LOCAL & GENERAL.

Otago Witness, Issue 2379, 5 October 1899, Page 44

LOCAL & GENERAL.

All attempts to secure the Colonial Bank buildings for public purposes having ended in failure, it has been decided to submit the property to the test of public competition. On Monday, October 23, Messrs Park, Reynolds, and Co. will sell by auction the building originally built as a post office for Dunedin and the freehold of 1 rood 26.2 poles. The central position of the property is likely to lead to some keen competition. | In connection with the charge of Sunday trading brought against Mr John Crane, of the Coach and Horses Hotel, the Taieri Advocate states that the distance was chained between two houses in Mosgiel and the hotel mentioned. The ground was covered twice — once on behalf of Mr Crane, and again on behalf of the police — and the two measurements came within a foot of each other. Between Mrb Gilligan's and the Coach and Horses, by the road, is three miles two chains 76 links, and to the house where the lad Brown resides is nearly three chains more. Residents can now with security consider the distance between Crane's and the new post office as just beyond " the pale of the law " — three miles. At a meeting of the Lawrence branch of the , Otago Educational Institute it was unanimously resolved — "That a subscription be raised among the Otago teachers as a practical expression of Iheir sympathy for Miss Annett, and to afford her the means of re- , couping herself for the loss of property she ■ has sustained in connection with the destruction of the Rongahere School." A few of the Waitahuna people have been benefited substantially -(say 3 the Tuapeka ! Times) by the death of the late Thomas Leonard, an old miner who was worth a considerable amount of money at his death, and > apparently had no relations in the colony, j One local resident was left a windfall of i £1000, another £150, and one or two others smaller legacies. i The House of Representatives on Thursday , decided to offer, through his Excellency the | Governor, a contingent of mounted rifles, 200 . strong, for service in the Transvaal. The cost will be £20,000. The motion, which was j moved by the Premier in a powerful .and patriotic speech, and seconded by Captain Russell, was not carried unanimously, five members — three being from Otngo — feeling constrained to vote against it. When the result was announced there was an unusual display of enthusiastic loyalty, the House, led by the Premier, singing the National Anthem. The lengthy drift of the disabled steamer Waikato is likely to delay the advent of the dining car.s on the railways, as included in the vessel's cargo is the plant for the lighting and cooking arrangements which will be installed in the cars. The system of lighting which obtains at present will be introduced on the dining cars, but gas fires will also be used in the cui«ine department, and the necessary apparatus for this, which was ordered from Home, was despatched in the Waikato. The work of constructing and fitting the cars are so well advanced that they will probably be completed in a little over a month's time. In the Salvation Army barracks on Friday Colonel E,still lectured to a- large audience on his experiences in South Africa-. The lecturer was five years in command of the Army forces at the Cape, and during his term of office travelled all through the Transvaal, Matabeleland, and the Orange Free State, acquiring an extensive knowledge of the country and its customs. This he used to good advantage, and interested his audience for a couple of hours without their showing any signs of weariness. He made extended refer- ' ence to the Transvaal, outlining briefly the history of the Boer Republic, and the British

