TOWN AND COUNTRY.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CI, Issue 11885, 8 May 1899, Page 5

TOWN AND COUNTRY.

The Eev }J. J. Cairney, o£ Dunedin, preached at St Andrew’s ' Presbyterian Church yesterday. ' yLv ,yT. W,'Collins in the Lyceum last ‘ night gave an address entitled .“ 0 Grave where is Thy; Victory? O Death where ia Thy Sting P‘ / At » mcetfng of the Geraldine Terminating BmjLditig Society, held on Thursday nigbt;mn appropriation of .£l5O was sold by auction for £22 10s. • i During last week a meeting of Church of England clergymen, with a few laymen, was held ' for the purpose of consider-/ ing the attitude of the church on the licensing question,- The meeting .was of a private nature.. A deputation from the Timaur. Prohibition League waited on the Hon W. HallJonea on Saturday, and, in reply to their feprsentatiDns, be promised to bring before his colleagues the question of amending the local option law, 86 as to provide for the appoint dent of scrutineers at local option polls. The first round of the Rangiora cribbage tournament was commenced on Friday evening, when the Sons of Temperance won their match against the Brass Bandsmen by 25' games to 14, the Southbropk Fire Brigade heat the Druids by 26 to 22, the Oddfellows won by default against the volunteers, and the Rangiora Brigade had .a bye. Among, the passengers who left for the south by the express on Saturday were the Hon R. W: Best and Mr W. A. Trenwith, the Victorian delegates, who were . panied by the'representatives of, the “ Age ” and ‘‘Argus;’! Messrs J. E. March, ]>. M. Spedoing, W. Empson,,J. Thomas, J. Reid, W. Cunicroas, M.H.R., and the Rev Fathci O’Donnell The Hon E. Mitchelson arrived irtlm v Wellington by the Eiingamite i m Saturday. •

Mr J. Cunningham, formerly of Springfield, returned from the North Island by the ■ s.s. Rotorua yesterday, aud will probably remain in Canterbury. A letter received from Mr Jordan, the champion draughts player, who is at present in Otago, states that he will probably be in 1 Christchurch on Saturday evening.

The points of disagreement between, the City Council and the tramway companies as to the basis of new concessions will probably be submitted to a single arbitrator. 6 A very large number of people rode out on bicycles to witness the Maori funeral at Kaiapoi yesterday. A rough count of the machines stacked around the burial ground showed that the number was over 250.

The steamers John Anderson and Jane Douglas took a number of pleasure-seekers out for a day’s fishing yesterday. The John Anderson devoted the whole of the time to fishing a few miles outside the Heads, and landed a large quantity of fish, mostly rock ccd. A party also went out in the launch Canterbury. ' The Exhibition of the Society of Arts at the Art Gallery was well,attended on Saturday. In the evening there was an excellent musical entertainment, organised by Miss Jennie West. The Exhibition will be open to-day, and in the evening the Art Union, will be drawn. • An entertainment will be given by Messrs Winter and Bell, and Madame Winter’s pupils. On Saturday, Mr Holderness, with Mr Hill, veterinary surgeon, and Mr J. J. Isbister, released from quarantine a very fine Berkshire boar which the New Zealand Farmers’ Co-op#ative Association has imported for Mr G, E.l Rhodes, and in the afternoon it was sent on to his place at Meadowbauk. The boar, when jt was four months old, was selected by Mr W. Barrs, of Arturstone, Kent, from "the stud of Mr Burbidge, of South Wraxhall, Bedford-on-Avon, who has .been a moat consistent prize-taker at English shows.

