LOCAL & GENERAL.

Otago Witness, Issue 2399, 22 February 1900, Page 48

LOCAL & GENERAL.

The valuation of the City for municipal rating, just completed, shows an increase in the annual rateable value of £8017. The number of new houses included in. this year's valuation is 111. The total rateable value for the ensuing year will be £248,149.

The Government on Thursday completed the purchase of a site for a post office at Caversham. The ground is at the triangle close to the Waterloo Hotel, and was recently filled in. It was bought from MiJames Wright. The site is a central one.

It is not generally known (writes our West Coast correspondent that at the last general election the Right Hon. R. J. Seddon was nearly clean wiped out of the political arena; but it is a fact nevertheless The great man's name was not on the Westland electoral roll, nor was it, indeed, tipon any roll a short time prior to the issue of the last writs. It appears that Mr Seddon had not exercised his voting privileges at the previous general election, and the administrator of the act had done his simple duty by striking the Premier's name off. " But," added the astute statesman to me, " I put my name upon the Wellington roll. What a plum for the Conservatives if I had not done so!" exclaimed he parenthetically.

In connection, with the Jubilee Exhibition in 1898, -the then Early Settlers' Committee initiated the "Jubilee Register," in which the names, date of arrival, and other particulars of all surviving settlers and their descendants who arrived tip to and during the year 1861 were to be entered. The " Register " is a handsome volume of 500 folios, in strong calf binding, and, as at that time a large number of settlers did not supply the necessary information, has been handed over to Mr L. Lnnglands for completion, and is deposited in the strongroom in Mr John Reid's office, and vested in the following trustees: — Hon. T. Fergus, ex-vice-prcjidenl Jubilee Industrial Exhibition ; Mr John Reid, ex-chairman Early Settlers' Jubilee Committee; Mr D. Reid, jun., chairman of committee ; Dr Fulton, member of Recording Committee ; and Mr L. Lpnglands. member of the Recording Committee and secre tary of the Otago Early Settlers' Association ; of whom Mr John Reid is chairman and Mr L. Langlands secretary. As it is of the utmost importance that the "Register" should be a complete record and show the names of all those pioneers who took the first steps to change this place from its rough state into its present attractive form, all those who did not supply the necessary information are earnestly requested to do so now, and are referred to our advertising columns for the particulars wanted. Forms can be obtained at the offices of Messrs John Reid and Sons and Mr D. Reid, jun., but we may mention it is not absolutely 'necessary to use the printed form; particulars can be sent by letler. All communications to be addressed to the secretary, who will al=o forward blank forms to applicants.

The number of patients in the hospital at the end of last week was 96, and at the end of the previous week 102. The difference is attributable to two of the patients, named Annie Vincent and Chung Kee, dying, and there being 22 discharges as again&t 18 admissions. At a time when the eyes of the Empire ara anxiously turned towards Natal, a few details as to the agricultural resources of that loyal colony should prove of special interest. The soil of the " garden colony " of British South Africa is rich. In the fertile coast plains, with a- t emi-tropicn.l climate, sugar, coffee, indigo, arrowroot,—tobacco, rice, pepper, cotton, tea, and tropical fruits thrive. In the midland districts, cereals and tropical fruits are easily cultivated ; while in the more elevated region of the hinterland sheep husbandry and cattle-rearing are pursued ; and probably no part of South Africa has so large a proportion of its surface available either for tillage or for pasture. The annual average production of sugar reaches slightly aver 20,000 tons, that of tea about 750,0001b, and of coffee about 40,0001b. Of live stock it is computed that there are about 60,000 horses, nearly 23,000 of which arc owned by Europeans, the remainder belonging to the natives. Horned cattle are numerous, as well as pigs, goats, and sheep, a million of the la=t-named being possessed by Europeans alone. The chief exports are wool, sugar, tea, hides, maize, ostrich feathers, and coal, and a large transit, trade has existed with the Orange Free State and the TransMial.

A correspondent of the " Army and Navy Gazette" writes from the Modeler River: — " Lieutenant-colonel Goff was killed while leading his men to the charge in the action at Mager*fontein. The men melted away before the terrible fire of the enemy, but Colonel Goff pressed steadily on. He tripped over a tussock of grass, and was struck by a bullet, but lie got up, only to be hit a second time, and fall dead. Major Robinpon, who was following him, shared his fate. Both these officers were dearly loved by their men, \\\\o are very sad at their loss. There i& not a a Argyll and Sntheiland Highlander who would not willingly have given his own life to save the two who are gone, and who bravely upheld the honour and credit of their regiment." Colonel Goff was a cousin of .his Excellency the Governor, Lnrd Ranfurlv.

A correspondent of the New Zealand Times narrates the following incident which lie s-ays ho witnei~ed on Lambton quay on a recent Saturday night: — A& T pa^ed the Bank of New Zealand I saw a man carrying a child in hi& arms. a. pretty little girl, about four yeaix old. The child was singing in a happy, childish treble, ''Solchei'a ol the Queen." Just close b3' there walked a young lellow about 25 years old, who, by hits dress and a? aimer, I judged la lie from the country.

He seemed quite entranced with the child and its' singing. When the child stopped singing he pushed foiward, with the remark, "Excuse me, mister, but I have been listening to your kiddie singing. She's a real toff. There's half a crown for her"; and he darted off into the crowd.

