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Evening Star, Issue 7161, 15 March 1887, Page 2

The Presbyterian congregation of Temuka have decided to give a call to the Rev. D. Gordon, of Invercargill. His Excellency the Governor was to have paid a visit to the Boys’ High School to-day, but was unable to do so. He Has, however, arranged to go to the school on Thursday afternoon.

The heads of the municipal bodies in and around Melbourne have decided on celebrating the Queen’s jubilee by a general illumination, and the erection in the city of a memorial statue. The criminal calendar at Hokitika was light, and caused the Chief Justice to congratulate the district on its immunity from crime. Henry Bonner, for forgery, and Michael Brennan, for breaking into premises and robbery, pleaded guilty, and were sentenced to two years’ hard labor. A new lodge of Freemasons, entitled tie Shakespeare, under the English Constitution, was opened at Melbourne on the 2nd inat. Its distinctive feature is that the primary object of the founders is total abstinence from intoxicating liquors, in conjunction with the forking of a Masonic lodge. The idea is a novel one in Victoria, but there is a lodge worked under the same principles in Tasmania. The monthly meeting of the Athenaeum Committee, last evening, was attended by Messrs J. R, Sinclair (in the chair), J. A. Barr, W, S, Fitzgerald, J, Logan, J. G. Moody (hon. treasurer), D. White, and W. B. Harlow (hon. secretary). The matter of the appointment of new trustees in place of Messrs Harris, Bathgate, and Macandrew (deceased) was referred to Messrs Sinclair and Barr. The secretary was instructed to thank the banks which presented directories to the institute.

Among the many unimagined blessings resulting from compulsory education, the disease, popularly known as St. Vitus’s dance is rapidly taking up a prominent position. In a paper contributed to the ‘ Lancet,’ Dr Octavius Sturges shows that, of all the cases of chorea which passed through his hands last year, as physician to the Great Ormond street Hospital, more than one-third were clearly attributable to school causes. Almost any of the celebrated “ features ” of the School Board system, it appears, is admirably calculated to bring on the ailment—over-schooling, the excitement of examinations, caning (espepecially when unmerited), and, more than all, the capital farce of home lessons where there is no home at which to prepare them.

A test of Mr J. M‘Donald’s cement was given at the Public Works Office yesterday afternoon, in the presence of Messrs Ussher and Stirling, df the Public Works Department; Watson, of the Defence Department ; Moltry, of the Railway Department; Boldini, Hislop, Anderson, Small, and others interested in the subject. Several 2.jin blocks of cement were tested in one of W. H. Bailey and Co.’s testing machines, with the result that they broke under the following force: No. T, 5951b pressure; No 2, 5901b; No. 3, 5801b; No. 4, 5761b; No. 5, 5901b. Mr M‘Donald intends having another and more public trial in the course of a few days. The fifth representation of “ The Mikado” at the Princess’s was witnessed by another crowded house, and as the season only extends for another fortnight, during which time other novelties have to be produced, there is every indication of the piece having to be withdrawn in the height of its popularity. Last evening the demands of the audience for encores, though somewhat unreasonable, were generally complied with For the convenience of Oamaru residents desirous of seeing ‘‘The Mikado” special excursion tickets will bo issued on Thursday, available for return pn the following day. Notwithstanding the crowded audiences it is attracting, this is the last time the famous opera will be performed, the first representation of “ lolanthe or The Peer and the Peri," being fixed for Friday. A constitutional question of some imfor tance has been raised in Tasmania. It is whether the Administrator of the Government (Sir W. L. Dobson) has not voided and vacated his office as Chief Justice, and the opinion of the law officers of the Crown, consequent upon the action of the AuditorGeneral in refusing payment of the salaries, is anxiously looked for. The Charter of Justice is asserted to remain in full force, except as amended. The proviso in the charter referred to as leaving power with the Crown was abrogated when a constitution was given the Colony, and it will be seen from the ‘ Mercury ’ that it refers to amendment, repeal, or alteration for the administration of justice, not administration of the Government. The ‘ Examiner ’ says that an elaborate opinion has been given by Mr M'Donald Ritchie, a constitutional lawyer of repute. At all events sufficient appears to be certain that grave doubts exist.

