LOCAL & GENERAL.

Otago Witness, Issue 2455, 3 April 1901, Page 52

LOCAL & GENERAL.

The Orepuld shale works have at length begun operations. By the end of the, present month it is anticipated that all the products from the shale will be in a deliverable condition. Already the company has receiyed orders from all parts of New Zealand, and the prospects of the enterprise reaping all the success it deserves-'ifre most encouraging. -The works are of a very extensive character, and, handled by such an expert as Mr Dunlop, ' they will doubtless be tested to their utmost capacity. If the undertaking develops into what it promises to be, a new and valuable industry of colonial importance will be established. The Taieri Advocate states that a waterspout, accompanied by a heavy hailstorm, burst on the Rock and Pillar Mountain between 5 and 6 o'clock on Sunday evening, completely carrying away the Centre road between the Springs and Rock and Pillar, and badly scouring the Top road from the Sixmile Creek right on to Rock and Pillar. The culverts in the roads mentioned were badly damaged, and fences, were destroyed ; while at Lug Creek the road was completely washed away. The deluge, which lasted half an hour, was purely local, as also was the damage done, but it is estimated that the cost of re- j pairs will be considerable. It has been found necessary to close the Top road between ] the Six-mile Creek and Rock and Pillar, and j the Centre road between Harrison's road | and Rock and Pillar, bul traffic will probably j be resumed within a few day.=. Dr Fletcher, j who was unaware of the mishap, and ignorant of the fact that culverts had been carried away, had a narrow escape from drowning j through his horse backing into a creek when I attempting to turn back. i We understand that it is intended to hold j a Christian Convention on the lines of tho*e j co successfully conducted in Keswick (Eng- j land, and Geelong (Victoria) in this city next j W ednesday, Thursday, and Good Friday. The j Rev. David O'Donnell has arrived in Dun- j edin, and on Wednesday met some of the local j ministers with reference thereto. The Revs. John Southey, of the China Inland Mission, and T. E. Thomas, M.A., of Christchurch, will also take part. Further particulars will shortly be published. Mr J Ironside, relieving teacher, has been recommended for the head mastership of the Livingstone School. A correspondent of the Melbourne Age, referring to an article, "The Romance of the British Throne," published in that paper, writes: — "It may interest some of your readers to know that the original document signed by Richard Cromwell, and witnessed by six Earls and Lords, under which he agreed to resign the Crown of England for ever for himself and his heirs, is in the possession of the Auckland (New Zealand) Public Library. This important public document was presented to the library, with other manuscripts, by the late Sir George Grey some years ago, with the history of how it came into his possession, and was giwn only on the understanding that the history was not to be published until after his death." At a meeting of the trustees of jthe Dunedin Public Art Gallery, held on Wednesday last, it was ai ranged to have the roof of the gallery repaired, the pictures re-hung, and the gallery I re-opened. This will be attended to during the next fortnight. The trustees agreed to purchase an oil painting of " The Forge," by A. J. Hanson, for £60, the water colour of a similar subject by the same artist being taken by him as part payment at the price paid for it — viz., £30. It was also decided to procure fresh labels- for some of the picture*. The treasurer laid on the table a statement of ac1 count for the year ended 31st December last, showing a credit balance of £81 16s 4d, made up as follows : — Picture purchase account, £14 12s 9d ; building fund, £25 18s 6d ; geneI ral account, £41 5s Id;— total, £81 16s 4d. j Mrs Sale and Mr D. E. Theomin were appointed Trustees, vacancies having occurred through the Hon. R. Oliver and Mr G. G. Rus<?ell having left the colony. The ethnological expedition organised by Professor Spencer and Mr F. J. Gillen will start on itc long journey from Alice Springs, keeping along the transcontinental telegraph line. They will be guided by circumstances as to their route right through the centre of I the Australian continent to the Gulf of Carpentaria. The explorers purpose spending some time with various tribes of aborigines throughout the continent, so as to study their manners, customs, and the other distinctive I features of the lace. For this purpose they t>will frequently have to leave the telegraph line aid make excursions east and west to fertile epots, where natives chiefly congregate. When Powell's Creek, which is one of their chief depots, is reached, they will strike out from the telegraph line and go across the border into Queensland, touching at Camooweal. On returning to tbe line after this deviation, it is the intention of the expedition to proceed northwards, taking in their route

