LOCAL & GENERAL.

Otago Witness, Issue 1925, 8 January 1891, Page 15

LOCAL & GENERAL.

The fine, mild weather, with which the year 1890 closed, had the effect of attracting large crowds of people into the streets on the 31st, but most of them found their way home before midnight. There still remained, however, a considerable number in the principal thoroughfares at that hour, the Octagon being the chief rendezvous. Here several hundreds of people gathered, and when the chimes commenced to toll the hour of 12 the customary cheers were sent up, and the New Year was ushered in amid a volley of fireworks, and without any disorderly conduct such as has been witnessed in some previous years. A number of private citizens were responsible for a very fine pyrotechnio display, among whom may be mentioned Mr B. C. Haggitt, Mrs Cutten, Mr James Rattray, Mr H. Mackenzie; Mr W. Dawson, and Mr J. Edmond. Other citizens also discharged some brilliant rockets— in fact, a considerable sum of money must have been blown away in welcoming this present year of grace— but those mentioned replied one to another with their displays ; while a number of fine coloured lights were exhibited by the shipping in harbour. Though the cracker nuisance was somewhat too pronounced in, the principal streets, the behaviour of those who wero in town at and after midnight was on the whole most commendable — a fact that may perhaps be due to the excellent police arrangements that had been made.

Among those present to witness the exhibition of the phonograph one night last week evening were Sir Robert Stout and the Hon Mr Fergus, who were requested to speak into the machine. There were leud calls for both the gentlemen mentioned, but neither of them seemed inclined to come forward for some time. At length Sir Robert Stout mounted the platform and spoke the following words into the phonograph:—"l much regret that the Hon. Mr Fergus has not thought fife to test this wonderful instrument. His voice is more distinct than mine, and has greater force and strength ; but sooner than allow no test to be tried to-night; I venture to comply with the request of Professor Archibald and appear now on the platform. lam Robert Stout." Mr Fergus, on being again pressed, came forward and said : "My inherent modesty has prevented me from taking precedence of Sir Robert Stout, but I have very much pleasure in following his lead for your edification and amusement." The words of both speakers were subsequently reproduced by the phonograph.

Mr Robert Winter, one of the ex-railway servants, who was one of the' candidates for Wellington City,, has published a letter explaining how it was he only got 732 votes after he had received a requisition bearing 942 electors' signatures. He says he wonld not have run against Mr George Fisher, but he saw latter gentleman, and he approved of his standing. It was agreed that they should run together, and have a committee to work for both. Mr Fisher found himself going down hill in public favour, saw -that it might be a tight run between himself and, Mr Winter, and commenced an active personal canvass among his friends, requesting : them to plump for him, and secure him third place and cut Winter out. Then the wharf labourers turned round, and " from fear, want of backbone, and a tendency to worship the golden calf," worked and voted for Mr Duthie, and Mr Winter was left ont in the cold.

The following tenders have been received for the Mangaohone contract of the North Island Main Trunk railway :— Accepted : Cleghorn, Forrest, and Magee (Auckland), £26,499. Declined: J. Saunders and Co. (Wellington), £27,972; R. 8. Allan and Co. (Dunedin), £28,933; R. M'Kenaie and Co. (Wellington), $29,784"; Wilkie and Wilson (Waitotara), £30,813; A. Bain and Co. (Dunedin), £33,513; A. M'Fariane (Wangarini), £34,253; W. G. Bassett (Wanganui), £34,300; J. and A. Anderson (Christchurch), £37,037. '

The railway- revenue for the 36 weeks of the current financial year is £728,187, as against £692,709 for the corresponding period of the previous year, an increase of over £35,000.

The Minister of Public Works, the Hon. T. Fergus, had on the 31st, a run over a portion of the Otago Central Railway, some matters in connection with the line requiring his attention. We understand that the ballast-engine can now run as far as Middlemarch.

