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Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 504, 17 January 1906, Page 4

'IHE Vincent County Council sits at Clyde on Wednesday, 24th inst. On dit that two fashionable weddings of local iutercst take place at an early date. In the football contest Wales beat England by two goals and two tries to one try. Ahe you going on a tour ? It so write for particulars to Messrs Cook and Son, tourist agents, Dunedin. The monthly journal for January has been issued and can be seen at our office. At a special meeting of the Alexandra Borough Council held on Monday evening last, it was resolved that the statutory halfholiday within the borough for the ensuing year be observed on Thursday afternoons from 1 p.m. The Alexandra Kiilus go into oatup tomorrow for their annual instructions. Borgtmajor Kibblewhito will be tho instructor, and all members nto requested to endeavor to attend. OnSundny afternoon, km will ho disponsed to tho ladios, and in nil proba bility, tho Alexandra Uniss Hand will i,o in attendance. On tho 28th ii)Ht. v military sports will bo held, and a aooial will be ttokt in the evening.

A letter from our Ida Valley correspondent has arrived too late for this issue, but will be published next week. There will be no sitting of the Magistrate's Court at Alexandra this month, The next sitting will be held on February 12th.

The first term of the 190G session of the Otago Boys and Girls' High School commences on 6th February. Full particulars can be obtained from the secretary. The capture of a man wanted for jewel robbery at VVanganui is causing the police some trouble. He escaped capture at Midhirst on Wednesday last by taking refuge in the bush, and had another exciting time of it at four o'clock the following morning, All the Wanganui police were out on his track on Friday. We (Southland News) are informed that Mrs Nora Cavanagh, residing at Myross Bush, has been the lucky drawer of £4OOO prize (net) in a recent Tasmanian consultation (No. 2 Summer Cup). She had only one 5s ticket, which was procured for her by an Invercargill resident, who held the sext number to the winning one# The inquiry into the licensing poll in Invercargill was commenced before Messrs M-Carthy, Riddell, and Burgess, S.M.'s, in Invercargill last week ; but after receiving the formal petitions, and taking the evidence of the returning officer to the effect that he did declare "no license" had been carried, the inquiry was adjourned for a fortnight.

It is not often that one hears of two £lO notes being pawned for a pound. At the Police Court, Dunedin, on 15th inst, a man was charged with stealing a quantity of wearing apparel, shoes, and two £lO notes. It seems that the owner of the goods had the two notes concealed in his shoes. The thief pawned the clothes and shoes without discovering them; .<■"'"

The Central Otago. Poultry Club has appointed Mr Alf. Walker, of Christchurch, judge for the forthcoming show to be held on the 27th and 28th July. We would like to draw the attention of members to the announcement that the annual meeting will be held in the library, Alexandra, at 7.30 p.m, on the evening of Monday, February 12th, when a large attendance is requested, as some important business has to be transacted,

A cheque tor threepence, being a dividend from a bankrupt estate, was received from New Plymouth by a Hawera firm on Friday, says the local Star. When sixpence bank exchange is paid, and a penny for postage to return the receipt, the recipients of the money will be fourpence out of pocket by the transaction, The fact must not be forgotten, too, that it cost a penny to send this remarkabie payment to Hawera, and there was another penny duty stamp on the cheque as well. The Labor Department has (says a Wellington correspondent) of late been sending a large number of men to various public works throughout the colony, especially to the North Island Main Trunk line. The steamers every week from Australia are bringing over many men seeking employment, attracted here, no doubt, owing to the prosperous state of the colony. Some are first-class laborers for pick-and-shovel work, but others again are altogether unsuitable, as clerical vacancies are limited:

Many incidents of optical delusion may be recorded for which some excuse may be offered during holiday times, and one which transpired is worthy of note (says the Fielding Star). A man travelling to Palmerston with a complimentary official ticket, sent him by a railway friend in the south, bearing the inscribed words on the inside, " Please permit bearer to pass from any station to any station towards prosperity." Before reaching Fielding the illusion was dispelled when taxed by the guard, and from simply not looking at the two sides of the quession he was obliged to pay his full fare, and the tour was terminated at Fielding.

