LOCAL & GENERAL.

Otago Witness, Issue 2151, 16 May 1895, Page 17

LOCAL & GENERAL.

Parliament will be opened about the same fcime as usual — the third week in June. The New Zealand Times says the Government policy measures are in a forward state. Kr Michael Davitt has arrived at Albany. Our Cromwell correspondent telegraphs that Un Friday a girl Darned Dickie, seven years of «ge, fell down a shaft at Bannockburn and broke one of her legs just above the ankle. j The hospital returns for the week are at follows :— Remaining from tho previorfs week, 108 patients ; admitted during the past week, 21 ; and discharged, 21. There are two deaths to record, one of the deceased being Samuel Hill, better known as " Yankee Sam," who was • well-known figure about town, and followed the occupation cf a book and newspaper vendor. ' He was received into the institution on the 9th inst., suffering from inflammation of the lungs, and died the day following. The name of the other deceased was Gharlej Dickson. The .number of patients remaining in the hospital •is 106. The Hon. Mr Cadman cannot see bis way at present to make a reduction in the freight by rail on potatoes from Oamarn to Dunedin. About 40 young persons have given in their names for the evening classes to be started at ' craldine by Of rT. C. Farnie. It is believed Chat nearly 100 names will be enrolled for the classes to be held in the Union street School in Dunedin. A number of forged cheques purporting to bear the signature of John Douglas, jun , Waihao Downs, were passed on tradesmen at Waimate early last week. Tho North Otago Time' reports that an individual, supposed to be the same person, also distributed a few of his favour 8 in Oamaru. As he is said to have made his way south, local tradesmen should carefully scrutinise cheques presented by strangers. « A number of the Oamaru unemployed are to be put on the Otago Central railway this week, and some of them will be sent to the North Island for road making in the Awakino Valley. We undpritand that Mr C. M. Mouat has been appointed solicitor to the Obago Licensed Victuallers' Association. Fair Play of Ist March, referring to the proposed insistence of colonial Governments to have white labour exclusively employed on mail steamers, thinks there is another side to the question and recommends the formation of an Indian Labour party, which, proceeding on well - recognised and well - approved lines, would compel the Governor-general and his Council to coutract for the. delivery of the mails only with those companies employing natives of India exclusively. It is not generally known that there would be no difficulty in working a steam fleet entirely by native labour, and if the colonials decide to act in the matter as stated they will find that their exclusiveness will be a veritable two-edged we«pon. This latest attempt to protect colonial labour is a revival of the old navigation laws which we found it advisable to rqieal. It is in such ways and by such methods that the colo-iials "advance Australia" — to the Bankruptcy Court. The Saturday Reviow believes the Baltic Cau&l, which will be opened in Juae, will revolutionise the Baltic trade. Incidentally it will destroy what little remains of Denmark's commercial importance. Copenhagen has endeavoured to forestall disaster by making itself into a free port, and spending large sums of money npon dock and harbour improvements, but we fear all in vain. Where the commercial supremacy of the Baltic will resettle itself, when once its quits Copenhagen, is not clear. Hamburg is very confident about its own succession to tLo3erich honours. Ancient Liibeck is projecting an Elbe-Tr&ve canal, by means of which she hopes to divert the increased traffic and wealth to herself. The Courland port of Libau has spent £250,000 in enlarging its facilities for the competition, and even St. Petersburg, which, with its new deep-water dock in the Neva, becomes a seaport this year for the first time, has visions of maritime greatness based on this novel rearrangement of trade currents. The children of the Wakari School «ad adolts in charge of them, to ths number of 260, made an excursion by rail to W<iihola on Saturday. The weather was singularly dry and warm, forming a delightful contrast to the cold and showery weather of the last few days. The steamer having been chartered by the school committee continued to ply on the lake all day. On board proceedings were enlivened by the singiug of the pupils, while on shore games of all sorts were engaged in. The lake was nncoth as glass, and its silvery appearance, combined with the gently sloping hills surrounding it, formed a very pretty picture. In the afternoon, before the arrival of the train, an impromptu concert and dance in Mr Paterson's Hall filled up the interval, and the while party arrived safely in Danedin about 7 o'clock— no hitch occurring to mar the pleasure of the outing. The school committee and seachors deserve credit for their excellent arrangements, while the uniform