Daily Circulation, 1680. The Oamaru Mail. MONDAY, JANUARY 18, 1897.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXII, Issue 6792, 18 January 1897, Page 2

Daily Circulation, 1680. The Oamaru Mail. MONDAY, JANUARY 18, 1897.

I A correspondent writes : —A pleasing and interesting ceremony took place on Saturday eveniDg at Mr Pocklington's Temperance Hotel, when Miss F. Telfer, v/ho is leaving for Home, was presented by her boarders with a very handsome oak and silver salad bowl, biscuit barrel, and hand pointed mirror, as a slight appreciation of the estsem in which she is held by them. The articles, which are very handsome, were all purchased from Mr W. Ricketts, jeweller, of Xtchen street, and will at all times serve to remind the recipient of the happy times she has spent with her companions in New Zealand. Members of the Waifcaki Fruit Growers' Association ar<3 requested to meet on Tuesday (to-morrow) at 8 p.m., in the Oadfel lows' Hall. Mr William Mackenzie and his Concert Company will appear at Herbert this evening. An exhibition trial of the Deering "Pony" Harvester will be given to-morrow in Mr R. Brims' paddock, opposite the Junction Hotel. All interested are invited to attend, The work of flying up the ammonia pkut at the freezing works is now completed and the machinery is undergoing the process of charging and adjustment. Although not yet fully charged with the liquifiable gas and only being run at 40 revolutions it is undertaking 580 carcases a day with ease. The whole system is expected to be in full working order during this week and promises to be most successful. Already the directors are so satisfied with the prospects that they have decided to reduce the charges for freezing to 5-16ths of a penny per pound, as from January Ist, An official intimation of this intention will be made in the course of a day or two. Information has been received to the effect that the New Zealand Shipping Company's royal mail steamers TCaikoura, leaving the colony 18th Feb. ; Ruahine, 18th March, Tongariro, 15th April; and Rimutaka, 13th May, will call at Rio de Janeiro, as well as Monte Video, on the homeward voyage. Also that the Ruahine and Rimutaka will steam through the Magellan Straits (weather permitting), and call at the port of Punta Arenas in the Straits. We direct attention to fchs Company's advertisement on the subject in another column. When they get to heaven, they'll expect to get reserved seats," said the Rev. Mr Niven, at Columba Church last night, in referring to those " society" folk who look down on the unfortunates who don't happen to be in their " circle." And the congregation divided up a big smile between them. Tijo threshing-machine owners (says the fimaru Herald) notify the rates for threshing this season. The rates will be—wheat 2gd, barley 2fd, oats 2£d per bushel, these figures being fixed as the " minimum." The rates, we understand, will be fractionally higher for threshing, say, in some parts of the Mackenzie Country, and in other parts of the province where special circumstances —means of access, quantity of grain to be threshed, etc.-*-will have to be taken into consideration. An announcement that Dr Nansen is to visit Edinburgh this month adds the news that a short while ago a person who called himself Dr Nansen caused some stir in the place, where he was received with open arms by the unthinking; but that he disappeared rather suddenly on the eve of a dinner party which was to have been given fp. his honor, leaving behind, we may presume, tjje uspal njjjnber of broken hearts apiongst the highly suspeptible f as well as the absence of effects tf)o numerous to mention. Fpotball in America has degenerated into such a gladiatorial sport—something like the last Knrow-Hakateramea match—that fchg Missouri Legislature has introduced a Ejll prohibiting thq. game under Bevere penalties, the' same as cock-fighting, and jbull-fjaiting, an<J making fpotball a felony.

