LOCAL & GENERAL.

Otago Witness, Issue 1827, 26 November 1886, Page 9

LOCAL & GENERAL.

Mr H. Clark met with a serious accident on Sunday while driviug to church. The buggy was overturned, and Mr Ciark was somewhat s-everely shaken. Mrs Clark and her daughters, who were also in tho trap, fortunately escaped unhurt. Mr Clark's ao'-ideut will in all probability result in the visit of the Land Board com* nvssioners to select a block of land for homestead settlement in the llankleburn district; being deferred for a week.

The following tenders were received for cen> tral block contract of the Sunnvside Asylum:— Accepted ; Peter Dey (Duuediu), £18,4*0. Declined: White and Clark (Dunedin j, £23.607; Greig and Hunter (Christchurch), 14,330; R. Smellie and W. Kuighley (Chri6tchurch>, £14.594 ; P. Carmichael and Son (Christcnurch), £15,026; W. Ahearn (Dunedin), £15,152; Robt. Martin (Dunediii). £15,445; Peter Hyndman (Ohri6tchurch), £15,751; Edmond and Martin 'Christchurch), £15,980; W. Taylor (Christchurch), £16,921; T. J. Gee (Cbristcburch) £17,137; C. and W. Gore (Dunedin), £17,323; Alex. Claphane (Christchurch), £17,567; R. Meikle (Dunedin), £18,348; W. Stephens- and Co. (Christchurch), £18,838.

A deputation from the Otago Protection League waited upon Sir Julius Vogel on Tuesday to request him to deliver an address while in Dunedin. Sir Julius agreed to address a public meeting, but remarked that he was not sure he could go the length oF the Protection League. Towards the close of tho interview Mr Neil (herbalist) huggested that if a protective duty were placed on patent medicines the makers oi them would estabhMi factories here and so increase the population. Mr Fraser remarked sotto voce that considering the nature of patent medicines generally, whatever their manufacture might do, their extent-ive consumption would very likely decrease the population. Sir Julius, in reply to Mr Neil, said that the virtue of patent medicines depended entirely upon the amount of faith possessed. The makers of those medicines, he observed, all pretended that they had some secret that no one else conld possibly discover ; and ho was not sure that duties would cause them to start manufactories here, but h© had no doubt whatever that if patent medicines were made here and advertised sufficiently, the people would be induocd to consume them. At the Palmerston R.M. Court on Tuesday, before Mr H. W. Robinson, R.M., Thomas Beadle was charged ou the information of Sergeant Conn with plaoing a neb across the Shag river within half a mile of its mouth. When canght by the sergeant the defendant said he was fishing for mullet. After hearing the evidence his Worship administered a warning to defendant and fined him in the sum of 40.5, the lowest penalty provided by the new regulations under which the information was laid. As it was the first case brought under tho regulations themagistrate was inclined to take a lenient view of tho case, the minimum penalty being fixed at £2 and the maximum at £50 under the act.

The recently-completed church at Matanra was on Sunday last dedioated by the Rev. Bishop Moran, when a large congregation, assembled to witness the ceremony. The church was dedicated to St. Lawrence, and is the fourth building erected in three years in the parish under Father Newpoit.

The new railway and postal arrangements made since the Government took over the Waimea Plains railway, are not finding favour at Queenstown, and at a public meeting held last week, it was resolved to ask that one day of the week be appointed for running through from Queenstown to Dunedin. Some of the speaker* thought the new arrangement was intended to force the traffic by way of Invercargill, although Dunedin was of far more importance to toe Lakes district.

For several days recently, a bird, said to be a native cuckoo, has been noticed in some quarters at Timaru. Its peculiar note and eccentric movements led to ifcs being watched, and it was found that it was visiting the sparrows' nests, and robbing them of, or rather destroying the eges. If this is a peculiarity of Ihe cuckoo (6ays the Lyttelton Times), it is a bird worth cultivating, especially if it could be induced to confine . its ravages to the eggs of gramdevouring birds. These birds are, however, now comparatively rare, except in the timbered back country.

We under&tand that at a raeetingof the Ofcago Dock Trust on Monday afternoon it was stated that the Loan Committee had appointed Mr William Elder, who has proceeded to England on private business, to float the loan while in London, and that the sum of £300 be paid to him out of the Dock Trust funds in advance, with the understanding that in the event of his mission being Miccebsful lie would receive a further sum of £200. Messrs Barnes and A. H. Ross, the Dunedin representatives present, protested strongly against the action that had been taken, and voted against the adoption of the commii tee's report, which was, however, carried by a majority of one, the voting being : For tho adoption of the report, Messrs B. G. Allen, Macandrew, and A. Thomson ; against, Messrs Barnes and Ross. It was reported that sales had been effected of a portion of the trust's endowments. The George street reserve had been sold at £400 per annum to Dr Drysdale, two acres of the Mussel Bay reserve had realised £100 per annum, and the reserve at Macandrew ro id £90 per annum. In answer to a member of the boa.'d, it was ascertained that no rent would be payable for the George street reserve until it had been reclaimed.

