LOCAL & GENERAL.

Otago Witness, Issue 2779, 19 June 1907, Page 57

LOCAL & GENERAL.

It will nat be out of place for us to mention the fact that the sister of the Central Mission has on her hands many cases of poverty of a kind that calls for help at the present time, as no doubt have other active helpers of the poor in this community. We have had brought under our notice seve-ral distressing cases which the Central Mission sister has relieved, one of these in which there were no blankets in the house, another in which fires were absent through the want of coal, or wherewithal to get it. Chauffeur, clerk, draper, and farmer were the avowed accomplishments of a rail, cleanly-looking youth who came before the Benevolent Trustees on the 12th inst. He had been sent out from England by his father, and had been stranded in Dunedin. Since his arrival he had driven a motor car for a doctor with moderate success. He had since been looking for work with still less success, and asked the trustees to give him 5s to pay a registry fee, as he at last had a chance of work on a farm 14 miles away. The youth handed round his credentials, which, as one of the trustees remarked, were good enough to get him a job anywhere. Mr Arkle told him that he was obviously unfitted for hard, manual toil, and that his prospective employer would not keep him, much less pay him 17s 6d a week. " Oh,'" replied the youth, not in the least impressed, "but I can milk." The trustees decided to lend him the 5s The new "crush" killing-pen for cattle recently installed at the abattoirs has so far been working very satisfactorily, the only objection to it being that operations cannot sometimes be carried out so quickly as in the case of the old-fa6hioned open pen. It is intended to adopt a new method in some of the other pens, which will be altered to allow the installation of the American system of stunning the animal with a sharp blow on the head from a hammer, and despatching it immediately in the ordinary w&}'. Tlvs system has been most successfully used in Wellington, and Mr Snowball intends to give it a trial at Burnside as soon as possible. At ih\i Mjisi-tr&te's Court, Mo-£*iel, on June 12. before Mr H. Y. Widdovv«=on, S.M., Peter O'Gilligan, a young man, was charged with unlawfully assaulting Constable Walton on May 25. It appeared that about 10 20 p.m. on the day in question the accused, togeiher with about a dozen other men, was indulging in football praclice in Gordon read. The officer intervened, and he stated that O'Gillig-an ran into him with his head and struck him on the back with hid fist. Accused denied striking the constable intentionally in any way, but admitted having run into him accidentally. He was fin< d 20s and costs (7s), in default, seven days' imprisonment. " Tins is a terrible satire on our Labour laws," remarked Mr Burneit at the mooting of the Benevolent Trustee.; on June 12. The case in point was that of a labourer, who had bt-en unable to get work for 12 months. The applicant s-aid he had an "obstropolns'' (? obstreperous) son, who declined to help him. His wife was dying. "How do you live?" asked a tru-sl-ee. The apy-hcant considered the matter, and rephtd, scratching his head: " Well, it's a mystery to me m.velf " He did not know who his father and mother were, and aa for hus religion, he believed he was a Baptist, but couldn't say for certain. This person (ag€<l 65. he believed) was so much of a mystery that his application was postponed for a fortnight, pending inquiry. Messrs J. H. Hoiking- and P. Solomon were sworn in as King's Counsel by his Honor Mr Justice Williams on the 12th. A case of dignity affronted came before the Benevolent Trustees at their meeting on the 12th inst. It appeared that an inmate, who had always considered herself a '" very great lady,'' had shaken the dust of the institution off her feet and departed in a whirlwind of wrath. She now, however, applied for assistance. The trustees seemed distressed that any friction had occurred, and anxiously inquired what had caused the eruption. The secretary '-olemnly informed the meeting that her ladyship had objected to the indignity of having to take a bath. Staff captain Loniiie. the officer m charge of the Dunedin division of the Salvation Arrnv, desires to arknov edge the receipt of £5, a donanon from the Agricultural and Pastoral Society. One of the moat remaikable attempts at suicide on record was witnessed ie<ently at Collingwood. Victoria, A corpulent old man was Boating down the Mream, ducking his head and disappearing at intervals, but making no attempt to keep afloat or to swim a«hore. His progress was stopped by two men who happened to be passing. They went in after him and hauled him, unresisting, ashore. They received no thanks for their action. Instead of gratitude, the predominant feeling in tho old man's breast was one of astonishment that he had not been able to sink. '• I took off my coat so that it would not catch the air and hold me up," he said, " and I jumped in near Gipps street. I don't know how it is that I floated, except that

