CURRENT TOPICS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 11510, 24 August 1899, Page 4

CURRENT TOPICS.

The records of the Post Office Savings Banks

show a truly marvellous growth. tost OFFICE in an institution which is savings yearly becoming more popular. BANKS. An institution which ,pncourages Buoii! *'a, pleasure of thrift as these records disclose amongst a. class of peoplo whose earnings dp hot always leave them much surplusicash serves an important public function. Tlfeijsdople who for the most part take advantage of tho Post Oflico Savings Banks are the wage earners, most of whom would hardly keep an ordinary banking account, and the thrift engendered by tho habit of laying by a reserve fund for a, rainy day is a commendable principle. The fluctuations between deposits and withdrawals afford a. kind of financial barometer, by means of which the general condition of tho workers may be measured. When times are good the number and 'amount of the deposits speedily rise; but when times of general depression come, and the workers find employment scarce and less remunerative, tho stored-up hoards are largely drawn upon. It is instructive to note the steady growth of the pavings banks since their institution in 1F67. On the Ist of February of that year a commencement was made with (16 offices, in which 2156 depositors lodged £71,197 by the end of the year. The extent to which the public availed themselves of tho new institution proved at once that it was destined under skilful management to become a thoroughly popular institution. At the end of last year there were 169.968 depositors, with £1.957,771. Those figures disclose a gratifying amount of thrift among-st the working people and others who utilise the savings banks. In the departmental report a table shows the progress of the Post Office Savings Banks in dfTftnnia.l rwrinds, and the fact that the total

sum placed to the credit of the depositors more than doubled during the past decade shows that the habt of thrift is growing amongst a certain settion of the community, The fluctuations between deposits and withdrawals tell their o.vn tale. Many t-eople utilise the savings banks for small accounts pretty much as business people do the ordinary banks for larger amounts; consequently there is a repetition of deposits and withdrawals. The money is deposited regularly, only to be withdrayn when some payment has to ho met. During the past year no less than 281,749 depositors paid money into.the Post Office Savings Banks, and the total sum deposited amounted to an aggregate of over three millions sterling, But against that 196,76* .withdrawals havt to be recorded, representing a slightly less value in their total amount. Nevertheless, tie substantial asset gained was £84,717—an amount of accumulated savings that speaks well for the good work being done by the institution. The cost of the management of. the institution is, estimated at about 3s 5d per £100, which is a very small percentage indeed, and the accumulated interest credited to depositors since the Post Office Savings Banks were established has reached the large amount of £1,905,875. The total results aie such as we might well feel proud of.

The plea for the regeneration of habitual

drunkards by the estiblishment riOMES TOR of inebriates' homes is a perikebbiates. ennial one, and time and again

Hie subject has been forced upon the attention oE Parliament. The Imperial Parliament lias dealt with the. matter by placing a measure upon the Statute Bo^k making provision for the treatment of certain classes of habitual inebriates. But since fair convictions in a Police Court in one year are required to qualify for State patronage, on;y a section, and that the worst, of those addicted to the drink habit .can come witlua the influence of a reformatory. Although the Imperial act provides for the establishment of State reformatories, so far inebriates' placed iinder restraint are handed over to the cavo of some religious organii<ation. Moreover, the act does not give magistrates power to send these people to a reformatory; they, must be committed for trial before a judge and jury, just like any criminal, unless, indeed, they save the country-the expense by.pleading guilty to being " habitual inebriates." Consequently not many come within the scope of this department of State control. The clumsy machinery of the act practically excludes all except the most vicious class of inebriates—the class, in short, least likely to be amenable to the reclamation contemplated 11 by the act. Mr Thomas Holmes, a London magistrate who has had ample opportunity of studying the habitual1 inebriate, discusses the question of reformation of victims' of the drink habit in an admirable article in a recent number of the " Contemporary Review," and the . conclusion he arrives at is not a very encouraging one for the prospects of the drunkard, even in a, properly, equipped reformatory. These unfortunate people may be roughly classified, although there are all grades, from the constitutionally vicious to the severely respectable people, who by unconscious degrees fall victims to the, seductive habit. There is a kind of intermediate class, according to Mr Holmes, fairly well represented by " Tottie Fay," who masqueraded in tawdry finery before the magistrates for a time, and eventually found obscurity in a lunatic asylum. " While she was graduating for her brief notoriety," says Mr Holmes, "another demented wpnmn had long been queen of this domain." That woman was the notorious Jane Cakebread. • This woman possessed a queer- character. "A,-hopeless mixture of sense and nonsense, sanity and insanity, of good and evil. A.'simple child, a shrewd 'woman, sometimes half saint, at other times half devil." Jane dearly loved a policeman, and the brief notoriety of the Police Court had all the fascination for her of the theatre to the fashionable playgoer. When Jane had " grown grey in the service of the State," the State rewarded her with something better than the customary cell—it placed her in a lunatic asylum, where she should have been all along. Now, ■ according to Mr Holmes, there are many Jane Cakebreadß, demented women, who find an insane delight.in getting drunk, and becoming disorderly, all for the fun of the thing.' These people present the most difficult subjects for the reformatory. Of another class, whose drunkenness is the least objectionable form of vice, hope of reform seems almost equally remote. , The only class for whom there seems much hope are those who contract the 'habit surreptitiously, and who are otherwise respectable; but how to get them into reformatories is the point. It ought to bo possible for friends and relatives to make application for their admission, as is clone in the case of a prohibition order. That is a point that ought not to be lost sight of in any legislation on behalf of the habitual inebriate in New Zealand.