courtesy of the railway officials during the trip was very pleasing. Tn a few words at the memorial service in Knwc Church on Sunday morning the Rev. Anderson Gardiner, who occupied the pulpit, made fouling reference to the death of a wellknown member of the ' church. "In the removal by death from amongst them," he eaid, " the Ladies' Association of this congregation have lost a most aotive and cheerful worker ; the poor and needy of this city one of their best friends. I knew Mrs Grant, and I desire to be allowed to join in your sense of loss, and in your expression of syrapithy with the bereaved family. She was a good woman. To see her in her home, among her children and grandchildren, was a pleasant and beautiful sight, and good for one's heart. Your late pastor has on more than one occasion spoken of her to me as ' his right hand.' Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord, for their works do follow them." News has been received of the death from cholera, at Bangkok, Siam, on March 25, of General W. Feilding, founder of the Manchester Settlement in the Wellington district. Much regret is felt at Feilding, the prosperous town which has arisen in connection with the settlement. The Rev. Edwin Peter Hood, 8.A., was Instituted on the evening of the Bth to the puteral charge of the parish of Bt. Matthew. Evensong to the 3rd Collect was sung by the Rev. E. P. Hco3 ; the proper lessons— Ezekiel xxxiii, 1 to 12, and Ist Corinthians iii — were read by the Rev. Isaac Richards, theological tutor. After hymn 353 the Bishop, taking his text from Hebrews xiii, 7 and 17, gave an earnest and mo6t practical address npon the relations that should exist between the pariah priest and his flock. After the address the Rev. E. P. Hood took the oath of canonical obedience, and the deed of institution was read by the biehop. The service closed With hymn 355, followed by the benediction.

The Premier ha* replied to the representations of the Inveroargill Chamber of Commerce with reference to the income tax returns. He telegraphs that " saving a brief visit of two days by the President Commi«sioner 12 months ago no officer of the department has conducted any inspection of books in Inveicargill, though the accountant is on his way now, and will be in Invercargill next week. Looking to the substantial results which have followed these investigations, and the absence of complaint in places where they have actually been made, I think your chamber is under some misapprehension a» to the nature of the inspection. Any officers who have baeu employed are permanent officers and men of experience and tact, and no one bat the Chtuf Accountant or the Deputy-com-raissioner has visited the larger towns. As. to the forms, they were very carefully considered by myself before being approved ; they are not nearly so inquisitorial or complicated as the South Australian or English forms, and the third page (issued as a separate sheet formerly) was really designed to assist people to make up their returns correctly." The contract for the erection of the Government Life Insurance building at the oorner of Princes and Rattray streets has bee a signed by Messrs M'Lood and Shaw, and the work of pulling down the old building, which is one of the first stone buildings erected in Dunedin, will commence almosb'immedUtely. It is understood the contract price is about £13 000. For the base course and piers s ( one from Ruapnke Island is to be used. The piers are to be in one piece of stone, 10ft long, and will weigh about five tons, and are to be polished. The remainder of the first storey will bs of selected Waikawa stone, and the other two storeys of the superstructure will be of Totara stone, No. 1 quality. The contractors have uudtrtaken to complete the buildiug in 12 months. Mr Astrup, Lieutenant Peary's chief officer, an energetic young Norwegian, who during the pasb three years is said to have made greater discoveries under the Frigid zone than any previous explorer of such tender years— he is only 23— in a lecture at Christiana expressed the fullest confidence that Dr Nanssn would return, but would in all probibility be without his ship. Mr Astrup is a great admirer of the -Eskimo and his dog, and as showing the endurance of the men, mentioned the case of one who had to get his foot amputated, the operation being performed with an old blubbercovered knife, while the bleeding was stopped by ligatures of sinews. The Anglican Bishop of Ballarat and Ihe ladies who were managing a fancy fair came in*o coll'sion recently. One of the advertised attractions was a skirt dance by three girls about 12 years of age. The bi»hop intervened almost at the last moment, and the announcement was withdrawn. On the following Sunday the bishop ceo6uced indirect methods of raisiug money for church purposes, and adverted to the placing of stumbling blocks in the path of the young in such a way that it was held to be a reproach on the ladies. At a subsequent; meeting the ladies drew up a letter, which was