The Evening Star THURSDAY, JULY 16, 1891

Evening Star, Issue 8569, 16 July 1891, Page 2

The Evening Star THURSDAY, JULY 16, 1891

The Hon. Mr Reeves informed a Dunedin gentleman who was in Wellington recently that it is his intention to visit Dunedin at the close of the Beasion.

At a special meeting of the Albany street School Committee last night it was decided to recommend Mr William Thomson for the position of first assistant, vacant by the resignation of Mr Mahony, and to recommend Mr James Garrow for the second assistantship in place of Mr Thomson, A large number were present at the annual sale of work in connection with St. Matthew s Church Ladies' Guild, which was commenced yesterday. Five stalls, well stocked with all varieties of wares, are fitted np in the schoolroom, where the sale is held, and these are presided over by Mesdames Bridger, M'Lean, Evans, Rattray, J. Stephenson, Clark, Capstick, Bathgato, Woodhouse, Misses Stanford, Stephenson, Stanford, Ashcroft, Baird, G. Rattray, and Stanford. An attraction was provided in the evening in the comedietta ' Taken from the French,' which caused a good deal of | amusement, the characters being sustained by Messrs Fussell, Stilling, G. Sievwright, Misses A. Sievwright and Gibson. A number of vocal and instrumental items were also given. The sale will be continued, and this evening doubtless some attractions will be offered other than the bargains to be obtained.

We understand that the usual departmental inquiry will be held fn connection with the collision that ocourred on the railway line at fiurnside on Tuesday night.

The Masterton licensing election has been declared void on the ground that the words "elector" and "candidate" respectively were omitted from the nomination forms after the names of the proposer and seconder.

A man named Waiter Grieve, aged thirtyseven years, has been missing from his home at North Taieri since Sunday evening. When last seen he wore a brown tweed suit, cloth hat, and a strong pair of slippers. Ho is of weak intellect, and strayed from his home abont a month ago, but returned again.

The mortality of London last year exceeded that of any of the previous five years. Disguised to n considerable extent under other names, there is reason to believe that inflaenz-i was actively at work in augmenting the London death rate, and the conclusion is arrived at that considerably more than 2,000 deaths were due to that malady in the first four weeks of 1890.

An amusing instance of false economy is reported from Palmerston North. A wealthy resident, who holds the middleman in particular abhorrence, sent to Wellington for 51b of dynamite. The price in Wellington was 2s Sd per lb as against 23 6d in Palmerston ; but, as there is a special tariff for this class of goods on the Wellington and Manawatu line, the freight amounted to lis. To make matters worse, the Railway Commissioners will not carry dynamite on their trains at all, so that the economical gentleman had to send a messenger to Longburn for his explosives.

Mr James Allen delivered a lecture in the Choral Hall laßt evening, in the presence of a large audience, upon 'The Life of a Crystal,' the lecture being one of the course that has been promoted in aid of the building fund of the Technical Classes Association. In the course of an instructive lecture, which was listened to with marked attention, and was illustrated by limelight effects, Mr Allen explained the ways in which crystals are formed, and dealt with the subject of refraction, the theory of polarised light, and the construction of the polariscope. On the motion of Mr H. F. Hardy, a vote of thanks was accorded to the lecturer.

