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Otago Daily Times, Issue 14441, 6 February 1909, Page 9

Included in this issue will be found special articles dealing with ihe following subjpc-fs:- r lTie Irish at Home," by Ihe Rev. F. Stubbs; "Elements of Political Economy," by Mr 11. D. Bodford, M.A.; "Tho Secular Phase of Our Education System: The Argument from Results; Catholic Schools and Crime Statistics.'' by the Edilor of the New Zealand Tablet ; and " Bridge," by " Cut-Cavendish."

At midday yesterday a terrific gale sprang up from the south-west with alarming and disconcerting suddenness, and in a very few second; the whole city was enveloped in a thick and impenetrable mantle of dust. Tho wind was strong enough to blow down Messrs Wirtli Bros,' menagerie tent, but it was replaced without any inconvenience being caused. The sudden blast of wind was accompanied by a distinct lowering of Iho temperature, which was all tho more perceptible after the extreme fineness of the morning.

The City Fire Brigade wa.s called out yesterday afternoon shortly before 5 o'clock to a. lire in a thrcc-romcd cottage in Athol place, occupied by Mrs Miller. A number of children had been left in the house by themselves, and they,, in playing, inadvertently wt lire to tlie window blind*. Tile motor engine was on the scene with great promptitude, and the blaze wa.s extinguished by the time damage amounting to no more than £2 or £3 wa.s done. The blinds were burned and a part of the ceiling boards were charred,

Of tlio 330 <lcb?ntnrc3 of £100 each issued at 4% per cent, by the Duncdin Drainage Boaril in July, 1908, there are debentures equal to £10,200 yet unsold. When these are issued the board will have a balance of £25,000, for the raising of which debentures may bo created, this representing the remaining portion of the total authorisation of £300,000. Tim probability is that Parliament will ha.ve to be approached this year for a further authorisation. The board now ha> sufficient money at call and on deposit for its requirements for a. period of seven months, (lie estimated expenditure being at the rate of £3000 per month.

lenders close on the 11th of this month for the carrying out of internal alterations and fittings for the branch post office to be established in George street at the corner of Moray place. As the alterations required are not of a very extensive nature the work should bo well under wa.y about the end of the present month.

A telephone, office is to be established probably next week, at Tirohenga, two or three miles from the Nuggets, where tbe breakwater is now bring constructed for the convenience of fishermen. A telephone extension is shortly lo be made f: 0 :n Milton to Leslie's Boarding-house at Akatoro, the Sumo to be known as Moanaiiri. The carrying out of Ibis work is subject to the Stinting of a subsidy by the lJrnoc County Council, a matter wiiieh will bo arranged in a day or so. From Puvfegm- Point and 1 reservation Inlet tho telephone service is at -present being extended to To Oneroa which is the site of the Morning Star sluicing claim. Telephone offices have quite recently been opened at Island Bank and at Morton Mains, while an extension is to be opened at Otekaiko, beyond Duntroon.

ihe mail which was despatched from Duncdin, via Vancouver, on December 19 arrived in London oil the morning of the 2nd inst.

The Arbitration Court, sitting yesterday, licanl tt number of iippiications filed by the Labour Department's inspector for the enforcement cf awards. The court's fitting will bo continued on Monday morning, when the tinsmiths and sheet metal workers industrial dispute will be heard, 'lhe court hopes to leave for Invcreargill next Thursday morning.

A collision occurred at Princes slreet South yesterday morning between a spring van driven by Henry Gore and a baker's cart, which was then in charge of a toy of 12 years of ago named Fred Kear. hear s brother Herbert, aged eight years, who was on the car; at the lime, was thrown violently 011 to the street and rendered unconscious for the spate of two or three minutes. Gore, it is alleged, was oil the wrong side of the &-,reot, having crossed and come along some 30 yards from a. water trough with the intention of entering Manor street. Neither of the boys nor tile vehicles was seriously injured. Iho police will proceed against Gore 011 a charge of breaking the by-laws, and Frederick Kear will be charged with being ill charge of a horse and cart and being (hen under the ago of 14 years.

The banquet which is being tendered to Mr H. Scott, M.i'., at Roxburgh has Iwen postponed from the 18th to the 19th in.it. The Koxburgh Hanqaet Jixeeutive is co-operating with the Jhiuskin Horticultural Society with the object of making a representative display of I lie products of Central Oiago at the show at Clyde oil the 18th. The membeis of Parliament attending tile banquet, among whom will probably be Mr Ma*:scy, will visit the show and go on to Roxburgh the following morning. Invitations have also been issued lo all the other O'ago M.l'.'s, and it i 3 oxpcctcd that a Minister will also be present. As there will be so many members of Parliament present the show will allord a unique opportunity of thoroughly advertising the great possibilities of the various parts of Central OUgo. Tho products of each locality will be displayed i" separate ba.ys. It is hoped that some of the leading citizens of Duuedin, as well as of the country districts, will make it convenient to attend. Application has been made to tho Railway Department for excursion fares from Dunedin and intermediate stations to Clyde.

