The Otago Daily Times. TUESDAY, MAY 4, 1880.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 5680, 4 May 1880, Page 2

The Otago Daily Times. TUESDAY, MAY 4, 1880.

The Otago TJniversity began its halfyearly session on Monday under unusual disadvantages.' The Chair of .Natural Science, vacated by Professor Hutton's withdrawal to join the Canterbury College, is still without; an occupant. : An appointment has been made, but the new Professor is not expected to arrive, we believe, before the work of (he session is far advanced. The' Chair of English Literature and Political Economy recently endowed out of the Trust Eunds administered by the Presbyterian Synod is also ; vacant; and these snbjects, during, the present session, are to be divided, as heretofore, between Professors Sale and Macgregor. ;As the. new Chair was endowed only in January last, no appointment could have been made in England early enough for the beginning of the session; but it is not at all clear why the whole of it, and with it the year itself, should be lost. The new Professor of English might very well have been here by the end of June, in which case not only would English Literature have received during the remaining four months of the session something like adequate attention.— which in the Otago University ifc has never yet had—but Professor Sale would have been relieved of a subject which has over-burdened his Chair, to the manifest disadvantage of his proper work in Classics. We are not insinuating that Professor Sale's work, either in Classics or in English, has been any other than excellency done. Bub it is obvious that, in a university where Latin is a compulsory subject, the Professorship of Classics, involving as: it does the correcting of interminable exercises, affords ample occupation for the energies of any one man. A more serious disadvantage to the students— or at least a section of them—than the gaps in the professorial staff, is the uncertainty which yet envelopes the results of the last examinations. We have more than once referred to the imbecile muddling which has thrown into confusion the whole of last year's work, and is now threatening to embarrass disastrously that of the present. The examination papers, sent to England as cargo in a wool-ship, and addressed, not to the examiners who

set theni, but to some functionary of the London University, who has not a particle of interest in the matter, have never since been heard of. Five months have elapsed, and the undergraduates, whose hearts have been made sick by hope deferred for this unconscionable period, are still ignorant of their status, and in the dark respecting the course to be shaped during the present year. If of a hopeful turn of mind, they may be able to take for granted, perhaps, that the last examination was " all right," and so will proceed in faith to new subjects of study. We imagine, however, that the cruel suspense will have induced most of them t» such despondency that pessimist views of things in general, and of examinations in particular, will prevail over the optimism natural to youth, and that such of them as have not nerve to begin over again the Sisyphean task of last year's work will be inclined to abjure the pursuit of academical distinctions in anger and despair. These sufferers do well to be angry, but will hardly do well to despair. The mismanagement of which they are the victims is so scandalously patent that even the lotos-eating officials of a university will not be able to perpetrate it again. The Senate, we believe, has racked its brains and exhausted i£s ingenuity in devising checks and coun-ter-checks upon the vagaries of the Registrar or other functionaries who will be charged with the conduct of future examinations. Unless University administration is delivered over helplessly to that stupidity against which, according to Schiller, even the gods— and, a fortiori, Senates—fight in vain, we may reasonably indulge the hope that last year's blunders will not be repeated.

We announced yesterday that the gentleman appointed to the Chair of Natural Science is Mr Parker, for some years laboratory-assistant to Professor Huxley. Otago is fortunate in obtaining in the new Professor a pupil of the most eminent living English biologist, who will necessarily be familiar with Huxley's classroom methods, and will have caught, we may hope, something of his marvellous; faculty of popular exposition. We have always given a warm approval to such attempts as have been made here to popularise science, and shall be glad to see the laudable example set by Professor Hutton followed by his successor. To both Professors Hutton and Black the community owes a deep debt of gratitude for what may be called their extra-academical labours in this field. ■ A subject which will lend itself to popular treatment even more readily than biology or chemistry is English Literature. We regret to observe that in the time-table for the present session the English lecture is put down for 11.30 a.m. Only matriculated students can attend at that hour, whereas an evening class would attract a number of persons, young and old, who, though unable to attempt a full University course, are willing enough to extend their knowledge of the literature of their own country. A critical lecture once a week on a play, of Shakespeare, or even on Chaucer's '* Prologue," would be an undoubted popular success.... There are hundreds of not altogether uneducated men and women amongst us to whom the author of the " Canterbury Tales " is a sealed book. They are quite willing to take the excellent advice given the other evening by Judge Williams, and drink at Chaucer's " well of English undefiled" ; but the well is deep, and they have nothing to draw with. Put them down before the exquisite opening of the " Prologue " —

Whan that Aprile with hia showres note The droughte of March hath perced to the rote, And bathed every veine in swich licour Of which vertue engendered is the flour, — and they can neither scan nor understand it. It is not without a sense of sore humiliation that the " intelligent reader" for whom the modern newspaper, magazine, and three-volume novel are devised, finds himself helplessly stuck up by a passage from the first great English literary artist. Any university professor who, out of his pity for the benighted condition of a generation ignorant of Chauceßj and to whom Spenser is only occasionally in-' telligible, and Shakespeare often obscure, will institute a weekly lecture on English Literature,, may count on the public gratitude. We devoutly hope, that upon the advent of the new Professor of English this neglected- branch of popular education will begin to receive some attention.

