The Evening Star. MONDAY, DECEMBER 5, 1887.

Evening Star, Issue 7386, 5 December 1887, Page 2

The Evening Star. MONDAY, DECEMBER 5, 1887.

The English mail will arrive by the North express to-night, and there will be a delivery between nine and ten o’clock. His Honor Judge Ward will arrive in Dunedin on Wednesday, and will take Chamber business on Thursday and Friday. It is understood that the Midland Railway Company have cabled out their acceptance of the amended contract, except in one not important particular. The Dunedin Bowling Club have appointed the following skips to play a match at Roslyn on the 17th inst.: —J. Cowie, W. Harrow, D. Baxter, and A. W. Maoarthur, A son of Captain Laurell, station-master at Pleasant Point, was on Thursday afternoon accidentally killed by a kick from a horse in the abdomen. Deceased was six years old. There was a crowded attendance at the “ Royalties ” on Saturday night, an da good deal of business was done. Considering the number of counter-attractions and the bad weather the takings have been good. Warden Carew held a special sitting of the Warden’s Court this morning, when Henry Lyders was fined 4s and coats (Cs), in lieu of forfeiture, for non-renewal within the regulation time of a water-race at Hindou, The following are the number of candidates for the public examination conducted by the Education Department: Senior Civil Service, 41; junior Civil Service, 154: teachers’ examination, 802. Total, 1,057. The South Canterbury Education Board have declined to accede to the request of the local school committee that the headmaster should be transferred, as the outcome of the recent caning case at the Waimate High School. At the Oamaru Police Court on Friday Arthur John Denton, aged sixteen years, was committed for trial for criminally assaulting a young girl. Evidence was given that the boy was of weak intellect, and had been seriously injured by a fall oft' a horse over five years ago. The Invercargill Chamber of Commerce are opposed to the proposal to abolish Land Boards, and are of opinion that if the abolishment has been deemed necessary on the ground of economy, the Government should bo urged to continue the Boards, making the membership honorary. The ‘ Tuapeka Times ’ reports that on Wednesday morning the seven-stalled stable belonging to Mrs Rae, of Rae’s Junction Hotel, was destroyed by fire, together with about forty bags of oats, 110 bags of chaff, a saddle, threebridles, and 250 empty sacks. There was no insurance, and Mrs Rae sustains a loss of over LIOO.

Our Wellington correspondent wires : “ There arrived by the Kaikoura yesterday Mr E. W. Beckett (Conservative), member for the Whitby division of the North Kiding of Yorkshire. Mr Beckett, who is accompanied by his wife and intends staying some time in the Colony, is a member of the firm of Beckett and Co., bankers, of Leeds.”

Messrs W. Reid and J. R. Monson, J.F.s., presided at the Port Chalmers Police Court on Saturday morning. In C. E. Gauge v. L. W. Jones, claim L 7 10?, balance of account for board and lodging, Mr Platts appeared for plaintiff, and Mr North for defendant. An adjournment was refused, and judgment given for the amount, with I9s costs and 21s professional fee, In Robert Sharp v. W. J. Robinson, LI 7s, for board and lodging (Mr Platts for plaintiff), judgment went by default. Mr Richard Gale, of Kyeburn diggings, met with a serious accident on Thursday. < Mount Ida Chronicle ’ states that Mr Gale and his partner (Mr A. Blanchard) were working in their claim, when, without the slightest warning, a large mass of earth and atones fell from the face, partly overwhelming them both. Mr Gale was buried up to his thighs, and had his right arm broken, in addition to receiving several nasty bruises. Mr Blanchard, however, escaped with a few bruises. The monthly meeting of the Albany street School Committee held on Friday evening was attended by all the members. The head-master reported the attendance for the month as followsOn the roll; Boys, 402; girls, 394; —total 796. Average attendance for same period: Boys, 356; girls, 335; total, G9l. The Education Board wrote stating that they were not prepared to defray the cost of prosecuting the parents or guardians of absentee children. The Police Department reported five children in the district not attending school during the past mouth ; and it was resolved, on the motion of Mr Sinclair: “That, as the Education Board decline to assist the Committee in giving effect to the compulsory clauses of the Education Act, no action be taken in the matter.” The Education Board forwarded seventeen applications from for the position of fourth assistant, and it was decided to recommend Mr Alfred Matthews for the appointment. It was resolved to close .the school for the midsummer holidays from the 16th Inst, until the 23rd January.