The Melbourne police state that a hunt extending over 25 years for the lost heir to a Dutch title has ended in his discovery, in the person of a. fish and rabbit hawker, Titus Schukking 1 . a resident of Armadale. Schukking states that he left Holland many years ago,, reaching Australia after a good deal of travelling in 1883. He has resided in different parts of Victoria, and settled at Armadale with his wife. While en his rounds as a fish hawker, the Arroadale police noticed the name on the barrow, ■ and recognised it as the name of the person who was tought for by the Consulrgeneral for the Netherlands. They accordingly communicated with the Consul, Mr W. L. Bossehent, who has informed Schukking that he is heir to a Dutch title and estate. Schukking is 59 years of age, and is. married, but has no family. He states that there were several cousins between him and the tithe when h* left Holland. The present holder of the title, the uncle qi the new claimant to the rights of inheritance, is 95 years of age, and is Governor in the province of Gruningen, in the North of Holland. I have not had anything to eat for a day or two, and have been drinking a lot. 1 must have been full of gas.' Constable M'Cullough took charge of the man, who several times expressed his disappointment at his want of success. " I did all I could,"' he said; "I ducked now and then, but I could not sink." He stated that his name was Robert Cox. and that he had been an inmate of the Salvation Army "Anchorage," in Collingwood. He jumped into the river near the refuge, so that in his remarkable journey he covered about half a mile. The weapon* used by the Society for the Protection of Women and Children cut both ways, and not only is the wife protected from an idle or ruffianly husband, but occasionally it is necessary to protect the husband from a wife. The hen-pecked male deposits hie wages with his wife every paynight, but only gets more deeply into debt, while the partner of his joys blossoms out into vivid blouses and alarming headgear. This gets to the ears of the society, who pats the mild little man encouragingly on the back, and gives his better half to understand that this sort of thing won't do. Thanks to infinite tact on the part of tho society's emissary, the defect is usually remedied, and many a household that otherwise would be rent with discord and sqnalid in misery ia at peace. A distinguifih-ud visitor ftom India, in the person of Sir David Parke» Masson, C.1.E.. A.D.C., is in Dunedin at present. In Freemasonry he holds the position o£ Deputy District Grand Master, his eh ci being Lord Kitchener, District Grand Master of the Punjaub under the English Constitution Sir David Masson on arrival paid his respects to t-be District Grand Master of Otago and Southland, R.W. Bro. T. S. Graham, who cordially welcomed him. and (as he was anxious to see Masonic working in New Zealand) accompanied him on Wednesday evening to a meeting of the Lodge of Otago, No. 7, N.Z.C. — both being plea«d with the manner in which the proceedings were carried out in the lodge. Tho recent damp weather has provided tho residents of Carey's Bay and Deborah Bay with a we'l-deh'n-cd grievance against tha Waikouaiti County Council, which body i= re ipon3ible for the upkeep of the road leading along the foroehoro to Port Chalmers. In consequence- of Ihe heavy traffic of late the road referred to ha-> become a veritable sea. of mud. which has accumulated to 6uch a depth that it now roll-, or flows, across the narrow footway, whilst passing lnr->es and vehicles bespatter mud over luckless pedestrians who are compelled to travel to and fro. Much vigorous language has been j occasioned thereby, and a number of ladies , have lost goloshes and dignity as> the result ' of venturing abroad. I The special prize of £5 given by the ' Otago A. and P. Sociecy to the district gaining the most point-s at the winter show has been won by the Taieri. and the money goes to the Taieri Agricultural Society. ; The Winning county had a considerable lead ' in the points, and the next in order were I Bruce, Waihemo. and Waikcuaiti; while ; Pcmn&ula secured a fair number of points. A case has come under the notice of the D strict Health Officer where a person who only recently moved into a hou&e that had been previously occupied by a girl who had died from consumption is in the last stage* of the same dr^ad disease. The health authorities received no notification in tho first place of the death of a con»unipt.\e patient in the house, and for that reason no disinfection was carried out. Thi*> exemplifies the strict necessity for notifying the health officer of the existence of premise* i the person-, residing in which have been suffering from an ir fe<_ turns d o-oa-e Ia , Edinburgh there has boen in <'A.i^U.>nee for seme year 3 a Murual Protection Poci^tv, the members of which can a*ce<"tam the past history cf any particular house, and. if j n-ecesary, have it dirinfected before taking 1 pc6' i e6sion of ir. The carca-e of a pig which wa- conveyed by rail to Dunedin from the Hampden district was seized by Inspector Donaldson ve->t+ rday, and was subsequently condemned by Dr Ogston as being in an unfit state for human consumption. I Tact, remarked the Rev. W. Curaon-Siggers, presiding a-t the annual meeting of th« Society for the Protection of Women and Children, was an excellent thing, especially in a secretary, and more especially when that secretary had such delicate work to do as Mrs Ansell had. He believed that lady had her own share of tact and someone else's as well. He hoped that she would endeavour to do less work, as such strenuous

