LOCAL & GENERAL.

Otago Witness, Issue 2274, 30 September 1897, Page 21

LOCAL & GENERAL.

A meetjing of delegates of trade organisations waa held- at the Hon. W. M. Bolt's residence, York place, on the 21st, for tho purpose of confeidenQg Mr ' Bolt's ■ co -operative settlement vcbeme. After some consideration the following notice of ' motion, to bo moved at a future meeting, was given :—" That tha committee, baring carefully considered the soheme of cooperatoiveindustrial settlement submitted by Mr Bolt, are of opinion that, while not dealing directly with the unemployed problem, yet it does so indirectly, as if it were carried oat within tbe area of its operations the conditions which give rise to want of employment would cease to exist. The scheme would also form * valuable object lesson in co-opei-ative industrialism. The committee therefora strongly reconv .mend the various bodies interested to take the matter into their favourable consideration, with the view of steps being taken to bring the echeme into operation as speedily as possible."

An inquiry was held at the Magistrate's Court, before Mr E. H. Carew, S.M., some ■weeks back relative to charges preferred against Sergeant Cann by Mr Edmond Power, late licenses of the Central Hotel, and also by his brother, Mr' James Power, Tbe charge of tbe licensee was to the effect that the sergeant of police was utilising his official position to persecute 'the complainant, while the charge of Mr Jamas Power amounted to one of improper behaviour on the office!** part while ht was performing his duty.' - The inquiry, it is stated, took place at the requett of Sergeant Conn. •Mr Sim' appeared for tbe-Messrs Power 'and Mr D. D. Macdooald for the police officer. After the evidenoe had' been concluded his Worship forwarded p. report to the Commissioner of Police. Inspector Purdy received a communication -from the latter yesterday, setting f<>rth that the magistrate had reported that Mr Sim at the 1 hearing h»d withdrawn altogether tho charge laid by Mr Bdmond Power, having bei-n unable to obtain the evidence neoess'ury to support the complaint. As regarded the other charge, Mr James Power had not proved it.

Mr Arthur J. Bartb, the local secretary, has received word from Dr Charles Vincent, the vitiUag * examiner in connection with the Trinity College examinations, that he will .arrive in Dunedin on the 4th October and •that the local examinations will comroenoe at /midday on that date. Dr Vincent proposes to leave Dunedin on -the morning of the 6oh ptox. for tbe north. >

The treasurer of tbe Children's Ward fund ■ihave received tbe sum of £18 7« 6d, collated by Mr W. Carnorosa, Moagiel.

Mr George Alfred King waa last week admitttd as a soiicii or of tbe Supreme Court of New Zealand by His Honor Mr Justice Williams.

In the courre of an interview by a representative cf the Sydney Mornin? Herald with reference to the rumoured information that Admiral Pearson had been appointed to succeed bim on the Australian station, Admiral Bridge •aid he had no direct information on the rub'ject, but thought it was highly probable that ■uch .was' tha case. "It; wa«," rem irked Admiral Bridge, " somewhat singular that Admiral P<a'rsou relieved me when I was csptaia of the Colossus in tho Mediterranean. I left the Colossus to take up tbe appointment of Director of Nav»l Intelligence, and it was then that Admiral Pearson took up my Appointment." He was formerly captain of tbe Excellent, which is an important position — perhaps one of tbe most promiuent oppointmeuts in the Navy. Admiral Pearson w&s in commind of the second divi-iou of tbe Ifcscrvee Fleet at the naval review at Spit head, and afterwards at the naval mauceavtes. He is tbe son of the welUknown Colonel Pt arson, prominently 'Mfsooiated with m«uiy sections of sport in JBngland, and also the owner of Kjvertl celebrated horses, though, of course, in this connection Admiral Budge only spoke incidentally. Admiral Pearson's appointment would be receivod with much satisfaction,, remarked .Admiral Bridge, for he is a very fine fellow, «f splendid physique, a capital rportsrotio, s. good inert, and a fine billiard player. He is also a great boat sailer, and steered his gig to ■victory for the Admirals' Mediterranean Cap. These, combined with' his undoubted ability 'and admirable social qualities, would be the means of making his appointment a rnoit agreeable one to the people of bheae colonies.

