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Evening Star, Issue 14495, 21 February 1911, Page 4

Amongst those who accompanied the Minister of Railways to Nasoby last week vvero two or three persons who know the town when it was a prosperous mining centre, carrying a population o't two or three thousand sluicers and many big families; when there wore seventeen public-houses in full swing, and the main street was lively of a night. To revisit Na-sebv now is a saddening experience. The place has become old and rheumatic. The street is deserted. Cows and huge docks occupy the cottage gardens. Nearly all tho people have gone away. The only man one could see at work was standing on a ladder made out of a packing case and painting a verandah that scorned_ to be built of rejected scrap material. The whole aspect was abject and pitiful. Nasoby seems to liavo fallen on evil days. Mr R. Inder, who pleaded with the .Minister that an officer should ho sent to report as to tho possibility of bringing in more water, so as to keep the few remaining miners going, suggested that if this wore not done tho survivors would have to clear out, and in that case Nasoby would be. tit for nothing but ns part of a small grazing run. supporting one family ! Tlie outlook is not’ hopeful. Rut one feature of tho landscape attracted the eye. Nasoby can grow tho most beautiful rowan trees : ‘the color of the berries is a deeper red than wo soe about Dunedin, and each of the newer residences has one or two of these fine trees to add a touch of color to a place otherwise desolate and nnpicturesquc'.

Wo are familiar with the silver, tlio golden, or even tho diamond wedding, but the radium wedding in. as its name denotes, rare. It is tho 70th anniversary of a marriage, and it has lately been celebrated in France by M. ami Aidme Ferdinand Dugue, whoso joint ages are 187 years. M. Dugue, who is ninety-five is the oldest dramatic writer in the world. Ho has written forty-three plays, ono of which, ‘The Pirates,’ has been played 10,000 limes. Ho and hie wife are both in excellent health and spirits, but Mdrno Dugue has been confined to her couch during the past year owing to a broken log. Her bones are too old to mend, sho saye, but there is nothing else tho matter with her. She blames herself for the' accident, as sho fell on the railway) steps while running to catch a train—at ninety years !

“ I am in favor of letting the Town Hall for a moving picture show, as movinf pictures are educative, and wo want to°foster all such influences in the community,” said Cr Lunu at last night s meeting of the Port Chalmers Borough Council, when there was road a request to quote the lowest prices acceptable for tho use of tho Town Hall to run a moving picture entertainment every Wednesday end Friday for a term of six months. The letting of "the Town Hall was referred to tho favorable consideration of tho Finance Committee. On the motion of the mayor it was resolved that any rents received for tho lotting of the. hall bo in future used exclusively for providing seating, the lack of which hitherto had often "handicapped the usefulness of the nail.

A strong deputation from tho Otago Central Railway League will wait on tho Hon. J. A. Millar, Minister of Railways, this week for the purpose of mging iho extension of the railway from Clyde.

In the. affiliation case heard in the Police Court yesterday afternoon, in which James Baxter Wyatt was charged with being tho father of an illegitimate child, and with failing to provide for its maintenance, Mr Adams, who appeared for the complainant, applied for an adjournment in order to bring forward more evidence. Mr Irwin, on behalf of the defendant, opposed the application. Mr ,J. R. Bartholomew, S.M., said ho did not -think he could grant the application. The case could bo brought on again. On tho evidence that had boon led, apart from tho technical objection taken as to corroboration, which he would not decide, he was not prepared to say that a case had been made out, and he must dismiss it.

In connection with Dio land at Waihao Downs purchased for close settlement tho interesting practical suggestion is made locally (wires our Waimato correspondent) that the- fine largo station buildings existing on tho central part of the estate bo set aside, with 100 acres or more, for a.u agricultural college for South Canterbury. The buildings would be too large for an ordinary farm. A college at Wnihao Downs would serve North Otago as well, and boys could spend the week-ends at Dieir homes.

Notwithstanding the dry weather Nelson’s water supply is living well maintained. This is the effect of a Jong Press Association telegram received this morning. We are informed also that yesterday was washing day in Nelson,

The Sanatorium Committee of tho Hospital Board recommend: That the quotation of Messrs A. and T. Burt for extra lighting and bells required in connection with the extensions to the Pleasant Valley Sanatorium for the sum of £36 12s 8d bo accepted. That an agreement be entered into with the Vincent Hospital and Charitable Aid Board for the admission of patients from that district to the Pleasant Valley Sanatorium on tho same terms as arranged wiDi other boards. Our London correspondent writes; Although tho Coronation is five months distant, seats are already being booked along the route of tho great procession. Tho prices asked for rooms range fiom 600 guineas to a figure which works out at about five guineas a seat, according to the accommodation. Single seats on grand stands and roofs in tho neighborhood of Piccadilly aro being sold at three guineas each. There are a large number of syndicates at work in London, who are entering into negotiations with shopkeepers and those who have property on the route. These syndicates will either run tho windows themselves or purchase them with the idea of selling tho rights at a profit. There are also many private speculators who acquire Die right of a window, trusting to luck to make it pay. Some owners nm_tho business by themselves, and an idea of the profits they can make may lie gained when it is said that for one window alone it is possible to receive £I,OOO in fees.

