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Otago Daily Times, Issue 12602, 4 March 1903, Page 4

| The Cavcrsliam licensing petition was i filially disposed of yesterday moraing by Mr K. 11. Carew, S.M. 'When tho court | opened at 10 o'clock the only persons in ! attendance were his Worship, Mr O'Cal- ! (clerk of the court), Mr T. B. Dodda i (returning officer for Iho electoral district I of Caversham), and a couple of reporters. His Worship read ft memorandum from Mr I .T. 11. Thornton, counsel for the petitioners, ! stating that he had instructions to abandon ilio petition, and that lie had communicated this to Mr Adams. There being no appearance of either party tho petition was dismissed. Mr Thornton then camo into, the room, hut tliCTe was nothing further to be don?, and after the decision had been communicated to him, in which he acquiesced, the court adjourned. Tho Otago Harbour Board's scheme of works in the lower harbour is proceeding apace. One of the objccts tlio engineer (Mr liawson) has in view is the improvement of tho curved channel above Harrington Point, and to effect a scour a training wall is to ho made, tho stono for which will be obtained from the board's quarry at Otakou Point. The New Era dredge, which is being converted into a hopper barge, will convey the stono to tho training wall, and it is •' expected that by tho end of tho month ' these operations will have been started. The stone loading-jetty is aboiit- completed. This jetty is nbout- 100 ft long and substantially built, and will give berthage on one , side for the convenience of the public. The j stono approach (two chains in length) to tho jetty is well forward. The quarry is j opening out well. Last month Mr Lindsay, 'agent in Dun- | odin for the Labour Bureau, sent about AO ! men to the Otago Central and Catlins railj way works. Twenty of the nuijiber '.eft j Dunodin, and the remainder belonged to ; the districts in which the work i 3 being j carried on. Mr Lindsay f.ays that there are a large number of persons arriving in

r Dunedin from the Australian States and " I tho Old Country. Every boat brings thorn p ! in. They hang about the town, and do i not seem to caro about going into the | country. Many of thorn rail at the office 0 | for work, but Mr Lindsay cannot help them * | while there aro deserving local cases on e, tho books, and of these thoro a number , at presont. f . . I Good progress is being made with the ' alterations to tho Post Office, and ' the work should, be completed in j about two months' time. Good liead--1 way has .boon made with tho publio f office 011 the Liverpool street side, and the builders have completed the brickwork 1 of the outer wall. The old walls separating 8 tho main office from the Cliiof Postmaster's - room are liOw. in course of demolition, Tho f Chief Postmaster (Mr Cook) is temporarily quartered in the old money order office, a togothor with the chief dcrk (Mr Dall). The letter carriers have taken possession of their now quarters in the old Supreme " i Court, although the room is not quite eom- " j plete. The Money Order and Savings Bank f officers carry on tho work of that depart- ( i mcr.t in tho room formerly used for tho e | Police Court until their now offico3 are ready. Tlio work of the Post Office lias not been hampered by the alterations so far, * although a certain amount of discomfort is "! caused by the dust and noise incidental to 1' | the operations of the contractors. Whon 1 i the alterations are complete the Post Office . | will have the largest mail room in the 0 ! colony, and the additional accommodation ( which will bo provided for the respective 11 1 departments should bo sufficient for a long 11 . time to como. Boeing pictures are in the ascendant in 1 this week's illustrated sheet in tho Wit--3 . liess. Forbury Park, with its oharming surroundings, 'roundings, lends itself to the obtaining of , ! excellent groups, and the photographers I j havq evidently' missed no opportunity at j the • recent autumn meeting.* Nor has IVingatui been neglected, and sportsmen ' will find tho page devoted to the D.J.C. k autumn meeting by no means devoid of - interest. There are four charming views fc' of Stewart Island scenery, a number cf . presentments of scenes in the Far East, j; taken by Mrs T. M. Hocken during Dr j and Mrs Hocken's visit to Eastern lands; a large view of Singapore Harbour; a river I I sceno at Inchclutha; military typo, No. 3, I • from an original drawing by Sir J. s M'Donald; the office-bearers of tho fcew 3' Zealand Band; cricket groups; a pretty j. little animal study by Miss Dunne, etc. Tliis t ; week's cartoon, by " Jim," do v als with the loan fiasco, contrasting Now Zealand's loan 1 of 10 contingents with the reception of the million and a-quartcr loan put ou the London market, Tho work of reclamation at Pelichet Bay will bo resumed in a few days. The dredges have recently been laid up for their annual 1 overhaul and' docking. Tho walliilg-in is now tomplcted, enclosing an area of 38 fc acr es ( which the Harbour Board intend to \ reclaim. From a sanitary point of view, the . improvement effected in this locality .is vory , 5 considerable. Those who aro in the habit of passing by train, and others, will recol- " lect the offensive state of the area at the 3 foot of Hanover street. Sinco tho rcclaina- " timi of tho area it is undeniable that tho t work has added greatly to the attractions 3 of tliis portion of tho city, and a like i improvement is likely to bo brought about before long in the neighbourhood of Pelichet [.Bay. Tho Roslyn Tramway Company intend to ■ I alter tho town terminus of the lino from . the present starting-ylace to tho junction of I'rincos and Rattray streets. A com--1 mcncement. was mado with the work hist ' 1 week. The line is also being improved »! at tho turn at the Shamrock Hotel. , The publio are often greatly inconve--1! nienccd by the lack of attention afforded \ them at tho Dunedin Post Offico Savings '' I Bank. On Monday afternoon this was par- ■ ticUlarly noticeable. While a member of I . our staff was in the makeshift office in Bond . | street a dozen persons were crowded in . j front of tho solitary clork who was responsible for the whole of tho work— j receiving deposits, paying withdrawals, 1 1 opening new accounts, and performing other ', duties,—and all the while the woman with * j a ohild in a perambulator, tho man with >; a cart standing at the door, and other indi- ; victuals who had business of their own .; to,, attend to olsowhero, wore compelled to I wait with what pationce thoy could posses ' until they rccoived attention. It is not 1 only at the beginning of the month th' 4 f crowding is experienced—it is a state of 1 affairs tho public havo to tolerate from on« • ;' month's end to another.

