LOCAL & GENERAL.

Otago Witness, Issue 2524, 30 July 1902, Page 54

LOCAL & GENERAL.

At a meeting of the Otago High School Old Boys, held at the office of Messrs Earr, Leary, and Co on Monday evening, it was unanimously decided to hold the annual dinner at the Grand Hotel on Friday, August 8. Sub-committees wrre appointed to arrange the necessary details. A larger gathering than imial is expected, as the date is in Coronation week, and this should enable some of the Old Beys outside the

town to be present

The Crimean war, according to a telegram from Sebastopol, bioko out again a year or two ago, when a shell brought up during dredging operations in the bay exploded and killed a man — the last victim, if the nens is true-, of the war which had been closed for 50 years. The. siege of Paria was similarly recalled by a shell which, buist vihile under examination in tho municipal laboratory at Autouil. The shell had been unearthed in Paris, and was declared to be undoubtedly a relic of the siege. No one wao hurt by the explosion, though the lightly-constructed shed hi which the examination was being made was blown. t3 pieces. There was a strange echo, too, of the fall of Khartoum in the letter which a private soldier picked tip in the streets of Omdurman during the recent war. Tho letter, which is said to be now in the possession of the King, was Gordon's replyto the Mahdi'd demand for surrender. — St. James's Gazette. ,

A robbery, with a particular element cf meanness about it, if the perpetrator knew the circumstances of the owner of tho propcity, occurred recently at M'Gavin'a brewery. A Mrs Robert-on, whose liiifc-bancl (John Robc-rt'.on, an officer en board the s.s. Wakatu) was drowned at sea, ai rived in Dunedin somo weeks ago from Lyttelton, bringing all her furnituie and persoml effects. The goods we-ris stored in the ma.lt house of M'Gavin's brewery, Mrs Robertson being related to the owners, and in the meantime Mrs Robertron proceeded to look for a house. Information reached Mm Robertson a short time later that one of th« cases had been tampered with, and she -, i^-ited tlxo malt house to make a personal inspection. She then found that four or five cases had been completely emptied of their contents, and the covers securely nailed down again. A chest of drawers had been ransacked, and olhfr packages tampered with. The thief or thieves had cairied away pictures, b'ankct?, curtains, ci ockery ware, crystal and chinas are, sheets, towels, linen, and other articles of household use too numerous to mention, including children's clothing, besides many smaller articles valued by Mrs Robertson, and which could not be icplated. K\ery thing portable of any valuo had been ie\ied upon by the robber*. A strange feature about it id thai the ca?ei should have been nailed down again, and; a further feature that the locks of the door irhowed no feigns of having been tampered with. The police were Lonimumcated with, and a detective was commissioned to investigate the affair, but as yet he has not ruccceded in tracing any of the property, nor apparently in obtaining a clue as to the perpetrators.

The police have received information to the effect that a human skeleton has been, ilii-covered under a rock near the Poolburn. River at Ida Valley, but. so far as at present can be ascertained there wal nothing accompanying to lead to identification.

" The best thing we can do is to buy a' ship of our own" was the Hon. H. Gourley's ejaculation at the Benevolent Trustees,' meeting on Wednesday, the occasion being several applications to pay the passages of destitute persons back to the Commonwealth States. One casei was that of an able-bodied single man, who, giving his a,vocation as a clerk, stated that, fascinated by the glowing reports which continually appeared in the Australian papers regarding the paradise which New Zealand provided for the unemployed, ha had come over from Tasmania to try hi 3 luck, and had landed in the Benevolent Institution. The trustees, after examining the applicant for relief, were unanimous in deciding to send him back to Tasmania by the next boat, as he was not exactly the kind of colonist which New Zealand was hankering for. The second was the sad case of a woman, who declared that her husband had been dxiaifJutSi fox *J*e lafit nine or 10 ye*r».

».nd during the last couple of years he had gone to the dogs altogether. She was penniless, and desired to be sent to her friends in Australia. The opinion was expresesd that such men deserved the cat-cf-nine-tails, and that it was a pity the law could not get fcold of this husband and make an example of him.