Up to the time we went to press this morning we had received no intelligence of the arrival of the San Erancisco mail steamer Australia at Auckland. Under the new arrangement for shortening the period of transit between London and Auckland, the Australia should have left San Francisco on April lOfcb, but for some unexplained reason she diJ not leave until the 12th. It was anticipated that she would have been able to make up the two days on the voyage to Auckland, where she was expected on Saturday or Sunday.

A little boy was charged at the City Polica Court with stealing 100 tramway tickets, valued at 253, from the printingoffice of Mills, Dick, and Co. The lad was employed by Messrs Mills, Dick, and Co., and had given the tickets to a playmate, named Nelson Cooper, whose father handed them over to Mr Proudfoot, The accused was dismissed with a caution.. As a re-iulfc of the cage Mr Proudfoot intends stamping all tramcar tickets issued in future. -

Hia Honor Mr Justice Williams yesterday said, regarding the conduct of bankruptcy business, that the principle of the Act was to leave the matter as far as possible in the hands of the creditors, and ih»t where creditors resolved that the discharge of the debtor should be suspended the Court would be very loth to iterfere. In reference to another cas9, he re. marked that if the creditors were satisfied that fraud had been committed, they should seek a remedy by taking proceedings under the Aboli. tion of Imprisonment for Dabt Act, as the only power which he could exercise, as the case was presented, was to suspend the certificate of discharge, which in many cases was no puniehment at all. His Honor alao expressed an opinion and laid down a rule up-.in an important course of practica in bankruptcy business. It appears that hitherto, upon an affidavit being filed by the debtor's solicitor to the effect that he believes the creditors' trustee has -funds in hand, an order has been made for the payment of the debtor's costs up to the time at which the trustee w«.s appointed. The result of this has been that all the assets have in some case 3 been require! to defray the legal expenses, a large proportion of which have been incurred by the dobtor. Indeed, there have been cases in which creditors have had the pleasure of baing called upon to contribute pro iu'.a to their losses, in order to meet the legal expenses incurred for tha purpose of protecting their debtor. His Honor, in referring to bankruptcy cases generally, said: "If it should appear that there is nothing going to th 6 creditors —that there will be no dividend, or an excessively trifling dividend, it cannot b3 said that the conduct of the debtor in filing can be any benefit to the creditors st all ; and therefore therejs no reason why the creditors should pay, simply in order that the debtor

may be protected. The course, therefore, that I shall follow in future is this : that no order will ba made for the payment of the debtor's costs prior to the abdication of the order of discharge, unless it should appear either that the creditors have recommended the payment, or that the trustee has reported that the action the bankrupt took in filing was for the benefit of the general body of the creditors." The last passenger train from luvercargill last night was 40 minutes lato in reaching town, a delayed goods train near Waihola having caused a stoppage of nearly an hour at Milton.

The remanded charge against Andrew Allan and William Roberta, of forcibly entering a messuage belonging to William Feirie and expeliiug him and hia family from the same, was continued and concluded at the City Police Court sesterday. Mr Stout appeared for the prosecution, and Mr Denniston for the accused. Allan was discharged, as there was no case proved against him ; but Roberts, who reserved hia defence, was committed for trial. Bail was allowed in the defendant's own recognisance of LSO and two others of L 25 each.

Three women, residents of Maelaggan street, named Jane Crawford, Jane Lambert, and Margaret Campbell, were sent to gaol by the Magistrate yeaterday, at the City Police Court, for 14 days on charges of vagrancy. Action was taken by the police in the matter on account of complaints from residents in the neighbourhood.

Mr T. Burgin, late of Dunedin, has beeu playing the part of Captain Corcoran with Williamson's Pinafore Company at Ballarat.

Thera was a sitting of the Supreme Court iv Bankruptcy yesterday, when several instructive cases came before his Honor Mr Justice Williams. A report of the business is

given in this issue.

A man named Henry Hayes was brought up at the City Police Court yesterday, chargtd with having forged and uttered a cheque for L8 on John Bailey, hotelkeeper, Chritjtchurcb. The accused was remanded to that city.

A woman named Margaret Roberts was convicted at the City Police Court yesterday of stealing a shawl worth li 3, and sentenced to three months' imprisonment. The shawl was stolen from the Albany Btreet Odd-Fellows' Hall the previous evening during a church service.

