LOCAL & GENERAL.

Otago Witness, Issue 2842, 2 September 1908, Page 64

LOCAL & GENERAL.

Mr .H. F. Skey, officer in charge of th« magnetic survey, states in an appendix to * a report presented to Parliament that the Milne seismograph No. 16 has been kept in continuous operation during the year, and the records obtained have been developed arid measured. The number of earthquakes recorded during the 12 months was 87. Eight of the principal seismograms are reproduced, including those of the Mexican earthquakes of 26tb and 27th March, 1908. A magnetic survey of the Chatham Islands has recently been ■completed by Mr Skey, with the assistance of Mr E. Kidson, M.Sc, now of the staff of the Department of Terrestrial Magnetism of the Carnegie Institute of Washington. Observations were - obtained in less than two months at 20 stations on the islands, in spite of the almost total absence of roads, which necessitated the employment of a sledge as a conveyance. The Nightcaps disaster cost the Government £1122— at least that is the amount required to cover the expenses of the Royal Commission which inquired into the case. Speaking about this matter in the House on Friday evening (says the Wellington correspondent of the Southland News), Mr - JTJ T C. Thomson said that the Otago Coal Miners' Union had employed counsel at the inquiry at a cost of £300. The inquiry was carried out entirely in the public interests, and this sum should be paid to the Miners' Union by the Government. A Minister, while in the south, had as good as promised that it would be done, but, so far as the speaker knew, not a -single penny had reached the union. The mining company had also expended £300 in legal costs, and it had been shown at the inquiry that everything possible had been done to render the mine safe. He thought the company should also be reimbursed by the Government for the expenditure it had been put to. Mr Thomson also pointed out that eight men had /displayed conspicuous braveTy when the accident occurred, and the commission recommended that they should be rewarded in some way. Did the Government intend t/o recognise the brave action of these men? s?he Minister said he would look into both matters. Mr Hanan said he wanted to know whether the Government could not -carry out the recommendations of the commission, otherwise it was simply useless to have set up a commission. He, however, elicited no definite information. Mr A. Bathgate, hon. secretary of Dunedin and Suburban Reserves Conservation Society, received a pleasant surprise on Aug. 26 in the receipt of a cheque for £100, •representing a bequest, in favour of the•ooiety, on the part of the fete Mr R. F. Smith, of the firm of Smith and Smith (Ltd.), who took a warm and, as will be Been, practical interest in the work performed by the society in the improvement of the amenities of Dunedin. Mr G. B. Nicholls addressed a meeting of temperance workers in the Tabernacle on Aug. 26. In the course of hia remarks he aaid he could not understand why people in New Zealand refused to attach importance to what" was going on in the United States in connection with the nolicense movement. In 48 hours on two days during last May there were 2500 local option contests in that great country, and the net result of these contests was that over 2,000,000 people voted themselves dry, and over 2000 saloons would have to close their doors. Mr Nicholls then quoted Mr Samuel J. Barrows, president of the International Prison Commission, who wrote to the following effect in an article in the American Outlook for July 11 on the decreasing crime as the result of local option and State prohibition : "Superintendent Baker, of the Amicftloon League, prophecies that at least 30 saloons a day will be closed in the United States during the whole of 1908. This means 200 a week, and over 5000 in the year. Allowing 30ft frontage for each saloon, this means fifty-nine and one-third miles of saloons to be closed this yeex. With this estimate the Liquor party reluctantly agrees, so it may be considered within the mark." Was there any sign of failure about that, asked the speaker? Our Oamaru correspondent telegraphs stating that the Waitaki County * Council ■acoc-ptad Mr James Sinclair's tender on th«» 26th for the construction of the Ahuriri River bridge at £1784 18s 9d. There -were five tenders, all fairly close together, and of these the lowest was accepted. Our Bluff correspondent x«ports that never at any time within the memory of the oldest fishermen has the fish draught off Toby Rook and Waipapa banks been so bounteous as it is at present. Within the bust few days Bluff alone must have netted 60 tons of large-sized blue cod. The theory is that they are coming flocking in from the deep waters for spawning purposes. Sir Robert Stout, Chancellor of the TTnirersity of New Zealand, writes to the Rev. P. B. Fraser from Te Aroha regarding his proposals for appointing teachers, and his protest againet the entire abolition o£ the pupil-teacher system as closing the avenue into the profession for country boys and girls, as follows: — "1 have received and read your paper on the appointment of teaohers, and -generally agree with ifc" Regarding country teacher* and education Sir Robert Stout says: — "I hava said in several addresses' that our jtasu&ere, especially in country eohoole, B&orkI hays had the advantages of urnver■Jlt education. The benefit to tbe counrof Aberdeen, Forfar, end Kincardine ihe Dick and Milne bequests show 3