The elect of St. Albans gets a thorough scarifying from the ‘Evening Press’ for constituting himself the champjon of journalism in the House, and asserting that newspapers lost by a general election. Says the ‘Press’:—“We may esy frankly for our own part, and we are sure that our remarks hold good for others, that a general election dae» materially increase the profits of journalism &e conducted by papers that are not afraid tQ meet the eyes of the candidates which they happen to oppose, by papers who can fight an honest battle, and who in calmer moments, when tl)e struggle is over, have not to lament a throng of old supporters lost .for ever, and alienated by the course indefensible methods of war indulged in by their late ally. His invitation to Captain Russell to ‘ start a paper and try it ’ himself is a very fair sample of Mr W. P. Reeves’ wit and wisdom and of that of the ‘ Lyttelton Times,’ and we can only regret that the electors of St. Albans have been so blind to their own and the Colony’s interest as to let such an intellect blow off its gases in Parliament. As to Mr Reeves’ further remarks that he would lose money by attending Parliament, we do not believe him, apd anyhow his private affairs are of no interest except to himself, and it is pure impudence and entire want of propriety that permits him to lay them before the House, No one asked Mr Reeves to leave the desk of the ‘ Lyttelton Times ’ and go me to Wellington, and though, of course, every one will be glad to hear that a salary of L2OO for two months’ lawn tennis at the capital will be a loss to him, no one will tpi«a him if he stays at home next time and nurses his income accordingly."

The ‘ Scotsman ’ of October 10 contains a highly eulogistic review of ‘ The State,’ the book written by Mr James H. Pope, formerly master of the Boys’ High School, Dunedin, and now inspector of Native schools under the Education Department. At a meeting of the City Council held to-day for the purpose of appointing representatives on the Hospital and Benevolent Institution Boards, the Mayor said that it might be desirable for the Council to hold a special meeting to consider the amending Municipal Bill now before the House of Representatives. It was resolved to hold a meeting on Wednesday evening with that object in view.

Mr Carroll was to day elected to represent the City of Dunedin on the Benevolent Institution Trustees. At a meeting of representatives of contributing local bodies held this afternoon, Mr A. C. Begg in the chair, Messrs J. Green, A. Callender, A. Solomon, A. C. Begg, George Calder, and M. Pagan were also elected trustees. The delegates present then proceeded to elect six Hospital Trustees, those chosen by ballot being Messrs J. Robin, J. Green, H. Clark, P. Miller, W. Bragg, and J. White. _ These, with Dr Hislop, who has been appointed to represent Dunedin City, constitute the Hospital Board for the year. New Zealand-made fire bricks and tiles are making a name for themselves outside the Colony. The Brunner Company sent a large shipment to the Ballarat Gasworks some time ago, and the Melbourne agent of the Company received a letter from the Gasworks Engineer, who states: —“The quality lam pleased with. There is little or no oxide of iron present, and 1 shall be disappointed if they do not stand severe heat. * I am building in three regenerative furnaces with the tiles, etc., where they will be subjected to the most severe test possible in a gasworks.” The ‘Star’says that Messrs Kinsey and Co., of Christchurch, have since received advice that the Ballarat Gas Company had ordered 20,000 Brunner fire tiles, and a large quantity of fire clay and bricks, so that the test has proved a most satisfactory one. The following is an extract from a letter from an old South Australian colonist to a gentleman in Christchurch : —“ I have said nothing respecting business between South Australia and New Zealand, but I am much afraid that the little which has been carried on between the two colonies is likely to grow less. We have fallen into the hands of the Philistines in the shape of Protectionists, and duties up to 25 per cent, ad valorem and equivalent specific duties have been placed on all manner of goods, in order to ‘induce their manufacture’ ostensibly, although a good many votes have supported the new Tariff really, I expect, to increase the revenue, which, no doubt, it will do for a time at any rate; and in our impeouniosity all additional revenue is acceptable to the Treasurer, from whatever source, although he professed to wish to drop the duties on tea and sugar, which ought properly to have been increased. I fear, however, that the timber, barley, oats, cheese, and butter, which we have been importing from you, cannot stand the duties now imposed, and that all the trade between ns will come to an end. ... As things are now in South Australia, it is impossible to hold out any encouragement for anybody to come here.”

