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Mataura Ensign, Issue 718, 31 March 1900, Page 2

A detective went to Lyttelton on Wednesday armed with a warrant for the arrest of a member of the contingent on board tbe Gymeric, on a charge of being about to leave the colony without finding a surety for the fulfilment of a maintainance order. Captain' Somerville forbade arrest as tbe. police have no authority to apprehend men on a troopship under the Imperial Army Act.

A deputation from the Fire Brigades Association, consisting of Supt. Smith (Christchurch) and Secretary Martin (Gore), waited on the Premier at Christchurch on Thursday and asked him to divert the £230 voted for sending a team to Paris to the cost of sending two experts to some of tbe principal stations in tbe world. The Premier stated tbat that vote was exhausted by railway passes to the recent confe:ence, and advised tbat Parliament be asked to- vote a sum for the purpose.

A Native named Patara Timamo was recently drowned at Tikitiki, Waipa River, whilst driving a, bull across. His horse got in a deep hole, and he was unable to swim. Tepora Terito, seventeen years of age, made a plucky attempt to rescue him, being dragged under several times by the drowning man, who clutched her skirts, so that whilst under water she had to tear a band off her dress to escape. She was so exhausted that she was barely able to scramble ashore. Deceased's mother, seventy years of age, dived to the bottom of the river and recovered the body.

Tbe Mines Department has received a communication from John N. Robertson, miner, Dunedin, who states that he found payable gold in a part of the country not yet proclaimed within the goldfields. In reply to Robertson's enquiry as to what steps should be taken by him to have the district alluded to proclaimed a goldfield, it has been suggested that he should report the nature of his discovery to the Commissioner of Crown Lands, and if the locality is Crown land and lik;ly to prove payably auriferous, that the Commissioner should be requested to recommend the Government. to have the surround-' ing area included in tho Otago mining district.

Wo are requested to state that the art union which is being conducted by the Druids this month "in Victoria, is the thirty-first annual one. The prizes are, as usual, extremely valuable, the first being worth £1000. If tho lucky winner should feel disposed, however, to have a twelve months' trip round the world in preference, ho has the option of doiug so, and ail his expenses will be paid, at first-class rates, and £500 in cash handed to him for incidentals. In addition to this important and novel prize, there are 124 others ranging in value from £1 to £100. The proceeds from the undertaking are to be devoted to the Melbourne hospital, a uational charitable institution which is now making its first appeal to the publi.\ The whole affair promis.s to be one of the must exlentensive and successful ever held in Victoria, as it is being supported most enthusiastically by all classes. Tickets giving purchasers a chance in the art union are one shilling each ; tbey may be had direct from Mr Theo. W. Heide, 237 Collins-street, Melbourne, who is acting in the capacity of representative for New Zealand. He will also bo pleased to supply full particulars on application.

During the proceedings at the Mataura Borough Council meeting on Wednesday, reference was made to the Mayor's (Mr T. Mac Gibbon's) contemplated visit to Britain. Councillor Lowden moved, Councillor Sleeman seconding — " That in the event of the Mayor leaving on a visit to the Home country, the Council's appreciation of his administrative abilities during his term of office be recorded (he having tided the Council over a financial crisis), also tho courteous manner in which he has treated Councillors on all occasions." — This was carried unanimously. The Mayor returned thanks for the kind and complimentary manner Councillors had spoken of him, and much regretted leaving the colony at present, but on account of his own health and in deference to the wishes of a member of his family he found it necessary to visit the Old Country. He hoped, however, to bo with tbem again in the course of six months, and trusted the Council would get along as smoothly in his absence as it had during tbe time he presided over it.

