GRAIN AND PRODUCE REPORTS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 11329, 24 January 1899, Page 1

GRAIN AND PRODUCE REPORTS.

Messrs Donald Reid and Co. report that prices ruled as under at their weekly auction sale on Monday: —

Oats.—Our catalogue' was composed of fair to good feed oats, which' met moderate competition from a good attendance of buyers, and were Quitted at Is 8d to Is 9dper bushel (sacks extra). Wheat.—Tho market for milling wheat continues to-be very dull. We offered medium to good jfw.*'-' fe"'::t; -which sold \st- 5s ti, 2s 3cL per bushel (sacks in). Potatoes.—The supply, to-day.was. Aboye .the. average, "and prices sv3ered in consequence, best kidneys selling at £.3 10s to £3 15s; others, £3 to £3 7a 6d per ton (sacks in). Chaff.—Our catalogue comprised over 50 tons, mostly good to prime. Last week's prices' were barely maintained, befit oaten sheaf selling at £3 to £3 2s 6d; medium to good, £2 10s to £2 17s 6d per ton (bags extra), while inferior is difficult to place at reduced values.

Messrs Dalgety and Co. report having held their usual weekly av.?tion saje on Monday, when the attendance c-* buyers was small: —' Oats.—Competition w:s slack, and we passed in the most of our czkilogue. Good to best feed, Is B£d to Is 9d; fair to medium, Is 7id to Is Bd. " . -~,,-, Wheat.—Only fov/1 feed offered, which sold from 2s to 2s 3d. Potatoes.—Tho market is fully supplied, and prices are, if anything, a shade easier. Good to best kidneys, £3 10s to £3 15s; medium, £3 to £3 ss. „..,.,, Chaff.—Good to prime chaff is m fair demand at from £3 to £3 2s 6d; but other descriptions are hard to place at, for fair to medium, £2 10s to £2 15s; light arid inferior, 35s to £2 2s 6d.

Messrs Moritzson and Hopkin report having held their usual weekly sale of grain and produce on Monday. There was only a small attendance of. buyers present, and competition wad dull: — Oats.—Best feed sold at Is BJd to Is 9d; medium to inferior, from Is 4d to Is 8d per Wheat.—Best fowl feed, 2s Id to 2s 2d; inferior, from Is 9d per-bushel. Potatoes, £3 to £i per ton. Chaff.—Best oaten sheaf, £3 to £3 ss; medium and inferior, from £2 to £1 15s per ton.

methods involve the anomalous principle of honouring the dead by supplying the wants of the community. For instance, there is, surely, something ridiculous in the notion of giving ourselves a public library under the pretext of perpetuating the memory of a departed hero. There is a touch of claptrap in the talk about " dead monuments," — though it may be plausibly urged that Sir George Grey's expressed opinion (in distaste for statues) should be taken into account in the present case. As a matter of fact, however, it is extremely unlikely that sufficient money will bo forthcoming for the erection of a statue in Dunedin; and, failing this, probably a scholarship woiild be the best alternative. The matter need not be decided just yet, however: the main thing at present is to collect as much money as possible. Spontaneity is everything in connection with such a project, and we do not approve of the notion of holding entertainments, sports, etc., with the object of raising money for this memorial and deluding people into the idea that they are honouring a great statesman when they are really and merely ministering to their own immediate enjoyment. Nor should there be urgent canvassing. As much publicity as possible should be given to the project, and then the conscience of the community should bo trusted. Perhaps it might he well to adopt the shilling subscription plan, with the Understanding, of course, that a contributor can send as many shillings as he chooses. Despite the painful inadequacy of last night's demonstration, —despite, too, our conviction that a wrong line of action has been adopted, ■ —we still see no reason why Otago should fail to provide a not ■•unsuitable memorial of the great Imperial and colonial statesman, who was, indeed, as Mr Scobie Mackenzie observed last night, among the very first of the modern Imperialists, and who, at the same time, was deeply interested in the welfare of tliis particular colonial population.