Judging by the following paragraph from The Times, Mr E. T. Heoley is evidently as keen in charitable matters as in business de*l« : •• Shortly before the Diamind Jubilee Mr E T. Hooley offered to give £10.000 ia aid of the Nottingham general hospital Victoria fund, provided a corresponding sum was subscribed in Nottingham. Groat efforts were accordingly made to raise tha £10,000, and upwards of £9600 was forthcoming by June 22. Mr Hooley •dvuncsd £2000 on account;, and when tbe fund .bad nearly retched £10,000 the committee of organisation appealed to him to make a further remittance. Mr Hooley has, however, now informed tbe committee that tbe -conditions of bis promise were wrongly stated ■or misand-antood. He adds that his challenge ■was addressed to tbe working' ol»ise«, and thit lie offered any sam up to £10,000 as sgtinst »ny corresponding sum subscribed by working xneu. He had no intention to challenge Nottingham as a whole, or to outbid its wealthy merchants. The committee are preparing a reply to this commun : cation."

The Queen'a Bench in England is reported t>y the> London papers of • July 30 to have decided the day before that a constable who bad forcibly stopped a cyclist who was not carrying a light bad committed an assault. The cyclist had paid no attention to an order to stop, and the officer had accordingly caught bold of the machine and thrown him to the groand. The rural justices, acting on many previous decisions of their order on tha point, bad held that the arrest was justified, and had dismissed the cyclist's complaint against the constable. They are now required to entertain ,' it, and to convict. The constable had no power to stop a person on the highway for "an offence punishable on summary conviction." Therefore, as the constable had not statutory authority, there was an assault, for which a summons could be taken out.

Can a man think himself to death ?, Empire, s weekly paper conducted by Mt Stuart Cumberland, onca famous as a thought reader, says that a case was recently furnished by a member of the. medical profession, an educated and intelligent man; whose death was due to his «wn imagination— in fact, he thought himself to death. He sustained injuries, which were ■cot serious, by falling off his bicycle. He might have recovered in due coarse hud he not conceived the notion that they would result in lockjaw. He was progressing favourably, when he announced to a brother physician that he •would have lockjaw during the week, and would 'die of it on the following Sunday. Despite all attempts to dissuade him that the idea was i»bsurd, ifae insisted on being treated with antit»xin. If this had any effect at all, it seemed to increase the power of his imagination and

bring his -weakened body still more completely under the control of his mind. As a result, he developed alarming symptoms four days after he had predicted his death, and it became clear that he would not recover. He died on the day he appointed, and of lockjaw, as he predicted ! Ho literally thought himself to death. This was clearly & case of knowing too much for one's own good, for.au ignorant nisn would certainly' have recovered.

There is an institution in New York that is both a boon and a necessity in the torrid heat of summer in the Empire City. This (says the Daily Chronicle) is the floating hospital for children, under the auipicas of tha Guild of St. John. Every day during the summer season when the heat of New York oppresses both old and young, & huge boat, capable of acoommodating between 700 and 800 children and their parents, laavei the city proper and goes down the bay, where it is anchored for several hours. The result of this simple treatment is remarkable. The fresh air revives the children, and many wbo are taken on board almost oblivious of their surroundings, the result of doss confinement in tbe bid air of the tenements ia which their lives are parsed, revive and play about. This fl >ating hospital depends entirely for' it* support on the public, and something like £5000 is required in order to keep it going from about the middle of July until the and of September.

