Untitled

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14700, 7 December 1909, Page 7

A Press Association telegram from Wellington sta. that, the evidence taken at the preliminary inquiry into the outbreak of fire on Ihe steamer Warrimoo at Dunedin on November 15 has been considered by tiii Marino Department authorities, and it has been decided that a magisterial in(pnry inlo Iho occurrence shall b» held. This will tab place at Dmiediu as scon as convenient arranganients with the magistrate can lie mado, while tho nautical assessors will be appointed at Wellington when tho date of the inquiry is available The Warrimoo is duo. bach at, Wellington from Sydney on the 15lh insl.

The Arbitration Court has, in tho case of_ (icorjfo Edwin Murfcll v. Ilenry Eli A\hite, in wli:<*h compensation is claimed. <o.aided plaintiff £250, in addition to sums already paid amounting to £29 14 S ; with costs £7 7s; disbursements and witnesses' expenses lo bo fixed by the Clerk of Awards.

AI. yesterday's meeting of the Otago University Council Professor Richards reported that ho had examined three candidates for '' lc Beverly scholarship in mechanics and senior mathematics, and of the three Mr •I. A. Colquhoitn had passed the examination. In his opinion .Air C'olquhoun was iM C\Cl} ttjiy worthy to hold tho scholarship, 'iho scholarship was accordingly awarded lo Mr Colipihoun.

Iho quarterly wiling of the City Liconsnig Committee took place yesterday, there bomg present. Mr If. Y. Widdowson, S.M. (chairman), Jicssrs J, A, Wilkinson, (J. Galtk'r, \X. King, anil Dr li. E. De Lautour. Applications for a transfer of the liccnse of the Arms Hotel, from Ilenry htiwaixl Whilhuv (o Gcovgc. Thomas 3-t-aco. ami of tlio license of (he Prince of Wales Iloiol from Alexander Gray 1o Alexander Stewart. wore granted without opposition, illo <polico reports being favourable. Mr Lang appeared in support of both the applications. Owing to the absenco of three members in tho north. two of whom aro ropr<?scut the Taieri Drainage Beard in Wellington, tho business transacted by that- body at ils monthly meeting j c-stc-rclay was somewhat limited. Snvoral matters cam© up for discussion, but it, was deemed advisable to postpone consideration oE them till a full mooting of the board.

Bluff freezer craft operations in tlio West Coast Sounds aro (says our c-orre.s pondent) succeeding remarkably wd!. The Gisborne, out from tho Bluff not more than cno month, returned on the evening of Sunday bringing 200 cases of cod, besides eraylish, proper, etc. Sho was not oxpecteel much before tho end of the month. A l'nysegnr wire received by her owners on Saturday reports that the Kokeno, also operating in tho sounds, had netted a similar quantity. She had gone as far north as Milford, meeting with success all through. Indeed, it would appear as if the blue cod, having descried tho island banks, had betaken themselves to the sounds. Tlio Fannie, another freezer fitting out for the sounds trade, will be ready in less than u week. She will be a powerful craft for her size, lifted out with a 30 h.p. oil engine, and will sail in charge of a well known lilulf skipper—Dugald Ilanna. ,

The first, meeting of the local "Y" Branch of the W.C.T.U. was held, by kind invitation, at the home of Mrs John Hislop on Thursday evening. Sister Annjc, as president, occupied tho chair. It was resolved that tho membership fee 1« raisoo, also that tho subscription for honorary members be double that of working members. Miss S. Broad was appointed convener of the. Kntertainment Committee, but, all arrangements in connection with the V stall at tho forthcoming Y.M.C.A. bazaar, also tho appointment of delegates to the W.C.T.U. Convention, were hold over until the next meeting. Mr A. S. Adams gave a concise and ■.ntcrcslir.g address on the new licensing Bill, which was instructive to all present.

The North-Hast- Valley Branch of the W.C.T.U. held its last monthly meeting for this year 0:1 Thursday afternoon, when there was a very good attendance of mem-b;-rs. Mrs D. S. Mason (president) occupied tho chair. Sister Christ.abel gave an interesting tiddross, dealing .particularly with tho varied work in connection with thn duties of a sister. Miss Murray contribwted a solo. Tho meetings will bo resumed in February.

The Ta'.jri Drainage Board's engineer (Mr M. Klliolt) slated in the report submitted by him at the monthly meeting yesterday that there were 110 applications for work of any description to lay before the board. The general condition of Ibo drainago of tlia West Taieri was satisfactory, and draft plans of she Kast and West Taieri drainuge districts had been made, showing all levels and other information up to date. The finished plan would take some time to prepare.

