THE OTOGO DAILY TIMES WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 1891.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 9042, 18 February 1891, Page 2

THE OTOGO DAILY TIMES WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 1891.

We shall not be surprised to learn that the Hon. Mr Seddon proposes to assist mining enterprise largely, since already there have been indications that such assistance will be a feature in the Ministerial programme. There is probably no department in which so many apparently sound reasons can be given for wasting, money. There is an element of speculation in gold mining —an attractive and alluring enticement about it — which most of us have experienced and suffered from. Hitherto, with a few notable j

exceptions, the grants given in aid of mining enterprise by successive Governments have proved for one reason or another of very little practical utility in increasing the yield of gold or settling miners on the goldfields. Mr Seddon may succeed where Mr Larnach and Mr Fergus have failed, but it is difficult to suppose that he will, while it is not by any means difficult to understand how easily public money may be wasted in this direction. There will be hundreds of clamant voices raised on the West Coast and on the Auckland and Otago goldfields if it is once understood that grants-in-aid may be looked for from the present Government, and that " a consolidated political support" may be looked ior in those mining districts in which Government money is adroitly expended. We warn our representatives to scan with careful eye the expenditure upon the goldfields, .since it has only been kept within dua limits in the past by ceaseless vigilance. If there is one thing in connection with mining upon whisb it may be held that the expenditure- of piiTolic money is legitimate, it is on water races. Mr H. A. Gordon, the inspecting engineer, in his report on the worka undertaken either wholly by the Mates department or by subsidies paid ta local bodies, says of the Kumars, -water race—"This is the only oan of the Government water races .that is worked that gives a fair p.rofit on the outlay for its constructio. n. The total expenditure on this won't has been L 37,706 ; last year's expenditure was L 1424, while L 3705 was ret 'eivedfor cash sales of water; the yeai"'s production of gold in consequence of the race having j been made was L2B,G'/>3. The Kumara'j sludge channel, of whii 'h- great things j were at one time expne\ 'ed, is said byMr Gordon to have been "a continual fkag on the revenue tpj.^ the water

race, as well as ar constant worry to Government." The total receipts up to JVlarch last amouiited to L 12.240, while the expenditure in maintenance was L 33.286, showing a direct loss on tho working of L21,0'1:5. Wo fear that the channel rather than the race must be regarded as a fair sample of the pecuniary results of endeavouring to aid and develop the mining industry with Government money. On pago 21 of Mr Gordon's report is a tabular statement exhibiting in some detail the financial results of Government constructed water races. There aro four in the colony—Kumara, Nelson Greek, Argyle, ancl Mount Ida —but Mr Gordon points out that "taking tho profits last year on tho working thero is only ono of those works which has paid for the expenditure of keeping it in repair, viz., the Waimea-Kumara, and that work paid about 2 1-6 per cent, on the cost of construction." If it be said that at any rate tho expenditure on works like the Kumara Sludgo Channel maintains population on our gold fields, the report from which wo have quoted supplies an immediate answer. Mr Gordon says "it is unjust for the Government to continue the maintenance of the channel in order to assist seventy-nine men who are employed on tho claims worked from the channel. The loss in seven years has amounted L 23.030.

We have been particular in pointing out the frightful waste which ensues on the colony undertaking a useless work on the goldfields. It is usually a peculiarity of such works that there is no mid-way stopping place. They must be completely finished and fully equipped in every respect before anyone can bo sure whether they are of any real value. A railway I may, at any rate, be stopped at a paying point, unless it is begun at both ends at once; but a water race must be finished up to the last spadeful of earth before it is any good whatever in commanding a certain area. Moreover, goldfields expenditure lends itself to the "consolidation of political support " more readily than most methods of expending public moneys. He must be a very strong and independent Minister of Mines, or even goldfields member, who can resist the clamours of sanguine constituents, all perfectly sure that wealth to a whole district, not to mention the individuals who look to direct profit, will be the result of a government subsidy wisely bestowed in aid of mining enterprise. Many members of the party now in power gave no little time and attention when considering tho last Estimates to the effort to cut down the expenditure on the School of Mines in Duuedin by LSOO. Yet it seems probable that if there is one direction rather than another in which Government aid may be of value to the mining industry, it is by training men to more scientific methods of treating refractory ores. At present something like half the gold is lost in consequence of the archaic, the almost barbarously ineffectual, means adopted for its extraction. Mr Ballance's Ministry proposes to make a specialty of rendering the country attractive and nurturing and developing its natural industries. We do not say that it is impossible to aid the mining industry, but it is beyond all doubt a very difficult task. The experience of the past leads us to regard all direct methods of giving aid to mining undertakings as likely to pass through the mazy defiles of political corruption into a very wilderness of loss.

