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North Otago Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. MONDAY, OCTOBER 19, 1891.

Tt is amusing to rend that M. de Giers, tho Russian Foreign Minister, who is at present on a visit to Paris, no doubt on important diplomatic business, in tho course of an interview with tho diplomatic representatives of another power (possibly Germany), declared that tho movement of troops on tho Western frontier was merely for defensive purposes. Such a declaration as this is both nnriupin" and disquieting especially as M. de Giors is reported to have added that Russia and Franco woro both awaro that tho great majority of tho Groat Powers (le, practically all of them) were averse to war, and that no importation need be attached to these movements. If tho Great Powers other than Russia and Franco are averse to war, why is Russia massing troops, as M. do Giers admits she is doing, on her Western frontier for defensive purposes 1 The Foreign Minister's statements may not have been correctly reported, but as wo havo them condensed by tho Press Association they are tho reverse of reassuring, and it may bo taken for granted that agoorl deal of importance will be attached to the movements in question, especially seeing that M. de (Hers is nt tho present moment arranging the terms of an alliance ofFensivo and defensive between Russia and Franco. That statesman also said that " there were symptoms showing that Iho Czar was rctiaining tho war party, and that Russia would not lead France into any rash act." Diplomacy must havo lost its cunning if representatives of this kind are intended to allay tho suspicion raised by the rapprochment of the French and Russian Governments. The only effect they could have would bo to cause actual alarm, and wo may safely concludo that tho utterances of M. do Giers havo either been incorrectly reported, or very clumsily condensed by tho Press Association. It is impossible to believe that he could have shown ln's hand in such a mannor. The alliance between tho two groat powers just named, which seems to bo an accomplished fact, may possibly mean nothing more than a counterblast to tho Triple Alliance, and it would seem that Russia, with her people starving, was not in a position to engago in war. But it is so often tho unexpected that happens that it is hazardous to draw an inference even from what appears to bo tho clearest indications. There havo hpsidos been far too many assurances of pouco lately. The British Premier, while joining in the common congratulations on tho pacifio aspect of the present situation, paused to remark that just such congratulations had been on a previous occasion immediately followed by an outbreak of war. Ahsit omen I But neither the declarations of M. de Giers nor tho assurances of tho German Emperor or of tho Prime Ministers of England and Ttaly will keep people from speculating as to what this sudden access of friendship between Franco and Russia, and the movement of troops on tho Western frontier of the latter, moan. The opening of tho Dardanelles to Russian warships is anothor suspicious symptom, as though Russia, presuming on the strength of her new allianco, wore putting a severer pressure than usual upon Turkey, and practically defying England. Tt is indeed confidently asserted that tho next great war will bo between Russia and England and not between Franco and Russia on the one side and tho Triple Alliance on the other. But this is merely an assertion ; and meanwhile iO is only too evident that the signs of disturbance are everywhere moro numerous than thoso of peace. Nor is it easy to understand what men like Caprivi and Rudini can mean when they toll the world that peace is assured, whon it cannot bo concealed that a spark might at any moment kindlo tho conflagration which has been so long expected and dreaded.

Bondville (27 sees) should bo included amongst tho Receptors for tho October Handicap 'J'rot. At tho Resident Mas;i3trato Court on Saturday, Jag. Cornick, of Enfiold, was committed to tho Soncliff Lunatic Asylum. Dra do Lautour and Nivou cortified to Cornick'a insanity. It is said that tho North Otago Jockey Club will lncludo tho Government totalisa(or tax in the 10 par cent clod action, following tjio load of tho Duuodiu Jockey Club in this respect. On Saturday morning tho I Battery fired the final competition for a trophy presented by l)r de Lautour. Tho morning being bad for shooting, tho scoring waa poor. Gunner Tuylor beat Sorgt. -Major Brown on tho tic, and wins tho trophy, Tho fishing season, so far as it ha" gone, hos been a successful one. Following tho largo haul made by Mr 11. Schlutor of 10 fish, wo have heard of ono fisherman at tho 'Vailaki on .Saturday securing sixgood fish, and others lesser numbers. Tho Kakanui also has yielded fair sport, for on Saturday evening, in about two hours' time, one experienced angler, with the fly, took 11 fair-sized lish, besides a number of small ones that ho put back into the river. A New York man visited tho family of a relative in tho country whero ho was not a welcome guest by any manner of means. After tho visitor had spent a couple of weeks his much-disgusted host said ono morning at tho breakfast table, " Dear cousin, don't you think your family will miss you painhilly 1 You ought not to leavo them alone so much," "By Jove, that's so," exclaimed the Now Yorker ; " I'll telegraph them to como right on horo." This eloquent sentence, evidently part of a letter, was picked up in Itohon otreet, on Saturday morning : " Bho loved gossip and scandal ; nothing was too trivial to interest her ; nothing too cruel for hor to repeat concerning another woinau ; no Ho too outrageous for her to tako up as truth and spread abroad, if only she herself might acquiro ono grain of notoriety in the telling of it." Tho writer evidently has a grievance, but thore is naturally a difliuulty in telling whether it has n loca\ application or not. The police received information on Saturday that a young man named James Barr, residing nour Maheno, had shot himself,