"My experience, after weighing evidence fev over 10 years," said Mr Justice Cooper, in tho Supreme Court at Auckland Inst i\;wk, "is that polico ofliccrs aro fair in their evidence. There may, at times, perhaps, be an unconscious bias, but I am bound to say (lint, with very slight exception polic? ofliccrs don't give bad evidence.'' His Honor added that ho was well aware cf the prone'.icss of counsel to make this kind of attack upon police evidetico as a weapon to strengthen their own eases. It i.s probable that Mr English's report on the leak in the now holder at the Gasworks and what was responsible for ii, which was expected to como to haiid last night, will bu considered at tho ordinary milling; of 'lie Gas Committee to bo held on Thursday. It is anticipated that the sanatorium for consumptives at Pr.lmerston will be ready for opening: by about the end of February next. In regard to the proposal that this institution should bo made a central one for Otago, Southland, and frmit'h CanterIv.iry, a meeting of tho Southland Board is to be held on Thursday, when the question wiil in all probability leceive consideration. It is considered reasonably certain, that tho South Canterbury lioatd will adopt the suggestion. In view o[ the reduction in tramway expenditure which will t>o brought about by till? USC ol the overhead railway, Cr ,1. U. Shaddock wili on Wednesday, lie informs is, plate before the Tramways Committee at its meeting a proposal in the direction o! increasing the concessions now given to the public on the Is, 2s, and 3s tickets. In submitting this proposal lie wi'l point out that as tho Railway Department is running its tiains on ihe overhead line, tho tramways department; will, in the first place., be relieved of the payment of signalmen's wages, amounting to £859 per annum; in ihe second place there will be Ihe. abolition of the present compulsory btnip.vees, which will save roughl£so 'per annum in power consumed in stopping and starting the cars; and in the third place there will bo the decreased wear and tear on the cars, wheels, etc., when

the cro«sirgvs are removed. Tlio whole, ho estimates, will mean a raving of ahnut £1000 a year, which could failiy bo utilised

in increasing tlio now given to the extent of 15 Id ridss for Is. 15 2d rides for 2s, and 15 3d rides for 3s. The granting of ih-so increased concessions (,'t Shocklcck considers, would not, under the new condition o[ ! liin-j-, co:-.': the corporation a single penny. In advancing this -proposal lie will ask that the tramways manager be requested to report thereon with a view to placing recommendations on tho subject before the committee.

A deputation from the associated bands of Dmiedin waited on the Mayor (Mr Walked on Friday, with the object of enlisting his support- and that ot the Oily Council in the proposal to hold a band contest, in Dunedin. The deputation asked thai, tlio Mayer should lake the initiative and cull a public meeting with a- View to (rotting business people to interest thenselves in Ihe project It was considered that, tho time was rips for the holding of a csiiiesl; in IJiinedin, the last having been held here in 1695. The first preliminary step was to obtain ths nccess'jrv guarantee, as the contcst would involve a largs expenditure, and a guarantee wouh' require to be forthcoming from (lie citizani themselves. Tho fact of tho Mayor con veiling a public meeting, which would lie held under the auspices of the Mayor and councillors, would, it was hold, give i'. some weight. Arrangements might l:a mado to have the contest, held in the open air, in some ground such as the Caledonian Ground or at Forburv Park, for there was no building in Dunedin largo enough for tho purpose. In replying (o tho member? of the deputation, the Mayor said he was strongly with them, recognising the good work done by the hands. ]I 0 would do everything he could to forward Ihe project, as tho hands were not- supported as they should ho. It wguld give him-great pleasure to call a public It was eventuai'y agreed that tho Mayor should convcnc a meeting. The vexed question of the care and management of our deer herds is by no means sell-led. notwithstanding that a conference was hold last, year to deal with (he. matter. Tho North Otago sportsmen interested in deer stalking have drawn up a report and recommendation that do not- at all meet with the jpproval of the Otago Acclimatisation Society, which claims to have done moro good work in wealing out deer herds than any other body. At yesterday's nice.:, ing of tho council a \ery strongly-worded resolution was unanimously earriod dealing willi the question, and this will ho forwarded to Ihe Minister and to tho Advisory Board in Christcinueh.

A Preis Association telegram from Whangarei states that Mr I'raser, county engineer, round at Sandy Hay, on tlio Ka'it Coast, u quantity of 1110 a bones and human skeletons, of a high type of man, not a Maori. In the lower .strata he found u skull of a, full-grown man of lower type. The skull is much lower in the anthropologics! scale than the famous Neanderthal skull, tlio crown of the skull being almost level with Ihe eyes, and tlio bono very thick. Mi- Fraser intends to send the specimen to Australian scientists for examination. The low t.ypo of skull had apparently been buried for thousands of years.

