News of the Week.

Otago Witness, Issue 1585, 8 April 1882, Page 8

News of the Week.

At the meeting of the Harbou'- Board on the ■ 30th the engineer presented the returns as to work done in the past, moved for by Mr Fish ; 1 and that gentleman made a lengthy statement, ; based upon them, respecting the Board's pre- . sent financial position. At the conclusion of ; ! Mr Fish's speech it was decided to adjourn for ' a week, to enable members to take into consideration the various matters brought to light. ; A poll was on the 30th taken at the Town ■ Hall for the election of a councillor to fill the ; extraordinary vacancy for Bell Ward, in the room of Councillor Gilchrist, resigned. At a i quarter to 7 o'clock the Roturning-officer (Mr Peter H. Sherwin) announced the result as follows :— Archibald Hilson Ross, 311 ; John Jolly, jun., 57 ; majority for Mr Ross, 254 ; informal, 2. Mr Ross moved a vote of thanks to the Returning-otficer ; , and Mr Jolly, in seconding the proposal, said that ho had come forward on this occasion because he had decided to use his influence in preventing such occurrences as took place 18 months ago, when tho Council had degenerated into a very low condition, and the great difference in the result of the poll would not in the, least interfere with his coming forward for Bell Ward at a future time, when ho hoped to be more successful. He thanked those ratepayers who had voted for him. Very 1 little interest was taken in tho election, and but two or three were present at the declarai tidn of the poll. Of 669 ratepayers on the roll i only 143 recorded their votes. The Empire Hotel, one of the oldest erections in the city, has only a short history before it ' now, as, in order to make room for Messrs Watson's new establishment, it is about to be ; pulled down. It was sold by auction on the 30th for removal, and was purchased by Mr S. G. Smith for some £50 or £60. The Empire has seen a deal of "life" in its time, having 1 for years been the noted sporting resort in the city. A settler in the Cromwell district intends going in for tho cultivation of tho tobacco plant next season. For the formation of two and a-half miles of lino on the Palmcrston-Dunback Railway, the Public Works Department have accepted the tender of Mr Jesso Coates, in tho sum.of £3645; and for the supply of timber for flood-openings at Balclutha, the tender of Fiudlayand Co., at £1106. (The promoters of tho schemo for constructing a bridge across the harbour have informed the Harbour Board that they will bo unable to carry it put if the provision for two swing openings is insisted upon, and the Board have now decided to remit the , matter to the Government for consideration. A large two-storey hardware store is being erected near the corner of Hope and Walker streets for Mr Wyper, of Princes- street. The building is COft in length by 35ft in width, and is 28ft an height, to the eaves, tho, walls of the ' first storey being of ( Port Chalmers stonej ana the, remainder 'of 'brick. /Messrs, Mason and' Wales are the architects, 'and' Messrs Millingtori Bros, the contractors. " ( ' ', ," The Otago Anglers' Association's medal, given to the' largest prize-taker in the three' matches organised by the Association and held during tho present season, was finally contested for on tho 30th at Lee Stream by Messrs J. A. Connell, S. Thompson,' and W. 1 D. Smith, who had ' tied as tho result of the matches.'' The 'hours of fishing were from 10 a.m. 'till 3 p.m., and during that timo Mr Thompson took 10 fish, weighiriglOlb l|oz, the heaviest one weighing 21b r l4^oz; J Mr' Smith, 1 , nine,, fish, weighing 71b Soz, the heaviest.being 21b Soz; and Mr, Connell, , two fish, weighing lib ,9oz. Mr Thompson is thorefore the winner. ! of the medal. Tho stream was very low and . clear, and altogether most unfavourable ,for ; fishing. ' ; At the nomination of' a councillor to fill the' : 'extraordinary vacancy in North Ward, borough of Green Island, caused by 'tho resignation of .Councillor Woollatt (elected Mayor), Mr Conrad J. Shoppee, being the only candidate, 1 was declarod duly elected. ' ' ' ' ' ■ ' At a meeting .of the Licensed Victuallers' Association.. held on the 29thy it was resolvod that any case of a vexatious nature preferred against members under the Licensing or Beer Duty Act be defended by the solicitors of the Association; and also that tho secretary be empowered to lodge applications for renewals ' or new licenses on behalf of members, if so desired. m m ■ i Major Sumpter, of Oamaru, has received the following letter from the Defence Office: — "'Sir, — 1 have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 16th inst., forwarding an application from the pupils of the South School . to he formed into a cadet corps. In reply, I beg to inform you that 'the hdn. \h& Defence Minister has decided not to accept tho services of any moro Volunteer corps until tho report of the Board on the reorganisation of the Volunteer Force has boon received and their recommendations on this point are known." Somewhat of a flutter was manifest in com- , mercial circles in Dunedin on Friday on its being known that a Timaru storekeeper who had been dealing rather largely with Dunedin , merchants had levanted, leaving heavy liabili- ' ties behind him. A number of Dunedin firms ,are sufferers, to an extent in'thetbtal of about £4000. It is presumed that the levanting was effected by the last San Francisco' mail boat. ' ' The quarterly Customs returns for the port ■of Dunedin show that ,' for the quarter ended March 31st, there . is an increase of £2675 10s 2d as compared with the corresponding quarter of last year ; and for the month ended March 31st there is a decrease of ' £277 Is 5d as compared with the same month last year. Again, comparing March with February this yoar, thero is £3035 0s 7d to the good. The Secretary of tho Otago Benevolent Tnstitutiou have received from Mr A. O. Begg, the treasurer for tho deacon's court of the First Church, tho sum of £25, the amount of the special collection for that institution, and from tho Dunedin Jockey Club a donation of £66. Tho vital statistics for Dunodin for tho past month are : — Births, 15!) ; deaths, 3!) ; marriages, 29. For the corresponding month of last year they were— Births, 183 ;|deaths, 50 ; mamagCß, 38. The returns for tho quarter are :— Births, 479 ; deaths, 137 ; marriages 98. Those for tho same quarter of last year wore :— Births, 460 ; deaths, 126 ; marriages, 130. At the Police Court at Palmerston on Friday, before liis Worship the Mayor and Mr James A i klo, .I.P.'s, Henry Pardons was charged by Serijfmnt Moore with tholarcony of apairof boots, ■ valiio '£te 'id, from tho shop of Charlca Giilleapie, • bootmaker. Ilowasfurthcrchargcdwith common : assault by u&ing a knite against tho seuyeant ' when arrested. For the first offence he was ; Hontcucivl to three months' imprisonment, -and '. for tho assault two months' imprisonment with , hard labour,

At the City Police Court on Friday morning Henry Money was fined 10s for travelling in the Port train without having paid his fare, and a similar fine was imposed on him for refusing to pay the Is extra, which, according to the amended regulations, must be paid by persons who join a train at a booking-station without having first provided themselves with a ticket.