For some moDtht past reports have gained currency that the railway bridge between Henley and Titri over the channel from the Waihola and Waipori Lakes into the Taieri River is unrafe. ' These alarmist rumours have taken various forms and have occasionally oaused some uneasiness. As correspondents have written bringing the matter under our notice, we have made careful inquiries, and as a result we believe we are justified in stating that the bridge is quite safe and that the reports current are without the slightest foundation. When heavy engines were recently introduced it was detraed wise to reduce tbe speod in crossing; long bridges uofc intended when designed to bear the extra strain. Since then it has bean decided to accelerate some of (hi trains and, mttke more use of the large type of engines, and sfcpi h*vo b>en taken to strengthen all the bridges. In doing so every structure was mott carefully examined, and so far as possible tested and mtde safe. The Henley-Titci bridge, after a thorough examination, is now b'ing strengthened, and when the work ia completed the bridge will bo capable of carrying any reasonable lqad with perfect safety. It was ' not possible to examine the concrete inside the cylinders, but tbe cvifc iron cyl-nd-jra themselves were carefully examined and were foucd in perfect order, with little or no corrosion, and so far as can be foreseen the bridge will last as long witU perfect slifety as it was designed it should.

At last week's meeting of the Benevolent Institution Trustees, several of Ilia members declared themselves very strongly »g«in«t tbe , present system of Coding work for unemployed men through the Lib-jur Bureau. Me Green stated that men were acnt away up-couutry, and evon as far as Napier, and were suppose I to be earning current wages, yet i they faile.d to send money for the support of their wives and families who were left behind. . As & consequence tbe support of these latter devolved tipou the B'.n<ivoTcat Institution. He emphatically maintained that a system should be introduced whereby a portion of the wages paid fcbeie men should be lunded over to the agent of the Labour Bureau on behalf of their wives *nd families. Mr Colin Allan said th*t h? all along entertained the Bam 3 idea, and other members expws'ed their concurrence with Mr Green's remarks. The treasurers of tbe Victoria Children's Ward fund Lave received the following sums :—: — Collected by Mr A Faterson, Waihola (including Mr pAterson £1 Is), £1 6s 6d ; balanca of batcher^ testimonial to Mr B. H. Smith (per Mr T. Smith), 11s.

A complimentary dinner tendered to Captain A.W. Robin, of the Ot^go Hussir*, on bis return from tho Jubilee celebrations, in which the New Zealand contingent took part, was held at the Garrison Hall on the 22nd. The Hon. Thomas Fe-rgus occupied the chair, and Mr J. B. C*llan the vice-chair. Toe guest of the evening was seated on, the right of the chairman, and Colonel Webb on his left;. There were altogether about 130 pen cms prcient, among the number being many prominent citizens. Captain Robin's company and a large number of exhuss»rs were also pro'.ent. The Chairman stated that -something like ISO apologies for non-attendance had been received, inolndiog apologies from his Worship the Mayor (Mr H. Gautley), Captain Gardiner (of the Southland Hussars), Lieutenant Thomas (Tima.ru), and Dr Brown. After full justice had been done to the excellent spread provided by tbe C^vent GVrden Company, & uurobar of toasts^ interspersed with musical selection*, were proposed and duly responded to. ■*• During the evening Mr Call an handed Mr Robin a silver purse containing sovereigns, and a complimentary address was also pteaeated. The address presented to Captain Robin by the New Zeal-xnd contingent when leaving Eugland is beautifully engrossed in gold aud chocolate on vellum by Messrs Good aud Son, of Margate street, London. It bears the signatures of 32 officer*) and men, and is now on view in the window of Mr Sligo, George street.

The Cabinet have decided to allow it to be optional with volauteer corps whether they retain tho present uniforms or adopt the kharkee dress. There is much d'sooateat at the prospect of having to adopt; the new uniforms, and as the Premier found that in England they have what is known a* dress service uniform, varying in different companies, the Government have decided to amend the regulations Accordingly.

A deputation of gentlemen waited upon Mr B. B. Cargill at the Chamber of Commerce oa Thursday afternoon for the purpose of requesting him to allow himself to ba nominated to the city mayoralty. The gathering waa a representative and an enthusiastic one. Mr Cargill consented to allow himself to be nominated, and on the motion of Mr Fergus, those present resolved themselves into a committee to f archer Mr Oargill's candidature, Mr Alexander Burt being elected as chairman and Mr A. Malheson provisional secretary.