efforts on her part could only end in J nervous breakdown. "You must really try i to do a little lees," concluded the rev. gentleman, "so thai your iisefulne6S will remain secure to the society." The Railway Department has adopted a somewhat unusual method of indicating its appreciation of the promptitude of Driver I M'Namara in the recent Bankside collision. Mr M'Namara, it will be remembered, was in charge of the Volunteer special from the , south, and when he saw the other train ' approaching brought h ; s train promptly to a standstill, and thus lessened the seriousness of the accident. The department has presented him with a gratuity of £10. Mr Martin M'llrath, of the firm of Messrs , M'llrath (Ltd.), Sussex street. Sydney, re- ! turned to Australia recently from Hongkong, having completed a long search for his brother Hugh, whose disappearance in the East is still unsolved. Mr Hugh M'llrath left Sydney in August last for tho Eaet, and as word had not been received from him since November, his brother set out in March to elucidate the mystery. All he had to go upon was that Mr Hugh M'llrath had been to Japan, thence returning to Hongkong. His last words home were that he intended travelling to Canton. Mr M. M'llrath" s first cable to his ot.her brother in Sydney was 6ent from Hongkong in disappointing terms after Singapore had been visited and advertisements inserted in the press there. On reaching Hongkong later the police were apprised of the facts, but still the search was fruitless. Shanghai was next visited, with no better result, and Mr M'llrath then proceeded to Canton and Hankow, making diligent efforts to locate h-s brother, or to determine his fate, but aIJ to no purpose. Mr M'llrath's conclusion is that his brother has been robbed and then murdered in Hongkong, not the faintest t^ace having been found of his whereabouts in any town of the several visited. The New Caledonia papers show that the French possessions in the Pacific are experiencing b^.d times. One journal says: — " For several years the French settlements in Oceania have been experiencing a grave cnsib (nne crise fort inquietante), and the colonists are complaining to the mother country, and demand that, she will, if not c-onie to her assistance, at lpast enable them to ameliorate the present situation by judi- ! cious reform 5 . But their appeals receive no response — no notice is taken of them." New Caledonia has to face a series of deficits. The administrative staff has been reduced, probably as a result of the diminution of convicts under direct supervision. The dozen miles of railway in the colony is run as a less, not a large Ices, only something like £500 a year, but sufficient to cause a fear that it will have to be abandoned. Private houses have had to go in for retrenchment, and the newspapers announce that owing to the financial crisis they hav-e been compelled to suspend their Australian cable services. This means that New Caledonia, only three days' sail from Australia, will be shut out from the rest of the world for periods of three week*. An equally disastrous state of affairs ex : sta B.r, Tahiti, where the Budget receipts aje -et down at £02.000 (800 GOOF) to meet liabilities amounting to £63.000 (1.700,0000, and the oversea trade shows a persistent ehrinkage In 1903 the exports and imports aniount-ed fo £346,416; in 1905 they had iiill-c-n to £201.109. The commercial position is described as " most precarious." A variation of the idea of a bull in the china shop was enacted shortly before 9 o'clock on Wednesday, June 12 {says the Chriotchuich Pre^s), the hero of tho present incident boing a particularly frolicsome h-r rse of hufire proportions. The animal appears to h.^ve broken loose from the RotherhVld utables and wandered out on to the roadway. One of the lady employees of a drapery firm in the vicinity was passing that wav and Dobbin evinced a desire to cnliiiato »h(. damsel's acquaintance. The ira'den, however, proved coy, and subsequently became alarmed and fled for protection into Messrs J. Bates and Co.'s glass •and china emporium. Nothing da-unted, the quadruped followed in her wake, and = reered a- tortuous and uncertain course thiongh avenues of costly breakables. He continued his pursuit of beauty in distress With much fteternnnat on, as a result of which he contrived to shatter several choice specim-c ns of ceramic art. The hor s e evenma ly took observations through the plategla 5 s w ndov\i. At (hw staee hi« ughtful owner appeared on the scene and led him back jaain to his stall. Needless to say, tho shop aw»j*>tant« were considerably alarmed it th<» presence of «o unusual a caller and were \a-rly relieved when they . su.v tho lasf of In m. | The local H< a'th Officer ifi ai the prc.=pnt tune circulai lßing comitrv refrisLTars in re- ; g-ird to ilio enfoicinpr of vaccination in ihi'ir ] it~,peif'\o rh-.tri( t-5, as has already been done in Duped v and Southland. The , iiieasuie- taken by tho Health Department for the enforcement of vaccination in the latter di-tricts re-ult-ed in the dioiribution j ot ICOO more tubes of vaccine during the ', >oar endt-vJ March last than during the previous year. The annual municipal revenue of the Borough of North E-i-t Valley w?v-n year 3 ' ago stood at £1204-. The estimated revenue < for the pr<sent year is £2230. Thi«, of i course, i.s ordinary revonue, available for ' current expenditure, and altogether apart from revenue from adventitious scurce*, such as loans, etc. The secretary of the Cromwell LiLoral j League (Mr J. Goodpcer) received the fol- ' lowing letler from the Hon. R M'Nab, Minister of LamK lasr week: — ' In further renly to yyur letter of A^nl 27, relative to J

