Odds and Ends.

Otago Witness, Issue 1503, 4 September 1880, Page 14

Od ds and Ends.

Native Affairs. Wellington, September Ist.

With reference to the Press Association telegram that Mr Bryce ia very ill at the camp, I find on inquiry that the Government received no information of hia illness at aIL On the other hand, two long teiegrams on Native matters were received from him to-day, in which he makes no mention of indisposition. He states that the last batch of Maori fencers were very insolent and abusive when interfered with, and he had to send an armed picket to be ready in case of need. Hitherto the arresting Constabulary have always been quite unarmed. Te Whiti says the present work of fencing is nothing. He says at, present he has no time for talk,' because no man is big enough to talk with him or to arrange matters until he chooses. He says that when the Government met Tawhiao nothing was arranged, and what he ( Ye Whiti) has to say is a much greater matter than what the Maori King spoke about. Mr Bryce reports that the Maoris are now sticking green boughs across the road-line, but car ta easily pass over them. Te Whiti is now sending children to fence, hut the Constabulary do not arrest them. Yesterday there were 10 fencers, comprising three young men, one old man, and nine boys. They pulled down five chains fencing which the Constabulary had erected to protect the ground sown with wheat, and began to re-erect fences across the road. The Constabulary then j pulled the fences down and carted them away. The Maoris persist in this conduct, and are very violent, so that Mr Brycs wonders how the Constabulary keep their temper so well as they do. He had some talk with the leader of the fencing party, who declared that his was merely Te Whiti's voice, and that the latter was really speaking through him. He asked how pigs were to be kept from the crops. Mr Bryce reminded him that he and his people had pulled down the fence which the Constabulary had placed so aa to protect the crops. The Natives persisted for a time in bringing fencing material from a distance, which the Constabulary at once removed and carried to the camp. The Maoris then desisted, and remained sitting by the camp. They say they feel insulted at not being arrested, as it is making little of them. Appearances are somewhat more menacing, but it is hoped violence will be averted. New Plymouth, September Ist It is reported that the Armed Constabulary camp is to move near Parihaka. Charge of Embezzlement. The charge against Henry J. Guildford, of embezzling L2OO from the Portobello Road Board, was commenced at the City Police Court on Wednesday. Mr Dennisen appeared for the prosecution, and Mr Stout for the defendant. William Alexander Wilson stated that for several years he was chairman of the Portobello Road Board, and that he had resigned office last Saturday. He produced the minute-: book of the Board, showing that the prisoner was appointed clerk and collector on the 4fch of August, 1877, and that Mr Geary was appointed treasurer on the 15th of August, 1877. On the 18th of August last witness found the document pioduced in an envelope at the Board's office. It read as follows: — "Mr Wilson,— l have stolen L 220 2j 4£d of the Board's money, and have given myself up to the police.— Guildford." It was in the prisoner's handwriting. Witness produced the Road Board's rate-book and cash-book. The latter contained memoranda in the prisoner's handwriting. The receipts for rates from Mrs Fleming on the 14th May, and J. Simpson on the Bth of June, in the rate-book were in prisoner's handwriting. It was customary for the prisoner to pay all money received into the bank, Mary Fleming gave evidence as to paying L 3 8s 9d rates to the prisoner on the 22nd of April, for which she got the receipt produced. Norman William M'lntosh, sub-accountant in the National Bank, stated that he received a communication from the prisoner on the 22nd of April, enclosing Ll3 10a 3d, and Lll4 5i lid, to be placed to the Board's account. The amounts were placed to the credit of tbe Board. James Simpson, sexton, a ratepayer of the Portobello Road district, produced a receipt from the prisoner for 10a 6d rates. William Geary, treasurer to the Board, stated that he had never received any money from the prisoner. The case was then adjourned till Friday.

Otago Agricultural and Pastoral Association.