Signor Marconi and a host of co-workers ar&

discovering new phases of wire-

wibelißSS less telegraphy almost daily. teleobaphy. Already messages can be sent

with certainty across a distance of several miles, and no one can venture to predict the limit of distance when more is known of this mysterious force. It has been proved that the ohnlk cliffs of Dover present no obstacle to tho passage of the electric current, and who knows but the same mysterious influence may yet be sent from one side of the globe to the other as readily as it has been sent through the cliffs of Dover? It ia well known >in the ordinary system of telegraphy that the earth carries tho return current, and »o completes the circuit. -The overhead wire represents one half the circuit, and between the earth plates the earth represents th 6 other half. As a matter of fact, our globe is but a huge magnet'poised in space, attuned to its oentre-pieee,' the sun. In the electrio current we have captured and controlled some of the stray magnetism of space, as it were, and we are only beginning to play with it like a child with a new toy. The use of wireless telegraphy in lime of war would of course far outweigh existing systems, which are.so easily destroyed. But Signor Marconi foresees tho possibility of intercepting wireless messages by an enemy. He has, therefore, sot about devising some means of overcoming tliis difficulty. Light, like music, as is well known, has its scale, and electricity, it is believed, is "subject to .a similar law. A tuning.fork struck near a piano will induce an answering refrain,from the corresponding note on the keyboard. AVhen the up-to-date electrician, therefore, has worked out the electric gamut he will have but to keep secret his keynote as between sender and receiver, and interception will be impossible unless by chance a receiver of the same rhythm is used. If tho electric scale possesses as many octaves as the spectrum proves light to possess, the possibilitieii of multiplying synchronous • pairs of transmitters and receivers is very wide.- This field: of investigation is a highly interesting one, and every fresh development opens out fresh possibilities. Messages sent in cipher by such a system would present a. veritable Sphinx riddle to the enterprising individual who ■ would essay their interceptior.j Whether Signor Marconi or any other investigator in tho same field will ever bo able to work out the problem outlined above, 01 not, if seems tolerably certain that telegraphing without wires will be as common as the telephone in the immediate future.

The valuable report which Mr A. D. Biley,

of Wellington, submitted to the technical Government on tho subject of education, technical education upon his

return to the colony after his visit to Great Britain last year lias been considered by a committee of the Wellington branch of the Educational Institute., The recommendations of tho committee have been published, and are deserving *bf consideration. The committee represent that it is desirable that the introduction of any new subject to the schools of the colony—such as kindergarten—should be gradually effected, so that teachers may have time to qu.-.lify themsolves to give such instruction, and that facilities should be afforded them to so qualify themselves. It is recommended by them that the annual first-grade drawing examination in primary schools should 1» abolished, and Hint freedom of classification in this subject bo forthwith established, it lining pointed out by them that drawing is a subject which seems particularly to lend itself to freedom nf classification, and, ns is over and over again suggested by Mr Kiley, inspection " would be sufficient guarantee of tho nature and value of tho instruction !'iven." The nomuiittcp