It has been our pleasing duty from time to time to comment favourably upon the valuable and self-denying efforts which have been made by the Technical Classes Association to help those forward who desire to increase their knowledge, but whose opportunities of doing so are limited to the evenings. At the conclusion of the second year's course in November last it was reported that the number of students enrolled, irrespective of the cookery class, which was conducted in th 9 lower hall of the Athenteum, was 125, and this in face of the fact that a very popular class, the manual one, had to be abandoned for reasons beyond the control of the Association. It is almost unnecessary to point out that these classes are strictly utilitarian in their aim. It may not sound very practical to speak of Latin classes, or English, or mathematics, or chemistry classes; but the fact remains that each student who attends these classes, or any of the others, such as shorthand, does so with the definite intention of qualifying for some desired position, and, it may be assumed, is unable to incur the expense over the protracted time, necessitated by employment during the day, which recourse to private tuition would involve. The cookery classes do not quite come under this category; but their usefulness in qualifying women, presently employed during the*day, to manage their future homes, is apparent, and needs no recommendation. It is much less necessary to expatiate on their

usefulness when it is remembered how fortunate the Association is in securing the services of so practical a teacher as the lady who undertook these classes last winter. The regrettable feature of last year's course of lessons was the enforced abandonment of the class in mechanics. This class, of all those established by the Association, was i tho one most likely to have a direct I bearing on the everyday employment !of those who attended it. A certain number would no doubt attend for the purpose of acquiring proficiency in a mechanical pursuit which would provide an agreeable employment for leisure hours, but the majority would take advantage of the instruction for the sterner purpose of becoming theoretically as well as practically proficient in their trades. The difficulty of providing a workshop for this purpose proved insuperable last year, and it is now inevitable that a workshop must be built or the class must be abandoned. It is unnecessary to do more than refer to the action of Parliament last year which nipped a promising scheme in the bud, and it would be idle to wait in the hope of a successful renewal of the attempt next session, now that tbe project to utilise portion of the Exhibition building has been frustrated. In this extremity the Association invite furthei public co-operation. The small payment of five shillings annually constitutes membership of the association, while the payment of five guineas is required for life membership. The Education Board has considerately granted a site for a workshop in Stuart street, and what ia needful is that the necessary building and plant be secured. We hope the appeal for members will be largely responded to, as we do not know of many better ways of gratifying a desire to confer a benefit on our fellows. The member for the Peninsula, Mr Earnshaw, has promised

his valuablo practical assistance in teaching, and his help and influence should not be among tho least important of tho privileges which his new position confers. Wo would suggest the consideration of some scheme whereby the workshop should become selfsupporting, or more, by being utilised by Some tradesman during the day.

At a Bitting in Chambers yesterday, hia Honor Mr Justice Williams delivered an important judgment regarding the power of local bodies to onaet bye-lawa respecting hawkers and pedlars, and sustaining the appeal in the case of Nicol6on v. Olds. The civil sittings of tho Supreme Court will bo resumed at 10 o'clock this morning, when tho caso Campbell v. Rose will be taken. About four weeks ago some articlea of clothing were found on the pier at Manly, and wero subsequently identified aa those of a young married mon named Thomas Fiuney, who had gone there to fish, and had never been seen again. It was at once concluded that he had been drowned, and the police dragged round the pier without finding the body. Last week Finnoy turned up alive and well, and ho tells a most extraordinary story. He says that before going to the pier to fish, he was induced by some strangers to havo some liquor, and that as he had never touched it before in his life, he became stupefied, and can remember nothing until he found himself on board the Tekapo steaming for New Zealand. His story is, however, sadly discounted by the statement of the purser of the steamer, who says that Finney came on board fully clothed and apparently in his right mmdi and that the ticket with which he travelled to Wellington was taken out at tho Sydney office beforo he came on board the ship. Furthermorei neither on tho voyage down nor on the return trip did Finney make 'any referenco to the strange adventures through which he now claims to have passed on the day of his disappearanceThe appointment of Mr Hugh Gourley as a visiting justice of Dunediu Gaol is notified in the last number of the Gazette. The Hobart Mercury reports that on the arrival of the Te Anau two men named Daniel Trehey and Patrick Troy, steerage passengers, from New Zealand, were arrested on a chargo of having stolen 420z of gold, valued at £160, at; Greymouth, the property of one Henry Mar- \ shall. The men joined the Te Anau at Wellington, and are miners from Greymouth, West Coast. The alleged theft, it is supposed, took place on- a division of profits in a mining transaction. On being searched at the Police Office drafts and some money were found in their possession.