A case which presented some shocking features came before the Wellington Bene volent Trustees recently. A man, who was said to be an excellent workman, attended and asked for relief, stating that he was unable to work, and was destitute. One of the Trustees stated that the applicant and his wife were given to drink, and th ■ t both sometimes lay on the floor in a state of intoxication, while their children were starving. Another Trustee mentioned that sometimes the man took home material to work up, and after being paid for his labor spent the proceeds on liquor, leaving the children to go about begging for food. The Trustees decided that as the man was really incapacitated from work, he and his wife and family should be supplied with rations. The Waipawa Mail professes to have good authority for stating that Mr George Fisher is to become a member of the Ministry, and is to receive the portfolio of Colonial Treasurer. It is stated that Mr H. S. Fish, M.H.R. for Dunedin, will be UDable to take his seat in the House, as he is suffering from what is supposed to be cancer in the throat. We give these rumors for what they are worth, but in the light of the fact that we are fast approaching " the silly season," it would be as well to take them with, say, about a pound a- d a half of salt. Commenting on an exhibit of horse-shoes shown by Mr James Hair, of this town, at the Wellington Exhibition, the Wellington Post's "special," who ha 3 been "doing" the exhibition, says :—" The workmanship displayed is probably unsurpassable. As an illustration of the progress made in turning out high-class work of this nature, the exhibits are important. They certainly are most creditable to the exhibitor." The Garrison Band's proposed concert in the Public Gardens, postponed last week in consequence of the rain, will be given on Thursday evening. The Canterbury Club will be represented at the forthcoming bowling tournament in Christchurch by the following players : No. 1 rink—W .H. Meikleham, G. Coleman, J. C. M. Karstein, B. Hale (skip); No. 2 rink —P. Hyndman, T, Skelton, E. C. Ashby, W. Thomson (skip); No. 3 rink— J. R. Simpson, W. Gee, H. Oakley, J. M. Taylor (skip); emergencies •J. Thompson, J. Irvine, Captain M'Clatchie, Writing of the bush fires in the Wairarapa, the Hawke's Bay Herald says that some very strong terms are used by settlers regarding the criminal carelessness of lighting fires in the bush before the proper time. It is alleged that the Hastwell disaster was caused by fires lighted to clear half an acre of land. The wind sprung up, and in four hoars the fire had reached a point three miles from where it was started. The Rev. Mandell Creighton, who, the cables inform us, was confirmed as Bishop of London on Friday last, is M.A. Oxford and Cambridge, honorary LL.D. Glasgow, honorary D.C.L. Durham, LL.D. of Harvard University, and Canon of Worcester. He was born in Carlisle in 1843, and was educated at the Durham Grammar School, subsequently going to Oxford. He was ordained deacon in 1870 and priest in 1873. His first living was that of Embelton, in Northumberland. In 1879 he was appointed rural dean of Alnwick, and on the formation of the diocese of Newcastle in 1882 was made honorary canon of Newcastle. In 18S5 he was appointed by the Crown residentiary canon of Worcester Cathedral. He has held several professorships, and acted as public examiner and select preacher in the Universities cf Oxford and Cambridge. He is editor of the English Historical Review, and author of several historical works, the chief of which is " The History of the Papacy during the Period of the Reformation." | A San Francisco paper states that it has been announced that the Rev T. de Witt Talmage is about to be married to Miss Lucie Mangam. Dr Talmage has been a widower more than a year. Miss Mangam, who is 30 years old, is the daugher of Daniel D. Mangam, of the firm of D, D. Mangam, commission merchants, of New York. She is an active worker in Christian circles. Miss Mangam's brother, Daniel D. Mangam, jun,, is married to a daughter of Dr Talmage, who resides in Brooklyn. Her marriage to the preacher, who is 61 years of age, will make her her brother's stepmother. Dr Talmage has been a frequent guest at the Mangam residence for months past, and the announcement of hi 3 approaching marriage has occasioned no surprise in society circles there. In fact, it has been gossiped about for some weeks, A Wellington bankrupt stated at a meeting of his creditors that about five years ago, and shortly after the death of his mother, his wife gave way to drink, unknown to himself. He gave her the whole of his earnings to pay for household