Tho application for a new trial in the Massey- 1 Times ’ libel action was to have been heard to-day (says an Association telegram), but there is no Judge in Wellington, and none is expected till tho end of the week. Dismissing a case in one of tho English county courts, Judge Emden remarked that the number of workmen Buffering from neurasthenia was extraordinary. None of them, significantly added His Honor, knew what Dio malady was till the Workmen’s Compensation Act was passed. Such rases, declared the Judge, showed an absence of self-respect- and manly independence.

Mr George Gaudin, of Balclulha North, secured a phenomenal catch of eels in tho Molyncux on Friday morning (says the ‘Free Press’). On tho previous nrghfc Mr Gaudiu set an eel-pot of wickerwork, and in tho morning the pot on being landed was found to contain thirty-seven eels, weighing in all 1621b, or an average of over 4-jlb. It took two men to pull the pot out of the water. The pot was only 4ft x 9in x 9in, and that so many’ cels of such large size shoukl crowd into such a small space indicates an amazing plentifulnese in the river.

The ‘Bruce Herald’ understands that an amicable arrangement has been arrived at between the threshing-mill owners and employees, fixing the wages for thresliing-mill hands this season in Tokornairiro district at 10|d per hour and found. This is an advance of Id per hour on last year's rates, and places local mill hands on an equal if not. better footing with similar workers in Taieri, Clntha, and Gore districts. The estimated population of this Dominion on December 51 was 1,002,721 — 629,965 males and 472,756 females. The Maori population was given at 47,731. and that of the Cook and other islands at 12,340. We understand that tho City Corjiora—tion’s £127,000 loan for the North-oast Valley water reticulation and additions to the abattoirs has been placed (4 per cent.) at par. At a meeting of the United Temperance Reform Council held last evening the secretary read an account of the last court meeting at which Inspector Mitchell, of Invercargill, officiated prior to his leaving for Dunedin. On that occasion tho presiding magistrate and the president of the local Law Society made some strong remarks as to tho great decrease of crime in tho district. Mr W. A. Stout, tho president of the Law Society, said “he could say without hesitation that never before had the district been so free of crime as it was at the present lime.” The meeting agreed and resolved that though part of this happy result might bo due to Inspector Mitchell's efficiency, yet it could not bo denied that No-license had played a very great pint in tho improvement.

A new Ircan is to ho introduced to New Zealand by tho Department of Agriculture. It is tho far-famed Japanese Soya, for which it is claimed that “no other product of tho earth contains so high a percentage of proteid or vegetable albumen.'’ Tho Soya is a highly nutritious vegetable for man, and also makes valuable food for stock. Replying to a letter from Mr S. Pearson, tho Hon. T. Mackenzie states that the Agricultural Department has made arrangements for llic importation of a supply of tho seed from China, where the bean is grown in groat variety. Among tho passengers who arrived in Wellington from Sydney on Wednesday were a llarotongan woman and her tlucv children, who, sitting high on a stack of deck cargo in their dresses of mauvev, apple-greens, and baby prints, presented a bright spot of color. Inquiry elicited the fact that tho woman was the wife of a Chinese. settler in Rarotonga, ami witii him the. little family had come, from Rarotonga on the last trip of tho Aorangi, inlending to pay a visit to tho Flowery Land. When 'in Sydney tho Chinaman, who is said to have heen wealthy, died, whereupon the Rarotongan made arrangements to return to her island home. The Munukau Heads was the scene of a plucky swim on Tuesday afternoon, says the Auckland ‘Slav.’ Mr 0. Clark was cruising in his launch Emerald near the Heads, when lie noticed tho yacht. Sarah (owned by Mr Mulls) in distress on the bar. Tho' yacht signalled her rudder lost, and Mr Clark,.who knows tho currents in the vicinity well, set out to effect a rescue, lie proceeded for about a mile through tho breakers, hut on reaching tho .Sarah, and before a towline. could bo got out, bin launch was capsized by tho rollers. Mr Clark was a mile from shore, in seething waters, and could receive no assistance from tho yacht. Ho at once struck out for laud, and after battling with the waves for an hour and a-half he effected a landing. .Although exhausted, Mr Clark set off over tho hills, and inform**! his father, who wont in his launch and brought, the Sarah to safety. The Emerald eventually drifted to calm water, and was towed to’Onelumga in a very battered condition.

