LOCAL & GENERAL.

Otago Witness, Issue 2412, 24 May 1900, Page 23

LOCAL & GENERAL.

A long sitting of the Education Board was held on Thursday, at which an important discussion took place upon the queetion of secondary education, the discussion having reference principally to the status and curriculum of the district high schools. The motion regarding fees, upon which the-dis-cussion was raised, and. which was apparently only the preliminary step to more definite action, was lost upon the casting- vote of the chairman. It appears (telegraphs our Auckland correspondent) that a determined effort is likely to be made during the coming session of Parliament to ariive at a definite conclusion with reference to the question of railway connection between Auckland and Wellington. A ptiblic meeting will probably be convened in Auckland on an early date, but a meeting, which must in the nature of things be of much greater importance, so far as securing the railway is concerned, is being convened by Mr J. H. Wilheford, the newly-elected member for Auckland Oily. His idea is that the whole of the members representing the North Island constituencies should meet in Wellington about the opening of Parliament and discuss the whole question of railway connection between the two important trade centres in the north and south of the island. An application of a somewhat unusual character was made to the City Council at its meeting on Wednesday, 16th. A local firm of sanitary engineer," proposed, if the council will sanction it, to erect public water closets in the centre of the town, which shall be available for use upon payment of a small fee, and to provide in coimeolion with them urinals for the use of which no charge would be made. The.>e conveniences would, in the terms of the proposals, be constructed underground, and the conditions upon which the firm are prapared to supply them are that they shall be granted the rights in rasped, to them for a period of 10 years, with a free supply of gas and water, and that when the council takes the premises o»er at the end of that term, or as some other time to be agreed tipon, it shall give ths firm full valuation for the buildings. It is to be hoped that the council will not reject the proposal offhand or unless very substantial reasons arc forthcoiuiiig to justify such a line of action. The offer is to provide the city with a class of convenience which not only is at present lacking here, but also, so far as we know, is not supplied in any city in the Australasian colonies. In London there are premises of the kind, and they are a convenience that is highly appreciated. Constructed underground, as it is proposed to erect them here, there is no disfigurement of the streets involved in their existence. Neat flights of steps conduct the visitor from the street level to the building below, where the_ sanitary appliances and lavatories are everything that could be wished, and the open space above is enclosed within an ornamental railing. Of the desirability of the provision of similar premises in our own town there can be no qtiestion. It will bo decidedly a step in the right direction when they are supplied. The offer which has now been made to the City Council will, if it is entertained, place us at an early date in the possession of this convenience, and ths terms with which the proposal is accompanied are not unreasonable. A congregational meeting of Chalmers Presbyterian Church' was held on Thursday. The Rev. I. K. M'lntyre, moderator, presided and conducted devotional exercises. The office-bearers) appointed at the previous congregational meeting to interview the members and adherents with regard to the financial prospects of the con grega Lion, in view of their intended call to a minister, gave in a very favourable report, which in their opinion amply justified an application to fche presbytery to moderate in a call. It was therefore unanimously resolved to make such application, to the presbytery at their next sitting, and Messrs Robert Fleming and Donald M'Pherson were appointed as commission ers to represent the congregation in prosecuting the call. A i)ro re nata meeting of the Chitha Presbytery was held on Wednesday at Balclutha, the object being to .dispose of the call to the Rev. R. Fairmaid, of Kaitangata, from the South Taieri congregation. The Revs. M'Kerrowand Paulin, together with Mr A. Fleming, Otakia, appeared as commissioners from the Dunedin Presbytery, and urged reasons for Mr Fairmaid's translation from Eaitangata to South Taieri. The Rev. D. Borrie, being present, al°o supported the application. A numerous body of commissioners from Kaifcangata and Wangaloa pleaded for retaining Mr Fairmaid as minister of those charges. Messrs Mitchell, Smaill, Burni, Carson, Biackie, Darling, and Smith all spoke in the liighest terms of Mr Fairmaid, and ex--pressed the hope that he would continue in his present sphere. Mr Fairmaid's decision, after anxious consideration of the competing claims, wos to accept the call to Sojth Taipri. Mr Allan moved, and Mr DaU-ymple seconded ■ — "That the call.be pl-iced in Mr Fairmaid's bands, and, on signifying his acceptance of it', the presbytery" agreed to loose him from his present charge, the separation from Kailangata to date from, the last Sunday of June. The death is announced on Thursday of Mr Alfred Brunton, the well-knov, n evangelist, who has been in indifferent health for some lime past. The deceased gentleman came out to Victoria, in 1846, being- then only 19 years of age. He had intended to try his fortune at the goldfields, but was 'induced to take up the teaching profession. Ec continued his work for nearly 20 years, engaging at the same time in active religious work. He came to Dunedin in H66 to fill the pulpit of Mr Connebce, minister of the Congregational Church, who had obtained leave of

