Local and General.

Clutha Leader, Volume XXI, Issue 1043, 20 July 1894, Page 6

Local and General.

0 The Tasmania!! Assembly has passed a bill for the assessment of land of an unimproved value. It provides for selfassessment, the Government having power to purchase at (en per cent, above the owner's valuation. Apparently the last has not yet been heard of the origin of " clause 21 " cf the Liquor Act. The matter is likely to be brought up in the Legislative Council, where a committee of investigation will probably be moved fur. According to Mr T. Mackenzie, a short time ago the cook at Bellamy's took to putting port wine in the soup, and the teetotalers immediately developed great partiality for extra big mugs of soup. The Hon Mr Mitchelson intends to move for a return showing the amount of money drawn by each Minister of the Crown for travelling allowances and expenses from April 8, 1889, to March 31, 1894. If the return is prepared it is likely to open the eyes of working men, the unemployed and others as to how the money goes. ' A mining expert, who has returned from Coolgardie, predicts that West Australia will be -the biggest aold-produc-ing colony in Australia, and. s;iys that when the batteries are erected the colony will yield as much gold as South Africa. Bitterly cold weather is being experienced throughout New South Wales, especially in the high lands, where two horsemen wer? frozen to death in the Kiandra district. Full}' 500 miles of the western slope are covered with snow, vrrying in depth from 3in to 2ft Gin. Mr Wragge, Queensland Government Meteorologist, warns New Zealand-bound shipping of rough seas and dirty weather, under the influence of Antarctic disturbances. An inflammatory placard which is being circulated throughout Queensland calls upon the men to join the union and thus raise funds to buy arms and ammunition to cany on a guerrilla warfare against the squatters, and to pick off " blacklegs" as they proceed through the bush. It also advocates the destruction of property, and soecially mentions certain members of the Pastoralists' Council to be first dealt with. The Canterbury Farmers' Co-operative Association has just declared a dividend 5 of 7 per cent, with a bonus of 3 per cent, for the year. The net profits amounted to LBBO2, and with the amount carried forward from last year there was a sum of L10,598 available for distribution. A 3 per cent, bonus was paid on wages and salaries, and a refund of 20 per cent, on all net commissions earned ; LlOOO was carried to the reserve fund and the balance to next year's account. Mr Mitchelson administered a dignified rebuke to the Government over the proposed alterations to the Standing Orders of the House. In congratulating the Government on having moved in this matter, he pointed out that the Atkinson Ministry, of which he was a member, had in two different sessions proposed similar amendments in the Standing Orders, but their efforts were defeated by the then Opposition, now represented by the present Government, who simply in order to harass the Atkinson Ministry left the chamber in a body whenever the question came up for discussion. By this means they prevented two-thirds of the House being present, as was required before any alteration of the standing orders could be made. The Sydney Morning Herald says : — " A renewal of the traffic from New Zealand is noted by the steamer Wakatipu The list of those on boardt he vessel comprised 40 in the saloon and 125 in the steerage. What this unusually large number in the second-class means is that, poor as times are in Sydney, there is nothing at all doing to induce men to remain in New Zealand. " What with her so-called reform Parliament, the protected local industries, and the oldwoman tone of the people right through from the North Cape to the Bluff," said a Wakatipu passenger, " New Zealand is as dull as it was after the withdrawal of the troops, 3o years ago."' The people that arrived' by the Wakatipu are for the most pj.rt of the artisan class. Several, so far as conld be ascertained, came over, here on a sort*of prospective trip, leaving their families behind. A large number have >»een residents of New Zealand for years."

