LOCAL & GENERAL.

Otago Witness, Issue 1906, 21 August 1890, Page 16

LOCAL & GENERAL.

A protracted earthquake shock was felt at ' Wanganui at 10 minutes to 7 on Friday morning. It travelled from north to south, and was preceded by a load rumbling noise lasting some Beconds. Two distinct shocks of earthquake were experienced at Wellington about 10 minutes to 7on Friday morning. The direction was apparently north to south. At an extraordinary general meeting of the New Zealand Exhibition Company (Limited), held on Friday, a resolution was passed to the effect that the company be wouud up voluntarily. The president;, in moving the resolution, referred briefly to one or two items in the balance sheec, and expressed the acknowledgments of the commissioners to the press for its assistance to the exhibition movement. To Mr A. Lee Smith, who had nearly two yeirs ago seconded the proposition made by Mr Koberts to hold an exhibition in Duuediu, the duty of seconding the resolution now made for the winding up of the company was fittingly allotted. The resolution will, in terms of the Companies' Act, require to be confirmed at a subsequent special meeting, at which the directors will nominate the president and the secretary as the official liquidators. Before the meeting of shareholders in the Exhibition Company broke up on Friday, Dr Hocken made an earnest appual to those present for assistance to enable ihe collection of 62 Maori slabs, which formed part of the exhibits in the Early History section, to be acquired for Dunedin. The collection was purchased by the commissioners for £200, and an offer of £80 has now been made from Adelaide for it. Dr Hocken has been at some trouble to raise subscriptions locally for the purchase of the collection, which he regards as quite unique and as the most splendid collection of Native art that there is in the colony, but so far he has only been successful in gathering about £50. He suggested that shareholders might devote a portion of their refund fro.n the exhibition to the object. The matter was mentioned in merely an informal way and no expression of opinion was made, but Dr Hocken obtained a few additional subscriptions at the meeting. After the meeting we learn that Dr Hocken purchased the carvings on his own responsibility, having come to the conclusion that it was inadvisable to run the risk of their being picked up by another buyer. The Auckland Star says:— "We understand that Mr George Johnston has accepted the management of the Equitable Insurance Association for Auckland. The office is to be congratulated on haviug secured the services of this gentleman, whose world-wide experience both as a branch and general manager makes him eminently qualified to conduct successfully the business of an insurance company in this district, io which ha has been so long and favourably known. Mr Johnston's many friends will, no doubt, be pleased to learn that he is again at the receipt of custom after so short a retirement. We wish Mr Johnston and his company success. The company has secured the most prominent available site in Queen street— viz., the premises now occupied by the Messrs Hayr's Tourist Agency. Until removal the business will be carried on in the old premises, Fort street. Mr Maxwell, the general manager of the company, is at present in Auckland engaged in completing these arrangements. A married woman, named Alice Davis, who resides in Maclaggan street, was admitted into the hospital on Sunday afternoon suffering from the effects of strychnine, taken accidentally. Her husband states that about 2 o'clock he was going to the Ocean Beach with his wife, and just before they intended leaving home the latter took a drink of milk, which she had accidentally poured into a cup containing some poison used for the destruction of vermin. She subsequently discovered her mistake, and being in great pain, Dr Colquhoun was called in, and he at once administered an emetic, and afterwards telephoned for Dr Copland. The two held a consultation, and it was decided to send the woman to the hospital, where she was received about 4 o'clock. For some time after her admission she suffered .considerably trom the effects of the poison, but is now out of danger. The Rev. A. R. Fitchett preached a powerful sermon on Cardinal Newman at All Saints' Church on Sunday evening, taking for his text the words, " And other sheep I have which are not of this fold." It is impossible adequately to summarise the discourse in a few lines, but the preacher expressed the, opinion that Newman's secession was by no means wonderful if consideration were taken of the nature of the man and of the period. His mystic and superstitious temperament (illustrated from his own confessions); his one-sided Oxford eduoation (too often the lot of the clergy, and a cause of their frequent want of touch with their surroundings) ; his continual concern with medievalism ; hiß ignorance of science ; the state of the English Church (suffering from the reckless zeal of anti- Roman reformers) ; the growth of rationalistic criticism, and the progressive movement in the political world — all these had their part in bringing about h'S gravitation to the church where reason is silenced by authority. Newman's deuial that the English Church was a branch of the Church of Christ was utterly valueless, coming from a man who indulged in such intellectual oddities as ready belief in the alleged miracles of mediaeval saints. Though the Church of England lost Newman, she had gained an increase of piety, learning, and zeal from the movement which he started; and it might be hoped that the great Catholic Churoh of the future would be comprehensive enough to embrace such men as Newman and Wesley, the Pope and General Booth. Towards the close of his sermon Mr Fitchett dwelt in eloquent terms on the stainless character of "this great saint of God," emphasising the fact that saintliness was compatible with various kinds of intellectual onesidedness. Two of Dr Newman's hymns (" Lead, kindly light " and " Praise to the Holiest in the height") were sung during the service. Recent Cape Town papers report a peculiar case of cannibalism as having occurred near Port Pine. A chief's wife having a bad cold, the native doctor advised as the only remedy the fat from a human heart. The chief it is alleged took him at his word, had the doctor killed, the wife took the heart's fat, and the rest of the chiefs in the household devoured the rest of the body. Three hundred native police assembled in order to effect an arrest, but the chief surrendered submissively. The particulars of the murder — the chopping off of limbs, cooking portions of heart, and dragging the body tied by reins to a horse to hide it, are revolting in the extreme, and vie with Whitechapel. Many colonists who have travelled through the States have been highly amused at the military ranks borne by our American cousins. Everywhere through the United States generals, colonels, lieutenant-colonels, majors, captains, lieutenants, &c, are to be met with by the thousand ; but it is left to New Zealand to outHerod Herod so far as this matter is concerned. The latest New Zealand Army List, published by

