The Ensign. GORE: SATURDAY, JANUARY 17.

Mataura Ensign, Issue 1137, 17 January 1903, Page 2

The Ensign. GORE: SATURDAY, JANUARY 17.

DEVELOPMENT OP UNIONISM. It has been apparent ever since the inauguration of the N.Z. Farmers' Union that settlers in the North Island have mad 9 more practical use of the extensive organisation than have farmers in the South Island. The reason for this has been disclosed on more than one occasion, and the principal cause appears to lie in the fact that in the North Island occupation of land is attended with more hardships and difficulties than are now encountered in the South. For the most part, the North Island farmers of to-day are doing the pioneering work, and at the same time that they are faced with the problem of making a living from the soil, they are forced into competition with the older settled portions of the colony, which, of course, adds to the burdens they are already carrying. They are compelled to weigh well every possible advantage that may be secured to improve their position, and the Farmers' Union, opening up as it did a new field for future prosperity, was hailed by them with unfeigned satisfaction. As a natural consequence the Union has grown to be a live institution in the North, and no effect has been spared to ensure complete success for its affairs. The possibility of extending its usefulness has never been lost sight of, and recently there has been established a militant commercial branch of the organisation under the name of the New Zealand Farmers' Cooperative Distributing Company. The objects of the undertaking (which was conceived by the Otaki branch of the Union) were fully set forth by a member (Mr Leigh Hunt) at a recent meeting in Palmerston North. He said there was no speculative taint about the company. In its larger scope the company, acting in conjunction with the Farmers' Union, would keep the farmer in touch with his market. Through an absence of such information farmers were. at a disadvantage, and did not know the true value of their produce. The company would have a manager, who would be in touch not only with the markets of New Zealand but with those of the world. An instance of the value of having Buch information at once was given. The hop growers of Nelson were getting very poor prices for - their hops. Buyers in possession of the information from Home that the hop crops in the Old World had been a failure, bought the Nelson crops outright at a low figure before the state of the Home market was known to the New Zealand producers. Had the agency of the company been at work the Nelson farmers would have been circularised, and large sums of money saved to them. Coming to the primary object of the company, Mr Hunt described the present system of selling produce at the principal centres of the colony as cumbrous, expensive and inefficient. What waß wanted was a better method of regulation. At present, if the produce was more than the centre eould consume, it was sacrificed or sent to the destructor. The result was that the producer either suffered from a glut, or the consumer suffered from a famine—the direct want of a proper system. Information was sent by a Wellington firm to producers in the various centres that a certain variety of

fruit, was scarce. Heavy supplies oame forward, the market yras glutted and the fruit sacrificed, and so it went on from one market to another. Only ; a central agency such as they proposed could obviate the bisr periodical losses which took place; Another defect which, at present existed was that the auctioneers in Wellington also noted 'as dealers in the very goods sent to them for auction.' In his opinion this should be made illegal. The commission charged wns out of proportion to the work done. The present rate was ten par cent. E'ght_years ago the commission was only half that &moant. All those evils would be overoome by the company. The prodiioe would be concentrated at one store, whtre,' by having all the buyers topether, there would' be keen competition. An endeavor would be made to counteract the payment of heavy railage rates on small lots by having sub-agents, such as reliable farmers, at different railway centres, whose duty it would b9 to collect all small lots and train them in parcels of four hundredweight or over in order that ton r.oiild be secured. From the it will be gleaned that lae proposed operations of the, company are to-be confined in the meantime to the handling and disposal of such products as fruit and poultry. These are marketed in small lots, and being of a perishable nature the vendor (if at any distance from the distributing centre) is likely to be placed very much at the mercy of the purchaser. The suggested movement is thoroughly sound in principle, and will do much towards improving the position of the struggling settlers who depend to a groat extent for their livelihood upon tho raising and disposal of such commodities as those named. Judging by the enthusiasm displayed in the matter so far there is little fear but that the company will shortly become an accomplished- fact, and the experiment will provide most valuable evidenoe of the probability of the feasibility of an effort by farmers generally on more ambitious commercial lines—say, for instance, in the direction of a combination such as has been already outlined by Mr I. W. Raymond. The North Island scheme has been devised to get over a very pressing difficulty, and that being the case it is deserving of the greatest possible success.

