LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Otago Witness, Issue 2203, 21 May 1896, Page 3

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

At the quarterly meeting of the Auckland ■ Chamber of Commerce, with respect to adver- ' fcisiug the colony the following motion was ' unanimously carried : — " That this chamber re- ' spectf ully directs the attention of the New Zea- { laud Government to the great imporbance of 3 bringing and keeping under the notice of the I people ot Great Britain the splendid natural re- ( sources of the colony, its mineral and forest re- * source?, its wealth, its immense tracts ' of fertile lands, and its great attractions ' for tourists ; that while the chamber cheerfully ' recognises the valuable services performed from ' time to time in the direction indicated by sue- ' cessive Agents-general of the colony in London, J it is apparent to all colonists who visit the I mother coun* ry that much ignorance still pro- ' vails there regarding New Zealand, and it is 1 very widespread ; that the chamber is therefore of opioion that in the interest* of the colony ; more vigorous measures should be adopted ■ to disseminate amongst the people of Great ■ Britain such literature as is specially calculated to draw prominent attention to our colony and its principal features, and urges this matter on the consideration of the Government by sending a copy of the present resolution, accompanied by a copy of Mr L. D. Nathan's letter of March 3." The population of Cook and Waiapu Counties, Poverty Bay, according to the recant census, is 8126, an increase of 1644. Gisborae and suburbs has a population of 3826, an increase of 898. Our Auckland correspondent telegraphs that Mr James Stewart, C.8., loaves for London by the outgoing mail steamer oa Saturday next, his business being in connection vrith the, exploration company which intends introducing the electric tramway system into Auckland city and suburbs. Mr L. D. Nathan will also be a passenger to London in the mail steamer. He will take with him a number of properties to be placed on the English market. Private advices received at Greymonth state that owing to the unsettled state of the country it is difficult to dispose of the cargo of West Coast timber sent to Capetown, but that when affairs settle down and shippers only send the best quality' there is the prospect of a profitable trade being opened up. Sergeant-major James Shegog, late of the sth Dragoon Guards, a Crimean veteran, died last week near Launcesfcon, in his eighty-fifth year. He possessed medals for distinguished conduct in the field, a Crimean medal with clasps for Sevastopol, Inkerman, and Balaclava, and a Turkish medal. He was an eyewitness of the famous charge of the Light Brigade, and gave evidence at the inquiry in regard to Lord Cardigan's condocb on that occasion. Beyond that he showed great valour in the charge made by his own regiment, iv which he wns orderly to General Sir Yorke Scarlett, and for which he not only received a medal for distinguished conduct, but is also mentioned with honour in volume v of A. W. Kinglake'a " Invasion of the Crimea." The raport of Mr R. Giffen to the Board of Trade on the coal production of the principal countries of the world shows that in 1894 the exports from the United Kingdom were 42,690,000 toDS. Germany, the next largest coal- producing country, is credited with an export of 12,345,000 tons, while Belgium, third on the Hat, exported only 6,263,000 tons. Among the countries which import coal in excess of the amount they export is France, with an excess import of 9,571,000 tons. In the year named (1894) the estimated number of persons employed in the production of coal in Great Britain was 665,747, in Germany 299 627, in Belgium 117,103, and in France 131..587. The medical practitioners of Trowbridge and district (says a Home paper) are of opinion that nearly all the friendly \nd providant societies are seriously abused by members who are in receipt of good incomes taking advantage of benefits which are intended for working men only. This abuse of the present system of medical aid in connection with friendly societies has led to a conference of medical men at Trowbridge, which was attended by gentlemen representing a wide district. The outcome of their deliberations was to decide to" invite representatives of the various friendly societies and medical aid institutes to a conference to be held at Trowbridge Bhortly, when a proposal will be submitted that working men earning 30s per week, or living in houses rated at £10 per annum, shall be debarred the privilege of medical attendance from their respective friendly societies, but shall pay for their i medical attendance at the ordinary ratefl. This

proposal N will be vigoroasly resisted by the members of the friendly societies. Recently the same body of medical men approached two of the largest benefit societies in Weat Wilts, having headquarters at Trowbridge, and working on what is known as the "Stroud " principle, for an increase of fees, taking fur 5s per annum for male members and 6) 6d per annum for female membsrs, instead of 43 ; but as their proposals met with strenuous opposition, they wisely withdrew them. A ourious sidelight on the South African problem is furnished by a statement, which the Pall Mall Gazette believes to be thoroughly well founded, ts the effect that a considerable number of Boer families are about to leave the Transvaal and take up their residence in Rhodetia. The authorities and officials in the South African Republic are mostly town-bred men who have little sympathy or interest in agricultural pursuits, and many of the Boei-a engaged in farming have complained of the lack of assistance from the Government. They had, however, full confidence in the method* of Mr Cecil Rhodes, and when the ex-Cape Premier caused it to be known that he would welcome them in Rhodesia a large number of them may bo said to have actually jumped at the offer. The arrangements have now been completed, and in a very short time several hundred Boers, with their wives and families, will transfer their allegiance from the South African Republic to the Chattered Company.

On the 19th March, at the Belfast A«sizes, Letitia Boyd was charged with firing at a, bailiff in an eviction case close to Belfait. The prisoner admitted in court that she fired two shots. After hearing the evidence the jury acquitted her. Judge Holmes said it was the worst verdict he had over heard in Ireland. It was a gross fraud.

The Auckland Herald.has a strong article on the necessity of the Government undertaking the drainage of Rotorua township in the interests of the tourist traffic. Oar contemporary says it is extremely discreditable to the Government that a township the source of so much revenue, and one the attractiveness of which may be a mine of wealth to the colony, should have been allowed to get into nuch an insanitary state. A very large amount of capital has been invested in building-?, including among them probably the Urgent hotel in New Zealand, and a number of other hotels and boarding houses which would be worthy of the best watering places in the coloniei— investments that will be virtually mined if the idea gets abroad that the place has the oharaoter of & fever bed. No harm has yet ensued, but the incidents of the past season should be a warning, and the Government will be severely to blame if, bafore the next tourist season comes round, steps are not taken to prevent Rotorua from getting the name of being a death-trap to tourists instead of being, as it was by nature, and as it may still be, the most charming and effective sanatorium in the southern hemisphere.

Nelson, Moate's tea business has been floated into a company ia Wellington, the whole of the shares being subscribed in one day. The headqasrters will be removed from Onristchurch to Wellington. The new company have bought out the busiress of. the Union Tea Packing Company. The name of the firm will not be changed.

At a meeting of the Dalrymplo Testimonial Committee, held on the 13th insb., (Mrs F. Livingston in the chair), encouraging letters were received from various parts of the country, and several subscription* were acknowledged. In forwardiog her donation Mrs Smith, o£ Greenfield, wrote :— "Miss Dalrymple deserves the hearty thanks of all those having the interests of higher education at heart for her persistent endeavours to get the Girls' High School established in Dunedin,,"