reverses, which are matters of history. Some fine limelight views of Majuba Hill, the graves of Sir Geo. Colley and the soldiers who fell with him, lent additional interest. Photos of President Kruger, Sir Alfred Milner, Cecil Rhodes, Dr Jameson, and others were also thrown on the^ screen. Colonel Estill spoke of the success of the Salvation Army in South. Africa, and said that under its banner the English and the Dutch officers worked together in the greatest harmony. During the evening Major Evans rendered a sacred solo, i playing his own accompaniment. At the Gore Court on Friday, before Messrs Martin and M'Farlane, J.P.'s., Charles Benson, of Artlmrton, was charged with ill-treat-ing a horse by working it while suffering from open sores on the shoulder. The information was laid by Mr Aitken, inspector for the Otago Society for Prevention of Cruelty to ' Animals. Mr J. B. Nichol appeared for the society, and Mr Neave for the defence. The evidence produced showed that defendant had inflicted considerable cruelty on the animal. Defendant was fined £2, and £1 8s costs. A second information against defendant waa withdrawn. — John Albert Benson, son of defendant, for working the same horse, waa fined the nominal sum of Is, and a second information against him was also withdrawn. 1 In order to meet the demands of • the coming wool season on the East Coast of the North. j Island, the Mawhera has been withdrawn and replaced by the Omapere. In all probability the Mawhera will be employed in the Dun-edin-Oamaru-Timaru trade instead of the Beatltiful Star, which will shortly proceed to Tasmania. 1 has been received in Invercargill of the death at Sydney of Mr Thomas Perkins, an old resident of Invercargill. He was engaged in business there in the early sixties, and afterwards was clerk with a leading legal firm. He then commenced business as a land and general agent. He was also for a brief period editor of the Southland News. Ho was connected with hospital and charitable aid administration in Invercargill for a number of years. He leaves one son and several daughters. '■ Our Palmerston correspondent writes stafci ing that he has been allowed to peruse two letters received from, the Hon. John M'Kenzie. In the first letter it is stated that leading specialists in London who were consulted concluded that if the hon. gentleman did not i face the severe and dangerous operation he could not expect to live for more than two years. As already stated, the operation waa entirely successful, and Dr Fenwick removed not only the growth, but also the cause of it. ! The second letter is dated August 25. Mr M'Kenzie had by that time made such-good progress that he enclosed v an address to the ' electors of Waihemo, which will be duly , published next week, stating his intertion, in 1 response to the requisition with 2276 signatures, presented to him some time previous to his departure, to again place his services at the disposal of the ejectors, and hoping to see tl^em personally some time in November. Mr J. M'Kenzie, jun., received a cablegram on Thursday intimating that the Minister for Lands and his family had left for New Zealand in the Gothic, all well. This news will be learnt with general satisfaction. At a sitting of the Pensions Court on Friday Mr Carew granted five full pensions and refused one applicant. The officer in charge of the Labour department at Oamaru has received instructions to send twenty stonemasons to the Otago Central. The Oamaru Mail states that the Premier is prepared to recommend the re-appointmenfc of the Hon. J. MacGregor to the Legislative Council, recognising that, though he has not always supported the Government's measures, i he has been a particularly -useful member. If Mr MacGregor should not be re-appointed it will lie because of his own refusal to accept nomination, and not because the Premier has any wish to exclude him. ' Ann Hagerty, seventy-five years of age, died suddenly at Hindon on Thursday night. She had been ill since the 27th inst., and waa j being treated for inflammation of the bowels. j Another Taranaki old-age pensioner has forfeited his pension for misrepresentation. In. i May last George Neale wa3 granted a pension ' of £18. It has since transpired that in a civil | action in which Neale was concerned, it 'was 1 proved that he had property worth £490, sub- | ject to encumbrances which reduced the value I to £290 10s. Mr Stanford, S.M., when the ' pensioner was summoned before him, said thai applicant had led the magistrate to believe that his property was worth £351, when, he had an agreement in his pocket to sell it; for £490. A conviction must be recorded. The pension must be forfeited, and accused must pay back all money received on account of the pension. He must also pay the costs. A remarkable story of a millionaire, turned thief lias just been told in a Vienna court. The individual in question was a man named Heinrich Leitner, who was charged with theft and fraud. Thirty years ago, says the Daily Telegraph Vienna correspondent, Leitner, as a millionaire, played a certain role in Viennasociety. He might still have remained rich and honoured had not the fascinations of the Bourse fatally attracted him. The greater part of hi 3 fortune was lost in the panic of

