LOCAL & GENERAL.

Otago Witness, Issue 2663, 29 March 1905, Page 28

LOCAL & GENERAL.

The secretary of Uw Navy League in I/ondon recently received a reply from ihe Homo Office- to a communication as to the proper flags to be flown by private individuals on occasions of ceremony or rejoicing, transmitting a copy of an answer given by Mr Balfour to a question in the Hoiiso of Commons on October 22, 1892. The Home Office had consulted the Colonial Secretary in regard to the proper practice in the colonies, and Mr Lyttelton is of opinion that the ensigns should not be used on shore, and that the Union flag without the- badge of the coiony should generally be used on shore when there is occasion to hoist a flag. The reply by Mr Balfour enclosed was as follows: — "The questions which have been raised as to ihe proper use of flags have received careful consideration by the Government, but they are unable to adopt the course suggested. Nor does it appear desirable to undertake the legislation which would be necessary in order to regulate the general use by civilians, or any class of civilians, of any particiilar flag on land. It is a matter which is best left, as hitherto, ' to the guidance of custom and .good taste." The weekly meeting of the Benevolent Trustees was held on Wednesday afternoon, when w-ero present Messrs R. M. Clark (in the chair), R. Wilson, J. ETazlett, Tapper, J. Green, W. Burnett, Talboys, and the Hon. H. Gourley. Accounts were passed amounting to £158 Os 7d. The following tenders were accepted for supplies for the year, on the recommendation of the Finance Committee : — Groceries, A. Miller and Co. ; meat, Hastie ; milk, Faulds Bros. ; bread, Covent Garden Co. ; coal (Newcastle and Kaitangata) and firewood, J. Mill and Co. ; Walton Park coal, Spencer and Dunkley ; funerals (adults 37s 6d, children 12s 6d), Wynn and Hope; medicines, B. Bagley. Sixteen applications for admission were dealt with. The following int-imation with respect to the "Veterans' Home -Las been received by the officer paying Imperial pensions at Dunedin: — "I am directed by the committee of the Veterans' Home to ask for your kindly assistance in communicating the information to the resident Imperial pensioners within your district that, owing to increased accommodation having been made in the home, more veterans will shortly be admitted, and if you will oblige by sending names and addresses of those veterans in your district who desire to enter I will forward them application forms by return post.— H. Goodwin Aecheis, superintendent." We understand that it is the intention of the Executive Committee of the Queen's Stafcu-e to r«commend that the fence on the j north-western side of th© statue, wh&n re- j erecte-d, be taken round the back and not along the front of the statue. The effect j of this arrangement, it is pointed out, will be to give a clear view of the whole work without having the view impaired by iron railings or fencing. If the suggestion is carried out Dunedin's monument to the memory of her late Majesty will stand in a recess with shrubbery, as at present, on each side, and shrubbery at the back. Very large numbers visited the locality during Thursday afternoon, and examined and admired the statue and subsidiary figures. At a meeting of the congregation of Chalmers Presbyterian Church, Dunedin, it was unanimously resolved to ask the Dunedin Presbytery to moderate in a call to the Rev. D. Maclennan, M.A., Waipu. We learn that arrangements have been ! completed for the amalgamation of the New ' Zealand Refrigerating Company with the Christchurch M«at Company, subject to the approval of the shareholders of both companies. Air F. Moorhouse, of the Tourist Department, who has just returned to New Zealand from America, is enthusiastio concerning- the interest created at the St. Louis World's Fair by the colony's exhibit. He was in charge of fhe agricultural and pastoral section, and states that the exhibit of New Zealand grain created surprise among • farmers who visited the show. " Many of them," says Mr Moorhouse, " offered me a dollar for a few grains in as envelope, but ;

