LOOAL & GENERAL

Otago Witness, Issue 2090, 15 March 1894, Page 15

LOOAL & GENERAL

The case ot Professor Aldis was again before the University Senate last week, being brought up by a motion proposed by the Hon. W. Rolleston, to the effect that it was desirable in the interests of university education in the colony that an investigation into the allegations made by the professor should take place by the Minister for Education in his capacity as visitor of the Auckland University College. Sir Maurice O'Rorke vigorously opposed the motion, which was supported by Sir Robert Stout. The Hon Dr Grace then moved the previous question. As to the effect of the amendment the majority of the members of the senate appeared to have rather a hazy idea, but the Chancellor explained that if it were carried it would prevent any further debate and mean that the question should be passed from. Dr Grace, one of the old parliamentary "hands" in the senate, immediately afterwards pulled up the vice-chancellor — himself an old member of the House of Representatives — in a way that provoked some merriment. On a division being taken the vice-chancellor recorded his vote against the amendment, but Dr Grace, sitting alongside him, immediately challenged the vote on the ground that the Rev. Mr Andrew had given his voice with tho "noes," the question put from the chair being " that the question be now put." The Vice-chancellor resented the objection oa the ground that on the previous day Dr Grace had committed a similar faux pas, and his vote had not been challenged. Dr Grace's objection was, however, sustained, and Mr Andrew's vote was recorded in the direction in which he had given his voice. The senate decided by 12 votes to 8 to pas 3to the nexb business, the minority including all the professors, with the exception of Dr Saimond, who were present. An adjourned meeting of the Workers' Political Committee was held on the 7th, Mr D. Thomson (president) in the chair. It was resolved — "That in view of the vote for the Otago Central railway being unexpended, and there being a large number of unemployed at present in the labour market, the Miuister for Public Works be respectfully urged to continue work on the line." A resolution rejjthe coming licensing elections was also carried, urgirig the members of all unions affiliated with the committee to record their votes in favour of the candidates being run by the Temperauce Political Committee. The Committee of tho Technical Classes Association held their first meeting of the session at tho Normal School on the 6th. Mr A. Burt was re-elected chairman for the ensuing 12 months, Mr George M. Thomson hon. secretary and superintendent, r.nd Mr W. Cutten hon. treasurer. Messrs Fitzgerald, M'Nicoll, and White were re-elected an Appointments Committee. It was resolved to open the session on Monday, April 2, and to enrol pupils at the Normal School on the evenings of Thursday and Friday, March 29 and 30. Messrs Burt, Cutten, Robin, and Wales were appointed a Works Committee to supervise necessary alterations and improvements at the Technical School in Great King street. Messrs J. Wilkie and Co.'s tender for printing the report and prospectus was accepted. Sir George Grey has gone Home by the Gothic. When he arrived in Wellington he was uncertain as to making the trip or by what route he would go, but having been invited to inspect the new steamer he was so pleased with her appearance that he determined to go by her. The monthly meeting of the Women's Franchise League was held in the Y.W.C.A. Rooms on the 7th. Mrs Trainor occupied the chair, and 1 there were about 20 ladies present. Mrs R. N. Adams read a paper on " The Benefits already derived from the Enfranchisement of Women." In combating the argument that had been raised against extending the franchise to women, she pointed out that 82 per cent, of those registered had recorded their votes. As evidence that the women had voted intelligently she added that in a large majority of caßes the candidates whom they had selected for their tickets were the successful men, and a feature of the election was the unusually small number of informal votes as compared with similar events in previous years. Mr Henry M. Collins, general manager in Australasia for Reuter's Telegram Company (Limited), is at present on a visit to New Zealand in connection with his company's business. With the advent of the greatly reduced tariff last year, the number of messages transmitted by cable has shown a very large increase, the public evidently appreciating the increased facilities afforded for transacting business. With-the object of still further reducing the cost, Reuter's Company have prepared a new and most elaborate code of close on 200,000 phrases, by means of which the charges for messages on any subject, either mercantile or social, can be greatly lessened. The management of the New Zealand traffic has lately been placed in the hands of an experienced officer from London (Mr E. J. Harri- I son), with the result: that the company's service has been very greatly improved and expedited. At last week's meeting of the Dunedin Presbytery ib was reported by the Rev. Mr Gibb (convener of the committee on applications) that the committee had recommended that the