Untitled

Otago Witness, Issue 2809, 15 January 1908, Page 32

LOCAL & GENERAL.

*- The modified plans of an infectious diseases hospital for Dunedin have been submitted by the Hospital Board to Dr Mason, and have been approved by him. y Following on his approval of the' plans, the board has now accepted a tender for the -erection of a at a cost of -slightly below £2000. In a letter received "from Dean Fiteheft toy the Erimate, the -Dean, writing fromthe South~ of Italy, says that he intended to sail by- the Mooltan - f rom Port Said on Jajiuary 14, and that he hopes' to be- in.; Dunedin by the last wee^ iti February. 'As' respects health, the Dean says he is 'completely set up I>y his long, holiday and . ( -fitter .for work .than in years past. - , Mr Gr. M. Thomson, at the instance of the. Drainage Board's engineer, has' subjected glazed earthenware pipes and_cement pipesto a series of tests, and forwarded the j " results fco the board's meeting last night. His report stated that he had submitted the articles to a series *• of -J:este in hot water, an alkaline - solution, sulphuretted Irydrogen, and for absorption of water, Having: .set" out the results^ in a set -of tables,- which he, explained, Mr Thomfeonreported that, taking all the points into consideration, he thought the cement pipes compared favourably with the earthenware, and that the probabilities were that - they would withstand the corrosive action of. ordinary drainage in a satisfactory jnanner. s At a meeting of the - Strath-Taieri Medical Club it was resolved that the Government grant of £50 be- given to the . medical "officer as an increased guarantee, provided mileage fees are reduced to members' by one-half. The motion means (says a correspondent) that members in the township' receive no benefit from the grant, and non-members who resjde'in the district, which includes Hyde, Barewood, and Moonlight, are to be charged 400 per ceut, more than club members. - i The cinematograph is now to be pressed' 1 ' into service to reveal • the secrets of the ■ vegetable world. R is -to show how flowerß grow.^ A; bud which -bursts into bloom* in 16 days will -be exposed to a s camera every quarter of an hour during [ that iimet When the pictures developed ' from these films 'are arranged in>M=der in the machine the student of Nature will be able to watch the whole process within a. few minutes: the gradual breaking of the bud, and the successive appearance of leaves, stamenß, and all other parts of the complete plant. It is- from America that this new use for the cinematograph is j reported. A study of electioneering methods on the other side of the Atlantic*' during the pro* gress of the campaign which resulted in the- beating of Mr Hearst's candidates nTust j mak« the mouth of the average agent on j this side water," (says the Westminster.? Gazette). There is such a pleasant freedom and outspokenness about the business. In one pager we read if a certain gentleman is elected— and he has been duly elected — " it Would be a notice to the ;. world that the standard of -morals m New ] York is ep low and the public interest so 1 weak that even- a man whose record is I written in the dark a-nnals 'of tlje mos£ j desperate 6lums of New York can be j placed in public office by the work of the j thieves and "thugs he frankly captains." The choice of the same gentleman, we tae . ng-ain assured!, «" would be a notice that : the rule of the slung shot was established." ■ \ At a meeting' of creditors in ihe estate • of John M'Neilly, at Lawrence, on the 7th '■ inst., it was shown 'that bankrupt owed : £101 3s 3d. and that he had no assets. He j -

attributed his bankruptcy to having incurred debts four years ago. These debts Tie' had paid, but owing to receiving a small wage he had incurred others. For the past 12 months he had earned £106 12s, and, had paid away £101 12s 9d. Examined, bankrupt said he filed because some creditors threatened to take legal proceedings. During the last four years he had been in constant work, receiving 7s a day. He had a wife and four children, to support,, and could make no offer to his creditors. Mr Paulin: "You don't want to make an offer. There are plenty of men in this district who have reared large familes on from 6s to 7s per day." l And^the conclusion of _another" creditor was that the debitor had earned -7s a day and lived at the rate ,of 9s a day. „ f ' Private, letters received in Dunedin last 'week indicate that the New York financial crisis is being very keenly felt in San Fran- , ciscor Building* operations in that, city are 1 greatly affected, and. it is. estimated that 5000 carpenters have, been thrown out of i employment. i Some New Zeala/nders returning to the " land of fhe blest " encountered quite recently an Anglo-Indian and a shock. Hear- j ing the name "New Zealand," the person from the land of thg pagoda tree became vaguely interested. The words seemed somehow familiar. " New Zealand," she repeated pensively; "I was nearly going there." "But why nofc" chorused the others. " Oh," (languidly) " it's rather .rough over there, isn't it? The- hotel accommodation in these outlandish' places ■would -be rather trying after India, you know; so I'm getting off at Hobart!" During an -awful silence people were busy remembering .tales of archaic fowls massacred' and curried on the spur of the moment for the delectation of the traveller at the unspeakable Dak Bungalow; of weirdmesses "served in,, steaming refreshment rooms by lurbaned " savages " ; of endless nights of punkahs, prickly heat, and other - horrors, with the., off chance of meeting a cobra, in the bathroom next morning. And! New Zealand "rather trying" to one accustomed to all th;s! -it was too much: They could only go on deck and gasp and wonder who it was that said New Zealand was over-advertised. In view of the telegraphed