Local and General.

Dunstan Times, Issue 2091, 20 August 1901, Page 4

Local and General.

A social under the auspices of St. Michael’* Chinch is to be held to-morrow evening. An attractive programme has been drawn up. Through a local Government Act recently passed by the Victorian Parliament, members of local bodies ore personally liable for any overdraft at the end of tho financial year, Considerably over a million sterling was passed through the to'alisators at the different race meetings in the colony during the season just closed. Mr Chas. Cimino, late of Cross well, has been appointed choirmaster and organist at tho Hill-street Church, Wellington, Poor old China’s gone to pieces, Of her vast possessions reft, Day by day her power decreases, Soon there'll be but little left. She’ll no longer be a nation. But fer ever be obscure; Coughs and colds have no foundation, Dosed with Woods’ Great Peppermint Cure. We are pleased to hear that Mr J. PDuane, (late proprietor and editor of the "Cromwell Times" has been appointed editor of the West Coast 4 limes.’ We congratulate our contemporary on obtaining the services of so capable a journalist. Don’t Cough.—Relief can be obtained immediately. Use 44 KEATING’S COUGH LOZENGES”—weII known as the utterly unrivalled Cough Remedy, Strongly recommended by many eminent physicians They at once check the cough and remove the cause—without any after effect, the most delicate can therefore take them. One Lozenge alone gives ease—one o? two at bedtime ensures rept tin? w wjh

A rather striking poem “The Burden of the Sea,” will be found on our second page. A large portion of the retaining wall at the b ek of the town of Clyde collapsed last week. This was caused, we believe, hy a leakage from the water-race. The Government intend to introduc 6 legislation this session to prevent the natural beauties and scenery of the count, y being defaced by quack advertisements and other nauseous producions, Mr E. Gerkins, the owner of the famous trotting stallion Lauderdale, notifies that the horse will stand at his farm, Becks. Cards, etc. will appear in a future issue. The death is reported of Nordenskjold, the Arc ic explorer. Six inches of snow fed in the Widdeibu.n district on Wednesday last, iu six hours. A concert and dance in aid of the funds of the Lauder school is to be held in the Lander school on Friday, August 30. We understand that the management are sp eing no pains to make the entertainment an enjoyable one. A remarkable oase of sudden failure of memory is reported from Tunbridge Wells, in England. A seventeen-year-old girl was seen to suddenly dismount from a bicycle in a manner thai betokened illness, or seizure of some sort, and a passer-by went over to her and spoke to her, but she had completely forgotten her own name and residence, and everything concerning herself. She was conveyed to the hospital, and at latest advices she was still in ihe same condition. Mr Geo. Fache reports having sold at Alexandra on Saturday last a number of sections- town and suburban. It ifc worthy of note that the sec ions brought considerably more than at the Government sale some eighteen months ago, at the height of the dredging boom. This would seem to indicate that though there is a decided slump in the share market there is plenty of confidence in the oistiict. Mrs Ward, widow of the late Judge Ward, is petitioning Parliament for a compassionate allowance. She points out that her husband’s death was hastened by overwork, and that if he had retired on compensation the amount due to him would have been LISOO New Zealand theatre-goers will ret do a vivid recollection of Mrs Brown-Potter, the vivacious actress who recently visited these colonies. It will be a surpd e to them to learn that she has been officiating in a church pulpit to an emhusi. stic and overwhelming audience. She was introduced by a very modern Anglican mini tt-r the Vicar of Oorletton, on Sunday. June 30th, and it is chronicled i» the newspaper that the distinguished actress succeeded in moving her hearers as few preachers have ever done. She gave seve.al recitations at the end of a service than which nothing more stately, dignified, and imposing can be imagined. It began with a procession of clergy and choir singing. The rear was brought up by the vicar clad in gorgeous vestments. Mrs Brown-Potter stepped forward at the conclusion, and, to the accompaniment of the organ and choir, splendidly rendered Pope’s “ Ode to the Soul ” and Ella Wheeler Wilcox’s “ Requiem Ode on Queen Victoria’s Funeral.” AH were impressed and many were in tears. Many who came bitterly oppo ed to the certainly startling innovation quitted the church irankly acknowledging never having been so impressed. Mrs Brown-Potter was gowned in white and wore a picture hat. The vicar’s idea was to enhance the attractions of the service and for an hour before it began a great crowd besieged the doors as if the occasion were a theatrical first night. Hundreds were unable to gain admission, When the mail left it was rumoured that the Bishop would forbid a repetition of the incident. Some years ago, when Arthur Roberts was singing his song. “We are a merry family, we are, we are,” the present then Prince of Wales, was asked for the solution of a knotty point. He merely shrugged his shouideis and said, ‘We area Royal Family, V. R„ V. R.. V.R.’ The King’s resource, like his energy, is said to be extraordinary, and he is \ he life and soul of every party at which he may happen to be.

Some few months ago the Clyde Spoils Club went to considerable expense and no little trouble to beautify their grounds, by erecting a netting fence, and planting ornamental trees. This laudable desire on the club’s part has been, we believe, frustrated to a g cat extent by some one (presumably boys) making a practice of cutting holes in the wire netting—thus allowing th rabbits to get in an • destroy ,1 he trees. Some cons dcrable damage has been done in this way, but it behoves the offenders to becoefulas we uuderstan > that the Club intend to make an example of anyone caugh'. interfering with the fenoa or grounds. Here is an instance showing how harshly the Employers’ Liability -ct may work. A good reliable workman in Auckancl was unfortunately, liable to fits, and one employer after another declined to take the risk of an accident occurring to the man as the result of a fit. What has happened is that a man who is well able to ea n a good living has been driven to the fs'cw Zealand substitute for the woikhouse The employers cannot be blamed, as they have the possible risks to conside , and are not disposed to face a po-si le claim of £4OO for an accident against which they could make no possible provision, #as they arc powerless to protect the man fiom his own physical deioimity.