At a meeting of the Presbyterian Social Service Association held yesterday Mr John Dimlop was appointed to the position of honorary surgeon demist to the assceia--tion. 11, was decided that in view of the great increase in the work of the association Hiss Maekie (Sister Linda) be appointed to the position of deaconess.

Correspondence between Mr R \V. Acklatid (managing director of the National Electrical and Enginering Company) uifil Mr M'Cabe (agent in Wellington for Messrs li. W. Cameron and Co., of New York) as to the price of lamps and holders required by the City Corporation was read in committee at a special meeting of the City Council la-t night, ami elicited a good deal of discission. The council finally decided that a telegram sent to Messrs Cameron and C'o.'s agAt by Mr Aeklaml did not bear tire interpretation which it bore on its surface. The following motion was adopted by a majority: — ji That tile PjVPjrs relating to and connected

with tlic supply of lamps, holders, etc,, anil the correspondence concerning Mr Ackla.nd's negotiations with Messrs R .W Cameron ami Co. in respect (hereof be ordered to lie on the table of the council, and that Mr Ackland be advised that Hie council deprecates his action ii> connection therewith."

A Press Association telegram states that the Wellington Commercial Travellers' Association last night passed the following resolution: —'• That it is essential that a federation of the New Zealand Commercial Travellers' Associations be formed, and that the question of affiliation with the Australian and similar bodies be held over until such federation bo accomplished.''

J'lie Dunedip Art Gallery received a welcome addition this week in the shape of a large framed signed photo-engraving after the picturo ''CaraeaJla and Gota," by Sir Alma 'fadenia, 0.11., R.A. The subject dealt with is a vision of the Coliseum, and the picture, shows the Emperor Septimus Severn l ) seated in (lie Imperial box; beside him on the same seat, sits Julia Domna, his wife, who is surreptitiously passing to a private attendant letters destined for some influential personages present at the performance; Gota, the Emperor's son, stands between his two sisters; and Caracalla, (he Emperor's son by his liret wife, is standing to the right. The occasion is a gala, at tile Coliseum to mark the bestowal of an honour upon Caracalla. The artist, in explanation of what made him paint, fhe picture, says: — " ft is uo wonder that so great a. lover of Roman civilisation as myself should have been moved to try to paint his conccolion of the Coliseum as it must have jooked when full of people, showing in what way the seats may possibly liave been tilled and the arena, utilised." The picture is full of interest, anil is rendered specially so from the fact that it is accompanied by a Ixioklet giving a full explanation of the subject-. Tho detail work, which shows up splendidly, is worthy of careful examination. Jho picturo was presented to ihe gallery by Mrs George M'Lcan.

Iho Otago Ilotol, Restaurant, and Board-ing-house Union of Workers' industrial dispute with (lie employers a week or two ago promised to be a very complicated and flying allair when it, came before tbe Arbitration Court, but it. is particularly gratifying to know that, the whole dispute lias now been settled without the intervention of the court, a, circumstance which is due to the I net displayed throughout by Mr Win. Scott on behalf of the employers and Messrs E. ,J. Carey and 11, Broen on behalf of the employees. Last night representatives of the tea room, restaurant, and lisli shop workers mot the employers in conference, and, it is satisfactory to note, an amicable settlement was arrived at. An agreement was come to between the two parties along the lines of the Canterbury award, the result of which is that the workers referred to, while not getting all that they asked for, will receive an all-round increase in wages. It was also agreed that boardinghouse keepers, clubs, and boarding schools be exempted from the provisions of an award, so that the whole question has now been disposed of amicably, and it is to be hoped in a manner that will prove quite satisfactory to all concerned.

\\ ith reference to .a deputation which waited on tho Hon. G. Fowlds this week about "paupers from a distance," the Free Press, Balclutha, states that the father of tho family whoso case led to tbe deputation being appointed was committed to gaol, his wile and her six young children being then in Balclutha. Recently tho mother and family went back to Auckland, and as tncy wore destitute and the mother bad gone to the hospital, a magistrate committed the children to the Industrial School, in spite of the fact that the Charitable Aid Board had asked for an adjournment, in order that the Olago Board might be communicated with. Tlie Minister said the matter would be brought before the Government. The plain facts of the case (says the Balclutln paper), which were apparently unknown to the Auckland Hoard, are that the family originally camo from Auckland, and during their residence in Balclutha wore in receipt of aid from the Clullia County Council, as administrator of the charitable aid fund. Then the woman said she would like to join her husband in Auckland, stating that she thought she could do netter lliero, whore she had friends. The council could not officially consent to pay her passage and the passages of the children, but a number of the charitably disposed took the matter in hand, and sufficient funds were raised for (he pur-' pose, with a little to spare.

