LOCAL & GENERAL.

Otago Witness, Volume 25, Issue 2321, 25 August 1898, Page 21

LOCAL & GENERAL.

j Major Gudgeon, who was for some time ; Commissioner of Police, has been appointed '< to succeed Mr Moss as British Resident at ' Harotonga, subject to the appointment being confirmed by the Imperial Government. I The hospital returns for the woek are as ( follow: — Patients remaining from the pre- j vious \veek, 90 ; admitted during the past ] week, 25 ; and discharged, 16. Stephen Der- ! mer, Thomas Irvine, Michael Dunne, and Sophia Ann Taylor died during the week, " and the patients remaining number 95. Tiie band of Greek gipsies advancing on J Melbourne is causing more anxiety in the j Ministry (says the Age) than any thought of i a want of confidence motion. The last halt j was at Ararat ; but this did not prove any ! resting place, and the party has made a start j towards Ballarat, and meanwhile the Chief j Secretary has telegraphed to the superin- j tendent of police in that place (through the , chief commissioner), instructing him to have j tlie Greeks arrested if they break the law. The gipsies are cute enough, it appears, to i let the women and children do the begging, ' the men being more liable to provoke action j by the police. If the women were arrested, ] the children, of whom there are 10, would ; have to be taken into an Industrial School , at the expense of the State. Mr Peacock in- j tends to interview the Greek consul in Mcl- . bourne, and tiy to arrange for the contingent : to be sent out of the colony. The Minister has been informed that they have a letter i from the Greek consul at Port Said, com- ; mending them to the friendship of all ' nations ; and they state that they are making their way to Queensland, with the intention of getting on to the sugar plantations. They j landed at Adelaide under the impression that i it was near Sydney, and aro now " working ' their passage" overland to Melbourne, to] make a fresh fatart for Brisbane. Sir Francis Jeune (sayi tho correspondent of the Melbourne Ago) has just decided an J extraordinary case. Dr Charles Oscar j Murphy, a physician practising at Manches- ,' ter, and a devout Romau Catholic, desired to marry his housekeeper, Martha Price. The priest whom he consulted pointed out that it was not a wiee proceeding, and so the doc-

tor in 1876 compromised the matter by going down on his knees in company with Miss Price, and in the most solemn manner invoking the presence oi the Lord, and at the same time the two parties promised to be true to each other till death. The priest said this was a valid m.irriage. and a certificate was given to that effect by the Vicar-general, and counter digned by Monsiguor Hill. Cardinal Vaugl-an doubted the \u-;dom of the certificate, and would not have granted it. Sir .Francis Jeune decided that though lie believed that both parlies acted bona fide, the marriage was not good in law. It appears that on this point the common law and the statute law are conflicting. The question arises why Dr Murphy did not marry Mip.s Price in the Roman Catholic Church. The Hey. J\?raes Gibb delivered a lecture in the hall of first Church on the 17th in connection with the Literary and Social Club, the .subject being the "Life and Art of Tennysoa." There was a full attendance of member.-, ihe lecture, which was illustrated by son^s and readings rendered by members oi the boci^y, pioved cxceeiiijgiy mieresuj'g and instructs c. Leaving to a subsequent lecture consideration of Tennyso.i's art in relstioj to the pioblems of society and religion, the ]ecUn-er gave a felicitous analyi'i of the poctjS work as a rsvealor of the beautiful in Nature,anri m the hie and love, joys, and sorrowo of mankind. The poet's domestic environment and sucli fac+d m his surroundings and his career as cast bght upon his artistic work were described \\Aii a graphic touch. In exemplification of the various points adduced, the Iwrtarer quoted short passages from a groat many of the poems. The lecture was listened to vnxu close attention and keen appreciation. On the motion cf Mr "William Gray, a hearty vote of thanks was passed to Mr Gibb for his sympathetic interest in the society, and the service he had rendered it this session by lbs course oi lectures he has deli\ ered. A number of agents resident in the colony for mercantile houses, etc., have signed a petition to Parliament respecting the operation of the section cf ihe Land and Income Assessment Act, which they ask Parliament to repeal. Ib is pointed out that nine-tenths cf principals are subject to the provisions relating to the income lav in Great Britain, and they complain that non-resident agents c:ui now visit the colony and sell or dispose of goods and merchandise without such agents or principals being liable to income tax on the income resulting