The Rangitikei Advocate leatna that Mr C. L.- Maclean has decided definitely not to come forward to contest the ensuing election for the County of Rangitikei. Sir William 3?ox will therefore have a walk-over. The nomination takes place on the sth inst.

A number of bye-law cases were heard at the City Police Court yesterday. An interesting one was a charge against William Croker, of being the owner of a foul cellar. It appeared that the defendant kept fowls in an apartment below his shop, and the two Inspectors of Nuisances visited the place, and considered it a huißance. Mr Denniston, who appeared for the defence, submitted that the inspectors had no power.to enter upon the premises of the defendant, who intended to proceed against them in another court for trespass. Counsel also drew attention to the fact chat the byelaw under which the defendant was proceeded against wa3not proved, arid contended that the

Corporation had no authority to make any such bye-law. Mr Watt, R.M., who presided, overruled the poinCß raised, and inflicted a fine of L 5 and costs. Another case worthy of notice was one affecting the supposed right of I carters to back up against the footpaths of the city so as to be obstructive. It appeared that in this instance a carter named Renwick backed his cart in the manner indicated opposite Bennet's sawmill in George street, and being loaded with timber, the material protruded half-way acrcas the footpath. Mr Stout, who appeared for the defendant, urged that the mill proprietor had no other mode of loading and unloading the drays, but his Worship suggested that the vehicles should stand parallel with the footpath, so as not to interrapt foot-passengers. The defendant was} mulcted in the nominal penalty of Is and CObtß. About 75 .men (says the North Otago Times) have taken advantage of the- offer of the Government to grant work on the LivingstoneWindsor railway. This number will probably be added to. We understand that tenders for rations have been accepted at one shilling per head per diem for each man—aT country firm having undertaken to supply them at this figure. Of course those men who desire to purchase their provisions elsewhere can do so, but very few have done bo. Although it is not expected that the work will in any way be remunerative, .yet the coming winter will be tided over by many who could not get employment elsewhere. The Papakaio correspondent of the Noith Otago Times writes:—" Harvest operations are now at a close. Threshing ia being nearly finished, with good results : wheat average 39, oats 60, barley 32 bushela per acre. Some wheat has gone in this district 48 bushels, and oats I saw thre3hed the other day up to 80, but as a general rule the wheat crop has not reached the growers' expectations as to quantity. The blight appeared in some fields ju3t before har-> Test, and affected large quantities of oats. Stackß are being thatched to be held over until the rfpring, in the expectation of a higher price being* got. The dry weather has prevented much ploughing being done as yet. Frosty nights are prevalent, succeeded by veTy warm days. Rain is very much needed, as people are beginning to feel the scarcity of water." It,ia with great regret (says the Lyttelton Times) that we announce the death of Mr W. F. Neilson. This gentleman has been more prominently associated . with athletics in Canterbury for some years past than perhaps anyone else in sporting matters who could be men-

tioned, andbis untimely departure will be greatly felt in the circles in which he was formerly wont to play so conspicuous a p3rt. He had been extremely ill for some time, and his death may be said to have been hourly expected for many weeks past. In him cricket loses one of its best exponents, and we may say its warmest supporter in the Colony.

la Tasmania the mining iudusfcry appears to be in a flourishing condition. The correspondent of a contemporary writes :—" The Taamanian mines ought by this tima to be pretty wsll known. Mount Bischcff is turning out

ita vast quantities of tin without cessation. No call, I believe, has been made upon shares since operations began, and shares, which :were a very few years ago unsaleable at 7a 6d, are now worth L29 to L3O; and no wonder, for they pay L 6 per shara per annum, and there is a perfect mountain of tin yet to be used. The golo.fields ara prospering. At Lwle' there are about 1000 men, and at Beaconsfield about the Bame. The crusaings are turning out splendidly, and prospecting partie,3 ara scouring the gold-beating country."

Referring to Professor Button's latest work, entitled, " Zoological Exercises," the Sydney Morning Herald says :—" It- would be difficult to describe the painstaking care with which so small a book has been elaborated. It is a practical manual of physiology which the merest student, as well as the scientific man, would use with profit; and as we have no works specially dedicated to the study of our Australian natural history, this book will be found to supply a real want, and will be hailed by all with satisfaction. Captain Hutton is one of the moat industciou3 of scientific men. Tha natural history of New Zealand has been eluci-

dated by him as has been the case with no other observer. His works on this subject would form a large catalogue, and the present is in every way worthy of him. Special praise is due to Messrs J. Wilkie and Co., of Dunedin, for the manner in which the book has been brought out."