A question of great importance to Magistrates, who are now in the Service and who were appointed by the Otago Provincial Government, will, the 'Bruce Herald' is informed, soan be settled. The master has been the subject of much agitation by the gentlemen interested, who claim tbat the years they served under the Provincial Government should be counted iv with tbe time they have served under the General Government. If it can be counted in, these Magistrates would be entitled to pensions, if not, only to compensation for the time they have bjen employed by the New Zealand Government. The Government, after some years' consideration, has now agreed to allow these gentlemen to state a case, which will be submitted to tbe Court of Appeal for its decision. Those Magistrates who are interested in the question are Messrs Carew, Beetham, Robinson, and Stratford. Should the Court of Appeal decide in their favor, there is no doubt that they will lose no time in retiring on their peusions.

Last evening, says the Palmerston ' Times,' v few enthusiastic bowlers played a few heads on tho local green by the aid of acetylene gas lamps. The light was strong enough to enable one skip to make three " dead" heads in seven. The experiment was voted a success, and probably an attempt will be made later in tbe week to bave some play on a more extended scale.

A remarkable action at law has been commenced at Kansas, where Mrs Catherine Smith is suing the city of Columbus for $15,000 damages, on the ground that through the neglect of the proper authorities to enforce tho Prohibition law, her husband has become an hi,bitual drunkard. The case bus aroused much interest among tho legal fraternity in the West.

A deputation representing the Wellington Education Board waited on the Minister of Education in connection with teachers' salaries on Thursday. The Hon. W. C. Walker, in replying, said he recognised the importance of tbe subject from every point, especially us to the finances of districts and the efficiency of education in the colony. He mentioned that the standard of attainments of teachers in various parts of the colony varied, and he would like this remedied. He did not approve of teachers' salaries being reduced when a board found themselves in financial difficulties, ne was preparing a scheme for fixing the rate of salaries, and when this was ready for discussion it would be submitted to the boards throughout the colony ; and he trusted it would be discussed in tbe fullest sense. In this manner he hoped to get an expression of opinion and their professional criticism of his proposals. Under the scheme only a margin of capitation would be at the disposal of boards for general purposes, but their financial position would be improved and their work rendered less difficult.

The Auckland ' Herald ' states that Dr Giles was obliged, owing to the state of his eyesight, to decline to act on the Royal Commission which is to report on the riverbeds of Southland and Otiigo. Another operation will be necessary which will be performed probably about the end of this month.

The annual meeting of tbe Gore Young Men's T.M.I. Society was held on Thursday evening, under the presidency of Mr J. A. Forbes, there being a fair attendance of members. The annual report made reference to the past successful year experienced by the Society, there being a membership of 21. In all SO meetings had been he : d during the year, which included a most successful series of public lectures. The balance-sheet disclosed a credit of over £5, this with the report being considered highly satisfactory, mid adopted. The following office-bearers were elected for the year : — President, the Rev. A. Gray; vice-presidents, Messrs C. J. Evison and W. Teviotdale ; secretary, Mr W. H. Higgins ; treasure!, Mr B. Cameron. Six new members having been proposed, and 'arrangements made for the preparation ol a syllabus for the session, the meeting concluded with a vote of thanks to the retiring officers for their past services.

If it is true (writes the correspondent of a contemporary at the Cape) that Field Cornets Lombard, Grobelaar, Opperman, Erasmus, and another were killed at the Spion Kop fight, then it would be interesting toJtnow if this is the Erasmus of Bronkerspruit notoriety. The latter was an Anglo-phobe of of the bitterest type. He is held responsible for having murdered several Englishmen, a crime for which ho was tried by a Transvaal court, and, of course, acquitted. To kill Englighmen and Kaffirs was rather a virtue than a crime. Shortly before the Bronkerspruit massacre of the 941 b, while a detachment of that regiment was in the Lydenberg district, Erasmus, wanting to test the shooting of the British, got up a rifle match between some of the 94th and the Boers. He offered his handsome horse Courtnay as the prize. Although only 23 of the 94th competed against 37 boers, 11 of tbe 94th headed the list, and one of these won the horse. Shortly after this Erasmus planned and executed the Bronkerspruit massacre of this same portion of the 94th, and it was he who called out and parleyed with Colonel Anstrulher before the signal for the massacre was given to the ambushed Boers. After that massacre Erasmus took back tbe horse from the fallen winner. These facts a Cape paper has obtained from one who was second in the rifle competition above referred to, and who was one of the survivors of this massacre, and who i 3 at present in Maritz'aurg.