REMARKABLE CURE OF RHEUMATISM. Kenxa, Jackson Co., W. Va. About three years ago my wife had an! attack of rheumatism which confined her to her bed for ovor a month, and rendered her unable to walk a step without assistance, her limb 3 being, swollen to double their normal size. Mr S. Maddox insisted on my using Chamberlain's Pain Balm. I purchased a fifty-cent bottle, and used it according to the directions, and the next morning she walked to breakfast without assistance in any manner, and she has not had a similar attack sinoe.-» A. B. Paksons. For sale by all dealers* Price:, lo 6d, 3*

•1875, after which he speculated madly with the remainder in land and houses, sometimes buying property without even looking at it. TFor the last few years Leitner acted as a land Mid property agent with but little success, and finally resorted to crime. He cheated a house buyer of £200, and at a friend's house took a 1000 florin note from a packet on the table. Every effort was made by his counsel to prove him of unsound mind. The prison Burgeon certified him to be mentally diseased, and said that though not wanting in intelligence he was subject to temporary attacks of a paralytic character which decreased bis^responsibility. It was proved that he had suffered for the last fifteen years from prostrating headaches, and that the well-known "Vienna authority upon mental diseases (Professor Meynert) had declared him, after examination, to be "a candidate for brain paralyßis." The Attorney-general observed that, if' Leitner were acquitted on this evidence, there was nothing to prevent him from Btealing another 1000 florin note. Nine of the jury found him guilty, and he was sentenced to two years' hard labour. King Leopold has just "bestowed on Sister Teresa Hickey, an English mm of the Apostoline community established in Belgium, the Civic Medal of the First Class (a decoration instituted as & reward of conspicuous civic merit), in recognition of her heroic services to the people during the outbreak of a terzible epidemic which ravaged the district of Oordegem, in Flanders. So great was the consternation of the inhabitants that no one •would venture to approach the houses in •which the victims lay dying. During the panic Sister Teresa volunteered to go and tend the unfortunate sufferers, for whom nurses could not be found. For several weeks Bhe devoted herself, day and night, to the noble work of ministering to the sick and dying, receiving no other assistance than that given by the clergy of the parish. With unflagging devotion the brave woman re- j mained unflinchingly at her post of duty j until the epidemic abated, although almost ! broken down by her untiring efforts. Public j manifestations of gratitude for her inestiin- j able services were rendered by the people; \ and her conduct having come under the notice j of the Government, the King has rewarded her self-sacrifice by bestowal of the honour mentioned. Sister Teresa has been in Belgium for nearly thirty years. The Ngapara electors in the Oamaru electorate have- decided to send a requisition round for signatures asking Mr J. A. j M'Pherson to contest the election with Major Steward in the Liberal interest. It has been arranged that the appeal of the Invercai'gill Corporation against the decision of Mr Poynton, S.M., that the Education Board is not liable to pay rates on j the land and house Required for a teacher's residence (which is some distance from the school), should be argued in Dunedin. The mayor and city councillors on Saturday drove to the saddle of the Waitati and inspected the creeks and gathering ground •which it is proposed to impound in connection with a water supply for the city, and also the sites of the proposed reservoirs. The party consisted of the mayor, Mr G. M. Barr, and all the councillors except Cr Howlison. After the inspection the party accepted the invitation of Cr Dawson to visit his house at '"Wakari. The address of the Hon. J. M'Kenzie to the electors of Waihemo, intimating that, in compliance with the requisition presented to ihim signed by 2276 electors, he is again prepared to place his services at their disposal At first sight it might seem a little strange that the squad of topers in the dock at the Police Court on Saturday morning should all | be persons against whom prohibition, orders exist, and the casual observer might be pardoned for wondering if a prohibition order is a special permit for indulgence in intoxicants. The first to answer his name was an expressman, whose ability to safely steer a horse and vehicle in a crowded thoroughfare ■while drunk was so impaired that a constable found it necessary to assume control of the whole concern. Having taken out a prohibition order against himself, he appeared to think that he had a right to drive a coach and 'horses through it. Result: ss, or 24 hours. The^ second to answer his name was a maii who lrad been "prohibited" the day previously, on the .application of his wife. He ingenuously explained that had he known that the order -was in force he would have abstained. An unsympathetic bench took him at his word, and said that, having the ability to refrain, his excess was the more culpable, and doubled the previous penalty. In the third case the defendant went home in such a pugnacious mood that the sight of a constable coming to the rescue of affrighted •women and children was as a red rag to a bull, and he rushed at the officer of the law. Both parties struggled on the ground until the arrival of a second constable, and then the man was handcuffed and roped round the legE and carried bodily to the police station. For expending the exuberance of his spirits on the two policemen he will be the guest of her Majesty for the remainder -ol the week. The meeting tsf committee of the Technical Classes Association held on Friday was attended by Messrs A. Burt (in the chair), Cohen, Cntten, Eunson, M'Nicoll, and Thomson. The Assistant Superintendent reported "that the sum of £526 Tiad been received as fees -during the current session, and the hon. Becretary reported that up to date £122 had "been received on account of the building fund, and there were several collecting cards still to come in. It was resolved to obtain an estimate for re-roofing and flooring the rear premises of the Technical School, in order to provide accommodation for the electrical laboratory. Mr George 2ML Thomson undertook to carry on the botany class for the quarter commencing 2nd Octc-Der. The closing ceremony of the session and distribution of (diplomas and certificates was fixed for Frifcy, 13th October, in the Victoria Hall. A