I absence. When his engagen-.ent terminated be was induced to take charge of the congre- ; Estion of Plymouth Brethren, who then met ,in Milton Hall. Ho continued as its leader [ up to the time of his death, the meetings for , many j^ears being held in Farley"*; Kail, then , in the Garrison Hall, and of recent years in j the Ohorrl Hall. Mr Erunton was held in , high respect, and as an evangelist his lo^s will , be keenly felt. i A Wellington Preps Association telegram stateo that Friday, June 22, is mentioned as the probable dale of the opening of Parliai ment. A settlement has been arrived at in the f Supreme Court action of Jcllicoe v. Begg, j which arose out of an expression employed . by Mr A. C. Begg, at a meeting at Mos^iel j in the course of his candidature for the Taieri seat at the last general election, respecting , Mr E. G. Jellicce, solicitor, of Wellington, and the latter's candidature at the by-election in Wellington lasl yeer. Mr Begg, while he is unable to recall the exact expression made use of by him in his Mosgiel speech, infers from the statements of people who heard him that he miicfc have used woids to the effect that Mr Jellicoe had ptacticslly been struck off the rolls, and that this wr: not what he intended to express. He admits that if he did use words implying that Mr Jellicoe had been struck of? the rolls, he was not justified in so doing, and he regrets the cccurienco. V7ith resavd to the suggested inference as to Mr Jellicoe having been supported by Mr Seddon, Mr Begg accepts Mr Jsllicos's assurance to the contra- r. The Education Beard at hs meeting o;i Thursdey resolved, without discussion, to obtain leturns of children receiving instruction in military drill in' the various schools under iis control. Mr G. Hutchison, M.H.R., who has been on a visit to South Africa, returned to the colony this week by the Tarawera, and ' was a passenger from Dunedin yesterday by ths express train for the north, fie was for about six weeks in South Africa, and during that time wan cnablsd, by the courtesy of the military authorities, to visit 3-Jaritzburc;, Colenso, and Ladysmilh in Natal, reaching the lastmentioned place a few days only after "the relief, and to go as far north as Bloemfontein in the Free State, where he was granted permission by Lord Roberts to see all that it was possible for him to see. The first New Zealand contingent was at "Bloemfontein when he was there, which was over a week later than, the date of our last despatches from, our special correspondent, and a large number of the members of the contingent took advantage of his presence and of the fact that he was proceeding straight from Bloemfontein to Capetown to catch a steamer for Australia to entrust him with letters for New Zealand, these being posted in the colony since his return. The timejit which Mr Hutchison went through from Norvals Pont to Bloemfontein • was immediately after the Boers had slipped past the Free State capital to the south and after the capture at Reddersburg of ZOO men belonging to General Gatacre'd division, and the train in which he travelled' was full of officers and &oldiers who throughout the journey were prepared for the emergency of a Boer attack. Mr Hutohi&on spent a night at Three Sisters at a sanatorium where Miss Olive Schreiner was staying, and had an interesting interview there with the author o"f " The Story of an African Farm." Our Palmerston correspondent writes : — "At the Magistrate's Court, Palmerston, on Wednesday, before Mr H. W. Bishop, S.M.. M. Shore was charged by the police with showing a red light on the railway station at Shag Point, on the evening of the 30th April last, after the express train from Christchurch to Dunedin had left that station, with the result that the driver, mistaking it for a danger signal, suddenly pulled up the train. The guard returned to the station to inquire the causa of the light, and found the young man mentioned with a buggy lamp, the red side of which was turned towards the train. It appears he was seeing some friends off, and, it being a dark night, used the lamp as a lantern. He showed the clear light to stop the train, as is the practice there when passengers are waiting (there being no stationmaster), and after the train left was returning home carrying the lamp in his hand carelessly, unconscious of t>_e red light being in front. The magistrate said as he thought there was no intention to mislead the to in offic ; als, he would only inflict a nominal penalty of 20s and costs (?s). The Wellington City Council has