The City Council humourist on the 22nd endeavoured to be facetious ovei the newly imported road roiL-r, and suggested that it should be named "JAP," the name being formed of the Mayor's initials. The Mayor replied with dignity that he had received no official intimation of the arrival of any road roller. The fact remains, however, that this j machine was landed two or three days ago, ond its trial run took place in Thomas Burns etreet, which i& situated on the harbour s.de of the railway station. Here it became inex- , tricably bogged, and was with great difficulty removed to more solid ground. On© councillor was very anxious to kno»v whether it ■would mount a grade of one in seven, as guaranteed, and in a cic.v like Dunedin there j ehould be little difficulty in fettling the point.

Success has been attained in another ■branch of work by a lady m Boston ; but, of course, in America all things seem possible. A Miss Cairo Clark has turned publisher, and is doing a large business. She employs women as her " readers," and in this is only fallowing the example of several big London firms, who speak highly of the experiment. The possession of literary instinct i« growing amongst women, and their acumen in discovering new writers and works that ara likely to be a success is acknowledged to be highly developed. Miss Clark, however, was not content to re-main merely a "reader," and having sufficient capital (several thousands of pounds), she embarked on her enterprise, and now posse-ses an annual income of some £15,000. She thoroughly behcve3 in advertisement — advertisement, that is to say, of a really good article, which is the only kind of merchandise that really pays for being advertised.

When particulars ware reeehed of the bequests under the will of Mr Cecil Rhodes, Mr E. W. O'Suliivan (says the Sydnoy Telegraph) expressed the modest wish that £100,000 should be devoted to the erection of a colossal monument in Sydney Harbour, representing "Australia facing the Dawn."* Mr O'Suliivan wrote to Lord Rosebery, as one of the trustees under the- will, preferring a request for the money. The other day lie received a reply stating that the letter vculd be laid before the trustees, but Lord Rosebery did not think there was anything "in the will that would authorise the tiu»tees to carry out the proposal.

A meeting of the Catlin's River Riilw.iy liCague was held in Mr J. J. Ramsay's offlce on Thursday, Mr R. Chisholni (president) in the chair. The following resolution was adopted: — "That the secretary communicate with Mr J. W. Thomson, M.H.R. for Clutha, the city and suburban members, and Messrs T. Mackenzie and James Allen, urging them to take concerted action with m. view to having a sufficient sum placed on the Estimates to finish tlie Catlins railway to Ratanui, and to pro3€cute the construction as far as possible towards the Tahakapa Valley."'

Advices received by mail show that New Zealand has taken an honourable position in the " Good Words " Coronation ode competition, open to the British Empire. Out of over 1100 poems submitted 74 were from New Zealand, and of these three are deemed "of great excellence," and will be included in a collection of about three dozen of the best odes to be published in book form. These are respectively by Miss Lucy Eveline Smith, Dunedin ; Mr J. Liddel Kelly, of Wellington; and Mr J. Ball, of Wanga-.m-. The Dunedin young lady divides third pr^o ■with the Rev. F. H. Wood, of Bromley Park, Kent. j

With reference to the human skeleton discovered under a rock near the Poolburn River at Ida Valley, the police have been informed that the remains are evidently those of a man who died some 20 or 70 years ago. The coroner has baen informed of tho matter.

Mr J. F. Arnold, M.H.R. , arrived in Dunedin on Thursday evening on a flying visit in connection with some important public matters. Mr Arnold attended the meeting of the Otago Central Railway League yeaterday, and met several deputations. He leaves again by the express for the north this morning.

A young man committed to Seacliff Asylum escaped on Thursday from the institution, the police receiving information about 7 p.m. Nothing, however, was seen of the escapee until about lam. yesterday, when he appeared in front of the house of the medical man who had given a certificate for his committal brandishing a email axe, and evidently intent on finding the doctor. The police, however, were on hand, and the lunatic was safely lodged in the police cells, and taken from thence back to the asylum.

