LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Otago Witness, Issue 2181, 19 December 1895, Page 38

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Lord and Lady Glasgow, with their family, ara expected to visit Ofcago early in January, remaining in Dunedin for some time. His Excellency will open Iha Medical Congress on Monday, February 3, when representative medical men from the various colonies will be in attendance. According to tbe Te Acau co; respondent of the Southland News, Lord and Lady Glasgow have announced their intention of spending a few days on the lake exploring its fiords, reaching the district on the 16 '.li January.

A private cable message received on Friday slates that Clement White, late of Dunedin, was acquitted of the 'charges brought against him at Kalgoorlie. Apparently the story w»s a trumped-up one. The character of the two boya who made the charge, as given by Benjamin Moffat, homa mi-ssionary at Kalgoorlie, was bad. At the investigation at the Police Court Moffat gave evidence that he had been teachir'g the bojs Smith and Nancarrow for some wteks. He hud teurd James Smith, when playing with other boys, use most objeotionnble ltnguig^. Found him a most untruthful boy. Ai regarded Nancarrow, he seemed to hide his fabrication, so that it could hardly be told whether it was true or nob. Ho was exceedingly surprised that Smith had laid "the charge ; he was a most untruthful boy, and no reliance could be placed on his evidense. The witness' then related what he bad seen, "which, if correct, wcu'd seem to give a clue why the boys should have mtde such a hoirible charge against White.

The new Licensing Act, which cime into operation on the Ist October, was not procurable uutil some six we*k* later. The Winton correspondent of the Southland Times irs'auces a case to show the absurdity of this. Owing to the death of his father, a man named M'lnerney applied to the chairman of the licensing committee for a permit to carry on the hotel temporarily. ' WlthTiothirig bitiibe old act-to guide them, the permit was granted. Now, the new act provides that such a permit must be signed by two members as well as the chairman of the committee. M'luerney was charged with supplying drink to a person tinder the influence of liqurtr, but, as the perrx.it was uuli and voi3 and he was rota licensed ptrson at the time of the alleged , offence, the chirge had to be' di«mis3ed.

The case of Fleming and Gilkison v. Grigg was mentioned at the Supreme Court on Thursday, and, at the request of the par tie V his -Honor fixed the hearing of th=» cue for Tuesday, 17oh inst\, to commence at 10 30 a m It is to be 'heard by a special jary, and is exciting considerable in'erest in commercial circles. The i action is brought by Messrs Fltming aud Gilkibou, of luvercargill, flour millers, against John Grigg, of Longbeach, to recover £4000 damages for breach o[ an alleged contract; for tho sale by th* latter (o the former of 80,000 bushels of wbe^t. Sir It >bert Stout and Mr T. Maodouabt (of luvercargill) are th •. c >un!itl for the plaintiffs, and Mr Honking witU Mr Purnell (of ( Ashburton) for the d-fendaut.

The directors of the Gear Me\t Company, Wellington, recommend a dividend at the rate of 10 per cent, per annum.

A deputation waited on Mr Arthur, traffic manager, on Friday to brini? undur his notice the advisability of giving effect to the recommendation of the Education Board that excurlion tiokttj issued to icbool childreu mty cover the period of their vacation, so that country scholars, who would be likely to avail themselves of the railway facilities if they were made concurrent with the school holidays, might have an opportunity of paying an extended visit to Dunediu. Mr Arthur undertook to bring the.matter under the notice of the general manager.

The foll'->win.,j t^cde-n have been ie2twed by the Public Works deparfcmat t for the layiug of plates- for the: C*pburu section of the Ocago Central railway :— Accepted : J. and A. Anderson (Ohristchurch), £950. Declined : Sparrow aud Co. (Oaredin), £951 ; Scott Br.s (Christchurch), £1049; Faulkner and Sons (Dunedin), £105^;- M'Gregor and Henderson (Dunedin) £1078 ; James Fowler (Mosgiel), £1079.

It is intended rs fat as possible to give railway employees a holiday on Christmas Day,

aud the usual train service will be suspended. The north and- south express trains will run as usual, and a train will leave Dunedin for Oamaro. at 9 a.m., starting from Oamaiu* on the return trip at 2.45 prfis. On the Port Ch&lmera line the Sunday time tible will be observed. A train lewes B-ilclutha for Dunedin at 7.23 a.m.

During the heavy thunderstorm which passed over Dunedia on Sunday B\'m rain fell in 20 minutes.

The hospital returns for the pasfs week are .— Remaining from previous week, 84- ; admitted during the week, 16 ; discharged, 22 ; total remaining in the institution, 78.

Mr William Taylor, practical watchmaker and jeweller, Manse street, Dnnedin, draws the attention of country residents to the fact tint he has enlarged his ptemiaea, and has now an entirely new stock of all makes of watches, &o. Mr Taylor is a tho-oughly competent workman, and work entrusted to him receives his prompt attention.