The first sale of Canterbury's new season's grain is reported, 1500 bushels of Canadian oats having been sold at 2s 5d per bushel on truck at Chertsej. In the Oberon distriot, New South Wales, there will be better yields of potatoes, rye, and oatß I han ever known there, the recent rains having done splendid service to all the crops. In the higher lands, rye and prairie grass stand almost 6ft high, while strong and vigorous cocksfoot reaches over 4ft. The Executive of the North Canterbury Farmers' Union has passed a resolution noting with satisfaction the action taken by Mr Bishop, S.M. (Christchuroh), in declining to send objectionable characters to the country, where they would be a menace to women and children. The half-yearly meeting of the Mataura Lodge, No. 40, 1.0.0. F., held on Wednesday evening, was well attended, visitors being present from Unity Lodge (Dunedin), and Pioneer of Southland Lodge (Invercargill). The report and balance sheet were of & highly satisfactory character,' showing that there had been an increase of membership for the term and that the funds now totalled £749 12s Bd. The fact of there not having been a single claim for sick pay during the past twelve months shows Mataura to be a very healthy locality. Grand Master Bro, J. M. Aitken (Invercargill) paid an official visit, and congratulated the Lodge on the splendid position shown. He aIBO explained the various measures to be brought before the next Grand Lodge session, to be held in Auckland in March next, and referred to the satisfactory progress being made by the Order throughout the colony. Votes of thanks to the G.M. and visitors concluded a pleasant gathering. At the Manawatu Gun Club Pigeon Matoh yesterday, Price (Christchurch), 27yds, and E. P. Graham (Gore), 30yds, tied for first place with nine birds each, and decided to divide £BO of the first and second money and shoot off for the remaining £lO. This was won by Graham. Woolven secured third place. Among the competitors were Eales, the well-known Australian shot, and Chavannes, also a well-known shootist, the latter being on the same mark as Graham, The last named competes in the £IOO match at Wellington, meeting Eales, Gorrick, and others.

It is not generally known that measles are no longer regarded by the Health Officer as a " notifiable disease"—i.e., a disease the existence of which must be immedtately reported to the local authority by the medical man in ch'arge. A circular to the medical profession intimates that, on account of the groat expense, measles have ceased as from thß 10th inst., to be a notifiable disease, but doctors are asked ap a matter of public duty to continue to notify the local Health Officer as heretofore.

The death occurred at Inveroargill yesterday of Mr J. P. Joyce, one of the earliest settlers in Southland, and a well-known journalist. The deceased gentleman came to New Zealand in 1857, and took to the then rough work of colonial life, going into the employment of one of the earlier settlers of the Taieri district, near Dunedin, where, and elsewhere, he so6n became noted for his skill as a stockman. He came to Southland (says the ' News') in the year 1858, where he stayed for some time with Mr Edwin Rich, of the Tuturau Station, on the Mataura. In August of 1861 Mr John Turnbull became the purchaser of the run, and Mr Joyce was afterwards engaged by Mr Turnbull as hia manager, and remained in that gentleman's employ until the breaking out of the Wakatipu goldfields, early in the year 1862. For some time then, he, along with many other settlers, aoted as waggoner, earning at times as much as £IOO a ton freight for carriage over the then devious and unformed roads from Inveroargill to Longford (now Gore), and along the eastern bank of the Mat&ura, with a re-crossing of that river at the Pyramids, thence following the Waimea Plains via what was then known as the Elbow (now Lumsden), and thence due north to Kingston. For a time he was engaged in storekeeping, and suffered from its vicissitudes as the diggings " ran down." He beoame clerk to the old Inveroargill Town Board,jand aoted subsequently as editor of the ' Southland Times' and ' News' respectively. He represented the Wallace electorate in Parliament from 1876 to 1879, and Awarua from 1879 to 1884, when he stood aside in favor of Mr (now Sir Jofeph) Ward. The deceased gentleman, who web 68 years of age, leaves behind him a wife, three sons and three daughters. The following district dredging returns are reportedCharlton Creek 240z sdwt, Central Charlton 220z 7dwt, Waimumu 20oz 12 dwt, Globe 18oz Bdwt, Waimumu Central 16oz 15dwt, Waimumu Extended 16oz sdwt, Lady Charlton 16oz 12dwt. The Melbourne ' Argus' asks" Where in Australia did the incident reported below by the London ' Daily Chronicle' occur:— " Sir Charles Wyndham's famous altercation with 1 the man in the white hat 1 over the merits of a new play was a mere trifle in comparison with the debate and division at a recent first night in an Australian theatre. In the middle of the third act a gentleman arose fin the front row of the gallery and remarked, ' This is a bad play, and the aoting is even worse than the play.' The leading actor came to the footlights and retorted, 'You've no right to interrupt. If you don't like it go outside.' 'Excuse me,' rejoined the malcontent, 'I have the right to criticise wbat I have paid for. If I buy a pound of butter and find it bad I say so. I have bought a shilling's worth of this show, and it is an imposition. I want my money back.' At this point a stalwart attendant interposed. Clawing and unparliamentary language, and smashing of furniture ensued. Eventually the champion of players' rights emerged triumphant from the fray. Holding a shilling on high, he exclaimed, ' It's all right; I've got my money back. The play can now proceed.'" A hotel run by a Government department is something of a novelty. In their report the English Commissioners of Woods and Forests state that the Rockies Hotel nt Symonds Yat, on the River Wye, and adjoining the Highmeadow Woods, being for sale, it was purchased by the department for £3OOO, in view rtf its being almost entirely surrounded by Crown land, and o! the faot that it is largely frequented by visitors, who are attracted by the scenery to be found in the Grown woods adjoining on each bank of the Wye. A Scab from a bum or scald is oftßn dreaded more than the pain that is" inflicted. Chamberlain's Fain Balm heals the injured part in less time than any other treatment, and unless the injury is a severe one no scar will be left. Try it. G. E. Wharton nils it.