According to tho Mount Benger Mail, a brother of the girl Thompson, who was drowned by falling off the pnnt at Beaumont, met with a similar fate about two years ago at the same lace, r pas he missed his footing while going on to the punt. The body of. the girl has not yet been recovered. A small portion of the goods was takeu out of the river near Tuapeka month, a long distance from the scene of tho accident.

The body of a man who was working on Mr John Sutherlnnd's station, Tuapeka district, was found in the Clutha river ou Tuesday. The deceased, whose name we have been unable to ascertain, is believed to have been accidentally drowned.

A coran^odious omnibus, built at the establish* nient of Messrs Hordern. Brayshaw, and White, was inspected yesterday by a number of gentle* men. It is after the American pattern, and in every respect compares favourably with the im-poi-ted article. The body has graceful lines, and the painting anrl usna! decorations have bean artistically treated. The omnibus, which will accomodata 22 pa.-.simgers inside, wfll run between the city and Anderson's Eaj'.

Tha annual meeting of the National Fhre and JTiwpe IriEUKiaco Cowpapy wss h,dd on Una 17tn, arid was very nriraerotißly i%\mi&fr,

A dividend at the rate of 10 per cent, per annum was declared,, The meeting adopted the directors' report and re-elected the three retiring directors unanimously.

A l&rgfe number of master butchers of Dunedin and suburbs met on thel7thaudre-olved, in view of the high price at which cattle have been for Borne time, to rai»e the price of beef. It was resolved on the motion of Mr Donaldson to form a butchers' association, and a committee consisting of Messrs Donaldson, Randall, Mann, Cole, Wright, Rae, aud Pearce was appointed to take the preliminary steps.

At the annual meeting of the Otago Institute held on the 17th Mr F. R. Chapman was elected president for the ensuing year. The retiring l>rehidßUt (Professor Parker) gave an interesting address, in which ho touched upon a variety of subjects. He characterised as paltry the sum annually voted for the publication of the transactions of the New Zealand Institute, and spoke of several matters in which Government assistance is needed in the cause of science. One was the adequate protection of native birds. Some of the ferrets which had been rashly introduced to keep down the rabbits had been liberated on the western side of Lake Manapouri, where, he said, there are no rabbits, bub large numbers of flightless birds. What was wanted for developing our fisheries was a marine laboratory, presided over by a competent naturalist who had been trained for this particular work, and furnished with aquaria and breeding grounds, a small steamer for dredging, trawling, &c. Some locality in the neighbourhood of Wellington would, he thought, be a most suitable place for such an institution.

The following applications for patents are gazetted: — R. B. Wilson, of Wellington, for improved doorknobs, spindles, and fastenings ; R. Clark, of Dunedin, for a leaden nail-head; J. I. Adams, of Amberley, for an improved milk-strainer; J. Holmes, of Waitara, tor collision apron to stop breaks or aperture in the outside of ships' hulls ; G. Dixson, of Masterton, for a wire strainer ; H. Hay, of Melbourne, for improvements in draughting-races for stock ; J. J. R. Humes, of Camb;rwell, Surrey, for improvements in hidro-carbon engines; J. R M'Nttill, of Walhalla, Victoria, for improvements iv gold-saving mrchines ; J. Mitchell, of Auckland, for a milk and butter cooler; C. Redwood, of Riverland, Marlborougb, for an inveution for cure of blight on trees ; R. D. S. Galbraith, of Auckland, tor invention for roasting gold and silver ores; W. Andrews and A. W. Beaven. of Christchurch, for improvements in chaff baggers ; J. Wood, of Christchurch, for improvements in collars and harness, and for invention for fastening traces to tugs ; A. H. P. Noble, of Christchurch, for electric alarmbox; H. Hughes, of Wellington, for improvements in lubricators.

From the last report of the council of the Woolgrowers' Association of Australasia we learn that strong efforts had been made to open up trade with China, and inquiries were being made with the view of starting a blanket factory in Shanghai. luformatien obtained indicated that there was a good opening for starting factories in China in the immeiiate future. The cost of erecting a blanket factory and providing machinery was e&titnated at £5000, and it wao expected that a portion of the capital required would be got in China. As showing tbe trade done, it is stated that 35,000 pairs of- blankets were imported into Hongkong and 4369 iuto Shanghai in the year, while miscellaneous goods amounted to £785,631. Inquiries had also been made respecting the prospects of starting woollen factories in Japan. The result bad been of such a nature that the oouncil drafted a circular-of a proposed company with a nominal capital of £100,000 in £1 shares, the sum of £15,000 being all that was required to make a start. The Japanese are prepared to take 30 per cent, on tbe whole capital, and otherwise showed their firm belief in the proposed company as a commercial success. Tbe scheme of the council, however, had not met with a very hearty response, as only 2100 .shares bad been applied for, and the council express a strong hope " that this grand opportunity will not be allowed to lapse for want of a few thousand pounds being subscribed, as they consider that this is the first practical step for opening up trade with the teeming millions in Cnina in the future."