One of the mcst astounding announcements of modern timea is made in several English paper 3 for February by Dr Richardson, who gives an account of a diver who, equipped in a diving- drees, could go down into deep water and stay there an hour without any supply of air from above. This remarkable personage, Mr Fleusa, is describee? as an Englishman, of the merchant service, and who has discovered a way by which breathing can ba carried on under water. Dr Richardson states that in the first dip at which he wa3 present Mr Fleuss remained under water 20 minutes, and came out free from oppression, his pulse steady, his breathing free, and hi 3 complexion natural. A subsequent dip in 12 feat of water lasted an hour, during which Mr Fleuss moved about,

picked up small objects, and reclined on the flour of the tank. When he came up his pulse was beating nearly double the natural rate; but his face was clear of any sign of asphyxia, and, as in the former case, the t breathing was free. Though it has been surmised that Mr FleuEs has condensed air concealed about his person, the precise means by which he keeps himself alive under water is a secret; but that endeavours will be made to turn it to account may be taken for granted. To be able to take long walks in a river or at the bottom of the sea, independent of air-pumping from above, opens a wide sphere of usefulness for divers. And if life can be maintained under water, so can it also in a noxious atmosphere, and ITleußSi' apparatus may render good Bervioe in dacgerous coal-mines and in burning houses.

The Constantinople correspondent of the Journal de Geneve gives some carious details respecting the expenditure of the Sultan. This bankrupt, who can pay neither his creditors nor his civil employees, and whose soldiers are literally starving, manages to waste L 2.400.000 per annum on himself and the eunuchs, sultanas, and courtiers that reside in his palace. He has 300 cooks, 200 attendants to carry food from the kitchen to the table, 10 t&ble-masters to arrange the service, and 10 stewards to draw np the daily menus. There are 10 employees to unfold the carpet on which he prays, 10 coffeeroaaters to make his coffee, 10 servants to clean his pipes, 20 valets to look after his clothes, eight persons to light his chandeliers, eight others to clean his aviaries, 100 boatmen to row his boat if he make 3an excursion on the Bosphorus, five armoureis, two hairdressers, and 250 grooms. Altogether 4000 persons live at I his expense.

Stfll another railroad across America ia now being undertaken—not, however)' across the broad expanse of the United States, but over the leas perplexing breadth of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec. According to the Moniteur de la Flotte, engineers are already surveying the country to be traversed, and making soundings along the coast to determine the site of the docks from which the railway is to start; 2000 tons of steel rails have been ordered for the line, while large quantities of other materials have been purchased in Galveston, Pensacola, and New York. On the Atlantic side the railway is to start from the Goatzacoalcos River, and a powerful steam dradging-machine has been ordered, to remove the bar across the entrance, it being estimated that in two months the depth of water can be increased sufficiently to allow of the passage of skips drawing 22 feet* A concession has been obtained from the Mexican Government allowing a period of three years for the construction o£ the line; but a section of 63 kilometres (40 miles) is to be completed each year. The concession is for 99 years, and allots to the company certain lands on either side of the line. "At the expiration of the period the railway is to revert to the Government, the latter paying for it at the rate 0f.40.000f per kilometre, or about L2OOO per mile. ■-'-■':•. :

A story is told by the Home News, which would have formed a splendid incident for one of Lever'e novels:—An Irish M.P., apparently in that condition known as " hard up," received a letter, dated from a remote corner of his constituency and duly signed, announcing tbat a meeting had been held with intent to encourage him in his patriotic obstruction of the Saxon, and that a deputation had beenap. pointed to wait upon him with resolutions. Where and when might they be received ? The M. P. promptly taking up his pen, nude an appointment for an early day, and renewing his injunction about the bailiff, gave orders that the deputation was f;o be admitted. With the hour came the honest voters, wearing green ribbons and brimful of loyalty. The M.P. received them ia a private room, and holding out his hand to receive from the spokesman the resolutions agreed npon at the meeting of his constituents, had placed in it—a writ! The meeting, the deputation, the green ribbons, and the copy of the resolutions were all a device of an astute firm of Dublin solicitors.

The last edition of the Weekly Register contains the recent alterations in the Post-office time-table.

The Presbytery of Dunedin will meet in the First CJnircn at 11 a*in. to-morrow. ■

The proprietors of the city and suburban tramways notines that in consequence of a quantity of tramway tickets having been appropriated from the printers' estabhshmentanddistributedthroughoutthecity itwas necessary to temporarily suspendissuing return tickets. The inconvenience will now be obviated, and return tickets issued as usual.

At 2 p.m. to-morrow Mr Montagu Pym will offer for sale by auction a valuable section in Forth street, with an eight-roomed dwelling-house; also, a Corporation leasehold at the corner of Stuart street and Moray

The attention of Volunteers is called to a battalion order published in our advertising columns. '

The quarterly licensing- meeting for Dunedin and the suburbs will be held on June Ist, at noon, at tKe Resident Magistrate's Court, Dunedin.

The Oamaru Harbour Board invite tenders for sup-plying-and delivering: at Oamaru either 1000 2000 or 3000 tons of Portland cement. '