affirm tho desirability of the establishment of continuation classes and of higher grade schools, and they further express the opinion that elementary science should receive attention in all the schools of the colony, and that such scientific instruction should be largely illustrated by experiment. On the other hand, they hold the view that the proper place for manual instruction, such a3 woodwork and ironwork, and instruction in laundrywork, dressmaking, etc., the importance of which is strongly insisted upon by Mr Riley, is in the technical school or tho continuation school, when the olemontary school course is completed. The general views of the committee are indicated in the following propositions: " (a) That the success of any enlarged scheme of technical instruction for the schools of the colony must depend upon a considerable reduction in, and a wise re-arrangement of. the present syllabus; (b) thai; the proposed addition of now subjects {kindergarten and thorowgn science, etc.) should ba of a modest description, and such as can be readily undertaken by pupil and teacher; (c) that any schema should be elastic enough to permit of each school being free to take up whatever brancli It is likely to overtake best; (d) that the buiount of work required under any such Bcriema should bo regulated by the size of the school and (c) that iviien :> scheme- 01 instruction in any subject is drawn up by tno department lor the schools of the colony, n 'xs undesirable that local authorities should be fret to supersede such scheme with a, programme of their own."

In the Legislative Council yesterday the only businssi trammeled ■■>:>? tho posing !hs second reading stage ftf a (b.-.nerb-.u-y 'local bill.

In the House of Representatives yestprdiiy, after some formal business, the debate on ti■■ rFinancial Statement was resumed, but it somewhat unexpectedly came to a close, and the Premier was able, to conclude his reply before the dinner adjournment. Before proceeding with the Estimates, the leader of the Opposition asked, for and, after a display of some resentment, obtained some indication of the date when.the Public Works Estimates would.be brought down, and also a.promise that opportunities would be given shortly to discuss the report of the Marine Commission and the report of the Petitions Committee on the matter of the granting of the New Zealand Cross to ex-cornet Wrigg. The first item on the Estimates was passed after a lengthy discussion before the House rose.

The interesting and successful test of Grinnell's sprinkler and May's annunciator made at Messrs Sargood, Son, and Ewen's warehouse yesterday, besides proving the value of the former for fire prevention purposes and of May's annunciator for giving immediate warning of danger, also showed in a marked manner the smartness with which the Dunedin Kre Brigade can tarn out. Methylated spirits were thrown on some live embers in a brazier at the warehouse, and with-

•in three seconds the alarm was sounded by May's anvmnciator, while in 31 seconds the sprinkler was automatically at work in suppressing tli'o fire, the alarm gong of the sprinkler sounding within 56i seconds, ■jine members of the Fire Brigade were at the station in their ' working clothes, while the horses were in their stalls. Within 35 seconds of receiving I the alarm, given by May's annunciator the members of the brigade had donned their uniforms and were leaving the station with the gear.i In 2 minutes 37 £- seconds from the time of the alarm the firemen Were at the scene of the.supposed conflagration, and within 3 minutes 14- seconds the hose was connected with the water main and everything was in reaumess to suppress a fire.

Mining investors, when dealing in shares, should.be careful to see that the provisions of the Stamp Act are complied with, otherwise they make themselves liable to severe penalties. On Friday next the Stamp department will take action against a number of investors for a breach of section 133 of the Stamp Act, which requires that the pur- '■ chaser's name shall appear on a transfer bei fore it is signed by the seller. Investors will find it to their interest to study sections 131 to 135 of the act, which bear directly on : Bhare transactions.. . . '

The Telegraph department report:—Berne notifies that communication between Jamaica and Porto Rico is restored. Communication via Key West, via Hayti, via Bermuda, is interrupted with all the islands in the "West Indies and places beyond, except Cuba, Chamasque, and the Republic of Hayti. Berne alao notifies that the Brazilian Submarine Company announce the opening of communication with the following localities in Nigeria, South Africa:—Lbkoja, •Jloran,- Ogbosmooro, Stonga, and Egga. rT'lie tariff.is that of Lagos, augmented by twopence per word.

A deputation from the _ Master Butchers' Association waited on the City Council last night and brought under the notice of the council certain matters in connection with the corporatictn abattoirs, which it was stated required remedying. The deputation asked that some accommodation be provided for keeping the hides and skins; that some alteration be made in the race that leads from the cattle pens to'the killing pens; and that something should bo doric in the way of making provision for chilling meat in the summer months. They complained that the meat turned out of the abattoirs was not in nearly such good condition as it used to be from the old private slaughteryavds. Mr T. Smith (president of the association) said that in his opinion the abattoirs wore faulty in, construction. Ho thought there were too many brick walls, and not sufficient space, and there was also not sufficient ventilation. The matter was referred to the Genm-al Committee to report.