decided to exercise its option over the electric light works, and has appointed a committee to take the steps necessary to exercise the right of purchase. The council also draw the attention of the Licensing Committee to the need for improvement in hotel fire escapes. Freemasons will "be pleased to learn that although the Rev. Wm. Ronaldson has retired from the position of Grand Secretary, he will still be able to render valuable service to the craft in the less arduous position of Grand Superintendent for the Di&trict of Otago, which 'has just been conferred upon him by the nev/ Grand Master, Bro. Russell. ! With reference to the appointment of a successor to Herr Schmitt as lecturer on music to the Auckland University College, it I has been agreed that the Agon.t-gen.cral in i London bo asked to appoint a suitable man for five years, at a salary of £100 a year and fees from the college, and £75 from the Choral Society, the passage money of £50 to bo equally borne by the two bodies. The person - appointed is to be in pos-iession of a musical degree, and experienced in conducting a Choral Society of standing. | Mr C. E. R. Maekesy, who was to have lectured on Friday night in the Choral Hail on ''Britain's Imperial Destiny," was met by an audience much sraaller than would probably have occupied the hall under ordinary circumstances. He. therefore, decided to ad-

journ the lecture to next, Friday evening, and 'instead gave an outline of the Scripture arguj ment for his conviction that Britain is actually fulfilling the purposes of the Divine will as foretold concerning Israel. His address was frequentby applauded. The Rev. Dr Nicholson, of Ravensbourne, presided. The lecturer and the chairman both received hearijr votes of thanks. The meeting was closed by singing the National Anthem. The fall of the old and famous publishing hou?e of Harper and Brothers (bays the New York correspondent of the Argus, writing on March US) surprised all except the few who ! knew how heavy its financial obligations had become; and there was not less surprise last week when the failure of a publishing house only a little less prominent, that of the Appletons, was r,nno\uiced. In this case, however, the wreck ib leas complete. The Appletons had recently become largely engaged in the sale of cyclopeedias and other books on the instalment p^n, which required heavy expenditures at the beginning by the publi&heis, while the payments in return were deferred for a period ranging from &!?: months to thres years. Therefore, the house was obliged to borrow, and afier the collapse of the Haipers, the banks regarded ■with some anxiety the loans to the Apnletons. So it came about that, although its business was excellent, the firm was obliged to make an assignment. As in the cj.se of the Harpers, however, co with respsct to the Appletons, the attempt to conduct the business under tbe direction and for the benefit of a family * was an element of weakness. The business was carried on by six grandsons of the founder of it. who established the house 75 years ago. The special ability required is not always transmitted for two generation?. The Appletons made a largo fortune years ago by the publication of their American Encyclopceclia, which has been supplemented by a Isrgc volume every year wnce IC6O. They are the publishers of the ''Popular Science Monthly," and have given, many scientific works to American readers, including an admirable edition of the writings of Herbert Spencer. t Mr Witheford (Auckland) will move and Mr Field (Otaki) second the Address-in-Reply at the approaching session of Parliament. On Saturday morning, when the fireman employed at the 'Dunedin Engineering Company's works went down to the foundry he made a somewhat alarming discovery. The floor of the boiler room was covered with water, the fire in the furnace, which had been banked as usual, had been raked up, and fed with fuel, and the safety valve was weighted down. The whole thing looked like a carefully planned attempt to wreck the premises, for if sufficient steam had been generated the boiler, of course, would have burst. Happily, however, things had not yet reached a critical stage when the fireman put in on appearance, and he lost no time in rectifying the dangerous state of the boiler. The only outcome of the affair was that the men had to have a halfholiday, while things were being put right again. Mr J. A. Millar, M.H.R., has received a telegram from the Minister of Public Works regarding expenditure on the Otago Central. This information Mr Millar had intended to place before the league last week had it been available. The expenditure and liabilities to 31st March last were J34-3.94-0, which includes J about £10,000 liabilities. The present monthly rate of expenditure is stated to be close ' upon £5000. i According to the Alexandra Herald, the j Ranfurly-Wedderburn section of the Otago \ Central railway was to be opened on Monday \ by the Minister of Public Works. _ We, how- | ever, understand that this statement is not j correct, and that no definite date has yet been j fixed for the opening of the section of the i line referred to. The opening will not take j place for at least a few