what a university education may do. I j am also wholly with you on the pupil- ' teacher system. I was a pupil-teacher, and but for that system hundreds would never have been able to enter the profession. I hope your efforts may be success- , ful." The Hon. Mr Fowlds, Minister of : Education, has informed Mr Fraser that ! his suggestions will receive the Minister's ! very careful consideration. j At the Magistrate's Court at Lawrence | on Aug. 24, before Mr Kenrick, S.M. , the Tuapeka Hospital Board (Mr Moore) sued • Jno. Buchan (Mr Finlayson) on a claim for ; £9 12s for hospital maintenance. Mr Finlayson set up as a special defence the Statute of Limitations, but Mr Moore pointed out that the necessary 24 hours' notice had not been given of this defence, and his Worship upheld the objection. Mr Finlayson then brought forward as a defence that £6 of the claim had already been paid by defendant, but that the receipt had been lost. Mr Woods, clerk to the Hospital Board, was examined, and explained his system of keeping the hospital accounts, his Worship expressing the opinion that they were very systematically kept. The case was ultimately adjourned to enable the parties to look tip further records. His Worship, in adjourning the case," commented on the action of the trustees in deferring suing for long afteT the debt, had become due. He though! euch debts should be sued for within a reasonable time after they were contracted. A new method of road construction to cope with heavy traffic was laid before the Hawera County Council a few days ago by Mr Basham (county engineer). He reminded councillors that all the wear on the roads occurred in the wheel tracks. The tracks were always well defined, and no matter how. wide the road was the traffic still kept to tho one track. In America, to contend against this wear many miles of steel troughing had been laid with marked success. The cost of the system in New Zealand was prohibitive, but Mr Basham thought the principle mdght be adoufed in the Dominion if a cheap material could be substituted, and he had designed a concrete block which he thought would effectively take the place of the steel track. Mr Basham went on to say that the cost of laying such tracks would range from £500 to £900 per mile. Startling disclosures have beeft' made in the annual report of the clerk in charge of the New South Wales Department of Labour and Industry, in which the necessity" for legislating to fix a minimum rate of pay for children engaged in factories is emphasised. .Inspector Burkett, of Newcastle district, says that of 522 females employed by- milliners and "dressmakere 245 so-called apprentices were in receipt^ ofnothing per week, and 60 others were paid 3s or lees per week. Girls are taken on under a two .years' apprenticeship, and when that is finished, and a small wage asked, I other girls from school supplant them. ' Inspector Armitage, of Goulburn, reports that in a passover cake factory he found children of 10 to 13 rears of age at work at midnight. One had worked 67£ hours for 10s, and another 60 hours for 7s 6d. Sometimes 15 hours were worked in one eh'ift. Inspector Armitage says: "I found J the worst straightout sweating I have come aoross for years." He goes on to say that while inspecting a very large tile factory he noticed that young girk did v ell the wheeling and lifting. The weight of a loaded barrow was about 1221b. Some of the girls were under 18 years of age, and he got the manager to stop this kind of work being done by girls. He also found two girls working in the clay pits. In another place he found girls making boxes to pack sweets in for " 4d per 1000, and when they worked overtime they got no additional pay. A 13-year-old girl. Ivli s s Margaret Euler, is to be made an honorary member of the New York Fire Brigade in recognition of her unexampled heroism during a recent fire in the east side of the city whioh rendered 15 families homeless. While the panic-stricken people were struggling madly to escape, the men trampling on the women, the girl mounted one of the iron staircases attached to the outside of the house, forced a. way into & 3 moke-filled room, took a baby from its mother's arms, I and carried it to safety, Thee ehe returned, took the woman's second child, assisted the fainting mother U> her feet, and guided both to the freeh air. For a third time the girl ventured into th« suffocating room. " I bent low, as the firemen do," she said afterwards, "and heard a woman's voice. She was helpless, and had a baby and an older- child. I took the baby and pulled the other with me.'' Next the girl mounted to the fourth floor, and rescued another woman and her baby. She went back yet once more, and led an , eight-year-old boy to eafety, after which the firemen arrived and relieved her of her ~tadk. On Friday afternoon a telegram was reoeived at Christclmroh from the Colonial Secretary agreeing to allow the roan named John JHughes, belonging to the New Zealand Shipping Company's steamer Waimato, whose case was referred to in our iesuo on Saturday, to bo signed off and sent Home in the Rimutaka. He was brought before a justice of the peace, and signed off. He left for Wellington by thePateona, end joined the Rimutaka for London. Although -New Zealand will not send a, delegate to tho international congress on tubercrulosie, to bo held at Washington, from September 1 to October 12, it is not intended to a-llow such an important congress to go by without there being some 1 lepresestation from the Dominion. The '