It would appear that the Wellington grocers in raising tlio price cf sugar a farthing a pound, on the flilca that, tho wholesalo price has advanced 5s per ton aro doing a good stroke of business. A rise of 5s per ton is equivalent to 2d per cwt, ami a rise of jd per pound equals 2s 4d per cwt. Auckland letailers have met the rise of lCs per ton wholesalo since November 20 by raising the price of 56:b bags lad. There is no advance on broken parcels.

Trio monthly meeting of the Cavcrsham School Committee v.-a.s ii-kl last. evening, Ml- A. Austin being in (lie chair. The Mead Master reported that for the month of November the average attodsnco had been Zi-b boys and 291 girlsa total of 627. It is- the highest average attained for 20 years, and represents S5 per cent, of the pupils on the roll. Tho penny saving* lank bock showed a credit balance of £H3 10s 7d. It was reported that, the attendance Banner had teen gained by tho upoo.r infants room four weeks out of five, with ,1 percentage of 99. Tho Visiting Committee reported that etoiylhing at the schcoi was going on satisfactorily, and that the health of the scholars was good. It was decided to break up for the summer vacation 011 the 16th msi., and resume on Febntaiy 1. Tho Athcimim Committee kindly offered to give free tickets to tho boy and girl gaining tho highest honours in general knowledge, an;! several special pri?cs wore promised by residents of tl:o district.

the Auckland letter-carriers' annua! reunion on Saturday evcniii" Mr A ,1 I'.illi lean (deputy-Mayor), in responding to the toast of "Auckland City," m;l da stouo interesting remarks (says our correspondent) concerning tho growth of Auckland. l'W teemed to be aware that the council had reserved a catchment area at Waitakerei of from 15,000 to 20.000 acres. This would form a splendid park, and ensure the purity of the water for at least 500 years to ccnic. Mi Ivitiican went 011 to say that much useful work hud been accomplished by the council in the past, and they had further schemes in contemplation. In referring i 0 the drainage scheme, he said that during fhe next 10 or 12 years nearly three-quartcrg of a million would l:e spent, and this would give them the healthiest city sauth of the line. I'arks were being attended to, public baths were to he built, and' street paving was receiving attention. All the schemes cf the council were Iwwd 011 the assumi). tion that Auckland was destined to have a population of at least 250,000.

Til? Post Stale.; tint bolter times for workmen Jiava come with tin settled weather, and it is difficult at pvssenv io find able-bodied men unemployed in Wellington. Painters aro reported to lx> fuljy e.mployc-d, and the big surplus cf hlbour that v.'iis expenoneed in iho carpentering trade throughout th? winter has been absorbed, though the opinion lias boon put forward tint this fact is due almost a; much to l.lio voluntary transfers of carpenters to other avenues of employment as is is to the somewhat, decided improvement lately apparent in building construction mid repair. In unskilled labour, also, the ntaiksfc shows notable improvement, and ihwe have bwn busy limes on the whan, too, punctuated with the spoils of temporary unemployment which make this line of labour lc-ss derivable than many lower paid linos are. While hopes arc exprcss'.-d that the improvement, will be permanent in regard to building, as we,!l as other trades,- it is also staled that the statistics up to the present <io not justify jubilation, ihe values of thebuilding permits issued during the year now cic»ing being very many degrees belo'.v those of two, three, four, and five years ago.

Mr G. Ailport. secretary of (he Marine Department, in Wellington, has received .1 telegram from Captain Hooper, of the Amokill's, Staling that a landing had been efTccioil at Sunday Island, in the Kerniadco 21'oap. The mails wore I'.cliverod, aiul tile residents were found lo hs well. Curtis Island was also visited, and a now depot w;i.s bail; there, ami tho provisions vrere

renewed. A eon; i nitons easterly swell prevented the Amoknra's parly landing ;U Macaulay Island, hut u c'.o-e. examination of the shore was made, ami the depot was teen to be intact. Esperar.ce Koch was visited, but. throughout tho whole of tho cruisc no signs of wreckage or castaways were seen, and there was nothing to sug

god. iliat the Clan 3lacpherson had como lo grief on t.lie' group. The Amohiru will remain at Auckland during llio next few *hvs (or a slight overhaul, and will ihoi: return io Wellington. When tho votsjl reaches tho latter -port, (he hoys will be given their midsummer holiday leave.