authority) and revised to 17th July 1890, gives a complete list of the officers of the New Zealand Militia. From it we learn that we have 1 general, 2 colonels, 16 lieutenant-colonels, 39 majors, 134 captains, 84 lieutenants, and 105 sub-lieutenants— some of the higher ranks having been appointed so late as 1889— making the total of commissioned officers 381. Now, ai there is not a single militia-man in the colony for ihem to practise drill upon— nor ever likely to be— one naturally aßks, of what use are they, and for what purpose were they appointed ? It is really time that they were all buried— we mean, done away with — and thus make us appear less ridiculous in the eyes of the world. Tourists who visit New Zealand and are introduced to Colonel So-and-so, Major So-and-so, Captain So-and-so, and last, though not least, New Zealand's only general, naturally ask their civilian friends, " "What ne is general oolonel, major, or captain of?" and the reply is— "Of the New Zealand militia." The next question— "And what is the strength of your militia ? " '• Oh, we have 381 officers— but no men ! " Really, it is time that thin farce was put an end to. New Zealand politios should be for ever severed from military matters, as it is well known that ninetenths of the appointments are political ones. We hope some member of the House will take this matter up. A remarkable instrument was exhibited at the post office jubilee conversazione. Ie _is called the electro-phonoscope, and is the joint invention of Professor Hughes, F.R.S., and Mr W. H. Preece, F.R.S., the work having been carried out by Mr Stroh and Mr Martin Roberts, of the post office. It is claimed by the invenlors that the electro-phonoscope solves the question of " visual telegraphy " (if such a phrase may be employed). The sender of a message from a distant station appears in person before his correspondent, and, with a "telephone it is possible not only to speak to him, but also to see him and to watch the expression of his features. The instrument is a perfect complement to the telephone, and will illustrate what telegraphy is likely to be in 1990. Several eminent American electricians have long been working at the difficult problem of "visual telegraphy"; and the news of the invention of the electro-phonoscope when telegraphed aoross the Atlantic is likely to cause no small consternation in their camp. A young woman named Rowan met witha somewhat singular accident on Monday night in Upper York place. She was carrying a child and was in company with another woman when a large dog rushed out cm the footpath and caused her to fall with such violence as to fracture her collar-bone and Bustain some severe outs on the head. Her companion took her to the hospital, where Dr Copland attended to the hurts, and with such success that she was able to be taken home shortly afterwards. Onr Wellington correspondent telegraphs :— I am informed that Mr William Grey, who used to live at Kawau with Sir George Grey, ha 3 received information that bis uncle has died at the Cape of Good Hope, and he consequently now succeeds to the title of the Earl of Stamford. Monday's Christchurch Press contained announcements of the death of four persons whose ages range from 74 to 85 years. Their united ages amounted to 317 years, or an average of 79J years each. This indeed is an extraordinary record, and may very fairly be cited as another illustration of the healthiness of the New Zealand climate. In a leading article on the many panaceas for placing the colony on the road to prosperity which politicians advocate, the Wellington Post says:— "Mr Ballance would restore Arcadian happiness and simplicity by bursting up large estates and making us all innocent village settlers. Mr J. A. Millar and the Maritime Council are willing to govern the colony on striotly union principles, and to run the railways and the Union Steam Ship Company's business as side shows, to the great advantage of all concerned. Sir