OMNIUM GATHERUM.

Otago Witness, Issue 2660, 8 March 1905, Page 12

OMNIUM GATHERUM.

A volunteer fire brigade has been formed at Roxburgh. The rainfall at Oamaru for the month of February was I.3Qin. - The Japanese city of Tokio holds the record of having 800 public bathing places. The name of Seaward Moss (Southland) will be altered to Awarua Plains after 31sc May. In the last issue of the Gazette the Coloni*l Treasurer acknowledges receipt of £5 as " eonscienoe money" from Launceston (Tasmania). Princes Edward and Albert of Wales will probably be sent, either after Easter or in th© autumn, to the Royai Naval College at Osborne. Prince Albert will ultimately enter the navy. The question of leasing its hall for Sunday gatherings was discussed by the Lawrence. Borough Council at last meeting, when it was decided that the hall should be closed altogether on Sundays. At the Gore Court on Friday J. S. Xeave was fined £1 and cost (7s) for failing to deface the stamp on a ' cask from which be&r had been withdrawn. A sitting of the District Court will be held in Timaru on March 9. There are at present three civil cases set down for hearing, and a jury has been summoned. The Cromwell Argus is informed that the man at Pembroke who was supposed to have typhoid fever has recovered, and must have been suffering from an attack of influenza. In connection with the Medical Association's Congress at Auckland the Government has decided to issue free passes to Eotorua to all medical men who axtend the congress. Two of the successful competitors at the recent jtinio" civil service examination have been disqualified "on the ground that they were guilty of improper practices in connection with the examination The bite of a katipo spider dangerously poisoned a r&sident of Karaka Bay about three weeks ago. An operation had to be performed to avert fatal effects. The patient is making a very &low recovery. Application has been made to the Royal Humane Society of New Zealand for recognition of the bravery of Solomon Habit), who rescued n young woman from drowning in Wellington Harbour recently. At the recent Dunstan horticultural show Mrs Dawson was very successful as a prizewinner in the classes for fruit and cut floseers. obtaining no less than 14- first awards, besides several seconds. Public storytellers still -earn a good livelihood in Japan. In Tokio alongJjQO of them ply their trade, provided with a small table, a fan, and a paper wrapper to illustrate and «mphasis6 the points of their tales. Thieves, it would appear, are not respectors of persons. Quite recently a night prowler paid a visit to the home of Detective Fitzgerald, of Timaru. and took therefrom a pair cf trousers and a ham. The annual renort of the Timaru Technical Cl s-e; Association states that the classes held last winter w«re both useful and popular, 310 individual students making use of them — an increase of 56 on the previous year. Edward Power, an old-time jockey, died at his residence, Ascct Vale (Vie.) on February 15, after a short illness. He was contemporary with the late T. Hales, and engaged in many a well-contested finish. At Wag-ca (N.S.W.) Caledonian sports on February 15 a youth named Thomas Kirwan was struck en the head by a 161b hammer, whioh was thrown by a competitor. He sustained eoneussic-n of the brain. At Cairns (Queensland) recently a goods train ran over and ki]^d a man between Stafford and Edgehill. The deceased was identified as Frank Francis, who recently made a large sum of money in the Ravenswood mines. Temuka technical classes have had a successful yoar, with a large increase of pupils Cookery and woodwork are to be started this voar, with a possibility of classes in dressmaking "starting at C4ea - aldine and Pleasant Point. The Timaru Hicb School Board is in a sood financial position, having; about £700 in hand and £1000 on mortgage. Both the boys' and the girls school are full, and the question of providing additional room is now bring considered. The Palmerston Times says that a couple oF fashionably-dressed women playing poker with male gamblers for solid cash was a sight which staggered humanity in a first class carriage on the way home from th© WpprTville races. Mrllta. Dolores has just finished a big season in Austria-Hungary. Her next visit to Australia has not been fixed definitely vet. but her Australian remesentativG hones