The strawberry season at Croydon Bush is now in fall swing, the warm weather of the past few days baying brought the fruit to maturity in abundant quantities. Supplies are now being sent from Croydon to Inveroargill and Dunedin.

■ The annual picnic of Holy Trinity Chureh Sunday Sohool is to be held at Kamahi Bush on Tuesday next. Cheap fares have been arranged, and'a large attendance of children and parents is looked for.

Mr Wither, engineer to the Department of .Boads and Bridges, stationed at Ohriatohurob, an lved in the district yesterday for the purpose of inspecting the damage done to the banks of the Mataura in the vioinity of the Otamita bridge. With Mr Howorth (Southland County engineer) Mr Wither proceeded to the locality to-day, and in due course will recommend the Government as to what course to adopt. The whole matter has been attended to very promptly, and for thiß the °* ""e settlers are principally due to Mr w. Eraser, M.H.8., who being in Wellington was enabled to interview the Minister ? n , t s Pot and to urge him to take immediate action.

& committee meeting of the Gore Bacing e yemng, the use of the racecourse rn?rt e V° tha Mataura Mounted Itilles for 11th February, on which date the corps propose holding military sports.

Waiwera defeated Clinton at Crioket on the latter b ground on Wednesday afternoon by four wickets and 112 runs. Clinton scored 29, Waiwera 164 for six wickets, of whioh Byder contributed 50.

It will be noticed by an advertisement in another column that the tickets for senior scholars and teachers for the excursion on Wednesday, 21st inst., to Queenstown of the Waimea Plains sohools are materially altered. Croydon tickets will cost 5s 3d (instead of 4s 2d), Mandeville 4s lid (instead of 3s lOd), Pyramid and Riverßdale 4s 9d (instead of 3s 8d), while there will be none issued at Otamita and Waimea.

At the Gore J.P. Court this morniDg, before Messrs Green and Crow, Js.P., Alex. Logan was charged with forging a cheque for £1 lis in the name of J. D. Hoops, and uttering it at the Southland Hotel. Evidenoe was given by Miss Corkin, Messrs D. Collins, C. J. Scott, J. D. Hoops and Constable Quin. The case was then remanded to 9 a.m. next Tuesday to come before the S.M., the same bail being allowed—accused in £SO and two sureties of £25 each. Constable Quin conducted the prosecution. For the benefit of members of corps in the Southland Mounted Battalion who were unable to attend the Makarewa camp and are desirous of earning capitation, a supplementary camp is to be held at Mandeville (probably on the racecourse) during the 'first week in February. It is expected that some 150 volunteers from different parts of the Southland district will be present. During the week the Mataura Mounted Rifles will hold sports, a strong committee having been appointed to arrange details.

