LOCAL & GENERAL.

Otago Witness, Issue 2471, 24 July 1901, Page 60

LOCAL & GENERAL.

The Rev. John Gerehoni Gveenhough, M.A., the president of the National Council of Evangelical Free Churches of Great Britain, who. as the cables inform us, has sailed from England to participate in the jubilee celebration of the P* jtisls of New Zealand, is widely known and highly esteemed by all sections of Nonconformist*. He was born hi 1843 at Burg, in Prussian Saxony, wliere his parents had temporarily settled. At the completion of his training at Rawclon College he ministered with gieat acceptance at Coseley, and afterwaids at Bristol. Twenty-one years ago he received a call to Victoria road, Leicester, where he has succeeded in building up an influential and flourishing church. He is a powerful and convincing speaker, and his sermons are full of freshness and inspiration, so that he is 'frequently engaged as special preacher at the great May assemblies. He is an earuo«t advocate of toreisn missions, and a few years ago he visited the native churches of the West Indies as the deputation of the Baptist Missionary Society. In 1895 he was elected president of the Baptist Union, and greatly increased hi- popularity during his term of office by the geneious, self-dei.ying assistance which he rendered to the weaker churches in his denomination. We understand that ai rangements ane being made for Mr Greenhough to deliver several lectures-"! in either the Agricultural or the Garrison Hall during hi* torn- of the colony, *o that ! the people of Dunedin may hope for an opportunity of hearing a gentleman who lanks as one of the foremost oiatcrs of the old country. A *lip cci-'urred on Tuesday on the Otago Central railway, -ome little distance beyond Hnv'on. Theie \\,i- a tcmpoiaiy blct k ira T.te-day night on fie «outh line at the Cattle Yard-. fconie \ elude* left tho r- iU while shunting and got aero*-- the line. Tlie pa-«eneers by the 10.20 p.m tram for Moi-giel h,'d to be tra -inferred t<i another train v. aitmg for tl'tMy. Xo t\.tcn-ive or fcpriotia damage wa- c'onc. The coioner's inquiry into the ciuvnisraiiccs in connection with the lall ot eaith at the works in c< nnertion wit'i th" (iinun merit limekilns fit Imh Wl^y, by v \.:<Y. three h v es were Wist, was concluded on j the 16th m-t. The I'iry return^-l h \ermrt to the effect that tlie death <n deceased wa- 5 caused by want of prov-er p-p^aution-, and appliances, due to thi ciihi^ble 'neg>; t ol Mr Robir--c.ii. tho ci.j,iiH _r i^ ch?r*e > f the works.

The poll for adopting rating on i:n,:npioied laud \a'".c- was tnk' n in (loir <>n the ]6th. Our iin i.'-pomiejii rniiri^ rl -r the voti'ijf re-'-ltcd as fo'lov-- — Ftr i'ie p-npo-al. ]i 2. a«, .li-t 6' Tlie p-rp .=.il \\a- the pin!" ctriied The number on f'O ioi ! vwi« 750

.TiwtitP-' ideas it |M-tto .irp nolwou- for ill* n- inconsistency and the inability of the „(f u, ,P J. JJ m c,\*p~ to make the- puni-h-ii). Nt fii tho rni.ie a.- evemp'iiW in the Milton louie me c eedings on Monday A man srot \<=r\ diunk on SuncUi eM-umjfo

and, judging by the account of the affai? in the Bruce Herald, his conduct was so disgraceful that his prompt arrest waf. essential. He proved »o violent that it took the united efforts of the local constable and six or seven resident* to overpower hnr>. After being handcuffed, ho had to be carried bodily to the lock up. while from his lipa flowed a stream of profane and disgusting language. He appeared before a, trio of O.P's. next morning to answer a charge of using obscene language in public, and after being lectured by the chairman was convicted and discharged! For " resioting the police" he was fined 20=.

It is stated (--ays our Auckland correspondent) that the Maori tribes lecent'y assembled at Rotorua intend to have ;i carved house built for presentation to hi-t Majesty Edward VII at his coronation. So that it may be a thoroughly representatn © offering, every tribe in New Zealand -^lIP take a part in the work according to their means and ability. The carved figrrea peculiar to their ancient art as practised 1 by bygone generation-, of aitists will be ieligiou=ly adhered to, and old and yovug who show an aptitude for the work will be asked, to take part.