therefrom, whereas the principals of resident agents, and the agents themselves, have to pay the tax. The result io to place resident agents in a less advantageous position, and several of the petitioners have received intimation from their principals that, lo avoid such taxation, it will be necessary to withdraw agents in New Zealand and to establish them in the other Australian colonies, from whence, by means of periodical visits or correspondence, they will continue to do business with New Zealand without being liable to such taxation. If by reason of such action resident agents have to break up their homes and, with their wives and families, leave the colony, it will be a great hardship. The petitioners say they are all liable to pay income tax on their own incomes. Many of the principals they represent spend on an average in New Zealand £11000 per annum in salaries, travelling expenses, etc. There are about 100 resident agents in New Zealand, and, apart altogether from the hardship to such agents if they are withdrawn, the petitioners believe that the interests of trade will be prejudicially affected. The New South Wales Postmaster-general has found it necessary, owiug to the gossiping tendencies of the ladies who have telephones to their homes, to establish a time limit for the use of the instrument, so as to prevent a monopoly of lines by a single person. Women have been known to keep up a conversation for an hour, and Mr Cook thinks that if lie cuts their time down to 10 minutes he will be dealing fairly with them. The Olutha Free Press, referring to the encroachments of the sea, says: — What is going on at St. Glair is nothing out of the common, and is only what is happening all along the coast, to a more or less extent, from Preservation Inlet to Canterbury. It is very pronounced between Port Molyneux and the Nuggets, as well as between Oamaru and the Waitaki River. Some portions of New Zealand are known to be sinking, and other portions rising. It has generally been accepted that the whole of the west coast of New Zea land on both islands is on tho down grade, and on the east coast on the up grade, but, apparently, Otago has taken to going down on both coasts of late years. Wellington has risen considerably during the last 50 years, whereas Taranalu has gone clown. A drop of a few inches will cause the ocean to eat into the banks very considerably. In proof of the assertion that Otago is sinking, one has only to go to Kaitangaia, and watch the bank of the river at low tide, where the stumps of an old forest will be observed, standing exactly as they grew, with all their roots intact, well below high-water mark. There is no gainsaying the fact that these trees did not grow below high- water mark, hence high water now is higher than when these trees (totara, black pine, etc.) were growing — in other words, the land is lower. The comedy of "Enoch Arden Up-to-date " has lately been acted in Rome (writes the Pall Mall Gazette). About 5 o'clock one evening a funeral procession of the third class was seen passing down the "Via Cavour. On the funeral car a wreath of flowers, and pendant from the wreath the ceremonial ribbon, with inscription: — "To my regretted and adored husband." Behind the hearse a lady in deep mourning, weeping profusely, two lady supporters on either side, and thereafter some 30 assistants Suddenly, however, a Jupiter Tonans, a middle-aged Roman citizen of imposing proportions, approached the widow, and addressed her with winged words, " Tell me, madam, how long have I been dead?" The widow, says the report, stood petrified, and one figures to oneself Ihe surprise of the assistants. The deceased husbiind, who was so very much alive, was reircved by the sergeants, and the sad procession went its way. The simple explanation was, of course, the usual one. The legitimate husband, disagreement and divorce, and : then the " husband in the sight of heaven," ! now deceased, and referred to by the ribbon i on the wreath. But spouse No. 1 had seen j what was "in the sight of heaven his own i funeral," and the situation had been too j rruch for him. j Arrangements are going forward in Conner- ■ lion with the Young People's Monster Mb- > sionary Demonstration to bo held in the Agii cultural Hall on Tuesday next. A number of the societies, bands, and schools are busily I angagod in making banners, emblazoned with tho name of a missionary of their own denomination, with which to decorate the hall. The General Arrangements Committee and a large Hall Committee are at work, and a very large gathering is anticipated. It has been arranged that tho schools and societies will occupy the area of the hall, and the gallery ' will be thrown open to the public. The col- j lection, after defraying expenses, will be di-