Tho New Zealand poultry trade is apparently being endangered by Canadian competition. Otago farmers, 'for example, are now offered 2s 8d per pair for liens and roosters, young or old, and after all charges are paid the landed cost in South Afrioa is, as nearly as'possible, 4s the pair. The Canadian exporter, on tho other hand, though giving a smaller bird—about lib ncr pair less weight—can, owing to the freight being just half of that charged by our . Government subsidised steamers, give farmers better prices, and, also, while landing their goods at a .similar-, figure, realise a better profit for themselves. It is not anticipated that the present cutting rates cf freight will continue, but moantimo Canadians hope to get a firm'hold of the market. The monthly meeting of the Otago High Schools Board of Governors, held last night, was attended by Dr Brown (chairman), and Messrs J. R. Sinclair and J. A. Park (Mayor of Dimcdin). Accounts amounting to £438 9s lid were passed for payment, and after making provision for these the bank account showed a credit balance of £944 163 7d, A meeting "of .the newly-appointed managers of the Dunedin Technical Classes Association was held on Monday afternoon, ,when Mr A. Burt was re-eleeted chairman and Mr D. R. Eu'nson treasurer. The various sub-committees were appointed, thai for works being asked to report as soon as possible regarding the best mcan3 of, this year, erecting the electrical plant. Sevc-ral matters pertaining to the classes were dealt with,' and it was agreed to again carry on ,the dressmaking class on last year's lines. Arrangements were made., whereby it is hoped that the classes will be opened before the' end of the present month, and in this connection it was decided to ask the present staff to continue their servicos under thfe now Technical Association. Another donor, who desires that his name be not disclosed, has, through the Rev. D. Borrie, .given a bursary of £25 a year for a theological student.