The Registrar-generals returns show that 1028 persons arrived in the colony last month, and 1239 left, as against 985 and- 1208 respectively for the eorre,-f;onding month of last year.

A well-attended meeting of the "Workers' Political Committee was held last night, Mr Belcher presiding, 'i'iie ballot was taken for the final-selection of parliamentary candidates for tho city constituency, which resulted in Messrs J. A. Millar, M.H.R., and J. F. Arnold securing the largest number of votes. The following resolution.was unanimously endorsed: —"That -ii.essrs J. A. Millar and J. F. Arnold, having secured the highest number' of votes, are hereby accepted by this committee as, the parliamentary Labour candidates for the City of Dunedin at the next general election; and that Mr Morrison is this committee's selected candidate for the Caversham constituency." It is understood the third candidate for the City to constitute the ticket will be the gentleman selected by the branch of the Liberal-Labour. League, which was formed here recently ijy Mr Edwards, the organiser. The following city councillors retire by rotation on September 24-:—South "Ward, Cr Denniston: High Ward, Cr Dawson; Bell Ward, Or-Solomon; Ldth Ward, Cr Howlison.

The call to the Rev. George Miller, of Waikaka, from the .VliHon i'resbyterian congregation was presented to mm by commissioners from Milton at a meeting of the Mataura Presbytery at Gore on Tuesday. The call was accepted by Mr Miller, and the induction services will take place at Milton on Wednesday, September 6.

The weekly meeting of the Benevolent Institution Trustees, held yesterday afternoon, was attended by Messrs Hayncs (in the chair), Wilson, Treseder, and liazlelt. The accounts passed for payment amounted to £61 17s. It was reported that the cost of the institution for the month of July was £299 4s 4d, the numher of inmates 257, and the cost per head per week 5s 3d. Thirty-one relief cases were considered.

The commilteo of the Dunedin Horticultural Society met on Tuesday evening to transact general business and arrange for the spring show. Several letters were received, including one from the lion, secretary of the Royal Agricultural Society, complimenting the Diw-iiih s'.riply on l':r"r n(!■ iint !■ iti wilii the lli.yal. .lin'-^s wnr^ n.-».-:.:■>■ <\ f.i- Hi show in .'if|i!<?:,i!ifT. and a i.'Hhiiu'm.- v-l- 'if thanks was pu«ed to Air S. .'. J'ii--h U,r hi. lecture on fruit cullme ;.nd s|n'.\.i.. : J-. -1-1" count? to the amount of £52 19s lid wore passed for payment.

Before the ordinary business of tho City Council commenced last night, Cr Carroll, in addressing the mayor, said:" "I desire, with your permission, to set myself right with regard to a small matter arising out of tho proceedings at the last ordinary meeting of the council. In a paragraph appearing in the Otogo Daily Times of the 10th inst. Cr Haynes is reported as suggesting that his "Worship the Mayor should hand his memorandum on the balance sheet to the press for publication, and councillors could read it at their leisure; and then follows the words: 'When they have nothing better to do,' added Cr Carroll. I simply desire to deny emphatically that I used the words attributeS to me, or any similar words." In regard to the foregoing, it may be stated that three press representatives were present at the council meeting, and they all understood Cr Carroll to make the remark he denies having made; while two of the reporters took a 'shorthanu note of what he said, and agree that he was not misroported.

The Rev. L. Ml Isitt gave a stirring address on prohibition at Tapanui on Friday evening, when there was a good attendance, 'lite Courier reports that Mr Isitt resumed his seat amidst loud applause, and an invitation by the chairman for .questions failed to reveal anyone in'the audience with sufficient curiosity to cross-examine the lecturer.