matron of Te Waikato Sanatorium (Miss Rochfort) is interesting herself in the matter, and intends (says the Auckland Herald) forwarding to the congress, through the Public Health Department, & pamphlet, prepared by herself, dealing fully with Te Waikato Sanatorium; also a series of special views of the institution and its surroundings. In addition to this, there has been constructed in the workshop of the sanatorium a neat model of a shelter at the sanatorium, -which, together with a model of a tent used in the openair treatment, will be forwarded to the congress. ~ A Melbourne firm of lithographers has rearranged the working hours of its factory with the object of giving employees as much, time off in daylight as possible. From September 1 to April 1 work will commence on ordinary days at 7.30 a.m. and conclude at -5 p.m., with half an hour off for lunoh. On Saturday the day will conclude at 10.30 a.m. The manager was in favour of work commencing at 7 a. to., thus allowing an off day on Saturday, and the firm has signified its intention to arrange the hours on this principle next year jf the employees are agreeable.. An eminent authority has ladd it down that honey is <jot only very eesily digested and entirely digestible, but that it has a better food value for children and -those in delicate health than such highly-esteemed articles as cod liver oil and maJt extract. The moral of this Ik — ea-fc honey. This advice is emphasised by the fact that the wholesale price of butter in Sydney just now is more than -seven times that of honey. In this connection, Mr W. Abxam writes as follows to the Sydney Daily Telegraph:— "This land of milk and honey having a butter famine, may I draw attention to honey as a food delicacy which is not only cheap, but ait the same time a most wholesome food, and 'extremely liked by children. At present price honey is a luxury which everyone* can afford to enjoy. At first it may seem as if it did not go far, and thus appear expensive, Xu l that is only because it ie something new, and more of it is partaken of than if it were always in use. Syrup is perhaps cheaper than honey, but whilst the former is a preparation made from the residue of refined sugar, the latter is Nature's product, and gathered by the bees from the immense variety of flowers and blossoms. Honey is, therefore, worthy to take the place of butter at any time, but more particularly in this famine- season." That Anglophobe nourishes in Germany is borne out in a convincing manner by a letter received in Wellington of which the" following (says the Dominion) is an extract : -*-" The following circumstance has recently come to my notice as a method of the manner in whioh the German Navy League works. There is a small collecting box made in the shape of a ship, and painted the colour of the German flag. It is supplied to schools, and every owner of one is supposed to put a certain percentage of his pocket money into it. It is generally possessed by school children, and is passed round or offered with the remark, ' Gieb hier dein Geld, dass wir die Englander tuchtig schlagen ' (Give here your money, so that we can thoroughly smash the English). My correspondent asks why the English Navy League cannot start a similar box, so that we may not risk a smashing. I am far from wishing to advocate anything such as this, but I wish, if possible, to show you the feeling that is undoubtedly gaining ground in Germany. Unfortunately they cannot believe that this country will not attack them. They measure our statesmen by their own standard, and consequently expect to be broken up before they have an opportunity of building a fleet to defend themselves. It is this fear on their part which makes t/he danger in the situation." The Postmaster-general has given instructions tliat from the Ist of September the Chief Post Offices— Auckland, Wellington Christchurch and Dunedin — ere to be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. for the eale of postage stamps and postal notes, the registration of letters, delivery and receipt of parcels, and the delivery of letters, but no. letters will be delivered to persons who reside in a portion of the town where there is a letter-carriers' | delivery. The hours during which the money order and savings bank office is open will remain as at present, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on all days except Saturday, when it is open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. ; and again, for the receipt of savings bank deposits only, from 7 p.m. to 8.30 p.m. The recent discovery of a process by which old rubber and waste leather may be utilised and turned into a valuable commercial article promises to be the means of starting a new and important industry. It is claimed that "leatherubber," the new invention, can be turned out in en extraordinary variety of forms, and in every case at a mere fraction of the cost of the article which it seeks tc replace. Among the commodities which can be manufactured by the new process are linoleums of all grades and sizes, boot coles, belting, motor and bicycle tyres, portmanteaus, furniture coverings, end mats of every description. In every case the inventor claims that " leatherubber " is, in various respects, not only much cheaper, but actually of superior quality to the original article. With regard to the 6upply of raw material for the industry, it has been estimated that from the New Zealand boot factories alone at least 30 tons of leather are wasted every month. Heretofore this ha 6 been burnt, or manufaciurers have paid oarters to take it s.way and destroy it. Old rubber, sucli as bioycle tyres, and old boots and saddlery can now all be reclaimed, and these articles

form the chief materials from which " leatherubber " is made. The inventor is -Mr H. Lewis, of Melbourne, and the large factory which, he has had erected was officially opined at the beginning of last month. The machinery was started by the Premier of Victoria, Sir Thomas Bent, and congratulatory speeches were made by the Minister of Education (Mr Saohse), the Minister of Agriculture (Mr Swinburne), the president of the Chamber of Manufactures (Mr Joshua), and the agricultural expert (Dr Brown). In commenting on the success of the opening ceremony and the great importance of the discovery, the Australian Leather Journal says it is probable that the most sanguine expectations of the promoters will be completely realised. " A very important feature of the training of the midwives at the State Maternity Hospitals," says Miss M'Lean (deputy inspector) in her annual report, "is the stress laid on the necessity of every possible means being used to induce mothers to nurse their infants. That the efforts so conscientiously and carefully made are attended with success is indicated by the . fact that the number of mothers unable to nurse among the patients confined at St. Helens, Wellington, or attended by the nurses, in one year is only 2£ per cent., and in each case these women were incapacitated from performing this natural function by disease. There have been instances in all these hospitals where patients giving birth to their fifth and sixth children, and previously unable to nurse, have by proper treatment been • enabled to do so. This strongly emphasises the fact that practical and theoretical teaching must be combined, and practical; training must be carried out under the close and constant supervision of a well-trained matron rather than under a doctor, however efficient, whose time and opportunity for superintending js necessarily limited." The following letter from Miss Talbot (the Home secretary) was read at the lest meeting of the Victoria League: — "The Education Committee here is anxious to collect specimens of anything that is interesting and typical of the life in the different colonies, which might be lent to the schools when they are having lectures or talks about the particular country. We propose, therefore, making a small loan collection at this office of ■ such exhibits, and are asking for the help of our branches and allied- associations in the colonies. Would you very kindly bear this in mind, and ask your committee to help us in collecting interesting specimens of anything typical of New Zealand life and its natural history?" All will agree that Miss Talbot's suggestion is a very important one, and should materially help to bring the conditions of other parts of the Empire vividly before children and people at Home. Contributions of these objects may be forwarded at any time to Mrs Hocken, hon. secretary, Moray place. The question of permitting untrained registered midwives to attend the lectures given at the State Maternity Schools is referred to by Miss M'Lean (deputy registrar of nurses and midwives) in her annual report. " Phis oourse," she says, " was tried when the schools were first established, but although a few women availed themselves of the opportunity, it was found not desirable to go on with it. The course of lectures being delivered in conjunction with study and practical work under the supervision of doctor and matron in the hospitals was not adapted either to the requirements or the understanding 0/ the greater part of the -women who were otherwise eligible. Moreover, as the nature of the work in the hospitals, and also the outside .calls of the medioal attendant, rendered it impossible to adhere always to times arranged for lectures, it would be extremely di moult to arrange for outsiders to attend. I may add, however, that the few applications that have been made by registered midwives to attend have not been refused. A more practicable, and, at the same time, more valuable, means of j instruction for these midwives would be by a system of individual inspection and supervision, and lectures delivered at suitable times and places to these women alone." 1 A Wellington telegram states that the number of persons who arrived in the Dominion last month was 2941, as. compared with 1908 in July of last year. The ! departures last month numbered 2264, the number for July of last year being 2219. In a lecture at Wellington on " The Unreet of Labour," Mr A. R. Barclay, M.P., aaid that labour in New Zealand, in conjunction with labour throughout the world, was altogether dissatisfied ; a dissatisfaction brought about by the unsatisfactory condition allowed to exist. There was always the consciousness before it that } the wolf, though not at the door, was not far away ; and while this was so the speaker thought that labour would not cease to agitate to have the great uncertainty removed. The Arbitration Court came in for some criticism. In regard to ' the refusal of the oourt to make an award in the case of agricultural labourers, Mr ' Barclay said that he believed that Parliament 6hould step in and make an award for that industry. Reference was made to an article in the Nineteenth Century, with a comparison of the poverty here and in ( London. The speaker said that the only ; way in which poverty end. irregular employment could be prevented was by the ( State employing labour and managing the , 'productive industries in the interests of the public and the workers. This would ensure decent wages and regular supply. In the course of hus axklre=s, Mr Barclay mentioned a. case of alleged victimisation, where, he asserted, with but 12 hours' |

