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Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 5970, 24 October 1890, Page 2

A baby boy belonging to an Otago man has been christened " Sir Robert Stout MoTavish."

Dr. do Lisle has given £5 for the besi school essays by school children on how tx treat dumb animals.

Our Hastings correspondent writes that Mr T. Tanner is very muoh better, and progressing every day.

No person who takes intoxicating liquor can enlist in the Salvation Army, and no one in the army can hold any office in the corps if ho smokes tobacco.

The storm which has prevailed at Auckland for some days has now abated. The rainfall was the heaviest known in Auckland for some years. No damago was d™o.

The Scinde Lawn Tennis Club open their season to-morrow, and members are invited to bring thoir friends. The committee will provide afternoon tea, so there should be an enjoyable outing.

Tho rocent production of "Rip Van Winkle" by the amateurs resulted in a profit of nearly £130. This encouraging result should lead to still greater excellence iv their future productions.

Mr F. Sutton, J.P., sat on tho Bench at tho R.M. Court this morning, Samuel Rollcton, charged with having been found drunk, was fined 5s and costs or 21 hours' imprisonment with hard labor.

The War Cry says of Napier :—" Ofibera and soldiers are on tho way to victory. Sympathy in a very practical form is manifested by the peoplo. The crowds aro incre.Hing.' Well, now, we should not have thought it.

At the Ulawarra Steam Navigation Company's Wharf, Sydney, during the loading of the Ulawarra, a huge carpet snake. 9ft Gin in length, was in the act of going aboard when seen, and killed. Where it came from is a mystery.

Tho membersof tho different church choirs complain of boys loitering about tho doors and seriously interrupting the practices. The police, by putting in an occasional appearance, would soon put an cud to the nuisance.

Mr Sorrell has produced somo excellent cabinet photographs of the amateurs who took part in " Rip Van Winkle." Rip and Nick Vedder are taken in a number of scenes, and as tho pictures aro very fine, doubtless many of the public would liko to possess copies.

At tho meeting of the committoe of the Napier Half-holiday Association last nitrht it was decided to obtain tho viows of the Hawke's Bay candidates with reference to passing a Bill making it compulsory for shop assistants to obtain a weekly halfholiday.

At a general meeting of the Wesleyan Mission Baud on Monday night it was decided to hold a social entertainment on Monday, November 10th (Prince of Wales' Birthday), iv Trinity schoolroom. The proceeds are to bo devoted to the Western Spit Building Fund.

Complaints aro made that small boys, who ought to bo in bed, at late hours'in the evening throw shingle over tho fence into the bowling green. This gives the caretaker much unnecessary work, or should he fail to pick up a stone probably ono of the kuives of the mowing machine would bo mined. Any culprit caught in the act is not likely to Co spared.

Tbe deaths are announced of two reputed cent'narians—Peter Laing, of Elgin, whoso claims to tho honor wore much disputed a year ajro; and William M'Donald, of Loehboisdale, whose age -was declared to bo 111 years. A correspondent of the Glasgow Herald vouches for the undeniable correctness of this statement as to M'Donald's age.

Tho revenue of the United Kingdom, which showed a largo increase durinir tho last financial year (after allowing for reductions and remissions of taxes) again exhibits improvement, tho amount collected during tho first half of the present financial year (which commenced on Ist April) being £1,679,000 iv excess of the rovesue of tho corresponding period of 1889. This improvement reflects the exeollent condition of trade in the homo country.

At tho quarterly meeting of tho Grand Lodfre of English Freomisons, it was resolved to put on record the tribute of tho Freemasons to tho late Earl of Carnarvon. Tho resolution which is then to bo proposed says :—" His wise advico, his just ruling, and his unfailing courtesy will long be remembered by the Grand Lodge, over whose deliberations he has so often presided with conspicuous ability; whilst his increasing exertions for and devotion to tho best interest of the craft will over bo rocognisod as having signally contributed to the high position it now occupies." At the Police Court, Dunedin, yesterday William White, James Kerr, and George Hastie, trading as Whito and Co., were charged with selling pepper which was adulterated. Professor Black stated that tho samplo of black pepper produced contained 20 por cent, of foreign matter, which he would net Kay was not pepper husk. An objection was raised that pepper

was not food, and did not come within the meaning of the Adulteration Act, but this

Mr Carew overruled. A samplo of white pepper produced was stated by Professor Black to contain 9 per cent, of foreign matter. The defendant Hastie was fined £3 and costs on each charge, and the informations against White and Kerr were dismissed.

