LOCAL & GENERAL.

Otago Witness, Volume 23, Issue 2684, 23 August 1905, Page 28

LOCAL & GENERAL.

As the new railway station draws on towards completion it becomes evident that,

on a general view, and with the possible

exception of Sydney, Dunedin is to have the handsomest railway premises in Australasia. In Melbourne, although there has

!>een much improvement during recent

years, the ugliness and discomfort of the .railway stations ha^e passed into a proverb. Brisbane and Adelaide are poorly equipped in this respect; and the stations at Hobarfc and .at Launceston are -very wretched structures indeed. When the new station is completed, Dunedin will be well abreast £>f the time in this matter also. The buildings are already good to look upon, and in most populous British centres the railway itations are especially notable for the squalid quality of their ugliness. For the information of small investors Ke have been asked to state that the Dun-

edin Drainage and Sewerage Board, when considering tenders, which close on the sth September, for its £50,000 loan in £100 debentures at $k per cent., will give preference io the highest tenderers, irrespective of the amount applied for.

That life is filled with romantic episodas. even when it seems most prosaic, is evidenced by the following instance (says the Bruce Herald). For some time an advertisement appeared in the Otaao Daily Tim-es

asking for the whereabouts of Mr Godwin Laming. This did not come under Mi* Laming's observation until the other day, when upon receiving his usual supply of bread he r-ead the advertisement in a portion of the paper in which the bread had been wrapped. He at once put himself into communication with the advertiser, ,and received the welcome intelligence that lie had fallen into a legacy of £12,000. Mr Laming, who was employed in a flaxmill at Fairfax when he discovered his luck, is well known in Central Otago, where for a number of years he was employed rabbiting on various statigns.

The case of Mrs Northington, referred to in the last San Francisco mail telegrams, who, at 75 years of age, finds herself practically a waif upon the seas, without country or friends, owing to the refusal of both the British Columbia and United States authorities to grant her a domicile, is (says the correspondent of the Christchurch Press) exciting much sympathy in Auckland. Numerous letters commisserating her unhappy plight have appeared in the press, and the ladies of the Benevolent Society have now agreed to look after the unfortunate woman, who is expected to arrive in Auckland by the next steamer from S.in Francisco.

The local agents of the New Zealand and South African Steamship Company, having made inquiries concerning the press cablegram, dated August 8, to the effect that a portion of the consignment of meat by the s.s. Somerset had been condemned at Liverpool as spotty, received a reply yesterday stating that out of the whole cargo Xinly about 100 carcases of lambs were found to ho damaged, and there was e\ery reason for believing that this damage had taken place before the carcases wera shipped.

The usual weekly meeting of the Benevolent Institution Trustees, held on Wednesday afternoon, was attended by Messrs R. M. Clark (chairman), Tapper, Talboys, aid Wilson. Receipt of parcels of papers was acknowledged from Mrs Rosevear and Mr Bain. Twenty-three cases of relief wcro dealt with, and accounts amounting to £163 10s were parsed for payment. In tho course of the hearing of a case in the Arbitration Court a "few days since an employer complained that, while employers were held liable under awards, workmen could dischay them without risk. The President stated that this notion was absolutely without foundation, either in law or in fact, that the Legislature had, moreover, expressly provided that non-union workers were to be liable for breaches. that # the awards were enforced against employees in exactly the same way as against employers, and that the contrary

assumption fro often made was a pure assumption. The employer suggested that an employee, despite his liability under the awaixl, might walk off and leave the penalty unpaid, and that, in fact, he could not pay a heavy fine. The President stated that all experience was the other way, that tho employees had paid their fines ..is punctually as the employers, and that to render this possible the fines had always been made reasonably light. A fine amounting to shillings in the one case being relatively as heavy as one amounting to pounds would bo in another. These observations appear to afford a satisfactory explanation of this matter, and it is understood that there is no disposition on the part of uniono to shield men who arc guilty , of breaches, as such men strike at ifoe very j root of the object for which unions arc j constituted. ' | Serving on' a jury is not always con- , sid^recl a pleasant occupation, and most ] persons summoned to do this duty are very grateful if their names are not called or if i they are challenged. The New Zealand ' j Herald says that, in a case in which a man was chargad at the Supremo Court with j I theft of monoy, his Honor, after hearing i i the evidence, recommended the jury to acquit the prisoner. The jury, however, ' decided to retire to consider their verdict, and a look of surprise came over the face jof his Honor. The registrar (Mr Thomas) in a whisper explained to Mr Justice Edwards lliat if ihe jury gave their verdict from tha box they could be, if their names were drawn, empanelled on the next jury. The next case was then called on, and, though the prisoners' counsel was present, there was no sign of the prisoners themselves, and a constable Tvas despatched to their boarding-house to bring them. Having allowed time, as they thought, for tho jury to be empanelled, the jury on the previous case returned to court, and, amid a very apparent show of hilarity, returned a verdict of "Not guilty." After receiving the verdict, his Honor said : " I am sorry, gentlemen, I cannot discharge you ; the other jury has not been empanelled • yet," and the look of surprise ■which came over the faces of the jury was too funny to describe. At a meeting of the ladies section of the Wellington branch of the Navy League, it was decided to form a " bee " to make tho 19 flags to complete the hoist of Nelson's signal, which is do be made on Trafalgar Day. Thf> other 13 flags are in the code, and are obtainable from the shipping companies. An extraordinary affair occurred recently at Aldcrshot, which brought to an abrupt conclusion a scheme of field operations being carried out around the Fox Hills. The Foot Guards Brigade was retiring over

