in the Te Anau district for his [ universal and unostentatious liberality and kindness. His early removal from his place is felt as a personal loss by all Te Anau people. Influenza we have always with us. The British Medical Journal thinks it may be some comfort to know that in the good old days things were no better. In Paris, in the sixteenth century, friends on meeting greeted each other with the question, } " N'en as-tu point goute un morcelet?" Long before that the scourge was equally i rife. It interfered with the work of the , Jaw, and prevented the performance of J religious rites. In 1403, and again in 1557, I the sittings of courts had to be suspended. ■ In 1427 sermons had to be abandoned be- , cause the preacher's voice vras drowned by . coughing and sneezing. In 1510 masses . could not be sung. The features of the j epidemics are said to have been incessant discharge from the nose " as from a fountain," fever, and general lassitude. The ! disease was variously known as joliefcte and coquette, from its capricious nature. The ' name grippe came into use in 1743 ; those of petite poste and petit eourrier in 1762 ; and that of general in 1780. It was also known as influences and influenza. In addition to meteorological causes, the humming of questionable songs was believed to j bring on influenza. Tho remedies were j many and various. In 1510 sufferers put their faith in blessed carbonised water, theriaca, and camphor: in the eighteenth j century in theriaca and bleeding. In 1411 the doctors confessed that they know not what to do. and in 1803 Dr Chauvot de Beauchesne had the courage to advocate that the best treatment was to have nothing to do with doctors. The epidemics of 1560. 1676. 1703. 1732, and 1737 ceased after an earthquake c-r volcanic eruption. Will the recent eruption of Vesmius and tiie earthquake at Sau Francisco produce like results?

For 10 years before his death, which occurred in March at Kingstown. England, a man named ,T -.-.eph Knight had not eaten any food. Ele\en years ago. while on board the yacht Ehba at Gosport, he accidentally drank some dcr-ereent in mistake

for porter, with th» result that his gullet and othei intenta-l organs were destroyed. He was r-e:io-vod from the yacht to a man-o'-war in Gospoit Harbour, where first aid was given him, and afterwards wa= placed in the hands of a surgeon, who not only saved his life, but aiso enabled him to \\\c for more than 10 years in ooinpara ti\e comfort by means of feeding through a tube in hi* side leading directly to tho stomach. Wheel 1 ng about tho town in a batiidiair. poor Kmgbt nas always an object of sympathy to residents and visi-

tors. It is remarkable that, though unable to eat. he could always enjoy a smoke. He was about 40 years of age at his death. i At Wednesday night's meeting of the City ( Council, on tenders being opened for the 1 £30,000 of Waipori loan debentures, bearing 4 per cent, interest, it was found that only £1500 had been tendered for. No doubt the public are setting their faces against 4 per cents.

In moving the adoption of the Reserves | Committee's report at the City Council on ! the 9th inst., Cr Lurnett spoke in enlosistio terms of the manner in which Mr Tannock, the superintendent of the corporation , reserves, had carried out his duties during , the year. They had only to look a'rouud, Jhe said, to see what had been done. Amongst other things, there were 657 acres under the control of the staff, and on the water reserves alone during 1905 15,162 trees had been planted and 22.300 acorns sown, in addition to 56,945 young trees taken for planting-out. I The Executives of the Ducedin and Suburban School Committees' Association and of the Otago branch of the New Zealand Educational Institute met in conference on the 9th -inst. with a view to taking steps to bring before Parliament the urgent necessity for amending the Teachers' Superannuation Act so as to provide a reasonable allowance for back service. The meeting was fully representative of both bodies, and after the matter had been thoroughly discussed a committee was set up to prepare a circular setting forth the claims of the teachers for increases in annuities for back service under the Teachers' Superannuation Act. It was also agreed that the School Committees' Association endeavour to interest similar bodies throughout the colony in the matter. No time will be lost in drawing up the circular and bringing tho same under the- notice of the proper authorities. While iv Wellington this week Mr T. K. Sidey. M.H.R., waited upon the Premier and asked for a subsidy towards the erection of a dental hospital in Dunedin. He explained that the University Council some months ago wrote to the Education Department asking for a subsidy of £1500, which, with a contribution of £1000 generously promised by the dentists of the colony^ was estimated to be sufficient for ; the building and equipment of the hospital. : No reply, however, had been received to ' tl>«. cc-roiT* communication. The Premier ga\e Mr Sidey an assurance that he would a^k Cabinet to lecommend Parliament to grant tho £1500 a-kc<J for | Maters in connection with tho f'a>-ne»ii'

Free Public Library have bocn a<liantved another si-j-gc, ancl tenders are united in this issue for the erection of t lie buiLku.g.

