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Otago Daily Times, Issue 3250, 6 July 1872, Page 2

The quarterly meeting of tho Otago Schoolmosters' Association will be held at 11 a.m. to-day. The business to be brought before the meeting is announced aa important.

The firat of a series of discourses on "The Inspiration of the Holy Scriptures " will be delivered by the itev. Dr Copland, at the North Dunedin Presbyterian Church, tomorrow evening at G. 30.

The performing members of the Dunedin Choral Society are requested to attend rehearsal this evening.

The pieces announced for presentation at tho Theatre this evening are the sensational drama, "The Striking of the Hour," and the farce " In Possession."

clincof 1 in 20 with a load of 15 tons, exclusive of the weight of the locomotive. The latter, it should Iks explained, has four wheels, two of which—the directing wheels —run on the rail, and the other two—the motive wheels—on an ordinary metalled road, parallel with the single rail By a very simple mechanical contrivance, the whole weight of tho engine can be thrown either upon the directing or the motive wheels, according to circumstances; the minimum of adherence being obtained in the former and the maximum in the latter case. As the directing wheels are mounted on a pivot, the train can pass round a curve with so limited a radius as to admit of its turning into a street at right angles with that from which it h.s issued. According to the report of M. Belgrand, the engineer who was consulted by the Council General of Youne before it authorised the adoption of the system of M. Lartnanjat, that system "is the ouly one which permits the use of locomotives of a light weight upon a railway with steep gradients and sharp curves."

While the question of broad and narrow gauge railways aud of street tramways is occujiying a good deal of attention in this colony (saya the Melbourne Argus), a remarkable innovation in both is being carried into effect in France, where the Council General of the Department of Yonne has authorised the construction of a railway npon the system invented by and. bearing thti name of M. Larmanjat. Thia differs from itll its pre-

dete?sors in respect that it only requires a single rail, and thaf a very light one, and is applicable to very steep gradients and to equally abrupt curves. With an eagine weighing only iive tons, the inventor is enabled to obtain the same adhesion as is arrived at on the ordinary lines of railroad \ritii ono of 40 tons, and can ascend an in-

We clip the following from the Grey River Argua :—" A curious discussion on what may be called a point of legal etiquette, took place during the hearing of a case in one of the up-country Courts recently. A female witness was about being sworn to give evidence, and when the orderly of the Court offered the Bible to her, the hand she held forth to receive it was covered with a remarkably neat-fitting olive-coloured kid glove. The orderly desired her to remove the glove, whereupon the counsel on the side for which the witness appeared remarked that it was not a matter of any consequence, and that as the weather was so cold the witness might retain her glove as it was. On this the learned gentleman on the opposite side in uistcd on the glove coming off, and appealed to the Court. The policeman who was about to administer the oath was obdurate, and apparently horrified, for he observed that dur- , ing an ' experience of twenty years in such matters, he never saw the like,' and he evidently regarded the whole proceeding as a species of sacrilege.* The Magistrate threw oil upon the troubled waters, by saying that it was the usual custom to take the oath while the Scriptures were held in the uncovered hand, but he was not aware that tho ceremony would be less solemn or binding on the conscience in a lesser degree if the hand were kept covered. The argument was cut short by the lady herself removing her glove, which she had been endeavouring to do all the time, but the intense cold numbing her fingers delayed her. In the same case, another witness refused to take the ordinary form,of oath from conscientious scruples. A form of affirmation, which he declared to be binding on his conscience, was administered to him by the Court."

if there were more Hebrew and Greek scholars in England than in former times there was reason to suspect that the study of Greek and Hebrew and the ancient languages would not in future absorb so much of a man's time as hitherto. There was growing up a disposition in the young men to engage in more active pursuits—to disjperse over a great part of the world. Hence it was probable that there would bo less of these accomplishments in the future than now. It, therefore, appeared that the present was the most opportune time for reraion of the Scripture translation."