sent to the bishop, in which, after referring to the awkward pesition in which they had been placed by his denunciation, they said if they had sinned th«y regretted it, bub requesting the bishop, as their spiritutl adviser, to sate how they had done wrong. The binhop in his reply declaimed any iutention beyond tuggexting a line of future action which would ba more in consonance with his idea of the fitness of things. A It will be noticed that the Anderson's Bay Ferry Company (Limited) is at prasent in liquidation. The company was incorporated in September 1890 with a nominal capital of £4000, of which £3500 was subscribed in four issues. Most of this latter sum has been paid up and spent. The work done by the company consisted mainly of the construction of a channel from the Anderson's Bay bridge to the landing place near the old railway station at Anderson's Bay. This was found to be an exceedingly expensive and difficult operation, and cost more money than was anticipated. The Anderson's Bay bridge had to ba raised and rebuilt to admit of the passage of the steamer ; a jetty and slip and water supply were also provided ; and a steamer was obtained from Paul and Co., of Dumbarton, on the Clyde, at a cost of £2500. This steamer has been found to answer its purpose extremely well. The company has, however, all along had to struggle with insufficient capital and various adverse circunntancea. The ferry system was carried on for a short time, but was interrupted in consequence of the chaunel outside the bridge in the harbour not being of a sufficient depth ab very low tides, owing to which the service could not be kept up with the required regularity. During the winter the boat has been laid up, bub in summer time it has been run as an excursion boat, anfl has iv that way been made almost to pay expenses. The capital having become exhausted, the company has recently gone into voluntary liquidation, and a new company is being formed for the purpose of takiDg over the steamer and plant and other assets of the old company, completing the channel, and carrying on a regular ferry service bstweon Anderson's Bay, Dunedin, and Waverley. The Lands department recently proposed to let the inlands in the Waitaki river for the purpose of keaping down the rabbits with which they were infested. Small settlers along the course of the river have been in the habit of running cattle on these islands, and would rather pay a moderate rental than lose their pasturage. Representations were made on their behalf by Mr W. J. Steward and Mr DuncaD, flf.H.R's., and meanwhile the islands are withdrawn to enable some arrangements to be made. Our Arrowtown comspondenb telegraphs :—: — At the Mugisbrabe's Courb James F. H»ale.y, late town clerk and secretary of the Arrow H spital, was charged on several pleas with defrauding the funds of the institution and couvicted on several of the charges. His Worship sentenced accused to a fine of £28 or six months' imprisonment. The following sections of Crown lands were disposed of at the Dunedin office this week :— Run 204 a, Maniototo, 5450 acres, seleoted by A. G. Mathias as a pastoral run, at an annual rental of £68 2s 6d ; section 15, block X, Woodland, 207 acres, selected by G. C. Metaal, under occupation with right of purchase, at the capital value of 18s 9d per acre. There was a charming simplicity and directness about the stery Mr 8. L. Hinde told the Royal Geogr»»hical Sooiety last n'ght (»ays the Pall Mall Gazette of March 12). He spoke of a war in which Arab force* numbering a hundred thousand men were destroyed or diepewed, great towns of 30,000 and 60,000 inhabitants stormed and razed, some rnsasnre at least of vengeance taken for the murder of Emm Pasha, aud the Arab slave-raiders driven beyond Lake Tanganyika. In all this, and much more, Mr Hinde tcok a considerable share, and his account of it bore a close resemblance in its businesslike succ'netaess to an official dtspitch. On the natural wonders of the Cougo Free State Mr Hiude spoke more at large. The inhabitants of the region iv which

ho was afi work are almost aU cannibals, it ]appjara, but they have tbe 6aving virtue of cookiog all they eat. Some of them aro pigmies, and U3e po : smed arrows, but th 3 poisjn is uoi iuvariably fatal. There aro huge aud odoriferous marshes, but though the expedition was involved in them for dvys together thera was no ease of fever. The expedition entered a village on a gorgooas pavement composed of human skulls; it passed by a tomb where a chief had been buried in the company of 100 slaughtered men and 100 living women ; it captured some of the murderers of Emm Pasha and hanged them, and, nob content with that, photographed them beforehand. The increase of population in the Australasian colonies during the pant three yoirs and three - quarters is stated 'by the Victorian Government statist as 343,872, being at the rate of 9.03 per cent. The numerical increases are given thus : — Victoria, 38,699 ; New South Wales, 119,216 ; Queensland, 51,437 ; South Australia (including Northern Territory), 39,971 ; Western Australia, 32.