special meeting was fixed for Tuesday, 3rd inst., to consider the appointment of a secretary. The hospital returns for the week are as follow: — Patients remaining from the previous week, 114 ; admitted during the past week, 18; discharged, 16. Thomas D. Mockford and Marion Hepburn died in the institution, and the number of patients remaining is 114. The -vital statistics for the month of September for Dunedin and district are as follow: — Births', 114 ; deaths, 55 ; marriages, 33. For September last year the figures were : Births, 102; deaths, 60; marriages, 56. For the quarter ending on Saturday the births numbered 235, deaths 193, marriages 106. The births for the same quarter of last year were 295, the deaths 189, and the marriages 103. At the Technical School on Saturday those interested had an opportunity of inspecting an excellent Sisplay of cooked dishes. These represented the work of about 14 pupils of the association's classes, conducted by Mrs E. B. Miller, for the certificate examination, which had extended over two days. The examination being over, the public had been invited to inspect the work done, but unfortunately sufficient publicity had not been given to the invitation. The ages of the students ranged from 14 years upward?, and the dishes which they had made covered three tables, and were creditable alike to teacher and pupils. Soups of all kinds, fowls and rabbits dressed in various ways, mutton cooked in various appetising forms, vegetables in season, puddings of all kinds, lemon pies, and various other dishes were to be seen. Each student had made a loaf of bread, and in nearly every instance they were excellent examples of baking. The examiners, it may be added, awarded marks for order arid neatness. Altogether the display was a meritorious one, and afforded striking proof of the practical work which is being taught to students. M. Jules Guerin, the self -constituted prisoner of the anti-Semite Club, is (says the Daily News) a retired tripe-seller of La "Vilette, which explains why he has a lot of butchers with him. He is a "gaillard" of 35 or so, solidly built, a great crony of M. 1 Drumont's, and received his political education with the Marquis de.More?. He was one of the band who signed themselves " The Friends of Mores." After the death of the Marquis, M. Guerin took the lead of the anti-Semites, and, always spoiling for a fight, he has been in every street demonstration which the anti-Semites have got up in Paris for this last 10 years. He always carries about with him a huge knotted stick as big as a small tree, and wears a big felt hat. This is the man, moreover, that half-killed a policeman in the Place de la Concorde a faw months ago during a demonstration. He had done well in politics, and his paper, " The AntiJuif," has enabled him to make money, it has lately been said that this money, like that of M. Deroulede, is from the Duke of Orleans. M. Guerin, whilst a fellow capable of doing much mischief, is in reality more of a braggart and blusterer than a dangerous man. The following appears in Tuesday's Daily Times : — We tender our cordial thanks to the management of the Evening Star for their kind offer of the use of the linotypes and printing machinery last night at a time when it seemed very doubtful if the Daily Times could be produced this morning by the company's own plant. Fortunately, through the exertions of Captain Mitchell and his j brigade, the fire in the Times Office was got under in time to ensure the production of the paper as usual. At Monday night's meeting of the executive of the Otago Central Railway League Mr T. K. Harty said he had no faith that the present Administration would expend the votes passed j by Parliament on the Otago Central railway, and suggested that the members of the league should band themselves into a political body to endeavour to get a progressive party elected at the next election. Mr Kempj thorne, however, pointed out that the league had hitherto endeavoured to steer clear of party politics, and that to set up a political agitation would have a bad effect at the present time. After a good deal of discussion as to the question of the expenditure of the votes on the .line, a sub-committee was appointed to draft a circular to forward to candidates for election in Otago, with the view of getting the votes expended that were passed by Parliament. It was also resolved that Mr M. J. S. Mackenzie, M.H.R., be asked to convene an early meeting of Otago members of Parliament in Wellington, before the close of the session, for the purpose of making certain that all necessary worsv», including culverts and bridges, had been placed in hand, so that, consistently with the luoniib available, the longest additional section of the railway should be completed and running within the present financial year. At a sitting of the Supreme Court in Bankruptcy on Monday, when the question came up as to the next sitting of the court, Mr Justice Williams remarked that there did not seem to be much business.. The oflicial assignee was happy to say that there was not. "Is there much prospective business? " remarked his Honor. "No; not until the boom bursts, I believe," replied the assignee; while the judge observed that he supposed that they might look forward to something later on. The next sitting was then fixed for the 4th of December. The Timaru Herald learns on very good authority that the Government have completed the purchase of the Three Springs estate, about the sale of which there have been negotiations going on during the last few months. The price is said to be £4 10s per acre, and the area about 7000 acres, 5300 of which are flat and downs, and a lot of it rich limestone. Nothing could be more conclusive as to the -soundness and progress of Queensland than her latest railway report. There are 2145 miles open, and the net revenue on their

