LOCAL & GENERAL.

Otago Witness, Issue 2728, 27 June 1906, Page 14

LOCAL & GENERAL.

The Conciliation Board on the 19th inst. provisionally further adjourned till June 26 the hearing of the industrial dispute filed by the Cromwell and Banuockburn Coalminers' Union. No definite date has yet been fixed for Uio laying of the foundation-stone of the new wing of the Dunedin Hospital, which, fawingr to the death of the Premier, had to be postponed from Saturday next. It is Itoped that his Excellency will be able to arramge to come to Dunedin for the purpose some time in July during the adjournment of Parliament, should such take place. Some time ago a Waipahi correspondent wrote pointing out that the bricklayers engaged in erecting _.ih« chimneys of the new teacher's residence there had desecrated the Sabbath by working at their calling on that day, the offence being aggravated by the fact that the building in which the knights of the hod were engaged adjoined the local church, in which services . were being held. At the Clinton Magistrate's Court on the 19th, before Mr G. Cruiekshank, S.M., these two men— Robert and Henry Powell— were charged with committing such an offence in a public place. Inspector O'Brien was in attendance, and produced an admission of guilt from the accused, who did not appear. They were each fined ss, and costs amounting- to 7s. Peter M'Crorie was charged with failing to keep down noxious weeds fgorse) on his property. A fine of £6 was imposed, this to be reduced to £1 if the inspector reported favourably within the next six weeks to the effect that the gores had been cleared away. During a visit to Dunedin last week (sayß the Dunstan Times) Mr A. Jopp, of Moutere Station, took the opportunity to interview Mr Ussher, Public Works Department, re the opening of the railway line to Chatto Creek. Th« latter stated that everything was ready to be taken over, and it only waited for th« Hon. Mr Hall- Jones 'to ftt the date. He would be glad to get this section of the line off his hands, and the Railway Department was prepared to take it over. Mr Jopp also saw the Traffic Superintendent, and that gentleman advanced' as a reason against taking over this section of the line the difficulty of shifting Messrs Craig and Co.'s stables from Omakau. It does not fall to the lot o£ many to celebrate their diamond wedding. On Monday last this rare experience came to Mr James M'Laren, of Kirkland Hill, Roslyn, and his wife (Jean M'Donald), in ' the midst of their children, grandchildren, and a num!>er of friends. They were married by the. R-ev. Dr Easton at Kirriemuir (Thrums;, Scotland, on June 18, 1846. They came to Otago in 1874 by the chip Tweed, commanded by Captain Stewart. [ They have had 11 children — four sons and seven daughters, — two of whom died in Scotland and two since they came to New Zealand, They have 44 grandchildren ; alive and eight dead. The only greatgrandchild, a number of grandchildren, and the five daughters and two eons were j present at the celebration on and | had a very happy time together. Mr and Mrs M'Laren have made ideal colonists — sober, hard-working, neighbourly, and Godfearing. They are very much respected in the district, in which they have lived for 30 years, and by all who know them. On May 1, in New York, the first hank to be open all day and all night for the receipt or payment of money was to have begun bu>incs3 in that city. Instead of the traditional banking hours, from 10 to 3, the Nieht and Day Bank's sign vrill read,. "Never closed." Three shifts of ; clerks, each working eight hours, will make j financial transactions at 2 o'clock in the ] morning as easy as at 2 o'clock in the j a.££eirtioo«_ Ba-nlcs all over iHe country j will have visitors' money order blanks or cheques on the Night and Day Bank for the convenience of travellers to or through ; New Tork. These oheques will carry their j own identification with them, so there is j no difficulty on that 6core. The whole country has been divided into six sections, the oheques for each being of a different | colour, aud each bank having its own j serial number, in order to facilitate quick j references from whatever point a draft may be presented. The mystery regarding the fate of the Nelson document giving the plan of the j 'battle of Trafalgar has been solved. Mr i B. M. Woollan, of Sherwood Park, has presented the town of Tunbridge Wells, through the corporation, with the historic relic. After Mr Woollan's death it is to go to the British Museum. The story has already been told of how the document was given to an omnibus driver, known as "Old Will." by his father, who received it from Sir Gooige Munday, one of Nelson's admirals. It was subsequently purchased at Messrs Christie's sale rooms for £3600 by Mr Sabin. and there was mmh speculation at the time as to its ultimate destination. In an address at Lobethal, South Australia, recently, the South Australian Premier (Mr Price) replied to the argument that the progressive land tax was really communism, and would ultimately be made to apply to small farmers, and he characterised the statement as nonsensical. To give point to his contention ho gave an illustration in his character istio style. ''Before I was in Parliament," he said, "I had a little place at Mitchanij aud

