DUNEDIN NOTES.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1715, 11 January 1905, Page 30

DUNEDIN NOTES.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) A MARINE FISH HATCHERY

It is just twelve months since the marine fish hatchery at Portobello was opened. During that time a large amount of observational and experimental Avork has been undertaken, and, although still in the experimental stage, the Avork Mr Anderton has in hand has furnished some valuable information concerning the life histories of numbers of native sea fishes and equally valuable knOAA rledge regarding the spaAvning of the various fish caught. Observations made go towards showing that it Avill be possible to obtain eggs from sexually-mature flat fishes (soles, brill, flounders, etc.) during the winter months, to fertilise them on board the trawler, and subsequently hatch them oull at the station. It Avas found that all these flat fishes produce minute floating eggs. Numbers of live soles, after being transported to the ponds, lived only a short time. The curator suggests that the fish Avere injured in the traAvl net. Though the results obtained from the experiments have been in a sense of a negative character, much useful knoivledge regarding the habits and particularly the mode of feeding of these fishes has been gained. The experiments in handling and observing local Crustacea, in view of the projected introduction of the European lobster, Avill undoubtedly prove of more than passing value. The curator is at present making a collection of the vertebrate and invertebrate fauna of the Avaters adjacent to the hatchery. MATTERS POLITICAL.

Already rumour is rife Avith the names of likely candidates for Parliamentary honours in the eventful month of November next. It is said that the three sitting members Avill again woo the electors, and it is predicted in some quarters that Avhen the numbers go up no material change avTII be found to have been effected in the representation of this city in '‘the talking shop/' On the other hand, “the man on the street”—an irresponsible personage' I mean —declares that, with one exception, the seats of the sitting : members are none too secure. The exception refers to the middle member for Dunedin City (Mr J. A. Millar). The institution of the electoral boundary system is expected to upset the calculations based on past experience, and on this account the “authority” I have quoted above holds to the. opinion that our youthful senior member Avill not on this occasion attain the pinnacle of popularity. Mr A. R. Barclay’s chances of election, should he offer, himself, are regarded as being 1 distinctly good, though, no A'alid reason for Mr Arnold s rejection has been put forward. Mr T. K. Sidey, Avho Avill be opposed, is considered to haA r e a fairly safe seat. GEiNERAL. Messrs Johnston and Cameron, Scots champion athletes, avlio competed at the local Caledonian games, entertained by the Executive of the Caledonian Society prior to their departure for the Cold Lakes, and presented with the Avinnings and appearance money, amounting to <£<3B 10s. S'ome 50 gold and silver medals, together Avith the champion belt of 'Scotland, won by Johnston, were exhibited in town, and attracted much attention. The death of the lad I>avis recently, through a gun accident at Waitati, brought under notice the inadequacy of ambulance requisites on the GoA’erninent

railways. No stretchers or other necessary ambulance essentials Avere available on the train or at Waitati, and the patient was obliged to lie on the floor of a brake van for the Avhole of the seventeen miles’ journey. An unlooked-for difficulty has arisen on the Anderson’s Bay tramway, thus prolonging indefinitely the projected opening of the line to traffic. Through drainage operations a serious subsidence oi the rails lias occurred at Cargill road, and until this is remedied traffic must necessarily be delayed. A trial run the other day, when the Minister of Public Works was taken OA’er the route, Avas carried out from Princes street to the terminus in Anderson’s Bay proper in something under ten minutes —a good performance.

The forty-second annual report of the Otago Benevolent Trustees shows that on December 31st last 255 persons were in the institution: 189 men and 66 Avonien. Forty-eight deaths occurred during the year. The expenses of the institution amounted to £4562. The amount disbursed on outdoor relief Avas <£5769, a decrease of <£lol on the previous year. The ■total sum expended was £16,652 12s 6d. A Avelcome change lias taken place in the weather. The late storm Avas a somewhat unusual visitation at this season of the year. A quartet of the crew of the cargo trarnp Pharsalia came before the Court on Friday on various charges. One man, Patrick Kennedy, charged with damaging the ship’s property and A\ ? ith assaulting tivo of the creiv, had, according to the captain’s legal representative, fairly ran amok. After ill-treating a seaman in the forecastle, he battered in a door, and finding himself unable to get at the captain, proceeded to look for the' chief engineer, who took the precaution to lock himself in. The infuriated individual then "dealt with” the second engineer, whom he roughly handled. For his pains the accused got se\ 7 en days’ imprisonment, was ordered to make good the damage done to property, and to pay costs (£1 8s).

The Woods-Wiliiamson Company at His Majesty’s and the Anderson Dramatic Company at the Princess Theatre have been drawing splendid houses with the respective plays '‘The Garden of Lies” and "The Face at the Windoiv.”