A meeting of the Committee of the Otago Agricultural and Pastoral Association was held in Wain's Hotel on Wednesday afternoon. Present: Messrs T. Brydone (chairman), John Roberts, Peaks, R Charters, Philp, Soutter, S. Rutherford, Meenao, Dowse, Taggart, Duncan, E. J. Spence, D. Stronach, J. Shand, W. Patrick, T. H. Dodson, H. Gourley, H. Maclean, and John Stephenson. SUBSCRIPTIONS. The President announced that the subscriptions in hand amounted to L4Ol Us in money alone. He thought this very creditable indeed, botb to the subscribers and collectors. Another LIOO would, he thought, be collected, and over LIOO iv special prizes had been given. Mr Philp : For special prizes L 152 has been given in money and goods. | SPECIAL PRIZES. I At the suggestion of the Chairman, Messrs Philp, Dowse, Roberto, Taggart, and Spence were appointed as a Bub- committee to allot the special prizes. EXHIBITION OF BUTTER. A letter was received from Messra M'Farlane, Wright, and Esther, the judges of butter at the last show, recommending that salt ! butter should be received 30 days and fresh butter three days before the show. It was pointed out that unless this was done the prizes might be awarded for butter that would not keep. Mr M'Farlane offered to store the salt butter, and advised that the fresh butter should be kept below the grand stand. The Seobxtaby pointed out that the sngges* tion re fresh butter could not ba carried out, because the races took place immediately before the show, and the room below the stand would then be occupied. Mr MfStfAN thought it very deairabb that

the fresh butter should be deposited three days ' before the show. Mr Philp was of opinion that the recom. mendation could not be carried out until the Society had a building suitable for the purpose ; ' that any attempt to do so would be sure to fail, and to cause much disappointment and dis. content. On the question being put, it was resolved thatsalt butter must be deposited 30 days before ' the show, and fresh butter on the day of tha ■ show. ' ' ■ ' ' A vote of thanks to the late judges for their suggestions was carried, and Mr M'Farlane'a offer was accepted with' thanks. 9 '•• • ENTRIES. The Secretary announced , that entries for - the show would be received up to Wednesday,the 24th of November. ■ ' ' This concluded the businass.