night after night I used to 6ink the well, and my wife would be up above at the windlass. Eventually we got the mortgage off. If a man came to me and asked me to divide up my little place with him, what do you think he would get?" An elector interjected: "Would you give him the mortgage?" "No," said Mr Price, "I would give him one under the lug." The audience (says the Adelaide Advertiser) laughed long and loud, and went home perfectly satisfied that their little farms were quite safe. Archie M'Phie, the man who died in Timaru recently from the result of injuries sustained by a fall from a railway bridge, was a well-known character on sheep stations in South Canterbury. Thirty odd years ago (says the Press), when wild pigs ■were numerous, ha was frequently employed in killing them, and the title he gave himself was "The Wild Boar Slayer of the Southern Alps." During the time he was employed at this work he must have accounted for some thousands of these animals, and could tell thrilling stories of his encounters with big boars. His weapons were a spear and a knife. On one occasion, whilst engaged in killing pigs on Four Peaks Station, he failed to stop the charge of a boar, and received a bad rip on his leg, but when the dogs bailed tho animal up' -again M'Phie hopped after him and despatched him. Tip to this time he was noted for his ability to travel over the hills, but he was never the same man again. M'Phie was also a splendid thatcher, and thatched with snowgraes many of the shepherds' and musterers' huts in the back country. A movement of more than ordinary in. terest to Irish Catholics in New Zealand has been initiated (says the Tablet) by the Rev. Father Hunt, of Cromwell, who appeals, on behalf of the Catholics in his parish, to their fellow-countrymen in the colony to assist them ' to erect a suitable church in honour of the Immaculate Mother of God and the Irish martyrs who, during 300 years of the most bitter persecution the world has over seen, laid down their lives for their faith." It is considered especially fitting that such a- church should be erected in the place which bears the name of the Puritan protector, and though the proposal has as yet been mentioned to only a few, some very generous donations have been promised. A party of about 100 girls left St. Panoras recently for Liverpool, where they embarked in the Friesland for Canada. The girls are being sent out by Dr" Barnardo's Homes. An hour before the train left a farewell gathering of the children and their friends "was. held in one of the waiting rooms at St. Pancras Station, and an address was given by Mr Baker, successor to the late Dr Barnardo. This is the second party of children sent out by the homes this year. The first .party of 223 boys left on March 8, and those responsible for the homes hope to give a new start in life to 1200 of their trained children in all this season. Already 17,797 boys and girls hare been sent out, and 98 per cent, have done well, and this at the small cost of £10 per head for outfit and travelling. There seems to be no doubt (says the Manawatu Standard) that a valuable discovery of platinum has been made in the Fitzherbert district on a property previously owned by Mr John Lynch. The discoverer, an old Australian miner, found what ho thought to be deposits of iron ore some years ago, and was not disabused till he showed his specimens to a Melbourne chemist. The latter soon ascertained the nature of the discovery, and he financed the discoverer and Mr Gomez, a member of one of the Australian Schools of Mines. After some difficulty the original spot was found by the two at Fitzherbert, and further specimens left no doubt as to the discovery, and no time was lost in purchasing the section, 350 acres in extent, from the Welling, ton and Manawatu Railway Company, and the party, financed by an Australian syndicate, is now eneam-ped on the spot Roadmaking will be commenced next week, and machinery to work the deposits is on its way from Australia. Indications go to show that the supply is unlimited. Platinum is worth about £5 10s per ounce. The New Zealand Times states that a number of ladies at Hastings and Napier formed a syndicate in order to obtain domestic servants from Home. They communicated with the British Women's Emigration Association, of which the Hon. Mrs Joyce is president. This association selected 20 young women, and placed thorn in charge of Miss Birchall, matron, and they were embarked for New Zealand by the Athenio, which arrived at Wellington on the 18ih. Mr J. E. March, of the Immigration Department, met the Athenio on arrival, and gave necessary advice and information to these and the other immigrants on board. A female sea leopard (Maori name "Pakaka") about Bft in length was &een early on Monday morning in the vicinity of the Dairy Factory Hill, near Timaru, by several persons who were passing to work between 8 and 9 o'clock. On its body there were several scars, old and now, and there were two very fresh-looking wounds, one on the shoulder and the other near the tail, as though inflicted by a harpoon. In all probability (says the Herald) the leopard came ashore to lie in the 6un and allow these wounds to heal; and also to take opportunity for a rest, for it appeared very weak, and moved about reluctantly as though in pain. The 6pecios is of a vicious nature, and were it not for its weak condition somo of the curious who stood close to it might easily have been bitten. Tho back flas of a pretty pale grey colour, and