vided among the various missionary organi , sations. The Presbyterian, Wesleyan, Bnp i tist, and Coij' o TGj;.Uional j'li?Kiciuu'y yociei.it. ] will all be represented on ihe fccieon. j There uns a large attendance at the Salva tion Army Bai racks on Sunday, when Adju lant Foot gave a " Mii-aic, Soui;, and Story' niyriorannc limelight entertainment on tb btory ot t!.e ci'iu'ilivion. The principal cpi sodes in that tragic period of our .Redeemer' • l)t« were doxjictod in a most excellent mannei , and the effect was considerably enhanced b; a number of appropriate solos and duets, ii addition, ihe adjutant recited a piece cntitlei "Neddy and picky; or, a Story of 'Irue Dq ■\xAicm" ; v, hile Mr C'root recited "JSeaiiH mi Snow," both pieces being illustrated wit! cl.avunng -\ievio. Mr Morton sang the "Ho 3; City." In the aftornoo.i them wo<> al,-c ago.v atteiKhir.ee, tlio attr.i»-U'iti nahicj a S.-ottJ; 1 stow entitled "The V;y lo JL-ave.i." 'if. bight "The D-ui'ht.u' oi korrr.w " 'viii b givdii, and aLd vjf-v.j illustrative oi tin Arnvy's social opcrduons m Australia. Tho ttlv^i 1 l^jhic chess match betv/eesi Lin Olngo and <_'Jinriru Ciie^ Ch'bfs msj coin menced oil Kitiiiday e\enmg, and good 23r0 gress was made, though none of the game; wera finis! eJ.. The guinea weie \cry e^eiilj and stubbornly contested as far as they went and there i' 3no positive advantage yet gainec by either bide. Play was kept up till 11/ ii p.m., when those having the black men scalpc their mo^etJ. The contest, will be resumec next Saturday evening, when probably tin greater number of the games will be linifahed Our Auckland correspondent telegraph: that experiments in trawling for fish ill th< iiauraki Gulf, carried on by Mr Alison anc others, are considered to be very satisfactory ; There was a clean sheet at the City Polic< Court on Saturday morning. I The Mends of the Hon. A. Lee Smith will regret to learn that tho illness from which his son Frank has been suffering for some weeks past had a fatal termination on Saturday morning. The deceased was a student in the Otago School of Mines, and contracted typhoid fever while engaged in practical work in a mine on ths .Auctdand goldfields during the vacation, and though tenderly cared for was never able to throw off the effects of the fever. The Yen. Archdeacon Dudley, of Auck land, who has been seriously ill, is to be pro sented by the Anglican clergy and laity witl a testimonial, which it is hoped will be oi sufficient value to enable him to take a holi day trip to England. The Southland Times records the death oi Mr James Wilrou, of Waianiwa, fainiliarlj known as " Speaker WiL>on," from his having helu the office of Speaker of the Southland Provincial Council for the greater portion of the existence of that short-lived body. Deceased was one of the very earliest settlers of Southland, having btfen one of the pioneers — four or five in number— who took up land on the banks of the Oreti at the spot now known as Waianiwa, in 1356. Mr Wilson took a very prominent part in politics, both local and general, but for some 14- years has been a martyr to rheumatism. He was 85 years of age when he died. The Kaitangata Coal Company have placed at the disposal of the executive of the Otngo Sunday Schools Union a very fins challenge shield, which ia to be competed for by all day schools in Otago that give physical instruction to their pupils. It is intended to hold a meeting of head masters, and to fix the conditions under which the competitions are to ta-ke place. The initial competition, however, will l)e held in connection with the union's industrial exhibition during show week of November next. The new laboratories of the London School of Medicine for Women were lately opened by the Princess of Wales. For 24- years the school has been carried on in the old-fashioned house, built, it is said, by George IV for Mrs Fitzherbert, which became quite unsuitable for the purpose. The fine new block of buildings in Handel street is now ready for the ever-increasing body of women students, together with the residential buildings recently erected for women medical students in Edinburgh. The inference evidently to be drawn from this is that tho medical profession is one much favoured. At the warehouse of Messrs D. Benjamin and Co. on Saturday morning, M.v Neil M'Leod, on severing his connection with the office staff to start in business in the photographic lino, was presented with a parting testimonial, accompanied by a cheque for 10 guineas from the firm, and a pair of massive sleeve links, a gold-mounted fountain pen, and a silver-mounted pair of military hair brushes in case from the employees oi the firm, all engraved with his monogram. Mr Theomin, in making the presentation on behalf of the firm, referred to the exemplary conduct of the recipient during the seven years he had been in the firms