The Department of Labor has issued a circular calling attention of eccupiers of factories to section 2 of the Factories Act Amendment Act, 1905, in which certain provisions are made for the rate of wages for persons over 20 years in addition to those under 20 years. Further, attention is drawn to section 3, which provides that every occupier shall keep a book in the prescribed form, showing the period of employment of each employe, for production to the Inspector when required by him, and at the request of anyone leaving his employment the occupier is to issue a certificate " in the prescribed form " stating correctly the period of employment. Books for this purpose are now on sale at the office of the Inspector of Factories.

Says a Palmerston North telegram of 11th inst:—John Jarmey, aged 24, met with his death under tragic circumstances to-night. He was a farm hand at Mr Chinnery Brown's, and after tea was larking with a servant girl named Ethel Linton in the kitchen. He offered to kiss her, and she playfully exclaimed she would shoot him. At the same time she picked up a pea rifle lying behind the door and pointed it at his head. The next moment Jarmey was writhing on the floor in mortal agony, the bullet having entered the eye and pierced the brain, Jarmey was an Englishman, and had served in the Boer war with the Norfolk Regiment. He was the possessor of several medals. The girl is completely prostrated by the occurrence. Mr John Tait, who has for the past six years been manager of Messrs R. Campbell and Sons' Otekaike Station, died in Duaedin on Monday, Bth inst,, after a painful illness, Mr Tait had a very severe attack of internal hemorrhage two years ago (says the Qamaru Mail), and was only pulled through by careful nursing. He leaves a widow and one son. Mr Tait, who was in his sixty second year, had been for 35 years in the service of the company, having been in turn manager of the Galloway (Central Otago), Burwood (Southland), and Otekaike Stations. He had .spent the whole of his life amongst stock, and was generally recognised as an authority, particularly on merino sheep. Mr Tait was a valuable servant of the company, and was generally popular throughout the district.—Deceased, who was a brother of Mr W. Tait, of Alexandra, was well-known in the Alexandra district, and during the time he was on Galloway Station he made many friends in this locality, who will regret to hear of his demise. To his relations we extend our deep sympathy in their sad bereavement.

PIUOR to his departure for Terra del Fuego, Mr Harold Williams was last week the recipient of a handsome greenstone pendant mounted with a gold fern leaf from the Alexandra Cricket Club, of which he has been a most prominent member and enthusiastic worker for the club's welfare, besides boiug a great acquisition to the club on the cricket Hold. Iu the absence of the president, Mr JE, King (the club's .captain) made the presentation, and in a eulogistic speech referred to the good work "done by Mr Williams for the club. On behalf of the members he had much pleasure in wishing Mr Williams every success in the foreign lands; Mr Williams feeling responded and thanked the club for their handsome presont. It was some satisfaction to him to know that the club had appreciated his services, and ho would long remember the many pleasanl.gamos played with his friends and comrades in Alexandra. Mr Williams was also l ho recipient of a handsome meerschaum pi no from the crew of the Alexandra Lead dredge,, of which ho had been a member for spurn lime. Last but not least, he also recolvud n handsome present from a few lady well-wishers; so Mr Williams takes with him the good wishes of a large uumber of irmudti in Alexandra.

Tenders for additions to the courthouse at Alexandra close at the Public Works Office, Dunedin, on 23rd inst. There is absolutely no truth in the rumor that Tommy Taylor has been offered a billet on the " Wftr Cry."—Exchange. The new railway station at Dunedin will not be formally opened until the Minister of Railways returns to the colony in July after hj is visit to Europe. When sentencing a prisoner the other day in Brisbane, Judge Real sensibly remarked : "I can only attribute this prevalence of crime among our young men to the want of work.

We understand that the subscriptions to the Dunstflh District Hospital collected for the past year, are sufficient to warrant the subscribers appointing two more trustees to the institution.

Since the first of this month any woman who is not registered under the Midwives Act will render herself liable to a fine not exceeding £2O if she practises as a midwife or takes or uses the name " midwife."