it will not be very bag before she will be in the Commonwealth again. A visitoi to the circus at Oamaru on Saturda3' night was, in the crush, relieved of a purse containing £9. Be sa.yy ht> fplt a push about, ilie region of his pocket, and on putting his hand in his pocket discovered' that th-i purse had been abstracted. A young man while walking along .tl-e , Tinraru north mole on Sunday last liiissecJ ! his footing, and was precipitated iato the ' harbour. Hjs cries fortunately brought ' timely assistance, a sm.irfcly-clres^ad young i man plunging in and rescuing the unwiling batlior. ' Mr Ju&tice Dcnmston fined Henry Aitken, who had pleaded ' Guilty " to a charge of having committed perjury at a coroner's inquest, by swearing that be was married, to the mother of the child which was the subject of the inquest, £3 10s. the expenses connected with the man's prosecution. Sir William Russell, now on a visit lo England, is stated (says a Napier paper) to have left a signed nomination for the Hawke's Bay seat. In the event of his not returning, or other arrangements being made, another gentleman will be nominated not altogether unknown in connection with the Hawke's Bay Farmers' Union. j On Monday night at Timaru, just before I the p-erformnn-^e by Wirth's Circus was to begin, some perf-on or persons damaged the | apparatus used by Chefalcr; in the ivaping ' of the chasm, causing the postponement or ; that number. The mischief was aiieged to be the act of some person or persons who 1 had, been turned off the ground. At a congregational meeting, held in the Cromwell Presbyterian Church on Thursday night, it was decided, on the motion of Messrs Jolly and Ritchie, that the moderator ask Mr D. D. 'Scott, student, if he will ctcceot a call to this narish when licensed. On the event of his declining* other candidates be heard with a view to a call. i Lieutenant Thompson, Firemen Schultz, R. Ross (jun.), Ijvnch. H. Thompson, and j Wilson represent the Hokitika Fire Brigade at the fire brigades' demonstration this j week. .The Christchurch team will consist of Foremen Juriss, Burrousrh and Fraser, j Branehmen W. Carr and T. Walsh, and Assistant-engineer C. Juriss (emergency). j Among the passengers by the Bgpmen, J which arrived at Freinantle on February 14-, was Mrs (Captain) Lewis Hill, who is said to be worth about £20.000,000, and to be one of the richest women in the world. She is credited with spendinsr large sums j in jewellery with the obiecf of giving work to iewellers, and is also lavish in charity. ) The Bruce Herald understands that the j boring operations which have been carried • on at BurnweH mine foi some time past j in the hope of finding a new seam of coal, have been abandoned. The bore was driven ! to a depth of over 2Soft, but a payable seam was not discovered, and we are informed I that the mine will likely be shut down at. ' an early datf» The Wcstport Times reports the death of Mr C. E. Jones, who died at Grevmoufch a fpw days ago at the age of about 32 years. The deceased, who was a membe-r of one of the South African contingents, contracted enteric fever while in that country, and had never completely recovered from the effects of that dread disease, which was responsible for his untimely end. Spurious one-pound bank notes have he^n for some- time in circulation in the ?Cewca?He and Maitland districts (N.S.W.). The police searched a house at Wallsen<3 on February 15, and found a large number of notes on tho Bank of Australasia and on the Bank of New So.rth Wales, also plates. The occupant of the house and a man who passed forged notes the previous day were taken into custody. Mr Justice Edwards, in addressing a iury nt the Auckland Supreme Court on Tuesday, observed that as the law 6tood it was for the jury to find a prisoner guilty, and for the judge to impose the punishment. He wished it were otherwise, and that the jury, in addition to determining the guilt or innocence of a prisoner, could also fix his punishment at the same time. The Waihi Band, *\hich was half a l.oint behind th© Waug-amii Band in il.e recent quiek&top competition at AuYkla jcl, is paid to ha\e lost half a point because cf an unclean buckln and another half-point because a bandsman was suddenly afHici^d with an unconquerable desire to scratch his itching nose. Nahire overcame discipline — he scratched — and Ihc judpfe caught him ! . That the young colonial is not deficient j in resolute was proved at the High School j Cadet camp (saj - s the Manawatu Standard). I Several cadets were sent out ••vifch orci&rs to try to evade ilie pantries and outer the camp One hoy posted horn*> with ail specdj attired himself in some of his easler's

skirts, concealed his rirle, duly returned, and was passer) in by the .sentries without question.