Normandy Common, when the Cavalry Brigade was ordered to charge them. The charge was carried too far; the. Dragoons actually riding close to the Guards and slashing at them with their sabres, whilst others riding along the flanks discharged iheir rifles at close quarters into the ranks. Several of the Guardsmen were injured by the flying wads from the blank cartridges. One officer had his horse disabled by a sword cut, whilst a sergeant, in defending himself, had the sight-protector of his rifle cut clean off by a sweep of a sv.ord. The cavalry disabled tha cyclists by riding over their machines.

A remarkable feat which, it is believed, establishes a record in tiger-shooting has been acrompiishud by Captain U. W. Berthon, political agent, Sawantwadi. Leaving his camp one morning noi long ago he baggod three tigers ivdrh a single-barrell<H rifle before tiffin-time. It is possible the record may be disputed, but a sportsman is rofc often so lucky. In anothei* story of shikar, just received from India, it was ths tiger which tried to make a record. The Roy. Father Froger, principal of St. •Joseph's Collego, Bangalore, was bicycling from Wellington to Utaoamund, vhen a tiger sprang from the hillside and gave chase. The cyclist had to ride for his life ■with a fair chance, if he escaped his pursuer, of falling over the khud, but he sucoeedod in reaching Utacamund in safety.

A remarkable incident happened in Flinders lane, Melbourne, on a recent Satur- ! day. The day was very windy. An j employee of the Metropolitan Gas Company (says the Age) was returning to the offices of the -company with a Gladstone bag, containing a large sum of money in notes (nearly £700, it is stated), which he had just received from the bank for the payment of the employees' wages. As he was going up Flinders lane a sudden gust of wind sent his hat flying, and on the impulse of the moment he thoughtlessly put down the bag on the pavement in order to give chase. As he did so the bag flew open, and the sportive Boreas sent the bank notes whirling through the air like leaves in an autumn gale. With frantic haste did the horrified employee pursue the vanishing wealth, and, incredible as it may seem, ho actually was successful in recapturing most of it. Three. £5 notes, however, were missing, and as he [ mournfully scanned the lofty buildings around him to see if they were still floating aloft, he was seized by an idea. He sought Mr Walters, the caretaker of St. Paul's Cathedral buildings, and suggested to him '< the possibility o|, the notes having lodged on the lofty parapeted roof of the cathedral itself. Mr Walters, although considering the idea a " forlorn hope," obligingly ascended that high eminence, and, to liia great astonishment, and hsl doubt to the j

'oser's also, found one of the notes, daintily folded in two, lying in the leaden gutter close to the parapet.

There are many hundreds of Japanese fit the colony of New Caledonia, and the French are becoming very suspickras of tho ultimate intentions of the little brown men in the Pacific, says the Adelaide Advertiser. A leng-thy- article in a Noumea paper draws attention to the danger of a Japanese invasion of some of the Pacific islands. The writer points out that the Japanese army, being trained by German officers, has naturally adopted German methods of warfare, in which a thorough system of preparatory espionage forms an important feature. "Ie is certain," he says, " that Japan has its ■eyes upon our rich colony of the Far East — at the present moment no one can doubt it." Is it not within the region of possibility, he asks, that the New Hebi-ides may bo taken possession of by the Empire of the Rising Sun? The occupation of that archipelago by any foreign Power would inevitably lead to the loss of New Caledonia. "At Noumea," the writer proceeds, "tho Japanese are relatively very numerous. They exercise varies callings — hairdressers, washermen, cooks and fishermen. All these people possess an education far above tho needs of their occupation. All or nearlyall speak French and English, and ca-u read and write. They may be seen constantly walking about the neighbourhood, observing everything, and, no doubt, also noting everything. I observed one furnished? with a kodak taking many photographs of the harbour and its suroundings." When a. case of suspicion has been established either by the conduct of the Japanese oz the finding of compromising documents in: their possession, the writer considers they should be expelled, and even severely, punished.