the large livers of the Northern Territory, and, if time permit*-, they will visit Wyndbam, in We-t Australia. Tl>e magnificent rain which" has recently fallen thioughout Cential Australia will be of great a<«si c tance, and, in the opinion of Me=srs Snencei and Gillen, ensures the success of the expedition. The members will take wi'h them a nrst-cla-s cinematograph, with ■which records will be taken of corroborees and ceremonials ; aKo a very fine phonograph, which has been pre»ented to the expedition by Mr J. Angas Johnson, of Adelaide. The Otago Coal Miners' Industrial Union of Workers have filed an application with the clerk of awards for the enforcement of the award of the Arbitration Court given on the 30th November, 1£99. The other party to the dispute is the New Zealand Collieries, Railway, and Oil Company. Among other breaches of award it is alleged that the company have employed non-unionists in preference to members of the union. The case will be heard by the Arbitration Court at its first sitting in Dunedin. Mr John Holmes, who has been appointed special organising commissioner to make arrangements for the reception and enterta.nmenfc of their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and York, arrived in Dunedin last Thursday. He is accompanied by his secretary (Mr S. Ruddick). Our Gore correspondent telegraphs that two valuable stacks of wheat belonging to Mr Wilson Hall, of Riversdale, were burnt on Sunday night. The stacks were uninsured. The origin of the fire is a mystery. Word was received by cable on Thursday announcing the death in the United States of Mr Peter Laing, manager of the Dunedin branch of the D.1.C., who tvas returning from j a visit to England, undertaken for the purpose of purchasing the season's goods. Mr Laing was for about 15 years in the employment of the D.1.C., and the announcement of his death will be received with deep regret by hi* friends in Dunedin. On the oath to uphold the Presbyterian Church of Scotland being administered to the King at his first Council, he did not kiss the New Testament, as is customary in England and the colonies, but elected to take the oath Scotch fashion, holding up the right hand. The Dunedin Photographic Society had a field daj- at Silverstream on the 23rd ult., and although the light was nol as good as could be dcsiied the excursion proved a most enjoyable OIIP. A slight, accident occurred to the south express eng.ne on Friday morning at Mosgiel. Passengers were surprised when the train, instead of stopping at the station, ran through at the rate of 16 mile 3an hour, and hoard the engine-driver whistle the signal for " down brakes.'' The train pulled up a little beyond the water tanks, and examination subsequently revealed the fact that the brake gear on the engine had broken down. Only a few minutes' delay was. occasioned. A meeting was held on Friday afternoon to consider what, steps should be taken in connection with the disposal of the damaged cargo by the ship Strathgryfe. There were present — Messrs G. L. Sise (representing Messrs Bates, Sise, and Co., agents in Dunedin for the ship), Mr G. L. Denniston (Lloyd's agent for Otago), representatives of the Underwriters' Association and Lloyd's surveyors, Captain M'Ritclne, and Mr J. F. Guthrie (wool expert for Messrs Dalgety and Co.). It was decided that the damaged wool, amounting to about 2000 bales, should be "offered for sale by auction next Thursday in Dunedin. Messrs Dalgety and Co will sell 1200 bales and Messrs Wright, Stephenson, and Co. 800. It was also decided that the wheat should be soM on trucks by Dalgety and Co. as it con *s to Dunedin. The industrial dispute raised in connection with the Burnside Ironworks occupied the attention of the Conciliation Board again on Friday. Some evidence was taken, and Mr A. H. Smellie stated the case for the employers. Mr F. R. Chapman, the chairman of the board, then suggested that the parties should hay c a conference, see how far they could agree, and that afterwards Mr Smellie should prepare for submission to the board a statement from the point of view of the company, corresponding to that which had been prepared on behalf of the union. This pioposal was adopted, and the further hearing of the case adjourned for a fortnight. Mr AY. P. Watson, general manager of the New Zealand Coal and Oil Company, has received a message from their manager at Oiepuki that the oil is running from four retorts, and that eveiything is favouiable. It is understood that the output is, likely to be 2000 gallons per day, and inquiiies from all parts of New Zealand are being received for the company's products. At a meeting of the Y.W.C.A Committee it was decided to stait the cahsthenic classes for the winter, and these were opened on Thursday night under favourable auspices, over 50 member, being enrolled under the tu'tion of Mr Smith, who so successfully conducted the same elapses last year. The Young Men's Christian Association having decided to forgo the opportunity of acquiring their old building, the lease of which expires on lft April, and the Young Women being de-irous of acquiring piemi«es more suitable for their work, thus leaving the pre senc building available for any intending purchaser, it has been decided to defer starting other classes till arrangements can be made for another building. No less than 111 ca^es wei" set down for hearing at the Magistrate's Court on Friday, including a number of claims for calls clue to gold-dreclging companies A mO'-t interesting and instructive lecture on " Shakespeare, the Man and the Writer,"' which is the first of the winter lectures winch are to be given 111 aid of the Y.W.C.A., was