reports of the conduct of the man-o'-warsmen at Christchurch at Christmas it is only right to give another aspect of their behaviour. A Bluff correspondent, writes to the Southland Times: — "I have a word to say about the tars of H.M.S. Pioneer. I do so the more readily 'in view of tho bad testimony borne by Christchurcih. Since the Ist inst. (the monthly pay day) at least 200 of her men have been. -ashore on leave, with an average spending power, of; 30s per head. ; Their conduct has been frolicsome, but per- i fectly good-tempered, and so far &s sobriety is concerned it has T>een a distinct improvemerit on that oi some of our half-holiday • frequenters." . - j The weekly meeting of the Benevolent Institution Trustees, held on the Bth inst., was attended by Messrs W. T. Talboys (ejbairnjan), J. - Loudon (Mayor), and W. Burnetfc. The accounts passed for payment amounted to £518 12s 2d. It was reported that ' Henry Williams, aged 75, [ hjad died of paralysis. Gifts of papers, etc., j from .Misses Longford and Branch and the j Ofcsfeo Daily Times and Witness Company , were acknowledged with thanks. The out- ! 49*t relief-booK snowed that tho cases relieVed in December last numbered 305, as against 353 for Deceniber of 1906. In < December last the cases relieved included ■ 133 men, 203 women, and 496 children; and for the corresponding month of the previous year the figures were: Men 133, ' -

\ - women 214, children 508. The average cosi of maintenance per week was £101 11s foi ' last December and £101 10s 6d for the ! December preceding it. The Chaifmar ! mentioned that the secretary had again tele- \ graphed to Dr Valintine on ' the question , of the invalid election, and had asked foi an "urgent reply. Mr Burnett; I think the press should get the reply. It is a masterpiece: "Re void' 'election. Matter undo) aotion."- Thirty relief cases were deal! with. , It is the intention of Mr T. Mackenzie, M.P., to address his constituents at some date during the next three weeks'. Mi Mackenzie, •" we understand, will deal exJiausiively with the whole political situation in the Dominion, - atod will make special reference to parties «c at present defined and his own attitude thereto. He will also reply to some recent criticisms as to the attitude he took up recently in the course of an interview with a Daily Times reporter. The address, in all probability, will be delivered at Waikouaiti. The Kaikorai" Band has decided to .enter ', for the Ballarat (Victoria) competitions, to , be held about October' next. . The trip will j iI cost about £50Cf. An Invercargill citizen who spent the 1 Christmas' holidays at Rotorua has Teturned with a story that seems even older than the achievements of Pelorus Jack (says the News).. v During his^rambles with rod and line he cam© across a trout-laden stream containing ' several small "boiling springs, situated close in to the banks. This suggested a very, simple way of obtaining the mid-day meal." When the trout were hooked, all he. had to do was to work them with, the rod up to one ol the hot springs, - where "a few minutes sufficed to boil them fco a turn, when they were gently hauled in and lifted out, Bteaming hot, on a dish. The. narrator says he put in one of th» jolliest picnics , in. __his life on the banks ot,that river— he only had to carry •bread and a -little pepper and salt, and >he was ~" never worried about getting "to his hotel in time for dinner^ > * " A man named Richard* E>iver has been missing from Oamaru since the Ist inst., and it is said that he left the district to walk south. It is thought that he may have reached ' Dunedin, but police inquiries haVe discovered no trace of his whereabouts in the city. The missing man's friends in Oamaru are * very anxious about him, and the police request that any information concerning him may be forwarded or communicated to them. 'He. is a native of Ireland, 6ft in. height, 50 years of age, stout build', with dark hair and complexion, dark head and a -moustache turning grey., and when he left, Oamaru was dressed in dark clothes, and wore a dark soft felt hat. Mr^Lyman L. Pierce, international secretary 'of the V.M.C.A., who recently organised building fund campaigns in this Dominion and in Australia, in a final report before leaving Australia for England and America, says that the sum' of £63,000 has been added to th© equiptoent of the Australasian associations in a few months. This large -- total> he says, may justly be placed to tße credit of the National Committee, and justifies the faith of the men w.ho have made the supervisory work possible by gifts and work. ' Owing to the rough nature of the country between the West Wiaiau and Preservation very ' little lias (ea-ys tho Western, Star) been carried out there in the past. Last month, however, Mr John Gray and a party of -three prospected the country ac far as the Bi-gr River, and found' traces of gold and tin, and there is every indication of a good quartz reef being" discovered. Mr Gray informs us that the

