The Evening Star. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 7, 1888.

Evening Star, Issue 7787, 7 December 1888, Page 2

The Evening Star. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 7, 1888.

When the Otago Central Railway Bill was, owing to the machinaT j!l?™?° tions of the member for Ventral. Dunedm South and others, for various reasons opposed to opening up the interior of Otago, hopelessly blocked, the Premier proposed to the House two alternatives. The first, eventually accepted, was that the Government should undertake to push the line on to Middlemarch as rapidly as possible, that being, as he stated, " the " first profitable point which will tap " the agricultural country." Then in the recess, Sir Harry Atkinson stated that he himself and the Minister of Public Works would visit the district, and if they found that " the "line, in the interests of settle- " ment, should go further," they would "be prepared to make a " recommendation to the House during " next session." It is in pursuance of this undertaking that the flying squadron of Ministers, officials, and legislators is now on its way through the interior of Otago. It may, perhaps, be thought that the rapid progress which is being made must prevent more than a casual inspection of the character of the land, except in the immediate vicinity of the main roads; but, since there are available comprehensive reports by thoroughly competent authorities, this does not seem to be at all necessary. Sir Harry Atkinson and Mr Mitchelson, independently of their political ability, are men of observation and sound common sense; and, seeing the country for themselves in its general contour, circumstances, and environments, will be enabled to come to a conclusion as to the value of the documentary and other evidence which is and has been before them. It is, further, very important that they should meet the present settlers of ail classes and occupations, and note what has been effected in the face of existing disadvantages. We feel convinced that they will judge for themselves, and shall be surprised if their judgment is not in favor of the completion of the line right through with as little delay as possible. At many points of their journey they can hardly fail to be struck with the capabilities for prosperous settlement which we might say obtrude themselves, and with the certainty that such settlement must await the establishment of through railway communication with the port. The construction of the line involves, indeed, great possibilities, and it is clear to demonstration that the postponement of tii.. work is a postponement of progress and prosperity which, though immediately local, will eventually beneficially affect the whole colony. The only insolvency declared this week is that of William Francis Wilkinson, of Dunedin, ironmonger. The new Opera-house at Wollington was opened last night by the Amateur Operatic Society with a performance of the ' Mikado.' The amount of loss of the united insurance companies on the Belfast factory buildings, assessed at L 10,500, was paid yesterday. It is notified in tho ' Gazette' tiiat the Governor will grant a free pardon to any person not the principal offender who will give such evidence as will lead to the apprehension and conviction of the person who set fire to the Star Brewery, Gisborne. The Phcenix Insurance Company offer a reward of LIOO for the offenders. At this morning's sitting of the Police Court Detective Henderson asked that a prisoner named Arthur Gibson, at present nndergoing sentence in Nelson Gaol, be remanded tti Dunedin to answer a charge of stealing a finger-ring (valued at L 5) from Donald A. Boss, Club manager, of Dunedin. The application was granted. A peculiar statement is made in connection with the destruction by fire of the Rotorua Sanatorium. There is a capital water supply under high pressure; a fire plug within twenty yards of the kitchen wherein the fire broke out; a supply of hydrants, hose, and branches; a doctor, two bathkeepers, and two gardeners, who might have been trained to act as a fire brigade—and not one of them knew how to fix a hydrant ! Two thousand pounds gone for the sake of a pennyworth of technical education.

Mr Henry Clark has been reappointed chairman ef this Srue'c County Council. Tito Supreme Court will not sit for the 'despatch of criminal business on Monday, January 4.

The Palmerston and Waikouaiti School Committees voted for Dr Stenhouse for the Education Board.

Mr Josiah White, traveller to Messrs Cock and Co., and well known throughout the colony, died at Nelson on. Wednesday; aged sixty-nine*

The single men on Bealey road works have been dismissed, and only married men retained. The men state that they cannot eal*h more than 3s to 4s per day on Hi's work.

A four-roomed house at Hamilton, belonging to Mrs Lees, was burnt on Wednesday. The insurances were—On the house L2OO, and on the furniture Ll5O, all in the New Zealand Office.

At the Wellington Supreme Court Richard Fisher, charged with horse stealing, was acquitted. Francis Kiernan, late of the Owen-, was charged with forging and uttering a receipt for silver scrip, and was also found not guilty. The Auckland Resident Magistrate has made orders against three parties tint they should send their children to school under the compulsory clauses of the Education Act. The City Schools Committee prosecuted in the cases, and costs were granted.

A telegram received by the directors of the New Zealand Stud Company states that \io horses of the Tekapo's shipment have been sold, and the Government are still selecting animals for artillery purposes. Nothing is stated as to the price. At the inquest on Mrs Thomas King, found dead in her house at West Eyreton, Dr Weld deposed that he could find no signs of disease in the body. He attributed death to deceased's working hard immediately after"a heavy meal. A verdict was returned to that effect.

John Warren, a Salvation Army colorsergeant, in the course of an open air address at Birmingham the other day, said : " I am prepared to meet my God. Sudden death would be sudden glory." He had uttered but a few sentences more when he fell down dead. The cause of death is certified on medical authority to have been heart disease.

A most unusual occurrence happened at the Theatre Royal, Hanley (England), on a Saturday night. While Mr Osmond Tearle was playing Brutus to a crowded house, a laboring man named Ford became so strongly excited thac he broke a blood vessel and died before he could be removed from the house. Many cases can be quoted where actors have died on the stage or been struck down by fatal illness ; but this is said to be the first recorded case of an actor causing the death of an auditor.