Rev. W. Lowe's application be forwarded to the synod, with the recommendation that he be admitted. The report was adopted, and the Rev. ,Mr Lowe was recommended to the Church Extension Committee for employment. Notice of the following overture was given by the Rev. Mr Will :— " Whereas a very large majority of the office-bearers and members of this church are desirous of union with the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand ; whereas the opinion and practice of the church in the north regarding marriage with a deceased wife's sister are at such variance with the opinion and practice of this church as to present an insuperable barrier to the consumation of the union so much desired ; whereas marriage with the sister of a deceased wife is sanctioned by the civil law of this country ; and whereas some members of our own church have contracted such marriages, it is hereby humbly overtured by the Presbytery of Dunedin to the Synod of Otago and Southland to take the premises into its very serious consideration, and to remove the aforesaid barrier to union as the synod in its wisdom may deem most conducive to the welfare of tbe church and the promotion of the glory of God." The Stirling correspondent of the Bruce Herald writes :—": — " I notice that the members of the Acclimatisation Society are wanting to make this a close season for native game. Good and well. I have • nothin' to say agin it,' as Biddy Moriarity would say — only I have been convinced for a good few years that the hawks kill more duoks in the year than all the sportsmen in Otago put together. My reason for this opinion

is that some years ago I used to take a stroll round ths edge of Tuakitoto Lake of an evening ia the breeding season, and the short grass round the edge of the lake was literally strewed in places with the legs and bills of the ducklings, whose bodies the hawks had eaten. When a hawk gets at a brood of young ducks he returns to them time after time till there is scarcely one left. And this is the reason we see so many of the mother ducks with one or two young ones following them instead of ten or a dozen. The hawks have taken the rest. That same season that I am writing about the hawks commenced to take the youDg tame ducks from a settler's place near the lake. He shifted his coops close to the back door of his house. But then the hawks came very early in the morning, before anyone was stirring in the house, and any little ducks that were out of the coops were carried off. In this manner the settler lost 26 young ducks." Waikawa is (writes a local correspondent) the scene of active prospecting for coal, equal to Welsh coal it is said, has been found there, and those interested have procured a diamond drill and are busy putting down a bore to test the value of the find. The business transacted at Thursday's sitting of the Senate of the University of New Zealand was not of any public interest, with the exception that the report of the Medical Committee, dealing with the resolution passed some time back by the Wellington branch of the New Zealand Medical Association to the effect that the time had not yet arrived when medical degrees might with advantage be granted in the colony, was brought up. The committee, on full consideration of the whole question, have come to the conclusion that there is no sufficient ground for the contention that the granting ot degrees upon such a course of study as that pursued in the Otago University is premature, and they express the opinion that the material for clinical studies afforded in the Dunedin Hospital ia amply sufficient when the proportion of students to the number of cases is taken into consideration. A good deal of the committee's report is taken up with a discussion of the relation of the authorities of the Ocago University to the Hospital Trustees in the selection of clinical teachers, and it is suggested by them that, as " clinical teaching cannot be carried on satisfactorily unless the Otago University Council has a potential voice in the appointments of the medical staff," the council should be granted representation on the Board of Trustees. The adoption of the report was moved by the Hon. W. Rolleston, but the discussion was immediately adjourned till Friday. Yet another alteration has been made in the arrangements for the Easter encampment ot: the Otago and Southland volunteers, instructions having been received from the Defence department at Wellington to the effect that the site is to be at Blueskm. The general impression among local volunteers is that the site is not nearly so suitable for an encampment as that on the Peninsula, which Colonel Webb selected, and it is thought that the number of men who go into camp will be sensibly less at Blueskin than it would have been at either of the other sites — Tahuna Park or Burn Hill — which were proposed. The Salvation Army's "novel-burning night" on Thursday evening attracted a large audience to the fortress in Dowling street. The usual march and parade at the fountain was held. In the centre of the ring on a bier were placed "yellow-backs" of all kinds, ranging from "Bluecap, the Bushranger," to some of Besant'n works. At the fortress the proceedings were under the leadership of Captain Chappie and Lieutenant Mathers. The