MISCELLANEOUS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 9859, 3 October 1893, Page 5

MISCELLANEOUS.

Dr Macgregor, in his annual report on hospitals, states that the average daily cost of patients at Auckland was 4s 4£d, Dunedin 4s 2% d, Wellington 3s 10£ d, and Christchurch 3s 10£ d. Palmerston North, with £107111s lOd, heads the list of voluntary contributions and bequests. Auckland is next, with £549Wellington £319 4s 2d, and Dunedin £219 11s lid are at the head of the others. The Christchurch Hospital only received £19 6s in voluntary contributions. The fees received from patients at the four principal centres were:— Auckland, £2051 4s 6d ; Wellington, £1699 4s 8d; Dunedin, £815 2s 8d ; Christchurch, £674 9s 6d. Most of the hospitals receive endowment fees, and duriDg the year Wellington received £1717 19s lOd ; Oamaru, £833 4s 6d • and Auckland, £242 4s lOd. Neither Christchurch nor Dunedin received any endowment fees.. ..-•-..

The vital statistics for the month of August were—Births, 100; deaths, 45; marriages, 25. For the corresponding month of last year the figures were—Births, 105; deaths, 56; marriages 33.

.-_ The half-yearly report of the inspector to tho bociety for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals sets forth that during that period some .49 oases were investigated, 33 persons were cautioned for various offences, three persons were prosecuted, and a number of cases—in many of which horses were ill-treated—were dealt with. The report notes the fact that the inspector still continues to receive support from the public. On many occasions private information of ; cases of cruelty to animals are reported, .while persons express their willingness to appear in court to tender evidence. A very bad case of cruelty to a horse was reported to the society during the year, but as the information was given a month after the occurrence proceedings could not be taken.... The subscriptions to the society, the report states, are nob coming in as freely as could be wished. A considerable amount of the inspector's time is taken up in carrying out the dutits pertaining to the position he occupies as truant officer, but the work of the sooiety is not.being neglected. Thereporb concludes by an acknowledgment of the assistance rendered to the inspector by the police. The directors of the Kaitangata Railway and Coal Company (Limited) on Monday declared a dividend at the rate of 10 per cent, per annum, together with a bonus of 15s per share on the fully paid-up Bhares,. and Is 6d on those on which £1 is paid up. A sum of £500 was voted to be distributed amongst the miners. A contemporary states that there is likely to be an.official, inquiry into the circumstances attendant upon: the short stay in Napier of' a young man named Gordon Lynd, who died somewhat suddenly in July last. He came to Napier originally in March last,- to look at' the district with a view to farming.o Ho was so pleased with the province that he subsequently transferred his bank account from Wellington to Napier,, and on May 17 had a considerable sum to his credit. . From that daie till July 4 he got rid of £209 in some way. Ifc is said that he was very much under the influence of liquor all that time, and that no doubt this hastened his death. The deceased's friends are moving in the matter. '

, At the Resident Magistrate's Court at Milton on the 17th.several members of the local branch of the-Salvation Army were charged on two informations wibh-breaches~bf tils borough by-" laws—in the one.case with unlawfully taking part in a procession, and in the ether with playing instruments in the streei without obtaining permission from the Borough Council. A considerable amount of interest was taken in the proceedings, the court being crowded upon the occasion. The defendants were unrepresented by counsel, having previously received legal advice that there was no use in their defending the cases unless they we're prepared to appeal against the decision of tho rcagistrate, with tho view of getting the by-laws set aside if ultra vires.. Daring the hearing o£ the cases, Captain Matthews, one of the defendants, contended that according to the decision of the Lord Chief Justice of England,.given in the Whitchurch case, the Army were within their rights in marching down a street and playing instruments. The magistrate (Mr Hawkins), however, pointed out that the Lord Chief Justice's opinion had been . unanimously declared to be wrong by the Court of Appeal in England, and that in the case of the Queen v. Hopkins, in which two Salvationists, ou declaring that they wouJJ -go to prison rather than pay a fine of 40i, were sentenced to a month's imprisonment, the Court of Appeal decided .that the conviction^ was perfectly right, on the case going before it on the technical question as to whether the magistrate could send them to prison. In the face of that decision his Worship, thought that it was not much use in the Army coming to court and citing the decision of the Lord Chief Justice of England. He also expressed the opinion that they had be tter leave legal decisions to the courts of law and riot attempt to be their own lawyers. The I defendants were all convicted and fined, with the alternative of a.term of imprisonment, and were allowed until 2 o'clock next day to pay the fines. The fine was not paid, the men electing to go to gaol.