&90 ; Tasmania, 10,789 ; and New Zealand, 59 470. Th'j total population on 31st December last is given as 4,153,7G7, as compared with 3,809,895 on sth April 1891. The adjourned meeting of the committee of the Central Olago Yin« and Fruitgrowers' Association was held on Friday, 10th iusb., in the Chamber of Commerce hall. There waa a good attendance, Mr B*thgate presiding. Reports by tho canvassers appointed at the previous meeting showed that the required 100 members had been enrolled; and likewise indicated that the movement was received with a large measure of public favour. It wai resolved to canvnne a meeting of members aud those desirous of joining for Friday evening next, 17th iusb, and a sub-comrnittce, con»is!i»ij of Messrs B/itbgatp, Fergus, Howden, Stronach, HazUfci-, aud S. N. Brown, was appointed to draft the line 3 of business for consideration at the m-mbers' meeting. Tbe ordinary general meeting oF the Trustees, Executors, and Agency Company of New Zealand (LimiteJ) took place in the CDmpany'a ofliue, Liverpool street, yesterday afternoon, Mr J. M. Ritchie presiding. The balance sheet and directors' repoit were submitted, and the recommendation that a dividend of 7 per cent, be declared, payable on the 17th iosb., that £500 be carried to reserve fund, and that the balance of profit and loss be carried forward, was carried. Messrs John Roberts and J. M. Ritchie, the retiring directors, were reelocted; and Messrs Bartleman and W. Brown and Co. were re- appointed auditors. Iv a charge of sly grog-selling against May Turner, of East Gore, Mr Hawkins, S.M., inflicted a flue of £15, but on the representations of counsel, and in view of the heavy costs, eventually agreed to reduce the fine to £10. A similar charge against Jane Brown, another occupant of the same houss, was withdrawn, the worn in Turner taking all the responsibility. It will ba remembered (says the Post) that when the Government took over the railways from tho commissioners a commission, consisting of Mr Nap'er Bell and Mr Hales, was appointed to examine the condition of the permanent way and rolling stock of the several lines. These gentlemen have been busily engaged on the task ever since, but it is understood that tbey have now completed it, and that their report will be that both permanent way and rolling stock were handed over by the commissioners in excellent condition. Possibly this was not exactly the report expected or desired. The officers of the ship Firth of Sbronsa, spoken by the barque Trinidad, which lately arrived at Wellington, report tbat when their vessel was under full sail about 50 miles from the Auatralian coast a dove, with a green twig in it 3 bill, setbled on the deck, aud was co tired by its long journey that it was easily caught. At the annual meeting of the Obago University Students' Association, the report of the Executive Committee staged that the " Review " and the Debating Society were in a particularly thriving condition. The debt on the " Review" had been reduced from £32 to £11, mainly by the efforts of Mr M'Nickle. The balance sheet showed a credit in hand of £11 3s 3d. The following office-bearers were elected :— President. Mr E. C Cutten ; vicepresidents, Mess^H F. Campbell and L. A. Line; auditors, Messrs Mouab and Baldwin. It was decide d that the date of the annual meetiag be changed from the second Friday in May to not later th<in the third Friday in April. A motion to abolish the annual university ball was lost by a large majority. The Masonic Newspaper Company has been registered in Wellington, and Messrs Gillon, Wilson, Freeman, Fletcher, Hamorton, and BaUlie elected direotors. Mr H. J. Williams is to be editor and manager. Tho paper will be published on June 1. Tho Auckland City Couucil has received a letter asking for an extension of the Tramway Company's lease, andintimatii'g bhab if granted the company will probably take over exiting lines and esbabhsh electric traction and olee'ric lighting, and extend the tram system bo Pamell and" Onehunga. The cosb of elecbric braction alone would be £90,000. At a recenb meebing of bhe Professorial Board of the Otago University tbe following resolution was adopted to meet the wishes of the Southland Teauhers' Institute:— •' That in placos within the education districts of Otago and Southland local examinations may be held, provided that nob less than four candidates notify their intention of presenting themselves for examination ; and that a committee consisting of Professors Shand, Gibbous, and the chairman be appoiutid to consider bhe details of the arrangement and report to the board." Mr Beitham, S.M. and coroner at Chrigfcchurcb, has bean callel upon by the Miuister for Justice for a reporb as to why no inquesb was held iubo the circurasbances connecbul with the death of a girl, aged 13, who died while under the influence «f chloroform in the Caristchurch Hospital. The operation was a simple one — the