The Official Assignee, Mr C C. Graham, S.M., will take up his new quarters at the Law Courts on Tuesday, where commodious rooms have been provided. The position will, of course, be hardly so central and co convenient as the present offices, but so far ns the court work is concerned, Mr Graham and all the other officials concerned will welcome the change. Mr King, Registrar of the Supreme Court, expects to be" flitting " about the same time, and already the rooms of his Honor Mr Justice Williams and Mr Stanford (judge's secretary} fcave been fitted up. A large portion of the old furniture will be used for the «iew court after undergoing a process vf renovation. Mr Justice Williams is ex

pected back towards the end of next week, and possibly may sit in Chambers before the opening of the civil sitting of the Supreme Court on the 4th pros.

A new decoration for females (says Truth) is to be established by the King when the Coronation takes place, or soon afterwards, and it will bo known as the Edward and Alexandra Order, according to present arrangements. The Royal Order of Victoria and Albert, which her late Majesty instituted m Februiry. 1E62, and which was afterwards enlarged into four classes, will be allowed to die out. Very few additions had been made to this order of late years by Queen Victoria. The Victoria and Albert has n^ver ranked with the Prussian order of LLousei s c and the Russian order of St. Catherine which are the highest female- decorations in the world.

News from Tonga states that a few weeks prior to July 19 seveial earthquakes were felt — some very severe, — but no damage resulted.

In reply to his representations to the Hon. T. Y. Duncan on the subject of diiry regulations, the Minister has informed Mr X G. Allen, M.H.R., that he had considered the matter fs laid before him by Messrs Millar, M.H.R., AUcn, M.H.R.. Arnold, M.H.R., and Sider, M.H.R., and it waa now pioposed to go fully into these regulations and alter or amend them with a view to making them more workable and to remoMiig fomc of the cause-, for com plaint by those interested.

The residence of Mrs H. M'Cran, in the Leith Valley, was destroyed by fire at an early hour on Friday morning. It is supposed that the fire originated from Eome cn.bers left in the grate. After Mrs M'Cran had removed the children to a place of safety, which waa done with difficulty, there was no time to save anything. There was an insurance in the National office of £50 on tho house and £4-0 on the furniture. The los 9 above these sums is estimated at about £50.

The almost spring-like weather oxpeiienced generally during the pa?t week and on sevelal days in the previous week has started growth in the country, and willows and the earlier budding plants arc already putting forth their leaf buds. The bard fronts of late seem to have had but little effect on the young growth, while they ha\© proved of immense benefit to ground in furrow, and Lirmeis state that slugs and other pests cf that nature have received such a check that the spring should see the damp grounds frirly clean.

During the pa=t week 30 patients were admitted to the Hospital, and 24- were dischargad. Kenneth M"L<-an died in Ihe institution during the Vfeek, and the patients remaining number 11*. The total at the end of the week before was 109.

Mr Tom Mann paid a viiit to Middlemarch on Saturday, where he addressed a public meeting. He will at Poit Chalmers to-morrow e\enmg on "Trades T'nion-i-m and Co-operation." It is probable that he will give addresses at Kai-anga*a, Gore, and Invercargill, and al»o another address in Dunedin.

Our Tapanui correspondent telegraphs that Mr G. H. Mackenzie addressed a packed house there on Friday evening, and intimated that if given sufficient support he would contest the Clutha election. The Mayor presided, and in a half-hour address the candidate outlined his policy — that of an out-and-out Gov eminent supporter and a disciple of Mr Seddon. He supported the present land administration, and congratulated the Acting-Premier on his management of the railway?. Ihe audience had an

amusing half-hour when it came to quep--tions, which the candidate answered in original style— brief and to the point. He received a hearty vote of thank«, proposed and seconded by Messrs Ma-on and M'Farlane.