The Acclimatisation Society have fixed the license fees for shooting within the Otago district during the ensuing season as follows :—: — For cock pheasants and Californian quailj from June Ist to July 31st. 1882 ; and for taking or killing hares, from May Ist to July 31st, 1882, from sunrise to sunset, excepting within the Lako County ; license fee, 40s. Within the Lake County — for taking or killing Californian quail only, from May Ist to July 31st, 1882, license fee, 30s.

There was to have been a sitting of the Supreme Court in Banco on Friday, but, the parties concerned in the cases set down were, not ready to proceed. The argument of a rule nisi for mandamus in the case Regina v. Roberts, and of the rule nisi for writ of quo vmrranto, Regina (on the relation of M'Guinnis) v. Colclough (the Vincent County Council case) will therefore stand over until after the the criminal sessions.

Suburban borough councillors appear to have plenty of spare time on their hands, at any rate in the evenings. It is no uncommon thing for the North-East Valley Council to sit till considerably after midnight ; and as a rule, the time taken up in discussing a subject is in inverse ratio to its importance. On Friday evening in committee of the whole, the councillors spent two hours in discussing a few tenders.

The Christchurch paper, Society, states that Sir Arthur Gordon is to leave the Colony by either, the May or Juno San Francisco steamer.

Tho Temuka schoolmaster having written to his Committee that he would be unable to take part in getting up a proposed entertainment, tho Committee gravely carried a resolution "That tho Committee are very imich surprised to find that the head-master declined to assist in gotting up an entertainment for the benefit of the school." | Several largo grain-stores are being erected in Oamaru. That for the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company will have a storage capacity of 100,000 bags ; Mr Smith's new store of 30,000 ; and Messrs Neill Bros', premises of 40,000. , The Canterbury Board of Education have resolved to draw the attention of tho Department in Wellington to the utter inadequacy of the present system of auditing school 1 ' committee accounts, and to request that the whole matter bo submitted to the Minister of Educaj tion, with a viow of effecting a suitable change in the mode of audit. Mrjvess has been acquitted of the charge brought against him under the Corrupt Practices Act, tho Bench deciding that a prima facie case had not been made out. The case hinged On the evidenoe of the man James, which was very unsatisfactory. James had sworn that there might or might not have been a written authority, and Mr Ivess was entitled to the doubt. ;

News js published here (says the New York' correspondent of the Daily News) of the collapse of 'the Rugby colony in Tennessee. The hotel is closed, and the public works aro stopped by order from the Board. The colonists are discussing ■ whether to remain and start anew on a different plan or leave. No surprise is felt among Americans at the failure, as it was generally expected.

Mr Walter Watson, of Allday Bay, near 'Oamaru, died a few days ago. The. Oamaru Mail, kays :— "The, deceased arrived . in this country "by the ship Alpine in the spring of 1859, and !was for the first 20 years of his colonial life the jtrusted and honoured servant of the Hon. M. jHolmes, by whom he was highly esteemed. .Latterly he had taken to the ■ breeding of Border Leicester sheep, a venture which was attended with considerable profit, if not with 'distinction. Ho had got his training as a shepherd with somo of the most noted breeders of Cheviot sheep on the bordors of Scotland. Mr Watson used to. relate how he had known blames Hogg, the Ettrick shepherd, and how I he had seen Sir Waltor Scott." .

A succession of daring robberies has recently taken place at various colleges at Oxford. At Magdalen eight rooms were visited, and (watches, money, and jewellery carried off. It is supposed that while the undergraduates were absent a respectably dressed man must have .gone to the rooms on the pretext of seeing the gentlemen, and have then helped himself to all the articles of value he could lay his' hands upon. In two instances the gentlemen were in their rooms, and the suspected individual, ' apologising for having, as he said, made a mistake, retired. At other colleges a similar practice was carried out. _ This is not the first occasion in which robberies of this description have occurred. Last term at least one of the largest colleges was entered in this manner, and valuable articles carried off.

One of the Jolimont railway accident sufferers named Snook (a member of the Australian Grain and Produce Agency Company) claimed £3000 damages. The case for the claimant, was that he had received a very severe spinal shock, frpm which, according to the medical evidence, he would never recover. At night he had hideous dreams, and in'the daytime imagined that sparks of fire were continually flying before him. His sense of taste had completely gone, and sulphuric fumes were continually in his mouth. He was about to relinquish his business, being no longer able to carry it on. Plaintiff having given evidence, he was cross-examined by Mr Puryes, counsel for the defence, in answer to whom he said he was subject to dreams at night. They were of a hideous kind. — Mr Purves : Oh, indeed ! What do you dream about ?— Witness : Well, I'll give you an instanco. Last night I dreamt of you.— Mr Purves : What did you dream of mo, then ; was it horrible ? — Witness : It was. I jumped out of my bed in a fright. I thought I saw you before mo. I had never soon you before yesterday, but you made a hideous impression upon mo. — Mr Purves : What time did I appear to you ?— Witness : About 3 o'clock this morning. — Mr Purves : I think then I can prove an alibi. What shapo was I ? — Witness : You had horns sticking out of your head.— Mr Purves : This is becoming really horrible. Will you tell us a little more about this phantom ?— Witness : You were spangled all over, and you had a cloven foot. — Mr Purves: Had I a tail, too ?— Witness : Yes ; I think so.— Mr Purves : A sort of hideous monster. Your dream must have been something like what Clarence had ! I must have boon a combination—a crossbreed between a cow and a harlequin. 1 hope you really don't believe it was I myself.— Witness : No ; it was only your inmgo. — Mr Pnrves : Really. I thiuk I ought to get an extra feo in thin catio. That will do.-- -Plaintiff, who clairaod £3000, was awarded by tho Jury half that sum,