The. only other tender received for the Silver Peak bridges and masonry contract on the Otago- Central in addition to that of Messrs Watson and Cufhbert (£13,057), which was aocepted, was that of Messrs Black and Allison £22,435.

Our London correspondent writes as follows " Mr Hislop, jeweller, of Dunedin, has requested her Majesty's acceptance of two little presents which will remind her of New Zealand. One is a gold-mounted greenstone paper-knife, and the other a small gold-mounted scent bottle cut out of greenstone. The Queen, through her private secretary, expressed to Sir Julius yon Haast her admiration of the workmanship and her thanks to the donor."

At the City Police Court on Thursday a young man named Samuel Callqn was charged with having unlawfully delivered tobacco to a prisoner named James O'Connor at the Otago Heads on October 20. From the statement made by the gaoler it appeared that prisoners had been getting tobacco for the pant two or three months, and the gaol officials had been unable to discover how they obtained it. A letter was, however, fouud on Wednesday which led to the arrest of the accused, who then admitted the offence. While at the heads he had been employed as a stoker of an engine and had communication with O'Connor, who was engaged coupling and uncoupling waggons. In giving his decision in the case, Mr Carew said that the accused had made himself liable to a penalty of £20, or, at the option of the bench, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three months. Although this was the first offence it could not be treated lightly, ard the accused would be fined £5, in default 14 days' imprisonment. In addition to the above charge there was also another one preferred against the accused of conveying a letter out of the prison from a prisoner named Louis Thomson. The case was dismissed on the ground that the act provided that the offence must be contrary to the prison regulations, and the gaoler stated there was no regulation bearing on the matter.

The Staff Council of the Salvation Army in London have issued the following stringent order •' npon the subject of marriage regulations _:—": — " In future no sanction will be given to courting or any engagement of any male lieutenant. He mnst get promoted to the rank of captain before anything of the kind can be recognised. No captain is to expect headquarters' consent to his marriage, either after two years' service or more, unless he has proved himself an efficient and (successful officer and is backed by his divisional officer, who, in consenting to bis marriage, must agree to give him three stations. In future no marriage will be ij^vead to by headquarters unless we have con-

sented to the engagement at least 12 months before. The old rules remain in force that there must be at least 12 months' service in the field as a commissioned officer before any engagement cati be sanctioned. Communication with regard to engagements imibt be made to the divisional officers, who will refer the matter to headquarters."

The Education department some time since sent iutimation to the various education boards of the colony that the grants made out of the Parliamentary vote for school buildings were not to be applied to repair or paint old buildings. The restriction of the grants to the erection of new buildings has been found to be inconvenient, and the Wangauui Educatiun Board has made representation to that effect, and by circular letter has invited other boards to express their opinion upon the subject.- On receipt of this letter yesterday the Otago Board expressed concurrence in what the Wanganui Board had done, and comment was made upon the necessity for making some provision for keeping school buildings in repair.

An amusing story (says the Pall Mall Gazette) has been going the round of the French papers respecting a general whose recent duelling exploits have excited some amusement both in England and on the Continent. This worthy brave is said to be possessed of an extraordinary coat of mail. One day, so the story goes, General — — - sent for a clever artisan in Paris, and demanded of him whether he would engage to make a coat of mail, to be worn under the ordinary dress, which should be absolutely sword and bullet proof. The man promised to do as requested, naming 19,000fr as the price of it. The bargain was speedily concluded, and in due time the article was brought round to the general's house: The general took it up, carefully examined it, and, turning to the man, told him to put it on. The man did as he was bid. "As you guarantee tbe efficacy of your coat, you will have, I presume, no objection to my testing it," drily remarked the general, and before tbe astonished artisan could protest, he took a brace of pistols and discharged them. Half dead with fear the man stood . the fire, and to the great credit of his workmanship with completeimpunity.' But the general was not content with one trial. He fired a second pistol at the back of the man arH afterwards discharged a fowling piece at him with similar effect, or rather non-effect. He also tried in vain to pierce the coat with a sword. The gallant general was so delighted with his new garment that he handed the artisan two cheques for 19,000f, the first being the amount agreed on, and the second cheque in compensation for the fright he had given him.