An instructive Parliamentary return on the income tax has been published in England. There are only 433,017 persons in Great Britain who pay that impost. OB that number 138,462 pay on less than £200 a year, 94,793 between £200 and £300, 34-,133 between £300 and £400. There are only 4739 between £600 and £700, and only 2569) declare upon between £900 and £1000. There are just 20 persons who pay on and over £50,000. The number that pays upon, between £5000 and under £10,000 is but 450 r The gross income returned by the -whole number of 433,017 payers is set down afc, £120,821,876. In Ireland 19,855 pay U poa a total of £4,629,707. Such a return as this is a gross misrepresentation. It represents that fewer than 6000 persons pay upon between £1000 and £2000 a year ! An hour's walk along the swell-shop streets and! through the West End of London, or in the park, or in the city, would show anyone

Low utterly untruthful such figures must be. There must be enough in London ito account for all the figures in this parliamentary return. It is common belief that

not 20 per cent, of the people pay upon the whole of their income, and that 50 per cent, avoid paying altogethei-.

There is a bcom in early Shakespeare?. Six of the poet's quartos (writes the London correspondent of the Argus) have just emerged from the little village of Great Missenden, in Buckinghamshire. They are not "finds," for it has long been known thai the families of a Mr Herbert and Mr Carrington possessed some of these precious relics. There is a 1605 edition of " Richard III," a 1608 edition of "King Lear," a 1605 edition of "Richard II," the "second part" of "Henry IV," the "first part" of "Henry IV" (1608), and " The Merchant- of ' Venice," 1652. A belief prevail? that sell these works were originally in the hands o£Admiral Sir William Perm, the father of the founder of Pennsylvania, and the admiral's autograph is written in one of the quarts. It is said that of the 37 plays usually ascribed to Shakespeare, not one is known to have been printed by him, or with bis supervision, and only 16 were printed in his lifetime. " The rest never passed through J the hands of the printer till six or seven yeVrs after the poet's death. 1 When printed 4hey were sold at sixpence each — equal to four shillings of our day. In recent years perfect copies of these, quartos have realisedfrom £200 to over £300. Before many, ■weeks are over the quartos just brought to light at Great Missenden will be disposed pf .at Sotheby's.

Hoboken, the "New Jersey seaport, which lies directly opposite New York, has invented a new law. It is to the effect that all girls within its jurisdiction shall have chaperons. The idea (says the New York American) originated with Mrs Caroline B. Alexander, a member of the millionaire family which lives at Hoboken, " and the Mayor of the oity'has guaranteed to have the 3aw enforced. Every Hoboken girl, no matter whether she be a poor girl or the daughter of rich parents, will be liable to arrest if she remains out of doors after 10 o'clock at night . unaccompanied by a chaperon. The chaperon must be the father or mother of the young woman or someone designated by them. In a word, adds the journal, "an attempt is to be made to generalise the,- chaperon, to force all families to have one, just as all elevators must have safety appliances and all public buildings fire escapes. The joke appears when the c proposition is analysed, and it is fouad uhat- the chaperon is to be provided for the protection of the 5000 factory girls in Hoboken who rest from their daily labours by dancing half through thj night."

Attention ss again called to the fact that all entries for the Dunedin competitions close on September 1, and as the time is drawing rear the secretary will be pleased to have the entries as early as possible, for there is a lot of work to be done to prepare the time-table and official programme ■after tihe entries are in. The programme issued for this year's competitions by the committee bears evidence of much thought and care on the part of those connected with its production- A few of the leas successful items of the previous year have been left out, "and in their -place new attractions are provided. .We take this opportunity of urging on local competitors to use strenuous efforts to maintain the reputation won by. them in the past. Entry forms can be obtained at all the leading music warehouses and booksellers in Dunedin, and any information will be gladly supplied by the secretary (Mr E. D. Grace).

A case of some interest to photographers was disposed of 6y Mr Widdowboh on Thursday afternoon. Robert Rae (plaintiff) supplied to William Armstrong (defendant) an enlargement of photographs of defendant and his wife, coloured in oils, and defendant refused to accept the picture on the ground that it did not resemble the originals. Picture and original were in court, and Mr Widdowson readily accepted defendant's view of the matter. The amount claimed for the picture was £3 ss. Photographers will at once appreciate the position. An artist in photography can get an excellent enlargement from a very small picture; but the man who starts to colour such an enlargement in oils must needs know his business and tread, like Azaz, "delicately." A very slight mistake entails loss of the likeness; and Mr Widdowson quite reasonably holds that no man should be compelled to pay for a. picture that is not like — likeness being of the essence of the contract.