Mi- G. C'. Israel (president of tile. Hospital Sa!mxlay Association) received the following iclogr.'im from the Prime Minister yesterday afternoon:- -" I very hcaitily congratulate the association i.non Saturday's most fcalisftielory result." At a meeting of the Forburv Park Trotting Club last night, it was decided lo donate JJS 5s to tho fund.

On Trafalgar Day. 1903, Ilia British an.l Foreign Sailors' Society offered a number of valuable prizes. in the shape of artistic plaques made of Kelson copper, suitably inscribed, and bearing tho King's initials, lo young people in tho public schools of this country and of the colonies, for the best essays on "Captain James Cook': llis "Voyage? and Discoveries, and their Value tc the Nation, Commerce, and Christianity." Tho offer cxeitod great interest, especially amongst ttic people of Iho colonies, with tho result that a lill'go imnibr of essays liavo Ircon received, nci fen-El* than 78 coming from New Zealand. The adjudicators have just, (hushed their labours, and the prizes have been awarded as follow:—New Zealand (North Island): Patrick Neville, District High School, Onelninga; Alic-3 K. Wilson, t!iris' Grammar Sc-hooi, Auckland. ' New Zealand (South Island): Douglas W. Jl'Ciurg, Wiituki Eo}s' Illglv School, Oamaru; Johanna 31. Brosnan, District High School, Lawrence. The prizes in tho colonial schools will In, presented to tho winners by the respective Ministers of Ilidllcntioii. Tho schools of the Dominion of New Zealand have done so well that l-he British and Foreign' Sailors' Society has awarded two costly " Victory " copper prizes to oac.li island.

A gentleman who takes a deep interest ill the .ifiairs ami general progress of the, country, says the Ajhlmrton Guardian, while conversing; with ;i reporter, said that lia h.-.d arrived at flic conclusion of laic, us it result of having- travelled through practically every district, that the progress of the AsiiL.ni lon County was to a great extent being impeded by the reaggregation of land that 'had been tarried on during the past few years, " evidence of which," lie said villi some emphasis, "is to bo soon in the v.holo of tho sub-districts." "Of course," lie wont on to fav, *' 1 am perfectly aware that farming cannot be successfully pursued on the light lands unless it farmer has a good tract of country; but there are large areas of the cream of the land in the county that arc. to all intents mid 'purposes. locked up by being invited in too largo blocks." In support of his statement tho speaker went on to say that during tho past year or so several public schools have had to bo closed by tho Education Board as a conseijuonw of the small o4toudance of children, " which," said the informant, " dircctly points to as tho main cause." A Clni-.teliurch message states that Ambubr.c? Saturday realised £200 16s 10.1. Other returns aro jet to conic in, and tho total will not he known lor a few days. At flio Morninglon Schoolliouse last evening a fair number of residents attended tho meeting called for tho purpose of considering tho advisability of purchasing tho picco' of land adjoining; tho noif boniilifj green for the- purpos.; of laying down tennis and croquet lawns. Mr \Y. Davidson was vote ! to tho chair. Hie secretary reported that 200 shares had been applied for, and that £12 had bean given in sash donal.ioiH. A jub-cominittco was cippointod to wait on the owners of tho land and endeavour to arrange terms of purchase, tho sub-committes to report, to a meeting of tho General Committee as soon as possible. A hopeful spirit prevailed throughout tho meeting, and it is consider! certain that the ( pvoposal will be carried to a successful

A meeting of shareholders in the Sou their. Starr-liowketfc Society, held last night, and presided over by Mi- S. S. Myers, resulted in £1500 being- disposed of as follows. —

Tho 196ih appropriation of £500 ill group No. 1 was disposed of by ballot, and was drawn by cluster No. 107, held bv tlirso shareholders. No otters were received for tile 197 th appropriation of £500, and this was also balloted for and was drawn by cluster 85. held by two shareholders. In group Xo. 2, the twenty-ninth appropriation of £500 was balloted for, and was drawn by cluster Xo. 201, held by two share holders. There was a largo attendanco of