la opening his campaign against rabbit farming in the Bruce and Clatha districts the stock inspector certainly did not mince matters, and after such a fair warning it will ba advisable for those interested to tarn over a new le\f. Mr Brace stated that landowners had the whole winter to pub the pest right nnder. The seaion had been perhtps the best oa record, and any landowner with an honest desire to clear his property of rabbits never h»d a better opportunity of. doing so. Bat what did they flnd ? At the end of August, when rabbits ought to be at the minimum, these places were badly infested. It was no pleasure to him to prosecute these people, but he would state that in all his experience he had never found settlers as a class pay so little attention to notices under the lUbbit Act, and if there was not » wholesale and combined rabbit destruction all

ronnd be would be compelled to fully occupy tho courts for months to come. The pest had been got under is Marlborongh and several other districts north, and he saw no reason why they could not have the same results here, and unless the question was boldly faced this portion of the country would continue a huge rabbit farm.

The Presbytery of Southland has approved of the Basis of Union by a majority of 7 to 3. AH the six presbyteries of the Church of Otago and Southland h*ve now disposed of the basis, with the result that four hvre voted for union and two against. The presbyteries iv favour of union are Dunedio, Clutha, Southland, and Mataura, representing 57 congregations with a membership in full communion of 11,707 ; tbe presbjtsriea opposed to union are O Amaru and Duns tan, representing 15 congregations with a membership of 1837. It has been pointed out to us *khs.fc tho report of the tnee'ing of the Duostan Presbytery, in which it was stated that "returns had bsen received from all the kirk sefsions in the presbytery strong" y disapproving of the proposed Basis of Union," was misleading inasmuch as the return fro to Cromwell almost showed that the session, " though not heartily in favour of union, approved of the 12 sections submitted, with the exception of section 3, which would meet with the session's approval if amended so as to provide for the retention of the synod as an ecclesiastical body."

The sum of £1 12s 6d, collected by Mr J.R. Mifcchall, Waiwera South (inoludiug Mr Mitchell, £1), has been received by the hon. treasurers of the Victoria Children's Ward fund. The remains of the lata Mr E. A. Phillips, B A., who died on Tuesday, 21st, were interred in the Southern Cemetery on Thursday afternoon. A large number of friends joiaed in (ho procession to the cemetery, inoludiag miny of the students whom Mr Phillips had taught iv his private classes. Many beautiful wreaths were laid on the grave, inc'.udiog one from tho Latin class of the Technical School. The burial ceremony was impressively c inducted by Mr Watt, Tabernacle, Dunsdin, and Mr J. B. Meirrett, Abbobsford. The death of Mr Phillips came very unexpectedly, as he was confined to hit) bed for only four days. He had a brilliant educational career. He matriculated in 1878, and passed the requisite examinations for the degree of Bacbelor of Arts a*i the Otago University in 1830 and 1885. The deceased was of a reticent nature, and was warmly esteemed by those who were favoured with his friendship. He was born in- Edinburgh in 1857 And came to the colony with his parents in 1859, and had sinc9 lived mostly in Dunedin.

A case arising out of the non-payment of calls ■was heard at the Auckland- Magistrate's Court last week. A shareholder holding 500 shares in the European Gold Mining Company paid seven calls which were made at various times, but when the eighth call was declared did not pay within 14 days. Instead of suing for the amount of the call the manager paid it in fc> the credit of the shareholder, and kept his name on the share register. A ninth ca'l was made, and the shareholder refused to pay, asserting that by not p tying the previous call his shares had been forfeited, aud be could nob bo asked -to pay. The company therefore sued for tho amount of the last call. Defendant asserted that he h*d not given the manager any authority to pay the previous call for him, as he wished the shares to ba forfeited. , The Magistrate slid that if defendant left the eighth call unpaid he was still liable to be called upon to pay it. If, on the other hand, he had paid it, he was still a shareholder, and therefore liable for the ninth call. The amount of both calls \/*s the same. Judgment was given for plaintiff for the amount claimed (£2 Is 8d), each party to pay his own costs. , '

