LOCAL & GENERAL.

Otago Witness, Issue 2677, 5 July 1905, Page 54

LOCAL & GENERAL.

* Th© excavations for the upper water supply reservoir at Maori Hill are how nearly down to the permanent level, and: " the -material still shows formation impervious to water. The reservoir is to be lined with concrete. The presence of members of the legal 3»n'd medical fraternity at the meeting of Motorists on«the 28th provoked the suggestion that honorary medical and legal >dvisers might be appointed. The idea )»hat was received with even more enthusiasm was the appointment of an honorary ,|epairer. Professor J. J. Thomson, lecturing Recently at the Royal Institution, London, jm "Electrical Pi'opeities of Radio-Active Jjubstanoes," classified these substances ftcoorttfhg to their differing electrical properties in four groups, wihich he called Alpha, Beta, Gamma, and Delta, and made i number of highly interesting illustrative fcxperiments. One of these demonstrations, Jnrhich showed the special properties of the . Beta rays, was a very, striking one, though \jhe apparatus ueed has been known for fame little time. The negative discharge from a substance of the Beta type positively fekctrified the box in which it was oontained, and Hie alternative positive and Aegiativ© electrification could be indicated fey an electroscope .formed of gold leaf. A vibrating . motion was«,thus eat up which *oted vrithr-the regularity of th© pendulum, and this pendulum effect would continue as Jong . as the period- - of, radio-activity, which Jrafl. estimated at a million years. This, he ' jaid, indicated the possibility of setting in motion a .pendulum wKich would continue lo swing for a million- years without further ,jnotiv« jorce, and which, would, therefore, if practically applied, produce a clock which ftrould go a million years without winding ap. Further describing these remarkable Bubstanoes, the lecturer said a negative particle discharged in the Beta rays was of such extreme rarity that its mass was only one-thousandth part of the atom of hydrogen, which was the rarest of atoms known to science a few years ago. The speed, 100, of the negative dischargee in substances of the Beta type was 5 or 6 per $ent. of the, speed of light. Some rather etartling evidence was given Before the Federal Tariff Commission in Sydney as to the system in rogue among JBydney importers of placing inferior English cloths and flannels on the market in •rder to undercut the colonial productions that take the fancy of the public. No sooner, it was stated, does a good line make its Appearance from an Australian mill than fc. sample is sent to Yorkshire to be copied in shoddy. The imported article is always ft clover imitation of the colonial one, so fchat this public can be readily deceived. A lower price is quoted, and the local manufaoturer is instantly smothered. The imported article, though cheap, is ako nasty. A. striking illustration of thig was given by a witness with a full knowledge of both local and imported oloths.- In regard to trousers, he explained that onei pair made bf good colonial tweed would wear as long fes three pairs of union imitation cloth, this information rather staggered the Freefcrade members of the commission. " Would tarn," asked on© of these, " approve of legnsJation compelling manufacturers and sellers , goods to give a correct description of jh.em?" "It certainly ought to be done With everything," replied the witness. " I Would have eve>ry piece of cloth stamped. |Fhe pußlic should know what they are buying. At present they are hoodwinked all $b» time.' 1 Tho Drainage and Sewerage Board, at its tneeting on 27th. ult., went into committee to consider proposals for the issue of a new loan of £50,000. The result of the committee's deliberations was in favour of the proposal, and on the motion of Mr Sco (Kconded by Mr Arkle, it was resolved that the cum named be borrowed by the creation juid issue of 500 debentures of £100 each, bearing interest at the rate of 4 per cent. per annum and having a currency of 22 years from July 1, 1905. Tenders are now being invited for these debentures. "If we were to kill all the birds in thp irorld human life would cease to exist." !fhus spoke Mr Robert Hall in commencing a lecture on " Bird Life in Relation to ftfan," at a meeting held recently in Melbourne. Mr Hall, according to the Age, is a well-known authority on birds, anfJ a number of examples were given by him to prove his theory. Citron and other trees Vere, he said, absolutely necessary to human life. But they were infested by scale insects, which exuded a sugary composition, and a microscopic fungus fed upon this. The fungi were eaten by parrots and Other birds, and if this wore not ao tin*

fungi would soon kill the trees, and we should have no oranges or lemons. Magpies, larks, herons, and other birds ate the snails, which harboured the fluke, which killed the sheep, in our pastures. Sparrows were described as being " splendid scavengers, useful in the cities, but probably of little good in the country." These birds consumed much that would otherwise decompose and become a menace to health. The much-abused starling obtained credit on the ground that in agricultural centres the bird was ever on the search for destructive insects, and, in fact, played the part of a "feathered policeman."