The ship Croft, which left Leith. Scotland, in October, 1898, was never afterwards heard of, and the supposition that she foundered! at sea with all hands wos la=t month verified by the finding of a bottle containing » hastily-scrawled message from one ot the . ship's company. Tlie bottle was picked up on the 23rd of May in the Firth of Forth, and the message inside read as follow?: — - '" Ship sinking fast Xo hope. All hand* go-ing down. No time. Whoever gets this note send at once to my wife, Mrs Haggart, Churchill terrace, Edinburgh Farewell. Waiting- death nov,\"

At a meeting of the executive of the Technical Classes- Association on the 16th (Mr G. M. Thomson presiding) the resignation of Mr S. H. Jenkmson as instructor of mechanical drawing and engineering whs received, he having decided to return to Melboui-ne. Mr John Peddie was accordingly appointed instiuetor of these c'a^es in Dunedin, and Mr Ernest H. Drew instructor of the classes at Port Chalmers. Both these classes resume on Monday.

Tlie Teachers" Salaries Commission 'ns been grauted a fortnight's extension of time from the 18th hist, tor sending in a report.

It transpires that in April last year, whin thtre was a difficulty in procuring -ies&eta to convey the New Zenland contingents to South Africa, the Right Hon. the Premier, in a memo, to the Governor, requested Lord Rsnfurly to represent to the Imperial Government the expediency of authorising colonial Governments, by legislation or other-wi-e, to commandeer, rf necessary, vessels of the British mercantile marine that mig'-ifc be suitable for use as transports.

The usual meeting of the Benevolent Trustees was held on Wednesday afternoon, where there were pre-ent Messrs Tresedcr (in the chair), Hazlett, Clark, Burnett, and the Hon. H. G-ourley. Accounts were vn'sed for payment to the amount of £242 Os 3d, and 30 ca^es were ifpcrted as having been dealt with. A letter wa> received from the Maniototo County Council acknowledging the receipt of tl.e return shovrins t!ie number of persons who hud recen^ecf relief in that county, and stating that in connection therewith, at t'.9 la c t meeting of the council, the following resolution had been agreed to: — "That a if,»ge portion of tlie reciprenti of charitable aid being Climf*, thi« council is of opinion that the Chinese in receipt of relief should h» shipped back to their nathe land, and that a copy of thi* resolution be fomented to the Charitable Aid Board."

Toe reply of his Royal Highness the Duke of Cornwall and Yo k to tin- adores* preMi.ted to him )>y *> •> C ty oi Dunedin b>.s been placed in a neat oak frame, and hung m the Town Hall.

The -iceond ammrr«ary of Xordrneh Cottage Sanatorium. Flagstaff wa-s celebrated la-t, week by a dinner, ft which a lrnmber of ofd patients) were jie.->ent. Including Hie re-ec'ical and nursing *tan", 24 assembled at the dinner table, ami a very interesting time was spent comparing note- of weights gained, t( mperature^, and other important matters. Dr Stephen«on read a number of letter-- from former patients, who were unable to be pi f sent, expressing their enjojinent ot roitinued good health, and a \eiy kmd'y fee!in«s towards the in-litution winch '<ad hem instrumental in their recnveiv. He that 40 patients had now undergone tl c open-air treatment, with beneficial results -.n the Lfge majority of ea-e-\ Much moie lft.ght, howler, be done if the treatment were always commenced at an eariy stage and continued tor a -uffim'tit length 'of time. In the course ot tlie after.ioon Mr Cleaiy • n »ve in the open air a .-Inn- and humorous .-leio-lit-of-hand entertainment. Approval was sir.erallv e\pr. --ed f < recent additions, C-pprially a piPt.y k o-k wub red-tiled roof.

The C( nnljation Jl- m<l met on Thursday to annmime the ,nn"mlmr"it« it had made n the reiomnit ndation pie\iou-ly delivered in the dispute in the ho-iery trade The alteration- «nf the adding of 10 per cen*. to the m liedu'e late when ha>nd power i .i-ed, the fixing of o\ert'me at 3d per hour above schedule rate-*, and the giving of preference in the ordmaiy way to unionist". The preference elau-e. however, i* not to npplv to the Mo-giel and Ro-!;n rrilN, which h-we no uT.on hard-.

