General News.

Southern Cross, Volume 5, Issue 40, 8 January 1898, Page 9

General News.

So much interest has been excited by the article published in our Xmas number on the “ Good Old Days at Lake Wakatipu ” that we have arranged with the writer for a series of sketches on the same lines. The first of these will be given next week. It is entitled ** The New Zealand Gold Fever.” The December issue of the New Zealand Mines Record is a capital number. The letterpress contents include the first instalment of a paper on “ Explosives in Coal Mines,” by Mr J. Hayes, formerly manager of the Hokonui coal mine, and the illustrations take the very useful form of maps of the mining districts of the colony, with others dealing with equally interesting subjects. People who go to the Bluff on pleasure bent would do well to remember two things. First, don’t light fires in close proximity to dwellings; second, don’t allow children to play along the beach without a watchful eye On Monday last a building narrowly escaped destruction through a fire being lighted too near it for the billy-boiling, and a child would certainly have been drowned but for the promptitude of a mother, who rushed waist-deep into the water and rescued the little one. ' The Union Company’s Waikare was greatly admired by the thousands who visited the Bluff on Monday. Her commander, Capt. John Anderson, will be known to some of the old identities of the district. He made three trips in the barque Eucalyptus, trading from Hobart to the New River, early in the sixties. On the third voyage, the late Capt. Thomson, who was in charge, accepted the position of Harbourmaster at the Bluff, leaving Capt. McDonald, who has spent so many years in the service of the same body, to take the vessel back to Hobart. Captain Anderson, for his part, joined the New Biver pilot staff, under Capt. Bray, and on leading bought a schooner,.which he sailed to Wellington. There he sold out, and took ■erviee with the New Zealand Steam Navigation Company. When they sold cut to the Union Company he transferred his services to the latter, and has been with them ever since. He and Capt. Carey are the two commanders who have the longest term of service with the Company to their credit. Capt Anderson has had charge of twenty-eight different steamers of the fleet, in some cases for more than on© term, and he has, moreover, never had an accident—a record of which anyone might well feel proud. The December number of the New Zealand Dairyman is to hand. It is a welcome addition to our list of exchanges. In the holiday rush we overlooked an old friend in the shape of Mills, Dick and Co.’s almanac and directory for 1898. The latest edition possesses all the features that haye made it so serviceable in the past. We have also to acknowledge the receipt of calendars from Messrs D. L. Matheson (Norwich Union Co.), J. Stock (Sun Co.), Henderson and Batger (agents Westport Coal Co.), T. Brodrick and Co. (Liverpool, London and Globe), G. Froggatt (North Queensland Co.), and Mr Crust, local representative of the N.Z. Express Co. The picture in their calendar is devoted to “ DrJameson’s Last Stand.” Portraits are also given ot Dr. Jim, President Kruger and the Eight Hon. W. Chamberlain—the latter’s is “ speaking likeness.” A labourer at Home was recently charged with attempted suicide by hanging himself. His wife had presented him with twins, making his family to number seventeen, and the accused had given way to despair. He was' cautioned and discharged. The intense heat is held accountable for twenty deaths in Melbourne and thirty-five in Adelaide.