expences, but instead of using the money for that purpose she spent jt in drink. She continued her drinking habits, and sold the greater part of her furniture for the same purpose. At this time he put his two children out to board and went into lodgings. Soon afterwards he was laid up for S9ven months \vitli typhoid fever. He got heavily into debt on account of his illness and his wife's drinking habits. Then one of his children died. His wife had never ceased to drink, and had pawned all his things. The Christchurch branch of the National Association has been solemnly discussing the speech delivered by Mr M'Kenzie at Geraldine. No one present knew exactly what the Minister said, and there was no evidence called as to his utterances. But a little thing like that does not trouble the Association, Jt brays by intuition rather than tuition, and it promptly p oceeded to pass a resolution regretting the tone of the Minister's speech. The Association's goal is one, its modes of travel many, and, so long as it arrives at the condemnatory resolution it sets out with? it is immaterial whether its conclusion is logical or fair or supported by evidence. The intense egotism of the Association is superior to all considerations of common sense, and the ponderous gravity with which its assembled majesty proceeds to put salt on the tails of the microbes of political vice is about as cheer: ful and convincing as an elephant waltzing or an undertaker's smile. On the principle that nobody eve'r saw a donkey die, the national representative of the race should have a long and useless career before it. At a meeting of the National Association in Ohristchurch, Mr J3eaven introduced the subject of Mr M'KeDzie's Geraldine speech by reading an extract from the Temuka Leader, pointing out as he did so that the editor of that paper was a strong supporter of the present Government and the report was, therefore, sure to be fair to ths Minister, If this means anything at all, it implies that had the editor of tb'e Leader been opposed to the Government he would have colored his report to the disadvantage of the Minister. This may be Mr Beavan's idea of how to conduct a newspaper—measuring the journalistic corn with his own private bushel—but we venture to think that the Press of New Zealand, with a very few exceptions, have a higher appreciation of the duty devolving upon them than to lower themselves to committing a journalistic crime which every newspaper man worthy the name would scorn. There is a distinction between the policy of a paper and the carrying oijt of its functions as a newspaper which the public will readily grasp ; but it is a distinction so foreign to the methods of the National Association and its members that we are not surprised that Mr Beaven has failed to appreciate it, The arrival of the Swanhilda at San Francisco may be daily looked for. She is now 54 days out. from Newcastle, and the last batch of ships from Newcastle to the Golden Gate, in November legt, put up good times. The Pierre Corneille took only 50 days, while the Arctic Stream, from Sydney, took 56 days, the Dromalia 54 days, and the Miltiaides, also from Sydney, 57 days. The general run, however, is between 60 and 70 days. The next week should, therefore, bring some news of the vessel and of Butler. Meanwhile the situation remains intensely dramatic. The whole history of the murders reads more like a sensational romance than an episode in real life, and the denouement promises to be as interesting and exciting as the most jaded palate could desire. The possibility of the sea's silence shrouding a further mystery and a deepening of the tragedy is not the least exciting feature of the case.' The Wellington Municipal Council have adopted a new idea which possesses much merit. 3 hey have issued a calendar of their own which is to a large extent a local municipal directory. It gives information as to the membership of the Council, officials, meetings, elections during the year, etc,

