SUMMARY FOR EUROPE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 10597, 18 February 1896, Page 2

SUMMARY FOR EUROPE.

POLITICAL AND GENERAL.

We are glad to be able to record that the Opposition or National candidate, Mr Chaklbs Lewis, o£ Halswell, has been returned for Christchnrch to fill the vacancy caused by the ■ appointment of tb9 Hon. W. P, Reeves as Agent-general. The Ministerial and Prohibitionist causes have both been defeated—the former most emphatically—the numbers being; .Lewis,

i7U; T. B. Taylor (Prohibitionist),

4302; It.- M. Taylor . (Ministerialist), 3196. The whole of the Ministerial influence was brought into play on. behalf of

Mr B. 31 Taylob, speeches being delivered in Cbrisfcchurch by the Premier, the Minister for Lands, and the Colonial Treasurer, No doubt matters were somewhat Complicated by Mr T. B. Taylob's candidature, bat Mr Lewis's large majority over the Government candidate indicates that the seat would, have been won by tha Opposition under any", circumstances. This expression of opinion on the part of the electors of Cbristchrtrch Is welcomed as a proof that reaction against the Ministerial principles and methods has indeed set in, even in a city that was- supposed, not without justice, to be a stronghold of the new Liberalism; and the moral influence of the event is likely to be of great value in encouraging supporters of the National carise to make energetic preparations for the coming general election. Contrary to expectation, the vacancies in the Cabinet have not yet been filled up, and there is nothing to add to the' rumours which we mentioned last month. ' The result of the Cbristehurch election is not unlikely to convince the Premier of the desirability of. appointing politicians of approved Btanding to the vacant portfolios. There is little else of political consequence to record. The Mifiister for Mines and Railways (Hon. A.J. OADMAU)-has been speaking in Auckland, his remarks baing chiefly noticeable for the doubtful way in which he dealt with the question " To borrow or not to borrow." ' At Christchurcb the Premier said that there would be no large loan, but his remarks were somewhat equivocal. . ■ Locally the event of the month has been the visit of the Intercolonial Medical Congress of Australasia. At the Sydney congress in 1893 New Zealand was chosen as the locale for the next triennial meeting, and'Dr

Batohelok, of this city, appointed presi-

dent. Hence Danedin naturally suggested < itself as tho-place of gathering. The congress was^openeS by the Governor on February 3, and it .hail baan a complete success, both professionally and socially. Dr Batchelor delivered a very able and interesting presidential address, and the papers read in the different sections maintained a high level oE ability. The visitors included a considerable number of prominent Australian practitioners, and the general expressions of Satisfaction on the part of those who had not seen; the colony before were extremely flattering, The Premier (Hon. E. J, Seddon) came to Danediu in order to take part in welcoming the congress, and the Colonial Treasurer (Hon. J. G. Waed) and the Minister for Lands (Hon.. John M'Kehzib) were also in town. His .Excellency's stay in Dunedin extended from the Ist to the Bth of February, j The congress closed on the Bth. j ' I On February 11 it was announced that the Roman Catholic bishopric of Danedin had been conferred upon. Monsignor Verdon, antil recently President of the Ecclesiastical ' College at Manly, :New South Wales. Mongignor Yebdon had quite lately been ap-1 pointed to zepresent the Australian bishops &t Borne. .. ■, . ~ Ajnseting of shareholders of the Colonial -Bank (in liquidation) was held on January 22, in accordance with a suggestion of Mr Jostice Williams, the; purpose being to give an expression of opinion as to how many liquidators should be appointed, and what persons shonld be chosen. The meeting declared for tha three provisional liqui-, datora, Messrs Vigers, Keith Ramsay, and. Laenaoh by, large majorities over Messrs Simpson, Begg, and Bbown. In the course of the meeting the Hon. George M'Lean (late president of the Colonial Bank} spoke at some length, in justification «iths coitdttot of the directors. A contest took place on February 10 in connection with the biennial election of two members to represent the city on the Ofcago Harbour Board. The two retiringjmembera were returned,.,the voting being:—John Carroll, 1015 votes; William Dawson, 967; K.B. OABGILI,, 959. At a meeting of delegates from the Dun* edin City -Council and the councils of tbe suburban boroughs, on January 27, it was unanimously decided that Wednesday afternoon shonld continue to be the statutory half-holiday in this i district in accordance irith the provisions of the Shops and Shop Assistants Act. Wednesday has proved a •suitable day, and any change would probabiy be for the worse. . Acerteiin amount of interest was taken in the annual meeting of the Danedin' Athenaeum and Mechanics' Institute on January 27, an attempt being made to extend the usefulness of the institution by , lowering the 'Subscription for the use of the leading rooms. It was also proposed that tha Athemeam should become a. free public .library as soon as possible. Both move- : eaenfcs, however, met with oppositidn at the hands otthe committee of management, and no-change was effected, thdugh the majority against the proposal to reduce the subscription was not larga.; The .Athemeum has received a good deal of public money, and there is a growing feeling.that the intentions of the Provincial Council are not being carried out. ■ The annual meeting of the Westport Coal Company was held in Danedin on February 12, when the report (recommending a dividend of 3£ per cent, for the halE-year, making 6 per cent, for the year) was adopted. "•...'•. . The .annual meeting of the Danedin City end Suburban Tramways Company washeld on January 30, when a somewhat unfavourable report was submitted to the ehira- . holders. The company has been greatly handicapped by unreasonable compatitioo. on the part of owners of drags and cabs, with the result that the fares have been brought down to a rate (one penny from the Gcand Hotel to the Leith) at which it is impossible { to make the undertaking a success. It is hoped that the proposed change to a system c£electric haulage may yet bo effected. The report presented at the annual meet-: ing of the Danedin and Suburban Reserves Conservation Society on February 7 showed i that this admirable Society had, as heretofore, been carrying on its good wort of caring for tha beautiful aspects of the city. It is impossible to overrate the importance of the work that has been accomplished in this direction during the last few year's, though j much remains to be done. The reclamation of the Market Reserve, which is now quite a pretty place, is the society's latest achieve-. Bient. At the annnal gathering of the Dnnedin Burns Club, on January 25, one of the speakers took occasion to refer to the foreign embarrassments of the British Government and suggested that "Rale Britannia " should "be sung as an expression of Imperial loyalty. Ihe suggestion was enthusiastically received, the large audience risiag in a body and joining inthe chorus. The Most Rev. John Edmund Luck, Bomas' Catholic Bishop of Auckland, died on January 23,-in his fifty-sixth year. ."