LOCAL & GENERAL.

Otago Witness, Issue 1905, 14 August 1890, Page 16

LOCAL & GENERAL.

Jamea Dredge, a carpenter, died very suddenly ; of heart disease at Ravensbourne on the 6bh inst. He had been working all day, and left off as usual to go home at 5 o'clock. __ At about 7 o'clock he was seized with violent pains in the Btomach aud the region of the heart. Dr Teevan was at once sent for, and although he did all he could for the sufferer, deceased gradually sank, and died a little after 10 o'clock. Deceased had complained to one or two persons during the day that he did not feel very well, but nothing serious was thought of this at the time. He was 42 years of age. An old man named William Robertson, residing iii Union street, was found dead in bed at 9 o'clock on Thursday morning. The deceased, who was 71 years of age and unmarried, occupied a cottage close to Mr Wright's, the baker, and was last seen alive on the previous afternoon. Deceased was a native of Fifeshire, Scotland, and had been in the colony 27 years, He was supposed to have had Borne means, and had not worked for the last two years. The jury returned a verdict to the effect that death resulted from natural causes. A memoir was recently presented to the French Academy of Sciences concerning the efforts being made by a skilful mechanician who, in view of the frightful results of the scientific ingenuity that is inventing smokeless and soundless powder, to be fired from guns provided with new shot, producing horribly painful and ab» solutely incurable wounds, is busy inventing a new material from which he expects to produce impermeable coats of mail, impermeable to shot, sabre thrust, &c, elastic, light, and cheap enough to permit of being furnished to every soldier. A lady in Dunedin has most liberally offered to support a Bible woman to work in the city under the auspices of the Y.W.C. Association. We need hardly add that this offer has been accepted. Major Goring, who has had charge of the Permanent Artillery in Dunedin for some years past, will leave for Auckland in about 10 day?, as it is considered advisable to have the senior officer stationed there. Captain Morrison, of Auckland, succeeds Major Goring. Mrs Watson, of Maclaggan street, and Miss Wilkie met with an accident on Friday afternoon while out driving, their escape from serious injury being almost miraculous. The horse attached to the buggy took fright and bolted down Maclaggan street, until checked by a telegraph post at the corner of Clarke street, agaiust which the buggy was dashed and almost completely wrecked. Miss Wilkie and Mrs Watson aud her child were thrown out, bnt escaped with a severa shook and a few scratches. The Royal Commission to inquire into the sanitary condition of the Duaedin Hospital, and the charges made by Dr Batchelor, will be opened this week. We understand that the members of the commission are Sir James Heotor, Mr E. H. Carew, R.M., and Dr Drysdale. Mr F. R. Chapman will represent the trustees, and Mr S. Solomon Dr Batchelor. A lunatic named Henry Manson, who escaped from Seaoliff Asylum on the 2nd inst,, was captured in King street on Sunday afternoon. He is not a dangerous oharaoter, and during his brief esoapade caused no trouble to anyone. A serious and what ultimately proved fatal fire occurred on the night of the sth inst at Taieri Beach, by which a house belonging to an old settler, named Alexander Merrilees, was totally destroyed, with its contents, and we re* gret to say that Mr Merrilees wis so severely burned that he subsequently succumbep to his injuries. A son of Mr Merrilees was sleeping in an attic room, and had made his escape from the burning house, but -bis father being unaware of this, re-entered the building to try and save him, and was unable to get out again before the flames had severely burned him, though the sou in turn actually followed his father into the burning building as far as be could calling out to him. Mr Merrilees bad, however, rushed up the burning staircase, and had to make his esoape by jumping out of one of the top windows. He. was taken to the residence of his daughter at Taieri Beach, and received medical attendance, but he failed to rally, dying on Thursday. The deceased was an old colonist, and one of the oldest residents of the Taieri Beach district, where he was held in universal esteem. He leaves a widow and family, some of whom are grown up. The house was burned to the ground, and nothing was saved, the family barely escaping with their lives ; but as Mr Merrilees owned a small farm, the family are not unprovided for. The insurance on the house was £140 in the Norwich Union office. It is understood that Sir James Heotor will, in his capacity as Chancellor of the New Zealand University, preside at this year's "capping" ceremony in connection with the University of Obago. The Tuapeka Times reports that David Armstrong, a shepherd on Ormaglade station, Miller's Flat, had a rather trying experience. While out in the back country after sheep he dismounted from his horse to examine a gully, when he slipped and rolled to the bottom, breaking his leg just below the kuee. As he did not return that evening, Mr M'Donald, the manager, set out in search the next morning, aud guided by the barking of the shepherd's dogs, he discovered Armstrong lying at the bottom of the gully, helpless