former declared that if persons gave their time, money, and admiration to novels they were idolaters quite as much as the heathen who worshipped his ugly elephant. Works like Bunyan's and " Uncle Tom's Cabin," written for a purpose, were excepted ; but the average religious novel was denounced in scathing terms, and was declared to be to all intents and purposes a "yellow-back" without the covers, with a dash of religion tacked on to gull professors of religion. After some singing and addresses, some 300 books and periodicals were destroyed. At a meeting of temperance workers, held in the Young Women's Rooms on the 7th inst., the Chairman (Mr A. S. Adams) stated that the bow celebrated by-law No. 2 was rendered invalid by the amendment carried on the motion of his Worship the Mayor. Section 4-16 of the Municipal Corporations Act of 1886 provides that by-laws must be carried by special order, and may be amended before adoption. The proposed by-law was duly adopted in January last, and after that date could not legally be amended. The meeting of the council on the sth inst. was for the purpose of confirmation only. Another sister of the order of St. Dominic died at the Dominican Convent, Dunedin, at 4 o'clock on Thursday morning. The deceased l&dy, Sister Mary Lucy, came to the colony with Mother Mary Francis, who died on the previous day. They were members of the same order for over 40 years, and being closely attached to each other, the death of one is believed to have accelerated the decease of the other. A requiem mass was celebrated at 10 o'clock on Thursday morning, after which the double funeral took place. A ballot was taken at Christchurch on the 6fch amongst applicants for 17 small grazing runs on the Cheviot estate, opened for lease for 21 years. The total area was 16,939 I acres of first-class and 10,774 acres of secondclass land, and the rents ranged from 2s per acre per annum to 4s. One hundred and fiftyfour applications were made to lease the grazing runs by 97 applicants. There were 17 lots opened, of which 15 were applied for — an aggregate of 23,373 acres. The same day 14,305 acres of first-class pastoral land and 196 acres of rural land situated on the estate were submitted to auction. The up3et price per acre ranged from £2 5s to £3 ss. There were no bids for any of the lots offered. The experts who have been engaged in examining the electric tramway and telephone services at Dunedin will, it is believed, make a recommendation which will render it unnecessary to have a return circuit for either the telephone or the tramway service. Mrs Colenso, widow of the historical old heretic who wrote " Colenso's Arithmetic," has just died at Pietermaritzhurg. The bishop left his family fairly well off. The arithmetic brought in a large income, both to the author and to John Murray, the publisher, for many years ; and the bishop's critical works had a good sale at one time. The former residence of the Colenso family, Bishopstowe, near Durham, was burnt down a good while ago. Miss Colenso has been the companion of her mother in her old age ; one of the sons, Dr Colenso, resides in London. 1 Having turned Humanitarians, the whole family have given up worrying the Pentateuch and that sort of thing. The bishop's particular brand of heresy is quite out of date and forgotten. Indeed (adds the London correspondent of the Argus), heresy is one of those things which require to be kept up to the very latest fashion, or the public won't look at it, Tou know that theological peace now reigns

in the See of Natal, The orthodox bishop retired, the unorthodox died, and now churchmen have the services of a via media prelate, accepted by both parties. The University Senate have agreed to increase this year the number of junior scholarships by the addition of five, of the annual value of £30 each. Time was (says the New Zealand Methodist) when it was almost impossible to get an Australian minister to come to New Zealand. A few years ago one resigned rather than be banished to our shores. Of course this may be explicable on Dr Johnson's principle : " Pure ignorance, madam ; pure ignorance." If so the time of this ignorance has passed away, for it is evident that married ministers would readily come to New Zealand bow. Perhaps it is remotely connected with the fact that their years of plenteousness are ended, and the years of dearth begin to come, while we are reputed to be booming. Rear-admiral Sir N. Bowden-Smith arrived from the north on Friday evening by the express train, Lady Bowden-Smith having arrived two hours earlier by the express from the south. They are the guests of Bishop Nevill. The Rear-admiral, who is in charge of the Australian station, will attain the rank of Vice-admiral at the end of this year. The funeral of the late Mother Mary Frances Xavier Sullivan and Sister Mary Lucy, Treacy of the Dominican Convent, took place on Friday. At 10 a.m. a requiem mass was celebrated by the Very Rev. Father Mackay, the Very Rev. Father O'Leary was deacon, Father Newport subdeacon, and Father Murphy master of ceremonies. The following priests also assisted : Fathers Lynch, J. O'Neill, P. O'Donnell, Hunt, Ryan, and M'Mnllan. The altar was draped in black, and outside the sanctuary rails were placed the two