fc Government track to Preservation Inlet is c now almost impassable, the wire ropes over 5 the river having been destroyed: The parly i traversed the shores of -Lake Poteriteri, at - the head of Waitutu River. ,This, beautiful l stretch of water, some 25 miles in length, r is about seven miles from.' Lake Hauroto, * and a track connecting these' two lakes - could be cut at 'at' very small cosft From i* the 'Waitutu River' the prospectors made t their way to the "Big River, which takes its source from Lake Hak&poua. This is the home of the black swan, which ace ,to be seen in thousands. Other gain©, large and r Bmall, also ' exist. Although ~no red deer / were met with innumerable were to . be seen, so that in years to come excellent [ sport may be " obtained. Apart altogether 1 from a scenic point of vi«w there are "great , possibilities .of a good . goldfield . being j opened out in the west. > Christmas imisfc have been very unpleasant - in Victoria. The Observatory' in Melbourne L recorded* it as the hottest day in. its experience. On Christmas morning tho . weather Aj was " ideal, but at noon came a , scorching, dust-laden^ wind, which attained a velocity of 43- miles an hour. The temperature of the day and the early evening ranged from 90degto 105.3deg in the shade^ and at lio time during the night did- it fall below 75deg. Some of the country places recorded higher temperatures. Four recorded 105deg and' three 106deg. Ruther- ( glen .touched 107deg, Charlton 108deg, v ' Beukh 109deg, Hopetown , llOdeg, Wycheproof llldeg, and Horsham attained a bad eminence of 113deg. On Boxing day the temperature in Melbourne ranged-, from . 87deg to 100.8deg between 9 and 5, and- the day was even, more unpleasant than Christmas Day, owing to the blinding dust. In the evening rain fell. Strangely enough, Port Darwin reported that Christmas Day was so cool t&at facing the regulation dinner .was a pleasure, instead of a task. One of 'the attractions of tho -FrancoBritish Exhibition' will be the introduction of Olympic games, revived at- the sugges- , tion of. France, in .1896, at Athens, after * an interval of" 1500 years. Olympic "games again took place in 1900 in Paris and at St.* Louis <fa 1904. It is intended to introduce them once more in 1908, this time at the exhibition in the west of London: For this purpose an enormous arena and stadium are being erected -on the northern part ofthe grounds, and these have reached a~ stage when they convey a very good idea of their final appearance. The arena is of oblong form, the centre portion of which is. laid with turf, and will be_ reserved for various games. Outside this" -is a cinder running-track, and outside that -again the inclined track. for cyclists, while surrounding' all is the stadium, in which it is intended to seat 68,000 people. There' is also standing-room for an additional 82,000 people* making accommodation for a total of 150,000 spectators. Once :nn9re the seemingly unsolvable ques- ' tipn of the type of canal to be cut across the Isthmus of Panama, is up for discussion. If there is to' be no limit to the size of modern .battleships it is believed that before the canal is completed vessels then afloat will be too large to pass through it. ■, The present plans contemplate locks 100 ft in width at the surface of the water.' The ,: British warship^ Dreadnought, now afloat, - measures 83ft in the beam, and there are i two war vessels now building which will ■ ipeaswe 65.5tb beam. The 23,000 ton battle- « ship whioh the naval constructors are talk- i ing of submitting to Congress wilj measure 3 B§ft in the clear, which would leave only 6ffc clearance at the sides of the locks. Furthermore, the huge ocean linors of the j turbine type are getting larger and- larger i every year, and there is no doubt that if j

( tkpy go on increasing during the lexfc few • Tvr<a >"» -fts Miey have been doing 'ately there ' -will be -lumeroue ships afloat in 1915, when > tae canal is expected to be completed, too large to pass through the waterway, ifi present plans are adhered to. These facts have been brought under the notice of the Government, and fche\ friends of the sea* level .type- of canal are again agitating fou the adoption of that system, although Con.-* gress, at the solicitation of President Eoose*velt,' has pronounced in favour of the look type. It is' claimed for the sea-level plain ' that it is the only one with sufficient elasticity to meet the needs of ■' the rapidly-* growinig tonnage «. vn marine construction.. The sea-Levei scheme' would involve - the> construction oE J>ut one lock, merely tooffset '.the tidal difference's' between the, . Atlantic "jamd "^Pacific Oceans. But, if the> lock system is" retained ,it seems ceftainr that the -plans must be recast, so as to provide for wider fecks. ' This will not" greatly, add to the difficulty of the engineering 1 parts of the anctertaking, but it is said that tho change will be extremely costly. An article, by. Mr A. S. Hoffman, on the people who write the jokes in the comia press/ appeared in the October number, of the New York Bookman. Nearly all thet jokes, he" cays, are produced by some 15 or 20 men and women, most of whom ■ follow other work as a' means of livelihoodMr James J. O'CJonnell has been writing* jokes for nearly 30 years. Besides doing a- grfeat deal of general newspaper work,,h» has travelled extensively, and his life has heen on© long struggle with ill-health. y His total output of jokes, we are told, hasfar exceeded 100,000. ' He writes all hip ' jokes at night and transcribes and sorts. them 1 into batches in the morning. Mr TIL A. Oliver is responsible for more thani 75,000 jokes. He is credited with^bemg thai originator of the conversational joke> Mr H. I. Hortbn, another, writer, has produced: , over 20,000 jokes. " „ .' " Meeara - Jas. Arkle, T. R. Christie, an'di * James - Small were on the *9th re-elected - members . of the Drainage Board- without opposilioaThe merchants' and" manufacturers of tha" Dominion a-re being invited by the Industries and Commerce Department to- nrovide suitable exhibits for the Franco-British! Exhibition, which is to 'be opened 'n London in May next. It, will be necessary that; exhibits shall be in the hands of the department by February 10, and the Government has agreed to bear all transport jtndf exhibiting charges. The proceedings of liberty men ashore from his -Majesty's ships are always original!^ and usually interesting. Dunedin on tho 9th was provided with the spectacle of Jack; ashore, and Princes street' was, plentifully sprinkled with men in breezy blue- jumper* and -extravagant generosity of foouser leg., The usual idea is to hire horses,.