We have received from the N.Z. Shipping Company a handsome calendar for 1903. This is of artistic design, and portrays gems of New Zealand • scenery, together with a picture of one of the company's steamers. The necessary Order-in-Council having been made by the Government, and gazetted, an election will be held on February 9 for a representative of the Boroughs of Gore and Mataura on the Bluff Harbor Board. We understand that Thursday, 29th will be nomination day. Special train arrangements have been made in connection with the Gore Trotting Qlub's meeting on Wednesday and Thursday next. Excursion tickets will be issued at all stations between Clinton and Invercargill and on the Waimea line, and late trains will run on each day, a train leaving for Inveroargill at 6.30 p.m. and the Kingston train being delayed till 5.45. A special train leaves Gore station for the raoecourse at 1 p.m. each day, and as the first race does not start till 1.15 patrons travelling by rail will be in plenty of time for the first event. Everything promises to the Club having a successful meeting, provided the weather is fine. Acceptances for the first day close at 8 o'clock this evening. ' Mox Hoffman, of Gore, has put up some very smart work in the shearing shed at Clifton this season. He shore a large 6-tooth wether in the record time, we believe, of lmin 15sec; another sheep that struggled somewhat, took lmin 30sec. Hoffman is easily ringer in the shed.—' Clutha Leader.'y

A most interesting lecture was given at the Gore Town Hall last evening by Manoramabai, a young Hindoo lady, on the movement established at Poonah towards the education and Christianising of the Indian girl widows. The Bev. Beggs presided, and there was a large attendance. The lecturess, who displayed a perfect command of English, and showed herself to be a lady of culture and education, said the first school for the educa-

tion of Indian girls had been established by her grandfather. The family passed through many viscissitudes of fortune and endured much suffering, all of them dying, leaving the speaker's mother alone in the world to carry on the work. Eventually she came to Calcutta and married, but was left a widow with an infant child at the age of 22 years. She was offered a Government appointment at Poonah, and to fit herself for the post she proceeded to England. While there she accepted Christianity, and on her return to Poonah she opened a school with two girls as pupils. The work prospered amazingly, and now there were in the home 1750 gills (1500 of them Christians) and 70 orphan boys. They would be sent out to carry the Gospel to the people in all parts of India, and would have a great influence over the future of the country. The institution controlled by the speaker's mother was supported entirely by free-will offerings as a direct answer to prayer. The speaker asked for the co-operation and prayers of those present, and invited them to join the Prayer Union for the furtherance of the work. Miss Abrams, who was also to have spoken during the evening, was prevented from being present on account of indisposition. ,

George William Massey, aged twenty-nine, a moulder, of Leigh, Lancashire, after courting a girl for four years, became fascinated by the charms of another young woman, te whom he proposed, only, however, to be rejected. After a protracted interview with his first sweetheart, Massey went away and drowned himself, leaving attached to his coat the following note " Put on my grave a turtle dove, that all may know I died of love."

An inquest was held at Wellington yesterday on the body of John Taylor Gordon, a tourist, who died at the Occidental Hotel on Wednesday. The evidence showed that deceased, aged 32, was a hopeless dipsomaniac, and had been sent out from England in the hope that travel would cure bim of the disease. He had admitted to a medical man that he bad taken large quantities of alcohol unknown to his friends, and 24 empty whisky bottles were found in his bedroom. A verdict of death from acute alcoholism was returned, when a rider to the effect that no blame wa3 attached to the licensee of the hotel where his death occurred.

A few days ago a cable message informed us that the brewers of Blackburn (England) had closed a number of licensed houses,valued at £IOO,OOO. It is probable (says the ' Post') that the publicans of Blaokburn have followed the lead of the publicans of Birmingham, where the municipal authorities intimated pretty plainly that the time had come to reduce the number of licenses. Thereupon the publicans held a meeting, and appointed an independent and trustworthy valuer, who first selected the houses which would almost certainly have to be closed. He valued these on lines approved by the trade, and then estimated in what degree the remaining houses would benefit by the closing of the others. On this basis he determined what proportion the owners of the remaining houses should pay towards recouping the losses of the owners of the closed houses, and it is reported that the publicans wore generally satisfied with the result. The same plan has evidently been followed at Blackburn, and it would appear from this that the system is one which is gradually finding favor among the trade at Home.