News has been received by the mail of the success of another young New Zealander who served bis time in the Addington workshops. Mr W. P. Anderson, son of Mr W. K. Anderson, of Addington, after leaving, the workshops, went Home as fourth engineer on one of the Shire boats. During the past two years he ha^'visited various American ports, and has made two trips in the'Mediterranean. He. baa just passed as second engineer*,' being the only one to pass out of four who offered themselves. Ho will make another trip- as second engineer, and after passing the examination for first will probably return to the colony. The funeral of the late Hone Paratene Tamanuiarangai, a chief who died at the Kaiapoi pah on April 30, at the age of seventy-eight, took-place at the old Maori burial ground at Kaiapoi, yesterday afternoon. The body had been embalmed, and had lain in state at the schoolhouse since A tangi was held at the pah, and the funeral procession, which was a very long one, started at half-past two. It was some time after.three o’clock when the open hoarse, bearing tie coffin, arrived at the cemetery, and at that time there Were about five hundred people present, including a fair number of Maoris. The Church of England burial service was read by the Rev W. Blathwayt, in Maori, Mr Hone Hape, lay reader, being also present. Bifaiata 152 was sung in Maori at the grave. The bearers, who all wore Native feather mats, were Messrs Tame Parata, M;H.R., Tipi Mutu, Hone Kahu, Reone Timoti, Te Aika, and Rapatiui.

A very interesting event took place at the Theatre Royal on Saturday, afternoon, during the matinee performance of “ Saucy Susie.”. In the second act, while Miss Agnes - Smith was singing “ Lazily, Drowsily,” with all the Company on the stage. Miss Edie Zeigler introduced, the latest male addition to the popular organisation, Master Tom Royle Pqllard, a young gentleman just eight weeks old. Master Pollard appeared to take an intelligent and at times a critical interest in the proceedings, and, under the direction of MissJMarie Metcalfe, joined in the graceful movements that accompany the song. He remained on the stage until the conclusion of the scene, and was naturally the object of much attention from the other members of the Company, Miss May Beatty and Mr Harry Quealy being especially conspicuous in the homage they paid to their tiny rival. Master Pollard is probably the youngest debutant that has ever appeared on the New Zealand stage, and his reception on Saturday augurs well for his future popularity with the profession and the public.

A young man who was a witness in a case heard before Mr Beetham, S. M., on Saturday, brought his own Bible to kiss after taking the customary oath. “I believe you are converted, are you not?” asked Mr Byrne, after he had concluded his examination. “Yes,” replied the witness, “I belong to the Lord.” “Eh, belong to whom?” interrogated the Magistrate, who. bad not caught the meaning, of the last sentence. “I belong to the Lord,” repeated the witness. “Well, if you belong to the Lord,” asked, his Worship, “why did you not answer your subpoena on the last occasion this case was heard,” “I had some work to go to, and I could not get away," explained the witness. -“Then why did you accept the 3s costs for your fare to town which accompanied the subpoena when you bad no intention of appearing?” The witness replied that he thought, that- by doing so he Would be relieving the solicitor who summoned him from all blame on account of his non-appearance. “That’s all rubbish,” said Mr Beetham, as he dismissed him. After the case was over Ms Worship called tills witness into the box again, and asked him if he did not know that, despite hiS belonging to the Lord, he was liable to be punished for not obeying a subpoena. “Well, I didn’t know,” answered the witness with a grin. “Well, ! have a very good mind to punish you for it,” continued the Magistrate. “ You are a most impertinent young man. Away you go, before I do so!”

Blankets, Flannels, Rugs, and Men’s Lambwool Shirts and Pants. We are now showing a very special purchase of 500 pairs White Blankets, commencing at 8s lid per pair; 48 pieces of Flannels, from per yard; 25 Rugs, from 10s 6d each; and 20 dozen Men’s Lambwool Pants and Shirts, from 3s lid. See our windows for special show of these goods.—Shaw, Robinson, and Co., 213, Cashel Street 92 Strongest where, others are weakest. Zealandia Bicycles, price £2l, built with the new butted tubing, making frames, front forks and head unbreakable, also overhanging chain-wheel and twin roller chain. Write for catalogue. Oates, |mwry and Co., Christchurch and Ashburton, it 62 Your wise investment in bicycle pleasure for 1899 demands that you read the beautiful Wavcrley catalogue, now ’•eady. You will also find, on inspection, that these are the Mghest-grade wheels that money can obtain. The latest, stock of sundries kept on hand. Waverley Cycle Depot, 217, Colombo Street, Christchurch. 2396 A good opportunity to secure a useful mount for winter riding. The Anglo-New Zealand Cycle Company have several se-cond-hand machines for sale, good; useful bicycles, both ladies’ and gentlemen’s, from £4 10s upwards. A special display of these is now being made; at the D.I.C. Depot. A full range of the latest model Anglo Specials and Osmonds now being shown. Orders booked for the world-renowned Humber cycles. ■ 278

