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Southland Times, Issue 13338, 15 October 1895, Page 2

The Army.—Some interesting statements by “General” Booth on the rise and progress of his Army will be found on page four. Promenade Concert.—The City Guards Band’s concert, postponed' from last Friday on account of boisterous weather, will be given on the rotunda this evening (weather permitting). Picnic.—The Friendly Societies hiving decided not to hold their usual outing on 9th November, the Garrison Baud are arranging for a picnic on that date.

Abandoned, — The adjourned case in which Hugh McAlister, licensee of the Shamrock Hotel, was charged with Sunday trading was withdrawn at the Police Court yesterday on the application of Sergeant Macdonell.

Will This Please?—Our Wellington correspondent wires: —From the Ist of November the Oteramika railway station will be known by the name of Kapuka, which is, I believe, the Maori name for the broadleaf tree. JE understand that the local post cffice is to be similarly renamed. Mataura Rifle Club. — The opening match of the season took place last Wednesday between sides chosen by the captain and lieutenant of the club. The latter’s side scored 125—H. Cameron 30, J. S. Shanks 30, J. Hamilton 26, J. Connor 22, G. Cameron 17. Captain’s side : G. Dempster 23, H. Townshend 22, Dr Hendry 21, B. Walton 16; average for one man 20— total, 102,—Own correspondent. Winton Court.—Messrs Poynton, S.M., and McLean and Kidd, J’s.P., occupied the Bench at yesterday’s sitting. For exposing lowsy sheep two parties were each fined 10j, costs 7s.—James Milne v. William Mcßae was a charge of using insulting language and assuming a threatening attitude in a public place. Dismissed with costs 21s.—Robert Shearer v. Alex. Kilpatrick was an action to recover L 7, the value of a swag, and L 5 damages for loss of time looking for it. The defendant proved delivery of the swag in terms of request at the Grasmere railway station, and judgment was therefore given for him with 21s costs.—A second action between the same parties was for L 8 wages and money lent. Judgment for plaintiff for L 5 10s and "costs 26s.—Messrs Henderson and Finn were the solicitors engaged in the cases. —Own correspondent. Band Social.—The first social of the Bluff Naval Aitillery Band took place in the Athenmum Hall, Bluff, on Friday night, the President, Mr J. E. Fox, in the chair. The report and balance sheet showed that the gross revenue had been Ll2l 12s 6d, and the expenditure Lll6. The public subscriptions amounted to L2 6s,and members earned and contributed L7O 10s. The set of new instruments, which are valued at LllO, are now free, having been paid off in two years. The membership of the band is 23, and during the year there had been 108 practices. Mr W. McHutcbeson having referred to the valuable work done by the band,the visitors and members sat down to a neat and substantial spread, prepared by Mr Georgeson. Thereafter the usual loyal and appropriate toasts were proposed and responded to. Songs were given by Messrs A. and J. Walker, C. and F. Johnston, A. Slater, H. Joosten, _W, Pratt, Kennedy, F. Tipping, and Burtenshaw, Mr J. McNaughton and and Mr Russell making efficient accompanists. Mr J. M. Kennedy danced the Highland fling. The President referred to the necessity for a rotunda, and headed a subscription list with L 5 ss, and several other handsome subscriptions were given. The Bind Committee for the year consists of Messrs H. Norris, W. Johnston, C. John. Bton, F. Tipping, J. Kiernan, and H. Joosten (secretary).