The Union Company's excursions to the West Coast Sounds appear to be increasing in popularity each year. The whole of the saloon accommodation reserved for ladies on the first trip, leaving Fort Chalmers on the 14th fast., has been already engaged, and only a limited number of berths for gentlemen are now available. A number of berths for the second and third excursions have also been engaged. It Us expected that the members of the Australasian Association for the Advancement of Science will go by the second excursion. A feature of this year's programme will be the two days' stay in Milford Sound, enabling tourists to see the Sutherland Falls and thoroughly explore the wonders of the sound.

The following tenders were received for advertising rights on the Hurunui-Bluff section of railways :— Accepted : D. H. Hastings, Dunedin, £706. Declined : E. Benjamin, Dunedin, £655 ; J. Duthie and Co., Dunedin, £555 ; J. M. Hey wood and Co., Christchurch, £510; C. Colclough, Danedin, £425 ; Cuff and Graham, Christchurch, £300.

The vital statistics for the past month are as follow :— Births, 109; deaths, 47; marriages, 48. In the corresponding month of last year there were 123 births, 46 deaths, and 55 marriages. Daring last year there were 1384 births, 646 deaths, and 397 marriages ; and in the previous year 1369 births, 589 deaths, and 411 marriages. 2

The rainfall at Timaru during the last 12 months was 1510 inches, or about half the average of past years.

The northern express train was about an hour behind time in reaching Dunedin on Friday night. In going into the Waihao siding the engine ran foul of the stopblock by some means, and was slightly damaged, thus blocking the line until repairs were effected. The express train going north was an hour and a-quarter late in reaching Christchurch.

The bad weather on New Year's Day completely spoiled the railway traffic, and only about 1700 persons travelled on the Danedin section, notwithstanding that liberal excursion rates were offered. On Friday, again, the weather wag calculated to deter people from travelling, and there were no special rates beyond the usual concessions that are offered at this time of the year, but 2434 persons booked at the Dunedin railway station.

The severe south-westerly gale of Friday caused great havoc in gardens and orchards, and a good many fences Buffered. About 11 am. the gable end of a house at the corner of Miller's lane, Hanover street, was blown clean

out from the foundation. Happily the place was untenanted, the late occupiers having left on the previous day. Two men who were passing at the time had a very narrow escape from being struck by the falling debris.

A young man named Charles Woods performed a very courageous deed on Thursday. A drunken man jumped into the bay from the barque Laira, and Woods, witnessing the occurrence, dived in after him just as the man had sunk for the second time. It was only after considerable effort that the plucky rescuer brought the man safely ashore.

We learn that, thanks to the exertions of the treasurer (Mr A. Cameron) of the fund for the extinction of the debt upon Knox Church, the whole of the sum, amounting to £2800, required to free that church from debt, has now been subscribed.

Dr Mullin, who pursued his studies at the University of Otago, has been appointed medical officer to the prisoners who have been removed to Milford Bound to be employed in roadmaking.

Oar cablegrams this week refer to a suit which Mrs O'Shea has compromised, concerning which the London correspondent of the Manchester Guardian writes :—" The reports aome days ago as to Mrs O'Shea's interest in a will also in legal dispute were incorrect in the mention of her mother, Lady Wood. The fortune in question, with which the whole case is much involved, is more than £100,000, and was left last year by Mrs O'Shea's great aunt, Mrs Benjamin Wood, the sister-in-law of the first baronet, who was twice Lord Mayor of London, and was father of Lord Chancellor Hatherley. Much will be heard of this fortune in the next month,! aud it |may amount to half as much again as the sum abovenamed. Mr Benjamin Wood, whoße widow died last year, was born about 110 years ago, so that the wealth he left has had some time to accumulate. One of the parties to the will suit is Sir Evelyn Wood, who is Mrs O'Shea's brother."