•' The Napior Telegraph shows good cause why fever and kindred diseases are rife in that ; township during the summer months. "A ' resident in town the other day dug a hole in I the backyard of his premises, in order to bury I some rubbish. Living on the low level, he had I not dug down more than a few feet before he I came upon the shingle, the quality of which so pleased him that he opened up a miniaturo quarry, and gave the whole of his backyard a thick covering df the gravel. The next day the heat of the sun drew forth from this seemingly nice looking clean shingle such a horrible stench that no-one could go into the yard. Further investigation showed that the subsoil from whence the shinglo had been dug was thoroughly permeated with the sewage of the adjacent sections. It is upon similar shingle that the whole of Napier on the low level is built.

The revolver,' so long the most formidable of all, arms for close fighting, is in all probability destined to be shortly discarded from use in the army in favour of a pistol with quadruple cartridges which has been brought under the notice of the military and other authorities. In the new weapon, "the mitrailleuse pistol," there are four barrels, which are loaded at once by a patent quadruple cartridge big enough to afford good hold for the lingers. Forty' shots per minute can be discharged, and the empty cartridges ejected automatically. There is no opening through which any gas can escape, 'so the weapon can be used gun fashion when aiming; and there are no screws,' hammers, or projections to catch the clothing, reins, or accoutrements. The weapon is abso lutely reliable. Above all, there is no fear of a jam or of the weapon becoming unserviceable from overheating, or, other accident. The mechanism is covered up; and dirt, damp, wet, and ill-usage hardly affect the mitrailleuse at all. The pistol will take the ordinary Government cartridge ; and, should it be finally decided to issue it to our troops, they will have placed in their hands a weapon superior to any with which military men are yet acquainted.

In 1868 and 1869 Sir Wyville Thomson, whose death is reported, went on scientific dredging expeditions in the Lightning and the Porcupine, which vessels had been lent by the Admiralty for this' purpose. Many new forms of animal life were discovered, and much information obtained regarding ocean temperatures and currents. He was afterwards placed at the head of the scientific department of the famous Challenger deep-sea exploring ' expedition, which was sent 'out .under the auspices of the British Government. • Tho Challenger left Sheerness on December 7th, 1872. During 1873 she made four voyages across the Atlantic, the distance travelled being nearly 20,000 miles. In 1874 she penetrated to the^Antarctic regions, z-emaining as long within the Antarctic circle as the weather would .permit, and afterwards proceeded through .the seas' of Australia and New Zealand, ' visiting many iof the islands in the Malay Archipelago. On November ,10th she' reached Hongkong < after a course of nearly 17,000 miles.- # The year ,1875 ,was devoted to an examination of the Pacific' Ocean, in making which -upwards of 20,000 miles were traversed. On her homeward route' the Atlantic was crossed a fifth time: ' Altogether her 1 cruise extended to • about GB,OOO miles. Afteri an absence of nearly' three years and a-half the > Challenger cast anchor at Sheerness May 27th, 1876. On the 27th of the following month' Professor Thomson received the honour of knighthood. • > i -

The Oamaru Harbqur Board have obtained a dredge from Home, the' liull of ,which is on board the Akaroa^ now over'SOidays' ouC Messrs Conyers and Davidson are importing it for the Board, \yhom tHey. assure' it, is " a fine piece of workmanship, and second, to none in the Colonies, not oven the celebrated one at Dunedin." ' . „,.,.. ; „

The AshburtoniJElangitata water-race, -was opened with g_reat ceremony a day: or two ago. To give an idea of the extent of - the new pee and the acreage it is likely td influence, we may ' State iti will flow through , the Upper Ashburton district 87^' -miles,- through' the' Longbeachßoad district 23 miles, .through the Rangitata "Road district 94 miles, and through the Mount Somers district 28 miles. i

'Mr S. 'Humphreys,' of Strath-Taieri, has reported to the Acclimatisation Society the interesting fact of Paradise ducks breeding in England. He tools Home with him in the Calypso in February, 1878, three Paradise ducks and threo' drakes (dappers.) Two of the latter died, but after some exchanges breeding was successfully accomplished, and the young ones are thriving <well. ' 1 The dangerous railway-crossing at' Balclutha has been closed and the line fenced off, so that all danger is now avoided.

A shipment of salmon ova from the North jof England, consigned to the New Zealand Acclimatisation Society, appears to 'have re-, ceived somewhat extraordinary treatment on 1 board the John Elder. Mr Deans, who took delivery of, the ova in Melbourne, states that on going on board and making inquiries, neither the purser nor the chief steward ,knew anything about them; and he was referred; strange to say, to ,the butcher for information. That individual stated that, as the ice had run out about a week previously, the cases had been stowed in the cattle pen on deck as being likely to be more cool than in, the hold below. The consequence of this judicious exposure was naturally, that, the. /eggs, on unpacking, werei 'found to be all in an advanced stage of .decomposition. • A,ifew, still maintained their transparent brilliancy, and occasionally one was to be found, with traces of the embryo having been partially developed, but all are destroyed. Blame, it is also mentioned, attaches to the packer, no provision having been made for the storage of ice on the top of the ova.

Mr F. Bastings, who is leaving Milton (probably for Dunedin), is thus spoken of by the Bruce Herald : — " Very few will hear of this decision without deep regret. Mr Bastings has now been a long time in Milton, and has won for himself a well-deserved popularity among all classes. He has ' always taken a lively interest in all the affairs of the town and district. In thq Borough Council, of which he has for a long time been a member, lie has proved himself a useful and, which in better, a silent councillor, except when lie had something to say worth hearing. His services and his purse have always been ready at every call, and more particularly when asked for charitable purposes."