!' Tho Auckland Museum lias just been enriched by n collection of rocks made in Antarctica, by Sir Ernosfc (formerly Lieutenant) Shacklcton, who commanded the lcrnnt. expedition ir. the. .Nimrcd. The gift, which was made by Sir Ernest through Professor David, of Sydney, comprises 12 or 13 tyipica.l rocks from the shores of M'Murdo Hound, in the immediate neighbourhood o: iho winter quarters cf the expedition. The collection also contains felspar crystals and pumice from the summit, of Mount Krebus (12,000 ft), and a volcanic rock known as kenyte, which was first, obtained on Mount Kenya, in equatorial Africa, and which soems to bo most plentiful on thai, mountain and Mount Erelms. The collection includes several samples of a peculiar fungus peat, which is being slowly formed in certain fresh water limes near the sea, through (he decay of the snceies oE fungus which inhabits the lakes. This discovery of peat is an entirely sew one, as it was not thought possible, that deposits of true peat could bo found in any pan. of Antarctica. Tiiero alco samples of the. soundings obtained along tho- edge of the ice barrier, containing great numbers of microscopic organisms. George William Crammond, a young man whose excessive drinking habits have brought him under police notice- on frequent occasions, was fined at the Port Chalmers Police Court yesterday (lie substantial sum of £3 on a charge of drunkenness. As a prohibition order in force against him had expired, lie was advised by the Ueiich (Messrs P. A. Do Mans and J. Watson, J.r.'s) to take cut another order against himself, as he would probably bo committed to the- Inebriates' Home if he was again brought before tho court. A prohibition order was granted against another man on his own application. Mr 11. Y. Widdowson, S.M., presided over a- start sitting of the Juvenile Court yesterday morning, when four lads wcie charged with wilfully breaking- windows to (ho extent of £1 10s,,the property of George Guyton, St. Leonards. The lads pleaded " Guilty," and as tho evidence showed that the house containing the windows had been unoccvipictl for some time, they were admonished and discharged on the under, standing that the parents paid damages and costs 6:1). It will be remembered that in November, 1903, Mr Sidney Wolf commenced a series of ehor.d and orchestral concerts at His Majesty's Theatre, which were extremely popular. Coleridge Taylor's ''Hiawatha's Wedding Feast," Sir Arthur Sullivan's "To Dram Laiulaiims," Kdward German's " Three Dancers " (from Henry Vllij, Sir Yilliers Stanford's "Phandrij Crohore," tlw "Death of Minnehaha," and others \\e:c given for ths first- dime. The success achieved liy these concerts showed whit a grip i.'ne inusie oi British composjrs has uprtn Britons. The musical public will be interested to know that Mr Wolf resume.? this practice early in February, when he. will commoneo another series by a presentation of "Hiawatha."

Tue average daily attendance at the Caiiwgio Public Library for the week etideu Saturday, December <?, was 46? persons.

The dates given by Dr -T. Q. A. Ilenrv and Professor Bilhorn for their evangelistic lour through New Zealand aro as follow: —

Auckland, ;>ril 10 io April 28; liVoliiiigton, M:iv 1 to May £4; Clirislclutrcli, M.vy 29 lo June 21; Duncdin, .lime 26 to July 19. Dr Ilenrv oxpects (o arrive in Wellington on April 6, and will go direct to Auckla nd.

The breaking-tip ceremony of tho St, Kilda Kindergarten takes plucc at 2.45 p.m. to-morrow.

The name of D.T. Bro. J. IF. I 1". Ilamel was inadvertently omitted by its from the list of district officers who attended iho OddfolloW parade at Knos Church on Sunday morning.

A clerical error occurred in the report of Iho W.C'.T.U. annual meeting, ft was stated t-hat a legacy of -£50 had been left to the Sailors' Kest by 31 rs Stevenson. Tho legacy was left by 3lrs MacNcil, of Woodhead, Mornington. The liiwne of D.T. Ero. J. 11. F. Home! was inadvertently emitted by 113 from the list of district ofitcers who attended the Oddfellows' parade a'., Knox Church oil Sunday morninsr.

Just off the boat, ton duchesse sets. Bach sot has two small and one large nial and one runner prettily trimmed with torchon lace. December prices. Is -Id. Is Gd, Is 9d. is lid. as 3d, and 2s lht the sct.-3iolliaons Limited.—Advt.

Novelties in jewellery nud silverware for tho Xnias season nro now being opened up at Messrs (J. ui-.d T. Young's showrooms, 88 Princes street. The public are cordially invited lo pay a visit of inspection.—Advt.

Blood forms about n thirteenth of the total weight of the body. If your blood is impure jjocd health is impossible. " SitlftlrilV tablets will cleanse and purify your blood and skin. 31'iirvellously successful. Is box; all chemists. —Advt.

n-^V'i 0 Is >ErK " Dick?—l'iio most reliable watchmaker ami Jeweller, opposite t'olfeo Pnlace, Moray place. JJuncdm. Charges strictly moderate.—Advt.