weeks. In reference to the recent cablegram stating that the gigantic telescope at the Paris Exhibition had revealed flame prominences on the | sun's surface, Sir Charles Todd, Government J astronomer for South Australia, says that at | total" eclipses of the sun red flames, otherwise ! called prominences, are frequently Seen issuing when the sun i& entirely covered by the ■, moon. Although these flames have hitherto I been only observed at the time' of a total eclipse, there has been no doubt that, similar flames issue from the whole of the sun's surface, and probably with special strength in the region of the solar spots. Their exact nature is still more or less a matter of conjecture, although their light has been analysed by means of the spectroscope. These masses of flame are frequently seen to extend many thousands of miles beyond the tun's surface, and it now appears that they have been observed not only on the edge of the sun, but also on other portions of its disc. The number of patients admitted into the Dunedin Hospital during the week past was j 23, and 18 were discharged. Two of the patients, named Thomas Fahey and John Bryant, died, and the number remaining is 110. There were 107 at the expiration of the | "previous week. . Mr John H. Murdoch, who died at Mosgiel I on Thursday, was a very old resident of the ■ town (says the Advocate). Born in Scotland in 1833, he elected to go to eea, and served his time in the North American trade. When about 18 years of age Mr Murdoch shipped for Melbourne, which he reached just as the first gold ruth was on, with the result that he, along with the other sailors in port, left for the diggings. When the digging rush broke out in Otago in 1861 Mr Murdoch came over with two brothers. He soon afterwards went to the West Coast, but returned to Mosgiel in 1870, where ho resided until his death. Mr j Murdoch took a prominent part in municipal ] affpirs in Mosgiel. j Judging by our cablegrams this week the ; end ot the war in South Africa cannot now '

be far distant. While the Progressives in the Transvaal ra-e seeking to depose President ICruger, with the view of submitting to the British, the President himself is reported to . have approached Lord Salisbury with certain j • terms of peace. As an unconditional surrender will no doubt be insisted upon, the off:* is likely to come to nought, but the other , movement indicates that Boers are at length I I having their eyes opened to the misdeeds of j those entrusted with power. From the fact j of Commandant Be La Key being at Mafe- j king it is evident that the Boers had some I inkling of the despatch of the relief column. ' Next to the prospects of an early peace, the most satisfactory item is the report from j Dela.goa Bay that the Boer force which had ; been investing Mafeking has been captured, ,' I together with the guns. It Is satisfactory to [ know that the miscreants who have for months fired tvpon women and children are in the hands of the British. $ i The Reserves Conservation Society have now planted the enclosures on the Anderson's Bay road. A choice variety of shrubs ar.d native plants has been selected, and the result already is a marked improvement in the road. Dr John Hi si op, who has taken r-n active and practical interest in the Caversha"n In- ; dustrial School since its foundation, has de- i cided, owing to his advanced age, to pever his , official connection as inspector and adviser to the Education department in connection with j the school. _ | Mr M'Elrea, a farmer near Milton, has this year obtained the phenomenal yield of 120 bushels of oats to the acre. This result [ was obtained by draining and liming the land, ' which, it is said, had previously shown no signs of great productiveness. In the course of his address to the Educational Institute on Holiday. Mr Eudey recommended teachers to acquire certain works dealing with the history of education, and . suggested that they might refri'.in from speculation in dredging shared if the necessary funds were not obtainable otherwise. During the discussion which followed, a member deplored his inability to afford the books, a«, I although living in a dredging district, he had invested his money in a large family instead. Subsequently, another member, who a\ 0,3 formerly a teacher, but who left the service to seek a- livelihood in a calling popularly supposed to be more lucrative', suggested that judicious speculation might enable members to acquire the desired library as welTas maintain a family. 