LOCAL & GENERAL.

Otago Witness, Issue 2571, 24 June 1903, Page 27

LOCAL & GENERAL.

"When it is explained that the subject of the notice below was a near relative of the lato Dr J. A. R. MenzLe?, first Superintiondcint of Southland, the following by our Edinburgh oorrespondeovt, under date April 30, will be read with interest: — "Sir Robert 2tlenzi.es, Bart., of that ilk, and twentyseventh chief of the Clan Menzies, died en April 22, aged £5. He was one- of the most noteworthy personages at all public gatherings in Perthshire, and was a director and about the oldest member of the. Highland Society. His man]un.€.°s won for him universal respect, and to the poor h© wa/3 kindness itself. He was an ardent sportsman and Volunteer, and a mode-1 landlord. He is eurvhed by a son and two daughters. Sir Robert was buried in the family vault ait Wet-m." The Glasgow Herald publishes a portrait of th-e deceased chief, aid the resemblance to the lato Dr Menzies is striking. From that paper we learn that after passing from Edinburgh University to Oxford Sir Robert and his br*»'ipr Fletcher took a leading position as athletes and oarsmen. On leawiifr Oxford he became a captain in the Highland Rifle Militia. As a pedestrian he had few equals. As lip wan returning from the couth on one occasion ho ] ear.it at Perth that all ths scats on tho Abcrfekly coach had boon takeei. He at once set out over t'-e hills, reaching Aberfeldy, 30 mike distant, as the horses were being unharnessed. Some time after pawing his seventieth year, being at thn time colonel commanding th* sth V.B.R.H. (Black Watch), he was a=kcd by th» War Offica if he still considered himself fit to command. Tho reply was that if any soldier was sent m fvill marching order, tho Baronet, with tlio same equipment, would march off with the man at 6 a.m , and it would be seen who had cohered the greater distazic? by 6 p.m. He wa.> 6ft 2in in height, sinewy ar.d straight. In character he was impetuous and headstrong, but kinOly to a fault in dealing with thai© aiound him All agreed m Teccgnising in him tho true type- of Highland chieftain. Tho fiuic-ritl was \c-ry largely attended, Highlanders from all parts who could attend co.jig -o.

The members of the Otago High School Governors held a conference on the 16th with tho rector of the Boys' School and the lady principal of the UirU.' School for the purpose of discussing a jjropoial to c-tabliah a modern side to the srhoolt, in winch science and commercial training should occupy the time at present de\otcd to clas-ieal eubjpct".

Tho Aibitration Court concluded <he hearing of the dispute in tho baking trade on the 16th inst., ami partially heard the builders' dispute. This matter will be further gone into at Invercargill on the 23rd, the court having decided to bit there to give the Southland builders an opportunity of presenting their ca c c. Tho necessity for a sitting at Lawrence has been obviated by tho settlement of tho several compensation claims which were pending in that district. Ilutchings v. Jopp has been abandoned owing to the d^ath of the claimant; in Edwards v. Withers, the parties agreed upon a settlement ; and in Hughes v. the Unity Dredging Company the parties have come to an agreement. The action Christian v. the Kohinoor Dredging Company will also not require adjudication on owing to the death of the claimant. The case Wolter v. the New Zealand Coal and Oil Company has also been tettled.

Nearly 20 British peers arc c-n=hi!ned in the upper titled 10 of foreign countiies, the Duke of Wellington holding a pceiage in

no fewer than four kingdoms, white twice as many English commoners hold foreign titles, some of which are permitted to be borne in England. Almost every country in Europe, and at least one State in the Now World, have, a writer in the Windsor points out, granted hereditary titles to Englishmen. At the present moment eight subjects of King Edward hold French titles, eight hold German. Then Portugal has honoured six, Austria five, Italy four, Holland three., and Spain two, while Russia, Sweden, and Belgium have one Englishman each in their list of lords. Over and above all that, no fewer than 13 Englishmen hold titles under the Holy Roman Empire^,-,, The Arbitration Court heard the dispute in the milling trade on Wednesday, when the parties were able after a conference to settle all the points in dispute with the exception of the question of wages. The chief difficulty in this matter was the fact that in the Canterbury industrial district an agreement has already been arrived at, and a scale fixed which the employees* in the south are not prepared to accept. The court, after hearing evidence and argument, leserved its decision.

