A correspondent sends the following:—

Otago Witness, Issue 1824, 5 November 1886, Page 22

A correspondent sends the following : —

Professional men are generally touchy and thin skinned. Medical men are particularly so. The doctors of Cbristchurcb. are very much exercised over the unpleasant duty that the Hall case shows a doctor may occasionally have to undertake— swear an information against competitors with them in administering drugs to their patients. They are indignant that a medical man should have to lower his dignity to swear an information, or, in other words, exercise his rights, privileges, and duties as a citizen. Queer idea of lowering dignity — to act as a citizen. But the queerest part of the whole affair is that when the humours of the doctors " of the City of the Plains" are out of order exacerbation breaks out in Wellington. The symptoms manifest themselves there. And so tho evening dailies have been in a fevered condition for days over the laches of the police, who are soundly rated for not taking up the case immediately if not sooner — which they did. The Stewart v. Roydhouse case should have acted as a warning. A wise editor in Wellington should be. very chary over unqualified acceptance of medical facts (?) from Canterbury. His motto should be T'uneo medicos et dicta ferentes. Mr Gladstone in his time must assuredly have been the victim of much verse — mostly bad. It has been said that eels "get used" to being skinned, and so the G.0.M., having become resigned to his fate, repays his rhyming admirers by sending them autograph post-cards, of which cheap and useful vehicles of communication he keeps a large stock ready written. Mr John Corrigan, of Invercargill, will in due course become the happy possessor of the late Premier's thanks, in return for value received in the shape of some 54 lines — in very varied metre — entitled "A Few Lines on the Rt. Hon. W. E. Gladstone." Like Burns, Mr Corrigan (Author as he subscribes himself, to prevent any mistake) serves the State, not as guager, but as prison warder in the Southern town. In his official capacity no doubt he is a stickler for order and regularity, but when he lays down the key and takes up the pen, " his soaring soul " mocks at the paltry fetters of grammar and spurns the "base mechanic arts" of rhyme and prosody. Our author's nationality is suggested by his patronymic, but any doubt in the matter is set at rest in the opening couplet, where he makes, or rather fails to make,"peaco"rhymewith "grace." "Mr Squeers was no grammarian," and many lines might be quoted to prove our author's resemblance in this point to the Yorkshire schoolmaster, but one will suffice — " Thou blew thy tranquil breath, aud ebbed death's advancing tide." It is a far cry from Shakespeare to Mr Oorrigan, but I regret to say that in the use of the pun Mr Corrigan is no better than the Bard of Avon, whose sins in this respect are outrageous. Mr C. however, considerately puts in a hyphen, so that the point need be missed by no one — Thus left a glad-stone step at cot and palace door, And took from them the warlike fire which covers

men with gore. A fire of this description must have been a nuisance. As surely as Mr Dick's memorial always contained the head of Charles I, so surely is no poem by an Irishman ever finished without "Erin's wrongs," but our author's futile attempt to make "church" rhyme with " much " savours more of " another injustice" to the English language than anything else. In bidding a long and I hope last farewell to the bard of Invercargill, I cannot do better than use the words of the patriotic Scot at the London representation of " Sophonisba" : " Where's your Wuilie Shakespeare noo ?"

Mr Ruskin recently favoured a London weekly with his views on the education of small children. " Broadly speaking," he says, " wellbred children learn through every bit of their bodies, by their eyes, their ears, their lips, their tongues ; — and their Skins, first of all, in having I the said bodies daily washed with pure water — and thrashed — delicately — on due occasion." Sound doctrine this, the latter part of it — about the washing and the thrashiag — especially. Education of children through their Skins (with Mr Ruskin's capital S for emphasis) is perhaps somewhat neglected in this colony. There is probably still some thrashing done in our public schools, but is there not also a good deal of scratchiny? What is this we hear about the — well, the pruric/o or scabies, in the public. Hchool at Port Chalmers ? One would fain disbelieve, but the story is circumstantial, and it is only too obvious that in free schools there may be children who are imperfectly acquainted with the virtues of soap and water. Then why not apply the Ruskiuian doctrine in its other branch? Education through the skin is by. .washing, and thrajjhing. Tho, Jeep of ..fche. £uje, thje nAire of the other ! In dfyy public doiroal

class-room the first point of dicipline should be — " Wash or be thrashed."