Mr Ernest AlkinsoD, son of the late Mr E, B. Atkinson, of Cormacks, and ranger for the Otago Land Board, is about to marry the second daughter of the Hon. John M'Keczie. The reason of Major Goring'a retirement from the Defence Force is that his eyesight has seriously failed, tlie operation which ho underwent in England a couple of years ago producing no benefit. The Dunedin Star understands that he now proposes to live at Whangarei and follow the pursuit of orange growing. • Arrangements are being made in the various centres for receptions to Mr Ben Tillet, who will arrive in Dunedin in a week or two. Would it not be within its functions, as well as a justification of its existence, if the North Otago Labor and Democratic League were to endeavor to secure a visit to Oamaru of Mr Tillet ? An address from a man of his experience and standiug in the Labor World at Home would be intensely interesting. According to a visitor from Wellington the geuerjl opinion in the Emp're City is that the election petition against Mr Fisher will be unsuccessful, but that against Mr Wilford may have a different termination. The petition against Mr Buchanan's election for Wairarapa has laj a d, owing to the necessary deposit not being forthcoming. It is stated that the regiment known as the jfeaforth Highlanders really does consist largely of Scotsmen, and that there is a strong effort being made by its officers to make it entirely Scotch, instead of making it tho arena for the exhibition of the screaming farce of the Kilted Cockney. Either the Scotch regiments must be purified of such elements or the patriotic poetry which eulogises their Highland prowess must be altered to fit the changed circumstances. At the draught horse sales in Timaru on Saturday best draughts brought from L2l to L3l. The Timaru Herald states that a Timaru resident sent Home for a four-horse power motor car. The telephote follows quickly in the wako of the cinematographe. It is an electrical appliance by means of which impressions of color and shape are carried along a wire. The idea is not new. It was brought into p-ominence some years ago by Dr Graham Bell, but could not bo popularised because of the complexity of the doctor's appliance which requires a multip'icity of wires. Dr Elias Ries, of Baltimore has, it appears, combined the X rays and electricity so as to be able to secure the effect by means of a single wire, So that now an American an English or Continental scene may be thrown rpon a screen in a New Zealand hall; or even a battle in Central Africa may be depicted in this way. An adjourned meeting of the Papakaio Waitaki Islands Committee was held in the Royal Hotel, on Saturday, Mr T. Y. Duncan presiding. Applications for running stock were considered and passed. The passing of accounts and other routine business closed the meeting. In the afternoon the annual meeting was held. The retiring members of the Committee were Messrs Hugh Ross, A. Walker, and W. J. Williams, and on a ballot being taken Messrs W. J. Williams, A. Walker, and G. M'Pherson were elected to the vacancies. Entwistle, who ran amuck in Wellington last week, is described by the police as having been a most entertaining prisoner. He spoke about his past life for over two hours. He has had a most eventful career, dating back 77 years, when he wjs born in a coach. He has travelled all over the world, and been married many times. In 1846 he was with General Gough in the Sikh war in India, and afterwards acted in the capacity of " Political Agent" there. Entwistle has been in every colony, and says that 22 years ago he owned a store at the Hutt (Wellington), which he disposed of to a man named Cleland. He then went to England, but returned to Melbourne, where he stayed some time. Entwistle is a wellspoken man, who possesses an excellent memory, and is able to give dates and relate trivial incidents of 60 years ago as if they had only happened last week. Mails for Australian colonics, United Kingdom, and Continent of Europe, via Hobart, close at Bluff, on Tuesday, the 19th, at 2 p.m. We regret to have to record the death of Mr W. G. Munro, of Ofcemfitata, he having passed away in Christchurch, on Saturday. Deceased had gone to the City of the riains in seach of medical advice. Mr Munro was one of the oldest and most respected settlers on the Waitaki. He went there in 1864 and was on the Rugged Ridge 3 station, with Mr Julius, some years before he took the accommodation house, which at that time was a mere sod hut, on the other side of the Otematata River, He built the present commodious stone hou e on this side of the river afterwards, and has kept it in a most respectable manner ever since he went there. He and Mrs Munro, who sprvives him, have brought up a large family of 9 or 10 sons and two daughters, mosb of whom are well settled, and all are most respectable colonists. We believe that Mr Munro was a native of Strathspey, and came out to Tasmania as a lad, subsequently comir-g to New Zealand as above recorded. Mr J. H. Jackson, who was reported to be lying in the Thames Hospital, suffering from an embolism, has since died. Mr Paulin predicted at 9.40 last night: "Squally to light-N.E. to S.E.. winds, and rain showers in about 24 hours ; indications becoming electrical, and thick mist on the East Coast; barometer unsteady."