c'ehveied on Friday night in the room 0 , Moray place, by Professor (Jilray, to a fauly large and appreciative audience. The chairman. Rev. J. U. Spenc?, briefly introduced the lecturer, who held the rapt attention of Ins lif-tener^ for an hour. At the close of the lecture the Rev. P. W. Fairclough proposed a vote of thanks to the professor and the chairman, which was seconded by Mr J C. Stephens. The chairman, in closing the meeting, remarked that it was a matter for regret that the lecture had not been more largely advertised, a« no doubt the hall would have been unable to hold the i^eoplc who would have availed themselves of the pleasure of being present had they known of the lecture. Personally, he would in tbe future make known the excellence of the lectures that were delivered under the Y.W.C.A auspice-. The scheme put forward by Mr Balfour with reference to the use of motor carriages for public service has already, according to the chairman of the Motor Manufacturing Company, to a great extent been nut into practical shape in different parts of Great Britain. At Bournemouth one undertaking runs 14 cars entirely for public service, and recently in a heavy snowfall continued running when all hor?e-drawn carriages had to be withdrawn from the roade. In Edinburgh a service is run as a direct opposition to the corporation tramcar service, which, according to local opinion, is not so reliable as the motor carriages in regard to time and speed An anti-cigarette league is about to be formed in London. The Sunday School Chronicle, under whose auspices the association will be launched, says its only work will be the propagation of a pledge, and that it will not collide with any organisation which already exists for the purpose of discouraging the use of tobacco The pledge includes abstention from the purchase as well as the use of tobacco in all its forms, and extends the appeal from the individual interest to the greater interest of the nation. A clause is also added which, it is hoped, may test the value of the promise, and may help to link adult habit to the example of earlier years. The children's entertainment given in the George street School on Friday evening in aid of the school fund was largely attended. The programme of songs and recitations which was provided was greatly appreciated by the- large audience. The Coal Mines Commission when in Dunedin paid a visit to Messrs John Edmond's premises to inspect tbe May-Oatway fire alarm, with which these premises have been installed, to ascertain how far the invention is applicable for the detecting of increase of heat in mines. The result of their investigation was, we understand, highly satisfactory. The Hon. Mr M'Gowan, Minister of Mines, returned to town on Saturday evening from a visit to the Lakes district, where he opened the Skippers bridge. He visits Otago Heads, where the prisoners are at work, this morning, and proceeds north to-morrow morning. ! The hospital authorities supply tbe follow- I ing returns for the past week : — -Number of patients remaining over from the previous week, 96; admitted during the week, 23; discharged, 31 ; deaths (Arthur Levy and Lach Bet), 2; — total remaining in the institution, 86. Mr T. Mackenzie, M.H.R. for Waihemo, returned to town on Saturday night after a few days' visit to the coastal parts of his constituency. He spent two evenings at Heat hfi eld, and found the Hon. John M'Kenzie very greatly improved in health sines his past visit with the Seaforth Highlanders, some five or six weeks ago. The hon. gentleman may now be said to be almost free from pain, and every night he enjoys many hours' refreshing sleep. Many of the serious symptoms of his illness have disappeared. He looks quite a different man, taking a keen interest in all political matters, giving many valuable suggestions on current questions of interest. Altogether it is most gratifying to see the splendid progress the exMmister is making. The following chows the births, deaths, and marriages registered at Dunedin during the month of March, and during the quarter ended yesterday: — During March: Births, 110; deaths, 43; marriages, 51. For the corresponding month of last year the returns were: Births, 100; deaths, 48; marriages, 39. For the quarter just closed: Births, 375; deaths, 148 ; marriage^,, 138. For the corresponding quarter of last year: Births, 290; deaths, 164 ; marriages, 116. One male applicant was granted a full oldage pension at Port Chalmers on