coffins. The Gregorian Requiem Mass was sung in its entirety, principally in unison, by the Cathedral Choir. The " Dies Irso " was sung in harmony, and Fathers Lynch and O'Neill sang the"O Salutaris Hostia Sacra." Funeral marches by Chopin, Guillmant, and Handel were played during the service by Mr Vallis, the organist. The congregation was a large one. After the mass the coffins were conveyed in separate hearses to their last resting place in the Southern Cemetery, and they were followed by a large number of citizens, the cortege extending over a quarter of a mile. The Rev. Father Mackay officiated at the grave, at which a number of the members of the confraternities and of the Society of the Children of Mary were present. With a kindly feeling, which it is gratifying to notice, some of the artist 3 belonging to parts of the colony outside Donedin have contributed works to the art union which has been promoted with the object of raising funds to assist Mr A. H. O'Keeffe, the well-known local genre painter, to visit Paris so that he may derive the benefit of the influence of that great art centre. Mr P. Van der Velden, the distinguished Dutch artist, residing in Christchurch, whose examples were so unanimously admired on the walls of the Choral Hall at the two last annual exhibitions of the Otago Art Society, has sent down a very clever sketch in crayons ; Mr T. L. Drummond, of Whangarei, has sent all the way from the far north an oil painting ; Mr John Baillie, of Wellington, has contributed a water colour picture ; and Mr C. Howorth, of Invercargill, has forwarded a painting in oils of "Sandhills in the South." The drawing in connection with the art union will take place next week. At Ashburton on Thursday J. M. Tweed, M.D , was fined £5 and costs, and treble the amount ©f the tax, for failing to furnish returns as required by the Land and Income Assessment Act. The Rev. James Clark, of Fairlie, has accepted the call from the Palmerston Presbyterian congregation. We understand that at a meeting of the Kirk Session of Knox Church on Friday night the committee of the Dunedin Presbytery appointed in connection with the resignation of the Rev. A. P. Davidson were in attendance, and that it was agreed by the session that Mr Davidson's resignation should be accepted with regret. In expectation probably of hearing some statement with reference to the unexpected developments of last week there was, notwithstanding the threatening and rather boisterous weather, a very large congregation at Knox Church on Sundayforenoon, when Mr Davidson conducted the service, Dr Stuart occupying a seat within the pulpit rails, but no allusion was made to the matter either then or in the evening when,, another large congregation being present, the Bervice was conducted by Dr Stuart, assisted by Dr Dunlop. A letter recently appeared in our columns in reference to an alleged suppression of evidence in the Weir case tried at the last Invercargill criminal sittings, and founded on some remarks made by his Honor Mr Justice Williams. To this we added a footnote showing that there had been no suppression of evidence so far as the police were concerned. Further inquiry has confirmed this view, as it appears that the whole facts in connection with the examination of the girl Gilcbrist by the medical man at Riverton were fully explained by Sergeant i Macdonell in the lower court, while the fact of the girl haying been examined by a second dector appeared in the depositions, so that the Crown prosecutor or counsel for the defence could have called the doctor at Riverton, who made the firet examination, had either of them deemed it necessary to do so. — Daily Times. Mr D. Pinkerton, M.H.R., has received the following telegram from the Premier in reply to the one signed by the city and suburban members concerning the Ofcago Central railway : — "Be Obago Central: Expenditure on this line was fully commensurate with amount voted by Parliament, and is explained fully in my telegram. If I were to do what you request a total stoppage of expenditure after 31st March would follow until further appropriations by Parliament. I am at a loss to know what more specific information is required re liabilities, and trust you do not question statement compiled by Government officers as Ito liabilities being incurred amounting to £14,000. I should be very sorry if that were so, as it casts a grave reflection upon deserving public servants who have no interests in the matter. I communicated the information to you as given by my officers." The Inspector of Police received a telegram on Saturday stating that the St. Bathans Hotel, which was owned and conducted by Mr Patrick Talby, was destroyed by fire on the sbh inst. The building was insured in the Manchester office for £300. The present contracts for the Federal mail service, held by the P. and O. and Orieut Companies, will expire on January 31, 1895 The total subsidy paid is £170,000 per annum, of which sum £95,000 per annum is paid by the Imperial Government and £75.000 by the colonies of New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Queensland, Tasmania, Western Außralia, and Fiji, the colonies cantributing on the basis of population. The following were the amounts paid by the colonies for the.

