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Evening Star, Issue 11681, 13 February 1902, Page 4

I'.- is entirely in the fitness of things that extinguished horor should Tsstimoaialising be paid to the Premier on tho Premier, his departure for the Homo Country to attend the Cororpiion, by the invitation of His Majesty's Government. The special recognition of the right honorable gentleman is rot only a compliment to the Colony, but is in a measure personal to himself, his consistent and vigorous patriotism in regard to South Africa having, it is well known, been highly appreciated by the Sovereign and his Responsible Advisers. The City Council acted with good judgment and with a correct recognitiopi of public sentiment in taking the initiative and deciding to convene a public meeting of the citizens for the purpose of organising a banquet, to be terrieredj to Mr Seddon on tho occasion, not as a party leader, but as a statesman who has done good service to the Empire, and raised New Zealand tj a high place among the British dominions beyond the seas. The thoroughly representative meeting yesterday afternoon, the eortiord and enthusiasm which prevailed among the influential citizens of all classes who were present, make the success of the movement assured, and ■■■■<' hope there will be no rift li- : : :

introduction of ciisairdaiii < L'ineni>. (loiiiical or otherwise. Except on the part of a very insignificant minority, whose vaporings command little attention, there is no difference of opinion in Dunedin as to the conduct of the right honorable gentleman in respect to the war, and the community will declare this in a very pronounced manner when they receive him with acclamation as an Itoirored gnest. It is, we venture to say to the Committee who have charge of the arrangements, in the highest degree .'.'.wimble that the entertainment should bo. on a tlioroughiy popular basis, so iliac all who desire to do so may be- able io attvnd, and none be excluded bv jcasoi. of any conventional formalities. 'the oonipiiment to Mr Seddou will be mtensitie-.l and his gratification increased if tho people are present in large numbers. The material part of the banquet is really of very little concern—of no more importaiice to the object than is the back framework to a pyrotechnic display. The largest, hall available should bo selected, so as to provide for a monster gathering, but the earing and drinking ought to be on the most moderate scalepossible. The project which has been mooted of raising and presenting to Mr Kecldon a national testimonial, in the shape of a purse of sovereign, does not commend itself to our judgment. We consider it to be quite uncalled for, arid distinctly impolitic. The right honorable gentleman is not leaving the Colony—he must certainly be taken at his word on the poirnV—except for a brief period, during which he will be in receipt of full pay and allowances a,s Premier. In addition. Parliament lust session voted him the sum of £1,500 for extra expenses whilst in London, which should lie ample, seeing that ho is to be the guest of the British taxpayer, and will assuredly be right royally providbd for while he is in tho Old Country. Had he been leaving the colony for good it would have been an entirely different matter.

Mr J Brown, secretary of the Commercial Travellers' Club, has received eaole notification that the delegates of the Commercial Travellers' Federation ol Australia, will visit Dunedin at Laster. Ine.y will leave Melbourne by the Mokoia about the middle of next month. At the monthly meeting of the Albany street School Committee last- night (Mr Butler presiding) it was decided to hold the picnic at Portobello on the 21st. The head-master reported that the attendance last week was 552, and that thirty-two new pupils had been enrolled. The retailers' section of the Employers' Association last night considered a request from the Military Tournament and Carnival Committee that the decision arrived at regarding the holiday an Anniversary Day should be reconsidered. It was decided to observe Monday, March 24, as the holiday. The meeting confirmed the stand taken by the Executive re donations and prizes. Visitors coining from the Australasian cokmies have invariably noted the punoti ality with which our leading trains arrive and depart Only a few days since a distiwmished vtfdtor from New South Wales, sjeaking to a local railway official, expressed his admiration of the manner in which the trains kept their time-table Coming from the source it did, tins is a ctEipliment io our service and officials. Owing to the Star Chamber methods adopted by the City Council in relation to the citizens' business no official information is obtainable as to what they are doing in the tramways question. We hear, however, that the city solicitors have been 'instructed to prepare the conditions of contract between Messrs Noyes Bros, and the City; also that the Muir episode has very sensibly -been allowed to " lizzie " out. Of course these items ore not official, but merely reports born of the in-camera-obseura ways of our Civic Fathers. Mr George Whth is in town trying <o arrange for the appearance of his circus company in Dunedin, but up to the present he has not been successful in acquiring a ..suitable or convenient site. The jrrowtii

of the business port of the City has of late been so marked that aS the sites on which circus companies have been wont to pitch their tent! have either been built on or been acquired, and neither the City Council nor the Harbor Board are left, in possession of vacant land (other than reserves for which, of course, no charge can legally be made for such purposes) that could be utilised tor circus purposes. Mr Wirth hints at the probability of his organisation having to give Dunedin the go-by.

The painters' picnic will be held at Evansdale on Satarday, February 15. Pearl necklaces are all the fashion just now. Mr Hendy, hairdresser, has largo assortment from Is each.—[Advt.] The town clerk of St. Kilda notifies that 10 per cent, additional will be charged on rates after the 25th inst.

Montague's great annual clearing sale is now on. Parties furnishing should not miss this opportunity.—[Advt.] A meeting of members and friends of the Kaikorai Football Club will be held in the Roslyn Fire Brigade Station to-morrow evening." E. lies (by special appointment), hairdresser to His Excellency the Governor and Lady Ranrurly, also to ex-Governors Lords Onslow and Glasgow.—[Advt.] The s-s. Express is fully engaged for next Saturday, and therefore will not leave m the afternoon, but on Sunday willleave, tlw wharf for Maori Kaik and Port Chalmers at 10 a.m. and 2.30 p.m., as usual A striking example of twentieth century de7elopment is seen in the Anglo-Special and Humber Cycles. Anglo, Princes street—[Advt.] The following will play for Kaituna on the Dunedin Green on Saturday:—Wales, Martin, J, P. Smith, Clarkson (s): Hanson, Crichton, Hemingway, Coltman (s). The following will play for Kaituna on the Kaituna Green:—Walker, Daviess, Dawe, Smeaton (s)-, Holmes, Melville, Lindsay, Howes (a). At Eitchie's stock-taking sale you can get a splendid assortment of all household furnishings at greatly reduced prices. Ritchie's Staffordshire House, 29 George street.— [Advt] Men desirous of securing superior readymade clothing, made from strong, solid colonial tweeds, are invited to inspect the stock now being given away at only nominal prices at N.Z. Clothing Factory, Octagon. See doors. —[Advt.] Mr Morris, photographer, Princes street, Dunedin, finds it is not generally known that his charge is one guinea per dozen for cabinet portraits of children. Any extra charges are for vignettes, groups, huge mounts, also the various methods of printing.—tAdvt.J Fresh sale bargains are announced for this week in boys' and youths' ready-made clothing and mercery at the New Zealand Clothing Factory, Octagon. Bundles of boys' school suits and odd garmenta made from colonial tweeds and strong serges will be offered at ridiculously low prices. See doors. —[Advt] .