Mr Pearson, postmaster of New York, is about to introduce in that city 250 now letterboxes of a novel pattern, which will bo a great improvement on those now in use. Every box is provided with a plainly-printed time-table, giving the hour at which each collection will begin, and also the time at which tho collected letters are due at the post-office. There is also a card showing tho hour at which the next collection will begin, and as each collection is made lho carrier will remove this card, and return it with bin collected mail as an evidence that the box has been emptied. The&o boxes will do away. with the trouble of making many nucoss.uy inquiries of tho postmen. The same kind ol leUor-bi'v hn.. b'-en ir>f.rodiKvd iv London by the Poolmaatin -general, and is to joe extended throughout the country.

The amount of Customs revenue collected at . Dunedin, for the financial year just ended shows an increase of £41,148 2s as compared with the amount of the previous year, an increase of rather more than 10 per cent. The total for 1881-2 is £435,685 13a, against £394,537 Us for 1880-1. Our Wellington correspondent gives particulars of the totals for tho Colony for the year, and it will be seen that they are of a most satisfactory kind.

The Volunteer officers have held several meetings for perfecting arrangements in. connection with the Easter review, and a good deal of business was got through. It was agreed to have several horse-races on Monday in Forbury Park prior to the starting of the review. The Sports Committee have drawn out a capital programme for' Saturday after- ■ noon; and, as the country companies have been informed of the arrangements, there should be keen competition in the various events. The ' tug-of-war promises to be very exciting. A • new feature in the way of church parades has been agreed upon for Easter Sunday. The whole of the corps will march to khe Caledonian 1 ground, where an' open-air religious 'service will ■ be held, and on the occasion a collection will bo ' made for, the benefit of the Berievolent Institute.

At the ordinary meeting of the Educational Institute on Saturday, Mr Hendry read a wellwritten and interesting paper on " Accuracy," which was ably criticised by Dr M 'Donald, Messrs Pollock, White, and Park. There was a good attendance of members,' On Saturday night, about 10 o'.clock, a man. , attracted attention in Rattray street' by cries, of "Police!" On inquiries being made, ifc turned out that he had just 'been robbed. by two young fellows, who had fqllowed hhn.out ,,. of an hotel in which he, had been drinking, knocked him down, and taken the sum of £15 from him. This occurred at the corner of ' • Castle and Eattray . streets, near the Wharf. ' The man was considerably, the worse , for liquor. He reported the matter to the police, who, we believe, are making inquiries with the view of leading to the arrest of the thieves. • '

A deputation waited upon the Hon. the Colonial Secretary at the Minister's office, 1 , ' Bond street, on Saturday last to request the Go- ' ' vernment to enforce the law against those who gave Sunday entertainments 'or lectures for admission to which a charge is made. The" Hon. 1 ' Mr Dick promised to consult the Crown soli- , ' citor, and, if his opinion was favourable' 'to the, ' views expressed by the gcritleriien forming the deputation, to give instructions -to enforce the ' law. Should the opinion be that it is. uncertain • that the law wjll apply,' or certain that it will '. not apply, it is ' not likely- that' proceedings' will - be taken ; and the Hon. Mr Dick said he could ) not , promise to again ask the Parliament to : legislate on this subject unless he r had v sonie [ reason to believe ( tha^ ' his ' j>rp^osal' would ', receive more consideration than it did some two sessions ago. ' I

". It is quite probable that after all the Waka- ■ tipu, Arrow, and Cromwell Volunteers will a not patronise our Easter review to the extent > expected.- The members' of'M'batteryyQueens- ' .town, have definitely decided riot tocome in con- ' sequence of .the non-arrival' of some 30 suits of i|ew uniforms and other equipments' from Eng- -i I^-nd. About 40 members were- prepared to go had there been sufficient and' proper clotning 1 for all. The Cromwell Volunteers are also uh- • decided, we' learn. They have just received new uniforms which'have entailed considerable • expense ; arid 1 there is the"fiu-ther fact that > through having to travel all the way'to Kings- • ton or 'Lawrence before "railway travelling • can be secured, the cost of' attending 'is mate- • rially enhanced to them. In view" of this, they • isked the other corps inthe district to aid them - in liquidating travelling expenses ; but>ih'e apEeal was only partially 'successful,! Que'enstown ' i v aving refused and Arrow'grarited'£lo. Under ' ihese circumstanced the Cromwell men have not ' 4s yet made up their minds whether>to attend : or not. • The Arrow corps, however; will come. - ;' The Union Football Club continues to; make \ good progress. There'areat present 90 mem- , bers on the roll, and at the meeting on.Saturday evening 38 new members were proposed. Dr.Batchelor has been elected to the president;-,, ship, and Mr J. Hislop .will fill the office of , yice-president for the ensuing 12 irionths, , , , I A- special meeting of the Dunedin Branch' of " the Amalgamated Society of Carpenters and • Joiners was held on Saturday evening at the • pooma of the Working Men's Club, ' The pre- • pident-elect (Bro. C. Wakefield)' Hcdupiedthe" I chair, and thero was a large attendance of mem- ; bers. The district officers were electedj and ' the'following'branch officers'- were installed for the ensuing term : — Bro. Wakefield; B.P. ;Bro. • M'Millan; V.P.'; Bro'. Henderson, C.S. ; and Bro." Evans, D.K. The auditors' report and' palance-sheet for the 1 quarter ending March 81st showed the ' Branch to-be in a 'very satisfactory'position both financially and in' point' pf membership. Br6's. Travener and Thorn •Were appointed to' represent the Dunedin Branch of' the Society at the Trades Demonstratidii to be held at Christchurch on Easter -Monday, in connection with the opening of the Exhibition and the eight-hours' movement, in which it is expected a large number of operatives will take part,

The new hall for the Hand and Heart Lodge, M.U., 1.0.0. F., Mill be erected in Stuart street, adjoining the • Octagon Hotel. The ■plans have' not yet been adopted, but the i,building .will be a three-story ono, (With shops in frontj 1 and the meeting-hall at the back, while the .upper rooms will be let as iprivate apartments. The. cost is likely to exiceed £3000.