A conference between representatives of the Dunedin Tinsmiths' Union and the employers was held yesterday afternoon, when an agreement was arrived at between the two parties, the same to be made into an award of the Arbitration Court. The agreement provides for a minimum rate of wages of Is 2£d per hour, overtime to bo paid at the rate of time and a-quartnr from 6 p.m. until 9 p.m., and time and a-hnlf from 9 p.m. onwards. Time and a-lialf is also to bo paid for all work done on Saturday afternoons and on holidays. The usual preference clause is inserted. The agreement. will come into operation on llnrch 1, 1909, and will continue in force until March 1, 1910.

During last month the normal number of 26 additions was made to the Dunedin Telephone Exchange, bringing the total number of telephones in use at lhe end of January up to 2933.

The following cases were arranged by Mr Justice Williams yesterday to be heard on the under-mentioned dates: — Shaw v. J-sther, '1 iii'sjay, February 9; Wilson v. Jefcoato, February 10; M'Kcchnie v. llell, February 11; Annum! v. Wardcll, February 12. The ease Kasion v. the Union Steam Ship Company will take preference after tin l criminal sittings (eonyuencing on .Monday, February 15), and the cases l'ater.-on v. Kui't and liobb Bros. v. Miller will also stand over until after the criminal sittings. In Simpson and others v. M'Lonnan 110 defence lia.s been filed, and the case is to bo mentioned again, lhe cases Wisely v. Al'Gruer and Turner v. Merry will stand over indefinitely.

In tho wording of a paragraph re economy in public expenditure which appeared in yesterday's issue the purport of a remark made by the Jlon, T. Mackenzie "to a Mornington deputation on Thursday was not made sufliciontly clear. Tho 3lini«te]\ referring to tho cry throughout New Zealand for economy in expenditure, >&ul he was f:ntiMU i d that the Covei'iuiK'nt-

Was determined jo practise economy in public expenditure, and therefore it would not entertain the demand for the grant of £1000 for procuring the small scenic leserre asked for. If those directly interested were prepared (o do something, either in the way of pound for pound subsidy from the Borough Council or by raising subscriptions, . Government .voukl then consider the question o£ granting assistance.

Lite Paimerstoii Times is now informed that the syndicate which recently secured the right to wori; c-oal 011 the eastern side of Shag Point Hill has abandoned the enterprise. Messrs Twining (2), Gilmoro. and Klaueen have n<h acquired the right to work the field, and they intend to commence v/orlc on Monday ncNt. A drive "'ill bo put in near the old Shag Point engine-house, ami j|. is expected that a payable seam of coal will be struck after driving 50ft or 60ft.

At Monday night's meeting of the Hampden Borough Council (says the Pahnerston limes) Cr Wilson drew attention to the speed at which motor cars passed through the borough, and over dangerous roads such as the Mocraki Beach road and the Kartigi Beach road. A councillor said that quite recently a child had a very narrow escape, and another councillor said Jhat he was nearly run over the same

car. The Mayor said another case came under his notice last week. In company with Gr Dunbar lie was driving from Ilampden when a car travelling at a high rate of speed passed them. Shortly afterwards'l hey found a spring-cart lying on its side, while tile horse was standing some distance away, and the harness was broken. On looking round they fniv the boy who had been driving the cart lying in a shallow ditch. He appeared to lie m a half-dazo'd condition, and could not tell liow the aouident occurred. It was supposed, however, that the norso had been frightened by the car, but iho mishap may have taken place after the car had passed, as the driver of fhe car had evidently continued on his journey. On the motion of Cr Lefovre. seconded by Cr Wilson, it was decided to .call a special meeting for the purpose of framing a by-law limiting the speed of motors travelling within the borough limits to six miles an hour.

Mi 1 W. Dall showed his voting machine and explained the working thereof to fixe committee of the Dunetlin Chamber of Commerce yesterday afternoon. Members seemed favourably "inpresscd with the invention, and, Mr Dall having withdrawn, passed a resolution as to its simplicity and efficiency and recommending it to the authorities.

An exceedingly interesting physical elfcct that was observed in the Balinain colliery, Sydney, was told by Mr Cambage, president of the Institute of Surveyors, in his presidential address. It became necessary (says tho Sydney Morning Herald) in the colliery to reproduce, more than half a mile underground, a lino winch was known on the surface. To get the exact positions for tho two, they hung down the shaft two heavy plummets on fine wires, nearly 1000 yards long. Galileo discovered centuries back the time that a pendulum should take to swing at. any depth. 'I'liey had worked out what, tho duration of the swing ought to be at 2320 ft under Sydney, and found it exactly right. The plummet took nearly half a iniuuto to otic swing. Tlit difficulty at tho depth was to stop it swinging. It was put in oil, water, and mercury to bring it to rest; but at last they tool; the average mean of the swings rather than try to stop it. An air current rushing up the shaft at one time blew a pjauo wire with 301b at the end of it a foot out of tho vertical, and kept it' practically stationary.

We have received the following amounts towards the Kenneth M'Donald FundsGaelic Society, £5 ss; collected per Oamaru Mail, £5 10s Gd; collcctcd per Southland Times, £5 17s; collcctcd per Cluthtr Leader, 7s Gd; previously acknowledged, £34 17s;—total, £51 17s.