About a fortnight ago a man named Walter Samuel Barnard was charged at the City Police Court with keeping an unregistered dog at Anderson's Bay , and the point was raised whether the accused, having registered his dog at Dune.din, was not also compelled to register it at Anderson's Bay. Mr Carew, R M., who occupied the bench, dismissed the case. The Peninsula Road Board were, however, not satisfied with the decision given, and instructed their clerk to write to Home of the suburban municipal bodies asking if they would be willing to bear a share of the cost of an appeal. The matter came before the Cavert>ham Council, but none of the councillors seemed to entertain the idea. Cr Bragg, however, said he thought the best thing that the board could do was to ask some of the local members of the House to get the act amended so that it might be definitely understood whether a man should register his dog at bis residence or place of business.

The correspondent of The Times describes tbe execution by the guillotine of two criminals in Paris on October 4. They were Joseph Frey and f Joseph Marie Pierce Riviere — one a mere boy and the other a young man, who last spring murdered- an old lodging-bouse keeper. The Abbe Colomb, vicar of Saint Sulp ; ce, besought Riviere to think of God and stek courage in prayer, and presented a crucifix, when he called out, " There is no longer a God ; leave me in peace." The great door of the prison was then opened, and the prisoner, a strong young man of 30, walked firmly towards the scaffold. At two steps from ifc the chaplain embraced Riviere, who pressed him against his breast. He also kissed the crucifix. Turning round, he called out in a loud voice, " You can tell Father Gravy that he too is a murderer." The executioner at these words sprang towards the condemned man and placed h!m on the guillotine, which quickly operated. When the magistrates entered Frey's room, five minutes, after their visit to Riviere, they found him sound asleep. The prison-keeper woke him. He got out of bed and dressed himself quietly, while listening to what was said to him. The Abbe Faure, who had visited him in prison, and had been well received by him, exhorted him to die as a Christian. He pushed back the abbe with a coarse gesture,"6aying, " Chaplain, leave me in peace. Do not speak to me of your Bon Dieu ; I have no need of him." Frey followed Riviere to the scaffold, at a distance of about 20ft behind. When Riviere was placed on the guillotine, the Abbe Faure threw himself before Frey to hide the scene, but the latter pushed him away with a rapid gesture of his two bound hands. He said : " Out of the way, abbe ; there is no need for you here." He looked quietly on. While he was being placed on the plank he cried out in a loud voice, " Good day to all." The knife fell, and the head and body rolled into the baskets which had received those of the other murderer. The double execution occupied five minutes.

Mr Justin M'Carthy, in the conrse of an interview at New York, said :— " Judging by the overwhelming defeat of Mr Parnell's moderate Land Bill. I think that the boon of Home Rule will come within two years, when we shall have a Parliament in Dublin. Then will follow the settlement of the land question by an Irish Parliament, when it is doubtful whether the landlords will obtain such favourable terms as Mr Gladstone offered."

On the 17th intt., at about 9 p.m., the residence of Mr Hansen, stationmnster at Gore, was discovered to be on fire. Mr and Mrs Hansen were absent at the time. The fire brigade turned out promptly and worked well, but there was not sufficient water available, and the fire had such a hold when discovered that very little of the furniture was saved. The furniture and effects were insured in the Australian Mercantile Union, now transferred to the Equitable, for £200. Mr Hansen is a heavy loser by the fire, which is supposed to have originated in a faulty chimney.

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On the arrival of General Kaulbars at Sofia, the whole of the Zankoff party in that city, number 40 persons, drove out to meet him in carriages chartered for the purpose by the Rusiian Agency. M. Zankoff and others grtettsd the general in speeches which were cut short by a steady downpour of rain. Among the speakers was a lady who welcomed the Ru>sian rep^entative in the name of the women of Bulgaria, assuring him that every Bulgarian was devoted to Kusiia "exce.pt those mi*creants the Regents and Ministers." General Kaulbara thanked the lady for her kind expressions, aud assured her that her words, " uttered as they were by a true Bulgarian woman, could not fail to carry weight" Unluckily for the general (says the correspondent of the Standard), this "true Bulgarian woman " happens to be a Russian lady born in the neighbourhood of St. Petersburg, and married to a Bulgarian engineer.

An extraordinary occurrence is reported to have happened at a sham fight which was held at Aldershot recently, when all the troops of the Aldershot command were engaged in the closing manoeuvres of the flying column. Owing to some negligence, or worse cause, towards the end of the engagement a certain quantity of ballcartridge was fired by one or two of the regiments. Fortunately, no casualties resulted.

One of the army of special correspondents engaged upon the Colonial and Indian Exhibition Bt»tes that among the chief attractions at the great show was the splendid collection of jewels and curios which formerly belonged to King Theebaw. After the annexation of Burmah these treasures, which were found at the palace at Mandalay, were transferred to London, and now form one of the latest Imperial trophies.