A large number of people assembled in IRattray street on Saturday afternoon to'witinoss the trial of a new, fire-escape, the invention,of Mr Thomson, of the firm of Thomson, Owen, jand Co., of this city. The escape consists of a Iropb wound twice round a pulley, which i^ fixed above the window of ,the room. To one v > .coil of the rope is attacheda sling, into which ■ the person ' who wishes to escape from the building places himself, and the end of the rope boing held by some person below, he can rapidly lower himself to the ground. On this occasion tho rope was fixed to the top window of Court's Hotel ; and Mr Thomson, who got into the sling, demonstrated that the invention was a simple though ingenious one by raising , and lowering himself between the street and the third flat of the building. '

There were large congregations at Trinity Church on Sunday, when the Rev. E. Best preached his farewell sermons to the congregation, among whom hs has successfully laboured for the past two years. In the evening he delivered an impressive discourse on the tjxt "I have a message from God unto thee" (Judges iii. 20), and in concluding, referred to the great kindness his congregation had shown him, and the perfect harmony which had existed between him as pastor and them. During tho past 24 ycaw of his ministry this was tho first case in which the Conference had decided that !ie should retain hip circuit a less lonn than the regular one of llil^') >..i,<. Tho "Row Mr Best now leaves foi OhrLtclnircL, and his place will be filled by the Rev. Joseph Berry. ,

An individual recently from Ireland has re Jated his experiences to the Taieri Advocate as follows:—*' I lived for about 15 yeara in New Zealand, and never got into trouble of any Scind ; bat I took a fancy to go Home. I hadn t been there long before I, out of curiosity, attended a couple of Land League meetings. I was arrested, thrown into gaol, and kept there for three weeks. When I got out I thought the best thing I could do was to come back to New Zealand. Here I am, and I won't go Home again in a hurry !" The Lyceum, in Dowling street, is expected to be opened the first week in May, and the vent will be celebrated 'in a novel way— • namely, by a week of entertainments. These will comprise concert and ball, dramatic performance, lecture, &c, winding up with a Saturday night popular concert. A strong committee have the arrangements in hand.

The South Australian Government have riven their answer to the distressed selectors. They are prepared to wipe off altogether the payment of three years' interest where the crop has not averaged more than four bushels to the acre for the last three years ; two years' interest where the crop has been under five bushels ; and one year's interest where the crop has been under six bushels. This repre 1 cents a money concession of about £120,000 ; but the request to subsidise the subscription raised for supplying needy farmers with seed wheat has been met with a firm refusal, but something will be done in the way of relaxing the conditions of cultivation and residence, but to what extent is still matter of consideration. The drought in the north and in the interior still continues, and this greatly militates against successful farming operations in many parts of the northern areas. , The Government now are fully alive to this, and it is believed they will bring in a meksure next session having the conservation of water on a large scale in view. Something should be done to test the great Eynan basin by artesian borings, to which attention has been directed of late.

At last meeting of the Canterbury Education Board, on the motion of Mr Montgomery, a resolution was carried placing on record the Board's deep sense of the loss sustained by the untimely death of Mr John Curnow, late Inspector of Schools, and requesting the Chairman to write a letter of sympathy and condolence to Mrs Curnow on her melancholy bereavement.

A curious story is told at some length by the Figaro concerning the negotiations which it asserts have recently taken place concerning This flight from the Vatican, according to this authority, has long been an id&e fix6e of Leo XIIL, but it is only recently that he has decided where to go. Prince Bismarck, so the story goes, offered to repeal the May laws, and to authorise the expelled priests to return to their parishes if the Tope would consent to fix his future residence at Frankfort. He promised that the city should be neutralised, aa in the time of the German Confederation, and offered thePopeitstemporalsovereignty, with a subsidy of many millions per annum. Leo declined. Strasburg was then offered to him on the same terms as Frankfort. The offer was tempting, but it was also refused. ' A refuge in France was out of the question, owing, to the ascendancy of M. Bert and Company. So at last the Pope' closed with the offer of Salzburg, which has been made him by the Hapsburgs. The city is to be neutralised, and the Pope subventioned from the Austrian exchequer. Everything is said to be in readiness for the transfer of the Holy See.

A meeting of the Committee of the Chamber of Commerce was* held on Monday. The principal topic discussed was the present serious position of the question of the harbour works. The report of the Committee appointed at the late general meeting of the Chamber to confer with the Harbour Board on the recent imposition of jetty dues, was laid on the table. It was couched in the following terms :— " The Committee appointed to confer with the Harbour Board on the recent imposition of amended jetty dues, have to report for the information of the Chamber that, after meeting the Harbour Board, certain information was presented which has not yet been officially supplied ; and that, as the whole question of the harbour works has been widened out considerably, the Committee feels not now in a position to make a report on the matter of jetty dues. They recommend that the Chamber should be called together to consider the present position and future prospects of the harbour works." A long discussion then ensued, when it was decided to ask thie Board to favour the Chamber at the earliest possible date with its decision as to the future prosecution of the works, and the mode of providing funds and raising revenue, in order that the Chamber might be called together to discuss the matter before further borrowing powera are applied for. The quarterly sitting ot the Supreme Court for the transaction of criminal business commenced on Monday, his Honor Mr Justice Williams presiding, and Mr B. C. Haggitt conducting the prosecutions. The Grand Jury found true bflls in all the cases presented to them with the exception of that of Robert Findlay. who was cnarged with attempted suicide Hugh Murray was acquitted on the charge of horse-stealing at Balclutha preferred ajrainst him ; and Gilbert M'Coll and John Elder, charged respectively with stealing from a dwelling at Hillencl and burglary at Port Chalmers, were convicted, and remanded till to-day for sentence. Frederick Gilbert pleaded irailty to a charge of uttering a forged warrant For the payment of money at Oamaru, and was sentenced to three years' imprisonment. A most singular case was the charge against Magrie Duncan, a girl of 15, of forging and uttering a cheque for £10 10s at Palmerston. The case was fully proved, and the Jury convicted, rejecting the suggestion raised for the defence that the accused was insane. In consideration of the youth of the prisoner his Honor pronounced the mild sentence of two monthsumprisonment, and ordered her tobe keptsyp&rtfromtlieofclierprisctflers. Thehearing of tha charge of arson against Philip Waldmann has been nxed for the 12th instj