"mm a lonely pai't of County Galw,iy, abmit 10 nvles frca Ba'hr,a~!oe. come- i ihnl^rrg story of the bia\eiy of a herd's, daughter, v> ho "lived wrth her father ai <l brotlier in a little thatched cottage. Kar'v on a recent moimng >he touiul the hou«f* on fire. In the roiua where her. father stud

brother slept she discovered both lying un- < i onseiou3 in bed, overcome by the thick smoke which filled the house. At first she had to fly from the room, unable to rouse the men, but afterwards she returned and carried one after the other in her arms out of the burning building. She had scarcely tottered outside the door with her brother's unconscious form in her arms when the roof fell in. As soon as assistance arrived the two men were restored to consciousness, but the girl was badiy burned about the body.

King Edward has, through the Secretary of State for the Colonies, expressed to the Presbyterian General Assembly of New Zealand his grateful thanks for their address of sympathy in connection ..with Queen Victoria's death, and their expressions of loyalty to the throne.

After a meeting of representatives of the Mosgiel. Oamaru, Rosiyn. and Wellington Companies to discuss the new Factories Bill, the following telegram was sent to the Right Hon. Mr Seddon: — "Woollen factory employers and workers strongly object to new clauses reducing hours to 45- -Impassible to compete with imported goods — the product of ksag hours and half wages." The liquidators of the Colonial Bank now ftw&iir tbe final passing of tbe accounts of the Ward Farmers' Association, for which an order of the Supreme Cour-c is requiredWhen they receive tiieir final dividend from the Ward Association they will be able to fi7e their report, and their labours will be practically at an end.

Matters in connection with the union of the Presbyterian Churches are proceeding ap*ee. The bill to .secure the properties of the Church has been read a first time, and the second reading is set down for next Wednesday. It is expected thai it will re? eh the committee stage a. few days later. The delegates appointed by the Union ComHiittee of the synod to look after the bill propose to leave for Wellington shortly. These are the Revs. J. Gibb (convener), J. Clarke, and Messrs R. Chisholm and TM. Macdouald (of Invereargill). While in Wellington in the interests of the bill, the delegates will hold a conference with the Union Committee of the Northern Church to arrange the necessary details for the first meeting of the Assembly in Dunedin on the 31st October nevt. It was hoped that Principal Rainj r would take part in the Union Assembly, but the convener has learned that the Principal is not coming to Australia, as was expected. . An. effort will be made to secure the attendance of the nelegateß to tbe United Assembly of &.B Australian Church from the Established Church of Scotlaud, the United Free Church, and the English Presbyterian ©hureh. Invitations have already faeen sent to the "Victorian Church and the Church of New South Wales. The many friends of the Rev. John Ferguson, of Sydney, will be pleaded to learn that he will represent his Church at the Assembly in Dunedin.

The Otago Harbour Board has been again successful iv placing its debentures Jocally. By the drawing of «the staking fund in June last 37 consolidated 5 per cent, debentures, having 33 years to run. become available. The tenders called for these were opened yesterday at a special meeting of the board, when it was found that the £3700 was subscribed more than twice over. The highest tender was for £108 per £100, and the lowest was an offer to take them up «t par. The average price realised came to £106 18s 4' 2 a.

As a result of the verdict of the coroner's inquiry in connection with tbe Dunbaok limekiln fatality, George Francis Robinson was arrested. - Immediately after the arrest tbe accused was bailed out.

A lecture on the general working of th« American School of Correspondence and its advantages to the mechanic was given by Mr F. L. Hadfield in tlte Oddfellows' Hall, Ruttray street, on Friday evening. The lecturer urged the necessity for a higher education in engineering, etc.. basing his arguments on the facts that complicated machinery is supplanting manual labour , on every hand (some men lose by this, but the experienced mechanic gains); and that- higher education, apart from mcuetary gain, was a source of pleasure and inventive ability which was always at a premium in these days. After explaining the piethods of the institution for imparting this higher education, the lecturer closed, hiring been accorded a splendid hearing. After the meeting a number of the audience inspected the text-books, and several enrolled in the school.