year 1892 :— New South Wales, £26, 000 ; Victoria, £26,363; Queensland, £9519; South Ausbralia, £7608; Tasmania, £3460; West Australia, £1326. At the annual general meeting of the Ofcago branch of the New Zealand Fire Underwriters Association, which was held last week, it was decided that the Salvage Corps be disbanded on the 31st of this month, in consequence of several companies declining to contribute rateably to the corp9' maintenance. A resolution was also passed placing on record the association's appreciation of the valuable service rendered by the Salvage Corps during the past 12 years, and expressing the exceeding regret of the association that the necessity had arisen for the disbandment of the corps. It was further agreed to forward a copy of the resolution to Superintendent Jacobs. As the corps have been the means of saving a considerable amount of property during their existence, and have always performed their duties energetically and in a capable manner, the general public will no doubt join with the Underwriters' Association in regretting that they are to be disbanded. Sir John Hall told his Leeston friends that he received a touching proof of what the Prime Minister's opinion is, or was, of his humble services to the cause of female franchise. "Aa soon as the bill was finally passed he came across the floor of the House to me and asked if, as a memento of this important event, I would accept a copy of the act printed on parchment. I accepted his offer gratefully, and promised to give this interesting document a place in my family archives ; but I am sorry to say that this is the last I have heard of the matter, and the place in my family archives is still vacant. The vellum-printed document must have found its way into the family archives of Mr Seddon. Perhaps if the report of this meets Mr Seddon's eye the parchment may still find its way into the place prepared for it. The omission was, of course, only aa oversight on the part of the Premier." From the annual report to 30bh June 1893 o£ the wonderful De Beers Consolidated Mines (Limited^ a company which works the diamond mines at Kimberley, it appears that during the year the sales of diamonds realised £3,239,389 8s 6d, and dividend and interest on investments and other items £148,301 15s, making in all £3,387,691 33 6d. The working expenditure, charges, depreciation, &c. absorbed £1,339,939 13s 2d, and interest on mortgage, debentures, &c, £348,351 17s 6d, leaving a net profit balance for the good of the shareholders of £1,692,397 12s lOd. Adding balance brought forward the total available is £2,060,930 4s 2d. The shareholders have received a dividend of 25 per cent, for the year, amounting to £987,238 15s, redemption fund absorbed £300,283 19s 4d, and' a balance of £782,407 9s lOd has been carried forward to the next account. One of the most chivalrous rescues of a drowning man brought under public attention for a long time past was made during the recent voyage of the steamer Chingtu. After leaving Fort Darwin the steamer was overtaken by a fierce squall of wind and rain, during which one of the Japanese seamen fell overboard, striking the fluke of the anchor in his descent, sustaining concussion of the spine and sinking immediately out of sight. Heedless of the fact that the sea was literally swarming with sharks, Mr G. F. Morrison, the chief officer, threw off his oilskin and at once sprang overboard from the bows. Captain Innes reversed the engines, life-buoys were thrown overboard, and the gangway lowered well into the sea. As Mr Morrison rose to the surface with the Japanese he noticed that the gangway was down, and he struck out boldly, and fortunately succeeded in gaining a firm hold of it. Both were then drawn out of the water, Mr Morrison very little the worse for his immersion, but the Japanese thoroughly exhausted, and suffering severely from contact with the anchor. Some excellent Gladstone stories find their way into the London correspondence of the Sheffield Independent. One of these illustrates Mr Gladstone's universal knowledge. Two gentlemen, invited as guests at a table where Mr Gladstone was expected, made a wager that they would start a conversation on a subject about which even Mr Gladstone would know nothing. To accomplish this end they "read up' 1 an ancient magazine article on some unfamiliar subject connected with Chinese manufactures. When the favourable opportunity came the topic was started, and the two conspirators watched with amusement the growing interest in the subject which Mr Gladstone's face batrayed. Finally he joined in the conversation, and their amusement was turned into gnaohing of teeth — to speak figuratively — when Mr Gladstone said, "Ah, gentlemen, I perceive you have been reading an article I wrote in the Magazine some 30 or 40 yeara ago." A singular instance of canine sagacity and fidelity is recorded by the Hawke's