The New Zealand Journal of Science has been revived, and the first volume of the new issue is now to' hand. It is to be hoped that the promoters will shortly find themselves in a position to enlarge the publication, which they will do if they receive the support they are entitled to. It is intended as far as possible to exclude all purely technical matter, except where brief details of authors' papers may be given. The papers in the present number are by Professors Parker and Thomas and Messrs T. Kirk and G. M. Thomson, in addition to which there is a paper on the " Ornithology of New Zealand," general notes, and meetings of societies. Mr Thomson's paper is on the humble bee in New Zealand, and he asks the question whether they, like the rabbit and small birds, are not likely to become a pest in the absence of the natural enemy.

According to the following (which we take from a London paper of November 5) trade agreements are declared to be illegal : — " An association was formed in Bolton, England, some time ago, whose members, who were mineral water manufacturers, bound themselves for 10 years not to sell their beverages under a certain price, the penalty for infringing the rule being £10, recoverable in a county court. Messrs Whitelegg Bros, having had judgment entered against them for that penalty, appealed to the Queen's Bench, where it was argued that such an agreement was void, as being in restraint of trade. Justices Day and Lawrence held that this contract, not being based ttpon a legitimate consideration, could not be enforced, in a court of law, but they gave leave to appeal."

The Hyogo News says the new American tariff hits Japan in the matter of oranges, if in nothing else. Of late there has been a steadily increasing export of oranges from Japan to San Francisco, although the trade is of very recent growth. The new bill raises -the tariff on Japan's mikan 75 cents, (gold) a thousand, and the allowance -made for decayed fruit has been abolished. But Tahiti will be hit far more severely, as one of the more important industries at that place.was the export of oranges to San Francisco and New Zealand. Now, however, it is stated the increased duty puts a stop to the San Francisco trade at once.

Mr Murray Aston, of this city, has been appointed special and lecturing agent of the Government Life Insurance department.

Signor R. Sqnarise has presented the mass I composed by him to the choir of St. Joseph's Cathedral, and it will form an interesting and I valuable addition to the latter's repertoire. ; The Government intend shortly to offer .bonuses for the encouragement of the New Zealand flax industry upon conditions analogous to those suggested in the report of the Flax and Other Industries Committee of last session.

The ethnological and technological departments of the Otago Museum was thrown open to the publio on New Year's Day. There was no ceremony on the occasion, no speechmaking, and no formality. The annexe which has thus been opened is 50ft by 45ft, and includes the art gallery, which could not be opened to the public before while work was going on preparing the ethnological and technological exhibits. These latter consist largely of what was intended for the Working Men's College, and include the collection of New Zealand timber exhibited by the Public Works department at the exhibition, Sir James Hector's geological models, specimens of Maori carvings, weapons, &c. Professor Parker and his assistants have devoted considerable time and trouble to the proper arrangement of the collection, which is sure to excite a good deal of interest.

We regret to state that on- Saturday last a somewhat serious accident happened to the Rev. George Barclay, late of Geraldine, but now resident io. this city. As the rev. gentleman was inspecting the bookshelves in a well-known bookseller's shop, he fell down a trap-door in the floor, which had been carelessly opened behind him, and besides other bruises, he sustained a fracture of his left leg just above the ankle. He was promptly removed to his residence, where his injuries were attended to by Dr Hocken, and we are pleased to learn that he is now progressing as favourably as could be expected, considering the serious nature of his injuries.

Wirenm Wbarepu, a Maori prisoner, died in Wellington Gaol on the 29th. Deceased was undergoing a life sentence for murder committed at the Chatham Islands 10 years ago, and had been ailing for the paßt six years from a complication of diseases. A verdict of " Death from natural causes" was returned at the inquest held.