At the Police Court at Tapanui on Wednesday last the Inspector of Stock for the district of Tuapeku (for whom Mr A. B. Haggitt, of Lawrence, appeared) sued Darid Haygh, of Dunrobin, farmer, and Allan M*Lean. of Dunrohin. farmer, for failing to send returns to the Stock Department of the total number 01 sheep kepi by them on the 30th day of April then last past, a« required by subsection 3 of section 8 of " The Stock Act, 1893, Amendment Act, 1895. ' In both cases the defendants were convicted and fined the minimum penalty under the act {£!) and costs. We understand that these are the first informations that hare as yet been laid by the Stock Department under the abo^ e-mentioned section of the act.

A. singular Sample of law is reported from North Carolina. A 'train happened to colJicte with** bull that had strayed upon sn embankment. The bull, being projected from the "cow-catcher" of the locomotive, struck a hunter who was standing below the embankment and knocked him into a ditoh. His gun, being knocked out of his hand, discharged itself on Sinking the ground, and killed two cows, " pacificoe," grazing n«*r by. In the final settlement of damages the railway company was adjudicated not liable, but itha awßjyrs of the cows £»cuied * reim-

bursement by the unlucky hunter in th» sum of £20.

Styria, a duchy, having a population of about 1,500,000, and lying south of Graiz. in the mountainous portion of the great German confederation, is noted for its arsenic eaters. Arsenic eaters abound in every city, village and neighbourhood, *nd in thousands of cases every adult in a family uses it almost the ;ams as sugar. Heilland tells of a Styrian peasant who contracted the poison-eating habit by taking one gram and a-half of arsenic on the first day, three on the second, and five and a-half on the third. Thi6 man increased the doses so that by the end of the first year he was regularly eating 12 grains of the drug three times a day, without visible harm. Maclagen mentions the case of a. man -who daily consumed 22^ grains — seven and a-half grains before each meal — of the poisonous drug. In his estimation this was something truly extraordinary. Heilland's case is, of course, much more wonderful, but Dr Kerr reckons both a? freaks, and gives it as his opinion that the rejjular poison-takers of Styria do not Average more than five and a-half grains during «ach 24- hours. .-- '

The number of patients in the Hospital 1 at present is 09. During- the past week- 30 | were admitted, k and 32 discharged. Thomas Andrews was the only patient who died. • The number ol patients in the institution at j tiie end of the preceding week was 102.

There were last week seven bankruptcies in the colony— a baker at Clive, a fruiterer at Wanganui, a saddler and a storekeeper at Wellington, a farmer at Pahiatua, a baker at Timara, and a contractor at Albury.

Concluding its description of the attempts made to save the man Clegg, who jumped from the top of the building at the fire at Hordern's, the Sydney Evening News soy*: " One more wild effort was made by his felk>w -employees to save his life. They dashed forward with tarpaulins on the roadway in front of where he -stood, and shouted to him to jump. This was a hope, though a deperate one, for the apparently doomed man, but it was rudely dashed aside. The l^jlice authorities considered it was useless, and they thought tbe building might fall on the rescuers. The latter were accordingly driven back, and a few seconds afterwards, through the raging flames and smoke, Clegg descended to his death. The onlookers — and the Evening News representative has the names- of several — say that the body fell to the ground on the exact spot in Gipps street over wbieh they had held the tarpaulin."

The Governor-General of Australia, the EaT 1 - of Hopetoun, has been invited by the authorities at Edinburgh of the Established Church of-- Scotland, of which his Excellenceis an elder, and for a term of office was the late Queen's. Lord High Commissioner to the session of its General Assembly, to represent the church at Sydney this month, when the union of the Presbyterian Churches of Australia will be consummated by an imposing ceremony at the Town Hall. His Excellency will be associated on the occasion in the representation of the Church of Scotiaiwl with the Rev. Theodore Marshall, D.D.. convener of tlte church's home mission, who was a passenger by the E.M.S. Omrah. Arnoug other representative men who are expected to be present as delegates at t'-e function the United Free Church of Scotland has appointed the Rev. Dr Iverach, Professor of Apologetics at the University ol Aberdeen, who is at present supplying the Rev. George Tait'e pulpit at South Yarra, and the Rev. Lewis Davidson, M.A.. of Edinburgh ; while the English Presbyterian Church will be represented by the Rev. Dr Hanson, of the Marylebone Church, London. The New Zealand Church has appointed the Key. J. K. Ellitt, B.A , as its representative.