On more than one occasion we have drawn attention to the annual conferences of the Te Aute College Students' Association, —the college (as we need hardly remind our readers) being an establishment in the Hawke's Bay district for the higher education of young Maoris. A specially valuable feature of these annual conferences consists in the fact that no attempt is made to disguise the unsatisfactory condition of the Maori race. Indeed, the full conference reports contain much iniportant information regarding the seamy side of Maori life which it would he difficult to find elsewhere. The detailed report of the last conference, held in December, is noc yet published, but it is in course of preparation, and we shall .doubtless comment upon it in due course: meanwhile the abridged report of the proceedings, given in the northern papers, affords scope for a brief notice. "With a view to securing the attendance of a large number of Maoris, the students of Te Ante, past and present, resolved to hold the third annual conference at Tamuata-o-Mihi, Tuparoa, on the east coast, among the Ngatiporou tribe, a special invitation having been received from about 70 Ngatiporou chiefs. To quote a contemporary: "It was a bold experiment,"—and, we may add, an excellent idea, —" to transplant Te Ante College, as it were, right into the middle of Maoridom, there to carry on its work in the bright light of curiosity and intelligent criticism." An attempt was successfully made to preserve the ordinary school routine and discipline, the sittings of the conference being held in the'customary school hours. The Ngatiporou chiefs had actually' erected a suitable building for the conference—with due regard to ventilation, and hygienic principles—at a cost of £200,—surely a most noteworthy mark of practical interest and sympathy. The proceedings appear to have been of a very interesting character, —and they were not confined to displays of eloquence and indoor deliberations. " Whether in the meeting house, in the church, in the kitchen, or by the woodyard, on the 'marae' where a little gardening and some tidying-up was required, out in the open where sports and military drill might be indulged in, the visiting students past and present had each a lesson to teach their hosts, and great was the admiration expressed by all, and warm the appreciation of the work that the association had commenced. The. experiment was aii undoubted success, and will bear repetition in other Maori centres." The various speeches and resolutions seem to have been by reasonable optimism combined with plain truth-telling, but it is too evident that the present conditions of Maori life are, in many respects, deplorable, and that the regenerating work to which the Te Aute students have set themselves is a work of enormous extent and difficulty. The subject has, or should have, an interest at once practical and sentimental for every New Zealander; but in order to discuss it with due adequacy we shall wait for the detailed report of the conference proceedings. On the present occasion we shall merely indicate the trend of the discussions. In treating the question of the decline of the Maori people an ex-dux of the college declared that the main cause of this phenomenon was ignorance in various forms, and "that more extensive and intelligent education must be the remedy. He advocated compulsory education, the extension of facilities for entering the university colleges, and the establishment of a.technical school. The conference decided to ask for a technical school for Maori boys. "Maori Population Statistics" formed the subject of another paper and discussion: but though the matter is important enough there would be difficulty in treating it suitably in a leading article. We may note that the numbers of the race have decreased at an average rate of 426 per annum during the last 38 years. The Rev. A. 0. Williams described his extensive missionary experience in the Wanganui and Wairarapa districts, and the burden of his discourse was " an exhortation to the despondent that the dark clouds overshadowing the Maori people were not so black but that a ray of hope might be seen through them, and a glimpse of better things." There were discussions on the vicious practices of Maori tohungas and on the drink traffic, and in connection with the latter subject "speaker after speaker deplored the ruin that drink had caused, and attributed to it the present sad state of the people." If this be so, great indeed is the responsibility of the white colonist. We shall comment upon these questions when the full report reaches us.

Mr Justice Pennefather is expected to return to Dunedin on the 30th inst, after spending liis vacation in ■Wellington. His Honor will hold a Chamber sitting on the Ist prox., fit 10 a.m.. and will leave for Inveveavsill on tlie following day-

' A public meeting of citizens to consider the best means of perpetuating the memory of the late Sir George Grey was held in the Town Hall last evening. There was not a large attendance, not more than 30 being present, but the meeting was unanimous, and though divergent opinions were expressed, it was finally resolved without dissent that the funds raised should be applied within the provincial district of Otago. The point was not decided as to the form the memorial should take, but the proceedings indicated very strongly that it would be in the nature of a scholarship endowment. Mr E. H. Carew, S.M., was engaged at the Magistrate's Court all yesterday afternoon in hearing evidence in regard to claims for old-age pensions. One of the applicants stated in the course of his evidence that he only had £60 in money, but whon his bank book was produced it showed that there was over £230 to the credit of his account. When asked to explain the matter, the .applicant stated that although the money was in his name it did not all belong to him, as part of it had been given him by his wife to keep a girl with. Mr Carew said he must treat the money as the applicant's own to all intents and purposes. It was a fortunate thing that he had told him about the money before he left the court. Applicant had run the risk of being prosecuted for making a false statement.