1 notice a trade union secretary, after 20 years' service, had been dismissed with but a colourls«8 testimonial. He believed that Socialism was the only scheme that would ensure to all a fair and honest living. Visitors to the Taieri are struck with the sight- of a number of windmill pumps which, are working in the vioinity of Henley. There are seven of these pumps lifting into the river the water from the areas etill flooded. Each pump shifts 2000 gallons a minute, but in spite of this the water is receding slowly. A Hastings message states that boring; operations at the Arataki experimental farm having already been tried without success, the Rev. H. Mason, of OUhuhu, at the department's request, visited the farm j on Friday morning, and in a very short 1 time was able definitely to state where I water would be found in several places in unlimited quantities. He considers the ; water is contained in underground cisterns more than in rapid current*,, .as in- tie vicinity of Auckland. Mr Mason afterwards left for. the Government stations at Levin and Momahaki. A large number of people in the area, affected by the recent storm in Central Otego are suffering from snow blindness Many wear coloured glasses when oat of doors, but all whose eyes are inclined to , be weak are affected in a greater or lesser j degree. The complaint manifests itself most at night, when persons afflicted ar« unable to see clearly in an artificial light, There are, on the other hand, shepherds and .others accustomed to the mountains who remain all day out on the . great j snowy wastes of the Central, with their eyes quite unprotected, and who suffer no inconvenience at all. One of the first indications of spring has arrived in Central Otago, in the shape of the dottre' . which have, during the past few days, distributed themselves all over I the high lands. This little grey bird is 1 of migratory habits, and leaves these latij tudes-for Northern Asia every autumn, Tei turning regularly at the approach of summer. One gentleman, who had closely observed them during the past few days, remarked that they ran about on the frozen snow as if puzzled: he wondered if they thought they had somehow got back into Siberia again. I At the last meeting of ' the Hampden Branch of the Farmers' Union a resolution was carried expressing sympathy with those who have suffered through, the late floods and snowstorms in Otago. I "Apropos of charitable aid," said a mine-owner to a representative of the Times on Friday, "I have always been wanting to buy a lathe far my workshop— I do a little that way, — but I have never been able to afford it. Near me live a family. It must be a poor family, because it is in receipt of charitable aid. They ! go in for a workshop, like me, merely as a pastime, and they have had a lathe for some time. Now these poor people have purchased a £65 motor bicycle. Charitable aid covers a multitude of — well, shall we sa/ blunders?" { There was an ebullition of mirth from representatives of the Taieri ratepayers on Friday when Or Gibson, was called upon to submit his report as to whether the council should make a donation towards the importation of little owls. Or Gibson said he did not know much about owls, but these importations had, as a rule, been more of a ovtrse than a blessing. He thought they had better leave the little owls alone, and he moved that no steps be taken in the matter. The motion was carried. The Ironmoulders' Union has endorsed the resolution of the Trades and Labour ' Conference urging the workers to vote Not license with a view of having the trade pl*ced under State control. Horses that eat gates and rail fences are something of a rara avis, but there are quite a number in the snow country in Central Otago. Wihen at Ha wdun. Station a Times reporter was shown the remains of wooden fences where only the ends of the rails were left; the remainder had been gradual y gnawed away by the station horses. A Gimmerburn man owns half a dozen horses which were in a distant paddook when the snow fell. When, a fortnight later, he visited them he found that about ali that was left of the large gate leading into theii paddook was th« ironwork; the horses had eaten the rest. It seems that the animals develop this peculiar habit when in a country where snow has lain long on the ground, and they are more or lees hungry. The manager of Hawkdun stated that the horses on his station, which ate his biuegum rails I had as much food as they could eat, yet they turned away from their mangers and gnawed the fences and gates. I The severity of the winter in Central Otago has driven some of the red -deer, of which there are now a large number about Morven Hills, through the gorges of the Dunstan Mountains into the district about St. Bathans. A stag and two hinds put in an appearance some weeks "ago on the Hawkdun run, not far from the St. Bathans road, and were often seen amongst the sheep. The stag and a hind suddenly disappeared, and the sporting tendencies of persons with no respect for, Acclimatisation Society rules are suspected. ; The remaining hind is still to be seen about St. Bathana, associating itself with the sheep on Hawkdun run. It is now many years since Madam* Blavateky and Colonel Olcott bought a email property at Adyar, nea* Madras, and Mre Besant, since he-r election as president, has found it necessary to add very largelx