The Rescue Home of the Salvation Army has been removed from South Dunedin to Great King street, and on Monday evening the new home was formally opened by Major Veal the chief secretary in New Zealand. About 20 ladies and officers assembled, and after partaking of tea a social meeting was held. Representatives of rescue work in Wellington and Christchurch were present, and took part in the proceedings. The chief secretary gave an earnest address upon the rescue branch of the Salvation Army, and the results of the work as detailed gave much satisfaction. It was stated

that during the present month General Booth would commission the 10,000 th officer. The neods of the city of Dunedin were plainly shown, and the prospects of the new home were enthusiastically advanced.

The following are the officers elected for the current year by the Oranga Grand Lodge : — Grand Master, R. N. Adams, Dunedin ; Deputy Grand Master, J. T. Smith, Christchurch ; secretary, E. Revell, Kaiapoi ; treasurer, H. M'Clellan, Courtenay; chaplain, Rev. B. H. Ginger, Christohurch. A hearty vote of thanks was accorded to the retiring officers, and the fall honours of P.G.M. conferred on the retiring G.M., G. W. Ellis, of Oust, The next annual Grand Lodge meeting will be held at Southbridge.

The Royal Humane Society of Australia recently awarded certificates of merit to Claude Ferrier, of the Union Steam Ship Company, a mariner, aged 24 years, for rescuing a man from drowning at the wharf at Wellington, on the 13th December 1889, and for a similar achievement at the wharf, at Lyttelton, the 20th May 1890.

Commenting on the political situation, the Wairarapa Star (of which Mr Hogg, the Opposition M.H.R. for Masterfcon, is editor) says :— "Only one man is wanted to make them (the Opposition) victorious, and that one a leader. Only a very strong man can hold that party together and consolidate forces which will at first be difficult to work in a team. Judging by past experience, Mr Ballance emphatically will not do, though the probability is that he will be chosen again."

Mr John Murdoch Well known as an extensive sawmiller and timber merchant in Southland; has joined Mr George Findlay in the business carried on for so .many years by Findlay and Co. (Limited). Mr Murdoch has recently sold his Southland interests to the New Zealand Pine Company, and with Mr Findlay is going to devote hia whole attention to the business he has bought into. The firm intend to rebuild the premises destroyed by fire some time since. There will, however, be no second floor, it being the firm's intention to put the whole of the machinery on the ground floor. The sawmilling machinery as it previously stood will be replaced, and there will be two new engines, each of 70-h.p. These are being constructed by the New Zealand Engineering Company. A lot of woodworking machinery has been imported from America, and this, with the machinery for making batter packages recently erected, will make the factory capable of turning out a great quantity of goods. Mr W. Mercer is the contractor for the buildings, and it is expected they will be completed by the Ist February.

An important discovery of coal is reported to have been made in the Orepaki Company's lease, a seam of 22ft having been recently opened. It cokes well and produces splendid gas. Steps will be immediately taken to have exhaustive tests made at the Invercargill and Dunedin gasworks. The mine is situated 40 miles from Invercargill and 20 miles from the Aparima river, on which Riverton stands.

A formal inquiry touching the missing ship Dunedin was opened at Oamaru last week. This probably led to a rumour receiving currency there on Saturday to the effect that the Dundin had been found on the Brazilian coast — a rumour which is not confirmed in any way. Captain Cracrof t, of the Rakaia, reports having heard from the captain of. a vessel in London that his ship was in company with the Danedin off Cape Horn, when a heavy gale sprang up, and the vessels were separated— the Dunedin not being seen afterwards. - '

In agreeing to the call received from the Wallacetown Presbyterian congregation to the Rev. Mr White, of Pleasant Point, the Timaru Presbytery drew the attention of the Presbytery of Southland and the congregation of Wallacetown to the fact that the stipend promised being only the equal dividend of the sustentation fund, it is considerably less than his present stipend, and hoped that this will not be allowed to continue long. It was agreed to place on record the presbytery's appreciation of Mr White's services.