The Premier had agreed to receive the deputation from the various Otago bodies interested in the extension of the Port Chalmers dock on Thursday, 25th inst., and the Mayors of Dunedin and Port Cialniera and others had arranged to proceed to Wel-lington-this morning. As, however, the date arranged did not suit everyone, the interview has been postponed for a few days.

Our Wakatipu correspondent wire?: — " With a few trifling intermissions the frost has now lasted upwards of four weeks, a«d there is, so far, no change, though thii (Monday) morning the sky was clouded, meaning, perhaps, more snow."

The tkin line that divides a thoughtless from a criminal action received full exemplification in the City Police Court on Monday. A highly respectable lady, while waiting to be served at a boot and shoe emporium, picked up a pair of shoes to examine them, and took them outside to show to her husbaud. He had, however, gone up the street, and the foolishly followed him, shoes and all. A shop employee noting the suspicious action, gave information to a passing constable, who promptly arrested the lady on a charge of theft. Satisfactory explanations were forthcoming, but had the lady been a stranger in Uie city and tillable to produce witnesses as to her character, her position, to say the least, would have been an embarrassing one.

The minimum premium rate? of the Government Accident Insurance Office were published in last week's Gazette. There are nine groups ,of . risks, with numerous subdivisions in each, and the rates cover the employers against their collective liabilitj* under the Workers' Compensation Act, Employers' Liability Act, and at common law. Discounts ranging from 10 to 30 per cent. are provided for where wage? paid amount to £5000 and upwards.

The death of Mr Charles Sew Hoy, perhaps the best-known of Dunedin Chinese citizens,, occurred saJJa^v w/lcUuxbr on Mon-

daj at the age of 64- year=. It is understood the cau»e of death Mas heart disease, wliu-h had troubled him about 12 months previously. Mr Sew Hoy came from Canton, and as a young man went to San Francisco. He emigrated to Victoria in the fifties, where he started business. In New Zealand he turned to mining, and was largely interested in the development of the Otago goldfields. He was the principal s-liareholder in the Sew Hoy Big Beach Mining Company, the striking returns from which led to the first dredging boom in Otago. Of late years he was concerned in the Nokomai hydraulic sluicing venture, the success of which is well known. lie was a busy and enterprising merchant, having his store in Dunedin a» far back as 1869. About 16 years ago he was initiated into the secrets of Masonry, joining the St John's Kilwinnmg Lodge. Mr S. S. Myers was the officiating brother at the ceremony. The late Mr Sew Hoy took an interest in public affairs and in the welfare of his countrymen. As everyone knows, his. name invariaibly figured on. subscription lists for public functions and charitable butposes. He leaves a widow and a numerous family.

The secretary of the Shetland relief fund (Mr J. J. Ramsay) informs us that the ~~ sum collected amounts to £205, and as it is intended to finally close subscription lists within 10 days from this, date (the 23rd), anyone wishing to augment the fund may do so by handing any subscription to Mr Ramsa3' at his office.

As a good deal of attention has been excited by the success of the "scheme for paying off the debt of St. Matthew's Anglican Dhurch a few particulars concerning it will be of interest. SQme three years ago the debt was £27f]0; to-day it is £100. In July, 1898. a propoea> was heartily taken up by which the men, women, and children connected with, the church undertook to give annual, monthly, or weekly contribution* varying from £33 63 8d per annum to Id a week, and the St. Matthew's Laches' Guild promised and subsequently paid £100 annum. The subscriptions were received periodically by lady collectors for the *nose part, and were paid with remarkable regularity, the lapses being very few, and due in nearly every case either to death or other serious misfortune. The collector* paid over their receipts each month to the secretary in the presence of the vicar, the total being banked monthly in the name of special trustees, and by them paid to the mortgagee in redemption of the mortgage. The position is at present that after the remaining good promises are redeemed this week some £40 or £50 will be wanted, which it is expected the parishioners will come forward with. The designer, organiser, and director of the undertaking was the Rev. W. CurzonSiggers, M.A., vicar of the parish.