When "The Dentists Act, 1904," was before Parliament provision was made to allow unregistered dentists, to the number of 20, to be registered before the act -became law, provided that their qualifications were approved by £he registrar. Eighteen applications were duly approved, and they were registered in accordance with~fche provision of the act. With the passing of the act it was generally believed that finality had been reached with regard to this vexed question, but it would appear that such is not the case, as eight Canterbury dentists have petitioned Parliament praying that their claims for registration may receive favourable attention. Their petitions were referred to the Petitions Committee, which reported favourably thereon. The dentists throughout the colony are indignant at this apparent change of front, and purpose taking vigorous measures to have the provisions of the Dentibts Act enforced. They contend that as the act was passed for the

purpose of raising the status of dcntUts in New Zealand, if its provisions arc not carried out this will to a great extent check the enthusiasm displayed regarding the proposed Dental College or the establishment of a dental chair at the University. This important matter will be fully discussed at the forthcoming Dental Conference in Dunedin should no untoward obstacles intervene.

The funeral of the late Mr Henry Ciark, which took place on Thursday, was, a, speaking tribute to the esteem which he had earned during a long and worthy career, and there was a very large attendance of those whose presence was a last tribute of respect to his memory. The funeral, which took its way from Mr Clark's late residence, Clarksville, was followed by some' half a hundred vehicles in addition to a large number of pedestrians, and some handsome floral tributes ■vyei'e. noticeable. The Otago Education Board and the Otago Land Board, with both of which bodies the deceased had been closely associated, were well, represented, the former by the chairman (Mr D. Borrie), Mr MvKerrow,' Inspectors Goyen, Fitzgerald, and Richardson, Mr S. M. Park (acting 1 secretary), and Mr Rodger (architect) ; and the Land Board by the Chief Commissioner (Mr D. Barron) and Messrs Dallas, ~ Tough, and Johnston (secretary); while Mr J. Hay (the Commissioner of Crown Lands for Southland) and Mr Kirkpatrick (a late member of the Land Board) were' also among those present. Impressive services were conducted at the deceased's late residence and at the Fairfax Cemetery by the Rev. .G. Miller, of Milton, and the Rev. J. Chisholm, of Roslyn.

The Alexandra Herald understands that the Minister . of Mines is sending two experts to inspect and value the Alexandra Bonanza Company's water race with a view to purchasing providing the price asked by the company is reasonable. It is expected that the experts will visit the property in the near future.

The usual half-yearly test of big guns was held at the Central Battery, Ocean Beach, on Thursday morning by Lieutenant Gardner and Sergeant-major Parker. Shots were fired from the two 6in guns and the Nordenfeldt, and the workings of the three were found to be in a satisfactory condition.

Some amusement was created at the Police Commission's sitting at Wellington on Monday when one. of the commissioners, in looking through the papers of an applicant for admission to the force, remarked that it seemed the man measured 41in round the chest on entering the training depot, and on leaving his chest measurement was only 38-^-in ! The officer in charge of the depot, who was in the witness-box at the time, said, " Yes, but he grew three-quarters of an inch in height while he was in. We have several cases like that." A young girl, Mabel Shepard, employed in the bookbinding department of Messrs J. Wilkie and Co., printers, Vogel and Cumberland streets, met with a distressing accident on Thursday afternoon. Her hair, which was hanging down around her neck, by some means was caught round the shafting. The machinery was brought to a standstill as soon as possible, and the girl released. Dr Evans, who was early on the scene, attended temporarily to the girl, who was removed to the Hospital. On an examination being made it was found that nearly the whole of the scalp and half of one ear had been removed by the strain. The scalp, hair, and the piece of the ear were replaced in position in the hope that they may be reunited.

Referring to the question of immigration in the annual report of the Labour Department, the Wellington agent says: — " Large numbers of people arrived during the summer months from England,

Canada, and the United States. Most of these succeeded in getting employment from Wellington. Others were booked to different parts of the colony, and our agents were instructed to give them every assistance towards obtaining suitable employments. Several new arrivals simply turned round and went back to England, which, in my opinion, was better so, as they were totally unsuited for colonial life, having been brought up to clerical and other light employment. They had neither the physique nor the pluck *o tackle something else. As to persons emigrating to New Zealand, it seems to me that someone shoiild be at the other end thoroughly up to date as to the sort of labour that is mostly required in New Zealand, also one who has had great and varied experience in colonial life, and who would be able to judge by examination and personal appearance as to whether the proposed emigrants would be fit persons to come here. Many of the arrivals are totally unsuitable, but of course these do not all go through the New Zealand Government agents in England, therefore in many cases no check can be applied."