r« the grounds, -so as to accommodate those -who wish to get closer in touch with the headquarters of the Theosephioal Society. She mow proposes to take a certain number of students to train -them more fully for the work of spreading Theoaophy. During bar visit here sfhe arranged* to aocepi two or three students from Australasia. Miss Browning, M.A., who is well known as a teacher in the high sohools of New Zealand, is one of these. She leaves next January. At present she is paying a farewell visit to Dunedin. A large specimen of' the seal family recently caught near Port Kembla (New South Wales) by two fishermen was identified by Mr D. G. Stead (Superintendent of Fisheries Investigations) as a true sea leopard. Tbe amphibian was much admired for its dob coat and leopard-like markings. Mr Stead records that it belongs to the largest of the Australian seal species, and., is . plentiful in the Antarctic Circle, which ft often leaves on an iceberg. The chief breeding grounds are irt the Antarctic Circle. The variety ie described as apparently earless, an 3 clumsy on land, owing to the hinder flippers pointing 'directly backwards. It is a tireless swimmer and a voracious feeder upon -fish and the non-flying southern seabixds, such as penguins', which it oatcbes^with astonishing agility. The captors of the sea leopard are said to have received a substantial offer in money for their- find. The following remarks by the EveningPost are (probably susceptible of a wider application than that which ' k merely local:— "The Wellington worker looks to the Government to knock 10s a week from his rent, but he is loth to assist in the process. Tie Government -built substantial cottages at Petone and cheapened the railway journey, but some of the buildings stood pathetically empty for months. 'Can honourable members," asked the Prime Minister, 'explain why workers travel to their work at either Petone or the Hutt and then return to their ;high-rent cottages ■in Wellington for the night?' The toiler itugv the oity, and groans because he has to pay for fhe privilege of. a crowded tenement in a oramped quarter. He wants* to be handy to the wharf to cheer in case a distinguished ■ visitor arrives, he asks to be not too far away from places of amusement, and be has to pay dearly for living . close to the scenes of excitement. ' Get a, wore on,' is practically Sir Joseph's advice. ' The Government helps those who help 'themselves.* If the workers will persist in ' huddling squalidly— though expensively— an the heart of the oity, who can help them? ■Until the ell-consuming fondness for jdrab enmnmdrngß is overcome the rent problem will always be a problem.. The charges for *3ie. hovels will always be high so long I as foolish folk are tumbling over one another in tfceir eagerness to occupy tihem. It as vain for the talkers to , expect the Government to alter the eternal law of supply and demand by act of Parliament. The shiftless must shift a little for themselves. If they will cast aside their morbid lore for the heart of the oity, their present cup of sorrow would be less bitter." In the House of Representatives on Friday Mr A. R. Bsirclay eulogised the work of the Ktfritane Home at Dunedin for the care of ailing infanta. The institution i also trained nurses. There was no other place like it in the country, and all the Plunket nurses had to go through it. It was not a Government institution. Further" expense must be incurred, amounting probably to £880 or £300, to enable the work to be carried on. At present the Government contributed £100 a year towards a total expenditure of £1200. It was a voluntary institution, and it was not desired that the Hospital Board should take it over. - Its work was not confined to the poor, but the nurses went •wherever required to care for infants and j their mothers. *" A young lady, Miss Emily Barrett, of j Maryborough, Victoria, recently suffered from a complaint which her from ] walking without the aid of crutches. She ' .had been under treatment by a local j doctor for some time/ and had made good progress. A few weeks ago it was deemed ] advisable to put her leg in piaster of peris, j and instructions were given to procure an : iron boot to support the limbi which was contracted to a considerable extent. One j evening Miss Barrett was * sitting on a cliair in the dining room when a very peculiar feeling came over her. She said that she thought 6he was going to faint. This sensation soon work-ad off, and when it did the girl, who had been crippled for over eight months, got up from the chair and subsequently walked to Dr Deane's residence to inform him that there was no need for the iron boot. The Times has entered upon another chapter of its history (says the London correspondent of the Argus). The reorganisation under the new proprietary has brought what to many persons will be a supreme surprise— namely, that the controlling interest in this great newspaper Las fallen into new hands, of whom the ohief is Lord Northcliffe, better known as Mr A. Harmsworth, of the Daily Mail.. Among the other proprietors ere Lord Rothschild and Lord Cromer. The former manager, Mr Godfrey Walter, is retiring, and his place is being filled by Mr Kitchin, an old member of The Times staff. The Harmsworth influence in the initial changes of the paper has been emphasised by the employment of Mr Bland, of the Daily Mail and Daily Mirror, who has already been acting as " walking manager," clearing out a .large number of employees. Up to the date of the present reorganisation The Times has not been printed by the proprietors of that paper, but h%