According to information received by tho Government, the oilicer in chargo of tho Thames telegraph offico had a very startling experience a day or two ago. During a storm the otlico was struck by lightning, and the operator (Mi Beale) who was sitting, on a stool at the timo, was knocked backward off his seat and, for tho momont, almost stunned. Tho room was at tho same timo filled with a bluish flame, and the lightning fused tbo gaspipu and ignited tho gas, tho llanios from which ran up the wall. Fortunately Blr Bealo was ouly slightly hurt, and with great presence of mind, he succeeded iv extinguishing the ilames aud saving the office from destruction. Mr Realo's coolness in a moment of groat danger hits not escaped tho uotice of bis superior officers, and it is satisfrotory to learn that he has boon recommended for a reward. Tho Rotorua correspondent of tho Auckland Herald says tho tourist traffic to that district is steadily growing. Lust season it wiiß tho largest ever known, and at the two chief hotels hero, Lako Houso and tho Palace, more thau eleven hundred people wero passed through the books. A careful estimate of tho numbers at all the other places of accommodation would bring- tho total to at least 1700. Tho valuo of this traffic to tho colony may be judged when it is stated that the oxpendituro of each

tourist roaches fully £100 from first to last iv railway and steamboat fares, hotel bills, photographs, curios, aud other miscellaneous items. The total expenditure last year was therefore at least £170,000, aud the time is not far distant when this amount will be increased three or fourfold.

A meeting of the shareholders in the Colonial Insurance Company is called for November '24 th iv Wellington to considor tho following proposals which the diroetois of tho company consider should be accepted :—l. " That it is expedient to effect a sale of tho assets and business of the Colonial Insurance Company to another company for tho sum of £50,000 (equal to ten shillings per share), and that with a viow thereto this company bo woundup voluntarily, and that Messrs John Bateman Haroourt, Edward William Mills, Jacob Joseph John Kirkoaldie, and George Mayo Kobble be, siva they are hereby appointed, liquidators for the purpose of such winding np " 2. '« I hat a conditional agreement dated the 21st day of August, 1890, and by a telegram dated the 21st day of October, 1890 _übraitted to this meeting, be, and the same is hereby approved, and that the liquidators be, and they hereby arc, authorised to adopt tho said agreement, modified as aforesaid and curry tha same into effect." '

Owing to the heavy state of the Auckland Domain ground through the recent raiiiß, the eight hours' demonstration fixed for the 28th of October has been postponed until Mon-

day, November 10th. Tho statement that the Salvation Army intended to walk in the

demonstration procession is denied by the authorities of that body. The Mayor of Auckland has received a letter from the Employers' Association objecting to the proclamation of a holiday on the 28th inst., and suggesting- tho Prince of Wales' Birthday as more suitable for tho fete. A conference took placo at Wellington yesterday with reference to tho position of, the merchants of Wellington and others in connection with demonstration day. Representatives from the Harbor Board, the Employers' Association, the Chamber of Commerce, the Union Steamship Company, the Shaw, Savill, and Albion Company, the New Zealand Shipping- Comp my, Messrs. Duthie and Co., and Messrs. Johnson and Co. were present. After somo discussion the question whether the day should be observed as a holiday was referred to the I Employers' Association.

There is a welcome change in the tenor of his week's mail advices from the manufacturing districts of Knirland, and there is

now much to encourage the hope that the advance whioh ha-i just t ii.en place in London is due more to an improvement in trade than to the anticipated s •rcitv of supplies. We learn from t c Brad rd Observer that at. Bind ford, on August _8 and 21, the tone of the wool market was deciiedly firm, notwithstanding the fact that tbe great annual local holiday somewhat interfered with business English wool continued to maintain its price with wonderful steadiuess, considering the reluctatice of buyers as a rule to do more than cover their immediate requirements. Prices, inderd, were not any

lower than thoy were five or six weeks earlier. In colonial wool, however, business continued dull, and in merino tops it was most unsatisfactory. There was no change in mohair, but some transactions in alpaca of a low grade indicated that values wero fully firm. The firmness which characterised the wool market was al«o reflected in tho yarn trado. Spinners were most fairly well engaured, and although the new orders

coining forward wore not large, there was no disposition to make even to secure business.

A curious feat, which is pointed out in an

article iv the St. James's Gazette, is that whilo women are winning academic victories at the universities they are losing trround as operatic vocalists. Taking the

iiarket value of singers as a test, it is found

that almost everywheie tho leading- men are more highly paid than their feminine coadjutors, not only in th" case of tenors but of baritones and bassos also. A single instance will illustrate this When Verdi's " Otello" wis produced at Milan taree years ago it was a very great event in the opoiatic world, and he had the pick of all the best Italian singing artists of the day. He mode his Own choice, and the relative value of the sinpers may be considered typical. The tenor received £140 a nisrht, the biritone £120, and the soprano £80. The preference which is now (riven to male voices is attributed to the change which has come over the lyric stage. Ihe superiority of the female voice over the male lies essentially in its greater lightness, flexibility, and rangequalities which facilitate the execution of rapid and difficult passages. When florid music was in vogue tho female voice was preferred to tho male on account of these qualities, but new executive brilliancy is at a discount. The old opera is being everywhere superseded by the musical drama, and consequently vocalisation is giving way to declamation.