In view of the recent interruption of the South Canterbury, Otago, and Southland lines, it is suggested at Hokitika that an alternative telegraph line should be run through South Westland across the Haast Pass into Central Ota-jo. It is pointed out that such a connection would be very useful in similar experiences to that of last week, while in the case of war the inaccessible nature of the West Coast alternative route provides practically a safe line of communication with different parts of the colony. The line would also give a great impetus to settlement in the south of "Westland, which now suffers so greatly through isolation. It would follow the tourist route, which in the near future will be one of great popularity.

The following story will serve (says the Christ-church Press) to show how luggage and other property which goes missing on our railways is sometimes recovered in very unexpected quarters. A gentleman left Christehuroh by the second express for Temuka, and his portmanteau, hearing his full name and the words " Passenger for Temuka," wag put into the luggage van. When he arrived at Temuka 'he found that the portmanteau had not been put out on the station platform, and in the meantime the train had gone on. The gentleman interviewed the stationmaster, who promised to telegraph to Christchurch and to Timaru. Tho latter presumably did so, and the gentleman waited for some days, but as there was still no sign or news of the missing portmanteau the matter was placed in the hands of detectives at Christclvurch and also afc Timaru. In spite of their efforts and inquiries, however, the portmanteau was not found. The owner authorised _ the offer of ; a large reward if the portmanteau were" recovered with its contents intact. The contents comprised some v«ry valuable papers and a considerable sum of money. A friend of the owner then consulted Mr. , Stone, Lyttelton agent for the New Zealand Express Company, who immediately^sent circulars to all th» agents and branch offices of the company throughout the colony. Inside of six. days the portmanteau was found, still plainly ad-dressed with the owner's name and destination, lying in the lost property office at InvereargiU ! The portmanteau had, however, been tampered with and a considerable Eum of money abstracted.

. It is proposed to erect a Kingsley memorial at Bideford, England. It is to consist of a portrait statue in Sicilian marble, Bft high, on a pedestal 9ft high. The total cost of the work will be £650, towards which £500 has been subscribed or promised to the Bideford committee which has thys matter in hand, and an appeal is made for the balance to admirers of the author of " Westward Ho." Cheques may be sent to the Mayor of Bideford. Possibly there are some admirers of the great writer among our readers who may desire to assist to perpetuate his memory in the town he loved so well.

The Waiwev-a post office and store, with five-roomed dwelling attached, burned down at an early hour on Tuesday, 27th ult., was insured in the New Zealand office in separate policies of £200 and £25 respectively, the stock for £310 in the same office, and the furniture for £50 in the Northern office. The occupant, Mr John Joseph Weavers, had about/ a week previously completed the sale of the business. Mr Weavers was in town on the night of th© fire, and the occupants of the house were Mrs Weavers and child and the domestic servant. - Mrs Weavers was awakened between 2 and 3 o'clock by the crying of the child, and discovering the place to be on fire, she wrapped the child in a blanket and ran oait with it to the road. The servant was awakened about the fame time, and had to make her escape into the yard by breaking a window. All that Mra Weavers was able to save was two boxes of clothing, the till (containing £6 10s), and the ledger. . The origin of the fire is not accounted for. Mr Weavers estimates his less at from £90 to £100.

It is not often that an inquest is held in England on the subject of treasure trove. It is the more interesting, therefore (&ays the Argus correspondent), to notice a case of this kind which has just occurred here. The Westminster coroner and a jury have been investigating the circumstances connected with the finding of a large collection of gold and other coins found upon some lan-J belonging to Sir Walter Phillimore, in High street, Kensington. Some ancient houses had been pulled down, and under tho foundations of one of them an old teapot was discovered, containing many gold and silver tokens and coins, nearly all of the Georgian period. The gold pieces v ere chiefly spade guineas and half-guineas. The labourers who found this treasure imagined that the gold coins were only brass tokens. They threw them, in fun, at each other. One man, a carter, who was shooting the rubbish a couple of miles away, scattered more than a handful among the cbiktivn who were playing on the

rubbish heap. He gave seme to another rr-an for his children, saying that he had quite enough lumber in his pocket to carry ahcady. The man in charge of the rubbish shoot looked at tho coins, and thought they were "no good." He advised the carter to string them into a chain to decorate his horse's rein. Several of th« labourers working at the excavation took the coins which had fallen to their share to a neighbouring watchmaker, who bought 17 or 18 for £12y> and quickly resold i/iem for £20. Their value was really about 25s each. Some of the spadp guineas were sold to hotelkcepers. Altogether there must have been nearly 30C coins discovered, raoatly Georgian guineas and half-guineas. The admissions of one of the jewellers were so compromising that the coroner has demanded the production of his cheque and bank books. The police have recovered about 60 gold and 30 silver pieces. According to the law, these will, on the jury's ■finding that they are treasure trove, be handed over to the Crown, and as many more as the police can recover from ths jewellers and the hotelbeepers who bought them.