Ray Herald in connection with the recent southerly gale. The surf was breaking in immense waves over the Marine Parade when a small dog, to which a litte son of Dr Moore is much attached, went over the seawall just as a wave was receding. The little boy jumped after his dog, and Mr Leo Yon Haast, seeing the child's imminent danger, leaped over after him. Just as Mr Yon Haast was clambering back over the wall with the child, leaving the little dog to its fate, a big dog that hid run up noted the omission, and leaping over, in its turn seized the helpless little sanine, and brought him safely over the wall, human and canine rescuers just getting their burdens into safety as a great wave washed over the spot they had left. The half-yearly report and balance sheet of the Colonial Bank of New Zealand shows that the directors recommend placing £§000 to the reserve fund, paying a dividend at the rate of 7 per cent, per annum, and carrying forward £5791. The meeting of shareholders will be held on the 28th inst. A Kyeburn correspondent telegraphs that the chaffhonse, waterwheel, and machinery belonging to Mr Cox, of the Kyeburn Hotel, was burnt down during Sunday night. It was all right at 10 o'clock. The property was uninsured. The loss is about £150. An examination under the Dentists Act was concluded last week. Eight candidates came forward, and the following were successful: Messrs Campbell and Deck (Nelson), Misa Armstrong (Dunedin), and Messrs Roberts and Purrell (Christchurch). Miss Armstrong is a daughter of our well-known townsman Mr J. P. Armstroug. Mr Frank. F. Haggitt has passed the final examination in law, entitling him to the degree of LL.B. ♦ In our issue of February 15 we published the judgment in the appeal case of Magnus v. Anderson, heard before Judge Ward at Queenetown on 25th January. The accuracy of our report having been questioned, and the matter having been referred to the judge, his Honor informs us that, although our report was not strictly accurate, tht grounds of the derision were fairly given. The only point of importance in the case was the question whether the insertion (ia the act of 1883) of the words " on good

cause shown " gave an appeal from the decision of the warden. Prior to that acb the warden could inflicb fine or forfeiture at his discretion, and against this Judge Ward held no appeal lay. But, in his opinion, the insertion of the above words rendered an appeal possible. Mr H. A. Gordon (inspecting engineer of mines) and the Commissioner of Crown Lands (Mr J. P. Maitland) proceed to Waipori this (Thursday morning) for the purpose of investigating the claims for compensation made in connection with the proposal to proclaim the Waipori river a sludge channel. The trustees of the Public Art Gallery have just placed on screens in the gallery a very interesting collection of 17 pen-and-ink drawings by Mr A. Chauntrey Corbould, a member of the Paneh staff of artists. They are lent by Mr Francis Fulton,. and are well worth inspecting. The new Magistrate's Court regulations give the following as the allowances and costs allowed to witnesses : — Gentlemen, merchants, bankers, and professional men, per diem, 15s to EOs ; auctioneers, accountants, clerks, farmers, and tradesmen, per diem, 8s to 15s ; artisans and journeymen, per diem, 7s to 8s ; labourers per diem, 5s to 7s ; female witnesnee, one-half the above sums ; children, a reasonable amount for expenses, to be fixed by the court. Solicitors will not be allowed fees in undefended cases under £5. We learn that the companies running the mail steamers between Australia, New Zealand, and San Francisco are making vigorous efforts to develop the traffic between the colonies and America, and have made special arrangements with the great railroad companies crossing the United Seates by which they are enabled to secure unusual facilities for passengers travelling Homeward via the States for visiting the great cities of the Union. In conjunction with the railroad companies they have opened a special office in the West End of London, under the charge of an expert, who has gained his railway experience on one of the great American lines and his shipping knowledge in the service of the Union Steam Ship Company ; while arrangements are also under way for the extended representation of the route in Australia. It has been decided also to give the route a distinctive name, and the route bttween the colonies and England via San Francisco and America will in future be known as the «♦ A. and A. Route," a short title for Australian aodJAmerioan Route. Considering the attractions which this route Homewards affords, giving facilities for visi liing the finest scenery, the historic spots, and the marvellous cities of the United States, there cau be no doubt that the "A. and A. Route" will in time become as familiar as those of the P. and O. or our own U.S.S. C% The Lyttelton