At the Resident Magistrate's Courton Wednesday, Mr E. H. Carew in dismissing a judgment summons case, said it was a pity there was not a law in force here as in other countries, bo that a person might be held liable for imprisonment who purchased goods without any prospect of being able to pay for them.

At the meeting of the Land Board on Wednesday it was resolved on the motion of Mr J. C. Brown that members of the board should visit Rankleburn on the 26th inst. for the purpose of meeting a deputation of settlers, hearing their views on tho subject, and examining the country with a view to classifying the land under the various systems of settlement.

The following items are from the long-lost relations column of Lloyd's Weekly of September 10 : — Walter John Osborn left England in 1878, on board the ship Auckland, bound for New Zealand. When last heard of by his anxious mother, in July 1884 was at Dunedin, Otago. Alfred Ham Oslat sailed from London in the barque Dunedin, for Dunedin, New Zealand, in April 1857. When last heard of, about 16 years ago, was with others turning a river in New Zealand. His aged and widowed mother longs for tidings of him.

A motion has been carried in the Tasmanian Legislative Council to the effect that the Government be instructed to enter into reciprocity treaties with Queensland, New South Wales, and South Australia. During the discussion a suggestion was made that the colonies should unite to boycott Victoria, as she was utterly selfish in her policy.

The Arawata, from Fiji, brings news that volcanic disturbances at Niua Foou, Tonga, had subsided, but a new volcanic island recently formed there was in an active state of eruption.

The riot which took place at Miss Edith O'Gorman's lectures at Li^more, New South Wales, began by a body of men in the hall groaning and throwing rotten eggs and stones on the stage. Ladies and others got out through the windows the best way they could. Excitement waxing warm between the Catholics and the ©rangemen, both parties resorted to such weapons as chairs, stockwhips, &«., and a free fighttookplace.severalpersonsonbothsides being much injured. During the scene. Miss O'Gorman and party escaped. The Catholic party then took possession of the hall and made a few speeches, and the-excitement subsided about 11 o'clock at night. Some of the police were present, but too few in number to preserve order; and it is stated that if the Orangemen had stood their ground the consequences might have been serious. The ball tho next morning presented a strange scene of confusion. The stage was full of stones, sticks, broken chairs, floor benches, &c., and it was covered with blood. A fight took place in town during the morning, and the Orange party threatened to have the lecture repeated. '"Two miners, named George Woods and W. Fraeer, were brought to Cooktown (Queensland) from Stewart river. They were blown up at the Coen silver mines by the accidental ignition of a blast. They were burned fearfnlly about the faces, and have lost the sight of their left eyes. The accident was caused by hammering with a copper rammer, which was jambed by the fuse into the powder. The men were tended by a Chinese gardener, otherwise they would have died.

The Wellington Post thinks it is very probable that one result of the Indian and Colonial Exhibition will be to deprive the Canterbury Museum of its accomplished curator, and the colony of one of its leading scientific men.

The Wellington correspondent of the Lyttelton Times states with regard to the wreck of the steamer Tui that the women had a comfortless time in the boat, for they were hatless and bootless, and not otherwise properly clad. The cold blast chilled them to the marrow, but they bore their discomfort as only women can in the hour of danger. Some of the passengers and crew left ,tneir money behind them. There is often an element of comedy even in the midst of that which partakes of tragedy. The person who has been mentioned as the exception lost nothing but a couple of paper collars. He travelled lightly, and only had a small bag and an umbrella in addition to the clothes upon his back. As soon as he saw there was a necessity for making to the boats he got up his bag and umbrella, put on his white chimney-pot hat, and when he ultimately slipped on to the beach he carried his gingham under his arm. and with his faultless get-up, including patent leather boots, looked as if he had just come out of a band-box. He expressed regret that he had left his collars and umbrella cover on the steamer. He did not even get wet. All the passengers aud crew landed at the pilot station in safety, and were as a matter of course, hospitably treated by the occupants, and af? half-past 7 o'clock this morning they had the gratification of reaching the city from which they had sailed seven hours previously. The owners lose £3500 by the wreck.