According to the Reefton Guardian the electors at Antonio in the Inangahua distriot, annoyed at the neglect of the candidates, called a public meeting at which it was unanimously resolved that the candidate who first addressed them should receive their votes en masse, whereas if neither thought it worth his while to interview them, it was determined that not a man should stir to record his vote. As it happened, neither of the candidates did visit them, and as a consequence they did not go to the polls. A coach in the interests of one of the candidates was sent down and placed at their service for the day, but the gully-rakers and sluicers of Antonio's were deaf to the beguiling eloquence of the driver's English, and refused to budge an inch. With the close result of the eleotion a block vote from Antonio's would have definitely decided the contest, and both candidates have since been blankety-blanking their infernal stupidity in losing sight of such a stabborn little community as Antonio's.

The petition against appointments to the Legislative Council is being largely signed in the Oamaru district.

Referring to an address at St. Andrew's Church, Westport, by the Rev. Mr Morrison of Dunedin, the Bnller Miner says:— "ln the course of his address he said that men never made a greater mistake than to suppose that God could do everything. It was absurd to imagine that God could make a creature incapable of falling, and capable of falling at the same time. That if man had been created infallible, God would have taken no pleasure in his existence for he would have been like n machine wound up and not capable of going wrong. On the other hand the Creator derived much pleasure from the existence of a creature who was able to sin if he chose, but who refrained from doing so on acoount of his love and reverence towards bis loving Father. The whole address was fraught with interest. The plain outspoken addresses of Mr Morrison are quite refreshing in these days of namby pambyism."

The revenue returns of the colony for the nine months ended December 31 are satisfactory, but the exact amounts will not be known until all the accounts are in. Except at the end of the financial year it is not usual to telegraph them to Wellington, and only the money actually received by December 31 is taken into account. It has, however, been ascertained that the Btrike has not had the depressing effect that was expected.

Lieut -colonel Wales ha 3 received from the Agent-general a letter acknowledging receipt of a draft for £91 9s 6d, being the amount collected in Otago in aid of the fund f er the survivors of the Balaclava charge. To the Garrison and Ordnance Bands and Captain Proudfoot.as hon. treasurer, mainly belong the credit of raising the amount. The following is the copy of the letter received by the Agent - general :— " Dunster House, Mark lane, E.G., November 4, 1890. My dear Sir Francis Bell,— l beg to acknowledge with many thanks the receipt of your letter of November 3 and of the enclose^

draft for £91 9s 6d, and beg that you will convey to all the subscribers the most hearty thanks of our committee for their most liberal contributions to the Light Brigade fund.— A. K. Rollit, hon. treasurer."

A charge of infringing the railway bye-laws by alighting from a train while it was in motion— a case of a kind that has not in the past troubled the bench much, but that Is likely, from what Mr Arthur (the Dunedin stationmaster) says, to be more heard of in the future — was included in the cases heard" at the City Police Court on Monday. It was stated in evidence that the practise of jumping on trains and of alighting from trains while in motion was a very prevalent as well as a very dangerous one, and in this particular ease the stationmaster said that the accused in endeavouring to alight from a train which had just left the Dunedin- station for Port Chalmers, swung between two cars, and would, had ho not been held on, have fallen between them and been cut to pieceß. The bench inflicted a light penalty only, but issued a warning that in future a conviction would be followed by a very severe penalty ; and Mr Arthur stated that after this he intends, in the hope of patting a stop to the practice, to bring under the notice of the magistrates any cases that come within his knowledge. Up to the 31st December last, which was the latest date on which applications for relief under

