LOCAL AND GENERAL

Evening Star, Issue 10931, 13 May 1899, Page 3 (Supplement)

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The wind-up of the .Star Football Club took place iu St. Paul’s Schoolroom on Thursday evening iu the farm of a social. There were about fifty couples present, aad dancing was indulged in with great spirit till the early hours of the morning. Songs were rendered by Messrs WrLht, Pollock, and Golduuid, and were highly appreciated. During the evening Mr Torrance (their president;, on behalf of the club members, presented Mr Harris (the secretary) with a handsome writing-desk, suitably inscribed, and a email library of books, as a token of esteem for bis untiring services rendered to the club. Mr Harris suitably replied. The music was supplied by Mr Yates and the catering by Mr Lean, both being up to the well-known standard.

Mr A. Morrison, member for Cavershatn, addressed a large audience iu Naumauu’s Hall, South Dunedin, last evening. The local mayor occupied the chair, and the meeting was entirely in sympathy with the speaker. Mr Morrison dealt with the policy of .the Government, which had his hearty approval, and criticised aomo of the recent speeches of Opposition members, Mr Scobie Mackeizic, Mr Rollealon, aid Captain Russell being among the number. Mr Osborne proposed, and Mr Collett seconded, a vote of thanks and confidence in Mr Morrison and the Sadden Government, which was carried amid loud applause. The first monthly concert of the season in connection with pioneer of Dunedin Lodg~, 10G.T,, was held in the Choral Hall on Tuesday evening. The Rev. W. A. Sinclair presided, and gave a stirring temperance address. The programme was an excellent one, and gave every satisfaction to the audience, Bros. M’Farlane, C.T., J. W. Parkinson, P.D. ; ,G C.T., and 0. J. Thorn, G.T., occupied scats on the platform. Votes of thanks‘weso accorded to all who had taken part, and a very enjoyable meeting closed by the singing of' 1 Auld larg syne.’ The Governor spent Wednesday in inspecting the Woodstock and Talisman batteries, and _ yesterday he visited the wellknown Waihi mine. At the Crown mine he was presented with a handsome box, engraved, containing seven small bottles iu which wore samples of ore in the various stages of reduction. The death is announced at Waabi, Waikato River, of Tu Tawhaio, nephew of Mahuta and grandson of the late King Tawhaio. He was a son of Tc Whcrowhero, a brother of King Mahuta. The ‘ Cromwell Argus ’ will in future be issued twice a week.

For twelve sections at Puhipuhi (Kaikoiira), containing 6,764 acres, 1,294 applications were received from some 420 people, of whom 371 arc resident at Kaikonra. At the ballot yesterday the local people were successful in all cases but one. This is a part of the country which the Settlers’ Association fought for opening up. The ‘Gazette’ continues to print considerable lists of letters of naturalisation. The influx is attributed to the old age pension system. This week twenty-six more are announced, mostly Scandinavians. Allan Wright, murdered at New York, will be remembered by compositors throughout New Zealand as the best news-hand of his day. He was the son of a soldier—a sapper who came out with one of the early regiments to Auckland—and served his time to Messrs Williamson and Wilson in the ‘ New Zealander ’ Office, being a fellowapprentice with George Didsbury (afterwards Government printer), Gilbert Carson(M.H.R. for Wanganui), and James Wallace (who became a missionary ;mj ana t u iiA Allan Wright became the indisputable “whip” of his office, though the men raised there were above the average for speed, and when he afterwards travelled the colony, working in all the chief towns and staying for a long time in Hokitika and Dunedin, he easily maintained his reputation, though tested against such fast comps as Samuel Hale, Charles Gregory, Temp. Harris, and other men not so well known. For actual speed he could be held by several men who might be named. Ewen Alison, who did not complete his apprenticeship, but left the trade and eventually became managing director of the Dcvonport Ferry Company, was no doubt a quicker type-setter, and Gregory could beat Wright for an hour’s work. But Wright was a sticker, and exceptionally clean, and in a week’s work his infallible distribution and his general knowledge of the trade helped him to thoroughly paralyse anyone who had the temerity to challenge him. Allan Wright had been some years in the States, travelling most of the time, and, although we never heard how he got on for speed against the fast Americans, he was a well-known figure in the trade, being known as “ The Kangaroo.’ He has a brother in Auckland, employed on the ‘ Star.’