removal of a ganglion at the wrist — and Dr Nedwill, who operated, appears to have thought it desirable to hold an inqmsb. Mr Beebham, afber making inquiries, exercised the discretion allowed him as coroner and dtcided, under bhe circumsbances, that an inquesb was not necessary. The curious skeleton found some time since in Java is ab length bsing reduced bo its proper position in bhe geological record. It has been named the Pithecanthropus erestus, or the " upright man rainkey," but bhab barns out to be a somewhat premature effort at descriptive berm'nology. The latesb view is bhab bhe remains are those of a transibional nn,n or i of a microcephalous idiot, as in the case of the famous Neanderthal skull. Professor Cunningham, of Dublin, has lately endorsed this view. He thinks the Java bones are undoubtedly human, but that they are most assuredly not derived from a transition form between any of the existing anthropoid apes and mati. "Such a form," he says, "does nob and cannot exist, seeing that the divari- i cation of tbe ape nod man has taken place low '

down on tho genealogical tree, and each has followed, for gojd or bad, his own pabh. Tho so c tiled Pibheoanbhropua is in the direct human line, though ib occupies a placo on bias considerably lower than any human form ab pivsMifc known. This arguineab must surely dwpi3O of the Javanese "upright man monkey." Porhaps the loarned professor will suggest another name in place of the one he has so ruthlessly demolished. "The chiefs have paid their road tax at the Cook Islands," runs a message irom that group. " They had never been taxed before, and had stoutly reiolvcd not to pay or allow any of their people to do so. But they h".d to obey the law made by their own couuoil, and in the end they gave way and paid to a man." Thus much appears from a report by Mr Mo3B, the British R^ident of the Cock group. The excuse of the islaude-s was characteristic. They said they wauled peace, but according to an axiom of theirs, " There could be no peace without war." They had fought against the tax, but now tha fight was ended. Sj the first tax ever levied in the Cook Islands was paid. Those who attended the meeting of sebblers at Cheviot appeared to be a good deal concerned by the preaeuce of the representative of the Christchurch Press. Mr Brick said they knew what the feeling would be in Canterbury when it was seen that there had bsen a noting of Battlers at Cheviot to ask for a reduction of rent. It would be said, " Oh, you have had a meeting there ; you are going in for a reduction of rent. I told you so ! " The Press was very glad to get hold of it. Mr Gale said it would be better for Cheviot if nothing appeared in the Press or Times until tho meeting which had beon spoken of was held. The chairman said that was all very fine, but how could bhey gag all thoie people presenb ? Mr Gale was undersbood to say it was only necesbary to gag the reporter. He agreed with Mr Brick that more harm than good would bo done to Cheviot. The firsb gathering of the Waitaki Gaelic Society will be held at the Hakateramea Public Hall on Friday evening Tho society is not confiued to Highlanders ; anyone may join, bub the management will be confined to Highlanders. Those who intend to join the society will be admitted to the gathering on paying their subscription if introduced by members. The Soubhland Agricultural and Pas v oral Association's balance sheet for the year shows a credit balance on the year's operations of £200. The assebs exesed the liabilities by £900, including £330 on fixed deposit. Mr H. Carswell was elected president, and Mr Hunter vicepresident. At a special meebing df the Management Committee of bhe Nelson District M U.1.0.0.F., it was resolved, in reply to questions sabmitbed by the Otago districb— " That this meeting favours a uniform scale of contributions and benefits, with a table of surrender values for the colony for all members joining subsequently. This would leave present members under the scaleß now in force, and the meeting is of opinion bhab by grouping disbriebs as suggested by the actuary (Mr Leslie) the difficulty re clearance of preient members would be overcome. The meeting suggests Wellingbon for assembling a conference, and will send delegates." The Maori mind (writes our Auckland correspondent) appears to be in a state of great unrest ab preaenb, especially in regard to their lands and Native lands legislation. A large meebing is being held in Waikabo, ab which the young K'ng Mahubu is presenb, where bhe questions brought up at the Riboi.ua Native Parliament are being re-discussed, and the result will be that the Natives will cling to the freehold of their lands with greater tenacity than ever. As a foreshadowiug of comiug events the Natives have withdrawn the whole of their claims which were before the Native Lands Court at Ofcorohanga for adjudication. Mr Hone Heke, M.H R., is acquiring a great deal of influence over the northern Natives by his eloquence, his energy, and his