the Customs authorities at the Exhibition would not allow us to dispose of a grain at any price. At the conclusion of the Exhibition the grain was presented to the Agricultural Bureau of the United States. Another thin,* that impressed visitors was the exhibition of rugs of colonial manufacture. They all wanted to buy them, and at tho last we had made an arrangement to sell them, but the lady who was buying them withdrew her offer when the Customs demanded 130 per cent, duty." Mr Moorhouse is to leave for Nancy Sound by the Hinemoa to see the -elk he brought from the States liberated. The experiment of treating- street surfaces with oil in order to meet the dust nuisance was entered upon by the North Sydney Council some 18 montEs ago, and has been watched with considerable interest. The council lias lately received a number of inquiries as to its success or otherwise, and the borough engineer has prepared an interesting repor; on the subject. The price of treating a square yard of roadway, he states, is four-fifths of a penny per application, this including the cost of labour as well as of oil. An oiling remains effective for from 60 to 80 days, and the expense is about tha same as that of watering the streets; but it has been found to be much more satisfactory, inasmuch as watered streets quickly dry. The fear that tho system would produce an unpleasant smell of crude kerosene in the suburb has proved to be unfounded, and, altogether, the experiment, in so far as it has gone, is regarded as successful. A resident of Saddle Hill, referring to an intimation that a visit was to be paid by the Field Club, writes stating that it should be known that Saddle Hill is all privaFe property, and residents do not at all approve of persons tramping all over their farms The writer says the nuisance, especially on holidays, is becoming almost intolerable, as trees are hacked, ferns torn out, and other damage done. The Rev. Dr Rentoul, speaking at the St. Patrick's demonstration in Melbourne, said that, above all things, he deprecated sectarian bitterness and abuse. They Had been cursed with other kinds o£ bitterness. Where were now the voices, ho asked, which lately called people " pro-Boers," and the papers now were far more pro-Boer than ever ho (Dr Rentoul) was. Lord Milner's administration had been found to be one of intolerable tyranny. The yellow agony had come to Pretoria, with the result that no Briton, and, above all, no Australian, need apply. A man who rose in the mime of one Church to smite another Church with obloquy and abuse was a mis creant and a traitor to Australian unity.— (Loud applause.) No practical men would believe that true religion was being practised by people who scattered sectarian hatred. The following itinerary has been arranged by the Land Commission for South Canterbury: — Monday, April 3, Waimate ; Tuesday, Morven; Wednesday, Timaru ; Thursday, Burkes Pass and 1 Fairlie; Friday, Albury and Pleasant Point ; Saturday, Timaru; Monday, April 10, St. Andrews. Three youths who went out sailing in the yacht Waterwiteh on Sunday afternoon had an experience which they will long remember. When the yacht was midway between Waverley and the wharves a heavy squall struck her. The yacht capsized and filled immediately, only the- mast showing out of the water. The .iccident was noticed from the shore, and several small boats set out to effect a rescue, but there was such a heavy sea running at the time that it was impossible for them to reach the yacht. Fortunately the oil launch Mizpah was in the harbour, and Mr Sfcentiford, who is in charge- of the launch, immediately put out in her to rescue the unfortunate youths, who had for some time been clinging to the rigging. Such was the nature of the sea running that it was with difficulty that the- launch got alongside th© sunken yaoht and rescued the boys from their perilous position. They were safely landed at Waverley, where they belong, and the launch returned to the harbour. But for the presence of the oil launch in tie harbour afc the time and the promptitude of Mr Stentiford a serious fatality might have occurred. Seven deaths occurred at the Hospital during the past week, the names of the deceased being Robert AVood, Alice Ab Wong, Mary Payne, John Cook, John Lawless, Harriet Wilson, and James Cockburn. The number of inmates remaining from the previous week was 100, th&re were 22 patients admitted, 17 discharged during the past week, and there now remain 98 patients in the institution. Mr H. Y. Widdowson, S.M., sat hi the Magistrate's Courfc on Saturday morning last to deal with applications for old-age ppnsions. Nine applicants were granted £18 per year, two £17, and one £12. Two \ cases were adjourned to permit tho police to make inquiries and to report. Mr P. A. Keddell, deputy registrar, is making arrangements for including Port Chalmers in the Dun ©din district. These when completed will greatly facilitate the workingof his department. The following deceased persons' estates of £1000 and over have been duly certified by the Secretary of Stamps during February: — Otago— James Liggino, £1007; William Tanner, £1946; William H. Mackenzie, £2092; Edgar Hall Carew, £15.295; John fiodges, £1693; James Maxwell, £1776; Henry Fairbank, £1136; Andrew Hill, £1206; Denis Heenan, £16,143; Robert DaUdeislu £2235; Isabella M'Kenzie, £2033;