What is the School Like.—When ’ noticing tho recent addition to the teacher’s residence (says a contemporary in tho South- - land Education District) we omitted to mention two mantel-pieces. They were locally manufactured and look very handsome, one being painted in Italian marble and the other American paufrey (porphyry ?). The ceilings are double-papered and kolsomined, and the doors are painted in each room to match the rich papers. The front dto: is also beautifully giained. Bootmakers’ Union—A special meeting of the Invercargill Bootmakers’ Union was held on tho 11th, the President (Mr J. Smith) in tho chair. Mr J. W. Kelly, M.H.R., wrote stating that ho had supported the highest boot tariff as requestei by the Union, but icgretted that the trade had received no consideration at the hauds of members, the majority of whom were Freetraders. —Mr McNatty submitted a lengthy report of the Conference held recently in Christchurch between representative! of the Manufacturer’s Association and the Federated Union, ’ and gave a detailed account of the clauses contained in the statement submitted by the Manufacturers’ Association objected to, which had resulted in a deadlock and led to a. three months adjournment. He also dealt with the amendment suggested by the ’Union delegates to the recent Statement.—A hearty vote of thanks was accorded to Mr McNatty for his clear report, and for the able manner in which he attended to tho interests of tho Union at the Conference, and it was resolved that the Union thank the delegates, and expre is confidence in the action they have taken.

The Cabul Clb —The Star’s London correspondent says the Shahzada continues to mope on miserably at Dorchester House, detained there by a painfully prosaic lack of ready cash. When the proposed Continental tour was decided upon he auticipated that all the expenses would bo borne by our hitherto complaisant India Office. c ßut neither the late nor the present Government could see this. They said it was dubious whether spending thousands of pounds in showing this dusky and unintelligent youth our own glories had been worth while. Anyhow, there could be no sense in paying through tho nose to enable him to see those of other nations. So His Highness remains “hung up” in London till ’tis time to ship him off home. He seldom comes out now, and, on dit, is moping, having fallen in love with a dazzling houri, whose golden hair hangs down her back nightly at the Alhambra. The lady’s ethics are as flexible as her limbs, and on being approached she offered no objection to making the Afghan potentate’s acquaintance and accepting a love-token or two from him. When, however, he proposed adding her to his harem at Cabul Miss Tottie took fright and flight at the same time, and has since given Dorchester House a very wide berth.

A Grand Coup.—A horse-dealing story is told by a Canterbury (celebrity who had a great reputation for dealing in his day :— “Best deal I ever did : I was riding along the Riccarton road when I met old parson T on his black horse. ‘ Nice horse that, your reverence,’ says I, respectful like. Parson sat him like a pair of tongs on a broomstick. ‘ltis a fine horse, John, but a little too spirited for me. I would willingly change him for something quieter of the same quality.’ ‘What may be your notion of a figure for him, parson 1 ’ says I. 1 Not a penny under Lls.’ I waik round him, critical like. ‘I rather fancy a friend of mine has a horse that would suit you. We dealers always have ‘ a friend.’) Stands about same height, much the same cut of a horse, but he wants L2O for him. ‘ Well,’ says parson, ‘ I wouldn’t mind an extra L 5 note for an animal that really suited me. Is he quiet ? ’ ‘ Bless you, sir' he’d carry an infant; only thing against him is that he’s clipped. 1 ‘ Well that would be no objection, I’ve a good warm stable and don’t ask him to stand about much. Well, we arranged to deal ; the black horse and L 5 for my ‘Jfrieud’sf clipped [animal. I rode off the parson’s horse for a trial. ‘Bill, says I to my man when I got home,’ ‘ just take this ’ere ’oss for a 40-mile 1 ride—go up to Rangiora and back—that’ll take the spirit out of him I reckon, and when you return clip him. Ah, I see, I needn’t finish the yarn. You understand. Well, that was the easiest L 5 note I ever earned over a deal.’ ”

Must Borrow or Stagnate.—The Hon. Mr Bowen moved for a •* return from the Audit Office ” showing “ the total annual debt of the colony on tho 31st March in each year from 1886 to 1895 inclusive.” Tho return is an interesting document. The non-borrowing Government that has been in office since the beginning of 1891 has a peculiar record. From the 31st March, 1891, to the 31st March, 1895, the total increase of the public debt, after sinking funds have been deducted, is no less a sum than L 2,281,624. This cannot be called a small amount for four years' finance. But when it is remembered that the Ministry that has thus so largely increased the debt of the colony has continually i eiterated that it was a nou-borrowing Government, the significance of the figures becomes still more important. The fact is that, notwithstanding that we have been taxing the people to the tune of to perform public works, that large sum has not sufficed for our wants. Our debt has increased, and is increasing. The amount we have stated does not include the L 1,500,000 borrowed under the Advances to Settlers Act, nor does it include collateral burdens. The vast sum we have become liable for to the Bank of New Zealand’s creditors is not included. Were thess sums added to (the L 2,281,624, the increase of debt would be over seven millions. And thus the pledges of non-borrow-ing given by Ministers on every platform have been redeemed by plunging the colony into such a great debt. There can be no quibbling about tho return wa have quoted. It is signed by the Assistant Auditor and Controller-General, comes from the Audit Office, and was laid on the table of the Council by the Government. - Post

