FIFTY YEARS AGO

Evening Star, Issue 22618, 9 April 1937, Page 2

FIFTY YEARS AGO

FROM * STAB ’ FILES A premature attempt in, Spain to blow up the Houses of Parliament by dynamite was discovered. • * * * At a meeting of the congregation of First Church, held to consider the question of the introduction of instrumental music into the church services, the voting resulted in 490 members being favourable to the introduction and 51 opposed. There is thus an overwhelming majority, in favour of the introduclion of instrumental music, but tne matter has yet to go before the Kirk Session. • * * * ■ The Imperial Conference was held in London at the Foreign Office, Sir H. Holland, Secretary for the Colonies, presiding. He declared that there was every wish on the part of the Imperial Government to uphold the rights of the colonies, but they sometimes called on the colonies to make sacrifices for their mutual good. He believed the conference would not fail if it merely succeeded in placing the military and naval defences of the Empire _ on a sound footing. He hoped this was only the first of a series of conferences, which would cement the union of the Empire. There, was no political or

party feeling among the delegates, and purely local matters would be discussed jetween the delegates and the Ministers concerned. He reviewed the important points of the Empire which required military and naval defences, and expressed a hope that the result of the conference would be to create good feeling between the colonies and Mother Country. In the course of his speech, the_ Prime Minister (the Marquess of Salisbury) hoped that the connection between the colonies and the Mother Country would become more real, and present a spectacle to the world of a vast Empire—not founded by force or subjection, but by sympathy, resolution, and co-operation in those subjects of pure endeavour which were open to the_ members of a vast Empire like theirs. • * • Count Kalnoky, in a speech in support of the extraordinary military credit before the Austrian delegation, said the general position of Europe was that the workings and counter-work-ings between the East and West had so strongly the stamp of uncertainty that it behoved all States to strengthen their power of defence. Austria continues massing troops in Galicia, and Russia is about to effect an increase in her army. * * * * School Inspector Lee, of Wellington, in his annual report, falls foul of the system of prize-giving, and asks if it would not be far better to put all prize books into a school library for the common good.

A Chinese leper resides on the Wanaka road; but the Cromwell Hospital authorities intimate that the police must undertake the duty of isolation. * * * * Kirk and party, who left Dunedin some two months ago for Milford Sound with a whaleboat, miners’ tools, and six months’ provisions, have called at the Greymouth ‘ Evening Star ’ office to give an account of their two months’ search. They complain of having been misled, and desire to warn others from following. The ground which they were informed was auriferous is situated about 15 miles north of Milford Sound. This ground they thoroughly prospected, but the party found scarcely any colour. They then prospected the ground occupied by Sutherland and party, and found lOin of wash-dirt, hut only a mere colour on the bottom of the reef. The best prospect they could find was about one grain to_ the dish, and this only after many trials. They describe the country _ as very rough and difficult, and desire to warn the people of Dunedin against proceeding to that locality. wish to thank Captain Grey, of the Stella, for his kindness in bringing them on to Greymouth. • * » » Mr J. C. Ellis, of Southland, has received his account sales of a shipment af frozen mutton by the Doric, from which it appears that several carcasses realised 6d per lb, the remainder of the shipment ranging from 43d to 4Jd. These sheep were sent via Port Chalmers, and extra expense was of course incurred, yet Mr Ellis says he would be quite satisfied if he were assured that all the mutton he could send to London would average similar prices.