HEAR AND FAR.

Evening Star, Issue 14039, 21 April 1909, Page 8

HEAR AND FAR.

At a meeting of the Dunedin Fanciers' Club last evening, Mr P. S. Omand presiding, a letter was received from the Irish Terrier Club stating that they were awarding grand challenge trophies for Irish terriers (each sex), and asking that this be inserted in the schedule. The secretary reported that this matter had been attended to. The South Island Poultry, Pigeon, and Canary Association wrote stating that in the canary section a novice is declared to be "one who has never entered in an open class where novice classes are provided, or who has. not won two first prizes in novice classes of four competitors, birds to be bred and reared by exhibitor in his or her aviary." It was resolved that '<£?. definition of a novice be inserted in tTic schedule. The secretary reported that the schedules would be ready by the end of the week. In the Magistrate's Court yesterday afternoon further evidence was heard in the case between the Official Assignee and J. A. Burnside, a claim under the Wages Protection and Contractors' Lien Act, 1908, to recover £9O 12s Bd, for work done. After evidence had been given by C. H. Statham, Adam Paterson, C. W. Stuart, Charles Anderson. George Dyer (plumber), E. Broad (manager of the Dunedin Timber Company), James Drummond (joiner), George Callander (builder), and Percy Wilson (foreman on job under dispute), the case was adjourned till Tuesday next. The North Island Railway Appeal Board continued their sittings at Wellington yesterday, when the hearing of the appeal by H. J. Seaton, train examiner, against his reduction was continued. Decision was reserved. Lawrence Barclay, a goods clerk in the Wellington office, appealed against his position on the D 3 list, on the ground that he had been superseded by a clerk in a lower grP.de employed in the head office. After evidence had been taken Barclay withdrew his appeal. At Wellington }-esterday Mr Riddell, S.M., gave reserved judgment in the wise of W. M. Tibon (through Bert Royle) versus the representative of an amateur dramatic society, a claim of £ls 15s, fees and royalties alleged to be due mi the performance of " Our Regiment' last September. His "Worship held that there was no proof that plaintiff was the owner, of the copyright in September, nor did the statements contained in his power of attorney to one Millar, of Melbourne, dated March 18, 1904, xmstitute proof of ownership. " The Copyright Act, 1908," remarked Mr Riddell, "makes a copy of a registration certificate prima facie evidence of ownersliip, and in the absence of such a certificate an assignment to plaintiff from the author, or an earlier assignment or proper proof that an assignment is in existence, should be produced. This has not been done, and as the Doint has been raised by counsel for the defence, the contention must be upheld." iccordingly plaintiff was nonsuited, and t was therefore held by the Court to be mnecessary to decide whether the arrangenents made between Mr Royle and defenlants did or did not amount to a contract. The following letter has been received by the Prime Minister on the subject of the offer by New Zealand of a Dreadnought to the Old Country:—"God bless you, sir. You have done a fine thing in prompt and statesmanlike fashion, and you have made New Zealand proud of its Premier and the Empire proud of New Zealand. You have shown Germany and the rest of the world that kinship conquers space, and those who fight the British Isles must fight the British race. They say there was some breach of the Constitution. Was it not by some ' breach of orders that Macdonald did so much to win the battle of Omdurman? Nelson disobeyed orders at Cape St. Vincent by j leaving the British line and flinging himself on the face of the standards, but he saved the battle. Calder, Admiral Jervis's captain, complained to -him that Nelson had disobeyed orders. 'He certainly did,' answered Jervis, 'and if ever you commit such a breach of your orders I will forgive you also.' And I think, sir, New Zealand and the Empire will remember your fine act, and forgive some, under the circumstances, small constitutional technicality. As you don't know me, I shall simply sign myself yours truly." The San Francisco ' Globe,' referring to the Japanese immigration question, says: "We have lived long enough with the Japanese to know something about them, long enough to discover that the yellow peril is a painted hoax. The history of the orchards, the mining camps, and the tenderloin shows that one Californian is easily the equal of three Japs; this is true in rough-and-tumble or with a gun. A Jap is the worst marksman in the world; he is about as accurate with a pistol as a woman with a brick. When a brawl is on in which a Jap has a part, the innocent bystander and the Jap generally make the sum total of the list of casualties. The native Californian knows how to estimate the Jap coolie at his true worth ; he has worked with him and fought with himHe represents an inferior race. The coolie has the instincts of a wolf; he eats like a wolf, lives like a wolf, and fights like a wolf—and he never attacks the Californian bear except when he is one of a pack." A writer in a contemporary says: On my second visit to Taumarunui after an abse.nce of four years, I was surprised at the evident preponderance of Europeans to natives since my former visit. I mentioned this to a chief of a neighboring hapu who was walking on the balcony of the best hotel waiting for lunch, who"replied: '" Oh, plenty of natives here. Yon see, I bet you more Maoris go past here before one o'clock than pakehas." "All right," I agreed; " I give you Is for every native that passes, and you give me Is for every white man." He agreed. First came two whites, then two more, then a lady, then another man—no Maoris. Thinking that the. chief was regretting his bargain, I proposed to cry off, as I was nearly a pound to the good by 10 a.m. He said : "No fear • I go on. I double it every time, you like." So I thought the old i fellow had perhaps more money than was good for him, and I agreed to go on—two more whites, two ladies—no Maoris—l must have a soft thing on!—when at 11.30 along comes a Maori funeral with 190 followers !

Fairly correct information about the state of the labor market in New Zealand is gradually gaining wide publicity in England. Disappointed tradesmen, who hoped to find constant employment at high wages tn Aew Zealand, are warning their brethren in the Old Country to pause and ponder before they leap across the sea. One of the disillusioned ones invaded a newspaper office, in his native place at Bolton, Lancashire, a few weeks,ago, and spoke bitterly about the prospects of skilled workers in New Zealand. "Then what class of people is there room for?" he was asked. "There is room," he replied, "for young men who can set to and rough it as farm hands at road-making, and other hard work, but there is net one going out with, that object or purpose. Thpy all expect to find jobs at their own trades, with better wages than thev have in Eng-