TOWN AND COUNTRY.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CIV, Issue 12274, 17 August 1900, Page 5

TOWN AND COUNTRY.

Two prisoners were taken to Wellington in the Rotomahana last night by Detective Broburg. The residents of Waikari have purchased a Union Jack, which will be presented to the Waikari Public School, and the ceremony of hoisting it in the school grounds will be performed at an early date. On the arrival of the s.s. Rotomahana at Lyttelton yesterday, Cassels and Connell arrested a passenger on a charge of having stolen a sum of £l4 at Greytown. He was taken to Christchuroh by train. The election-of a member of the Linwood Borough Council, in place of Mr Joseph Taylor, took place yesterday, and caused' some excitement. The result was: —W. H. Seed 201 votes, C. H. Wagstaff 129, and T. G. Strange 43. , .

- Mr J. F. Arnold, M.H.R., was a passenger for Wellington by the-Rotomahana last night. Messrs F. Wilding, A.' Scott, C .Morton, W. Gf Lane, A. H. Turnbull and D. Thomas arrived in Christchuroh by the southern express traini last evening. The interest in Mrs J. L. Wright's services in the Primitive Methodist Church, Cambridge Terrace, this week has been well maintained, and Mrs Wright's addresses, which are stirring, practical and evangelical lin tone, are evidently much appreciated.

At the annual meeting of shareholders in the Kaiapoi Woollen Manufacturing Company, the directors will recommend that a dividend should be declared for the halfyear at the rate of 7 per cent per annum, and that £2500 should be carried to reserve.

At the Magistrate's Court yesterday morning, an orderly had just called a defendant, and returned saying, "He is not about the Court, sir." "Did you say he's on the West Coast?" inquired the Magistrate. This is an instance of the acoustic defects of the Court-room.

A heavy sentence was inflicted on a man charged with drunkenness before the Justices at the Police Court yesterday. He was sentenced to fourteen days' hard labour, which is the sentence for a conviction being a habitual drunkard,- whereas the man was simply charged with drunkenness. A joint meeting of the Citizens' and the Exhibition Entertainment mil be held attjhe rooms of the Canterbury Industrial Association' on Tuesday at 8 p.m. The meeting has been called to endeavour to finally arrange the programme of entertainments at the Exhibition, during Jubilee Week.

Shortly before nine o'clock last evening, When the streets were crowded, a couple of young fellows got into, .'an altercation in front of the Empire Hotel, in High-Street, and from words they very soon came to blows. Just when it appeared evident that the brawl would- develop into a free' fight, as some of the by-standers seemed inclined to interfere, Constable M'Glone appeared on the scene, and endeavoured to arrest the contestants. He held both of them for a short time, called a cab, and got one of them into it. While he was endeavouring ■to accommodate the second one with a seat, however, the first one jumped out of the cab and made off. The constable secured the second man and took/him to the Police Station, where he was locked up on a charge of causing a breach of the peace.

The Musical Union will give the third subscription concert/of the season on August 30. The programme will be of, a mixed character." It has been decided to reproduce the slow . movement from Alfred' Hill's' symphony, •" Maori," before returning the music to Sydney, as subscribers will not have another opportunity of hearing it, and by special request the dainty music in Cowen's suite,. s« charmingly played, at the last concert, will be repeated. The principal number will be Mendelssohn's " "Hymn of Praise," with the grand. symphony. Miss Moir,| Miss Lake and Mr W. Izard will sing the solo, parts, and Mr W. E.- Sorrell will also contribute one number by singing the air from " Samson," " Honour and Arms," with full orchestral accompaniment. . Subscribers can now join for the half season upon the conditions mentioned in another column.