on the sides were scattered spots of black and white. • Getting tired of the constant annoyance to which it was subjected by children and some thoughtless adults, it went to sea again about 9 a.m. The terms of a Gazette Extraordinary, which was issued on Thursday, show the allocation among the members of the Ministry of the portfolios that were held by Mr Seddon. The Premiership is assumed by Mr Hall-Jones, who also takes over the offices of Colonial Treasurer, Minister of Labour, and Minister of Education; Mr Mills becomes Minister of Immigration; and Colonel Pitt adds the office of Minister of Defence to those already held by him. The Governor has confirmed all the surviving members of the late Government, including Sir J. G. Ward, in office as members of the Executive Council, and as the Gazette notification is silent respecting the allocation of the portfolios of Minister of Railways, Postmaster-general, Commissioner of Telegraphs, Minister of Public Health, Minister of Industries and Commerce, and Colonial Secretary, the reasonable presumption seems to be that his Excellency has consented to confirm Sir Joseph Ward in these offices which he has held in the past without requiring the formality of swearing-in. The new public school at Maori Hill is to be furnished with single desks, which are being manufactured in the Otago Education Board's workshop. On Wednesday last the members of the board were given an opportunity of inspecting a sample of the style of desk to be used. It is one designed by the board's architect (Mr J. Rodger), and whilst complying with the general requirements of the single-desk principle, has features which make it different from the imported article and also from that sent down as a model by the Education Department. It is stronger than either, and has the advantage of having no gear that can be easily broken or put out of order. In appearance it is quite as presentable as any others in use, whilst its open construction prevents tho lodgment of dust or rubbish in the pupil's drawer or on the floor underneath. The design is one that reflects credit upon the board's architect, and more particularly is this the case when it is mentioned that the completed cost is only about half of that of the imported article. The seven years' term of membership of the Legislative Council of the Hon. H. Gourley (Dunedin) and F. H. Fraser (Wellington) expired on Thursday of last week, these gentlemen having been "called" on June 22, 1899. It is not eoneidered probable that they will be reappointed at present. In the course of his remarks at the meeting of the Dunedin District Lodge, No. 1, 1.0. G.T., on Thursday, Mr R. Sandilands stated that during his late visit to the Old Country nothing was more remarkable than the amount of interest centred in New Zealand and its progressive legislation, the people being very anxious to learn all about it, which had the effect of making the traveller think more about things when absent from the colony than those living immediately here, until you became proud to think you were a resident and colonist. Lancashire and Yorkshire were especially interested to hear of New Zealand's laws, and they seemed to take especial interest in tho late Mr Seddon. In Scotland, and especially in Edinburgh, there were anxious inquiries, and on the clay on which Mr Sandilands left, the Merchants' Association requested him to addross them on the colon} 's progressive legislation and the late Premier. The obstacles which have for some time stood in the way of the project to build Municipal Chambers and a Town Hall and theatre in Oamaru have been at last surmounted. We learn from the North Otago Times that the Borough Council had before it again the tenders for the supply of Oamaru stone for the now Town Hall, which had, on Friday evening last, been referred to the Town Hall Committee for inquiry and report. The committee reported having obtained The opinions of experts on the subject, and their reports were viewed a3 being highly commendatory of tho stone from Mr Gay's quarry, and they recommended that his offer be accepted, and that intending tenderers for the building be informed accordingly. Samples of various stones wefe before the council, and on the motion of Messrs Clarke and Hilliker the report of the committee was unanimously adopted. The Lyttelton Times states that Mr John M'Lachlan, M.H.R., has been served with a writ at the instance of Mr Hugo Friedlander, claiming £510 damages for alleged slanderous statements made in a speech delivered by tho member for Ashburton on Wednesday, June 13. In regard to the disappearance of Mr J. Wolstenholme, the Onga Onga School teacher, from Waipukurau on Thursday last, word was received in Hastings on Monday, 18th inst., that he had been found in Wellington looking as well as ever. It appears that, being in a dazed condition after the accident, he walked 12 miles to the Takapau Railway Station and boarded tho train for Wellington. His clothes were covered in mud and blood-stains, and the guard apparently did not recognise him. On hearing of the death of Mr Seddon, whom he knew intimately, he announced his intention of going to the funeral, and it is the general assumption that he, being dazed by the accident, executed his promise unconscious of his surroundings. The Alexandra Herald states that platolaying on the Otago Central railway works is proceeding with all possible haste, and