HeJen Watson, £1*22. Southland — James Craig £1513: George Plaj-fair, £3255; Henry Windle, £3570; Daniel Strang, £1541; John Bcswetheriek, £3279. The largest estates of doc-eased persons in the colony, certified to last month, were : — Wellington—C. B. Izard, £40,343; J. Stud-< holme, £19,780; Frances Bethune, £10,548. Canterbury— W. D. Wood, £87,185; D. M'Millan. £29,183. Otago— D. Heenan* £16,143; E. H. Carew, £15,295. At the meeting of the Otago Rugby Tootball Union on Saturday night it was resolved, on the motion of Mr M'Laren. tl.at the Mayor be reqested to call a meeting of citizens and athletic bodies generally to discuss the question of acquiring Forbury Park for the city as a recreation reserve. Several speakers expressed the opinion \ that it would be a matter for lasting regret if the City Council allowed this property to be cut up into building allotments. A man who gives the name of Robert 1 M'Earen Richmond was arrested on Saturday night by Detectives Bishop and Connolly on a charge of having, on March 10", broken into and en-tared the premises of Mrs Sarah Buitowps, of South Dunedin, and stolen therefrom a, quantity of ' jewellery. According to the Wakatipu Mail somo excitement has been caused in Queenstowa by the continued absence of a, local tradesman. He left on the understanding tliaC ho was to be away about a fortnight, but 1 he has now been absent for five week?, . having apparently gone to Australia without making any arrangements with his creditors. 1 Three cases of typhoid being recently reported from Fairfax, Health Inspector C4ladstone visited the locality, and reported in very unfavourable terms. One of the typhoid, patients, who was admitted to the Dunedin Hospital, was a flaxmill employee, who had been living near a creek in a tent, which latter was found in such a con- , dition that orders had to be given that it should be burned. The water in this creek, with two other samples of water used in the locality for drinking purposes, was submitted to Dr Black for analysis, and was pronounced in two cases to be bad, and ins a, third to be suspicious. Dr Ogston has notified the Bruce County Council that from reports received he has reason to think that Fairfax and its neighbourhood are in a disgustingly filthy condition, the water being polluted from local sources, as well as from: soakage from the cemetery, and many of the houses being without proper sanitary provision. Inspection and cleaning-up in the district are emphasised as being urgently necessary, and the health officer requests the local authority to pay an early visit to the place, and see that much-needed reforms are instituted without delay. So far no reply has been received from the County . ' Council. Dr Ogston is at present visiting Invercargill. A meeting of the Committee of the Minisi taring Children's League, held in the Girls* . High School on Friday, was attended by Mesdames Michie (in the chair), Keith Ramsay, Henry Williams, and John White, and 5 Misses Hislop, Williams, and Kamsay. The | treasurer reported that the net proceeds of I the garden fete amounted to £105. Dona1 j tions were accepted with thanks from Mr I Johnstone, Mr John Cook, and Mrs Hill. ' i Votes of thanks were passed to the judgea ' j (Mesdames Henry Driver, George M'Lean, Oldham, Cheeseman, and Moore), to Mr : Grace, to all who gave prizes, to many of ' j the tradespeople, and to all who assisted in ! any way. A special vote of thanks was : I passed to Mr and Mrs Sargood for their i j kindness in placing their grounds at the dis- ; posal of the league for the purpose of hold- ► ing a garden fete, and for the energetic i way in which they worked to make tha , affair a success. It was decided to hold the -• general meeting immediately after Easter. There is some considerable comment at the movement in Kaikoura concerning what

Is alleged to be an abuse of the use of morphia, chloi-odyne, and similar drugs. It is an extraordinary fact (says the Lyttelton Times) that several professional mon in the eiistriet, themselves associated with th& practice of medicine, have been victims to this morphia habit, and it has now assumed euch general dimensions as to have become almost a scandal. A deputation waited upon Mr Hall-Jones upon this matter privately on Saturday, with a request that steps should be taken to control the ssle of the drugs, and it is more than probable that the representation made* may bear fruit an the shape of restrictive regulations.

Mr A. L. D. Fraser, M.H.R., in the course of a political address last week, said that some years ago he thought Hansard a splendid thing, and he used to read it with interest. Now, when he entered private Louses and public offices, he found copies of the publication piled up and unopened. Hansard cost £10,000 a year, while it was not only unnecessary, but misleading and Untruthful. Members altered their speeches as they pleased, and if they found that they •were wrong- in any statements they made, those statements were afterwards expunged. He would support the abolition of Hansard, fend the subsidising of, say, a couple of newspapers to provide adequate reports.

The -Bishop of St. Asaph, presiding at a school concert in the Cathedral town, said a respected Nonconformist minister had expressed horror at acting and dancing being included in ihe programme. While the Church endeavoured to impress upon the minds of children the Christian standard of conduct, it was essential to observe proportion. Our Lord came to save body, mind, and soul, and there must be a proportionate development of the whole nature of man. There was just now a tendency to proscribe innocent amusements. There was nothing wrong in dancing, or in games, such as football, cricket, and billiards, in themselves, and his experience taught him that Ahere was no greater danger in the bringing up of children than to allow confusion ±o grow up in their minds as to what was xoally right and what really wrong. Impurity, injustice, untruthfulness, and cruelty could never be right, but disastrous results followed the condemnation of innocent recreation equally with sins such as these.

Further subscriptions received on behalf of the Queen Victoria Memorial Statue Fund are as follow: — S. B. Carpenter, £1 Is; W. Taylor, £1 Is; J. N. Macdonald, •£1; Dr Hocken, £2 2s; Wright, Stepheneon, and Co., £5 ss; Harraway and Sons, £2 2s; W. Winchester. £1 Is; Mrs W. H. Reynolds, £2 2s; W. S. Fitzgerald, 10s 6d; J. A. Fothergill, ss.

The annual appeal for funds to carry on the- work of the St. John Ambulance Association was made in the t:ity on Saturday, when a number of ladies took charge of collection boxes at the principal street corners, with results that on the whole were satisfactory. A few figures, in connection with Saturday's collection may he interesting. There were about 1600 coins, niad& up as follows : — 1 sovereign, 1 half-sovereign, 40 half-crowns, 50 florins, 360 shillings, 440 sixpences, 320 threepences, and 30s in coppers. The total collection amounted to £46 16s Id.