THE SCOTTISH ENTERTAINMENT AT INVEBCABGILL. ,

A moat successful and novel entertainment ' ', was held at Invercargill last week for the benefit of the local .Hospital,, in the shape of a concert at which only Scottish music and songs were rendered. Among the songs sung during the evening were :— •• Scotland "yet!" "Afton Water," "Maryof.Argyle," «« Scots w,ha hae," " The Land p' the Leal," « Wae's me for Prince Charlie," "Wee Johnnie Clark," « Tak' yir, auld o lo*k aboot y?» * "Within a mils o'. Edinbro' town," " I oanna' ' leave the auld folks," "Jessie, 1 the flower o» Dumblane," * f Dinna of oas the burn;" MCam' ' ye by Athol," and other well known national pieces. The' songs . were" interspersed' with instrumental music, reels, strathspeys, the Highland fling, &o. At the commencement of the entertainment the following prologue (for which we are indebted to .the Evening News) was read 1 : — . . Kintramen an'leddies, gaifchered roun' and roun', An' a* ye sonsie, bloomin' sprouts o' Invercargjlltoun', In' openin' the programme, I've a word or twa tae say, On wha* an' what has brocht ye here : I'llHae't withoot delay. ' * v I grant there is quid reason fort should ony o' ye ■ think i . I'm here far, far ower aften; but,- juist'ye bide a - blink Afore ye gloom, or froun severe : fair play,' hear mv ■ • excuise; ■ , ,< . [ A 'boon sac sma', come noo, ye canna weel refuise. Tae beat aboot the bush ' Is what I dinna ettle, Mair especially when ye ken Behinfme there "is metal ' ' Far mair attractive," an' I think Mair pleesant than my rhyme. iWi' that in mm', my tale I'll tell Withoot mair loss o' time. Yell aiblins hae heard— it's "piper's news" noo— That the Hospital kist is clean toom 'stead o' ru' I That siller is wanted, an' the keepers, douce men' Say, whaur it's tae come frae they dinna ken ; : Unless Sandie, an' Johnnie, and Patrick unite, An' the Committee help, ilka anewi' a mite. For, weel ye a' ken, be the times quid or bad Meat, an' pheesic besides, for the sick maun be had. 1 That scrimpit they should na be ' 1 ' Though siller is ticht,' Leal Scottish hearts,' some twa or three, Thocht it wad be richt, An' no by folk be ill ta'en A concert tae gie, Wi' programme drawn frae rich vein O' Scotia's minstrelsy. > Sac, Hughie, Will, an' ithers, A-rowin' set the ba', An' a host o' chiels, as brithers, Quickfanswered tae their ca'. Wi' beatin' hearts, they're quite noo „j A'ready tae appear; ' It only* rests wi' you noo , ' ' '' Tae gie them welcome here. ' The Scottish pulse/they say, is slow; Ma certie, I raither doot it. There's whyles it throbs wi' sic a glow As kendle a' aboot it. In pruif , leuk at the great array . , That's gaithered here the nicht, ' ' Stirred wi'ae min'. Ah, weel we may : Say 'tis a bonnie sicht. I dinna want tae weary ye ; tak 1 time ye canna ' , spare, But^afore I gang cleen oot o' sicht, Juist ac sentence mair. ' ■ " r ■ Gin sang or story tae the mark is no up ye should think. Juist fancy hoo ye'd dae yersel's gin ye were here a " blink|! * Ye'd aiblins fin', charity's a mantle lang an* • , wide, - - „ Yere failin's far owre great were, for c'en its faulds * tae hide. Luik lichtly then on our short comin's, an' aye keep mm' o' this : , If conscience winna let re "ruff," at least ye needna - hiss. , , The ten per cent. Reductions. ■ An adjourned meeting of the Dunedin railway em ployes was held on Monday night in the Sussex Hall. Mr L. Harris occupied the chair, and there were ' about 120 persons present. ' ' • l The proceedings of the Sunday morning meeting at Christchurch were read , amidst applause, after which Mr E. Wilson, the Dunedin delegate to that meeting, j gaye 1 a statement of what' had taken place. > The deleI gates who had waited upon Mr Conyers then- handed in their report.— Mr -De Clifford acting as spokesman J on behalf of himself and colleagues, Messrs Stoddart and Wallace. •" In reply to the main question' put to Mr Conyers— From what date is it intended that the reduction shall take place?— the delegates reported that that gentleman had answered, " Not at all, as regards the wagea men." He had stated positively to them that they , were not at present (as was thought) working under the reduction, and' that no all-round 10 percent, reduction was intended to be enforced ; but that shortly ■ a revision of the scale of wages was to take place amongst the employe's. This was to be carried out on an equitable aud practical system, and fall notice was to be given. . '- 1 ■. , One of those present stated that a notice had already • been received by the surfacemen that they were , already working under the reduction ; but it was explained that this notice was so peculiarly worded that " not even a Philadelphia lawyer could make out what' it meant." It 'had been handed to a lawyer in Christchurch, who had declared himself unable, to tell by it from what date the reduction was intended. It was also stated during the -progress of the meet- , I ing that the clerks in the Traffic Department who had . been paid their salaries to 21st August, less the 10 per cent., were now being refunded the amount deducted, i but 'that no intimation had been reeived by them ! whether the reduction was to apply in future or not, l although we understand it is feared that the intention is to deduct' 2) per cent, next month. As the answer given by Mr Conyers to the delegates was to the effect that no 10 per cent, reduction to wages men was intended, the meeting agreed to abandon the agitation which had been begun in view of its being carried out. A committee was therefore appointed to convey to the committee at Christchurch and to the employes at Invercargill the nature of the answer from Mr Conyers, and also generally to wind up, the proceedings. . , . , A hearty vote of thanks was tendered to Mr Wilson - for his services, and also to the gentlemen who had. waited on Mr Conyers. - The meeting concluded with , " ; a vote of thanks to the Chairman, -who, in the course of a speech, strongly impressed upon all the advisability of enrolling themselves as voters. ■ , •' i x. ... Chmsmhdroh, August 30th., At the meeting of the railway employe's yesterday about 300 were present ; many had walked in from i outlying stations. — Mr Aahdon moved— "That we '• employes on the Amberley-Palmerston section of tha Middle Island Railways, in conjunction with the Dunedin employe's, pledge ourselves to resist the reduction of our wages."-Mr Wilson, the delegate from Dunedin, spoke to the resolution. He said that he ranre sented 400 men who were determined to stramrietn the last against the reduction of their wswres .ffa th«n proceeded 5 to criticise the action of tIKnS X sembly in deciding upon the 10 per cent, reduction^ The resolution was carried. unanimoualy.--5 e ien a W were read from^Ashburton and Timara ftettafthat , the omployfc at those places were wUHoJ toraSkSf '

proposed reductions.— A resolution was proposed to the effect that if the reduction be enforced the Committee have full power to act as they think best.