Tbe death is reported of Mrs McElwain, aged 85, widow of Auckland's first gaoler and stated to have been the second white woman to reside in Auckland.

It may not be generally known (says 'the Carterton ' Observer ') that camphorated oil is poisonous. A little girl, about six years of age, a. daughter of a well-kuown resident was tempted to try some camphorated oil loft oa the table, her mother having just finished rubbing her baby's chest for a cold. The child did not seem any tho worse, but presently her mother found that she was convulsed, and as quickly as possible the little' sufferer was taken to Dr Johnston's, where for three hours he plied medical skill to bring the child out of danger. The doctor feared collapse, but, very fortunately, his fears were not realised. The child is now out of danger.

Peculiar are some of the things which happen when people are in a flurry. It is reported that at the send-off of. the Canterbury Company of tho fifth contingent, a man, iuside the iron ericlosure at Ihe railway station, got somewhat befogged in his attempts to get on tbe platform. " Let me out," he said to one of the men at the entrance, " I want to get in !" Another flurried personage asked when the next train for Lyltelton left. «' At 11.20," was the strictly accurate railway time-table reply. " Oh, yes," remarked the questioner, " eleven past twenty ; thanks !'' — an interpretation in which the railway official cheerfully concurred. — ' Press.'

The season for shooting native game inthis district opened to-day, a fair number of sportsmen sallying forth in search of ducks, which are stated to be about as plentiful as usual in this locality. No other evidence of the opening of the shooting season than the audible banging of distant gun 3 has yet been afforded us, although it is stated that several shootists who were on the happy hunting grounds in the small hours of tho morning, secured well-proportioned bags of the early bird.

Several hundred Natives from districts south of Napier and Pahnerston, encamped on the Basin Reserve, Wellington, are giving an exhibition of various phases of Native life, cooking, dances, and so on, in aid of tho patriotic fund. The proceedings began on Wednesday afternoon with a procession through town to the Reserve, where speeches were made by the Hon. J. Carroll and the Mayor. The carnival, which proved most successful, lasted-- two days, over 20,000 people visiting .it. The Hon. Mr Carroll delivered an address on Thursday night, explaining why the Maoris could not become members of tho contingent, and congratulating members on their labors.

John Deighton bos been committed for trial for tbe murder of his infant daughter at Wellington. The cross-examination was in the direction of proving insanity, and the medical evidence to some extent supported this. No new facts were elicited.

The gentlemen's committee appointed to arrange entertainments in aitl of the local Indian Famine Relief Fund mot on Thursday evening, aud decided to hold a sports gathering, probably on the 25th April. The afternoon's programme will include floral competitions, fancy costume football match, seven aside football tourneys (each lasting fifteen minutes), baby show (entrants to be judged by bacbelors), pedestrian events of various characters, bicycle races, etc. It was ako resolved to hold an entertainment in the evening. A communication from Mr A. Wayte, Otamita, promised assistance, and a telegram-was received from the Premier giving his opinion that money being sent direct to India would be preferable to produce. — A well attended meeting o£ the ladies committee was held yesterday afternoon, when Mrs Poppelwell was elected chairwoman and Mrs G. Copland secretary. Ways and means of assisting the fund were discussed at length, and the general teeling of the meeting was in favor of holding a plain and fancy dress ball on the evening of the sports, the ladies to provide the supper. ' On account of the date of the sports not having yet been fixed, nothing definite as to the dance was decided upon, and a further mcc ing is to bo held to discuss tbe matter fully.