Preaching in Scots vJlmrch, Melbourne, the riev. James Gillies said:—" Like many whom I see before me, I come from a country whose people are proverbial for their prudonco and thrift. A Scotchman lias been wittily defined as " a mn-ri ivhn !; o ?ps the SaHL-.th and p.vtT,vlliii!K c.so 'hr> cun ky his hands, oil.' 'ih::ro U wiwioni v* \w;l: ,v; wi! in t'if d--'erijj'-tt!.'i. K..i- a!ii(...iisi (;<o fo.M'.flaSioii:- of. our j nv..,i>*ritv :is n :vni.>i\ ■n.n^u-U thn-inCiiwirns that'll;'v<i hclnc-il In n::-k'i <>>;vlsm<;u sik-toss-thrifty people, that tre .icueniVlyiaiic thought for the evil contingencies Oi the morrow, thai it has been, the rule and not the exception in the home of the humbler Scottish peasant to provide (while he has the>power) for giving his family a decent start in life, and for saving himself and them from anything like dependence on others. Long may such a spirit reign amongst our people! It will be a sure sign of national degeneracy when we lose our reputation for thrift, when we have loss respect than we now possess for the proud position of honourable independence.'1

The Eev. AVilliam Hewitson, of Knox Church, has, we understand, sent an interesting letter to be read at the Temperance demonstration at the Agricultural Hall next Tuesday.

A remarkable incident took place at the railway station, Colac, Victoria, on the evening of the 11th inst. The engine of the 6.50 p.m. Melbourne train, had, with a truck attached, been' used for shunting. The operation over, truck and engine were backed on to the prepared carriages (at the platform, and preparations wore made for a start. The guard gave the signal, and the engine moved off. The porter, however, had omitted to couple the carriages to the engine. In vain the guard brandished his red lamp, as the engine gained in speed. The driver had'his eye ahead, and, the signal was' unnoticed. Well on to time, and with an excellent dash, he ran into Irrewarra station, three .miles away. There he discovered that he had forgotten his train, and promptly made his way back to Colac to repair the important omis-

Douglas Grier, aged 17, a blacksmith's apprentice, died in Sydney on the 11th inst. under singular circumstances. He strolled into the billiard room of Rowley's Hotel at Bombala, smoking a cigarette, and began to amuse himself with an elderly man named Cootes, who made an attempt to strike him, but did not succeed. A few minutes after Grier commenced to vomit. He told his mates (Scanes) .that he had swallowed half a cigarette, and then went into a fit, turning biaok and swelling quickly. Drs Eddie and Merrifield were summoned, and restoratives were applied; but Grier died in 10 minutes. At the inquest several witnesses stated that ' Grier received a severe blow in the chest at a football match three weeks ago, causing him to spit blood. The stomaoh has been forwarded to the Government analyst, and the inquest adjourned.

Shortly before the performance began at the Alhambra Theatre last evening there was nothing but standing room left. The prosperity of the season shows no sign of abatement. The two competitions last night caused lots of fun, the one for singing being eventually won by Mr J. Hood. The other, prize, a boy's football, was given the smallest contestant out of sixteen, the win being a popular one, to judge from tho applause.

The box plan for the. " Pollard" season was opened yesterday morning, and inside of an hour over one hundred seats were booked. This points to a successful season, and shows how popular this company is with playgoers. Mr Pollard and his seventy performers will arrive by the mid-day train to-day, .ami will enjoy a well-earned rest, preparatory to opening to-morrow night in the much-advertised comic opera "La Poupee." The full strength of the company will bo seen in the, cast, while the staging will be' of unusual excellence. There will be an orchestra of fourteen, under the baton of an old Dunedinite, Mr Charles Waud. . - - ■■ .

Messrs James Samson and Co. will hold a sale of household furniture, etc., at their rooms to-day at 2 o'clock.

The first and final dividend in the estate of Alex. Mackay, Waikoikoi, is payable at the Official Assignee's office, every "Wednesday afternoon and evening.—Advt.

The place for watch and jewellery repairs: G-. and T. Young's, 88 Princes streqt; they thoroughly clean watches for six shillings, and execute all other repairs at equally low rates. -Advt. •

John Hislof, oldest established "Watchmaker and Jeweller, 74 Princes street. Good assortment Watches, Clocks, and Jewellery. Spectacles suit all sights.—Advt. Carter's Great Sale.—Last two weeks. Tremendous bargains, as they must make room for a large shipment of New Season's Goods.—Advt. M-o-s-t R-e-1-i-a-b-l-e! For punctual , time try Peter Duck, Watchmaker and Jeweller, opposite Coffee Palace, Moray place, Dunedin. Charges strictly moderate.—Advt. Treatment by massage and electricity for rheumatism, paralysis, nervous, and joint troubles. Mr and Mrs Edwin Booth, Stuart street. Under medical patronage.—Advt.