At last night's meeting of the "West Harljo\u' Borough Council the Mayor (Mr F. G. Cray) spoke in very strong terms in regard to the railway service as it at present exists, especially in connection with the irregularity in the running of the trains, | which, ho said, was a serious blow to tho prosperity 'of the district. He emphasised the necessity for the improvement of the flccond-class carriages, which were in a disgraceful slate, 'while there was also a lack of accommodation for smoker 3. In rcspeet to the 'latter, he had spoken to tho stationmaster. .at Duncdhi. who had promised to improve matters, hut the immediate result' had boon that the smoking carriage was taken aw ay altogether. He moved the folloivinj resolution, which was carried unanimously, several councillors endorsing what the Mayor had said on the subject:— "That as the growing requirements of this district demand that a more cxtensivo train service bo supplied, a sub-committee, consisting of Crs Boss, Larnacli, O'Donnell, George, and Barker, and the Mayor, be appointed to wait upon tho District Traffic /Superintendent if Railways to urge the claims of the borough: (1) To the greator regularity in tho running of trains; (2) passenger trains to bs run separate from goods trains; (3) extra trains to bo put on— viz.,'from Dunedin at 0 a.m. and 7.30 p.m., return;!) t; from Kavensboume at 10.30 a.m. and 8.50 p.m.; (4) the dirty condition of the second-class carriages; and (5) smoking ' accommodation on Monday morning, and accommodation for doj3," Mr S. Horne, of the Chinese Reform Society, Wellington, is at present in Dunedin with tho view of obtaining the signatures of Chinese residents to a petition for the. appointment of a Consul to watch over the . interests of themselves ' and their countrymen in the colony. The petition represents ' that through their imperfect knowledge of tho English languago the Chinese are at a disadvantage in carrying on'their business and in observing the customs and laws of the colony, and states that they are desirous of having some official appointed who, whil?t advising them in cases of difficulty, will also oonservo their rights and interests as residents. Rathor curiously, the petition is addressed not to the Chinese Government, but to the House •>f Representatives in our own colony, 'l'his is explained, hqwever, by Mr Horne, himsolf a Chinese, by the statement that ihe Chinese Government is so unprogrcssive that it is unlikely that it could be moved to take any action in tho matter. Among the Oliineso in the colony some of the apathy which is ascribed to tho authorities at Peking is being found, for Mr Home, has found that objections have been raised by thorn to the appointment of a Consul from the mistaken fear that it would mysteriously involve thc-m in soma fresh ! taxation; As'a claw, .the Chinese* do not Ecem to realise f-liat if a Consul to repre- I sent their interests were appointed in New ] Zealand' they could hardly fail to benefit. I

The- monthly meeting of the George Street School Committee was held lost evening, and attended by Messrs Adams (chairman), Peake,-Barries, Mollison, Jones, Hutchison, ind Duncan. The Head Master reported that of pupils on the roll was 701, that' the average attendance for the past month was 568, and that the effect of tho prevailing sickness upon the attendance was' becoming less marked. An application was received from the Woodhaugh Brass Band for the use of'a class room for practieo purposes. It was agreed to grant the use of one of the shelter rooms during the term of office of the present committee. Ac'cbuuts amounting to £12 9s •3d wcro passed for payment. Tho outpyt from the mines of the Westport Coal Company (Limited) for the month of February was 48,630 tons 15cwt. The Telegraph Department notifies that from to-day the British and British Colonial Government cable rate to Great Britain, via tho Eastern Extension Company's lines, is reduced to 19£ d per word. The Dimetlin Presbytery at its meeting yesterday dccided to recommend tho Key. J. A. Will,' of Xiawrenee, for tho office of moderator of the 1904 Synod of Otago and Southland. ■ ' Tlio Malnura Ensign understands that the land Purchase Board has for some time past been negotiating with the New Zealand Agricultural Company for tho purchase of the block of land near Balfour, and known"' as tho Black Swamp, containing 21,000 acres, for tho purposes of settlement. If this property is acquired by flic Government it is probable that the Waimoa block, ■ containing 6000 acres, will bo taken with it! ' Most people who have read tlie following paragraph, remarks M.A,P., would bo astonished" Letters of administration nf tho will of Mr Franois Bret Harto, of 74 Lancaster Gate, author of 'The Heathen Chinee,' ' Tho Luck of Roaring Camp,' and miiny other works, secretary of the United States Branch Hint, 1864-70, editor of the • Overland Monthly, United States Consul at Crefeld in 1878, and at Glasgow, 1880-5, who died on May 5 last, aged 62 years, intestate, have been granted to his son, Mr Francis King .Hartc, of Chislehurst road, j Richmond, administration having been renounced by the' widow, and his estate has been valued at £360 6s 9d." It is a surprise that the greatest of all American short-story writers should hltve loft so little money, for, apart from what he made by his books, his serial rights wore very valuable. 1 remember the editor of the Idler remarking to me some yenr3 ago (writes " St. Barhe," in the Queon)' that every thousand ■ words Bret Harte liked to write for a magazine oould bo ohnnged for 20 sovereigns as easily as a Bant of England'note for that amount. Mr Jerome, district attorney of the County of New York, says a prominent citizen has ' offered him £20,000 for the purioso of. prosecuting fashionablo gambling establishments in New York City. Tliis individual ' averts that he l'ccsntly lost £20,000 during three hours while playing faro in a recentlyraided gaming-house. Ho says ho has consulted the .district attorney .because he is ; 1 cbiivinded ;t!ie "gaffle tfas "crooked/' and that jw p6 flieatti out of te ffl?neyj -