The usual weekly meeting of the Benevolent Trustees was held on Wednesday afternoon, when there were present — Messrs R. M. Clorb (in the chair). A. Tapper, W. Buriiott, J. Thomson, and the Hon. H. Gourley. An apology for absence was received from Mr P. Treacder, who stated that he had still to undergo another 10 days' quarantine. Accounts amounting to £179 6a Id were passed for payment. The eccretary reported the deaths in the institution, during the week of Martha Lockstone, aged £3, and Mary Dagnall, aged E2 years. Thrirtytwo cases of relief were dealt with. Two parcels of clothing from Meesrs M. Ryrie and Co. were received with thanks.

Mr- James, who appeared for the owner of the Hotel Metropole, St. daft, at the recent meeting of the Caversham Licensing Committee, lias taken out a summons for a writ of mandamus to compel the committee to iseu* a licence to the hotel. Thie case -will lest tho point, uhich has been tho subject of discussion amongst the legal fraternity, as to whether a licensing committee is absolutely bound to take away a license from a house against which there has been an endorsement.

A deputation erf city dentifts waited on the Hospital Trustees on Wednesday afterneon to request the use of a room in the Hospital ad a dentistry Eohool. Mr Macdonald, speaking on beha-lf of the dentists, said they desired to plaoo dentistry on a more creditable footing, and to that end the University Council had been approached with a view to establishing a dental faculty. The establishment of such a school in conneotion with the Hospital was in the interests of the public to a great extent, as there were great numbers of people who could not afford to pay for dental work. Those people- could be treated and the school earned on at the same time- if the use of a room in the Hospital were allowed. Mr Hunter also addressed the trustees. In reply to the chairman, he said he thought the University Council would accent the proposal. It was simply a question of putting a measure through Parliament. Another member of the deputation eaid in almost all other large cities there was provision to enable poor people to have the advantages of dental ski!', and there was no reason why thk should not be so in Dunedin. After tl-e deputation had withdrawn the trustees decided to defer consideration of tho matter until the University authorities had further dealt with the question

At si meeting of the Workers' Political Committee, hold on Wednesday, the following resolution was passed — "That, in the interests of tho people, it is desirable that the State, should obtain possession of (lie Bank of New Zealand with fie cbjret of making it a State institution."

Tho polico raided the boarding-house at Tapanui kept by Mr James O'Dowd early on Wednesday morning and seizeel a quantity of wine, nhiekj, and beer.

Mr Scebohm Rcrwivtrao in his study of tfio po\crty of York ascertained that 21s Pd a week was tho smallest income on which a working man could maintain himself and liis wife and three children in a state of baro physical efficiency. This calculation has been takon by Mr Arthur Chamberlain, el-airman of Messrs Kynoehf, as tho basis of a minimum wage Mandard introduced into tlio -workshop? of ti.at firm and four ethers with which he is connected. It is dc -tubed as a " novel experiment," and has achieved due notoriety. Mr Chamberlain has bettered th© Rowntree figiirc by 4d. The smallest payment to any workman between 22 and 54 years of age employed by his firms is now 225. Bachelors come under the new arrangement equally with mairicd men. Small as th© wp.ge is, Mr Chamberlain notes that already it has had an advene effect upon the Ic^-s efficipnt workers. At one factory there has been a sm:'ll strike since the fixing cf the minimum. Men who had been earning more than 22i per week claimed that they should rece-ne an irciea<-e of wagp<s proportionate to that gucn to tl oso who had bc«n eaining lo".

Mr Carnegie holds, and pointe to tlie eucce-ss of the Carnegie Steel Company a? proof, that the piofit flaring arrangement pays both sides — employer and employed A man who feels himself to be on the fiist etcp of the ladder leading to partnership is he di-c!aies, worth any two men who arc paid only by wjge ai.d denied special recognition 1" this connection ho relates one singular experience. Captain Jones, who ontcied the works as a mechanic at

8s «, clay, had risen to be a foreman, wh«t| Mr Carnegie told him the firm wishecl t* make him a partner. "Mr Carnegie," w^t his reply, " I know nothing about busme^i and I have plenty to trouble me here in these worke. Leave me as I am, and just give me a thundering salary." "I gqge him the salary of the President of tfl 6 United States, (£IO,OOO a year)," eaid l/tt Carnegie, in telling the story, " and he jew ceived it until the day of his death. OrKef presidents told me I was ruining the steejf business by paying a mechanic more salary than they got. I confessed my wrongdoing, and asked if they knew where wA could find two or three more Captain Jonee at double the price."