After occupying six days, the Chalmers local option poll inquiry was brought to a close on Thursday, "so far as the hearing of evidence and argument by counsel is concerned. Mr Graham, S.M., will give his decision at Port Chalmers when he has given the question further consideration. The inquiry has excited much local interest in Port Chalmers, the accommodation for the public in the courthouse being taxed every day to the utmost.

The Government State Fire Insuraa£e Office pushes its efforts at absorption of tb.B business of the public fire insurance companies into unexpected, quarters. Tho latest case is that of the Mornington Public Library — a humble institution with an unpretentious little one-roomed building, covered by a small insurance in one of the companies. Its trustees have just been notified by the State Fire Office that because they receive a small Government subsidy it is their duty to at once take their policy away from the company in which their building has been insured for years, and hand it over to the Government octopus which is greedily stretching out its tentacles in every direction. The subsidy granted to the library trustees last year was £6 10s! The trustees have promptly replied that they will continue their insurance with the company which at present holds their policy.

At the City Police Court on Thursday Mr H. X. Widdowson, S.M., while hearing a charge of drunkenness, made particular inquiries as to whether the offender was capable .of taking care of himself or if he could find his way home, and remarked that in such eases the police were expected to exercise a wise discretion before making arrests. Sub-inspector Green remarked that while many persons under the influence of drink were possibly able to take care of themselves in an ordinary sense, they staggered about in such a way as to be a nuisance to street traffic, and there was always the danger that they wo\ild fall against windows and smash them, or injure themselves in this or other ways. The "staggering" offender whose troubles evoked the foregoing magisterial and police comments pleaded strongly that he only had five drinks, and that when he was taken to the station he asked that a doctor might be sent for to testify that he was not drunk. The police, he "complained, refused to eend for a medical man as requested. A fine of 10s or 48 hours was imposed.

The bonus certificates of the Australian Mutual Provident Society were, in accordance with the practice of the office, distributed throughout Australasia, on Friday. The number of holders of the society's policies on the 31st December last was 190,259, including a large representation on the Dunedin books, and the amount divided among them in reversionary bonuses this year is nearly one million and a-quarter sterling, bringing the total distribution by the society during its history to the enormous total of £11,573,853.

The Alexandra Herald says: — ' T The Otago Central railway buildings at Chatto Creek are fast diminishing 1 , and are being erected at the site for the etation in Alexandra. Another batch of men was transferred from Chatto Creek last week, and have been put on the big rock cutting immediately above the third crossing of the Manuherikia River, where several gangs of men are at work. On the Clyde-Alexandra section about half a mile of tussock has been cleared, and we understand that the engineer in charge of the works is endeavouring to get a gang of men put on that 6&ction immediately. The contract time for the bridge over the third crossing is 16 months, but we are doubtful if the bridge will be erected within that time. The Manorburn viaduct is to be erected by day labour, under the supervision of the engineer (Mr J. H. Lewis), and th© department lias acted wisely in adopting this course. A good portion of the line between Manorburn and Alexandra is already completed. A gang of men is now engaged laying- the sleepers on the- Omakau-Chatto Creek section, and a good portion is now kid."

But for the warning of a fnend, a wellknown clergyman visiting Dunedin might have been haled before the Police Court to account for his presence in an hotel after closing hours. Learning that a leading*! member of his church was in Dunedin on business, he communicated with him by telephone and arranged for a meeting at 10.30 p.m., at the Grand Hotel, to discuss important church matters. Shortly afterwards, on mentioning the matter to a friend, ha attention was directed to a case which

appeared in that morning's paper wheie a visitor to the city was charged with being on licensed premises after the hour fixed for closing. The clergyman expressed surprise at the state of the law, and, being unab'e to find his friend, communicated with the Inspector of Police and asked for piotection for his visit to the hotel. The Inspector regretted he could not interfere. In vain did tho clergyman point out that he was a prohibitionist, and the last man likely to visit an hotel except to transact important business The Inspector pointed out that it was the duty of a constable to question any person leaving licens-pd premises after closing hours, and that the onus was placed on that person to satisfy the constable that the law had not been broken. The Inspector could only suggest that if the clergyman was questioned he might mention that he (the Inspector) had been spoken to, and probably a constable would accept the explanation and proceed no further. The meeting took f>laoe. and, so far as is known, no zealotis constable discovered the clergyman emerging from licensed premises some time after 11 o'clock.