a. number of pastoral nine in your district, the leases of which you stated fall in early in 1909. but which I understand do not terminate until 1910. I have now to advise you that I have obtained a special report on the whole of these runs, and find that in nearly all cases it- will bo very difficult to deal with them before the expiration of their present licenses, but your league may, rest assured that no effort will be spared on my part to obtain lands either for close, settlement or for subdivision into small grazing runs in your locality."' The remarks made by the respective chairmen of the Auckland and Wellington Licensed Victuallers' Associations apropos of the advocacy of the abolition of barmaids are cordially endorsed by members of the Otago Association. On Thursday a 1 Times reporter interviewed many of the leading representatives of the fcradc in this city on the subject, and gathered that, ! whilst the question has never yet been i before the Dunedin Association, it has little chance of a favourable hearing should it arise. A prominent member' of the local Licensed Victuallers' Association said, " lit may or may not be accepted as an evidence of the hard-headedness of the Scotch, butf | the fact remains that the attack upon tha I barmaid has, up to the present, not been countenanced by Dunedin. Nor do I think that the question i 6 likely to become proi minent here for some time at least. J Primarily, the matter is one affecting the present employment of girls. Should tha battlers for the banishment of the bar- , maid ever score a great victory, a secondary question will arise — What will the girls do? Had the trade been xmtemfci from the beginning with barmen only it might be too late in the day to enter""* brief for the> barmaid, but the converse of that statement is nearer the truth. Uirfcr are employed in bars in all parts of ther city, and I doubt very much whether, taking them on the whole, one could find? a better lot cf girls in any trade or proI fession. The suggestion that they are, as ' a class, immoral, would be scouted by anyone who has been frequently brought in association with them. They are, i in the main, clean-living, high-minded girls, with a capacity for business, and they, | are not sentimental. As the question hasr I not become an urgent one in Dunedin B do .not wish to say more than this. But I do hope that we are- not in for a scasonl in , which impractical suggestions will ba hurled at our long-suffering selves Barmaids are all very well in their way. an«f so are barmen, and so are bars, and Ihef gentry who oppose the- barmaids are jusJ ' as unfriendly to the barmen, and would set up a wild whoop of delight if thej> ' oould only close the bars 1" Colonial employers appear to be gettingj. as particular as Americans about shunting! any workman showing signs of age (sayrf the Timaru Herald). Some time ago af Timaru tradesman went to one of the large centres and was told by a friend that ai certain contractor was in need of men. Oni applying to the contractor he was toldl that no men were needed. His friend, when he heard this, still maintained tha^ the contractor did need men, but said that' the tradesman's heard was against him. "Shave that off," he said. "The contractor thinks you look too old to climb' about a roof." Off came the beard an«B the carpenter went back to the contractor, j who put him on at once. Later on tha friend made inquiries from the contractor, and wa-5 told that the first man he had recommended was too old to be given » job, but the second was a first-class man. Two Russians were present at the strangers' tea at the V.M.C.A., Wellington, on Sunday, and expressed themselves deeply grateful for the welcome accorded them. One, the son of a merchant of St. Petersburg, ia a clerk, and the other is a tailor. Asked why they had been inducedto leave Russia, they replied that it waa ■ for reasons mainly "political." The whola country waa in suet a. state of disor*Jear that comfortable living was practically impossible. When they had made up their minds to leave they spent some time in considering what country they woidrf emigrate to. The majority of Russian! emigrants, aided by the immigration | facilities of Canada and the United State?, 1 have invariably gone to those countries ;< but the two Russians here referred to considered there would be great difficulty in getting work in either Canada or the I'njted States, owing to the number who were daily leaving for those countries, decided to go further afield, and hearingNew Zealand spoken of from one end of Russia to the other as the '"working man's paradise and the ideal place to Ire in, they decided that that was a country worth goins: many miles to see. Tlie reformers, prohibited from deriding tho Russian Government, spoke of the social life of New Zealand as an ic!f<tl to wh.ch all Russians should strive to attain. The new arrivals were very p'eawd with New Zealand, and: considered it a fine country to live in. One of them has a.liea-<lv found Work as a tailor, but the other, who is a clerk, is well educated, but not being thoroughly convei^ant with English, i, experiencing some difficulty in obtaining employment. Forty-five aliens, men and women, formed portion of the " freight" of the BritishIndia Company's steamer Fazilka, uhicb. called at Port Melbourne on a recent Saturday. The circumstance would possibly have passed unnoticed, but a casual remark that the Indians were being sent home to d?o stimulated inquiries by a representafivo of the Age. "Come and see for yourself.'' vas the reply to an expressed wish by tha inquirer for a personal inspection ; '■ but don't touch them. You will see enough. * The guide entered a large compartment aft. It wae the perfection of cleanliness,

*rell lighted and ventilated, while on both «ide* were further cabins labelled "hospital" and " dispensary." On the floor sat a woman, about 30 years of age, gazing into vacancy. "Blind," commented the guideThen one of the numerous bundles of "blankets lying 1 around suddenly opened, and the gaunt, almost skeleton-like figure of another woman stalked past, while the guide said, "Diseased beyond hope," adding, "come out of this and I'll explain. You know, there is a charter to take these people from India to Suva, sometimes 800 *t a time. They are coolies, and engage on a term of from three to five years. Only the roughest and commonest work is performed by them, and when disease has done its part they are sent back to Madras. If you look in the ship's hospital you will find* there some without arms, while others have no legs. The blind and disease-eaten all Jie there. They are going home to die, and that is all."