Special Notice.—Crown Brand Tea prize competitions will be continued all this year round, and will close on the last days of April, June, August, October, and 1 December in each year. Prizes of ladies’. silver and other watches, albums, workboxes, etc.

Hubbard; Hall and Co. 2384 Evenden’s Patent Roofing and Fencing Nails, neatest and best; perfectly watertight. Recommended by architects, and can be obtained from all ironmongers. X 2414 Cyclists who require their machines well and carefully repaired should send them to the ■“ Premiers ”of the cycling trade. Boyd and Son, Gloucester Street. Telephone 658. ■ 2374

Go to Clarke and Co.’s 148, Colombo Street, for the best value, in watches, clocks; jewellery, spectacles, etc.—(Advt.)

OLD AGE PENSIONS.

The Deputy-Registrar has received advice from Wellington that instalments of pensions actually due to pensioners at the time of death cannot be paid to their relatives. The Old Age Pensions Act requires the personal attendance of the pensioner or of his duly appointed agent when payment of an instalment is made. The claims of relatives who contend that the pension is payable up to the date of death, as well as where a monthly instalment is actually due, cannot without an alteration in the Act be recognised. It is unfortunate that provision cannot be made for paying over pension moneys due’to the representatives. of deceased pensioners, as they are in many cases ill able to afford the funeral expenses, LARRIKIN VOLUNTEERS , Local experience for the last thirty-five years here hha established the truth of the axiom that volunteering is at once a preventive and cure for larrikinism. Every rule, however, has its exception, and the exception in this instance was painfully apparent on Saturday night, when on their way to their homes after finish of outpost duty in Hagley Park several volunteers disgraced not only themselves but their uniform by incontinently “ blazing ’ away all that remained of their blank ammunition. While it is true that the responsible’ officers ought to have seen these cartridges collected, it must be particularly galling for them to learn that their men could not be trusted out of their sight. THE AUSTRIAN INFLUX. . “ Too Much Immigration ” is the title of an article in the “ .Critic ” (late “ African Critic”) on the Dalmatian influx into New Zealand. “God helps those who help themselves ” has been the doctrine on which these Austrians for some time past have worked, it is declared, so that it is “little wonder if the New Zealanders, like the rural, agnostic, should at length adopt, in opposition, the very obvious retort, ‘ God help him who is caught helping himself in this establishment.’” The author of the article referred to had at first doubts as to whether the right;course had been adopted by “the healthiest stripling, of ; . the yonilg tamily,” 1 . h- ’ now gives the colony his heartiest sympV. -iy. There is, he thinks, no Oomparispn to be drawn between the rich and enterprising, industrious, and free livingsettler in the Transvaal and the “ thrifty and sullen birds of passage from Austria,” who exhaust New Zealand’s gumfields.

■, DEER-STALKING IN THE SOUTH. The deer-stalking season (says the “ Tapanui Courier”) closed on Simday last, the final day being a very wintry specimen, with snow on the mountain tops. Stalkers generally report a scarcity of stags this season, and a number of license-holders failed to secure their complement. The best collection was secured by a party of visitors, who camped at Black Gullly, and quite q waggon load of stags came into Tapanui .from that locality.. Amongst the number were some apparently very old stags, and a white one is believed to be one of the first turned out, as it bore the earmark placed on the deer when liberated,, A few good heads have also been secured by Crookston and Tapanui sportsmen, 1 but nothing like the number exhibited in previous years. Tire question of introducing a fresh strain of blood, or in some way protecting the herd, will have to be considered by the Society if deer-stalking is to be preserved as a sport for future years.