Mr J. Thomson (Mayor), J.P., sat at ilie Port Chalmers Police Court yesterday and convicted and discharged two first offenders ohargod with drunkenness. An Auckland telegram states that Madame Mclba gave her first concert in Auckland last night, when tlfe- Opera House was filled.' The diva received ■ a hearty welcome on her first appearance, which fas more than sustained to the end, her singing completely charming the audienco. During the performance Madame Mclba wag the recipient of. several floral tributes, including one from tho Mayor. The programme for tho fancy costume criokot match and fete by tho members of the Pollard Opera Company at Carisbrook Ground on March 11 is nearly complete. In addition to the fancy dress costume cricket match there is M be a ladies' cycle race, a ladies' parasol decoration competition, a cigarctto race on bicycles, and a gymnastio .performance. The secretary is preparing a souvenir programme for the occasion.

Mr D. M. Spedding will sell on Monday, 9th inst., freehold property, etc., in tho city, and in Selwyn and Forbury townships. A choirmaster is required for the North-East Valley Prosbyterian Church. Shareholders in the Standard Fire and Marine Insurance Company can obtain dividen warrants at the company's office. Messrs PaTk, Reynolds, and Co. will sell to-day at their rooms household furniture and effects. The Kaihvay Department announce holiday excursion iares to Dunedin in connection with the Amateur Athletic Championship meeting on Saturday. Tenders are invited by Messrs Lawson and Salmond for alterations to tho Stock Exchange buildings. Applications are invited for the position of resident medical officer at the Inebriates' Home at Waitati. The partnership between Messrs Reynell and Sankey, storekeepers, Maheno, has been dissolved. Messrs Wright, Stephenson, and Co. will sell' at their liorso bazaar, Gore, on Saturday, 2Qfn inst., light harness horses. / Messrs James Samson and Co. will sell on Thursday at their rooms household furniture, pianos, ctc. V The Otago Education Board invite applications for a number of positions vacant or about to become vacant. Tenders aro being invited for caitnse of timber by the Waipori Falls Electrio Power Company Tho monthly meeting of the Gaelic Society will bo nekl in the Stuart street Oddfellows' Hall this evening. There is a tide in the affairs of trade which, taken at its flood, leads on to money-saving. The time is now—the tide is the value 3. Visit Mollincma for bargains.—Advt. Delightful shampooing, hairdre3si»ff, waving, singeing, etc., at Hendy's, 101 Princes street; finest saloons in the colony for ladies and gentlemen.—Advt. Carter's Great Summer Sale now on. Genuine bargains'in all departments. Several important special job lots. Call early at Carter's Great Sale.—Advt. Intending purchasers of jewellery or watches naturally wish io make a selection from tho 7tewest nnd daintiest gosds obtainable. G. ainl T. Young, 88 Princes street, have tho largest and best selected stock in Dunedin, and give the best value.—Advt. Conquest's Cough Cordial is still the most reliable cough remedy in the market. ■ One hottla will oiten effect a complete cure. All chemists' and storekeepers'; Is Gil per It.'.:!?.— Advt. Who ,is Peter DrcK?—The most relisble Watchmaker and Jeweller,, opposite Coffes Palace, Moray place, Duncdiii. Charges strictly moderate.—Advt.