Quite an amusing scene was witnessed in Vulcan lane (says the Auckland Bell) through the frantic efforts made by a bailiff of the R.M. Court to seize a handcart for debt. It appears that the bailiff, who was evidently a new hand, was entrusted with the execution of the warrant, but anticipating some difficulty he enticed the owner of the handcart as far as Vulcan lane with the promise of a job. The bailiff thought this a fitting opportunity to execute his purpose, and he accordingly made known his mission and attempted to seize the cart, which the owner resisted by main force, and there was soon a battle royal in full swing, which attracted a large crowd, completely blooking up Vulcan lane. A constable soon afterwards appeared upon the scene, but he considered it was not his duty to interfere, and allowed the struggle to continue, which speedily ended in a victory for the handcart man, who wheeled off his cart amid the plaudits of the assemblage.

Mr Thomas Whitaker (says the Southland Times) has received a letter from Mr H. Hubber, and dated Big Bay, October 19. The following are extracts from the letter : — ♦• The most of the men are getting a little gold. The thought of clearing out has never entered our party's heads. The old miners are in good hopes of a payable goldfield in this locality." This party also ask Mr Whitaker to send round a supply of stores. We are informed that all the association's men are hard at work, and that none of them have left the locality.

We have to acknowledge receipt of Dodds' Otago Brad'hawfor November.

Owing to the norj-irrival nf the Jaoper, the rale of her cars > of sugar by Mr Montagu Pym has been postponed f Jll Monday. Mr L. Martpan wfll sqll in December a •portion of 'teStojJjglfif -fi^te at "Wyndhifan, cut up info BiuvapttP-BKCa farms.

Mr Thomas M'Cracken will sell at Oromwell, on the 20th inst., Messrs Horn and Anderson's bakery, butchery, and grocer's business at Quartzville; also, an agricultural lease of 130 acres.

Messrs Nolan, Tonks, and Co., Hawera, have a farm at Waimate Plains, North Island, for sale.

Mr James Lambert, Kaikorai Valley, undertake* wool-sorting and scouring.

Mr John Dwyer, formerly with Messrs Keast and M'Carthy, has taken the Grange Hotel.

Mr Donald Stronach has for private sale Mr John Butemenfs Glenorchy flock of merino sheep (rams excepted). The sheep are the progeny of Mr G. L. Sise's merino rams.

Mr Montagu Pymwill sell the land lately occupied by Mr John Creighton, in the Kyeburn district, on thr 18th inst.

The address of Wm. Arthur, jun., is inquired for.

Mr F. H. White, late of Winton, has taken the Newmarket Hotel.

The " Illustrated New Zealand News" for Octooer gives some well-executed vii -ws of New Zealand and Victorian scenery, and is filly equal to former numbers.

We have received the prize schedule of the forthcoming show of the Waimate Agricultural and Pastoral Association. The date of the show, as will be seen from our fixtures this week, has b«en altered this year to the 16th November.

Messrs Donald Beid and Oo.'s Farmer's Circular for 1886-7 is just to hand. This is the sixth year of the publication of the circular, to ■which additional features have been added from year to year, until in the present year 56 pages of useful information are presented gratis to the firm's clients.

Sufferers from tough and Bronchitis should immediately take Bowingto >'b " Carrageen or Irian Moss ; " it is most comforting in allaying irritation ot t tie bronchial tubes. Try it.— [Apvt.] ' t