It would appear that magistrates all over the world will insist on having their little joke. One at Brooklyn has been pronouncing sentence on a man accused of abandoning his wife and child: — "I sentence you to take your wife and baby to Coney Island once a week, to kiss her at least once a day, and give her £1 4s weekly. I further suggest that you give her a bunch of flowers once in a while. You are commanded not to allow your mother-in-law to interfere with your household arrangements. This sentence is of four weeks' duration. At its expira-

tion you will both report here. If you have not obeyed the sentence you will be punished for contempt of court." The man duly began to carry out tho sentence by carrying out the baby.' 5

It seems that in the domain of New Zealand's indusrr : es the Japanese invasion ha« really commenced. On Friday the log of the. cardboard-boxmakers, women workers, was tip for consideration by the Arbitration Court. The operatives ap.k 4s 6d per gross for making " cigarette boxes with shoulders." For this line, Mr Otto testified that his firm had been paying 4s 3d, and that the. boxes could be obtained from Europe at a cost, including duty, of 5s lid. But now, he said, the boxes were offered from Japan at 2s lid. The court was assured that a Japanese commercial man was already in New Zealand, introducing dyes. Under ordinary circumstances it *smild be folly to expect Nsw Zealand girls, demanding 4s 6d, to stand permanently against Japan pushing the same wares at 2s lid. Tha invasion to be feared apparently is not, as the. "White Australia party supposes, of Japanese artisans but of Japanese manufactures. In his own country the Japanese worker can live at an extraordinarily cheap rate, and a tariff that woixkl shut out German and Belgian goods may prove no permanent bar rto Japanese factories. The^e adaptable* and insistent Mongols, with their genius for assimilation and their lust for national and 'commercial prestige, are steadily building what may prove to be the most gigantic problems of the white races the day after to-morrow. About 250 pupils from Arthur Street School visited the Mosgiel "Woollen Mills o-i Friday for the purpose of getting an object lesson in the manufacturing processes of woollen textiles. The children were in charge of Messrs Hunter, Barratt, Bannerman, and Miss Sherriff, the party being personally conducted over the mills by Mr E. Cameron, of the warehouse staff, and others familiar with the. various processes of manufacture, every detail of which was eagerly scrutinised by the visitors, from scouring, drying, and dyeing of raw material and through tho teasing, carding, combing, spinning, and doubling machines to the loom and the finishing departments, where blankets, flannels, rugs, tweeds, etc., were to be seen in endless profusion. The children thoroughly enjoyed the instructive and profitable outing, and returned to town in the evening with sundry trophies and a considerable" increase in their storehouse of useful knowledge.

Latterly the Arbitration Court has had a theatrical and almost exotic appearance. For some mysterious reason not ye>t fathomed, tailoresses and cardboard boxmakers are mostly young and bonnie damsels., with an invincible weakness for exuberant hats, and a general style that can only be classed as striking. According to the evidence, the boxmak&rs are not very highly-paid workers, and the fact makes their notable sprightliness and style the more astonishing to the male observer. The testimony of shop windows seems to be that women's furnishings, particularly in the matter of headgear, are dreadfully perishable and expensive, but the working girl still manages to dress daintily on next to nothing. It's the sort of position that gives a mere man the headache. Word has been received in Arrowtown (says the Lake County Press) that 'the Macetown Hotel was burned to the ground on Thursday morning 1 . The fire is, said to have originated in the billiard room. A witness in the Arbitration Court on Friday gave evidence with regard to the effects of trades unionism in one industry. Girls employed by him in making cardboard boxes were paid 40 per cent, better than they were some years ago, before they had any union; but he profited by the change because the girls worked much better than they did under the old conditions, and with better results, despite the short hours now worked in his factory. All the same, the profits were slight, and he would not be able to live on the manufacture of cardboard boxes alone. He had lost a considerable number of customers-, owing to the fact that large numbers of boxes were now imported.

A practical test of various grades of Californian and New Zealand canned fruit was held by the Agricultural Department, at Wellington, on Tuesday, under the direction of Mr William Jaques, Government canning expert. There were ten groups of fruits, laid o\it on plates with the syrup when opened from the cans, and the visitors were asked to judge the quality, first from appearance and afterwards from taste. The latter was the more popular test. The samples presented for the test included some of the best grades of Californian canned goods, which had been specially imported by Mr Jaques for the purpose of giving New Zealand fruitgrowers the opportunity of instituting comparisons. The display of the imported article alongside the New Zealand canned fruit showed that, whilst colonial canning was a long way behind the. Californian quality — " as it might well be," remarked one- judge, "seeing that California has had 30 years' more experience than New Zealand ! " — still there was plenty of hope held out for this colony's trade in canned fruit. The New Zealand article was found to compare favourably with the fruits of good medium quality from California, the latter

qualities being tiiose which go to make the highest grades sold in Wellington. The visitors, for whom afternoon tea was also provided, assured Messrs Kirk and Jaquos that the test and demonstration had proved interesting and instructive.