the rails are now Itii to Dip Gully, on Galloway Flat, Ballasting operations are also being carried on as speedily as possible, and the ballasting has been completed for two miles beyond the Manuherikia bridge (second crossing). The filling-in at the Manorburn viaduct is finished, and the small viaduct between Manorburn and Alexandra is well in hand and should be completed within a couplo of weeks. The concrete foundation for the railway station at Alexandra has been started, and judging by its appearance the station buildings and yards will be of large dimensions. As yet no tenders have been called for the erection of the station buildings, but these should be issued in the course oi a few weeks. The contractor for the erection of the Manuherikia bridge (second crossing) is losing no time in erecting the girders, four having already been placed in position. Pile-driving for the viaduct at Muttontown Gully, between Alexandra and Clyde, is being carried on, and already several piles have been embedded. Practically all the formation work is now completed between Chatto and Alexandra, and last week a number of men were discharged, and these have been transferred to other parts of tho colony. The work of laying the rails | along Galloway Flat will not take long, | and in about three months' time the platelaying should be completed to the bridge at Alexandra. The question of the Government of Xew Zealand undertaking the education of the native children of the Cook and Northern Islands is being considered by the Government (says the Cook Islands correspondent of the Auckland Star), and a report on the matter has been prepared by Mr Hogben, the New Zealand Inspector-general of Schools. Up to the present the education of the children has been undertaken by the London Missionary Society and other religious bodies throughout the group, but only in Rarotonga and Aitutaki is English taught. A grant is made by the local administration to the Tereorora boarding school, which is under tho auspices of tho London Missionary Society, but so far that is the only assistance made by' the Government towards tho cost of education in these islands. The new scheme as outlined by the Inspectorgeneral is a very comprehensive but expensive one. Tho Resident Commissioner is of opinion that the same could be greatly modified, and he is sending a. report on the matter to tho Minister. A working man, a defendant in a civil action, appeared at court at Timaru on Wednesday morning just ac he had left his work, and without a- coat on. His Worship (says the Post) censured the man for showing 1 such disrespect to the court, and told him that he would not hear the case until he (the defendant) had procured his coat. No man, his "Worship added, had a right to come to the court half-dressed. The man explained that he meant no disrespect to tho court. He was a platelayer, and when starting work that morning had put his. coat on the trolly used by his gang, and when some of the men had gono with the trolley a couple of miles further n\! tho line they had inadvertently taken his coat with them. His Worship said that in order that the" plaintiff in the case might not be inconvenienced he would hear the case ; but he warned defendant not to repeat the offence. There were ni> less than 106 steerage passengers by tho Mararoa, which arrived at Lyttelton from Wellington on the 19th. Of this number a large proportion was composed of immigrants by tho steamers Athenie from London and the O&westry Grange from West of England port=. Those who arrived in tho colony by tho Athenie numbered 66, and comprised 10 single women. 12 married couples, and 44 moil. Tho occupations of tho passengers who arrived -by the Athenie are given as follows in thf» official INt:— Labourers 39, domestics 27, navvies 26, farmers 24, no occupation 29, carpenters 12, miners 7, plumbers 6, farm hands 4, engineers 4-, fitters 3, butchers 3, ironmongers 3. engincdeaners 2, clerks 3, blacksmiths 2. machinists 2, nurses 2, masons 2, bakers 2, bricklayers 2. grooers 2. gai'doncr« 2. joiners 2. painters 2, and one of each of the following : —Chemist, millwright, fruiterer, but-ter-maker, relief stamper, telegraphist, ongincer, wheelwright, coach trimmer, blacksmith, fort officer, carrier, policeman, dairyman, fireman, confectioner, trainer, printer, caretaker, traveller, electrician, architect, cigarette maker, porter, ship- j wright, harness maker, timekeeper, *urveyor, manufacturer, miller At the annual meeting of the Licensing Committee at Jlokitika, FX>me amusement, was caused at the expenv of a bachelor applicant for a licenao belonging to Kuniara, Th« Chairman said to him that, fh<? bench was decidedly avereo to granting ■ licenses to bachelors, and he thought it I there should be a housekeeper j in charge of 'ho female servants and of the iiouse. The bench granted the license subject to certain improvements being made prior to tho next meeting on the 3rd September. "What!" exclaimed the applicant, " get married before the 3rd September?" and the court was convulsed. The Southland Times states that users of Kaitangata coal who had orders placed with merchants were informed on Wednesday that there was no likelihood of supplies of Kaitangata being available in Invercargill for some time to come. The output j is inadequate to the demand, and as a , consequence the orders of Invercargill merchants are not being filled at tho present time, ! Matters in connection with the Seddon Memorial Hospital Fund "in Gore appear to be progressing satisfactorily. The Southern Standard states that the secretary of the central committee received the first instalment oi collections ffom the Riversdale district on Saturday, amounting to £39. The Riversdale district committee has about another £30 collected and promised. On Friday afternoon Messrs Poppelwell and S. G. Inder collected in tho South Ward 105 guineas in aid of the fund-