A number of citizens of Washington have inaugurated a project to test Dr Sohon's theory that a sojourn in the Arctio regions will our© consumption. The steamer Havana has been chartered, and was to 6ail from Halifax on June 15 with & number of consumptive patients on board to oruise along the central coa«t of Greenland, returning about September 30. Dr Sohon himself suffered from consumption, and has taken two trips to Greenland with Commander Peary. He returned cured after the first visit.

There has just died at St. Vincent's Hospital, Sydney, one of the best-known personalities in the streets of that city. From his general appearance he was known as " Kruger," and every day, wet or dry, he wended his way from the city to the vicinity of Lady Macquarie's chair, in the Domain, and there spent several hours -engrossed in a book or paper, paying no apparent heed to what went on around him. He took the name of Lind, an abbreviation of his native town, Lindby. Lind was very reticent as to his antecedents, but it appears that he was a Lutheran preacher in the United States. On coming to Australia he for a time worked in th© bush, but for many years had, i-t is said, lived on the interest of £?00, which was deposited in one of the city banks, his daily expenditure amounting lo 7d. The Guthrie brought news to Sydney that the Sultan of Gau, in the Celebes Islands, had declared war against the Dutch. At the time the Guthrie left Java the Dutch army and navy were being mobilised, with a view of -suppressing the insurrection. It is expected that the Dutch will be able tp place about 60.000 men in the field, the majority of whom are native troops. There are only about 10,000 white soldiers in the possessions.

According to the London Daily Telegraph, the military authorities are experiencingmuch difficulty by disappointing results from the working of the rule made some time back, by which men whose teeth were not perfect were allowed to enlist on the condition that they should pay for false teeth, or other dental service, by being put under stoppages. Many men after thus enlisting have refused to fulfil their engagement by having their teeth attended to, and the War Office has decided that the men cannot bs Torced to carry out their contract, and must be discharged as not likely to become efficient soldiers. Amongst other corps the Brigade of Guards is suffering from this difficulty, and about 100 men have already been discharged in consequence, while quits as many more are likely to be co dealt with.

The .number of unemployed In Dunedin is at the present time less than was tha case this time last year. The majority of applicants for work at the Government Labour Bureau are single men rendered id!e by the completion of the tramways and the taporing-off of other big undertakings that attracted unskilled labourers from elsewhere. We learn from the department that, with the exception of the engineering trade, there is very little skilled labour unemployed at present. During the past few weeks a number of married men have been provided with employment on the Otago Central railway formation near Alexandra.

The vital statistics for the Dunedin district for tho month ending June 30, 1905, were as follows:— Births 131, marriages 61, deaths 52. For the corresponding month o" last year the figures were : — Births 119, marriages 50, deaths 63. Comparing the six-monthly period ending- June 30, 1905, with the corresponding period ending June 30, 1904, the figures were: — Births, for the first six months of 1905, 771, as against 715 —an increase of 56; marriages 324, as against 335— an increase- of 11; deaths 3.30, as against 395— being a substantial reduction of 65 deaths for the six months.

The railway returns for tho four weeks ended May 27 show that the total revenue from the 2382 miles of lines open was £185,025, and the expenditure £121.124, the latter being 63.48 per cent, of the former. In the South Island 1455 miles of railway were open for traffic, and the total levenuc therefrom was £111,374-, while the expenditure vas £69,701, or 61.76 per cent, of therevenue. Tho 1240 miles constituting the Hurunui-Bluff section yielded £92,983 in revenue, as against an expendituie of £59,086, and the Lake Wakatipu steamers were responsible for an income of £572 and an oufla.y of £372. The Westland section, of 117 miles, brought in revenue to the amount of £7621 on an expenditure of