An extraordinary meeting ot the shareholders of the Standard Insurance was held on Monday, at which certain proposed alterations of the articles of association recommended by the Directors were agreed to unanimously. The effect of the xwoposed alterations will be to do away with separate registers in each Province, the keeping of which has been attended with great inconvenience, and to have one shareregister at the head office ; to alter the fees for transfer of shares, making it one shilling for every twenty-five or fraction of twenty-five shares transferred; and to substitute animal for half-yearly meetings of shareholders, giving the Directors power at the same time to declare an interim dividend. In tho course of a month another meeting of , the shareholders will be held to confirm tho resolutions which were adopted on Monday! The Outrarn Town Board ha 1 ? lost no time in getting to work ; and, as an evidence of its in-; tentions to do good service, a motion has been 1 tabled for next meeting in reference to the I question of water supply for the town., ,J, J

We mention elsewhere, that there was a doubt about the Cromwell Volunteers attending the review, owing to the large travelling expenses entailed. Our correspondent, however, telegraphs :— " At the Rifles' parade on Saturday 20 men signified their intention to attend the review ; probably in all 25 will attend. They will reach Dunedin on Thursday evening, via Lawrence."

The charge of personation against Arthur Tame in connection with the Roslyn election is, it appears, not to be proceeded with. Mr Haggitt, the Crown Prosecutor, on Monday stated that he did not intend to present a bill of indictment against the accused ; and in reply to his Honor the Registrar said he had not received any bill of indictment in the case. The Grand Jury were then discharged, having answered all the bills presented.

The second deposit of £40 has been made for the mile race for the championship and £100 between Fagan and Burke. The match is to take place on April 29th.

During the quarter ending 31st March the number of births registered were 32— viz., 12 males and 20 females ; as against 42 births in the corresponding quarter of 1881. The number of deaths registered were 10 —viz., 6 males and 414 1 females, 2 of whom were adults and 8 children : while in the corresponding quarter of last year there were 11 deaths registered. The number of marriage certificates issued was 9, as against 6 in the corresponding quarter of last year ; while no marriages have taken , place before the registrar.

We learn from sportsmen who visited the West (Taieri and Lake Waipori districts on Saturday that ducks are exceedingly scarce this year. In Borne instances, although it was the first day of the season, not a single bird was obtained; and this is attributable in great measure to the fact that for fully a week previous to the Ist April illegal shooting was very largely indulged in. If this is true, it is to be hoped that steps will be taken to bring the offending parties to justice.

A poll to ascertain the wishes of the ratepayers of Dunediu South Licensing District with regard to the question of increasing, or the contrary, the number of Publicans', New Zealand wine, accommodation, and bottle licenses in the district was taken at Winter's store, Stafford street, on Monday, and resulted in a reply being in the negative in each instance. Only 42 votes were polled, of which four wore informal. The polling was as follows ;— For an increase of publicans' licenses, 19 votes $ against, 20 ; of New Zealand wine licenses, 18 ; against, 22 ; of accommodation licenses, 18 ; against, 21 ; of bottle licenses, 17 ; against, 23. w . ■ , An adjbumed • meeting of members of the Dunedin Young Men's Christian Asssciation was held in their lecture-hall on Monday evening when 'the Vice-president (Mr A. Scoullar) occupied the chair, and there" was a good attendance. It was resolved—" That in view of Mr D. Wright's retirement from the secretaryship, the Board of Management be empowered to employ the services ot a suitable person as general secretary, who shall devote the whole or a portion of his time to the duties of the office As may be determined ,by the Board ; but in view of the present financial position of the Association, and the desirability of greatly improving its library, and of aiding pecuniarily various branches of its work, this meeting is of opinion and strwigly advises that an effort "should first be made for a, time at least to carry on the work of the Association without the assistance of a paid secretary."

During the proceedings at a deputation which waited on the Colonial Secretary on Monday, Mr J, Adam, who was called as a witness, and had at one time acted under the Provincial Government as commissioner for jthe^ exchange of surveyed road-Unes to private individuals in lieu of more practicable routes, made the extraordinary statement that, there were scores of miles of such road-lines ,. which could be reclaimed by the Government, in addition to the roads already existing, through no title having been issued for the lands handed over to individuals in exchange. Mr Adam suggested that a Commission should be appointed to inquire into the matter, as unless this were done the early settlers might be stripped of their land over a large portion of the Province as population increased. The matter is one which cannot now be remedied, except by special legislation, and it is one well worthy of consideration by those interested.

The agricultural statistics for South Canterbury show that during the year the area of cultivation was extended by almost exactly onefourth. Over 60,000 acres were added to the areas under sown grasses. Wheat occupied 22^.2 acres more than in the previous year ; oats, 16,476; and turnips, 9513; while barley fell short by 2882 acres of last year's area. The estimated average yield per acre of the various fcereals for this year were :-— Fur wheat, 25*9 bushels; oats, 304; and barley, 26 % 7. Last year the estimates, deduced from the official return, were respectively— 2s'7, 319, and 269, or very nearly the same as for this year.

At the Invercargill Chamber of Commerce the motion given notice of by Mr M'Donald, to secure the simplification of mortgages, &c, has been carried.

The topic of the hour (says the Timaru Herald) is the levanting of J. M. Shepherd, whose proceedings appear to constitute one of the biggest swmdles " over perpetrated in the Colony. His defalcations, we learn on good authority, amount to something like £10,000, of which £4000 is claimed by Dunedin merchants. His later negotiations included forged documents, promissory notes, &c, to the extent of about £2500, the forgeries being names of local residents.

A complaint against an assistant teacher named Gurr (the son of the head-teacher), at tho Central School, Invercargill, for having struck a pupil named Davey with a stick, has formed the subject of a weary investigation by the Invercargill School Committee. After many motions had been rejected, the following was carried : — "The Committee find that George Davey was guilty 6i gross insubordination and required chastisement, but regret that Assistant-teacher Gurr should have taken on himself to inflict corporal punishment. The Committee recommend tlie head-master to request the teachers to refer to himself all cases of flagrant misconduct by the children."

