THE Southland Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. Luceo Non Uro. TUESDAY, 30th JUNE, 1896.

Southland Times, Issue 13494, 30 June 1896, Page 2

THE Southland Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. Luceo Non Uro. TUESDAY, 30th JUNE, 1896.

Land Sale— Messrs Wright, Stephenson and Co have sold another farm on the New Zealand Mortgage and Investment Association^ Waicolo estate, aection number 21 (175 acres) having been purchased at a satisfactory figure by Mr J. C. Ford, of Wairio. Oi her sales on the Bame property are pending. Middle School. — The committee's monthly meeting yesterday evening was attended by MessrS T. Fleming (chairman), Scandrett, Hmith, Thomson, Barlow, Kingsland, Gumming and Pilcher. The headmaster reparted 700 pupils on the roll, with an average attendance of 625. The business transacted was principally of a routine nature. Woodlands.— OnFriday night MrMathiesongave oneof hisfamous magiclanternentertainments in the Foresters' Hall under the auspices of the Woodlands Literary and Debating Society. The president, Mr Robertson, occupied the chair, and Miss McKay ably presided at the piano. There was a very fair attendance, and though Mr Mathieson was suffering from cold, his efforts to please the audience were very successful. — Own correspondent. Sutton's Seeds.— We have received from the local agents, Messrs Tothill, Watson and Co., Messrs Sutton and Sons annual seed catalogue and Amateur's Guide for 1896. Externally the book is very plainly, but tastefully got up, and inside no effort has been made thia year to show colours, all the illustrations being in the ordinary black half-tone, but the workmanship is exquisite, the representations of the commonest garden stuff being quite works of art. The letterpress is, as usual, extensive and useful. Important Meeting.— A circular, dated 25th June, and simply bearing the signature, J. G. Ward, has baen issued as follows :— " A meeting of the shareholders of the J. G. Ward Farmers Association of New Zealand, Limited, will be held in Hanan's Hall, Dee street, Invercargill, on Saturday, 4th July, 1896, at 2 o'clock in the afternoon. Business :— To consider the position of the company. Mr A. -Lee Smith, of Dunedin, will be present and will explain the position with regard to his offer made on behalf of the Association." Starr-Bow kett Societies.— The following is an extract from a private letter from a gentleman in Perth, West Australia, to a friend in Invercargill :—" We have two Starr-Bowkett Building Societies here ; one in Perth and one in Fremantle. The members pay in so much a week until they get, aay, LIOO, when they have a ballot, and one lucky member gets tho loan of LIOO free of interest for a given period. The principle is a very poor one, and the societies are not a pronounced success, here at any rate. The Fremantle society is about to wind up its affairs." Cool Proceeding.— On Saturday evening an employe in one of the drapery establishments in town missed a roll of flannellette from the front of the shop, and looking across the (road saw a man with the roll under his arm. He gave chase, and as the man was under the influence of liquor he had little difficulty in constraining him to deliver up the property. Another draper's shop has recently received attention from some person or persons who have been trying the effects of a chisel or some such tool on one of the doors. The police have the matter in hand. Social. — A Bocial in connection with the Invercargill Literary and Debating Society was held in the rooms yesterday evening. There was a large attendance of members and friends and Mr R. W. Porter presided. An excellent programme was submitted to which the following ladies and gentlemen contributed :— Songs : Mrs Blue, Misses McGregor, Mair, McChesney, Messrs G. K. George, and W. E. Gladstone ; recitations by Messrs D. and W. Farnie and R. W. Porter ; violin solos by Mr D. Blue ; piano solo by Miss Brown. Mrs Blue acted as accompanist. Messrs W. S. and H. Bedford rendered a dialogue from " King John " in a creditable manner. During the evening refreshments, provided by the members, were handed round and a very pleasant evening was spent. The proceedings were closed by votes of thanks to the friends who had assisted in the programme and— on the motion of Mr Vernon — to the members for providing an enjoyable entertainment. High School Board. — The meeting of the Board yesterday evening was attended by the Yen. Archdeacon Stocker (chairman), and Messrs W. B. Scandrett and F. Woodward. — In respect to free scholarships it waa resolved that the limit of age be 14 years, tenable for two years, the headmaster to recommend for an additional year such pupils as he thinks worthy.— Regarding ihe scholarships to be allotted Mr Fowler, who was present, said that the number at presmt allowed — 20 in each year — waa too great. Aa a matter of fact several of these free scholars were at the bottom of the classes. To these he considered it a mistake to give free secondary education. Either all should be given free education or else only thoae who showed promise of its being of use to them. If the number of scholars kept increasing, the staff would have to be increased, otherwise the efficiency of the work would suffer. — With reference to the standard of entrance, which is at present the fourth, Mr Fowler considered it tOO lOW, as Scholars who had only just succeeded in passing that standard required a great amount of attention in the moat elementary subjects. He thought all pupils should be required to have passed the sixth. Consideration of the matter waa deferred until next meeting.— Mrs Mosely wrote ofPeiing her services as teacher of drawing and painting. It was decided to reply that there were not sufficient pupils desirous ot studying these subjects to warrant the engagement of a teacher. — A report on the Board's reserves with valuations was received and the secretary was instructed to advertise them as usual.— The master's report showed the roll numbers to have been :— 62 boys and 38 girls. Accounts amounting to L 133 13s lOd were passed for payment and the Board adjourned. A "Dear" Man. — An extraordinary story was told by Annie Green, formerly Annie Cutton, who sued for a divorce from her husband, Charles Green, in Sydney, on the ground of desertion. The petitioner eaid that she eloped from a convent school at Maryland in 1875 with the respondent, when she waa only 14 years of age. They were brought back, but her father gave his consent to the marriage. To support herself she had to work in the tin mines at Stanhope for two or three years. During the whole of one year her husband only gave her 30s, and out of that amount he bought a pair of boots for himself. About two years ago she received a letter from him saying that four walls would be sufficient for her, and that if she were dead he would provide for their five children, but not while she waa living. A decree nixi was granted.