Constablo Graham was at onco sent out to make enquiries. Deceased was 22 years of ago, and had been in bad health for some time back, and was attended by Dr Lovinge. His illness had evidently affected his mind, for on Friday last he called on Dr Levingc, and asked him to cut off his arm and head. Dr Levingo took him home. Deceased went to bed about 8 p.m., but could not sleep, and his mother gave him a sleeping draught, and ho again went H bed. Ho got up about 3 a.m. and wnlked about all the morning. Shortly beforo 12 noon on Saturday his mother and brother decided to tako the young man into Oamaru, and deceased made pi operations for coming in, but about VI lio went into his room, and shortly afterwards^ tho report of a gun was heard, and hn was immediately thereafter found on the floor dead, with a gunshot wound in tho head. An inquest will bo hold to-day by Mr Stratford, district coroner. At three o'clock yesterday morning a 12roomed house at the Bushy Beach, on the Cape, owned and occupied by Mrs Leslie, wns destroyed by firo. A wood fire had been lit mono of the front rooms dining the afternoon, Mrs Leslie not being well, and the firo is supposed to have originated from tlm. Mrs Leslie says she was awakened by i\ crackling noise, and on going to ascertain tho cause found the front part of the houso on fire. Sho immediately awakened her daughters, and got them out of tho house, Bonding one of them for assistanco tj Mr Alex. Smellio's, who lives about a quarter of a mile away. On Mr arrival, however, tho firo had so firm a hold that very little could be saved. Mr Smellic managed to save a shed at tho back by cutting down a fence. Very littlo was saved out of tho house. Tho houso was built about 12 years ago, and cost about L7OO. It was insured for L5OO till about a year ago, when it was reduced to L4OO. Tho insurance was in the South British oflice. The furniture was insured in tho Norwich Union oflico for LlOO, ami it was estimated to bo worth from Ll7O to L'2oo. At tho banquctjto Mr Perceval, tho newly appointed Agent-Gonoral, his Excellency the Governor said : When ho camo to Now Zealand ho had on opportunity of going to other colonies, one! one reason which swayed him in electing to come to New Zealand was tho Agent-General. He had the honor of acquaintance with Sir F. D. Bell, and he found in him a perfect gentleman, considerate for all other men and sparing himself in nothing, and pioud of tho colony and tho people of tho colony, fJ o (Lord Otislow) naturally thought if all New Zoalandera were liko tho Agent-General it ( must bo a pleasant place Ho thought Mr , Porcoval no unworthy successor of Sir F. 1). Bell. Mr Perceval had been called a p.irty man, but thoro was nothing more honorable in a man than true allegiance to his party. A fepturo of public lifo in England was that whon a person was appointed to a high office immediately all men forgot party animosities and looked on the ono appointed as tho common representative of all the people. Ho did not know if that was so in Now Zealand, but he trusted it was. His Excellency then went on to refer to the duties of Agent-General, saying one was to combat ignorance in regard to tho colony. Ho blushed for his country when he read in Tho Times, referring to tho long passage of H.M.S- Dart from New Zealand to Sydney, it suggested that tho vessel, being out forty-oight hours, must have foundered or called in at some port on tho way. Ask your grocer for Ninian Hyslop and Co.'s " Imperial " ludian and Ceylon Teas. Best in the market.

Gentlemhn should have ittlo difficulty in electing their winter suits and overcoats this season at James GkmmfJjTj's Tailoring Establishment, tho variety of reliable and fashionablo first-class wooUen and worsted suitings, overcoatings, and stylish trouserings boing very extensive. Gents' suits to older from 70s upwards. Waterproof overcoals at lowest rates. How an Obstinate Cough was Cured.— An aged lady of my acquaintance was for many years troubled with a chronic cough, so sovcro that she seldom had an hours' quiet lcep. After spending all her substance in medicine, she was persuaded to try B .tter's Lung Preserver, which, undo God a blessing, soon cured her. Rev. i>'. So lars. — Vide "Hook for Every Home. Baxter's Anti-Neuralgic Pilla uro a positiv° cure for Neuralgia. Price, la 6d per box,, Post free for 19 stamps.

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Permanent link to this item

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NOT18911019.2.8

Bibliographic details

North Otago Times, Volume XXXV, Issue 7270, 19 October 1891, Page 2

Word Count
1,833

North Otago Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. MONDAY, OCTOBER 19, 1891. North Otago Times, Volume XXXV, Issue 7270, 19 October 1891, Page 2

North Otago Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. MONDAY, OCTOBER 19, 1891. North Otago Times, Volume XXXV, Issue 7270, 19 October 1891, Page 2