and almost unconscious from long exposure ; but still attended by his faithful dogs. Indeed, had it not been for the fidelity with which his dogs stood by him, and the distressful signals they sent up out of the lonely gully, the chances are the unfortunate man would have succumbed to exhaustion before his whereabouts were discovered. The wonder is that he was found alive after lying helpless, without even his coat on, for 24 hours at the bottom of a wet gully, in weather almost cold enough to freeze one'? blood, Armstrong is at present in the Lawrence Hospital. Farmers in the Western district (according to the Southland Times) are complaining bitterly of the swamp turkey, or pukaki. Since they have been protected under the game laws they have increased greatly and are said to have become very destructive, not so much by what they eat as what they waste. One farmer states that last season they bad so tangled and trodden down about three acres of oats adjacent to their haunt — a neighbouring swamp — that he smashed his reaper in trying to cut the crop, and had to relinquish the effort. It is also said they will destroy a stack in a wonderfully Bhort space of time by pulling it to pieces straw by straw. The formal legal arrangements connected with the settlement of the estate of the late Mr Samuel Morley (says a Home paper) are not yet complete, but it is stated upon what appears to be excellent authority that its total value will be nearer seven than five millions of money. This estimate is largely in excess of what had been expected; and the delay in arriving at a result is attributable to the variety and extent of the investments which had been made, and which have proved to be of

the enormous value already indicated. There have been few larger fortunes made in business of late years, and, it may be added, few more wisely and generously used. The results of the Spanish census of 1887 are now being made known. The total population was 17,550,216, or an increase of 951,901 since the census of 1877, or 0*54 per cent, per annum. Between 1860 and 1877 the annual increase was only 0*35 per cent., and the greater increase in the last decade is attributed not only to the absence of political turmoil, but also the better hygienic conditions of the larger towns. The increase in population was lowest in those provinces which are poor and ill-provided with communication, such as Soria, Teruel, and ! Almeria, while it was greatest in Huelva and Biscava. Mr R. N. Adams gave the members and friends of the Ravensbourne Band of Hope a treat in the shape of a magic lantern entertainment in the Congregational Church at that place on Friday night. The building was packed, and all appeared to enjoy the entertainment thoroughly. The views, which were well shown, were illustrative of the fairy tale of " Cinderella," the gfeat pyramid, the temples of Egypt, scenes in the Holy* Land, and historical scenes in Europe, England, and Scotland, while a number of views with striking mechanical effects were included in the list. The Auckland Board of Education at its meeting last week passed the following resolution in response to the demands of a convention of school committees that teachers should not be removed before consultation with the committee and teachers :— " The board has always consulted the committee before the removal of teachers, and has at all times regretted when the exigencies of the educational district prevented them from giving effect to the wishes of the committees. The board cannot give effect to the recommendation of the chairman respecting the consultation of teachers before their removal. The success of our educatien system largely depends upon the appointment of our teachers to the positions they are best qualified to fill, and the board must consider the interests of education in preference to the inclinations or conveniences of the teachers. Of course the chairmen of committees are aware that it would be impossible to consult committees respecting the removal of pupil teachers." A fancy dress skating carnival was held in the Green Island rink on Friday evening, when there was a good attendance. The floor was occupied by a large number of people, who indulged in the favourite pastime till about 9.30 p.m., when the grand march was performed, led by Miss Campbell and Mr M'Mullan. The dres&es of several of the ladies and gentlemen were very good, and some of them were very costly. The march occupied about 15 minutes, and the pretty and tortuous movements of the skaters evoked rounds of applause from the audience. The Green Island Band, under the leadership of Mr Buchanan, supplied some excellent music during the evening. A dance was afterwards held. Mr H. B. Black, formerly of Dunedin and now in Melbourne, has kept the Victoria Park in remembrance, having forwarded to the care of Mr William Henderson two well grown oaks— one specimen each of Querous lositanioa and Q. serratifolia. They will receive special care and be planted in a well sheltered locality, where it is to be hoped they will become ornaments to the neighbourhood. Within the last few days a large number of trees have been planted, consisting of Abies menziesii, A. alba and A. excelss, Cedrus atlantica, Pinus insignia, larch, Turkey oaks, silver birch, elms, limes, oriental and occidental planes,' service