The North-Bast Valley Council view with alarm the increase of larrikinism in the borough; and decided at last night's meeting to insist on a more efficient police service for the protection of the residents.

According to the Lyttelton Times, a wellknown Canterbury sheep-dealer rang up Duneclin from Sumner on Sunday and completed the purchase of a line of 6000 sheep by telephone. The message could be heard as distinctly as on the shorter lines. The telephone office at Wellington is connected with Napier on Sundays, and the operators find they can hear very distinctly. The experiments with Auckland, however, are not so successful, as the voices are faint, and can only be heard with difficulty.

One of 'the original shareholders in the National Insurance Company, in giving evidence in regard to his claim for an old-age pension bsfore Mr Carew yesterday, said that he held 12.000 shares in the company of the value of 10s each, but the shares were mortgaged for £670. He drew the dividend from the shares, and paid the interest on the mortgage, drawing £75 last year, and paying £33 10s in interest. His Worship held that the applicant was not entitled to a pension, as his income from the company alone was £75. " But I have to pay the interest on the mortgage!" exclaimed the applicant. " You must not talk to me about a mortgage," rejoined the magistrate. "If tho shares were mortgaged, you would not draw the dividends."

The effort that is being made to raise funds for the completion of the Christchurch Cathedral has met with so much success that a preliminary appeal has solicited promises of subscriptions to the amount of £3246 11s 6d. This is more than one-fourth of the total required, a careful estimate of the cost of the completion of the building in accordance with the plans of Sir Gilbert Scott showing that £12,000 will be required to complete the fabric of the church. Bishop Julius is now issuing an appeal on the subject, in which he points out that the Jubilee of the Canterbury settlement will be celebrated in two years' time, and he suggests that there can be no more suitable memorial of the Jubilee than the completion of a building which formed the central feature of the design of the first colonists.