Captain Russell deplores the want of an efficient Harbor Department. "Our harbors," he says, "had become a by-word throughout the Australian colonies. Every reasonable person had realised the folly the colony had been guilty of in constructing harbors. Take one of the most flourishing districts of New Zealand—he alluded to Poverty Bay. Anyone going to Gisborne would see what had happened for want of an efficient engineer. They had there au indifferent harbor, with four feet of water in it; and they had expended cloee on LIOO.OOO upon it, with tho result of reducing the water to two feet. Would it not pay to give an engineer-in-chief a sufficient salary to prevent such tolly as that ?" According to the 'Argus,' the deficit shown by the Victorian Budget will be fully a million. In connection with the railways there has been an unlooked-for expenditure of L 271.450, the revenue returns are short by L 45.000, and there has been a loss in other ways of L 245.000. These items make up a sum of L5G1.450, and, with L 600,000 which has to be provided for "recoups," a total deficiency of L 1,161,450 is shown. It would be a difficult matter indeed to save this sum by further retrenchment, and, as there is already a strong feeling among members of Parliament against tho stoppage of public works, a proposal for fresh taxation of some kind may be anticipated. It is understood that up to the present Treasurer Munro has looked only to retrenchment to accomplish his object of making revenue meet expenditure, but that he now feels compelled to consider some method of increasing tho revenue. At the monthly meeting of the Burns Club last night addresses were delivered by Xlesßrs A. J. Burns, J. Gillies, and l)r Stenhouse. It was announced that future meetings would bo open to members and their lady friends, and the quarterly meeting would be celebrated by a " big nicht." The Chairman (Mr Burns) intimated that a little memoir of the poet had recently been published in Scotland, and the brochure contained a complete refutation of the charges about Burns's habits. The poet waß not a debauchee, and only indulged in social or congenial company, never failing on his return to his home, no matter how late the hour, to assure himself of the comfort of his children. The poet had to be saved from himself, for he felt the most bitter repentance for any excess, to the effects of which he was constitutionally extremely susceptible. A choir, under Mr Francis's leadership, sang a number of glees very acceptably : Mr Muir contributed a song, and Messrs Hamilton, Robertson, and J. B. Thomson recited. In reference to the latest phase of the Ranger Campbell case the' Southland Times' says:—lt ia a "very pretty quarrel as it stands," but the honor and veracity of too many people —members of the House, of the Ministry, of the late Government, and others —are now too deeply involved to allow the subject to rest where it is. With all due deference to Inspector Hickson, it might be suggested that his search of the records did not go far enough back, and even if there aro no records there must be a number of people still living here who oould give information if they were questioned before an authorised tribunal. It can scarcely be conceived that the story of ill-treatment is a pure invention, and if it is it ought certainly to be exposed and its author censured or otherwise more severely punished, as the gravity of the case mii?ht demand. In justice to Mr Campbell himself the Government should insist upon an investigation into both cases, or if those who have made the accusation in the House choose to prosecute the matter the Government should certainly render them every assistance. The Premier practically challenges Mr Fergus and others to prove their words, and Mr Campbell practically defies inquiry. By all means, in the interests of truth and justice, let inquiry be made.

A meeting of those interested in the subject of Mr Macneil's address of Tuesday last will be held in Milton Hall, Stuart street, on Monday evening next. The D.I.C. aro now offering very spccial[bargains. Country customers and others are reminded the company are now clearing for their annual stock-taking.—[Advt.j

An entertainment, compilsing vocal, instrumental and literary selections, will bo given by the Congrogational Church Mutual improvement Society, In tho Southern Gymnasium, tomorrow evening.

To-morrow evening, in Choral Hall, a concert will bo given in aid of tho funds of tho Albion Cricket Club. Mr James Allen will preside, and Mr D. Oooko has chargo of tho musical arrangements. Particulars aro advertised. A public tcinperauce meeting will ho held in the North-east Valley Presbyterian Chuoh tomorrow (FrM»y) evening, at7.;>(J, Hon. T. Dick in the chair. JKcv. Mr Walker, lesturor for New Zealand Alliance, will address tho mooting, There will be held at the City Hall Skating Rink, which reopens to-night, another popular ladies' evening. On Saturday the rink will bo open for the ordinary session In the evening, and a special session from 230 to 5 in the afternoon.

A concert was held In the Mission Hall, Arthur street, last evening in aid of the boys' club, when tbcro was a very large attendance; Mr John Mackay in the chair, Songs were rendered by Misses Guthrie, M'Kay, Drumm, and M'Connell, and Messrs W. Scott, J. Deoker, M'Oonnell, and T. Lake, and a mandoline and banjo duet by Messrs M'Donald and Deaker. The most successful itemß were the songs of Mr Scott and Miss Guthrie, and the mandoline and banjo duet. A request was made that the conoert should be repeated at an early date.

The half-yearly summoned meeting of the Linden Lodge, JU.A.O.IX, was held in the Council Chambers on Tuesday, when there was a good attendance. The ba'ance-shcet showed that the fundß were in a very satisfactory state. The election of officers resulted as follows: A.D., Bro. John Bain; V.A., Bro. George Newman; secretary, Bro. T. Sunderland; treasurer, Bro. D. Kay; 1.D.G., Bro. W. 0. Reynolds; 0.D.G., Bro. D. Ross; A.D. bards, Bros. Wright and Annison; V.A. bards, Bros. F. Clough, jun., and A. Russell. The officers were installed by D. P. Callaway. The evening's receipt were L 6 3s 6d.