The band contest at Winton, on the 22ud, passed off most successfully. The Mosgiel Band won the quickstep contest with 12S points, the Bluff N*vals scoring 123, Gore 118, Quseustown 112, Winton 107, and Riveiton 92. The selection contest was won by the Bluff Navals with 75 points, while the Winton Band scored 73, Gore 71, Mosgiel 70, Qaeenstown 66, and Rivertoa 44. * ,< The Union Steam Ship C .mpany haye received cable advices from Home that in consequence of the groat strike of English engineers having extended to Dumbarton there will be some little delay in the delivery of their steamer Rotoiti, now being built to auu between Wellington and Oaebunga. It is not expected, however, that the delay will be tetious, as by this time the vessel must ba nearly completed, and the special work affected by the strike must consequents be. pretty well through. The company contemplate ordering a second edition of the Rotoiti to run iv the WellingtonGrey mouth trade. The earthquake experienced in Wellington on the 2 1st was (says the New Zealand Times) productive of numerous incidents of a semiserious and humorous character. Tho unexpected disturbance did not improve tbe condition of people who are" lying ill. Oae lady at Te Are who has been laid up for soms time nmhed into the street from her bed, and some difficulty was experienced in persuading ber to return. She was so bad subsequently thafr a doctor had to be sent for. An English faintly, not long out from the old oouutry, who had never felt anything of the kind previously, were terror-stricken when some of the roof plaster fell on to the tea table, and despite the assurances of other occupants that it was " all right," they rushed out, saying that they would send for thtic thiagi in the morning. The family then sought a boarding house which did not boast of plaster. In a certain hotel not 100 miles from Cuba street there was consternation and shrieking in the dining room, everyone manifeiting a sudden desire to leave the table. Then did a valiant hero, who sought to emulate the cool deed of tho passenger on the ill-fated Tasmania, sit down at the piano and rattle off a lively tune, with tbe idea, probably, of allaying the prevailing feeling of alarm. In front of another hotel was observed a son of the soil who had a mug containing something which looked suspiciously like beer. He had rushed out with the rest, but had taken his refreshment with him in case "something might happen." A Newtown resident tells of a cyclist wbo was riding slowly along when his machine suddenly backed him off. He waa about the only man in the city who met the earthquake face to face. One individual who called at this office last night, and who has a reputation for veracity, says he was leaning over his fence smoking when it swayed to and fro. He was about to make an investigation, thinking it was getting rotten at tho base, when his wife's cry of " Earthquake " inside caused him to realise what was happening.

The following changes of officers in the Union S.S. Company's Fervice are reported :—: — Mr M'Arthur, chief officer of the Pnkaki, to the same position in the Flora, his place in the former vessel being taken by Mr Stewart, at present chief officer of the Corinna ; Mr Williams, promoted from second officer of the Monoff»i to be chief officer of the Corinna &

Mr Wilson, second officer of the KKrarba, being transferred to tbe Jlonowai.

Tho appointment of Sergeant Cullen to the vacant Greymouth inspectorship is being made the subject of aoma adverse comment. While Sergeant Cullen is admittedly an excellentofficer, it is pointed out that in the Gazstte of the 18th August a seniority list of the chief officers of tbe police force was published, which shows that tha chosen sergeant is fourteenth on the list in the order of seniority. At the top of the list stands Sergeant-major Mason, the officer at present in charge (under the inspector) of tha Wellington police district; while nexfc to bim is Sergeant-major llamjay, now of Christchurch, of whosa excallent qualities Wellington has had every opportunity of judging. These are the only two sergeants-ni'jor iv the forca.

Tbo fellow-students, teachers, and other I .friends of Miss Edith H. Pearca, M.A., will be ' gl*d to learn that she has been appointed one of the resident teachers iv the Gsi'ls' College, ] Nelson. MUs Pearca has bad a dUtiogaiahed I career. She was dux of the Girls' High Sohool, j Dunedin, iv 1889; and in tbe sune year she came out second ia the competition for Junior University Scholarships, th« first on the list beiog Mr Marri-*, of the Wanganui High School, who subsequently highly distinguished Jbimsolf by passing first in the Indian Civil , Service examination*. Mias'Pearce had a distinguished j career at- the University of Otago, where, j among numerous other honours, she gamed the Tinline Scholarship for exoellenc! in Knglnh in 1892, and tho degree of M.A. with . firstclans honours iv Latin and English in 1893 Miss Pearce has tbe best wishes of her ! Dunedin friends for her success in tho Nelson College.