Dogs from all parts of New Zealand arrived yesterday for the Canterbury Kennel Club's Show,- which will open to-day at Messrs Pyne and Co.'s wool store, Hereford Street. No fewer than thirty-two came by the Rotomahana from the north, including Mp Paul Hunter's English setters from Hawke's Bay, and Mr' Horrax's and Mr Mills's collies from Wellington, all these having taken the highest honours at leading shows, in New -Zealand and Australia. Twenty-on> dogs, mostly Spaniels and collies, of. similar distinction, arrived from Invercargill and a strong contingent from punedin, while all parts of Canterbury, even ■to the West Coast Road, are represented. Mr Burland, of "Kaikoura, is in town to famous collie Armsbearer, which is generally, admitted to be the best yet bred in the Australasian colonies. The dog returned from Australia on Wednesday in the best of health. Bulldogs; fox terriers, Irish terriers, Scottish terriers, Airdale terriers, and, in fact, almost every popular rariety will'be exhibited. Judging, to which the public will be admitted, will begin at 10 a.m. Boyd and Son, Gloucester Street, are devoting all their large staff and appliances to bicycle repairs. All makes of machines, receive'the same careful and prompt attention. ; ' ' X 2588 Perfection is immutable; you will realise the truth of this in the constant; u,se of Black Swan Butter. 5 Notwithstanding the large number of cycles' dealt with at our great cycle sale, wo still ,-hajve a number of new and secondhand machines to clear before stock-taking at very 'tempting prices. We invite inspection at our showrooms, 226, High Street. The Anglo-New Zealand Cycle Co. Xl9lß Hallshone automatic rubber mudguards, fit any bicycle, sent to any address on receipt of 8s 6d. Oates, Lowry and Co., Zealandia Cycle Works, Christchurch. • . ■ ■ X 1571 Raging toothache and neuralgia can be positively cured by "Baxter's Anti-neural-gic Pills." Relief given in ten minutes. Sold in Is 6d boxes from J. Baxter or Wallace and Co., Chemists, Christchurch. X 2660 Acetylene lamps in immense variety, from 10s; twin roller chains from 12s 6d j bells, tee-clips, locks, an'd all the latest accessories, at lowest prices. Repairs executed promptly. Waverley Cycle Depot, 217-, Colombo Street, Christchurch. " X 2396 Hanging lamps from 5s 93 to 555. We guarantee to give better value in hanging and table lamps, chimneys, shades, wicks, etc., than any lamp seller in New Zealand. Fletcher Bros., direct importers of lamps, chimneys, etc., High Street, Christchurch. 1897 Mr W. E. Sorrell, the well-known photographer, says that Loasby's Koolibah cured him completely of unbroken chilblains with three applications.- LI9BB