Kensington. — A concert waa held here 1 on Friday in aid of the glebe improvement j fund, Mr J. H. Dawson presiding. Songs j were given by Misses M. Crombie, E. Dawson, Thompson, and Stone ; Messrs Alexander, George, Gray, Irving, McDonald, and J. Hagerty ; recitations by Miss M. Coupland; a euphonium solo by Mr D. McKillop; two violin solos by Mr R. A. Edwards. Mrs Gray acted as accompanist. — Own correspondent. Veterans op our Railway Service.— A northern paper says that Mr George Cronin, railway foreman, has been on the colonial lines over 32£ years. The railway accountant, Mr A. C. Fyfe, has been totting up traffic figures for over 28 years, and Guard T. M. Fowke has been nearly 31 yeais in the service. The longest service stationmaster is Mr B. Sword, with a record of 29£ years, but Mr T. Arthur, District Traffis Mcinager, haa been in the service nearly 31 years. The longest service ganger is Mr T. Kelly, with 2>S years, but Mr J. Donald holds the record as platelayer, having been 30£ years in the service. As inspector of permanenb way Mr J. Smith haa put in nearly 29 years, and Mr J. McChesney a trifle over. The veteran shunter is Mr G. Heard with 30£ years' service and crossing- keeper C. Morse, has been over 2S£- years connected with our railways. — Mr A. McKenzie, head of our loco, staff we fancy might ask " where do I come in." Matavka. — On Saturday night Mr Thoa. Connor and two others went for a spin on their bicycles and on approaching the bridge Mr Connor's wheel struck the guide rail, the bike went from under him and grasping the wire rope to save his fall the weight of hia body came on his arm with such force that he dislocated his shoulder ; Doctors Hendry and Copeland reduced the dislocation, and Mr Connor is progressing favourably. The same evening our local brass band made a moonlight trip amongst the Tuturau farmers in a brake lent by Mr Mac Gibbon. At each homestead they were hospitably entertained by the farmers and netted a considerable sum towards their instrument fund, besides enjoying the outing.—Own correspondent. New Zealand Timber Trade. — The Grey River Argus states that Mr Jay haa brought back from Africa orders for about three million feet of timber, not of an indiscriminate character, but cut exactly to measure, otherwise it will not be accepted. The Cape miners, like those of Broken Hill, want timber of special sizes, and want it cut with the nicest accuracy. Hitherto the Cape has been relying maialy upon Oregon and Baltic timber, but the samples of New Zealand timber land»d there satisfy them provided it is cut as it is required. If we may rely on information supplied to us, Government contemplate erectiDg an enormous ahed on the reclaimed land in which to dry and season timber. Surveyors are at present engaged in laying off the ground. There could not be a better move in the interests of the timbor industry. The erection of a drying shed has often been suggested. If one is erected, aa we believe is intended, ifc will have a most beneficial effect on our export trade in timber. Southland Rugry Union. — A meeting of the executive, held on Saturday night, was attended by Messrs Hawke (chairman), Cameron, Galbraith, Mussen, George,Dacre, Donaldson, Mcßobie, and Purdue. — J. L. Ennis was granted a transfer from the Gore Club to the InvereargiU Pirates, and owing to the Riveradale Club having become defunct late members were given permission to play for any club. Draft programmes for a northern tour by a Southland representative team were submitted by a sub-committee, and it was resolved to adopt one providing for the team leaving on July 23rd and returning on 10th Aug, playing matches as follows: July 29th, against Wellington ; August Ist, against Canterbury; August 4th (at Timaru), against South Canterbury ; and August Bth, against Otago. A vote of thanks was recorded to Mr Cameron for drawing up the programme. Four players (one back and three forwards) were recommended by the Selection Committee as being worthy of inclusion in the New Zealand team againab Queensland at Wellington on August 15th. It was decided to forward the names mentioned, but the Southland Union was not prepared to pay their expenses. The Lumsden Club wrote claiming a win by default from the Waikaia Club, owing to the non-fulfilment of a fixture. The Waikaia Club was requested to show cause why the match should not be forfeited. It was decided to postpone the inter-club matches on July 15th and 22nd until August — in order to allow trial matches to be played on these dates. The meeting adjourned till next Saturday. Deluded Shareholders.