Mr H. H. Armstead, R.A., the well-known rculptor, has (an Auckland correspondent wires) cff-.-red the Statue Committee ,to furnish a bronze sbatue of the .Queen for £1600. Mr Armstead states he would do his utmost to make tbe statno worthy of Auckland. He hut b;ea requested to place himself in communication with tbe Hon. W. P. Reeves, Agentgeneral, who has been entrusted with the eolection of a suitable design, the oftmuiifcfcea at the same time informing Mr Armstead that they are much gratified at receiving an offer from so eminent a source.

Messrs A. Lorie and Co. have recently had extensive alterations made to their promises in Princes sbreot, whioh have had Ihe fffeot of greatly improving tho appearance of tha in rerior of the building, batides giving increased fl .or space for the display of goods. All the partitions, including the brick wall whioh formerly divided the building into two, have been removed. The row of pillars whioh supported the upper storey bas been taken out, while all the fixtures have beea taken away frosn the centre of the store, and those at the sides nearly doubled in loagtb. Two fitting rooms — one for ladies and another for gentlemen— htiva also been erected, aud tho staircase has been removed from the front to the back of the building. T*o counters 60ft in length replace the fixtures in the cant re of the shop, and the whole building has been fitted up with 40 incandescent lights- List night the premises were thrown open tor inspection, and as the shop was tastefully dressed with the new season's goods ib presented a vory attractive appearance.

At 1 o'clock ou Thursday morning the general st-ore of Mr Frank Shirley, Edendale, was found t) ba on lice. The fire was first noticed by two ladies who were returning homeward from attendance on a friend's sickness. They immediately alarmed Mr Shirley,' who resided in a. dwelling adjoining the back of the store, and next awoke Mr PattiusDn, butcher, and others. When these ladies first saw the fiimes, they appeared to bo confined to /the inside of the shop, but as a fiarce wind was bowing N E., the whole building was ewepS away in an incredibly short space of lima. It was impossible to save anything. Indeed (the Wyndham Farmer say«) Mr and Mrs Shirley and children had to escape in their night attire. Mr Shirley was insured for £700 in the Standard Office, of wh'cb. £550 was en the shop and stock, and £150 on the house and furniture. - •

The Wyndham Htr*ld says the insurance companies are getting tired of losses there, and it is contemplated by one or more of them to withdraw from the placo. This is apropos ta the f«ct that the horse bazaar at Wyndham has been burned down twice ia six months.

Respecting the remarks made at the last meeting of tbo Benevolent Trustees by Mr Green to the effect that men sent away to cooperative works did not send money for the maintenance of their families, Mr Maxwell (wbo is connected with the Duoedin office of the Dci)irtment of Labour) has shown to as a uurabot of letters which go to prove that the department in»is> on married men sending money for the support of their families. If found necessary the officers of the department go so far as to deduct a sura from the wages earned by married nfen and forward "it to tho families. One 'of tb'o letters shown by Mr M«x well covered two cheques for the wives in Dunedin of men employed on co-operative works in the north, one of these cheques being for £3 9j 4d and the other for £4 0a 7d,

It is stated that the Hon. J. G. Ward will deliver a public addresj in Dunediu on the 13th October,

The passengers by the express train from the south on Monday included Mr W. Jenkins (of Arrowtown) and Captain E. T. Wing and Mr M. O'Meara (of Qaeenstown), who had been appointed delegates from their districts to attend a conference of traffic managers at Ducedin in connection with tho acceleration of trains running between Dunedin and Kingston.