earnestness. He is evidently animated by a deaire to benefit his fellow counbrymen, and to see them living on the same plane of civilisation as the Europeans ; but he notes that the land is slippiug away from under their feet and that they are steadily declining alike in physical power and political influence. He has taken a great interest in the East Coasb armed expedition and the event* which led up to the Uriwera surveys dispute. Duriug the oming session of the General Assembly Native affairs are likely to be brought into prominence, and it will nob be Hone Heke's faulb if they are not bhoro >ghly venbilabed. Owing to bhe burn affairs have baken on the East Cnast a detachment of police under Inspecbor Emerson and a co-operative working party of 70 men have gooe bo Galatea with a view to roadmaking. They are to be further streugfchened during this month by another baton of 70 men, the Government being apparenbly intent on settling two vexed qupstions at one and the same time— namely, the Native difficulty in the Uriwera country and the "unemployed" trouble. Unless the p. lice keep a strict surveillance oj the Utter gentry, ib is jusb possible bhab fresh di3pubos may arise bebween bhem and bhe Natives, and the last sbate be worse thau the first. Another letter has been received from one of the unfurtuuate Wellingbonians who weub away to South Africa under the influence of Eugene some months ago. Ib states that the party wont 800 miles up-country by train, and then journ-yed further inland on seven waggons, some of the younger riding on horeeback and driving cattle. Aftt>r three or four we-ko' travelling the wnggouera refimd to go any further, and dumped the unlucky people down on the banks of the Mashona river, some. 200 miles from the nearest settlement They had bo depend almosb entirely upon bhe game bhey could shojt. About the end of November Eugene told his followers that the catastrophe they had left Now Zealand to avoid had happened— viz., that this colony had disappeared. But there were scsptics in the party, and two men rode to the nearest station in the hopes of obtaining news. After their return a dispute arose with Eugene as to the owner*hip of a horse. Eugene left the camp with it for a time, but on b ing met again was given into the custody of the Bechuanaland police and charged with having stolen it. The case against him fell through, but the other claimant gained possession of the horse and has kept it. Ultimately the party broke up— Eugene, with his wife and two others (R. Chamberlain and C. S. Thomas), being left on the banks of Mashona river. Of the rest, some have returned to Capetown. The Gore borough poundkeeper, D. P. M'Kenzie, was charged before Mr Hawkins, S.M., with illtreating a cow he was removing to the pound. His Worship is reported by the Mataura Ensign to have said the treatment of the cow had been brutal in the extreme. He hoped bhe d%y would soon come when the use of r he stockwhip for driving quiet cattle would go out. It was a brutal implement. He doubted whether in any case M'Kenzie was justified in interfering with the cow. It was monstrous that a public servant should treat a

quiet animal as this oow had been. Dofouil ml know to whom the animal belonged, that she wat difTiculfc to drive and inclined to go ho ne, an<| in the face of this tried to ttko the beast away. Mr Neave interjected a remark about the borough by-laws, whereupon his Worahip r* marked that the borough by-laws were rotten. He could not uudersbaud any man venturing on horseback to ill-treat a cow ho admitted knowing to be easily driven on foot. He would fine d> f ndant £2, and he would also have to pay £1 10 a compensation for injury to the cow, court cost* 11«, wibursws' exponaes 10j 6i, and professional fee £1 Is— £s 12-i 6d in all. The Hon. John M'Kenzie, Minister for Lands, arrived in town from Shag Point on Tuesday afternoon, and was trig* god upon departmental business until a late hour of tho night. The hon. gentleman i« in such unsatisfactory health at present chat it is undei stood he will be unable to accede to the requisition whioh has been forwarded to him asking him to deliver an address at Milton. The Premier l»ft Wellington on Tuesday morning on a tour of the West Coast of the North Island. We understand tbah circulars from the Department of Labour have been received by employers in this city informing them that it is illegal to deduct from the wages of employees the proportions of the premium upon their insurance against accident under the Employers' Liability Act, and threatening proceedings against them if the practice is continued. The Education Board sat in oommittea agnia on Tuesday evening to consider the evidence recently taken in the inquiry into the charges made by Mr P. B. Fraser against Inspector Goyen. It is understood that a decision was arrived at concerning the various points whioh were the subject of the inquiry. The many friends of Mr R. H. Leary will regret to learn that Mr Leary, jun., on Tuesday received a cablegram, dated