A well-attended meeting of officers and delegates from trades' unions was held on the 18th in the Coffee Palace to consider the Kaitaugata coal miners' dispute with the company. A lengthy and exhaustive statement of the facts of the case from the miners' point of view was made by the delegate appointed for that purpose, and the followiug refaolutions were carried : (1) " That the secretary be instructed to write to the chairman of directors of the Kaitangata Coal Company requesting that the matter in i lispute between the company and its employeb be referred to a board of conciliation, represented by two from each interest, and a chairman to be elected from outside by mutual agreement. (2) " That iv the event of the directors refusing to comply with the foregoing request we recommend all trades' unionists to refrain from purchasing Kaitangata coal until the dispute is settled, and that a mass meeting of trades' unionists be called at an early date to take measures to further this object."

The Lyttelton Times is responsible for tbe following account of an extraordinary prophetic dream. A lady iv Christchurch, a Mrs Walker, had, a few weeks ago, a dream, in which she saw an absent brother, to whom she was much attached, dying on a bed, round which were several men and a woman. Her brother's head was bound with white bandages, which appeared much blood stained. The room in which the -<cene occurred appeared to be a small one, and tudely furni.-hed. Next morning bhe told her hu-baud about the dream, and that she believed her brother must be serinusly ill or injured, for the dream had bad a depressing effect upuu her He, howe.ver, only pooh-poohed the notion. But rhis wet-k's Australian mail brought the news from Queensland that her brother was dead, from tbe effects of a cut on the head, caused by a fall down a well which he was assisting to sink. He was engaged on a sheep station in the interior of that colony. At his death, which occurred on the day following his fall, there^ were present his wife, a shepherd, an<l two other well linkers. The letter, in short, bore out the description of the dream accurately.

The forged bank notes which were put in circulation in Melbourne during the race time represented a very large sum of money, and bookmakers were extensively victimised on the Flemington course. They were neat pen and ink sketch notes for £10— exact copies of the bona fide paper at a casual glance, and the races offered a capital opportunity for their disposal.

What is either a terrible accident or a shocking suicide is reported by the Hokitika correspondent of a contemporary. At Rimu, a miner, named Samuel Warning, was found dead on a stretcher, the end of the hut at which tbe stretcher was placed havingbeen blown out with dynamite. The body was mutilated, the right hand blown off, and all the front portion of the head missing. There was blood about tbe bed aud hut. The body was dressed, except for the hat and coat. The deceased had been "on the *.pree " for a week. He was drinking till 2 a.m., when he talked about his knowledge of the use of dynamite. He used dynamite to work his claim, and always kept some of the explosive in his hut. An inquest was to be held.

One declaration of insolvency has been filed during the pa6t week, the debtor being Thomas Rhodes, of Waiwera, carpenter.

The Rev. Montagu Powell has sent his resignation of the incumbency of St. Matthew's to Bishop Nevill. He intends to leave for England aext February.

Many of onr readers (6ays an exchange) will probably be surprised to learn that in a peaceful, quiet country like Switzerland drunkenness has assumed such gigantic proportions that it was recently found necessary to appoint a commission to inquire into the state of the liquor traffic and devise means for reducing the consumption of intoxicating drinks. Three alternative schemes were submitted to the Federal Chambers, but no decibion has yet been arrived at. That reform in the drinking customs of the country is urgently needed is proved by the fact that during the last 30 years the consumption of spirits has increased 400 per cent., and this in spite of the Blue Cross Society of Geneva having reclaimed on an average WOO drunkards annually. Poverty, crime, and insanity bave increased in the same-proportion, so that all the various States in the Confederation have been compelled to enlarge their hospitals, prisons, and madhouses. Licenses are granted on payment of sums varying with the description of liquor sold. Six years ago — probably when the last census was taken — no less than 21,747 wineshops or drinking-places were licensed throughout the country — in other words, there was one tavern to every 30 inhabitants, which is about the proportion at the present time. The Sunday-closing arrangements vary in the different cantons ; bnt the taverns are generally clobed during the morning church service, and occasionally during the afternoon. The Sabbath, however, is almost disregarded by the working classes, who spend the day in gymnastics, shooting contests, dancing and drinking.

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The many friends of Mr G. G. Russell will be glad to hear that he is a passenger by the lonic, due at Auckland about thja middle of next month. He brings with him two staine 1-glass windows a present from himself to St. Paul's Church.