trees, double flowering thorns, and liquidambar. The last named is a North American tree, resembling a sycamore in the leaf. The foliage is very fragrant when opening in spring, and also after a shower of rain. The autumnal appearance of the tree is extremely beautiful, the leaves withering from orange to deep purple. Influence is being brought to bear on Auckland members (telegraphs our correspondent) to have Mr S. Vaile invited to Wellington to give evidence on the railway stage system, and to be heard at the bar of the House of Representatives. To the question, "What are French wines made of?" the St. James Budget supplies the following answer : — " Last year France produced 23,000,000 hectolitres of wine, and herself consumed 45,000,000 hectolitres, to say nothing of the exportation. How, then, was the rest of the ' wine ' produced P Clearly it was artificially produced somehow. But how? From Levantine rasins, some say. But the latest statistics show that less than 2,000,000 heotolitres were made in one year from dried grapes. It may, therefore, not unfairly be supposed that the 50,000,000 or 60,000,000 hectolitres which remain to be provided are made from even more illegitimate materials. It is notorious that good French wine is not to be obtained in France. The juice of the grape is sent abroad, while the juice of other things — old boots for aught we know — is sold to the Frenchman, who prides himself upon recognising a good glass of wine when he tastes it. Across the channel this matter of dried grapes has beoome quite serious. M. Tirard's Cabinet went out on it three months ago, and the present Government is proposing to adopt a little more protection by striking wine made from frozen grapeß with a duty of Sf per hectolitre." There is an old man named George Coysh, a native of Plymouth, Devon, in the Wellington Hospital, who has served in the British forces under two Kings and one Queen. He joined the Royal Marines during the reign of King George IV. He was at Lisbon at the time Donna Maria was placed on the throne of Portugal, and when King William IV was crowned King of England ; and he also served under Queen Victoria for a period of 16 years and three months in England and New Zealand, coming here with the 65th Regiment in 1846. The old man, who is totally blind, has a pension of 6d per day only. | He has been an inmate of the hospital for a period of 12 years and seven months. He is now 80 years and six months old, and is quite hearty for his age. The disgraceful conduot of a number of boys who indulged in a " sod fight " in Walker street on Sunday afternoon was the cause of much disturbance in the neighbourhood. They numbered fully half a hundred, and were not content with hurling large tufts of grass at each other, but even went so far as to throw lumps of clay and stones. Several Chinamen who had occasion to pass them were very roughly treated, and many of the habitations of the Celestials were struck with stones, but no damage was done. Sergeant Geerin came on the urchins very smartly, and, recognising several of them, it is likely that more will be heard of the affair and an example made of the chief offenders. A large and iafluential meeting was held at Greymouth on Monday night, for the purpose of discussing the Midland Company's proposed railway deviation, and passed resolutions as follows :— "(1) That the deviation of line from the western to the eastern side of Lake Brunner would be of consider-

able advantage to the .whole of the Westl 1 Coast, as it will open a large extent of country containing valuable land with an easy 1 grade. (2) That as the portions of the line now in course of construction are drawing to an early completion, and if the deviation is granted the company are prepared to let large contracts immediately, providing for labour now in the district, it is considered important that no delay should occur in the settlement of the question. (3) That in view of the large interests involved this meeting most respectfully and strongly urges on the Government the absolute necessity for taking prompt action, and granting the company the required concession. (4) That a committee be appointed to prepare a petition and obtain signatures embodyingthe views in the foregoing resolutions." The meeting was exceptionally unanimous. Messrs Whitcombe and Tombs have declined to submit to arbitration the questions ill dispute between the company and the Maritime Counoil. His Honor Mr Justice Williams was occupied for a considerable time on Tuesday in hearing argument in Chambers on the points of law arising out of the case of Carnoross and another v. Hamilton. The plaintiffs are Walter Charles Frederick Carncross and Alexander Barron, both of , Mosgiel, and the defendant is Adam Hamilton of! Strath Taieri. The action is one to compel specific performance of an agreement to purchase a farm at Mosgiel or to recover damages for breach of agreement. Mr Finch appeared for the plaintiffs, and Mr J. Macgregor on behalf of the defendant. The facts being admitted, a special case was stated under rule 241 of the Supreme Court Act for the opinion of the court. The question to be decided was, whether the documents set forth in the case constituted a memorandum of contract sufficient to satisfy the requirements of the Statute of Frauds, so as to admit of parole evidence of the identity of the property — on the opinion of the court being given, judgment to be entered up.in accordance with an agreement between the parties. A large number of authori ties bearing upon the points involved were cited by learned counsel, after which his Honor reserved his judgment. A meeting of the Otago Institute was held in the lecture room at the museum on Tuesday night and was fairly attended. Dr Belcher occupied the chair. Dr Salmond read a paper ou " David Hume: the Man and the Philosopher." The first part of the paper was occupind with an analysis of Hume's character, and the second with an account of the fundamental principles of his philosophy. After stating Hume's system of philosophy, Dr Salmond asked what did Hume mean in his philosophy and at what did he aim ?