the Selectors' Land Revaluation Act could be reoeived, 434 Crown lands holdings in Otago, containing in the aggregate 101,300 acres, have been revalued under the act, with the result that the original capital value of £165,134 is reduced to £06,085, tne loss in capital value being £69,049. There are about 50 small holdings the results of the revaluation of which are not yet obtainable, and these will bring up the total reduction by revaluation to between seventy and eighty thousand pounds. In the case of perpetual lease holdings the loss to the land revenue is 5 per cent, on the amount of reduction, and in respect to deferred-payment selections— constituting a large majority of the revalued holdings— the loss is an actual one to the revenue and gain to the settler by the amount of the reduction in each case. Endowments belonging to the School Commissioners, the Otago Boys' and Girls' High Schools, and the Clutha River Trust have also been dealt with in many cases, the figures showing that 27 holdings, containing 5032' acres, have been reduced from the capital value of £11,560 to £7550, the reduction being to the extent of £4010. Mr Henry. Manders, who for some years represented the Wakatipu district in the House of Representatives, died rather suddenly at Invercargill on Monday morning. - A general election for the Henley River Board took place on Saturday, when the following were nominated, and, there being just the required number, were declared duly elected : — Messrs John Stevenson, Alexander. Fleming, George Anderson, David T. Shand, and William Thomson. Mr William Thomson is the only new member.

The will of the late Canon Liddon has been proved by the executors (his brothers, Dr Edward Liddon' and and Mr John Liddon, bar-rister-at-law), the value of the personal estate beingswom at £47,226 0s lOd. After enumerating a number of .bequests to educational, religious, and other institutions, and some -personal legaoies, the residue of the estate is left to his brothers and sisters.

There was an extensive bush fire on Pine ■ Hill on Tuesday evening, but so far as could be ascertained it was not ' in the vicinity of settlers' homesteads.

Captain Edwin forecasts heavy northerly gales with rain between the Bth and 11th inst. The weather in the 'meantime will be unsettled and windy.

The New Zealand Times states that , Mr Scobie Mackenzie is now spoken of as the Government candidate for the Speakership. ' Another labour dispute appears to be impending at the Shag Point mine (Messrs Hazlett and Glendining's). Our Palmerston correspondent writes that the miners have received notice to leave the cottages and works of the company, the reason,' it is understood, being that ib is not intended to work the mine under union rules after the 12th inst." The miners are 6aid to be determined to stick out for what they consider their rights. The tender of Mr D. Eirkwood, of Dunedin (£8939), has been accepted for the tunnel, formation, permanent way, and station buildings of the Catlin's River railway.- The following tenders were declined : — Ponton and Pack, Invercargill, £9848 ; R. Meikle, Dunedin, £10,679 ; A. Menzies, Invercargill, £14,130;' J. Innes, Romahapa, £9941 ; Sanderson and Co., Oamarn, £10,893. The work for which Mr Kirkwood's tender has been accepted, begins at 13J miles from the main line, and 14£ miles from Balclutha. The'tuunel, : 26B yards in length, is to be driven through the range dividing - Ahiiriri Valley from Catlin's Valley. Approaches will have to be constructed at each end of the tunnel, and a station site formed aad buildings erected at the south end of the tunnel. The work is to be completed early in January 1892, and will probably form the terminus of the Catlin's line for some time. This will bring the line within two or three miles of Owake township. There are, we understand, two routes surveyed to Catlin's lake ; the original route and one known as the deviation, and it is as yet undecided which route shall be taken. The end of the present contract is, however, a neutral point, and from it either of the alternative routes may be followed. When the line is carried three miles beyond the end of the present contract it will, to a great extent, open up the Catlin's district, and should be a profitable feeder to the main line. The following were nominated on Monday as members of the Weßt Taieri River Board : — Messrs James Allan, John Allan, Richard Andrews, John B&thgate, John B. Blair, Alexander Chisholm, asd William Snow. Only the required number having beeu. nominated, the above were declared duly elected. The only new member is Mr Blair, who was elected in place of Mr Grant, who declined to seek reelection owing to the state of his health. The high gales which were experienced at the close of last week wrought serious havoc in the orchards in the country. One of our staff, who was at Milton yesterday, was shown an orchard in which the plum and apple trees had suffered severely, the ground at their feet being strewn with what would have been a considerable crop of fruit, while even gooseberry bushes, which might have been expected to escape, lost a great quantity of their fruit. On the other hand, we are informed that the season has been an unusually good one in the Tokomairiro district for the growth of vegetation— better than a settler of 29 years' standing remembers having experienced.