One morning a patient teacher was giving the school a lesson in geography. " What is a cataract?" she asked. There was an absolute silence in response, and she explained the meaning of the word. " What is a Cape?" This wag better. One of the children knew it was a piece o£ land jutting out into the water. "What'.is a strait?" "I know, teacher," said a small boy. " Well, what is it?" "It beats three of a kind," was the triumphant answer. The New Century Soft Bubber Hair Curler will curl her curly curls curlier than any other curls. You are undecided what to buy her for a Christmas present. You needn't be.|

At Thursday's meeting of the Southland laud Board it was reported that deposits not having been paid, the following applications were cancelled-Wm., Thomson, seotion S, block 10, Toi Tois ] and Jus. Thomson.' Motion IS, block 10, Toi Tois. The Education Board forwarded cheque for £6l4slod,in payment of balance Of loading on seotion 89, block 2, Waikawßiin order that the seotion may be reserved as a sohool site. The Department having notified that the Minister has approved of the purchase of the freehold of seotion 783, Hokonui, Croydon, it was resolved to issue a title to A. E. Smith on payment of purohase money. Permission was granted to Mrs J. Dunlop to sub-lease seotion 6, block 9, Chatton, to John Lamb. Forfeitures in regard to the following cases were rescinded: Thos. Latham, seotion 7, block 27, East Gore; Mrs A. Turner, seotion 2, block 6, Waikawa; and T. McMillan, islands in Mataura river.