1 The Winter show will be officially opened on Wednesday afternoon by the Hon. J. G. Ward, Acting Premier, who telegraphed -to the president on Monday stating that he would be in Dunedin on Wednesday, and would have much pleasure in complying with the , committee's request. As soon as the Orchestral Society's concert was over last evening the energetic committee and the secretary had a gang of men at work making arrangements for the exhibits., a large number of which are to hand, including some of the stock. Among the latter may be mentioned , a huge bullock, which has been named Kru- ; ger. The weight of this animal will be the subject of a guessing competition. The Singer 1 sewing machine, valued at £14, presented to { the society, has been set aside' as a prize to ! the person who makes the nearest gue^s to the date and hour on which the British flag will be hoisted over Pretoria. It may be mentioned that the annexe buildings, as well as the main and machinery halls, will be lighted by electricitj-. The butter, cheese, and dairy produce, bread and scones, etc., will be lodged in the main hall. The mp.chinery hall will be devoted to the county exhibits and dairy machinery, much of which will be in motion. ' In the annexe buildings the fat stock, roots, and general exhibits will be placed. At the St. John Ambulance Association's meeting on Monday Surgeon-captain Will mentioned that twf of the medallicnists who were to have appeared to recei\ c their medallions were at present in South Africa, fighting for their Queen and country — Captain Harvey (of Balclutha) and Lieutenant Nicolson (of Dunedin), both of the fourth contingent. The statement was received with hearty applause. Melbourne's Chinese residents, reinforced by detachments from Bendigo and Ballarat, created a diversion in Melbourne on April 26, in favour of the Melbourne Hospital bazaar. They organised a big demonstration. It was a procession of the most gor-geously-grotesque figures, a strange mixture of banners, of flim&y rainbow-coloured ornaments, and of noise. There were Chinamen in the strange costume of their respective provinces, there were officials, but no mandarins of the fifth button in peacock-coloured raiment, like unto Quong Tart, of Sydney. There was no sporter of the yellow jacket, but despite these omissions the morning's mass of mediaeval memories was a thing to be remembered. A feature v;aS the keen and

childlike enjoyment of the Chinair.en them* selves. It was more noticeable than that of the spectators, who were so amused as to, forget to cheer one feature, the feature, i;i fact, of* the procession, a great red-eyed, j flame-devouring dragon about 100 ft ling, its i great jaws agape, and its body swaying md I tossing like a, restles.3 sea serpent. The tom- | toms were noisy, and the musical instruments" ; used wore more weird and nerve-piercing than the Scottish pipes, still the whole demonstration was a great success. Complete specifications, relating to the tindcrmentior.ed applications for letters patent have been accepted at the Patents OiHce, Wellington, as f oil o ws :— George William Gough and Robert Andrew, Dunedin, improvements in suction dredging" and bucket dredging ; George Geoffrey Sale, Dunedin, improved automaticnlly aclf-cleaiising dredge concentrator, especially for qold-beoriiiEf wash containing black sand; Edward Roberts, Bunedin, improved dredge elevator ; Walter Gow, Dunedin. an inroroved butter-presser ; Alexandoi E-igar Iviug, Lovell's Flat, an impioved rabbit trap ; James William Buddie, North Invcr csrgill, weather-proof ventilating air-brick foi buildings and the like. Provisional specifications have been pecopted as under: — Andrew John Park. Dunedin .improvements in gold-dredging appliances ; Harry Pinny, Dunedin, improvements in artificial limbs ; Geo James Addipon Richaidson, Invercargill, an improved method of separating gold from black panel and other &übf tancas ; Gilb Q i t Evan Adiard, Invercargill, improvements in core-extractors for apples and the like. An aboriginal named Long Peter, who,wai concerned in the notorious Daly River murder and other outrages in past years, was arrested near Port Darwin on April 25. on. a charge of murdering another blackfellow named Jemmy Ewflmah, at Pine Creek, in January last. The murder was committed in the township, in the presence of several witnesses. A man named Whealer and a lubra named Maudie were also arrested near Port Darwin on a charge of murdering a halfcaste child in December on the Kimberley goldSelds. The Ashburcon Mail saj r s that a correspoi, dent, in whom it has every confidence, sends it the following: — "I had the honour of escorting two" tourists up to the Alford Forest diamond fields, one a t gentleman from Dunedin, and the other from South Africa, both, diamond experts, and they wcie highly pleased with" the appearance of the field. They managed to gather about 100 beautiful ppecirnens, and amongst them three of the lnrgCbit ever found on the Alford Forest fields, end from what can be gathered it is quite probable more will bo heard about it." The following anointments in the Post and Telegraph department are notified in thfc Gazette : — Postmaster : Stony Creek, Mr John Kinder. Postmasters and telephonists: Glenore, Mr William Andei'son; Lttegate, Elizabeth O'Shea; Clarksville, Mr Frank Turner. The post and telephone office at Nenthorn has been closed, and a postal note office has been opened at Makafora, and telephone bureaux at Hillgrove and Moeraki. The Whakataki correspondent of the Wairarapa Daily Times states that a monster; Native meeting is to be held at Matainok in the course of a week or two. The number of Natives expected to attend is variously stated at 300- to 700, and enormous prepare, tions are being made It is not quite certain whether the meeting is to be of a political or religious character, or to partake of both elements.