The " British Central African Gazette " contains some interesting particulars of the insensibility of tha black man to pain. The writer gives several instances which certainly seem to prove that the coloured man either does not; feel pain as acutely as his white brother, or is possessed of a great amount of endurance. A Makaa had his foot amputated. The following day he was found out of bed, stamping about the hospital floor. A Yao, who had three damaged fingers removed, stole away next morning to go on a joarney of some weeks, asing the damaged hand freely. After the bombardment of a slaveraiding chief's capital, tome women who had been mortally wounded were seen goiog about picking up firewood, drawing water, and attending to their physical wants. Next day they

had aied of their wounds. The children are not, different from their parents, in proof of whioh th« writer tells the following story :— A little girl, after having her leg amputated, made her way to a pool, where she oat .with the stamp dangling in the water, which she splashed over it with her hands, singing all the time as though nothing were amiss.

The abutments of the Taieri bridge, oa tha Otago Central railway, and also the cylinder pierc, are complotod, but there has boon some delay in the erection of the bridge, owing to the contractor being kept waiting for the iron superstructure, whioh is beiog manufactured by a firm iv Christchuroh. The first spaa of the superstructure is, however,- expected to beoa the site of the bridge in a day or two, when tha work of its erection will be at once proceeded • with. Other spans will follow in due course, .- and the work will bs kept going on continuously .till the completion of the bridge, which will probably ba "aboutr-the middle of next January. A section of the railway from Hyde to Kokonga— a distance of 10 miles — is about completed, and will most likely bs taken over by the Railway department and opened for general traffio at the end of the month.

Mr A. O. Begg has announced his candidature for the vao*noy in th« representa v <on.of the City of Dunedin in the Houie ot Representatives, The names o f several other gentle--' men are freely mentioned in connection with the vacancy. Unions affiliated to, the Workers'" Political Committee are invited -,to ■ submit- by next Friday, the nwnes of "candidates they are willing to support. ', i

According to the San Francisco Examiner, an enterprising Calif ornian uamed Ayer has, , attempted to ftoat a company foro'ctablisbing a balloon service ' between Juneau, . on ' Lynn • Channel, and D*wson City, in the Klondyke region. McAyer is an experienced balloonist,, and bai" already issued » circular to possible financial supporters. He proposes to start his flat balloon as soon as 2000dol are subscribed, and confidently expects to surmount all the difficulties of tho Chilkoot P*s« and the Yukon apids. > x The fire at the Tim»ra High Sohool took place on the 24th August— a month ago,— and (says the Herald) up to this date the insurances have not been paid, though one of i the, companies is perfectly ready to ssttle if the other , company interested would acquiesce. The delay is most uouiaal, and in the cose of the High Sohool is inflicting positive loss and in* convenience on the Board of Governors, seeing that it is lengthening the time during whioh, temporary premises must be rented, and that? the arrangements for rebuilding ,tbe. school are necessarily held in abeyance until .the board are made acquainted with their monetary position. As showing the pressing necessity of pushing on the Otago Central railway in order to take advantage of the dredging boom traffic, the following quotation from a letter to the Dunutan Times by Mr A. O. Iverson,ot v KMneofeugh Flat, is of interest:—" I fool confident th%t we will have the Otngo Central . railway. here in perhaps less than two years, as.it oan.no longer be done without. > The machinery and material will scon become go heavy that tHe w»ggoa«s will be unable to bring them. In. my first letter I sUted that there would soon be,.40 dredges in the neighbourhood of Alexandra and Cljde, and their sizes increased also., ,Thw h>fi come true, as there are now 40 dredges either at work or about floated; and 10 more .are takaa up. The mz-a of these dredgeir are increasing. The E*rnso!ough No. 2i» about to be built, and the material and machinery will weigh about 300 tons. One p«t of the i machinery alone will weigh between 10 and U i tons, and it is doubtful if it can* be brought by wauffon, and even if it can the freight will be vnry heavy. Cartage from Lawrence -being £3 10s a ton, the total cartage oo this dredge will, therefore, amount to about £1000." _. ' We regret to h*ve to record the death of Me John Allan, «ldesb son of the late Mr James Allan, of Hopehill. The deceased was well knowa to Taieri settlers as having been possoesed of the Tauiima property, out.oS which he sold a few months ago, when, in consrquence of failing health, he came to Dunedin. He leaves a widow and two.chilcUen to mourn their loss. ' & „ Ab the School of Mines ou Satnrday morning Dr Don was the recipient of a silver tea kettle from the students of the geology class. Mr J. B. Macdonald, who made the presentation, in ft few well chosen remark? , referred to the untiring energies of Dr Don in his work. ,Dr Don briefly thanked the .class for their handsome present. The kettle bore the following inscription — "To Dr and Mrs Don, from the Geology Class, 1897."