According to the Western Star, the young railway employe M'Donald, killed by an accident at the Colac Bay railway -station recently, was a "good example" of the benefits of life insurance. He was pestered by an agent so often that at last one day when he saw him coming he hid in the engine-shed ; but the agent ferreted him out, and as much to get rid of his persecutor as anything else, he at that interview insured for £200. He had only paid ono or two premiums when he met his death. Tho same paper also states that a vary neat headstone has been placed over thn grave of Mr D. Scott, late stoker on the RivettonInvercargill engine, who died from tho offecLa of a gunshot wound come few months ago. The requisite amount (£2G) was subscribed principally by railway employes,

An order has arrived in the North Island for 10,000 supplejack walking-sticks for San l'rancisco, The following wonderful paragraph is from the loading columns of the Lyttelton Times :— " A friend in the South writes asking if we have heard that a Yankee syndicate, through a gentleman well known in Dunedin mercantile circles, has offered to pay off the whole Colonial debt, in return for all the railways, and 5,000,000 acres of pastoral land, to be selected by the Government. Our correspondent also asks us if we have heard that the Government has refused the offer. We may say at once that we have not heard of any such offer. We may add that we should be j much astonished at such an extreme instance of generosity. We should, therefore, if such an [ offer were made, be very much more astonished iat its refusal ; for the Government is, we should imagine, pretty well aware that pastoral land is not worth £4 per acre. The sum is simple. If a debt of say thirty millions is cleared off by ten millions' worth of railways, and five million acres of land, the land must be worth £4 at least. Of course we are aware that it would not be con&idered, in some quarters, strictly, right to accept such an offer, but we are also aware that the Colonial Treasurer is in need of a brilliant financial scheme. It would be very easy to become possessed of the idea that the enterprising Yankees have arranged a scheme for making the • purely pastoral land yield them an enormous profit, and that idea would quiet any scruples about taking the hard-earned money of bur too simple and too speculative cousins. However, as we have said, we have heard' nothing. But we are quite ready to accept any well-authenticated information on the subject." The correspondent of a contemporary, writing from St. Petersburg on January sth, says : —"The position of the Jews is becoming intolerable in Russia at present. Even the richest and most influential families are thinking of leaving the country, seeing it useless to attempt struggling against the fanatic hatred of an ignorant, almost barbarous people. The civilised Russian .'intelligence,' far from trying to calm the people, literally pours oil upon the fire, thereby showing how thin is the varnish of civilisation that covers them. Not the least indignation is felt in St. Petersburg at this most crying abomination., The newspapers | pooh-pooh it all, and consider the whole thing as rather a good joke. They distort all the I facts, and represent the shameful orgies of a I " Christian" people, on the greatest feast of the year, as a sort of merrymaking, as if the Jews were so many rats that have been routed out of their holes. Whatever may be the natural antipathy felt by Europe in general against the Jewish race, it will certainly never countenance this persecution, now become the order of the day in orthodox Russia."

The, official inquiry into the collision between the s.s. Waitaki and the p.s. Koputai was commenced on Tuesday in the Resident Magistrate's Court, before Mr E. H. Carew, H.M., and two nautical assessors. Several other witnesses besides thoseexaminedatthe' preliminary inquiry gave evidence. Among them Arthur Birch, a lad 19 years of age, and purser, on board the Waitaki, gave some important evidence. He states that he was in the engine-room at the time of the accident, and saw the indicator pointing to go astern several times j and just after the collision occurred the second engineer (Mr Moffatt) said in a low voice, " My God ! I have been going ahead all the time. This witness, however, acknowledges that he told the captain a few minutes after the collision that he was standing in'the "alley-lane"; but in his evidence on Tuesday he said he told the captain a lie, as he was excited and did not want to be mixed up in the affair. Accordingto a'statement laid before the City Council on Tuesday it appears that the Corporation haß again been very successful in collecting the city rates, the amount of outstanding rates being very small indeed. The statement for the year 1881-82 showed :—Cityrates : Total assessment, £17,827 10s; collected, £17,800 9s 3d ; allowed, £20 19s 3d ; arrears, £6 Is 6d. Water rates : Total rates, £19,971' 12s Id ; collected, £19,546 12s 9d ; outstanding, £424 19s 4d (£284 10s 4d less than previous year). In consequence of recent remissions the amount of outstanding water rates has been further reduoed, the amount now uncollected being about £80.

One of the warders of the prison hulk named Andrew Binney, with a prisoner named Paget, nearly met with a watery grave on Monday evening. The two men had been to Port Chalmers in the hulk's boat for provisions in the afternoon, and while returning met a severe south-west squall, which filled the boat and sank her in the cross-channel abreast of Kilgour Point. 'Paget, who cannot swim, managed to lay hold of a box washed out of the boat ; and this, together with aid he received from the warder, kept him afloat. Both men were drifted down the harbour, and after being in the water for an hour and a half, eventually succeeded in landing on Goat Island, both of them greatly exhausted, Their_ cries for assistance were heard by some residents on the Port Chalmers Peninsula, and a messenger was at once despatched to the police-station, when Sergeant Hanlan at once sent Constable Colborne to render assistance. The warder and prisoner, however, had been brought over from the island by a fisherman named James Holden, who, hearing their cries, put off in his boat and rescued them. They were attended to in Port Chalmers, and left by the 9.40 p.m. train for Dunedin. It is high time the supplies necessary for the hulk were conveyed to her by some other means than the present^ ones, by which the services of a warder and prisoner are taken up for two or three hours daily, while at times the force of the wind is so groat as to render ifc difficult for even experienced watermen to pull against it. There are plenty of small steamers plying in the harbour which could surely be employed to take stores and provisions to the hulk.

The City Council onTuesday eveningadopted a motion respecting the engines used on the city tramways, expressing the opinion that they were a nuisance to the public, and ordering that their use should be discontinued after the 31st of May next. It was also stated in the report by the Tramway Committee that notice to the proprietor of the tramways had been given to the effect that he must maintain the road for two feet on each side of the tramwayline, in accordance with the terms of the contract.

Our Queenstown correspondent telegraphed on Tuosday :— " A smart shock of earthquake was felt here this morning at about 8 o'clock, lasting for 15 or 20 seconds."