Mr Poynton, one of the commissioners, at Tuesday's sitting of the Police Commission scoke?. of the urgent necessity that he considered existed for inducing young men in the country districts io join the police force He said that very few of them knew anything about the conditions of the service. Police Commissioner Dinnie said the probable reason why no great effort had been made in the past to attract these young men was that the applications fully met all requirements. Mr Poynton made the rejoinder that it was desirable to secure a better class of men, whereupon Mr Dinnie contended that the majority of the force would compare most favourably with any other force. Mr Poynton said that was no reason why a better .^class still should not be induced to come forward. He thought they should be advertised lor, and the benefit*; of joining the fo2 - oe, conditions, etc^ made known in that way. Mr Dinnie agreed that the idea might be worth putting into practice.

The Native Appellate Court appears to be a body possessed of unique judicial functions and powers. According to Sir Robert Stout and Mr Justice- Cooper it stands alone as an independent tribunal, wh»se decisions are in all respects final. Their Honors on Tuesday concurred in a reserved judgment in which they said that if the Native Appellate Court was " seized " of a dispute between Natives and Natives affecting a title to Native- land, that court could do as it pleased. It might proceed contrary to what was called " natural justice " or adopt a course of procedure that an English court, or the Supreme Court, or the Court of Appeal of this colony, would not adopt, and it could not be interfered with. Indeed, the Legislature had clothed this Native Apj)ellate Court with more power than the Supreme Court of New Zealand. Their Honors declared that that was the position, of that court as the law at present stood. Dr Valentin Nalpacse, a French doctor living in Constantinople, has started a crusade with the object of abolishing the handshake and substituting in its place the ""Temenah," which is the Oriental form of salutation. According to Dr Nalpasse, the hand contains over 80,000 microbes to the square inch, and in shaking hands these microbes are conveyed from one person to another. He suggests in place oi the ordinary form- of greeting that the "Temenah" be universally employed, which consists in placing the right hand on the heart, on the lips, and on the forehead, signifying, " Thou hast a place in my heart, on my lips, and thou art always . in, my thoughts." Through an outbreak of fire on Saturday morning at 6.30 the Stirling Railway Station narrowly escaped destruction. Local residents assembled in force, one of them bringing with him a chemical extinguisher. A bucket brigade was formed, and their combined exertions were successful in extinguishing the fire after it had been burning for nearly an hour. The office roof and ceiling were burnt for about ?Oft. also a considerable portion of the wall lining, and a chimney casing ; but beyond this no serious damage resulted. So far as could be ascertained, the origin of the fire lay in a defective fireplace, the woodwork catchingtire about the mantelpiece. The employees were awa^when the outbreak occurred. Three deaths occured in the Dunedin Hospital during last week — viz., John Mitchell, James Green, and Robert "Donaldson. The number of patients admitted during the week was 25, the number discharged 30,. and the total number in the institution at the end of the week 91.The members of the Arbitration Court, accompanied by a number of employers and workers, on Saturday morning paid a visit of inspection to the ■various clothing factories in Dunedin, and were very much interested in the many new and special machines that have been introduced into this industry, and in the different methods and systems adopted by the various factories. The Drainage Board supplies the following rainfall statistics for the past week: — August 18, .005 in; 19th, .005 in. Days on which rain foil, two. Rainfall for 1905 to date., 13.788 in. A very amusing incident happened at a sitting of the Native Land Court at Tokomaru (writes the Gisborne correspondent of the Atiekland Herald). An application had been lodged for succession to a deceased Native, and on the case being called on by Judge Jonas the "deceased" appeared, and submitted that the application was premature. Men in the trade state that owing to the increased importation of machine-made horseshoes many rough «aiiths are being thrown out of work all over New Zealand. Two years ago Lord Iveagh and Mr Pirrie, perceiving an opportunity for doing a substantial service to their native land (writes Mr H. W. Lucy), jointly entered upon an enterprise involving an expenditure of some hundreds of thousands of pounds. Takinf note of the fact that over wide

