FORTY-FOUR YEARS AGO

Evening Star, Issue 16197, 19 August 1916, Page 4

FORTY-FOUR YEARS AGO

(For the week ended to-day.)

The Oaversham election for the Provincial Council resulted in the return of Mr Stout, who polle'd 148 votes against Mr Fish's 109 and Mr Leary's 90. **** * * * # During the debate on the Deoeased Wife's Sister Marriage Bill Mr Taiaroa, M.H.R., suggested reform in a new direction. In his opinion ..it was absurd to wait till the death of a wife to marry her sister. The Maori custom was infinitely preferable. He failed to see why hon. members should not. havof half a dozen wives. * *. * * * * * The costs in the Queenstown mining case of Eager v. Grace already mount lip to £2,000, of which £7OO was subscribed by the public to assist Eager, with whom popular sympathy lay. Mr G. E. Marton's wish that the lawyers might finger some of the gold, ifi being fully realised.

******* The Jewish community of Dunedin, at the call of the Rev. A. B. Davis, of Svduey, decided to found a branch of the AngloJewiah Association. *******

Through Messrs Cargill and Lanseign this journal received samples of wines made from grapes grown at tb.3 Monte Christo farm near Clyde, by Mr J. D. Peraud. The latter, a vigneron in France, while he lived in his native country, has made Ducal and Constantia light wines, which are highly commended. ******* Ota-go sent up a big petition in favor of the Permissive Bill, lb contained 5,070 si"--natures, and was 150 ft in length. ° * * * * * * * In the Wellington Police Court a strange definition was given by a witness who was asked to describe the state of intoxication a certain person was in when he saw him. "Was he drunk?" asked the Magistrate.

"No; he was full of grog, but not incapable." ******* Tho Scott scholarship " conversazione " was what is lcnown as a success tTestime. [But the scribe_ of that day was anything but pleased! with ihe arrangements, concerning which he wrote in this strain.—Ed. E.S.]: No room for moving about; tiers of seats arranged for a church or a concert cram; everybody fixed in their niches lest anyone else should toko them; gentlemen in rows, ladies in- rows—all fixtures, all grave and solemn, prepared for martyrdom or sacrifice—patient, speaking in whispers—excessively respectable and well-behaved, albeit there were no refreshments, no badinage, and no conversational coteries. With few exceptions, the people were stiff, starch, and demure. Yet the meeting was not without its redeeming features.

There were a scholarly address by the president (Mr Justice Chapman), and speeches by Professors Black and MacGregor, together with musical selections supplied by a small choir, under the leadership of Mr A. J. Towsey. Mr Grant created a diversion, but was promptly suppressed.