Messrs Walter. One of the most important steps of the ne-w management has been to purchase Meesrs Walter's printing establishment, and take over the bulk of the staff, excepting a certain number of heads of departments, whom Messrs Waiter are to pension. Another important incident has been the severance of the connection between The Times and Meesrs Hooper and Jackson, a step which implies that there is no longer any relationship between The Times and The Times Book Club. Mr Arthur Walter is chairman of the new board, and Mr Moberly Bell is the managing director, but the largest holders in the concern are Lord Northcliffe, Lord Rothsohild, and Lord Cromer, who have a dominating influence. The directors are Mr Buokle (the editor), Mr Monypenny, Mr Chirol, and Mr Moberly Bell. All the shareholders are British. There ie no American money in the concern. A telegram was received by the gaol authorities on Saturday from, his Excellency the Governor remitting the sentence of the girl Daisy Edwards, and directing that Mr Cumming (chaplain of the' Patients and Prisoners' Aid Society) be commtmi- * oated with, his Excellency having been informed that the .society intended to took after the girL She was handed over to Mr Cumming's care on her discharge. - - Thirty-seven patients were admitted to the Hospital during the past week and 35 were dieohavged. The deaths of the following persons took place: — Mary Gray, Henry Hart, William Ross, and Edward Madigan, leaving- the tota.l number of patients in the institution 139. A couple .or more belated roysterers met with such a warm reception at the hands of a suburban resident in the small hours of Sundey morning that they will probably remember the experience for some little time. Not content with throwing gravel 'at the windows, they attempted to climb the balcony, and appeared to be making good progress in that direction, when suddenly a couple of shots broke upon the stillness of the night, followed by a lusty threat which left no doubt in the minds of the marauders that there was a very^mgry man on the premises. Realising this fact with alacrity, the unwelcome visitors hurriedly decamped. At a largely-attended meeting of the Committee of Management of the Otago Educational Institute, held on Saturday morning, the following resolutions were unanimously adopted: — "(a) That in connection with ihe recent inquiry into the ■ discipline and management of the Momington School, the Committee of Management of the Otago Educational Inetituie heartily congratulates the head master (Mr William Davidson) on his complete vindication, as shown by the unanimous finding of the Otago Education Board, which finding has also received the unanimous approval of the Mornington School Committee. And, further, that this oommittee sincerely sympathises with Mr Davidson in .the great worry and annoyance to which he has been subjected through no fault of his own. (b) The opinioft of the solicitor of the institute having been obtained, and being favourable to the taking of action in Mr Davidson's case, t!he documents be sent to the Executive of the N.Z.E.1., with the strongest recommendation that immediate support bo given to Mr Davidson." Our Wellington correspondent states that Mr A. L. D. Fraser, M.P., has received a telegram from the chairman of a public meeting held at Wyndham informing him that a resolution had been carried unanimously to the effect that the people of Wyndham should tender him a bangii^fc ia recognition of tlie fearless stand he had taken in opposition to tL*» Meikio cl^im. It is probable that Mr Fra=er will accept the invitation. Mr Edward Reid (son of Mr G. B. Reid, , teacher at Port Albert), who has been an ' officer in the Agricultural Department for come years, has (says our Wellington correspondent) gone to tie Cook Islands to inquire into matters ooinnecbe-d with the fruit of those islands and to report to the Government. A Press Association telegram from Wellington states mat at i>he Magistrate's Court on Saturday Mr W. P. James, S.M., sent John William Crolcer to prison for 14 dayp, without the option of a fine, for using obscene language to a barmaid. A remarkable illustration of the destructive power* of the rabbit may (eaya the Tuapeka Tin.-es) b© seen in the upper part of one of the numerous ravinc-s radiating from the Tuape'-ta Eiv&r. A cabbage troe 2jft iv circinaierer.ee has be?n gr^a-sved' right through by iho voracious little animals, and ia:J pro-ii^tj as effectively a« if felled by a colony of Lowers. In the same locality the native shrubs ahow that bunny is learning to climb tree?, marks of his teeth being observable on branches 6ft or 7ft from the ground. Such examples of their rapacity show that the native flora ie doomed in any district where rabbits are not kept in check. The Free Press (Baklutha) reports that a deadlock has arisen in the Kaitangatu ■School Committee. Matters reached a climax on- August 25. It seems that some members of the committee lumJ taken a stand on the question of corporal punishment of girls 12 3'ears of age and over. Some five months ago it was resolved to draw the head master's attention to the fact that " information had been received that it was a common practice to strap girls 12 years of age and over," and asked him to 6eo that iilie Eduoation Board's regulations in this respect were carried out. To thi3 the committee received no reply, and a resolution w-as sent to the board asking that a regulation be passed ff enjoining