Hanlan has been taking advantage of the ignorance of his fellow-countrymen to blow his own trumpet. He thinks he will beat Beach in their next race. He has, however, explained his views on the respective merits of English and American oarsmen, and these are interesting. The failure of the Americans in their recent contests with Englishmen he attributes to the absence of the same perfect system of training which Englishmen undergo. While, says Hanlan, the American scullers are “ like a lot of schoolboys at play,” tho English are governed by strict rules, They row steadily in practice, and are never allowed to spurt. The Australians are even more strict than the English. Hanlan declares he has been watching ; the various methods for years, and hopes now to be able to effect something in the nature of a revolution in the American system. With good training he thinks his countrymen ought to secure and keep in their own hands the championship of the world.

At Wellington yesterday HenrV SaUnders was sentenced to fourteen days imprisonment for playing dice in a railway carriage. The death la announced of Dr, Blair, one of the leading medibal men of Melbourne, and one of the founders of the Alfred Hospital in that city, Two sharp shocks of earthquake were felt early this morning. The times vary from 4.30 at Nelson to 3.30 at Westport, where a third shock was experienced. H. M. Stanley, before leaving England to take command of the expedition for the relief of Emin Bey, was presented with the freedom of London, and is the first journalist who has received that honor. Count Von Moltke, a nephew of the great Gorman warrior, appeared at the Williamstown Police Court on March 9, charged with a trifling offence, and, after explanations from his guardian?, was discharged, The case of William Stuart v, the Dunedin Jockey Club, in which the plaintiff claims to recover the sum of L 23 invested by him in the Consolation Stakes on a horse that did not win, comes off at the Resident Magistrate’s Court on Friday. It is proposed to establish a hospital for consumptives at Melbourne, and at a preliminary meeting L 1,600 was subscribed. Governor Loch stated that 320 cases of consumption were treated at the Melbourne Hospital last year. Nine hundred of the Sydney unemployed were employed on the Field of Mars Common, and a number of them are engaged clearing a block of land at Como. But a number of malcontents refuse to work for less than six shillings a-day, and these parade the streets of Sydney. Mayor Devore is moving for the establishment of a Municipal Association for the whole Colony, whose province it should be to watch over and protect the interests, rights, and privileges of municipal corporations, and to promote the efficient carrying out of municipal government throughout the Colony. At an inquest at Queenstown touching the death of An infant child named Ellen Dale, it appeared from the evidence that the child, being left on the kitchen floor by Mrs Grant, who had charge of it, must have been drowned by overbalancing itself while apparently trying to get some cabbage out of a bucket of water left on the floor. An ‘ExtraordinaryGazette,, issued yesterday afternoon, further prorogues Parliament until the 23rd of March. At a meeting of the Cabinet last night it was decided that Parliament should bo called together for the despatch of business in the last week in April, but the exact date will not be fixed until the Governor is communicated with. According to custom it should be April 29. Professor Hutton intends to propose the following motion at a meeting of the Christchurch Jubilee Committee, to be held this evening“ That Her Majesty’s jubilee be commemorated by the establishment of an institution, to be called the Queen’s Institute, for the purpose of giving instruction in manufacturing industries throughout the the provincial district of Canterbury by means of ‘ trade schools ’ and lectures.”