the 13th insb., sbabing that his father was seriously ill, having had a relapse. A man named Donnelly has been received into the Christchurch Hospital from Port! llobinsou, Cheviot, suffering from the effects of a bite from what he describe* as a large spider with brown body and black hairy legs. The Tariff Commission have obtained a further extension of time in which to report till the 31st inst. It is stated that boring in the Mokihinoi Coal Company's lease, now being worked by the Knights of Labour, has proved the existence of large quantities of coal equal to anything yet fouud on the West Coast. The now Government Insurance Buildings, the erection of which is shortly to be commenced, will prove a handsome addition to the architectural beautits of Dunedip. In Princes street it will embrace Messrs Pettit and Hayaes'a premises, while in Rittray street it will extend to Court's Hotel. The maia entrance will be directly on the corner, while aooess to the offices upstairs will be gained from Princes street. The general architecture of the building will be a free interpretation of the Italian style. It will be 60ft high, consisting of three storeys, together with a basemftEt The I/round floor will be occupied by three shops on the Princes street side, and one shop on the Rattray street side. The fronts of the shops will be almost entirely of glass. Handsomelooking arches will extend above them, and polished piers of Ruapnke granite will separate them. In the second storey large bay windows will overlook Princes street, while the appearance of the building on the other side will be relieved by huge columns of Oamaru stone. The interior also will be fiaished on a complete and modern scale, in keeping with the general design of the structure. Mr J. W. Poynton, of Wellington, has been appointed stipendiary magistrate at Invercargill. Mr W. R. Cook, of Messrs Cook and Gray, was appointed supervisor in the bankrupt estate of Friedlander Bros, at a meeting of creditors held at A? hburton on Monday. At Thursday's meeting of the Otago Harbour Board it was reported that £14,000 of that body's 5 per cent, consolidated debentures had been sold locally at a price which yielded a margin over the London pric* on the Stock Exchange. In speaking of the matter the acting chairman htabed that it was a matter for very gnat gratification that the board's first attempt to dispose of its debentures locally had bsen attended with so much success, and it was proof th.it at length its stock was being regarded as affording a safe aud profitable field for invest* ment The Hou. J. M'Kenzie, Minister for Lands, is at present on a visit to his home at Shag Point. Tho O umaru Mail states that the hon. gentleman may find it impossible to deliver a political address during his present visit. An appeal is being made on behalf of the Young Women's Christian Association foe funds. A max of £100 is required before the 3lßt July, to meet which the association has only £3 18s in hand. The appeal is intended more especially for women, but donations from men will not be refused. The hon. secretary, Sirs Mary Stewart, gives some particulars in another column of the work carried on by the association. A 6on of Bir Wilfrid Lawson, the well-known temperance advocite, who is a passenger by the Doric, was on Thursday waited on at Wellington by a daputation from the New Zealand Alliance, headed by Sir R. Stout. The deputation expretsed the hope that Sir Wilfrid might see his way to pay a visit to the colony, where his presence would do a great deal of good to the temperance cause. Mr Lawson, in reply, said that his father was a very old m»n, and he did not think he would ever come out to the colony. He had a great many duties to perform at Home, and, besides, was averse to travelling, and, except it was for the benefit of hi* health, he (the speaker) did not think his father would ever undertake such a long sea voyage. However, he would represent the views of the alliance to Sir Wilfrid, and point out how a visit would assist the cause. The report that Daybreak, the Wellington paper published by women for women, had ceased publication turns out to be without foundation. It is understood that a lawsuit of some magnitude will come before the Supreme Court shortly in connection with a recent large trans* action in wheat in Canterbury. A milling firm in Southland will be the plaintiffs aßd thQ grower of the wheat the defendant. At last week's meeting of the Benevolent Institution Trustees, accounts amounting to £493 8s 2d were passed for payment. Thomas Fraser died in the institution on the 3rd inst., at the age of 82 years. The monthly outdoor relief book showed that the number of cases for last month was 441, representing 168 men, 348 women, and 918 cniU dren, the cost being jCI34 13s 6d. For the corres. ponding month last year the number of cases was <09, representing 142 men. 326 women, and 871 children, the cob! being £122 9s 6d -Mr Haynsj pointed out that there vras an increase of BevcflOl