beacherc to keep a record of corporal punish- T ment inflicted on girls of 12 years and over. The board asked whether there had been infringements of regulation 77 in the school. In 'the meantime certain letters from the head master were, received by a member -of the committee, and strong exception wa3 taken to tihese by the other members. " The board's communication, stating that there seemed no necessity for an inquiry, was received on Tuesday, and the committeemen who were present, after two hours' deliberation, decided to resign in a body. Mr Weston, .who was not present, did not sign the resolution. " People sometimes ask," remarked the Rev. Dr Waddell in the course of his sermon «a Stinday morning, "if the worl-d is getting better or worse, and sometimes it is really difficult to cay. Britain, we suppose, ie professedly the most Christian country in the world,' yet one of the leading Nonconformist ministers of England said not long .ago that Bacchus has more worshippers on Sundey than the Lord Jesus Christ. That of Britain. What of these colonies? Bacchus may not have so- many devotees here, but I doubt," said the preacher, "if God has more." He went on to draw attention to the dreadfully significant fact staring us in the face, that the more civilised a country was the more it seemed to multiply ite means of defence— the more it sought the arts of peace the more it had to increase its implements of warfare. We were turning into tine twentieth century of Christ, and nations were spending hundreds of millions in manufacturing implements of destruction. The Southland Times' parliamentary re* porter telegraphed on Friday evening that when the Marine and Harbour Estimates were under consideration in the House, Mr J. C. Thomson asked the Minister what were hie intention* with regard to the introduction of Atlantic) salmon and the establishment of a hatchery in the Waiau River— admittedly the best in tie Dominion for the acclimatisation of this excellent fish. In this matter he' knew the member for Oamaru would back him up, as Mr Duncan took a great interest in salmon acclimatisation. Mr Duncan proceeded at i once to back up the member fox Wallace. He said that it appeared to him that there was a 6um of £50 on the Estimates for expenditure on the importation of ova. That was insufficient; it should be £500. There was no river co suitable for the acclimatisation of Atlantic salmon as tihe Waiau. He believed the Pacific salmon had been sue- | cessfuliy acclimatised in the Waitaki, and it would be a pity if the acclimatisation of the Atlantic salmon in the southern river were not seen to at once. The Minister, in reply, said that the sum on the Estimates for the purpose was £450. i Replying to the member for Wallace, L» i said that it was intended to have a hatchery at the Waiau for Atlantic salaion. He believed that to be a thoroughly good river for the purpose. * After all that has been eaid regarding ifoe low salaries of our sohcoi teachers it Is not surprising to hear that at ieaet one of the unfortunates, a teacher in the Levin dietrict, has sought to earn an extra shilling or so by teaching muaic after school hours. This would have been all very well had not a membsr of the musical profes- J eion who was established in regular practice there brought the question before the Education Board, which , oozuidered the matter &i its meeting racentjy, and aJmo3fc unanimously decided that the teacher had a perfect right- to employ his spare hours as he chose, so long as an 2/ thing he might undertake in these hours did not affect his school work. Mr W. H. Field, M.P., was not so sura about; the matter. There were, he though-!;, two sides to the question. However, the board agreed to support the teacher. One of the original members of the Polynesian Society will give £100 if another £400 can be raisod, to publish a number of original documents no« with fche society, -and which ha-va great value ac contributing to the history of the race. The society has spent over £2500 in publishing original matter relating to the race, contained in the 16 volumes of the journal already out. In view of this private expenditure it was suggested by Mr Ngara, M.P., that the •State should assist the work, and the Native Minister is of opinion that the raising of a sufficient sum by means of private subscription may be an inducement to the department to contribute the balance of the cost of publication of this valuable work. A recent issue of the organ of the Enqr- j liah National Service Leagae has the following interesting remarks on the subject of voluntary enlistment : " The Germans are confessedly students of English methods of colonisation, but there is one of our methods with which, apparently, fr)i«y will have nothing to do, and that is the formation of Volunteer corps. The Berlin correspondent of tihe Morning Post states that a Government Bill has recently been broug-iit before the Local Government at Windhoek, the capital of German SouthWest Africa, providing for the introduction of universal military service in the colony. The Commander of the Imperial Protective Forces, who supported the measure, contended that the future of th-e protectorate depended on its acceptance. The question of forming Volunteer corps, a.=* in English colonies, had. he said, been oarefully considered, but ovviitg- to the fact that euch formations had everywhere proved unreliable the idea had been abandoned. A Volunteer system, he added, would be ideal, but, seeing that men were not ideal, realiti«3 must be reckoned with. It is refreshing 1 to sec a difficult problem met with such wisdom and such common senee..

fcought face to face with a new problem, the German authorities examine it scientifically, and decide to benefit by the experience of others who have already had to deal with it. Seeing that 'such formations ' as Volunteer corps ' have everywhere proved * unreliable,' they reject them at once. We, on the other hand, after .50 years' experience and uninterrupted failure, cling to the fetish of voluntary enlistment, in spite of the Belemn4rarn•ing of a Royal Commission issued more than four years ago. Nay, we actually start a new army organisation, based on the same hollow foundation of voluntary enlistment, fondly hoping against hope that Britons are ' ideal,' whatever other people may beS"

An accident, which may prove to be somewhat serious, occurred at Port Chalmers shortly after 2 a.m. on bhe Ist inst. The s.a. Moana is at present undergoing repairs, and a number of men were working on her all the night. At the time mentioned above an outbreak of fire occurred in the- engineers' storeroom, the result being that three men sustained barns which are believed io.be serious. Th© names of the men are understood to be Cole, Nicholle, and Meikle, the last-named being donkey-man on the vessel.

Speaking to a deputation which waited on him on Monday to urge the prosecution of a number of railway lines in the North Island, the Minister of Public .Works (the Hon. W. Hall-Jones) took occasion (says a "Wellington message) to deny that the railway fares in New Zealand were higher than those in the Commonwealth, and quoted figures in support of hie argument.