Tho Rev. Dr Moran arrived at Port Chalmers by the s.s. Hero on Tuesday, and an account of the reception accorded him appears in another column. Ho was presented with sevoral addresses from hte parishioner?!, clergy, and ofchcrn, and the Catholics ot the diocese made a gift to him o£ tho sum of £1000. His Lord.ib.ip sftid he would devote tho entire sum to tho promotion of the welfare of the Church,

The ceremony of inducting thaßeV* A* 0. Gillies to the pastoral charge of the .North Dunedin Presbyterian Church was performed on Tuesday morning, and in the evening a s/ocitti gathering and tea-meeting was held in commemoration of the event. The church was on this occasion crowded to the doors. Addresses were delivered by several gentlemen, and a very enjoyable evening was spent.

At the meeting of the Bruce County Council, held on Tuesday, considerable discussion ensued with reference to the payment of expenses in connection with the election of Licensing Committees in the county, some of the members being of opinion that a reckless and needless expenditure had been indulged in by the officers ; and this was aggravated by the fact that, although the Oeuncil were responsible for defraying the expenses, they had no voice whatever in authorising them. Another question which arose was whether the liabilities incurred were to be discharged out of the general county fund or from the fees received. The production of the Act by the Chairman decided in favour of the latter view, and ilwas thon stated that in one district there was no license whatever, although the usual expenses had been incurred; and in two districts at least a bush license alone existed, the revenue from which would not do more than cover half the liabilities. A decision in the matter was eventually deferred in the meantime, resolutions having been passed desiring the officers to curtail expenditure as much as possible, and commissioning the membor for the district to take steps to have the Act amended, so that those bodies who have to meet the expenditure may have control over its regulation.

The Volunteer authorities are making every effort to render the review this year thoroughly successful. In addition to the attractions of the sham fight and review on Easter Monday, several races are to be run, particulars ot which willjbe found in our advertising columns. The Southland Hussars, to the number of 80, will be present, and will take part in the movements of the day. The church parade on Sunday will be made very attractive by the rendition of choice music by a powerful choir, assisted by the Invercargill Band, the premier band of the Colony. The Rev. Rutherford Waddell has consented to conduct the service, which will commence at 2.30 p.m. As the collections are for the benefit of the Benevolent Institution, a good round sum should be gathered.

On Thursday a deputation from the Bruce County Council was to'wait on the Taieri County Council f&r the purpose of conferring as to steps shall be taken to secure the erection of a new bridge at the Taieri Ferry^ The old bridge has done service for over 16 years, and has for some time been in a dilapidated condition, the money required to keep it in repair being sufficient to fully meet the interest on the cost of a very substantial structure. _ The work will be one of considerable magnitude, and Government aid will probably be asked in the matter.

The first lecture of the session under the auspices of the Kaikorai Young Men's Mutual Improvement Association was delivered in the churchonTuesdayeveningbytheßev.MrWatt, whochose as his subject, ' r Books: Howto Read, and whatto Read." There were about 150 persons present, and the president of the Association (Rev. R. R. M. Sutherland) occupied the chair. In the course of his lecture the Rev. Mr Watt generally recommended the reading of books of travel, biography, history, and poetry, and particularly the works of Milton, Bacon, and Dante. On the motion of Mr David Sutherland, seconded by Mr Harlock, a hearty vote of thanks was passed to the rev. gentleman fo his able and interesting lecture. Ninety-six business men in Oamaru have signed the following memorial to Mr Hannay, traffic superintendent :—" We, the underBigned, who purpose visiting Christchurch during the Exhibition, wish respectfully to point out what we consider the unfair treatment Oamaru is receiving in the matter of fares, the excursion tickets being the same as from Dunedin, which is 80 miles farther away. We think that in fairness the rates should be 20s for first-class, and 15s for second-class tickets, instead of as at present notified — 30s and 20s respectively. Then the single fares during the period of the Exhibition should be, we think, extended to Oamaru instead of terminating at Waitaki North. If these concession's were granted we are of opinion that they would conduce more to the profit of the railways than the rate's at present advertised in regard to Oamaru."

In consequence of the exceptional demands which it is anticipated will be made upon the hospitality of the Mayor during the continuance of the Exhibition season, the Christchurch City Council have unanimously decided that his Worship's official allowance for the year should be augmented by the sum of £200.

Bishop Moorhouse has explained more fully the views set forth in his reply to the recent request for a day of prayer for rain. Dr Moorhouse urged that the course of seasons and the changes of weather were regulated by unvarying laws of natural government. If the sufferings of a famine or a drought were not the result of such laws, which God could not wisely and righteously break, then God would appear to inflict suffering wantonly ; while if human prayer could obtain rain in spite of natural laws, Christians who failed to obtain rain should be accounted criminals who inflicted suffering which they might remove. As to Erayers for material wants, as a whole, the ishop observed that all the lower wants of men were supplied by an unvarying all-comprehen-si/e rule, just as the ravens are fed and the lilies are " clothed more splendidly than Solomon." People should study the rule, and obey it, take without anxiety or discontent what the working of the law gives them, and seek in their prayers spiritual blessings rather than material requirements.

On Saturday (says the Christchurch Press) a party of three gentlemen, on the stubbles, at Rotherham, bagged 104 paradise ducks, which is one of the best bags which was made on the first day of the season.

The Warrnambool (Victoria) woollen mills have been destroyed by fire. They were insured for £13,000 in several offices. About 40 operatives are thrown out of employment in consequence.

Mi- R. W. Jones, a member of the Invercargill Garrison Band, has arrived in Dunedin to make arrangements for the two concerts to be given by the band here on Friday and baturday nights this week. The band has been increased in numbers since it last played so acceptably in Dunedin, and 28 performers will be present on the stage. The instruments are all quite new, a full set having been imported from Home at a cost of £260. The proceeds of the concert on Good Friday will go to local charities, which is a graceful act on the part of tho band; and on Saturday night the members hopo to obtain Huttieiotil patronage to recoup thorn for tho loss of time, &c, i" coming to tho review. Wo believe the concerts will bo a &reat treat to music-lovers. On Friday night Uio selections will be entirely of sacred music.