employ, and concluded by wishing him complete success m his new venture. Mr S. Jacobs expressed similar sentiments on behalf of the employees, and Mr M'Leod, in replying, said he would never forget the kindness he had always received from the members of the firm and his fellow employees. The ceremony ended with three ringing cheers for Mr Theomin and Mr Isaacs, the members of the firm. At Messrs J. Speight and Co.'s brewery ori the 17th, Mr C. Speight was presented, on the occasion of his marriage, with a handsome piece of furniture as a mark of the respect in which he is held by the employees of the firm. Mr C. 3?. Greenslade (on behalf of the firm) and Messrs P. Wilson and J. Campbell (on behalf oi the employees) wished Mr and Mrs Speight health, happiness, and prosperity, and referrred to the cordial relations which existed between 3Ur Speight and those with whom he was brought r*to contact. The whole of those present were then invited to partake of the good things provided. In the afternoon the whole of the employees of the brewery were driven in drags to Burkes, where Mr Greenslade entertained them in lavish style in horour of the marriage of Mr Speight. All appeared to thoroughly enjoy themselves, and returned to town by 6 p.m. The Defence Committee, appointed to inquiro into the defences of the colony, movable and fixed, will arrive in Dunedin on Thursday night next. The committee consists of Colonel Penton (eommandar>t), Major Madocks (staff officer). Sir Arthur Dougki; (Under - secretary for Defence), Colonel Webb (Dunedin), Colonel Newall (Wellington), Colonel Gordon (Christclmrch) , and Colonel Bank* (Auckland). The comfi'ittoe iv pursuing their investigations, nhich M-il possibly terminate at Dunedin, •are ahvudy'i '.sited the principal centres of Iho colony. The fund instituted by the Tablet for the relief of the distress in the South of Ireland met with a most generous response. When the list closed on Wednesday, 17th, over £700 had come to hand, and si'ice then further sums have been received which will probably bring the total tip to £800. All thia money came in during a few weeks, while the fund established by the Tablet led to the formation of funds in Auckland aud Wellington

• J to which contributions have also been freely ■ given. A. detailed return of the causes of death . throughout the colony during Juno show - ! I'hii ? nicer claimed 17 victims, or two more - ! than tu^ no<t most fatal disease — bronchitis. ' ■ Thnro \vv<? Jiree deaths from influenza (all in i , Chri=uh-uch) and only two from typhoid. " I Mr 3. IT. Harrison, who for many years ( has taken a prominent part in mining affairs ' , at the Thames and Coromandel, is likely to . '• oppose the re-election of Mr Jas. M'Gowan I as member for the Thames. Mr H. J. Greenslade, editor of the Thames Star, has already announced himself as a candidate for the FC-lt. r Lieutenant John M'lndoc is gazetted as I qiuirte.rmaster of the Ist Battalion, Otago l Kilio Volunteers, and Surgeon-major Cough- - troy as medical officer. Captain and Adjutant s W. .0. Milne is reinstated on tho list of adju3 tancs on the unattached ucthe list, with his 1 former daie of commission. 3 Mr Alfred Mills is gazetted as stock and . rabbit inspector and registrar of brands for ' tho Tuapeka district. \ : Tho Post ptafces that news has been received , that Major Elliot, who was private secretary • to the Earl of^Gla-gow when the lattei was Governor of New Zealand, was amongst [ those who were journeying to Klondyke. Cutland, the well-known footballer, was also | going up to the goldfields at the same time. , i Lieutenant Hourst, the French explorer, ■ i.s completing arrangements for a balloon | voyage across Africa. He will bo aceom- ' ],anied by M. Leo Dcx, of the Army Balloon 1 department, and by Captain Dibo.s, of tho Engineers. The Gulf of Gabe* (Tunis) haj 1 i been chosen a3 the starting point, and they ] hope to como to ground somewhere in tho j Niger district. A special balloon has been | constructed. It has a dimension of 13,000 cubic metres, and can, it is asserted, remain in the air from 40 to 60 days at a stretch. A. &tcel guide rope, nearly 4000 ft long, will trail from the car, " and should any natives or ' animals of any kind," the world is informed, " be so ill-advised as to interfere with it, they will be driven off by means of a powerful electric current from a battery connected with j the rojie." "A peculiar feature will be the ; ballast carried, which will consist of a quan- •, tity of leaden bottles containing water or • cordials, the idea being that, should any misI fortune happen to the balloon, and the explorers be forced to descend in some out-of-the-way spot, they will be able to retrace J their steps by means! of these bottles thrown ' along the route, and the contents of which will