Robert Stout believes nothing but land nationalisation can save the country. Mr George Fisher's prescription is simple and comprehensive. He would give Jhe colony a chance by heading up the Premier in a hogsbead of M'Carthy's beer, duly stamped, blowing Mr Fergus away from one of the big guns, having Mr Hislop flogged to death by a posse of experienced schoolmasters, bursting up the Bank of New Zealand, and hanging a few editors. Mr Buchanan believes it will be for the public good if emigration continues, provided the men, women, and children who go away are replaced by stoats and weasels ; while, finally, Mr Eerr holds that by improving the breed of the bounding chamois (domestic species), a boiling-down industry might be established, under the careful supervision of the Auckland economists, which would do a good deal more than yield grease for the wheels of the coach of State." The following is the result of the polling today for the election of a member to represeiat Timaru :— Hall-Jones ... ... ... 422 j E>rr ... ... ... 344 Aplln ... ... ... 88 Mr Hall-Jones, in addressing the electors recently, declared himself a Freetrader, but he would give the present tariff a fair trial to see how it worked out. He would abolish the property tax and impose a land tax on the unimproved value of land, and with it an income tax, both to be graduated or progressive. He would support any just and fair means to have large estates settled by a much larger population than at present. He is a supporter of the eight hours system and of the Private Sohools Bill, and is of opinion that it is the duty of the State to see that every man is in a position not only to maintain himself, but also to make provision for old age. Under the heading M A Oanine Curiosity " a correspondent in the Daily Times says . — I have a retriever seven years old, who, when he is excited by being let off the chain or seeing a gun, drops down suddenly in a sort of fit, only there is no twitching of the limbs or body ; his eyes remain open and clear, but bis heart beats at an unusual rate. He recovers after about three minutes, gets up, and seems none the worse. A correspondentof the San Francisco Chronicle states that the recent death of a lad named Thomas Sutton ends a case which was without parallel in America. A year and a-half ago the boy, then a bright lad of 14 years, fell from a butcher's waggon and hurt his spine.^ For & time he improved rapidly, and seemed in a fair way to recover from the accident, but about four months ago paralysis set in, his stomach became affected, and for 93 days, ending at the time of his death, not a morsel of food passed his lips. For a while a glassful of wine was given each 24 hours. His stomach soon refused even this nourishment. Then soda-water was substituted, and for the last 30 days only pure water I had been used to moisten his lips. During this long fast the boy had lost flesh constantly, and at the time of his death he weighed but a trifle over 501b. His shrunken skin barely covered his bones, and he presented a terrible picture of emaciation. Through all this terrible struggle with death young Sutton retained his consciousness. He recognised his

friends and relatives and the Bisters of St. Francis, whose school he formerly attended. He was too weak to speak, but would thrust out a bony little arm to shake hands in welcome. The physicians are astounded at the length of ] time the little fellow lived without food. At the last meeting of the Canterbury branch of the New Zealand Medical Association an interesting paper on " Native Leprosy " elicited considerable discussion. It was considered that, while the isolation of leprous individuals was imperative, there was do necessity for the adoption of extraordinary measures. The present scare about leprosy was quite uncalled for, seeing how slowly the disease had spread among hygienic communities in the past. In fact there were many sanitary evils more immediately crying for redress.