APATHY IN MUNICIPAL AFFAIRS. During a discussion which took place at the Dunedin Fabian Society on Friday night on the question of “ Municipal Socialism,” the apathy and indifference manifested by the citizens generally in regard to municipal politics were, says the “ Otago Daily Times, deplored by most of the speakers, and reference was made by two or three to the small 'number that had taken the. trouble to get enrolled under the new Municipal Franchise Act. In this connection one of the speakers said, that although the City,Council ,ariver : tised in both local papers, and it had been mentioned in the City Council, that persons desirous of being enrolled under the new Act must send in their claims for enrolment by a certain date, only 591 claims were sent in. There were, however, 4848 dwelling-houses in Dunedin, apart ffom stores, and 1099 stores, making a total of 5947 buildings in respect to which rates were paid. If only two voters were counted for each dwellinghouse,'there would be 9696 voters. But to this must be added a certain number in respect of stores and freeholds belonging to non-resident freeholders. These would number at least 2500, so that, on the lowest estimate, there should be about 12,000 voters in municipal elections in the city of Dunedin. The actual number,, however, was very little more than 3000, or about one quarter what there should be if all who were qualified to vote had enrolled. THE WAKEFIELD ROMANCE.

The death of Miss Mary Jane Janett Turner, of Blackburn, England, which occurred in March, at the age of eighty-five, severs the last personal link (says the London “ Daily Telegraph ”) in an extraordinary romance in which the distinguished colonial legislator and author, Edward Gibbon Wakefield, was the principal actor. _ TMs episode involved questions of abduction, criminal prosecution, and a special Act of Parliament. Her sister Ellen, the heroine, who was heiress to considerable property, was at school at Liverpool in the early part of 1827, and, under the pretence that her father was very ill, she was taken away to Manchester by a person representing himself as a servant. There she was joined by Wakefield, who told her her father was ruined by the failure of a bank, but promised if she would marry him to give £6OOO to save him from imprisonment. TMs she consented to, and the ceremony was performed at Gretna Green. Hearing of her abduction, her two uncles followed the couple to . Calais, and brought her home. Wakefield was subsequently prosecuted; at Lancaster, and, with a brother, wfio was implicated, sentenced to three years’ imprisonment, and in the following month the House of Lords passed a Bill annulling the marriage. .

A BREEZE IN COURfT. There Was a slight breeze at the Gore Court between counsel and Mr Hawkins, S.M. In a case in which a man asked for a variation of an order made against him. for the support of a child of which he had been decided to be the putative father, while in arrears-to the extent of £3, his Worship said he had ho hesitation in sending defendant to gaol. The action of defendant was most discreditable. He tried to discredit the girl and her mother, and went there with a solicitor engaged to act for him and assist Mm to get out of his responsibilities. Why did he not pay the girl instead of paying a solicitor? Ho would be sentenced to imprisonment for one month. Mr Ind erf for defendant) said they Were always getting a harangue on morality. They did not require it and the defendant had a perfect right to employ a solicitor. His opinion was that the girl should pay something. His Worship : That is not my opinion. Mr Bowler (for complainant) asked if the order would he suspended to enable the. defendant to find the money. ■ His Worship; No! When he pays the money he can get out of gaol. Mr Inder: Well, I have security over everything he has got. His Worship; My security is good enough for me. The whole business is most disgraceful and discreditable. Costs (£1 Is) were allowed. THE NEW PARLIAMENTARY . BUILDINGS. Satisfactory progress is being made with the erection of the new library at the Parliamentary Buildings, although some delay has been occasioned by the inability of the

contractors to obtain a sufficient number of plasterers. There is no. doubt, says the “New Zealand Times,” that the buildings will be completed by the opening of Parliament, which it is expected, will take place about June 22 or 23, but the new building will not be sufficiently dry by that time for the reception of the books, and some other use will he found for it. It will probably be utilised for committee rooms, the demand for which is very considerable. Exteriorly the building presents a very handsome appearance, and although the'interior is very much cumbered with material, it is yet. apparent that 'when completed it will fully justify the expectations that have been formed in regard to it.