At Moeraki Arbor Day was observed last ■week in itb true spirit, and the pupils of the Moeraki School and many* of their parents, with the teachers and members of the school committee, met at the schoolhouse. After brief addresses the pupils were marched round to the prepared holes, and each child planted a tree. AU present afterwards reassembled for refreshments. Each child was presented with a medal as a memento of the royal vi<-it. and three hearty cheers were given for the coniniirtee, teachers, and the Duke and Duchess. The boys saluted the flag, and all joined in a verse of the National Anthem. The children were then regaled with lollies and sent home rejoicing. Wairoa is just now on =hort allowance. Owing to the bar at the mouth of the river being in a bad state, the steamer? trading from Napier have been unable to take any cargo up for about a fortnight. Four days ago the local stores were clean out of flour, oatmeal, and sugar.

A curious question has been raised in the London press m connection with Lord Milner's title. The grandfather of the new peer was a Germ on merchant of Neuf=s, who married a German lady nee Ton Rappard. In 1830 Ms son Karl was born. Karl received his education at Bonn, where he mairiculated in 1852. Iv 1E53 he married, while still a student, and studied niediekie in Bonn, G iessen, and Tubingen, taking the degree of D. Med. at the last-named place in 1856. He practised as a doctor in London from 1561 to 1E67. In the latter year he returned to Tubingen, and became " Lektor der Englischen Spiache " at the unhei-sity there, and in 1872 " A usserordentlicher Professor," in which year he married a German lady, his first wife having died in 1869. The question now arises whether Lord Milner is an English subject by birth or whether he has been naturalised. Truth refers to a statute of William and Mary w hich divests the Sovereign of all right to create a naturalised subject a peer. It was passed because William was flooding the peerage with Dutchmen who had been naturalised Englishmen, and does not appear to have been repealed. It is pointed out that unless Karl Milner was naturalised during his brief residence in London. his> son would have been born a German subject. If so, and the son was naturalised, he cannot be created a peer.

"Employer Xo. 1," who says he is interested in the paymenr of a large amount of wages, sends us a lettei on the Workmen's Compensation Act. " Being naturally de&irous of getting the best and cheapest insurance," he say?, "I made it a point to interview ail the offices, but, much to my dibgust, found these companies had put their head? together and formed a ring. The same premium was a?ked by all. They could not do it better in America. The only difference was the matter of discount if, say, a £15,000 policy was taken out. This forcing of employers to insure is a cruel thing. I mean by 'forcing' they have no option, as, ruin might stare them in the face any moment if not insured. I, as a large employer, intend takine it out of the

working man. What between forced insurance and wages fixed by so-called unions, this splendid country i» going to the dogs, and the wise capitalists will, before the storm bursts, realise, even at a big loss, clear out. and settle down — even hi Russia, in preference to New Zealand- Trade is already contracting in New Zealand in many lines, and nothing can save some of our present industries from utter collapse in a few years : a«d all brought about by these miserable labour laws compelling a master to give a wage that no other country would dream of giving. This, of course, has only one ending, which even now all masters see is coming."

The Rev. Jay Hudson, the pastor of the People's Christian Church of Santa Rosa, California, has successfully accomplished the union of Church and Stage (reports a San Francisco despatch dated April 29). Finding men generally were averse to attending church services, he ha* had his church arranged like a theatre, with a regular stage, footlights, drop-curtain, and scenery. During the week he gives dramatic performances, choosing the actors and actresses from his congregation. He says that people crave for theatrical entertainments, and that the Church should give them and influence the tone of the theatre. He has thus far attempted only simple ■plays > but he has hope* of a Shakespearean season. On Sundays Mr Huthsen preaches and lectures, an-d the congregation now includes many men who never attended services before. -

It is significant to notice, says our Auckland correspondent, that Mr Frank Lawry. JIJE.B., found it necessary at his late precessional speech to throw out a warning to the Labour party, though he owes his return to its support. and he did not scruple to express his opinion that " Labour was runuing mad." If the unions were asking too much, the country districts, where the settlers had to wcrk from daylight to dark, would object, and work against the Labour parties 'in the nvcre populous centres. He made a. igore complete sunuaersault in speaking of the licensing question, and the necessity for the uaffie in the King Country being' licensed, when he said: "Sa far as he was personally concerned, he would like to see every drop of liquor abolished from the country." A gentleman informed me that he was so broken up by the novelty of the statement that he fell down in the street when he heard of it.