The children of the Roman Catholic schools at Mosgiel and Milton were given a treat on Tuesday in the shape of a picnic on Mr Alpine's farm at Lovell's Flat. About 500 children wont down by the express train in the morning in charge of their teachers, a large

Pnumber of adults also being present, and as the weather was delightful a very pleasant day was I spent. The email birds, (says a contemporary) are working much mischief amongst the early maturing crops in the Ashburton district. Strengthened in vigour and numbers by the mildness of the past two winters the little pests are unusually numerous this season, both in town and country. At the Longbeach Road Board o&ce no less than 17,000 eggs and heads have already been received and paid for. It is quite a common thing for lads to wait on the clerk on each succeeding Saturday with as many as from 300 up to 700 and 400 eggs and heads each as the result of their individual week's tree climbing. Results of a comparatively similar nature are being obtained in other parts parts of the district, so that the nest*robbing youths of the Ashburton county are reaping a good harvest. Inquiry is made in Lloyd's Weekly ■ for the following :— Henry M'Quinnees in 1885 was at Port Wellington, New Zealand. His brother Richard seeks him. Thomas and Lydia Tucker went with five children from Brighton to Hawke's Bay, New Zealand, in 1883, and in 1884 resided at Ormondville. Their daughters Eliza and Rose inquire. Mrs Broadhurst, last heard of at North Shore, Auckland, New Zealand, left England in 1871. Her daughter Clara seeks her. Joseph, Charles, and George Russell are sought by their sister Eliza, who last heard of them at Otago, New Zealend, 20 years ago, five years after they left the old Kent road. Thomas Hinslet Tibbet, late of the Royal Horse Artillery, has not been heard of since he sailed for Otago, New Zealand, on 18th January 1874. Brother John. Samuel Sharp, in July 1876 desired bis letters sent to Port Chalmers, Otago, New Zealand.' His mother and sister Sarah beg news. John Hayward, formerly of East Grinstead, is inquired of by his aged mother, who last heard of him in New Zealand.

A person of agreeable manners, and who passed himself off as a squatter from Canterbury, arrived in Oamaru recently, and making • the acquaintance of a number of citizens, told the story that he had a flock of ewes and lambs, travelling to the Upper Waitaki, that the "muttons," and more especially the young "muttons," would be foot-weary and would be incapable of travelling all the distance,, and when they reached Pukeuri he would instruct the drover to give his newly made .friends several lambs. To one boniface he promised seven, and the bopiface immediately hired space in the refrigerating works to freeze his prospective gifts. To an expressman he donated four, and the expressman drove out to Pukeuri on the day the " petit muttongs" were expected to arrive there. To various' others he was prepared to disburse lambs with a liberal hand. The lambs never turned up, but a policeman did, and it was found that the "lambs" were those who had listened to the blandishments of the beguiling individual, and who had parted with something for nothing. The mention of lambs in the vicinity of any of these individuals ia just at the present time equivalent to a declaration of war,— North Otago Times. { Petitions have been lodged against tho returns of Mr R. Reeves for Inangahua and Mr Joyce for Akaroa. We beg to acknowledge reaeipfc of £5 for Dr Barnardo from " A Friend." ; • Messrs Whitcombe and Tombs have sent us a copy of their office calendar. It is a very useful production, as the figures for each month on each sheet are given in large type, and a calendar for the whole year Js given as well. In addition, the dates of the arrival and departure of the English mail are printed at the top and bottom.

Mr Frank Hyams, jeweller,' has sent ub his bandy and handsome little pocket calendar for 1891. ,

We have received Stone's ABO Monthly Guide and Diary for January. Messrs, Stone, Soh, and 00. have for the first time undertaken the printing of the work themselves, and have succeeded in turning out a most creditable production.,