Printed forms, setting out the conditions under which young men resident in the Dominion may serve in the Royal Navy in his Majesty's ships stationed in 'Australian and New Zealand waters are now being displayed in the post office%. It is set out that, in the first place, candidate* must be British subjects of European extraction, able to read 'and write the English language, and fcare resided for at least three years in •Australasia immediately prior to enrolment. A medical examination must be passed as to physical fitness, ancl, incidentally, the possession of good teeth is a necessary qualification. The standard as to height, etc., is as follows: — Boye from 15 to 16 years of age, height 2in, chest measurement 32 inches; from 16 to 18 years of age, sft 3in, and' 32£ inches;- men of all classes from 18 years and above, sft 4in and 32 inches. Preference will be given to applicants between the ages of 15 and 20 years if applying for entry in the ifieamen's branch, and to those between 18 and 23 years for the stokers' branch. Candidates on joining must sign an engageme it to serve for a period of five years, and m ist not expect to obtain their discharge ivibre the five years are completed, except under very special circumstances. Pay and allowances is fixed as follows -. —Boys, 6d to 7d; colonial allowance.. in addition to pay, Is; ordinary seamen, Is 3d and 2s; able seamen, Is 8d and 3s; stokers, Is Bd, 2s Id, and 3s. Extra pay may be obtained by qualifying in gunnery, etc. Candidates must bear their own expenses when making personal application for entry and in returning home if rejected, and will be required to produce birth certificate, References up to date as to character, and, if under the age of 21 years, the written consent of a parent or guardian. Intending candidates in New Zealand should comOiunicate with the Commanding Officer of H.M. Drillship, New Zealand, giving the necessary information, when they will*>be informed as to details and where to make personal application.

The police at Port Chalmers and Portobello have made careful search along the coast in J both directions during .the past week, but up to the present have not succeeded in finding any trace of the body which is supposed to have drifted seawards over a week ago.

During the month of August there were registered at bhe- Dunedin- office 136 births, 81 deaths, and 38 marriages. For the corresponding period last year the -figures were— Births 120, deaths 78, and marriages 46.

Tho decision has been come to by the Labour Department to prosecute the Kaitangata coal-mine truckers on a charge of breach of the award in connection with their recent strike. It will probably be November, however, before an opportunity it afforded of bringing the cases before Cfa« Arbitration Court.

The cases of zymotic diseases reported I* the Dunedin Health Office during the peat month numbered 107. The total was made up as follows :— Scarlet fever, 65 (21 town and 44 country) ; tuberculosis, 21 (10 town and 11 country); diphtheria, 10 (4 town and 6 country) ; blood-poisoning, 7 (3 town and 4 country) ; hydat-ids, 3 (2 town and 1 country) ; enteric, 1 country. A large proportion of the scarlet fever cases was reported from the Southland district.

Th» tender of Duncan Leishmsn for a •pen y«ar*' lease of section 1, block X, iWaikouaiti dikbriot, comprising 699 acre 3, and of flection 2, block X, Waikoualti dittriot, of 2490 acre*, at a rental of £52 gwr annum; al«o of -a number of toe t ions in blocks 111 and IV, Taieri district, compxifing 254 acres, at a rental of £13 per annum, has been recommended to the Oily Council for acceptance.

The Sunday Times (London) o£ July 5 has tho following appreciative reference to Miss Sybil Tanorcdi, who will be remembered by many New Zcalander3 as the

' youngest daughter of Mr R. S. Hawkins, formsrly a stipendiary magistrate in the colony: — "Miss Sybil Tancredi, who has taken her professional name from that of her maternal grandfather, Sir Thomas Tancred, Bart., has now ended her studies a« an opera singer in Paris and been engaged by Mr Oscar Hammerstein for the autumn season at the Manhattan Opera House in New York. Mise Tancredi, who has studied singing- under Mine. Marchesi and acting under Mme. Weinsohenk, is a soprano of exceptional talent, and is 6ure to make a very great mark for herself. Already she is well known in Paris society, as she has always earned special appreciation at the famous concerts Mme. Marchesi gives two or thjee times during the season for the benefit of her pupils. Besides, Miss Tanorjedi is extremely pretty, tall, and graceful, and it is to be hoped that we shall hear her at Coven t Garden ere long." Mr Hawkins's second daughter, Miss Dorothy, has also a most beautiful dramatic soprano voice, and high vocal and dramatic talent, and Mr Hammerstein has encouraged her to go to New York also, where she will doubtless find scope for her talents. Mr Hammerstein has arranged with Miss Sybil Tancredi for the right to her services for three seasons at advanced salaries. This will not preclude her singing elsewhere at any time in the year except the five months, November to March, of her Manhattan opera season, so that it is not improbable that she and her sister may at some time make tie tour of Australia and New Zealand. The formation of a federation of the Slaughtermen's Unions of the Dominion is being held in abeyance pending anotheT • conference, which is to be held in February of next year. By the Mokoia, which left Auckland for Sydney on Sunday evening, was shipped a consignment of ostrioh plumes from the Helvetia ostrich farm, Pukekohe, in part ' execution of a cabled order for 1000 22in I white ostrioh plumes for the officers of the American fleet. The shipment (says an Auckland message) will catch the fleet at , Albany, and the balance will be forwarded to meet it at Manila. The Canterbury College Board of Governors, at a meeting on Monday decided (says a Christchurch message) to grant £200 towards the cost of purchasing the skeleton of the Okarito whale for the Christchurch Museum, provided the public subscribed another £200. Messrs Stead and Turnbull, the owners of the skeleton, have offered to give £50 each. - A Press Association telegram from Timatu" states that a farmer in that district who had given way to drink was committed by the stipendiary magistrate to the Pakatoa Home, at Auckland, for two years, as an habitual drunkard. A correspondent writes from Blackcton* Hill drawing attention to the loss of stock on Run 227 c, owned by Messrs Neville and M'Donald. When the snow fell there were 1100 sheep on this run, and only 400 have been got out. The balance are still on the run — mostly dead. The second article of a new series on "Our Babies" is published in another! page, under the auspices of the Society for the Promotion of the Health of Women and Children. Those who take an interest in this movement— which has made rapid strides since the first articles appeared in the Otago .Witness— will do well to preserve the articles for future reference. The Outlook understands that it is the intention of the New Zealand Alliance to make the "bare majority" a test question with candidates for Parliament at the coming election.