A Wellington correspondent writes to the I<yttelton Times: — "Bishop Wallis'sexpedition to the Workers on the North Island Main Trunk line must be regarded as rather a novelty for a bishop. Though accompanied everywhere by torrents '"of rain, and shut out from a single glimpse of the mountains, ,he has brought back a favourable impression, and is already wishing for some cause to repeat the experience. From Taihape he enjoyed the thrill and smoke Mid exoitement of a ride on a oallaat train as far as Rangitawa, three miles from Ohakune, breaking the journey «t Waiouru to hold a service and rough it for the night. Ohakune, Raetihi, and Raurima were visited by driving, and ■services were held. A Saturday night <"* social' at Raurimu was a great success. * children's service the next day was made mtresting by baptisms, a strange •cene in the midst of the wild group of ■weather-beaten men, canvas tents, wooden lute, and manuka scenery. Though his Jjordship was much impressed by the sterling character of the men of this pioneer ■community, he saw also some of their fMwtimes. They played ' two-up ' openly, unawed by the gaze of a bishop. With only * day's coaching from rail-head to rail- i fiead, the route is beginning to have possibilities as a practicable route between Wellington and Auckland. The great Ufakatoke viaduct is likely to be finished toy February, *nd the rest of the line toward Raurima by the end of this year. 1 jHis Lordship was greatly struck by the , sigzag spiral line near Raurimu, where there is a tier of four lines to mount a rise

<<of 200 ft. 'I have seen,' he said to me, /only one other place like it. That was 4bn the St. Gothard line in Switzerland.' "

At a representative meeting of the Employers' . Association, held in the secretary's office on June 14, the question of the •carcity of labour throughout the colony .was dieoussed at some length, and the secretary (Mr W. Scott) was in6truoted to procure all the information possible in connection with the matter and report to « future meeting. It was also decided to ask the federation to enter a strong and emphatic protest against Mr Tregear's recent utterances at a lecture to trade unionists in Wellington, and if possible to prevent a recurrence of such procedure in the future. The question of wages boards also came up, but was left in abeyance, awaiting reports from the Employers' Federation of Victoria, which had not come to hand as expected.

Three sawmills in the Catlins district, the property of Messrs Latta Bros., were offered for sale by auction by Messrs Donald Reid and Co. on June 14, but were withdrawn owing to lack of bidding. Negotiations were afterwards opened between Messrs Latta Bros, and Mr H. F. Moss, timber merchant, Dunedin, with the result that Mr Moss purchased the three properties. One mill is situated at Katea (Hunt's road), one at Owaka

iValley, and one at Ratanui.

Th© addition to Selwyn College is just i approaching completion, and the confcimctors, Messrs Crawford and Watson, trill hand the building over in a few days. {The new building, which abuts on Castle kfaeet, does not lay claim to architectural prehensions, but is of neat design, and is pnost excellently planned to suit its destined purpose. It consists of three classrooms, to which access is obtained by % common corridor running along the front eide. The rooms are ventilated on ft novel principle, and a feature of them is the manner in which they are lighted. Almost the whole of the sides which look out on the grounds of All Saints' Church are of glass. Due provision has been made for heating the rooms, and the lavatory accommodation is first-class. The teaching staff of the college will no doubt I fend their work much facilitated by the iiew classrooms.

It ie pleasant to be able to place on record a story of uninterrupted and rapid progress. A chat with the town clerk of St. Kilda (Mr J. B. Dick) reveals such a record. During the last year 62 building permits were issued in the borough. Four miles of footpaths were laid down. Arrangements have been made for the provision of four additional street lamps; two p[ them will be in Mueeelburgh Ward and two in Park Ward. Five years ago the pnnual revenue of the borough was £1688; this year it stands at £3000.

Three ladies guessed within half a pound toi the correct weight in connection with the ladies' competition at the winter show, for which the Singer Sewing Machine Company offered a sewing machine. The company agreed to offer two band machines, each valued at £8 each, necessitating a ballot, which was made by &c executive on June 14. The ladies wbo

participated were Mesdames J. Moore (Momona), D. Holmes (Mataura), and W. F. Fleming (Rakahouka), the re6ult being that the last-named ladies were successful.

With reference to the Gisborne painters' enforcement case the following resolution was passed at the meeting of the Otago Employers' Association on Juie 14: — "That this meeting of employers enters an emphatic protest against the recent decision of the Arbitration Court in connection with the Gisborne painters' award, where it fined an employer £5 for committing a breach of the award, notwithstanding that the Labour Department had recovered the difference in wages and was satisfied that the breach had been unwittingly committed and the purposes of the act satisfied; and, further, that the matter be referred to the Parliamentary Committee with a view of securing an amendment in the act in the direction of having all enforcement cases dealt with in a judicial way by the Labour Department."