Some butchers who desired to acquaint customers that they had not purchased the frozen meat saved from the Bolfast fire, inserted an advertisement offering L 5,000 reward for proof that any one of them had done so. It is stated that the reward is about to be claimed on the ground that one of the men whose names appear at the foot of the advertisement can be proved to have ho ght and retailed some of the meat in question. An interesting denouement will probably follow. Inspector Thomson informs a Wellington Licensing Committee that, in consequence of the recent decision of the Court of Appeal to the effect that it is illegal for married females whose husbands are still living to hold licenses, he feels it to be incumbent upon him to take action in reference to two houses—the Pier Hotel, conducted by Mrs Smith ; and the Central, by Mrs Ormsbie. He admits that a hardship will be inflicted in both cases, seeing that no complaint can be made as to the management of either house ; but he can see no other course open to him He is not quite clear that he will not also have to take similar action in the cases of the Albion and Ship Hotels, for in both cases the houses are held by women whose husbands live on the premises. The Paris correspondent of the ' Sydney Morning Herald' says :—•" The publication of the Emperor Frederick's diary has intensely angered the Great Chancellor ; and the suit he is bringing against its publishers is expected to make revelations not calculated to strengthen the general hope of peace, which becomes more and more eager as the enormity of the next war, should it be allowed to break out, becomes more and more evident. Meantime, each Power continues its efforts to increase its means of attack and defence, all those who have seaboards devoting themselves specially to the strengthening of their navy, a general conviction gaining ground that the next war; whatever its pretext and preliminaries, will be decided on the sea.

One of the Christchurch papers is responsible for the following:—"A gentleman who arrived in the colony by the Rimutaka was in the Lyttelton office of the Union Steam Ship Company, procuring «a ticket for a northern port to go by one of the company's steamers. After having got his ticket, the gentleman desired to know what arrangements were made in the colony by which friends of drowned passengers could be acquainted with the fact. The clerk looked bewildered ; he was not aware that such a circumstance was provided for, and the new arrival also put on a look of astonishment, and said: ' What if the steamer qoes down! How are my friends to know that I was on board ? Fearful, that. I must insist that you take my name and other particulars relating to me in case ofj an accident.' His request was complied with, but, it is almost needless to say, the Rotorua reached hor destination safely, and the new chum's friends will not receive his obituary notice just yet." A large and appreciative audience assembled at the Garrison Hall last night to hear the Jubilee Singers in one of their enjoyable concerts. As usual, the numerous encores upon which the audience insisted were readily complied with by the singers, and the concert was in consequence somewhat protracted. Miss Patty Malono was in splended voice, and gave an acceptable rendering of the ballad 'The old folks at home' (with chorus by the company), and in response to an enthusiastic recall she repeated the last verse. Mr Loudin sang 'The old sexton' and 'The laziest man about town,' and in both selections his powerful and well-trained voice was heard to advantage. The remaining portion of tho programme consisted of a number of quartets and choruses, the most acceptable, perhaps, being 'Steal away home' and •Jingle bells.' The Singers give another concert this evening, and as the farewell nights are announced those who have not yet heard them should avail themselves of the opportunity at once. One of the most ingenious of recent American inventions is a calculating machine called " The Comptometer." It is the work of a resident of Chicago, and with its ?id the most complicated mathematical computations can be made with great ease, accuracy, and swiftness. The instrument is 144 in long, 7Jin wide, sin high, and weighs 81b. It can be placed upon an ordinary table. It differs from all other machines of this character, as it can bo worked with a type-writer keyboard. This machine performs large multiplications in a secondof time. It was recently tried by the official experts at the Treasury at Washington. Various examples not previously known to the inventor were given to him for the testing of his apparatus, as well as to experts detailed from tho Treasury. The machine always surpassed the experts in speed, and was invariably correct. The inventor was given an example like the following:—" Suppose you bring L 234 from England to New York, where the rate of exchange is 4.84|d01, what isjthe American value of your money." In one second of time this marvellous calculating machine recorded the correct answer of 1,134.60|d01.

Received: ' Otago University Review' for November. It is Alexander Henry Kinnimont who has been committed for trial for embezzlement. We regret that the name was misprinted in our last night's issue. A correct philosophy of the great French Revolution In popular form has long been a desideratum. Mr John Gammell, 8.A., late inspector of schools for Southland, proposes to attempt this, in three lectures, the first of which will be delivered on Sunday evening next at tho Lyceum Hall, Sir Robert Stout in the chair. The first lecture is 'lntroductory,' the second is entitled ' Reform,' the third 'At Bay.'

The Dunedin and Caledonian Lawn Tennis Clubs play their annual fixture on the former's court to-morrow.

There is on view at the Bhop of Mr D. Bethune, King street, the carcasses of several of the animals that secured first honors at the recent agricultural show. The display is an excellent one.

A largely-attended meeting of ladies was held in the Oaversham Hall on Thursday evening for the purpose of holding a bazaar at an early date next year, the proceeds to be devoted to obtaining a set of instruments for the Caversham Band. The Bind Contest Committee have secured the services of Miss Woolridge and Mr Densom, who will render solo 3 between each selection by the respective bands. This addition to the programme ib sure to prove welcome to those who patronise the entertainment.

Mr A. H. Norman, who has been in the service of the BanlfroFNew Zealand here for about sixteen years, has been transferred to the bank's branch at Christchurch, and proceeded to his new sphere of duty this morning. He will be greatly missed in local musical circles The annual meeting of the. Dunedin and Caledonian Bowling Clubs takes place tomorrow, and as both put strong teams in the field a keen contest may be anticipated. The Taierl bowlers try conclusions against the Roslyn Club on the latter's green. A public meeting will be held this evening at the Y.W.C. A. Rooms in Moray place to form a branch of the St. John Ambulance Association. The good work which is being done by the branches of this Association in teaching may be judged by jthe f »,ct that it issues certificates at the rate of 12,000 yearly.