One of the mo^t prominent of the Irish Catho Ho .livines, Father Kavanagh of Dublin, has met with a tragic death, He was killed by the fall of a statue which stood above the altar of the church in which he was officiating. On being Btruck by the htatue he fell backward, his head striking a marble slab, inflicting a fearful wound that caused his death iv an hour. The melancholy event caused much excitement among the worshippers. The deceased was instrumental in effecting the settlement between the Duke of Leinster and his tenants, and was prominent figure in almost every Irish movement of importance. The Southland Times says that, although not yet much of a nuisance, there can be no doubt that the dreaded codlin moth has found its way into that district. The London correspondent of the Melbourne Age, writing under date September 17, says : — " The rejection by Russia of the French overtures for an alliance has been an unpleasing experience for the Government of the Republic, and there are many influential Frenchmen who begin to perceive that it was a mistake to break off friendly relations with England in the pursuit of a more ambitious, but risky, policy. Now that Germany and Russia have got over their differences, France is once more isolated, and is naturally looking out for an alliance somewhere. She must choose between Germany and England. There are great difficulties in both quarters. France has a standing grievance with England in regard to Egypt, and perhaps her procedure in the New Hebrides was designed as a set-off to the influence acquired by England on the Nile. On one point the British Government is resolved — not to allow France to resume hei old preponderance in the management of Egyptian affairs ; and here rests the difference that does not seem to admit of adjustment. England would be glad to withdraw her troops, but she will not relinquish the HXerci.se of the moral influence she has established on Egyptian soil. France and Germany may come to an agreement on this question, but the former dare not ami the latter will not make it an excuse for hostilities. It has been Prince Bismarck's aim formanyyearstopresuadeFrance to look out for revenge somewhere else than on the Rhine, and he has been quite successful in crippling her by foreign enterprises, but she oannot be altogether blind to the fact, and it will be strange indeed if she once more falls a victim to his blandishments. In regard to Egypt, Itlay and "England are in perfect accord, and the alliance would be stronger than any thai France can form."

The many friends of Mr Colin Allan will be pleased to bear of his return from the old country. Mr Allan was a passenger by the s.«. Arawa, which arrived at Port Chalmers yesterday. He appears in excellent health, and seems to have greatly enjoyed his trip Home.

The prize lißt in connection with the New Zealand University first professional examination for the M.B. degree is as follows:— G. Copland (with credit). W. T. Dermer, H. Barclay, and W. J. Mullin. Besides these Mr W. L. Christie has .passed his final examination for the same degree— a point that is noteworthy, seeing that he is the first medicnl student who has gone through the whole of his studies in New Zealand ; all students bave hitherto gone to the Home country to pass their final examination. The result of Mr Christie's most creditable career is a« follows : — First in practical biology, first prize senior anatomy, second prize mental philosophy, second-class in physiology, first-cla«s honours in pathology, materia medica, practice of medicine, surgery, midwifery and diseases of women, and medical jurisprudence. In addition to this record Dr Christie has had considerable practical experience in his profession, having for some months been in charge of the Dunedin Hospital as locum tenens. He has now obtained a professional opening in the Mosgiel district.

A terrible mining disaster is reported from Rhenish Prussia. In the Consolidation mine, near Schalke, in the district of Dortmund, an explosion of firedamp occurred at an hour when there were 420 miners in the pit. According to one of the men who was rescued, a stream of gas was suddenly noticed to be issuing from a fissure, and immediately afterwards came in contact with a lamp, whereupon a dark blue flame instantly seemed to fill the mine. This was followed directly afterwards by a terrible pressure of the air. The attempt to rescue the miners began about noon, and did not conclude till 11 o'clock at night. Forty-five men were brought to the pit's bank dead. Another man was so injured that he died on the way to the hospital, where 16 men, all suffering from dreadful injuries, are now lying. One or two of them have become insane. Half those killed in the mine perished through the explosion, the others by suffocation. Most of the dead leave behind them large families in a state of destitution. The explosion has quite destroyed - the galleries of the mine for a length of more than 3000 ft.

Paris has found a new sensation in a Turkish dwarf, 52 years of ,age and 23in in height, Abdurrahman by name, who was for 15 years the Court jester in the palace at Constantinople, from whence, on the death of Abdul-Aziz, who created him a pasha, he proceeded to Teheran and amused the Shah for three years. Abdurrahman wears the uniform of a Circassian general, has a long grizzled beard, a high forehead, and sparkling black eyes. He is remarkably intelligent, and speaks Turkish, Russian, and Persian with equal fluency.

Speaking of the decadence of Mr Gladstone, the Pall Mall Gazette says :—": — " There is no one who rallies more rapidly than the Liberal chief, and it may be, like a second Wycliffe, he may confound those who are gloating round what they believe to be his political bier. But the chances are heavily against h s m. He has failed, and is still failing. His excursion to the Bavarian highlands did not arrest the inroads which weariness and old age have made on a physical frame marvellous for its nervous energy and force. Mr Gladstone is no longer the man that he was, and those who know and love him best sorrowfully admit that his increasing years and the infirmities which they bring in their train render it impossible for us to see again that marvellous exhibition of strength, vigour, and endurance which enabled him once and again from the platform of Midlothian to sweep the enemy from the field. He is with us still, as Mr Bright is with us; but like Moses, he will henceforth remain on the heights, while Mr Morley,as Joshua, the son of Nun, contends with the children of Amalek in the valley. Never again will he go forth at tbe head of the Liberal boats conquering and to oonquer, inspiring more awe in the ranks of the enemy by hie presence alone than was escited by aUtfie embattled bo&te whom he

led into the field.. Such at least is the convio- - tion that has been deepened by the course of this session. His last speech was woefully nnstos&ar* of him ; it was almost a caricature o> his style, and di-played neither the courage, the vivacity, nor the skill which made him the Lancelot of our Table Round. There was ingenuity and special pleading, as tbe dregs remain alter the spirit evaporates. In the wordy warfare of the recess Mr Gladstone will take little part. His work id in the past. What that means, men cannot at present fully realise. It is a? if a volcano long in continual violent eruption had become extinct. Nor will any occasional outbursts in the future do more to remind men of ihe constant fiery force which was, and is not.