At the opening of a church the other day the builder, on rising to return thanks, rather staggered his audience by the remark, " Gentlemen, |iancy I am more fitted for the scaffold than for public speaking." For the thirty-seventh week of the egglaying competition at Lincoln College, Christchurch, the Alexandra Poultry Company's pen of White Plymouth Rocks head the list with 33 eggs, the next best being 26.

A London cable of 14th inst. states that the report of Messrs Robert Campbell and Sons shows the profits to be £57,480. A final dividend of Is 6d and a bonus of 3s will be paid. £20,000 is added to the reserve ar>d £19,480 carried forward.

In acknowledging the toast of his health at Okarito on 13 th inst., Mr Seddon mentioned incidentally that the day was the thirty-seventh anniversaty of his wedding—an announcement that was the signal for a hearty round of cheers for his better half, A London cable states that Mr Balfour, member for Manchester East, has been defeated at the Home elections by Mr Horridge, Liberal candidate. There is tremendous enthusiasm in Liberal circles in the chief centres in England at the magnitude of the Liberal majorities. It is expected that the Conservatives will be thrown out of office, Messrs L. Eyan & Co., auctioneers, Alexandra, inform us that early next month the stock belonging to that well-known estate, The Elms, on the Dunstan Flat, will be offered by auction. As this will be an excellent opportunity for farmers, butchers and others securing some splendid stock, we predict a record attendance when the sale comes off. Due notice will be given of the day of the sale.

The Registrar-General's Department is busily engaged with preparations for the taking of the census on Sunday night, 29th April. The previous census was taken in March, 1901. The colony has been divided into fiftv districts, for each of which a chief enumerator has been appointed. Mr J. S. Dickie, county clerk, has been appointed enumerator for the county of Vincent, and Mr W. S. Laidlaw has been appointed subenumerator for the Borough of Alexandra. With the object of showing anglers at the New Zealand International Exhibition the size and quality of fish, and the sport that may be obtained at the Ashburton River, the Ashburton Acclimatisation Society have up to date sent to Dunedin to be stuffed the following specimens .-—Brown trout, 191b, 16£lb, 151b, and 13|lb; salmo quinat (Californian salmon or greenback), 161b and 141b. In addition to these there is the 191b fish caught last season, which should be shown in the Ashburton exhibit.

Mr A. A. Briasco, who has become to be regarded as the leading musician of Central Otago, and who, as most of our readers are aware, has followed the duties of his profession in this district for a number of years, is, we understand, about to take up his future abode in Timaru. It is not definitely known when Mr Briasco anticipates leaving Alexandra, as he is at present away in the town where he is to reside in future; It need scarcely be said that Mr Briasco's absence from Alexandra will be sorely felt in musical circles, for he was ever ready to give his services towards any social function that was being held in the district, and what is Alexandra's loss will be Timaru's gain.

In the course of his remarks at the opening of the Hokitika - Boss railway, the Premier refuted the statement circulated by the Opposition prior to the last general electidnsjto the effect that out of the appropriation more money was spent relatively in Westland than in Canterbury. This was unfounded, as would be shown by the following figures :—For the year ending 31st March, 1905, the amount appropriated out of the Public Works Fund for Canterbury was £146,695, of which £139,355 was spent, being 95 per _cent, of the whole, while in Westland the amount voted was £85,309. of which only £51,164 was expended, or 60 per cent, of the appropriation, as against 95 per cent, expended in Canterbury. At the speechifying at Mahinapua last week the Premier was («ays the Grey Star) great on " matrimony." He chaffed Mr Bruce in a quiet sort of way, saying that he regretted to say that there was only one Bruce in the field at Ross. What they wanted were more Braces—a sally which was greeted with roars of laughter, and a remark,- " there are four Bruces nevertheless." Again he said, in alluding to the old pioneers, he regretted that more of them did not marry. What they wanted was matrimony in order to raise up a stock of worthy sons of worthy sires. It was a sad fact, nevertheless. It is needless to say how this was received, especially after a pause he had said: " Take my advice, young men and women—marry."