The extensive railage lately of sheep from Otago to Canterbury has excited some comment, and has led us to institute inquiries respecting the quantity and character of stock which is being sent north. It is not possible, however, to obtain an exact return of the number of sheep the railway is carrying from the one provincial district to another, for stock is sent by the truck load, and there is a great difference in the numbers carried, about twice as many store sheep as fat sheep being put in a truck.' During the past three months it is safe to say that fully 100,000 sheep have been sent by rail from Otago to Canterbury. From Thursday of last- week to Thursday next 20,000 sheep willibe railed from the south to the north of the Waitaki. The sheep sent are chiefly store sheep jfor fattening in Canterbury, where grass is how plentiful, and they are then sold to much greater advantage. So far as can be ascertained, fat sheep are not sent in great numbers to Canterbury, and, at any rate, the manager of the New Zealand Refrigerating Company here does not anticipate any difficulty in getting all the sheep that are wanted for the Burnside works. Very few have gone to Canterbury from the district around Dunedin, and what have gone are store sheep. ■; The Christchurch papers report the death there on Sunday of Mr Barnard Isaac, for many years a prominent citizen in Dunedin. He was born at Liverpool in 1822, and, emigrating to Victoria 30 years later, settled at Bendigo, where he accepted the position of dispenser to Dr Curfcayne, and afterwards went into partnership with him. He came over to Otago in the early sixties, and started business as a chemist in the Arcade, where he was joined by Mr W. Luke, subsequently carrying on business in other parts of the town. He took an active part in municipal affairs, and occupied a seat in the City Council for several years as a representative for High Ward. He unsuccessfully contested the mayoralty in 1877 and on three separate occasions failed in an attempt to gain a seat in the Provincial Council. For a time he served on the old City School Committee, and later was a member and chairman of the William street Committoe; while he was also for one year chairman of the Dunedin and Suburban Schools' Conference. He was a member of the first Pharmacy Board of New Zealand, and held the position of president of the Dunedin Hebrew congregation. Nine years ago he left Dunedin and settled in Christchurch, where he resided with his adopted daughter (Mrs A. Myers). He had a paralytic stroke about two years ago, and never recovered from. it. The Wanganui Herald says the vexed question as to who is to bear the loss of condemned animals sent for slaughter to a public abattoir, which have bean purchased at auction, is likely to be submitted to the law courts for settlement, as the vendors refuse to be at the loss, whilst the purchasers are naturally adverse to being Eaddled with it. The butchers are largely buying privately, and making it a condition of their purchase that in the event of any of the cattle being condemned all the loss shall not be borne by the buyer, but be divided between the latter and the vendors. So far this reasonable concession is refused in cases of auction-disposed-of cattle, -whose owners decline for the most part to make good any losses incurred by the purchasers of discrr - ! cattle. The consequeuce is that the auci, .i sales of fat cattle are falling off, and are likely to do so still further if some equitable arrangement is not speedily agreed to between vendors and purchasers of tha.t class of live stock. At the Cambridge University examinations in December Mr W. A. R. Ktehett, of Selwyn College, son of Dean Fitchett., took the degree of B.A. On the day after the examinations closed Mr Fitchett won the 'Varsity Volunteer Corps Sergeants' Challenge Cup. Next day he broke his collarbone at football, but has made a good recovery. At a special meeting, held last night, the Caversham School Committee agreed to recommend to the Education Board Miss Annie IH. Barnett for appointment to the position of junior females assistant to the school. The burlesque of "Trilby/ which was repeated at the "Princess Theatre last evening by the company associated with Miss Maggie Moore and Mr H. R, Roberts, was witnessed by another large house. The travesty of the dramatised version oE Dv Manner's wellknown novel was again received with unmistakable demonstrations of approval, the representation of the evil, mesmerising genius Svengali by Mr H. R. Roberts and the gro- ! tesque portrayal of the renowned model of i tho Latin Quartier affording abundant material for merriment. The music and songs were I also received with expressions of approval. 1 To-night the burlesque will bo repeated for the

last time, and the farcical comedy in three acts, "A Prodigal Father," is underlined for to-morrow night. ■» . . The s.s. Herald will proceed on a moonlight excursion down the harbour to-morrow evening. The Bluoskin Agricultural a-nd Pastoral Society returns thanks for donations received. Mr D. M. Spcdding will sell, stores, wines, spirits, cigars, etc., at his rooms to-morrow afternoon. Messrs Sievwright Bros, and Co. will offer hotel property and freehold dwellings and vacant sections in suburban boroughs for sale at auction to-morrow afternoon. Tenders are invited for the supply of timber and joiners' work for platelayers' cottages at "Waipiata and Kanfurly. The drawing of the Caversham Football Club's art union will take i>lace as soon as country blocks are returned. Messrs Park, Reynolds, and Co. will sell city freeholds, country farms, and suburban sections on the 30th hist. Miss Garstin, from the New Zealand School of Mental Science, Christchurch, will be at Wain's Hotel, where she will be glad to receive all those interested in mental science or healing. John Hislop, oldest established Watchmaker and Jeweller, 74 Princes street. Good assortment Watches, Clocks, and Jewellery. Spectacles suit all sights.—Advt. . G. and T. Young, Jewellers, Princes street, are making a special display of goods suitable for Wedding and Birthday Presents, and offer exceptional value. Repairing and manufacturing by skilled workmen.—Advt. M-o-s-t R-e-1-i-a-b-l-el Foi punctual time try Peter Dick, Watchmaker and Joweller, opposite Coffee Palace, Moray place, Dunedin. Charges strictly moderate.—Advt. Massage and Electricity.—Mr and mra D. Edwin Booth, Massage Institute, Stuart street, Dunedin.—Under the patronage of the medical gentlemen of Dunedin.