During tbe week the wildest rumors were current as to the amount of gold secu ed by the Hartley and Riley drdge, one extravagant estimate crediting it with having obtained 2000oz up to Tuesday last. As a result of these statements and the previous week's heavy return, transactions in Hartley and Riley shares took place at an unusually high figure. The correct return for the dredge for the past week, however, was GG7oz 3dwt, but would have been greater had it not been for a sudden rise in the river.

In tho Bruce licensing matter Judge Williams at the Dunedin Supreme Court yesterday granted an order of prohibition prayed for on behalf of local hotelkeepers to restrain Magistrate Stratford from proceeding to recount the votes, on the ground that the Leislature had failed to make provision for a fresh poll in case of irregularity. Tbo principal ground on which a writ of prohibition was granted was that tho Magistrate omitted to give statutory notice of holding a" Court of Review. A laborer named Wm. Sinel.iir, while stoncbreoking alone at Mount Eden, near Auckland, yesterday was partially smothered by a fall of stone and earth. He was discovered by a little girl who gave an alarm and he was taken to the hospital in a precarious condition. The ' Cape Times ' says : Judging from an incident which occurred at tho camp for the Boer prisoners at Simon's Town on Monday, the change from the troopship to the shore is going to be attended with trouble. One would have thought that the men would have shown their appreciation of the considerate treatment they received by behaving quietly and obeying regulations. Almost the first night on shore, however, has been signalised by a desperate attempt to escapi on the part of five prisoners. In some mysterious way the men became possessed of firearms, and shot at it warder who was wounded. The alarm was given, and in the melee which ensued two of the five prisoners, in trying to escape, were wounded. The other three were recaptured. We understand that while on board the Penelope one of the Boer prisoners wounded a warder, but no details were mado public at the time of the occurrence. The Premier, in reply to the allegations that West Coast and Nelson men. were thrust into the contingent, displacing others, says that only the 50 allotted to those districts have beon included. They were selected and tested in their own districts, and it would have been unfair to make them go through the tests again in Wellington. Some of the men who hud to be turned out mny. he says, be utilised to fill gaps in the older contingents.

A few men have been rejected at Wellington at the last moment because they are over 35. Some transfers have been made to equalise the strength of the companies, which now number 100 men each, with four officers, and these, with eight fur Robins' contingent, will make a total of 424 who go away to-day. Tenders invited for supply of coal to Waikaka Queen Gold Dredging Co. Parade of Gore Mounted Riiles on Wednesday next. St. Georges' Happy Hour Co. at Gore on Thursday and Friday next. Tenders wanted for contract works at Mataura. Two rabbit trappers wanted at once. , Train arrangements for Invercargill races notified. Dalgety and Co. sell sheep and cattle at Gore on Tuesday. Carter and Co. are opening up new season's goods. . Meeting oPGore Young Women's T.M.I. Society on Wednesday evening. The Mora Studio can satisfy you with fourth contingent photo 3. Henderson and Bittger have a line of 1000 crossbred wethers and 42G-acre farm for sale. Tothiil, Watsop and Co. sell stock at Gore on Tuesday. next. Wright, Stephenson and Co. sell sheep and lambs at Gore on Tuesday. Gore Domain Board invite tenders for grazing land. Wright, Stephenson and Co. sell a Chatton farm at Gore on 28th April.

Piction, N.Z., September 18, 1899. I bave much pleasure in recommending Chamberlain's Cough Remedy. I have used it whenever necessary during the last few years, and have always found it give immediate relief. It always breaks up a cough or cold, and experience has taught me that to obtain a speedy euro is to commence taking Chamberlain's Cough Remedy at the very commencement of a cold. I always keep a bottle of it in the house. — Yours faithfully, . J. BLIZZARD, J.P., Town Clerk. Chamberlain's Cough Remedy sold by D. B. Esther, Chemist, Gore. Price, Is 6d per bottle; large size, 3h.