A reporter for the New York Mail and Express has completed a remarkabla journey of over 6000 miles by water from tho Atlantic to the Pacific. He made the journey in a paper canoe, and paddled his way through rivers, lakes, and creeks. He fulfilled his mission for his newspaper, having been detailed to take a bottle of water from the Atlantic Ocoan, carry it across the continent by water, and empty it into the Pacific. He left New York city on April 10 last, and spent seven months in his paper canoe. He paddled up tho Hudson river to Troy, and thence

to Buffalo, New York, by the Erie Canal.

The Prince of Montenegro has hit upon an ingenious method of utilising his army in the

time of peace. Hitherto every man bearing arms has looked upon himself as exempt from the

vulgar necessities of labour; but Prince Danilo.

who, it may be remembered, has been spoken o by the Czar of Russia, as the only friend he possesses in Europe, has issued a general order that every soldier shall yearly plant 200 vines, every corporal one olive tree, every lieutenant five olive trees, every chief of a battalion 10, and every general 20. Thus 4,000,000 of vines aud 20,000 olive trees will ba annually planted, and swords may bo advantageously transformed into pruning-hoobs.

There is hardly a country in the world too remote to supply Great Britain wilh eggs. Even Australia has begun to send them. But from Russia Britain had nearly;7s,ooo,ooo eggs last year. France and Germany between them sent over 714,000,000 eggs, Belgium over 200,000,000, and England received -2,003,000 from Portugal, and smaller quantities from Norway and Sweden, the Channel Islands, Morocco, Malta, Italy, Egypt, aad Turkey. It seems that altogether tho mother country ha 3to go abroad for between 1,100,000,C00 and 1,200,000,000 eggs representing in value over £3,000,000.

The buffalo (says the Brisbane Courier of February 2) threatens to become ss great a nuisance in Northern Queensland as the marsupial has been in the south. Mr H. F. Watson, writing from Gregory Downs, in the Gulf district, says that they are frequently seen on that station. A few weeks ago he and his brother shot one after a very exciting ohase and narrow escapo on the Burketown and Tableland road. Ou rounding up a mob of cattle the buffalo charged, when one of the party galloped up and shot him behind the shoulder, which had the effect of " steadying " him. Another was shot, the marksmen being concealed in a shady tree, which Mr Watson finds to be the surest way of shooting wild stock. The hide was found to be lin thick, while green, and very heavy. The horns wore over 2ft 6in long, triangular in shape, and jet black, resembling at a distance the uppers of old Wellington boots. It is only bulls that have been seen in the Gulf country. They do not stay long in one locality, as one is heard of on tho Niikolson river one day and on the next on the tableland.

A project for establishing electric railway communication between Vienna and Budapest has been submitted to tho Hungarian Government, which is reported to be in favour of the scheme. It is intended to cover the distance— somo 250 kilometres, or nearly 160 miles—in two hours and a-half. Single carriages only will be run, but they will leave every 10 minutes from 10 o'clock in the morning until midnight, the service consequently being as quick as the ordinary street tramway traffic. The line will be narrow gauge, and for passenger traffic only. It is estimated that the cost of construction will approximate to 38 million florins.

The Rangitikei Advocate says thafc " nhilothe London stockbroker looks askance at tho wishes of colonies to borrow, English capital is exceptionally abundant for investment on mortgages at remarkably low rates. We have heard of one gentleman in Rangitikei being requested to place £10,000 in thi3 district on freehold security at 5J per cent., and a Marton man advertises £3000 at the same comfortably low low rate. The Associated Banks of Australia havo reduced the interest on fixed deposits by 10s per cent., and everything goes to prove that while the credit of the Australian colonies stands very low, money for investment in the colonies is particularly abundant and cheap."