^ and having ascertained which end va "forrard '•" and which "a-ft," -to -mount thereon and! " set sail " in search " of adventure with/ alarming success. The/ right kind of quad-* ruped was apparently jaot forthcoming -inDunedin, co in some, instances bicycles were resorted to. One- bluejacket, having taken.., in the necessary reefe to the .trouser legsL aforesaid; rode solemnly backwards and for* ' wards along Princes, street South,- dismounting- at each end and wheeling hi* craft round with the approved " navy; sweep," to the joy of all beholders. Those who knew less' about bicycles than hoxses'" contented themselves with tne eights, walk r ing the pavements as though they undulated, and'as^lf -Flagstaff and Mount Cargill were rolling blue billows. A fire occurred on the 6th' at Whife Swamp, near Silvexstreain', and destroyed! a, five-roomed dwelling owned and occtt/ pied by Mr John Henderson. The outbreak

•tarted about 11 a.m., and no cause can f be assigned for it. Mrs Henderson was met by a" heavy body of flame when returning from the barn and stable, and had no time to eav© anything. The house was insured" for £75 in the Australian Alliance, and the furniture and effects for £100 in the National. , The revenue from the city trams 'for the fortnight ended January * was £2971 14s lid, as against £2739 12s. 3d for the «orr«sponding period last year. The legend R.M.L.I. on the «houlderstrap of a -corporal of marines -on the 9th jpuzsled" one of Dunedtn's street-corner philosophers. _=He was big. and. "burly even J". for a marine, and might have weighed any- i thing, from -16 4o 20 "stone." The" street- ' corner - person' asked his friend what -j R.M.L.I. meant. Did-these chaps' have to j carry, iheir" initials on their clothes? His friend' informed ■ him the letters stood for .Royal Marine Light Infantry. "Light infantry," he gasped, surveying the corpulent -corporal with amazement; "light! What are the heavy ones lii-e I wonder " ; and he turned «.way d«ej>ly impressed with the tonnage of his Majesty's marines. A -meeting of the trustees of the Hocken { Collection was held on the 9th instant, -"there being present — Messrs G. Fenwiob (in the chair), H. 3L Williams, M. Cohen, J. B. White, W. Burnett, and Dr Ben- . ham. ' Th« deed vesting the collection in the University Council was signed. The architect Burnside) was in- attendance with flic plans and specifications of the building it is proposed to erect as an addition to the Museum at its northern i ex^ and these were approved -and the j 'architect instructed to oall for tenders. \ The treasurer's statement showed the total funds Jin hand" to be £5600, and jihe architect ' said he estimated this would b» ample for the -building .and the necessary fittings. - It was agreed, that tenders should -be called for _Ifoe building only in themeantime." . _ - At a special meeting of &.e^ Milton Borough on -Wednesday, Bth inst., it was decided by five" to three that Satur- ; day' should be the day «n ,whioh the ', statutory- half -holiday .is "to bo - observed. The Bruce Herald 'has taken the views of - a number of tii» local business people, and the majority of them were opposed to "the change Wednesday. • "* Two of ike daily press reporters who were 'told off on the 9th to- report the pro- . ceedings o£ the Primitive IWLejbnodisV (Jon- | ference were in. danger of being enrolled . members of the Conference whether thsy would -or no. A question -arose as - to reporting the -proceedings, and a layman •who, while desiring; that the proceedings 'should ' gain publicity, could not quite - reconcile himself to the ' presence- of persons -who were not members of Conference, got over the -difficulty by suggesting that the press reporter* should be made, members of -&» Conference! '■, There Twas a perceptible pause in the proceedings when this-, novel suggestion was made, the reporters looked, stolidly in front of them as a couple of hundred -eyes were turned in their - direction, . g, sense of the fitness • and unfitness of things seemed to pass r i^icough .the miTufa of the officers of the Conference for -a brief moment, and a delicate situation was saved by a practical proposal being adopted that two members of Conference be associated" with the daily press staff as official recorders of the proceedings. A" correspondent,^ who has just returned to Dunedin from a holiday trip to the Catlins "district, writes us: — "It wili take - aU three months' vigorous work -to complete the railway" line to Honipapa. * The railway bridge i*' completed, but -ballasting and the ~ station yard 'buildings have" yet .to be- done. Houipapa is about two miles beyond CatlinV River , Station/ and the - bush-felling and "earthworks are in progTBM for stilt another two- miles. It has' taken something like 29 years for the railway to reach Catlin's River from Balclutha — a distance of about *24>- miles, — but - it is to be sincerely hoped that the last 10 or 12 miles to Tahakopa will be undertaken in n qnick time, for there is -no doubt " about it that the bush all along the .route could easily supply JDunedin and surrounding towns with all the building timber ifchey required Mine props, fencing posts, ♦ and firewood can be produced in. unlimited quantities,' and should the Government in its "wisdom convey these commodities* cheaply the Otago Central -settlers will have cause to rejoioe that the. Catlins Bush is. being opened, tip." Mr H. Beauchamp, chairman of direo_tore "of the Bank of .New Zealand, told" a representative of Ohe New Zealand Times | that no furfher advice had been Teoeived j from London since the announcement that the bank rate had been reduced to 6 - per cent _At the same time the increase in the price >of console-namely, 25b — was very -significant, as was also the firming ap' of practically the -whole of the seouri- - ties of, the Commonwealth and the - Dominion. A better feeling, was also to ; - ibe observed already in Bradford with < " 'lespect to -wool, and -he was r-afher hope- - Sul' that this' news -might." have some] eshiiarstiny"- -effect on. the' -local sales, .'irfiich take "place towards" -fche end of the •jeuirent month. < A- simple^ -aocideirfc which might have 'caused great .'inconvenience,- or worse, is : reported by the Haweia. Star. -Whilst'out Idriving ihe other evening, some, miles from ijlmwera, the trap -lamp -went out.- The i|riv«r * young- man well known locally, thrust" his finger into the candle socket to - $cc if it was empty, and-'upon attempting Ho withdraw his finger -found that ffc had J been trapped by the flange. Try; as he|