T£5041,T £5041, and the Wcstport section, of 31 miles, produced £7203, the outlay being £3066. The revenue from the Nelson section, of 33 miles, was £1381, and that from the Picton section, of 34- miles, was £1613, the expenditure on the former section being £1183, and that on the latter £950. The number of miles open for traffic in the North Island was 927, and the aggregate revenue was £73,650, while tho expenditure was £51,4-23, or 66.01 per cent, of the income. The Wellington-Napier-New Plti mouth section, of 484- mile*, yielded £47,058 in revenue, as against an expenditure of £33.299; and the Auckland tection, of 377 I miles, produced £23,653 in revenue on an outlay of £16,281. The only section to ' show a loss was the Ka/nakawa section, of eight miles, on which the revenue was £117 while the expenditure was £235. The best percentage was obtained by the Whanga-rei section, comprising 23 miles, on which the revenue was £1954 and the expenditure £928. The Kaihu section, of 17 miles, showed a revenue of £510 and an expenditure of £324-, and the Gisborne-Karaka, "secj tion, of 18 miles, produced £355 on un outlay of £354. There is still an impression prevalent that no provision is made at the Dunedin ! Hospital for urgent cases of infectious 1 diseases requiring surgical treatment, and this wrong impression is found to be militating to some extent aganst the effort now being made to raise funds to build a new 1 medical pavilion. It is true that a few years ago cases of croup, diphtheria, etc , were refused admission, but that reproach is now partly removed, and, although no provision has been made for an epidemic, the house surgeon would without demur j take in a child suffering from croup or diphtheria requiring surgical treatment, Scarlet fever cases co\ild not be taken into tha Hospital itself, but in an urgent case the old Female Refuge buildings, which are 1 occupied by a caretaker, are available, and would be utilised if required. It is stated that an Invercarg&l builder I ba-s secured the contract for building the new accommodation house which the Tourist Department contemplates erecting on the site now occupied by Glade House, at the head of Lake To Anau. The contract price is about £1300, and the new building, when completed, will doubtles3 prove an additional attraction for touriste ! who journey along the fairyland track to Milfor-d Sound. / A stranger standing near CargtH's Monument to view the many, fine buildings in eight would hardly imagine that a little over half a century ago virgin forest i clothed the present site of many of the I fine buildings, and that a «creek, over which, a bridge had to be erected, hurried down to the pebbly beach across Rattray street and under what is now the Grand Hotel. This fact was vividly recalled a fejv day 3 ago, when some workmen were excavating foi" the foundations of Messrs Thomson, I Bridger, and Co.'s new buildings in Princ ?s ' street. The section runs back from Prince* street to the rear of the old Otago Hotel, ! and while excavating the workmen came upon the bed of the creek referred to. Some pieces of ferr- tree, tmngis totara. and broadleaf that wore unearthed lOCft below the surface afforded mute testimony to the enterprise and resource of the early Dunedin citizens. An attempt is being made to colleH; information in regard to the effect of intro- ' dueed birds on the native birds of NewZealand, the habits of the introduced bird?, the damage dene by them and the rates at which they have increased, and^the exact causes that have led to the diminution ia the numbers of the native birds. It is hoped that much, valuable information In with our expiring avi-fauna, will b& obtained in this way for both practical and scientific purposes. M.v T. W. -Kirk, biologist for the Department of Agriculture, is issuing circulars to various persona , throughout the colony requesting replies to i some 30 questions. When the replies to these havo been received they will be entrusted to Mr J. Drummond, of Chriss- 1 church, who should be able by this means to publish a work that will be invaluable to farmers, agriculturists, and fruitgrowers, besides being of considerable importance from a scientific point of view. Efforts are being made to establish a biweekly mail service to and from Lakes Manapouri and Te Anau during the forthcoming tourist season, the bi-weekly rna'l service being considered inadequate to meet requirements. It is probable that a new steamer will be built shortly for the tourist traffic on Lake Manapouri. Lecturing before the Garrison Officers' Club et Wellington on Tuesday night, Major Johnson, Artillery Staff Officer ia * New Zealand, stated that not many years ago the shooting from tho British battleships was of a very inaccurate description.' At the present day, however, thanks to the energies of Lord Charles Beresford aucl Admiral Sir John Fisher, tho shooting by thi navy had greatly improved. In hi"? opinion the Now Zealand Garrison Artillery Volunteers were able to shoot just as well as the Japanese, which was saying a gooil deal. Our Alexandra corespondent wired on Saturday that tLe poultry f.how whifh \vas> held there was a great success. There were over 300 exhibit*. The show T\ag largely patronised by the public.