Captain Russell, as chairman of the Racing Conference, has convened a specialmeeting for the 25th inst. to consider Sir Robert Stout's Gaming Bill. Moa footprints were recently laid bare in the Manawatu George which were twice as large as those discovered in Poverty Bay, and showed a clearly marked claw, absent from the Poverty Bay prints. There are 70 dairy factories and 40 creameries in the North Island, and 48 factories and 68 creameries in the South Island, or a total of 178 against 104 in June last year. Mice in some of the agricultural districts of Victoria are very numerous, and the damage done by them to grain stacked in the barns and sheds is enormous. Haystacks, sheds, and outbuildings are literally swarming with thorn, and houses are the same in many cases. At the Police Court, Dnnedin, on Monday, Grieve, tram conductor, was sentenced to 24 hours' imprisonment for obtaining money fraudulently from the Benevolent trustees.- It transpired that he had made restitution, which together with costs comes to L 52. A timber getter in the Casino district, New South Wales, met with a horrible death. He got one of his hands caught between two logs and was unable to extricate himself. For eight days he remained jammed in that position, and when discovered was dying from starvation, thirst, and exposure. Under the Masters and Apprentices Rill provision is made that where practicable every apprentice shall be compelled to attend Divine service at least once every Sunday, and particular attention must be paid to his morals. A fine not exceeding LlO is the penalty for neglect of this on the part of the employer. Half the earnings of apprentices are to be put into the Post Office Savings Bank and remain there until the apprentice is out of his or her time. , Last year the Victorian people paid L 84,000 duty on woollen goods for the protection of seven woollen mills, employing 639 hands This means a subsidy of L 153 per annum for each woollen mill employe, tak3n out of the pockets of the taxpayers who use woollen goods. These facts are taken from the official statement of the president of the Melbourne Master Tailors, who, with Lheir employes, are demanding a reduction of the duties in order that they may live. Speaking in the discussion on Sir R. Stout's Gaming Bill Mr Wi Pere said, " Horse racing is better than drinking." " Trotting meetings may improve the breed of horaes but they do not improve the breed of men." — Mr tVlontgomery. " In the new set of J.P.s recently added, some of them are "bookies. 1 " — MrCrowther in reply to Sir R. Stout's assertion that, the "bookies" would be severely dealt with for infringments of his bill. " I have been on one or two racecourses lately — (cries of Oh, Oh !) — and I have seen there quite, as good company as I sac in this House." — Mr Crowther. " I think this is an attempt te make horse racing honest, and I don't' think that possible." — Minister of Lands. During the hearing of a case in the Magistrate's Court, Invercargill, on Tuesday a receipt was produced bearing the date of September, 1890. Mr Macalistei, who appeared for the other side, pointed out that the stamp upon the receipt had an advertisement on its back, and reminded the court that advertising on stamps had not come into force until 1893. The receipt was impounded and inquiries are to be made, Mr Henderson, on behalf of the parties who produced the receipt, obtaining stay of judgment to enable him to clear the matter up. The magistrate complimented Mr Macaliater upon having "scored one " in making the discovery, and the point had ati fcssential bearing on the case. The Queensland Parliament was opeued on Tuesday. In the Speech from the Throne it was stated that trade prospects are improving. With regard to the shearing difficulty, the Government were determined to carry out the law firmly and forcibly, if necessary. The Budget, it is sairl, will indicate that rigid economy is still being practised. Reproductive works on a moderate scale are to be resumed, and extended facilities will be given for settlement on pastoral and agricultural lands. Among the bills to be introduced are mentioned those providing for a bonus on an export of dairy produce, for the suppression of gambling, and** for gold mining on freehold lands. The commissioners who were appointed to consider the proposed changes in the Constitution of Victoria have recommended the adoption of the referendum system in certain oases ; that the control of dissolutions be vested in the Legislative Assembly ; that Ministers of the Crown should have the right to sit and speak in both Houses, but only to vote in the House to which they belong ; that power be given to allow measures carried to a certain point in one session to be taken up at the same point next session ; that a bill which has been passed by the Assembly on two consecutive occasions and been rejected by the Council shall be sent direct to the constituencies, and if the popular vote is in favour of the measure it shall then be sent direct to the Governor for his assent. William Woollas, a minister of the Gospel and a member of .'the Invercargill Licensing Committee, was charged at Invercargill on Monday before Messrs Turnbull and Wilson, J.P's., with, on the sth mat., having committed perjury during the hearing of a charge of having used insulting language towards the committee preferred against F. W. Wade, solicitor, at whose instance proceedings were instituted. Without calling evidence for the defence, the Bench said the evidence for the prosecution did not warrant them going on with the case. They beligved that Mr Woollas really believed what he said to be true, and that he had nothing to gain by telling an untruth. Judge Rawson (Chairman of the committee) and Mr Fleming (another member) had both given similar evidence in the charge against Wade as that given by Mr Woollas, which was to the effect that the licensing committee had not finished its sitting when Mr Wade addressed the remarks which have since been adjudged insulting to the | committee. In reply to Mr Hall, solicitor for the defendant, whether the present proceedings reflected in any degree on Mr- ! -Woollas's reputation, the Bench said Mr Woollas left the court withont a stain on I his character, , i