The members of the Dunedin Horticultural Society on June 14 congratulated Mr S. Solomon, their president, on his recent appointment as King's Counsel. Mr A. Moritzson voiced the compliments of the society in a neat speech, which concluded with the hope that Mr Solomon would live for many years to enjoy the distinction conferred upon him. Mr Solomon, in replying, said it was very kind of the society to have thought of him in this matter. He thanked the meeting for the enthusiasm with which it had received Mr Moritzson's proposition. It went without saying that he highly prized the distinction bestowed upon him. Every barrister must necessarily do so. At the came time, he assured them that it was no form of words to say that the principal gratification he had had in connection with the appointment he had received was that the people with whom he had lived and grown up since he was quite a boy seemed well pleased that he should have received it. Hearty applause fallowed the president's remarks.

To prevent misapprehension we are asked to state that the sheep gaining the first prize for halfbreds at the winter show were not inbred halfbreds, but first-cross sheep out of merino ewes by Border Leicester rams, and bred by the owners (exhibitors) at Hakataramea.

The pianist attached to a travelling show had rather an exciting experience in a township situated not a hundred miles from Palmerston one evening last week (says Friday's Palmerston Times). It had been announced that the exhibition of pictures would be followed by a dance, and about 30 young people paid a small charge for admission to tho Latter function. The " management " after collecting the admission money quietly took its departure, and the dancers were left to the tender mercies of the pianist. After playing a couple of dances the dispenser of music refused to go on, and the dancers demanded the return of their money. The pianist was, however, obdurate, and after allowing the ladies to depart, the young men locked the doors, and kept the professor of the pianoforte a prisoner for a couple of hours. Ultimately a compromise was arrived at. The pianist was promised his freedom on condition that he eang three comic songs. After some parley the terms were accepted, and the prisoner was ultimately allowed to depart in peace.

Sixty-seven years ago on Monday — namely, on June 17, 1840, British sovereignty over the Middle Island, now known as South Island, of New Zealand was formally proclaimed at Cloudy Bay by Major Bunbury, of tho 80th Regiment, and Captain Nias, R.N. Official proclamations of British sovereignty over both islands of New Zealand had previously been made on May 21 of the same year by Governor Hobson at Bay of Islands.

There was some complaint on Saturday among pasesngers travelling north and south over the scarcity of foot-warmers in the first-class railway carriages. In some instances in a carriage where there were 12 or 15 passengers there were only three or four fool-warmers, and those who had them kept them, and those who had them not went without, and on arrival at their destinations thawed themselves out before the first parlour fires they had access to. The day was bitterly cold, heavy frost succeeding a liberal snowfall, and the long corridor carriages, as the doors were swung open, beca-m-e like freezing chambers as gusts of cold air were let in. There was also a scarcity of foot-warmers in the corridor second-olass carriages, where many women and children were travelling.

Exception has been taken to a statement published regarding the damaged wheat cargo of the ship Glenlui, now at Port Chalmers, to the effect that while the proportion of damaged grain was much less than had been anticipated, the contents of 2000 sacks were said to be so badly damaged as to be useless even for fowl feed, the contents of the sacks having conglomerated into a solid, mouldy mass. A representative of .this paper, in company with Mr F. J. Monson, of Messrs Neill and Co., local agents for the owners, on Saturday morning went down to Port Chalmers and inspected tho wheat now stored in Messrs John Mill and Co.'s shed and the railway sheds at the export pier. At the time of inspection about 1100 saoks of wheat were in the two sheds. A large number of these sacks bore unmistakable signs of damage, but rarely over the whole of the sack--3 — in some cases onlj a very small portion of tho sack showing discolouration such as would arise from a soakage bj ee*-water. la the case of the

sacks that were so discoloured the wheat was a conglomerated mass, mouldy, and in such "a state as to be fit for pig food only, but that was only in the part of the sack that had reoei\cd any ecakage, the remaining wheat being to all appearances sound. About 10 per cent., certainly not more, o-f tho 1100 sacks of wheat in the shed can be considered totally damaged. The marketable value of the remaining portion, of course, could only be determined by an expert, but it is not what could by any means be called " useless for fowl feed." To a lay mind the 6amples taken from various sacks had the appearance of being only slightly swelled or soft. But in any case where there is the slightest suspicion of any part of a sack having been reached by water it is being rejected in the process of rcstowing and placed in the sheds for subsequent sale. Regarding the exceptionally cold weather experienced in Dunedin on Friday night and Saturday morning, Mr Paulin writes us as follows:— "On Friday night the temperature at 7 o'clock was 27deg, and on Saturday morning at 7 o'clock 24deg. This, with a semi-gale from the S.W., caused more freezing of hidden waters than has been the ease for the past 15 years " Snow also fell in Nelson, Christohureh, Aehburton, and other places north and south of Dunedin. Our Milton correspondent, writing on Saturday, states: "The weather Las assumed a rather bad aspect. Snow fell continuously throughout tho night, and this morning the hills surrounding and the plain also were covered with a white mantle." During last week 29 patients were admitted to the Dunedin Hospital, and 30 discharged. The number of patients remaining in the institution at the close

of the week was 106. No deaths occurred during the week.