' districts of the West o/ Ireland small agriculturists sre hampered by lack of facilities for getting tbeir g'jovls to the nearest market, they proposed at their own expense "to establish a service of motor waggons. The country was surveyed, the lines marked out, and preparation made for ordering the waggons, when an obstacle presented itself from an unexpected quarter. In many of the districts proposed-- to be dealt with the roads were found to b3 in such terrible condition that traffic over them, more especially by heavy motor waggons, was simply Impossible. Application was made to the local authorities to repair the thoroughfares. In all cases it was met with blank refusal. If roads had to be repaired, said the town and county councillors, let the British Parliament find the money. The result has been the breaking down on the tnrosliold of what promised to be one of the most beneficent schemes undertaken on behalf of a hopelessly entangled section of the Irish people. Lord Iveagh and Mr Pirrie have retired in despair, if not in disgust, and the struggling Irish farmer :n: n the fruitful west is left with his produce on his hands. On Friday afternoon we were invited (says the Orepuki Advocate) by Constable Ferguson to inspect at the Orepuki Police Station an illicit still, which had just been discovered at Pahia Point after a great deal of searching by the constable. It consists of the whole apparatus for the distillation of whisky. The tapered copper spiral worm is 14ft long and weighs 161b; a dome copper cover, that would fit nicely on an ordinary Washing boiler, weighs 4ilb; a patent still tap and other gear are also of copper. It is rumoured since the discovery that tha still Jias been in existence about 18 years, and that during the time of the railway construction to Orepuki it was in full swing. The brightness of some of the utensils would indicate that it has had recent use; but no trace or clue can be detected where it has been worked, or by whom, but it may safely be surmised that the boiler is not, far from, where the utensils were found. Speaking to a Lyttelton Times reporter on Friday, Mr J. P. Malan, a South African visitor, said that he had no doubt that New Zealariu might establish a large trade in produce with South Africa, but satisfactory communication would have to be secured first. "A big market could be found for New Zealand produce if there were better shipping facilities," he said. "At the present moment the Argentine and Australia are supplying South Africa with beef, mutton, and butter, but New Zealandsupplies are so irregular in arrival that no permanent demand is created. The steamers subsidised by the New Zealand Government touch at several ports in Australia after leaving- the colony, and as a result importers at the Cape cannot rely ' upon the - due arrival of their consignments. Frequently one boat catches another up, and the market is generally either bare or glutted. If there was a fortnightly direct steamer service between the Cape and New Zealand, a good trade might easily be established."

A genuine " Strad." violin is reported to have been discovered in Melbourne. Mi W. Roberts, a Williamstown resident, had the instrument, old, warped, and battered, in his possession, without knowing anything of its origin, all attempts to coax music out of "it being in vain. His employer, Mr Newman, a picture-frame maker in the city, gave him a new and presentable fiddle, taking the old one in exchange. When Mi Newman undertook to repair it, it was found that certain extraneous defects accounted [or its inharmonious peculiarities, and when these nad been remedied (says the Leader) the tone of the violin suddenlydeveloped remarkable resonance and quality . Mr Brown, of Swanston street, an expen, who did the repairs, became interested, and on making a minute examination found the magical word " Stradivarius " obscurely branded upon it. Further research resulted in tse discovery that the violin js 186 years old, oi a grand model, and said to be a brother instrument to one sold in London two or three years ago for £2500.

In another cohimn will be found an article, published by arrangement with the Potentia Organisation, on an AngloAmerican navy, being a reply to ?■'.;• C. W. Dilke's article published last Tu-sday. The reply is by Mr Paul Morton, who held the position of Secretary of the United States Navy for over a year Mr Paul Morton began life as a railroad clerk when he was 16 years of age, and in 20 years became the vice-president of tho Atohison, Topeka, and Santa Fe system, one of tiui largest railroad organisations in the world. He entered President Roosevelt's Cabinet at the earnest solicitation of the Chief Executive, making great financial sacrifice in so doing. He left the Cabinet to become chairman of the board of directors entrusted with tha reorganisation of (ha Equitable Life Assurance Society, receiving for his services a salary of £100,000dol a year. "" Mr Morton is looked upon as one of the most competent transportation experts in the world, and a man of supreme executive ability. His administration of naval affairs, brief as it was, resulted in the adoption of modern business methods in the building of warships and the purchase of i-upplies. He represents the best typa oi the highly-developed American citizen,,

And wields a positive influence with the American p-oople.'

We are informed by the officers of the Public Health Department that our report of the last meeting of the Port Chahrers Borough Council, in the mention it makes of a letter that was received from the district Health Officer, is calculated to. do ac xincalled-for injury to. the business of Air /Winter, dairy farmer. The report, after stating the effect of a recommendation by Dr Ogston as to the method that should be adopted for the removal of drainage from Mr Winter's buildings, showed + hat Ihe health officer had suggested improvements in the sanitation of the farm. This suggestion had no reference whatever to Mr 'Winter's farm, but related entirely to ti.e Baroug'h Council's sanitary farm upon which the nightsoil depot is situated.

. The excavation of the 'large high-levp'l ■xeservoir at -Maori Hill is completed, ard the work of covering the bed with clay pug will be " commenced forthwith, after which the sides and floor will be ready for the concrete" facing. The work of excavating the smaller "dam is being pushed forward rigorously,- the workmen being nearly down to the permanent level. A high embankment separates the two reservoh's. The excavations for one reservoir revealed a thick layer of clay 20ft deep overlying rotten volcanic rock, while from the adjoining one over 1000 yards of blue^ouo boulders have already been carted away.