Saturday by Mr E. H. Carew, S.M. The Defence steamer Gordon has been recently employed in taking from Dunedin to the heads the larger gun, with its appliances, from the St. Clair battery, which is now dismantled. This piece of ordnance, winch is now being emplaced a>, Harringtoi Point battery, Taiaroa Head, is a 7-inch gun, weighing seven tons, mounted on a wrought iron sliding carriage and dwarf traversing slide. The two 7-inch guns now at Harrington Point are principally intended for the defence of tlw mine field and harbour entrance, and though an obsolete type of gun, are to a certain extent effective at the short ranges tLey Will be required to coy er. The guns having been removed from the St. Clair and Lawyer's Head batteries, Dunedin's sole protection from bombardment is the Central bcttery. With regard to the examinations in music held by the Associated Board of the Royal Academy and the Ro3 r al College of Music, we are informed that the principals of St. Hilda's Collegiate School intend to withdraw the application which they had made to be allowed tli 3 privilege of having their candidates examined at St Hilda s. Tbe application v\do made solely foi the convenience of

tbo teacheis, and in order that there might b> as little interruption as possible in the orjmaiy school vvoik. So far from being actuated by any spirit of religious exclusivenpsp, they arc mot anxious that the connection between tl.e university and these exaiYiuidtion-. should not be weakened: and ifc i« for this reason that they have decided to withdraw their application. At a meeting of the Otago Pharmaceutical Association, held on March 23, the following resolution was unanimously adopted- — " That the attention of the Premier be directed to the Order-in Council, dated 7th April. 1E92, with reference to th* sale of arsenic and strychnine, and pointing out that the fact of a statutory declaration being required hinders m most case^i a proper recoid of the sale of these poisons being kept. This association suggests that this Order-in-Council be annulled or amended. The association is of the opinion that the Sale of Poisons Act should. b^ placed under ihe control of the Pharir.acy Boird, and only registered chemists allowed to deal in poisons i.amed in the schedule, as is the case in all other civilised countries." At" a meeting of -the congregation of St. James's Presbyterian Church, Thames, on. March 25, it was unanimously decided to present a call to the Rev. A. P. Thomson, of Herbert,, to become their minister There was a good attendance., r.nd the meeting was an enthusiastic one. The call will come before the Presbytery of Auckland to-morrow. The many friends throughout Otago of Mr Walter Carlton, of Ratanui, will learn with regret of his death on Sunday morning. Before removing to the Catlins district, some seven or eight years ago, Mr Carlton was a builder and contractor in the city. He proved a most entcrpiising country settler, and took a leading part in every movement calculated to open up and develop the resources of Catlins. He was for many years a member of the Roslyn Bowling Club, and took a keen interest in the game, skipping on one occasion, the rink which won the championship at the association's tournament. The Hon. Mr M'Gowan, Minister for Mines, visited the works at the Otago Heads on Monday. While there a number of prisoners appeared before him and made known their grievances. In regard to the3e, they asked that the marks of which they had been deprived might be restored. Mr M'Gowan, in. reply, considered that discipline must be maintained, and could not see his way to interfere with the decision of the sitting justices. He returned to town about 5 o'clock and then visited the new Supreme Court buildings. After being shown" over them, he expressed himself as highly pleased with the commodious building, which ho considered would, when finished, be one of the finest of its kind in the colony. The hon. gentleman left for the north on Tuesday. Otago's quota of the Fedcial contingent will comprise 17 men, taken from the -. arious branches of the service as follows. — Permanent Artillery, infantry and mounted infantry, four men each; iSaval Artillery, five men. Six feet has been fixed as tbe minimum hoight, and applicants must be broad in proportion. The men will leave Dunedin for Wellington on Saturday, the 6th inst., and will leave Wellington about the 25tb, returning from Melbourne about the 25th of May. A meeting of the South Dunedin Borough Council is nothing if not breezy, and the mayor's ruling is generally given with a, bluntnes3 and an emphasis that is quite refreshing when contrasted with the wavering hesitancy that marks the ruling of the occupants of the mayoral chair in one or two •f the other suburban borougTis. On ifonday, however, h^is Worship made an obvious mistake in ruling an amendment out of order. Two councillors resented his action to suoh an extent that they declared their intention of leaving the table, and one of them said that in Parliament they could move 20 such amendments to a