The chairman of the Waihemo County Council (Mr J. Rose) spoke strongly on Saturday at a meeting of his council against- the practice of the Government in making money-grants for roads and works in a county without consulting the county council. Such votes, he pointed out, were usually obtained by political influence, and wore often- mado for quite unnecessary works which the county council would never sanction. This practice, he stated, resulted in a waste of public money, and besides being an interference with the functions of county councils, the grants were not fair to more necessitous localities in a county. As an instance of the way in which some of these votes were granted, he mentioned! -at a later stage in the proceedings that the Waihemo County Council at present had a sum of money to expend which had been granted in the way he indicated, but it did not know where tho locality was. In reply to a protest from the Waihemo County Council on the matter, the Minister had instructed the Roads Department to state that while applications for grants for work by the council would receive consideration, applications for works from other sources would also be considered, and it was this reply which drew forth the chairman's protest.

Mr James Allen, M.H.R. for Bruce, addressed a meeting of electors at Kaitangata on Friday evening. The Mayor of the borough (Mr Yates) occupied the ohair. The night being cold and wet, with snow falling, there was not a large gathering of electors, but those who were present listened attentively to the address, which was much on the same lines as that delivered at Milton. Mr Allen dwelt for some time on the education question, and referred to the scarcity of teachers for country schools, saying that while better provision was now made for payment of teachers, the prosperity of the colony took men out of the Bervice to follow other vocations. The only remedy for the scarcity of teachers, ho thought, was to further increase the pay and improve the conditions of the teaching profession. At the close of the address a motion of thanks and confidence was carried.

The ranger for Waihemo County, driven to his wits' end to know how to deal with a horse which persists in grazing on the roadways in Dunback district, has appealed to the county council for assistance. The horse, it is stated, is a noted kicker, and displays a. pronounced antipathy to rangers in general and to the Waihemo ranger in particular, and when the latter approaches to drive it to the pound the animal sets his ears back, opens his mouth, and charges furiously, wheeling round suddenly when he comes to close quarters and letting out vigorously with his heels. On one or two occasions the ranger has narrowly escaped injury in some of these encounters, and has been compelled to beat si retreat. The crack of a stockwhip or the war-whoop of a desperate horseman instead of causing the animal to fly in terror, merely adds fuel to fury, and all forcible and persuasive measures having failed, the ranger suggests that the owner should be proceeded against by summons and be compelled to keep his quadruped from grazing in the " long paddock." When the matter came up f or consideration on Saturday, Cr Philip remarked that the horse was only vicious when an attempt was mado to drive him; he was as quiet as a sheep at other times, and could be led anywhere with a halter round his neck or with a bridle o\er his head. This councillor also said ho would undertake to got the animal to the pound without difficulty if his expenses were paid. The council, not wishing to risk injury to the ranger, or to risk the losh of a useful member of tho council, decided to write

to the owner warning him that if he did not keep his fiery steed off the roads he would be prosecuted.

The usually sedate proceedings of the Waihemo County Council were disturbed on Saturday by a warm " breeze " between one of the councillors and the inspector of worts. A discussion arose over a letter of a semi-private nature which the councillor alleged he had shown to the inspector at the last meeting of the council. The inspector, referring to this letter, said it was not signed when it was shown to him, and Cr Clark sharply retorted: "The letter was signed." The inspector, with equal warmth, retaliated": "It wag not signed when it was shown to me." Cr Clark thereupon said the statement that the letter was not signed was a deliberate distortion of fact, and to save the matter from going further the ohairman and several councillors intervened and poured oil on the troubled waters, the explanation afterwards being made that the inspector had only been shown a portion of the letter.

Mr T. Mackenzie, M.H.R., has sent the following telegram to tho Maj-or of Xaseby (Mr J. R. Kirk): — "Hearty congratulations on carrying resolution affirming desirability retaining present representation. It is imperative in Otago's best interests that every local body, trade and farmers' union, and agricultural association should carry similar resolutions, otherwise the only opportunity will pass and Otago's influence will vanish."

A publio meeting was held in Clyde on Thursday, 13th inst., to take steps to strengthen the hands of Mr Bennet. the district member, in his efforts to have steps taken to put an irrigation scheme in hand. After long discussion, a committee consisting of Messrs Fache, Smart, S Stevens, H. Stevens, Wilkinson, S. Spain, Cuthbertson, and Ramsay waa appointed to confer with any committee set up in Alexandra for the purpose of drafting a petition to the member in connection with the matter.

The Rev. George H. M'Neur and Mrs M'Neur, ,of the Canton Villages Mission (Presbyterian Church of New Zealand), arrived by the s.s. Warrimoo on the 16th on their first furlough. Mr M'Neur has been at Canton . for five and a-half years and Mrs M'Neur for threo and a-half.. They are going to the home of Mr M'Neur's parents, near Clinton, where they will spend 6ome time. The term of their furlough is to be about 15 months, and it is" understood that the Foreign Missions Committee wishes Mr M'Neur to have several months' complete rest before undertaking any deputation work.

The Outlook's China Famine Relief Fund, which will be closed at the end of the pre<sent month, now amounts to £2454.