An inquest was held in Dunedin on Thursday on the body of the unknown man who shot himself in the Sussex Hotel with a pea rifle whioh he bought on the preceding day. The evidence showed that the man had not been drinking to any extent, and that he appeared quite rational. It was stated by the police that a country resident had identified the body as that of George Mclndoe, a farmer of Wairuna, near Clinton. The jury returned a verdict that death was caused by a gunshot wound, self-inflicted, but there was not sufficient evidence to show whether it was intentional or accidental. Later news states that the body has been identified as that of Geo. Mclndoe, a farmer, of Wairuna. It is believed deceased made a similar attempt on his life at Falmerston a few years ago. At Dunedin on Thursday, E. L. Macassey, secretary of the Forbury Park Racing Club, was charged with causing to be inserted and published an advertisement to the effeot that applications were invited from persons desiring to bet at the club's meeting, with iutent to induce persons to resort to Forbury Park racecourse. It was stated that this was a test case. After hearing evidence and counsel's argument, Mr Carew, S.M., reserved his decision, as he was not sure that the case was on all fours with the Kempton Park case. Mr Seddon was banqueted at Greymouth on Thursday night, crowds being unable to gain admittance. In the course of his remarks, be d*n ! ed moat emphatically that be ever sounded the underwriters in London regarding a loan, and never approached them in ar.y way. He declared that on the eve of his departure certain statements were sent Home regarding the national purse which were quite unwarranted, and sent solely to prejudice him in the eyes of the world. He went Home, not as a party man, but solely in the interests of the colony and the Empire. Out of twelve resolutions passed at the Imperial Conference, six emanated from New Zealand. He denied in most emphatic terms that he ever intended to leave New Zealand. The financial outlook was bright. For the past nine months the returns pointed to a surplus.equal to, if not greater than, that of last year. Everything looked prosperous, and if he was speaking to a company he would say there would be the usual dividend. Seven hundred thousand pounds would be spent this year in throwing open .land for settlement. He hoped to see coal shipped from the State mines in nine months' time, and would get all the coal trucks made in New Zealand. The Government would be more active in future in assisting in the development of the resources of the colony, suoh as gold, coal, and timber. The Premier has sent a communication to the Press Association with regard to the cable message from Melbourne giving the substance of Premier Irvine's remarks when stating that they had heard nothing further of New Zealand's offer to supply seed wheat, etc. Mr Seddon says that from the nature of the replies received to the New Zealand Government's offer, which were tantamount to saying the assistance offered was no longer required, and from the fact that rains have fallen in abundance, no action was taken by the New Zealand Government. The latter had been prepared, and is prepared now, to rail seeds and fodder to the sea-board and to pay their freight to Australia. It was the altered conditions and the fact that no help was required, and the replies received from the State Premier which prevented the movement here taking active steps. Mr Seddon quotes the replies he received. These, while expressing thanks for the proffered assistance, do not encourage the movement being preceded with. Holloway's Ointment and Pills. Diseases of the Skin. No case of disease of the skin, be its nature what it may, has failed to be benefited when ■ these potent remedies have been properly applied. In scrofulous and scorbutic affections they are especially serviceable. Scurvy and eruptions, which had resisted all other modes of treatment, and gradually become worse, have been completely cured by Holloway's cooling Ointment and purifying Pills, which root out the disease from the blood itself, and leave the constitution free from every morbid taint. In the nursery Holloway's Ointment should be ever at hand. It will give ease in sprains, contusions, burns, scalds, and infantile eruptions, and may always safely be applied by any ordinary attendant. A lady resident of Masterton tried the fumes of burning sulphur with a view to eradicate flies in a room, Result: None of the family could enter the room for some considerable time after the doors and windows were opened, but the vitality of the flies, if anything, appeared to increase, and not a solitary dead or distressed fly could be seen. Dr Parker made a large income, over and above the £ISOO or £2OOO that he received from the City Temple as minister, or from the sale of his books and sermons (writes the London correspondent of the Melbourne ' Argus'). He charged heavy fees for lectures, sermons, or for the opening of bazaars outside his own place of worship. The 'Times' biographical notice hinted at his mercenary side by saying : —" Among those whom in exalted moments he would call ' self - conceited, pedantic, presumptuous priests,' there is none, from the Primate (£15,000 a year) downwards, who can command anything like the personal profits which Dr Parker draw from his ministry." These remarks have been strongly resented in the Nonconformist newspapers, and it is pointed out that Dr Parker often returned whatever fee he charged. Since his wife's death he has refunded to the City Temple every penny he received as salary. He was | not always so generous. The Manchester people who worshipped at his chapel, over 30 years ago, never forgave Dr Parker for accepting their gift of £7OO. He announced from the pulpit that he had had a call to the Poultry Chapel, London. His congregation were grieved at the prospect of losing him, and presented him with a testimonial and £7OO. But a few months afterwards he had another call from London, and he accepted it, but he did not refund the £7OO.

Marconi's over-confident challenge to his rivals and critics to pick up one of his supposed secret wireless telegrams has eventuated rather humiiiatingly for the inventor, as the Eastern Telegraph Co. has published the tape records of a message to the Italian warship Carlo Alberto, picked up by the company's station in Cornwall. Marconi had no scientific warrant for issuing the challenge. All that he was entitled to state was that it would be difficult to pick up at short notice a message which he intended to be secret. He relied on the fact that his sending instrument in England and the receiving instrument on the Carlo Alberto were electrically tuned to give out the same number of eleotrio waves per second, and assumed that nobody without handling his apparatus could get a second receiver into tune with his sender. Of course, he had no right to make such an assumption, as any receiver near his sender would pick up sufficient fragments of his message here and there to show that he was signalling, and after that it was only a matter of patient adjustment for an electrician to vary the arrangement of the receiver till it captured larger and larger pieces of the messages, and finally secured them verbatim. The value of the Marconi system in naval warfare is decidedly curtailed by this demonstration that he oannot guarantee secrecy in his messages. Free-wheel cycles are now all the rage, and one is not looked upon as up-to-date unless he or she is mounted upon a machine fitted with a free-wheel. The sensation of letting your cycle glide downhill, your feet remaining stationary, is magnificent. Hairy Wright is prepared to fit free-wheels to all makes of cycles, old or new. The variety of free-wheel and brake devices make it possible for everyone to be suited. H.W. can put on a free-wheel and back-pedalling brake for 30s and up to £3, or fiee-wheel only from 15s upwards.—Habby Weight, Gore Cycle Works, Main Street—[Advt.] The McCormick is bbilt for clean work, quick work, perfect work. Its gears are th« trongest known.—(Advt).