A man named Roger Henry Jamieson was acquitted on a charge of attempted murder under peculiar circumstances at the Central Criminal Court in Sydney. The accused, a young man. at one time kept a tailor's shop iv tho Hotel Metropole Buildiugs, and Thomas Frewin, a particular friend, often came to the placo. Jamieson suspected that undue intimacy existed between his wife and his friend, and finally obtaining proof that his suspicions were well founded, commenced divorce proceedings, and made Frewin co-respondent. Frewin heard of Jamieson's intended action, and decided to leavo the colony, but he was indebted to Jamieson in a considerable sura, and the latter obtained a writ ca re against hira and cast him into prison. While Frewin was there Jamieson visited him with tho intention of serving him with tho necessary citation for the divorce proceedings, and in a moment of supreme passion, at tho sight of the destroyer of his household happiness, he drew a revolver and twice fired at Frewin. Neither of tho shots took effect, and Jamieson was soon overpowered by tbo warder who was in attendance. The jury returned a verdict of not guilty, on tho ground that when the prinotier fired the shots ho was suffering from temporary insanity. In answer to a question of the judge, the jury said thoy considered tho man perfectly sane at the present time. The judiro ordered the prisoner to be confined during the Governor's pleasure.

It is a rare thing to sco in an English Court (remarks the Daily News) what was seen at tho Old Bailey recently, an instance of sympathy with a criminal overpowering the sense of his crime. Tho prisoner had attempted to murder his sweetheart and to make away with himself, but when judge, jury, sheriffs, and aldermen had heard the details of tho story thoir admiration and compassion rather than their abhorrence were aroused. The jury rocommended the prisoner to meroy, the judsro let him off with a nominal sontence, the prison chnplain expressed a desire to marry the prisoner and his victim, and judge, jury, sheriffs, aud aldermen all joined in raising a fund to start the couple on their matrimonial voyage. The prisoner delivered a sort of thanksgiving from tho dock, and after a trying display of emotion tho parties left the court to arrange for the wedding all really goiu.-, " merry as a marriage b~lL" In this case it would seem that all parties regarded tho prisoner's crime as a momentary madness, the result of despair, atoned for in the remarkable devotion of the young mau to his sweetheart. The girl and her brother were in want, and tho prisoner, thoush only earning: £1 a weak, half of which he allowed his mothor, took sister and brother out of tho workhouse aud insisted on their sharing his trifling income. The girl, unable to endure tho thought of being such a burdeu to him, left the house. The devoted admirer then lost his senses, and rashly tried to take her life and his own. Th. details were too pathetic even for justice to be stern.

Sad news comes from the Dep.rtment of the Marne, the headquarters of the champagne industry (reports the Paris correspondent of the London Daily Telegraph.) The terrible phylloxera has made its appearand, in the vineyards. Hitherto the Ohampenois grapes havo enjoyed a favored immunity from the scourge—or at least it was so supposed—while other parts of France were devastated by its insidious and predatory ravages. Its marks, however, havo now been found iv tho country stretching from Vincollos and Trcloup They havo been examined closely by experts, wLo admit sadly that tbe phyiloxera is undoubtedly at work. It is also their opinion, judging from the extent to which tbo stocks have been affected, that the insect has been iv the locality for the last two or threo seasons all unknown to the proprietors, who have often been urged to tako precautions lest the dreaded parasite should infect their plants. It seems, however, to have been present in their midst without their knowledge, although its development has become menacing only this summer. The Prefect of tho Marne at onco informed the Minister of Agriculture of the disastrous news, and this H-terooo—. the departmental professor of Uj.rioultu.o has gone down to the infected localities, where, ussi.tod by an inspector specially trained for dealing with tho phylloxera, ho will take every means to stop the spread of its blighting otfecta. The intelligence has spread consternation in the Kpenuiy district, where the inhabitants are mainly dependent on the champagne vinoyards for their livelihood. What effect it will have upon the sparkling wine itself remains to be seen. It is to be hoped that if iho phylloxera itself is to be exterminated thenhcniioals employed for that purpose will not have a bad eli'-ot upon the vinos.

For value, strength, flavor, and purity, try India and Ceylon Tea, 2s, 2s 4d, 2s Sd lb. A. Wauo.ii, opposito Blythe and Co., drapers.

The Five O'Clock Tea is Perfection, Davidson, Irvine, and Co., agents.