might lie could not release his hand. For- T tunately he was .still = seated in ihe iarap^ what would have happened had he been on the ground can only be conjectured, — bo that -^he vras able to drive into Hawera. Arrived in town it 'was found necessary to -cut the lamp to pieces to release the .finger. The .supplementary matriculation anS scholarship examination .. for the University ', of New Zealand will 'be held -on the 23rd and 24th inst at the various centres. Nearly 300 civil servants have already made application ,to 'be included -in the superannuation" scheme. Many . others express an intention 3? -delaying ap- , plication till towards the termination • Ttheir six months' opportunity, so that, thedeductions from their salaries, which form the sole unpleasant feature of the schemej" may not commence too soon. A singular fact is- mentioned- by the Rotorua Times. A resident of Rotoriia■who this season used alleged, 1 seed finds that his new crop, of pritatoes is diseased, whereas the Rev. C. A. Tisdall, formerly of Wellington, who planted in ground which was badly blighted last year, and used as manure a compost of rotten and blighted potatoes, is digging up splendid tubers- free from disease. Whilst Mr 'J. -K. Logan, Superintendent of Telegraphs, was visiting America" he had a. new .telegraph printing instrument brought under his notice, -and, as previously stated, recommended to the department that a number of tihe instruments should "he procured. The necessary authority has been given and the instruments ordered, but owing to the demand being greater than the supply it will be some time before the instruments «xrive -in New- Zealand. It is expected that by the use of the telegraph -prmtrnsg instrument great saving of •time and expense will ';be effected. A conference was held on the 15th in the Harbour Board offices "between'representatives of the Otago Dook Trust and the Otago Harbour Board on a proposal emanating from the former body that the affairs of th« Dock Trust be taken over by the Harbour Board. The proceedings were conducted in committee, and the con- [ ference, after" a full discussion -on "the proposal, after deciding to hold a I further meeting -on a date to be arranged. ! "Tf th© Seoialistio party came into power, would you maintain an army and navy?" was «. question put to IMr Eeir Hardie on the 9th inst. The reply was sharp, and to the point. "No," 6aidr.th«j British "Labour leader. "First of all -we would " apply commonsense and 'Christian teaching, both of which are opposed to either an army or a navy. The. great fafct about the Socialistic movement, 1 which its .enemies do not like, is- that "it stands for interna'icnal- peace. Gem any and France are eupposfid to he at bitter enmity with each o.hsr, "Socialists -of -these "two ooun- < tries -w!QI make war impossiMe between them in the future. If necessary, a" general strike will he proclaimed throughout the two nations, and so render powerless .any ! attempt to bring about a ITxaneo-Germari war." . "As for insults," concluded Mr' •H*r3is> they" were just as they were taken ; and very often a man who fought a/bout an insult -was a bigger "fool 'than the man who offered the insult/ The speaker's «tate- , ment was received vith very loud applause In reply to a question by one' .of the audience in the Alhambra Theatre on Thursday, 9£h iifst., Mr.Keir Hardie said thatat the present time hearxLa lot about the working class not going to «hurch, and of flic Taok of Teligioxis ' belief amongst j the working -class. His impression was that the Churoh had lost its distinctive mission to th» people. It had. no longer a message. The Socialistic movement of the twentieth century was to the people what the Christian religion was during the first ' century — the great movement for the uplifting of the people. Unfortunately the Churoh reflected the opinion of the marketplace on praotioally every question, and, therefore, had lost the power it formerly exereasad over the minds of nationg. It was not right, however, ho -said, to attaxsk the dogmas of the Churoh. The mistake that was made by "" many , Socialists was that liiey singled out some institution for attack. Some singled out the press, soms singled out politicians, others singled out the ChuTch. What was wanted was th« attack of the system which all three upheld, and when they had Uttaeked and undermined that system these institutions would either require to conform to the new ardor or disappear. It did harm ie the movement to single out the Church for ' attack, for nine times out of ten it was not ; the Churoh but the religion it expounded j j that was attacked. If there was no other reason for Socialism than the religion of I Jesus of Nazareth, that was sufficient foundation in itself on which to build the whole 'Socialistic movement. W© "have reoeived from the Inspector^ ~of Mines, Dunedin, "the sum of £4- 10s. ' subscribed by the Inangahua Miners' Union . towards the Diver Hughes Fund. This is -the second amount we have received from ]-th» Inspector of Mines in aid of Diver Hughes, th« previous sum having also been subscribed by West Coast miners. -Mt Eeir Hardie, M.P., believes in the taxation to the full of land values, but : cannot accept the single-tax doctrine, because, in his opinion, Jit runs to anarchism pure and simple. -At ; a meeting of the Roxburgh TBranch of the Lawrence-Roxburgh Railway League held last week .great disappointment was -expres.se<l at j^eater activity not beingsshown ! -in -the prosecution of the line, and .the lol- | lowing resolution was -nsucaads — " Thai -this 1