Sir Julius Vogel arrived in town by the express train from the North on Saturday night. He is staying at the Fern bill Club, and will probably remain in Dunedin for 10 days.

Thomas Hall, when conveyed from the Cain inquest at Timaru back to Christchurch, was handcuffed, and had for his travelling companion in the express a three-card-trick man named Thomas Williams, whohad beensentenced to six months in gaol. Hall looked as if his trip to Timaru had done him some good. Robert Stewart, Watkins' assistant, who sold some colchicum to Hall, arrived from Australia just a day late for the inquest, but it seems that^&h*i evidence he could have given' fa not of mucn importance.

A triple crime of a particularly ghastly character has been perpetrated at the Rue de Fan* bourg, St. Denis. A young mechauic, named Leon Driguet, aged 26, killed his stepfather and attempted to cut his mother's throat, and subsequently committed suicide. Leon Driguet was an affectionate and dutiful son to his mother, and had always been on friendly forms with her hubband, by whom he was adopted when he was quite an infant. On the Saturday afternoon in question he, became gloomy and prostrate, and asked his mother for a drink of milk, which she went out to fetch. Just then the stepfather, M. Pascal, was in the room making his bed. As soon as Mdme. Driguet bad her back turned Driguet rushed on his adopted parent, and after a very brief struggle brained him with a hammer. After this he tied a rope tight around the old man's neck to make sure of killing him. Without more ado the murderer went to meet his mother on the landing of the stairs. When she came up with a milk can in her hand he caught her by the hair and began sawing her neck off with a" fret saw. The unfortunate woman cried out to him, • Why do you kill me, Leon ? What have I done to you?" She saved her life by putting her hand behind her neck, but all her fingers were cut off. She, however, succeeded in wresting herself from the would-be matricide, and took refuge in a gunsmith's workshop on the storey above. Meanwhile neighbours rushed in from all sides, and were going to burst open the door of the lodging in which Leon Driguet had locked himself, when the assassin unexpectedly appeared at a window on the courtyard, and, after hesitating awhile, jumped down from a height of 45ft. He was found still alive, but in a frightful state The murderer died soon after, but his mother is yet alive. The following are the returns of the Dunedin Hospital for the past week :— Remaining from previous week ... ... 122 Admitted curi 1 g the week - ... ■ ... 14 Dischar.en" during the week ... ... 15 _ Deaths (Mary Lambert, David M'Donald, . hobert Cook, and Ueorge Westford) ... 4 Total remaining ... ... ... 117 At the Port Chalmers Police Court^ju^, Saturday 1 st, Jame* Clint was summone<r for neglecting to provide for his wife Mary Clint. — The defendant, who is working as a labourer at Doep Stream, did not appear, and from the evidence of the constable who served the summons it appeared the man's earnings - during the month of October only amounted to £5 5s. — In answer to the bench, plaintiff admitted receiving 21s from defendant hince the .summons was served. — His Worship ordered that defendant should pay 15$ weekly, the first payment- to be made on November 27. Our Arrow correspondent writes on Monday last: — "To-day about noon the wife of Mr R Pritchard, merchant, of this town, died after a lingering illness, which from the first left little hope of a recovery. The deceased lady was advanced in life, and died of hepatitis and paralysis. Mrs Pritchard was the mother of the first child born in this district, and was highly respected. Much sympathy is felt for Mr Pritchard, whose bereavement is a severe one. The high winds which prevailed in the southern districts of Otago last week did a large amount of damage to fruit gardens, and many farmers who bad devoted some attention to fruit culture find that their labour has been in vain. The wind also injured the wheat crop to some extent, and in some cases where the ground had been rolled the soil was stripped off and carried away in clouds of dust. Rain is wanted to give the crops a good start after the withering influence of the high winds on both crops and grasi.

A rumour has been current in the Winton district recently (says the Southland Times) to the effect that a man with scant and tattered raiment is living in the bush in a barbaric statesustaining life on vegetation, bolting into the deep recesses of the forest and scrub at tbe approach of anyone, and generally conducting him* self in the most approved ' " Wild man o' the woods" style. The police, however, have thoroughly searched the bush, and have found no trace of such of an individual. s^^

At an inquest held in Sydney on the body of Samuel Williams the evidence showed that deceased had drunk two and a-half quarts out of four quarts of beer, which he undertook to drink for a wager. Afterwards he had more liquor, and died. A verdict was returned that death

was the result of suffocation from exceeehl^ drinking.