The Legal Aspect;.—After much evasion and equivocation; Mr Ward has (says the Evening Post) nt length been compelled to confess that the Secretary of the Postal and Telegraph Department did in April, 1893, issue an order that all J. G. Ward telegrams were to have precedence over other messages, and that this order was transcribed into the Operator’s Book in the Wellington Office. Mr Ward, however, has not yet. had the candour to admit that the instruction was given to other operators than those in the Wellington Office, or to state how long it remained in operation, or to what extent it was acted on. Information on these points would be interesting, but we can quite understand Mr Ward being unwilling to furnish it. The facts would possibly prove inconvenient. Mr Ward, instead of making a clean breast of the matter, endeavours to diveit attention from the real point at issue by raising a cry of betrayal of official confidence. As the order in question was distinctly illegal, and obedience to it rendered aay operator liable to a statutory penalty, we fail to see that operators were at all bound to observe secrecy in tho mitter. The law they are sworn to observe imposes upon them individually a statutory duty in regard to the transmission of telegrams, and from this individual responsibility no official order from a superior officer would serve to release them. When any operator found that his official superiors were violating the law and requiring him to violate it also, it became really a duty to expose the manner in which the law was being set at defiance. No master has a right to require his employes to commit an illegal act. Officers in the Telegraph Service are not the servants of the Minister or the secretary but of the public, for whose protection the law regulating and defining their duty has been passed. They are no more bound to conceal, or justified in concealing, a violation of the law by their superior officers than Meagher was in concealing his knowledge of Dean's guilt. The law was impudently set at defiance, and Mr Ward’s grievance now is that those who defied it have been found out. Mr Earnshaw deserves credit, not blame, for making the illegality known,

Why do women look old sooner than men ? The doctors answer that it is because they do not get enough outdoor exercise. Moral: Buy a cycle from R. W. Jones, who teaches riding in the best style. Leading colonial and imported machines in stock.

Another Sunday Shooting Fatality.— Harry Smith, aged 16, accidentally shot -himself yesterday afternoon on the bills behind Wellington. He was out with three other lads rabbit shooting and Smith took his gun by the muzzle to steady himself down a steep incline, (when it fired, the shot passing through the arm and groin. He was taken to the hospital, but died while being examined. A Tip to Cyclists.—lf you .want a good reliable bicycle, either for Touring, Racing,or business purposes there is nothing like going to a first-class practical in in permanently established, who will give you a guarantee, and should anything go wrong with your machine he is always there ready and willing to put everything right for you. If you want an English machine you can get it as we stock all best imported Cycles, or if you want to encourage local industry take one of our own make “ Sparrowhawk,” which are second to none in the colony. Wo now have a splendid and complete plant for the manufacture of cycles, and having added to our staff we can turn out a really good reliable machine. Special attention paid to Repairs, Enamelling, plating, etc., all done on the premises. It pays to get the best so go to Godwabd and McKenzie, Cycle Manufacturers and Importers, Dee street, Invercargill.

TRY THE MUTUAL STORE FOR LURE CEYLON TEAS; PACKED IN LEAD, Is 9d AND 2s PER LB; USUAL PRICE, 2s AND 2s 4d. Ladies—Where will you buy ? Don’t buy till you have teen our grand display of New Spring Goods. 50 cases now opened up. See our Show Windows.—At Price and Bulleid’s, in Tay street.