Th» Christchurch secretary of the Navy League has (says the Press) received a circular from the league in London directing special attention to the loes of the subsidised merchant cruisori and pointing out that Great Britain possesses se\cn such cruisers, of more than 19 knots speed, three of which belong to the White Star Company and four to the Cunard Company. The circular further 9tatcs that Russia, Germany, and France are adding to the number of their merchant eiuisers, that the British navy id .<-hort of men-of-war cruisers, and that there is not a. ship in the service which c-jn steam across tho Atlantic at 19 or 20 knots. The league urges that the threatened merchant cruisers should be at once replaced by new vessels of 24- or 25 knots, supported by commensurste mibsidies, while care should be taken that the vessels remained British. If the British Government has reasonable proposals from the promoters of the combine for preventing the transfer ef British ships to foreign flags, the league trurts that the proposal* will be accepted. In any case, it strongly appeals to the Government to make a new departure in mercantile policy and recognise the necessity of "linking up" the different parts of the British Empire by subsidised linee of steamers suitable for Admiralty purposes.

The Women's Christian Temperance Union formally welcomed Mrs Harrison Lee in tho Choral Hall last night, when the various Temperance bodies of the city were represented. Mrs W. R. Don (president W.C.T.U.) presided, supported on the platform by Mesdames Mazengarb, A C Begg, T Dick, A. S. Adani3, and Mr A. S. Adams (president New Zealand Alliance), Dr B. 12 de Lautour (president Temperance Refoim Council), Rev. W. Saunders (president Council of Churche 1 -), R^v Jame* Gibb (moderator Presbyterian Church of New Zealand), Mr J. A. D. Adams, and Mr M- W.

Green. Mr A. S. Adams, in extending Mrs Harrison Lee "a right hearty royal welcome to New Zealand," said many of those present had heard her eloquence and had seen its effects. They recognised in her a force potent for good in their great reform. — (Applause.) It gave him peculiar pleasure in the name of the New Zealand Alliance to see her begin her work, which all hoped would be productive of great good right through the history of the mo\ement. — (Applause.) Mrs Harrison Lee might enjoy the comforts of a beautiful home had she not preferred to leave it and spend her time in endeavouring to make wretched homes happy. Dr de Lautour, Roy. W. Saunders, Mr J. W. Jago, Rev. Jame3 Gibb, and Messrs J. A. D. Adams and W. Green also gn\ c addresses of welcome to Mrs Harrison Lee. Mrs Lee was greeted with a hearty outburst of applause, and thanked those present warmly for their welcome. In a characteristic speech — now pleading, now advising-, now exhorting, — she urged all tc-mperance workers to make a- supreme effort to win at the licensing poll?. She asked them to come to the temperance meeting (in the words of a celebrated temperance ad^cate) with a drur/km-d on one arm and a moderate drinker on the other. She urged the need for strenuous personal effort, and saici : "Wo often a a k God to work miracles to outmatch our laziness. " Let them work hard together, and th°y would set Dunedin aglow with enthusiasm, and let them have a mission such as «he had in Wales recently, when no buildings were large enough to hold the people. — (Applause.)

At a largely attended meeting of the Melbourne unemployed the other day, the following motion was carried unanimously and an.idst cheering: — "That, no matter how TCPi-.y dheigenc views we hold ns Royalists Republicans, Socialists, or Anarchists, we unemployed can all unite in agreeing that the late Governor-general of Au-tralia. (Lord Ilopetoun) is a man, pnd as we ha\e known Inn as such we giv? him three hearty chcerj."

We understand that the troopship Orient has in all some 1200 officers and men returnmg from South Africa, and that intimation iias been received that of this number about 260 wili land at Port Chalmers. The steamer then goes north, calling at Lyttelton, Wellington, and Auckland to land ihe remainder.

The Drainage Board has accepted the tender of Messrs Kirkcaldy and Macgeor.^e. of High street, for a detailed survey cf Block A, City of Dunedin, this block comprising the principal and most closely built portion of the city. There were five tenders for the work, and that of Messrs Kirkcaldy and Macgeorge, which was tho lowest, was £545. Tho contract time is five months.

The time for voting for the election of three members to sit on the Education. Board closed at 5 o'clock on Monday, tho candidates being Messrs Donald Borrie, of Pap.\kaio ; William Nicolson, of Hampdeu : William Snow, of Outram ; and William Burnett, of Dunedin. The voting papers will be receivable up to the 11th August, but enevolpes must bear a postmark of not a later date than the 25th. The voting papers will be opened on the 12th Augtiit, when the result of the election will be declared.