serve as a valuable refreshment." The Miranda correspondent of the, Auckland Herald writes: — This district is being made very lively just now, the occasion being the death of the oldest chief of the Ngatipoua tribe, Pokai, at the age of about 80. He is the last of its old chiefs, and, having left no male heirs, and his only living daughterhaving no children, the family may be said to have become extinct. He has been very prominent amongst us for the last 40 years, as a great land seller, and only a few days before he died — and much against the wishes of his ■ friends — he signed a deed disposing of between 2000 and 3000 acres in this neighbourhood. He was very fond of money, and when hard vp — which he frequently was— would sell land or borses for whatever he could get, . and then spend it lavishly amongst his people. He has always been loyal to the i pakeha, although at times not over scrupu- , lous in his transactions with them. He did <' not believe in the integrity of any white 1 man's transactions with his race, and there- ' fore took full advantage of his opportunities. j As a mark of respect the shops in Green ( Island closed on Monday afternoon, when the | remains of the late Frank Lee Smith, second son of the Hon. A. Lee Smith, were conveyed , from his parents' residence to the Green Island Cemetery. The funeral was attended by a large number of leading citizens and country residents, and also by most of Messrs Donaghy and Co.'s employees and all the second year's students in the Mining School ! of the Otago University, with representatives !of the Students' Association. The burial service was read by the Rev. D. O. Hampton. The story of a life broken at the age of 21 was told the Wellington Benevolent Trustees 1 last week by a young woman who asked for ' relief for herself and her two children. Her I husband had been employed in a local i foundry. Six weeks ago he left home, telling ; her that he was going to join a boat. When 1 the vessel returned to port the other day the i woman went down to meet her husband, but ! was told that no person of the name given j was on board, but that a man answering his I description had sailed in her under another | name, and had shipped at Auckland for the I old country. The wife was left to the care | of a beneficent public with two young chil- ! dren on her hands, one aged a year and eight | months and the other eight months. When ; asked if she could explain the reason for tho ' desertion, the woman said she believed there ', was another woman in the case. He had ad- \ mitted to her, she said, that he was already I married when he took her to wife, and his I mother had told her the same, thing. She j believed that the reason he cleared out was i because the other woman had threatened ex- ■ posure. The trustees insisted on the woman ! giving them her assistance in trying to trace ' her husband, though she was very loth to do i it. "He was the first man I kept company 'with," she said pathetically, "and he will ,be the last." Ultimately she agreed to place ' the case in the hands of the police. A meeting of the committee of the Early Settlers' Association was held on Thursday night at the office of the secretary (Mr P. Duncan). The names of 63 new members were passed for election. A sub-eonimiUee, consisting of Messrs K. N. Adams, W. G. Somerville, and T. K. Sidey, I was appoiuted to arrange for si reunion to ecleI brato the Jubilee year of the arrival of the . pioneer vessels Blundell, Victors', and Bevnicia. 1 A pub-committee, consisting of Dr Fulton, Messrs 1 O. O. ProudfoDt and Donald Reid, jun., was I appointed to collect some early history records which the committee had brought under their I notice. Dr Will mentioned as a subject worthy of ' the s.ss</uUtiou's attention the rescue of the origin I of mai.y local Tiamec, especially Maori name*, of | places of local interest" in Orafjo. A eub-com-I mittee, consisting of .Messrs It. N. Adami, T. K. ! Sidey, ami W. G. Somßrville, was formed to ' arrange for the formation of a group collection of photographs of early settlers. Minutes expressive of sympathy with the relatives of several of the ! pinneer settleis who have lately passed away were recorded. The committee had many evidences brought before them of a live interest being felt I in the future of the association. Monthly lneet\veh cf rommittee were fixftd to be held at the oittco of the secretary iv the second Monday of ! each month. __— _»

While Dnnedin cannot get a penny voted for a new railway station, £9000 is put down for a new station at Oamaru It has been officially announced in New, South Wales that in future men who had received the Victoria Cror-Sj and were incapacitated from earning a livelihood, and had reached a staU of destitution, would" be. ! granted £50 a year, instead of £10, as now.