The immigration and emigration returns for tho colony for August show the arrivals to have been 1761, and the departures 860. The arrivals were:—From the United Kingdom, 349 ; Queensland, 5 ; New South Wales, 814 ; Victoria, 460; Tasmania, 79; other places, 45 ;—total, 1761. The departures were :—To the United KiDgdom, 73; New. South Wales, 425; Victoria, 207; Tasmania, 60; other places, 95; — total, 860. During the month 20 Chinese arrived and 26 departed.

The vital statistics for August give the total deaths from specific, febrile, or zymotic diseases at the four chief cities in August as 33, being the same number as in July; but the proportion per cent/ of deaths from all causes fell from 2661 in July to 23 4-0 in August. The mortality was greatest at Wellington, where there were 17 deaths, of which 14- were from measles. The deaths at Christchurch were 11, all from measles. At Auckland there were five deaths, including one from measles. At Dunedin there were no deaths from zymotic diseases duriDg the month, a remarkable circumstance.

A return showing the financial position of fiiendly societies, with a comparison of values at two successive valuations (as far as possible), has been laid before the House by the Registrar of Friendly Societies. In the general summary is given the position of all the orders. The only two showing a surplus at last valuation were :— Oddfellows M.U., £4574, valuation made after December 31, 1837 ; and the Independent Order of Oddfellows, £2925, valuation made before the same date. The deficiencies at the last valuation of the several orders are returned as follows : —National lodependent Order of Oddfellows, £2904 ; British United Order of Oddfellows. £1131 ;; Foresters, £39,707 ; Shepherds, £125; Druids, £11,676; ltechabites, £807; Sons and • Daughters of Temperance, £7393; Hibernian Australasian Catholic Benefit Society, £13,200 ; Protestant Alliance Friendly Society of Australasia, £10,576; Riilway Employes'' Benefit Society, £1725. The total deficiency is £64,077. The ' Registrar of Friendly Societies adds a note that a true comparison between" the totals of the orders cannot be made for the reason that the valuation of several societies for the quinquennium 1888-92 has not yet been made. This remark is especially applicable to the Reehabitos.

Tho ciminal libel proceedings which Dr Traby King, saperiutenilout of the Seacliff Luuatic Asylum, took agaiuat Syduey Maxwell, ex-attendant, were concluded on the 6lh ultimo. Mr Fraeer addressed the jury on behalf of the defendant, his address occupying nearly two hours in delivery. Mr Solomon, one of the counsel for Ihe prosecutioD, took an hour BDd a half to reply to Mr Fraser, and Mr Justice Williams then summed up in an hour and 10 minutes. The jury retired at a quarter past 4, and returned into court at a quarter to 10 with a verdict of " Guilty," but recommended tho defendant to the leniency of the court, as they considered that he had been made a'tool of by others. Mr Solomon said that as the prosecutor had. achieved the object he had in view of clearing his character, and seeing that the defendant was liable at law for the costs of the prosecution ou tti<3 plea of justification, tho pvoteculor would be sutisGed with the infliction of a moderate fine. His Honor, looking at the recommendafcion of the jury, at the fact stated by I9r Salomon, and also a>; the fact that tlie defendant was nob a wealthy man, inflictifd a penalty of £25. Sir Frasfir remarked that the puhlie would pay the fine, whereupon his Honor remarked that, if Mr Fraser had said that earlier he would have inflicted a heavier penalty.

The thirty-eighth half-yearly report and balance sheet of the Colonial Bnnk of New Zealand appear in another column, and and it is gratifying to notice that the profits for the half-year are very satisfacbory. In addibion to recommending the payment of the usual dividend of 7 per cent., the directors propose bo place £5000 to reserve fund, which is steadily increasing;and will sband at the respectable sum of £60,000. We nobice bhat the pro6ts exceed those of the first half of lash year by £1063, and of lasb half by £200. This is a satisfactory arid gratifying record for th>times through which we h&vp been passing, and shareholders will, no doubt, duly appreciate the care and huccmss which characterise the management of the bank, i