On Saturday, February 12, in Baliarafc North, the son of a well-known resident dreamed that his house was on fire, and, jumping out of bed, he rushed off in the darkness while asleep to the intersection of Neil and Seymour streets, where he broke the fire alarii attached to the telephone post. Whn lie had performed what in his dream lie consider xl his duty, he quietly walked homewards and went to bed again.

The committee of thef Millers' Fiat Presbyterian Church has lately heeti vory aetire in its endeavours to obtain a suitable building, and has now colleCted the sum of £190 fof that purpose. The Synod grants a subsidy of pound for pound up to half the cost of the church, so the committee has now had plans and specifications prepared for a plaos to scat 140, and estimated to cost about £360. It is -expected a start will be made with the- building about May. — Mount Be-nqer Mail

Referring to the effect on the industrial system of the introduction of steam and machinery, Mr G. Fowids, M.H.R., said at Thursday night's Congregational Union meeting at Christchurch that he was half inclined to believe that the extensive application of electricity to production might bring about a distributive effect, and it might be possible in thn future, owing to the easier distribution of electricity as compared with steam power, to have a revival of the old cottage industries — a result that would be greatly beneficial to the moral well-being of the community.

Bus-ness people in Taihape (says the Post) are concerned more about the "jpIW peril " which threatens them ilmn the international bogey of .the same- name. C*r.e Chinaman has done so well that he has rented the shop next to him and turned~rl c two shops into one large one. Another son of Confucius has opened a business in the principal business end of the town, near the post office, and we understand that new business pr-emi-es are being erected for a third Cliir-f-so firm Th-?s» men ace all erocers and fruiterers, and the five wfen-e firms in the town in the same business are not too jubilant.

A woman — Kate Watson — was arrested at Collin-ewood. Victoria, reeeniiy on a charge of robbery which had Leen laid against her nearly 16 years igo. She was going down Victoria parade during 1 me afternoon, and took a seat on one of tl c mid-road reserves. While she «ras restinsj another woman came along and s.at besic^a her. The second person intnj.^diat^lv rocosnised her as one who in 1359 had been in her service, which she h?-d left in a lemarkable way. She kept rlo^s to her former domestic when sh© proc-eded again on her way, and presently met a constable, who arrested Watson. In 13?9 Mr and ilr» William R. Taylor Wt their home in South Melbourne for a little while, outrusnna; Kate Watson with the charge of ihe place. On ther return Itao woman Lad cone, aid clothing '.ahied at £5 vwis missing.

A most unusual state of affairs occurred, at the sittings of the Wanganui Supreme Court last week. When a jury was being emnanel'pd in the case Rex v. M'Alinden and Hopkins, the Crown. Mr Cohen, ami Mr Treadwell fach challenged five rn-en. As a jury was engaged considering th© Jones casp. the panel v.-as evhausWl. while two more jui'ors wtp loquired. After the position had be?n discussed, his Honor ordered Ihr> courtroom floors to be closed, and instructed H\p police to prevent au^" person leavin<r thr* building. He announced that, in nccordanoe with the statute dealing with difficulties of this nature, the necessary iurors wo\ild bo chosen from those present in oou't. On liearincr '■his th» court loungers lost the smiles with which their face- 1 ? beamed a fpw minute's previously. Three, from the body of thr> hall wore eaHed. includina: one who, had been a ■■vitnefs in a previous case. Mr Cohen ohallengpd one of th» three but the panel \va« at last completed 1 and the caso proceeded with.

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