working is £588,664, which gives a return of £3 3s per cent, on the capital expenditure. This is a marvellous result in Queensland, and for the reason that her railways cannot be compared to those of any other colony. To Cloncurry, and Tambo, and Thargomindah — they run out over the big pasture where the small settlers are not, and probably never will be. They are lines such as the syndicate of 20 years ago proposed to construct on the land grant system, and in that proposal showed a remarkably accurate knowledge of the true possibilities of the land. The syndicate would be perfectly willing to come in now ; but while the commissioners can show a clear £3 3s per cent, it is not likely that any Government will invite them.

Our Invercargill correspondent writes that the funeral of the late Mr James Walker Bain took place on Monday afternoon, and was largely attended by a representative following of Southlanders.

The following were successful in passing the recent examination held at Waikouaiti under the auspices of the above association (the names are not in their order of merit) : — First aid : Misses J. M. Christie, M. Pickup, W. M'Fie, Mrs R. Pearson, jun., Misses L. Malloch N. Vane 3, M. E. Dawson, F. O'Halloran. M. Christio, J. Dimbar, E. C. Duff, L. J. Steven, S. Byrne, B. Graham, M. Valentine, Mrs Keach. Advanced aid: Misses Kirby and Paterson. First aid: E. Pinder, A. Heckler, M. Jamieson, E. Davis, J. Maxwell, P. Heckler, R. Pearson, jun.. E. Heckler, R. Templeton, D. T. Kelly, B. Fell. Advanced aid: T. Pickup. Medallion: O. ' >'NeilL The examiner (Dr Macpherson) reports:—"The results are highly gratifying, indicating careful instruction and intelligent appreciation of it. The papers sent in by the women's section especially were of a high order of merit."