The Minister of Publio Works (the Hon. W. Hall- Jones) and private secretary), and Mrs Hall-Jones and daughter, arrived in Dunediu by the express from the north on Monday evening, and went to the Grand Hotel, where they remained during their short stay in the city. After visiting the south he will visit the interior, and vi ill go over a considerable part of the route of the Otago Central railway. The return trip will be made via Oamaru, and the Minister of Publio Works intends to see the country that would be affected by the suggested extension of the Livingstone line of railway.

The Hon. John M'Kenzie has just paid a flying visit to Dunedin. He arrived by the afternoon train from Oamaru on Monday, and, having seen to the matters requiring his personal attention, left for his home at Heathfielcl by the express train next morning. It is not at all improbable, however, that he will find it necessary to come to Dunedin again in the course of a few days.

The commandant of the French warship Eure paid' another visit to Dunedin on Monday afternoon, and was received by Mr J. Carroll, as the senior councillor and ex-mayor, and by the Hon. H. Gourley (the chairman of the Harbour Boar. | , accompanied by Mr Dallas. Mr Carroll and Mr Dallas took Commandant Thibault for a drive, but the Hon. H. Gourley was unable to go with them, as he had to attend a committee meeting of the Harbour Board. The route selected was towards the Taieri Plains, 1 a good view of which was obtained, and the beauty and fertility of the country was much appreciated by the visitor. The party returned to town shortly after 5 p.m., and in the evening Commandant Thibault was the guest of Mr P. C. Neill, the French consul.

The Board of Governors of the Marlborough High School on Monday unanimously selected Mr John limes, M.A., LL.D., as principal of the High School. • -VWe record with regret the sudden death on 10th February of Mr Alfred Francis Oswin, of Wellington, frTJm cerebral hemorrhage. He was a very old resident of Otago, having arrived here from India in 1859. Mr Oswin was born in Ceylon in 1837, and was educated at King's College, London. In 1851he left England for Inelia, having been appointed to a position in the Indian Navy. This lie held for two years, and then left to undertake work under the Indian Government. He was stationed at Allahabad when the Indian Mutiny broke out, where he saw many stirring scenes. In company with Mr W. A.. Bews (late of Invercargill), Who was with him in India, he came to New Zealand. They took up land in Otago, but la'.er Mr Oswin left to act as Sub-Treasurer to the Provincial Government. For the past 20 years he has been in the Government service in Wellington. He leaves a family of fi->'e daughters and four sons. Mr Thomas Oswin, of Invercargill, anci Mr Henry Oswin, of New Plymouth, being married. During the past few year<s Mr Oswin wrote several interesting narratives of his experiences in the Indian Mutiny. In 1866 he married a daughter of the late Colonel Bamford, H.M. 73rd Regiment, she having died 14 years ago. *\

The Mount Benger Mail launches out on the grievous complaint generally made by merchants of the goldlields townp in regard to the difficulty they, at preseiiL, experience in getting their bills paid because of the fact that " every penny that can be seized upon is emptied at the dredging shrine."' Many find it convenient to forget that before plunging their resources upon any speculation whatever, the duty to their storekeeper, butcher, and draper ought to be requited. We are assured that some, with steady income, are failing to fulfil (lipsc necessary obligations, and where the cap hapless fits, the charge of thorough meanness, not to u^e .a, stronger expression, may be laid. It amounts to this— that some are using cash, certainly not theirs, in their ventures — money which fhould enable merchants to carry on business with more advantage to those who act " on the square " 'strictly, and to the comfort of themselves and the success of the concerns in which they are bound up. In conversation with a goldfields' merchant the other day, he informed us of his intention of altogether abandoning a large blanch of hip business, because on account of one single, cheap, bulky, and comparatively urofitless commodity, he was lying out of £1000. and, as he said, "couldn't get in a farthing.'' With him it is not a matter of choice, but implacable force. The tortuous methods often presently obtaining to get shares are mostly responsible- for a shame for which not a shred of palliating defence can be urged. But the hurt thus clone by no meant' ends here. Such illegitimate aid to speculation strikes the investor disa.-tiously in the long run. It impart-, to the gold venture a more roseate hue that it has, very likely, any right to po«-sc=i=. It half murders the industry of those who do so much to uphold the townships in their substance and character.

The cruelty and callousness of the Chinese are no new things, but we have seldom heard of a more diabolical outrage than that which has jj e t ta'-en place in a district bordering on the new British territory opposite Ilovgkong. A gang of ruffians, kidmpped a boy about eight years of age, sent a message to his father demanding a ransom quite beyond the latler's raeins, and which he said he could not pay. The gang, belie\ing thai he could raire the money if he wished, sent a further threatening mes<-no- e to the "ii'eet that if the money were not forthcoming by the time specified, the hoy would be returned to him "in pickle."' The money not being paid ihey actually carried out the threat, and returned the dead body of the son to his father in a cask of brine !

Lord Brougham was fond of 1 piling a story about a ceitpin bishop, who, at one oi his country visitations, complained that the church was in bad repair, pointing out several places whore the rain came through the roof. -Hm'ii'g spveiely rebuked the \icar and w;<t'denj>, lie added with considerable warmth an expression which "he was horrified at finding ill tbe local paper next day reported thus; —

'' I am determined not to visit this d d old church again till it is in belter order." The bishop's secretary thereupon wrote explaining that what his lordship said was that he would not visit " this damp old church again." But the editor, in a footnote, said that, while gladly giving publicity to the explanation, he had every confidence in the accuracy of his reporter.