The office-bearers of Firot Church meton Thursday to consider tho call wliieb ha)P been addressed to their minister by the ooij| gregation of St. John's, Wellington. There was a very large attendance. The, RevJ Dr Gibb was present, and made a statement? in which ho clearly set forth the situation as it appeared to hiim. .After a number of those present had given expression to th«rir e&nse of the great value of ths services Dr Gibb had; rendered to the Chnrch an<l tho commumiity. and their ekep regret thaitf there seemed to be a likelihood of hig Bcoeiptkrg the call, it was resolved to appoint! a committee to draw up a minute expressing" their feelings in the matter.

Tho tender of Mcaers Mathisom Bros, for the outfall section of tho Forbury etorn;water intercepting aqueduct, being the lowest, was accepted by tho Drainago Board yesterday afternoon. Th© aimoulit of th# tender i? £2104 13a 9d. It will thtra bo seen that an early start on one of tha most important of the Drainage Boaird's works will be made. For the detritus tanks on tho Frederick street sewer the tender of MeEsrs Divneam and Sons for tho work at the price of £lE2I 11s 2d, being the lowe^b tender, was also accepted* Both of these tenders are considerably below the origiina.l estimates which Mr Anderson, the board's engineer, gave when be first outlined his scheme, and are almost identical with tha estimates finally made, when tho detailed plans liad been completed. There wcto seven tenders in for ths former work and three for the latter.

The Arbitration Court was engaged yester The Arbitration Court was ngaged c« Thursday in hearing a number of casei Irought by unior.e against employers for alleged breaches of award*. In two instance tho easee broke down, in one other thounior secured judgment, but in the rest tho court roserveel ita decision.

At Thursday's meeting of tho Charitable Aid Board Mr Sim drew attention to tho fact tha* th© sum of £538 15s lid had been expended by the Benevolent Trustece for outdoor relief during tho month of May, and ho expressed the opinion that tho amount was larger than it should be The money was coming out of tho peckets of those wlio could not afford to pay it, and ho thought the Benevolent Trustees did nob make sufficient investigation before granting relief. Mr Mackenzie instanced a case in wluoh a*n applicant for relief had reduoeck the amount applied for by one-half after It had been proposed to inquire into tho circumstances. Tlve Chairman pointed out that the board could do nothing beyond voicing a protest, as tho distribution of the money rented entirely with the Benevolent TrusteeG. Mr Hazle-tt expressed the opinion that a satisfactory settlement of the question of outdoor relief would never be arrived at until the Government bought same land, so that applicants for aasistance could bo made to do some work in return for the relief afforded.

Tho co-operative boot factory sot on foot with such high hopes about 12 months ago by the Bootmakers' Union, will shortly be closed down. It is understood that want of capital haa brought about this untimely fate, and that when the concern is wound up there will not be a great c'eal left to recoup the promoters for their outlay. The factory was started in tho hop© that it might go tomo way towards solving the industrial problem as far as tho bootmakers were concerned, by mafcirg them partners in the uiduPtry with which their welfaro is associated. Tho Bootmakers' Union put about; £1000 of their accumulated fund's into the venture, &o tha.t tiie lops 13 a serious one wi far as they are concerned.

An examination by tho Dental Board of candidates who have completed the prescribed term of apprenticeship wa3 concluded on Thursday, with the result that the following have gained their certificates entitling thorn to practise: — John Arthur, Inveroargill; Jns. M. France, Irncrcargill; Henry H. Green, Chnstcliurch : Victor E Harman, Chrustchurch ; John Lu?k, Dunedin ; Leslia ■S. Nancarrow, Chrwtchurch ; William Stonhouse, Dunedm; Harold R. Williams, Ch.nstchu.rch; Daruut J. Yule, Gore. Mr Mycm?, secretary ip the board, asks us to state that the names am given alphabetically, not nrcf^arily in order of merit.

Mr La.nglandb ha.s l^ean fortunate enough to fccure for tke (Jtago E.xrly Settlors' Association the b.irrel organ brought out by Dr Richard-oil in 1851 for the Kng'.ifh Church, who--" spiwo w ie thc-n lickl in tho old Coi.mli .v o on t'.io beach (an the tito of the prcuMit uaoi). Tim following is an extract frran Dr Hockrn'* " Contribution-: to Ivt'.v History," giving am account of thin organ in its uncontrollable days : — " But e\<Mi it [the organ] was net fiv^e from disadvantages, pr v rhana due to the wilful oai-eleo&neis or ignorance of thoee who, ci.oconced behind a curtain, had charge of itc internal arrargrm.en.ts. Thus a longmetro tune might bo fitted for a lino or two to a shcrt-rnche hyirtn, and when the mistake wej rectified a negiecwxl £tcp produoed an appalling silence, only broken, by