— Writing to the Evening Po3t a correspondent says: "A gread deal of sympathy is being expressed for Mr Ward. No doubt it is a very sad position for him to be in. Is he the only Bufferer ? What about t*he poor deluded dupes who will lose their Irttle all 'i — widows, orphans, and men who have worked and saved a lifetime, and now have not a shilling. How about these people being turned into the streets 'i Perhaps Mr Seddon, with his sympathetic nature, will come to their aid privately. It would not do to take money out of the public purse, or he might do this readily. Do you not think, Mr Editor, something should be done to stop thia confidence tfick on a large scale '>. It is punishable on a small one. If a man goes in for a few hundred thousand pounds he gets off clear. Is this not one law for the rich and another for the poor '! The directors of the City of Glasgow Bank were punished. How is it that out of all the glaring cases we have had here of directors handling the money for their own benefit or paying dividends out of capital, not one has been put on his trial ? I am afraid the present legislation is only for the poor and requires revising. 1 thought Mr Ward waß given the opportunity of explaining hia position. Has he done so ? No ; he only reviled his political opponents, whose duty it was to bring anything before the House that they thought waa not honourable conduct. Mr Ward did not explain how he lost other people's money to the tune of over LIOO.OOO. Whether by negligence or otherwise, he is nevertheless morally responsible. I think it is time a Government Auditor should be appointed to go through every company's accounts each year — one free from political influence, the same as our Judges. More power to them for their honest straightforwardness. If this were done, the public would have some confidence in the various companies that are now in existence." A Long Struggle.— The second reading of the Deceased Wife's Sister Bill in the House of Lords marks the close of a long struggle, and there is now little doubt that the law on thia subject in the Old Country will be brought into line with that of the rest of the Empire. In New Zealand marriage with a deceased wife's sister has been legal since 1880, and earlier in most of the Australian [colonies. The agitation at Home dates back, to 1835, when the passing of Lord Lyndhurst's Act Jpgilised such marriages mide up to that time, but prohibited them in future. From ISSB onward a Deceased Wife's Sister Bill came to be looked upon as an annual event. The bill almost invariably passed the Commons by large majorities, only to be thrown out by the House of Lords. Towards the end of the seventies it was rumoured that persons ot exalted rank were interested in the agitation, and some colour was lent to the report by the action of the Royal Family. Although the Piince of Wales freque ltly attended the sittings of the House of Peers, he <had abstained, in accordance with well established usage, from taking any part in the proceedings. In 1879, however, some sensation wa? caused by the Heir Apparent and the Duke of Edinburgh attending the House and voting for the Deceased Wife's Sister Bill. The bill, as usual, was defeated, but they continued to support the measure as it made | iiß reappearance ; and the weight of their influence, combined with the force of public opinion, made itself increasingly felt. The j Bishops continued uncompromising jn their hostility, but the majorities against the bill j in the Upper House grew gradually smaller, | and at length the opposition to the measure j seems to be broken. Of course, the bill is not yot put of danger, but the majority jn favour of the second reading ia sufficiently substantial to make ita passing almost assured.— Evening Post,

The Football Rabies. — A disgraceful dis- | play of ruffianism occurred on a recent Saturday at Homebuah, Sydney, in connection with a junior football match—Homebush v. Oriental. From the starb the Oriental team made the game very rough, and the referee, Mr H. Hazel, with a commendable determination to enforce the rules regarding rough play, ordered two of the visiting team off the field. This action, coupled with the subsequent defeat of the Oriental team by 12 points to Dll, 80 enraged these players and their supporters that they proceeded to "deal it out to the referee at the conclusion of the match, kicking and striking him in a most brutal manner, and showering upon him mud and other missiles. In self-defence Hazel waa compelled to draw a revolver, with which he had come armed. This, as might be expected, had a salutary effect on the crowd, although the Homebush players and their supporters found it necessary to escort the referee to the railway station.