At Saturday’s meeting of the Canterbury Trades and Labor Council rorresjKmdenco was received from tho Prime Minister to the effect that tho Government had decided to grant a £ for £ subsidy up to £SOO in aid of the exhibition of colonial manufactures that tho Council propose to hold during Labor work (October 23 to October 30).

At the Tauhorinikau camp the probationary officers and sergeant-instructors are continuing the mounted infantry course. Two sergeants, one from Wailii and one from Auckland, have resigned their appointments, anti returned to their homes. Their previous billets were kept open for them. The City Fire Brigade were called out at 4.7 p.m. yesterday to an outbreak of lire in a washhouse at the hack of a sevonroomed house in St. Clair. The washhouse was destroyed,, but the house, which Is occupied by Mr W. Fraer and owned by Mr Lawrence (butcher), was not damaged. The washhouse was not insured. The brigade had a bad break down on tho way homo.

Portion of a skjll, apparently human, has been discovered in the yard of a house in Walker street. It is in such a state of disintegration as to indicate that a long lifetime nas passed since the intelligence it once contained passed “ down to the tonguelcss silence of the dreamless dust.” Probably Maori remains. Some interesting statements on the position of English teachers in South Africa are contained in a letter published in tho ‘ New Zealand Ilcmld ’ from a Now Zealander now teaching in the Transvaal, who writes: "Scandalous ami unjust things have happened in our neighboring State (Orange River). There are not two dozen British teachers left there. Hertzog is a most awful man. He has openly said that he hates the English, and his Education Act was specially directed against them. 'Several ot the male principals in out-country schools have boon trailsfen-ed. without knowing why, into other sdino's as assistants. Lady assistants, without notification, have had their posts degraded—in some cases meaning £SO per annum lees. Twenty-five of us holding A pests (the' premier) have boon asked to sit for an examination—all Dutch—and we have refused. Smuts declared a few years ago that iu twelve years’ time ho would have no oversea teachers here, or Civil servants, etc., other than Dutch. Many of tho Civil servants who voted for Sir Percy Fitzpatrick in Pretoria three months ago, liavo lost their positions.” Quito n number of placos of worship in and around Dunedin are now fitted with the electric light—viz.. First Church, St. Mallhow’s, Ml Saints’, St. Martin’s, tho Methodist Church and Presbyterian Sunday School at Musselburgh, the PrirniDvo Methodist Church at Anderson Bay, tho St. Clair Presbyterian Church, Die Gospel Hall at Burnside, and the firm list Church at Mosgicl. Tho church officers find Die electricity very handy, inasmuch as they can light up silently just when Dio illumination is needed, and for the same reason tho new light is economical, since there is no occasion to light up till dusk.

Inspector Donaldson has within the last week seized several bags of unsound oysters. We have heard a suggestion that tho oyster season commences rather early, and thalt quality would bo more assured if tho taking wore put off a monDi. If there is any doubt about Dxo mailer the opinions of exports ought to be procured by tho authorities.

For a satisfactory line of furniture at reasonable price visit Sanders’s Furnishing House, 175 George street.—[Advt.] A Oqp Day attraction is the evening marine excursion hy t.s.s. Waikana, leaving Rattray street wharf at eight o’clock. Tho very latest and most up-to-date photo picture is the " artist’s proof portrait,” by Morris photo. Princes street. Cal] and seo specimens. Telephone 859.—[Advt.] Conscientious and faithful effort is what you receive at the Acme Photo. Company, George street. Most beautiful portraits at moderate charges. Telephone 965.—[Advt.] Tho annual meeting of tho Dunedin Choral Society will bo held this evening at tho Art Gallery. Ladies know them to have no equal. Martin's Apiol and Steel Fills, sold by all chemists and stores throughout Australasia.— [Advt.] Eighteen miles by water for one shilling. Seo Waikana’s time-table to-day.—TAdrt.l Cup Day.—•Marine excursions: T.s.s. Waireka and t.s.s. Waikana will run excursions to Macaudrews, Broad Bay. and Portobello, leaving Dunedin wharf at 10 a.m., 1.20 p.tn., and 2.30 p.m. Return fares, one shilling; children half-price.—[Advt.] The D.1.0. aro now showing a choice assortment of smart walking suits, evening dresses, race and opera coats, and London and Parisian millinery. These are all exclusive models, and have been imported specially for race week. —[Advt.] •Speight's ala and stout are acknowledged by the Dominion public to be the be«t on the market.—[Advt.]