DUNEDIN NOTES.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXIII, Issue 13714, 3 April 1905, Page 4

DUNEDIN NOTES.

* [From Our Correspondent.] DUNEDIN, April 1. The Ratepayers and Householders' Association last evening considered the City * Council's vote of £I2OO to the town clerk by way of retiring allowance, and carried a resolution viewing with alarm the tendency of the City Council to disburse public money with such a lavish hand, and calling on the Council, to rescind the resolution. It was stated that if this were not done a public indignation meeting would be called. All the railway refreshment rooms in the South Island ceased selling liquor to-day. At the Oatnaru station a bit of brown cardboard, with the following notice, was posted yesterday :—'' This dispensary closes to-day, March 31, by order of the Czar. No more medicine." As a result of recent convictions in the sly grog cases at Lawrence, Clancey, proprietor of the Trocadero, who was fined £IOO and costs, failed to pay his fine and was landed in gaol this morning to serve two months' imprisonment. Elizabeth Johnston, who was similarly lined, is also serving the same term of imprisonment.

In advocating iu the "Star" the formation of a State Schools Defence League as a counterfoil to the Bible in Schools Referendum League, Mr John MacGregor, ex-M.L.C, says:— "We shall have good cause to reproach ourselves if through lukewarmness on the part of the supporters of the education system we allow the votes of the indifferents to carry the day. The teachers are more concerned in the possible outcome of this agitation than any other class, and such a league would form an organisation of the most value to them, for it would be an organisation for the purpose of mutual countenance of those who would be placed in a position of great peril, and for the promotion of sincerity and the fearless expression of conviction. If they shrink to join such an organisation then they will deserve their fate." After the last quarterly meeting of the city_ Licensing Bench Mr J. J. Connor wrote to Commissioner Dinnie, pointing out that the conduct of certain Dunedin licensed houses had been adversely reported on in a statement furnished by the police to th'e Bench, and of which no intimation was conveyed to the parties immediately concerned. The Commissioner, in reply, says: "I consider you have some grounds for complaint. In future arrangements will be made to notify licensees of the nature of such reports (if prejudicial), in order' that those concerned can have the opportunity of defending themselves." ''