— a question he proceeded to answer by saying that Hume meant to reduce the reigning conceptions of his time ad absurdum, in order to startle the half-dreaming intellect of man to some vigorous action and to ttive a fresh and full statement to the enigma which it was the task of philosophy to read. The paper was received with evident manifestations of approval. Mr Courtney, of Taranaki, arrived by the R.M.S. Kaikoura, bringing with him a contingent of colonists for Taranaki, made up, he informs our representative, as follows; — 1 gentleman of independent means, 1 boot manufacturer with wife and 8 children, 3 lady housekeepers with small incomes, 1 lady hotel manageress, 2 lady school teachers, 8 lady helps, 2 barmaids, 1 pensioner from the Irish Constabulary, 1 engine driver and brickmaker, 1 butcher, 2 farm hands, 2 storemen, 1 olerk, 1 lady and 1 gentleman drapers' assistants (from R'aokstraw's London house), 1 general servant, 1 carpenter and wife, and 18 farm cadets— many of whom will have means sent them to take up land, while in other cases the parents are following. We are informed that at a meeting of the Law Society a resolntion was passed unanimously declaring that in the opinion of the council, Mr Findlay, solicitor, of Falmerston, was free from any imputation of dishonourable conduct, and that the charges made against him in the Evening Herald were not sustained. It is understood that Mr Findlay has now demanded an apology from the proprietors of the newspaper in question. An enthusiastic meeting was held at Invercargill on Tuesday night to discuss the railway tariff, principally that for the carriage of live and dead stock in the district, which is alleged to differentiate against Southland as compared with other parts of the colony. The ' following resolutions were carried : — 1. That the existing railway tariff arrangements are highly unsatisfactory and detrimental to the interests of this district. 2. That this meeting is of opinion that in particular the rates charged for the conveyance of live and dead stock and wool are seriously retarding the advancement of the agricultural and commercial interests of Southland and call for immediate amendment. 3. That as the commissioners have deolared their inability to make any material alterations in the existing tariff without the sanction of the | Legislature the members for the district be requested to bring the matter under the notice of Parliament with a view of obtaining the necessary redress. Mr D. Harris Hastings, the official agent /for New Zealand of the forthcoming Tasmanian exhibition, has sent us somo papers giving particulars of the venture. Tbe^xhibition will be opened in Launceston on November 15 by his Excellency the Governor of Tasmania, and remain open until the end of March 1891. A large pavilion has been built as a main building, and will be used as a concert hall, &c, and in addition to this annexes have been added covering some 40,000 square feet, and more space will jbe added if required. Both medals and certificates are to be given, not ouly for general exhibits, but also largely for both musical, artistio, scientific, and industrial compositions and works. Special prizes are to be given for wools, grain, and general farm produce. Mr Hastings will probably have a New Zealand court at the exhibition, but as the space is very limited early application is necessary. Messrs John Stone and Son have shown us a copy of the " Maritime and Mercantile Compendium Export Trades Directory and Manufactorers' Guide to the Foreign Markets " published by Deacon and Co., of London, which they have just received, and also wish us to state that it is at the service of the public for reference at their office, 79 Princes street. In our advertising columns is a request from Stone, Son, and Co., that residents changing their addresses after canvasser has called will notify them of the fact. Among the lists of patents applied for are the following :— J. Gray, Dunedin, for reversible points for ploughshares, sectional renewable ploughshares, and an improvement in digging ploughs; J. S. Reid, Dunedin (solicitor), for an improved device for recaring fence wires to droppers or standards ; C. M'Queen, of Dunedin, for automatic sand and gravel sifter, to facilitate the saving of gold. An interim dividend, at the rate of 6 per cent- per annum, for the half-year ended July 31 has be«n declared by thedirectora of the Ofcago Dally Times and j Witness Newspapers Company, and dividend warrants can be obtained at the office of the company.