Our Naseby correspondent telegraphs : — "Diphtheria has occurred in. the town, and although it is confined to just one or t*-o houses has been of so serious a nature as to cause the death of one child. The outbreak is attributed in a measure lo the exceedingly mild weather which has rrerailed for some considerable time.' 1

The secretary of the Shipwreck Relief Society of New Zealand (Mr E. D. Grace) iiesires to acknowledge with thanks the receipt of the sum of £3 2s, which p mount has been forwarded by the Auckland Brant*, being proceeds of a conceri. held on board the Union Steam Ship Company's Navua.

. In this issue the City Council notifies that •It proposes to borrow, by way of^ special loan, a sum of £50,000 for the purpose of making alterations and additions to the city gasworks. The loan^will have a currency of 21 yeaTS, and the rate of interest is not to exceed 4£ per cent, per annum, *Tbe sum of per cent, per annum is to be »ci aside as a sinking fund.

A story of a quarrel, which in a way recalls the famous disagreement about the ingredients ol the bread in Bret Harce's

" Iliad of Sandy Bar," is reported from America. After living in the same house and eating at the same table with her husband for 21 years without having spoken a word to him, Mrs Hamilton L. Grubbs, of Indianapolis, has applied to the Supreme Court of Indiana for a divorce (writes the Express' New York correspondent). Tnis strange mode of life was agreed upon, by the couple after a quarrel about a trifling matter— the tale of some geese, Mrs Grubbs wanted the feathers for a bed, but Mr Grubbs did not like feather beds, and sold the geese. The couple then agreffi to live together until their six children were of age. The youngest Rose, was then an infant in arms. When she grew older she sat between her parents at table, and acted as messenger between them. All the children tried to effect a reconciliation between their parents, but failed, and now the youngest has come of age and- is about to marry.

At the adjourned meeting of creditors in the estate of A. E. Otway at Invercargill on Monday, 14th mat., an expression of opinion was taken by the Assignee (Mr C. Rout) on the question, as to whether the action instituted by debtor for the recovery of £1000 damages against R. T. Coomer, of Gore, who had failed to carry out an alleged offer of 3s in the pound for the assets, should be continued, and the creditors present did not favour the proposal. Mr Brent said that, in the interests of the trading community, it was desirable that some action should be taken against debtor, who had admitted starting in business in the Railway Hotel when he was in debt £1200, and had contracted liabilities to the amount of £3700. Mr Armstead, -"for several creditors, stated that he had received instructions to support- any motion having for its effect the examination of debtor b&fore the 3'udge should a specific ' offence against the act be disclosed, and other creditors said they fell in with the suggestion. The Assignee si-id he would send notices to all the creditors, and hold another meeting.

An -article in the July number of M'Clure's Magazine, entitled " John U. RoekefePer: A Character Study," by Ida M. Tarbs»ll, hag aided in again making Mr Rockefeller the centre of furious pubiio attention. The article pTobed into various past transactions, particularly the Corrigan legal oase, in which Mr Rockefeller was accused of having taken advantage of a business associate in the latter's extremity by false representations as to the condition of the Standard Oil Trust and the value of its stock. The publication of this article appears to have affected Mr Rockefeller very severely, and was made the basis of a reply by the attorney in charge of the Corrigan case for Mr Rockefeller, and who secured a verdict for his client. Newspapers state that Mr Rockefeller has begun to fear that attempts will be made on his life as a insult of the incessant attacks upon him in the magazines, and that he has surrounded his home at Cleveland. Ohio, with a strong guard, which permits no stranger to enter the grounds. The present criticism of Mr Rockefeller is given

special pith because of his recent large gifts to the cause of education. A gift of one million dollars to Yale University was followed by the gift of 10,000,000d0l to the General Education Board, an organisation composed of prominent educators who have undertaken to assist donors in a sane distribution of^their gifts to needy and worthy institutions^" It is provided that tliis large fund shall be kept intact and the income used at the discretion of the board, but without favour to any denomination where u^ed for -denominational schools. Thomas W. La-wson, the author of '.' Frenzied Finance," has recently delivered several lectures at various points, and he declares that by this large gift Mr Rockefeller is but disgorging some of the illgotten gains of the "System," as he calls the Standard Oil combination, and in the vain hope that this will ease the public pressure upon him. The Rev. Dr Gladden, whose recent arraignment of a denominational board for accepting "tainted money" from Mr Rockefeller, declares that Yale has don© wrong to accept the gift of 1,000,000d01.