The resolution passed at the Fire Brigades' Conference at Napier to make a collection for Mr George King, formerly captain of the Knmara brigade and who was rendered blind through in* juries received at a fire, led to the sum of lOOgg being subscribed throughout the colony. This was sent to Mr King, who is residing at Rich" mond, near Melbourne, and it has enabled him to pay off a mortgage on the house he was living in and make it his own property. Advicb to Mothbbs I— Are you broken In your rest by a sick child suffering with the pain of cutting ' teeth ? Go at once to a chemist and get a bottle of Mrs Winslow's Soothing Sybcp.' it will relieve the poor sufferer immediately. It is perfectly bansless and pleasant to the taste ; it produces natural quiet sleep, by relieving the child from pain ; and the little cherub awakes "as bright as a button." It soothes the child, it softens the gtims, allays all [jsin, relieves wind regulates the bowels, and is the \t>est known remedy for dysentery and diarrhoea whether arising from teething or other cauiea. Mns Winslow'B Soothikg Sykup ts told by modi-olne-deater« everywhere at 19 }{4 per pbttfov Advel]

A recent visitor to the Hot Lakes, writing to the New Zealand Times, states that, viewed from the mountain, the place where the White and Piuk Terraces formerly stood at Lake Rotoniahana seem now to be large steam and mud holes. The levels of the new lakes are all far btflow that of Tarawera. Perhaps as the rainfall accumulates theSe will rise to the level of Tarawera, and form a long narrow lake, occupying the great volcanic rife ; while steam holes, hot springs, and geysers will form along the bides and furnish new terraces and new wonders for future generations to admire. The old Rotomahana and its terraces and mud holes, its geysers and opal waters, kouras, canoes, creeks, bush, ferns, and all its wonders are blown into space.

Mr H. H. Hayter, the Government statist, hi his latest quarterly abstract, estimates the population of the colony of Victoria on the 30th September at 1,020,502.

Lord Randolph Churchill, speaking at Dartford, besides dwelling on foreign affairs, as has been already cabled, sketched out the home policy of the Government. He began by declaring that the guiding and cardinal principle of its policy both at home and abroad rested on the maintenance of the union between the Conservatives and the Unionist Liberals. On the maintenance of that union depended almost the "tuture of England, and the Conservative party would adapt their policy thereto. Lord Randolph showed .the absolute necessity for increasing the power of the cloture in Parliament, and he sketched a legislative programme, including a measure for local government, a bill for facilitating the granting of allotments to agricultural labourers, and a bill for the 6ale of glebe lands, which he said tended towards the abolition of tithes. He also indicated further reforms ia the Irish land laws in the direction of creating peasant proprietaries on an extensive ?cale. He expressed the conviction that Mr ParneU's agitation would fail, and that the winter would pass off genially unless there was a wholesale strike against rents, • in which case the Government were resolved at all costs to uphold the law. He further expressed the belief that a genuine revival of trade in Great Britain had sec in. Lord Randolph Churchill's speech has produoed a great impression, both at home and abroad. The English press regard his utterances on foreign affairs as a dexterous compromise between dangerous plain-speaking and vague generality. His legislative programme has proyoked from the Liberal party a charge of stealing their policy, while some muttering is heard in the Conservative press at his Radical tendencies. On the whole, however, the speech is generally extolled.

London is shortly to be honoured with the visit of a really black prince, blacker than Cetewayo. His name is most euphonious, such as Theodore Hook himsolf would have delighted in — Diaoulok Karamokoko. He is the son of the grent Senegalese Emperor Samory. His age is but 19, and his tastes towards European ladies are .said to be barbaric. His stay in Paris, where he was the admired of all admirers, who were legion, may account for this. He takes a .most intelligent interest, it is said, in all he sees, and his observations prove him to be possessed of good mental qualities. His manners are gentle and affable. He wears the national costume, consisting of loose pantaloons, a silken vest, and a cloak of rich velvet, purple in hue. A sort of silver tissue smoking cap forms his head-dress. Like the late King Cetewayo, NEHaoulok Karamokoko keeps a diary. An enterprising Pirihian editor has seen this naturally remarkable production, and it is rumoured has even obtained permission from this affable prince to publish extracts from it.

A fire which broke out in the Temuka Linseed and Fibre Spinning Company's factory on Saturday did damage estimated at £300. There was no insurance, owing to the high premium which was asked by the insurance companies.

According to a London cablegram in the Melbourne Age British manufacturers are dismayed at the progress made by the colonies in an industrial sense, and fearing that a permanent exhibition of colonial manufactures and products may seriously affect their trade, now insist that British exhibits shall be accepted and placed on view in the Imperial Jubilee Institute.