league views with disappointment the slow progress being made in the construction of the Lawrence-Roxburgh railway line, and would respectfully suggest that no delay be allowed to occur in making any necessary alterations in the grade leading to the Big Hill tunnel. And this league regrets that while additional men are being employed on •various lines throughout the Dominion, no increase of men has taken place on the "Lawrence-Roxburgh railway line." The erection of the fish-curing works on -Rangawai Island by the Salvation Army is stated to have proved- successful from every .point of view, and arrangements are now being made to erect an smokehouse, and a large freezing plant, costing over £600. .The enlargements, according to ■Brigadier Albiston, are due to the demand •in Auckland for fresh and smoked fish. "As a result of the erection of the fishcuring plant on the island a means of livelihood^ has been provided for the Maoris resident^ there. While Lieutenant Shackleton is going to try ponies and a motor-car in the Antarctic, an equally interesting experiment is to be made in the Arctic regions by Captain R-onald~ Amundsen. This Norwegian explorer, -who has already distinguished himself by making the North-west Passage, proposes to lead an expedition towards the North Pole, and he stated that he will -use hears to draw his sledges. The polar bear -as he is found at large is not adapted to a life -of service. His temper is not amiable., and it would be difficult to keep him in a proper -etate of -discipline, even with a club. Captain Amundsen proposes I to use beare that have never heard the tall |of the wild. He has captured them <as cubs, and he is having thsra -trained, so that by the time they grow up they .ought to be quite reasonably "docile. He states that a bear is 10 times as .strong, as' a horse when working on ice, and can-- haul as much as 100 'dogs. "- " The jRev v J^ C Jeter,, a. minister of -ike United States, seems to ne one of the most versatile individuals who has ever occupied the pulpit," says a writer In the November number -of the Quiver. "In addition to his pastoral work he is an upholsterer, telegraphist, painter, carpenter, printer, farmer, and reformer. When he first went to the city of Cumberland his congregation was without any fixed place of worship. Mr ' Jeter set to work and built one of the finest ■churches in^the city,- doing a great portion •of the manual, labour himself. But when he was finished there was a heavy debt on the property. One night the pastor went to sleep and dreamed that he had invented Ta salt and pepper" castor, ' and with the money realised 'from the sale of the patent he had- paid' k>ff -the church de*bt. Next morning,- -while the idea' was - fresh in his mind, he made a model of the castor, which was" arranged eri that the salt could be shaken from the "handle of -a- table-knife, and pepper 'fr-om the haiffile of a fork. He- has. applied ior a patent, : and intends to devote the money gained from the sale ■of the invention for the relief of the church debt." - — Amongst -the measures paseeH -during the closing days of - the recent N.S.W. parliamentary .session was an acir to provide lor the proper defence of prisoners who have not the means to engage 'counsel to look after their ■interests. The measure provides that a person committed for trial may jat any time before the jury is sworn -apply to the committing magistrate or to a judge •of the Supreme Court, -or to a chairman of Quarter Sessions for legal aid" for his defence. If the authority to whom such an application is made is satisfied that it is in -the interests of justice that such legal aid should be supplied, he shall so certify -to the Attorney-general, who may thereupon cause arrangements to be made for the defence of the accused person, and payment of the expenses' of all material witnesses'. In the bil} asHt left the Legislative Assembly "there was a provision to" the effect that "upon committal the person committed shall be supplied with a copy of "this act," but the Legislative Council eliminated the clause, evidently considering the troubles of an accused person should not be increased by expecting him to discover for himself' the hidden meaning of an act of Parliament. pn -lit© Saturday (says the Bruce' Herald) preceding New Year's Day Mr Gibson Porter, of Milton, and Mr William Grant, when -at the coast procured the loan of Mrs Gray's boat aid boarded the wreok of the Marguerite Mirabaud. The whole of the forecastle deck is burst out and the anchor winch rocking 'on its pillars. The anchor chains have evidently dropped back into the chain locker, as they are not now attached to the winch. Three anchors axe still visible, but all the inferior of -fche forecastle and ipre-peak is completely broken up. Some of the coal which constituted her principal cargo is -still on board, and the sides of the ship have caved in on both sides, covering it up. The keel i 3 believed to be. still intact from end to end, though -the stern of the vessel has Bettled down below the low-water mark. The party had no difficulty in getting on board, the sea being tolerably smooth, but the way immense pieces of ironwork have been twisted and broken is mute testimony to -the power of the waves- to effect destruction. A distressing case has been brought under the notice of -the Sydney City Coroner by the Newtown police in a report touching on the -death of a- «ix months' old infant. According to the statements supplied, by the officer in- charge of the case, the babyj was apparently quite inadvertently starred to death- The mother was 17 years -of age, and ha 4 fed, her child for two months on nothing else hut barley -water. -Dr Pansey, in his reporjf to -6he coroner, stated:. *'ThY