motion as they chose, and still be in order. The Mayor remarked: '" They do many things in Parliament that we don't do here," and few will dissent from this dictum. As the two councillors stuck to their guns, his Worship cheerfully remarked: "Oh, w r ell, I'll give way," and the business proceeded. A minute later there was another breeze, and his Worship said : " There are a lot of noxious weeds in this borough, and Cr • is one of them!" In connection with the examinations conducted by the Associated Board of the Royal Academy of Music and the Royal College of Music, we are informed that the centre is hold at St. Dominic's College by -wrtue of on ariangement made with the examiners who represent the Associated Board in the=e> colonies, and who solicited the patronage of the institute. St Dominic's College has been all along a centre for the Trinity College muncal examinations, and no objection has ever been raised to that arrangement. The retention of the college as a centre for the Associated Board's examinations is therefore a matter of arrangement and great; convenience. It was in no vay dictated by indifference, much less hostility, to so valued a seat of learning as the Otago Univeroity, while objections on the score of religious differences never once entered into or in any way affected the arrangement The output of coal from the mines of the Westport Coal Company (Limited) for the month of March was 38,072 tons 4c-wt. On the 27th of December last the President of the French .Republic promulgated the Amnesty Bill voted by the French Chambers, which applies to deserters from the army and navy, also to the men who have not complied with their military duties (" msoumis "'), and to seamen belonging to the " Inscription Maritime " who have deserted from trading ships prior to the 15th December, 1900. The Consul for France mI forms those of his countrymen residing ia

New Zealand who may be in the above-men-tioned categories, and v\ ho desire to avail themselves of the dispositions of the Am nesty Bill, that they can call at any time before the 27th December, 1901, at the consulate in Wellington or at the French consular agencies at Auckland, Christchurch, and Dunedin. At the Magistrate's Court, Te Awamutu, ©n Tuesday last, John Ormsby was fined £5 and costs (£6) for permitting the sale of liquor in the King Country. The charge was treated as a first offence. In three charge*, of sly grog-selling evidence was taken, ar.d accused, who reserved his defence, was committed for trial at the Supreme Court. This will be the first of the cases of this kind held in the colony under the new act. Five horses, were burned to death by a fire in the Christchuich Meat Company's, stables on Friday evening. The company rented the premises from Mrs Bishop, and the loss of the stables is fully covered by insurance in the Australian Alliance Office, but on the horses and plant, which were insured in the Royal Office for £500, the loss' is estimated at ebout £150. The store of the Health Supplies Company was insured m the South British Company for £50. Excavations were lately rendered necessary in one of the streets of Palrnerston North by the blocking of the drain pipes. Part of the drainage system ran past a willow tree, and im lifting the old pipes to carry out the improvements it was found that so imperfectly Bad the joints been filled that the rootts of the willow had penetrated tha pipes at each joint, and grown along the pipe for a distance of 19ft, almost completely blocking the whole of the pipes with a network of roots and sediment. Efficient drainage under the circumstances was absolutely impossible. The separate pipes were distinctly marked on the growth of the roots, which had attained a larger size at the joirt. The pipes themselves were perfectly sound. The Timaru correspondent of Truth (Christchurch) states that a special excursion train conveying the Ashburton school children to Timaru had a narrow escape from disaster on Friday last. It appears that Btib6tanti2.l repairs were being effected to the Temuka railway bridge ou the day in question, and the workmen engaged inado every thinj eeeure for the usual 10 o'clock train, but not having been made aware that a second train (the special from Ashburton) would be following, they Ivad loosened the etays of the bridge again. Suddenly, without any warning, they heard a shrill whistle, and on looking northwards, np the line, they saw the smoke from the engine. Knowing the bridge to be unsafe, they FiucoedeJ in bringing the train to a standet.U t.oirve little diataiu c up the line. The men at once set vigorously •to work, and made the bridge sufficiently strong to caTry the tram cner iv fafety. The train was a long one, consisting of 16 carjriages, and had about 300 souls on T>oard. If ihe workers had not providentially b?en able ta stop it find act promptly the train with its living freight must have crashed through into the riverbed, and the result can only be contemplated. It is'sta^ed that an exhaustive departmental inquiry is being conducted in Chrigtchurch.