At nn inquest at Melbourne on the Bth Lrist. eoneei uiug the death of- Loveday Katherine Mankey, aged 22, whose body was found on the St. Kilda Beach, the police stated that over 500 people presented themselves at the morgue to see the body, either to identify, or what is more likely, to satisfy a morbid curiosity. At the same time, scores of telegram* and letters came to hand from parents in the country askdng for further details in the description of the clothes, etc.. worn by the deceased. They indicate pretty clearly that a large number of young women have disappeared from their homes in recent years, and have not been traced by their anxious relatives.

A 10-«e for the bagpipes is generally sup posed to be an hereditary^ not an. acquired taete. Bui, thanks to the Raid Maclean, one of the chief officer« of his court, the Sultan of Morocco is said to have developed" an extraordinary fondnebs for the pipes, and for Scottish music. Ten years ago a piper became 'one of the institutions of his court, and very recently he commissioned a wellknevn Glasgow pipemaker to furnish him with a set of bagpipes for his own use. Po?-*ibly this set of pipes now furnished is the most ornate and costly that has ever been made in Scotland. They are mounted with 18-carat gold, and cost £300,

A« showing the interest taken in the Shetland Isles by those who have left their shores for other lands, an incident in couneeiion with the Shetland relief fund may be of interest. One ' of the gentlemen in Duneclin who was collecting for that fund heard of a Shetland digger away in the bush at Colac Bay, and sent him a list, thinking he might possibly send a few shillings. The result, which came promptly, was £2 2s — * practical example of the sympathy of this nauner in the Colac bush for widows and orphans in his far-away native isles.

The recent developments at the Mokihmui mine gives Messrs Lomas a.nd party a greater opinion of the field than ever. The coal they are now getting out is of excellent quality.

The Stafford street Mission Hall was crowded to the doors on Thursday on the occasion of a sooial +0 welcome Sister Clare and to say farewell to Sister Ruth. Sister Clare, who has been working in "Victoria for the past four years, has come to Dtinedin to temporarily IYU the place of Sister Marie, who is detained in Melbourne for family reasons, but who, ia expected to return shortly. Sister Ruth, %yho has been connected with the Young Women's Christian Association for the pa-st year, is proceeding to Melbourne to iecruit '£he Key. W. A Sinclair presided over the gathering, Which was of^a hearty and enthusiastic nature. 1 Addresses of welcome to Sister Clare %vere delivered by the Ghairman, Mrs Don. and Mr Knowles on behalf of the Central Mission, and by Sister Olive and Sistei Chri&tobel on behalf of the Dunedin Sisters, of whom, there were several on the platform. In the course of the evening a purse of sovereigns was presented to Sister Ruth by the Chairman on behalf of the members of the Mission, the silver-mounted purse Being the gift of Mr J. Young. Sister Clare and Sister Ruth spoke suitably in response, Sister Ruth especially thar>kmg the public and the Mission members for then kindness +O her during her stay in their midst. Solos -were rendered b%' Miss Thompson, Miss Armstrong, and Messrs Moss and Ki/inaird. Refreshments were handed Tound, and the meeting closed with the doxology. Sistsrs Clare and Ruth will speak at the Garrison Hall next Sunday night, when Sifter Ruth will deliver a farewell addiess.

On Wednesday evening the employees at Messrs S. S. Myers and Co. gave expression to their appreciation of Mr Myers's kindly sympathy and interest 111 their general -neli-beiug by congratulating him upon the attainment of his silver wedding day, and presented him with a few presents. Mr Gunthorpe, on behalf of the staff, made the presentations, which consisted of a table inlaid wjth mother of pearl, gold-mounted cigar and cigarette holders, and a silver-mouiited cigar case. Mr Myers having thanked the staff for their thoughtful and kindly consideration toward? himself and Mrs Myers, the whole party toasted him in champagne.

A number of iiiPiids paid 3Jr an-d Mrs S. Myers, of " Balmenno." Andeison's Bay, a surprise visit on "Wednesday evening last, the occasion being the celebration of tLeir silver wedding. A presentation of a handsome piece of plate was made by Mr S. G. Smith on behalf of the company, to which Mr Myers feelingly responded. A most enjoyable evening was spent, and at the conclusion hearty cheers accorded to Mr (and Mrs) F. J. Townsend for th» active part taken by him in assisting to make the evening so enjoyable.