child and mother were looked- after for the j first four months at the Salvation Army ' Home, Burwood. Since then they stayed at the father's house at St. Peters, and the child has "been fed only on barley water. Continual feeding on such a "diet for two months means practically starvation. No attempt was made to obtain medical attendance or supervision tUI December 26, when j the child was brought to the hospital at 10.5 a.m., and admitted in an extremely wasted and dying condition. She died two hours later from the effects of malnutrition, caused by improper feeding." We learn that Robert Rush, the survivor \ of the boating accident on Sunday, was ■ rescued under circumstances reflecting the greatest credit on the courage "o. hw resouer, who is a young man named Robert Proctor,, a resident of the Penin- x sula and an employee of the Otago | j Harbour Board. Proctor was riding [ along the Bay Toad -on a bicycle and heard j 1 cries. Seeing' a flat-bottomed punt moored j at some- little distance from -the shore, he found the rowlocks and bars, and with them swa-m out to-the punt. In this -craft, • which was so unseaworthy that it .had to • be bailed by another man who -joined him, he made his way to where Rush was clinging to the mast head, and reached him 1 ju6t in time, as he was completely jex- , hausted .and could have held on only «,iew . minutes longer. 'Proctor was not called at the inquest, for the probable reason^ that Rush was too -much exhausted i» r notice the manner of his rescue, and so did not tell the police. We learn, further", that this' is the second occasion on which j Proctor has saved life under similar cir- ' oumstances. ' - The Rev. Mr Hewitsou and Mrs Hewiti son returned to -Dunedin on the- 13th, after j a two months' visit to Australia. Mrj Hewitson made brief sojourns .both Mi-l-Sydney and in Melbourne, after which he * visited' Adelaide, Perth, and Albany, Speaking to «. Times reporter last night, j | Mr Hewitson said that as for "as he could ( j j see, the general testimony was that South - Australia was at the present time the most prosperous of the ComAonwealth States.* j In Western Australia, »lso, matters were settling down perceptibly, and while a . short time ago nothing was .heard but what j # i related to the search ' for gold, wheat- j ' growing and fruit-production ,were now . receiving much, more attention. 'The weather throughout the trip Mr Hewiteon describes as "fear-fully hot. 7 ' In Adelaide the temperature was lOAdeg in the shade, ' while in Melbourne there was encountered ; ] a period of intense heat such as in point of duration had. not been" experienced for a good many years. Mr Hewitson's father, who f ormerly ' resided in Perth, has. come ' ■to . Dunedin wifli -him. ■ - - A dispute has been filed "with Mrßooerts, Clerk of AwaEds, -for hearing -at *he next j sitting of the Arbitration CJourt by the j Otago And Southland Gold Miners' Indus- j trial Union' of Workers and the : Rouhd Hill Mmmg ~ Company, Colao Bay, and other mining companies of the - district. The miners are asking that eight hours ! j shall be the recognised «hift, that overtime i ! shall be paid -for at time and a-quarter, j and that the minimum wage shall be: For | claim hands, 9s per shift; -for race men, | 9s 6d per shift; and for' •carpenters and J blacksmiths, lGs per shift. Mr T. Mackenzie, M.P., has received from the Bon. J. A. Millar, Minister of Marine, a communication which' jdisposes . of the hopes that have been entertained that an oyster culture industry might be established on the coastline north, of Wai; kouaiti. Mr Millar- writes: — "Referring -■ to your question No. 46 on the Order Paper of the House of Representatives of the 24th July last, as to whether I would have inquiries made as to the suitability for oyster culture >of the xeef and coast between Waikouaiti Head and s Shag Point, and my promise*" that Mr Aysori, Chief Inspector of Fisheries, would inquire into the matter and report, "1 now have the honour to inform you that, in his opinion, I the^ temperature of the sea and climatic , conditions along the coast are | unsuitable for rock oyster culture, and he i doea .not, therefore, advise that Eteps should .be taken "to carry' out an .experiment of the kind indicated." Messrs Barron (Commissioner), Livingstone, and M'Kenzie (of the Otago Land Board) on the morning' ci the 14th started on an extended visit of inspection to the Martin's J3ay district, where there is an area of 10,000 to 12,000 acres tinder the board's control. The land, it is understood, is mainly under timber and flax, and at the present time unremunexevtiye. Inquiries respecting it have * been made to the board from time to time, and the object of .the -visit is to ascertain its value " and its adaptability. Messrs Barron, Livingstone, and M'Kenzie will journey overland, and expect to return eaxjy in February, in time for the Otekaike ballot. How susceptible some people are to the magnificence of uniform is well known, and a witness at the City Police Court on the 13th was' evidently impressed with" , the «üb-inspeotor's braided jax&et. She appeared to know that somebody ■ was " Your Worship," but -af ter a glance at the t dapper, -grey-dad gentleman on the bench, the solemn clerk of the court, and' dignified representatives of the press,. evidently made up her mind "it couldn't be. them." "Then arose the sub-inspector, with a «heaf of questions and an air of authority. -' This ■ was evidently_the man, and she r-eplied to him:' "No, your Worship," "Yes, ,your i Worship." The official . -became somewhat embarrassed at having so much great--Iness suddenly -thrust upon him, and at.- last -found it necessarj "modestly explain^