Nineteen applications for the position of traffic superintendent of the corporation tramways at £350 per year were on the 9ih referred to the Tramways Committee, to select seven applicants for the consideration of the council.

In the teeth of those cold pessimists who have been talking darkly of the resurrection morning, the evidence in the Taieri drainage cases was positively concluded on Wednesday. On the whole, it seems that Mosgiel is to be complimented on one of the remarkable achievements of the century. As this evidence was going, there was really no reason at all why it should ever finish ; but the atmosphere of Mosgiel breeds reflection and ultimate revolt, and the evidence has really closed. Counsels' speeches commenced in the Supreme Court, Dunedin. on Tuesday morning.

In connection with the "borer" correspondence that has been appearing in our columns, " Subscriber," Island Cliff, near Oamaru, sends us some cuttings from a currant bush showing the holes of a borer. These are not the work of the " white pine borer," however, but of another borer, which attacks berry-bearing bushes and other shrubs.

The usual weekly meeting of the Benevolent Institution Trustees. hf>ld on Wednesday afternoon, was attended by Messrs Talboys (in the chair). Tapper, Larnach, Burnett, Arkle, and the Hon. H. Gourley. The returns for the month of April showed that 856 persons had received outdoor relief, and that £99 15s had been devoted to that purpose. During the same month last year 885 outdoor cases were dealt with, at a cost of £100 10s. Twenty-two cases of relief we>-e dealt with on Wednesday, and accounts amounting to £181 16s 5d passed for payment.

Dr Ogston, District Health Officer, left on Wednesday afternoon for Dunbaclc to investigate what appears to be an epidemic of pneumonia there. Since March 1 there ha% r e been three deaths, supposedly from this cau=<\ and at present there are about four other cases.

Miss Isabel May, the daughter of an English naval officer, is attracting attention (writes the London correspondent of the Age) by her exploits as a farm labourer. After an experience as a nurse in the South African war, she began a course of instruction at the Swanley Horticultural College, but scon found the work there too easy-going and finicking. She wanted .something more practical and strenuous, and so entered the service of a farmer at St. Mary Cray, in Kent, as a general field uoiker Siio has been for some months prming l>ei -Hf a first rate hand at ploughing, reaping, fence mending, attending to

( cattle, and other rough tasks, and has quite satisfied the " boss." He is more than , willing that she should continue indefinitely in his employment, but her own intention is to go out to Canada when she has gained j a little further experience, and turn some ' capital that she has to account in farming on a large scale. Miss May — or "Jack," as she prefers to be called when on duty — owes her sucoes3 as a worker largely to unusual physical strength. She is tall, muscular, wears hor hair short, and works in male attire, to which, however, sheadds a short smock or skirt, reaching from the waist to the knees. It is a sort of Highlandman's kijt, and does not impede her movements. She attended in this rigout as a witness in tho local Police Court the other day. ,

j As indicative of the peculiarity of tl:« ' season, a. novelty is to be seen in the gar1 den of Mr J. H. Roy at Upper Kew. Two black currant bushes aro bearing a second crop of fruit without a leaf on 'them, except at the tips of some of the branches. On ' six of the branches of one bush berries are to be seen close to the naked branch. At one bud five berries are closely packed, two , of them about ordinary size and about j ripe. Mr Roy informs us that anyone interested is at liberty to call and see the bushes. We have received 10s from Miss L. J.

Kelsey for the new Art Gallery Fund,

A Shag Point correspondent writes : — " About 4 o'clock on Monday morning Dr Rosa Collier, the lady doctor in the Palmerston district, was returning from visiting a patient at Shag Point, when tie vehicle collided with a heavy coal dray, not carrying lights, and the doctor and coachman were thrown violently to the ground. The doctor received a shaking, but was not rendered unconscious, and gathered up her scattered possessions and proceeded to walk the four miles to Palmerston. The groom was dragged about 50 yards l>y the horse, to which he manfullyheld. The trap had both shafts broken, and was practically ruined. General pleasure is felt that the accident, which might have resulted seriously, ended so well for the occupants of the trap, for the young lady medico has become a general favourite during the three months that sh» has been with Dr Hislop."

In the annual report of the Navy League, just to hand, the eleventh annual general meeting of which is to be held in London on the 16th inst.. the following tribute is paid to the Otago branch and its energetic 6coretary: — '■ Otago. — Here we have another illustration of the right 'man in the right place. The honorary secretary, MrJ. A. Johrtstone, has been unsparing in his efforts to make the branch all that it