A young man, evidently with a fair educn tion, named Boston Cassell*, who comes from Rhcrton, but has lately been on the goldfields, and who broke out of Alexandra Gaol recently, was before the Police Court on Monday on a charge of disorderly conduct and using obscene language. The-e\ idence went to chow that the accused had been beha\ ing as if mad. He had started by beating a horse standing near, and then proceeded into Wilson's grocer's shop. Being Saturday afternoon the shop was full of customers, and these the accused ordered out of the place, and proceeded to drive them to the doorway, using the moat t'isgraccful language in the process. He then seized a bag of oatmeal, and started whirling that around. Two witnesses described his language a3 the worst they had ever heard. The Magistiate said it was a pity to see a young fellow in such a position, but an exemplary punishment would be inflicted. The accused was fined 20s or one week for drunkenness and disorderly conduct, and £5 or one month for obscene language.

Tins week's Gazette contains additional regulations under "The Land and Income Assessment Aot of 1900." The new regulations provide that whenever the Commissioner of Taxes has reason to behe\e that any ta-^payer establishing or carrying on business in New Zealand intends to carry on such business for a short time only, he may at auy time, and from ttm« to time, require such taxpayer to give security by way of bond, or by way of deposit, to the satisfaction of the commissioner, for the due assessment and payment of income tax. on the profits derived from any such butnnev-. If any taxpayer refuse* to enter into a bond or to pay a deposit when required to do so by the commissioner, he shall be liable to a penalty of not less than £10 nor more than £50.

A correspondent writes stating that larrtkini3m has been rampant in Hampden for Feme time past. Re=pectable residents have been pelted with etcnes thrown from behind hedges, and, in the case of females, insulted by rude remarks while passing along tho thoroughfare. On Saturday night the front windows of Mr Watt's new residence were smashed by largo stones being hurled through the glass, while some fruit tree=. recently planted, were pulled up by the roots. It appears that Mr Wait took a

leading part in remonstrating with the gang of larrikins who have been inclined to take possession cf the streets of Hampdon. and that is supposed to be the reason why the fiont windows of two of the rooms were smashed.

Mr Punch, of London, has been pleased to make merry at the expense of Mr Seddon in his "Notes and Queries." In reply to an inquirer as to the meaning of the term "Seddomsm," he publishes the following: — "A Seddomsm was the term applied to the obiter dicta of one Seddon, a New Zealand chieftaiu and fire-eater in the reign of Edward VII Seddon made a tour of the world at the time of that Monarch's Coronation, dressed in native costume, hurling the boomerang on the slightest provocation, and littering ten 1 Eying battle-cries the most intelligible of which were ' All for Joe,'

Ti.cmditional Surrender," and ' Maonland, my Maoriland.'— John Wink?. Surely Soddon, who gave his name to these tropical fioweis of speech, was the same satrap who encountered King Lswanika, of Barolselacd. in the Green Park, during the Coronation procession. Tho quarrel grew out of a questi'itt of precedence.. Lewanika was armed with his trusty Gambella ; Seddon m?de vigorous play with the jawbone of a prime cold-storage Canterbury ram. During the fifteenth round thoy were stopped by Lord Highbury — then Mr Joseph Chamlicrlaiu — and moved in separate ambulances to the Colonial Office.— H.P."

Advices received by the last mail show (says the Grey River Argus) that there are very substantial grounds for tho belief that Mr Barney O'Rorke, the well-known miner of Cape Terrace, has fallen heir to a fortune of £4,000,000.

A meeting of the New ZeaJand University Senate has been convened for the 4lh October at Dune-din for the election of a member of the senate to fill tho vacancy caused by the death of Bishop Cowie. Mr Barclay, M.H.R , clerk of convocation, will receive nominations in Wellington.

The Council of Churche3 has received definite intimation that Dr Torrcy, who attracted much attention in Australia, wi'L visit Dunedin and conduct a 10 days' mission in September. He will he accompanied by Mr Alexander, whoso singing is most highly spoken of.