The engagement la anooonded of Mr Finley Peter Dnnne, who mad# "Mr Doolw " famous, to Miss Margaret Abbott, daughter of Mm 0. P. Abbott. The Abbotts formerly lived in Chicago, bat have been reeidlng at Paris for wine veaw pa»t, although now to New York. The bride <dect (says the 'Tehgraph') is described aa a typloal American girl, her portrait having reoently appeared fts auoh in a widely-circulated magazine. Both she and her mother are well known in literary and artißtio circles. "

Recent action in Birmingham, Liverpool, Glasgow, and elsewhere throughout the United Kingdom has shown what .can be done under the existing liolnsing law. In Birmingham half the licenses. In three great areas have been surrendered through com-mon-sense conferences between the magistrates and brewers. In Liverpool strioter supervision and the reduction of licensee have considerably diminished the amount of drunkenness, the number of the police, and tbe ratepayers' expenditure. " One step at a time " is the best watchword. The United Kingdom Allianoe, by going for the liquor trade like a bull at a gate, are simply estranging tbe moderate men, who form the bulk of the nation, and thus .deferring the realisation of the ideal of " a sober England." Humors are current in the " Big Building " (says the Wellington correspondent of the Lyttelton 'Times') that the retrenchment knife will be applied to various departments of tbe service, but-1 cannot get any reliable confirmation of this. It is, however, notorious that one very important branch of the service is overmanned by officials, who, it they had their due, would have been dispensed with long ago. It is no unoommon thing to see them perambulating the streets for hours at a stretch, and chatting with friends in some hotel parlor. All this has been going on under tbe eyes of one who is generally credited with being a martinet in his official relations with bis' subordinates. Surprise has been expressed that no steps have been taken to suppress what everyone knows is nothing short of a scandaL The Minister in charge of the Department cannot be cognisant of tbe existiDg state of affairs, otherwise he would certainly step in and end the the abuse. It would be well if the example of the head of another Department were emulated. When this gentleman assumed a new and responsible position he discovered that several of his stall under the old regime bod matters pretty well in their own hands, and did jast as their inclinations suited them. He lost no time in putting his house thoroughly in order, for which he was execrated by those affected and their friends. Events have since proved the wisdom of bis policy.

The Boer General Maritis left Paris on November 24 eu route for Madagascar, carrying letters of introduction to General Galliene from Mr Kruger, as well as from some French gentlemen. Maritz thinks that if his negotiations are successful more than 2000 Boers will emigrate to the island. The ' Patrie' reporter asked him if Mr Kruger was likely to return to South Africa. He is reported to have said in reply: " Never, so long as our unfortunate country iB under the domination of the British. It is true that we have accepted peace, and that we have Sworn allegiance to the British Crown, but we shall never abandon the idea of our independence. The ex-President hopes that his grandchildreu will see their country free. Frenchmen continually think of Alsace-Lorraine. Our situation is identical." Maritz concluded by saying thfit he personally did not propose to take up his residence in Madagascar. When be had concluded his mission he should return to Pretoria, where he was born.