The new legislation on the property of religious orders in France is likely to lead to ono important result. Iv future the trustees of the properties of the Marists, Lazarists, Christian Brothers, Sisters of Charity, Bisters of Nazareth, Carthusians, and other corporations will reside in England, All availablo property will be transferred to English banks, and letters of administration or probate will be taken oufc in London. A Roman prelate in Paris states that nearly all the funds of the Roman Catholic Christendom are invested in English securities or house property, including the reserve of the Papacy itself.

Caledonians will be pleasod to hear that Pipemajor Macdonald, of ..this city, has worthily upheld his South Island reputation by carrying all beforo him at the late North Island gatherings at Wanganui and Napier. His victories at Wanganui were advised by wire, and now we learn from the Napier papers that he has won fche Earl of Onslow's medal for the greatest number of points at the gathering. The medal bears on one side the Onslow arms in high relief, frosted, below being tho family motto," Festina Lents.'' On the other side is engraved a laurel wreath with a central circle beariDg the inscription:—

"Hawke's Bay Caledonian Society, 1891.— Presented by the Earl of Onslow lo the most successful competitor, aud won by Pipe-major Macdonald, Dunedin." At Napier Macdonald won tho 300 yds raco, wifch a handicap of only 15yds, from some fiijst-class runners in a field of 15—a good performance for his weight. He is

now the possessor of 11 gold and 13 silver moMs, including the "Hilcot," Christchurch, for greatest number of first prizes, the StAndrew's ctampion priz", the Dunedin Grand Exhibition prizo, several silver cups and other trophies, besides £322 in hard cash. Macdonald is credited with being the first piper who played for hornpipe aod jig dancers. Since his lead in 18S0 tho champion pipers have always played thn rmisic required for these competitions. Otago can now boaifc of buying champion pipers " second to none."

" Received by cheque," is a qualified form of acknowledgement of payment which most people regard as harmless; but it appears, from a decision of Mr Commissioner Kerr in tho City of London Court, that danger may lurk in theso simplo words. A city firm had forwarded a receipt to a customer in this form; but it happened that the chequo was drawn by on agent, aud it was returned dishonoured. Under theso circumstances the question was whether tho firm hnd a right to sue their customer. The judge decided that they had no remedy but that of miiiig the ngent on bis dishonoured cheque. Iv vain it was urged that tho goods had been supplied to the customer, and not to tho agent. "If the plaintiffs," said Mr Commissioner Kerr, "choose to accopt'a piece of paper, I cannot help it." Tho obvious moral is that those who accept a cheque drawn by an agent will do well to withhold the receipt till the cheque is cleared.

Messrs Jnracs A. Parkand 00. sell household furniture to-day nt their rooms. On Monday next they sell freehold city property. Meßsrs B. C. Reynolds and 00. sell merchandise, ships' stores, &a. on Friday at their rooms. A Bpeclal meeting of the Duuedin Hortlaoltual Society Is to be held on March 5.

Dunedin Autumn Races, February 25, 26, and 28. Cup day, Wednesday, 25. First race at 12.30.— ]Advt.]

The D.I.C. shareholders and customers generally aro reminded the company's great summer bargain tbales have now cohlmenced. A large quantity of good aud useful lines in every department are laid out, and will bo o'.cared at real bargain prices.— [4BVT.]

" Lorno " is everywhere regarded a. the creme de la creme of whiskies.—[Advt.]

Money can bo obtained from H. Franc!., Octagon (next Athenteum). Repaid weekly, monthly.—Advt.] Joint Hislop, Watchmaker and Jeweller, 74 Princ6. .treet. The olde.t established hou.o In town, Repairs of all kind.. Good a.iortment Watche., Clock., and Jewellery. Spectacle, to .ult all tight..—[Advt.] See G, and T. Young's .took of watche., clock., jewellery, aterling .liver and eleotroplated goode, Five flret-claes award, received N.Z. and 8.8. Bxhitltion 1889-90. Price, utrlctly modorate. Largest and finest .took In N.Z. to .elect from.—[Advt.]