Times states that so far only two oases of forfeiture on the Cheviot estate are known of. In one case thin action is being taken on account of loss sustained by the settler, so that he has not sufficient funds to work the land ; and in the other case the area secured is too small to satisfy the person who drew it at the ballot. According to the Hawera Star sly grog-selling goes on wholesale at Parihaka, there being nothing sly about it. In the evening orgies are carried on, the deities of which should be Bacchus and Venus. All this is, it seems, made to yield money to the exchequer. It is said that at this moment there is an accumulation of £80,000 at Parihaka in gold and notes. The gold is kept in bulk, the notes in 501b flour bags. The food, &c. is presented to Te Whibi &nd Tohu, who have it cooked and then sell it to the donors. Gambling is also said to be very rife. " The man who makes his own will " was the toaat once given by an English attorney when asked to- do honour to "the best friend of the profession." A fresh illustration of the wisdom of that selection (says the Argus of the 28th ult.) was afforded in the Supreme Court yesterday in connection with the estate of the late Thomas 'Walsh, of Collingwood. Mr Walsh died in 1892, leaving property then valued at over £15,000. A will, made a few days before his death, and by which he left the bulk of his property to Roman Catholic objects, was set aside for incapacity after a very interesting action at law. A will made in 1883 then came into force, and the executors of that will came before Mr Jnstice Holroyd yesterday to have certain knotty points of construction determined. The will was originally drafted by a solicitor, but was I afterwards touched up by the testator, with the ' result that the effect was rendered delightfully vague. With the assistance of eight barristers, and ever so many solicitors, Mr Justice Holroyd came to the conclusion that the deceased died intestate as to about half the estate, and that a certain gift over to the Roman Catholic Archbishop, which was to have taken effect at the death of the testator's last surviving great great grandchild, was void for remoteness. " The costs of 8 11 parties," said his Honor, "will be paid out of the estate." It then appeared that £1100 had already been paid in law costs over the previous action, and that all the ready cash in the estate was exhausted. A suggestion from the bench that the lawyers might wait a few months for their fees was received with h'jrror. An enthusiastic prohibition meeting was held at Naseby on the night of the sth, Mr James Kirby, chairman. The speakers were Messrs Malcolm, Ramsay, and the Rev. M Cosh Smith. It was announced amidst applause that the prohibitionists were to nominate Messrs Eagle (St. Batbans), Kirby (Nasebj), and Ramsay (Hjde) for the Licensing Committee. Encouraging reports were given in as to the growing feeling in favour of prohibition throughout the district, and it was stated that the vote for no licence would command an immense number of votes. It was afterwards determined to hold public meetings throughout the district — at Upper Kyeburn on the 12th, Hamiltons on the lObh, and St. Bathans on the 16th. The following missing friends are inquired for in thi January numbers of Lloyd's Weekly :— James and Edward Liddle, butchers, were last heard of at Wellington. Sister Ellen inquires. — Rosina Purse, wife of Stephen Purse, tailor, left Southampton in 1875 ; lust address in 1882— Ferry road, Christchurch. Her mother longs for news. — Fabian Posener sailed in the ship Famenoth in May 1880, arriving in Auckland, New Zealand, about August. His last letter was dated November 5, 1880. He was then working his way "up-country," and had stayed at Panmure and Lucas's Creek. Sister Rose inquires. — James Clements left England about May 1864- or '65, under the name of Page, for New Zealand ; and last wrote to his daughter Mary Ann about 20 years since when in business as a machinist and engineer in North- Ipswich, Queensland. — Charles and Samuel Rogers went out to New Zealand over 20 years ago ; last letter from Arahomo, November 5, 1873. Any news would be welcome to the nephew Basil. — William Shand last wrote home from Timaru in 1887. Sister Wilhelmina inquires. — Benjamin Valentine Harding, of Brighton, left London for New Zealand in October 1873 ; lwfc

heard of afc the railway works, Napier. Frederick Payne nsks. — Henry Solman sailed from Plymouth on May 7, 1874, and landed at Nelson ; last heard from Auckland in 1887. — Mother is anxious. — James Dawson left Rathkeale, Limerick, for the Cape about 36 years ago ; last heard of from Victoria Btreet, Auckland. His cousin Mary seeks him. — Mary Bone sailed for Dunedin in 1873. Sister Rebecca inquires. — William Allen, coachbuilder, left England for Melbourne about 1857 ; laßt letter from Dunedin, 1863. Daughter Eliza longs for tidings.