Alluding to the frequency of cases in which persons refuse to cut down the body of a hanging man until the police have arrived on the spot, and to the evidence on this point given at the inquest on Kirk last week, the ‘ Tiinaru Herald’ says s —“As there is a State system of education some attempt might be made in the schools t-o explode popular fallacies and errors, of which there "ar j many carefully handed down from generation to generation. Amongst them is the error that a man found hanging must not he cut down till the police have had a look at him. The rising generation might be taught that the proper thing to do is to whip out a knife at once and sever the rope before going away and spreading the news that ' Billy has done it at last.’ ” During a desultory discussion at the School Committee meeting last evening the increasing attendances at the public schools were commented on. According to the ‘ North Otago Times ’ it was stated that notwithstanding the removal of many working men, the population of the town had been augmented by the increase in the number of children, who, as they grew up, flooded the public schools. Mr Procter computed that in Oamaru alone 200 boys had left school last year, and a similar number would now leave annually. Where they wore to find employment was more than he could tell. They would certainly leave the country. Mr Wilson considered it a pity greater facilities were not given for the settlement of the land. A few years ago the cry was for more population, and to-day the question was What shall be done with the population wo have? There was plenty of room in New Zealand for the rising generation, and education should tend more to the cultivation of a taste for agricultural pursuits than the present system did. At a meeting of the Roslyn and Kaikorai branch of the Protection League —Mr Roberts, chairman—held yesterday evening, Mr Hutchison, the president of the League, was present, and took the opportunity of referring to some remarks on Freetrade and Protection made by Mr Barron, M.H.R., at the opening of Mr James M'Donald’s cement works at Green Island on Saturday. Mr Hutchison said his friend Mr Barron was rather premature in averring that Mr M'Donald had no care for Protection of any kind—that he scorned it. Everyone was gratified at Mr M‘ Donald’s enterprise, and hoped for its success, and if he wished no addition to the tariff it would be a mistake to force it upon him. But the duty of Is per barrel of 4001b upon Portland cement and plaster of paris was considerable; it might be regarded as protective, or only for revenue purposes, as one chose to look at it; all such duties wore to be considered and settled in the light of general requirement and surrounding circumstances. But notwithstanding Mr M'Donald’s scorn of Protection, he wanted it all the same. His Protection took the form of a reduction of railway rates. True enough, he did not cringe or whine to the Government to obtain these, but he stormed and used strong language, which amounted to much the same thing. Mr Hutchison proceeded to show that a reduction of railway rates to a local industry was as much protection as an increased import duty; and if Protection were foundnecessary it was a matter of indifference to its advocates whether it came in one form or another. That, too, was a question of expediency to be determined by the circumstances of the particular case. He believed that the railways might be made helpful to various local industries, and they might bo so. Mr M'Donald had a strong claim to bo agisted in this way, and if the railway management was what it ought to be, much would be done by this means. The meeting heartily endorsed Mr Hutchison’s remarks. This branch has started vigorously, and promises to number a largo following in the district.

Meeting of Zingari Football Club on Friday. North Dunedin Rifles parade on Wednesday, at eight, Dunedin Engineer Corps meet after drill tomorrow. Accident Association’s annual general meeting i n 30th inst. Excursion train to Wailiola on the 23rd in connection with Volunteer Review. Mr F. Bicknell, accountant of the Union Bank at Oamaru, has been transferred to a similar position at Napier. The Railway Department will run an excursion train to Waikouaiti on race day. Given fine weather, the outing should prove very enjoyable. D. K. Rhodes, who has been committed for trial for alleged embezzlement, was not postmaster at South Dunedin, as some people appear to have assumed. Miss Mouat still retains that position. A very serviceable little steam launch has recently been constructed by Messrs A. and J. Davys and Ellis, of this City. She is 25ft long, with a sft beam, and is fitted with a vertical tubular boiler tested to 3001b with cold water pressure. She steams at a very good rate, and, as a pleasure-boat, has turned out a marked success. We are informed that the statement we published last week on the authority of a cablegram received by Mr Shelton to the effect that the Grand Lodge of Druids had granted a dispensation for the establishment of a Grand Lodge for the Middle Island was quite incorrect, as the following extract from the. official minutes will show: “ After considerable discussion, a motion to grant a dispensation to New Zealand was withdrawn, on the understanding that, in the event of a fresh application being mads for a district grand lodge prior to the August Beard meeting, the application will appear on the business paper for the halfyearly meeting in September next.”