A remarkable case of malingering was discovered in the State prison at Jackson, Mich. (U.S.), on September JO. In July of last year a man named Brott was sent up for three years for larceny, and for seven months lie developed symptoms of paralysis. He would suddenly fall to the ground while at work witli the gang; could not eat, and had to be sent to hospital. The muscles of his face became rigid, his eyes fixed, and he ceased to speak or eat, having to be fed with a spoon ; be was apparently deaf and could not see. In the meantime physicians from different parts of the t tate examined him, and all pronounced his ease one of paralysis. But Dr Williams, the prison surveyor, refused to be satisfied, and, convinced that Brott was shamming, hit a novel plan of exposing the imposture. Calling the attendants in the hospital, ho said to them in a very matter-of-fact sort of way that the convict could not live beyond a couple of days, and that day he should proceed to chloroform him, saw into his skull, and see what the disease was. The doctor then left, and soon Brott began to move about. Ho sent for one of the warders and confessed that he had been shamming in order to enlist sympathy and obtain a pardon. Next morning he was moving about as if nothing had happened. Dr Williams says he has only heard of one similar case in the United States.

The City Licensing Committee sat to-day to give a decision in respect to the application for a special transfer of a license for the Peacock Hotel. Mr Kettle said that the Corporation had received the fee and issued the license, and he now put in that document as evidence. Mr Adams was proceeding to argue that the premises were not licensed at the time the application was made, when the chairman (Mr H. Gourley) said that on Friday last a majority of the Bench were of opinion that under the present Act they were not in a position to grant the application, but as it was thought that they might be doing an injustice to the owner of the property the matter was adjourned with the view of getting a legal opinion on the case. Mr Sligo and himself had consequently interviewed Mr Haggitt, and the opinion given by that gentleman to a very great extent bore out the opinion entertained by a majority of the Commmittee, At that time it was considered that there was nothing to transfer. Since then, however, this license had been produced, dated the 17th June, This made the duty of the Committee a light one—they had something to transfer, and they were unanimous of opinion that the license should be transferred. ’ The application would therefore be granted. Mr Kettle mentioned that in a similar case recently adjudicated on in the North Island the license had been validated, and that could have been done in the present instance even had the Corporation refused to accept the fee. The license as originally issued did not expire until the Ist of July, so that it had never ceased to be in operation, Mr Sligo added that the Committee were quite satisfied as to what they had done. There was the license in evidence, and it was not for them to go behind that document and inquire how it came to be issued.

Highland Rifles annual concert and ball on January 2. Nominations to fill the extraordinary vacancy of councillor for High Ward, on Monday, 12th hist.

Jubilee Horticultural Society hold their December show on Friday. Entries close tomorrow.

The Hospital returns for the week are as follows Discharged, 1G; admitted, 12; death, one (Philip Macarthy); remaining in the institution, Kkv, A cantata entitled ‘ADay with our Lord’ was given in the Anderson Bay Qarrison Hall on Friday night by the choir of the local Presbyterian Church. The solos and the choruses were rendered with taste and precision. Mr W, Fraser conducted; Miss K, D. Burnside was pianist and Mr Lomas organist. The Rev. C. B. Fairey, the temperance lecturer, will give the first of a series of lectures in Dunedin in the St. Andrew’s School-room to-night, his subject being “Alcohol: What it ja and what it does.” lie has attracted large audiences'elsewhere, and has the reputation of being a very earnest worker in the cause of temperance and social reform.

Mr Liddy returned to town on Saturday evening, and is now busy arranging for the return season of the Majoronis, which commences at the Princess's on Friday night. The opening piece will be ‘The Foundry master,’ which’ )3 ap adaptation of Ohnet’s powerful novel. The Northern press speak very highly of the acting of the Majeropjs in it. A successful conceit was held in St. John’s Hall on Friday night in aid of the Kaikorai School prize fund. Notwithstanding the boisterous weather, there was a la’ge attendance. Mr F. Wilkinson (the chairman of the School Committee) occupied the chair. Solos were rendered by Misses Justice, Callendar, Moir, and M'Beath, and by Messrs Arbuckle, Adamson, and J. B. Kirkl The success of the evening was perhaps the glees fifing by the junior scholars, finder the leadership of Mr Kelk.' The senior scholars g,lso sang very well. A Word of praise is due to the orchestra, and to the Misses Chisholm, who played their'dijetyo'iy'nicely. Messrs T. K. H»rty and Co. t)ie local agents of Pond and Co. of Auckland, the patentees of a serviceable enamel-lined export packer, which is easily handled, saves fully 17i per cent in freight measurement, and holds 561b net. It is specially commended to those engaged in the manufacture of dairy produce, as being “ lighter, stronger, more easily managed, and equally cheap as the old firkin.’’ The lining is of an elastic nature, being perfectly clean, with all the advantages of a vitreous enamel, preventing the contents from coming into contact with the wood; consequently no damage or waste is caused by what is usually termed “muokage,” so very objectionable in the ordinary firkin. Their construction is so simple that any intelligent lad can put them together as required.