VICTORIA COLLEGE. It has been decided to issue circulars to publio bodies in the various centres of the Middle University district and to have petitions issued there in favour of the retention of the Mount Cook site for. educational and other national purposes. Mr Hogg, M.H.R., is convening a meeting of representatives of the Middle District in the House with a view to concerted action. A movement is on foot to enlist the sympathies of the more opulent citizens of Wellington and settlers in the Middle District to subscribe towards the establishment and endowment of the University, and small contributions are invited for that purpose from-all interested ineducational matters. FREE LOANS. The free loan system of charity has been found so successful by the Jewish Aid Society in Melbourne that a proposal to extend it is under consideration. The Society has found Leviticus to come within the range of practical finance : " If thy brother become poor . . . then shalt thou aid him. . . . Thou shalt not take of him any interest or increase." The Jewish Aid Society was started in Melbourne twelve years ago on lines differing from those followed by other charitable institutions. A fund of £IOSO was established to begin with, and since then the amount lent out in sums not exceeding £25 has been £9710 15s. The bad and-doubtful debts total only £lO4. " The results to borrowers," says the report, "have been truly beneficial./ Thrift has been encouraged, honest industry aided, and' manly reliance developed." Applicants, for instance, on furnishing guarantees for repayment, receive loans, which, without interest, are repaid'on very * easy terms. Such aid differs from alms, which, in the words of the treasurer, always " weaken the moral fibre of the recipient." The English Society, which benefited to the extent of £IBO,OOO by the Hirsch bequest, grants loans up to £IOO. It is believed the plan is only practicable when limited to particular denominations, whose members are mutually well acquainted, but there may be no ground for such belief. THE NEW ZEALAND FLAG. Mr E. W. Dobbs, writing to the Melbourne "Age," says that it is wrong to suppose that there -was no New Zealand flag prior to the recent authorisation by the Admiralty. The British blue ensign differenced with a badge, four red stars each with a white border on a blue disc, he asserts, was the official New Zealand flag for years. This badge figures among the sixty other badges in the " Flag Book of all Nations, issued by the Admiralty, and is copied into other books on flags, such as Phillips's and Hulme's, besides appearing in Webster's Die tionary (latest edition). What the Admiralty have now done is to make the badge more distinctive by placing the stars on a white disc on both- the blue and red ensigns. Formerly no disc could' be seen, as it was the same colour as the ensign field; and there, was no authorised,badge for the mercantile marine. ' v - MURDER OF AN AMERICAN IN MOROCCO. A Tangier telegram to London papers states that M. Marcos Essagin, an American citizen, the manager'of the Fez branch of a well-known French house, was killed recently under - horrible circumstances. While riding on horseback through a narrow street, he met a Moorish religious chief an* knocked against his mule.'. An altercation followed, and a fanatical crowd took the part of ""the chief. M. Essagin, seeing that his life was in danger, fired his revolver and wounded a native. He was immediately attacked and cut down by the mob, who, according to one account, burned him while still alive, while another version says they burned his dead body. The French Consul informed the American Consul-General by special runner of the murder of M. Essagin, and the two representatives formally brought the matter before Mohamed El Tores* the representative of the Saltan. * AN INTERESTING CASE. Seamen When they desire to desert from a ship, says the Adelaide "Advertiser," often do not mind a few days in gaol if it will serve their end. A case in point came before the Marine-'Board on August 1. The Superintendent of Mercantile Marine reported to the Board that Charles D. White, a seaman of the ship Dunboyne, had on July 20, at midnight, left his vessel with, the intention 'of deserting, but had been arrested and brought before the Port Police Court and fined £l, or in default fourteen days' imprisonment for the theft of a tomahawk and a fid, owned by the first mate. Accused went to gaol, but on July 27, the captain paid the fine and asked for White's liberation in order that he might rejoin the vessel. As White did not appear the master reported 'him as a deserter, but later the Superintendent of the gaol informed the Superintendent of Mercantile Marine that White had refused to leave the gaol, preferring to serve his fourteen days, and that therefore the fine money would ba returned to the ship on application. The question had now arisen as to whether the man was justified in refusing to return to his ship, the master having paid the fine, and also whether .the gaol authorities could legally retain him after the fine was paid. : The Board considered they were not sufficiently versed in the law to answer the questions, and it was decided'to forward them to the Attorney-General for his opinion. RIFLE CLUBS. A deputation waited upon the Premier at Wellington yesterday in regard to the conditions of formation of Rifle Clubs. Resolutions passed at a meeting of Taranaki delegates, held at Stratford recently, were laid before the Premier, who promised that they would receive the consideration of the Ministry. Mr Seddon said that he thought that it would be reasonable to allow men over thirty-five years of age to form Rifle Clubs in districts where there were already Volunteer Corps. In districts where there were no Volunteer Corps men of any age might be allowed to form Rifle Clubs. In cases where there were several villages or districts in close proximity it might be arranged to have one club for them all, with sections having a minimum membership of ten men in each village or district. Generally his desire was to lift Rifle Clubs into a position which they had never had before in this countiy. More particularly did he want to have trained shots in sparsely populated districts. It would be better for the Government to take half payment for the weapons in the' first year and the balance in the second year, rather than rent rifles. This present proposal was to allow members of Rifle Clubs fifty rounds of ammunition •in their first year and one hundred rounds per annum thereafter. To give them a good start he would be prepared to make the allowance for the first year one hundred rounds also. It was necessary that Rifle Clubs should not militate against Volunteer Corps, but at the same time elderly men should have the opportunity of taking up arms in the former Associations.