The German Emperor is in a rage over | fresh acts of vandalism in the nature of an insult to himself which were perpetrated during bis absence in England. For the second time miscreants, supposed to be off-scourings of a Socialistic party, have mutilated several statues which the Kaiser himself designed, and caused to be placed in the Seiges Allee, to which the people have access at all tunes. Upon tbe occasion of the first visit of these outrages the miscreant respected the fine monument of Emperor William 1., but while the Emperor was away this and five others wore chipped with chisels to an extent which makes it impossible to restore tbem properly. Fingers were broken off and marble epaulettes stripped from marble shoulders. By tbe Emperor's order the number of policemen in the Allee has been doubled. Added to popular indignation is much curiosity as to the motive which has inspired such acts. The first culprit caught will be put through an inquisition compared to which the famous " third degree " of the New York Police Department will be child's play. Christmas (says the Melbourne ' Age ' of tbe 24th December) comes this year in Australia more like the beneficent Santa Claus of tbe nursery fable than ever before. It has been heralded by veritable Hoods of heaven's choicest of bounties. A drought of six or seven years' duration bad been broken up in floods of rain. A fortnight since all tbe land was groaning in the agony of a great water famine. Tbe whole interior of this immense continent was a smoking furnace of intolerable dust and drought. Animal lite had withered with the departed vegetation, and in men's minds even the last hopes, that are said to spring eternal in the human breast, had almost given place to despair. And now all is changed. From the back blocks, along the far reaches of the Darling, down through tbe thirsty mallee to the sea, the beneficent rains have soaked the stricken land. Creek beds, which for yeafe have been the homes of burrowing rabbits, carry running streams again. The memory of white Australian settlers furnishes no parallel to the Buddenness of this happy transition. In a valuable report on the übb of oil on roads, the Town Clerk of Sydney says:— " With reference to the comparative cost between oil and water, in one district the average cost of treating 12J miles of road with oil for one season was £33 10s per mile, inoluding labor and all incidental expenses. In another district it is stated that the streets can be efficiently sprinkled with oil at a cost not exceeding £42 per mile, whereas watering in the same district costs about £llO per mile, and the opinion is freely expressed that, generally speaking, the watering of roads in America costs four times as muoh as the cost incurred in oiling." Sweep promoters (says the Melbourne ' Argua') may communicate with whom they like, but mail matter cannot be forwarded to to them by post. The restriction thus imposed upon the sweep business of Tattersall's in Tasmania has, the local postal authorities informed Mr R. T. Soott, resulted in a considerable Jobs of stamp revenue, though the decline has not been as .grlht as was at first anticipated. People in the other States have, it appears, tried a thousand and one devices to elude the vigilance of the postal officials in order to send sweep money through tbe post, but without success. The last attempt made was particularly ingenious. The prohibited letter was forwarded under cover to the Deputy-Postmaßter-Gf-neral at Hobart, who was asked to look after it. Needless to say, it was quickly returned to the sender.

Much consternation was caused to passengers by the train from Palmerston to Dannevirke on Thursday morning, when, about a mile and a-half from Ashurst,, a truck containing about a ton of tow was discovered to be on fire. By the time the train was stopped and the truck detached the tow was a body of flames. A number of railway men were fortunately on the train, and they, assisted b" passengers and settlers, were soon at worit endeavoring to capsize the track off the rails. The truck, which was a complete wreck, was jacked oft the line, and the train proceeded on its way. It is stated that the truck was valued at £IBO.

Returning thanks for the presents made I him at Inglewood, Mr C. Leech, the unsuccessful candidate for Egmont, said, among other things, that he had been told by persons in high positions that if he got the Government brand stuck on him they would be glad to support him, but they oould not do so otherwise. Statements of that sort made him more determined than ever to let the Government brand go to the d 1, and, if necessary, himself go back to his farm, when he would far rather be than returned as their bound hand and foot to the Government. He would rather be a farmer with his independence, then the member for Egmont tied, to the will ol the Government. Dwentbbt caused the death of more people than small pox and yellow fever combined. In an army it is dreaded more than a battle. It requires prompt and effective treatment. Chamberlain's Colic, Cholera, and Diarrtuea Remedy has been used in nine epidemioa of dysentery in the United States with perfect success, and has cured the most malignant cases both of children and adults, and under the most trying conditions. Every household should have a bottle at band. Get it to-day. It may save a life. G. E. Wharton, Chemist, eells it.

Madame Ziilah, Christohurch, reads character by sample hand writing. PraabytartM, Methodist, and English ohurohe* notified. Tuturad Boad Board Invite Under* for worka. , 3. Q. Ward and Co., Gore, hare bam lot ■ale. Smith is a net oath buyer of 7^^:r lODOn^,w Southland Connty invite tender* for different works. Tender, wanted for oartlng timber tram Qleneoe to Matanra. Note alteration in prices of tieketa tor aenlftr soholars and teaahers in Waimea Plains axcursion to Riversdale. National Mortgage and Agency Co. sell furniture on Friday, 23rd January. B. B. Boddy has houses in Oore to let. John Cregan, labor agent, Oore, wants youths, ploughmen, etc. Tickets for Ohuroh of England picnio tor Karaabi can be had from the Viaar. Dance to be held in 'Koi hall on 21st January. Faitt and Co., Oore, have sections for sale.