DUNEDIN MOTES.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXIII, Issue 13712, 1 April 1905, Page 8

DUNEDIN MOTES.

[From Our Correspondent.] . • DUNEDIN, March 29. Mr A. G. Brebner, station-master at Gore, will retire from the service at the end of the present month upon superannuation allowance. Mr Brebner joined the railway service in 1873 as shipping clerk' at Port Chalmers and remained in this employment until 1878, being then appointed station-master, and has had charge of the following stations: Lovell’s Flat (1878), Outram (1879-80), Aramoho Junction (1881), Feilding (1882), Foxton (1883-89), Westport (1889-97), Bluff (1897-99), Wellington (1899-1900), New Plymouth (1900-01), •Gore (1901-05), a service of twentyseven years. Mr T. J, Brownell, of 'Mosgiel, will succeed M r Brebner at Gore. . At a meeting of the Otago University, the establishment of a law school, as recommended by the Law Society, was approved of, Mr A. R. Barclay being appointed lecturer on constitutional history and law, and Air W. E. Hay lecturer on jurisprudence. ' The president,' Mr M’Laren, at Lie annual meeting of the Otago Rugby Union, referring to the visit of the New Zealand team to Great Britain, said that-judging by the manner in which the New Zealand Union was managing affairs, the movement would not be the success it might be. He was asked to draw up a confidential report on Otago players and did so, and afterwards an Otago player was excluded from team. He was waiting the New Zealand Union’s reply to a- letter he sent it, and then he would say what he had to. say about that Union. Mr Fairbairn, the town clerk, has resigned on the ground of ill-health. • Of a party of half a dozen gentlemen who were strolling on the Ocean Beach, on Sunday evening, three suddenly sank to their thighs in quicksand, giving their companions some‘trouble to-help them out. One of those who got into difficulties was Mr J. A. X. Kiedle. the well-known manager of the Dresden Music Depot. Esdie's hotel at Omakau was completely destroyed by fire at an early hour yesterday morning. The building and furniture were insured in the Alanchester Office for £650. The loss is estimated at £I2OO. The proprietor is said to have lost £6O in notes in the firet . In connection with the recent disbandment of the Lake Wakatipu Lodge, M.U., 1.0.0. F.. in consequence of a majority of its members having left the district, it seems that only some six out of twenty-six members remained <<nd no enrolment of new members has been made for some time. The winding-up and dispersion of funds has resulted in some long-standing members receiving upwards of £2OO each. Mr K. Chisholm, president of the Otago Acclimatisation Society, who has left for the Old Country, has taken letters' of introduction to the general manager of the Shaw, Savill and Albion Company, as well as'to Dr Fulton, scientific superintendent of the Scotch Fishery Board, Professor W- C. M’lntosh. of St Andrew’s, and Professor J. C. Cossar Ewart, of Edinburgh, all of whom are interested in the question of fish'acclimatisation in New Zealand. It is-hoped that lobsters will be brought eut to the marine hatchery at Portokello within the next twelve months.

In consequence of the success attending previous competitions, the Dunedin Competitions Society has decided to have two choir competitions next October, the first being for choirs of unlimited number, with a minimum of thirty, the second for choirs with a maximum of twenty-five. The pieces for-the larger choirs are to be Gounod’s tnthem “By Babylon's Wave,” and a fradle song by Smart, and for the unsller choirs, “ Bo Glad and Rejoice ” .'by - Foster) and “Madeleine” (by Roeckel). A competition for male voice choirs of sixteen voices is to be Introduced. The music is to bo “ The hovers (by Koschat). As supplementing tiie above, there will also be a contest for choirs of female voices, the number in each to be twelve. Their music is “ Stars of tne Summer Night ” (hy.J. G. West). DUNEDIN, March 30. . Mr F. \V. Platts, of Port Chalmers, acting on behalf of the licensees in the Chalmers electorate, has been advised by cable that the appeal concerning licensing matters in that district will come before the Judicial Committee of the Privy .Council next week. It ■seems that the suit is not to be defended by the other side. The amount already spent by the licensees in legal and other expenses in the tortuous forms necessary before the matter came to trial, already amounts to £I3OO. The London legal firm of Long and Gardiner represents the petitioners. Mr B. Fuller, who recently purchased Lhe Princess Theatre, and the directors of His Majesty’s Theatre, have entered into an agreement with a view to preventing both houses being occupied by

rival companies at the same time. It is thought that if the lessees of cither place can give an absolute assurance that the tenant will have the field to himself during his stay, and experience has shown that both houses cannot remain open to profitable business, be will have less reluctance in hooking dates here. Mr Campbell, secretary to His Majesty’s Theatre, will have the letting of both houses under the new arrangement. There is a strong feeling locally against the action of the City Council in voting £I2OO as a retiring allowance to Mr Fairbairn, who has been town clerk for only five years. At a meeting of the executive of the Otago Employers’ the Otago Trades and Labour Council’s attack on the Arbitration Court and its president was fully discussed. As the matter was considered of colonial importance, it was resolved to refer it to the New Zealand Employers’ Federation, with a request that steps should be taken to counteract it, and to uphold the under rate clause, as inserted bv the Court in recent awards. DUNEDIN, March 31. The meetings held in the city aacl suburbs Trader the auspices of the Bible-iu-Schools Referendum League have been sparsely attended. _ There is an absolute lack of enthusiasm in connection with the mission of Mr Wright, the League’s organising agent.