Mr T. S. Graham has received, on behalf of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, a bequest of £10 through Messrs Hall, Stout, and LiLhcrap, solicitors, Invercargill, acting for the executors of the late Mrs Jas. Fife, Wyndham. The society wishes to express appreciation of the gift.

The Waihemo County Council at ite meeting on Saturday decided to take over the local distribution of charitable aid. The country district for this purpose includes all townships, town boards, etc., in the county. When discussing the matter, councillors generally agreed that there was no cause for complaint against the old order of things beyond the fact that orders for goods, instead of cash, were forwarded in some instances, with the result that those in receipt of them had to pay as much as 20 per cent, more for their goods to some storekeepers than they would pay if they had the cash to buy for themselves.

There was a very large attendance at tho last meeting of the Progressive Society, when Mr A. R. Barclay, M.H.R. , delivered an interesting lecture on " What the Church Courts Used to Do in England." After enumerating the various courts and describing their powers and constitutions, Mr ' Barclay showed what a tremendous influence they wielded in the days of their power, and how almost every act of the individual was liable to censure in some court or other. Mr Barclay concluded by saying that when once we knew what such institutions had done in the past, and how they had tyrannised over the people, it was our duty to see (especially in a young' country such as ours) that we never allowed such methods to obtain a footing among ourselves.

An organised attempt is to be made (says the Lyfctelton Times) to exploit the Canterbury Plains for petroleum. A syndicate is being formed to acquire boring rights from the landholders in the county of Ashburton, between the Rakaia and Rangitata Rivers, and between the main line of railway and the sea beach. The presence of petroleum has been noticed at sea between the Amuri Bluff and Cheviot, along the 100-fathom line, and also in the Waihao River, near Waimate. The syndicate intends to offer generous terms to those holding land in the proposed boring district for the right to examine the country for oil.

Some months ago (says the Palmerston Times) a petition signed by a largo number of residents of the district, atking that tho Mount Royal and Meadowbank properties bo acquired for close settlement purposes, was presented to the Minister of Lands, and the properties mentioned were subsequently inspected by the Land Purchase Commissioners. Nothing further was heard vi the matter, and Mx V- H. Clark,

Mayor of Palmerston, who is at present in Wellington, waited on the Land Purchase Board on -the 13th" with the result that the board has promised to favourably consider a proposal for the acquisition of about 2000 acres of Mount Royal EBtate. The ground- proposed to be acquired adjoins the town of Palmerston.

Greatness carries with it responsibilities, according to Mr Justice Denniston, even where jokes are concerned. The Hon. J. A. Tole, appearing in the SnpTeme Court at Auckland the first day after his appointment a3 King's Counsel, was listening to an honest carter, who returned two bottles of whkky which had strayed into his horse's nosebag. " Was it good whkkv?" queried the K.C., amid laughter. "You must be careful what jokes you make now," advised his Honor in a mild, reproving tone ; " for your observations will bo watched. You must brinor your jokes up to the highest judicial standard."

At Adelaide recently Miss Ada. Ward delivered another of her interesting missionary addresses. The subject was " Mary Magdalene," and the lady treated it with mnch earnestness and delicacy. A special appeal was made to mothers to look more carefully after their daughters, and Miss Ward also attacked the habit of smoking in a vigorous manner. She mentioned that one tobacconist in London confessed to having sold 5000 cigarettes weekly to girls under 15 years of age, and gave it as the opinion of an eminent Harley street physician that smoking was responsible for 18 different diseases. No clergyman should smoke. " I would never .trust * minietor of the Gospel who smokes," said Mise Ward ; "it is a bed example to others, besides which it ruins the health, and is a dirty, filthy habit."

Since 1889 there have been 34 executions in the goals of New South Wales, tho highest number in any year being five. In 1902 and 1905 no executions took place. In the bad, old days executions were frequent. For the 10-year period ending December, 1834, there were 308 executions, or an average of about 30 a year; for tho next decade, closing 1844, the number had dropped to 174, or about 17 a. year; it fell again for the period ending 1854 to 38, and the same number were recorded up to 1864, falling till 1874 to 31, and to 1884 to 22, and rising to 29 for the 10year period terminating in 1894. But there was a drop to 15 for the decade closing in 1904, while in 1905 there were no executions, and only one in 1906. All of which argues (remarks the Sydney Daily Telegraph) that we havo become less drastic in our methods and more discriminating in our treatment of crime, as well as more law-abiding as a people.

A social to inaugurate the new Ambulance Class to be commenced in Middlentarch by Dr Ross Collier was held on Monday, lOthv in the schoolhouse. Addresses were delivered) by Messrs M'Kinnon and W*lker, Dr Collier, and the Rev. W. T. Todd, and musical items were rendered by Meedamea Foote, Thompson, and Day. Dr Collier explained the work of the course, said the audience throughout were extreruelv interested and attentive, and enthusiastically welcomed their new doctor to their midst. At the close refreshments were handed round, after which the secretary, Mr W. J. Foote, received over 50 names for the class.