A public meeting in connection with the licensing election was held in the hall of the Presbyterian Church, Milton, on Tuesday evening, 6th. The meeting was well attended, women especially being present in large numbers, and taking a hearty interest in the business. The Rev. James Chisholm was voted to the chair. After opening the meeting with prayer, he stated what had already been done by delegates from all parts of the Bruce electorate. He drew attention to the fact that many of the people, especially tradespeople, in Milton who were not present that evening had sympathy with the object of the meeting, and would doubtless vote in favour of a reduction of licenses. The fact was thab the four hotels in Milton, with its population of little over 1000 people, virtually dominated public affairs, inasmuch as each hotel had its biker and butcher and grocer and what-not, and was the centre of a widespread influence. He drew attention to the fasts that the chief difficulty in the way of reform was the apathy of the people. In the present case the law seemed framed to foster this tendency, seeing that those who abstained from voting were really counted as voting for things continuing as they are. It was confidently believed, however, that women, who were the chief sufferers from the large number of licensed houses, would bestir themselves and secure a vote in favour of reduction. Several motions were submitted to the meeting and unanimously agreed to. The substance of them was to have the district divided into small sections, and a committee, consisting of men and women, appointed for each section, for the purpose, by printed circular and otherwise, of getting all the electors to vote.

In the case of J. Low v. J. M. Maisey Mr Carew, S.BL, gave judgment at the Magistrate's Court, Dunedin, on Thursday as follows :— "The evidence is very conflicting, but in some particulars the facts seem pretty clear. In the first place, there can be no doubt that plaintiff had been for some time trying to find a purchaser for the Kyeburn Hotel property, and that he had expended time and trouble, and had incurred some small expense in doing so, and there is no reason why he should have done all this other than that he expected to be remunerated. Hehas sworn that the defendant promised him if he sold the property he would give him whatever was fair. Defendant, on the other hand, haß sworn that he never promised to pay commission — that it was never spoken of. There is no mention of commission in the correspondence between the parties, and nothing to exclude it ; but it seems to me defendant must have understood that plaintiff was acting for him, and, so far as I can see, he had no right to expect him to act gratuitously. Mr Cox and plaintiff disagree as to what took place between them at Outram on the Tuesday evening and on the following Saturday at Dunedin, but it is clear the conversation on Tuesday raised a strong desire in Mr Cox to have the property placed under offer to him, and his subsequent action goes to show that it is improbable that plaintiff could have told him on either occasion that the property was sold. His action is consistent with plaintiffs evidence that on both occasions he told Mr Cox that the property was under offer of sale to another person. There is no doubt that plaintiff was the cause of Mr Cox becoming desirous to purchase the property, and this led up to the actual purchase of it. I think plaintiff's explanation of his declining to place the property under offer to Mr Cox, that it was under offer at the time to Mr Carroll, is a reasonable one. He believed Mr Carroll was a probable purchaser, and as Mr Carroll, jun., had written to defendant, it was necessary that he should wait for the result. The effect of what plaintiff did was this': he let Mr Cox know that the property was for sale, contingent upon the offer of it to Mr Carroll not being accepted. Mr Cox acted upon this information and placed himself in direct communication with defendant, and Mr Cox became the purchaser. I think plaintiff is entitled to the usual commission, which on £2000 at the usual rate is a little more than the amount claimed. Judgment for £40, and costs (£8)."

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