■ Mr Birss,, contractor for the erection of additions to the Invercargill Athenieum, made a start this week, the • first item in the programme being the removal of the fence ’and outhouses to the new western boundary. The formal opening of the Invercargill Swimming Baths will shortly be announced. Mr E. Miller, the lessee, is working hard for that desirable consummation. The route of one of the proposed lines of railway inspected by the Minister of Public Works this week is that from Wright’s Bush to Heddon Bush., The Waimatuku people, about two miles west of Wright’s Bush, hold that the shortest, cheapest, and most easily made line would be from their quarter > and in this connection it may be stated that a survey was made many years ago at the instance of the Messrs Ellis Bros. Moreover, taken from Wright’s Bush, all the land for the station buildings, etc, will have to be bought, whereas in the case of Waimatuku land has been reserved for the purpose. Mr Ramsay, of Invercargill, is the successful tenderer for the erection of a large horse bazaar at Gore for Messrs Wright, Stephenson and Co. Mr Ben Tillett goes Home shortly. It is likely that he will seek re-election as a member of the London County Council. The New Year has opened disastrously for several of the Southland sawmills. We believe that Mr Francis Jack, one of our veteran sawraillers, is about the only one in that line who has escaped a “ baptism of fire ” during his lengthened career. Some mills, on the other hand, have been burned do» n two or three times. Major-General Sir H. M. Havelock-Allan was shot dead by tribesmen while riding through the Kyber Pass. He took part with hia father in the relief of Lucknow during the Indian Mutiny, The Grand Orange Lodge of the Middle Island of New Zealand met at Eakaia on the 28th and 29th ult. In addition to the presiding officers, there were 80 delegates present. After various matters of interest to the Order had been dealt with, and officers elected for the ensuing term, the following resolution was passed : “ That the Grand Lodge emphatically expresses its strong disapprobation of the insidious attempt to impair our national system of education, built up at such material expense and to which the colony is so much wedded, by the introduction of State aid to denominational schools in the Technical Education Bill before the House during the late session of Parliament, and further considers that had such a measure passed into law it would have created widespread dissatisfaction against the administration of the Liberal Government; and that this Grand Lodge, representing 55 private lodges in its jurisdiction, is determined to use every legitimate and constitutional means, political and otherwise, to maintain the unity and integrity of the present system of national education, and to resist to the utmost of our power any attempt to grant State aid to denominational schools.” The Albert Lucas Company finished a short but successful season in the Theatre Royal on Thursday night, ‘‘ The Sixth Commandment,” “ Queen’s Evidence,” and “ The Bells ” were the pieces produced, and the characters in each were well cast and sustained in a capable manner. Mr Lucas, by his vigorous style and clever acting, won the admiration of the audiences. His pourtrayal of Mathias in “ The Bells ” was an admirable piece of acting, and impressed the audience very strongly. Miss Idrene Thornton’s finished acting, especially in the pathetic scenes, was much appreciated and admired in each piece. As advertised in another column, the company will make a short country tour, when they should draw big houses, as it is not often that a large company visit the smaller towns. On Tuesday a train left Kanohi (Auckland) for Helensville, but on approaching Goodwin Bridge the engine left the rails, and rolled down the embankment into a ditch > the two following carriages also went with it ; the third was dragged at right angles across the line, and all were considerably damaged. The fireman, Barker, aged 30, got pinned by a leg under the engine, where the escaping steam played on him, and he died before he could be released. It is alleged that the accident was due to the rails “ buckling ” through expansion by the sun’s heat. Several other instances of “ buckling ” are reportedi but on the other hand it has been asserted that faulty plate-laying is to blame. In support of this view it is pointed out that in Australia the rails are subjected to a much higher temperature than here.

The Australian cricketers wohthe second

test match by ati innings and fifty-five.runs. The gross takings were £3889. The export of frozen mutton from Victoria last year decreased by 68,000 carcases as compared with 1896, but butter increased by 767,0001b5. The Hon. W. Hall-Jones, Minister of Public arrived in Invercargill on Thursdayafternoon, and went on to Orepuki i and the Waiau a few minutes later. His intention was to inspect some of the proposed railway routes in the Western district, and then drive Winton, return to Invercargill last night, and receive deputations up to the departure of the express to-day. He has been over the Seaward Bush line, and hopes to have it opened to Waimahaka in about six months. Two thousand persons met in a hall in Ontario, Canada, to hear an siddress. The floor collapsed, and thirty of; the audience were killed and many others injured. The United States newspapers support British Claims in China. The New York Herald says Russia, France and Germany will each establish a monopoly, while Britain will open the ports. Mr A. Harkness has been chosen to represent the Invercargill Fire Brigade at the Conference to be held in Auckland next month. Six members of the brigade will also attend the demonstration there. Mr H. Cameron, one of Mataura’s pioneer settlers, has relinquished hotelkeeping for farming. His successor is Mr Kett, of Milton. Heller’s Bonanza Coterie, comprising quite a galaxy of attractions, is coming this way shortly. It is expected that the Rev. F, W. Isitt will be in Invercargill on Wednesday and Thursday next. Messrs J. A. Hanan & Co., Invercargill, have sold their business to Mr J. Dalziel, who was formerly head designer in the Roslin Mills. At the Invercargill Police Court on Thursday William James Compton was charged with presenting a revolver at his wife and attempting to shoot her. Mr Macalister appeared for the accused, and Sergeant I Macdonell conducted the prosecution. After [ hearing the evidence for the prosecution from which it appeared that Compton bad been drinking, a remand was granted tilj next day. On resuming on Friday, witnesses were heard for the defence, after which the accused was committed for trial, bail being fixed at £2OO.