with an introductory gesture towards th(\ ' bench: "That is his Worship, you know.* At .the sitting of the Juvenile Court on fne 13th a child aged 1? months wa» committed to the Industrial School, Iho young -mother being unable to support him. The enbrinspectox took the opportunity tw inform the bench that a number of Bimila* cases -were coming on. The number ot infante brought into the world by mothers with little or _no prospect of maintaining them was, he added, increasing to an alarming extent. If the problem did not find, a local solution a heavy .burden was likely to be imposed on -the State. The petition of Chinese -in New Zealand to the King against the act to amend the Chinese Immigration Act of 1881 is in the course of circulation throughout the Dominion. Copies of .the petition are ch> culating in the Auckland district, on the West Coast of the South Island, and in. Otago. A petition is in preparation forsignature by European residents of the Dominion • against the new act, ot any measures, directed solely against perrons of the Chinese race as distinguishing them from other Asiatics. - - • > The "-strictly cash" system ior bakers is in operation in Gisborne. It has. be.en in existence a week: Garteis Usually taking back -a shilling or two to their employers bring in as many pounds daily now. But there is £says the Post) -a -fly in Tfche master baker's ointments it is this: it takes 12 to 13 hours a day -to deliver bread on the cash system, and "carters aTe not | allowed to work more than nine hours a : day -without oyertimß. The increase in the time of -delivery Tesults irom €he carte* having to wait white Jlis customer, who may be at the wash-tub, mixing a cake, or feeding a baby, prepares to reoeive the bread (usually left 'on a shelf at the back door), finds the money 'to -pay for it, o* runs around to"4get^chaiige. r A strange visitor to New Zealand was discovered -on the hillside at Livingstone, Canterbury. A bird about the size of * small -pigeon and of the Procellaria genus— wing weary and "evidently "considerably, exhausted,— was picked up -ana taken home., The bird, which would be snore easily, recognised by the term "petrel," has taken' quite kindly to its new life, being now in, the possession of a resident of. Oam.arui, .and recovering strength swiftly on a fish' diet. "When it is tsonsidered-i3iat, although; -this species of bird is- "the most strictly, oceanic of seabirds, this particular stranger must have traversed- some -6000 odd miles from its natural - habitat— the Maldive 'Mandsv^its presence in New Zealand insufficiently remarkable to be chronicled? Another ourious .feature with tbjraTbird U -that while possessing webbed feet, in"-cap< 'tivity it has acquired the habit of^ clamber* ing up. wire-netting with the facility ,and manner x>f =a parrot. " ' As a contemporary remarks, presumably, most people -are aware "that this is .Leap Sear. What lew- people, however, have probably as yet is that February this year contains no "fewer than five Saturdays, a rather rare occurrence. 12m.* ployees who are paid on Saturday will, doubtless, congratulate themselves on an increased jatfonthly income, but the financial statement at the end of the year will be no greater, and the--iinexpeeted -wealth of February should not lead to extravagance. The -Immigration I<eague of Australasia has marked out Scotland as one of its chief spheres of influence. Fifty thousand emigrants are leaving Scotland annually, and the league is determined to -secure a proportion for Australia, as they aTe regarded as among the most desirable of -colonists. The Scotch country pa-pers are being sup* plied with "articles about Australia by writers who- have intimate knowledge o£ the districts in which their papers circulate. Br 1 Arthur, hag sent a letter, "Australia for Fife Folk," to the press of Fife, and other letters are about | to- go to Inverness, Aberdeen, and the I Lowlands counties. The league Jias also | determined, to try and interest private in-j divjduals in Scotland in its "work. To this end it has sent letters, calling attention tog the 'attractions of Australia, to a large. num« j ber of tne parish ministers -and "doctors in j the small towns in Scotland. The minister. 5 .and the doctor are the two important persons in such places, and they are often consulted by their parishioners and patients who think of going . abroad. If -this scheme elicits a good response it will be extended to other parts of- the United Kingdom. In Breslau, during the "absence of their employer, a number of young men began' making bets with one another. One of them (says the London Daily Chronicle) made a wager that he would remain longer, inside the office safe than any of his com* panions. The wager .was accepted, and one after another -Squeezed into the safe, remaining there -until' nearly suffocated for want of fresh air.^ At last came the turnof the man who had made the wager. The/ door was snapped to. After a few. moments he was heard tapping to be released, hut to the consternation of those outside it was -discovered that the man inside had the. safe key in. his; pocket. He was heard ( struggling and Shrieking. 0 was suddenly remembered that the enw ployer had another- key.- -He was hastily, summoned, and the imprisoned man Te'< leased. 1 He -was found to be insensible,his clothes .torn, t9 tatters "in i»e,.p"aroxys}n of his terror^ .It is doubtful if he wjjjl Tecbver,--his brain being. B'erioisly effected.. .Opals often, f ajU from, their *e.tfings Be-oafcSe-they expand with heat more than othe> .previous -stqngs,. and, consequently, force open' th£ "gold tyhioh holds &em in placo. - v