be another version by Royal authority ; but

It will interest many of our readers to know that tho liev. Mr Barclay, late of Napier, has visited during tho winter part of the West Highlands aad the Lewis, at the request of the Agent-Gcii'.'ral for emigration. To meet the desire for information about New Zealand, Mr Barclay has undertaken to write a little book for emigrants. Many suitable emigrants may be expected as tho result of his visit and advocacy. Some eighteen or twenty frost Hah, washed ashore on the beach afc Moeraki, were brought into town by express on Thursday, and retailed at from 7a to 8s each. Some of them measured five feet and a half in lengthA correspondent at Lawrence write« as follows :—" The application of Messrs Cargill and Anderson for 20,000 acres is causing great excitement in Lawrence. A numerously signed petition, requesting the Mayor to call a public meeting to consider the matter, is in course of circulation." From a telegram published elsewhere, our readers will see that a "monster indignation meeting" is to be held at Lawrence in connection with this matter. The Blue Spur miners are almost at a standstill for want of water. Tho races are frozen up. The Wairarapa Volunteers lately mus- ! tered for their annual inspection by Colonel Harington. They waited for two hours in a drenching rain, but as "no Colonel Harington appeared," they dispersed in high dudgeon. Tho Wellington Independent's correspondent, in relating these circumstances, says :—"lf these men could come, somo of them near twenty miles, and wait two hours in the pelting rain, would it have been too great a risk to the gallant colonel's health to come upon tho parade ground in a mackintosh ?" At the annual meeting of the Auckland auxiliary of the British and Foreign Bible Society, held a few days ago, the report read stated that during the year 700 copies of the complete Maori Bible had been sold, and there was an increased demand for the Maori New Testament. The progress made in the spread of the Bible amongst the native people was most encouraging. At the same meeting the Bishop of Auckland is reported to have spoken as follows regarding tho proposed new authorised version of the Scriptures :—" A Committee of the House of Convocation of Canterbury were at present engaged upon a revision of the text. There were at present more eminent Hebrew and Greek scholars in England than had been at any previous period. He believed there need be no apprehension that the old standards would be removed; that the version at present in use would be overthrown. He believed that there would not

In oar issue of tho 27th tilt, appeared a letter signed " M. A.," telling how two men fought most savagely at the corner of Howe and Cumberland Btrette, there being no policeman at hand to interfere. The police liave ferreted out the pugilists, and the writer of the letter in question had the pleasure of giving evidence against them yesterday in the Mayor's Court. The Rev. E. JEL Grainger having sent in his resignation as Curate of the Pariah of All Saints', the parochial nomination submitted tho name of the itev. It. L. Stanford, of Tokomairiro, as his successor. The recommendation has been confirmed by the Diocesan Nominators, and we understand that the reverend gentleman has intimated that he will accept the Curacy. We arc requested to remind our readers that the football match between the Scots and English of the D.F.C. comes off on the South Dunedin Recreation Ground today. A strong muster of members is expected, and some good sport may bo looked for. The Scots will play in a red jersey, and Cue English in a white one.

The members of the Loyal Alexandra Lodge, A.1.0.0.F., met at Wain's Hotel last Wednesday evening, for the purpose of installing their officers for the ensuing six months. The ceremony of installation w&s

very ably conducted by the Grand Secretary, Bro. Micbio, assisted by Bros.. Kealc, G. 11., and Soares, G.C. The following brothers ■were duly installed:—C. J. H. Kobertaon, J.J\a ;X Druimn, N,G.; li. Mercer, V.& ; .T. ii'Kay, Sec.;-J. Bmithwaite, Treas. ; Job Warn and W. Reid, Trustees ; O. Driscoll, Warden ; and \V. Keld, Conductor,

A telegram was received yesterday by the Rev. E. G. Edwards from Mr Tancred, tho Chancellor of the New Zealand University, respecting the recent competition for scholarships in connection with that University. Tho following are tho positions secured, by the competitors from the various Provinces : —Canterbury: Ist, 3rd, sth, 6th, 7th, 12th, 17th. Nelson: 2nd, 4th, 9th, Llth, 13th, 14th, 18th, 20fch. Otago : Williamson, Bth; WUding, 10th; Solomon, 16th; Park, 19th. Wellington : 15th.

Mr Nancarrow, the Government Inspector of steamers, proceeded North in the U.S. p.s. Nevada, in order to keep strict surveillance over the injured shaft previous to her departure from our shores.

From the wording of tho telegram announcing the arrival of the Albion at the Bluff yesterday, it seemed loubtful whether she had brought on the New Zealand portion of the English mails. From a subsequent telegram, however, we learn that she has the mails on board ; and aa ehc left the Bluff at 4.30 p.m. yesterday the mails will probably be in Dunedin this morning. Owing to the branch steamer not having arrived at Adelaide up to the time the Albion left Sandridge, the usual telegraphic summary of English, news was not put on board ; and the consequence is that we have to bear the infliction of a dreadful hash of stale news compiled at the Bluff.