In tbe course of «n article in the Press on •• The Maori as - a Warrior," Judge, Gudgeon g9>B •— "From my knowledge of Maori traditional history, and my own personal «P««« Dee * I am, I think, justified Jo s%ying that there never lived a people who took more, pleasure ia the exoitement .incidental ; to .killing 6r«-being killed, or met death more bravely." -But it, may ba admitted that ib,wi(f X tb:eir>xcessive. pride that fostered this inclination for wac and bloodr shed; and tfiat hat for 'this -weakness there would have been le;s of both ; for one lnsiiluog speech was never allowed to pass with impunity ; blood alone could wash oat the affcont.

•Mr A. S. Easton, % Wanganut resident, at present an inmate of the Wellington Hospital, underwent an operation reoently which closed a singular fact. When a boy (cays tha Wanganui Herald) Mr Easton, in playing on the beach, had a rather severe fall, causing an. abrasion of the skin. It healed up, and uotbiDg more wbb thought of it at the time ; but ot recent years he h»s experienced severe pains m the limb. Finally, he placed himself under treatment in the P»l me » fc °V H TTiHL£ without any appwcmble benefit. U lfc >™ a *££ he procured admittance to the Wellington Hospital, where the operation referred to took place. A little abov* the mark of the abrasion caused so many years »g", and buried underneath the muscle somewhere near the top ot the thigh, was found a piece of pawa shell, which had been the cauee of all tbe recent trouble. It was extracted, and tbe operation was in all respects successf 01.

A pleaßing function took place in the Chinese Mission Church (Walker street) on Monday evening, tbe occasion being a meeting to with God-speed to Mr Don, the local Chinese missionary, who, with Mr Joseph Ings, of St. OUir, is about to

pay a visit to China. Prior to tho farewell meeting, the Dunedin Chinese gave a eoci»l tea in St. Andrew's Schoolroom in honour of the occasion, about 130 beiDg present. The Rev. W. Bannerman occupied the chair, and, after the meeting had been opened by prayer by the Rev. Mr Dutton, referred to - the high place Mr Don occupied in the minds of the Missionary Committee and those interested in his work generally. Mr A. C. Begg a!so made a few happy remarks, in which he 'referred to the commendable way in which the Chinese of Otsgo bad snbscribed to tho building of their church. Mr Don, in response to the many kind wiihes^for his welfare, thanked his friends from, a full heart, and Irutfced be would come back better fitted for his work among the Chinese- of O fca go, and closed by bidding farewell to his many friends, Chinese and English. The Rev* Dr WadcHtll said this was the first time he had been presanfc afe a soiree initiated and carried through by the Chinese of Dunedin, and he congratulated thfm on its successful iime, and said Mr Don was deserving of all the kindness tbey could show him, and wished him a pleasant vojage on behalf of the Dunedin Chinese. Excellent music waa rendered by Miss Lo Keong, Master Lo KeoDg, and Miss Edwards, and a Chinese harpsichord solo was played by Mr Lee Key Leet. Mj: Looe Fay thanked tbe ladies for supervising the tables, and with a few general remarks from Mr White tbe meeting terminated. The-- President of the Licensed Victuallers Association (Mr J. C. Short) at a meeting of the committee on- the 20th presented to the Hon. Secretary (Mr J. Wells) a purse of sovereign* as some slight recognition of his valuable services to the t»de.

At Messrs R«ld and Gray's workt on the 20th evening- Mr George Gray was th« recipient of a clock from the 'firm's employees on -the occasion of his marriage. Mr J. Garratt, who made the presentation, in a few \> ell-chosen remarks referred to the good feeling' Which had always existed between the employees and the firm. Mr George Gray- responded, and three cheers were jHven by the* employees for the happy couple. - • ■